Cliff Robertson, who played JFK in 'PT-109,' dies (AP)

NEW YORK ? President John F. Kennedy had just one critique when he saw photos of the actor set to play him in a World War II drama.

The year was 1963 and actor Cliff Robertson looked convincing in his costume for "PT-109," the first film to portray a sitting president. Kennedy had favored Robertson for the role, but one detail was off.

Robertson's hair was parted on the wrong side.

The actor dutifully trained his locks to part on the left and won praise for a role he'd remain proud of throughout his life.

Robertson, who went on to win an Oscar for his portrayal of a mentally disabled man in "Charly", died of natural causes Saturday afternoon in Stony Brook, a day after his 88th birthday, according to Evelyn Christel, his secretary of 53 years.

Robertson never elevated into the top ranks of leading men, but he remained a popular actor from the mid-1950s into the following century. His later roles included kindly Uncle Ben in the "Spider-Man" movies.

He also gained attention for his second marriage to actress and heiress Dina Merrill, daughter of financier E.F. Hutton and Marjorie Merriweather Post, heiress to the Post cereal fortune and one of the world's richest women.

His triumph came in 1968 with his Academy Award performance in "Charly," as a mentally disabled man who undergoes medical treatment that makes him a genius ? until a poignant regression to his former state.

"My father was a loving father, devoted friend, dedicated professional and honorable man," daughter Stephanie Saunders said in a statement. "He stood by his family, friends, and colleagues through good times and bad. He made a difference in all our lives and made our world a better place. We will all miss him terribly."

Robertson had created a string of impressive performances in television and on Broadway, but always saw his role played in films by bigger names. His TV performances in "Days of Wine and Roses" and "The Hustler," for example, were filmed with Jack Lemmon and Paul Newman, respectively. Robertson's role in Tennessee Williams' play "Orpheus Descending" was awarded to Marlon Brando in the movie.

Robertson first appeared in the "Charly" story in a TV version, "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon." Both were based on "Flowers for Algernon," a short story that author Daniel Keyes later revised into a novel. Robertson was determined that this time the big-screen role would not go to another actor.

"I bought the movie rights to the show, and I tried for eight years to persuade a studio to make it," he said in 1968. "Finally I found a new company, ABC Films. I owned 50 percent of the gross, but I gave half of it to Ralph Nelson to direct."

Critic Roger Ebert called Robertson's portrayal "a sensitive, believable one." The motion picture academy agreed, though Robertson was unable to get a break from an overseas movie shoot and was not on hand when his Oscar was announced.

Portraying Kennedy in "PT-109," presented other challenges. The president warned Robertson he didn't want someone trying to imitate his distinctive New England accent.

"That was fine with me," the actor commented in 1963. "I think it would have been a mistake for me to say `Hahvahd' or try to reproduce gestures. Then the audience would have been constantly aware that an actor was impersonating the president."

He added that the film obviously couldn't be done with heroics, "like Errol Flynn gunning down 30 of the enemy. This young naval officer just does things because they have to be done."

"PT-109" was plagued with problems from the start: script changes, switch of directors, bad weather, snakes and mosquitoes in the Florida Keys where it was filmed.

The troubles were evident on the screen, and critics roundly rapped the film, although Robertson's work won praise.

In 1977, Robertson made the headlines again, this time by blowing the whistle on a Hollywood financial scandal.

He had discovered that David Begelman, president of Columbia Pictures, had forged his signature on a $10,000 salary check, and he called the FBI and the Burbank and Beverly Hills police departments. Hollywood insiders were not happy with the ugly publicity.

"I got phone calls from powerful people who said, `You've been very fortunate in this business; I'm sure you wouldn't want all this to come to an end,'" Robertson recalled in 1984.

Begelman served time for embezzlement, but he returned to the film business. He committed suicide in 1995.

Robertson said neither the studios nor the networks would hire him for four years.

He supported himself as a spokesman for AT&T until the drought ended in 1981 when he was hired by MGM for "Brainstorm," Natalie Wood's final film.

Born Sept. 9, 1923, in La Jolla, Calif., Robertson was 2 when he was adopted by wealthy parents who named him Clifford Parker Robertson III. After his parents divorced and his mother died, he was reared by his maternal grandmother, whom he adored.

