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May 18 2007
Some U.S.-based immigrants wept in relief at news of a
deal between leading senators that would grant millions of undocumented
immigrants lawful status, while other reform advocates warned any
celebration was premature.
The agreement reached on Thursday sets the stage for what is expected to
be a passionate Senate debate over the proposal, which would create a
temporary worker program, set up a merit-based system for future
immigrants and give legal status to 12 million illegal immigrants.
"I have been getting calls from migrants weeping with emotion. It's
unbelievable the relief that they are feeling," said Elias Bermudez, the
director of the Immigrants Without Borders activist group in Phoenix.
"What this news means to the millions of people in this country
illegally ... is that they can leave their homes in the morning without
fear of deportation," he added.
Hundreds of thousands of mostly Hispanic immigrants took to the streets
on May 1 to call for an overhaul of immigration laws and an end to
deportations by U.S. authorities.
Under the plan agreed to by Senate leaders, a new Z visa would be
created for illegal immigrants who can prove they arrived in the United
States before January 1, 2007.
It would also create a temporary worker program that would allow workers
from Mexico and other countries to work for two years and then require
them to go home before they could return. At least 400,000 visas a year
could be issued.
The legislation also includes tougher border security and workplace
enforcement measures and would limit family-based migration to immediate
family members.
TOO EARLY TO CELEBRATE
Other pro-immigrant advocates urged caution on Thursday, saying the
agreement faced a rocky road on Capitol Hill and contained ambiguous
areas that required clarification.
"We're not celebrating anything yet," said William Torres, an activist
with the March 25th Coalition immigrants' rights umbrella group, at a
rally in central Los Angeles.
"It's a step in the right direction, but there's still a long way to
go," he added.
The concerns were echoed by John Trashing, president and general counsel
of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
"All we got today was a compromise between very important senators and
the White House, it doesn't bring along everybody. There's a lot of work
to be done," he added.
Trashing said he believed the legislation should grant guest workers the
same rights as the rest of the workforce. He also wanted clarification
of how the points system for future migrants would work and on a
provision on family reunification.
"We are still trying to get a sense of what's in there. We are concerned
at family reunification being cut back and the point system for future
legal immigrants. We are going to look at the details very closely and
.. if it can be fixed," he said.
AFTER more than two years of disheartening online
dating, Charlotte Cullen resolved to spend less time pursuing men and
more time pursuing her hobbies. She plunged into tennis, running,
sailing, horseback riding, fitness boot camp and scuba diving classes,
assuming that somewhere between the situps and the strapping on of fins
she might meet some eligible prospects.
She did. They all just happened to be women.
“You would think you would meet some good men,” said Ms. Kullen, 34, who
lives near Union Square in New York and is the vice president of
marketing for Belmar Realty. “But there just aren’t any.”
“I’ve been in tennis for four months and there’s maybe one guy out of
six people,” she said. “They start getting cute because there’s no one
else to look at.”
As Shakespeare wrote, “The course of true love never did run smooth.”
But, oh, the agony of finding true love in a course.
Conventional wisdom for singles has it that taking a golf, cooking or
music class is not only fulfilling, but also an unpreserved way to meet
like-minded members of the opposite sex. “Put yourself out there!” the
dating gurus say.
Yet in New York City, in many (if not most) adult courses, the women are
numerous and the men are few — for approximately the same reason that
men behind the wheel don’t ask for directions. It goes against the male
grain to acknowledge ignorance about a subject, said professionals who
organize classes.
The women who take such courses are often successful, bright and
adventurous. And plenty of them forge powerful alliances. Yet eager
students hoping to find both enrichment and romance say their classes
suffer from a dearth of testosterone.
“Where are they?” asked Wendy Hill, who has taken architecture classes
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has joined singles groups and
getaways. “Where do they go?”
“You think if you do something you’re passionate about, you’ll find
him,” said Ms. Hill, 45, an executive assistant who lives in Windsor
Terrace, Brooklyn. She described the men in her architecture classes as
60-somethings, and the few she’d met at class activities geared to
singles as “belch.”
No one denies that love occasionally blooms during Thai kickboxing or
jazz appreciation. Or that some women are simply picky or overeager.
Still, grumbles about the lack of single men in group classes are not
unfounded.
Professionals who over.. classes in New York suggested that men have a
tendency to avoid group instruction, particularly beginner classes,
because they think they should already know all about, say, sports or
wine. Those who do ..k instruction, they said, generally prefer private
lessons.
