From the GOP's New Guard, the Audacity of Nope - The Washington Post

Sure, 91 House Republicans finally voted to pass a tweakedversion of the financial bailout bill Friday. But for the GOP's bighonchos, last Monday's defeat in the House of Treasury SecretaryHenry M. Paulson Jr.'s plan was still the most stinging humiliationthey've suffered in years. To unlock the mystery of the earlierbill's stunning rejection, consider two numbers: 82 and 0. The firstis the percentage of retiring Republican representatives who votedfor the bill. The second is the percentage of Republican freshmenwho did.

Think about that for a moment. The GOP's retirees, the people whofinally no longer have to make anybody happy, went overwhelminglyfor the bailout, but a grand total of zero GOP freshmen agreed toback the plan that their party's president, Treasury secretary,House leader, whip and ranking member on the Financial ServicesCommittee all begged them to support. John Boehner, the Houseminority leader, even teared up before the roll call as he chokedout the pleading words, 'Vote yes.' It's basic math: If Boehnercould have controlled his freshmen, the bill would have passed. In apolitical season overwhelmed with claims to audacity, it was oneheck of an audacious coup.

What the GOP's next generation did Monday was the politicalequivalent of a family's babies shaking off their daddy and theirmommy and their grandpa and every elder within eight branches of thefamily tree. But their gesture of defiance was bigger than a $700billion bailout bill. It was the big reveal to a question we've beenasking ever since the GOP flubbed the 2006 midterm elections andembarked on a journey of reinvention: What will the RepublicanParty's new guard look like? The answer lies in that most extremeand uncompromising of numbers: zero. The new guard is fiercelystubborn, gutsily insubordinate, drama-loving and -- compared withthe 82-percent-for-compromise old guard -- unadulteratedlyideological. And it could take the GOP off an even higher cliff thanthe one the party lurched off two years ago.

Therapists often say that hitting bottom can be a blessing indisguise because it gives you the chance to redefine yourself. Andin the aftermath of 2006, when the Democrats retook both houses ofCongress in the midterm elections, downtrodden Republicans had bigdreams of redefinition. Some held onto that old-time Reaganreligion. But the scribes at National Review imagined a RepublicanParty repackaged around pragmatic voters prone to 'talk more abouthealth care than about the budget.' Washington Post columnist andformer Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson hoped that the Republicanbrand could become more compassionate.

The 2007 presidential primary promised to provide a swiftsurvival-of-the-fittest test for the competing new visions. WhenSen. John McCain prevailed, it seemed that the winning philosophywas one that, in the main, dumped Republican orthodoxy in favor ofsolutions-oriented practicality. (In case you've been living in aspider hole this year and haven't heard, McCain likes callinghimself a maverick, a doer, a wooer of independents, a post-partisan.)

But McCain's triumph actually hid the fact that, at the lowerlevels of the party, the emerging center of gravity is moreconservative, not less. In the House, such young members as JebHensarling (Tex.), Mike Pence (Ind.) and their ideologically puristsoulmates on the Republican Study Committee (which absorbed most ofthe GOP freshmen) began to influence the party's agenda from theright, clamoring to make pork-busting the GOP's focus, demandinglegislation to lower taxes and even mounting a prank revolt on a war-funding bill in May, just to flex their muscles. 'The Americanpeople thought Republicans weren't acting like Republicans,'Hensarling explained.

Across the Capitol, Hensarling's ideological allies in theSenate, Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma,hauled their own caucus rightward, forcing appropriations freezes,waylaying an intelligence authorization bill that required theadministration to report on its secret CIA prisons and killing themoderate immigration reform bill backed by Bush and McCain. DeMintrecently launched a political action committee that donates only tosenators who have their right-wing bona fides in order. Over thelast two years, these new-guard conservatives -- all of whom wereawarded a perfect '100' rating from the American Conservative Unionin 2007 -- have arguably fashioned themselves into the mostlistened-to Republicans on Capitol Hill.

The bailout bill was the new guard's biggest show of force yet.Hensarling's Republican Study Committee ('The Caucus of HouseConservatives,' proclaims its Web site) gave those GOP freshmen thepolitical cover to buck their leadership. They made it clear thattheir revolt was more over principle than over details, a stand onbehalf of what one GOP Hill staffer calls 'true, rock-ribbed, hard-core conservatism.' Hensarling derided the bailout as the 'slipperyslope to socialism,' while his ally Tom Feeney (Fla.) insisted thatthe crisis was actually produced by a failure to adequately veneratederegulation. Another young Turk, Thaddeus McCotter (Mich.), evencompared the bailout to the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. (I supposethat makes George W. Bush a communist. I told you these guys wereaudacious.)

Not every Republican is happy about the rise of the newconservatives. Washington Post political reporter Dan Balz wrotelast week of 'a veteran of a past Republican administration' who'could barely spit out his contempt Monday for the actions of theHouse Republicans. 'They would rather be right in their views -- that ideology counts more, that ideology is crucial in any decision -- rather than making incremental progress.' '

But Republicans like that guy will have to get used to thegrowing influence of the conservatives. They have enthusiasm anddemographics on their side. Moderate Republicans are getting offedall along the Eastern seaboard; eager grassroots activists arenominating right-wingers such as New Mexico's Steve Pearce andVirginia's Jim Gilmore in Senate primaries; and the AmericanConservative Union's congressional ratings dramatically show whichway the wind is blowing. The Republicans who are retiring this yeargot an average ACU rating of 78 in 2007, placing them squarelybetween conservatism and centrism. But by my calculations, theRepublican freshmen -- the vanguard of the generation that will bereplacing these fleeing moderates -- got an average rating of 97.

If you're a true, rock-ribbed, hard-core conservative, you'reprobably happy about all this. As a card-carrying moderate weenie,I'm not, obviously. But it's not just the policies of the GOP's newguard that spell trouble; it's the attitude. What these young Turksdo share with McCain is a taste for the grand gesture and theattention-getting stunt, the determination not to go gently intodefeat and the psychological pleasure derived from creating a wholelot of political Sturm und Drang. After their May revolt on the war-funding bill, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.)challenged Mike Pence about why on Earth his faction had bolted onwhat was supposed to be bipartisan legislation. 'Never stopfighting,' Pence replied.

But all this drama, fun as it is, doesn't make you look likeyou're ready to be at the governing wheel. (See McCain, John, andrecent polling.) And it's this attitude -- the thrill of doublingdown on ideology, of damning those torpedoes -- that helped getpeople such as Pearce and Gilmore nominated in states that obviouslywon't support their degree of conservatism. They'll probably lose inNovember, and Republicans will be two Senate seats closer to beingideological irritants rather than the Democrats' serious rivals.

If the GOP's ultimate goal is to take down the Democrats andregain power, then I'll let Jeb Hensarling make the case against hisnew guard's strategy in his own words. After the 2006 defeat,Hensarling laid out how he thought the GOP should proceed: 'Likemosquitoes in a nudist colony,' he said, 'Republicans will have morethan enough opportunities to show the voters we deserve ourconservative brand back.' It's just the strategy of ideologicalirritation and provocation he went on to undertake.

An attack of mosquitoes in a nudist colony would, quiteliterally, be a frightful pain in the bum. But who thinks thatnudism will meet its end because of mosquitoes?

evefairbanks@gmail.com

Wanted: moderate legislators to reform state government.(Opinion) - The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA)

Byline: Kate Riley; Seattle Times editorial columnist

The late Rep. Bill Grant became a rare thing in Olympia. A robust, chisel-featured, karaoke-loving wheat farmer from rural Walla Walla County sat elbow to elbow in caucus leadership with Seattle liberals.

Elected in 1986 when Southeastern Washington enthusiastically sent Democrats to the Legislature and voted reliably for former Democratic Speaker of the U.S. House Tom Foley, Grant, as a rural Eastern Washington Democrat, eventually became as rare as the sage grouse. He died in 2009 after a brief illness that followed his 12th -- and easy -- election.

A few years ago, I marveled to Grant that his urban-dominated caucus still embraced a conservative Democrat so warmly. Matter-of-factly, he told me an important part of his role was to 'stop stupid stuff from happening.'

Oh, Bill, we sure need you now.

The legislative session just now concluded was a head-on collision between plummeting state revenues and the bow wave of the Legislature's four-year, pre-recession spending spree. Nobody won in the crunch, especially not those who will bear the burden of paying the $800 million in new taxes. Next year will be even worse, because the Legislature punted, again choosing not to begin authentic efforts to reform state government, which must be rejiggered to fit a dramatically different economy.

Another House Democrat, Rep. Christopher Hurst of Enumclaw, recently invoked Grant's name when I asked him why he was making a statement by filing for re-election under the label 'Independent Democrat.' Fresh from the bruising legislative session, Hurst was frustrated with the caucus' direction. Though Hurst says he supports Speaker Frank Chopp, he misses Grant's moderating influence and worries now that another moderate, House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, is not seeking re-election.

'The House Democrats can't be a caucus dominated by Seattle liberals and a couple of liberals from downtown Tacoma,' said Hurst, who is frustrated the Legislature didn't do more to make changes to put the state in better stead going forward.

'We didn't do the reforms we should have done,' he said, ticking off the now well-known proposals, such as shutting down the state printer and liquor stores. '... All we had to do was say no to our friends.'

Interestingly, some of those traditional friends are making clear their own dissatisfaction with Democratic leadership because, among other things, of the calls for privatization, closing institutions and making state employees pay more for health care. The Washington Federation of State Employees and the Washington State Labor Council recently announced their early endorsements in legislative races on the ballot in the fall, leaving off many incumbents who would have been shoo-ins in years past. Notably missing from these lists: Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, and Speaker Chopp.

These snubs are a blow during what promises to be a feisty, potentially Legislature-reshaping election year. A third year of daunting budget challenges is bound to sort the authentic public servants from those of the special interests and the parties.

When resources diminish and voters' interest is not merely piqued, but provoked, because of significant household impacts, lawmakers are likely to find out who their real bosses are.

