Backdoor Man

Backdoor Man

AMY TAUBIN ON LARRY CLARK AND DESTRICTED

THE PROVERBIAL casting couch is the central object in Larry Clark's Impaled, the most compelling of the seven short films in the "art-porn" compilation Destricted (screening May 13 and 17 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music). The other contributors to this not-altogethernovel omnibus are Marina Abramovic, Matthew Barney, Marco Brambilla, Caspar No�, Richard Prince, and Sam Taylor-Wood. Barney's deluxe depiction of his cherished subject-the hydraulics of male sexuality-is his most succinct and therefore hilarious cinematic work to date. Abrarnovic's ribald, Slavic fertility rite is notable for being the only segment in which …

EU leaders, wary of public doubts and 'green' concerns, to sign bloc's new treaty

European Union leaders gathered in Lisbon on Thursday to sign a new treaty they say is a milestone in the bloc's history.

The signing was taking place, however, amid complaints that the heads of government were not planning to hold referendums on the document, and accusations about environmental damage they were causing by flying to a two-hour ceremony.

The Lisbon Treaty, endorsed by the EU's 27 leaders two months ago after years of unease among Europeans about how much sovereignty they should surrender to a centralized administration, replaces a thwarted project to establish a European Constitution.

The treaty scraps the system under which the …

That's the way Chicago crumbles

'Welcome to Earth: population zero," announces "Life After People," a History Channel series with one mission: to freak you out. Tonight's episode focuses on what would happen to London, Atlanta and Chicago if humankind were to suddenly disappear.

(Hint: cannibal pigs.)

The Chicago portion of the 9 p.m. show is eerily realistic, maybe because producers had such a conveniently close case study. They looked to a once-thriving, now-abandoned section of Gary as what could happen to another lakeside city in a short amount of time. The narrator sternly calls Gary "the Pompeii of the Midwest."

The question "Well, what happened to the people?" is never addressed, and it's …

Banking on an Outsider: Implications for Escalation Control in South Asia

The potential for confrontation between India and Pakistan continues to worry many around the world. The two nuclear powers are highly crisis prone; they have been embroiled in at least three major crises since they declared their nuclear weapons capabilities to the world in 1998. Over the past decade, terrorism on Indian soil has become the number one trigger for Indian-Pakistani crises. The threat still remains clear and present. Prior crises were initiated due to provocative posturing (1987) and even confusion and misperception (1990). These also remain plausible drivers of the next crisis.1

Each Indian-Pakistani crisis implies increased tensions, tit-for-tat brinkmanship, and …

ABC Expands Programs Dubbed in Spanish

PASADENA, Calif. - Coming soon to a small screen near you: "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," and "Lost" - in Spanish.

ABC is expanding its number of programs dubbed into Spanish, including those hits along with "Dancing With the Stars," "George Lopez" and the new Latino comedy "Ugly Betty."

The rest of the network's regular prime-time entertainment lineup will be available with Spanish language …

Postseason NHL Schedule

N.Y. Rangers 4, Washington 3

Saturday, April 18

N.Y. Rangers 1, Washington 0

Monday, April 20

Washington 4, N.Y. Rangers 0

Wednesday, April 22

N.Y. Rangers 2, Washington 1

Friday, April 24

Washington 4, N.Y. Rangers 0

Sunday, April 26

Washington 5, N.Y. Rangers 3

Tuesday, April 28

Washington 2, N.Y. Rangers 1, Washington wins series 4-3

___

New Jersey vs. Carolina

Wednesday, April 15

New Jersey 4, Carolina 1

Friday, April 17

Carolina 2, New Jersey 1, OT

Sunday, April 19

…

CHA Ripped As Searches Continue

The Chicago Housing Authority conducted more warrantless searchesof residents' apartments Friday, announcing the seizure of 14 gunsand many rounds of ammunition this week that they said proved theneed for such searches.

Many residents and the American Civil Liberties Union condemnedthe searches, which were initiated without the sanction of a federaljudge.

Some residents, however, said they didn't mind.

The CHA is under a 1989 consent decree governing the so-calledemergency security sweeps. The consent decree stems from aclass-action suit against the agency.

"We consider this an action very similar to bomb threats fromterrorists," CHA Chairman …

Syrian TV: Army has begun operations in north town

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian state television says the army has begun operations in a restive northern town near the Turkish border.

The government says the operation aims to restore security in Jisr al-Shughour, where authorities say 120 officers and security personnel were killed by "armed groups" last week.

A Syrian reporter accompanying the …

Kenya police criticized for losing terror suspect

A senior immigration official says the Kenyan police should explain how an Australian terror suspect handed to them by immigration investigators escaped from their custody.

