My info

2008-05-28T01:52:00.000-07:00

Nokia N95 vs Nokia 6233 photo

2007-11-11T04:29:00.000-08:00

Nokia 6233

Nokia N95 photo

Sony Ericsson K800 vs Nokia 6233

2007-09-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson K800 photo:

Nokia 6233

Search continues for aviation adventurer Steve Fossett

2007-09-05T06:01:00.000-07:00

Steve Fossett
• 63 years old

• Set 115 world records or world firsts

• Still holds official world records in five sports

• First person to fly nonstop around the world

• Has also circumnavigated globe in yacht and balloon

'Human-animal' embryo ruling due

2007-09-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

Regulators are due to make a decision whether to allow human-animal embryos to be created and used for research.The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is expected to give the plan the go-ahead in principle - but each case will still be judged individually.

Scientists want to create hybrid embryos by merging human cells with animal eggs in a bid to extract stem cells.

The cells form the basic building blocks of the body and have the potential to become any tissue, making them essential for research.

At the moment, scientists have to rely on human eggs left over from fertility treatment, but they are in short supply and are not always good quality.

Warning over Hurricane Dean

2007-09-05T05:48:00.000-07:00

Katrina itself cost the industry $50bn (£26.7bn)

2007 has been the first year on record when two Atlantic hurricanes have made landfall as category-five storms in a single season.

Hurricane Felix has killed four people in Nicaragua over the past couple of days, although it has since weakened into a category-one storm.

The hurricane season is expected to reach its peak on 10 September.

Women's rankings

2007-09-05T05:34:00.000-07:00

Women's WTA tour race
26 August
1 J Henin Bel 11 M Bartoli Fra
2 J Jankovic Ser 12 D Safina Rus
3 A Ivanovic Ser 13 P Schnyder Swi
4 S Kuznetsova Rus 14 N Vaidisova Cze
5 M Sharapova Rus 15 A Mauresmo Fra
6 S Williams US 16 E Dement'va Rus
7 A Chakvet'ze Rus 17 S Peer Isr
8 V Williams US 18 M Hingis Swi
9 N Petrova Rus 19 S Bammer Aut
10 D Hantuch'a Svk 20 T Golovin Fra

US Open 2007 image

2007-09-05T05:17:00.001-07:00

Germany foils 'massive' bomb plot

2007-09-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

Three men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of planning a "massive" terrorist attack on US facilities in the country, officials have said.

Federal prosecutor Monika Harms said the three had trained at camps in Pakistan and procured some 700kg (1,500lbs) of chemicals for explosives.

She said the accused had sought to target facilities visited by Americans, such as nightclubs, pubs or airports.

Defence minister Franz Josef Jung said the men had posed "an imminent threat".

Media reports said they were planning attacks against a US military base in Ramstein and Frankfurt airport.

On Monday, two people with suspected links to al-Qaeda were arrested in Denmark on suspicion of planning a bomb attack.

MASAŻ EROTYCZNY

2007-09-04T04:25:00.000-07:00

Jest fascynującym uzupełnieniem kontaktów seksualnych. Zbliża kochanków do siebie, rozbudza ich zmysłowość, pomaga odkrywać najbardziej wrażliwe miejsca. Relaksuje i jednocześnie podnieca, stwarzając warunki do przeżycia silniejszego niż zwykle orgazmu. Robienie masażu erotycznego to nie tylko zapewnienie rozkosznych wrażeń dotykowych.
Zmysłowe ugniatanie czy nacieranie ciała ma ważne znaczenie dla pań, prowadzi bowiem do zwiększonego wydzielania hormonów płciowych podniecając kobietę i czyniąc ją bardziej podatną na pieszczoty. Może też pomóc mężczyznom mającym kłopoty ze wzwodem lub cierpiącym na chwilową impotencję. Rozciąganie mięśni dotlenia je, poprawia krążenie krwi. Masaż jest znakomitą techniką gry wstępnej, podobnie jak petting.
Poznawanie - centymetr po centymetrze ciała partnera, wsłuchiwanie się, jak on reaguje, rozbudza się i przenosi pożądanie na inne obszary to jedna z największych wspólnie przeżywanych przyjemności. Warto więc zadbać, żeby rokoszować się masażem w odpowiedniej scenerii. Należy też pamiętać, że jego celem jest sprawianie przyjemności obydwojgu kochankom.

RODZAJE DOTYKU
Grabiące dłonie. Układamy je na pośladkach partnera i na przemian: najpierw lekko, a po chwili mocno grabiącymi ruchami masujemy pośladki oraz zagłębienie od strony pleców. Po kilku minutach zmieniamy taktykę. Obydwiema dlońmi masujemy tylko lewą część ciała, potem tylko prawą. Jeśli dotykanie nie będzie zbyt drapieżne, rozgrzeje i podnieci.
Odprężające uciskanie. Kładziemy ręce powyżej pośladków partnera. Kciuki umieszczamy po obu stronach kręgosłupach, a dłonie kierujemy palcami w stronę jego głowy. Posuwamy się w górę pleców, głaszcząc je rozluźnionymi dłońmi i stosując mocny ucisk. Można też tak: jedną rękę kierujemy w górę pleców, drugą w dół. Rozciągamy poszczególne mięśnie, powtarzając ruchy i nie zmieniając siły nacisku.
Dotykanie lodem. Może być wykonywane po uprzednim zrobieniu próby. Kostkę lodu najpierw trzeba kilkakrotnie przytknąć do dłoni, szyi i nóg partnera, by uniknąć przykrego oziębienia bardziej wrażliwych miejsc. Potem powolutku przesuwać po ciele ukochanej osoby, zatrzymując się na dłużej w okolicy pępka. Chłód uniemożliwia szczytowanie, więc podniecenie utrzymuje się niezwykle długo na poziomie zbliżającego się orgazmu, choć nie doprowadza do szczytowania.
Pieszczoty językiem. Wymagają sporo cierpliwości, ale są bardzo podniecające dla obydwu stron. Miarowo, milimetr po milimetrze dotyka się językiem ciała masowanej osoby, liżąc ją od głowy aż do stóp. Ruchy języka mogą być różne: koliste i podłużne, krótsze i dłuższe, także punktowe. Zaczyna się od tyłu, a dopiero potem masuje się przód, co jest dobrym wstępem do seksu oralnego.
Nacieranie kosmetykiem. Do delikatnego masażu, wykonywanego jednocześnie przez obydwoje partnerów, można użyć oliwki, mleczka kosmetycznego lub balsamu. Kobieta masuje partnera palcami lub wibratorem, dokładnie rozprowadzając kosmetyk po całym ciele. Mężczyzna szczególnie dokładnie naciera piersi, pośladki, uda i szyję ukochanej.
Dmuchanie ciepłym powietrzem. Ten oryginalny masaż można wykonać suszarką do włosów, kierując strumień do włosów na leciutko zwilżone, wrażliwe miejsca. Ciepłe powietrze działa na mokrą skórę tak podniecająco, że doprowadza niekiedy do dzikiej rozkoszy. Delikatne odmiana tego masażu polega na wykorzystaniu oddechu. Chucha się wtedy miarowo kilka centymetrów nad wrażliwym, uprzednio zwilżonym punktem.
Masaż najintymniejszy. Kobieta wykonuje go rozwartymi wargami sromowymi i łechtaczką, mężczyzna - żołędzie członka. On zwiedzioną męskością masuje całe ciało ukochanej. Ona pobudzoną kobiecością wodzi po ciele kochanka. Trzeba w tym celu przyklęknąć nad głową partnera, a potem przesuwać się w dół. Nie powinno się omijać ani centymetra ciała. Kobieta może w pewnej chwili usiąść tyłem na piersi ukochanego.
Jedną dłonią chwyta wtedy członek u nasady, a placem wskazującym i kciukiem drugiej odciąga jak najdalej skórkę i wykonuje dość szybkie ruchy. Tempo trzeba co jakiś czas zmieniać i przerywać dotykanie, gdy partner dochodzi do orgazmu. Mężczyzna, masując ukochaną członkiem, powinien szczególnie skupić się na trzech punktach jej ciała: na piersiach, brzuchu i łechtaczce.

MĘŻCZYZNA ZAJMUJE SIĘ UKOCHANĄ
Kobieta kładzie się na plecach i opiera głowę o poduszkę lub uda klęczącego za nią partnera. On masuje jej twarz, płatki uszu, szyję, a następnie piersi. Kiedy ukochana jest już nieco rozluźniona, rozprowadza olejek na jej stopach, dokładnie nacierając palce, a potem wgłębienia stóp i uda. Czule dotyka wrażliwych miejsc pod kolanami. Brzuch masuje lekko. Kolistymi ruchami wielokrotnie obwodzi pępek. Mniej więcej 10 cm poniżej pępka znajduje się jeden z ważniejszych bardzo rzadko pobudzany punkt erogenny.
Mężczyzna powinien to miejsce lekko uciskać, szczypać i poklepywać, a jednocześnie końcem palca wskazującego może sięgnąć niżej, gdzie czeka na dotyk gorąca kobiecość. Zmysłowymi ruchami smaruje olejkiem wzgórek łonowy ukochanej, masuje wewnętrzną stronę ud, pachwiny i intymne wargi. Przesuwa palcem po wilgotnych miejscach, od łechtaczki w stronę wejścia do pochwy i z powrotem. Zanurza w pochwie jeden, a potem dwa palce i wykonuje nimi ruchy imitujące współżycie. Robi to bardzo powoli.
Twarz. Przesuwaj delikatnie palcami po brodzie. Obrysuj wargi, zatrzymując się w ich kącikach. Potem dotknij linii nosa i brwi, pieść czoło i dojdą do wrażliwego miejsca, gdzie skóra twarzy łączy się z włosami.
Płatki uszu i szyja. Muskaj jednocześnie obydwie małżowiny - najpierw zewnętrzną część, potem zagłębienia. Dotyk musi być ledwie wyczuwalny. Zsuwaj dłonie wzdłuż szyi i rozbudzaj zagłębienia przy obojczykach.
Piersi. Potrzymaj dłonie na mostku, przesuń je nieco i dojdź do piersi, obejmując krągłości z boku i od spodu. Ukochana będzie w siódmym niebie, gdy poczuje, jak gładzisz brodawki i otoczki wokół nich.

KOBIETA ZAJMUJE SIĘ UKOCHANYM
On kładzie się na brzuch, ona siedzi okrakiem na jego pupie. Najpierw rozluźnia poszczególne partie pleców. Po kilku minutach przesuwa się niżej, prowokująco dotyka pośladków i przechodzi do masażu wewnętrznej powierzchni ud (lekko szczypie, uciska i gładzi). Zdecydowanymi, lecz niezbyt mocnymi ruchami przesuwaj dłonie wzdłuż bocznych linii ciała mężczyzny, aż do stóp. Rób tak: kilkanaście centymetrów w przód, kilka w tył. Po chwili wznawia masowanie pleców, ale robi to piersiami, unosząc się na dłoniach lub na łokciach.
W tej pozycji może również muskać włosami plecy mężczyzny. Wreszcie przylega do ukochanego całym ciałem. Całuje szyję, muska oddechem ucho oraz gładzi ramiona. Kiedy mężczyzna się odwraca, kobieta masuje tors. Jej dłonie delikatnie głaszczą klatkę piersiową, palce drażnią brodawki. Po chwili masuje brzuch i powoli zbliża dłonie do pępka. Jednym palcem naciska to wrażliwe miejsce, a pozostałe kieruje ku męskości. Ale omija genitalia i skupia się na najbliższych okolicach. W tym momencie ruchy powinny stać się mocniejsze i bardziej prowokujące.
Gdy on jest już podniecony, kobieta przesuwa dłonie wzdłuż trzonu penisa, koncentrując się na żołędzi i wędzidełku. Od partnerki zależy, czy zakończy masaż, nie doprowadzając mężczyzny do orgazmu, czy pozwoli mu eksplodować.
Masaż pleców. Zacznij od dolnej części i przysuwaj dłonie ku górze. Głaszcz, ugniataj, nacieraj skórę, zmieniając tempo i siłę.
Po rozluźnieniu mięśni skieruj palce w bok. Mocnymi ruchami ściskaj kręgosłup, aż dojdziesz do pach. Powtórz to jeszcze raz.
Uciskanie ud. Przykucnij obok nóg mężczyzny. Najpierw silnie ugniataj całą powierzchnię ud, a potem delikatnie je gładź.
Nacieranie stóp. Dotykaj opuszki każdego palca (od małego do dużego), następnie jedną dłonią masuj wierzch, a drugą spód stopy.

2007-09-04T04:20:00.000-07:00

1. SZTUCZKA KARCIANA

Odlicz 21 kart z talii i daj je komuś z publiczności do potasowania.
Następnie układaj karty w trzech rzędach po 7 kart: pierwszą z
lewej, drugą pośrodku, a trzecią z prawej, czwarta lekko
zachodzącą na pierwszą itd. Poproś kogoś aby wybrał jedną z kart i żeby zapamiętał, w którym leży rzędzie. Karty w rzędach zsuń w pliki,
a plik, w którym leży wybrana karta umieść pomiędzy dwoma pozostałymi
plikami. Następnie układaj karty j.w. i znów poproś o wskazanie
odpowiedniego rzędu. Następnie znów składasz karty w pliki
a wybrany wkładasz w środek. I wreszcie po raz trzeci powtarza się kroki,
ale tym razem wskazujemy odpowiednią kartę. Będzie nią zawsze czwarta
karta we wskazanej kolumnie.

WYKONANIE: Pokazujesz publiczności 2 karty z góry talii, potem chowasz je do
środka. Następnie chwytasz talię od góry i od dołu i wykonujesz taki
ruch, żeby wszystkie karty a wyjątkiem górnej i dolnej wypadły.
Publiczności będzie się wydawać, że to są te 2 karty, które zapamiętali.
Cały trik polega na tym, aby odpowiednio ułożyć karty przed występem.
Powinno to wyglądać mniej więcej tak: od góry talii ÓSEMKA KARO,
DZIEWIĄTKA KIER, ÓSEMKA KIER, RESZTA TALII,
DZIEWIĄTKA KARO
Publiczność widzi bardo podobne karty do tych, które widziała na
początku. UWAGA!!! Nie należy wykonywać tej sztuczki
wielokrotnie, ponieważ może się zdarzyć, że na sali znajdzie się ktoś
bystry i odgadnie nasz sekret :)

2. ZNIKANIE PRZEDMIOTU
Do wykonania tej sztuczki będziesz potrzebował: chusteczkę, mały przedmiot (np. kostkę) i gumkę. Ukrywając jedną rękę - na jej środkowym i wskazującym palcu napinaszgumkę. Drugą ręką wyciągasz z kieszeni chusteczkę, którą rozkładasz na ręce z gumką. Na środku chusteczki kładziesz kostkę. Wykonując szybki ruch, palcami od spodu napinasz gumkę na kostkę przez materiał. Gdy teraz chwycisz za róg chusteczki drugą ręką i strzepniesz ją, to kostka przytrzymana gumką pozostanie w chusteczce. Dla widza - kostka zniknęła.
Chusteczka powinna być dostatecznie duża, a sztuczka wykonana szybko.

3. GENIALNY MATEMATYK
Poproś widza o napisanie na kartce liczby pięciocyfrowej. Następny widz
niech dopisze pod nią swoją liczbę pięciocyfrową. Trzecią liczbę wpiszesz sam,
czwartą widz, a piątą ty. Następnie poproś widza, aby dodał te liczby - ty
możesz podać wynik natychmiast. Wystarczy, że na 3 i 5 miejscu wpiszesz
taką liczbę, która zsumowana ze stojącą wyżej będzie w każdej kolumnie
dawała 9. Suma jest łatwa do odgadnięcia, ponieważ zawsze będzie to
pierwsza liczba od której odjęto 2 i na początku dopisano 2.
Liczb do sumowania może być dużo więcej - regułę już znasz.

+ 4 8 3 7 5

+ 2 6 1 3 7

+ 7 3 8 6 2

+ 5 9 3 2 0

+ 4 0 6 7 9

========

2 4 8 3 7 3

4. ZGADYWANIE DATY URODZENIA
Poproś kolegę aby pomyślał liczbę oznaczającą miesiąc jego urodzenia, pomnożył ją przez 2 i dodał 5. Tę ostatnią sumę ma jeszcze pomnożyć przez 50, a do wyniku dodać swój wiek liczony w latach. Poproś kolegę o podanie ostatniej liczby i w pamięci odejmij od niej 250. Dwie ostatnie cyfry otrzymanej liczby dadzą wiek kolegi, a dwie pierwsze jego miesiąc urodzenia (jeśli otrzymana liczba jest trzycyfrowa, to pierwsza cyfra oznacza miesiąc).

5. PRZECHODZENIE PRZEZ POCZTÓWKĘ
Załóż się z kolegą, że przejdziesz przez pocztówkę - wygrasz zakład.
Pocztówkę należy złożyć w pół, równolegle do dłuższej krawędzi. Ostrymi nożyczkami natnij
powstały grzbiet co 1/2 cm, tak aby powstał grzebień. Następnie odwróć pocztówkę o 180
stopni i natnij ją z drugiej strony, tnąc pomiędzy wcześniejszymi nacięciami.

Teraz musisz równo przeciąć grzbiet pocztówki od drugiego zęba do przedostatniego.

W ten sposób powstanie długa, zamknięta, zygzakowata taśma, przez środek której można się przecisnąć lub przełożyć ją przez głowę i zsunąć w dół.

6. MAGICZNA SIÓDEMKA
Zaproponuj koledze aby wybrał sobie dowolną cyfrę w przedziale od 1 do 9.
Następnie poproś, aby pomnożył ją przez 2, dodał do wyniku 14, podzielił przez 2 i odjął początkową liczbę. Ty znasz wynik z góry. Bez względu na to od jakiej cyfry zacznie się liczenie - wynik zawsze wyniesie 7. (Jeżeli chcesz aby wynik zawsze wynosił np. 9, to zamiast w zadaniu dodawać liczbę 14 musisz dodać liczbę dwa razy większą od wyniku czyli 2 * 9 = 18).

7. TELEPATIA
Podaj koledze kartkę papieru i poproś aby przerwał ją na trzy równe części.
Następnie odbierz od niego kartki dla sprawdzenia czy są równe i poproś go, aby na tych kartkach napisał na przykład dwa kółka i jeden krzyżyk. Przy podawaniu kartek uważaj, aby krzyżyk postawił na środkowym kawałku kartki, który ma po obu stronach oberwane krawędzie. Kartki składa się teraz i wrzuca do pudełka, a Ty możesz pozwolić na zawiązanie sobie oczu. Pomimo tego i tak odnajdziesz kartkę z krzyżykiem, bo wystarczy, że przez dotyk odnajdziesz kartkę, której obie krawędzie nie są gładkie.

8. MAGICZNE ASY

Cztery osoby podają liczby między 10 a 20, a ty odliczasz karty według podanych
liczb i za każdym razem wykładasz asa. Magia ? Dla widzów - tak, ale nie dla Ciebie.
Wcześniej musisz przygotować sobie talię kart w ten sposób, że włożysz do niej asy
na miejsca: 10, 11, 12 i 13 od góry talii. Następnie prosisz widzów o podanie dowolnych
liczb pomiędzy 10 a 20. Niech to będzie na przykład liczba 14. Odlicz więc 14 kart na
stół, obliczając w pamięci sumę cyfr tej liczby (w tym przypadku 5). Ten sam plik 14
kart odlicz jeszcze raz, odkładając 5 kartę na bok i cały odliczony do końca plik połóż
na pozostałe karty. Tę samą operację powtórz z pozostałymi trzema liczbami.
Jeżeli wszystko wykonasz dokładnie to odłożone karty okażą się asami.

9. ORZEŁ CZY RESZKA?

Do wykonania tego triku zaopatrz się w dziewięć jednakowych monet, najlepiej tej samej wartości (mogą być pożyczone od widza) oraz w małe pudełeczko, którym będziesz mógł zakryć dowolną menetę (ja użyłem w tym celu nakładkę z "Dynamic Coins" jednak może być to zwykłe pudełko od zapałek). Rozłóż sześć monet na stole , a następnie zaproś jednego z widzów do udziału w tej sztuczce. Powiedz widzowi, żeby odwrócił dowolne dwie monety jednocześnie. Wcześniej odwróć się jednak plecami w stronę widza, byś nie mógł obserwować ile razy widz odwraca monety. Czynność tę można powtarzać dowolną ilość razy. Może się zdarzyć, że niektóre monety zostaną odwrócone kilka razy, a inne z kolei w ogóle nie zostaną odwrócone. Kiedy widz skończy, poproś go, żeby dowolną monetę przykrył pudełeczkiem. W ten sposób nie będzie wiadomo, co kryje się pod nim: orzeł czy reszka. Odwracasz się, wyciągasz z kieszeni jeszcze jedną monetę i zbliżasz ją do pudełka. Mówisz "...odczuwam pozytywne wibracje..." czy coś w tym stylu, a następnie kładziesz monetę na pudełku. Okaże się, że obydwie monety będą zwrócone w tę samą stronę. Trik ten możesz powtórzyć kilka razy. Na zakończenie utrudniasz sobie zadanie - dokładasz jedną monetę. Teraz będziesz czarował z siedmioma monetami. Widz odwraca dowolną ilość razy po dwie monety jednocześnie, a następnie zakrywa monetę Ty jednak bezbłędnie odgadujesz, czy pod wieczkiem kryje się orzeł, czy też reszka. Jak to wykonać? Nic trudnego. wystarczy, że zanim widz zacznie mieszać monety, ty policzysz ile reszek, a ile orłów znajduje się na stole. Żeby nic się nie myliło, omówię przykład na "reszkach". Zapamiętujesz, czy liczba reszek jest parzysta, czy nieparzysta. Po "manewrach" widza odwracasz się w stronę stołu i ponownie zliczasz reszki, czy ich liczba jest parzysta, czy też nieparzysta. Jeśli będzie taka sama (tzn. przed i po liczba będzie np. parzysta), znaczy to, że pod pudełkiem kryje się orzeł. W przeciwnym wypadku będzie to reszka (z ang: "same head, different tail"). Zwiększenie liczby monet czyni trik na pozór "trudniejszym" w wykonaniu, lecz w rzeczywistości nie ma różnicy. System pozostaje ten sam.

10. OSTATNI AS

Ten prosty trik możesz wykonać, jeśli zaopatrzysz się w zwykłą talię kart. Rozsypujesz karty na stole, a następnie szukasz czterech asów. Kładziesz je obok reszty kart. Wszyscy widzą cztery asy. Następnie jedną ręką mieszasz karty w ten sposób, by asy nie były widoczne. Prosisz widza, by ten odszukał wszystkie asy. Mimo usilnych prób, widzowi udaje się tylko odnaleźć trzy asy. Czwarty as zniknął ze stołu, a pojawił się w twojej kieszeni. Jak to zrobić? Przed prezentacją triku należy odszukać asa karo, wyjąć go z talii i schować w kieszeni spodni lub marynarki. Wykonując trik musisz odnaleźć trzy pozostałe asy i położyć je na stole. Jako "czwarty as" posłuży ci trójka karo, którą trzeba położyć w ten sposób, by pozostałymi asami zakryć symbole tej karty i widoczny był tylko duży, czerwony znak karo na środku karty. Trzeba to uczynić umiejętnie, by nikt z uczestników zabawy nie zorientował się. Gdy już to wykonasz, zwróć uwagę widzów na "cztery asy" leżące na stole. Zamieszaj karty, a następnie poproś kogoś, by odszukał wszystkie asy. Już w tej chwili możesz uśmiechać się pod nosem obserwując wysiłek, z jakim widz poszukuje ostatniego asa...

11. MAGICZNE ZAPAŁKI

Ten prosty w wykonaniu trik możecie wykonać w każdej sytuacji. Do jego wykonania potrzebne ci są dwie zapałki. Zaciśnij lewą rękę, następnie włóż w środek zapałkę główką skierowaną do góry. To samo uczyń z prawą ręką, zaciśnij ją w pięść i poproś jednego z widzów, by włożył drugą zapałkę, tym razem główką skierowaną w dół. Zwróć uwagę widzów na fakt, że zapałki skierowane są w przeciwnych kierunkach. Poproś widza, by wepchnął całe zapałki do środka zaciśniętych pięści, a następnie powiedz, że sprawisz, by obydwie zapałki były skierowane w tę samą stronę, i to bez otwierania dłoni. Uderz lekko pięściami o siebie trzy razy. Odwróć dłonie w kierunku widzów i powoli je otwórz. Widzowie zobaczą, że zapałki skierowane są teraz w tę samą stronę. Jak to zrobić? To jest jeden z najprostszych trików, ponieważ działa on automatycznie. Wystarczy wykonać go dokładnie wg. opisu. Widz odkryje tajemnicę tego triku, jeśli przemyśli wszystko powoli. Dlatego nie można pozwolić publiczności na zbyt długie zastanawianie się, najlepiej więc pokazać od razu kolejny trik z zapałkami, lub inny. Jeśli jednak znajdzie się bardziej spostrzegawczy widz na sali i odkryje tajemnicę tego triku, potraktuj tę sztuczkę jako żart

12. STOJĄCA ZAPAŁKA

Efekt: Iluzjonista wyjmuje z kieszeni pudełko zapałek i prosi jednego z widzów o wybranie dwóch dowolnych. Potem jedną z nich bierze dla siebie, a drugą zostawia dla widza. Następnie poleca mu robić dokładnie to samo co on. Wykonawca bierze zapałkę i pociera palcem wskazującym oraz kciukiem jej główkę. Widz cały czas robi to samo. Następnie iluzjonista stawia swoją zapałkę pionowo na stole, a ona, o dziwo, stoi w tej pozycji !!! Widz także próbuje w ten sposób postawić swoją zapałkę na stole, niestety bez rezultatów .Na zakończenie wykonawca bierze także zapałkę widza. "Magnetyzuje" ją tak jak poprzednio... i stawia ją pionowo na stole !!! Sekret: Cały trik polega na tym, że podczas pocierania główki zapałki tak naprawdę po prostu ją zwilżamy (wcześniej delikatnie "ślinimy" kciuk). Potem już po prostu stawiamy zapałkę pionowo na stole, główką w dół, na obrusie, a zapałka się do niego przykleja. No i cudowna zapałka stoi pionowo na stole. Ale uwaga !!! Zapałka MUSI stać na obrusie !!!

13. ZACZAROWANE JAJKO

Schowaj ugotowane na twardo jajko do kieszeni. Wyciągnij
surowe jajko z kapelusza i poproś widzów, aby spróbowali
postawić je na stole. Na pewno im się to nie uda.
Włóż z powrotem jajko do kapelusza. Niepostrzeżenie włóż
do kapelusza również ugotowane jajko. Wypowiadając zaklęcie
wyciągnij je i mocno postaw na stole.

14. GDZIE JEST MONETA

Wsyp monety do kapelusza. Poproś widza o wyciągnięcie
jednej z nich. Teraz odwróć się tyłem, żeby nie widzieć, która
moneta została wyjęta. Poproś, by mocno zacisnął pięść, w
której trzyma monetę. Przez kilka chwil wypowiadaj magiczne
zaklęcia, po czym poproś widza o wrzucenie monety do kapelusza.
Z łatwością ją odnajdziesz, gdyż jest cieplejsza od pozostałych

15. MAGIA KOLORÓW

Pokrojone liście czerownej kapusty zalej wrzącą wodą. Po
ostygnięciu przelej płyn do szklanki. Trzy pozozsałe szklanki
napełnij do połowy wodą. Do jednej dodaj ocet, do drugiej sodę,
a w trzeciej pozostaw czysta wodę. Po kolei dolewaj do szklanek
fiololetowy płyn z kapusty. Szklanka z octem zabarwi sie na
czerwono, woda z sodą na zielono, szklanka z samą wodą będzie
fioletowa.