“It’s mostly women,” said Jennifer Brown, the director of the Midtown
Tennis Club, which will offer more than 50 group classes each week this
summer. “Eighty percent women.”
Glenn Rancher, the literary arts director of the Writer’s Voice, which
conducts more than 100 writing classes a year at the West Side Y.M.C.A.,
said that in the first eight-week session of last year there were 127
women and 51 men in some 20 classes — about 2.5 women for every man. The
ratio for the current session is similar. “A teacher will come to me
with some surprise and say, ‘I have a guy in my class!’ ” he said.
At Jackrabbit Sports, the running, swimming and triathlon classes are
filled mostly with women, said Lee Silverman, the owner. At the Brooklyn
store, for example, the beginning running class has 18 women and 2 men,
and another running class has 13 women and 2 men.
Thomas Dare-Bryan, the manager and a wine buyer for Morrell & Company in
Rockefeller Plaza, said that the makeup of the shop’s wine-tasting
classes changes weekly but that they, too, mostly comprise women, some
of whom have told him they wish there were more men. “They have actually
come out with that statement,” Mr. Dare-Bryan said.
He offered this explanation for the disparity: “It’s argued that women
are better tasters of wine than men. A higher percentage of women have
more taste-bud receptors.” So maybe they are getting more out of the
class. But, echoing others who lead classes, he added: “It may also come
down to the fact that men think they know more about wine anyway, so
they don’t need to learn more about it.”
The imbalance of the sexes in personal growth classes of all kinds
reflects the demographics of New York City, where women outnumber men in
categories including never-married, separated, divorced and widowed,
according to the 2005 census. Over all, the city is home to about 4.2
million women and 3.8 million men. And nearly all of them have opinions
on just how conducive the city is to dating.
Dustin Goodwin, 38, a member of the Manhattan Sailing Club (he does not
take classes because he already knows how to sail) said that he has not
found it difficult to meet women. But, he said: “I don’t think that I’ve
ever thought that going to take a class would be a brilliant way to meet
somebody. But now that you mention it ...”
Mr. Goodwin, a Brooklyn resident, also does volunteer work, another
avenue often suggested to singles. He’s on the board of NYCwireless,
through which he and other technologically minded men set up Internet
access for people in low-income housing. Which gave him an idea: He
suggested single women volunteer for organizations like his.
Even at large institutions with extensive course offerings, there are no
guarantees, but the mix of women and men is sometimes better.
Programming for people in their 20s and 30s this year at the Jewish
Community Center in Manhattan included a Purim celebration and volunteer
event that drew 69 women and 26 men, and a walking tour of Harlem for 21
women and 8 men.
Angie Libber, a spokeswoman for the Jewish center, said that women
interested in meeting men through classes should try evening photography
or cooking.
But why are many of the city’s classes dominated by women?
“Men separate the social aspect from the fitness aspect,” said Mr.
Silverman of Jackrabbit Sports. “Women look at that at the same time.”
At the Golf Club at Chelsea Piers, women call to find out about the
male-female ratio in group classes. Greta Wagner, the general manager,
said that men, thinking that they do know or should know how to play,
“are more apt to take private lessons.”
Women hoping to both learn the game and to mingle would be wise to
attend the club’s socials and stay to practice after group lessons, Ms.
Wagner said. “There’s a lot of very handsome men on the tee line.”
Mr. Silverman said that, in general, men ..k instruction when they want
to push through a triathlon or get turned on to a highly technical sport
like cycling.
“The more intense the goal,” he said, “the more male participation.”
Jackrabbit's Olympic distance triathlon class has 22 women and 16 men.
Other classes that appeal to men, Mr. Silverman said, are cycling (“Men
like toys,” said Dina Pappalardo, Jackrabbit's apparel buyer) and
advanced running and swimming.
Doug Oldies, Jackrabbit's program coordinator, said the best mix of
women and men occurs on the city’s sports teams.
Those willing to relive their high school gym days with games like
kickball, dodge ball and touch football can join coed teams at
Zogsports.org, a social sports league for professionals in their 20s and
30s.
Robert Herzog, the founder of ZogSports, said there is almost an even
mix of men and women in each league. He added that he knows of 25
marriages and engagements resulting from games and volunteer and
happy-hour events since 2002.
