Silicon power ; Semiconductor demand in India is increasing, but manufacturing of semiconductors remains a distant dream.

Today, semiconductors are used in virtually every piece of modernelectronics, from mobile phones (the SIM card is a semiconductor)and telecom equipment to consumer electronics, infrastructuralequipment and automotive systems. Though semiconductor demand isslackening at present, the proliferation of semiconductor-enabledproducts and the expected increase in uptake of hardware andhandsets once the next-generation network regime (3G) is in placewill ensure a strong demand for the product.

According to a report by the Indian Semiconductor Association(ISA) and consultancy firm Frost&Sullivan, the Indian market forsemiconductors touched $5.9 billion (Rs 28,910 crore) last year, …

Radioactive Substance in Ex-Spy's Body

LONDON - Former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned by radiation, Britain's Health Protection Agency said Friday. Agency scientist Roger Cox said polonium-210 had been found in Litvinenko's urine. Earlier, Home Secretary John Reid …

Solana says Gaza cease-fire possible this week

The European Union's foreign policy chief said Friday that a national unity coalition government in Israel of the moderate Kadima and more bellicose Likud political parties would benefit talks seeking an overall Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

A narrower government led by hard-line Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu "would be more difficult," Javier Solana said.

On the search for an end to the latest outbreak of violence between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Solana said international negotiators in Egypt are could announce within 48 hours a cease-fire agreement to stop the strife in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants.

Israeli …

Penny Marshall assails edited `Big'

Penny Marshall didn't like the little version of "Big."

The former "Laverne and Shirley" star was in Madison, Wis.,Monday to lobby on behalf of a proposed federal law to protect theartistic integrity of films and told reporters she was angered afterseeing an edited version of "Big" on an airplane. An intimate scenehad been edited to a montage of the actors' …

Advertising syndication cuts cost for local ads

The high cost of advertising is being reduced through a syndication program built by AdvantEdge Advertising.

The firm, headed by President Randy Hecht, began obtaining the exclusive rights to America's greatest local television campaigns, which in many cases were sitting in storage. The ads are now made available to other local users at a fraction of the original production cost.

AdvantEdge's goal is to become the country's largest provider of …

Former Uruguayan dictator detained in disappearance of dissidents

Uruguay's last military dictator, Gregorio Alvarez, was charged Monday with the forced disappearance of political prisoners, cheering human rights activists who have long campaigned for his prosecution.

Alvarez, now 82 and retired, was the army general who led Uruguay from 1982 until shortly before the country restored democracy in 1985.

Arrested without incident at his home on Monday, he was sent to a military prison to await trial in connection with the disappearance of some 40 Uruguayan political prisoners who were seized by military rulers in neighboring Argentina and secretly returned to Uruguay in 1977 and 1978, prosecutor Mirtha Guianze said.

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Dolphin doc gets the net

What's your reaction to the Tokyo Film Festival rejecting "The Cove"? The film won't hit my town until next month, but I have been following it with interest. I didn't realize that Japan was restricting artistic expression as much as the Chinese these days. Can anything be done to shame the organizers of the Tokyo Film Festival into changing their mind?

K.V. Anderson, Fort Collins, Colo.

A. The documentary is strongly critical of the Japanese practice of luring dolphins to a trap by using sonar, then selling some of the animals to theme parks and labeling the (mercury-tainted) flesh of the rest as whale meat. The film has been widely acclaimed (94 percent on the …

Baseball becoming 'in' thing in Garfield Park

Garfield Park is renowned as a breeding ground for great basketball players and also youth football, but the game of baseball is beginning to make its presence felt with die addition of the Garfield Park Little League.

The league began three years ago and now roughly 250 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 1 6 participate. It hasn't been easy to sell the game of baseball in an area that loves hoops so much, but die coaches and administrators of the league are passionate about the game and want others to like and respect it as well.