16. ZACZAROWANY BALON

Schowaj jeden balon do drugiego. Nadmuchaj wewnętrzny balon i
okręć go nitką. Trochę mocniej nadmuchaj zewnętrzny balon i
również zawiąż go nitką. Nakryj balony chustką i przekłuj
delikatnie szpilką zewnętrzny balon. Widzowie usłyszą huk.
Sprawnym ruchem zdejmij chustkę. Zaskoczona publiczność
zobaczy, że balon jest nienaruszony!

17. POŁKNIJ KAMIEŃ

BIERZEMY KAMIEŃ (LUB INNY MAŁY PRZEDMIOT). WKŁADAMY GO Z TYŁU SZYI, A WYJMUJEMY PRZEZ JAMĘ USTNĄ.

JAK ZROBIĆ: BIERZEMY KAMIEŃ W PRAWĄ RĘKĘ, A GDY "WKŁADAMY" KAMIEŃ W SZYJĘ, ROBIMY TO DWOMA RĘKOMA. WTEDY MUSISZ NIESPOSTRZEŻENIE WSUNĄĆ KAMIEŃ W LEWY ŁOKIEĆ. POKAZUJEMY WIDZOM, ŻE MAMY PUSTE RĘCE I PRZYKŁADAMY LEWĄ RĘKĘ DO UST, TAK JAK BYŚMY CHCIELI COŚ WYCIĄGNĄĆ. Z DUŻYM ZAMACHEM ODSUWAMY RĘKĘ OD UST, TAK ABY KAMIEŃ WYLECIAŁ Z ŁOKCIA DO GÓRY. WIDZOWIE NIE POWINNI SPOSTRZEC, ŻE KAMIEŃ WYLECIAŁ Z ŁOKCIA.

18. 3 KARTY

MAGIK ROZSYPUJE KARTY KOSZULKAMI DO GÓRY. WYBIERA SOBIE JEDNĄ KARTE NIE POKAZUJĄC JEJ WIDZOWI. TERAZ MÓWI WIDZOWI ABY WYBIERAŁ Z TALI KARTY NIE PATRZĄC NA NIE PODAWAŁ MAGIKOWI. MAGIK PRZED WYJĘCIEM PRZEZ WIDZA KARTY MÓWI CO TO MA BYĆ ZA KARTA. WIDZ PODAJE TAK 3 KARTY A NA KONIEC MAGIK POKAZUJE JE WIDZOWI I SIĘ OKAZUJE, ŻE SĄ TO TAKI KARTY O JAKIE PROSIŁ MAGIK.

JAK ZROBIĆ: ROZSYPUJEMY KART I BIERZEMY JEDNĄ, KĄTEM OKA PATRZYMY NA NIĄ I WIDZIMY NP.5 PIK. MÓWIMY WIDZOWI ABY WYBRAŁ NAM 5 PIK NIE PATRZĄ NA TĄ KARTĘ. ZNOWY PATRZYMY KĄTEM OKA ITD AŻ W RĘCE BĘDZIEMY MIELI 4 KARTY (ŁĄCZNIE Z WYBRANĄ PRZEZ SIEBIE NA POCZĄTKU. WYJMUJEMY WYBRANĄ PRZEZ WIDZA OSTATNIĄ KARTĘ MÓWIĄC ŻE JEST TO TA KTÓRĄ WYBRAŁEŚ SOBIE SAM. POKAZUJESZ POZOSTAŁE KARTY WIDZOWI. OKAZUJE SIĘ ŻE SĄ TO KARTY KTÓRE POWIEDZIAŁ WIDZOWI MAG PRZY WYBIERANIU.

19. ZACZAROWANE PUDEŁKO

Z PUDEŁKA, KTÓRE PRZED CHWILĄ ZADEMONSTROWALIŚMY JAKO PEŁNE ZAPAŁEK, WYCIĄGAMY JEDWABNĄ CHUSTECZKĘ. GDY CHUSTECZKĘ SCHOWAMY DO ŚRODKA, PUDEŁKO ZNÓW ZAMIENI SIĘ W PUEŁKO ZAPAŁEK!

JAK ZROBIĆ: PUDEŁKO NA ZAPAŁKI DZIELIMY W POZIOMIE NA DWIE CZĘŚCI. ODCINAMY DNO OD PUDEŁKA I PRZYKLEJAMY JE W ŚRODKU PUDEEŁKA TAK ABY MIAŁO ONO KIESZEŃ Z DWÓCH STRON. W JEDNEJ KIESZENI UMIESZCZAMY ZAPAŁKI A W DRÓGIEJ CHUSTECZKĘ. PODCZAS POKAZU TYLKO ODWRACAMY POTAJEMNIE PUDEŁKO.

20. Z TALERZA NA STÓŁ

STOSIK MONET, NAJLEPIEJ WIĘKSZYCH I CĘŻSZYCH OD (5 DO 15 SZTUK) USTAWIONY JEST NA TALERZU. ZADANIE POLEGA NA PRZESTAWIENIU TYCH MONET W TAKIM SAMYM PORZĄDKU, NA STÓŁ, ALE ZA JEDNYM ZAMACHEM.

WYKONANIE: ABY TEGO DOKONAĆ, PODNIEŚ TALERZ NA WYSOKOŚĆ 30 CM NAD STOŁEM, PREDKO OPUŚĆ TALERZ DO (20 CM), PO CZYM POCIĄGNIJ GO KU SOBIE. MONETY WOBEC BRAKU PODSTAWY. SPADAJĄ NA STÓŁ, ZACHOWUJĄC SWOJĄ POZYCJĘ. NIEWTAJEMNICZENIY CZYNIĄ RÓŻNE INNE POCZYNANIA. SZTUCZKĘ NALEŻY PRZEĆWICZYĆ.

21. PŁYWAJĄCA SZPILKA.

JAK SPRAWIĆ ABY SZPILKA UNOSIŁA SIĘ AN POWIERZCHNI WODY? SPRÓBUJ NAJPIERW SAM TEGO DOKONAĆ, NIE CZYTAJĄC OPISU TEJ SZTUCZKI. ZOBACZMY CZY CI SIĘ UDA.

NIE UCZYNISZ TEGO KŁADĄC RĘKĄ SZPILKĘ NA WODZIE. NALEŻY TU UCIEC SIĘ DO PEWNEGO SPOSOBU.

SZPILKĘ NALEŻY POŁOŻYĆ NA KAWAŁKU CIENKIEJ BIBUŁKI NP OD PAIEROSA, LUB POCZWÓRNIE ZŁOŻONEGO PAPIERU TOALETOWEGO, CZY CHUSTECZKI (CHODZI O TO ABY BYŁ TO MATERIAŁ KTÓRY ŁATWO NASIĄKA WODĄ). BIBUŁKA PO NAMOKNIĘCIU OPADA NA DNO, NATOMIAST ZAPAŁKA UNOSI SIĘ NA POWIERZCHNI. EFEKT JEST JESZCZE LEPSZY JĘŚLI PRZETARTO JĄ WCZEŚNIEJ LEKKO JAKIMKOLWIEK TŁUSZCZEM.

22. „ZYGMUNT” W KAŻDYM DOMU.

WEŹ JAKĄKOLWIEK DUŻĄ METALOWĄ ŁYŻKĘ (BYLE NIE ALUMINIOWĄ), ORAZ NITKĘ KTÓRĄ PRZEWIĄŻESZ RĄCZKĘ ŁYŻKI. DWA WOLNE KOŃCE SZNURKA PRZYCIŚNIJ DO DZIUREK USZU PALCAMI. WTEDY UDERZ LEKKO ŁYŻKĄ O KANT STOŁU. USŁYSZYSZ DŁUGO TRWAJĄCY I GŁĘBOKI DŹWIĘK JAK GDYBY DŹWIĘK DZWONU.

OKAZUJE SI.Ę ŻE ZWYKŁY SZNUREK DOSKONALE PRZENOSI DRGANIA ŁYŻKI. MOŻNA JE WYKORZYSTYWAĆ NA RÓŻNE INNE SPOSOBY ZALEŻNIE OD NASZEJ WŁASNEJ INWENCJI.

23. TAŃCZĄCE PIONOWO JAJKO.

POŁÓŻ JAJKO UGOTOWANE NA TWARDO POŚRODKU ODWRÓCONEJ DOBRZE WYPOLEROWANEJ METALOWEJ TACKI I WPRAW I WPRAW JĄ W CORAZ SZYBSZY RUCH OKRĘŻNY W PŁASZCZYŹNIE POZIOMEJ. JAJKO, PORUSZONE RUCHEM TACKI ZACZNIE SĘ KRĘCIĆ, POCZĄTKOWO BEZWŁADNIE, A WKRÓTCE GDY TACKA OSIĄGNIE ODPOWIEDNIĄ PRĘDKOŚĆ ZACZNIE WIROWAĆ NIBY DZIECINNY BĄK KRĘCOĄC SIĘ DOOKOŁA SWOJEJ PIONOWEJ OSI.

NIE KAŻDE JAJKO BEDZIE SIĘ OBRACAĆ W TEN SPOSÓB. DO NASZEGO EKSPERYMENTU GOTUJEMY JAJKO W POZYCJI PIONOWEJ. TO WYSTARCZY ABY OTRZYMAĆ OPISANY EFEKT.

24. 9 KART

Autorem tej sztuczki jest Dawid Coperffield, jednak nie jest to jeden z jego wielkich trików,
tylko prosta karciana sztuczka. Wybierasz osobę i każesz jej wybrać z talii 9 kart. Bierzesz je
i możesz dla zmyłki przetasować. Później pokazujesz osobie jakąś z tych kart (sam jej nie widzisz). Wsadzasz ją z powrotem, niby przypadkowo, koniecznie jako drugą od góry. Pytasz
osobę o imię i literując je kładziesz na stół po jednej karcie na literę (jedna na drugą)
Resztę kart kładziesz w takiej kolejności jak są na wierzch tamtych. Teraz musisz wykonać
podobną czynność, jednak koniecznie musisz przerzucić 5 kart, np. mówisz: -A teraz moje imię: Marek! (BTW: Dawid też ma 5 liter) I rzucasz 5 kart. Resztę jak zwykle kładziesz na wierzch. Póżniej, w czasie gdy ty znowu kładziesz karty jedna na drugą wybrana przez ciebie osoba musi Cię zatrzymać mówiąc stop. Jak to zrobi, ty przestajesz przekładać karty i resztę kładziesz ponownie na wierzch. Sztuczka wyjdzie, pod warunkiem, że zanim osoba powie stop, na stole będą już co najmniej dwie karty. Na zakończenie kładziesz na jedną kupkę 3 karty, na drugą dwie, na trzecią jedną i pokazujesz kolejną kartę. Powinna to być ta właściwa.

25. JAK Z OBSERWATORA ZROBIĆ JASNOWIDZA?
Mówimy jednemu z obserwatorów, że zrobimy z niego jasnowidza zmuszając go do tego, że z talii rozłożonej na stole, oczywiście grzbietami do góry, wyciągnie nam takie karty o jakie go poprosimy. Mówimy np.: "Daj króla kier", "Daj Damę kier", "Daj Asa pik". "Teraz ja sobie biorę 9 pik". Po zakończeniu wykładamy karty i okazuje się, że mamy króla kier, damę kier, asa pik i 9 pik
Wykonanie:
Mówimy jasnowidzowi by dał nam kartę, którą podglądnęliśmy, w naszym przypadku król kier. Oczywiście podający nie ma prawa widzieć jaką kartę podaje...Załóżmy, że dostaliśmy kartę dama kier. Więc mówimy daj mi damę kier. itd. Na koniec bierzemy kartę, którą podglądnęliśmy mówiąc oczywiście, że bierzemy kartę otrzymaną przed chwilą od jasnowidza. Efekt murowany. P.S. Dobrze jest nie mówić na początku ile kart będziemy brać bo może się zdarzyć, że nasz jasnowidz jako np. 2 kartę weźmie przypadkowo naszą kartę. Wtedy kończymy numer i efekt jest piorunujący, gdyż wszystko dzieje się bez naszego udziału. Rzadko się to zdarza ale....

26. ZACZAROWANE KOLORY

Wykonawca rozkłada na stole komplet 12 "mazaków". Następnie prosi jednego z widzów o zawiązanie mu oczu. Potem iluzjonista prosi o podanie mu dowolnego flamastra. Chowa go na moment za plecy, po czym oddaje go widzowi .
Teraz prosi widza, aby schował wszystkie mazaki do kieszeni, a następnie odwiązał mu oczy. Iluzjonista mówi, aby jego pomocnik stanął naprzeciw niego, i podał mu swoją dłoń.
Wykonawca trzyma ją przez moment i bezbłędnie podaje kolor flamastra, który wybrał widz.
Sekret jest tak prosty, że aż niewiarygodny.
Otóż kiedy chowamy mazak za plecami, to szybko go otwieramy, i robimy kreseczkę na kciuku.
Kiedy widz podaje nam swoją dłoń po prostu podglądamy kolor kreski na kciuku.

27. CZTERY DAMY

Wykonawca tasuje dokładnie karty, następnie przegląda je po kolei szukając dwóch uroczych pań - damę kier i pik. Wyjmuje je z talii i kładzie na stole. Prosi widza, by wybrał jedną z tych kart. Karty daje widzowi do rąk i mówi, że wszystkie czynności (wg poleceń iluzjonisty) będzie wykonywał sam widz. Ten wykłada z wierzchu talii po jednej karcie na stół (awersem do dołu). W dowolnej chwili przestaje wykładać karty, na utworzony przed chwilą pakiet kładzie "swoją" damę (awersem do góry), a resztę kart kładzie na damie. Bierze z powrotem karty do rąk i ponownie wykłada po jednej karcie z wierzchu na stół. Znów przerywa w dowolnym momencie i na pakiet kart znajdujący się na stole kładzie drugą damę (również awersem do góry). Tak jak poprzednio, resztą kart przykrywa damę.

Następnie całą talię kart rozsuwa wzdłuż stołu (koszulkami do góry). Wśród kart powinny być widoczne dwie wybrane wcześniej damy. Iluzjonista opowiada o tym, że panie często lubią spotkać się i poplotkować. Jednak te dwie widoczne na stole damy nie bardzo się lubią . Dlatego spotykają się z innymi paniami i obgadują siebie nawzajem, a że nie lubią rozmawiać przez telefon, dlatego spotykają się ze sobą twarzą w twarz. Po tych słowach iluzjonista wysuwa z talii obydwie damy oraz karty znajdujące się bezpośrednio nad nimi. Po odwróceniu dwóch niewidocznych kart okazuje się, że dama kier plotkowała z damą karo, a dama pik z damą trefl.

Sekret triku:

Do wykonania tego triku potrzebna jest zwykła talia kart. Karty tasuje się, następnie szuka wśród nich dwóch dam. Jednak przy tej czynności należy odnaleźć również dwie pozostałe damy i umieścić je po jednej na wierzchu i spodzie talii. Można to wykonać zaraz po tasowaniu, lecz najpierw trzeba ułożyć odpowiednio karty, a dopiero później wyjąć z talii damy (trzeba zrobić to umiejętnie). To jest praktycznie cały sekret triku. Załóżmy, że na spodzie talii znajduje się dama trefl. Pytamy widza, którą damę wybiera - czerwoną czy czarną. Jego wybór nie ma praktycznie żadnego znaczenia

Dajemy mu talię kart i mówimy, by wykładał po jednej karcie na stół. Gdy wyłoży na stół 5 - 8 kart mówimy, że w dowolnej chwili może przestać wykładanie. Następnie na pakiet kart należy umieścić damę pik. Jeśli widz wybrał właśnie tę damę, to mówimy, by położył swoją kartę na pakiet. Jeśli wybrał kartę czerwoną, sugerujemy mu, by na pakiet kart położył kartę iluzjonisty. Pozostałe karty kładzie na damie pik. Zauważ, że w ten sposób dama pik spotkała się twarzą w twarz z damą trefl. Widz ponownie wykłada po jednej karcie (jak poprzednio). Na pakiet kart kładzie pozostałą damę kier i przykrywa ją resztą kart. Po rozsunięciu talii na stole i wyjęciu widocznych dam oraz kart nad nimi możecie z tryumfem odwrócić karty i przerwać paniom pogaduszki.

Pocałunek jest jak jedzenie – pobudza trzy zmysły: smak, dotyk i zapach

2007-08-30T03:47:00.000-07:00

Może być krótki, przelotny i długi, namiętny, może oznaczać „cześć”, i „pragnę Cię”. Bywa elementem imienin cioci, ale też wstępem do miłosnych igraszek. Pocałunek bo o nim ta mowa, jest „tym co pozostało z języka raju”. Aten język zawiera w sobie tysiące słów.

Z całowaniem stykamy się codziennie, niemal w każdym miejscu i czasie. Symbolika pocałunku znana jest także Biblii. Jednym z najbardziej rozpowszechnionych jest zdradziecki pocałunek Judasza. Całowanie nie jest zarezerwowane tylko dla nas, ludzi. Podobne zachowania można zaobserwować u niektórych gatunków ryb, jak również u szympansów bonowo.

Całowanie jest zdrowe. Działa przede wszystkim antystresowo, bo podczas pocałunku uwalnia się dużo hormonów – serotoniny i endorfiny, które poprawiają nastrój. Całowanie poprawia też krążenie krwi, serce działa sprawniej, przemiana materii staje się lepsza. Stanowi też gimnastykę mięśni głowy i szyi – opóźnia pojawianie się zmarszczek. Ale, uwaga podczas całowania przenoszone są bakterie, które powodują rozmaite schorzenia. Chodzi m.in. o mononukleozę. Nazywana jest inaczej „chorobą pocałunków”, bo przenoszona jest za pomocą śliny. Winnym jej istnienia jest wirus Epsteina - Barra, który zakaża śliniaki. Choroba objawia się bólami głowy, gardła, powiększonymi węzłami chłonnymi, zmniejszeniem apetytu i uczuciem zmęczenia. Całowanie też może wywołać ospę czy opryszczkę.

Całować każdy może trochę lepiej lub trochę gorzej. Najważniejsze jest nie z jaką wprawą i techniką ale kto całuje. Kamasutra wymienia ich 30 tysięcy. Ów indyjski traktat na temat seksualności wskazuje, że dotykanie się ustami i językiem jest jakby zetknięciem się dwóch dusz. Wschodnie teksty nadają jej (wymianie śliny) szczególne znaczenie, a podczas miłosnego pocałunku zyskuje ona nowy wymiar, bo jest bardziej naenergetyzowana, wypełniona miłosną energią partnerów. Kamasutra podaje także kilka szczegółów dotyczących techniki, podkreślając jednocześnie, że nie chodzi o to, abyśmy kurczowo się jej trzymali. Należy raczej otworzyć się na bogactwo kontaktu, jakie daje pocałunek.

W książce Adrianny Blue „Pocałunek. Od metafizyki do erotyki” możemy przeczytać że całowanie to przedłużenie odruchu ssania, którego uczymy się już w brzuch matki. Jest wiele hipotez na temat powstania pocałunków, niektóre sięgają nawet do Platona. Ale może nie warto się nad tym głowić, tylko zająć się praktyką?

Która dziewczyna chętna na ćwiczenia praktyczne ?!

Dni Pszczyny

2007-08-19T08:22:00.001-07:00

Krysia to dla Ciebie

2007-08-19T08:18:00.001-07:00

2007-07-09T06:00:00.002-07:00

The real estate slump here and elsewhere is likely to worsen, given that most of the adjustable rate mortgages written in the last three years will be reset with higher interest rates, said Christopher F. Thornberg, an economist with Beacon Economics in Los Angeles. As a result, borrowers of an estimated $800 billion in loans will be forced in the next 12 months to 18 months to make bigger monthly payments, refinance or sell their homes.

A big reason the fallout is occurring faster here is a Georgia law that permits lenders to foreclose on properties more quickly than in other states. The problems include not just people losing their homes, but also sharp declines in property values, particularly in lower-income and working-class neighborhoods.

For example, a three-bedroom house near Turner Field, where the Atlanta Braves baseball team plays, fetched a high bid late last month of $134,000 at an auction by the bank that took possession of it. Almost three years ago, the new home was bought for $330,000.

While the surge in foreclosures in other big cities like Cleveland, New Orleans and Detroit can be attributed to local economic challenges, Atlanta more closely reflects the nation. Its unemployment rate, 4.9 percent in May, is low and close to the national average of 4.5 percent. And businesses here are adding jobs, albeit at a slower pace than they were last year.

Like others across the country, homeowners here took out aggressive mortgages in the last few years when interest rates were low and housing prices were soaring. Now many are falling behind — some have lost jobs or experienced other financial difficulties, but many others are not able to refinance because their homes are worth less than they paid for them and their credit is now too weak for them to qualify for another loan.

So far, the pain has been limited to those on the financial margins, but as more loans are reset to higher rates and home prices continue to slide, more homeowners will be unable to meet rising payments or to refinance. “This is a process that is starting low and will go high,” said Mr. Thornberg, the economist in Los Angeles.

Atlanta also serves as a microcosm for some broader national trends: wages have been stagnant for much of this decade, homeowners have taken on record amounts of debt, and mortgage fraud has been on the rise.

“We are a very affordable place,” said Mike Alexander, the chief of research at the Atlanta Regional Commission, an organization that serves local governments. “But our incomes are very low, and if anything went wrong, it would be very hard for people to maintain their homes.”

An estimated 2.7 percent of all housing units in the region were in foreclosure at the end of last year, up from 1.1 percent in 2000, according to an analysis by the commission. Nationally, less than 1 percent of all housing units were in foreclosure, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Census Bureau.

Though Atlanta has added jobs in recent years, they pay less than the jobs the region lost after the technology boom of the late 1990s ended. The median household income was only 7.6 percent higher in 2005 than in 2000, according to the Census Bureau. That is about half the rate of inflation during that period, and it mirrors what has occurred nationally.

While wages have languished, average Atlanta families are shouldering more debt. As of March, residents had bigger credit card balances, mortgages and car loans relative to their income than average Americans, according to data compiled by Moody’s Economy.com. And the equity that Atlanta residents have in their homes — the value of their house minus what they owe — has dropped 14 percent since peaking in late 2005.

By comparison, in California — the state where mortgage lending was most aggressive, real estate prices climbed fastest and homeowners have the highest debt burdens — home equity values have dropped about 10 percent from their peak in 2005.

Georgia’s foreclosure laws have also accelerated a process that can drag on for months in legal proceedings in other states. Lenders can declare a borrower in default and reclaim a house in as little as 60 days.

“Because of the foreclosure laws, it may be that people go from delinquency into foreclosure much more quickly in Georgia,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com.

That still would not explain why so many people fall behind on house payments in the first place.

2007-07-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

Mr. Bush and his aides once thought they could wait to begin those discussions until after Sept. 15, when the top field commander and the new American ambassador to Baghdad are scheduled to report on the effectiveness of the troop increase that the president announced in January. But suddenly, some of Mr. Bush’s aides acknowledge, it appears that forces are combining against him just as the Senate prepares this week to begin what promises to be a contentious debate on the war’s future and financing.

Four more Republican senators have recently declared that they can no longer support Mr. Bush’s strategy, including senior lawmakers who until now had expressed their doubts only privately. As a result, some aides are now telling Mr. Bush that if he wants to forestall more defections, it would be wiser to announce plans for a far more narrowly defined mission for American troops that would allow for a staged pullback, a strategy that he rejected in December as a prescription for defeat when it was proposed by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group.

“When you count up the votes that we’ve lost and the votes we’re likely to lose over the next few weeks, it looks pretty grim,” said one senior official, who, like others involved in the discussions, would not speak on the record about internal White House deliberations.

That conclusion was echoed in interviews over the past few days by administration officials in the Pentagon, State Department and White House, as well as by outsiders who have been consulted about what the administration should do next. “Sept. 15 now looks like an end point for the debate, not a starting point,” the official said. “Lots of people are concluding that the president has got to get out ahead of this train.”

In a sign of the concern, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates canceled plans for a four-nation tour of Latin America this week and will stay home to attend meetings on Iraq, the Pentagon announced yesterday.

Last week, Mr. Bush’s national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley, called in from a brief vacation to join intense discussions in sessions that included Karl Rove, Mr. Bush’s longtime strategist, and Joshua B. Bolten, the White House chief of staff.

Officials describe the meetings as more of a running discussion than an argument. They say that no one is clinging to a stay-the-course position but that instead aides are trying to game out what might happen if the president becomes more specific about the start and the shape of what the White House is calling a “post-surge redeployment.”

The views of many of the participants in that discussion were unclear, and the officials interviewed could not provide any insight into what Vice President Dick Cheney had been telling President Bush.

They described Mr. Hadley as deeply concerned that the loss of Republicans could accelerate this week, a fear shared by Mr. Rove. But they also said that Mr. Rove had warned that if Mr. Bush went too far in announcing a redeployment, the result could include a further cascade of defections — and the passage of legislation that would force a withdrawal by a specific date, a step Mr. Bush has always said he would oppose.

“Everyone’s particularly worried about what happens when McCain gets back from Iraq,” one official said, a reference to the latest trip to Baghdad by Senator John McCain, who has been a stalwart supporter of the “surge” strategy. Mr. McCain’s travels, and his political troubles in the race for the Republican nomination for president, have fueled speculation that he may declare the Iraqi government incapable of the kind of political accommodations that the crackdown on violence was supposed to permit.

Officials say that Mr. Gates has been quietly pressing for a pullback that could roughly halve the number of combat brigades now patrolling the most violent sections of Baghdad and surrounding provinces by early next year. The remaining combat units would then take up a far more limited mission of training, protecting Iraq’s borders and preventing the use of Iraq as a sanctuary by Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, a Sunni Arab extremist group that claims to have an affiliation with Osama bin Laden’s network, though the precise relationship is unknown.

President Bush has repeatedly said that he wants as much time as possible for his 30,000-troop increase to show results. And publicly, administration officials insist that the president has no plans for a precipitous withdrawal — but the key word seems to be “precipitous,” and they appear to be recalibrating their message.

“I think it shouldn’t come as any surprise that we here in the administration, and in our conversations with Congress, and in our conversations with generals on the ground and policy makers in Iraq, are thinking about what happens after a surge,” Tony Fratto, the deputy White House press secretary, told reporters on Friday, at a briefing where he was peppered with questions about the defection of Senator Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico.

That defection followed a similar move by Senator Richard G. Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee.

In the meetings last week, officials say, there was frustration that Mr. Bush’s statements were being drowned out by a presidential race that has created a forum for daily critiques of his policies, past and present.

Moreover, the dynamics inside the administration have changed. The hawks who once surrounded Mr. Bush have been replaced by pragmatists like Mr. Gates, who has made it clear that he wants to lower the political temperature of the Iraq debate at home, and has joined with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to gradually shift White House strategy.

When it came time to pick a new “Iraq czar,” the choice was a general who had been openly skeptical about the prospects of the troop increase strategy. Mr. Bush will get a chance to make his case later this week, when he presents an interim report, required by law by Sunday, on the status of 18 “benchmarks” of progress.