But nonathletes should not abandon all hope. Sometimes working up a
sweat is unnecessary.
About two and half years ago, Debra Wilensky enrolled in a
black-and-white photography class at the Jewish community center, where,
coincidentally, she now works in performing arts administration. Ms.
Wile sky, 27, was not expecting to develop anything more than photos.
But one night after class, a student, Randy Weinstein, an information
technology consultant, asked her to have a drink. In the months that
followed there were dinners and movie outings together. He photographed
cityscapes. She photographed family portraits.
“I wasn’t actually at that point really looking to meet anybody,” Ms.
Wile sky said.
How "average" or "American" is your state? The
Associated Press has produced an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data
that ranks the 50 states and the District of Columbia according to how
closely they resemble the country's demographics.
They looked at 21 demographic factors — from race, age, income and
education to immigration and the percentage of residents living in urban
and rural areas.
Illinois came out on top, because the state's racial, urban, and rural
characteristics almost match that of the nation, as the AP's Stephen
Ohlemacher tells NPR's Michele Norris.
The state least like the rest of the nation: West Virginia.
How 'Average' Is Your State?
The Associated Press ranked each state and the District of Columbia on
how closely they match national averages on a combination of 21
demographic factors, including race, age, income, education, industrial
mix, immigration and the share of people living in urban and rural
areas.
Below is a ranking of how each state fared, with Illinois ranked No. 1
as the state that best mirrors the country, and West Virginia ranked
51st as the most atypical:
State and Rank
Illinois 1
Oregon 2
Michigan 3
Washington 4
Delaware 5
Georgia 6
Kansas 6
North Carolina 8
Missouri 9
Ohio 10
Pennsylvania 11
Rhode Island 11
Texas 13
Utah 14
Arizona 15
Nebraska 16
New York 16
Indiana 18
Florida 19
New Jersey 19
Oklahoma 21
Minnesota 22
Connecticut 23
South Carolina 24
Colorado 25
Hawaii 25
Virginia 27
New Mexico 28
Wisconsin 29
Idaho 30
Tennes.. 31
California 32
Nevada 33
Massachusetts 34
Alaska 35
Maryland 36
Louisiana 37
Maine 38
Wyoming 39
South Dakota 40
Iowa 41
Montana 41
District of Columbia 43
Alabama 44
Arkansas 45
North Dakota 46
Kentucky 47
Vermont 47
New Hampshire 49
Mississippi 50
West Virginia 51
Source: AP analysis based on Census Bureau data.
One of the challenges facing New Orleans residents as
they try to rebuild is finding hundreds of new teachers to serve a
rapidly growing student population before schools re-open in September.
Local school officials who have been urging students to return are now
struggling to find enough teachers.
Teacher Dorothy Riley is supposed to be retired, but she came back to
teach kindergartners at Drew Elementary School in New Orleans' Ninth
Ward.
"I felt as though if a child ever needed a teacher, it was after
Katrina," Riley says. Riley lived with her mother in Lafayette after the
hurricane, but she says she felt she had to return to New Orleans.
"I don't think it was my decision. I think it was a decision from the
Lord to go down and touch somebody and bring these children up," she
says.
The city will need hundreds of teachers like Riley to serve a system
where 200 new students enroll every week. Many of the charter schools
that have opened their doors in New Orleans are full. Earlier this year,
parents sued when 300 children were turned away.
To avoid more trouble in the coming year, local school officials have
kicked a major recruiting effort into gear.
Novelt Estella, part of a recruiting and training effort called
TeachNOLA, is responsible for keeping track of about 70 applicants.
"People from all over the country are applying here — interesting people
with a lot of skill and intellect and passion," Estella says.
New Orleans is growing rapidly, while other big city school systems are
closing schools left and right. So the Crescent City might look
appealing to laid-off teachers in other places.
Teachers from out of town also are drawn by housing subsidies and a
$5,000 bonus the state now offers for teachers who stay a full year.
The new crop of teachers may find that many schools are running
smoothly. But in others, pre-Katrina problems have been magnified by the
educational storm that followed the hurricane.
At Walter Cohen High, one of five new schools opened during the past few
months to cope with growing enrollment, English teacher Matt Roberts
tries to get a lesson started one day with only seven students in class.
Some of the others are apparently in in-school suspension. Those who
have arrived are bored and unprepared. Roberts struggles to get the
students on task. He bounces around the room, giving each student
one-on-one instruction.
