| Ray Harryhausen's monster gift to film
Most of his films are filled with stars you've never heard of, and at the time they didn't win awards. But in the Bay Area, the unofficial capital of the special effects industry, Harryhausen is still the most recognizable name in the business. He's treated like a rock star when he flies into town - during his most recent appearance, last Wednesday at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, Harryhausen received his first standing ovation of the evening before he even reached the stage. "I had no idea at the time that my films would be remembered like this," Harryhausen says during a phone interview late last week. He was scheduled to speak with The Chronicle after the show, but had to postpone when the line of autograph seekers snaked across the stage and all the way down the theater aisle.
CAIRO-ALEX DESERT ROAD
This area is one of the hottest (and most expensive) mainly because of its prime location. Zamalek is a natural island in the Nile, housing most of the embassies in Cairo making it a very safe place to live. The turn-of-the-century architecture is one of Zamaleks biggest aesthetic draws, where grandiose villas from days gone by grace most street corners. Zamalek is known for its great eateries, many of which have been around for ages. It is also an art-lovers haven, with a slew of private and public galleries and cultural centers including the Cairo Opera House and El-Sawy Culture Center. Apartments range from LE 5,000 to LE 12,000 per square meter; Nile views cost from LE 3,000 to LE 6,000 per square meter. Renting a flat can cost $500 to $3,000 per month, but bargains are often available.
'Evolution' to make debut in Fla. science standards
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida schoolchildren will be taught that evolution is a “scientific theory" through a compromise yesterday that left neither side satisfied although supporters of Charles Darwin's big idea were much happier than its opponents. That's because Florida's public school science standards for the first time will actually use the word “evolution" although the biological concept currently is taught under code words such as “change over time." More significant, though, the new standards require more in-depth teaching of evolution and hold that it is “the fundamental concept underlying all of biology and is supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence." That statement rankled opponents, some of whom had urged the State Board of Education to add an “academic freedom" provision that would have let teachers “engage students in a critical analysis of that evidence." Evolution supporters, including mainstream scientists and clergy, told the board before the 4-3 vote that the academic-freedom proposal was a wedge designed to open the door for injecting religious arguments into science studies.
Dairyland Power implements state-of-the-art filters to reduce air ...
New EPA mandates do not limit power plant coal use, but they must gradually implement stricter air pollutant reduction standards.States such as Wisconsin will need to reduce their power plants' sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by 2015 because of the EPA-administered Interstate Air Quality Rule passed in 2004. An additional mercury cap is estimated to reduce coal plant emissions of mercury from 48 tons a year to 15 70 percent by 2018.Under the federal program, utilities can swap pollution allowances.It's a "cap and trade" program, said EPA environmental engineer Doug Adurano. Facilities that cap more pollutants than federal requirements can sell to facilities that don't. Trade costs could run $3,000 to $4,000 depending on the pollutant, he said."It's not important that every facility reduces emissions, just the overall level of reduction," Adurano said.Besides cleaner air, the EPA estimates the interstate rule could save up to $100 billion in health care costs, prevent 17,000 deaths a year and reduce the number of acidic lakes and streams in the U.S.Dairyland first installed a baghouse at its 380-megawatt Genoa, Wis., coal-fired power plant in May.
Calif. High Court's Leanings Hard to See in City of Hope Patent Case
Whether a $500 million damages award against Genentech Inc. stands will probably come down to whether the California Supreme Court interprets a 32-year-old contract as establishing a fiduciary relationship between the biotech giant and a research center. That issue was the focus of Tuesday's oral argument in the long-awaited case, as the court's justices attempted to nail down exactly what constitutes a fiduciary relationship in a patent contract. All seven justices -- including 1st District Court of Appeal Justice James Lambden sitting in for recused Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar -- asked tough questions without tipping their hands about who would prevail. Attorneys for both sides were well-regarded appellate specialists. Jerome Falk Jr., a partner in San Francisco's Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin, represented Genentech, while Peter Davis, counsel in the San Francisco office of Reed Smith, presented arguments for City of Hope National Medical Center.
