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In the second half, the …
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Mr. Mills attended Northwestern University at night, graduatingwith a business degree in 1939, while running his father's company.
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ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Ndamukong Suh picked up the loose ball and started strutting toward the end zone. Santana Moss hustled back to try to tackle him, but the Detroit defensive lineman spun around and calmly backpedaled across the goal line.
Nobody — least of all some little wide receiver — was going to stop Suh in this game.
"That's a big man, and he's an athlete," said Kyle Vanden Bosch, Suh's teammate. "I don't know many guys that could tackle him, let alone a receiver. It looked like a big kid against little kids on the playground."
It looked that way around the line of scrimmage too. Suh, Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril each had a pair of sacks, and the Detroit defensive line chased Donovan McNabb all over the field in the Lions' 37-25 win Sunday.
Detroit also held Washington to 80 yards rushing, and over half of that was by McNabb.
With the Lions ahead 28-25 late in the fourth quarter, McNabb was sacked on fourth down by Avril. After Detroit kicked a field goal, the Redskins put backup Rex Grossman in the game, and he immediately fumbled while being sacked by Vanden Bosch. Suh recovered and ran 17 yards for the touchdown that sealed the win.
His only mistake was starting his celebration a little too early, which could have led to a Leon Lett-style gaffe when Moss caught up to him, but the Washington receiver could only shove the 307-pound Suh along toward the end zone.
"If Moss is able to punch that ball and it goes through the end zone, that's a touchback and they have the ball on the 20," Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "That's a good learning experience for him. I doubt that will ever happen again."
The Lions finished with seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hurries, and it was a team effort, with the entire defensive line contributing.
"I personally don't think we blitzed very much," Suh said. "I think it was just an opportunity that we felt that we had great matchups up front and we played to those matchups. We did our game. We ran where we wanted to run, and they ended up working."
Detroit took Suh with the No. 2 pick in this year's draft, and he's made an immediate impact at defensive tackle with 6½ sacks in his first seven games. Schwartz cautioned that high sack totals are unusual for a defensive tackle, meaning Suh might not keep up this pace, but the rookie out of Nebraska appears to have a very bright future.
And he has plenty of help. Vanden Bosch has four sacks this season, while Avril and defensive tackle Corey Williams are also difficult to block.
Schwartz was an assistant with the Tennessee Titans when Jevon Kearse had 14½ sacks as a rookie in 1999, and Suh is off to that type of start.
"I think you can see some similarities with Ndamukong," Schwartz said. "He's in a scheme that fits his abilities very well. I think this was probably his best game as far as attacking."
As Suh becomes more comfortable, the coaching staff can be more flexible as it tries to keep offensive linemen off balance.
"We're doing a lot more with him in pass rush, moving him around," Schwartz said. "Second play of the game, we had him moved out playing defensive end — I think that he's good against the run, he's good against the pass."
After winning two games in the previous two seasons, the Lions (2-5) are finally showing signs that their rebuilding effort will pay dividends. In addition to drafting Suh, Detroit signed Vanden Bosch and traded for Williams last offseason. Avril was drafted by the Lions in the third round in 2008.
It's a promising blend of talent and experience that has helped Detroit record 23 sacks so far this season. The Lions finished with 26 all of last season and 30 in 2008.
"Our sack numbers were down the last few weeks, but we knew if we kept rushing the way we were rushing, we'd get that big payday," Vanden Bosch said. "Once we get a couple, it's kind of a feeding frenzy."
ABSTRACT
Problem: Taiji practice is known to have health benefits. As a therapeutic exercise, it may have potential applications in cardiopulmonary physical therapy (PT). Methods: To explore this possibility, a systematic critical review of the topic-related literature was conducted. Results: One hundred fifty-six original articles were examined, yielding 7 controlled clinical studies with primary relevance to cardiopulmonary practice. Critical review of these studies revealed that regular practice of taiji has potential cardiovascular benefits in the areas of improved submaximal activity tolerance, blood pressure control, and enhanced immune response. Discussion: Sufficient research evidence is available to explore programming options in PT cardiopulmonary practice. Additional potential applications may exist in the areas of pulmonary rehabilitation, peripheral vascular insufficiency, diabetic management, and early mobilization post medical or surgical event. Implications: Information presented should help inform PT clinicians of the potential benefits of integration of taiji practice with more traditional cardiopulmonary rehabilitative modalities. It also should provide impetus for innovational program planning and consideration of inclusion of taiji as a therapeutic exercise as part of professional or continuing education curricula.
INTRODUCTION
Research is emerging that substantiates what the Chinese have known for centuries: regular practice of taiji promotes health. Touted as the 'perfect exercise," it is safe; it is fun; it is social. Research supports that taiji practice has both physiologic and psychosocial benefits.2 As such, taiji may have potential physiotherapeutic applications in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and related cardiopulmonary physical therapy (PT) clinical practice. Featured media attention1 and medical research interest3 attest to the growing popularity of taiji in the Western world.
Taijiquan or T'ai Chi Chuan [translated as supreme ultimate boxing] encompasses both a profound and varied Chinese martial art and a health regimen with a common set of core principles, movements, and exercises.4 Taiji practice is recognized by its characteristic dance-like, slow, circular, fluid movement patterns. While there are a number of schools of taiji, health-promoting forms are distinguished from other taiji forms by the absence of explosive or high impact movements. In practice, movement sequences are combined into choreographed forms for group performance. Short-forms, combinations of 10 to 48 movements developed for easy learning, are generally derived from the longer forms such as the Yang-style 108 form.4
The corner stones of this soft (internal) art are rootedness (balance), connectedness (coordination), and centeredness (concentration and body awareness). The mental intention and the dynamic relationship between selective muscle relaxation and applied tension (the yin and yang of it) make taiji a mindful exercise. Many movement patterns or sequences have engaging descriptive names such as wave-hands-like-clouds, fair-maid-works-shuttle, and needle-at-sea-bottom. Others have animal reference, such as grasp-bird's-tail, snake-creeps-down, high-pat-on-horse, golden-rooster, stork-cools-wings, and mount-the-tiger. While still other movement names reflect martial arts origins, such as punch, heel kick, and double-strike-to-theears. Regardless of the individual movement name, when patterns are combined in a slow, flowing dance-like form, the activity is observed and experienced as aesthetically beautiful and mentally calming.5
PURPOSE
It is the intent of this paper to explore potential clinical applications of taiji as a therapeutic exercise. It offers a critical review of the literature, purposely limited to exploring therapeutic applications of taiji within a defined scope of physiotherapeutic cardiopulmonary clinical practice. For information on the breadth of research supporting therapeutic effect, interested clinicians are referred to a recent report published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.2 For information on psychological benefits of Taiji practice, interested clinicians are referred to a comprehensive literature review by Sandlund and Norlander.6
Information presented in the current report identifies the potential physiologic benefits of inclusion and integration of Taiji practice within more traditional cardiopulmonary rehabilitative interventions. Once informed, PT clinicians, program administrators, clinical researchers, and educators can make their own judgments as to the potential value of Taiji as an adjunct, complementary, or mainstream treatment option within their clinical practice and identify areas of application and evaluation focus.
THEORETICAL BASE
In traditional Chinese medicine, theoretical foundations for the therapeutic effects of taijiquan are explained holistically within the conceptual framework of freeing Qi or life energy.4,5 While the concept of Qi is fundamental to traditional Chinese medicine, it is a concept that is only peripherally explained in conventional Western medical theory. A bridge between the two seemingly disparate theoretical paradigms may be partially found in the field of psychoneuroimmunology7-9 which explains the phenomenon of the mind/body connection in healing and health maintenance.
In preparation for the ensuing discussion, some explanatory clarifications defining the similarities and differences between qi gong (also known as chi kung), hatha yoga, and taiji may be useful. Traditional hatha yoga is included in this discussion because, although East-Indian in origin,10 it is mindful exercise similar to qi gong and taiji. Qi gong, a part of traditional Chinese medicine, is an internal art used primarily to promote health and healing.11 Qi gong is integrated within Taiji practice but does not have origins in martial arts. Qi gong movement patterns and postures are designed to release the body's Qi, thus stimulating and restoring natural health and healing. Similar to qi gong , hatha yoga, compared to other forms of yoga, is generally practiced as an internal art with emphasis on posture, breathing, and relaxation. The definitive distinguishing characteristic of taiji from either qi gong or classical hatha yoga is that taiji is primarily a weight-bearing, dynamic-movement art. Neither taiji's origins as a martial art nor the religious or philosophical foundation of some styles of taiji have any primary relevance with regard to therapeutic effect.
