65° CLOUDY, Top Story
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Luger Tony Benshoof's back woes are back again
Tony Benshoof's back problem is back, already causing concern for the Olympic season.
Gators in the Olympics
Rings Blog
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Sunday, November 22, 2009, 10:51 pm
Miami beats South Carolina 85-70
CHARLESTON, S.C. — James Dews scored 22 points and Dwayne Collins added 17 points to go with 15 rebounds, leading Miami past South Carolina 85-70 in the championship game of the Charleston Classic on Sunday night.
Collins was selected as the MVP of the tournament.
"It was a great win for us," Miami coach Frank Haith said. "I thought our guys showed some composure, even though we had 24 turnovers. When we needed to make a play, we made a play. I thought our rebounding was the key to the game."
The Hurricanes held a 57-31 edge in rebounding and shot 63 percent from the field in the second half. For the game, Miami made 8 of 13 3-pointers and South Carolina hit only 11 of 34 attempts.
"Give Miami credit," South Carolina coach Darrin Horn said. "Every time we tried to make a run and get the lead down to a two-possession game, they hit a big 3-pointer."
The Gamecocks shot 34.2 percent from the field.
Miami (5-0) outscored the Gamecocks (4-1) 11-5 in the final 2:25 to clinch it. South Carolina led by as many as 11 points in the first half, but Miami came back to take a 34-31 halftime lead.
Miami outrebounded South Carolina 30-16 in the first half.
The Gamecocks played without forward Dominique Archie for most of the game. Archie injured his right knee and left the game with 13:29 to play in the first half and South Carolina leading 9-2. He did not return.
"When you lose a player like Dominique Archie, it's tough," Horn said. "It's a blow, not only physically, but emotionally."
Devan Downey led the Gamecocks with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Miami reached the championship game by beating Tulane 74-54 in the opening round on Thursday and North Carolina-Wilmington 67-60 in the second round on Friday. South Carolina opened with a 78-68 victory over La Salle and then defeated South Florida 69-66 in round two. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 10:49 pm
Palin dines, prays with Rev. Billy Graham in NC
MONTREAT, N.C — Sarah Palin on Sunday dined and prayed with the Rev. Billy Graham, who has counseled presidents and other politicians for decades.
Graham had never met Palin, who is scheduled to stop at Fort Bragg in eastern North Carolina on Monday to promote her memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Life." The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and members of her family flew into Asheville in the western part of the state, then went to Graham's mountaintop home in nearby Montreat for dinner.
Billy Graham said it was an honor having Palin in his home to join his family for dinner and that they took the opportunity to pray together.
"I, like many people, have been impressed with her strong commitment to her faith, to family and love of country," he said in a statement. "I appreciated hearing her speak of her own spiritual journey and her life in Alaska."
Palin was joined by her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, aunt, Katie Johnson, daughter, Piper, and son, Trig.
Graham's son, Franklin, got to know Palin early this year in Alaska and he invited her to North Carolina. She accompanied him as Samaritan's Purse, a Boone-based international relief agency he heads, delivered 44,000 pounds of groceries to Alaskan families who had been hit by a harsh winter in villages along the frozen Yukon River.
Samaritan's Purse has an office in Alaska, and Franklin Graham owns a cabin in the state. He also leads the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which his father founded decades ago.
The 91-year-old Billy Graham said he shared his memories of preaching in Anchorage in 1984. Graham, who has suffered from ill health for some time, has been dubbed "America's pastor." He has counseled U.S. presidents from Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s through George W. Bush and is known worldwide for his preaching and activism.
"Life in the spotlight is not easy and I pray that whatever lies ahead for this family that their faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, would remain strong and that God would put a hedge of protection around her and all those she holds dear," Billy Graham said. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 10:48 pm
Late payments on credit cards drop in 3rd quarter
NEW YORK — For the first time in a decade, more people paid their credit card bills on time in the third quarter this year than in the second quarter.
The delinquency rate on bank-issued cards like those bearing MasterCard and Visa logos fell to 1.1 percent for the June-to-September period, from a rate of 1.17 percent in the prior three months, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion.
The 6 percent drop is significant not just for its size but also for its timing, since delinquency rates usually rise in the third quarter from the prior period, said Ezra Becker of TransUnion's financial services group. Taken together with the more than 11 percent decline seen between the first and second quarters, the results indicate that consumers are getting better at handling their debt.
The 2009 third-quarter delinquency rate was basically flat with the 2008 third quarter, when 1.09 percent of card payments were 90 days or more past due. TransUnion measures credit card delinquencies at 90 days because three months is considered an indicator that the card holder will default, since it is difficult to make up that many missed payments.