The calendar may be working in Mr. Bush’s favor. If he can get through the next three weeks without more defections, Congress will recess until September, returning just as the report from Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker arrives in Washington.

Also, the Republican defectors have not agreed on what different strategy they would prescribe, giving the president some negotiating room. But Senator Lugar said yesterday on CNN that he would support a significant withdrawal that left “residual forces” in Iraq to ensure that “the whole area does not blow up.”

That approach would mean abandoning the current mission of using those forces to patrol Baghdad and try to reimpose order, which was Mr. Bush’s stated goal in January.

Asked whether he could support an amendment proposed by Senator Ken Salazar, Democrat of Colorado, that would put in legislative language the Iraq Study Group’s call for a withdrawal of combat units by March 31, 2008, Mr. Lugar said it was “worthy of a lot of discussion.”

John Hamre, the president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who was headed to Baghdad over the weekend to begin preparing another Congressionally mandated report, an independent assessment of the Iraqi military, said, “The political power of Salazar’s amendment is its ambiguity.”

“What does it mean?” Mr. Hamre asked. “That we will immediately implement all 76 provisions? I doubt it. It’s a way to give political cover.”

Senior officials involved in preparing the report Mr. Bush must deliver to Congress this week say he will be able to praise the Iraqi government for delivering the troops it promised — if a little late — and for removing the restrictions on arresting or killing violent members of Shiite militias. But on the critical issue of political compromise, Mr. Bush will be able to report little progress.

2007-07-09T05:58:00.002-07:00

Paris Hilton zaliczyła w ten weekend pierwszą od czasu wyjścia z więzienia imprezę w nocnym klubie.

Dziedziczka pojawiła się w piątek krótko przed północą w hollywoodzkim klubie Les Deux w towarzystwie swojej siostry, Nicky i Erin Foster, córki producenta muzycznego Davida Fostera.

Paris, ubrana w szarą bluzeczkę z krótkim rękawem i czarny kapelusik, siedziała z dziewczynami przy stoliku, ochraniana przez dwóch mężczyzn, którzy powstrzymywali fanów od robienia jej zdjęć. W pewnym momencie Paris stanęła na kanapie i zaczęła uwodzicielsko tańczyć, ocierając się o ścianę, śpiewając teksty wszystkich piosenek, które puszczał DJ, włącznie z jej własną - Stars Are Blind.

Paris była bardzo szczęśliwa. Cały czas się uśmiechała - wspomina świadek. Bawiła się, piła, tańczyła, śpiewała, rozmawiała ze wszystkimi i przytulała się co chwilę z dziewczynami przy swoim stoliku.

2007-07-09T05:58:00.001-07:00

Ojciec Lindsay Lohan stara się zmusić jej matkę Dinę do poddania się testom na obecność narkotyków.

Był makler giełdowy, Mike Lohan, który wyszedł ostatnio z więzienia, gdzie odsiadywał dwuletni wyrok za prowadzenie samochodu bez ważnego prawa jazdy oraz próbę pobicia, poprosił sąd w Nowym Jorku, by nakazał jego byłej żonie, Dinie Lohan, udowodnienie, że nie zażywa narkotyków.

Mike twierdzi, że alkoholizm matki i jej uzależnienie od narkotyków miały wpływ na Lindsay i jej obecne problemy, m.in. pobyt na odwyku oraz wypadek, jak spowodowała będąc pod wpływem alkoholu. Sam również nie uważa się za niewinnego i twierdzi, ze jego wcześniejsze przygody z narkotykami mogły negatywnie wpłynąć na córkę.

Ojciec Lindsay walczy o prawo do widzenia się z jej młodszym, niepełnoletnim rodzeństwem - córką Alianą i synem Dakotą.

Uważam, ze Dina nie powinna pić w obecności naszej córki - powiedział. Jeśli będzie robiła tak dalej, jestem pewien, że Lindsay znowu się załamie.

Mike twierdzi, że sam pokonał już swoje uzależnienie od kokainy i w tej chwili jest gotów poddać się testom na alkohol i narkotyki. Dina jednak odmówiła takich badań.

Ja i Dina poznaliśmy się w latach 80-tych, kiedy wszyscy imprezowali i brakli kokainę - powiedział Mike. Teraz jestem czysty i trzeźwy. Jestem poddawany testom na alkohol i narkotyki trzy razy w tygodniu, bo jestem na zwolnieniu warunkowym i pomagam nastolatkom uzależnionym od narkotyków.

Mogę być poddawany testom przez sąd każdego dnia, przez cały tydzień - wiem, że jestem czysty. Ale Dina z jakiegoś powodu nie chce poddać się testom. Czego się boi?

2007-07-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

Wczoraj miałam gorszy dzień - ciągle myślami w programie. Nie wiedziałam, co ze sobą zrobić. Poszłam na zakupy, ale to nic nie dało. Beznamiętnie przesuwałam rzeczy na wieszakach - wyznaje Natasza Urbańska w wywiadzie dla Dziennika.

Jak długo będzie jeszcze rozpamiętywać swoją porażkę? Ciekawe, czy zdaje sobie sprawę z tego, że to właśnie jej reakcja na zajęcie drugiego miejsca w Jak ONI śpiewają uczyniła z tego klęskę. Gdyby Natasza się cieszyła, większość osób uznałaby to za sukces. Oto przykład, jak można zakląć rzeczywistość przeciwko sobie.

W tym samym wywiadzie Urbańska wspomina też, jak poznała swojego chłopaka - Janusza Józefowicza:

Patrzyłam na niego jak na Boga, a on zapytał, ile mam lat i powiedział: "Dziecko, skończ szkołę". (...) Po spektaklach słyszałam: "Źle, źle, wszystko źle". Właściwie nie wychodziłam z teatru. Maturę zdawałam w czasie prób do "Tyle miłości". Uczyłam się w garderobie.

Związek z facetem, którego poznała jako dziewczynka, i który przez wiele lat był jej treserem (bardzo wymagającym i nie znoszącym sprzeciwu) jest złamaniem tabu. Tylko wzmaga to nasze zainteresowanie Nataszą, szukać będziemy śladów ręki mentora.

2007-07-09T05:56:00.000-07:00

Nie potrafię ukryć uśmiechu. W niedzielę pracuję w bieliźnie i udzieliło mi się podniecenie.

John Legend liczył na to, że pobudzi widownię, jednak natura nie dała się ujarzmić i zagrała mu na... nosie. Zobacz:

2007-07-09T05:55:00.001-07:00

Nie przypuszczaliśmy, że Eva Longoria będzie tak podejmowana w Paryżu. Może to europejskie kompleksy, każące, nawet Francuzom, traktować po królewsku każdą gwiazdę zza oceanu.

Na zdjęciach nie widać zbyt dużo Evy (dwa przebłyski - w czerwonym dresiku). Chcemy tylko pokazać, jak wyglądał Paryż w trakcie przygotowań do ślubu znanej pary. Zainteresowanie mediów (widać ekipy telewizyjne) przekroczyło stosowne granice, policyjna ochrona dla amerykańskiej aktorki serialowej (!) to zaś utrwalanie poglądu, że żyją one na wyjątkowych prawach. W duchu liczyliśmy na chłodną neutralność Francuzów.

Za zdjęcia dziękujemy naszej czytelniczce Natalii, spędzającej wakacje w Paryżu.

2007-07-09T05:54:00.003-07:00

Tygodnik Wprost regularnie podnosi sprzedaż ujawnianiem nazwisk agentów i współpracowników SB. Tym razem razem ugodził w tatę Weroniki Rosati, Dariusza, ekonomistę, którego styl uprawiania polityki zawsze nam odpowiadał. Uosobienie kultury i smaku, dawca niezłych genów.

Rosati został pozyskany na bazie patriotycznej. Wykorzystane zostały przy tym jego niezrealizowane ambicje działania na odcinku zagranicznym - Wprost cytuje notatki esbeka, który werbował Rosatiego w chwili, gdy ten występował o wizę do USA, gdzie oferowano mu stypendium Citibanku. Tygodnik nie formułuje oceny jego zachowań, wspominając o tym, że Dariusz Rosati unikał współpracy i tylko jedna jego informacja została wykorzystana operacyjnie. Enigmatyczne.

Ktoś złośliwy powie, że ten wyjazd na stypendium banku dał początek karierze Dariusza Rosati i pomyślności całej rodziny.

2007-07-09T05:54:00.001-07:00

Dzisiejszy Fakt opublikował 2 zdjęcia Joanny Liszowskiej "chodzącej wokół" (donosiła drinki, pieściła kark) narzeczonego, biznesmena Tadeusza Głażewskiego. Prasa brukowa z lubością wypomina gwiazdom tych "partnerów biznesmenów" - Liszowskiej, Okupnik, także Kammelowi, niedelikatnie sugerując, że w związku chodzi o pieniądze.

Niedawno donoszono o odwołaniu ślubu pary, podważano uczucie Głażewskiego, przyszła pora poniżyć aktorkę powtórnie. Jakoś jednak, z sympatii do puszystej, ale przebojowej Liszowskiej, nie potrafimy się do tego przyłączyć.

2007-07-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Internet zmienił wszystko. Gwiazdy nie mogą być już pewne tego, że ukryją jakiś epizod ze swojego życia, lub choćby stare zdjęcia. Przekonała się o tym na własnej skórze Edyta Herbuś, której romans z Dawidem Ozdobą został ujawniony przez nas w zeszłym roku (a właściwie przez naszych czytelników, którzy zamieścili na Wrzucie kilka ciekawych filmów).

Tym razem czytelniczka wysłała nam zapomnianą pocztówkę promującą ubrania marki House. Zdjęcie zostało zrobione w 2003 roku, gdy Edyta nie była jeszcze znana. Doskonale czuła się wtedy w takiej stylistyce, w końcu jej chłopak był zawodowym striptizerem. Ciekawe czy dziś, z ciężarem tej wstydliwej przeszłości, zdecydowałaby się na podobną sesję...

2007-07-09T05:52:00.001-07:00

Zauważyliśmy, że Dorocie zaokrągliły się ramiona, brzuch i uda.

To jednak jej jedyne zmartwienie. W tym miesiącu jak zwykle uczciwie zarobiła swoje 400 tysięcy złotych (a może i więcej, z uwagi na letni sezon). Podobno przed jej koncertem w Morzyczynie, podczas którego zrobiono te zdjęcia, w okolicy zrobił się 7-kilometrowy korek!

Zwróćcie uwagę na pogardę na jej twarzy widoczną na ostatnich zdjęciach.

2007-07-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

Hirek Wrona potwierdza naszą opinię na temat nowej piosenki Mandaryny. Przypomnijmy, tydzień temu pisaliśmy o tym, że nowy singiel Marty Wiśniewskiej - Heaven jest podejrzanie podobny do utworu Jump Madonny. Zauważyły to niezależnie od siebie setki naszych czytelników.

Wrona mówi jasno: Utwór Mandaryny to nieudolnie przerobiona piosenka Madonny. Te same sekwencje dźwięków i to samo tempo. Jeśli producenci "Heaven" nie poczynili przedtem żadnych ustaleń z Madonną lub jej wytwórnią płytową, to mamy do czynienia z plagiatem. Z drugiej strony trzeba mieć świadomość, że w muzyce często stosuje się różne formy zapożyczeń. Marta Wiśniewska powinna zająć się udziałem w sesjach zdjęciowych dla kolorowych magazynów, tańczeniem, reklamowaniem zupek w proszku czy bielizny. Mogłaby zająć się wszystkim, ale niech przestanie śpiewać, bo tego nie potrafi.

Twoje Imperium próbowało skontaktować się z Katarzyną Kanclerz, menedżerką Mandaryny. Niestety, bezskutecznie. Menedżer jednego ze znanych zespołów mówi:

Być może ludzie odpowiedzialni za promocję płyty zdecydowali się pójść drogą skandalu. Nie od dziś wiadomo, że jeśli ma się słaby jakościowo produkt, należy sprzedać go w inny sposób.

Posłuchajcie jeszcze raz piosenek, o których podobieństwie zrobiło się tak głośno:

2007-07-08T12:37:00.001-07:00

Emma Watson, znana z roli Hermiony z Harry Pottera, uwierzyła w swoją wielkość i zaczęła dzielić się z nami swoimi przemyśleniami. Na początku w wywiadzie dla magazynu People. Oto dlaczego 17-latki nie powinny udzielać wywiadów:

Jest za dużo głupich dziewczyn w mediach. Hermiona nie boi się być mądrą. Myślę, że czasami naprawdę mądre dziewczyny robią z siebie głupie i to nie jest zbyt dobre - powiedziała Emma, próbując zdobyć się chyba na coś głębokiego.

Gdy miałam 9 czy 10 lat, złościłam się, gdy dziwacznie mnie charakteryzowali, ale teraz to uwielbiam. Zdałam sobie sprawę, że istnieje olbrzymia presja, aby być piękną. Hermiony nie obchodzi to, jak wygląda.

Emma pochwaliła się też swoimi zarobkami:

Spójrzmy prawdzie w oczy, mam wystarczającą ilość pieniędzy, aby nie pracować do końca życia.

2007-07-08T12:36:00.001-07:00

Nowy chłopak Britney Spears, którego poznała na odwyku, postanowił opowiedzieć publicznie o swoim związku z piosenkarką. John Sundahl pochwalił się między innymi, że Britney traktuje go bardzo poważnie. Ostatnio pomogła mu dojść do siebie po przebytej operacji jelita:

Gdy byłem w szpitalu, siedziała obok mnie i trzymała za rękę przez całą noc. Śpiewała mi i nuciła, podczas gdy ja byłem praktycznie nieprzytomny. Uwielbiam z nią przebywać. Jest słodka, opiekuńcza i jest dobrą matką.

John powiedział, że po wyjściu z kliniki Promises w Malibu, Britney go odnalazła i zaczęli się regularnie spotykać. 38-letni Sundahl twierdzi, że jego romans z Britney pokrzyżował plany Kevina Federline'a, który zamierzał wezwać go jako świadka zeznającego przeciwko Britney.

2007-07-08T12:35:00.002-07:00

Żona Jasona Priestleya urodziła dziewczynkę. Para wzięła ślub w maju 2005 roku i jest to ich pierwsze dziecko. Naomi mówi o swoim mężu:

Zakochałam się w nim od pierwszego wejrzenia. To było po prostu to.

37-letnia Jason jest znany głównie z roli Brandona Walsha z serialu Beverly Hills 90210. W lecie powróci na ekrany w serialu Side Order of Life. Naomi jest natomiast makijażystką z Los Angeles.

2007-07-08T12:35:00.001-07:00

Enrique Iglesias nie przestaje się z nami drażnić. Niedawno pisaliśmy o jego pocałunkach z fanem (zobacz: Enrique Iglesias całuje faceta!), dzisiaj mamy dla was fragmenty wywiadu, którego udzielił gejowskiemu pismu HX. Piosenkarz rozmawiał o swojej nowej płycie, ale obowiązkowo odpowiadał też na pytania typowe dla tego magazynu.

HX: Czym się różnią twoi fani-geje od fanek?

Enrique: Tym, że są facetami? To chyba jedyna różnica. Dla mnie fani to fani. I kiedy idziesz na moje koncerty, zobaczysz zawsze kilku gejów. Chociaż nie widuję ich jakoś dużo.

HX: Czy masz przyjaciół gejów?

Enrique: Znam mnóstwo ludzi, którzy są gejami i znam dwie czy trzy osoby, z którymi jestem bardzo blisko. Na przykład mój dźwiękowiec. Pracuję z nim dosłownie 24 godziny na dobę, również w studio, jest odpowiedzialny za brzmienie wielu moich utworów. Jest gejem i jednym z moich najlepszych przyjaciół. Naprawdę go podziwiam. Znam go od ośmiu lat, ale powiedział mi, że jest homoseksualistą dopiero po dwóch czy trzech latach wspólnej pracy.

HX: Czy przejmujesz sie tym, że ludzie mówią, że jesteś gejem?

Enrique: Gówno mnie to obchodzi. Nigdy nie obchodziły mnie te plotki. To takie głupie i zabawne. Ludzie zawsze się tym niepotrzebnie podniecają. Wielu facetów, którzy tak mówią, jest tak naprawdę niepewnych samych siebie. Słyszałem tyle pogłosek o tak wielu ludziach, których posądzano o homoseksualizm, że to doprawdy idiotyczne. Jestem pewien, że sam słyszałeś z milion takich bzdur.

HX: Jeżeli gustowałbyś w facetach, kogo byś wybrał?

Enrique: Jeżeli bym gustował w facetach? (Śmiech) To bardzo dobre pytanie. Stary, naprawdę nie wiem co ci odpowiedzieć.

HX: Ricky Martin?

Enrique: Nie, nie sądzę. Miałby być Latynosem tylko dlatego, że ja nim jestem? (Śmiech) Bardziej kręciłby mnie typ George'a Clooneya. Tak, napisz, że kręci mnie George Clooney.

HX: Mówiąc o plotkach: czy pomyślałeś kiedykolwiek o tym, że stanie się aż tak wielka afera, kiedy powiedziałeś w wywiadzie, że jesteś zwolennikiem prezerwatyw w rozmiarze XXS?

Enrique: Tak, to było głupie. Ale ja opowiadam wiele głupich rzeczy w wywiadach. Nie powiedziałem dosłownie, że mój penis jest mały, ale właściwie nie obchodzi mnie to, że ludzie zaczęli tak mówić. Może nie obchodzi mnie to, bo prawda jest inna. Ale nawet jeśli, nie przejmowałbym się tym.

2007-07-08T12:34:00.001-07:00

Jak donosi Super Express, Kasia Burzyńska i Sławek Uniatowski nie są już parą.

Nie ma mowy o żadnym nowym romansie - tłumaczy prezenterka MTV. Po prostu któregoś dnia poczułam, że już nic nie czuję. I chyba nie ma w tym niczyjej winy. Nie było żadnych kłótni. Teraz czasem się ze sobą spotykamy, rozmawiamy i na pewno nie unikamy siebie nawzajem.

Tabloid zauważa jednak: Spotkali się na niedawnych imprezie urodzinowej MTV. A raczej - minęli bez słowa. Bo choć oboje byli na niej bardzo długo - Kasia przez cały wieczór nagrywała relacje dla swojej stacji, Sławek był po prostu jednym z gości - to ani razu się do siebie nie odezwali!

Co więcej, Uniatowski na imprezę przyszedł z dziewczyną. Co prawda utrzymywał, że to tylko znajoma, ale czy na ten widok Burzyńska też nic nie poczuła?

2007-07-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

W środę na imprezie urodzinowej MTV widać było doskonale, w jakim kryzysie znalazł się warszawski show-biznes. Największą atrakcją wieczoru była Agnieszka Frykowska, która przyszła w towarzystwie faceta o wątpliwej orientacji, ubranego w koszulkę z jej podobizną (!). Jak zauważyła nasza informatorka:

Balejażu (prawdopodobnie dzieła najmodniejszego fryzjera w mieście) zazdrościła mu niejedna kobieta.

MTV powinno szukać zbliżenia z TVN-em, ewentualnie od nich się uczyć. Bowiem to do TVN-u przeniósł się cały światek gwiazd, jest na ich usługach.

Jak można było to tak przespać? Pokolenie MTV przekroczyło 30-tkę, ustawiło się w życiu i robi się senne.

2007-07-08T01:08:00.005-07:00

One planet, many time zones. Live Earth–10 concerts on seven continents to fight global warming–has begun in Sydney, Australia with an aboriginal welcome ceremony: men in loincloths and facepaint (and a more modestly dressed woman) chanting and drumming and dancing. There will also be concerts in Tokyo, Shanghai, Hamburg, Maropeng (near Johannesburg, South Africa), London, Rio de Janeiro, Antarctica, Washington D.C. and scenic Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (which msn.com, carrying the concerts as live netcasts, is calling “New York”).

This blog will feature photographs from the shows worldwide. To play critic for the faraway concerts, I’m plugged into broadband and satellite radio, and I’ll be checking in through the night. On Saturday afternoon, I’ll head over to Giants Stadium for the “New York” show headlined by the Police: laptop in hand, wi-fi card active, headphones in a pocket. With luck, I’ll be able to monitor some of the other concerts during set changes. We’ll see how many of the hundred or so bands worldwide I can hear.

2007-07-08T01:08:00.003-07:00

Concerts for causes can be tricky. There’s no way to be perfectly pure and righteous, especially with concerts devoted to environmental issues. Musicians whose main job is showing people a good time can be awkward attempting to promote virtue. (Sydney’s first band, Blue King Brown, had no problem with that, however: It’s a funk and reggae agitprop group urging people to unite and fight the system.)

Live Earth is designed to be carbon neutral, adding no net difference to greenhouse gases despite its demand for wattage and gasoline. Between sets, the netcast has shown some relentlessly clever promotions for recycling and conservation. “If everybody boiled only the amount of water they needed for tea…” O.K., I just unplugged my cell-phone charger. But I can’t be the only one who marvels that the MSN netcast is sponsored by Chevy.

2007-07-08T01:08:00.001-07:00

Australia had aborigines, Japan had high tech. The first band in Tokyo was the dance-pop act Genki Rockets, whose set started with a giant holographic projection of its singer, surrounded by Disneyesque fireworks, as she recited “The Breeze.” It’s about looking at the Earth from somewhere in space: “You can’t find no borders, no countries, no day and night, no up and down, no rain and no breeze.” Then a big, shimmering trance-pop track kicked in for a filtered-voice love song. That gave way to some electro Morse code–three dots, three dashes, three dots: “S.O.S.”–and she introduced….a towering, holographic Al Gore.

Speaking of politics, they’re not absent from Live Earth. In a song called “Start the Day,” the Ghostwriters, an Australian band that includes members of Midnight Oil and the Hoodoo Gurus, started with Creedence Clearwater-style swamp-rock guitar. “Bush is here to steal your oil,” one song went. “Democracy is foiled, toxic weapons in your soil.” Meanwhile, the most popular wardrobe item among all the Australian bands seems to be a T-shirt reading, “Say no to nuclear energy.”

2007-07-08T01:07:00.000-07:00

2007-07-08T01:05:00.003-07:00

It was a long antipodean night. While there’s no telling what’s a reflection of national taste and what’s the result of booking expediency, each of the concerts from Australia, Japan and China certainly had its own character.

Australia, headlined by the reunited Crowded House, stayed earnest nearly end to end. Its folk-rock patriarch Paul Kelly brought younger stars, John Butler and Missy Higgins, out to join him for “From Little Things Big Things Grow,” a Dylan-style chronicle of land reclaimed from the British. Even the American on the bill, Jack Johnson, had environmentally conscious songs like “Gone, Gone, Gone.”
Sarah BrightmanSarah Brightman performs under thunder storm during the Live Earth concert in Shanghai, China. (Associated Press Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

China had a succession of sweet-voiced pop crooners emoting on stage; somehow, the nearly unearthly Sarah Brightman fit right in. Much of the Shanghai show should have been called “Track Date Earth” rather than Live Earth. For variety, there was the 12 Girls Band, wielding traditional instruments like a Chinese Riverdance troupe only kitschier, unless you like Mozart played on erhu (Chinese violin) with a funk beat.

Japan had crooners too, but the specialty of its homegrown acts seemed to be received 1990’s rock–some recycling for Live Earth. Rize, with a tattooed and mohawked lead singer, riffled through punk, hard-rock, rap-rock (complete with underwear waistband display) and bits of U2. There was even a uniformed boy band, Rip Slyme.

Eventually, the lineup got around to the R&B star Rihanna, who strutted her way through song-and-dance numbers about hooking up and breaking up. She wasn’t too concerned about the ecological consequences of comparing herself to a car, a “supersonic speed machine” with “a ride that’s smoother than a limousine.”

2007-07-08T01:05:00.001-07:00

2007-07-08T01:04:00.001-07:00

England started its Live Earth concert at Wembley Stadium with an international drum tattoo: rockers at their kits, Scotsmen in kilts, Brazilian and Japanese and African drums. Then the show went decidedly British, mixing bombast, yearning and self-pity. The latest Genesis reunion did it with fast fingers and prog-rock intricacy; its all-purpose complaint about the state of the world, “Land of Confusion,” was still germane.

Razorlight and Snow Patrol were more sodden with self-importance; Snow Patrol yearned to “just forget the world.” Then came an unexpected duo of songwriters, who might bill themselves as the Brooding Brothers: David Gray and Damien Rice. Each played a song of his own; then they shared an ecology-minded rewrite of none other than “Qué Será, Será,” with children asking, “Will I be able to play in the trees/They’re cutting down forests and spreading disease.” Doris Day never envisioned that.The Wembley show perked up with the hard-nosed rock of Kasabian, whose songs like “Empire” and “Club Foot” offered all-purpose warnings: “We’re all wasting away!” Paolo Nutini decided to cover “What a Wonderful World,” not long before Maria Mena did the same song in Germany; it may not be the day’s last version. A little later at Wembley, Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas introduced a brand new song, which may be hip-hop’s first full-length examination of global warming: “CO2 levels got the whole planet heated up,” he rapped. “The world is dying, and if they say it’s all right then people are lying.”

Duran Duran, of all bands, had its own apocalyptic thought from its catalogue: “Planet Earth,” with its chorus, “There’s no sign of life.” And “Notorious” sounded like a political accusation. Who’d have thought a pop band like Duran Duran could be so neatly repurposed?

2007-07-08T01:03:00.001-07:00

KT Tunstall has figured out cause-concert couture. On the bottom, as a pop star, gold-lame pants. On top, for the summer heat and the cameras, a T-shirt with a big slogan about saving something. And sling a guitar covering the bottom half of the shirt so people have to keep watching for a glimpse of what she’s saving: “Save the Future.” At a concert that’s going to be filled with environmental admonitions, she offered, with a smile, “Eat more soil or something.”

2007-07-08T01:02:00.001-07:00

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.–Even in the 20-minute sets that Live Earth allots, acts are searching for the appropriately green cover song. The country singer Keith Urban found an improbable one: the Rolling Stones’ “Gimmie Shelter,” once a song about the solace of drugs and love and now about…the ozone layer? Regardless, he charged into it and shared it with none other than Alicia Keys, who’s been keeping a low profile lately. She belted it as if she’s been reborn a full-fledged rocker. (In South Africa, the same song was a duet for Angelique Kidjo and Joss Stone. )

2007-07-08T01:01:00.003-07:00

He did not mention how easy it had been to get that title.

He had paid $1,095 for a correspondence course, then took a multiple-choice exam with questions like, “Marketing can best be described as:” (The answer: “The process or technique of promoting the sale or distribution of a product or service.”) Like more than 18,700 other applicants since 1997, he passed.

Insurance companies, eager for sales representatives, embraced Mr. DelMonico, as they have thousands of other newly credentialed advisers.

The following year, insurers paid him commissions worth $720,000 as his business with retirees soared.

But many of those sales came from steering older Americans into unwise investments, Massachusetts regulators contend in a lawsuit.

Mr. DelMonico denies all wrongdoing, but one of his clients — a 73-year-old widow caring for a son with Down syndrome — said he tricked her into buying complicated insurance contracts that left her unable to pay dental and home-repair bills.

“His office was filled with things saying he was certified to help seniors,” said that client, Mary Ann St. Clair. “The only one he really helped was himself.”

Mr. DelMonico is one of tens of thousands of financial advisers working hand-in-hand with insurance companies to market themselves to older Americans using impressive-sounding credentials like “certified elder planning specialist,” “registered financial gerontologist,” “certified retirement financial adviser” and “certified senior adviser.”