METHODS
A systematic critical review of the topic-related literature was conducted. The search and selection process followed guidelines outlined by Ceyman, Deyo, and Ramsey12 and classifies level of evidence using the nomenclature of the Cochrane Collaboration (Level 1= randomized clinical trials (RCT), Level II = controlled clinical trials (CCT)). In early 2002, two concurrent and independent computerized searches of electronic databases were conducted. Electronic databases included MEDLINE and CINAHL accessed through both EBCOT and OVID search engines and PUBMED. Searches were limited by key words, 'Tai chi,' 'T'ai Chi,' 'Taiji,' 'cardiac,' 'respiratory,' 'pulmonary,' 'diabetes,' 'related topic words,' and 'English language.' Citation results of the searches were compared and combined to form a comprehensive bibliography. Then, identified article titles and abstracts were retrieved and screened for topic relevance and study independence. Only articles retrieved as full text publications were reviewed. The breadth and strength of research evidence was analyzed, and potential areas of physiotherapeutic application and future research were identified. Finally, research evidence was categorized as to level of evidence by research design. All studies meeting inclusion criteria of (a) being designed as either a RCT or a CCT, and (b) having direct relevance for health and wellness promotion or cardiopulmonary applications within the scope of physical therapy practice were critically analyzed. Ongoing surveillance of the body of published literature continued through article submission in July 2004. In discussion, the broader body of relevant research including both controlled, observational, and relevant scholarly discussions was addressed. Application focus is subcategorized as general health and wellness promotion and potential clinical applications.
RESULTS
Initial search of the literature identified over 300 citations. Following screening for study independence and potential relevance, 156 original articles (search activities concluded July 2004) were examined for level of evidence and contextual clinical relevance. Published reports (N=156) represented a diverse geographic distribution including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Israel, and South Korea. From this larger body of research, 7 Level I and Level II clinical studies13-19 were judged to meet selective inclusion criteria for critical review. In aggregate, a total of 412 subjects were observed. Clinical populations in the 7 studies, examined in the critical review, included community dwelling elders, individuals who had recently undergone coronary artery bypass grafting, individuals who recently experienced a myocardial infarct, and a cohort of individuals of Asian decent. Research questions examined immune response, activity tolerance, blood pressure management, home exercise persistence, and level of stress. Clinically significant evidence of physical and physiologic benefits was demonstrated in all 7 studies with no report of adverse response. Health benefits included improved management of hypertension, increased peak VO^sub 2^, evidence of reduced stress, and enhanced immune activity (Table 1).
DISCUSSION
General Health and Wellness Promotion Applications
The number one priority in the US national initiative, Healthy People 2010(20) is to promote fitness through practice of regular exercise among all Americans. Recently, at the 4th International Symposium on Chinese Elderly, Beijing, October 2003, this same priority was identified as the major strategy for promoting healthy aging and containing health care costs among our aging global populations.21 The benefits of regular exercise for general conditioning and health promotion are well known.22 While there are many exercise options for health and fitness available to the general public, finding health promoting and fitness exercise regimens that are safe for individuals with exercise precautions due to physical limitations is a challenge. An estimated 43 million Americans have arthritis.23 These individuals are often reluctant to or precluded from access to fitness programs designed for more robust populations. Taiji practice has been found to be safe and have health benefits for seniors,24,25 individuals with osteoarthritis,26 rheumatoid arthritis,27 and fibromyalgia.28
Clinical Applications
Evidence of cardiovascular effect
Regular practice of Taiji has been associated with positive cardiorespiratory physiologic benefits.29,30 Achievement of this effect is consistent with goals of health and wellness exercise initiatives. As recently as January 2004, Taylor-Piliae and Froelicher31 reported findings of a metaanalysis of clinical studies assessing effect of taiji practice on aerobic capacity. Their analysis concluded that taiji practice provides many of the benefits attributed to conventional forms of aerobic exercise. These authors noted that greatest benefits were observed from practice of classical Yang style4 taiji exercise when performed for 1 year by sedentary adults.
Evidence of cardiovascular effect has been demonstrated in a randomized clinical trial. Young et al15 found that older, sedentary, community dwellers exercising regularly by performing taiji, with mean exercising heart rate of 75 beats per minute, had similar beneficial cardiovascular responses related to decreased resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) (mean change -7.0 mm Hg for resting SBP) as compared to a comparison group, who participated in a walking program at a mean heart rate of 112 beats per minute (mean change -8.4 mm Hg for resting SBP). The observation that similar cardiovascular benefits could be achieved with a low intensity taiji activity, as compared to a moderate intensity walking program, is most intriguing and may challenge previous beliefs defining training effect exclusively as a product of a positive linear relationship between exercising heart rate and training effect. The size of this effect is considered clinically significant, and nearly double the mean change in SBP (4.44 mm/hg) reported in a meta-analysis32 of RCTs assessing the effect of weight loss on blood pressure.
Two recently published studies provide controlled research evidence that taiji practice is both safe and effective for subacute cardiac populations. In a pilot clinical study conducted in Taiwan,43 individuals who had recently undergone coronary bypass graft surgery were nonrandomly assigned to either a taiji practice group (n=9) or a home-based exercise group (n=11 ). Both groups had completed an aerobic cycling cardiac Phase II exercise program prior to study entry. Graded exercise tests, performed before and after 1 year of exercise training, found that those in the taiji group showed a statistically significant increase in VO^sub 2^ peak (10.3%) and peak work rate (11.9%), as compared to the control group where no significant changes for these variable were found.
A multiple group, randomized-controlled, 8-week study evaluating the effect of taiji practice for individuals with recent Ml conducted in the UK found significant trends in lowering of systolic blood pressure in both exercise groups (Taiji group: n=38; aerobic exercise group: n=41)6 Descriptive data analysis regarding rates of program adherence for the 8-week trial were notable. Program completion rates were significantly higher (p < .001) within the taiji group (82%) as compared to the aerobic group (73%), and lowest (8%) among the nonexercising cardiac support group.
Evidence of immune response effect
Enhancement of immune response through regular exercise performance is also a desired effect of health and fitness promotion. In 1990, Xusheng et al19 suggested an immune response effect related to Taiji practice. Confirming clinical evidence is just emerging. In 2003, Irwin et al12 reported that varicella zoster virus (VZV) specific, cellmediated immunity (CMI) increased nearly 50%, in a randomly assigned Taiji (TCC) group consisting of older subjects, who were considered at risk of developing shingles, as compared to demographically similar, waited-listed controls. Knowledge of this enhanced immune effect may have clinical significance for the elderly who naturally experience some decline in immune response, as well as immune-suppressed individuals, and those with immuneassociated diseases.
Potential clinical applications
Exercise is advocated as a therapeutic adjunct in the management of cardiac, pulmonary, peripheral vascular insufficiency, and diabetic conditions. In a case control study, delay of decline of microcirculation competence has been associated with regular taiji practice.33 This research conclusion has clinical implications for management of symptoms of intermittent claudication in peripheral vascular disease and diabetes. It has been suggested that taiji be considered as adjunct to traditional cardiac rehabilitation34,35 and for possible therapeutic use in individuals with congestive heart failure.35
Conclusions regarding therapeutic benefit common to both cardiac-based clinical trials14,16 are confirming evidence that Taiji is a safe, effective, low intensity alternative exercise regime with applications in cardiac rehabilitation. Similar to cardiac rehabilitation, guidelines for pulmonary rehabilitation identify general conditional exercises as part of conventional protocol.36 Although primary research is not yet available, it is logical to propose that individuals who are referred for pulmonary rehabilitation, exercise programs to assist in diabetic management and those with peripheral vascular insufficiency may benefit from taiji practice. Further, the potential immune enhancing effect combined with evidence of conditioning effect suggests that taiji or taiji-like exercises may also have utility in early rehabilitation post a major medical to surgical event. These propositions provide a measure of justification for future research.