Robertson studied briefly at Antioch College, majoring in journalism, then returned to California and appeared in two small roles in Hollywood movies. Rejected by the services in World War II because of a weak eye, he served in the Merchant Marine.

He set his sights on New York theater, and like dozens of other future stars, profited from the advent of live television drama. His Broadway roles also attracted notice, and after avoiding Hollywood offers for several years, he accepted a contract at Columbia Pictures.

"I think I held the record for the number of times I was on suspension," he remarked in 1969. "I remember once I turned down a B picture, telling the boss, Harry Cohn, I would rather take a suspension. He shouted at me, `Kid, ya got more guts than brains.' I think old Harry might have been right."

Robertson's first performance for Columbia, "Picnic," was impressive, even though his screen pal, William Holden, stole the girl, Kim Novak. He followed with a tearjerker, "Autumn Leaves," as Joan Crawford's young husband, then a musical, "The Girl Most Likely" with Jane Powell. In 1959, he endeared himself to "Gidget" fans as The Big Kahuna, the mature Malibu surf bum who takes Gidget under his wing.

He remained a busy, versatile leading man through the `60s and `70s, but lacked the intensity of Brando, James Dean and others who brought a new style of acting to the screen.

"I'm not one of the Golden Six," he commented in 1967, referring to the top male stars of that day. "I take what's left over."

"They all know me as a great utility player. `Good old Cliff,' they say. Someday I'd like to be in there as the starting pitcher."

The chance came with "Charly," but after the usual Oscar flurry, he resumed his utility position.

Robertson had the most success in war movies. His strong presence made him ideal for such films as "The Naked and the Dead," "Battle of Coral Sea," "633 Squadron," "Up From the Beach," "The Devil's Brigade," "Too Late the Hero" and "Midway."

He had a passion for flying, and he poured his movie earnings into buying and restoring World War I and II planes. He even entered balloon races, including one in 1964 from the mainland to Catalina Island that ended with him being rescued from the Pacific Ocean.

In 1957, Robertson married Lemmon's ex-wife, Cynthia Stone, and they had a daughter, Stephanie, before splitting in 1960. In 1966, he married Merrill and they had a daughter, Heather. The couple divorced in 1989.

Robertson's funeral is set for Friday in East Hampton.

___

Former Associated Press writer Bob Thomas in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110911/ap_on_en_mo/us_obit_robertson

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German football riots leave 23 injured

Associated Press Sports

updated 3:43 p.m. ET Sept. 10, 2011

BERLIN (AP) -At least 23 people including 11 police officers have been injured in rioting before a German third-division football match.

Osnabrueck police told the dapd news agency Saturday that trouble erupted before and during VfL Osnabrueck's derby game against Preussen Muenster.

Five police officers sustained burns and injuries from firework explosions. Twenty-nine arrests were made before the game after fans attacked police.

Large firecrackers were also thrown from the visiting fans' stand into the players' tunnel, injuring several people. Details of the injuries were not immediately known.

Police spokesman Georg Linke says "the perpetrators weren't found yet. We also don't know what type of pyrotechnics were used."

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The Manchester rivals kept up their domination of the Premier League, with United and City each earning their fourth consecutive win behind hat tricks from their star strikers.

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Outage affects 6 million in Calif., Ariz., Mexico (AP)

SAN DIEGO ? A major outage knocked out power in a region of almost 6 million people in the Southwest and Mexico on Thursday, bringing San Diego to a near-standstill and leaving people in the surrounding desert to swelter in late-summer heat.

Two nuclear reactors went offline after losing electricity, but officials said there was no danger to the public or workers.

San Diego bore the brunt of the blackout that started shortly before 4 p.m. PDT., darkening much of the nation's eighth-largest city. All outgoing flights from San Diego's Lindbergh Field were grounded and police stations were forced to use generators to accept emergency calls across the area.

The blackout extended east to Yuma, Ariz. where more than 56,000 people temporarily were left in the dark; power was restored there about five hours later.

Power also was back by on by 10 p.m. in about a dozen cities in San Diego and Orange counties, officials said. Nine of San Diego Gas & Electric Co.'s 115 substations were also back in service.

"We have a ways to go but were starting to see a bit of progress right now," said Mike Niggli, chief operating officer of the utility.

Niggli said he expected a "very stead advance" around 2 a.m. through the middle of the afternoon.

