Dad said Cub fan was too young for '45 Series

Jerry Pritikin, a retired publicist and photographer, still loves his city, even though it wasn't a very nurturing place for him as a young man.

At 71, Pritikin calls himself "one of those crazy Chicago characters." He knows a thing or two about how our city of neighborhoods has changed over the years.

Here are a few things he's learned:

- When we were kids, the worst we would do to each other if we got in a fight -- and that didn't happen too often -- was to have a roll of nickels in your hand when you punched someone. No one got stabbed or hit with a baseball bat or certainly not shot. I don't really understand how kids at such young ages get killed these days. I …

Studies from C.M. Wu et al have provided new data on agriculture and soil science.

According to recent research published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal, "Particle size distribution (PSD) is a fundamental soil physical property. The conventional approaches for representing PSD use empirical models with two to four parameters."

"We developed an alternative way to predict PSD that differs from conventional approaches by using the gray model GM(1,1), which does not depend on the model shape as empirical approaches do. The performance of GM(1,1) was compared with Skaggs model by using four statistical criteria. From nine textures of soil samples in our study, the results reveal that the GM(1,1) is superior for making PSD predictions. The results …

CONSUMER ADVOCATES URGE CONGRESS TO REIN IN CREDIT CARD COMPANIES.(Brief article)

Credit card company critics urged the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to limit the rates and fees that credit card companies can impose on consumers, saying the industry's tactics contribute to many Americans' debt. The comments were made during the first consumer-oriented hearings of the new Congress, as the committee looks to find ways to tighten rules related to the credit card industry's billing, marketing and disclosure practices. Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) has long sought to clamp down on the industry. In 2005, Dodd sponsored a proposal that would have outlawed universal default, the practice of raising interest rates on a credit …

POLL SHOWS FEW BACK PATAKI FOR PRESIDENT.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: Associated Press

ALBANY -- New Yorkers don't think much of the idea of Gov. George Pataki or New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani running for president in 2000, a statewide independent poll reported Tuesday.

In fact, fewer than one in seven New Yorkers think Pataki should run for president, even though 28 percent think he will.

The poll of 706 likely voters, conducted Nov. 23-25 by Zogby International for the New York Post and Fox television, shows about 15 percent of respondents think …

Times Union, Albany, N.Y., Business Briefs Column.

Mar. 26--COLONIE, N.Y. -- PLUG POWER READY TO CONTINUE: Plug Power Inc. will continue its joint development of the Home Energy Station with Honda R&D Americas Inc., a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

The work will focus on developing a next-generation prototype of the fuel-cell system, which can provide power and heat to a building while also producing hydrogen fuel for a fuel-cell-driven car, the Latham-based company said Thursday.

But Plug's partner, which will fund the project, doesn't want to reveal any details, citing competition. A prototype of the station was demonstrated in the fall.

"The trial that we did last year is pretty impressive," …

China Cracks Down on 'Vulgar' Video

China is launching a nationwide crackdown on sexually suggestive video and audio products, in the latest effort by government censors to curb content considered to be in bad taste.

During the three-month campaign, audio and video producers should stop making "vulgar" products and recall those that are already on the market, China's General Administration of Press and Publication said.

"Some of the video and audio products are coarsely made, containing materials of bad taste," the regulator said in a notice on its Web site.

The questionable material includes suggestive language and partially nude images used to promote sales, …

Fiser slips to victory in Ill-Am

Don't tell Chuck Fiser about Butler's water problems.

Fiser almost saw a four-stroke lead washed away Thursday on thefinal hole of the 57th annual Illinois Amateur Championship at PineMeadow.

Fiser, 22, of Cordova, withstood the near catastrophe to capturea one-stroke victory over 20-year-old Rob Sullivan of Palatine.

Sailing along with a two-under par round (five under for the72-hole tournament), Fiser sunk his third shot into the water hazardguarding the green at 18, a par-4.

Instead of fishing the embedded ball out of the edge of thepond, Fiser recast his shot over the water, took the penalty and twoputts for a triple bogey and the …