Exercise adherence
Client willingness to follow therapeutic management recommendations and exercise regimen adherence are integral components to treatment efficacy.37 Adherence to exercise prescription and medically recommended home exercise regimen have been found to be disappointingly low in both cardiac and diabetic populations, with 1-year adherence rates reported to be as low as 10% and rarely above 50%.38 Three factors identified with exercise adherence that exist in taiji programming are expectation of benefit, self-efficacy, and social cohesion.39 The fact that individuals who engage in taiji practice are observed to gain therapeutic effect, combined with knowledge of empirical evidence that individuals chose to persist in their taiji exercising is consistent with the proposition that mind-body exercises such as tai chi are consistent with a philosophy of disease management focus on self-efficacy and decreased health care use.40 The combination of therapeutic effect and empowerment makes the option of taiji practice within conventional cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs an intriguing one. The same reasoning supports potential applications in diabetic management.
IMPLICATIONS
While clinical research assessing therapeutic effects of taiji practice is growing rapidly, the major demand for taiji programming appears to be coming from sources other than the medical community: from community-center programming coordinators, from administrators of multi-level health care residences, and from individuals with health and exercise challenges. Critical analysis of clinical research reveals strong evidence of the effectiveness of regular taiji practice as a therapeutic modality for both health and fitness promotion and cardiovascular clinical applications. While the existing research supports use of taiji as a therapeutic exercise, knowledge of prescriptive and predictive validity is sparse. Many research questions remain unaddressed.
If taiji programming is increasingly accepted as adjunct to traditional therapies, the salient questions become: Who will deliver this complementary form of health care service? Is there a role for traditional Taiji instructors as health providers? And, is there a provider role for physical therapists as taiji instructors?
The Role of the Taiji Instructor
It is reasonable to believe that taiji was brought to the US with the first Chinese immigrants. However for many decades, taiji remained insulated within the Chinese community. It wasn't until the 1950s that master Taii instructors were known to share their knowledge with Westerners. A small cadre of Western taiji practitioners and instructors began to develop in the 1960s and 1970s, under the expert guidance of Cheng Man Qing, a renowned taiji master who emigrated from mainland China to the US. This core along with other taiji instructors, who either learned from masters or were themselves masters who immigrated to the US, are responsible for the majority of the current generation of taiji instructors in the US.
Opinions differ as to how long it takes to develop a taiji student into a teacher of taiji. There is an expectation of mastery of basic forms necessary for teaching demonstration and student correction. This mastery is important because the elicitation of therapeutic effect is thought to lie in the proper execution of the basic exercises.42 While students of taiji are often encouraged to share their knowledge with others, and short seminar courses introducing taiji as a therapeutic exercise option are available for health professionals, the consensus among expert taiji instructors is that instructor training time may range from 5 to 8 years.43 Efforts to validate teaching competence among taiji instructors are in progress but logistically difficult. While national and international taiji organizations exist, there is no single unifying body. As the public becomes more aware of the health benefits of taiji, not only the number, but more clinically meaningful, the demographics of individuals seeking taiji instruction may change from predominantly healthy individuals to individuals with some exercise precautions. This phenomenon further complicates the problem of identifying taiji instructors who are not only skilled in the art of taiji, but also competent to work with special needs' populations.
Exemplary models of adapted programs offered by traditional taiji instructors do exist.44,45 Programming has also originated from medical personnel. Dr. Paul Lam, from Australia is well-known for his work in adapted taiji programming to promote health.46 Dr. Lam's work includes offering seminars to prepare taiji instructors to lead adaptive programs. He has also authored and produced a number of videos specifically designed for individuals with clinical pathology including individuals with arthritis and individuals with diabetes. (For more information go to https://www.taichiproductions.com; accessed July 22, 2004.)
The Role of the Physical Therapist
Included in the definition of practice of Physical Therapy, as defined by the Model Definition of Physical Therapy (PT) for State Practice Acts, 1995, is care provided to ... promoting and maintaining fitness, health,... (Adopted by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA Board of Directors in March 1995 (BOD 03-95-24-64)). The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice (APTA 2001 )47 identifies cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation within established PT diagnostic practice patterns. As specialists in therapeutic exercise, physical therapists rank foremost among traditional health care providers as the discipline that could most easily integrate taiji exercises in their health and wellness and cardiopulmonary clinical practice. However, competence as a taiji instructor for health and wellness programming is not identified by the PT profession as an entry-level skill, and the profession does not have a designated section or Interest Croup in complementary and alternative health that might serve as a catalyst for educational and research initiatives.
The Ideal verses The Feasible
The ideal may be to have therapeutic Taiji programs delivered either by physical therapists cross-trained as a Taiji instructors or Taiji instructors cross-trained as a physical therapists. The obvious barrier to this proposition is that each respective training is extensive, and though highly desirable, the combination of the two competencies in one health care provider may be rare in practice. The feasible alternative may be to have collaboration for program development and continuing education between 2 disciplines (East meets West).
CONCLUSION
The demand for taiji programming as an exercise option is likely to escalate as evidence-based knowledge of the benefits of taiji is more broadly disseminated. While not exhaustive, there is sufficient research evidence supporting Taiji as a beneficial component in health and wellness promotion and having utility within the defined clinical scope of cardiopulmonary PT practice. There is preliminary controlled clinical evidence supporting the inclusion of taiji programming in cardiac rehabilitation. There is rationale for the evaluation of the benefits of taiji in pulmonary rehabilitation, peripheral cardiovascular insufficiency, diabetic management, and as part of early mobilization post major medical or surgical events. As proclaimed specialists in therapeutic exercise, physical therapists are in a unique position to explore integration of taiji into traditional practice. Interested PTs and PT educators should benefit from collaboration with taiji masters who are able and willing to integrate both Eastern and Western approaches to health and health care. Further, in planning research and considering expanding clinical practice and professional education into this area, it is imperative that new programming be delivered by competent instructors, and that any innovative programming be systematically evaluated for effect and utility.
[Reference]
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25. Chen WW, Sun WY. Tai Chi Chuan, an alternative form of exercises for health promotion and disease prevention for older adults in the community. Int'l Quart Comm Hlth Educ. 1997;16(4) 333-339.
26. Taylor SK. T'ai chi for chronic pain and arthritis. Techniques in Orthopaedics. 2003;1 8(1 ):110-114.
27. Kirsteins A, Dietz F, Hwang S. Evaluating the safety and potential use of a weight-bearing exercise, Tai Chi Chuan, for rheumatoid arthritis patients. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1991;70(3):136-141.
28. Taggart HM, Arsianian CL, Bae S, Singh K. Effects of T'ai Chi exercise on fibromyalgia symptoms and health-related quality of life. Orthop Nurs. 2003;22 (50):353-360.
29. Lai J, Wong M, Lan C, Chong C, lien I. Cardiorespiratory responses of Tai Chi Chuan practitioners and sedentary subjects during cycle ergometry. J Formos Med Assoc. 1993;92:894-899.
30. Lai J, Lan C, Wong M, Teng S. Two-year trends in cardiorespiratory function among older Tai Chi Chuan practitioners and sedentary subjects. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1995;43(11):1222-1227.
31. Neter J E, Stam BE, Kok FJ, Grobbee DE, Geleijnse JM. Influence of weight reduction on blood pressure: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Hypertension. 2003;42(5):878-884.
32. Taylor-Piliae, RN, Froelicher, ES. The effectiveness of tai chi exercise in improving aerobic capacity: A metaanalysis. J Cardiovascular Nursing. 2004;19(1):48-57.
33. Wang J, Lan C, Wong M. Tai Chi Chuan Training to enhance microcirculation function in healthy elderly men. Arch Phys Med Rehabii. 2001 ;82:11 76-1180.
34. Taylor-Piliae, RE. Tai Chi as an adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation exercise training. J Cardiopul Rehabii. 2003;23(2):90-96.
35. Humphrey R. Tai chi in cardiac rehabilitation. J Cardiopul Rehabii. 2003;23(2):97-99.
36. Fontana JA, Colella C, Baas LS, Ghazi F. T'ai Chi Chih as an intervention for heart failure. Nurs Clin N Am. 2000;35(4):1031-1047.