I still hold out hope Washington's new top-two primary will begin to flex its moderating muscle -- that more-moderate candidates from around the state will defeat their more-extreme challengers, whether from the left or the right.

A case in point from 2008 is Rep. Reuven Carlyle, the moderate Democrat elected over the party's more liberal choice, in one of Seattle's most liberal districts. Carlyle dares engage in heretofore heretical topics like zero-base budgeting -- 'We need to hit the refresh button' -- and some of the privatization issues.

This is the kind of thinking that should rule in Olympia, not the kind that clings to the path that set us up for such dire trouble in the first place.

Kate Riley's column appears regularly on editorial pages of The Times. Her e-mail address is kriley@seattletimes.com

Having it all: Moms find perfect balance by choosing part-time work - Lake Villa Review (IL)

After 20 years replete with good salaries, benefits and vacation time, Jocelyn Sussman of Glencoe decided being home in the morning to get her three kids off to school was worth more than what Corporate America had to offer.

Sussman, who has a masters in finance and worked for powerhouse companies like American Airlines, Ariel Communications and Discover Credit decided she needed more flexibility.

'Once you become a parent your priorities change,' said Sussman. 'I could work. I could have a nanny drive my kids everywhere and make them every meal. But your kids are only young once and it's really important to be a part of their life. I wanted to be the one helping them with their homework.'

Sussman is part of a growing trend of mothers who prefer to work part-time rather than full-time. In a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 60 percent of working mothers with children under the age of 17 surveyed indicated that a part-time career is the ideal arrangement, up from 48 percent in 1997. Similarly, while 32 percent of working mothers said full-time is the ideal situation in 1997, just 21 percent of those surveyed in 2007 said it was ideal.

The biggest reason for this trend is simple, most experts agree: More time working means less time with the kids.

Karen Steede Terry, author of Full-Time Woman, Part-Time Career: Launching a Flexible Business Plan That Fits Your Life, said the move away from preferring full-time work comes in part from shifting social norms and employment opportunities in previous decades.

'There was a trend for women working in the 1970s and 1980s. Women wanted to 'have it all' -- work and a family,' Terry said. 'As the corporate world got more demanding and required more hours and wanted you to work on weekends, women moved to wanting more part-time work.'

Flex time

Mothers across the north suburbs seem to be keeping in line with this national trend. But so-called part-time work comes in many forms, and often amounts to more than 40 hours a week.

'Flexible is a more accurate definition of those of us who work quote-unquote part-time,' said Becky Fitzgerald, a former national account sales executive with International Textile Group who now works from her Winnetka home as an independent consultant.

Fitzgerald was thrown into part-time status when her company was sold. She qualified for the Trade Assistance Act, which enabled her to take a series of Microsoft classes, bringing her up to speed on computer technology. The transitional time allowed her to evaluate her next professional step, and because of her experiences and new technology training she was able to successfully work independently outside the corporate world.

But with an 11-year old son, this is more than a part-time gig.

'I work 80 hours a week,' she said half-jokingly. 'If you're not getting tugged by a customer, you're getting tugged by a child.'

Fitzgerald said the advantage is clear.

'I schedule my appointments and I work on my time as opposed to a company's time,' she said, but added 'that's not to say that I don't keep my computer on till seven.'

Flexibility seems to trump fewer hours for other working moms as well.

A former manager of stock transfers at Mesirow Financial in Chicago, Lori Reisberg of Niles holds three part-time jobs and has a 12-year-old son.

'To accommodate after-school activities and religious school I have to do a lot of driving to take him places,' Reisberg said. She sets her own schedule so she can get him where he needs to go, 'and to be there for him when he gets home from school.'

Reisberg works with students who speak English as a second language. At Oakton Community College she serves as a placement aide, registering students who recently arrived in the country. She also works with ESL students at high schools including Niles West, Maine West, Temple Judea and the Salvation Army assessing their language and grammar capabilities. Additionally she is a lunchroom supervisor at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.

'I have a really weird schedule,' she said, but 'the flexibility is nice so I can be there for him and accommodate his needs.'

Money matters

Of course, the costs of spending less time at work can add up, and some mothers simply don't have a part-time option. In addition to decreased income, single mothers or mothers who are not able to go on their husband's benefits plans must purchase health insurance for themselves and for their children.

Hilarie Lieb, an economics professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, said it's important to look at what the partner is doing.

'If you're looking at dual income families, then you can get by on one person working full time because of benefits,' Lieb said. Whether or not one parent can work part-time is 'really a function of what the main income earner is generating,' she said. 'And it also depends on the lifestyle they've created.'

North suburban families are some of the wealthiest in the country and often work in the high-paying sectors of the economy, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, affording them the ability to have only one full-time working adult. Moreover, according to the Bureau, male full-time, year round workers in New Trier Township have a median income of over $100,000; twice the median amount for similarly employed females.

Liz Platt, 41, a speech pathologist from Lake Bluff, doubly benefits from her husband's insurance plan. Working contractually and as a private practitioner, Platt is able to earn more money than if she worked from an office, and she says, perform her job better.

'When you are part-time there's a misconception that you're not as dedicated to the job,' Platt said. 'I see a very limited and specific population. I think I can put more thought and effort into it because I'm not burnt out.'

Working independently also gives her more time with her three children aged 11, 9 and 6.

'I want the flexibility to be an old-fashioned mom,' she said. 'I want to be here after-school with them, make dinner and those kinds of things. I want to be involved in their life in that kind of way; just being around them, having an influence on their life.'

Even without a spouse's benefits, some mothers value flexibility more than money.

Recent arrivals: these new products provide you with the tools to conduct your business successfully.(New Products) - McKnight's Long-Term Care News

(1) Talc-free moisturizing powder

Donovan Industries has introduced DawnMist[R] Liquid Cornstarch Powder with Aloe & Vitamin E. This talc-free product applies like a lotion and quickly dries, leaving skin moisturized and coated with a fine, consistent layer of pure cornstarch. This product addresses the problem of airborne particulate matter from powders getting into the ventilation systems. Liquid Cornstarch Powder applies more evenly, reduces waste/mess and also moisturizes sensitive skin.

FOR MORE INFO:

(800) 334-4404

www.dawnmist.com

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

(2) Comfortable Power

Graham-Field Health Products has introduced the Everest Captain Seat Power Wheelchair, the newest member of the Everest & Jennings[R] family of manual and power wheelchairs. The chair comes with a 300 lbs. maximum weight capacity, state-of-the-art compact, programmable PGDT[TM] VR2[TM] controls for excellent maneuverability, and a choice of front- or rear-wheel drive.

FOR MORE INFO:

(800) 347-5678

www.grahamfield.com

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

(3) Modular bathing system

Malibu from ARJO is a bathing system designed to offer safe, comfortable conditions for independent or assisted bathing. This modular unit offers a range of configurations optimized for different mobility levels. Assisted bathing is safe and comfortable as the seat transfer unit eliminates the need for manual lifting. The whole procedure is carried out using the handset control. A single caregiver can efficiently perform assisted bathing routines.

FOR MORE INFO:

(800) 323-1245

www.arjo.com

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

(4) Hip rehabilitation

Restorative Medical has released the new RestAir[TM] Hip Orthosis with improved use of air bladder technology to allow for the best fit and rehabilitation treatment for patients with the most severe loss of range of motion. The air bladders flex to allow patients to work through their neurological tone to reach muscle inhibition. RestAir[TM] Hip Orthosis includes four air bladders and pump and spreader bar assembly.

FOR MORE INFO:

(800) 7933-5544

www.restorativemedical.com

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

(5) Mop head cycle

American Dryer Corp. has introduced the Solaris Mop Head Cycle, a new technology that utilizes a unique dual burner design to regulate the heat input to maintain an even flow of steady temperature. This feature results in a safer, more efficient drying cycle at a lower temperature. The patented S.A.F.E. (Sensor Activated Fire Extinguishing) system will activate when the system detects a fire, keeping the fire contained and extinguishing it in minutes, eliminating the risk of fires often associated with mop heads in dryers.

FOR MORE INFO:

(508) 678-900

www.amdry.com

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

(6) High-quality cleaning products

Procter & Gamble Professional now offers long-term care facilities complete cleaning solutions through a family of best-selling brands, including Spic and Span[R], Comet[R] and Mr. Clean[R]. These products are designed to successfully tackle the many cleaning challenges found in healthcare facilities.

FOR MORE INFO:

(800) 332-RSVP

www.pgbrands.com

CONSUMERS SHOULD WATCH FOR FLOOD-DAMAGED VEHICLES - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

The Washington state Department of Licensing issued the following news release:

Car shoppers should be on the lookout for vehicles damaged in the recent Washington state flooding.

The recent storm that caused heavy flooding across Western Washington likely damaged thousands of vehicles. Many of these vehicles may be cleaned up and offered for sale by private parties, auto auctions and perhaps even used car dealerships.

After being cleaned up, these vehicles may look like any other vehicle. However, there are significant mechanical, safety and health risks associated with flood-damaged vehicles.

'Many vehicles suffered flood damage and it is possible they may soon be offered for sale,' Department of Licensing Director Liz Luce said. 'Flood damage is very serious and can undermine a vehicle's safety and resale value.'

Dirty floodwater can cause rust and damage major mechanical parts like engines and transmissions. The water also damages electrical systems especially onboard computers that are often located at low points in vehicles, like under seats. Consumers should look for signs of water damage themselves - such as sand or rust under trunk mats or in fender wells - and also enlist the help of professionals.

'When purchasing a used car, a consumer should always carefully examine and test drive a vehicle,' Luce said. 'They also should have it inspected by a mechanic they trust and avoid any seller who refuses to allow an independent inspection.'

Individuals facing tremendous flood-related losses may be tempted to dry out vehicles and offer them up for sale without disclosing flood damage to potential buyers. Because they are private individuals selling their own vehicles, there may not be any indications on vehicle titles that the damage occurred and the sellers are not legally required to disclose the damage.

These tips can help to spot potential flood-damaged vehicles:

* Before buying any used car, always get a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic. The extra cost may save money in the long run if major problems are discovered.