But as Roberts focuses on one student, the other six quickly get off
track. One student hides behind a file cabinet and sends text messages
on his phone. Because the school has only been open for a few weeks, a
computer-based reading program isn't ready, giving students one more
thing to grouse about.
Roberts has seven years of experience teaching out of state — but, he
says later at home, nothing prepared him for threats and other problems
he now faces at school.
Roberts and his wife are New Orleans natives who returned in part to
help with the recovery effort. They questioned their sanity when they
found themselves bathing their kids from a kitchen pot because their
home had no hot water. But Roberts says all the challenges he faces are
matched by the huge rewards.
"The same student who threatened me today is a student who on Tuesday
pulled a security officer from the hallway into the room to show that
security officer his poem," Roberts says.
The promise of those bright moments keeps luring potential teachers. A
woman from New York who walked into the school district offices one day
says she's ready to sign up even though she'll have to take a major pay
cut and cover the cost of getting certified herself.
"I used to live here, and [I've] just been missing New Orleans like
nothing else, especially after the storm. When you .. the way the city's
really been let down, I just need to come back and just give some kids a
shot at an education."
The city's Recovery School District has filled one important post — Paul
Villas, chief executive officer of the Philadelphia city schools, has
agreed to take over as chief in New Orleans starting July 1.
It isn't easy for anyone to say no to the president of
the United States. Certainly not for the loyalists who work in his
administration. But in rare instances - Watergate's Saturday Night
Massacre being the most famous - they do, upholding principle in the
face of extreme presidential pressure.
Tuesday, the nation learned of another such incident in detail fit for a
Hollywood script, with plotlines about personal liberty, the
administration of justice and the way the war on terror is fought.
In testimony Tuesday to a Senate panel, former deputy attorney general
James Comedy told how two White House emissaries - then-chief of staff
Andrew Card and then-presidential counsel Alberto Gonzales - came to a
Washington hospital room to pressure Attorney General John Ashcroft as
he lay in his sickbed. Comedy, legally installed as acting attorney
general while Ashcroft recovered from emergency gall stone surgery, had
blocked a White House program (believed to be its controversial
wiretapping plan) because the Justice Department disputed its legality,
and Card and Gonzales wanted Ashcroft to overrule him.
Comedy was heading home when he got word that Gonzales and Card were on
their way to the hospital. Sirens blaring, he raced to Ashcroft's
bedside, where FBI Director Robert Mueller was to join him.
Moments later, Comedy said, Gonzales and Card walked in. They tried to
persuade Ashcroft to re-authorize the then-secret domestic surveillance
program. Ashcroft lifted his head, enumerated his objections and refused
to sign. He told them that while he was sick, Comedy was their man.
Gonzales and Card ignored the admonition and, for that matter, Comedy
himself, then swept out of the room.
That was just the beginning of a showdown. Later that night, Comedy was
summoned to the White House. He refused to go without taking along a
witness, Solicitor General Ted Olson.
Still, the White House pressed ahead, authorizing the program the next
day without Justice Department approval. Comedy prepared a resignation
letter, believing that Mueller, their top aides and, most likely,
Ashcroft would join him. "I couldn't stay if the administration was
going to engage in conduct that the Department of Justice had said had
no legal basis," Comedy testified.
The next day, after meeting with Comedy and Mueller, the president
agreed to change the program, Comedy said.
The substance of the changes has never been revealed. But they stopped
the potential resignations, and the White House avoided a constitutional
clash reminiscent of the Saturday Night Massacre, when the attorney
general and his deputy resigned rather than fire a special prosecutor
investigating wrongdoing by the Nixon White House.
What to make of this Bush-era brush with such history?
First, the clash says a lot about how far the White House was willing to
go to impose its post-9/11 wiretapping program, in which the government
monitored e-mails and phone calls between the USA and overseas if one
party was suspected of a terrorist link. The program dispensed with
court orders. It allowed eavesdropping on innocent citizens. Last year,
a federal court ruled it unconstitutional, and it has since been
replaced with a program supervised by a secret intelligence court. But
back in 2004, the White House would brook no questions about it, even
from its own attorney general.
Even more compelling is what the bedside bullying says about Gonzales,
the man who succeeded Ashcroft as attorney general. If Comedy and
Ashcroft were lions in defending the law, the current controversy over
the mass firing of U.S. attorneys makes Gonzales look more like a lap
dog.