37. Filip J, McGilien C, Mosca L. Patient preferences for cardiac rehabilitation and desired program elements. J Cardiopul Rehabii. 1999;19(6):339-343.
38. Woodard CM, Berry MJ. Enhancing adherence to prescribed exercise: Structured behavioral interventions in clinical exercise programs, j Cardiopul Rehabii. 2001;21(4):201 -209.
39. Kutner NG, Barnhart H, Wolf SL, McNeely E, Xu T. Self-report benefits of Tai Chi practice by older adults. J Gerontology. 1997;52B(5):242-246.
40. Lacasse Y, Guyatt GH, Goldstein RS. The components of a respiratory rehabilitation program: A systematic overview. Chest. 1997;111 (4): 1077-1088.
41. La Forge R. Mind-body fitness: Encouraging prospects for primary and secondary prevention. J Cardiovascular Nurs. 1997;11(3):53-65.
42. Ng KT. Cardiopulmonary exercise: A recently discovered secret of tai chi. Hawaii Med j. 1992;51 (8):21 6-217.
43. Rice P. Closing remarks [presentation] A Taste of China: Taijiquan Teachers Exchange Weekend. Douglassville, Pa; Oct 24-26, 2003.
44. Calkins J. Taiji and Parkinson's. [presentation] A Taste of China: Taijiquan Teachers Exchange Weekend. Douglassville, Pa; Oct 24-26, 2003.
45. Briggs N. Teachers Exchange & Success Stories, [presentation] A Taste of China: Taijiquan Teachers Exchange Weekend. Douglassville, Pa; Oct 24-26, 2003.
46. Lam P. New horizons...developing tai chi for health care. Australian Family Physician. 1998;27(1/2):100-101.
47. American Physical Therapy Association. Guide to Physical Therapist Practice. 2nd ed. Alexandria, Va: American Physical Therapy Association; 2001.
[Author Affiliation]
Penelope J. Klein, PT, EdD,1 William Adams, BA2
1 Associate Professor, D'Youville College, Buffalo NY
2 Taiji Master, Bill Adams Martial Arts and Fitness Centers, Elma, NY
[Author Affiliation]
Address correspondence to: Penelope J Klein, PJ, EdD, Associate Professor, D'Youville College, 320 Porter Ave, Buffalo NY 14201, (716) 515-0618 (kleinpj@dyc.edu).
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. Donald Trump owes $3.2 billion to banks,$69.5 million to contractors who helped build the Taj Mahal casinoand is involved in 111 court cases, according to documents releasedWednesday.
The documents also reveal that several of Trump's marqueeproperties, including the Taj Mahal and the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan,may be worth hundreds of millions of dollars less than he claims.
The asset analysis by the firm Kenneth Leventhal & Co. was amongdocuments released by the state Casino Control Commission in advanceof hearings today and tomorrow over a $65 million rescue plan Trumpreached with creditors in June.
The papers - which Trump unsuccessfully fought to keep private -give some of the most detailed information yet about the troubleddeveloper's holdings and the rescue plan.
They also cover such matters as lawsuits and other court actionby aggrieved parties ranging from his estranged wife Ivana to the NewJersey State Funeral Directors.
Under the rescue plan, Trump gave up substantial control of hisreal estate and hotel empire in exchange for a debt restructuringthat kept his holdings out of bankruptcy.
Leventhal's report, based on figures as of April 30, said Trumpcontrolled $4.6 billion in assets with a market value of $3.7 billionto $3.9 billion and a short-term liquidation value of $2.9 billion to$3.5 billion.
The documents state that Trump has outstanding debts of $3.2billion to lending institutions, including $933 million to Citibank.
Trump already has pledged his three Atlantic City casinos -Trump Castle, the Taj Mahal Casino Resort and Trump Plaza Hotel andCasino - as collateral for new loans granted under the rescue plan.
Trump put up his equity in the Taj Mahal as a guarantee of anexisting $75 million loan by First Fidelity Bancorp.; his equity inTrump Castle to secure an existing $13 million loan by MidlanticBank; and his equity in Trump Plaza to secure a $19.6 million letterof credit from National Westminster Bancorp.
Trump spokesman Norma Foerderer said Trump would have no commenton the documents.
The major assets listed by Trump, with the value he assigns tothem, the going market rate estimated by Leventhal and the short-termliquidation value estimated by Leventhal were: Taj Mahal and adjacent land: $1.06 billion, $767.5 million, and$740.7 million. Trump Plaza, the land under it and the adjacent land: $647.8million, $555.2 million to $655.2 million, and between $412.4 millionand $642.4 million. Trump Castle: $571.5 million, $400 million to $460 million, and $300million to $350 million. The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan: $830 million, $450 million to $550million, and $413.2 million to $500 million. The Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan: $150 million, $90 million to$110 million, and $80 million to $100 million. The Trump Shuttle airline: $340 million, $340 million, and $150million to $300 million.
Trump also owes $69.5 million to 253 subcontractors who workedon the Taj Mahal.
World stock markets rallied Thursday on hopes that the global economy will recover faster than expected and that Europe's banks are healthier than previously feared.
The International Monetary Fund raised its 2010 world growth forecast to 4.6 percent from 4.2 percent previously and boosted estimates for the United States and China.
In Europe, the European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged at a record low and said economic growth was continuing, although at an uneven pace because of the debt crisis.
Crucially, finance stocks rallied after the committee subjecting some of Europe's biggest banks to stress tests said it has widened the factors aimed at determining their financial health. That reinforced confidence in the results, which will be published later this month.
Britain's FTSE 100 was up 1.9 percent at 5,111.20 and Germany's DAX was 0.8 percent higher at 6,043.33. France's CAC-40 rose 1.7 percent to 3,534.15.
Banks were among the biggest gainers, with Barclays up 4.4 percent, Deutsche Bank gaining 3.8 percent and Societe Generale rising 2.9 percent. Mining and oil shares also rose strongly, helped by higher commodity prices.
Asian stocks closed sharply higher and Wall Street gained on the open after surging the previous day _ the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.8 percent to 10,096.00. The Standard & Poor's 500 was up 0.8 percent at 1,068.18.
In its report, the IMF warned that the European debt crisis could pose a risk to global growth but said a return to recession was unlikely. In fact, strong growth in developing economies and improvements in the U.S. would outpace a stagnation in Europe, which will be hit by painful austerity cuts.
The forecast, along with a strong profit forecast by State Street bank in the U.S. helped boost confidence in the upcoming corporate earnings season.
U.S. economic data also proved somewhat more encouraging. Initial jobless claims fell to their lowest levels since early May last week, a breath of relief for markets after a string of disappointing U.S. economic data in recent weeks.
In Europe, investors were also heartened by a report on the criteria to be used in the bank stress tests. The results, which are to be published July 23, will cover 91 banks, which represent 65 percent of the European banking sector. Some traders speculate that the banks will prove more resilient than many currently fear.
The European Central Bank, meanwhile, broadly met expectations when it left its monetary policies unchanged and said it welcomed the publication of the stress tests.
Although President Jean-Claude Trichet at a press conference dodged most questions about the test results, he said the eurozone economy is expected to keep growing at "a moderate and still uneven pace."
Earlier, the Bank of England had also announced it had left its interest rates unchanged, as widely expected.
Further boosting European stocks on Thursday was official data showing a strong rise in industrial production, imports and exports in Germany, Europe's biggest economy. The figures for May suggest industry is eagerly importing materials necessary for production and that exporters continue to benefit from a weak euro.
In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index jumped 2.8 percent to 9,535.74 and South Korea's Kospi added 1.4 percent to 1,698.64. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 2.4 percent to 4,356.70.
Elsewhere, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 1 percent to 20,050.50. Benchmarks in Singapore, Indonesia, India and Taiwan were also higher while China's Shanghai Composite Index dropped slightly.
In currencies, the dollar rose to 88.44 yen from 87.76 yen in New York late Wednesday. The euro climbed to $1.2687 from $1.2633.
Benchmark crude for August delivery was up $1.52 cents to $75.59 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $2.09 to settle at $74.07 on Wednesday.