* Ask to see the title of a used car. Check the date and place of transfer to see if the car came from a flood-damaged state and if the title is stamped 'salvage.'

* Use an online vehicle history tracking service like Carfax.com to get more information about a vehicle's past.

* Check all gauges on the dashboard to make sure they are accurate, and to look for signs of water.

* Test the lights, windshield wipers, turn signals, cigarette lighter, radio, heater and air conditioner several times to make sure they work. Also, flex some wires under the dash to see if they bend or crack, since wet wires become brittle upon drying and can crack or fail at any time.

* Check the trunk, glove compartment, and beneath the seats and dash for signs of mud, rust or water damage. Look for discolored, faded or stained upholstery and carpeting. Carpeting that has been replaced may fit too loosely or may not match the interior color.

* Check for a well-defined line, or watermark, and for musty odors resulting from mildew.

HOW THE REPUBLICANS LOST THEIR NERVE - The Buffalo News (Buffalo, NY)

This could have been an important election, until theRepublicans lost their nerve. They once thought they had a mandatefor the assault on the welfare state they had promised in theirsmashing electoral victory of November 1994. Then came 1995 andthree things happened.

First, the Republicans misplayed their hand, with tacticalblunders culminating in Gingrich's gripe that he'd shut down thegovernment in part because Clinton had made him use the back doorof Air Force One. Second, Clinton/Morris moved rhetorically to thecenter. Third, and most important, the people, sovereign andinfallible, let on that they'd been bluffing all along aboutcutting government.

Need for new hires challenged - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

GLOBE NORTH 2

Most city councilors agree with Mayor John Hanlon that Everettneeds more workers to help enforce laws on litter, illegalapartments, and other quality-of-life issues, but some arequestioning the need for nine new positions.

Hanlon's request for $223,642 to fund the nine new CodeEnforcement Division positions was recently approved, 6-1, by theBoard of Aldermen and, 10-4, by the Common Council.

If those positions are filled, it would bring the total number ofCode Enforcement employees to 11. Common Councilor Lorraine Bruno ofWard 5 called that 'overkill.'

'Eleven people is just too many,' said Bruno, who voted againstthe mayor's request. 'I do not want to abolish code enforcement; it'sa very necessary part of keeping the city clean, but it's too manypeople being added to the payroll to accomplish what three otherpeople did before.' Bruno pointed out that the funding request is noteven for the full year, but goes only through June 30, the end of thefiscal year.

Common Councilor Rosa DiFlorio of Ward 5 said she voted for therequest because she wants to expand the scope of code enforcement,although she opposed the number of proposed hires. She said shefeared that by voting against the request, she would be perceived asbeing against code enforcement.

'We already have three building inspectors,' DiFlorio said. 'It'snot fair to hire 11; it's easy to hire, but hard to fire. ... I hadto say yes to vote on it because I was trapped.'

But Hanlon told councilors that budgeting for nine new people didnot mean that all those positions would be filled.

Hanlon did not return calls for comment, but budget directorJanice Vetrano said that any money that isn't used will revert to thegeneral fund.

This is the first year Code Enforcement, headed by Frank ChiampiJr., is an independent department within the city budget, with$118,381 for 2 1/2 positions already in place, according to fiscal2007 budget figures.

Chiampi is currently the only person in the department, since theother code enforcement officer left last spring, Vetrano said.

While Code Enforcement positions have already been advertised,Vetrano said it is likely that not all of the 11 will be filled.

She said that Hanlon picked that number, taking into considerationtalks he had with councilors, aldermen, and Chiampi, and that it'wasn't written in stone.'

'With any plan, you have to start with a canvas, and that's whathappened,' Vetrano said. 'We're going to follow Mr. Chiampi's lead.No monies will be expended without approval of the Common Council andthe Board of Aldermen.'

Positions will be filled in three components: one clerical, some'flex-hour' (for nights and weekends), and some that would specializein the enforcement of the city's new ordinance that requireslandlords to submit to the inspection of rental units before newtenants move in, Vetrano said.

Ward 4 Common Councilor Joseph F. Hickey, who voted for therequest, said he is confident the total number of hires won't go to11.

He said he can't see the city putting '11 people in there all atonce. I think it gives them the leeway to run that department as theysee fit. The Common Council and the aldermen have been screaming fora while to get code enforcement back because of the conditions of thestreets, trash, conditions of apartments, and implementing theinhabitability law.'

Ward 6 Alderman Joseph W. McGonagle said the city has seriousproblems with litter, illegal apartments, and the infrastructure ofstreets, but added: 'There is nothing that we couldn't have takencare of with what we have. We have three building inspectors, membersof the Board of Health, fire, the Police Department, all for 3 squaremiles.'

ON THE BALL - The Record (Bergen County, NJ)

BOB CONDOR and BRIAN ABERBACK
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
03-06-2000
ON THE BALL -- EVERYONE FROM FITNESS BEGINNERS TO PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES IS BUILDING
UP STRENGTH THROUGH THE LATEST EXERCISE TREND
By BOB CONDOR and BRIAN ABERBACK
Date: 03-06-2000, Monday
Section: LIFESTYLE
Edition: All Editions -- Two Star B, Two Star P, One Star B

Most exercise trends trickle down from the more fit among us.

A lithe Jane Fonda kick-started aerobic dance classes. The
weightlifting regimens of seniors hoping to retain bone strength and
independent lifestyles are inherited from bodybuilders. Even
exercise-walking can be traced to the running boom that took off in the
early 1970s.

So it is refreshingly unusual that the next big thing in fitness
might be an innovation first used some 50 years ago in Europe to treat
patients with neurological disorders and spinal injuries. It was
introduced in the United States by physical therapists during the 1960s.

The oversized, inflatable spheres called exercise balls (and
sometimes flex-a-balls, therapy balls, Swiss balls, or stability balls)
are standard equipment in a growing number of health clubs. The American
Council on Exercise, an organization that certifies personal trainers
and tracks fitness trends, estimates that about half of all workout
facilities have them.

What sets them apart from other fitness fads is their value to
anyone who wants to stay in shape. They can help young and old,
beginners or professionals, to build the muscles that improve balance
and stabiity.

'There are so many wasy to use the ball to strengthen different
body parts,' says Andrea Singer, who uses exercise balls in her
Jazzercise classes at the YM-YWHA in Wayne. Exercise balls are
important, Singer said, becasue they strengthen the body's trunk, which
includes back and posterior muscles.

These muscles often are overlooked by those primarily interested in
improving their upper-body strength.

It initially wasn't easy convincing people -- including herself -- to
take exercise balls seriously, Singer said.

'When I first saw [the ball] at a Jazzercize convention [five years
ago], I thought it was a big joke,' she said. But once she took a class
using the ball, her feelings changed.

'I felt muscles working that I had no clue I ever had,' she said.
'Doing a few curl-ups on the ball is the same as doing hundreds
traditionally.'

Just by sitting on the ball and keeping it from rolling, your back
has to naturally straighten out, while 'stabilizer muscles' in the
abdomen, back, buttocks, and torso do the work of keeping you upright.

When you add other exercise movements, keeping your body on the
ball (and stopping it from rolling) recruits even more stabilizer
muscles in the legs, chest, and arms.

'There's no other traditional machine or free-weight exercise other
than plain old crunches or back extensions that works the back and
abdomen so well,' said Robin Schear, fitness director of the Spa at
Glenpointe in Teaneck.

Besides strengthening core muscles, the balls can improve
flexibility. The balls let you 'get into a deeper stretch' compared to
stretching on a mat, Singer said. An example, she said, is a back-arch
stretch: 'One of the best stretches is to drape your back over the ball,
keeping your feet on the floor and arms over your head. It's a
tremendous back stretch.'

At Glenpointe, Schear said, older clients were the first to use the
balls, because of their 'functional' benefits. They can be used to
simulate sitting on and getting off a chair, a potentially dangerous
activity for an older person whose back muscles and coordination have
deteriorated. For older women, strengthening back muscles and posture
helps combat osteoporosis.

Singer also has a fair share of older students -- she calls them her
'senior hard-bodies' -- and agrees that the benefits of the ball carry
over to everyday activities, such as carrying groceries.

But exercise balls aren't only for the older set.

'Even the big-muscle guys get on them,' said David Wilshire, a gym
owner in Chicago who offers three exercise-ball classes each week.

At the Spa at Glenpointe, one staffer regularly uses the ball
instead of a bench while lifting weights, working his posterior and
abdominal muscles at the same time he strengthens his arms and pecs,
Schear said. This should be done only after mastering the balance
necessary to stay on the ball, she added.

Shifting from solid ground to an exercise ball can be awkward at
first.

'I see people all of the time who have no problems handling the most
advanced cardiovascular class workouts, then find it difficult when they
come to an exercise ball class,' said Randy Bichler, an aerobics
instructor in Chicago. 'It requires an entirely different set of
muscles, which is good for the body.'

Classes can be customized for all fitness levels. Adjustments of
where your body is positioned on the ball can add or reduce difficulty.
The less body on the ball, the harder the exercise. For the most
experienced, there is always the challenge of doing exercise ball
movements with your eyes closed.

The use of exercise balls is not limited to workout facilities.

Singer has read about hyperactive children using the balls in the
classroom. 'It gives them an opportunity to adjust their bodies
comfortably instead of sitting rigidly at a desk,' she said.

In Phoenix, an office ergonomics expert is recommending the balls
as alternatives to chairs for clients who sit in front of a computer all
day.

'When we sit on a stationary object all day, our muscles aren't
doing much work,' said Tony Swain, a training coordinator for a Chicago
fitness club. 'Getting on a ball helps your muscles progress faster.'

A University of Texas study of 55 women provides some scientific
support for exercise balls. It found that women ages 20 to 40 who
trained for 10 weeks with exercise balls made greater gains when tested
for muscle strength, coordination, and balance than a control group of
female participants who followed a traditional flexibility program of
floor-based stretching and toning exercises.

Women using the exercise balls gained a greater range of motion in
their joints during the 10 weeks.