Despite the gains, most of the people in the darkened swath were expected to spend the night without power.

"It feels like you're in an oven and you can't escape," said Rosa Maria Gonzales, a spokeswoman with the Imperial Irrigation District in California's sizzling eastern desert, where heat was well into the triple-digits when the power went out for about 150,000 of its customers.

After the sun went down, residents poured into darkened bars in downtown San Diego, some donning reading lights on their heads like miners. A pair of men carried flaming Tiki torches ? usually planted in backyards ? to see their way down the pitch black street.

The U.S.-Mexico border was cloaked in darkness and police on both sides sent in re-enforcements to prevent looting and other crime in their cities, but none was reported.

A backup system allowed officials to continue operating crossings from Arizona to California, said Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Jackie Wasiluk.

Power officials said the massive blackout was likely caused by an employee removing a piece of monitoring equipment at a power substation in southwest Arizona.

Residents in Yuma were among the first to regain power, along with parts of Orange County. All 56,000 customers for Arizona Public Service were back online around 9:30 p.m., according to Daniel Froetscher, a vice president at APS.

Other cities in San Diego County were also reporting lights were coming back late Thursday.

Tijuana, Mexicali and other cities in Mexico's Baja California state are connected to the U.S. power grid, forcing them to lose power, Niggli said.

San Diego officials announced schools and city trains would be closed Friday as a precaution.

The power loss should have been limited to the Yuma and the power company was investigating why it spread to such a large area, including Mexico. Officials ruled out terrorism.

"This was not a deliberate act. The employee was just switching out a piece of equipment that was problematic," Froetscher said.

In Tijuana, people wandered out of their hot homes into the street to cool off while restaurants scrambled for ice to save perishable food.

In San Diego, the trolley system that shuttles thousands of commuters every day was shut down and freeways were clogged at rush hour. Trains were stopped in Los Angeles, an Amtrak spokesman said, because there was no power to run the lights, gates, bells and traffic control signals.

Police directed traffic at intersections where signals stopped working.

Blake Albert Jordan, 20, saw a trolley come to a screeching halt as he neared the platform. Dozens of passengers emptied onto the tracks when the doors opened.

Jordan said he called about 20 friends and family to pick him up in San Diego's Mission Valley, where he was visiting a friend, to his home in suburban Lemon Grove. None offered to venture on the roads.

Officials were still trying to find the cause of the outage.

When a transmitter line between Arizona and California was disrupted, it cut the flow of imported power into the most southern portion of California, power officials said. The extreme heat in some areas also may have caused some problems with the lines, Niggli said.

"Essentially we have two connections from the rest of the world: One of from the north and one is to the east. Both connections are severed," Niggli said.

Two reactors at the San Onofre nuclear power plant went offline at 3:38 p.m. as they are programmed to do when there is a disturbance in the power grid, said Charles Coleman, a spokesman from Southern California Edison. He said there was no danger to the public or to workers there.

The outage came more than eight years after a more severe black out in 2003 darkened a large swath of the Northeast and Midwest. More than 50 million people were affected in that outage.

In 2001, California's failed experiment with energy deregulation was widely blamed for six days of rolling blackouts that cut power to more than 3 million customers and shut down refrigerators, ATMs and traffic signals.

In Arizona, about half of Yuma County had power again Thursday evening after losing it earlier. Yuma County has about 200,000 residents and a little under half live in the city of Yuma.

_____

Associated Press Writers contributing to this report include Elliot Spagat in San Diego; Gillian Flaccus in Orange County; Shaya Mohajer and Greg Risling in Los Angeles; and Walter Berry and Paul Davenport in Phoenix.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/terrorism/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110909/ap_on_re_us/us_power_outage

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Liechtenstein prince threatens to veto referendum (AP)

VADUZ, Liechtenstein ? People in the tiny principality of Liechtenstein vote next week on whether to legalize abortion ? but they know their voice may count for nothing.

The prince has already made up his mind.

Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, heir apparent to a billion-dollar banking dynasty and de facto ruler over 35,000 people, says he will exercise his veto if the people favor a referendum to legalize abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy or if the child is severely disabled.

The announcement last month raised hackles in the Alpine nation. It comes as no revelation that the crown prince has inherited some of his father's strong Catholic views. But voters were surprised by the fact that Alois is prepared to overrule a popular vote if the outcome doesn't suit his taste.