Many of these titles can be earned in just a few days from for-profit businesses, and sound similar to established credentials, like certified financial planner, that require years of study, difficult tests and extensive background checks.

“The degree isn’t worth the paper it’s written on,” said T. Kevin McElreath, a financial adviser in Milford, Mass., who took the certified senior adviser exam but does not use the credential. For many agents, he said, “it’s a scam, a way to put a title on a business card that impresses gullible seniors.”

Many graduates of these short programs say they only want to help older Americans. But they are frequently dispensing financial counsel they are unqualified to offer, advocates for the elderly say. And thousands of them are paid by some of the country’s largest insurance companies — including Allianz Life, Old Mutual Financial Network and American Equity Investment Life Insurance — to sell elderly clients complicated investments that economists say most retirees should never own.

The prize for these insurers and sales agents is a piece of the $15 trillion held by Americans 65 and older, the largest pool of assets ever amassed by an aging population, according to the Government Accountability Office.

As older Americans’ wealth has grown, so too have programs that offer quickly earned credentials or that teach agents how to sell to the elderly. The number of certified senior advisers has increased by 78 percent in the last five years. More than two dozen such programs now exist, and have enrolled more than 39,000 people over the last decade. As more baby boomers retire, the number of programs and enrollees is likely to grow significantly, analysts say.

But some of the existing programs, which are often linked to insurance companies, have taught agents to use abusive sales techniques, regulators say.

The insurers Allianz, Old Mutual and American Equity have been listed as sponsors at seminars with names like the Million Dollar Academy, where thousands of sales representatives were advised to scare retirees by saying, “I am all that stands between you and potential catastrophic loss.” Other seminars instructed agents to “drive a wedge” between retirees and their established advisers.

“The insurers are happy to turn a blind eye to what salesmen are doing, as long as they make a sale,” said Minnesota’s attorney general, Lori Swanson, who is suing several companies, including Allianz, contending their products are inappropriate.

Allianz, Old Mutual and American Equity, whose revenues last year were a combined $163 billion, said they investigate the backgrounds of all agents, screen all sales to consumers to make sure they are appropriate, and have terminated representatives using improper sales methods. Those companies said they were not aware of abusive methods taught at any seminar they endorsed.

2007-07-08T01:01:00.001-07:00

So when erosion became a serious threat to bluff-top homes in the village of Siasconset on the island’s southeast shore and homeowners decided to fight back by replenishing the beach, cost was not an issue.

About two dozen of the owners joined with other island residents to form the Sconset Beach Preservation Fund, whose members are seeking permission to spend at least $25 million of their own money to dredge 2.6 million cubic yards of sand from a few miles offshore and pump it onto a 3.1-mile stretch of beach in Siasconset, or Sconset, as it is called here.

They realize that the sand will inevitably wash away, so they are prepared to do much of the work all over again, perhaps as often as every five years.

If the sand had to be transported by dump trucks, it could take 260,000 trips at 10 cubic yards a trip. Instead, it will be dredged up from the ocean bottom, mixed with water and pumped to shore as a slurry that will spew out onto the beach.

The goal “is to see that Sconset Village does not wash away,” said F. Helmut Weymar, a retired derivatives trader who lives most of the time in Princeton, N.J., but has owned a house on Baxter Road, the heart of the project area, since the 1970s.

“Were this only about our private property, would I have put this amount of time and resources into it?” Mr. Weymar said. “My answer to myself is no.”

His family’s house is in imminent danger, he said, but it would be “pretty simple” for them to buy another one.

It remains to be seen whether even endless expenditures can hold back the sea. There could hardly be a more difficult spot to protect than the southeast corner of Nantucket, a 47-square-mile “sand pile in the ocean,” as one owner calls it. The island lies about 30 miles south of Cape Cod, which offers some shelter to the island’s north shore. Cobble shoals to the east could, in theory, offer some protection to the island, but they perennially shift and some geologists believe they may actually be positioned now to funnel wave energy at the island’s vulnerable shore.

And because Nantucket — like Martha’s Vineyard, Block Island and Long Island — is little more than soil, rocks and pebbles left behind about 18,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, it is easy prey to encroaching waves. The result is extreme erosion on the island’s south and east coasts, on average 10 feet or more per year, especially when storms roar in from the northeast.

More important for many here than the potentially enormous financial costs are the possible environmental costs of the plan, like threats to fish habitat. These are hot issues on all of America’s coasts, most of which suffer erosion expected to worsen as sea levels rise because of global warming.

On Nantucket, the issue is further complicated by history.

Some of the rose-covered weathered gray cottages of the Siasconset village center date to the 17th century — the National Park Service declared the entire island a historic district in 1966 — and their fate may be linked to the fate of the beach the fund supporters hope to replenish. The more recent but still decades-old influx of wealthy summer residents is also a complication.

“The language of class warfare creeps into it,” said Dirk Roggeveen, administrator of the Nantucket Conservation Commission, which has crucial permitting authority over the beach project and has yet to rule on it. “People concerned about the project make statements like ‘they are just rich people trying to protect their houses.’ ”

The fund’s permit application is in effect an assessment of virtually every economic or environmental impact that could possibly occur, and a description of how the group would avoid, monitor, mitigate or compensate for it. For example, fishermen objected that the sand washing off the newly built beach would scatter their prey, so the proponents offered to compensate them for reduced catches. And when conservation commissioners and others said the problem was not just loss of fishing income but the stirred-up sand’s degradation of offshore fish habitat, project backers offered to create an artificial substitute.

Much more than the beach in front of supporters’ homes would be rebuilt; the project would run from north of Sankaty Lighthouse, already scheduled to be moved from the bluff edge, to a town sewage facility on the south side of Sconset village.

A northeaster in April cost some homes on Baxter Road as much as 20 feet of land. And recently, iron beams and other equipment had been assembled on the front lawn of one of these houses in preparation for moving it to the very edge of the road, a task that will cost tens of thousands of dollars, at least, and will buy the owners perhaps one or two more April-strength storms.

Other Baxter Road property owners have already moved their houses to the edge of the road, or across the street to land they owned or bought there. Others are planning to move, even if it means shrinking their building footprints on their diminished lots.

The current attempt to save the beach is hardly the first effort to protect the houses that line the bluff at Sconset. In 1994, the property owners began an ambitious test of a new beach preservation technology, called “dewatering.” They installed a network of pipes to drain water out of the beach, in theory making it less vulnerable to erosion. Instead, the project itself was largely washed away. A sandbag operation, ostensibly more benign than the dewatering, has been going on for years.

Robert Colletti, who works for Holgate Partners, which operates a sand pit on Nantucket, stood recently in the back of the house on Baxter Road that is about to be moved. It now sits only about 15 feet from the bluff edge. About 100 feet below him, at the bottom of the bluff, workers were filling giant jute fiber bags with sand and arranging them in a kind of terrace, in hopes of preserving what little of the bluff remains between the house and the water. The hopes may be slim.

“The North Atlantic,” Mr. Colletti said, “it has no mercy.”

2007-07-08T01:00:00.002-07:00

LAST January, Mikhail D. Prokhorov, a 42-year-old Russian mining tycoon and a multibillionaire, celebrated the holidays in singular style: with dozens of business associates and an entourage of young Russian women at the exclusive ski resort of Courchevel in the French Alps. The vacation, the French police would later say, featured a private concert by Zveri (the Beasts), a popular Moscow rock group, as well as wads of cash left lying around hotel rooms.

Mr. Prokhorov — tall, svelte, intense and often called Russia’s most eligible bachelor — usually unwound at such blowouts and he once told an interviewer that partying embodied his personal philosophy. His antics in Courchevel, where the police detained him for four days on suspicion of making prostitutes available to his guests, even drew the attention of Nicolas Sarkozy, then the interior minister and now the president of France, who quipped to journalists: “There’s a man who aims to please.” (French police released Mr. Prokhorov without charges but identified him as a witness in their investigation.)

Pleasing friends is one thing. Pleasing Vladimir V. Putin, Russia’s president, is quite another. In one of the more bizarre cases of an apparently forced sale of Russian assets, Mr. Prokhorov’s festivities in Courchevel led — as the byzantine channels of power and wealth in Moscow so often do these days — to his agreement to sell his 26 percent stake in Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest nickel producer. The buyer was Vladimir O. Potanin, his longtime business partner and a favorite of the Kremlin.

Mr. Prokhorov and Mr. Potanin bought a controlling stake in Norilsk, named for the hardscrabble Siberian city where it is located, for a scant $250 million during the hotly contested privatization of state-owned companies in the mid-1990s. Today, Norilsk produces one-fifth of the world’s nickel, a key alloy in stainless steel, and has a market capitalization of $31.9 billion; its profits doubled last year, to $6 billion, buoyed by high demand for steel in China. Awash in cash, Norilsk in late June closed a deal to buy the Canadian mining company LionOre for $6.4 billion and already owns a controlling interest in the Clearwater Mining Company in Montana.

In an interview on state television, Mr. Potanin said he ended his partnership with Mr. Prokhorov, who Forbes magazine estimates has a net worth of $13.5 billion, because of the embarrassing arrest. They have yet to complete the deal, but the partners said they would unwind their businesses before year-end, leaving Mr. Potanin in control of Norilsk. And who, ask some analysts in Moscow, controls Mr. Potanin?

“In Russia today, no serious deal can be made without approval from the Kremlin,” said Irina Y. Yasina, a researcher at the Institute for the Economy in Transition, a research group led by a former prime minister, Yegor T. Gaidar. “A person like Potanin, without the agreement of the Kremlin, can do nothing.”

UNDER Mr. Putin, the Russian government is establishing vast, state-owned holding companies in automobile and aircraft manufacturing, shipbuilding, nuclear power, diamonds, titanium and other industries. His economic model is sometimes compared with the state-owned, “national champion” industries in France under Charles de Gaulle in the 1950s. The policy of forcing owners of strategic assets to sell their holdings has also been compared to recent nationalizations in Venezuela and other Latin American nations.

Rather than expropriating assets outright, Mr. Putin’s government has exploited minor legal infractions at the target companies to force sales. Either government-controlled companies, or companies run by men seen as loyal to Mr. Putin’s Kremlin, are the beneficiaries.

In 2003, for example, prosecutors went after Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, chairman of Yukos Oil, then Russia’s largest private company, on accusations of tax evasion. Mr. Khodorkovsky was sent to a Siberian prison, and Yukos went bankrupt. The state company Rosneft later acquired most of Yukos’s assets. Last fall, it was environmental infractions in pipeline construction that forced Royal Dutch Shell and Japanese partners to sell a controlling stake in their $22 billion Sakhalin II oil and gas development to Gazprom, the state gas monopoly.

Then, this June, BP’s local joint venture, TNK-BP, sold its share of a huge gas development after regulators threatened to revoke the license because the field was developed too slowly, which was a technical violation of the terms of TNK-BP’s license. Gazprom, again, was the beneficiary.

Coincidentally, Mr. Prokhorov and Mr. Potanin own a minority stake in that same BP gas field. Their 26 percent stake was not touched, perhaps because of Mr. Potanin’s close ties to Mr. Putin. But in the case of Norilsk, Mr. Prokhorov’s arrest, analysts say, seems to have been a fortuitous accident that gave the Kremlin cover for exerting more control over this strategic metals company.

Mr. Prokhorov and Mr. Potanin both declined to be interviewed. But the end of their partnership is yet another milestone in how the Kremlin and a class of ambitious, enormously wealthy Russian businessmen known as oligarchs do business together.

“Property rights are very conditional in Russia, to this day,” said Olga V. Kryshtanovskaya, a sociologist at the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences who studies Russia’s business and political elite. The government lets big industrialists “exist only under conditions it considers acceptable,” she said, adding: “When the Kremlin considers a capitalist such as Prokhorov no longer acceptable, he is deprived of his property, by one means or another. Private business exists only by the grace of the state.”

In Norilsk itself, a dirty, desolate city 1,900 miles northeast of Moscow, Mr. Prokhorov’s extravagant lifestyle raised hackles. The city began as a slave labor camp for political prisoners and common criminals in the 1930s, expanding quickly in the 1940s with an influx of prisoners of war. The town’s name, like perhaps no other place in Siberia, is evocative of hardship and the gulag.

2007-07-08T01:00:00.001-07:00

BAGHDAD, July 7 — A suicide truck bomber killed at least 105 people in a single blast north of Baghdad on Saturday, police officials said, leading to further fears that insurgents who fled intense military operations in Baghdad and Diyala are turning to targets away from the American troop buildup.
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A father comforted his 11-year-old daughter, who was wounded by a suicide bombing in Amerli, Iraq.
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The explosives-laden truck demolished dozens of fragile clay-built houses and shops in Amerli, a village of poor Shiite Turkmen about 70 miles north of Baquba, the largest city in Diyala. The Iraqi police said that in addition to the dead, at least 240 people were wounded. It was one of the deadliest single attacks of the war.

Zain al-Abadeen Abdul Hussein, a shop owner burned on his right arm and left leg, said the blast sent debris soaring into the air and set people on fire. “I saw children from my neighborhood burning,” he said.

The American military also reported Saturday the deaths of nine soldiers and marines on Thursday and Friday, eight killed during combat or from roadside bombs. The fatalities brought the military’s death toll to 23 for the first week of July, nearly five months since the beginning of the troop increase.

The attack in Amerli, and a similar blast hours earlier in a village not far away that killed 17 people and wounded six, showed the insurgents’ ability to single out defenseless civilians well outside Baghdad and the surrounding region, where five new American combat brigades arrived this year.

Witnesses in Amerli described a horrific scene of people running while on fire, and others shrieking for rescuers to pull them from beneath the scores of buildings turned into rubble by the blast.

Most of the dead were inside 40 homes and 20 shops destroyed in the attack, said Maj. Nawzad Abdullah of the Iraqi police. Some of the wounded were rushed to hospitals in Tuz Khurmato, about 15 miles away, but that city’s emergency services were overwhelmed, so other victims had to be sent much farther, to Kirkuk and Sulaimaniya.

Major Abdullah said about two-thirds of the dead were buried by their families without being taken to the morgue or hospital, because relatives were terrified that the roads were too dangerous and could be vulnerable to more bombings. By late Saturday afternoon, the Iraqi police estimated that 150 people had been released from the hospitals.

One survivor, Sukaina Abdullah, a 40-year-old housewife with burns on her legs and other wounds, said at a hospital in Kirkuk that she did not know whether her family was alive.

“I don’t know the fate of my husband and son,” Ms. Abdullah said. “Our house collapsed on us. The same thing happened to relatives and other people in our neighborhood. A lot of houses collapsed.”

Before thousands of American troops swept through Baquba last month, a senior American commander estimated that 300 to 500 insurgents were hunkered down in the part of the city that American forces were poised to invade; after the operation, the same officer said at least half had escaped or eluded capture.

The attack in Amerli came 12 hours after a suicide car bomber sped into a bustling market on Friday night in Zarkush, a Shiite-dominated farming district 40 miles northeast of Baquba, according to the local police.

No groups claimed immediate responsibility for the two blasts, but both were suicide attacks against scores of Shiite civilians, a hallmark of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia and other extremist Sunni groups.

The attacks followed several deadly days for American troops. Two soldiers were killed and two wounded south of Baghdad on Friday by an improvised bomb, the military said. Another died Friday in an undisclosed location from a “non-battle-related cause.”

Another improvised bomb on Friday killed two other soldiers and wounded three more on combat patrol in eastern Baghdad. In a separate attack, a particularly deadly type of roadside bomb that can pierce thick armor killed a soldier in southeastern Baghdad.

On Saturday, the military also reported the deaths of three servicemen in combat on Thursday: two marines in Anbar, and a soldier in western Baghdad.

Two British troops also died in the southern city of Basra, one on Friday in what British officials said was a noncombat accident, and another on Saturday, killed by an improvised bomb.

A suicide car bomber killed four Iraqi Army soldiers and wounded another at a checkpoint in the eastern part of the capital, an Interior Ministry official said. Fourteen unidentified bodies were also found throughout the city, the official said.

Iranian diplomats on Saturday were granted their first visit to five Iranians who had been detained by American forces in January in Erbil. The visit, at an American military detention facility, lasted for several hours, said Philip Reeker, a spokesman for the American Embassy in Baghdad.

Also on Saturday, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki called for the organization led by the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr to confront rogue and violent members and “make conclusive and clear decisions, so as not to be held responsible for those using its name in killings, terrorism and other unlawful actions.”

Reporting was contributed by Alissa J. Rubin, Stephen Farrell and Qais Mizher from Baghdad, and Iraqi employees of The New York Times from Kirkuk and Diyala.

2007-07-08T00:59:00.004-07:00

WASHINGTON, July 7 — Democratic voters are not the only ones bitter over their party’s failure to use new Congressional power to force a withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Senator Harry Reid, the occasionally obstreperous Democratic leader, is upset as well.
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Senator Harry Reid, the Democratic majority leader, says he sees ending the Iraq war as a moral duty.
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“We haven’t done enough,” said Mr. Reid, a onetime moderate who has evolved into one of the party’s most fervent critics of the war.

That view captures not only Mr. Reid’s sentiment but also the shifting political dynamic on the war, as public frustration remains high, the conflict dominates the presidential campaign landscape and senior Republicans have chosen to break with President Bush even as the administration has urged patience.

Sensing momentum from the new Republican defections, Mr. Reid and other leading Democrats intend to force a series of votes over the next two weeks on proposals to withdraw troops and limit spending. Democrats are increasingly confident they can assemble majority opposition to administration policies.

“It is going to be harder for Republicans to not sign on to something with bite in it, a clear Congressional assessment that change is needed,” said Senator Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who is chairman of the Armed Services Committee. “I think it is more likely there will be a majority around here that say we should begin to redeploy some forces by a certain date, and I hope it would be a larger majority.”

The coming debate will provide a showcase for senators from both parties to debate Iraq war strategy. The four Democratic presidential candidates in the Senate are expected to push their own antiwar proposals and views, and contrast their stances with those of Republicans, notably Senator John McCain of Arizona, who has been among the strongest supporters of the war.

In the first round of debates about the war, there was Democratic anxiety about appearing unsupportive of the troops, and Mr. Reid sought to keep a tighter rein on his colleagues who were pushing for the strongest antiwar legislation. But in the shifting environment, Democrats are newly emboldened.

Mr. Reid said he now saw ending the war as a moral duty, and even if the Senate again falls short, he said, he would turn again and again to Iraq until either the president relents or enough Republicans join Democrats to overrule Mr. Bush.

“I think that each time these people vote to continue what’s going on in Iraq it is a bad, bad move for them and a worse move for our country,” Mr. Reid said.

In the six months since he took control as the majority leader, Mr. Reid, 67, of Nevada, has experienced the highs of leading his party and the lows of almost losing a senator to a critical illness and then losing an Iraq spending fight to Mr. Bush.

The Democratic inability to bring quick change, coupled with a Republican backlash to the rejected immigration proposal, has sent Congressional ratings plummeting.

“The Democratic Congress has lower ratings than President Bush,” said Senator Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas. “You have to try hard to do that.”

Mr. Reid has also been hobbled by his fragile majority, reduced to 50-to-49 because of the extended absence of Senator Tim Johnson, the South Dakota Democrat who has been recovering from a brain hemorrhage since December. With most Senate action requiring 60 votes — the tally needed to cut off debate — much of the legislation that House Democrats rushed through in their 100-hour sprint has bogged down across the Rotunda, mired in seemingly endless procedural votes and Republican objections.

On Iraq, Mr. Reid has led a 49-to-50 minority as Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, the Connecticut independent who caucuses with Democrats, has sided with Republicans on that issue.

As a result, when Mr. Bush refused to sign an Iraq war spending bill that included a timetable for withdrawal, Mr. Reid, with his counterpart in the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saw no alternative in May but to back down rather than open Democrats to charges of cutting off money to troops in the field. The outcome left many Democrats disenchanted.

“Some folks may have anticipated that the war would be stopped the Wednesday after the Tuesday election,” said Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana. “But this is a complex situation that we’ve got in Iraq right now, and I think most of the people understand that we’re going to do the best we can do with what we have to work with.”

Activist groups aligned with the party said they recognized that reality as they put new pressure on wavering Republicans to join with Democrats on the war legislation.

“Senator Reid was not able to get it done, but ultimately it is the Republicans who are obstructing passage,” said Moira Mack, a spokeswoman for Americans Against Escalation in Iraq.

Democrats hoped to drive home that point in the renewed fight, with the annual Pentagon policy measure as the battleground. The leadership has put much of its muscle behind a plan by Mr. Levin and Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, that would require a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days of becoming law and require most combat troops out by next spring.

Mr. Reid has also joined Senator Russ Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, in pushing a more confrontational approach that would end spending on most of the combat and significantly limit the role of American forces by early next year.

Another coalition of Democrats led by Senators Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who seeks the party’s presidential nomination, is pushing a plan to rescind the original authorization for the war, though it troubles some Democrats, who worry that any associated provision that allows troops to remain even for limited purposes could be interpreted as new approval to keep forces in Iraq.

Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, another Democratic presidential contender, is developing a proposal that would call for a troop withdrawal to begin within a month and be completed by next year.

“I think the public is so far ahead of us — certainly the Democrats are — on this issue,” Mr. Dodd said.

Though senior Republicans like Senators Richard G. Lugar of Indiana, George V. Voinovich of Ohio and Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico have called for a change in Iraq policy, they have indicated they are not ready to go as far as the Democrats. Mr. Domenici and other Republicans, including Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, have coalesced around a proposal that embraces the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which seeks to shift the use of American forces more to a counterterrorism role and sets a goal of a March 2008 withdrawal.

Many Democrats feel those recommendations fall short because they do not include a hard and fast requirement for troop withdrawal. Mr. Reid and his lieutenants were still considering their strategy toward that proposal, which had support from moderate Democrats, led by Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado, and several Republicans.

The war clearly has consumed Mr. Reid. He said his emotions had been stirred by visits to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to meet with gravely wounded troops and his own calls to the survivors of Nevada residents killed in the fighting.

The impact of the wounded was reflected in an e-mail exchange with a staff member, who, during the war financing fight, relayed poll results that found 56 percent of Americans backed the Democrats, but that a sizable 37 percent sided with Mr. Bush.

“May the 37 percent see the pain and suffering I have seen at Walter Reed,” Mr. Reid replied.

2007-07-08T00:59:00.003-07:00

MOSCOW, July 2 — Yulia Kuliyeva, only 19 and already a commissar, sat at a desk and quizzed each young person who sat opposite her, testing for ideological fitness to participate in summer camp.
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Nashi members held photos of a young Russian killed in Estonia.

“Tell me, what achievements of Putin’s policy can you name?” she asked, referring to Russia’s president since 2000, Vladimir V. Putin.

“Well, it’s the stabilization in the economy,” the girl answered. “Pensions were raised.”

“And what’s in Chechnya?” Ms. Kuliyeva asked, probing her knowledge of a separatist conflict that has killed tens of thousands and, although largely won by Russia’s federal forces and Chechen loyalists, continues.

“In Chechnya, it’s that it is considered a part of Russia,” the girl responded.

“Is this war still going on there?”

“No, everything is quiet.”

Ms. Kuliyeva is a leader in the Ideological Department of Nashi, the largest of a handful of youth movements created by Mr. Putin’s Kremlin to fight for the hearts and minds of Russia’s young people in schools, on the airwaves and, if necessary, on the streets.

Nashi, which translates as “ours,” has since its creation two years ago become a disciplined and lavishly funded instrument of Mr. Putin’s campaign for political control before parliamentary elections in December and a presidential election next March.

It has organized mass marches in support of Mr. Putin — most recently gathering tens of thousands of young people in Moscow to send the president text messages — and staged rowdy demonstrations over foreign policy issues that resulted in the physical harassment of the British and Estonian ambassadors here.

Its main role, though, is the ideological cultivation — some say indoctrination — of today’s youth, the first generation to come of age in post-Soviet Russia.

To Nashi, young people are neither the lost generation of the turbulent 1990s nor the soulless consumerists of Generation P (for Pepsi) imagined by the writer Viktor Pelevin in 2000. They are, as Nashi’s own glossy literature says, “Putin’s Generation.” “Why Putin’s generation?” Nashi’s national spokeswoman, Anastasia Suslova, asked at the group’s headquarters. “It is because Putin has qualitatively changed Russia. He brought stability and the opportunity for modernization and development of the country. Thus we, the young people — myself, for instance, I am 22, and these eight years were the longest part of my conscious life when we were growing up, and the country was changing with us.”

Nashi emerged in the wake of youth-led protests that toppled sclerotic governments in other post-Soviet republics, especially in Ukraine in 2004. It was joined by similar groups, like the Youth Guard, which belongs to the pro-Putin party United Russia; Locals, a group created by the Moscow region government that recently launched an anti-immigrant campaign; and the Grigorevtsy, affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church.

The groups, organizers and critics say, are part of an effort to build a following of loyal, patriotic young people and to defuse any youthful resistance that could emerge during the careful orchestration of Mr. Putin’s successor in next year’s election. Nashi, the largest and most prominent of the groups, now claims 10,000 active members and as many as 200,000 participants in its events.

“The Kremlin decided that youth organizations can be exploited,” said Nikolai V. Petrov, a scholar at the Carnegie Moscow Center. He compared the youth activists to “Landsknechts,” medieval foot soldiers hired to carry out military campaigns.

Russia’s youth, like their parents, remain largely apolitical, seeing what passes for politics here as something remote from their daily lives. Nashi’s goal is to change that, spurring youthful activism, although within the careful limits of the Kremlin’s sanction.

Nashi’s ideology is contained in a manifesto, based on the writings of Vladislav Y. Surkov, Mr. Putin’s chief political adviser, who has been called the Karl Rove of the Kremlin. At Nashi events and in interviews like Ms. Kuliyeva’s, members cite the manifesto’s passages, or “Surkov’s text,” like cant.

2007-07-08T00:59:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON, July 7 — A secret military operation in early 2005 to capture senior members of Al Qaeda in Pakistan’s tribal areas was aborted at the last minute after top Bush administration officials decided it was too risky and could jeopardize relations with Pakistan, according to intelligence and military officials.

The target was a meeting of Qaeda leaders that intelligence officials thought included Ayman al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden’s top deputy and the man believed to run the terrorist group’s operations.

But the mission was called off after Donald H. Rumsfeld, then the defense secretary, rejected an 11th-hour appeal by Porter J. Goss, then the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, officials said. Members of a Navy Seals unit in parachute gear had already boarded C-130 cargo planes in Afghanistan when the mission was canceled, said a former senior intelligence official involved in the planning.

Mr. Rumsfeld decided that the operation, which had ballooned from a small number of military personnel and C.I.A. operatives to several hundred, was cumbersome and put too many American lives at risk, the current and former officials said. He was also concerned that it could cause a rift with Pakistan, an often reluctant ally that has barred the American military from operating in its tribal areas, the officials said.

The decision to halt the planned “snatch and grab” operation frustrated some top intelligence officials and members of the military’s secret Special Operations units, who say the United States missed a significant opportunity to try to capture senior members of Al Qaeda.

Their frustration has only grown over the past two years, they said, as Al Qaeda has improved its abilities to plan global attacks and build new training compounds in Pakistan’s tribal areas, which have become virtual havens for the terrorist network.

In recent months, the White House has become increasingly irritated with Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, for his inaction on the growing threat of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

About a dozen current and former military and intelligence officials were interviewed for this article, all of whom requested anonymity because the planned 2005 mission remained classified.

Spokesmen for the Pentagon, the C.I.A. and the White House declined to comment. It is unclear whether President Bush was informed about the planned operation.