Researchers at San Diego State University conducted a similar study
of 20 older exercisers, age 65 and up. Although all participants
improved leg flexibility, the seniors who attended exercise ball
workouts increased strength in their legs, upper bodies, and backs by 25
to 50 percent more when compared to the control group.

They were judged on such practical motions as lifting objects,
stepping up, and avoiding back strain during a sudden shift in body
weight.

Bob Condor writes for the Chicago Tribune. Brian Aberback is a Record
staff writer.

Illustrations/Photos: 1 - COLOR PHOTO - NANCY STONE / THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE -
At the Cheetah Gym in Andersonville, Ill., Heather Riordan instructs a class
on Resist-A-Ball techniques. Classes can be customized for all fitness levels,
and adjustments of where your body is positioned on the ball can add or reduce
difficulty. The less body on the ball, the harder the exercise. 2 - PHOTO -
BETH BALBIERZ / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER - Patty Duffy of Wayne, left, and Kathy Dumani
of Lincoln Park have a new bounce in their push-ups.

Keywords: PHYSICAL FITNESS

Copyright 2000 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.

Overkill on code control? Need for 9 hires is challenged - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

GLOBE NORTH 1

Most city councilors agree with Mayor John Hanlon that Everettneeds more workers to help enforce laws on litter, illegalapartments, and other quality-of-life issues, but some arequestioning the need for nine new positions.

Hanlon's request for $223,642 to fund the nine new CodeEnforcement Division positions was recently approved, 6 to 1, by theBoard of Aldermen and, 10 to 4, by the Common Council.

If those positions are filled, it would bring the total number ofCode Enforcement employees to 11. Common Councilor Lorraine Bruno ofWard 5 called that 'overkill.'

'Eleven people is just too many,' said Bruno, who voted againstthe mayor's request. 'I do not want to abolish code enforcement; it'sa very necessary part of keeping the city clean, but it's too manypeople being added to the payroll to accomplish what three otherpeople did before.' Bruno pointed out that the funding request is noteven for the full year, but goes only through June 30, the end of thefiscal year.

Common Councilor Rosa DiFlorio of Ward 5 said she voted for therequest because she wants to expand the scope of code enforcement,although she opposed the number of proposed hires. She said shefeared that by voting against the request, she would be perceived asbeing against code enforcement.

'We already have three building inspectors,' DiFlorio said. 'It'snot fair to hire 11; it's easy to hire, but hard to fire. ... I hadto say yes to vote on it because I was trapped.'

But Hanlon told councilors that budgeting for nine new people didnot mean that all those positions would be filled.

Hanlon did not return calls for comment, but budget directorJanice Vetrano said that any money that isn't used will revert to thegeneral fund.

This is the first year Code Enforcement, headed by Frank ChiampiJr., is an independent department within the city budget, with$118,381 for 2 1/2 positions already in place, according to fiscal2007 budget figures. Chiampi is currently the only person in thedepartment, since the other code enforcement officer left lastspring, Vetrano said.

While Code Enforcement positions have already been advertised,Vetrano said it is likely that not all of the 11 will be filled.

She said that Hanlon picked that number, taking into considerationtalks he had with councilors, aldermen, and Chiampi, and that it'wasn't written in stone.'

'With any plan, you have to start with a canvas, and that's whathappened,' Vetrano said. 'We're going to follow Mr. Chiampi's lead.No monies will be expended without approval of the Common Council andthe Board of Aldermen.'

Positions will be filled in three components: one clerical, some'flex-hour' (for nights and weekends), and some that would specializein the enforcement of the city's new ordinance that requireslandlords to submit to the inspection of rental units before newtenants move in, Vetrano said.

Ward 4 Common Councilor Joseph F. Hickey, who voted for therequest, said he is confident the total number of hires won't go to11.

He said he can't see the city putting '11 people in there all atonce. I think it gives them the leeway to run that department as theysee fit. The Common Council and the aldermen have been screaming fora while to get code enforcement back because of the conditions of thestreets, trash, conditions of apartments, and implementing theinhabitability law.'

Ward 6 Alderman Joseph W. McGonagle said the city has seriousproblems with litter, illegal apartments, and the infrastructure ofstreets, but added: 'There is nothing that we couldn't have takencare of with what we have. We have three building inspectors, membersof the Board of Health, fire, the Police Department, all for 3 squaremiles.'

McGonagle, the lone dissenting vote among the aldermen, said hewould like to see Chiampi get more assistance, but not nine newhires.

'This new mayor has hired 34 new people and raised the budget $10million, with new personnel and salary increases of $2.1 million,'McGonagle said.

'I've had it with him,' he said. 'If you call other cities andtowns, their code enforcements consist of a head code enforcer, andtwo compliance officers. ... The city of Everett will be looking foran override at the rate he's going.'

Fat, Dumb and Happy - The Washington Post

'What can one say about a presidential campaign one of whosemain theme is a hunt for herpes?' This could have been an importantelection, until the Republicans lost their nerve. They once thoughtthey had a mandate for the assault on the welfare state they hadpromised in their smashing electoral victory of November 1994. Thencame 1995, and three things happened.

First, the Republicans misplayed their hand, with tacticalblunders culminating in Newt Gingrich's gripe that he'd shut downthe government in part because Clinton had made him use the backdoor of Air Force One. Second, Clinton/Morris moved rhetorically tothe center. Third, and most important, the people -- sovereign andinfallible -- let on that they'd been bluffing all along aboutcutting government.

New series features feet soft enough for walking, yet stiff for running.(Freedom Series of prosthetic feet from Freedom Innovations Inc.) - Health & Medicine Week

2002 NOV 11 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Freedom Innovations, Inc., (FI) recently debuted the Freedom Series of high-quality, affordable, and easy-to-buy artificial feet for lower limb amputees.

The Freedom Series includes three new prosthetic feet - the FS 1000, 2000, and 3000 models - in which amputees gain what the company says the industry has lacked: quality prosthetic feet for a wide range of activity levels at affordable prices, according to Richard M. Myers, Jr., Freedom Innovations.

'Amputees are often forced to use one prosthesis for normal, everyday ambulation and another for more strenuous or athletic activity,' Myers said. 'We created the Freedom Series so prosthetists can fit amputees with a comfortable artificial limb that is strong enough to withstand high levels of activity.'

Myers said the Freedom Series uses patented, and patent pending, technology that provide feet with the highest degree of performance while simulating natural foot motion for amputees with moderate to high activity needs. He explained that, until now, the biggest challenge facing prosthetic feet manufacturers was providing a device that not only was flexible and resilient for comfort, but also strong and durable to withstand higher levels of activity and various weights of the users.

The Freedom Series delivers artificial feet that are versatile, smooth, and strong enough to be appropriate for 95% of moderate- and high-activity level amputees, according to Myers.

The feet were invented by Dr. Roland Christensen. 'In a natural foot,' explained Christensen, who holds several patents for his prosthetic devices, 'the foot and toe flex and adapt to conform to the slope of the terrain. However, previous artificial feet with a unitary foot and toe platform were incapable of such independent response. Almost all of the past designs have focused only on ankle or foot movement for the purpose of walking or running. Few designs consider the workings of the toes or the less conspicuous movements of the foot and ankle.'

Myers said Freedom Innovations is able to provide the high-performance, high quality prosthetics at lower prices due to its low-cost manufacturing facility in Fayette, Utah and 'factory direct' approach. He said buying direct from the manufacturer affords price savings, which can be passed on to the prosthetist, instead of being lost with a 'middle man' provider.

Additionally, the factory-direct strategy offers custom ordering, same-day, and overnight shipping upon request, personalized service, free foot covers with the purchase of each foot, and the longest warranty (36 months) available in the industry on feet and composite components.

The Freedom Series contains two basic elements that help vary the foot's stiffness according to the user's needs. Each foot consists of carbon-fiber composite materials to deliver lightweight, yet strong and resilient performance. The interlocking design eliminates potential 'stress concentrations' caused by bolt connections. The full-length sole plate removes 'dead spots,' guaranteeing smooth transition throughout the gait cycle. This patent-pending design also features a 'soft toe' to also assist in a smoother rollover.

Ladbroke's winning hand seals end of the Stakis era - The Scotsman

DAVID Michels said the lunch at which he and Peter Georgethrashedout the principles of Ladbroke's takeover of the Stakis grouptowardsthe end of last year was cheap, long and on neutral ground at aForterestaurant.

Mr George, the chief executive of Ladbroke, picked up the tab onthat occasion and has now done the same again, paying GBP 1.2billionfor Stakis in cash and shares, an important element for Mr Michelssince Stakis' shareholders will retain a share of any upside fromthedeal. That upside could be considerable.

Singer: building on confined sites poses construction challenges.(Brad Singer)(HRH Construction Corp.) - Real Estate Weekly

Two construction challenges distinguish projects in dense urban areas from those in the wide-open spaces of the suburbs. The first is the formidable task of building in tight, narrow lots. Second is designing construction plans that permit building around occupied space. In heavily congested New York, one of the nation's largest and densest cities, overcoming these challenges takes on a unique dimension.

Urban construction specialists possess the unique set of skills and expertise that allow high-rise residential, commercial and institutional construction to fit seamlessly into the urban fabric without disrupting activity. Further, builders who are experienced at building within such tight confines are also equipped to tackle suburban projects where site restrictions may pose similar challenges.

HRH Construction is an urban construction specialist that has been building on the most difficult sites for more than 75 years. Over the past several decades, the firm has been involved with the building of some of New York's most recognizable landmarks, such as the Jacob K. Javits Center, the renovation of Madison Square Garden and the conversion of the Gulf & Western office building into Trump International Hotel and Tower.

HRH's commanding knowledge of urban construction sites is also on view in several of the firm's recent projects, including The Capri at 235 East 55th St. The company built this 170,000-SF, 46-story flex dormitory residential building for Manhattan Marymount College. The 'building on top of a building' design dedicated the first 31 floors to the college, with 120 dorm rooms, five lecture rooms totaling 1,210 SF, three student lounges totaling 1,800 SF, and an 800-SF health club. The top 15 floors of the tower comprise 42 terraced luxury rental apartments and penthouses developed and owned by Bhatia Development.