"We think fewer people will vote because they'll ask themselves what's the point. It really is an attempt to actively influence the referendum," said Helen Konzett, who helped gather the 1,500 signatures necessary to call the vote, slated for Sept. 18.

In Liechtenstein, which is smaller than Washington, DC but has its own seat at the United Nations, interfering in a referendum is considered a criminal offense. Only not for the prince, who according to the constitution is immune from prosecution while in office.

Konzett, a mother of two, said efforts to bring Liechtenstein's laws in line with those of neighboring Austria would now likely fail.

At the moment, women who have an abortion risk one year imprisonment, except in cases where the mother's life is in danger or she is under 14 at the time she got pregnant. Doctors who carry out an abortion can go to prison for three years.

Even if the abortion is carried out elsewhere, women can be punished for it when they return to Liechtenstein.

As a result, up to 50 Liechtenstein women go abroad secretly each year to have an abortion, mostly in Austria and Switzerland. Many more receive counseling there and decide to continue the pregnancy.

Campaigners concede that the law is rarely applied anymore. An estimated two cases have been brought forward in the past twenty years.

But if the authorities are alerted to the fact that a woman has had an abortion, they are compelled by law to investigate, said Konzett.

"There is legal insecurity. At the moment women don't dare talk about having an abortion, not even with their best friends," she said. "This taboo adds to the pressure on the unborn child because women don't have the option of calmly considering how to proceed."

Some in Liechtenstein feel the prince is right to take a stand on the issue. The country remains one of the few to have Catholicism as its state religion. In a speech on Liechtenstein's national holiday Aug. 15, Alois said the proposed law change could lead to late-term abortions of disabled children.

"Until now we have been proud to support people with disabilities in our country. The proposal would discriminate against such people and allow them to be eliminated in the womb," he said.

The prince declined several requests for an interview. But a spokeswoman, Silvia Hassler-De Vos, told The Associated Press that the prince "wanted to send a clear signal that abortion isn't an acceptable solution for an unwanted pregnancy."

"At the same time the situation of women with unwanted pregnancies needs to be significantly improved and a more child friendly environment needs to be created."

Even opponents of the law change are uneasy about a prospective princely veto.

"I don't think it's good for the referendum," said Adolf Heeb, chairman of the Patriotic Union party whose lawmakers rejected the proposal in parliament in June. "It would have been better if he had made his decision after the vote."

Alois would be the first prince to use his veto since his grandfather, Franz Joseph II, blocked a revision of the country's hunting laws three decades ago. Hans-Adam II, Alois' father and some say still the silent power behind the throne, never exercised this right. But he did push through a new constitution in 2003 that gave the monarch greater powers, including to appoint judges and fire the government without reason.

"Liechtenstein's constitution is a massive anomaly," said Markus Schefer, professor of constitutional law at the University of Basel, Switzerland.

Except for the glitzy Mediterranean principality of Monaco and the Vatican, no other country in Europe has so much power vested in a single, unelected individual.

When voters approved the 2003 constitutional reforms, they did so for economic, rather than political reasons, said Schefer. "Liechtensteiners have come to terms with the fact that the prince holds political power and can't be deposed, because he's made sure that everyone is very well off."

That could change if the country, which has a per capita GDP three times that of the United States and second only to Qatar, suffers an economic crisis.

Liechtenstein came close to ruin in the wake of the financial crisis, when governments around the world put pressure on the country to close loopholes that had allowed foreign tax evaders to hide money with the help of its secretive trust and banks ? including LGT Bank, which is owned by the royal family. Disaster was averted when the government pledged to cooperate in tax evasion investigations, but the episode rattled a population grown used to a very high standard of living.

Jochen Hadermann, chairman of Liechtenstein's Democratic Movement, a group campaigning for constitutional reform, said it would take more than one threat to use the veto before voters consider the theoretical, but highly impractical, possibility of deposing the prince.