Some of the prosecutors were forced out because they failed the test as
"loyal Bushies" (a top Justice official's description) or ran afoul of
White House political strategist Karl Rove. But the hapless Gonzales -
with his changing, conflicting versions of who decided to fire the
prosecutors and why - didn't intervene. Wednesday, he once again tried
to shift blame to his subordinates, four of whom have now resigned.
That's hardly the mark of a strong leader or someone with the moral
authority to lead the Department of Justice.
Perhaps most compelling is what Comedy's testimony says about the danger
of White House arrogance. It's easy for a president or his advisers to
find the law inconvenient, to dismiss facts that get in their way and to
stampede those who disagree.
When that happens, a Comedy or an Ashcroft can turn a president away
from running roughshod over citizens' rights or rushing into an
ill-conceived war.
If only this administration had learned that lesson sooner.
Deep-sea explorers said Friday they have mined what
could be the richest shipwreck treasure in history, bringing home 17
tons of colonial-era silver and gold coins from an undisclosed site in
the Atlantic Ocean. Estimated value: $500 million.
A jet chartered by Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration landed in the
United States recently with hundreds of plastic containers brimming with
coins raised from the ocean floor, Odyssey co-chairman Greg Stem said.
The more than 500,000 pieces are expected to fetch an average of $1,000
each from collectors and investors.
"For this colonial era, I think (the find) is unprecedented," said rare
coin expert Nick Buyer, who examined a batch of coins from the wreck. "I
don't know of anything equal or comparable to it."
Citing security concerns, the company declined to release any details
about the ship or the wreck site Friday. Stem said a formal announcement
will come later, but court records indicate the coins might come from a
400-year-old ship found off England.
Because the shipwreck was found in a lane where many colonial-era
vessels went down, there is still some uncertainty about its
nationality, size and age, Stem said, although evidence points to a
specific known shipwreck. The site is beyond the territorial waters or
legal jurisdiction of any country, he said.
"Rather than a shout of glee, it's more being able to exhale for the
first time in a long time," Stem said of the haul, by far the biggest in
Odyssey's 13-year history.
He wouldn't say if the loot was taken from the same wreck site near the
English Channel that Odyssey recently petitioned a federal court for
permission to salvage.
In ..king exclusive rights to that site, an Odyssey attorney told a
federal judge last fall that the company likely had found the remains of
a 17th-century merchant vessel that sank with valuable cargo aboard,
about 40 miles off the southwestern tip of England. A judge signed an
order granting those rights last month.
In keeping with the secretive nature of the project dubbed "Black Swan,"
Odyssey also isn't talking yet about the types, denominations and
country of origin of the coins.
Buyer said he observed a wide range of varieties and dates of likely
uncirculated currency in much better condition than artifacts yielded by
most shipwrecks of a similar age.
The Black Swan coins — mostly silver pieces — likely will fetch several
hundred dollars to several thousand dollars each, with some possibly
commanding much more, he said. Value is determined by rarity, condition
and the story behind them.
Controlled release of the coins into the market along with their
expected high value to collectors likely will keep prices at a premium,
he said.
The richest ever shipwreck haul was yielded by the Spanish galleon
Nuestra Senora de Atcham, which sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys
in 1622. Treasure-hunting pioneer Mel Fisher found it in 1985,
retrieving a reported $400 million in coins and other loot.
Odyssey likely will return to the same spot for more coins and
artifacts.
"We have treated this site with kid gloves and the archaeological work
done by our team out there is unsurpassed," Odyssey CEO John Morris
said. "We are thoroughly documenting and recording the site, which we
believe will have immense historical significance."
The news is timely for Odyssey, the only publicly traded company of its
kind.
The company salvaged more than 50,000 coins and other artifacts from the
wreck of the SS Republic off Savannah, Ga., in 2003, making millions.
But Odyssey posted losses in 2005 and 2006 while using its expensive,
state-of-the-art ships and deep-water robotic equipment to hunt for the
next mother lode.
"The outside world now understands that what we do is a real business
and is repeatable and not just a lucky one shot deal," Stem said. "I
don't know of anybody else who has hit more than one economically
significant shipwreck."
In January, Odyssey won permission from the Spanish government to resume
a suspended search for the wreck of the HMS Sussex, which was leading a
British fleet into the Mediterranean Sea for a war against France in
1694 when it sank in a storm off Gibraltar.