Credit card delinquencies were highest in Nevada (1.98 percent), Florida (1.47 percent), Arizona (1.35 percent) and California (1.33 percent), the states hardest hit by the housing crisis. Rates were lowest in North Dakota (0.66 percent) and South Dakota (0.70 percent).
TransUnion figures showed the average balance on outstanding bank cards drifted down to $5,612 from the previous quarter's $5,719, and from $5,710 in the 2008 third quarter.
One reason for consumers to pay more attention to their credit cards was worry over potential job losses, as the unemployment rate climbed toward double-digits during the third quarter. It reached 10.2 percent last month.
Becker said cutbacks in credit availability and higher interest rates also played a role in cutting the delinquency rate. While the fear of having cards shut down and anger over the moves banks have made can't be easily measured, there's anecdotal evidence that those emotions played into the improvement as well.
Becker said lower savings rates in the third quarter also contributed to pushing down delinquencies, as people shifted from socking money away in the bank to paying down their debt.
The personal savings rate in September was 3.3 percent, compared with 3 percent in August and 4 percent in July, government statistics show. In May, the rate jumped to 6.9 percent, its highest point since December 1993.
The decline in credit card delinquency follows TransUnion data last week that showed the pace of growth for mortgage delinquencies also slowed in the third quarter.
It's too early to tell how the recession has affected consumer behavior long-term, Becker said, but the holiday shopping season will provide some clues. Last year, consumers cut back sharply during the holidays. The National Retail Federation, a retail trade group, expects total holiday sales will drop 1 percent from last year.
Also in play are strict new credit card regulations set to take effect in February. Banks have cut back on the number of cards they have issued and the amount of credit available ahead of that law. Becker said the law will likely lead to the creation of new credit products, and consumers will choose cards based not only on interest rates, but other features.
"The landscape of card lending is going to change fundamentally," Becker said.
TransUnion's statistics are culled from approximately 27 million anonymous, randomly sampled individual credit files. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 10:23 pm
Johnson wins 4th straight NASCAR championship
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Jimmie Johnson was chasing much more than a championship.
He was also chasing NASCAR history.
The most dominant driver of this decade won a record fourth consecutive championship Sunday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he raced hard to finish fifth when 25th-place would have gotten the job done.
In doing so, Johnson joined Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and teammate Jeff Gordon (4) as the only drivers to win more than three titles.
"The cool thing is, we're not done yet," he warned.
All he ever wanted was a chance to race against the very best. Maybe even win a race or two.
Never did he expect to be a champion.
Especially four times over.
"I grew up on two wheels in the dirt," the 34-year-old Californian said. "I had no clue I was going to end up here racing stock cars and doing something that had never been done before. To do something that's never been done in the sport, and love the sport like I do and respect it like I do and the greats — Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon — to do something they have never done is so awesome.
"And to win four championships in eight years, what this team has done — this is unbelievable."
Johnson bulldozed his way into the record books, pouncing when the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup championship began to pull team owner Rick Hendrick into the record books with him. Johnson's title gave a record 12th overall championship to Hendrick, who was in North Carolina with a niece who was undergoing an emergency liver transplant.
In his absence, Johnson, Mark Martin and Gordon celebrated a 1-2-3 finish in the final points standings, just the second time in NASCAR history a team owner has swept the standings.
"Heavy hearts and prayers with the boss man and the family," Martin said, paying homage to Hendrick. "That sort of takes a little bit of the shine off of it. But congratulations to Hendrick Motorsports, to Jimmie Johnson — Superman — and to my team."
Superman, indeed.
Johnson now stands atop NASCAR as a one-man dynasty, much like Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Lance Armstrong in their sports.
Only Johnson hasn't been feted under a blizzard of confetti by himself. His mighty Hendrick team rules NASCAR the way UCLA once dominated the hardwood or Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls reigned supreme.
There's seemingly plenty of chances left for Johnson's tag-team with crew chief Chad Knaus to keep Hendrick and the No. 48 in the title hunt for another decade.
Johnson signed a five-year contract extension to drive for Hendrick through 2015, and Knaus has insisted the No. 48 team can keep this pace for the next several years.
Johnson doesn't want to take anything for granted along the way.
"I don't know if we'll win another championship," he said. "I feel in my heart we'll be competitive, but at some point in time, we won't be that team."
That's why Johnson never let up in pursuit of the championship. He raced hard for wins in nine of the 10 Chase races, and for all 400 miles at Homestead, where he threatened to try to run down the leaders to better his eventual fifth-place finish.