"We don't have a despot up there," he said, pointing to the prince's castle that looms over the capital Vaduz and its modest 25-seat parliament. "But we do have a very power-conscious family that limits the rights of the people when their own interests are at stake."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110908/ap_on_re_eu/eu_liechtenstein_prince_s_veto

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Elizabeth Taylor's iconic jewels coming to auction

"The Elizabeth Taylor Diamond" from her estate, a 33.19 carat, D color, VS1 claity, a gift of Richard Burton, estimated at $2,500,000 - $3,500,000, is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2001. Christie?s auction house is selling her complete jewelry collection in New York on Dec. 13-14. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

"The Elizabeth Taylor Diamond" from her estate, a 33.19 carat, D color, VS1 claity, a gift of Richard Burton, estimated at $2,500,000 - $3,500,000, is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2001. Christie?s auction house is selling her complete jewelry collection in New York on Dec. 13-14. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Elizabeth Taylor's "The Mike Todd Tiara," estimated at $60,000 - $80,000, is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2001. Christie?s auction house is selling her complete jewelry collection in New York on Dec. 13-14. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Part of a Suite of Kunzite, amethyst and diamond ?Triphanes? jewelry by Van Cleef & Arpels, from Elizabeth Taylor's estate, is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2001. It is estimated at $70,000 ? $100,000. Christie?s auction house is selling her complete jewelry collection in New York on Dec. 13-14. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Elizabeth Taylor's "The Taj Mahal Diamond," circa 1627 - 1628, on a gold and ruby chain by Cartier, was a gift from Richard Burton for her 40th birthday in 1972. It is estimated at $300,000 - $500,000 and is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2001. Christie?s auction house is selling her complete jewelry collection in New York on Dec. 13-14. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Elizabeth Taylor's "The Prince of Wales Brooch," estimated at $400,000 - $600,000, is shown in this photograph at Christie's, in New York, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2001. Christie?s auction house is selling her complete jewelry collection in New York on Dec. 13-14. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

(AP) ? Elizabeth Taylor dazzled the world with her luminous beauty, lavish lifestyle ? and an unquenchable passion for diamonds and jewels that was fueled by the great loves of her life.

The late Hollywood star amassed one of the foremost jewelry collections in the world, including a 33.19-carat diamond ring and a 16th century pear-shaped pearl from one of her seven husbands, Richard Burton.

The Associated Press recently viewed about two dozen of her most iconic pieces at Christie's auction house, which is selling her complete jewelry collection, valued at $30 million, in New York on Dec. 13-14.

"These are the top jewels that Elizabeth Taylor received from the great loves of her life, Mike Todd and Richard Burton," said Christie's jewelry expert Rahul Kadakia. "They're from moments in life that were very dear to her," jewels that were purchased in Bulgari in Rome, at Cartier in New York and at auction.

The stories behind them are as priceless as the gems themselves. In a 2002 memoir, "My Love Affair with Jewelry," Taylor took readers on a personal journey of her collection, describing in her own words how she came to own each piece.

"I never, never thought of my jewelry as trophies," she wrote. "I'm here to take care of them and to love them. . When I die and they go off to auction I hope whoever buys them gives them a really good home."

It's an extraordinary collection of rubies, diamonds, emeralds and sapphires in intricate and bold designs.

Among the standouts is the 16th-century La Peregrina, one of the largest and most symmetrically perfect pear-shaped pearls in the world, which Burton purchased for Taylor in 1969 as a Valentine's Day gift.

The two had met in Italy on the set of the 1963 film "Cleopatra," and married for the first time in 1964.

Once part of the Crown Jewels of Spain, the pearl later passed into the hands of Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon III and the Duke of Abercorn.

When it came up at auction in New York, Burton snapped it up for $37,000, beating out the underbidder, a member of the Spanish Royal family.

Cartier later created a ruby and diamond necklace from which the pearl was suspended, a design that was inspired by the famous Velazquez portraits of Spain's Queen Margarita and Queen Isabel wearing the pearl as a necklace.

It is estimated to fetch $2 million to $3 million.

Taylor, who was married eight times ? twice to Burton ? died in March at age 79. The couple appeared together in about a dozen films, including "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" in which Taylor played an alcoholic shrew in an emotionally sadomasochistic marriage.

Burton was enamored of historical pieces, and in 1972 purchased the famous 17th-century Taj Mahal diamond pendant for Taylor's 40th birthday. The transaction took place at John F. Kennedy International Airport because the couple didn't have time to run into the city before catching a plane, said Kadakia.