The official said Monday that the man, Hussein Hashi Farah _ identified as an Australian national of Somali origin _ was arrested at the Kenya and Uganda border March 9 because he was on an international watch-list.

…

Elgin man gets 75 years for killing niece

A family left divided by the 1997 murder of Brittany Martinezreacted bitterly Wednesday as her uncle Edward Milka was sentenced to75 years for the slaying.

But family members were upset for opposite reasons.

Some, including Brittany's parents, said they can't accept anyprison sentence because they remain convinced that Milka, 24, didn'tabduct and kill the Elgin fifth-grader.

"I do feel my brother is 100 percent innocent," said WendiHowlett, Brittany's mother, vowing that she and other relatives wouldwork to reverse Milka's murder conviction. "I pray to God theAppellate Court listens to us, this gets overturned, and Eddie comeshome."

But other relatives, …

White, Carter lead No. 6 Aggies over Lamar, 83-58

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Tyra White scored 22 points, Sydney Carter added 14 and Adaora Elonu had 11 points and eight rebounds to lead defending national champion Texas A&M to an opening 83-58 win over Lamar on Saturday night.

White, Carter and Elonu are the three of 10 returning players from last year's 33-5 team that …

Spain leads Israel 2-0 in Davis Cup

David Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero both won their opening singles matches in straight sets Friday to give Spain a 2-0 lead over Israel in the Davis Cup semifinals.

Ferrer beat Harel Levy 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 on clay at the Torre Pacheco tennis club, and Ferrero defeated Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-2, 6-0.

Ferrer's accurate passing shots and consistent serve kept Levy off balance throughout the match, forcing the Israeli into making unforced errors.

"I was settled on the court without doing amazing things, but I'm thankful I didn't lose concentration," Ferrer said. "I'm glad to have secured the first point."

Spain was playing …

CRABB'S BOTTOM LINE

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PROS: A quality unit, the Dynapad's a good, albeit pricy, choicefo general-purpose pen-based compounting, but it can also substituteas a mainstream notebook computer when you add an optional keyboard.

CONS: Consider carefully whether you really need a pen-basedmachine, as the same money cna buy you a dandy color notebookcomputer, including Apple's new PowerBook 180c.

Advances in Fluidization and Fluid-Particle Systems

Fluidization is one of the chemical industries' essential processes, with a wide range of industrial applications. Advances in Fluidization and Fluid-Particle Systems continues AIChE's long commitment to charting significant fundamental breakthroughs in fluidization research and development, and innovative applications of new fluid flow technologies.

In 30 papers, representing the work of 90 researchers, the book explores such critical topics as: fluidization fundamentals; circulating fluidized beds; recent advances in fluid-particle separation; transport phenomena in fluid-particle systems; dynamics of particulate systems; micromechanics of fluid-particle systems; fluid-particle systems in the pharmaceutical industry; on-line particle sizing methods; and solids flow, handling, and processing. The volume includes an invited plenary paper by Ted M. Knowlton of PSRI in Chicago entitled, "Unique Problems and Solutions in Gas-Solids Flow." Knowlton's presentation, in the words of volume editor Desmond King, is "a thought-provoking review of some less than obvious aspects of standpipe flow."

1997 160pp Pub S-317

ISBN 0-8169-0742-0

Hardcover

North America: $80/International: $110

NFL suspends Saints' Nesbit

Saints left guard Jamar Nesbit has been suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL's policy on anabolic steroids and related substances, team officials said Tuesday.

Nesbit's suspension begins immediately. He is eligible to return to the Saints' active roster on Oct. 20, the day after the team's game against the Carolina Panthers.

"We are disappointed in the suspension of Jamar," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said in a statement. "We will support Jamar through this process and look forward to having him rejoin the team soon."

The 31-year-old Nesbit signed with the Saints in 2004 as a free agent. In his 10th season, Nesbit has played in 136 games.

China plans to step up fight against corruption

BEIJING (AP) — China's ruling Communist Party said Wednesday that it plans more inspections and supervision of officials as it battles corruption, a deep-rooted problem that has gotten worse and could threaten political stability.

The party will monitor the use of public vehicles and supervise officials' financial assets to curb and combat illegal financial activities, its vice chairman for discipline, Wu Yuliang, said at a news conference. Wu said widespread corruption was standing in the way of economic development.

China has launched numerous efforts to curb graft in recent years, but it remains common among Communist Party officials. Corruption is often a focus of protests by ordinary Chinese.

A central bank report released last week said thousands of corrupt officials have stolen more than $120 billion and fled overseas since the mid-1990s — with the U.S. a top destination.

But Chinese officials have since backed away from the report. Wu said the numbers in it were incorrect, though he added that China was "strengthening international cooperation in law enforcement to catch and prevent corrupt officials from fleeing abroad."