It made for a sometimes testy drive into history for Johnson, who was at times annoyed at rival drivers and even Gordon, the mentor and teammate who helped him land his job with Hendrick Motorsports.
Nobody gave Johnson anything, either. The other drivers raced hard around him all day, making Johnson earn every point in a race won by Denny Hamlin, who established himself as a driver to watch in 2010 by winning a career-high four races this season.
Hamlin also managed to keep pace with Johnson at times but fell out of contention with three DNFs.
"We're going to be there, I promise you," Hamlin said. "I promise you, the next couple years, we're going to win the championship. But right now, there's no one more deserving than Jimmie."
Johnson won seven races this season, four after the Chase began in September. In fact, since the Chase format began in 2004, Johnson has won 18 of 60 Chase races.
He's done it by almost never choosing the safe route. He did it just once this year, at Talladega when he ran near the back of the field most of the day to avoid the trouble at the Alabama track.
Only the joke was on him when his problems popped up a week later, at Texas, where he was wrecked on the third lap and lost 111 points from his cushion over Martin. It still left him with a cozy 78-point margin headed into last weekend's race at Phoenix, where he probably could have laid back and protected his lead.
Instead, he pounced and earned a dominating victory that set the stage for an easy Sunday.
"The pressure of winning the fourth didn't really hit me until hitting the wall at Texas," he admitted. "And then it was like 'Oh, man.' It was a great reality check."
Of course, he couldn't get off the gas.
After several tense laps chasing Gordon for fifth place — Johnson at one point complained over his radio "I let him go, now why won't he just go somewhere!" — he asked Knaus if he had enough time to catch Hamlin and the leaders.
Johnson didn't like being told no by his crew chief.
"Is that a dare?" he asked Knaus.
"No. That is a fact," Knaus replied.
So is Johnson's place in history, which seems to be undervalued despite 47 victories since 2002. He's never finished lower than fifth in the final standings and actually had a shot at winning the championship in 2004 and 2005 — only to fall short in the finale.
"Jimmie is an incredible, incredible talent. He is the most underrated driver in this garage," Knaus said. "That guy can do things in a race car that I've never seen before. I hope this proves it to everybody."
His competitors insist time will take care of Johnson's legacy, but they continue to marvel at his success.
"If you would have told me four years ago that someone would win four championships in a row, I would have told you you were crazy," said Jeff Burton, who finished second in Sunday's race.
Even Gordon, who won four quick titles early in his career but has been shut out since 2001, is impressed.
"As a competitor, that Johnson ticks me off. As a friend, teammate, fellow car owner, they're amazing," Gordon said. "I never thought in my career, in my lifetime, I'd see somebody win four in a row. To see it happening right in front of your eyes makes it even more extraordinary." -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 10:20 pm
Study: kids watching hours of TV at home daycare
SEATTLE — Parents who thought their preschoolers were spending time in home-based day cares, taking naps, eating healthy snacks and learning to play nicely with others may be surprised to discover they are sitting as many as two hours a day in front of a TV, according to a study published Monday.
When added to the two to three hours many parents already admit to allowing at home, preschoolers in child care may be spending more than a third of the about 12 hours they are awake each day in front of the electronic baby sitter, said Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle and a researcher at the University of Washington.
That's double the TV time he found in a previous study based on parental reports of home viewing, according to findings published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. The study is the first to look at TV watching in child care in more than 20 years.
The figures come from a telephone survey of 168 licensed child care programs in Michigan, Washington, Florida and Massachusetts. Christakis said he thought television use was probably underreported.
Of the child care programs surveyed, 70 percent of home-based child cares and 36 percent of centers said children watch TV daily. The children were watching TV, DVDs and videos. The study did not track what kind of programs were shown.
"It's not what parents have signed up for," Christakis said. "I'm not sure how many parents are aware of this."
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages any television viewing of any kind in the first 2 years of life and recommends a daily limit of 1 to 2 hours of quality programming for older children.
Children go to day care to develop social skills, build on cognitive abilities and enjoy imaginative play, as well as allowing their parents to work, Christakis said.
"We know what's good for children and we know what's not," Christakis said. "High quality preschool can make a very, very positive difference. We're so far from meeting that, that we really have a lot of work to do."
His research found a difference between the amount of TV watching at home daycares and larger child care centers, although both reported some TV time.
The study found that among preschool-aged children, those in home-based day cares watched TV for 2.4 hours per day on average, compared to 24 minutes in centers. Toddlers watched an average of 1.6 hours in home care and about 6 minutes in centers. Only home-based day cares admitted putting infants in front of the TV, for an average of 12 minutes a day.
"It's alarming to find that so many children in the United States are watching essentially twice as much television as we previously thought," he said.