Historians believe the 157-foot warship was carrying nine tons of gold
coins to buy the loyalty of the Duke of Savoy, a potential ally in
southeastern France. Odyssey believes those coins could also fetch more
than $500 million.
But under the terms of a historic agreement Odyssey will have to share
any finds with the British government. The company will get 80 percent
of the first $45 million and about 50 percent of the proceeds
thereafter.
Openly armed firearms enthusiasts packed a normally
sedate government building, hoping to win a pistol or rifle and at the
same time send a defiant message to gun-control advocates, especially
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights group, organized the
"Bloomberg Gun Giveaway" in large part to thumb its nose at Bloomberg,
who accuses some shops of allowing illegal purchases of firearms that
later were used in crimes in his city.
The city has filed federal lawsuits against more than two dozen shops,
including six in Virginia.
Two guns were awarded Thursday, a Para-Ordnance pistol and a Varmint
Stalker rifle, each worth about $900. The winners did not immediately
receive the weapons — they will still be required to undergo federal and
state background checks.
The first winner, Jay Minsk, responded with an obscene hand gesture when
asked what message he hoped to send to Bloomberg.
"If he doesn't like people in New York having guns, he should deal with
New York," said Minsk, who grew up in Brooklyn. "Just keep out of
Virginia."
The event drew an overflow crowd at a Fairfax County government
building, with the fire marshal aggressively enforcing an occupancy
limit of 150 for the meeting hall. Others stood outside and peered
through open windows. About 200 people showed.
County officials opposed the drawing but concluded they could not
prohibit a group from using the community meeting room because of its
political views. The gun-rights group has met in the building for years.
The event drew protests from gun-control advocates and the parents of
those killed in last month's shootings at Virginia Tech.
Peter and Cathy Read, whose daughter Mary was one of those killed, held
a photo of their daughter outside the building.
"We're not here to have a debate. We're here to witness for our
daughter," Peter Read said. "The victims need to be witnessed to. People
of the commonwealth can make intelligent decisions about what's right."
Philip Van Cleave, the league's president, said he sympathizes with the
families but maintained that some of the deaths might have been
prevented if somebody had been armed.
Many in attendance said they were motivated not by the chance of a free
gun, but to make a point to Bloomberg and express support for the Second
Amendment.
"It'd be nice if I win, but that's not what this is about. It's about my
constitutional right to defend myself," said Ron Stubbing, a league
member.
The event had been planned for months as a fundraiser for two gun shops
being sued by New York City. But officials said that giveaway violated
state gambling laws, so the league quickly organized a new giveaway,
open to anybody who showed up at its Thursday night meeting.
Most but not all in attendance carried holstered handguns. In Virginia,
individuals need a permit only to carry a concealed weapon. Openly
visible, holstered guns are permitted without a permit.
Anybody who showed up at Thursday's event was eligible for the drawing —
except Bloomberg and his immediate family.
Asked Thursday about the giveaway, Bloomberg said, "I think it's sick,
is the nicest ways to phrase it."
Van Cleave responded that the members of his organization are
law-abiding citizens, including many retired military, police officers
and firefighters.
"If you're saying these are sick people, then I'm proud to be sick," Van
Cleave said.
The Florida Lottery is refusing to pay a $500,000 prize until it can
inspect the $20 scratch-off ticket, which officials said Thursday
appears to be a misprint.
Joe Curio, 56, says he got the ticket at a service plaza Sunday on
Florida's Turnpike.
The Gold Rush ticket has the numeral 1 on the top row and a numeral 1
above the $500,000 scratch-off piece, making the ticket appear to be a
winner. But when Curio had it scanned, the ticket's bar code indicated
it wasn't.
Curio, who owns a used car dealership, said lottery officials told
him the top number actually was a "13" that was misprinted.
"They're saying it's a misprint. How do I know it's a misprint?" he
asked. He has hired an attorney to press his claim.
Lottery spokeswoman Jacqueline Barriers said Curio still needed to
turn over the ticket for a full inspection.
"We can't say whether we will pay the jackpot or not until we go
through the process," she said.
Gold futures edged higher Friday as the dollar traded
mixed against other major currencies, while copper futures extended
their recent losses.
Gold for June delivery rose $1.70 to $658.90 an ounce on the New York
Mercantile Exchange. On Thursday, gold futures fell $4.30 an ounce.