Biofuel unites timber giant, Chevron
Critics point out that corn-based ethanol and soy-based biodiesel can have a negative impact on the environment and on food prices. But optimists say that cellulosic ethanol, still at an early development stage, could open the door to turning agricultural waste into energy. "For renewable fuels to make a meaningful contributions we have to move beyond food-based feedstocks," said Mike Wirth, Chevron's vice president for global refining and marketing operations. Chevron already mixes a significant amount of ethanol into its gasoline, and expects alternative fuels to become "more meaningful" contributors to the fuel mix, Wirth said. .
AFL legend violent in Vegas, too, say US police
US authorities yesterday revealed Carey spent one night in custody accused of battery, after being placed under citizen's arrest in October 2004. The revelation is the latest in a string of controversies to plague the former Kangaroos and Adelaide Crows superstar of Australian rules, whom police had to subdue with capsicum spray in Melbourne last Sunday after a domestic dispute. Also yesterday, it emerged that Carey's girlfriend Kate Neilson excused her boyfriend for allegedly glassing her in Miami last October as a "simple misunderstanding of an earlier event in our relationship". In an statement yesterday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Carey got into trouble in the US gambling capital more than three years ago. "On October 17, 2004, a misdemeanour battery report was filed against Mr Carey," the statement said.
More than 20 Years in the Making
Increasingly, however, many hedge funds are betting there is far worse to come for the corporate debt market as well. Hedge fund managers and the trading desks of some of the savviest firms on Wall Street are expecting a severe downturn in the corporate debt market... A number of trades have been made on the assumption that, when things go wrong, corporate creditors will receive far less than 100 cents on the dollar, and the more junior their debt, the less they will get back." January 22 - The Wall Street Journal (Aparajita Saha-Bubna): "Hybrid securities have in the past been an easy source of capital for cash-strapped financial institutions. But that has all changed. Risk premiums on these securities - sandwiched between bank loans and common stock in a company's capital structure - have risen across the board as investors rethink the aggressive terms and conditions under which they lent to these once credit-healthy borrowers." January 24 - Bloomberg (Bryan Keogh and David Mildenberg): "Bank of America Corp...
Inge on WDFN: Ring is nice, but career stability more important
We don't need a cancer in the locker room. That's the first time I've felt this way about Inge but he's keeps saying things that aren't good for the chemistry in the clubhouse. I agree with honrechuck, if you wouldnt have sucked it up last year the Tigers wouldn't have replaced you. It isn't their obligation to trade you, you lost your spot so suck it up and honor your contract. .
Dollar closes weaker as credit concerns resurface
THE dollar closed weaker today as offshore influences conspired to boost risk aversion, sending investors scrambling for safe haven assets. At 5pm AEDT, the Australian dollar was trading at $US0.8856/59, down from yesterday's close of 0.8999/01. During the day the dollar traded between a low of $US0.8818 and a high of 0.8881. The dollar traded in a choppy fashion through most of the local session, ending the day close to its opening price of $US0.8856/61. Westpac currency strategist Jonathan Cavenagh said the unit had been hammered in the latest bout of risk aversion and that further short-term weakness was likely. He said the slide in risk appetite - also evident in a sell-off in Asian and local equity markets, and a rally in safe-haven bonds, was prompted by ongoing concerns over conditions in credit markets.
Hip-Hop Rumors: Did Wayne Really Get Boo'd? No New Girl For Scrappy!
All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on. YESTERDAY'S RUMORS! Hip-Hop Rumors: Angel Lola Luv's Butt Confirmed Fake? Jim Jones and Max B Beefing? Diddy's American Idol? TODAY'S RUMORS! DID WAYNE GET BOOED OR NOT? In a recent report, by a newspaper they said that Lil' Wayne was forced to say sorry to the fine people of Richmond for a weird show that had him leaving early. Well, when he left, they reported that Weezy got booed. I am hearing that this wasn't the truth. Some people that were there told me that when Wayne left the stage, after that first half hearted, performance, the fans booed the DJ for playing music, kinda sending a message that the show was over.
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