Other research has connected excessive TV watching during the preschool years with language delay, obesity, attention problems and aggression.
Dr. Michael Rich, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital Boston, wasn't surprised by the findings in this study but he was forgiving of the parents and child care providers who put kids in front of the TV.
"In general, we still have a culture that sees television as benign," said Rich, who is also an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard University. "This is an area where we're learning more and more all the time."
He compared society's growing knowledge of the impact of TV on child development to the early days of seat belt use. Today's parents and child care providers grew up on TV, Rich said, so it's understandable that they do not recognize the problem.
"We can always do better," he said.
Christakis said one of the main problems with TV for young children is that it takes away time that could otherwise be spent playing outside, being read to, playing with blocks and talking with adults and other children.
The study did not include passive TV time, when the TV is on in the background but no one is actively watching it. Christakis said any time a TV is on, children speak less and adults interact with them less frequently.
Instead of urging parents to turn off the TV, President Barack Obama might want to start sending the same message to child care providers, Christakis said.
"Hopefully this will serve as a wake-up call," he said. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 9:01 pm
Grand Canyon to change 'unfair' permit system
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Getting one of the roughly 11,500 permits granted each year to backpack overnight in the Grand Canyon has become so competitive and "unfair" that managers at the national park have decided to change the system.
Now those who want the coveted permits either show up in person or try their luck with mail or fax machines on the day the permits become available.
Those who go in person line up at the backcountry office starting early in the morning. Those who try to fax often are in for hours of constantly redialing because of the demand.
October and May are the most popular months for those seeking permits to camp most places below the rim, with nearly one of every two people denied.
National Park Service administrators at the Grand Canyon have decided the system is unfair because it favors those who live near the massive gorge or have the time and resources to fly there just to get a permit.
The agency is proposing to end the current system in February, making everyone in the world compete for advanced reservations by fax and mail only. Eventually the park also plans to move to an online reservation system.
Also, the Park Service is not allowing any more individuals to establish commercial backpacking businesses until the agency sorts out a larger plan for the backcountry.
"We're trying to provide better equity between locals and international visitors," said Barclay Trimble, a deputy superintendent.
Some of the 26 commercial outfitters who take customers on paid, guided backpacking trips in the canyon are unhappy with the proposal.
"It's going to cost some people some jobs. There's no doubt about it," said Blaine Stuart, manager of Angel's Gate Tours.
He and others say the park's move will cost them the ability to guarantee faraway customers their choice destinations far in advance, meaning they will lose business and sometimes be unable to obtain permits at all.
Wayne Ranney, who guides some trips commercially and backpacks the canyon in his free time, said he believes locals should have the best chance of hiking the canyon.
"To think of somebody from Cape Town, South Africa, having just as equal a chance as someone from Arizona or the United States — I know it sounds weird, but I don't think that's fair," he said.
Trimble said he doesn't think a new system will harm commercial guides.
___
Information from: Arizona Daily Sun, http://www.azdailysun.com/ -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 8:28 pm
NRC: Three Mile Island radiation not significant
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the small amount of radiation detected at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant is not significant.
Specialist John White has told ABC News that there is no indication that radiation at the plant exceeded or even approached regulatory limits.
The commission sent investigators to the central Pennsylvania plant after a small amount of radiation was detected.
About 150 employees were sent home Saturday afternoon, but officials say there is no public health risk.
Exelon Nuclear spokeswoman Beth Archer says the radiation was quickly contained.
The unit has been shut for refueling and maintenance since Oct. 26. Workers are being tested for radiation exposure.
A partial meltdown occurred in Three Mile Island's Unit 2 reactor in 1979. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 7:43 pm
UF HIV/AIDS Center to take part in H1N1 trial
For most who come down with the new H1N1 influenza, it's an uncomfortable experience but not life threatening.
That's not the case for those whose immune systems have been compromised. If they get H1N1 influenza, or just the seasonal flu, they are are risk of severe illness and even death.
Children, older youth and pregnant women who have been infected with HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, are particularly susceptible to the novel H1N1 virus.
That's why scientists at the University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research are taking part in a national clinical trial of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine among those in this vulnerable, HIV-infected group.
They aim to find out whether a higher-than-usual dose of vaccine will trigger a protective immune response. Will candidates need one dose or two? How strong is the immune response and how long will it last? These and other questions will be answered in the trial.
The trials are being conducted at 35 sites and eight sub-sites around the country. Trial participants at UF's study will be drawn from existing patients.
"In the immune-suppressed population, there's always a concern that they may not be able to respond to the vaccine," said Dr. Mobeen Rathore, who is leading the UF trials. "We give the vaccine realizing that it may or may not work — provided it is safe."