The officials acknowledge that they are not certain that Mr. Zawahri attended the 2005 meeting in North Waziristan, a mountainous province just miles from the Afghan border. But they said that the United States had communications intercepts that tipped them off to the meeting, and that intelligence officials had unusually high confidence that Mr. Zawahri was there.

Months later, in early May 2005, the C.I.A. launched a missile from a remotely piloted Predator drone, killing Haitham al-Yemeni, a senior Qaeda figure whom the C.I.A. had tracked since the meeting.

It has long been known that C.I.A. operatives conduct counterterrorism missions in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Details of the aborted 2005 operation provide a glimpse into the Bush administration’s internal negotiations over whether to take unilateral military action in Pakistan, where General Musharraf’s fragile government is under pressure from dissidents who object to any cooperation with the United States.

Pentagon officials familiar with covert operations said that planners had to consider the political and human risks of undertaking a military campaign in a sovereign country, even in an area like Pakistan’s tribal lands, where the government has only tenuous control. Even with its shortcomings, Pakistan has been a vital American ally since the Sept. 11 attacks, and the militaries of the two countries have close ties.

The Pentagon officials said tension was inherent in any decision to approve such a mission: a smaller military footprint allows a better chance of a mission going undetected, but it also exposes the units to greater risk of being killed or captured.

Officials said one reason Mr. Rumsfeld called off the 2005 operation was that the number of troops involved in the mission had grown to several hundred, including Army Rangers, members of the Navy Seals and C.I.A. operatives, and he determined that the United States could no longer carry out the mission without General Musharraf’s permission. It is unlikely that the Pakistani president would have approved an operation of that size, officials said.

Some outside experts said American counterterrorism operations had been hamstrung because of concerns about General Musharraf’s shaky government.

“The reluctance to take risk or jeopardize our political relationship with Musharraf may well account for the fact that five and half years after 9/11 we are still trying to run bin Laden and Zawahri to ground,” said Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University.

Those political considerations have created resentment among some members of the military’s Special Operations forces.

2007-07-06T23:04:00.003-07:00

During a 30-minute news conference at Yankee Stadium yesterday to promote their relationships in China, the Yankees announced that they would sponsor a summer camp run by the Chinese Baseball Association, donate a video batting machine to the league and continue their grass-roots and marketing efforts.

The Yankees also formally introduced the two players, the left-handed pitcher Kai Liu and catcher Zhenwang Zhang.

“As the Boss always says, we will search the far corners of the globe if there’s a great player there,” said Randy Levine, the president of the Yankees, referring to the team’s principal owner, George Steinbrenner.

General Manager Brian Cashman said Liu had an 84-mile-an-hour fastball and spin on his breaking ball. He said Zhang was known for his defensive abilities. The players, both 19, are the first Chinese players to sign with a major league team with the approval of the Chinese Baseball Association.

Liu and Zhang are awaiting their United States work visas. Jun Lei, the chairman of the Chinese Baseball Association, said the players would be available to the Yankees in late August, after they participate in a pre-Olympic tournament.

Levine said they would be evaluated at the team’s complex in Tampa, Fla., then enter the Yankees’ feeder system. Cashman said it was impossible to predict the trajectory of their baseball careers.

“I see this endeavor hopefully to be successful in one of two ways,” Cashman said. “For these players to eventually become Major League Baseball players here in the United States and be successful at it. Or they will learn a great deal about this game and be able to share that and return to China and assist in growing the game.”

The summer camp will be in Wuxi, a city in the province of Jiangsu. The batting machine, Cashman said, is used by major league players at Yankee Stadium and can simulate a variety of pitches and speeds.

The Yankees also said they hoped their sponsorship opportunities in China would continue to grow. They have already signed a deal with the Yili Group, China’s largest dairy company.

DAMON GETS START IN LEFT Johnny Damon started in left field yesterday for the first time since June 22, 2001, when he played for the Oakland Athletics.

Manager Joe Torre gave Hideki Matsui a break last night, using him as the designated hitter. Melky Cabrera started in center field instead of Damon because he has a stronger arm than Damon, Torre said.

“I think Johnny is going to be our D.H. most of the time,” Torre said before yesterday’s game. “And when he plays the outfield, you may see him play left field, you may see him play right field. Just so we can maybe spell these guys.”

Damon began the season in center field, where he has started 38 games this season. He has battled a variety of injuries, including strained calves, although he has never spent time on the disabled list during his 13-year major league career.

“Hopefully, Melky can cover me as much as possible,” said Damon, who cut his hair short before Thursday’s game because he said he had tired of his hairstyle.

IGAWA STILL IN THE MIX One day after Kei Igawa allowed five runs and seven hits against the Minnesota Twins, Joe Torre indicated that he would not be headed to the minors.

“He’ll start when we come back from the break,” Torre said before yesterday’s game. “He’ll be at the end of the line.”

Igawa, a left-hander, has made three starts since being recalled from the minors on June 22. His outing Thursday was his worst of the three. Torre said Igawa needed to focus on his location.

“He just needs to get some work as far as throwing on the side,” Torre said. “Just trying to find command. I think that’s the whole thing: command, command, command. His ability and the number of pitches he has are all big-league. He just needs to locate them on a regular basis.”

2007-07-06T23:04:00.001-07:00

Morneau became the fourth Twins player to hit three home runs in a game, and Minnesota hit six in all in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

In the opener, Torii Hunter homered, Jason Kubel hit a grand slam and Minnesota handed Jon Garland one of the worst defeats of his career while beating the White Sox, 20-14.

It was the highest run total for the Twins since they scored 23 against Cleveland on June 4, 2002. The White Sox had not surrendered 20 runs since April 2, 1998, against Texas.

The 34 combined runs were the most since May 19, 1999, when Cincinnati beat Colorado, 24-12, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Garland (6-6) tied a career high by allowing 12 runs, 11 of them earned.

Chicago set season highs for runs and hits (18). It was the highest run total for the White Sox since they scored 20 against St. Louis on June 20, 2006.

“I didn’t know we were going to play a football game,” Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire said.

BLUE JAYS 8, INDIANS 6 Vernon Wells homered and drove in three runs, and Roy Halladay remained unbeaten against Cleveland as Toronto won at home. Halladay (10-3) allowed five runs and nine hits in five and two-thirds innings, walking one and striking out three. He is 5-0 with a 3.84 earned run average in 10 career appearances against the Indians.

RANGERS 4, ORIOLES 3 Michael Young’s one-out R.B.I. single in the 10th inning gave Texas a victory at home against Baltimore, despite the fact that closer Eric Gagné gave up a run in the ninth for his first blown save.

DEVIL RAYS 6, ROYALS 5 Brendan Harris and Delmon Young each drove in two runs and Tampa Bay snapped an 11-game losing streak with a victory at Kansas City. Winless since beating the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 24, the Devil Rays broke the longest losing streak in the majors this year. It was their longest losing streak since a 12-game skid in 2004 that also ended in Kansas City.

REDS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 1 Ken Griffey Jr. tied Frank Robinson for sixth place on the home run list and Kyle Lohse pitched a four-hitter as Cincinnati won at home.

Griffey capped Cincinnati’s three-run fifth inning with his 586th homer — his 23rd of the season — a two-run shot off the right-hander Micah Owings that traveled 419 feet into the right-center-field seats.

Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips also homered as the Reds won back-to-back games for the first time since wins against the Cleveland Indians on June 10 and the Los Angeles Angels on June 12.

GIANTS 4, CARDINALS 3 Noah Lowry struck out five in six innings to win his third consecutive start, and Ray Durham had a run-scoring single for San Francisco, which scored three runs on a misplay by St. Louis center fielder So Taguchi in the fifth. Barry Bonds grounded out and drew three walks as he remained at 751 home runs, four short of matching Hank Aaron’s career record.

PIRATES 8, CUBS 4 Xavier Nady homered and drove in three runs to support Paul Maholm’s pitching as host Pittsburgh won its fourth game in a row.

The Cubs had won 11 of 13 and were 21-10 since June 3, the best record in the majors over that span, until being limited to five hits over seven-plus innings by Maholm (5-11).

BREWERS 6, NATIONALS 2 Ryan Braun homered twice, Dave Bush took a shutout into the seventh inning and Milwaukee ended a three-game losing streak with a victory at Washington.

PIRATES EXECUTIVE RESIGNS Kevin McClatchy, a newspaper heir widely credited with preventing the Pirates from leaving Pittsburgh by assembling an ownership group in 1996 when no one else would, announced yesterday that he was stepping down as the team’s chief executive officer at the end of the season.

The Pirates are on pace for a 15th consecutive losing season, one short of the major league record. If they do not have a winning record this season, it will be their 12th consecutive losing record under McClatchy. “I take responsibility for the losing, that’s probably in some ways reason for a change,” McClatchy told The Associated Press. “It’s good to turn the page, have a fresh perspective.”

2007-07-06T23:03:00.003-07:00

Curtis Granderson led off the fifth with a home run and Marcus Thames added a grand slam in the inning, lifting the Detroit Tigers to a 9-2 victory against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Detroit, which is averaging about six runs a game, won the series opener against the Red Sox, who are 53-32.

The rookie Andrew Miller (4-2) gave up one run and three hits in seven innings. He matched a season high with six strikeouts and set a career mark with four walks in his 109-pitch outing.

Julián Tavárez (5-7) allowed a season-high eight runs and matched his season high by giving up 10 hits in four and two-thirds innings.

The Tigers averaged more than 10 runs in Miller’s first five starts this season, and gave him a lot more support in his sixth.

“They’re averaging a lot of runs for everybody,” Miller said of his teammates. “It’s pretty unbelievable the way the offense is right now.”

After Tavárez held Detroit scoreless for three innings, the Tigers went ahead, 4-1, in the fourth.

Gary Sheffield led off the inning with a single, advanced on a throwing error and scored on Magglio Ordóñez’s single. Thames hit a sacrifice fly to put the Tigers ahead, and Brandon Inge’s run-scoring double gave them a 3-1 lead.

Granderson hit the first pitch of the fifth over the right-field fence for his 12th home run, giving Detroit a three-run lead. Thames’s third career grand slam, and ninth homer of the season, made the score 8-1. When Thames ran to left field to start the next inning, he was greeted with a standing ovation.

Boston had a tough time against Miller, a hard-throwing left-hander, who responded well as he faced a two-on, one-out jam in the seventh.

Tigers Manager Jim Leyland walked to the mound and the crowd rose to cheer for Miller, anticipating the end of his outing. The crowd roared when Leyland went back to the dugout without making a change. Miller’s next pitch was a 94-mile-an-hour strike to Jeff Bailey. He got out of the inning with a groundout and a liner.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn, activated in place of the suspended Neifi Pérez, had an R.B.I. single in the eighth to make the score 9-1.

2007-07-06T23:03:00.001-07:00

Vick is not named in the documents. Also, federal agents searched the property yesterday. They finished their work about 4:30 p.m. and declined to answer reporters’ questions as they left.

The documents filed Monday in United States District Court in Richmond, Va., and obtained yesterday by The Associated Press contain the address of the home that has been the center of the investigation.

According to the documents, dog fights have been sponsored by Bad Newz Kennels at the property since at least 2002. For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states.

Members of the venture also knowingly transported, delivered and received dogs for animal fighting, the documents said. Bad News is a local nickname for Newport News, Va., Vick’s hometown.

Fifty-four animals were recovered from the property during searches in April, along with a “rape stand,” used to hold dogs in place for mating; an electric treadmill modified for dogs; and a bloodied piece of carpeting, the documents said.

The property was used as the “main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dog fighting venture,” according to the filings.

During a June search of the property, investigators uncovered the graves of seven pit bulls that were suspected to have been killed by members of Bad Newz Kennels after sessions to test whether dogs would be good fighters, the documents said.

Members of Bad Newz Kennels also sponsored and exhibited fights in other parts of the country, the filings said. Vick has said he rarely visited the property. No charges have been filed.

Vick has said he had no idea the property might have been used in a criminal enterprise and blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity. He also put the house up for sale and reportedly sold it quickly, although there is no record that the sale has closed.

BRONCO SUSPENDED FOR STEROIDS Denver Broncos defensive end Kenny Peterson will miss the first four games of the season and be suspended without pay for violating the N.F.L.’s steroid policy.

The Broncos released a statement yesterday saying that Peterson would be suspended without pay starting Aug. 31. The statement said Peterson had violated the policy on anabolic steroids and related substances but did not give specifics.

Peterson can join the Broncos for training camp but will not return to the active roster until Oct. 1.

Peterson was cut by the Green Bay Packers last September and signed with the Broncos to replace Courtney Brown, who had knee surgery five weeks into the season.

2007-07-06T23:02:00.003-07:00

With its episodes of rapid and irregular heartbeats, the condition — atrial fibrillation — afflicts at least 2.2 million people in the United States, according to government estimates. While some experience no symptoms and most others seem to suffer little more than weakness or shortness of breath, the condition is now recognized as a major source of strokes and a precursor to potentially fatal deterioration of the heart.

Already, Medicare and private insurers are spending billions of dollars annually to cope with atrial fibrillation, mostly on hospitalizations, tests and drugs unapproved for such patients. The number of patients is forecast to soar, and spending could climb even more rapidly if many of them receive what many doctors say is now their best hope for a cure — an expensive procedure known as catheter-based ablation.

Advocates of the procedure say it is less invasive than open-heart surgery — the only proven method for curing many patients — and in the long run more cost-effective than drugs, which generally offer temporary relief. Thousands of patients worldwide are estimated to have had the procedure done since 2000.

Federal regulators, however, have not approved as safe and effective any of the devices used. So hospitals and doctors are finding it difficult to be fully reimbursed for the procedure’s cost, which is generally calculated at $25,000 to $50,000.

With politicians and employers debating ways to tame the explosive growth in health care costs, such treatment stands out as another potentially budget-straining medical commitment.

“This is one of those areas where the practice of medicine has moved faster than the approval process,” said Daniel G. Schultz, head of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the Food and Drug Administration. “This is very high on our list of areas that need concerted attention.”

Dr. Schultz said the F.D.A. would soon schedule a public meeting with medical and industry experts to discuss what is known — and still needs to be known — about the welter of drugs and devices now being used without approval to treat atrial fibrillation.

Some of the biggest questions focus on ablation, which involves burning, freezing, or otherwise neutralizing the portions of the heart muscle where abnormal electrical pulses set off the irregular heartbeats. The technique aims to restore the ability of the two atria, situated at the top of the heart, to effectively gather blood and prime the ventricles, the heart’s main pumps.

The original form of atrial ablation, using surgical tools, is still employed, but almost always restricted to cases where the chest is already being cut open for heart valve replacement or other surgery. But most atrial ablations are now minimally invasive procedures using tiny devices mounted at the end of long, flexible plastic catheters that are threaded into the heart through veins.

Full-scale clinical trials have not yet demonstrated the long-term benefits from the catheter-based treatment. But, based on promising results from less rigorous studies, major medical societies have endorsed it. It is not uncommon for off-label drugs and devices to be used where doctors believe they can be more successful than any approved therapies.

Still, any situation where off-label therapies have become as widespread as they are in atrial fibrillation “spotlights where we lack good evidence of which patients can benefit from which therapies,” said Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, director of the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Gathering such data for atrial fibrillation could be especially challenging, she said, because the severity of the condition varies so much among patients and most have other health problems as well that can affect the risks and benefits of competing therapies.

Lacking regulatory guidelines, doctors currently use either experimental equipment or equipment that the F.D.A. has approved for other purposes, like destroying tumors or fixing other heart arrhythmias. While such off-label use of devices is legal for doctors, insurers are sometimes reluctant to cover it, and health care providers may have less legal protection from lawsuits if something goes wrong.

2007-07-06T23:02:00.001-07:00

The calls began at 2:55 a.m. on May 20 when Lebanese security forces surrounded a Tripoli apartment building used as a safe house by Fatah al Islam, a newly formed militant group with Qaeda aspirations.

“Stop it or I will go out and attack,” the group’s military commander, Abu Hureira, said from his headquarters in the Palestinian refugee camp Nahr al Bared, north of Tripoli, according to a recording of the conversations that was played for reporters with The New York Times.

A sheik acting as an intermediary relayed the warning to Maj. Gen. Achraf Rifi, head of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, who replied, “You will surrender and go to prison, or you will die.”

Seconds later, General Rifi’s men stormed the safe house, killing 12 suspected militants. In response, Fatah al Islam rushed an army checkpoint at the camp’s entrance, killing 23 soldiers sleeping in tents. The continuing battle, which has claimed more than 200 lives, has ruined the camp, now the scene of daily artillery barrages as the Lebanese Army tries to flush out Fatah al Islam.

The fight has drawn scrutiny here and abroad because the militants are foreigners and veterans of the war in Iraq. As Lebanon falls increasingly into a state of political paralysis, the risk of militants setting up base here is raising alarms, especially among European intelligence officials.

One year ago, this country found itself in the middle of a war between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah after Hezbollah fighters crossed the border and seized two Israeli soldiers. Although the war’s catastrophic damage drew Lebanese together, they quickly turned on one another politically. Killings, bombings and political protests have become routine.

Political forces find themselves stalemated, with no one firmly in charge. Neighborhoods of rubble from last year’s war remain uncleared, and politicians on each side accuse those on the other of blocking reconstruction to prevent them from getting credit.

Parliament has to select a new president in September, but with the governing coalition and the opposition hostile to each other, that could set off an unraveling of what remains of the system of governance.

“If you are in a hole, at least stop digging,” said Ali Hamdan, foreign affairs adviser to Nabih Berri, speaker of Parliament, leader of the Shiite Amal movement and a close ally of Hezbollah. “Unfortunately, the Lebanese keep digging.”

While Lebanon’s troubles are not principally about Islamic militancy, some fear it could become the kind of place that attracts more of it, especially from the Iraq war.

General Rifi, the internal security chief, estimates that 50 to 60 fighters are still in the camp and they include skilled and determined militants from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen and Algeria who fought with the insurgency in Iraq.

The group’s leader, Shakir al-Abssi, was an associate of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia killed last summer. He has been sentenced to death in Jordan for helping Mr. Zarqawi organize the 2002 slaying of an American diplomat in Amman, Jordan.

“One reason we attacked Abssi was to get a message to those people that you don’t have to come to Lebanon after your mission in Iraq,” General Rifi said.

But Mr. Abssi has been drawing support from Europe as well, according to a Western European intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity. There is some evidence that Islamic militants in Western European countries traveled to Lebanon and joined Mr. Abssi’s group, the official said, citing recent reports from intelligence agencies of countries other than Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Lebanon has been hit with a rash of car bombings and other violence since the fighting with Fatah al Islam began, including a car bomb in the south that killed six United Nations peacekeepers.

Today, the Lebanese are increasingly divided by rolls of razor wire spread across roads and wrapped around buildings and homes. They are separated by military checkpoints that tie up traffic. Nearly a dozen members of Parliament have left the country, fearful they will be killed. Some United Nations officials have moved from their heavily guarded offices in the center of Beirut to smaller, less obvious space deep behind a sea of razor wire.

Given Lebanon’s fractured politics — and the backing of Hezbollah by both Iran and Syria and of the government by Western powers — it is too soon to know who has been behind the many incidents. General Rifi said the F.B.I. director, Robert Mueller, paid him a surprise visit last week and offered forensic assistance in analyzing the bombings.

2007-07-06T22:59:00.000-07:00

The official confirmed a report in The Philadelphia Inquirer that the doctors had contacted the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia that screens foreign citizens wishing to train or work as doctors in the United States.

Nancy O’Dowd, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said one of them “was applying” for approval to practice in the United States. “But we don’t believe he took the test,” she told The Associated Press.

The law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the continuing investigation in Britain, said investigators had found no evidence that any of the eight people arrested in the case had ever been in the United States.

In London on Friday, an Iraqi doctor, Bilal Abdulla, became the first to be charged since Britain was plunged into its newest terrorism alert one week before, when the police discovered two Mercedes sedans in London packed with nails, gasoline and gas canisters. Dr. Abdulla, 27, was identified as one of the two men who drove a Jeep Cherokee into the entrance to a check-in area at Glasgow Airport and set it afire.

The second man, identified as Khalil Ahmed, was badly burned in the attack and was moved for clinical reasons from the Royal Alexandra Hospital near Glasgow to a burn unit in the city’s infirmary, medical authorities said Friday. The British authorities have said they suspect that the two men set the failed car bombs in London, then raced 400 miles back to the Glasgow area and worked frantically to carry out the airport attack before the police closed in.

Dr. Abdulla was seen in amateur television video being led away by police officers as the Jeep Cherokee went up in flames. The Crown Prosecution Service ruled that he should be charged with “conspiracy to cause explosions following incidents in London and Glasgow on 29 June 2007 and 30 June 2007.”

The charge, brought under a law dating to 1883, accused him of conspiring “with others to cause explosions of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury.” It carries a maximum life sentence. The police said Dr. Abdulla would be arraigned Saturday.

The investigation widened in Australia as well, where the police this week detained Mohammed Haneef, 26, who had worked in Britain and was seeking to fly to his native India when he was arrested. On Friday, the authorities questioned and released five more Indian doctors and raided two hospitals in a search for evidence on computers, the Australian police said.

Citing federal law enforcement officials, NBC News reported Friday that Dr. Haneef was one of the two doctors who had inquired about practicing medicine in the United States. The other was Mohammed Jamil Asha, 26, a Jordanian born in Saudi Arabia, who was arrested last week in Britain.

Word that two of the doctors implicated in the British attacks had asked, however preliminarily, about working in the United States sent tremors through the American medical community, particularly among foreign-born physicians.

“I’d like to think there would not be concerns,” said Dr. Susan D. Wolfsthal, director of the internal medicine residency program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “But there have been times in our history when entire groups of people have been blamed for the actions of a few.”

Foreign citizens or American graduates from foreign medical schools accounted for more than 228,665 of the 902,053 practicing physicians in the United States in 2005 — just over 25 percent, according to the American Medical Association. The Congressional Research Service said their presence “in many rural communities of the United States has allowed states to ensure the availability of medical care to their residents.”

Most states require that foreign-trained doctors participate in a medical residency in the United States before they can be licensed to practice here, even if they already practiced overseas, said Stephen S. Seeling, vice president for operations of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

In a typical year, the organization certifies the educational qualifications of about 11,000 foreign-trained doctors, nearly 20 percent of whom are American citizens who trained overseas. Of that number, only about 7,000 a year are able to land one of the highly competitive residency posts, Mr. Seeling said.

2007-07-06T22:56:00.002-07:00

Teresa Rosati, poruszona pojawiającymi się plotkami o anoreksji swojej córki, zdecydowała się opowiedzieć Faktowi o chorobie Weroniki.

Weronika zawsze była drobna, od maleńkiego miała problemy - mówi mama aktorki. Od 5. roku życia cierpi na niezidentyfikowane uczulenie, przez wiele lat była pod opieką Centrum Zdrowia Dziecka w Międzylesiu i do tej pory jest na szczególnej diecie. Tylko że to uczulenie wraz z upływem czasu się zmienia - jako dziecko była uczulona na coś innego, a teraz to nie wiadomo nawet na co. Przeszła szereg bardzo przykrych badań gastrologicznych jako dziecko, ale wciąż nie wiadomo, co jej jest. Na przykład teraz, gdy była w USA, lekarz stwierdził u niej niską tolerancję na mleko.

Tajemnicza choroba podobno bardzo ogranicza menu Weroniki:

Córka może jeść tylko rzeczy bardzo delikatne. Domowe jedzenie, przygotowane przeze mnie. Gdy jest w USA, gotuje sobie sama, ale na pewno nie je potraw z barów, restauracji czy cateringu na planie filmowym, nie pozwala jej na to ścisła dieta. Oczywiście czasem pozwoli sobie na coś zakazanego, gdy nie może sobie odmówić, ale potem to odchorowuje. Nie chciałabym wchodzić w medyczne szczegóły, nie są to dolegliwości gastryczne, córka po prostu puchnie.

Teresa Rosati dba o Weronikę, dostarczając jej potrawy na plan filmowy: To są gotowane posiłki. Ale zawsze jest obawa, czy nie będzie jakichś sensacji.

Współczujemy Weronice, jeśli to prawda. Ale czy naprawdę nie da się poprosić o dostarczanie przez firmę cateringową jednej porcji ryby i warzyw gotowanych na parze? Zresztą z publikowanych przez tygodnik Świat i Ludzie historii (na które odpowiedzią jest dzisiejszy artykuł w Fakcie) nie wynikało, że Weronika wyjmuje na planie własne jedzenie, tylko że nie je wcale... Zobacz: Rosati anorektyczką?

2007-07-06T22:56:00.001-07:00

Eva Longoria i koszykarz Tony Parker wzięli wczoraj ślub cywilny. W dzień przed zaplanowaną na dziś (07.07.07) wielką uroczystością. Udzielił im go mer Paryża Bertrand Delanoe.

Ślub kościelny odbędzie się w paryskim kościele Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois. Zaś wielkie przyjęcie weselne - w XVII-wiecznym zamku Vaux-le-Vicomte pod Paryżem.

Para młoda mieszka w luksusowym hotelu Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, w apartamencie kosztującym około 30 tysięcy złotych za dobę.

Paryż to takie romantyczne miejsce - mówi znajoma Evy, towarzysząca jej od początku pobytu we Francji. To coś cudownego, móc pobrać się w tym mieście.

2007-07-06T22:55:00.002-07:00

Faceci kupując magazyny dla panów mają na co popatrzyć - narzeka Jessica Alba. W tych gazetach pełno jest rozebranych kobiet w wyuzdanych pozach. A co z nami? Kobiety są dyskryminowane - nie ma pism dla nas, w których można pooglądać penisy. Gdyby na rynku był taki magazyn, na pewno bym go kupowała.

Sama Jessica nie lubi się jednak rozbierać dla potrzeb filmów i sesji zdjęciowych. W trosce o swój grzeczny wizerunek pozwała nawet Playboya, kiedy na okładce pojawiło się jej zdjęcie w bikini sugerujące, że w numerze znajdują się jej rozbierane zdjęcia

2007-07-06T22:55:00.001-07:00

Jessica Simpson spotyka się z aktorem Dane'm Cook'iem, którego poznała na planie filmu Pracownik miesiąca. Oboje byli widziani na koncercie Prince'a w hotelu Roosevelt w Los Angeles. Po raz pierwszy nie ukrywali już, że są w sobie zakochani. Podobno Jessica i Dane spotykali się już podczas pracy na planie. Jak mówi znajomy aktorki:

Śmiali się, żartowali i trzymali razem. Prawie całą noc spędzili razem, tańcząc i przytulając się.

W maju Jessica rozstała się z Johnem Mayerem po rocznym burzliwym związku.

To był bardzo burzliwy związek, który musiał się zakończyć - mówi znajoma Jessiki. Twierdzą, że to na pewno koniec, ale kto wie, co przyniesie przyszłość. To już 12. raz, jak ze sobą zerwali!

2007-07-06T22:54:00.001-07:00

Divine Brown była tanią, uliczną prostytutką. Do czasu. W 1995 roku los zesłał jej białe BMW z Hugh Grantem w środku. Wieczór nie skończył się zbyt szczęśliwie - zostali przyłapani i aresztowani za uprawianie seksu w miejscu publicznym. Grant przypłacił ten incydent ostatecznym zakończeniem związku z Elizabeth Hurley oraz ogromnym skandalem, natomiast dla pani Brown był to początek nowego życia. Dzisiaj tak opowiada o tamtych wydarzeniach:

Wszystko obróciło się na moją korzyść. To pomogło mi pozytywnie odmienić moje życie. Było błogosławieństwem, które wyrwało mnie z tego stylu życia, jaki prowadziłam. To była najlepsza noc w moim życiu!