The Capri offered relatively commonplace challenges, such as constructing separate entrances, lobbies and elevators to serve each of the uses. It also presented some extraordinary ones, due to the restrained lot it sits on, just 50 feet in width and 100 feet deep, and bordered by two office buildings and an active parking garage.

HRH had little room to maneuver equipment and personnel. Since it is illegal to swing a crane over existing buildings, the team implemented a tower crane with an unusually small tail swing to comply with code. Further, because of the site's active surroundings and limited building frontage, project managers had to stagger the timing of deliveries to prevent street congestion.

Also in Midtown, HRH is building The Alex, a 32-story luxury residential hotel at 205-209 East 45'' Street. The building is located on an unusually narrow site, mid-block between Second and Third Avenues. Here again, HRH has little room to operate cranes and other heavy equipment, creating a unique logistical situation.

As a result, HRH's construction strategy eliminated use of a mason's hoist, normally standard, in favor of a dual rack-and-pinion hoist that can be utilized for multiple applications. The mason's hoist is a material-only car that allows the contractor to bring the brick and block to each floor, but requires a significant amount of clearance to operate. The dual rack and pinion hoist, on the other hand, is configured with two cars running on a single vertical tower. This allows for loading of material or personnel with either car and is ideal for sites where space is at a premium.

HRH's involvement with the Collegiate School's expansion on the Upper West Side would prove to be a similarly formidable task. Building in and around a school environment presents its own set of challenges. When a growing student population forced the Collegiate School to expand, the directors of the oldest independent school in the United States had few options for growth in their crowded neighborhood.

To solve the problem, HRH helped design a plan for construction of a six-story steel-framed structure that would be slipped into a 15-foot-wide gap between two existing school buildings on West 78th Street. The new structure added a valuable 50,000 SF of space. Simultaneous renovations to both adjacent buildings helped Collegiate transform itself for a new era of education. HRH managed to complete the work with minimal disruption to the school community, despite classes being in session.

The delicacies of working in and around a functioning health care facility - potential power loss, noise considerations, sanitation concerns - create a critical need for expertise such as HRH has demonstrated. Patients' lives depend on the smooth operation of the hospital. A firm that

is building in and around a medical facility has to be constantly mindful of any disturbances that could turn tragic. Unlike other projects, extra precautions have to be taken to minimize the side effects of construction that on other sites are merely inconveniences.

When the Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center, one of the world's premier cancer treatment hospitals, sought to expand its onsite surgical capacity, HRH was called in to build a five-story 'infill' addition, over a five-story portion of the MSKCC's existing main facility. The addition, which will house state-of-the-art operating rooms, laboratories and facilities for the hospital's pathology and pediatric units, is essentially a free-standing shell over a part of the hospital that rests on six 'super-columns.' These double-strength support columns extend five stories to the ground, two stories below grade to a sub-basement, and are then anchored further down into bedrock.

This project represents another 'building on top of a building' challenge, and is further complicated by the close proximity of a 21-story hospital wing, and two adjacent 10-and 14-story buildings, that ring the site like a horseshoe. HRH designed a system that used an outside hoist but interior elevator to shuttle personnel and supplies and conserve. space, a decision that allowed the team to build under tight exterior constraints. Further, thanks to a construction plan that relies heavily on night and weekend work, no existing hospital functions or operations will be interrupted during the entire complex construction process.

HRH's extensive work in congested urban areas helped prepare the firm for a major challenge in downtown White Plains, New York. Located on a 2.6-acre site on Main Street, Bank Street Commons is one of the largest projects in Westchester County's recent history. It comprises 500 luxury apartments in two 20-plus-story towers, and will add 540,000 SF of residential space to the tight White Plains market.

The large size of the Bank Street site affords HRH the rare luxury of an open expanse of space in which to work. However, the property abuts the city's Metro North Railroad tracks, an enormous obstacle that complicated the logistic plan, requiring special steps to protect the railway as well as workers, passersby and equipment.

The difficult building situation was one of the reasons that the site languished undeveloped for many years before HRH took it over. In those years of inactivity, the site earned for itself the dubious nickname of 'The Hole in the Ground.' When developer LCOR sought a construction firm to tackle the difficult site, HRH's success in a range of difficult sites made the firm a natural choice.

THE FLIP SIDE; FOOTBED MAKER MOSZKITO IS CASTING ITS NET WIDER WITH A SUCCESSFUL SPIN-OFF SANDAL COLLECTION. - Footwear News

Byline: Barbara Schneider-Levy

The name Moszkito, Hungarian for the pesky insect, may seem lighthearted for a line of comfort footwear and accessories, but the collection has quickly snagged the attention of serious foot-care professionals.

Following the launch of its prefabricated footbeds in 2001, the Moszkito line was expanded in spring '06 to include support flip-flops under the Archy Sandal label that are built around the brand's signature orthotic footbeds. In the year since their launch, the flip-flops have come to dominate Moszkito's business, according to Laurin Fox, president and co-founder of the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based components company. And based on their success, another companion series of closed-up footwear is on the drawing board for 2009.

'A big part of our growth has been word of mouth,' said Fox, referring to the sandals' distribution among foot-care specialists, which account for about 75 percent of Moszkito's overall business. Currently, he said, the company opens four to five new accounts weekly in this market segment, with the sandals driving most of the interest.

And since baby boomers, in particular, will continue to experience foot issues as they age, necessitating more frequent visits to the doctor, Fox knew he had a built-in customer base for the sandals among the company's existing medical accounts. '[Doctors] know that 99 percent of their clients are wearing flip-flops,' Fox said. 'There's only one way to fight the battle: Put a healthy pair on their feet.'

While medical professionals make up the core of Moszkito's distribution, both the footbeds and flip-flops are carried by footwear independents, as well as by outdoor specialty stores. Even powerhouse e-tailer Zappos.com offers the full breadth of the collection on its site. In fact, moving into spring '08, Fox said he expects business to be split evenly between medical professionals and the traditional retail sector. As the company continues to strengthen its sales force, comfort independents will be a new target, the founder said.

Although Fox and his wife Sandy, a VP at the company, have carved out a niche in the footbed business with a broad offering of more than 150 SKUs available in three different levels of support (Semi Rigid, Flex and Rigid), the couple is striving to offer a flip-flop with the same health-minded features and benefits as the footbeds. '[Flip-flops] have a bad name in the industry,' said Fox. 'That's why we went after [this market].'

Case in point: Scottsdale, Ariz.-based chiropractor Chris McDaniel has sold about 250 pairs of sandals at his practice within the past six months; he has an additional 150 pairs on display in his waiting room. '[The sandals] fill a void no one else has been able to fill,' McDaniel said. 'They're flip-flops with a noticeable and purposeful arch support. They're not only good-looking shoes but functionally better than anything around.'

Moszkito's Archy Sandal collection, available for both men and women, features a choice of two arch heights: a medium version at 16 mm and a high version at 19 mm. Even the high Wedge style offers enhanced comfort, explained Fox, since there is only an inch difference in elevation heel to toe. It's a silhouette, he said, that was developed in conjunction with a podiatrist.

Since the sandals deliver added features and benefits, they carry a heftier price tag than tradition flip-flops: $40 to $65. But that hasn't deterred sales, according to Fox. 'Our customer is willing to pay for support in flip-flops,' he said, adding that the line is now attracting a younger audience in addition to the 30-and-over crowd that initially embraced it.

Although fit is first and foremost when it comes to the sandals, the Foxes have not forgotten about the fashion element. Included in the spring '08 mix is the brand's signature Archy style, a unisex model in a wide color spread that accounts for 65 percent of sandal sales, as well as new styles such as the Archy Crocodile, a croc-print version at $60 retail; and the Wave, priced at $65 and featuring an upper lined in pigskin and a nonmarking outsole with added traction.

Royal Oak, Mich.-based women's boutique Sole Sisters has been carrying the Moszkito sandals since April. 'I'm always trying to find different things,' said owner Nicole Sterling, who placed a first-time order of seven SKUs - a big commitment for an unfamiliar and relatively high-priced flip-flop line. And while she was initially concerned that consumers would balk at the brand's higher price points, she said all they had to do was put a pair on their feet to be convinced.

Bush Appoints Dollar Acting NCUA Chief; O'Neill Goes from One Hazard to Another.(Brief Article) - American Banker

The National Credit Union Administration's revolving door is spinning again.

President George W. Bush elevated Republican board member Dennis Dollar to acting chairman on Friday. He is the agency's third chief in the past three months.

Mr. Dollar, whose term runs through April 2003, succeeded Democrat Yolanda T. Wheat, who was named chairwoman by President Clinton on Jan. 3. Ms. Wheat took over from the controversial Norman E. D'Amours, who resigned Dec. 28 after seven years as chairman. She remains a board member.

Before coming to NCUA, Mr. Dollar was chief executive officer of the Gulfport, Va., Federal Credit Union from 1992 to 1997.

Mr. Dollar is best known for his Reg-Flex, or regulatory flexibility, proposal, which Mr. D'Amours had kept off the NCUA's agenda. The initiative would remove some regulatory requirements for credit unions with high capital and performance ratings.

That is not good news for banking industry lobbyists, who want more -- not less -- bank-like regulation for credit unions.

Credit Union National Association president Daniel A. Mica hailed the change in leadership in a statement.

'Credit unions have told us they view Mr. Dollar as a good fit for the agency, in that he will allow for a continued cooperative working relationship with the agency that has not been seen in years,' he said.

Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill sure knows when to get out of town.

The former head of aluminum maker Alcoa was in New York Wednesday to meet with about 30 Wall Street executives, including Citigroup chairman and chief executive officer Sanford I. Weill and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. CEO Philip Purcell, according to news reports.

Back in Washington, his agency was having a bad day.

The Treasury's main building was evacuated in the afternoon after employees complained of toxic fumes. Environmental Protection Agency investigators and District of Columbia health officials found an unknown, volatile organic substance in the building's old sewer system and said they believed hazardous material had been illegally dumped, according to news reports.