The study vaccine contains inactivated H1N1 virus and cannot cause infection.
Trial participants will receive two 30-microgram doses of injectible vaccine, given 21 days apart. (Healthy adults and older children are protected by a 15-microgram dose of vaccine.)
One trial will enroll 130 pregnant women between the ages of 18 and 39 who are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. They will take part in the study until six months after delivering their babies.
The second trial will involve 140 children and young adults, ages 4 to 24, who were infected with HIV from birth. They will be followed for seven months.
Blood samples will be analyzed to determine the level of antibodies produced against the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, and how those levels change over time.
Rathore said she isn't only concerned about those who take part in the trial study.
"Whether in the study or not, I think it's important that we all get the H1N1 vaccine to protect ourselves against this virus," she said. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 7:14 pm
Attorney: Jackson's doctor returning to work
LAS VEGAS — Michael Jackson's former personal physician is returning to work at his Houston clinic for the first time since before the pop singer's death, his lawyer said Sunday.
Dr. Conrad Murray is set to resume office hours Monday at his Armstrong Medical Clinic in Houston, attorney Edward Chernoff told The Associated Press.
"He has not been able to earn a living since the death of Michael Jackson," Chernoff said of his client, a 56-year-old cardiologist licensed in Nevada, California and Texas.
"His legal fees are enormous and his debts have mounted to the point where it is unclear whether he will be able to keep his house or support his family," Chernoff said from Houston. "His intentions are to attend to these patients who have continued to support him, despite the attention and despite the threats."
Chernoff said Murray visited the Armstrong clinic Friday to see 16 patients who had requested appointments. Murray last worked at the clinic in April, before suspending his regular practices in Las Vegas and Houston to take a lucrative $150,000-per-month job as Jackson's personal physician.
Chernoff said Murray was never paid for the time he worked for Jackson.
"In effect, he has had no income for seven months," the lawyer said. He noted that Murray paid $700 in borrowed cash last Monday in a Las Vegas court to avoid going to jail for nonpayment of child support due to a California woman and their 11-year-old son. The woman agreed to forgive some $15,000 Murray already owed.
Murray on Sunday attended Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, thanking parishioners and friends for their support, a spokeswoman for Chernoff and Murray said.
"He said he's back," spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik said.
Murray, who lives in Las Vegas, was at Jackson's bedside when the 50-year-old pop singer died June 25. The doctor has been the focus of a Los Angeles police homicide investigation since telling investigators he administered propofol, a powerful operating room anesthetic, to Jackson to help the pop star sleep.
Authorities searched Murray's Houston clinic and a rented storage unit on July 22, and conducted searches later at Murray's home and office in Las Vegas, at properties in Los Angeles, and at a Las Vegas pharmacy where police say Murray bought five 100-milliliter bottles of propofol.
Murray has not been charged with a crime.
Chernoff said Murray has been followed and threatened since Jackson died, and felt he had to close his Las Vegas office because patients were being harassed as they came and went.
"Ultimately, he will reopen his office in Vegas," Chernoff said. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 6:43 pm
Thousands of strange creatures found deep in ocean
NEW ORLEANS — The creatures living in the depths of the ocean are as weird and outlandish as the creations in a Dr. Seuss book: tentacled transparent sea cucumbers, primitive "dumbos" that flap ear-like fins, and tubeworms that feed on oil deposits.
A report released Sunday recorded 17,650 species living below 656 feet, the point where sunlight ceases. The findings were the latest update on a 10-year census of marine life.
"Parts of the deep sea that we assumed were homogenous are actually quite complex," said Robert S. Carney, an oceanographer at Louisiana State University and a lead researcher on the deep seas.
Thousands of marine species eke out an existence in the ocean's pitch-black depths by feeding on the snowlike decaying matter that cascades down — even sunken whale bones. Oil and methane also are an energy source for the bottom-dwellers, the report said.
The researchers have found about 5,600 new species on top of the 230,000 known. They hope to add several thousand more by October 2010, when the census will be done.
The scientists say they could announce that a million or more species remain unknown. On land, biologists have catalogued about 1.5 million plants and animals.
They say they've found 5,722 species living in the extreme ocean depths, waters deeper than 3,280 feet.
"The deep sea was considered a desert until not so long ago; it's quite amazing to have documented close to 20,000 forms of life in a zone that was thought to be barren," said Jesse Ausubel with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a sponsor of the census. "The deep sea is the least explored environment on earth."
More than 40 new species of coral were documented on deep-sea mountains, along with cities of brittlestars and anemone gardens. Nearly 500 new species ranging from single-celled creatures to large squid were charted in the abyssal plains and basins.