Nic dziwnego, w końcu Divine zarobiła ogromne pieniądze dzięki wywiadom udzielonym prasie brukowej i kilku reklamom. Wyznała także:

Kocham Hugh Granta. Pozwolił moim dzieciom ukończyć szkoły, dał nam szansę na nowe życie, której prawdopodobnie nigdy byśmy nie mieli. Mieliśmy nawet okazję podróżować prywatnymi odrzutowcami.

Do ciepłych słów dołączył się również jej manager, a zarazem ojciec jej dziecka, Gangsta (!) Brown:

Gdybym mógł go spotkać i uścisnąć jego dłoń, wszystko, co bym chciał powiedzieć to: "Dziękuję ci. Bardzo wysoko cię cenię i jeżeli istnieje coś, co mógłbym zrobić w zamian, byłbym zaszczycony zostając twoim przyjacielem."

Wzruszające. Warto jednak zauważyć, jakie konsekwencje ma ta historia dla znanych ludzi lubiących korzystać z usług prostytutek. Żonaci mężczyźni robią to zazwyczaj po to, by uniknąć problemów, krępujących telefonów, SMS-ów - czyli wszystkiego tego, z czym wiążą się romanse. Gwiazdorzy nie mogą już niestety na to liczyć.

2007-07-06T22:51:00.000-07:00

Gwiazda Harry Pottera, Daniel Radcliffe, wyznał, że lubi uprawiać seks z dziewczynami, które są nim zainteresowane wyłącznie z powodu jego sławy. 17-letni aktor z rozbrajającą szczerością wyznał, że jest zbyt młody, by wiązać się z kimś na poważnie i lubi wykorzystywać swoje fanki:

Nie przeszkadza mi to, że dziewczyny idą ze mną do łóżka dlatego, że jestem sławny. Mam 17 lat. Mam to gdzieś.

Oczywiście, jeżeli chciałbym związać się z kimś na poważnie, nie chciałbym dziewczyny, której podobam się tylko dlatego, że jestem aktorem. Ale ponieważ nie interesuje mnie nic poważniejszego, zupełnie mi to nie przeszkadza.

Daniel powiedział też, że wyrzuciłby z łóżka dziewczynę, która podczas stosunku nazwałaby go "Harry"...

Gość jest przezabawny. Zaczynamy go lubić.

Pokażcie nam kogoś, kogo popularność nie pozbawiła choć części zahamowań i dobrego smaku.

2007-07-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Lohan przyznała się, że ma chłopaka! Co prawda nie wiadomo, czy chodzi o dalszy ciąg burzliwego związku z Calumem Bestem czy może, za przykładem Britney, Lindsay związała się z jakimś pracownikiem kliniki odwykowej.

Obecnie aktorka przebywa na nieco dłuższej terapii w ośrodku leczenia uzależnień Promises w Malibu, która ma jej pomóc w powrocie do normalnego życia. Dziennikarzom gazety The Mirror powiedziała:

Mam teraz chłopaka i wkrótce wrócę do domu do Los Angeles, zatem wszystko się znacznie uspokoi.

Jej były (a może obecny?) chłopak, Calum Best, również zobowiązał się niedawno do pójścia na odwyk, po tym jak otwarcie przyznał się do uzależnienia od kokainy. Z tego co wiemy, jeszcze tam nie dotarł. Był za to niedawno bohaterem głośnego skandalu - nagrał na wideo perwersyjny stosunek z dwiema prostytutkami (zobacz: Orgia chłopaka Lindsay).

2007-07-06T22:46:00.000-07:00

Zdjęcia ukazują parę na zakupach w centrum handlowym w Coventry.

Przystają, pozują do zdjęć i znajdują czas dla fanów. Wiele polskich gwiazd ma sympatyków gdzieś, choć trzeba oddać sprawiedliwość Mandarynie, która - w przeciwieństwie do Dody, Tatiany Okupnik i kilku innych - uchodzi za uprzejmą i uczynną. Tylko czy to odstępstwo nie jest dziwactwem? Rozumiemy chęć odgrodzenia się, u Dody to już etap głębokiego lęku przed rozgorączkowanymi wyznawcami, niekontrolowanym i nieestetycznym kontaktem. Boskość domaga się praw, powinna być ekskluzywna - i nie ma w tych słowach ukrytej ironii i przekory.

2007-07-06T04:06:00.000-07:00

Kate Moss ma jakiś niesamowity gen. Coś, co z brzydoty wydobywa piękno. Żadna po prostu ładna dziewczyna nie może się równać z kimś takim. Przynajmniej nie w show-biznesie. W podstawówce brzydulą też była tylko na pierwszy rzut oka. Przyjrzyjcie się dłużej.

2007-07-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

Nicole Richie ma nie lada kłopot. Jej wyrok więzienia za jazdę pod wpływem narkotyków może się pokryć z terminem porodu. Co wtedy?

Co prawda nie wiemy na pewno, czy Nicole pójdzie do więzienia, ani nawet czy naprawdę jest w ciązy (ciężko nam w to uwierzyć, patrząc na ten ważący 45 kilo szkielecik). Umówmy się jednak - Paris Hilton nie została oszczędzona mimo znacznie lżejszych zarzutów. Zaś ciążą Nicole chwaliła się przecież sama.

Ciężarna Nicole nie będzie mogła liczyć w więzieniu na żadne specjalne traktowanie. Karę odbywać będzie razem z innymi więźniarkami. Jedynym "udogodnieniem" będzie wysokokaloryczna dieta. Tyle że akurat dla niej musi to brzmieć jak najgorsza kara... Jeżeli zaś termin porodu wypadnie podczas odsiadywania wyroku, będzie musiała urodzić dziecko w więziennym szpitalu. Żadnej sali dla VIP-ów, spacjalnego traktowania, ani wizyt ojca. Po urodzeniu dziecka wróci do celi... sama! Dziecko będzie mógł odebrać tata.

2007-07-06T04:03:00.002-07:00

Jennifer Aniston rozstała się ze swoim chłopakiem, brytyjskim modelem Paulem Sculforem. W zeszłą sobotę Paul na dwa tygodnie wrócił do Londynu. Paul i Jennifer spotykali się od maja i teraz zdecydowali się pożegnać... przynajmniej na razie. Znajoma Aniston mówi:

Nie było dramatu. Spotykali się, ale to nie było nic poważnego.

Para była widziana ostatnio na randce 17 czerwca. Według świadków, którzy przebywali w restauracji, podczas kolacji zaczęli się sprzeczać:

Jen patrzyła prosto w oczy Paula i tłumaczyła mu coś. Była wyraźnie zdenerwowana.

Znajomy Paula twierdzi, że poleciał on na jakiś czas do Londynu, "by się od wszystkiego oderwać". Jennifer nie przejęła się zaś zbytnio rozstaniem. Następnego dnia spotkała się ze swoją przyjaciółką Courteney Cox.

Cóż, Jennifer nie wytrzymała być może presji mediów, które pisały o Paulu straszne rzeczy (zobacz: Aniston spotyka się z narkomanem!). Nie pomogło nawet to, że jest podobno lepszy w łóżku od Brada Pitta. Za tym chłopakiem ciągnie się okropna przeszłość. Aniston przydałby się zaś teraz ktoś po pierwsze dojrzały i gotowy do założenia rodziny a po drugie taki, który u jej boku nie wzbudzałby niepotrzebnej sensacji.

2007-07-06T04:03:00.001-07:00

Nelly Furtado nosi od niedawna na palcu błyszczący pierścionek z brylantem. Teraz potwierdziły się informacje, że zaręczyła się ze swoim chłopakiem - Kubańczykiem Demo Castellonem.

Para poznała się przy współpracy nad albumem Nelly, gdy nagrywała ona piosenki z Timbalandem. Demo pracuje u niego jako inżynier dźwięku.

2007-07-06T04:01:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears nie wystarczyło wysłanie dziwacznego listu z przeprosinami do agencji paparazzi. Postanowiła upublicznić te bzdury, umieszczając je na swojej oficjalnej stronie internetowej, podnosząc dodatkowo poziom abstrakcji z którą musi zmierzyć się czytelnik.

Myśleliśmy, że o Spears już niczym nas nie zaskoczy, ale ta dziewczyna, jak nikt inny, potrafi wprawić w osłupienie. Okazało się, że Britney podchodzi bardzo poważnie do swoich... bułeczek.

Zapewne zamiast "bułeczki" (ang. roll) w tekście miało się pojawić słowo "rola" (ang. role), ale poprawne napisanie czteroliterowego słowa przekroczyło możliwości piosenkarki. To nas nie dziwi. Dziwi natomiast fakt, że nie zostało to poprawione przez żadnego z jej pracowników. Cóż, być może wszystkich z wyższym IQ udało się jej już zwolnić...

Tak brzmi "oświadczenie" Britney, które od dziś można przeczytać na jej stronie internetowej:

Przepraszam paparazzi za incydent z parasolką, który miał miejsce 4 miesiące temu. Przygotowywałam się do bułeczki w filmie. Mój mąż nie chciał grać swojej roli, dlatego zamieniliśmy się miejscami. Biorę swoje bułeczki bardzo poważnie i trochę mnie poniosło. Niestety, nie dostałam tej roli.

Jak jeszcze trochę przerobi ten tekst, może zacznie mieć on jakiś sens...

2007-07-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

The most productive period of Dainius Zubrus’s 10-year N.H.L. career was his last season and a half with the Washington Capitals, before he was sent to Buffalo at last season’s trading deadline. He was the center on a line with Alex Ovechkin, the spectacularly talented left wing.
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The Devils hope he will continue to flourish. They signed Zubrus yesterday to a six-year, $20 million contract. Zubrus, a 29-year-old native of Lithuania, will apparently fill the roster spot vacated by Scott Gomez, who signed with the Rangers.

But no one seems to know if Zubrus will replace Gomez as a top-line center, or if he even will be a center.

“Dainius Zubrus has the ability to play center, but we’ll see what the combinations are,” Lou Lamoriello, the Devils’ president and general manager, said.

The Devils still do not have a coach, and Lamoriello has had to scramble to replace Gomez and the longtime defenseman Brian Rafalski, an unrestricted free agent who signed Sunday with the Detroit Red Wings, his hometown team.

Zubrus, at 6 feet 4 inches and 225 pounds, is 5 inches taller and 25 pounds heavier than Gomez, a shifty and creative player.

But if Zubrus does not fill Gomez’s spot between left wing Brian Gionta and right wing Patrik Elias, Lamoriello said, the new coach will have choices. Travis Zajac and Zach Parise are also candidates to play center.

All Zubrus wanted was to join a team that wins more often than it loses. At the trading deadline Feb. 27, he was acquired by the Buffalo Sabres, who reached the Eastern Conference finals. He scored a career-high 24 goals in 79 games last season.

“I don’t think about whose shoes I have to fill,” Zubrus said. “I’m coming in, and I am my own player.”

The Devils also announced they had signed defenseman Karel Rachunek, 27, who played last season for the Rangers. Lamoriello said he planned to bolster the team’s defense with additional free-agent signings.

Zubrus is likely to be the biggest free-agent acquisition for the Devils, who move into a new arena in downtown Newark this fall.

Zubrus was the Philadelphia Flyers’ first-round draft pick in 1996, and it was often said that he had as much potential as Jaromir Jagr. By comparison, Zubrus was often disappointing. He scored only 19 goals in three seasons with the Flyers.

Zubrus can also play defense, and Lamoriello says Zubrus can blend in with any line combination and do just about anything.

“The key is the program, the system and the consistency,” Lamoriello said.

The Devils’ consistency, Zubrus said, was the franchise’s most appealing asset. He did not want to disclose how many teams were interested in signing him, but he said the Devils showed particular interest when he became a free agent.

Now all he needs is a position, a line and a coach.

“I feel confident at right wing or center,” Zubrus said. “What I’m going to play, I don’t know, but I know I can play in those situations and have that responsibility.”

2007-07-06T03:59:00.004-07:00

The Seattle SuperSonics introduced P. J. Carlesimo as their coach, returning him to the sideline nearly eight years since his last head-coaching job, which was shrouded in controversy.

The former All-Star forward, Grant Hill, whose career has been plagued by injuries since he joined the Orlando Magic seven years ago, agreed in principle to a two-year deal with the Phoenix Suns. At 34, he hopes to finish his career with a title.

“The opportunity was there for him to contribute in a meaningful way,” Hill’s agent, Lon Babby, said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Hill could have probably received a more lucrative deal elsewhere, but he signed with Phoenix for $1.8 million this season and has a player option for a second year. Deals are not official until Wednesday.

Babby was contacted by 15 teams, including San Antonio, Miami and Detroit, where Hill began his career. Before the Pistons opened the 2000 playoffs, Hill sprained his left ankle. Five operations later, he was never the same. Throughout his $93 million deal with the Magic, Hill played in only 200 games, 65 last season when he averaged 14.4 points a game.

Hill is following the quest marked by other prominent former All-Stars (like San Antonio’s Michael Finley and Miami’s Gary Payton) who latched onto contenders at the end of their careers. The 58-year-old Carlesimo, on the other hand, was ecstatic about returning to the top chair, even if it is with a team in transition.

“I wasn’t sure it was ever going to happen,” Carlesimo said yesterday. “I love the young talent we have. This opportunity was very attractive.”

He joins the Sonics in the wake of a dizzying rebuilding movement that began on draft night. Seattle took the 6-foot-9 forward Kevin Durant with the second overall pick, traded the seven-time All-Star guard Ray Allen to Boston while receiving the rookie forward Jeff Green in the deal. But they lost the free-agent forward Rashard Lewis to Orlando on Tuesday.

Carlesimo, known for his intense demeanor, was fired in 1999 by the Golden State Warriors, two years after an infamous confrontation in which Latrell Sprewell choked him during a practice. Sprewell was suspended for one season before resurfacing with the Knicks.

“Hopefully, I’ve changed a lot, in terms of the relationships I have with people,” Carlesimo said, acknowledging that some people might still harbor a negative perception of him. “Regardless if that changes, what happened, happened. And I’m happy to be back.”

Working as an assistant to Gregg Popovich in San Antonio for the past five years not only reinforced his defensive strategies, Carlesimo said, but Popovich also taught him the importance of relating to star players off the court.

The Sonics took more than two months to find a replacement for the fired Bob Hill. Clay Bennett, the Sonics’ owner who was a former minority owner of the Spurs, first hired Sam Presti, 30, as the general manager, after he spent five years in the Spurs’ front office.

“Sam has a vision,” Carlesimo said. “He’s not looking for a quick fix. But he does want to do it as quickly as possible.”

Seattle seemingly took a conservative route in hiring Carlesimo over the former Sonics assistant Dwane Casey, fired last season by Minnesota.

“I personally believe what we need for our program right now is a teacher,” Presti said, according to The Associated Press. “P. J.’s background in the collegiate game, his background in the N.B.A. and his background with winning most recently in San Antonio were huge impacts.”

Carlesimo had moderate success in his first N.B.A. job, with Portland, from 1994 to 1997, where the Trail Blazers made the playoffs three consecutive years but lost in the first round. He went 36-103 before the Warriors fired him.

Carlesimo said the opportunity and support in Seattle reminded him of his time at Seton Hall, where he was from 1982 to 1994, winning national coach of the year honors in 1989.

2007-07-06T03:59:00.003-07:00

For the second straight year, no rider is expected to dominate the Tour, in part because many of the cyclists who would have been expected to compete for the victory are not here.

Floyd Landis, who finished first last year, is awaiting the result of an arbitration hearing over his positive drug test in last year’s Tour. Ivan Basso, who finished third in 2004 and second in 2005 before being barred last year on suspicion of doping, acknowledged his involvement in a doping scheme this year and has been barred from racing for two years. Jan Ullrich, the winner in 1997 and the perennial runner-up to Lance Armstrong, retired after being barred from last year’s race on suspicion of doping.

Many of the riders who are here are bristling over being forced by cycling’s governing body to sign a statement guaranteeing that they will give up a year’s salary if they are caught using performance-enhancing substances. While few said they disagreed with the spirit of the statement, they complained that it was forced on them without their consultation.

Robbie McEwen, the Australian sprinter who rides for the Predictor-Lotto team, said he believed that most if not all of the riders agreed in principle with the antidoping pledge. He added, “But it needs to be further reaching, past just the riders themselves — to the team managers, the team doctors, the soigneurs,” or team assistants, who provide massage therapy and other general services to the riders.

While there have been promises of reform before, some riders expressed hope that the overwhelmingly negative atmosphere around their sport would begin to dissipate.

“Last year, the atmosphere was so difficult for us, and still things did not change,” Christophe Moreau, the top French rider and the recent winner of the Dauphiné Libéré, a major tuneup for the Tour de France, said at a prerace news conference.

“This year, things are changing,” Moreau said. “They need to change, for the sake of the teams, the sponsors and the Tour organization. We need to get the credibility of cycling back.”

That will not be easy. This week, the world’s leading sprinter, Alessandro Petacchi, who was expected to be a top contender for several stage victories in the race’s first week, was withdrawn from the race by his Italian team, Milram.

The withdrawal came after the Italian Olympic Committee recommended a one-year ban for Petacchi because a drug test in May, during the Giro d’Italia, showed he had in his system too much of an asthma medication that he had a doctor’s permission to use.

As a sprinter, Petacchi was not expected to compete for the overall victory in the race, which covers 2,218 miles over 21 days of racing, moving from Britain to Belgium and then in a clockwise tour around France to the finish in Paris.

But the race is to be considered a wide-open affair, with any one of nearly a dozen riders viewed as a possible winner. If anyone is considered the favorite, it is Alexander Vinokourov, a 33-year old Kazakh who rides for Astana. The team, named after the Kazakh capital, was put together by Vinokourov after he was unable to start last year’s race when several teammates on the Liberty Seguros team were barred for their involvement in the Operation Puerto doping scandal in Spain.

Vinokourov can be frighteningly aggressive, with slashing attacks that often go against the conventional wisdom of how to ride a race. But he, too, has faced doping suspicions after acknowledging last week that he had worked with Dr. Michele Ferrari, an Italian doctor who was found guilty of sporting fraud and malpractice in 2004 but who won an appeal two years later. Vinokourov said he consulted Ferrari for training purposes but not for medical advice.

Vinokourov’s top competitor could be on his own team: Andreas Klöden, 32, of Germany. Klöden finished third last year, behind Landis and Óscar Pereiro, and he won the Flèche Wallonne one-day race this year. While the team denied there was any friction between Klöden and Vinokourov, they have a history. In the 2005 Tour, Klöden and Ullrich, both riding for T-Mobile, chased down a breakaway that was being led by their teammate Vinokourov.

2007-07-06T03:59:00.001-07:00

On a day of roster moves, unexpected news and intriguing developments, the Mets took their first step toward restoring some normalcy to their upside-down world by defeating the Houston Astros, 6-2.

The monsoon-like weather that greeted their flight from Denver early Thursday morning seemed to wash away a series’ worth of bad pitching, poor hitting and sloppy defense. John Maine, Carlos Delgado and a cast of understudies helped the Mets snap their four-game losing streak.

In a notorious hitters’ park, Maine shut out the Astros through seven innings before allowing two in the eighth, and he set a career-high with nine strikeouts. Delgado went 4 for 4, and combined with Ramón Castro and Ricky Ledee to drive in four runs with two outs.

For the first time since last weekend in Philadelphia, the Mets looked like themselves, stealing bases and drawing walks and jumping all over an erratic pitcher, Jason Jennings.

“It’s unfortunate what happened in Colorado, but we had to win sometime,” Maine said. “So why not tonight?”

Manager Willie Randolph said simply, “That’s the way we like it.”

The Mets’ previous three games, in which they were outscored by 34-12 during a sweep by the Colorado Rockies, reminded the pitching coach Rick Peterson of an eerie moment Wednesday, when he walked into the clubhouse to see “The Twilight Zone” playing on a television. When he returned a few hours later, it was still on. Same show, different episode. While relaying the anecdote, he nodded at the connection, but left the obvious unsaid. The Mets sleepwalked through a twilight zone, too, only theirs lasted 72 hours, and they were still dealing with the aftereffects when they arrived here.

It is not Randolph’s style to hold a team meeting, but he took a few minutes before the customary scouting meetings Thursday to address his players, reminding them to put what happened in Denver behind them and finish up strong in their final series before the All-Star Game break.

The speech came after the team learned that Carlos Gómez, the rookie outfielder who has impressed during his hurried apprenticeship, fractured a bone of his left hand on a check swing. He is expected to miss the next two months.

Into the clubhouse walked Dave Williams, who threw a bullpen session in preparation for Sunday’s start but was not activated from Class AAA New Orleans yet, and David Newhan, who replaced Gómez.

And Paul Lo Duca, in concert with team officials, agreed to drop his appeal and begin serving his two-game suspension. If Major League Baseball did not rule on the appeal immediately and wound up imposing the suspension Saturday and Sunday, Lo Duca would miss five consecutive days, including the All-Star Game break. He did not want to run the risk of messing up his timing.

“It’s too much time without seeing live pitching,” Lo Duca said.

Filling in for Lo Duca, Castro went 3 for 4 with a two-run double.

Newhan, up for his second stint with the Mets, may be a temporary solution. With bad weather delaying Lastings Milledge’s rehabilitation in Port St. Lucie, Fla., the Mets sent him to Class AA Binghamton, where he hit a home run Thursday night.

John Ricco, the assistant general manager, said Milledge, recovering from sprained ligaments in his right foot, would need to play several more games before the team considered him for a promotion. But Milledge could be ready after the All-Star Game break to supply the same sort of energy and speed as Gómez did since he joined the Mets.

In his past four starts, all victories, Maine has allowed six earned runs over 30 innings as he made a late push to be included on the National League All-Star team. When the team was announced Sunday, Maine shrugged off not being selected and said there were others more deserving than he was. He still had a chance when John Smoltz withdrew from the All-Star Game because of an injury, but the Astros’ Roy Oswalt was added instead of Maine.

“I’ve seen him progress, and people should see him and start to see that he’s coming into his own,” Randolph said.

Maine’s fastball crackled from the first inning, when he struck out the side swinging, and he balanced it with a nifty slider that he located to both sides of the plate. His shining moment came in the sixth when, after allowing consecutive singles to Craig Biggio and Hunter Pence, Maine struck out the sluggers Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee.

For Delgado, who remarked to David Wright before the game how well he felt hitting in the batting cage, his four hits raised his average on the trip to .419 and his season average to .242, the highest it has been since he was hitting .244 on April 14. His first-inning single drove in Ledee, starting in left field in place of Gómez, to extend the lead to 2-0, and Delgado said afterward that he was recognizing pitches early. He added that he did not swing at a bad pitch all night.

“That’s Hitting 101 with Carlos Delgado,” he said. “The first lesson is free. After that, I start charging.”

As he spoke, a smile crept across his face, and it remained there when asked about his second hit of the game, a third-inning double that caromed off the center-field wall and rolled down the hill. It traveled about 430 feet, a long way to hit a ball without getting credit for a home run.

But for Delgado and the Mets, it was nice to see someone else doing the chasing for a change.

2007-07-06T03:58:00.001-07:00

The government kept up its pressure on the Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, demanding the unconditional surrender of the estimated 400 to 500 people still inside, as many as half of them female students and teachers. Army and police commandos have surrounded the complex and barred access since heavy clashes with armed followers on Tuesday.

Several times during the day and evening helicopters circled overhead, and the security forces exchanged fire with the militants inside the mosque in half-hour bursts of heavy gunfire and explosions. Then, each time the guns fell silent, the troops used loudspeakers to call on those inside to surrender, assuring them safe passage.

Yet government officials conceded that despite some success on Wednesday — when more than 1,100 students surrendered and one leader of the uprising was arrested while trying to escape dressed in a burqa — security forces were now locked in a standoff with the militants, who are intent on imposing Islamic law throughout the country.

More students emerged from the mosque on Thursday, but the interior minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, said there were still up to 60 armed militants inside who were preventing others from leaving.

“There are 50 to 60 hard-core militants with automatic weapons, grenades and petrol bombs, which they have used,” he said at a news briefing here in the capital. “They are the ones who have stopped the women and children from coming out. The majority want to leave.”

“The government is exercising maximum restraint because there are women and children inside, and we don’t want any harm to them,” he added. “The restraint is on the special orders of the president. We have to be patient and wait.”

Six men from inside had been caught jumping over the wall in a bid to escape, he said, adding: “Naturally they cannot sustain it for long. Despondency, panic and confusion would prevail and that would, I am sure, give us the desired result, and they will surrender.”

About 40 people, including some women, escaped from the mosque in the afternoon and were fleeing against the wishes of those in charge inside the compound, Javed Iqbal Cheema, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said late Thursday.

He called on Abdur Rashid Ghazi, the younger of two brothers leading the mosque and its religious schools, to allow all children and students to leave safely.

In telephone interviews with Pakistani television news channels, Mr. Ghazi said he was offering to surrender on the condition he not be prosecuted and be allowed to stay in the compound with his sick mother for a few days.

“We are not criminals,” he told Aaj TV. “They are treating us like criminals. Even with criminals, negotiations take place. It is quite clear that they want killing.”

Government officials were adamant that Mr. Ghazi had to surrender without negotiation. The arrest of Maulana Abdul Aziz, his elder brother, on Wednesday evening has damaged the clerics’ cause, said Tasnim Aslam, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.

State television, Pakistan TV, showed a heavily edited interview with the maulana after his arrest in which he was made to don his burqa again and lift the veil for the camera.

Bearded and wearing a white skull cap, the maulana, or teacher, said he had left the mosque to prevent further loss of life.

“I was thinking that if I stay there, then my students will lay down their lives for me, and we were left with no other way,” he said. “I would not use the word ‘escape.’ Shariah” — the Islamic legal code — “allows if a person wants to leave quietly, in hiding, to save one’s life. It was not the question of just my life.”

He made light of the students’ militant activities, saying that no orders had been given to fire on the Pakistani soldiers or to burn down government buildings, and that they had acted on their own. He denied that there were militants inside the compound and said that they had only about 15 Kalashnikovs in the compound, some of which were licensed.

Maulana Aziz denied that women were being used as human shields, but he admitted that the female teachers, among them his wife, who runs the girls’ seminary, were trying to keep the women inside. “The female students were never used as shields,” he said. “We have just given them an inspiration for jihad.”

Two brothers whose 19-year-old sister was in the mosque said they had talked with her by telephone but she was refusing to come out. “She is totally happy, she is not afraid,” said one brother, who identified himself as Abdullah, 34. “I tried my very best to tell her to come out but she wants to be with her teachers.”

The atmosphere inside the mosque seemed a strange mixture of militancy, innocence and religious fervor. Armed men carried automatic rifles and pistols and many wore ammunition vests.

One apparently experienced fighter, tall and heavily built, held a loudspeaker and directed students in the street. “Don’t fall in the trap of the enemy,” he barked. “Guard the mosque and madrasa. Don’t go too far.”

Inside the prayer hall, students sat in groups. Some recited the Koran or offered prayers, seemingly oblivious to the firing of bullets and tear gas. A dozen or so students stood around those who made speeches through the loudspeakers and chanted, “Jihad! Jihad!”

