| Bush Ignores Afghan School Violence
The security is going from bad to worse, especially in the south and the east," said Abdul Kaiyoom, 47, who works for Afghanistan's Education Ministry. "International forces have very modern equipment, but the Taliban have a heavy influence in the outlying areas, and they are taking territory from the government." Bush said the sending of an additional 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan _ a decision made just this month _ would help continue the country's successes. But in reality, it came only after U.S. officials couldn't persuade other NATO countries to send more soldiers to bolster the 28,000 U.S. forces already there. "Thanks to the courage of these military and civilian personnel, a nation that was once a safe haven for al-Qaida is now a young democracy where boys and girls are going to school, new roads and hospitals are being built, and people are looking to the future with new hope," Bush said.
Teen's desire to help leads to 'Hey Jude' variety show
One Valley High School senior has grown weary of the bad things happening around the world and decided to do something to help others.
Anna Okulist of West Des Moines is throwing a benefit concert later this month to benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
"With all the turmoil going on in the world, I wanted to do something that would make a positive, lasting impact on society and future generations," she said. "I haven't known any St. Jude patients personally but I can't imagine a better cause than helping a child overcome a disease that cannot be readily cured or prevented." .
MMNA workers may not get pay cut back
NORMAL — Continued financial problems at Normal's Mitsubishi Motors North America plant may mean union workers will not see an expected boost on their paychecks this spring.Mitsubishi management last week asked its union to consider a lump-sum payment instead of a previously agreed-upon $4.03 hourly wage restoration planned for April, according to news posted on United Auto Workers Local 2488's Web site.The notice says the proposal calls for associates to be given a single payment that would be the equivalent of wage restorations earned from April 7 to Aug. 28. For an employee working a 40-hour week, the payment would equal nearly $3,400.UAW Local 2488 members approved wage and benefit cuts in September 2006 in exchange for a promise of no involuntary layoffs though August — when the union contract also expires — and a commitment to redesign the Galant for 2009.Union President Ralph Timan declined comment Thursday.
Oliver's Twist: A year of sports horrors, except in San Antonio
For sports fans, the temptation is to brush away 2007 like so much lint off a lapel. To look back over the past 12 months is to survey an athletic landscape littered with enough lunacy, wrongdoing and downright moral ineptitude to leave us cowering behind our couches. All too often, the scariest thing on television was SportsCenter, which dedicated more time to law and order than TNT. On the calendar, it became the Year of the Boor, including Tim Donaghy, Michael Vick, Floyd Landis, Marion Jones, Pacman Jones, O.J. Simpson and Don Imus among a list of louts no Mitchell Report could hold. In the wake of all of it, we found ourselves yearning for the good old days when Janet Jackson's boob was the only thing we had to fear. In total, the blood and bedlam outranked the balls and bats, and even the most ardent among the masses turn toward 2008 with forced optimism.
Radio & TV Talk
TBS, which aired its final local Braves game Sunday, will keep airing weekly Sunday baseball games and some playoff games while Peachtree TV will air 45 Braves games next year. For folks with rabbit ears, this means no more TBS but Peachtree TV will offer up many of the same sitcoms, mostly at different times e.g. "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," "King of Queens," "Friends," "Family Guy," "The Steve Harvey Show" and "Seinfeld." "Sex & the City" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" air on WATL-TV so Peachtree couldn't pick those up. You'll miss early 90s cheesefest sitcom "Saved by the Bell," which airs from 7 to 9 a.m. weekday mornings on TBS. If you have Comcast Cable, no worries. While Channel 7 becomes Peachtree, Channel 39 is going to take the nataional TBS feed.
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