The heart-shaped diamond is associated with one of history's greatest love stories. It belonged to Emperor Shah Jahangir, who had the diamond inscribed with his wife's name "Nur Jahan." He later passed the stone on to his son, Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz, who died in childbirth.

"I would have liked to buy her the Taj Mahal but it would cost too much to transport," Burton remarked after buying it.

Cartier later recreated the diamond's original silk cord as a gold rope-like necklace set with rubies and diamonds.

The necklace has a pre-sale estimate of $300,000 to $500,000.

"Jewelry was a way of life for Elizabeth Taylor. They were her friends. She enjoyed wearing them and it gave her a lot of pleasure because they reminded her of the great moments in her life, the great places in her life," Kadakia said.

Like the time Taylor's third husband, theater and film producer Mike Todd, presented her with a red leather Cartier box as she sat by the pool at a rented villa in the south of France.

Inside was a ruby necklace, matching earrings and bracelet.

"She was so, so happy that she jumped into the pool wearing all this jewelry and started doing laps," said Kadakia, adding that the pieces will be sold separately.

One of the most extravagant gifts Taylor received from Burton was the asscher-cut 33.19-carat diamond set in a platinum ring. Known as the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, Kadakia said its size and clarity ? "as white as they can be and potentially flawless" makes it a perfect gem.

Burton purchased it in 1968 at a New York auction for $305,000. At the December sale, it's expected to fetch $2.5 million to $3.5 million.

"Elizabeth Taylor used to refer to it as her baby and wore it as much and as often as she could," said Kadakia, including in nearly all her subsequent films.

Among the pieces of jewelry that Taylor purchased for herself was the Duchess of Windsor diamond brooch, which she got at auction for $620,000. Kadakia said she paid a big price for it for two reasons, to remember her friend and because the proceeds were going to a cause dear to her, AIDS research.

The brooch is estimated to bring $400,000 to $600,000.

Eighty of the most iconic pieces will be sold on the evening of Dec. 13. The following day, 189 more gems will be sold. About 500 pieces of Taylor's costume jewelry will be sold online at the same time.

Christie's also will be selling the star's haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion, accessories, 20th-century decorative arts and film memorabilia from her Bel Air home on Dec. 14-16. Details have not been released.

Christie's said the top 80 jewelry pieces will be shipped prior to the auction to Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong, Dubai and Los Angeles; many of them also will be shown in London and Moscow. Serious collectors will be able to try on the jewelry by appointment.

The entire collection will be exhibited from Dec. 3-10 at Christie's New York galleries.

A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition admissions and publications related to the sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Proceeds from the auctions will go to Taylor's estate.

___

Online:

www.christies.com

Associated Press

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Crikey! Huge crocodile captured in Philippines (AP)

MANILA, Philippines ? What a croc!

Its mighty snout wrapped tightly with ropes, a one-ton, 20-foot saltwater crocodile was captured and put on display in a town in the southern Philippines ? one of the biggest such reptiles to be caught in recent years.

But shed no crocodile tears for this colossal captive.

"Lolong," as it has been nicknamed, is about to become the star attraction of an ecotourism park ? unless it is upstaged by an even larger reptile that may be still be on the loose.

Residents of Bunawan township celebrated when they captured the croc, with about 100 people pulling the feared beast from a creek by rope, then hoisting it by crane onto a truck. While the beast was safely tied up, they examined its teeth, claws and stubby legs with fascination.

Their party may have been premature, however.

After the 20-foot (6.1-meter) reptile was caught over the weekend, authorities said Tuesday an even bigger crocodile may still be lurking in creeks of the remote region in Agusan del Sur province.

The scaly skinned Lolong ? which tips the scales at 2,370 pounds (1,075 kilograms) ? is estimated to be at least 50 years old. Wildlife officials were trying to confirm whether it was the largest such catch in the world, said Theresa Mundita Lim of the government's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.

It was captured alive after a three-week hunt, easing some fears among the locals. A child was killed two years ago in the township by a crocodile, and a croc is suspected of killing a fisherman who has been missing since July. Last month, residents saw a crocodile killing a water buffalo.

The party thrown after Lolong's capture "was like a feast, so many villagers turned up," said Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde.

Wildlife official Ronnie Sumiller, who has hunted "nuisance crocodiles" for 20 years and led the team that captured Lolong, said another search was under way for the possibly larger croc that he and residents have seen in the town's marshy outskirts.