Wu said China is monitoring the overseas assets of officials and their movements to prevent corruption, but he did not give details on how much money has been stolen.

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to the issue of corrupt officials fleeing overseas," Wu said. "We have conducted many campaigns to catch those officials and return their money."

He said nearly 140,000 graft cases were filed in China in 2010 and that more than 146,000 people were punished in corruption cases.

K-State Pulls Away From Western Illinois

Kansas State could easily have two losses in its first three games. Freshman Michael Beasley is the reason the Wildcats are still undefeated.

Beasley scored 23 of his 28 points in the second half and had 22 rebounds, lifting 22nd-ranked Kansas State out of a sloppy first half to a 77-64 victory over Western Illinois on Saturday night.

Kansas State (3-0) was ranked in the preseason Top 25 (25th) for the first time since 1975-76, its first ranking of any kind since 1993, and moved up to 22nd based on a pair of wins the first week. But the Wildcats are young, with three freshmen starting, and have been inconsistent even in winning.

The Wildcats opened with an easy win over Sacramento State, then struggled for a 10-point victory over Division II Pittsburg State on Sunday, allowing the Gorillas to go on a 15-0 run to start the second half.

Kansas State had the same kind of trouble with Western Illinois (1-2), a team that's won only four of its 54 road games in four-plus years under coach Derek Thomas and was picked to finish eighth in the new Summit Conference.

The Wildcats, as expected against a weaker opponent, jumped out to an early 11-point lead, holding the Leathernecks to one field goal in the first five minutes.

Then the mistakes started.

A little sloppy ball handling, a few airballs and some defensive breakdowns, and it wasn't long before Western Illinois was back in it, pulling within 28-27 on David Dubois' breakaway layup late in the first half. The Leathernecks also held Kansas State to 35 percent shooting and swarmed Beasley with double and triple teams, holding him scoreless for the first 17 minutes.

Beasley hit a couple of shots in the closing minutes of the half, including a 3-pointer, and grabbed 10 rebounds, giving the Wildcats a 31-27 halftime lead. He kept it going after the break, scoring 15 points in the first 9 1/2 minutes of the second half.

Still, Kansas State had a hard time shaking Western Illinois, which seemed to gain confidence the longer the game stayed close.

It wasn't until the Wildcats picked up the defensive pressure and went on an 11-0 run midway through the second half that they pulled away for their fifth straight 3-0 start to a season.

Beasley has been the main reason Kansas State has pulled out the victories, averaging 30 points and 20 rebounds, including a Big 12 record 24 in his first college game, while shooting 75 percent from the floor.

APPLYING COMPOST BEFORE RAINY SEASON

More than 75 farms and vineyards in northern California are applying Four Course compost from San Francisco food residuals before winter rains. Says Kathleen Inman owner of Olivet Grange Vineyard: "It's important to get nutrients back into the soil after harvest for growing healthy grapes." Jepson Prairie Organics near Vacaville, California is delivering 150 cu yds of the special compost daily to growers. Contact Robert Reed at: rreed@norcalwaste.com.

Drew's new girl dumps him again

Just a week ago, Drew Peterson and his much younger fiancee were all lovey-dovey on the pages of People magazine. Then she walked out on him. Again.

Neighbors spotted 24-year-old Christina Raines packing up and leaving Peterson on Friday afternoon.

Peterson lent a hand as she moved out, neighbor Sharon Bychowski said.

Raines and her two small kids moved in with Peterson, 55, in January. Not long after, Raines' father, Ernie Raines, appeared on "Dr. Phil" to complain about his daughter's relationship with Peterson, whose third wife was killed and fourth wife disappeared.

After her father's TV appearance, Raines walked out on Peterson. Then, in February, Raines and her children went back. But the romance apparently could not survive.

Comment at suntimes.com.

Marshall holds off Old Dominion

Tirrell Baines scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help Marshall hold off Old Dominion in a 68-64 victory on Saturday.

The Thundering Herd (2-3), who never trailed in the second half, broke a 45-45 tie with 11:55 left in the game on a layup by Tyler Wilkerson. Marshall took its largest lead of the half at 63-58 on Markel Humphrey's 3-pointer with 2:52 remaining.

Darius James, who finished with 11 points, made a jumper to pull the Monarchs (1-3) within two points with 26 seconds left. The Thundering Herd went up 66-62 with 13 seconds remaining on two free throws by Shaquille Johnson, who finished with 10 points.

Old Dominion's Gerald Lee answered eight-seconds later with a layup. But Baines followed with two free throws to seal the victory for Marshall.

Ben Finney led Old Dominion with 16 points, while Lee had 10.