Also of importance were the 170 new species that get their energy from chemicals spewing from ocean-bottom vents and seeps. Among them was a family of "yeti crabs," which have silky, hairlike filaments on the legs.
In the mid-Atlantic, researchers found 40 new species and 1,000 in all, said Odd Aksel Bergstad, an oceanographer with the University of Bergen in Norway who was reached by telephone in the Azores islands.
"It was a surprise to me to find such rich communities in the middle of the ocean," he said. "There were not even good maps for the area. Our understanding of the biodiversity there was very weak."
More than 2,000 scientists from 80 countries are working to catalog the oceans' species.
Researching the abyss has been costly and difficult because it involved deep-towed cameras, sonar and remotely operated vehicles that cost $50,000 a day to operate, Carney said.
Once the census is complete, the plan is to publish three books: a popular survey of sea life, a second book with chapters for each working group and a third focusing on biodiversity.
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On the Net:
Census of Marine Life: http://www.coml.org/ -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 6:14 pm
RI bishop asked Kennedy in 2007 to avoid Communion
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A month of harsh words between Rep. Patrick Kennedy and a strident critic, Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin, escalated Sunday when the bishop acknowledged asking Kennedy not to receive Holy Communion because of the Democratic lawmaker's support for abortion rights.
The bishop's attempt to publicly shame Kennedy on his abortion stance comes just a few months after the death of his father, Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. Tobin told The Associated Press that the younger Kennedy, who has been in and out of treatment for substance abuse, has been acting "erratically."
Their dispute began in October when Kennedy criticized the nation's Catholic bishops for threatening to oppose an overhaul of the nation's health care system unless lawmakers included tighter restrictions on abortion, which have since been added to the House version of the bill. Tobin said he felt Kennedy made an unprovoked attack on the church and demanded an apology.
"The point is, because of his obstinate ... public support of abortion, which is clearly contrary to an essential teaching of the church of a matter of critical morality ... he is then not properly prepared to receive Holy Communion," Tobin said in an interview Sunday. "No one has a right to receive Holy Communion."
The feud escalated after Kennedy told The Providence Journal in a story published Sunday that Tobin instructed him not to receive Communion. Kennedy also claimed the bishop had told diocesan priests not to give him communion, an allegation that Tobin denied.
Kennedy and his spokeswoman did not return repeated calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Tobin said he wrote Kennedy in February 2007 and asked him not to receive Communion because of his voting record supporting abortion rights.
The bishop said his letter was prompted by a statement two months earlier from the nation's Catholic bishops. They said that believers who knowingly and consistently break with church teachings on moral issues such as abortion should refrain from Communion, the focus of Roman Catholic worship.
Abortion is a major concern for the Catholic bishops because opposition to the procedure is based on the church's earliest teachings on preserving human life, which have not changed. By comparison, church teaching on the death penalty is not as definitive and has changed over time, making it difficult for church leaders to demand that Catholic lawmakers agree.
Only a few U.S. bishops have said they would outright deny Holy Communion to a Catholic lawmaker who supports policies that violate church teaching. A larger number of prelates have publicly asked a Catholic politician to voluntarily abstain from the sacrament.
For example, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas had repeatedly said publicly that former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic Democrat who supports abortion rights, should stop taking Communion until she changes her stance. Sebelius is now President Barack Obama's secretary of Health and Human Services.
Other Catholic politicians have wrestled with the same issue Kennedy faces.
In 1984, former Democratic New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, a Catholic who supported abortion rights and was at the time a potential presidential candidate, delivered a speech at the University of Notre Dame explaining that Catholic lawmakers shouldn't be pressured by church leaders to work for anti-abortion legislation. He said Sunday it's dangerous for the church to pressure politicians because of the potential for unintended consequences.
"If you're required (by the church) to make everybody follow your Catholic role, then nobody would vote for Catholics because it's clear that when you get the authority, you're going to be guided by your faith," the former governor told The Associated Press.
Cuomo said there are two positions a politician can take: They can oppose church doctrine outright or, as he did, accept church teachings personally but refuse to carry them into the public arena where they would affect people of every faith.
"Don't ask me to make everybody live by it because they are not members of the church," Cuomo said. "If that were the operative rule, how could you get any Catholic politician in office? And would that be better for the Catholic church?"
Catholics seemed divided Sunday by the feud between Kennedy and Tobin.
Nancy Sieger, 49, who attended a celebration Sunday for her old parish church in East Providence, questioned whether Kennedy was being treated more harshly than his father, who also supported abortion rights but was given a funeral Mass presided over by Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston.