"There is a bigger one, and it could be the one creating problems," Sumiller told The Associated Press by telephone from Bunawan, about 515 miles (830 kilometers) southeast of Manila.

"The villagers were saying 10 percent of their fear was gone because of the first capture," Sumiller said. "But there is still the other 90 percent to take care of."

Backed by five village hunters he trained, Sumiller has set 20 steel cable traps with an animal carcass as bait in nearby vast marshland and along the creek where Lolong was caught.

Sumiller said he found no human remains when he induced the captured crocodile to vomit.

Residents of the farming town of about 37,000 people have been told to avoid venturing into marshy areas alone at night, Elorde said.

Guinness World Records lists a saltwater crocodile caught in Australia as the largest crocodile in captivity, measuring 17 feet 11.75 inches (5.48 meters). Saltwater crocodiles can live for more than 100 years and grow to 23 feet (7 meters).

A website for a park called Action Adventure in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., says it is home to Utan, "King of the Crocs," which it bills as the largest crocodile in the United States, measuring more than 20 feet. Park officials did not immediately respond to telephone calls or email requests for information about their crocodile.

Elorde said he plans to make Lolong "the biggest star" in a planned ecotourism park.

Philippine laws strictly prohibit civilians from killing endangered crocodiles, with violators facing up to 12 years in prison and a fine of 1 million pesos ($24,000).

The world's most endangered freshwater variety, crocodylus mindorensis, is found only in the Philippines, where only about 250 are known to be in the wild.

About 1,000 of the larger saltwater type, or crocodylus porosus, like the one captured in Bunawan, are scattered mostly in the country's southern swamplands, wildlife official Glen Rebong said.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said the enormous crocodile was captured because it was a threat to the community. He added the reptiles remind that the Philippines' remaining rich habitats need to be constantly protected.

Crocodiles have been hunted in the Philippines by poachers hoping to cash in on the high demand in wealthy Asian countries for their hide, which is coveted for products ranging from bags and shoes to cellphone cases.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110906/ap_on_re_as/as_philippines_killer_crocodile

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As worlds close, Bolt sends Jamaica to relay mark

USA's anchor Walter Dix (1073) runs as his teammate Darvis Patton (1110) drops the baton in the Men's 4x100m relay final at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. At top Jamaica's Usain Bolt (588) and Yohan Blake (587) who took the gold. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

USA's anchor Walter Dix (1073) runs as his teammate Darvis Patton (1110) drops the baton in the Men's 4x100m relay final at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. At top Jamaica's Usain Bolt (588) and Yohan Blake (587) who took the gold. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Jamaica's Usain Bolt smiles with gold medal during the medal ceremony for in the Men's 4x100m relay final at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win the Men's 4x100 Relay final and set a world record at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

Jamaica's Usain Bolt throws the baton into the air as he celebrates winning the Men's 4x100 Relay final and setting a world record at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win the Men's 4x100 Relay final and set a world record at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

(AP) ? Usain Bolt clutched the purple baton in his right hand and tore off down the track in the final leg of the 400 relay.

There was no one to push the Jamaican star, because the Americans were already out after another botched exchange. This was simply Bolt vs. the clock at the world championships.

The clock didn't stand a chance.

Bolt ran with an all-out fury Sunday as he helped the team finish in a world-record time of 37.04 seconds. His eyes grew big in amazement after glancing at the clock, he screamed and then tossed the baton up into the air.

This from a man who claimed he wasn't in record-breaking shape. But anything's possible when Bolt takes the track.

While his teammates played a big role, Bolt, even with a bothersome Achilles tendon that prevented him from running the curve, brought it on home.

"For me," Bolt said, "it was just to go out there fast."

What started out as a disastrous championships for Bolt ended on a high note. Sure, this doesn't make up for his false start that led to his disqualification in the 100 last weekend, but it does ease the sting a tiny bit.

"I'm very happy with myself," Bolt said. "We ran very hard for that record."

Plagued by relay problems in the past, the Americans thought they had those woes figured out. They organized training camps and participated in competitions to get their timing down.

It worked out well for the women as Carmelita Jeter held off Veronica Campbell-Brown down the stretch to win the 400 relay.

Then came the men's debacle in the final event of the championships, putting a damper on what was otherwise a fine day on the track ? a fine competition, for that matter.