"Black people have such a rich history in baseball," said Coach Chris Allen. "And it's not just Jackie Robinson. You've got the Negro …

White, Douglas help Fever edge Sparks 82-78 in 2OT, hand Parker first pro loss

Tan White scored 11 of her 20 points in the second overtime, and the Indiana Fever held off the Los Angeles Sparks 82-78 on Thursday to hand Candace Parker her first professional loss.

Parker had 16 points, 16 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and five steals. The rookie from Tennessee scored six points in the final minute of the second overtime to keep the Sparks (2-1) in the game.

It was a wild game that featured failed dunk attempts by both Parker and Lisa Leslie. Leslie, the only WNBA player to dunk in a regular-season game, finished with 19 points and nine rebounds.

The teams also combined for a league-record 27 blocked shots.

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ABC's 'Kimmel' songs for sale on Sony Web site

LOS ANGELES -- An innovative relationship between Sony and ABC's"Jimmy Kimmel Live" spotlights a new source for experiencing music bymajor acts.

Sony's online music retailer www.connect.com this week beganoffering downloadable recordings from the show's live performances.The first are two tracks sung by Lenny Kravitz on Tuesday's show: hisnew single "California" and his past hit "Are You Gonna Go My Way."

"Everyone can now hear …

On the shelf

1. SAY CHEESE!

Even those on low carb diets can enjoy macaroni and cheese. Keto Macaroni & Cheese is said to have just 5 gm of carbs per serving. It's available at your local health food store, or have your retailer call 1-800-542-3230.

2. CLEAN LIVING

Dr. Venessa's Formulas are formulated to help all types of health conditions. Liverclean is said to protect and detoxify the liver, purify the bloodstream and keep kidney functions healthy. Pick it up at your local health food store, or have your retailer call 1-800-477-0031.

3. LONG LIFE

Jagulana Herbal Products now offer Jiaogulan (pronounced jow-goo-lahn) Herbal Pills in addition to its other …

Chicago to consider ban on texting while biking

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago City Council is to consider a ban on bicyclists texting while riding on city streets.

The council's Traffic Safety Committee endorsed the ban Monday. Bicyclists also couldn't talk on cell phones without a hands-free device while riding. The full council is scheduled to consider the ban Wednesday. If approved it would go into effect in November.

Alderman Margaret Laurino sponsored the ban and …

Lime stabilization facility gets New York City contract

Phillipsburg, New Jersey

About 200 wet tons/day of anaerobically digested biosolids from New York City are being processed by Hydropress Environmental Services, Inc. at its facility in Phillipsburg. Hydropress utilizes the N-Viro alkaline stabilization process. The plant began processing 100 wet tons/day of New York City biosolids in August, 1998, and scaled up to the contracted flow of 200 wet tons/day in late September, says Dana Taylor of Hydropress. The incoming solids content is 26 to 28 percent, he adds. The company has a 15-year contract with New York City with an estimated total revenue to Hydropress of more than $100 million, according to N-Viro International.

Biosolids from Rahway Valley, New Jersey, Yonkers, New York and several other generators also are processed in Phillipsburg - for total plant throughput of 350 to 400 wet tons/day. Almost all of the finished product is sold as an agricultural lime to farmers for use on corn, topdressing hay, etc. "Once we get our new permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - which classifies our product as a Class A material with widespread distribution - we will start manufacturing topsoil as well," says Taylor. "We are looking at blending N-Viro soil with leaf compost and sand."

Obama lobbied by Canada on oil sands

Canada's foreign minister said Wednesday that his government has made progress in lobbying advisers of U.S. president-elect Barack Obama about the environmental impacts of Alberta's massive oil sands operations.

The Democrat has criticized America's dependence on Middle East oil and has said he'll get serious about energy independence. Canada's oil sands projects would help. Industry officials estimate northern Alberta could yield as much as 175 billion barrels of oil, making Canada second only to Saudi Arabia in crude oil reserves.

The Bush administration sees oil-rich Alberta as a reliable source of energy that will help reduce reliance on Middle East oil. U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins has said the oil sands will define the relationship between the two countries for the next 10 years.