___
Associated Press researcher Bonnie Cao in Beijing contributed to this report.
UNEMPLOYMENT UP: The Labor Department said unemployment rates rose in 28 states and Washington, D.C., last month, reflecting a weaker economy hampered by high gas prices and lower factory output.
FEWER DECLINES: Unemployment rates declined in eight states and were flat in 14. That's a change from May, when 24 states reported falling unemployment rates.
LAYOFFS AND WEATHER: Companies are cutting their work forces, governments are slashing budgets and harsh weather has negatively impacted some states. Tennessee and Missouri were hit by flooding and tornadoes, which might have contributed to steep job losses there.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Austrian was killed and an American was seriously wounded after their convoy of security contractors was hijacked in southern Iraq, an Iraqi police officer said Friday.
The body of the Austrian hostage was brought to a morgue in the city of Basra at 2:30 p.m. Friday, and the wounded American captive was taken there so he could be transferred to a British military hospital, the Basra officer said on condition of anonymity out of concern for his own security.
In Vienna, Astrid Harz, a spokeswoman for the Austrian foreign ministry, confirmed that a 25-year-old Austrian male from Upper Austria had been kidnapped when the Crescent Security Group convoy was hijacked in southern Iraq on Thursday. However, she could not confirm that he had been killed.
U.S. officials could not immediately be contacted about the report that the American had been wounded.
A total of five Crescent Security Group workers - an Austrian and four Americans - were taken hostage from the convoy, but nine other civilian employees from Asian countries such as India, Pakistan and the Philippines were released by the captors, the company said.
When the 78th Bud Billiken Day Parade passes down King Drive Aug. 11, ABC 7 Chicago will present the historic pageant live, in high definition starting at 10 a.m.
ABC 7 co-hosts Cheryl Burton, Jim Rose, and Bill Campbell will be joined in the broadcast booth by The Color Purple's Felicia Fields.
ABC 7's Karen Jordan will also be a part of the festivities, checking out the action along the parade route. In addition, members of the ABC 7 news team including Linda Yu, Hosea Sanders, Charles Thomas, and Stacey Baca will ride atop the station's colorful float. Beloved Disney characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse will serve as the parade's Grand Marshals.
With more than a million people participating and watching, the Bud Billiken Day Parade is the largest African American parade and the second largest overall moving pageant in the country. Recognized as a day of family fun and celebration, the parade has become an anticipated cultural event in the Chicago area.
The Bud Billiken Day Parade moves down Martin Luther King Drive from 39th Street south into Washington Park and concludes at 55th Street.
ABC 7's broadcast of the Bud Billiken Day Parade is available on-demand at abc7chicago.com.
Johnathan Rodgers, CEO of TV ONE, said the network will air the parade at 3 p.m. Saturday and will have an encore showing of the Bud Billiken Day Parade Sunday at 1 p.m.
Since its inception, individuals and organizations have provided several version concerning Bud Billiken's origin, however, historical facts from the actual pages indicate that Bud Billiken first began as a children's club.
As indicated also by Dr. Marjorie Stewart Joyner in the pages of the Chicago Defender, the parade began when Defender editor founder, Robert S. Abbott, re-ceived many responses from children and youth concerning their interest in the paper.
He brought the correspondence to his managing editor asking how the Chicago Defender could develop the youthful interest. The two editors then decided to establish a children's page that would provide enthusiastic interest for them.
On his desk, the managing editor saw the name 'Billiken' written on a paper weight and coupled that with his nick-name Bud. He learned that Billiken is a Chinese derivative of a god that served as an interest and protection to children. Then the Bud Billiken Club was developed which became a special page in the Chicago Defender.
The response was tremendous. Eventually parties and small parades began in various cities.
In 1929, the Chicago Defender inaugurated a special day and parade that moved down Michigan Avenue at first and then changed to what was then known as South Parkway, now Martin Luther King Dr.
Over the years, Bud Billiken Day developed into one of Chicago's most significant cultural events.
Great entertainers, movie stars and political - as well as important individuals - became involved.
Author and Realtor Dempsey Travis wrote about the Chicago Defender News Boys Band that was organized by Major Nathaniel Clark Smith who developed one of the most tremendous marching units Chicago and other cities had ever witnessed.
Their dynamic marching precision was fabulous and crowds thrilled to their fantastic music. Major Smith developed giants of jazz musicians.
He was one of the significant legendary personalities who was associated with the Chicago Defender and the Bud Billiken Day Parade inspired artistic participants as it developed throughout its 78 years.
AU participants stepped elegantly with pride beneath the brilliant rays of the lustrous sun.
[Author Affiliation]
by Earl Calloway
Defender Staff Writer
The last remaining U.S. independent counsel, David Barrett, afterspending $21 million over 10 years, on Jan. 12 finally will closedown his investigation of former Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros'lying to FBI investigators about hush money paid to an ex-mistress.The political significance is that the Barrett report's shockingallegations of high-level corruption in the IRS and JusticeDepartment are likely to be concealed from the public and fromCongress.
A recently passed appropriations bill, intended to permit releaseof this report, was altered behind closed doors to ensure that itspolitically combustible elements never saw the light of day. But ifthat happens, Republican Sen. Charles Grassley will still try toforce its release. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee withoversight of the IRS, he wants the first real investigation of thetax agency.
That investigation would be a long walk into the unknown, withpossibly far-reaching consequences. Prominent Democrats in Congresshave spent much of the last decade in a campaign to suppressBarrett's report. Its disclosures could dig deeply into concealedClinton administration scandals. These vital considerations, not themere continuation of a $58-an-hour independent counsel position, iswhy Republican lawyer Barrett for a decade would not close down hisprosecutor's office.
If this were just about one politician's illicit love life ruininghis political career, Barrett would have ended his operation longago. But an IRS whistleblower told Barrett of an unprecedentedcoverup. The informant said a regional IRS official had formulated anew rule enabling him to transfer an investigation of Cisneros toWashington to be buried by the Justice Department. Barrett'sinvestigators found Lee Radek, head of Justice's public integrityoffice, determined to protect President Bill Clinton.
That triggered intensive efforts to get rid of Barrett andsuppress his report by three of the toughest Democrats in Congress:Sen. Carl Levin, Sen. Byron Dorgan and Rep. Henry Waxman. At the sametime, the powerhouse Washington law firm of Williams & Connolly --representing not only Cisneros but also the Clintons -- was filingmultiple suits with federal appellate judges supervising theindependent counsel.
The sympathetic judges sealed everything concerned with the case,including the report. Barrett was instructed to remain deathly silenton pain of criminal prosecution. Yet Levin, as ranking Democrat of aSenate oversight committee, eight years ago gained access to the rawdata of Barrett's prosecutorial effort after requesting it in a Nov.20, 1997, letter to the judges.
Barrett's 120-page report is followed by a 500-page appendix withmore than 2,500 footnotes. Grassley thought he had an agreement withDorgan to amend the Treasury appropriations bill to close downBarrett's office and publicly release "all portions of the finalreport" except for any "clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy."
But Grassley is not an appropriator, and Democrats in the Senate-House appropriations conference slipped through a critical change.The final language authorized the judges "to protect the rights ofany individual named" in the report. With two out of three judges ona three-judge panel inclined to the Democrats, that means hardly anyof Barrett's allegations will remain in the report made public. Thebill was passed by Congress on Nov. 18 and signed into law Nov. 30.
GOP congressional sources expect Section B of the report, dealingwith the allegations of IRS-Justice corruption, to be eliminatedentirely. The rest of the report will be so heavily redacted to obeythe new congressional language that it will be of scant interest.This long battle to keep Barrett away from opening a probe into whatreally happened in the Clinton administration then will have appearedto have been concluded with an unconditional victory.
But maybe not. Chuck Grassley is a stubborn Iowa farmer who oftendrives the White House and Republican leaders to distraction. He hassaid that if the Barrett report finally emerges as a mutilatedremnant in order to protect the IRS, he will press for legislation tochange that. It may be the last hope for the truth to emerge.
e-mail: novakevans@aol.com
Witnesses have told a House committee it is up to Congress to stop other countries from shipping their radioactive waste to the United States.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission official Margaret Doane told lawmakers Friday the agency has no choice but to permit private companies to import waste, so long as they meet safety and security standards and there is an appropriate place to put it.