One student shouted into the loudspeaker: “Brothers, don’t fear, victory is near. Our companions across the country have stood up in our support.”

2007-07-06T03:57:00.000-07:00

Abu Ali walked into the Americans’ battle-scarred combat outpost with an unusual proposal: the community leader was worried about the insurgents, and wanted the soldiers’ help in taking them on.

The April 7 meeting was the beginning of a new alliance and, American commanders hope, a portent of what is to come in the bitterly contested Diyala Province.

Using his Iraqi partners to pick out the insurgents and uncover the bombs they had seeded along the cratered roads, Captain Richards’s soldiers soon apprehended more than 100 militants, including several low-level emirs. The Iraqis called themselves the Local Committee; Captain Richards dubbed them the Kit Carson scouts.

“It is the only way that we can keep Al Qaeda out,” said Captain Richards, who operates from a former Iraqi police station in the Buhritz sector of the city that still bears the sooty streaks from the day militants set it aflame last year.

The American military has struggled for more than four years to train and equip the Iraqi Army. But here the local Sunni residents, including a number of former insurgents from the 1920s Revolution Brigades, have emerged as a linchpin of the American strategy.

The new coalition reflects some hard-headed calculations on both sides. Eager for intelligence on their elusive foes, American officers have been willing to overlook the past of some of their newfound allies.

Many Sunnis, for their part, are less inclined to see the soldiers as occupiers now that it is clear that American troop reductions are all but inevitable, and they are more concerned with strengthening their ability to fend off threats from Sunni jihadists and Shiite militias. In a surprising twist, the jihadists — the Americans’ most ardent foes — made the new strategy possible. Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, a predominantly Iraqi organization with a small but significant foreign component, severely overplayed its hand, spawning resentment by many residents and other insurgent groups.

Imposing a severe version of Islamic law, the group installed its own clerics, established an Islamic court and banned the sale of cigarettes, which even this week were nowhere to be found in the humble shops in western Baquba to the consternation of patrolling Iraqi troops.

The fighters raised funds by kidnapping local Iraqis, found accommodations by evicting some residents from their homes and killed with abandon when anyone got in their way, residents say. A small group of bearded black-clad militants took down the Iraqi flag and raised the banner of their self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq.

“They used religion as a ploy to get in and exploit people’s passions,” said one member of the Kit Carson scouts, who gave his name as Haidar. “They were Iraqis and other Arabs from Syria, Afghanistan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. They started kicking people out of their houses and getting ransom from rich people. They would shoot people in front of their houses to scare the others.”

Collaborations like the one with the scouts in Baquba are slowly beginning to emerge in other parts of Iraq. In Baquba they face some notable obstacles, primarily from the Shiite-dominated provincial and Baghdad ministries that are worried about American efforts to rally the Sunnis and institutionalize them as a security force.

But with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s government showing scant progress toward political reconciliation and the American military eager to achieve a measure of stability before its elevated troop levels begin to shrink, American commanders appear determined to proceed with this more decentralized strategy — one that relies less on initiatives taken by Iraqi leaders in Baghdad and more on newly forged coalitions with local Iraqis.

A West Point graduate, Idaho native and former Mormon missionary who worked for two years with Chinese immigrants in Canada, Captain Richards commands Bronco Troop, First Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment. When the 31-year-old officer was first sent to Buhritz in mid-March as part of a battalion-size task force, he encountered a deeply entrenched foe who numbered in the thousands.

2007-07-05T11:57:00.003-07:00

As a league that plays through the summer (in the Northern Hemisphere), Major League Soccer is subject to the ebb and flow, players coming and going for major international tournaments like the World Cup, Copa América and the U-20 World Cup. It is enough to drive coaches nuts.

“When the sport in this country gets to a certain level, maybe some adjustments can be made,” Columbus Coach Sigi Schmid said Monday in a telephone interview. “Maybe we can talk about starting our season a little bit earlier, ending a bit later and opening up a two- to three-week window in the summer. It is something that has been talked about, especially in World Cup years.”

In Europe, the matter is more extreme because the clubs pay their players millions of dollars a year and are wont to see them traipse off to World Cup qualifiers or to Africa for next year’s Cup of Nations (smack in the middle of the European seasons). The difference, in the majority, is that the seasons for European leagues are suspended for major international tournaments; M.L.S. plays through.

This year, several M.L.S. rosters have been depleted, to differing degrees, by national team call-ups. The Crew was hit the hardest. Its top defender, Frankie Hejduk, missed time when the United States won the Concacaf Gold Cup. (Hejduk was suspended for the final, a victory over Mexico.) Now, Schmid’s team is playing without Eddie Gaven, who is with the national team in Venezuela; and Robbie Rogers, Danny Szetela and Tim Ward, who are with the under-20 team in Canada.

The conventional wisdom is that teams expect bad results as they struggle to replace the missing players. In the Crew’s case, it has had the opposite effect. After its 1-0 victory Saturday over the Red Bulls, Columbus (4-4-6) has won three straight games.

Schmid, who coached the United States team in the U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands two years ago, said: “I’ve never felt we had a bad team, but injuries and some bad breaks have hurt us. And, honestly, these guys are missing and it’s not a good time; we were just getting comfortable with each other. What people have to realize is that M.L.S. prepares them for the national team. They come back to us with more confidence.

“In these tournaments, there is a different kind of pressure. With the national teams, it’s all about results, things are more immediate. In our league if you don’t produce, you don’t get knocked out of the tournament. Playing with the pressure hanging over you is something you bring back and something that makes you a better player.”

Columbus is not alone among M.L.S. teams missing players. D.C. United has gone 2-1 since Jaime Moreno (Bolivia) and bOBBY Boswell and Ben Olsen left for Copa América. Chivas USA is 3-1 in the absence of Brad Guzan, Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan.

Houston has been without the services of four players at various times over the past month, but has gone on a 5-0-1 tear. Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad of Canada and Brian Ching of the United States played in the Gold Cup, and Ricardo Clark left for the Gold Cup and Copa América.

Only Kansas City, which is missing Eddie Johnson and Jimmy Conrad, has struggled, going 0-2-2. Chicago, too, has been hurt a bit without Justin Mapp (Copa América) and Iván Guerrero (Honduras/Gold Cup), compiling a 1-2-1 record. The Fire is still waiting for the arrival of the Mexican star Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who will remain with the Mexican team through the end of Copa América.

“When the guys come back, we have got to see how things evolve,” Schmid said. “As a team, you have to go with what’s been successful and make your choices from among who is playing the best.”

Fútbol and Football

It is only a coincidence that Major League Soccer and N.F.L. Europa began operations in the 1990s.

It is only a coincidence that soccer has long struggled to establish a permanent beachhead in the United States while American football has been seen as an interloper in Europe.

And it is only a coincidence that the same person, Don Garber, was once the managing director of N.F.L. International and is the current commissioner of M.L.S.

The demise last week of N.F.L. Europa (formerly known as the World League of American Football and N.F.L. Europe) drew comparisons with soccer and M.L.S. But Garber called them a stretch, at best.

2007-07-05T11:57:00.001-07:00

GILBERT, Ariz. (AP) -- Tank Johnson's blood alcohol level was below the legal limit when the former Chicago Bears tackle was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving June 22.

Johnson's blood alcohol level was .072, under the presumptive limit in Arizona of .08 percent, police Sgt. Andrew Duncan said Monday. No charges have been filed pending results of a completed investigation.

Johnson, whose legal name is Terry Darnell Johnson, was arrested when officers pulled him over at 3:30 a.m. for driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone. Duncan said an officer placed him under arrest because he believed Johnson was under the influence of alcohol. He was released without being booked or charged after providing a blood sample, and police said he was very cooperative.

The 25-year-old player was released by the Bears three days after his arrest. The team said it was ''upset and embarrassed'' by the defensive tackle's legal troubles.

The Bears declined comment Monday.

It is still possible for Johnson to be charged with DUI, but it would be unusual barring special circumstances. The law in Arizona provides for such prosecutions based on overall signs and symptoms of intoxication.

But Lorna Propes, an attorney for Johnson, emphasized Monday that the player hadn't been charged ''and the fact that his blood level came back as it did is certainly encouraging.''

Johnson already had been suspended for the first eight games of the 2007 season for violating probation on a gun charge. He spent two months in jail and was released in May.

Last December, police raided the 300-pound Johnson's suburban Chicago home and found six unregistered firearms -- a violation of his probation on an earlier gun charge.

Two days after the December raid, Willie B. Posey, Johnson's bodyguard, was shot and killed in an early morning fight while he and Johnson were at a Chicago nightclub.

Johnson was suspended by the Bears for one game for being at the club. He played in the Super Bowl as the Bears lost to Indianapolis.

In March, Johnson began his two-month jail stint. In May, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge from the December raid as part of a deal with prosecutors that kept him from serving more time in jail.

Johnson was chosen by the Bears in the second round of the 2004 draft out of Washington. He played in 46 games, starting 15.

2007-07-05T11:56:00.001-07:00

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- Oakland Raiders running back Dominic Rhodes was suspended Tuesday for the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

The league does not disclose reasons for substance abuse suspensions, but Rhodes pleaded guilty in the offseason to reckless driving charges in Indiana after prosecutors agreed to drop drunken driving charges against him.

Rhodes, who spent his six years in Indianapolis, signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Raiders that could be worth up to $7.5 million. He is expected to split time with last year's starter LaMont Jordan as the Raiders try to improve a running game that averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 2006.

Rhodes started all 16 regular-season games last season, rushing for 641 yards and five touchdowns. After backing up Edgerrin James since entering the league, Rhodes shared the job last season with rookie Joseph Addai. He has 2,274 yards rushing in his career.

Rhodes had one of his best performances in the Colts' Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears, rushing for 113 yards in Indianapolis' 29-17 victory.

Rhodes will be able to participate in training camp and in all preseason games. His suspension will begin Aug. 31, the day after Oakland's final exhibition game, and he will be eligible to return Oct. 1, following the fourth game of the season against Miami. Rhodes will also miss games against Detroit, Denver and Cleveland.

Rhodes was pulled over by an Indiana state trooper in February for driving 81 mph in a 55-mph zone. He was originally charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit.

Rhodes pleaded guilty in March to reckless driving and was sentenced to 180 days in jail. But 178 were suspended and he received credit for two days.

In 2002, Rhodes was charged with domestic battery in connection with a disturbance at his home involving his child's mother, Latrina Moore. He avoided prosecution and was placed in a diversionary program and underwent mental health counseling.

2007-07-05T11:53:00.001-07:00

Nash — the slight-of-build, sleight-of-hand point guard of the Phoenix Suns — made his move without the ball. Sitting at midcourt with pen in hand, he turned to his left to assist a long line of young men holding photos, posters, sneakers, T-shirts, caps and basketballs.

“There’s a lot of talent in this gym,” said Nash, a two-time N.B.A. most valuable player. “It’s a real good group.”

So good, in fact, that they had arrived here by invitation for the camp, which was organized by Nike. For three days, Nash tutored 32 of the nation’s top high school and college point guards on matters like breaking a trap, setting a screen and rolling off a pick. All that was left now was to give them his autograph.

D. J. Augustin, a 5-foot-11 sophomore at Texas, and many of the others described themselves as fans and students of Nash’s game.

“He’s always thinking out there, always a step ahead of everyone else, and he always seems to make the right pass at the right time,” Augustin said.

Augustin, who averaged 14.4 points and 6.7 assists for the Longhorns last season, said he learned something during the camp about Nash that he could not see from watching game tapes.

“He’s easy to talk to,” he said. “He’s not one of those superstars who has to walk around with a bunch of bodyguards around him. He’s just a regular guy, the kind of player who wants to be approached.”

Darren Collison, a 6-1 junior at U.C.L.A., said he, too, marveled at Nash’s “ability to control a game.”

“He doesn’t appear to have the physical capabilities to do what he does,” said Collison, who averaged 12.7 points, 5.7 assists and 2.2 steals last season. “He can get to the hoop almost any time he wants, and he can create a shot with either hand.”

Collison, who considered entering his name in last month’s N.B.A. draft, said the wisdom that Nash imparted over the weekend was invaluable to anyone dreaming of playing at the next level.

“Most every camp I’ve gone to does a lot of one-on-one stuff, but this was different,” Collison said. “We learned a lot about playing without the ball, cutting without the ball and coming off of screens. It was a lot different, but very helpful.”

Sherron Collins, a 5-11 sophomore at Kansas who averaged 9.3 points and 2.9 assists last season, also said he studied Nash’s game.

“It amazes me that a guy with such a frail frame and who is not very tall can finish over defenders who are 6-11 and 7 feet,” Collins said. “Some N.B.A. players seem like they’re just in it for the money, but Nash has a passion for the game that you know is very real. He’s one of the reasons why the N.B.A. game is so exciting.”

When the autograph session ended, Nash shook a few hands, smiled for photographers and made his way toward the door.

“If he went right now for a walk down Fifth Avenue, most people probably wouldn’t recognize him.” said Craig Ehlo, a former N.B.A. player who helped Nash run the camp. “But on a basketball court, he’s always the center of attention.”

Ehlo said the players at the camp clearly admired Nash’s work ethic and demeanor on the court. But, he added, “when he puts on that No. 13 jersey, it’s like he becomes this caped crusader, like he’s suddenly Superman out there.”

2007-07-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

BETHESDA, Md., July 4 — Establishing Tiger Woods as the face of this week’s AT&T National might have been the way to draw spectators from across the Washington area. But for the 120 golfers who accepted invitations to play the tournament, the motivating factor was something else: the Blue Course at Congressional Country Club.
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Nick Wass/Associated Press

Phil Mickelson called the Blue Course a “wonderful challenge.”
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The par-70, 7,255-yard course has attracted one of the strongest fields outside the major championships, a field that includes the top four players in the world. The tournament, which begins Thursday, was announced in March as a replacement for the International, forcing the top players to change their schedules.

Jim Furyk, the No. 3-ranked player in the world, said Wednesday that he decided which tournaments to enter based primarily on the courses, and “obviously you’re not going to skip Congressional.” Adam Scott, ranked fourth, said Congressional’s course was “definitely in the top five on tour, for sure.”

After playing Wednesday in the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am, Phil Mickelson said: “Congressional is just a U.S. Open venue, a straightforward good hard test of golf. And I think that’s why so many people are enamored with the place. It’s just a wonderful challenge.”

There are other factors that could contribute to the success of the inaugural AT&T National: Woods’s role as host; the honoring of United States military members; and the timing of the event around July 4, two weeks before the British Open. But Congressional, which most recently played host to the 2005 Booz Allen Classic and the 1997 United States Open, seems to be the prevailing reason for player attendance.

“You give these guys a golf course like Congressional, and they’ll want to come play it,” said Mike Cowan, Furyk’s caddie and a member of Congressional for seven years.

The Blue Course was a PGA Tour mainstay from 1980 to 1986, when it was the site of the Kemper Open. But that tournament moved in 1987 to the T.P.C. at Avenel in nearby Potomac, Md. It eventually became the Booz Allen Classic, an event that was held at Congressional once but was left off the PGA Tour’s main schedule before this season.

Some players have suggested that Woods’s tournament could become one of the PGA Tour’s main attractions, like the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill or Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Tournament.

“Given the steps that have gone into the first year — the purse has been increased, we’re playing on a great venue, the way he has incorporated the community, the military — I think this can really be one of the elite events,” said Mickelson, who will try to play this weekend with a left wrist that he described as “not quite 100 percent” after an injury. “It looks like it’s already starting.”

Although some have already labeled the tournament a success, there was a degree of controversy surrounding it because the tournament is an invitational with a limited field.

Greg McLaughlin, the director of the AT&T National and president of the Tiger Woods Foundation, said in a telephone interview from the course Wednesday that 112 of the tournament’s golfers fit into 10 main categories of criteria for selection, like major championship winners. There were eight exemptions for the tournament, four for PGA Tour members and four for anyone with a 2-handicap or better, McLaughlin said.

“There wasn’t really much inviting done,” McLaughlin said. “I think the term ‘invitational’ just denotes a limited field.”

The AT&T National also has an uncertain future after next year’s tournament, the second in a six-year deal. Congressional is scheduled to play host to the 2009 United States Amateur and the 2011 United States Open, which will likely force Woods’s event to another location.

McLaughlin said he thought Avenel would still be undergoing a renovation in 2009. Tim Finchem, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, said Tuesday that he would not rule out moving the AT&T National to another area of the country, but that both the Tiger Woods Foundation and the Tour want the tournament to be based in Washington. For now, most players are applauding the choice of a course that some of them have not played in 10 years.

“I think it would have been a ridiculously strong field even if anyone was a host, or no host and they just had AT&T,” Fred Funk said Wednesday. “It’s the golf course that did it.”

2007-07-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) -- ''The captain'' delivered in the clutch for Russia. The personal appeal and power of Russian President Vladimir Putin swayed just enough votes among Olympic leaders Wednesday to bring his nation its first Winter Olympics -- bitterly disappointing South Korea and Austria.

International Olympic Committee members credited Putin's personal lobbying for the 51-47 victory that put the 2014 games in Sochi, a Black Sea resort where the snow-capped Caucasus mountains rise from some of Russia's warmest beaches.

Putin flew in directly from a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, flattering delegates by spending time with them and reassuring many about his government's financial commitment to the billions of dollars needed to prepare ''the Russian Riviera'' for the winter games.

He also charmed some by uncharacteristically using English and French during Russia's final presentation Wednesday.

''If Putin is not here, I think it would be different results,'' said IOC Executive Board member Sergei Bubka. ''I think this final touch made the difference.''

French IOC member Jean-Claude Killy said: ''Putin charisma can explain four votes.''

Russian delegates referred to Putin -- who often skis at Sochi -- in sports terminology: ''The captain ... raised our team to a completely different level,'' former NHL superstar Vyacheslav Fetisov, the Russian sports chief, told a news conference after the victory.

As the vote was announced, Russian delegates erupted in cheers, and a party erupted across the street at an improbable open-air ice rink in the tropics that the Russians had installed in front of a Guatemalan steak house.

Giddy bid chief Dimitry Chernyshenko proclaimed it ''one of the most important days in Russia's history,'' and vowed the Olympics would help make Russia ''even more open, more democratic.''

In Sochi itself, fireworks boomed in the sky.

Russia, an Olympic power which has won 293 Winter Games medals, has never hosted the Winter Games. That was a strong point in Sochi's favor with the IOC, which likes to spread the Olympics to new host countries. Moscow hosted the 1980 Summer Games, which were hit by the U.S.-led boycott following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Putin praised Sochi's natural setting, saying, ''On the seashore you can enjoy a fine spring day, but up in the mountains, it's winter ... a real snow is guaranteed.''

Although most venues must be newly built, Putin assured: ''We guarantee the Olympic cluster in Sochi will be completed on time.''

''No traffic jams, I promise,'' he said with a smile.

Rival delegations were devastated.

Salzburg, Austria, presented itself as a safe, no-risk winter sports mecca at the heart of Europe with world-class venues already in place; and Pyeongchang, South Korea, offered the potential for peace and reconciliation on the divided Korean peninsula and promoting winter sports in Asia.

Salzburg -- once considered the favorite -- finished third among three as it did in bidding for the 2010 games that went to Vancouver, British Columbia. Pyeongchang led the first-round vote, as it did four years ago, but was narrowly defeated in the final round.

Asked if Salzburg would try again, a glum Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, replied, ''Maybe this is the worst point of time to put this question.''

Salzburg mayor Heinz Schaden hinted Austria had been outgunned and outspent by larger, richer nations: ''It's maybe the case that small countries ... really have to consider if they can bid for winter games.''

2007-07-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Consider this: Even if the Mets had fulfilled Schoeneweis’s wish and doubled it, they still would have lost. After winning eight of nine to seemingly halt their three-week funk, the Mets have lapsed into another sluggish stretch, with nothing more disconcerting than their 17-7 loss at Coors Field. It was their fourth defeat in a row, and they left the Mile High City dazed, confused and suffering from a terrible strain of altitude sickness.

Aided by a six-run fifth, the Rockies scored 12 runs in the middle three innings to sweep three games from the Mets for the first time since July 1996. In a funereal clubhouse, Randolph and his players tried one-upping one another in describing their reactions.

“The only way to say it is that we got our butts kicked in all three games,” Shawn Green said.

“No excuses,” Randolph said.

“It’s the worst feeling in baseball,” said a stunned Lo Duca, who was behind the plate for each and every one of the 233 pitches thrown by Mets pitchers.

Only a few days ago, the Mets had marched into Philadelphia and demolished the Phillies in the first three games of their hyped series. So how did this — being outscored, 34-12 — happen? For one thing, the starting pitchers allowed a total of 20 earned runs and 12 walks in 13 1/3 innings for a 13.50 earned run average. The Rockies had 47 hits and 7 home runs as the middle of their order — Matt Holliday, Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins — tortured them all series long.

Just Wednesday night, that threesome went 7 for 10 with six walks while scoring six times and driving in 11.

"We weren’t in any games at all,” Lo Duca said. “To go up 3-0 and lose 17-7? Wow.”

Stop if you have heard this before: A starting pitcher wasted little time in frittering away a first-inning lead, the lineup generated — relatively speaking — hardly a peep after that, and the first reliever brought in destroyed all hope of a comeback by allowing a home run or two. Guillermo Mota allowed the same number of runs (six) and hits (six) in two-thirds of an inning as the man he succeeded, Orlando Hernández, did in four.

“No excuses,” Randolph said. “Nothing more than we just didn’t get the job done.”

In their 11-3 loss Tuesday, the final 13 Mets went down in order, giving the impression that they wanted to cut their losses and try again Wednesday. Green, for one, said that thought never entered his mind.

“Obviously it’s a big hole to get out of, but you’re always just a big inning away here from getting back into it,” Green said.

The Mets never put together that big inning Wednesday, perhaps a little sleepy from all that time spent in the field waiting for Hernández to record that elusive third out.

Hernández, who had allowed only two runs in his previous 13 innings, labored through an uncharacteristically erratic game, tying a career high with six walks. His final one, to Helton, came with the bases loaded in the fourth to complete the Rockies’ comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the first.

Hernández threw 107 pitches through four innings and was replaced by Mota, who, after allowing a homer and single to begin the fifth, recorded two outs before giving up two singles, a double and a two-run homer by Atkins. Through an interpreter, Hernández said he had awful command of his fastball and did not blame the dry air for hindering his ability to throw effective breaking pitches.

“They weren’t swinging at any bad pitches,” Lo Duca said of the Rockies during this series. “Almost 100 percent of the time, when a mistake was made, they made us pay for it.”

Last week, Randolph revealed that when the Mets were swept in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, he was so exasperated with the team’s play that he threw a chair and broke the door to the manager’s office. Asked if he felt mad enough to do so again Randolph replied, “I seem pretty calm, don’t I? I guess that means that I’m O.K.”

Randolph had as little patience with that question as he did with Jason Vargas, whose miserable performance Tuesday led to his being optioned to Class AAA New Orleans. In his place, the Mets recalled catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. The Mets need a starter for Sunday’s game in Houston, and indications are that it will be Dave Williams.

The hearing for Lo Duca’s two-game suspension is scheduled for Friday, and in an ideal situation, the Mets will keep Alomar to add catching depth as they await the ruling, then replace him with Sunday’s starter.

“Guess I’ll be here for a few days,” said Alomar, who was batting .323 in 38 games for New Orleans. “That’s all, I imagine.”

John Ricco, the Mets’ assistant general manager, said he did not know how long it would take for Major League Baseball to reach a decision on Lo Duca. The Mets would play with 24 players for as long as Lo Duca was out. Randolph would not commit to calling Williams his starter for Sunday, but the Mets will need to make a decision on him relatively soon.

Out of minor league options, Williams must be added to the major league roster or be designated for assignment by July 21, when his 30-day rehabilitation assignment ends. The Mets like Williams and do not want to risk losing him through waivers, so they figure to promote him on their terms, when he can fill a void. If he starts Sunday, he could bump Aaron Sele, who seems to pitch only in games like Wednesday night’s, off the roster and replace him as the team’s long reliever/spot starter.

The Mets were not thinking that far ahead, at least not publicly, although they could not wait to get to Houston. The equipment manager Charlie Samuels gave minute-by-minute updates about when the bus was leaving — 17 minutes, 15 minutes, 14 minutes — and the players did their best to accommodate him.

“We’ll try to pay Houston back for what the Rockies did to us,” Green said.

2007-07-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

After days of fits and starts, Wimbledon built some momentum. It staged four fourth-round men’s singles matches simultaneously to start the day, and they swirled around a pair of intriguing women’s quarterfinals on Center Court.

Matches were spread around the All England Club and fans spent much of their time scanning the nearest scoreboard, constantly checking to see if an even better match was taking place elsewhere.

It left most of the seats empty at Center Court, where Venus Williams continued her assault on the top 10, a place she spent most of a decade residing and, at times, dominating. Less than 24 hours after dismantling No. 2 Maria Sharapova in two sets, she did the same to No. 5 Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-3, 6-4, to glide into the semifinals.

After a shaky start to the tournament, Williams, seeded 23rd and ranked 31st in the world after a couple of injury plagued years, has rediscovered her groove. She will face Ana Ivanovic in the semifinals. Ivanovic, the sixth seed, fought off three match points and won the final four games against No. 10 Nicole Vaidisova for a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory.

The top-seeded Justine Henin and No. 18 Marion Bartoli, the surprise survivor of the bracket, meet in the other semifinal, scheduled for Friday.

Thursday belonged mostly to the men’s half of the tournament, as Wimbledon officials tried to squeeze in all the necessary matches to keep the final slipping from Sunday into next week. It was the bottom half of the draw that was lagging, so four fourth-round matches were started at 11 a.m., an hour or two earlier than normal.

When they ended, Rafael Nadal, Tomas Berdych, Marcos Baghdatis and Novak Djokovic had moved on to the quarterfinals.

Nadal, the runner-up last year and the second seed this year, was relegated to Court No. 2, just another ring in the production.

His latest five-set victory, this one in come-from-behind fashion against Mikhail Youzhny, was simply part of the dizzying show — a sort of warm-up act to the main event, the long-awaited return of the four-time champion Roger Federer.

Federer had not played since last Friday, having sidestepped the raindrops that besieged the tournament in recent days. Six days after he last appeared, he walked back onto Center Court on Thursday afternoon to play a quarterfinal match with Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Nadal looked like he would not get to the next round. Youzhny, a 25-year-old Russian, started where he left off at last year’s U.S. Open, when he beat Nadal in the quarterfinals. Youzhny took the first two sets surprisingly easily, displaying the all-court wizardry and energy usually seen from Nadal. He punctuated big shots with flexed muscles and primal scream.

But Nadal, as if his batteries had been changed, roared back with a 6-1 victory in the third. Youzhny’s balky back acted up, and he spent the breaks during changeovers prone on the grass, being twisted by a trainer like a contortionist.

Fans provided spine-tingling cheers, alternately chanting for Youzhny and Nadal to add to the carnival atmosphere. Youzhny recaptured his form, but could not keep up with Nadal, who advanced with a 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

“After the first two sets, the next three sets, maybe I played my best game on grass in my life,” Nadal said.

A reasonable question is just how much energy the 21-year-old sapped. His third-round match scheduled for last Saturday finally finished on Wednesday, and if he returns to the final, and if the final is on Sunday, he will have played five matches in five days.

“What can we do?” he said. “There is not another option. That’s it. Try the best every day.”

He will next play Berdych, the seventh seed, who beat Jonas Bjorkman, a semifinalist last year, in four sets on Court 18.