However, Obama's top energy adviser said earlier this year that the greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands projects are "unacceptably high" and may run counter to Obama's plan to shift the U.S. away from carbon-intensive fossil fuels.

Canada has warned that Washington would lose energy security if it doesn't take Alberta's oil.

Canadian foreign minister Lawrence Cannon said his government has been able to explain to Obama advisers what Canada is doing to mitigate the environmental impacts.

"We've been able to explain what we are doing to the advisers that are close to President-elect Obama," Cannon told The Associated Press. "We were able to put forward the whole policy of carbon capture storage and what the government of Canada has done through its investments."

Cannon said they pointed to a carbon capture storage facility Wayburn, Saskatchewan where emissions are pumped underground. Cannon suggested the lobbying efforts have worked.

"There is a great deal of progress. We have been able to express those points of views to the concerned parties," Cannon said.

Cannon said Obama's officials are open-minded.

"We are the second largest oil reserve in the world," Cannon said. "It's important and its immense. It does play into the whole energy security issue that has been raised by President-elect Obama over the campaign."

A message left for Grumet wasn't immediately returned.

Daily production of 1.2 million barrels from the oil sands is expected to nearly triple to 3.5 million barrels in 2020. Overall, Alberta has more oil than Venezuela, Russia or Iran. Only Saudi Arabia has more.

But the enormous amount of energy and water needed to extract the oil from the sands has raised fears among scientists and environmentalists. The critics say the growing operations by major oil companies will increase greenhouse gas emissions and threaten Alberta's rivers and forests.

Action comedy 'Gallants' named HK best film

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's annual film awards on Sunday honored a sentimental favorite with its top prize — a quirky, low-budget action comedy about a kung fu master who briefly wakes up from a 30-year-old coma to train two aging students and two newcomers.

The $643,200 production "Gallants" beat out better-funded and more star-studded movies for the top prize at the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards, including the John Woo-produced kung fu thriller "Reign of Assassins," which starred former Bond girl Michelle Yeoh; "Ip Man 2," the biopic headlined by action star Donnie Yen, and veteran Hong Kong director Tsui Hark's lavish fantasy epic "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame."

It was sweet vindication for Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau and his producer, actor Lam Ka-tung, the driving forces behind the long-shot project. "Gallants" was also beloved by local critics, clinching best picture and best actor at the Hong Kong Film Critics Society's annual awards earlier this year.

Tsui, one of Hong Kong's most versatile filmmakers whose credits range from comedy to action and animation, however, didn't go home empty-handed. He won best director and the actress he cast as an ancient Chinese empress in "Detective Dee," Carina Lau, took best actress honors.

Nicholas Tse, who played a reluctant informant in the police thriller "The Stool Pigeon," was named best actor, prevailing in a deep field that included veterans Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung Ka-fai and past winner Nick Cheung, Tse's co-star in "The Stool Pigeon."

"Gallants" producer Lam, co-directors Derek Kwok and Clement Cheng leapt up and hugged cast members when the best picture award was announced. Kwok jumped and pumped his fist in the air.

"I really don't care about how many honors 'Gallants' wins. The most important thing is the spirit and meaning behind the movie — it's the spirit of Hong Kong people, the spirit of Hong Kong movies," Lam said.

Kwok repeated the line that was the kung fu master's mantra in the movie: "If you don't fight you won't lose, but if you fight you must try to win."

"That's the spirit of the Hong Kong movie industry," Kwok said.

"Gallants" also swept the supporting role awards, with Teddy Robin, who played the martial arts teacher, and veteran actress Susan Shaw, winning in their respective categories. The multitalented Robin picked up a second award for co-writing the movie's score with Tommy Wai.

Tsui, who is known for his work ethic, thanked his crew.

"I have this reputation for working both cast members and crew members very hard," Tsui said, "I wanted them to win more than me. They worked much harder than I did."