The evacuation came just a few hours after an apparently suicidal gunman was shot in the leg outside the White House -- and next door to the Treasury building.

Mr. O'Neill safely navigated Wall Street, which could have been hostile territory for him considering that in a Wall Street Journal article he had described financial traders as 'people who sit in front of a flickering green screen' and 'not the sort of people you would want to help you think about complex questions.'

Comptroller of the Currency John D. Hawke Jr. will head an informal electronic finance task force within the Basel Committee on Bank Supervision's financial stability forum. The group will discuss how financial supervisors, including insurance and securities regulators, can share data on their activities, Mr. Hawke said in a speech in Paris on Feb. 5.

The post-election exodus of public-sector employees to private-sector jobs continues:

The Independent Community Bankers of America has tapped Richard Gupton to be deputy director of agricultural finance. He previously was subcommittee staff director and counsel to the late Sen. Paul Coverdell, R-Ga., who was chairman of a Senate Agriculture subcommittee. Mr. Gupton will work with Mark Scanlan, the ICBA's director of agricultural finance.

Kevin L. Thurm, Health and Human Services deputy secretary in the Clinton administration, was hired to be the first director of strategic planning in Citigroup Inc.'s consumer division. Mr. Thurm was deputy secretary from Aug. 30, 1996, until George W. Bush was sworn into office Jan. 20.

Katie Herberger joined the Credit Union National Association Jan. 29 as legislative affairs manager. In the newly created post, Ms. Herberger is to lobby House lawmakers. Before joining CUNA, Ms. Herberger was a legislative assistant to Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and previously worked for Rep. John LaFalce, D-N.Y.

CUNA also plans to add Patricia Raymond to its staff on March 5 as political programs director. In this newly created post, Ms. Raymond is to work with lawmakers to carry out the group's political action programs. Ms. Raymond was assistant vice president of governmental affairs for the Pennsylvania Credit Union League.

Graham Champion, senior vice president and manager of governmental affairs at Amsouth Bancorp., has been named the 2001 chairman of the Financial Services Roundtable's government affairs council. Susan Callanan,USAA assistant vice president for federal relations, is the panel's vice chairman. Michael J. Monroe, an executive vice president at KeyCorp, was named head of the group's public affairs council.

R. David Whitaker, the former assistant general counsel at Freddie Mac, joined the Goodwin Procter law firm's Washington office on Jan. 22. Mr. Whitaker is a specialist in laws and regulations governing electronic banking, specifically digital signatures and payment systems.

Machinations; ONE POLITICAL MACHINE STRUGGLED LAST WEEK WHILE ANOTHER FLEXED NEW MUSCLE.(News) - Crain's Chicago Business

Byline: Greg Hinz

Call it a tale of two machines. One continues to lose its strength with age. The other is beginning to flex its political muscle.

The first is Chicago's vaunted, if hoary, Cook County Regular Democratic Organization, which kept power over the county budget late last month only because of last-second help from-of all people-county board Republicans. The other is reborn organized labor, and particularly the fast-growing Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which is making things interesting in Daley Inc.'s Chicago City Council subsidiary.

Everyone from housing developers to hospital operators, business folk and plain old taxpayers ought to monitor closely the jousting between these two machines. The bottom line definitely is on the line.

Start with the county. The question that counted there was whether newbie board President Todd Stroger would mostly cut frontline county workers to balance the books or instead be forced to dispense with highly paid administrators who form the backbone of his home ward organization (8th) and other Democratic fiefs.

Everyone involved in the fray cites different figures and arguments. But there's no question that Mr. Stroger won the key vote because three suburban Republicans broke with an independent bloc and sided with him.

How come? Commissioner Peter Silvestri notes that Mr. Stroger agreed to restore funding for a health plan for the working poor that is particularly important to suburbanites. Fellow GOP Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman emphasizes that Mr. Stroger dropped plans to fire 35 suburban sheriff's police officers and agreed to keep personnel who maintain 570 miles of suburban streets.

But another GOP board member, Tony Peraica, says the three 'abandoned'' the reform bloc because 'they were in a dealing mood. Todd called them into his office and promises were made on jobs, promotions, contracts and probably committee chairmanships.''

The other side denies it, with Ms. Gorman calling Mr. Peraica, who ran for president against Mr. Stroger, 'yesterday's news.''

Who's right? Answers may come when and if Team Stroger gives me the data I've requested on how many administrative posts got cut where, and who holds them. But I can tell you two things for sure: A couple of dozen highway, zoning and similar suburban-focused jobs that some consider GOP patronage were kept in the budget. And highly paid jobs held by eight Democratic ward or township committeemen-to say nothing of county jobs held by their relatives, precinct captains and buddies-stayed in the budget, too.

Meanwhile, at City Hall, the question is how many incumbent aldermen-almost all of them staunch allies of the mayor-will end up losing to union-backed challengers by the time the second, runoff round of city elections concludes on April 17. The best guess now is five to seven, a big number in a body that nearly overturned Mayor Daley's veto of the big-box minimum-wage ordinance.

Though all of labor contributed, SEIU really ponied up, dropping more than $1.2 million into aldermanic contests, according to Executive Director Jerry Morrison. SEIU's best local political friend is Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and his former top aide, Doug Scofield, worked for SEIU candidates in last week's elections.

The very prospect of SEIU having friends in the City Council may give Mayor Daley heartburn, whatever he says. That ought to fit in nicely with the headache the mayor could get if downtown Alderman-elect Brendan Reilly (42nd) starts taking advice from his ex-boss, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, and the anxiety attack he'll surely suffer when Alderman-elect Sandi Jackson, aka Mrs. Jesse Jackson Jr., joins with a couple of other allies of the congressman to make her move.

Maybe Hizzoner can ask his doc for a multipurpose painkiller.

Already there's talk of a new big-box proposal. A tough fight on affordable housing is coming, and hospitals know aldermen can help SEIU organize medical workers. Developers, meanwhile, wonder how much Mr. Reilly will clamp down on them.

Only time will tell how independent new aldermen are of the machines, new and old.

What auto interior people can learn from Herman Miller: let's face it, for years the office chair was nothing more than a commodity ... until Herman Miller produced the iconic Aeron. Maybe there is a lesson here.(DESIGN) - Automotive Design & Production

The office chair. There's not much to it really-a back, seat cushion and strong legs upon which it is designed to support the body-which has made the seat little more than an afterthought for most of us, even though we spend countless hours each day sitting--either at a desk or conference table. To the developers and engineers at Herman Miller (www.hermanmiller.com), the chair is a tool that helps improve productivity, health and inspires creativity. For generations the Zeeland, Mi-based company has been reinventing the chair through innovative designs: the Ergon (1976), Equa (1984) and Aeron (1994).

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'Every ten to twelve years we set out to reinvent the task chair,' says John Aldrich, Herman Miller's vice president of product development engineering, whose team spent more than four years creating their latest seating reinvention: the Embody. 'We really started from scratch, especially when it came to the seat and the back. I said since the first day of this project that we needed to reinvent the seat and the back,' Aldrich adds. What's so innovative about Embody and what can the auto industry learn from it? Take a look:

The Design

Independent designers Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf--co-designers of the Aeron, Ergon and Equa chairs--approached Herman Miller executives about creating a chair that would improve the mental health and physical performance of workers tied to their computers for extended periods each day. (Herman Miller does not have any full-time designers on staff; the company relies on outside design consultants to develop innovative ideas.) 'Accommodating technology at the expense of people has become the priority in creating work environments,' says Weber, who wanted to turn that equation on its head. They extensively studied the motions of the human body using the Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource Project (CAESAR) along with research from the University of Michigan to develop a chair that would work in harmony with the human body. Design execution required extensive use of digital tools; the master model for the seat and back had more than 10,000 features.

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The Back

Typical work chairs use cushioned backs to provide support for the spine; most of the time this approach is imprecise and cannot be tailored to the individual user, resulting in back strain. To resolve this, the Embody team studied how windshield wipers hug glass throughout the operating cycle, thinking it would be advantageous to focus on developing a material that would bend and flex while supplying maximum support for various body shapes and sizes. The idea required development of a specific elastomer to accommodate the durability and customization necessary to provide maximum back support. 'To form fit the contour to a custom contour we had to come up with a flexible geometry so each of the beams is specifically designed and individually tuned to twist and bend with each part of the back--there are micro-adaptations going on constantly,' says Aldrich.

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The Seat

During the initial development phase, engineers had planned to reuse the materials on the back for seat cushion support. Early development mules proved that solution wouldn't work because the elastomer was too pliable and couldn't keep the body centered. That problem required a completely new design configuration resulting in a four-layer solution that mimics human flesh. The bottom layer is constructed from a proprietary material that allows for expansion and contraction without creeping; the middle layers contain elastomeric springs, each with their own equation and force deflection characteristics; while the top fabric features a pixilated design that has its own geometry to re-orient itself after each use. This complex layer combination required some out-of-the-box thinking when it came to assembly, as Aldrich explains: 'The bottom layer has about 80 connection points and that layer is plastically deformed but elastically strained in order to get all of those holes to line up for assembly. So we had to figure out how all those holes lined up when the material is stretched during the process-it's very precise and is done in 45 seconds.'

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

RELATED ARTICLE: Embody's Automotive Lessons

Before joining Herman Miller more than a decade ago, John Aldrich, vice president of product development engineering, worked in seating at both a major automotive supplier and an OEM. He says the auto industry can learn a lot from his company and the Embody, especially when it comes to innovation. He acknowledges several automakers have had designers visit Herman Miller's design barn facility in Holland, MI, to take a gander at the Embody, and he expects a few of the technologies used in the chair to make their way to future vehicle interiors--particularly the seat cushion design. Still, he says automakers have a long way to go when it comes to being truly innovative in seating.