She said most Americans support a separation of church and state.
"I think that the Church really needs to stay out of it," she said.
Anne Mitchell, 74, said she supported Tobin's attempts to keep strong limits on publicly financed abortion.
"Abortion is wrong. It's always wrong," she said. "Keep abortion out of the bills."
___
Associated Press Writer Rik Stevens in Albany, N.Y., and AP Religion Writer Rachel Zoll in New York City contributed to this report. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 5:47 pm
Gators' focus on Seminoles
With all due respect to Florida International, top-ranked Florida was over its 62-3 victory as soon as it ended.
Gallery
Once four zeros read across the game clock in the fourth quarter, the fight song was played and sung, and the victory laps were finished, the Gators were thinking about their next opponent: Florida State.
UF coach Urban Meyer was fresh off giving respect to his team's undermanned opponent before he announced FSU talk immediately began in the locker room after Saturday's victory.
No champions were called up. No emotional speeches were given.
"It's the world," Meyer said of the FSU rivalry. "It's what makes this job the best in college football. It's what makes this stadium the best in college football. It will be senior day at Florida. This is going to be a special week. In case you're wondering, it's started already."
While Meyer claims the talk about FSU, or "the school out west" as he often refers to Florida's bitter rival, began Saturday afternoon, one Gator wouldn't be surprised if thoughts of the Seminoles crept into the minds of the coaches well before Saturday's 12:37 p.m. kickoff.
"The coaches probably game planned ahead for them because our opponent this week wasn't really that good," junior offensive lineman Mike Pouncey said.
Rivalry weeks around Florida's program are special, but for most players, this one tops them all.
UF's roster is mostly comprised of Florida natives who grew up watching this game. Sides were taken early in their lives and now they've been lucky enough to play in one of college football's biggest rivalries.
"It's a lot of hatred," junior safety Ahmad Black said. "It started even before us. It goes way back to the earlier days. We've won five straight. We don't want to be the team that loses the streak."
The Gators lead the all-time series 32-19-2.
Pouncey wasn't exactly sure how many games the Gators have won in row against FSU, but he was sure that with the preparation expected this week, there won't be much of a chance for that streak to end.
"It's five? So, it will be six," he said. "They're always good and it's a rivalry game, so everybody's going to play a little harder."
The hype and excitement smothering Saturday's game will be elevated by ESPN's College GameDay's appearance, the debut of the Nike Pro Combat uniforms and senior day.
Not just any senior day, though. It will be a goodbye to the winningest senior class in SEC history.
The reception should prompt thousands of travel Kleenex packages to be ripped open before a down is even played.
Even with Superman status, quarterback Tim Tebow said he's preparing for an emotional goodbye, but leaving with a victory against a school he has despised since childhood should help dry his eyes a little.
"Winning this game helps put a smile on your face, that's for sure," he said.
Senior linebacker Ryan Stamper said he expects the microscope placed just above Florida's program to be enhanced over the next few days. With that comes distractions, but Stamper expects the focus to be right. The objective of getting to 12-0 will be the top priority.
Still, ending his career with a perfect record against the Seminoles is something Stamper cherishes.
"That will be big," he said. "I grew up watching the Florida-Florida State rivalry since I was little. Going out with them not beating us once would be a great thing." -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 5:25 pm
Ready for Rivalry Week
After outscoring their outmanned opponents Saturday by a combined 158-23, the top three teams in the Bowl Championship Series standings remained the same Sunday: No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Texas.
Now the three prepare for Rivalry Week.
Texas (11-0) plays at Texas A&M at 8 p.m. (ESPN) on Thursday, Alabama (11-0) plays at Auburn at 2:30 p.m. (CBS) on Friday and Florida (11-0) entertains Florida State at 3:30 p.m. (CBS) on Saturday.
And don't expect the Gators to look past underachieving Florida State (6-5) toward their colossal confrontation Dec. 5 in Atlanta's Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship Game against Alabama.
"I talk about the fact that you cannot discount any opponent quite often," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "This team is very serious about handling opponents.
"We are facing a very talented team, one of the most athletic teams in college football. Great recruits. We recruited all those guys.
"If we stay focused, have good Tuesday and Wednesday (practices), we'll have a good week."
Florida linebacker Ryan Stamper said his teammates understand the task at hand.
"That'd pretty much make their season if they beat us," Stamper said. "We have a lot to accomplish and a lot of goals, so I don't think it'll be a problem."
The game marks the final Florida Field contest for 18 seniors, including quarterback Tim Tebow.
"For Florida State and Florida, it's not solely if you beat them it makes your season a success," Tebow said. "But it helps put a smile on your face."