Tsui's crew was also duly recognized on Sunday night at the Hong Kong Cultural Center. "Detective Dee," which stars Andy Lau as an ancient Chinese official who investigates a series of mysterious deaths by fire, also dominated the technical categories, winning for best art direction, best costume and makeup design, best sound design and best visual effects.

Tse, who has transformed himself from brash pop star to serious actor in recent years, thanked his wife, actress Cecilia Cheung, and his father, veteran actor Patrick Tse, for tolerating his rebellious behavior. The younger Tse saw his career briefly derailed by criminal charges after a driver took the fall for a 2002 car accident he was involved in.

"I hope you forgive the impolite kid who had no sense of perspective. To be able to raise such a troublesome kid and still face the public with smiles, you are the real best actor dad. I'm sorry," Tse said.

Carina Lau, a frequent nominee at the Hong Kong Film Awards, appeared a bit dazed when she accepted her award.

"I am used to being disappointed. Now that I have things my way, I am at a loss," Lau explained.

She teased her husband, fellow actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai, a best actor winner at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the Wong Kar-wai romance "In the Mood for Love."

"I know however hard I work I won't be able to catch up with you. But I will slowly try to catch up," she said.

Oscar-winning cinematographer Peter Pau, who won an Academy Award for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," was honored for his work on the biopic of ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius.

Best screenplay went to Pang Ho-cheung and Heiward Mak, who penned the story of two fellow smokers who fall in love for Pang's "Love in a Puff."

Jackie Chan's longtime agent Willie Chan was honored for professional achievement. Jackie Chan led a small contingent of Willie Chan's clients in paying tribute. Another client, Hong Kong pop star Jacky Cheung, thanked him with a recorded performance of the Frank Sinatra classic "My Way."

The lifetime achievement award went to distributor Terry Lai, a veteran importer of foreign movies who also touted Hong Kong martial arts productions to international buyers.

Also Sunday, Jackie Chan and Chow led a standing ovation for a group of largely unknown stuntmen who worked on classic Hong Kong action sequences, including some in Chan's movies.

Singapore economy seen shrinking 6.5 pct in 2009

Singapore analysts cut forecasts for 2009 economic growth _ and now expect a deeper recession _ as the global slowdown hurts demand for the city-state's exports.

The country's gross domestic product will likely shrink 6.5 percent this year, according to the median forecast of 19 economists in a quarterly survey that the central bank released Wednesday.

In the previous survey in March, analysts had expected the economy to contract 4.9 percent this year.

But they boosted their forecast for 2010 growth to a 4.2 percent expansion from 3.3 percent.

Analysts foresee manufacturing leading this year's decline by falling 14 percent, while financial services drop 4.1 percent and wholesale and retail trade slide 11 percent.

Construction, buoyed by a $13 billion government stimulus package announced in January, is the only sector analysts expect to grow this year, up 16 percent.

Analysts said the economy will likely shrink 7.7 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, more than their 6.9 percent forecast in March, said the central bank, known as the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The analysts expect the economy to contract 6.6 percent in the third quarter and 1.2 percent in the fourth quarter.

Non-oil exports, which account for about 60 percent of the Singapore's GDP, plummeted 26 percent in the first quarter as demand from the U.S, Europe and Japan dried up. Analysts expect non-oil exports to fall 14.5 percent this year.

The economy fell a seasonally adjusted, annualized 14.6 percent in the first quarter from the previous quarter and slid 10.1 percent from a year earlier. The government expects the economy to contract between 6 percent and 9 percent this year.

Prices will likely fall 0.5 percent this year compared to a forecast of an increase of 0.2 percent in March, the survey showed. The inflation rate was 6.5 percent last year.

The unemployment rate will probably jump to 4.2 percent this year from 2.6 percent, according to the analyst survey.

Judiciary chairman defends Kagan against GOP fire

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is defending Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan against Republican criticism.

Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont says the GOP should set aside its "overheated rhetoric" questioning the qualifications and integrity of President Barack Obama's nominee. He's also urging Republicans to stop complaining about the timeline he set for Kagan's confirmation hearings, which are to begin June 28.

Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the top Judiciary Republican, has suggested the date is too soon, and warned Monday he might ask for a delay.

Leahy called the gripes "crocodile tears." The timetable mirrors the one used for Republican and Democratic nominees.

Kagan was back on Capitol Hill Tuesday for private meetings with senators.

Judge: Miss. AG, trial lawyer Scruggs conspired

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood wrongly conspired with prominent trial attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs to skirt a court order in a case involving Hurricane Katrina insurance claims, a federal judge has ruled.

Referring to Hood as a "so-called law enforcement officer," U.S. District Judge William Acker said the attorney general helped his "close confidant" Scruggs avoid handing over stolen insurance company documents that Scruggs wanted for lawsuits against State Farm Fire and Casualty Co.

Acker did not recommend any criminal or civil action against Hood in the opinion, filed Thursday.

But the judge cited Scruggs and two whistleblowers for civil contempt and ordered them to pay $65,000 in attorney fees to an Alabama company that worked for State Farm and sued in Birmingham after its records were taken.

In a news release Friday, Hood said he planned to file a motion asking Acker "to revise such uncalled for derogatory conclusions."

Hood accused Acker of interfering with a grand jury investigation and said judicial rules do not allow for "unnecessary attacks" on court officials.

Hood's office did not respond to questions about the personal relationship between the attorney general and Scruggs, who separately is facing up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to bribe a Mississippi judge over $26.5 million in legal fees related to Katrina cases.

Alabama-based E.A. Renfroe & Co. Inc. worked as an adjusting firm for State Farm after Katrina wiped out much of the Gulf Coast in 2005. Sisters Cori and Kerri Rigsby claimed the insurer was trying to avoid paying claims through fraud and took records from E.A. Renfroe, their employer.

The sisters provided records to Scruggs, who became entangled in the dispute over the documents after E.A. Renfroe filed suit seeking their return.

Attorneys for Scruggs did not immediately return a message Friday seeking comment. Harlan F. Winn III, a lawyer for the sisters, said they were disappointed with the ruling and had not decided whether to appeal.

E.A. Renfroe accuses the sisters of wrongly taking the documents. A lawyer for the company, Barbara Ellis Stanley, declined to comment.

Acker previously accused Scruggs of criminal contempt for taking the records from the sisters and giving them to Hood, but another judge threw out that case. Acker then found Scruggs and the Rigsby sisters guilty of civil contempt and ordered them to pay $65,000 in attorney fees and expenses.

Where Winning is the Only Thing

You may never have considered this, but pharmaceutical manufacturing and professional football have a core similarity. No, this is not Tuesdaymorning delirium from someone who stayed up too late watching Monday Night Football. And I'm not saying that validation managers have multimillion dollar contracts, or that the process development and manufacturing teams celebrate their successful tech transfers by pouring a cooler of Gatorade over the senior manager's head. Nor am I suggesting that the 3-4 defense is a good strategy to apply to downstream processing.

What football and bioprocessing have in common is that in both cases, success is a minimum requirement. Rill Parcells, one of the most successful coaches in the history of the NFL, captured this perfectly when he said, "There is winning and there is misery."

What Parcells is alluding to is not just the torture of losing for the highly competitive people who play or coach professional sports, but also the pressure of expectations. When you win consistently, everyone - the media, the fans, the team owners - starts to think that it's easy for you. You win another game, and they don't give it a second thought. They don't appreciate it.

For manufacturing, of course, it's even worse, because unlike football, where at least a big win can be the subject of endless television coverage and water-cooler conversation, manufacturing success rarely gets noticed. The CEO doesn't stop by to say "Hey, nice execution on those batch records." The local TV reporter doesn't put a microphone in front of the director of process development and ask, "How did you achieve such tight process control?"