At issue is 20,000 tons of low-level radioactive waste from Italy's nuclear reactor cleanups that a U.S. company wants to process in state of Tennessee and then bury in the state of Utah.
It is the most waste the NRC has ever been asked to allow into the U.S. Doane said there are also applications to import waste from Brazil and Mexico for disposal in Utah.
In early 1970, Mr. Pierre Elliott Trudeau, then Prime Minister of Canada, asked me to chair the Canadian Council for Physical Fitness and Amateur Sports. After conducting some research, the Council was shocked to discover that Canada was ranked one of the lowest countries in the world in terms of the degree of physical fitness of its citizens. I suggested to the Prime Minister that we should create an organization that would be mandated to try to change this unfortunate fact. As I remember it, 85% of our free time as Canadians (after work and sleep) was spent watching TV and riding in automobiles.
Mr. Trudeau naturally asked me how much it would cost to create this organization. I replied that it costs automobile companies a minimum of five million dollars to launch a new model, and that we would need at least the same amount to change Canadians' fitness awareness. he thought the amount high but offered to contribute half, over a period of time, if we could raise the other half.
We started "ParticipACTION" (coining a new word in the process) with a seed grant from government and enlisted the contribution of the major media players across Canada. Thanks to this new partnership between the federal government and the media in our country, we managed to raise the necessary funds and set out to change the physical fitness awareness and involvement of Canadians from coast to coast.
Thanks to ParticipACTION, Canadians became more involved in taking the good of their own health in hand. The program provided a model for other countries in terms of what could be done to motivate citizens to become more active. We succeeded in positioning ourselves in the top 10 leading nations with respect to our physical fitness level.
In so doing, ParticipACTION helped Canadians become fitter and more active in their communities, and contributed over the course of 30 years towards saving our government millions of dollars in remedial medical expenditures. To this day, I still find it hard to understand why the federal government reduced to such an extent and then terminated its financial support for ParticipACTION, a program with such obvious health benefits for our nation.
Nevertheless, I am forever proud to have been associated with the dedicated individuals who launched and ran ParticipACTION all those years. You helped us become better because of your "being there."
Philippe de Gaspe Beaubien
President, La Fondation de Gaspe Beaubien
Former President of Telemedia
ParticipACTION Founder and Board Chair, 1973-77
In December 2000, the Board of ParticipACTION decided to close its doors because of insufficient resources to continue a national campaign in the highly competitive communications and media environment of the 21st century. It was not an easy decision to make. A subsequent survey showed that even with minimal coverage and no new campaigns in the previous year, 85% of Canadians still recognized the ParticipACTION brand and message. This is an accomplishment that many private companies who spend millions of dollars on advertising would love to achieve.
It is important that we document the ParticipACTION story, and the support of CPHA in helping to share this information is most appreciated. The future is also important. As the prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases increases in Canada, the physical activity message is even more relevant.
Although ParticipACTION was a small company, its voice and message rang loud and clear. It was the proverbial "mouse that roared." What will fill the void? A mouse's shoes may be small, but when you are as popular as Mickey�, they are pretty hard to fill.
Marilyn Knox
President Nutrition, Nestle Canada.
ParticipACTION Board Member since 1992, Chair, 2000-2001
In 1991, the Canadian Public Health Association presented ParticipACTION with one of its highest awards - the Ortho Award for "outstanding contribution to health in Canada." CPHA and ParticipACTION have been longstanding partners and friends, having worked together on issues such as physical activity and aging, prenatal fitness, physical activity in schools and workplaces, the CrownLife ParticipACTION Challenge and other initiatives.
Social marketing and health communications have now become a standard part of public health practice in Canada. We owe much of what we have learned to ParticipACTION's leadership. The year that ParticipACTION began its ground-breaking campaign was the same year that Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman published the first article suggesting that the marketing techniques used to sell Coca-Cola� could also be used to sell health and social ideas such as physical activity.
This is an important story for public health in Canada and around the world. CPHA, through the Canadian Journal of Public Health, is pleased to help tell it.
Gerald Dafoe
Former Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Public Health Association
Lindsay Lohan's attorney said she was quitting after the actress was sentenced to jail time.
The actress' attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, resigned from the case shortly after releasing a statement Thursday calling a judge's 90-day jail sentence for Lohan "harsh and unfair."
No reason for her withdrawal from the high-profile case was given, and her replacement has not been announced.
A representative for the seasoned defense attorney, who fought to keep the "Mean Girls" star out of jail during a daylong hearing Tuesday, said her earlier remarks about Lohan's sentence remained valid.
"Ms. Lohan and I are extremely disappointed in the sentence handed down by Judge (Marsha) Revel," Holley's statement had read. "We believe that the penalty is far harsher than what others would have received under similar circumstances.
"The reality is that Ms. Lohan, like most defendants, had to balance work commitments with court requirements. To be punished so severely for doing so, particularly in light of the fact that she substantially complied with each of her probationary conditions, is harsh and unfair," it said.
Holley said Lohan would serve her sentence, which because of overcrowding and budget cuts is likely to be much shorter than the three months ordered by the judge.
The attorney also said the 24-year-old actress would comply with the other terms of her sentence, which include a three-month stay in rehab and reporting to a probation officer for drug and alcohol testing.
Revel determined Lohan violated her probation on a 2007 drug and drunk driving case by missing seven alcohol education classes since December, when the judge ordered her to attend weekly sessions.
Holley first appeared in court March 2009 when the actress got in trouble with her former alcohol education program. The judge reinstated Lohan's probation after Holley cleared up what she called a misunderstanding.
The attorney, who was a member of O.J. Simpson's famed defense team, successfully kept Lohan out of trouble, even after her alcohol-education program reported problems with the star last year.
On Tuesday, Holley placed her arm around Lohan as she burst into tears while pleading for leniency and apologizing to the judge.
Thursday's statement was Holley's first public comment on the ruling. Neither she nor Lohan spoke to reporters after Tuesday's sentencing.
Lohan pleaded guilty in August 2007 to two misdemeanor counts of being under the influence of cocaine; no contest to two counts of driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08 percent and one count of reckless driving. She was sentenced to three years of probation.
The plea came after a pair of high-profile arrests earlier that year.
She has struggled with the terms of her probation since then, which culminated in the judge revoking her probation in May and forcing her to wear an alcohol ankle monitor.
SIMON Lewis of Nisa Local in Pontyates has bought matchdaytracksuits for Carmarthen Quins Under-10s.
Simon is pictured presenting the tracksuits to Chris Edwards(coach). Also pictured are Wyn Thomas (coach) and Rhodri Wilkins ofEvans and Wilkins, who supplied and embroidered the tracksuits.Players, from back left, are Aled Beynon, Tom Johnson, Josh Edwards,Owain Williams, Ioan Tillman, Callum Mattick, Eddie James, TomWindsor and James Edwards. In the front are Mason Evans, SteffanThomas, Ethan Wilds, Morgan Thomas, Iwan Millward, Jack Lewis, ArchiMorgan and Steffan Phillips.
A NASCAR trucks race has been postponed because of a power failure at Gateway International Raceway outside St. Louis.
The race was moved to Saturday at 12:30 Central time. Lights went out in and around the 1.25-mile oval at 7:55 p.m., 23 minutes before the scheduled start of the 200-mile race.
After a 1 hour, 39-minute wait, officials decided to postpone the race.
Kevin Harvick, who has won two of three trucks races this season, took the pole position in qualifying early in the day, the first trucks pole of his career.
Todd Bodine holds an 88-point lead over Aric Almirola in a battle for the top spot in the 25-race series.
* WEST VIRGINIA
Daily 3: 246
Daily 4: 6712
Cash 25: 2-3-4-8-16-25
- OHIO
Day
Pick 3: 390
Pick 4: 6323
Night
Pick 3: 862
Pick 4: 1715
Buckeye 5: 3-6-7-10-15
- KENTUCKY
Midday
Pick 3: 377
Pick 4: 7060
Evening
Pick 3: 621
Pick 4: 3721
Cash 5: 3-15-17-28-31
- CASH 4 LIFE
22-61-78-89
Kmart hopes to tempt its best customers to return to its stores byby rolling out a raft of new Martha Stewart product lines and byexpanding its private-label brands to appeal to African-American andHispanic customers.