"Caution prevails, despite what we expect will be some days of recovery
in coming sessions," said Jon Nadler, analyst at Kit co Bullion Dealers.
Also on Nynex, July copper fell 1.65 cents to stand at $3.29 a pound. On
Thursday, copper futures sank to their lowest level since early April,
with the June contract tumbling 11.6 cents, or 3.4%, to close at $3.3065
a pound.
"We still would not want to bottom-pick here despite some technical
indicators showing that we are oversold," said Edward Emir, analyst at
Man Financial. "Instead, we prefer to wait for prices to hold, turn, and
stay higher before initiating any length."
In the long term, metals prices should move higher over the course of
the year in light of relatively tight supply-demand balances, Emir said.
"Still, these technical corrections could be fierce and we would rather
wait for the dust to settle," he said.
Rounding out the early action, July silver rose 2.7 cents to $12.91 an
ounce, June palladium added $1.60 to $362 an ounce and July platinum
eased 80 cents to $1,317.10 an ounce.
Also affecting the trading in metals, the People's Bank of China said
Friday it's widening the trading band for the Yuan, hiking interest
rates and increasing banks' reserve requirements, as authorities act to
quell a rapidly rising stock market and put a brake to the fast-growing
mainland economy. Read more.
The news from China "is no doubt contributing to the weaker tone we saw
earlier in the metals markets," Emir said.
Japan's yen gained. The dollar traded mixed against other major
currencies ahead of a report expected to show U.S. consumer sentiment
fell slightly this month. .. Currencies.
In energy trading, crude-oil futures rose as expectations of high demand
for gasoline during the U.S. summer driving season and global political
tensions provided support for prices
Crude-oil futures rose Friday, extending their
prior-session gains, as prices remained supported by expectations of
high demand for gasoline during the U.S. summer driving season and
global political tensions.
Crude oil for June delivery rose 42 cents to $65.29 a barrel on the New
York Mercantile Exchange.
"As the impact of this week's EYE [Energy Information Administration]
numbers fade, geopolitical tensions are coming back into focus and are
providing a firm undertone to the crude markets," said Edward Emir,
analyst at Man Financial Energy Group.
In oil-rich Nigeria, labor unions said Thursday that they will call a
two-day nationwide strike for May 28 and 29 to protest the results of
the recent presidential elections, the Associated Press reported. The
protest is timed to coincide with the inauguration of the new
government.
Two other factors are violence in Gaza as well as President Bush's
warning Friday of new sanctions against Iran if there is no progress on
the dispute over the Mideast country's nuclear program, Emir said.
On Thursday, crude futures rose 3.7%, or $2.31, to close at $64.86 a
barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange -- their highest closing
level since April 30.
"We are off to a mixed but quiet start, as there is not much
follow-through after yesterday's blistering run higher," Emir said.
"Our chart on the next page shows that reformulated gasoline is
approaching key resistance targets around the $2.45 level, and is
somewhat overbought here as measured by our relative strength index,"
Emir said. "It therefore could stall in the short-term, thus keeping the
upside in the rest of the complex somewhat in check."
Also on Nynex Friday, June reformulated gasoline fell 2.01 cents to
$2.4160 a gallon. In the previous session, the contract gained 9.96
cents, or 4.3%, to close at $2.4366 a gallon.
June heating oil fell 0.76 cent to $1.9291 a gallon Friday. June natural
gas rose 11.50 cents, or 1.4%, to $8.190 per million British thermal
units.
If you look at the yearbook for one St. Tammany Parish
elementary school, you won't .. all of the students.
Parents said portrait shots of special education students with learning
disabilities were left out of Pontchartrain Elementary School's
yearbook. Instead, there are only candid shots of the students.
"Being her last year at the school, it ..ms pretty hard for her to have
a yearbook with no picture of her in it," father Gil Cacho said.
Special education students who are considered gifted were included,
though.
The principal has apologized for the omission, and according to the
school board, she's working to rectify the problem.
"She's investigating a number of options about what she can do to
reprint pages from the yearbook," Linda Roan of the St. Tammany Parish
School Board said.
But parents said a pattern has been developing for years and that
they've voiced numerous concerns.
"You know the saying 'the straw that broke the camel's back'? I think
this camel's kind of done, and it ..ms like the ability to talk to them,
to sit down and have a conversation has not helped anything," mother
Joliet Coho said.
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