'When I was in the auto industry, whenever something innovative like [the Embody] came up, the 'why we shouldn't do it' comments were overwhelmed by the questions of how could we do it. The industry is just too conservative,' he says. One of the biggest changes he says automakers have to make is encouraging buy-in from all of their people, starting with the design staff through to production engineering: 'In the auto industry, a lot of the people who do the invention aren't the people who do the execution and that's a problem.' Herman Miller's approach relies on outside designers to present ideas and they eventually get to lead the project through the entire process from engineering and supplier discussions, to production finalization. He says the auto industry has to move past the age-old thinking that relies solely on foam and fabric seating into new materials and designs that improve space utilization and enhance interior design. 'What about when the world is no longer foam and fabric?' he asks.

by Kevin M. Kelly

COMPANY PRESIDENT NAMED A BEST BOSS.(Business)(Column) - The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY)

Byline: ELIZABETH DORAN SMALL BUSINESS NOTEBOOK

John Pennisi, president and chief executive officer of Medical Management Resources Inc., is on the list of 2004 Best Bosses as named by Fortune Small Business magazine and Winning Workplaces.

Pennisi is among 15 'all-terrain' business leaders honored for their ability to motivate workers through continued belt-tightening while finding ways to grow. He was selected from 210 companies nominated nationwide and then from among 35 finalists.

The company, based in East Syracuse and founded in 1986, specializes in medical billing and practice management. The company has employee benefits including flex time, flex hours allowing employees to work longer each day to get every other Friday off, tuition reimbursement for industry-related courses, on-site day care and a fitness room. The company also stresses a team approach to customer service and solving problems and has a turnover rate below the industry average.

The complete list of winners appears in the October 2004 issue of Fortune Small Business and on the Winning Workplaces and FSB Web sites.

Federation honors Walsh

Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga, has been named a Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business for his voting record on behalf of small businesses. Walsh sticks up for small business on issues such as tax relief, affordable health care, liability reform and regulatory reform, said Jack Faris, president and CEO of the federation.

The final 14 successful habits

Mark Russell, founder and president of Mark Russell & Associates, offered his own seven habits for success. Know where you're going, and be focused on the customer, he advised. Surround yourself with great people - not just those with intelligence but people who have character and who are self-motivated. Focus on your people, help them grow and make sure they're having fun. And don't be afraid to take some calculated risks. Also, try to work harder than everyone else, he said.

Carrie Lazarus, a broadcaster with WIXT-TV (Channel 9), said her top habit is make sure she spends time with her family, because they're the foundation of her life. Be prepared and passionate, try to be the light in the dark room and be fit and healthy.

A farewell

This is the last week for my Small Business notebook, as I'll soon be making the switch to covering Onondaga County government.

To everyone who has called and e-mailed me and stopped me at events to share news, I hope you'll still call me with county-related tips.

Pass your small-business events and news to business@syracuse.com, and best of luck in your entrepreneurial ventures. Keep in touch.

House Rejects School Voucher Plan, Boosts Main Aid Program - The Washington Post

The House rejected a Republican plan for private school vouchersyesterday before overwhelmingly approving bipartisan legislation thatcould boost spending on the main program of federal aid to localschools.

The bipartisan bill, which passed 358 to 67 and is supported bythe administration, would renew the Title I remedial program, whichprovides federal funds for disadvantaged students, for another fiveyears.

While the GOP defeat on voucher amendments came as littlesurprise, Republican leaders were unexpectedly forced to retreat onanother education bill, which would have permitted states toconsolidate various federal aid programs into one education 'blockgrant' that states could spend as they saw fit. That bill was scaledback to a limited pilot project after party moderates objectedbecause federal help could be diverted from disadvantaged students.Last night, the compromise bill narrowly passed 213 to 208, in a votemostly along party lines.

This is the first Republican-controlled Congress with anopportunity to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of1965, the Great Society legislation that firmly established a federalrole in education. The House has taken the nontraditional approach ofsplitting the law into several separate pieces of legislation,including the two debated yesterday. House Republicans describe theunusual procedure as an effort to give greater scrutiny to theindividual federal programs, but Democrats have derided it as apublic relations strategy designed to exaggerate GOP educationefforts.

Several studies have shown limited academic results from the TitleI program that was reauthorized yesterday. The program, which is thecenterpiece of the 1965 law, spent $7.7 billion this past year on 10million students in nearly every school district in the country. TheHouse bill would authorize annual funding of nearly $10 billion.

'Now, we are beginning to fix the programs,' said Education andthe Workforce Committee Chairman William F. Goodling (R-Pa.) afterthe bill passed.

Earlier in the day, House Majority Leader Richard K. Armey (R-Tex.) had tried to take the House in a more conservative direction,proposing to spend $100 million a year on vouchers that students infailing public schools could use to pay for tuition at privateschools. Students would have been eligible to receive a voucher if agovernor had declared their school an 'academic disaster' or if theyhad been harmed by school violence.

But Democratic critics argued that vouchers would not help thelarger number of students who would remain behind in troubled schoolsand would divert resources from public to private schools. Armey'samendment was defeated, 257 to 166, with 52 Republicans joining 204Democrats and one independent in opposing vouchers.

An amendment proposed by Rep. Thomas E. Petri (R-Wis.) toexperiment with vouchers in 10 states was also defeated, 271 to 153,with 66 Republicans crossing party lines.

Despite the rejection of the voucher amendments, the Title Ilegislation takes a limited step to broaden the choice of publicschools available to disadvantaged students. Under the bill, thoseenrolled in low-performing schools--currently about 20 percent ofTitle I-supported schools--would be able to transfer to anotherpublic school within the same school district. Federal funding wouldnot follow students who transfer, but districts could use Title Imoney to pay for their transportation.

Under another provision of the bill, parents of bilingual studentswould be given the right to approve the language in which theirchildren receive instruction, a change made in response to someHispanic parents whose children were channeled into Spanish bilingualclasses despite being proficient in English.

The limited block grant bill approved yesterday, commonly called'Super Ed Flex,' would give 10 states even more latitude in spendingfederal funds than a similar 'Ed Flex' law that Congress passed withbipartisan support and President Clinton signed in April. The earlierlaw allowed waivers of federal rules, but did not permit funds fromdifferent programs to be combined and used for a single purpose asthe new legislation would.

House Republicans had timed action on the education bills tocoincide with wrangling with the White House over spending bills inan effort to blunt anticipated attacks from Clinton on educationissues. GOP leaders hoped the party would come across as standing fora distinctive education policy, but instead its failure on vouchersand retreat to a pilot program on block grants sent mixed messagesthat left some conservative members fuming.

'This makes me boil, when we tell young children who can't read,write and add, 'Just be patient,' ' said Rep. John R. Kasich (R-Ohio).

Man who knifed George Harrison to be freed from secure hospital - The Independent (London, England)

A SCHIZOPHRENIC who stabbed the late Beatle George Harrison wasyesterday pre-paring to be released after being conditionallydischarged from the secure hospital where he has been detained.

Michael Abram repeatedly knifed Harrison, who died of cancer lastNovember, and attacked his wife, Olivia, after breaking into theirHenley-on-Thames mansion in December 1999. He was cleared ofattempting to murder the couple on the grounds of insanity and wasdetained at a secure hospital 'without time restriction'.

During the trial, the court was told that Abram thought he wasthe victim of a conspiracy by celebrities, including members ofOasis, the Beatles and Madonna. Armed with electrical flex, a pole,a lamp and a knife, he stabbed the guitarist at least 10 times.

Less than two years after Abram's trial at Oxford Crown Court, anindependent panel of experts decided yesterday that he was fit to bereleased and gave him a conditional discharge. A spokeswoman forMersey Care NHS Trust, which runs the Scott Clinic in Rainhill,Merseyside, where Abram is a patient, said: 'Michael Abram ... hasbeen given a conditional discharge today by a Mental Health ReviewTribunal (MHRT).' She said the MHRT was independent but said thereasons for its findings were confidential.

The decision to release Abram comes days after it emerged thatanother schizo-phrenic man, Eden Strang, who attacked members of achurch congregation with a samurai sword, had been released from asecure unit.

Strang, 29, stripped naked and attacked elderly victims with the3ft sword at a church in Thornton Heath, south London. Following atrial at the Old Bailey in November 1999 he was locked up'indefinitely' under the Mental Health Act.

A jury found him not guilty through insanity of seven counts ofattempted murder.

Sports clubs bulk up in D.C. area; Clientele desirable.(PAGE ONE) - The Washington Times (Washington, DC)

Byline: Jen Haberkorn, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Washingtonians should be a fit bunch, judging by the glut of fitness centers opening in the area.

Chain or independent, large or boutique, urban or suburban, each flex different muscles of the best equipment, diet guidance, the most intense or relaxing environment, or all of the above in a competition for memberships.

More than 130 fitness centers opened last year in Maryland, Virginia and the District, bringing the total to 1,258 outlets. That's up 50 percent from 843 in 2001, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a Boston trade group.

The aggressive growth has continued into 2006 as national and boutique gyms open or expand in the Washington area.

'Washington is an attractive market because it's full of young professionals, well educated,' said David von Storch, president of Vida Fitness, a new combination workout facility, spa and salon in the Verizon Center building on Seventh Street Northwest. 'And it's an underserved market.'

Nearly all gym owners cite Washington's high levels of disposable income and education as reasons why they want to be here.

Among those coming into the Washington area are L.A. Fitness, which plans to open in Silver Spring later this year. Vida Fitness and Mint Fitness, a small workout facility that emphasizes a relaxing environment, have both opened in Northwest. Active Duty Fitness for Women, a boot-camp-style workout in Northern Virginia, just started franchising.

The growth is led by boutique gyms, which are cutting a new path with a combination of quality machines and a spalikeplace to relax or just a different type of workout, away from the industrial-strength gyms that were all the rage in the late 1990s.

'We've seen people gravitate toward a gym not just as a place to exercise and get in their cardio but as a place to get away from it all,' said Patrick John, owner of Mint Fitness, which opened in February.

He and his wife, Melissa, closed the Wheaton Athletic Club last year when they lost their lease. They focused more on wellness, nutrition and spalike features, such as massages and facials, in their second fitness center.

Xpose Fitness, which has classes centered on pilates, yoga and exotic dancing, opened its first location early last year in Towson, Md., owner Anita Ammon said.