Another compelling men’s match unfolded between Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt, the 16th-seeded Australian who won Wimbledon in 2002. Djokovic, ranked fifth in the world and the fourth seed here, won each of his three sets on tie breakers in the 7-6 (8), 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-6 (5) victory.

Hewitt had a 5-4 lead in the fourth set, but lost two of the next three games to force another tiebreaker. He faced three match points, saved two of them, and then zipped a backhand into the net.

“I had my opportunity, and I couldn’t quite take it,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt beat Djokovic in straight sets at last year’s United States Open, but Djokovic has leapfrogged up the rankings since. Djokovic took off his shirt in celebration, then threw it into the Court 1 crowd.

It was a move that surely would have been welcomed at Court 13, on the club’s southern fringe. That was where Baghdatis, the 22-year-old Cypriot who made the semifinals last year, was cheered by his growing legion of raucous fans.

“The Greek Cypriots, we are a lot in the whole world,” Baghdatis said after his straight-set victory over sixth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko. “We have a lot in New York, in London. We’re 25,000 here. They came to see me, and that’s really nice.”

It gave even the far edges of Thursday’s action an appropriate circus-like atmosphere. After so much time spent in the rain during Wimbledon’s first nine days, there was something to celebrate.

And when the warm-up acts had done their job, igniting the fans and building anticipation for something even bigger, Federer arrived to a hero’s welcome.

He removed his sports coat and tailored pants, and played 38 minutes of tennis, his first in nearly a week.

Then it rained. The match was suspended in the first set, and Federer, finally, knew how everyone else felt.

2007-07-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

The number of legal immigrants seeking to become United States citizens is surging, officials say, prompted by imminent increases in fees to process naturalization applications, citizenship drives across the country and new feelings of insecurity among immigrants.

The citizenship campaigns have tapped into the uneasiness that legal immigrants, especially Hispanics, say is a result of months of debate over an immigration bill that failed last week in the Senate. Although illegal immigrants were the center of attention in the debate, it prompted many legal immigrants who have put down roots here to seek the security of citizenship, as well as its voting power, immigrants’ advocates said.

The numbers of new naturalized citizens have steadily grown, to 702,589 last year from 463,204 in 2003. A big jump occurred this year, with the number of applications increasing every month, to 115,175 in May compared with 65,782 last December.

More than 4,000 new Americans were sworn in yesterday in tradition-steeped — and some not so traditional — Fourth of July ceremonies. About 1,000 people from 75 countries took their oaths together under the turrets of Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., as Gloria Estefan sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

In Iraq, 325 foreign-born soldiers who are fighting in the United States military took the oath of allegiance in two ceremonies.

For many legal immigrants, worry about their futures in the United States turned into action after an announcement on Jan. 31 by Citizenship and Immigration Services that it would increase application fees.

Under the new fees, which take effect on July 30, it will cost $675 to become a naturalized citizen, up 69 percent from $400.

Immigrants have also been mobilized to press naturalization applications by a television and radio campaign that Univision, the national Spanish-language network, began in January in California.

The campaign, promoted by personalities like Eduardo Sotelo, a radio host in Los Angeles known as El Piolín, or Tweety Bird, has directed immigrants to 350 workshop centers run by churches and other community organizations in 22 cities. At the centers, immigrants receive English lessons and advice on meeting requirements and filling out forms.

One radio listener was Ángel Iván Álvarez, 24, a legal immigrant from Mexico who said he had never thought of becoming a citizen until last week when the Senate bill failed.

The measure, a bipartisan compromise supported by President Bush, would have created a path to legal status for illegal immigrants, among other actions.

After it failed, Mr. Álvarez, a real estate agent from Whittier, Calif., took down information from El Piolín’s show and registered in a citizenship workshop.

“I realized that I want to be able to vote and speak up for my people, because they are not getting enough support,” Mr. Álvarez said yesterday in a telephone interview. “I want everybody to be able to come out of the shadows.”

Federico Gutiérrez, 53, a longtime legal resident of Chicago who was born in Mexico, said large protests in March 2006 in support of an immigration overhaul made him decide that it was time to engage in American politics.

When the debate turned angry, Mr. Gutiérrez said, he wanted to be able to influence lawmakers who he believed favored immigrants.

He prepared his application and brushed up on his English and American history in classes offered by the New Americans Initiative, a citizenship campaign financed by Illinois. He became a citizen in May.

“Now if I don’t like the way things are going, I can let the government know my opinion,” Mr. Gutiérrez said in a telephone interview.

Some legal immigrants, particularly Hispanics, have said they were unfairly tarred in the debate over the Senate bill, which failed in part because of vehement opposition from conservatives who said it offered blanket amnesty to illegal immigrants.

“A lot of people who are here legally are made to feel like lepers,” said Rachel Duverge, 24, a Florida resident born in the Dominican Republic who was among the new citizens sworn in yesterday at Walt Disney World.

Ms. Duverge said she became a citizen in part because she was eager to vote in the presidential election next year. President Bush, she said, “has not handled immigration well.”

To become citizens, immigrants have to be legal permanent residents who have lived continuously in the United States for five years. They cannot have a criminal record and must pass tests to show proficiency in English and a basic knowledge of American history and government.

Advocates for immigrants say the increase in fees has been a decisive incentive for working-class immigrants to take action, especially when more than one family member is eligible to be a citizen.

“Before they said, ‘I can do it anytime,’ ” said Catherine Salgado, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in Chicago. “Now it’s not anytime anymore.”

Ms. Salgado said the $675 fee was a week’s wages for many immigrants who had applied for naturalization through workshops organized by the coalition.

The immigration agency is also remaking its civics and English tests, and many immigrants say they fear that the tests will be more challenging.

The Univision campaign had greater effects than its organizers expected, especially in California, said Maryam Banikaram, chief marketing officer for the company. Ms. Banikaram said the effort was part of its regular nonpartisan public service efforts of the company.

“If you become a U.S. citizen, you have better opportunities,” she said. “We’re just giving you the tools to make that a reality.”

The campaign took off after the immigration debate became major news for Univision and Mr. Sotelo, or El Piolín, used his racy comic radio show as a soapbox to support legal status for illegal immigrants.

Other immigrants are concerned about locking in economic gains that they have made as legal residents.

“A prime motivator is security for the family and for employment,” said Javiér Angulo, director of civic education for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, which organized workshops in connection with the Univision campaign. “People don’t feel that being permanent residents is enough to secure their future in this country. They would just feel more secure as citizens.”

In Chicago, Mr. Gutiérrez said he started life in a corn-growing village in central Mexico and had worked in factories most of the time since entering the United States in 1979. He has two adult children who are United States citizens.

“I will always have Mexican blood,” Mr. Gutiérrez said, enjoying a day of rest on his first Fourth of July as an American citizen. “But my heart is here.”

O-game

2007-07-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

I`m plaing the best game in over world. He`s name Ogame. I think everyone must lock about is that game. Ogame is game with we can play for any explorer. in this game we can be a galaxy god. we have several planet and fleet. We can attack any player, we can join to alingment attack together. I`m plaing in ogame.pl and f-game that is that same what is ogame but 6x faster

Brzydkie dziecko??

2007-07-04T21:16:00.001-07:00

Peter Andre twierdzi, że jego nowonarodzona córka jest piękna, ale zdania tego nie podziela Katie Price, która stwierdziła, że jej dziecko jest brzydkie!

Jordan, która powiła, jak na razie bezimienną, dziewczynkę w zeszłym tygodniu poprzez cesarskie cięcie (zobacz: Peter Andre ma córkę!), powiedziała:

Moja córka jest brzydka. Wszystkie noworodki są brzydkie. Wyglądają jak malutcy, starzy ludzie. Myślę, że dzieci potrzebują kilku tygodniu, żeby zacząć jakoś wyglądać.

Pamiętam, że mój syn Junior wyglądał tak, jakby miał za duży nos. Ludzie mówili: "O, jaki słodziutki!", a ja sobie myślałam: "O nie, jaki on brzydki!" Rzadko widuje się ładne dzieci, kiedy są jeszcze takie małe, ale Junior jest już teraz prześliczny.

Peter i Katie czekają aż trochę lepiej poznają swoją córeczkę, zanim nadadzą jej jakieś imię. Chcą wybrać takie, które będzie do niej pasowało. Brzydka czy nie - Katie i tak cieszy się, że po urodzeniu już dwóch synów, wreszcie doczekała się córki:

Zdecydowanie w domu będzie teraz różowiej. To miło, że wreszcie będę miała dziewczynkę po swojej stronie.

Brad

2007-07-04T21:15:00.001-07:00

Dyskusja wokół wyglądu Brada Pitta rozpętała się po tym jak większość osób, które brały udział w premierach filmów Ocean’s 13 i A Mighty Heart, zauważyło, że aktor zaczął nagle wyglądać... staro. Nawet jego najbardziej zagorzali fani zauważyli, że wygląda na niezwykle zmęczonego i widać, że potrzebuje snu.

Nic dziwnego - aktorowi, który jak na razie nie zwolnił tempa pracy, nagle przyszło wychowywać czwórkę dzieci. To właśnie jego, mimo nawału pracy, zwykle widujemy jak odprowadza Paxa i Zaharę do szkoły, czy spaceruje z malutką Shiloh. Do tego dochodzą jeszcze niezliczone podróże - Czechy, USA, Francja, Indie. Angelina i Brad w ciągu kilku ostatnich miesięcy odwiedzili prawie wszystkie kontynenty, nie rezygnując ze swoich obowiązków, a tylko dokładając sobie nowych.

Ciekawe więc jak układa się to najintymniejsze pożycie Brad’a i Angeliny. Aktorka narzekała jakiś czas temu, że w ich sypialni wieje trochę nudą i ta sytuacja najprawdopodobniej nie zmieni się do czasu aż dzieci wyfruną z domu rodzinnego, a oni sami będą już starzy!

32-letnia aktorka, prawie o 10 lat młodsza od swojego ukochanego, wyznała jakiś czas temu na łamach magazynu Marie Claire, że jest im trudno o intymność, bo muszą w ciągu dnia znaleźć czas zarówno na pracę jak i na indywidualne zajmowanie się każdym dzieckiem:

Każde z nich potrzebuje indywidualnego czasu. Shiloh zajmujemy się wtedy, kiedy inne dzieci są w szkole. Maddox siedzi do późna, więc nim zajmujemy się wieczorami. W ciągu dnia, chodzimy na spacery z Paxem i Zaharą.

Może Angelina spróbowałyby znaleźć trochę "indywidualnego czasu" dla Brada? Z pewnością kilka chwil w sypialni sprawiłoby, że Pitt nie wyglądałby na takiego zapracowanego.

Hilton

2007-07-04T21:14:00.000-07:00

Paris Hilton umieściła na stronie internetowej oficjalny list do swoich fanów (są jeszcze tacy?):

Witajcie wszyscy. Właśnie wróciłam z wakacji na Maui, których bardzo potrzebowałam. Było pięknie i relaksująco. Ale dobrze jest być z powrotem w domu. Chciałam wszystkim wam podziękować za listy, w których okazujecie mi wsparcie i miłość. Robię wszystko, by odpowidzieć każdemu w liście. Ta wiadomość jest do wszystkich moich fanów, którzy mnie wspierają.

(Jak ona się nie wstydzi nazywać ludzi czytających jej stronę swoimi "fanami"?)

Bardzo chciałabym, żebyście wiedzieli, że zamierzam uaktualnić mój profil na Myspace i pisać tam, bo nie robiłam tego przez jakiś czas. Ostatni miesiąc natchnął mnie do zrobienia kilku ekscytujących projektów, więc będe was informować na bieżąco.

Pamiętajcie, żeby być odpowiedzialnymi kierowcami! Czekam na wasze listy. Kocham was i miejcie wszyscy niesamowite wakacje!

Rosati

2007-07-04T21:13:00.001-07:00

Weronika Rosati zaczyna nas przerażać! W wywiadzie dla Tele Tygodnia powiedziała:

Mam zdolności do przewidywania zdarzeń. Dwa dni temu przepowiedziałam czyjąś śmierć. Ten ktoś umarł.

Kate Moss

2007-07-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

Kate Moss spędziła cały weekend rozpaczając po zdradzie swojego chłopaka Pete’a Doherty. Jak już pisaliśmy, Pete spędził czwartkową noc z modelką o imieniu Lindy, którą poznał tego samego wieczoru w nocnym klubie. Udał się tam sam, bo chwilę wcześniej pokłócił się z Kate i chciał się wyszaleć ze znajomymi.

Kate jest w strasznym dołku - twierdzi znajoma modelki. Starała się jakoś trzymać dla dobra córki, ale przez cały weekend niekontrolowanie szlocha i zawodzi. Kate ma już dość, musi podjąć kilka poważnych decyzji odnośnie przyszłości jej związku z Petem. Chciała brać z nim ślub, więc jest wściekła o to, że ją zdradził.

Daily Mail donosi również, że Kate wycofała się na kilka godzin przed wyjściem na wybieg z pokazu mody Christiana Diora, mającego na celu uczczenie 60-lecia domu mody, bo była zbyt załamana.

Pete najwyraźniej poczuł wyrzuty sumienia. W niedzielę widziano go, jak pojawił się u drzwi londyńskiego domu, w którym razem mieszkają, z oprawionym w ramkę zdjęciem Kate i jej kotów, który najwyraźniej miał być prezentem na pojednanie. Świadek zajścia twierdzi, ze Doherty stał pod drzwiami i walił w nie, krzycząc: Kate, proszę wpuść mnie!, ale na nic się to nie zdało.

Po 10 minutach Pete rzucił obrazkiem o ziemię i go potłukł - wspomina świadek. Odjechał spod domu z opętanym wyrazem twarzy, wystawił głowę przez okno samochodu i rzucał obelgami.

Czy oni sie rozwodzą???

2007-07-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

Rozwód Dody i Majdana trzeba zaliczyć do wyjątkowo dziwnych. Tygodnik Rewia publikuje zdjęcia, na których widać, jak Radek i Dorota idą zgodnie po ulicy. I nie trzymają się za rączki - Radek trzyma za to rękę na biuście Dody.

Tabloid przypomina wypowiedzi Dody, takie jak: Mój mąż nigdy do mnie nie pasował! Nie lubię słabych jednostek! i cytuje znajomego pary:

Jeszcze niedawno trudno było słuchać ich rozmów. Gdy dzwonił Radek, wrzeszczeli na siebie. Były wyzwiska. Potem zaczął błagać i przepraszać. Ale ona już go nie kocha!

Tyle tylko, że uparcie jeździ z nim samochodem (podobno za każdym razem do adwokata w sprawie rozwodu), kręci się z nim po mieście, on u niej pomieszkuje. No i teraz te zdjęcia z ręką na biuście.

Terrorist

2007-07-03T22:10:00.000-07:00

At least some of the suspects were recruited by al Qaeda while they were living in the Middle East, the sources said.

Al Qaeda has been trying to recruit people who can travel easily to the United States and Europe and assimilate into society without causing suspicion, according to law enforcement officials.

Counterterrorism officials told CNN they believe the plots in Britain may be a blueprint for attacks on the United States. But, the officials say, the degree of what might be in the works and timing of any potential attack remain unknown.

"Some wonder why they just don't do vehicle bombs here. It would certainly cause panic and terror, and soft targets do exist here in abundance. But I continue to think they don't want to waste their shot here on something that isn't fairly spectacular," one counterterrorism official said.

"There's a strong conviction we are vulnerable here," another official said. "They are planning and trying to put something together, and given that these are people who play by no rules, are willing to die -- it doesn't matter how much we harden targets, they will still find some way to get through."

"The next attack here is likely to focus on some sort of infrastructure," a third counterterrorism official said.

The counterterrorism officials spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the story.

Seven of the eight people arrested are doctors or medical students and the other is a laboratory technician. Two other doctors are being questioned about the case but are not in custody

British police identified Iraqi physician Bilal Abdulla, 27, as one of the two men suspected of leaving two car bombs in central London on Friday and ramming an explosives-laden sport utility vehicle into a terminal at Glasgow Airport on Saturday.

British media were reporting Tuesday that the other person in the SUV was Dr. Khalid Ahmed. His country of origin or nationality is not known. This second man was severely burned in the Glasgow attack and is in critical condition at the city's Royal Alexandra Hospital.

Media are also reporting that a man taken into custody Sunday in Liverpool is Sabeel Ahmed, 26, who trained as a doctor in India.

Seven people are in custody in Britain and at least one has been detained in Australia.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said a 27-year-old Indian national, identified in British media reports as Dr. Mohammed Haneef, had been detained at an airport in Brisbane, Queensland, "in the context" of the British investigation. He reportedly was holding a one-way ticket to India.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Haneef was working in the country on a temporary visa.

"He was sponsored by the Queensland Health Department," Howard told a news conference. "He was working as a registrar at the Gold Coast Hospital."

Haneef previously had worked at Halton General Hospital, near Liverpool in northwestern England, where the man taken into custody Sunday was employed, according to hospital and police officials.

A second doctor in Australia was being questioned but had not been detained in police custody, according to Queensland Premier Peter Beattie. Video Watch how the probe has led to Australia »

Beattie said both doctors were recruited from Liverpool last year, through an advertisement in the British Medical Journal, to work in Australia.

The doctor who was in custody was considered a good employee in the emergency department and was "regarded as a model citizen, excellent references," Beattie said.

Sources said one of the two suspects behind the Glasgow attack worked as a doctor at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, although it is not clear which one.

Police also arrested Dr. Mohammed Asha, a Jordanian-educated physician who moved to England two years ago, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Asha, 26, was picked up late Saturday on a motorway in the Cheshire area of northern England, a source said. Police said he was arrested with a 27-year-old woman, identified by Asha's family as his wife.

Asha's house in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, has been searched since his arrest Saturday night. Neighbors there said another doctor was also part of the investigation.

Police had sealed the home of the unnamed doctor and his wife, which is about two miles from Asha's home. Forensic teams were searching the house, where the unnamed physician and his wife had lived for about a year, neighbors said.

It was unclear if those two were in police custody.

Counterterrorism officials note doctors' expertise in biology and chemistry and have access to radiological material such as medical isotopes, could be used in terrorist acts.

According to officials, there has been long-standing concern that Iraq is a breeding ground for a new generation of terrorists who have been testing tactics of urban warfare, which can then be used in Western nations.

Sprzedawali Dzieci!!!!

2007-07-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

Co za świnie

J.Lo

2007-07-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Lopez chce porzucić swój sceniczny pseudonim J.Lo i pozbyć się reputacji kapryśnej divy.

37-letnia latynoska, znana z tego, że jest bardzo kapryśna i wymagająca, wyznała, że jej sceniczne alter-ego miało być tylko zabawą, ale "wymknęło się jej spod kontroli".

To wszystko poszło za daleko z tymi niesamowitymi historiami o tym, jak to wpadam w furię i żądam egipskich prześcieradeł. To wszystko jest przeszłością - powiedziała Lopez.

Jennifer dodała również, że chciałaby skupić się teraz na poważniejszych produkcjach filmowych i projektach muzycznych. Jako aktorka, Jennifer zarobiła miliony dolarów na komediach romantycznych, m.in. Pokojówce na Manhattanie i Powiedz Tak, ale to jej zdaniem też należy już do przeszłości.

Jeśli skupiasz się tylko na pieniądzach, nigdzie nie dojdziesz - mówi Jennifer. Jeśli pieniądze są twoją jedyną motywacją, staniesz się pustą i płytką osobą.

4 mln for Fergie

2007-07-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Fergie podpisała kontrakt wart 4 miliony dolarów z amerykańską firmą odzieżową, którą będzie reklamowała w swoich piosenkach. Tak, dobrze przeczytaliście - nie chodzi o wideoklipy, a o teksty piosenek!

32-letnia wokalistka zespołu Black Eyed Peas jest pierwszą gwiazdą, która zgodziła się na oficjalne reklamowanie konkretnego produktu w swoich utworach. Fergie napisze i wykona piosenki na swoim drugim solowym albumie, w których pojawią się treści reklamujące firmę odzieżową Candie's.

W sytuacji gdy sprzedaż płyt spada, trzeba szukać nowych sposobów na zarabianie pieniędzy z muzyki - powiedział jeden z szefów wytworni płytowej Fergie, Interscope. Chodzi o to, by sprawić, żeby fragment piosenki dotyczący danej marki był naturalny i nie raził fanów. Candie's nie maja nic do powiedzenia w sprawie tego, co i kiedy na ich temat zaśpiewa Fergie.

Stacy Ann Ferguson, bo tak naprawdę nazywa się Fergie, wystąpiła również w spotach reklamowych Candie's i pozwoliła doradcom tej firmy stylizować swoich fanów na koncertach. Oczywiście taki zabieg marketingowy mało komu się jak na razie podoba. Sympatycy narzekają, że takie działania psują wiarygodność Black Eyed Peas.

Od 1988 roku, Black Eyed Peas byli społecznie zaangażowanym zespołem, który sprzeciwiał się materializmowi - powiedział rozwścieczony Rickie Durtado, który prowadzi stronę internetową o rapie. Ale odkąd Fergie dołączyła do zespołu cztery lata temu, stali się bardziej boys-bandem z dziewczyną.

Fani są już przyczajeni do bannerów reklamowych na festiwalach, ale robienie z nich części piosenki nie jest dobre - dodał rozżalony.

Przyznajemy mu rację. Fergie raczej nie przymiera głodem jak Frytka, by podejmować tak dramatyczne kroki.

Emma

2007-07-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

Emma Watson, znana jako Hermiona z filmów o Harrym Potterze, na razie jeszcze nie ćpa, trochę pije, a już staje się tak rozkapryszona jak największe gwiazdy Hollywood. 16-latka zaczęła już narzekać na swoją pracę i kłócić się z producentami filmu!

Emma obraziła się ostatnio na reżysera filmu Harry Potter i Zakon Feniksa, Davida Yatesa. Spytała go czy jej kontrakt "zobowiązuje ją do robienia TYLU ujęć tej samej sceny". Yates tylko pobłażliwie spojrzał na pyskatą dziewczynkę i odpowiedział: Tak. Emma była rozzłoszczona faktem, że musiała jedną scenę powtarzać czasem i po 30 razy. Yates jest znany ze swojego perfekcjonizmu i woli powtórzyć dane ujęcie i 40 razy, byleby by wyszło idealnie.

Emma podobno już wcześniej groziła producentom, że nie podpisze kontaktu na kolejne części Harry’ego Pottera, ale skuszono ją czteroma milionami dolarów i w końcu zgodziła zagrać swoją postać do końca, aż do siódmej części.

2007-07-03T22:03:00.000-07:00

Victoria Beckham skradła cały blask swoim koleżankom ze Spice Girls podczas konferencji prasowej.

Każda z pań, jak wiadomo, stara się być większą gwiazdą niż pozostałe, lecz tym razem Posh przebiła całą resztę - ani krzykliwa Mel B czy dziwacznie ubrana Geri Halliwell nie były w stanie odwrócić uwagi od gorsetu Victorii.

Posh pojawiła się na konferencji w malutkim, czarnym gorseciku, do bólu ściskającym jej napompowane silikonem piersi. Jej klatka piersiowa była wyeksponowana w tak narzucający się sposób, że chyba nikt nie zwracał uwagi na resztę Spice Girls.

Wszyscy cały czas mówią o moich cyckach, ale ona mają tylko rozmiar 32B! (czyli nasze 60/65B) - powiedziała "zdziwiona" zainteresowaniem mediów Victoria.

Nikt z nas chyba nie dostąpił zaszczytu oglądania metek z bielizny pani Beckham, ale aż trudno w to uwierzyć. Trzeba jednak wziąć po uwagę, że na ciele chudziutkiej, wręcz anorektycznej Victorii, faktycznie piersi w rozmiarze B mogą wydawać się duże.

Paris

2007-07-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

Paris Hilton zapewniała po wyjściu z więzienia, że ma zamiar zrobić wiele dla dobra społeczeństwa i swoich współwięźniarek. Niestety te obietnice jak na razie spełzły na niczym, bo Hiltonówna nie robi nic innego poza podróżowaniem, wypoczywaniem i wydawaniem pieniędzy.

Dziedziczkę widziano ostatnio, jak szalała na desce surfingowej u wybrzeży Maui, gdzie już od kilku dni rozkoszuje się samotnością, spokojem i luksusem po 3-tygodniowym pobycie w więzieniu.

Mimo że wycieczka na Hawaje miała być ucieczką od zgiełku Hollywood, Paris oczywiście przykuła swoją osobą uwagę innych turystów. Kiedy robiła zakupy w lokalnym butiku, grupa ludzi zebrała się przy witrynie sklepowej. Obserwowali jak Paris, ubrana w prostą, czarną sukienkę i wielkie okulary przeciwsłoneczne, przymierzała szale w stylu Jackie Kennedy i balerinki marki Fendi.

US and S Korea agree trade deal

2007-07-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

There was intense pressure to close a deal because President George W Bush's Trade Promotion Authority, a so-called "fast track" power, ends on 1 July, and any agreement had to be reached 90 days beforehand - by the end of Sunday.

The special power enables Mr Bush to send trade pacts to Congress for a straight yes or no vote, excluding any amendments.

South Korean trade minister Kim Hyun-chong described the agreement as the "most important event" between the two countries since their signing of a military alliance in 1953.

The Federation of Korean Industries, which represents Korea's largest companies, welcomed the agreement saying it would promote the two countries' economic interests.

Trade between the two countries totalled $72bn (£37bn) in 2005, and is expected to increase about 20% as existing economic barriers are scrapped.

French GP

2007-07-01T08:27:00.001-07:00

The new aerodynamic update seems to have given Ferrari the boost they needed .

Results from the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours:

1. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 1hr 30min 54.200
2. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari +00:02.414
3. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren-Mercedes 00:32.153
4. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 00:41.727
5. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 00:46.801
6. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Renault 00:52.210
7. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren-Mercedes 00:56.516
8. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 00:58.885
9. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams-Toyota 01:08.505
10. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Toyota 1 lap
11. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 1 lap
12. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1 lap
13. David Coulthard (Britain) RedBull - Renault 1 lap
14. Alexander Wurz (Austria) Williams - Toyota 1 lap
15. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Renault 1 lap
16. Takuma Sato (Japan) Super Aguri-Honda 2 laps
17. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Spyker-Ferrari 2 laps
r. Scott Speed (U.S.) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 15 laps
r. Christijan Albers (Netherlands) Spyker-Ferrari 42 laps
r. Anthony Davidson (Britain) Super Aguri-Honda 69 laps
r. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 69 laps
r. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 70 laps

r = retired

Fastest Lap: Felipe Massa, 1:16.099, lap 42.

Apple iPhone

2007-07-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- After six months of unprecedented hype, thousands of people Friday will get their hands on the iPhone, the new cell phone Apple Inc. is banking on to become its third core business after iPod players and Macintosh computers.

The gadget with a 3.5-inch touch-screen display, which Apple CEO Steve Jobs has touted as "revolutionary," has been the focus of endless anticipatory chatter and has been parodied on late-night TV. Since its unveiling in January, expectations that it will become yet another blockbuster product for Apple has propelled the company's stock up more than 40 percent.

Apple itself has set a target of selling 10 million units worldwide by 2008, gaining roughly a 1 percent share of the cell-phone market.

The handset's price tag is $499 for a 4-gigabyte model and $599 for an 8-gigabyte version, on top of a minimum $59.99-a-month two-year service plan with AT&T

I think it`s the best phone I want use in my country (Poland)but must waite :(