When problems arise, however, it's another story. Of course, on the gridiron or the plant floor, a few things can go wrong along the way without excessive criticism - a missed tackle, a sack, an interception (an out-of-specification result, a deviation inspection, even a discarded lot) - as long as the end result is positive: another "W" on the record (only high quality product gets released). But when actual games are lost, or warning letters arrive, the scrutiny begins.

In football: Do they have the right defensive scheme? Their undersized offensive line can't protect the quarterback. And their execution is so sloppy. Why do they commit so many penalties?

In manufacturing: Do they have a good downstream processing scheme? Maybe they didn't design their scale-up studies properly. And the operators must not be following SOPs. Otherwise, why do they keep getting so many 483s?

In drug manufacturing, of course, errors can cause more than just disappointment. Patients' lives and wellbeing are at stake, which is why quality is paramount. What is less recognized, however, is that the company's financial health also depends on manufacturing. A consent decree can involve millions of dollars in fines. A plant shutdown can cause drug shortages that can lead to long-term market share loss, as patients switch to, and continue with, a competitor's drug. Either situation can lead to lost investor confidence, declining stock prices, or even a failed start-up company. That brings up another Parcells quote: "Success is never final, but failure can be."

So even though fan expectations about football may be overblown, excellence really has to be a minimum requirement in drug manufacturing. Given those high stakes, then, it would be nice if the larger world acknowledged the everyday successes of those who make sure that the manufacturing department keeps on winning, week after week. Because clearly, failure is not an option, even if there is no Super Bowl glory at the end.

Laura Bush

[Sidebar]

'There is winning and there is misery."

-Bill Parcells

[Author Affiliation]

Laura Bush is editor in chief of BioPharm International, lbush@advanstar.com.

Bears face Packers Sunday night

The Bears just might be facing a win-or-else situation when they play the Green Bay Packers Sunday night at Lambeau Field.

With a 1-3 record, the Bears will be facing a Green Bay team that is off to a surprising 4-0 start. Beat the Packers in the nationally televised (Channel 5) 7:15 p.m. game and the Bears will find themselves still within striking distance of the Packers in the NFC North Division race. Lose, however, and they would find themselves four games out of the division lead and their hopes for a playoff berth on life support.

"This is not how we had planned on starting this first quarter (of the season)," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. "The good part about it is we have three quarters of the season left to go."

While the Bears realize they have to start turning things around if they want to make a return trip to the Super Bowl, they also realize that two years ago they started the season 1-5 and rebounded to earn a playoff spot.

"We're still early in the year," Smith added. "It's like a game you're playing when you're losing after the first quarter. You still have time."

If the Bears are to knock the Packers from the ranks of the NFL unbeaten, they will have to run the ball much better. In Sunday's 37-27 loss to the Lions, they ran the ball just 22 times for only 69 yards.

"In order for us to be successful, we have to run the ball well," offensive tackle Fred Miller said. That gives our defense a chance to rest up and stay fresh."

Smith said Brian Griese would remain at quarterback despite a 34-for-52, three-interception performance against the Lions.

"Brian is our quarterback," Smith said.

The Bears also might be using the explosive Devin Hester more on offense. Smith has hinted that Hester, who returned another kickoff for a touchdown last week, would get more chances with the offense this week.

"We've been talking about getting Devin more involved with the offense," Smith stated.

On defense, the Bears remain banged up, particularly in the secondary where cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher are still hurting along with linebacker Lance Briggs.

The Packers, meanwhile, have been the talk of the league. They won their last four regular season games last season and their first four this season for an eight-game winning streak over two seasons.

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has been on fire for the Packers this season, throwing for 1205 yards and eight touchdowns so far.

Hester has been named as the NFL's NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September.

He leads the league with 602 combined kick return yards and^ 239 punt return yards. He is the only player in the league this season to have brought back both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown.

Hester credited his teammates for the award.

"It's not only me," he said. "First of all, I thank God for everything he's doing in my life. second of all, I want to thank my teammates. Those are the guys that deserve this award."

[Author Affiliation]

by Larry Gross

Defender Staff Writer