"We're not going after the Wal-Mart or the Target consumer,"Steven P. Feuling, senior vice president of marketing for KmartCorp., said in an interview Tuesday.
Instead, Kmart, struggling to reorganize under bankruptcyprotection, will make the most of its longtime presence in urbanmarkets, which Target and Wal-Mart have largely avoided.
Kmart will continue to operate 44 stores in the Chicago region,including seven within the city limits, which makes Chicago theretailer's second-largest market.
The Troy, Mich.-based retailer counts on African-American andHispanic shoppers for 40 percent of what the company calls its"loyal" customer base, and for 33 percent of its $37 billion inannual sales.
"We have an entire group dedicated to multiculturalmerchandising," Feuling said.
Besides the all-powerful Martha Stewart Living, the most popular,exclusive products and apparel lines at Kmart are those from Disney,Sesame Street, Joe Boxer and Route 66.
Kmart intends to expand those product lines in an effort to boostthe number of shopping trips its best customers make from an average2.3 each month to 3.2 each month. That would add $1 billion toKmart's bottom line, said Dave Karraker, vice president of corporatecommunications for Kmart's online division, bluelight.com.
Joe Boxer, known as a men's and boy's underwear label, willintroduce a full line of juniors and young men's apparel andhousehold items for the "dorm market" in Kmart stores, Feuling said.
Estilo, a girls' sportswear and ladies' apparel label, will expandits product line to men's, boys and infant wear by this fall.
And a new Martha Stewart category will be introduced every sixmonths. The most recent introduction of mirrors and candles will befollowed this fall by Martha Stewart holiday decorations.
The Martha Stewart Everyday brand generated sales of $1.6 billionlast year, a 26 percent increase over 2000.
Of course, none of the marketing strategies will work if Kmartfails to improve the basics: stocking shelves, keeping stores clean,and improving its customer service.
The retailer is working to improve those areas, partly byreturning to the old strategy of letting store managers determinewhich products to feature in their Blue Light Specials, Feuling said.
No single retailer is delivering everything customers need in bothapparel and housewares, and that's where Kmart will stake its future,he said.
INDIANAPOLIS - Bob Huggins and Mike Krzyzewski will share asideline for the fourth time in their storied coaching careersSaturday night.
They have matched basketball wits in Hawaii, in Alaska, in theDistrict of Columbia and this time, their first in a Final Fourmeeting, here under the dome of Lucas Oil Stadium - aka Peyton'sPlace, Manning, of NFL fame.
Huggs is 2-1 against Coach K and Duke - 1-1 while at Cincinnati,and West Virginia's triumph at the Verizon Center in an NCAA second-round game two years ago.
Every time Huggs and K have met, the Blue Devils have been ranked- 13th in a Rainbow Classic semifinal loss for the Bearcats in 1989,No. 1 for a Duke loss in a Great Alaska Shootout title game in '98,ninth for the NCAA date in 2008, and No. 3 this time (to WestVirginia's No. 6).
This is the 11th time Krzyzewski, 63, has won at least 30 gamesin a season. The Mountaineers' 31 wins have tied Huggins' NCAADivision I career best, although he went 34-1 in his final NAIAseason at Walsh (Ohio).
When two coaches have combined for 1,436 victories, as these twohave, it's obvious they've guided plenty of talented teams. However,if their 2009-10 teams aren't the favorites of Huggins andKrzyzewski, they've got to be right up there.
Try pinning down a coach on his "favorite team" in a career. Goodluck. You might get "best team" or hardest-working team," butfavorite? Most coaches won't go out on that proverbial limb.
However, Huggs and Coach K seem to be climbing that tree withthese 31-6 Mountaineers and 33-4 Blue Devils.
"They're just good guys," Huggins said of his team, which hereally seems to enjoy coaching. "They're good guys. As I've saidbefore (at the NCAA Tournament), I want them to enjoy the experienceand have a good time.
"They know when it's time to go to work. They know when it's timeto have a good time ... The wonderful thing about these guys is thatthey never doubt, never ask why. They never kind of bucked (Huggins'change of philosophy from his predecessor, John Beilein).
"They just said OK, that's what we have to do; we're going to doit. And they've done it with great enthusiasm and great vigor. Andthey deserve all of the credit for it."
Krzyzewski said earlier this week that he thinks the Blue Devilshave been somewhat burdened by expectations and the fact that Dukewent five seasons without a Final Four appearance after having 10 in19 years, and three from 1999 through 2004.
"I'm really very, very excited for my team," Krzyzewski saidearlier this week of the return to the national semifinals. "Ireally love these guys. They have suffered from comparisons, whichshouldn't happen. It absolutely shouldn't happen ... to what'shappened before.
"You know, it's a different landscape, you know. It's different.They haven't been given credit along their careers for what they aredoing or for what they are trying to accomplish.
"I'm really pleased for them, especially my senior class. They'vebeen great kids to coach, and true competitors along the way."
While Krzyzewski has been at Duke for three decades and has wonthree NCAA titles (and had seven championship game appearances),Huggins inherited about half of his rotation from Beilein whenHuggins returned to his alma mater three years ago next week.
Huggins credits WVU senior star Da'Sean Butler for much of theway his team approaches things, not to mention how its personalityhas been shaped.
"We're very fortunate to have Da'Sean," Huggins said. "Da'Sean isthe first one in every day, the last one to leave. He's got greatrespect among his teammates. He's a wonderful, wonderful human beingto be around. I think that permeates down through your whole team.
"We've just got good guys. Everybody keeps asking me what ourstrength is. I think the truth is, we got really good guys. We gotgood guys. They like one another. They play their butts off. They'rejust good people."
Coach K sees that in his opponent in Saturday's semifinalnightcap, too.
"Bob is one of the great coaches," Krzyzewski said. "You know,he's a good friend. His kids do what he asks them to do, and he asksthem to do a lot, and he asks them to do it together.
"It shows on the defensive end of the court. They're a veryunified team."
In other words, what Krzyzewski and Huggins are saying is thatthe teams they have this season just don't come along every year -sort of like a trip to the Final Four.
MANILA (UPI) About 50 radical Filipinos chanted "Weinberger gohome" and waved banners with anti-American slogans as DefenseSecretary Caspar W. Weinberger arrived yesterday for talks withleaders of the new Philippine government.
Weinberger is the highest-ranking Reagan administration officialto visit the Philippines since a civilian-backed military revoltousted Ferdinand E. Marcos on Feb. 25 and installed President CorazonC. Aquino.
The jeering demonstrators gathered at the airport gate forWeinberger's arrival, waving banners opposing the continued U.S. useof military bases in the Philippines.
Philippine Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, armed forceschief Gen. Fidel V. Ramos and U.S. Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworthgreeted Weinberger.
The defense secretary is expected to reaffirm Washington'smilitary and economic aid commitment to the Philippines and discussagreements covering U.S. bases in talks with Aquino, Enrile andRamos.
"The purpose of the visit is to consult with the government andfind out what their needs are and how we might be of assistance,"Wein-berger spokesman Robert Sims said.
Sims said the aid could include training, logistics and othersupport for the 250,000-strong Philippine armed forces.
Top among the concerns of the Reagan administration is Aquino'sstance on the future of eight U.S. military facilities, includingSubic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base, Washington's largestoverseas installations.
The Aquino government reiterated Friday its pledge to allow theU.S. facilities to remain at least until the 1947 Philippine-U.S.Military Bases Agreement expires in 1991. A five-year review of theagreement comes up in 1988.
The United States has 15,000 armed forces personnel stationed inthe Philippines.
Weinberger was to leave later today for Thailand to meet withmilitary officials and then fly to Australia on the final leg of hisFar East trip.
tomsearls@wvgazette.com
After a public hearing Tuesday, lawmakers went home without actingon a proposal to change natural gas lease agreements in the state.
The legislation, proposed by Gov. Joe Manchin in the wake of a$404 million Roane County verdict against gas well drillers, alsocontains provisions on such topics as taxes, coalbed methane gas,environmental regulations and other items.
