He threatened to veto bills from Congress that included funding for special interest projects, or earmarks, and warned of the dangers of accelerating US troop withdrawals from Iraq.

But he still had to share the evening with two of his would-be successors: Barack Obama, seated beside Ted Kennedy, who endorsed his campaign earlier yesterday, and Hillary Clinton, who sat beside her onetime rival in the Democratic race, Joe Biden, and Bill Nelson. Nelson, a Democratic Senator from Florida, is due to endorse Clinton today.

The evening began with an awkward moment between the two Democratic frontrunners when it appeared as if Obama turned away or did not see Clinton when she reached out to shake his hand.

John McCain opted to stay behind in Florida to campaign for today's primary - and avoid exposure to an unpopular president.

FINANCE: Global Meltdowns and the Perversions of Lucre

The credit rating agencies' apparent credulity amid years of hyperinflation in U.S. housing prices seems incomprehensible: Comparable spikes in asset values preceded the Asian financial crisis of 1997 and the dot-com crash of a few years later.

Contrary to the image of judiciousness cultivated by the financial sector, few players appear to have had much incentive to exercise caution. The earnings of the sectors' sales force are tied to the volume, not the quality, of business they generate.

The typical New York investment banker with 10-15 years' experience made 2.1 million dollars in 2007, according to Washington Post commentator Robert Samuelson. Of this, 1.2 million dollars came in cash bonuses for selling stocks and bonds or pushing mergers and acquisitions, he said, citing figures from compensation consultants Johnson Associates.

Eastern Illinois University's Accountancy program to offer Becker CPA ...

CHARLESTON — For the second consecutive year, the Eastern Illinois University Accountancy Program in the School of Business and Becker Professional Review will offer the Becker CPA Review.The course is available for students at Eastern, as well as candidates from surrounding communities and industries. Review sessions will run for six weeks beginning May 12 and will cover CPA examination material related to business environment and concepts, financial accounting, regulation and auditing. Sessions will be weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon.The EIU Accountancy Program joins other major schools and universities nationwide that have chosen to offer students Becker CPA Review as a benefit and to demonstrate its commitment to student success on professional examinations.Becker students pass at twice the rate of all CPA exam candidates who did not take a Becker review course, based on averages of AICPA-published pass rates.

Irving brothers look to break up empire

Sadly enough, I'd say most non-Atlantic Canadians wouldn't either.

That said, if there's a way of splitting the empire while keeping most of the jobs local I'd say that's a good thing. Posted 21/11/07 at 4:01 AM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment .

Advanced Life Sciences Announces Successful Thorough QT Study Of ...

Advanced Life Sciences Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADLS), announced positive results from Trial CL07-001, a thorough QT study of the Company's novel once-a-day oral antibiotic, cethromycin. This study was conducted to evaluate the cardiac safety of cethromycin and to enhance the safety database for the Company's upcoming New Drug Application (NDA) submission for cethromycin to treat community acquired pneumonia (CAP). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires thorough QT studies for all new chemical entities because prolongation in QT interval (corrected for changes in heart rate, or QTc) may signify an increased risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias.

Trial CL07-001 evaluated the potential of cethromycin to cause a prolongation in electrocardiographic QT interval in accordance with FDA and ICH E14 guidance.

PLAINFIELD: Library painting on loan for Chicago exhibit

A painting officials call "the finest and most noteworthy" in Plainfield Public Library's collection is on loan to the Art Institute of Chicago for an upcoming exhibit there.

"Looking Over the Cliff," an 1882 watercolor by Winslow Homer, will be part of the "Watercolors by Winslow Homer: The Color of Light" exhibit, which runs from Feb. 16 to May 10, library officials said in a statement.

The library's painting will be one of 130 watercolors, drawings and oil paintings featured in the exhibit. Under tight security, the painting left Plainfield earlier this week and arrived Wednesday in Chicago in the middle of a storm that delivered 15 inches of snow.

Library Director Joseph Da Rold and the facility's Board of Trustees have been working with the exhibit curator since October 2006.

High On Fire: "high on bloody everything"

The band signed with Relapse and their third album, Blessed Black Wings (reviewed here), was released in 2005. Produced by the legendary Steve Albini, it opened further doors for the trio – at this point Thrones' Joe Preston (ex-Melvins, also) was on bass duties – and they headlined the Supersonic Festival, above Isis, in the summer of 2006. Live shows became must-see events for any self-respecting metal-head, and even those not enthralled by super-amplified thrash stylings on a regular basis found aspects of the band's full-on assault devilishly appealing.

Death Is This Communion looks certain to attract the band – now with Jeff Matz, formerly of Zeke, on bass – further followers, especially given the widespread acceptance of similarly challenging and boisterously brutal acts such as Mastodon and the reinvigorated Machine Head.

HAWAII NOT?

It's more expensive, but there's more of its raw side to enjoy for anyone else who doesn't like staying in one place for too long.

STAY: Old Wailuku Inn is a historic B&B chock full of Asian antiques like headboards salvaged from Buddhist temples in China. It's an excellent base camp for exploring Haleakala volcano (from $150; oldwailukuinn.com).

The Lahaina Inn features the comfort and romance of a 19th century inn in a restored 60-year-old hostelry, once a general store (from $145; lahainainn.com).

Nearby, the Lahaina Shores Beach Resort boasts fully equipped beachfront condos decked out in traditional Hawaiian hues. Mountain views are the most affordable (from $210; lahainashores.com).

DO: Gawk at the beautiful sunrise on Haleakala, a 10,000-foot volcano featuring a 7-mile wide, 3000-feet deep crater that is the closest you'll ever get to a lunarscape.