The U.S. had a sensational showing in the triple jump with 21-year-old Christian Taylor taking gold and Will Claye, who's a year younger, winning bronze.

Bernard Lagat also captured silver in the 5,000 as the Americans finished with 25 medals, edging Russia by six. It tied for the team's second-best showing ever, one away from the top mark.

A medal the U.S. could've easily picked up had the team been able to get the baton around the track. Maybe not gold with Bolt focused and motivated, but at least silver.

Those thoughts unraveled around the final bend. Darvis Patton was about to hand off to Walter Dix when he suddenly went tumbling head-over-spikes to the track.

Like that, the race was lost. Like that, the men's relay came under scrutiny again after not finishing.

Replays showed that Patton bumped his knee against the arm of British anchor Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, something the Englishman later acknowledged.

Just an unfortunate break.

Patton didn't talk about the incident, leaving in a hurry with his shoulder hurting him from the tumble.

The 33-year-old Patton was involved in the team's disqualification at the 2009 worlds in Berlin, when the exchange was deemed outside the designated zone.

"All this stuff weighs heavily on him," said Justin Gatlin, who ran the second leg of the relay. "It's not his fault."

The U.S. had the top time in the opening round, too. Then again, Bolt didn't participate in that race, preferring to rest up.

"We really were ready for an American record," Gatlin said of the mark of 37.40 seconds set in 1992 and matched in '93.

It would've taken more than that to beat Bolt and his brigade.

A lot more.

Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake, the 100 winner, got the baton to Bolt with a lead and he simply took it from there, treating the fans to a final show as the curtains closed on the championships.

"We were talking about (the record) earlier in the week," said Bolt, who won the 200 meters Saturday with the fourth-fastest time ever. "After the first three legs, I said, 'Why not give my all?' I kept saying, 'I can do this. I can do this.' I was happy to see the world record."

In other finals Sunday:

?Kenya's Abel Kirui successfully defended his marathon title, with teammate Vincent Kipruto taking second.

?Tatyana Lysenko of Russia captured the hammer throw.

?Mo Farah of Britain held off a fast-charging Lagat to take the title in the 5,000.

?Caster Semenya faltered down the stretch to allow Mariya Savinova of Russia claim the gold in the 800.

"I achieved what I wanted, which was to get back to the podium," said the 20-year-old Semenya, who was sidelined for a year by a gender controversy. "I don't talk about the past. I'm still young and I have to focus on the future."

With their win in the women's 400 relay, the Americans planted a seed of doubt into the powerful Jamaicans.

The sprints have recently been a one-sided rivalry, with the Caribbean island cleaning up. But Jeter won the 100 and then edged Campbell-Brown for gold in the relay, giving the U.S. restored confidence.

"This was a lot of fun," said Felix, who captured her record eighth gold medal over four championships.

Taylor was yet another surprise gold medalist for the Americans in a week full of them. His jump of 58 feet, 11 1-4 inches was by far a personal best.

"Today was my day, but I will stay calm and keep working hard," Taylor said. "I do this event because it is the closest experience to flying and I felt that on the last jump."

Bolt was certainly flying as he made his way toward the finish.

And once he was there, he pretended to keep on flying as he spread out his arms as if he were a bird soaring along.

"I ran my ultimate best," Bolt said.

For now at least. The Olympics are just around the corner and he's saving his best for then ? the ultimate stage for the consummate showman.

___

AP Sports Writer Pat Graham can be reached at http://twitter.com/pgraham34

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-09-04-ATH-Worlds/id-d47f7265f1af4a71ad37794edb650035

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Clark & Washington Offers ... - Finance Articles, Tutorials and News

Clark & Washington encourages Tampa residents facing financial hardship to come in for a free consultation with a Tampa bankruptcy attorney.

TAMPA, FL, August 25, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ ? firm Clark & Washington invites individuals experiencing financial difficulties to come in for a free, no-obligation consultation with a , as part of Clark & Washington?s ongoing commitment to provide its clients with quality service and honest, helpful legal advice.


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Clark & Washington Offers Free Consultation with Tampa Bankruptcy Lawyer

Source: http://www.finance4noobs.com/clark-washington-offers-free-consultation-with-tampa-bankruptcy-lawyer-2/

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