"That's too much to deal with in 24 hours," said House JudiciaryChairwoman Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, whose committee held the 90-minute public hearing Tuesday morning.
On the Senate side, the Judiciary Committee never even formallyconsidered the bill during the three-day special session that endedTuesday.
Webster's committee also never gave approval to the legislation.
"This is just too complicated," she said.
Lawmakers probably aren't done with the issue. On Monday, WestVirginia's natural gas drillers announced a three-year advertisingcampaign across the state emphasizing the industry's economicperformance, job opportunities and to establish an energy curriculumin public schools.
West Virginia is the largest natural gas producer east of theMississippi River and drilling is conducted in 49 of the state's 55counties, according to www.energizewv.com, a Web site created for thecampaign. The state has 40,500 gas wells that produce 191.6 billioncubic feet of gas.
Ken Tawney, representing the oil and gas industry, said hismembers wanted lawmakers to immediately take up the issue of howclose together wells can be drilled. There was no movement to do so.
Gas well producers began withholding production costs fromroyalties paid to landowners - who leased or sold their mineralrights generations ago - after the federal government deregulated theindustry in the early 1990s. Thousands of landowners sued in RoaneCounty and won.
Webster made it clear she opposes any "retroactivity," orlegislation that would end any lawsuit already in the pipeline. Shesaid there are four natural gas industry cases pending in statecircuit courts.
She said she hasn't decided her views on the legislation, butrealized her committee members "need a substantial amount of time"before they could make an informed decision.
Tuesday's public hearing drew about 100 people to the House ofDelegates chamber, including Boone County resident Karen Roberts, whosaid her family gets royalty checks of around $25 every four monthsfrom gas companies.
"Contrary to popular belief, we do not get rich on royalties,"Roberts said. "It's the principle of the thing ... They have beenripping us off for years."
State Coal Association officials opposed changes in spacing forgas wells and want notification rules. One person noted gas drillersgive "no notice to the coal owners," similar to complaints from otherproperty owners.
Wirt County resident and gas driller Alvin Engelke, who operatesPreston Co., said that while he is a member of the state oil and gasindustry organization, he opposes its latest proposal.
"I'm not in agreement with their carrying Chesapeake's water," hesaid of Chesapeake Energy, the firm that lost the Roane County case.
Natural gas firms had plenty of representatives at the hearing,but so did big landholding firms.
Jay Perry, representing Natural Resources Partners, said hismembers, several large landholding firms, don't want lawmakersmeddling in their contracts.
"We don't need our leases legislated and being told what should bein them," he said.
Kasey Russell, a Charleston city councilwoman who represents biglandholding companies, called the bill "extremely complicated" andurged lawmakers not to take the issue up.
Charleston lawyers Marvin Master, Mike Carey and Scott Segal, whorepresented plaintiffs in the Roane County case, each had a chance tospeak.
Segal pointed out gas firms make 87.5 percent profits. "Isn't 87.5percent enough out of the hides of our royalty owners?" he said.
Masters said the attorneys found gas drillers were charging theroyalty owners for a number of items like operating costs, return oninvestments, equipment depreciation and others.
"[The plaintiffs] were told there were no deductions being takenon their royalties," he said. He said drillers have "skimmed" fromlandowners and even charged them for gas leaks.
Masters said West Virginia law is in line with other gas-producing states.
Carey noted the state Supreme Court has ruled that gas drillerscannot simply take production costs from royalty owners. Instead, itmust be spelled out in the contract, something that can beaccomplished without going to court or changing the law.
"It's easy," Carey said. "They go to the royalty owner and sign acontract that allows them to do it."
Roane County lawyer Orton Jones, a former lawmaker who was a partyto the lawsuit, noted the governor's proposal used four pages toexplain 23 legislative findings to justify the idea. Jones noted thatwas a lot of legislative findings. "It takes a lot of lipstick topretty up a pig," he said.
To contact staff writer Tom Searls, use e-mail or call 348-5198.
Gas bill will have to wait: Lawmakers call proposal too complicated for short sessiontomsearls@wvgazette.com
After a public hearing Tuesday, lawmakers went home without actingon a proposal to change natural gas lease agreements in the state.
The legislation, proposed by Gov. Joe Manchin in the wake of a$404 million Roane County verdict against gas well drillers, alsocontains provisions on such topics as taxes, coalbed methane gas,environmental regulations and other items.
"That's too much to deal with in 24 hours," said House JudiciaryChairwoman Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, whose committee held the 90-minute public hearing Tuesday morning.
On the Senate side, the Judiciary Committee never even formallyconsidered the bill during the three-day special session that endedTuesday.
Webster's committee also never gave approval to the legislation.
"This is just too complicated," she said.
Lawmakers probably aren't done with the issue. On Monday, WestVirginia's natural gas drillers announced a three-year advertisingcampaign across the state emphasizing the industry's economicperformance, job opportunities and to establish an energy curriculumin public schools.
West Virginia is the largest natural gas producer east of theMississippi River and drilling is conducted in 49 of the state's 55counties, according to www.energizewv.com, a Web site created for thecampaign. The state has 40,500 gas wells that produce 191.6 billioncubic feet of gas.
Ken Tawney, representing the oil and gas industry, said hismembers wanted lawmakers to immediately take up the issue of howclose together wells can be drilled. There was no movement to do so.
Gas well producers began withholding production costs fromroyalties paid to landowners - who leased or sold their mineralrights generations ago - after the federal government deregulated theindustry in the early 1990s. Thousands of landowners sued in RoaneCounty and won.
Webster made it clear she opposes any "retroactivity," orlegislation that would end any lawsuit already in the pipeline. Shesaid there are four natural gas industry cases pending in statecircuit courts.
She said she hasn't decided her views on the legislation, butrealized her committee members "need a substantial amount of time"before they could make an informed decision.
Tuesday's public hearing drew about 100 people to the House ofDelegates chamber, including Boone County resident Karen Roberts, whosaid her family gets royalty checks of around $25 every four monthsfrom gas companies.
"Contrary to popular belief, we do not get rich on royalties,"Roberts said. "It's the principle of the thing ... They have beenripping us off for years."
State Coal Association officials opposed changes in spacing forgas wells and want notification rules. One person noted gas drillersgive "no notice to the coal owners," similar to complaints from otherproperty owners.
Wirt County resident and gas driller Alvin Engelke, who operatesPreston Co., said that while he is a member of the state oil and gasindustry organization, he opposes its latest proposal.
"I'm not in agreement with their carrying Chesapeake's water," hesaid of Chesapeake Energy, the firm that lost the Roane County case.
Natural gas firms had plenty of representatives at the hearing,but so did big landholding firms.
Jay Perry, representing Natural Resources Partners, said hismembers, several large landholding firms, don't want lawmakersmeddling in their contracts.
"We don't need our leases legislated and being told what should bein them," he said.
Kasey Russell, a Charleston city councilwoman who represents biglandholding companies, called the bill "extremely complicated" andurged lawmakers not to take the issue up.
Charleston lawyers Marvin Master, Mike Carey and Scott Segal, whorepresented plaintiffs in the Roane County case, each had a chance tospeak.
Segal pointed out gas firms make 87.5 percent profits. "Isn't 87.5percent enough out of the hides of our royalty owners?" he said.
Masters said the attorneys found gas drillers were charging theroyalty owners for a number of items like operating costs, return oninvestments, equipment depreciation and others.
"[The plaintiffs] were told there were no deductions being takenon their royalties," he said. He said drillers have "skimmed" fromlandowners and even charged them for gas leaks.
Masters said West Virginia law is in line with other gas-producing states.
Carey noted the state Supreme Court has ruled that gas drillerscannot simply take production costs from royalty owners. Instead, itmust be spelled out in the contract, something that can beaccomplished without going to court or changing the law.
"It's easy," Carey said. "They go to the royalty owner and sign acontract that allows them to do it."
Roane County lawyer Orton Jones, a former lawmaker who was a partyto the lawsuit, noted the governor's proposal used four pages toexplain 23 legislative findings to justify the idea. Jones noted thatwas a lot of legislative findings. "It takes a lot of lipstick topretty up a pig," he said.
To contact staff writer Tom Searls, use e-mail or call 348-5198.