Most in the Seminoles' camp don't know what it's like to beat the Gators, who own a five-game winning streak in the series. UF players want to extend the misery.
"We'll be ready to go Saturday," UF offensive lineman Mike Pouncey said.
Rounding out the top six in the BCS are Texas Christian (11-0), Cincinnati (10-0) and Boise State (11-0) at Nos. 4-6.
The Associated Press poll Sunday also remained the same in the top six, with the Gators, Bama, Texas, Texas Christian, Cincinnati and Boise State holding their positions.
In the USA Today coaches' ranking, it's UF, Texas, Alabama, TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 5:24 pm
Ready for Rivalry Week
After outscoring their outmanned opponents Saturday by a combined 158-23, the top three teams in the Bowl Championship Series standings remained the same Sunday: No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Texas.
Now the three prepare for Rivalry Week.
Texas (11-0) plays at Texas A&M at 8 p.m. (ESPN) on Thursday, Alabama (11-0) plays at Auburn at 2:30 p.m. (CBS) on Friday and Florida (11-0) entertains Florida State at 3:30 p.m. (CBS) on Saturday.
And don't expect the Gators to look past underachieving Florida State (6-5) toward their colossal confrontation Dec. 5 in Atlanta's Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship Game against Alabama.
"I talk about the fact that you cannot discount any opponent quite often," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "This team is very serious about handling opponents.
"We are facing a very talented team, one of the most athletic teams in college football. Great recruits. We recruited all those guys.
"If we stay focused, have good Tuesday and Wednesday (practices), we'll have a good week."
Florida linebacker Ryan Stamper said his teammates understand the task at hand.
"That'd pretty much make their season if they beat us," Stamper said. "We have a lot to accomplish and a lot of goals, so I don't think it'll be a problem."
The game marks the final Florida Field contest for 18 seniors, including quarterback Tim Tebow.
"For Florida State and Florida, it's not solely if you beat them it makes your season a success," Tebow said. "But it helps put a smile on your face."
Most in the Seminoles' camp don't know what it's like to beat the Gators, who own a five-game winning streak in the series. UF players want to extend the misery.
"We'll be ready to go Saturday," UF offensive lineman Mike Pouncey said.
Rounding out the top six in the BCS are Texas Christian (11-0), Cincinnati (10-0) and Boise State (11-0) at Nos. 4-6.
The Associated Press poll Sunday also remained the same in the top six, with the Gators, Bama, Texas, Texas Christian, Cincinnati and Boise State holding their positions.
In the USA Today coaches' ranking, it's UF, Texas, Alabama, TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State. -
Sunday, November 22, 2009, 4:39 pm
Iran begins war games to protect nuclear sites
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran on Sunday began large-scale air defense war games aimed at protecting its nuclear facilities from attack, state TV reported, as an air force commander boasted the country could deter any military strike by Israel.
It said the five-day drill will cover an area a third of the size of Iran and spread across the central, western and southern parts of the country.
Gen. Ahmad Mighani, head of an air force unit in charge of responding to threats to Iran's air space, said Saturday the war games would cover regions where Iran's nuclear facilities are located.
The drill involves Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, the paramilitary Basij forces affiliated with the Guard as well as army units.
The United States and its European allies accuse Iran of embarking on a nuclear weapons program. Iran denies the charge and insists the program is only for peaceful purposes.
Israel has not ruled out military action to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The commander of the Guard's air force, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, meanwhile sought on Sunday to play down the significance of Israel's threats against his country, saying they amounted to psychological warfare.
"We are sure they are not able to do anything against us since they cannot predict our reaction," Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the Guard's official Web site, Sephahnews.
"If their fighter planes could escape from Iran's air defense system, their bases will be hit by our devastating surface-to-surface missiles before they land," he said.
Also on Sunday, Iran's defense minister, Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, said Iran planned to pursue designing and producing its own air defense missiles, according to the official IRNA news agency.
His comments were apparently in response to the delay in the delivery from Russia of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles, meant to be a key component of Iran's air defense.
Iran complains that the delay is apparently the result of Israeli and U.S. pressure.
Israel and the United States have opposed the missile deal out of fear Iran could use the system to significantly boost air defenses at its nuclear sites — including its main uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
Commenting on this week's war games, a senior Obama administration official urged Iran to engage with the international community.
"We would prefer that the Iranian regime follow through on their offer to engage," said Ellen Tauscher, the U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.
"It is more important for them to build confidence with the international community," she said at a news conference Sunday at the Halifax International Security Forum in Nova Scotia.
___
Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies contributed to this report from Halifax, Nova Scotia.