'We provide such a different type of fitness center,' Ms. Ammon said about why her centers are growing. 'It's not for everyone. People are usually dragged in by friends and realize it's an upscale environment. .. It's an alternative form of fitness, and breaks up the monotony.'

The women-only gym is scheduled to open its third, fourth and fifth area gyms in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs this year. But there's still plenty of room for competition.

Only 14 percent of Americans belong to health clubs, according to the sports club association.

On Tuesday, a study by Trust for American's Health found that adult obesity rates rose last year in 31 states, including Maryland. The rate rose only by a slight percentage in Virginia and the District.

And as the health problems associated with obesity become more well known, health club owners expect, or hope, memberships will rise. Monthly membership fees typically run more than $100.

Many of the large chain gyms, with aisles and aisles of cardiovascular machines and rows and rows of dumbbells, have slowed the number of locations they're opening. Instead, they're remodeling existing locations or adding new amenities similar to their boutique competitors.

'People are not satisfied anymore with self-service fitness,' said John H. Wildman, chief operating officer of Bally Total Fitness. 'In order to grow the market overall, we have to provide services to people that have been uncomfortable in the health club environment.'

The Chicago company has added four personal training sessions to its membership perks, as well as nutrition guidance and plans to expand its local course offerings to new programs, such as martial arts.

Bally Total Fitness, which has 17 Washington clubs, plans to replace two of its existing locations next year, but isn't opening any new ones here.

Gold's Gym and Washington Sports Club, with 40 and 18 Washington area gyms, respectively, plan to open one new location each over the next year. But both have perks. The newest Gold's location in Arlington has televisions attached to every cardio machine, and Washington Sports Club plans to remodel its Dupont Circle location next year to include a juice bar and other amenities.

Curves International Inc., which has about 90 locations in the Washington area and promises a thorough workout on its circuit of machines in 30 minutes, doesn't plan to open any more locations in this area.

'The plan is not growth so much as to serve the members and get back to basics,' said Connie Parish, Curves' local area director. 'It's saturated right now.'

CAPTION(S):

FUTURE CALLING: David Cambridge (above) of Custom Systems Integration outfitted Vida Fitness, a new combination workout facility, spa and salon in the Verizon Center, with phone, data and video capabilities. Peter Kang (below) worked out his abdominal muscles at Gold's Gym, a larger chain fitness center with plans to add new amenities. [Photo by Mary F. Calvert/The Washington Times]

The D.C. area was a prime spot to open up a Vida Fitness gym, said its president, David von Storch, because 'it's full of young professionals, well educated, and it's an underserved market.' Other gyms opening in the area this year cite similar reasons. [Photo by Mary F. Calvert/The Washington Times]

Sports clubs bulk up in Washington, D.C., area. - The Washington Times (Washington, DC)

Byline: Jen Haberkorn

Aug. 31--Washingtonians should be a fit bunch, judging by the glut of fitness centers opening in the area.

Chain or independent, large or boutique, urban or suburban, each flex different muscles of the best equipment, diet guidance, the most intense or relaxing environment, or all of the above in a competition for memberships.

More than 130 fitness centers opened last year in Maryland, Virginia and the District, bringing the total to 1,258 outlets. That's up 50 percent from 843 in 2001, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a Boston trade group.

The aggressive growth has continued into 2006 as national and boutique gyms open or expand in the Washington area.

'Washington is an attractive market because it's full of young professionals, well educated,' said David von Storch, president of Vida Fitness, a new combination workout facility, spa and salon in the Verizon Center building on Seventh Street Northwest. 'And it's an underserved market.'

Nearly all gym owners cite Washington's high levels of disposable income and education as reasons why they want to be here.

Among those coming into the Washington area are L.A. Fitness, which plans to open in Silver Spring later this year. Vida Fitness and Mint Fitness, a small workout facility that emphasizes a relaxing environment, have both opened in Northwest. Active Duty Fitness for Women, a boot-camp-style workout in Northern Virginia, just started franchising.

The growth is led by boutique gyms, which are cutting a new path with a combination of quality machines and a spalike place to relax or just a different type of workout, away from the industrial-strength gyms that were all the rage in the late 1990s.

'We've seen people gravitate toward a gym not just as a place to exercise and get in their cardio but as a place to get away from it all,' said Patrick John, owner of Mint Fitness, which opened in February.

He and his wife, Melissa, closed the Wheaton Athletic Club last year when they lost their lease. They focused more on wellness, nutrition and spalike features, such as massages and facials, in their second fitness center.

Xpose Fitness, which has classes centered on pilates, yoga and exotic dancing, opened its first location early last year in Towson, Md., owner Anita Ammon said.

'We provide such a different type of fitness center,' Ms. Ammon said about why her centers are growing. 'It's not for everyone. People are usually dragged in by friends and realize it's an upscale environment. ... It's an alternative form of fitness, and breaks up the monotony.'

The women-only gym is scheduled to open its third, fourth and fifth area gyms in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs this year. But there's still plenty of room for competition.

Only 14 percent of Americans belong to health clubs, according to the sports club association.

On Tuesday, a study by Trust for American's Health found that adult obesity rates rose last year in 31 states, including Maryland. The rate rose only by a slight percentage in Virginia and the District.

And as the health problems associated with obesity become more well known, health club owners expect, or hope, memberships will rise. Monthly membership fees typically run more than $100.

Many of the large chain gyms, with aisles and aisles of cardiovascular machines and rows and rows of dumbbells, have slowed the number of locations they're opening. Instead, they're remodeling existing locations or adding new amenities similar to their boutique competitors.

'People are not satisfied anymore with self-service fitness,' said John H. Wildman, chief operating officer of Bally Total Fitness. 'In order to grow the market overall, we have to provide services to people that have been uncomfortable in the health club environment.'

The Chicago company has added four personal training sessions to its membership perks, as well as nutrition guidance and plans to expand its local course offerings to new programs, such as martial arts.

Bally Total Fitness, which has 17 Washington clubs, plans to replace two of its existing locations next year, but isn't opening any new ones here.

Gold's Gym and Washington Sports Club, with 40 and 18 Washington area gyms, respectively, plan to open one new location each over the next year. But both have perks. The newest Gold's location in Arlington has televisions attached to every cardio machine, and Washington Sports Club plans to remodel its Dupont Circle location next year to include a juice bar and other amenities.

Curves International Inc., which has about 90 locations in the Washington area and promises a thorough workout on its circuit of machines in 30 minutes, doesn't plan to open any more locations in this area.

'The plan is not growth so much as to serve the members and get back to basics,' said Connie Parish, Curves' local area director. 'It's saturated right now.'

To see more of The Washington Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.washtimes.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, The Washington Times

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

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U.S. Nutrition builds on winning formula.(Marketplace 2010/Corporate Profiles) - Chain Drug Review

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. -- U.S. Nutrition Inc. is the No. 1 vitamin supplements company in the United States, with vitamin sales totaling more than $1 billion annually.

The company markets approximately 2,000 products under a number of brand names, including Nature's Bounty, Sundown Naturals, Osteo Bi-Flex, Ester-C, Flex-a-min, Disney, Marvel, MET-Rx, Pure Protein and Body Fortress.

U.S. Nutrition also produces private label products for select retail partners.

'Quality is the first ingredient in every U.S. Nutrition product,' says vice president of sales and marketing Richard Scoza. 'As a vertically integrated manufacturer and marketer, U.S. Nutrition oversees every aspect of production, from sourcing the highest-quality ingredients to manufacturing, packaging and distribution.'

As a direct result, the company says, U.S. Nutrition maximizes its efficiencies and keeps costs low while ensuring that its customers receive the highest-quality products available today.

A consistent market leader, U.S. Nutrition is committed to driving nutritional category growth through continual product innovation, consumer education and leading-edge category management techniques, says Scoza.

'U.S. Nutrition believes in category leadership through partnership,' he asserts. 'Important data--including scan data, panel insights, space management resources and consumer research--is analyzed to develop category-building solutions that deliver results.'

Working together with the retail partners, the company analyzes all facets of the comprehensive category plan to find share-driving solutions.

U.S. Nutrition's speed to market with successful new product launches and cutting-edge formulations, as well as customized, individually tailored programs that fit the needs of each of its retailers, has helped propel the company to the forefront of the industry, Scoza points out.

'This successful formula, with over $160 million in planned marketing and advertising support to drive sales this year alone, has made U.S. Nutrition's vitamins, minerals, herbals, specialty supplements and sport nutrition products consumer favorites that enjoy extensive distribution,' he says.

'U.S. Nutrition's powerful brands continue to lead their categories, including Nature's Bounty, the No. 1 brand-driving growth at F/D/M [food/drug/mass]; Osteo Bi-Flex, the No. 1 joint relief brand at F/D/M; Pure Protein, the No. 1 protein bar brand in F/D/M; and MET-Rx, the No. 1 Protein Bar Brand in F/D/M and convenience stores combined.'

According to Scoza, U.S. Nutrition maintains its own multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art research and development laboratories staffed with the finest researchers and scientists. They produce and package supplements in every available form and meet the most rigorous quality standards in the industry.

Strict quality control programs include U.S. Nutrition's mandatory supplier qualification process, in-house testing of ingredients and both in-process and finished-product testing in all facilities.

U.S. Nutrition meets or exceeds all applicable industry quality standards, as well as all manufacturing requirements for dietary supplements as found in the United States Pharmacopeia.

As an added assurance, U.S. Nutrition's laboratories and manufacturing facilities are audited by the leading independent quality-assurance testing companies, Scoza says.

'It is through continued innovation, leading-edge research and development, and a thorough understanding of the evolving demands of the changing marketplace, combined with diligent quality control and customized programs for its retailer partners, that U.S. Nutrition has become a model of success for the nutrition industry.'

U.S. Nutrition Inc. a subsidiary of NBTY Inc.

2100 Smithtown Ave. Ronkonkoma, N.Y. 11779

Key Contact: Richard Scoza, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Web site: nbty.com

Phone: (631) 200-2000

Fax: (631) 563-1623

Primary business:

HEALTH CARE Nutritional supplements