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Zakary Aaron Osiris DeGross, a Boys’ Latin School student who excelled in both the classroom and on the athletic field, died June 18 at Johns Hopkins Hospital after a nearly 1 1/2-year struggle against cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was 14.

"He was most notably characterized by his broad smile and wide eyes, and his optimism and cheerfulness that abounded in the face of a most difficult medical challenge,tiffany," said Christopher J. Post, headmaster of the North Baltimore boys private school.

"I’ve known lots of kids over the years, and Zak sought nothing but unconditional love from those around him. He had an enormous capacity for thoughtfulness and generosity," Mr. Post said. "He was pretty exemplary."

Zak was born in Baltimore and raised in the city’s Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello neighborhood.

He spent his first five school years as a student at Mount Zion Baptist Christian School, where he received special recognition for testing beyond the 12th-grade level in reading.

He transferred to Boys’ Latin in the sixth grade.

"He excelled in Latin and math and played flag football, basketball and lacrosse," said his mother, Lesli J. DeGross.

In March 2009,tiffany key rings for sale, Zak was diagnosed with Stage 3 renal medullary carcinoma, a rare type of kidney cancer that is linked to sickle cell trait, his mother said.

Zak then submitted to a grueling schedule of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

"He never complained. He’d get down sometimes, but not complain," his mother said. "After a treatment, he’d be sick for a week and then he’d go back to school. He was determined to go back and make up the work he had missed."

Zak had set a goal for himself, his mother said.

"He loved school and wanted to remain a part of the student body. He was also determined that he’d walk across the stage at his eighth-grade graduation," Ms. DeGross said. "And he did, and he got a standing ovation."

Inspired by their friend’s valiant struggle against cancer, his classmates designed and wore "Strength and Courage" bracelets to let him know they were standing alongside him and sharing his experience.

The school faculty organized a dodgeball tournament as a fundraiser for Zak.

Last summer, Alan Locey who was Zak’s math teacher, adviser and coach at Boys’ Latin, treated him and his family to a week at Keuka Lake in upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region.

Mr. Locey said Zak learned to water ski, parasail and swim, and took in the natural beauty of the lake.

"He was determined to get up and ski,shop for tiffany money clips, and when he fell, I had to yell for him to let go of the rope," recalled Mr. Locey.

Zak was a movie buff and collected movies ranging from classic Hollywood films to the latest sci-fi or thriller. He planned to one day work in film production and as an editor.

"He liked all kinds of movies and could analyze them," his mother said.

Last October, through the Make-A-Wish Foundation,tiffany money clips on sale, Zak traveled to Los Angeles, where he visited the set and met the cast and production crew of "Suite Life on Deck," a favorite TV show.

In March, after more than 50 chemotherapy treatments and 10 weeks of radiation, Zak’s family was told that he had not responded as hoped and his condition was terminal.

"Zak came from a wonderfully supportive family, and he had a wonderful compassionate relationship with his mom who was there at his bedside until the end," Mr. Locey said. "He was a fighter in academics and sports. He tried to hold on and fought his cancer to the end."

Zak spent the final weeks of his life in the pediatric oncology center at Hopkins.

One of Zak’s final wishes was to go to the movies and see the debut of the remake of "The Karate Kid," which was being released June 11. But because of his illness, he could not leave the hospital. One of his doctors had a contact at Sony Pictures in Hollywood. Some 18 hours later, a representative from Sony’s East Coast office was aboard a train bound for Baltimore carrying a copy of the film to be shown in Zak’s hospital room.

Family, friends and schoolmates jammed the hospital room.

"They brought in a large-screen TV. The hospital provided nachos and cheese, soda and popcorn, just like the real movies," Ms. DeGross said.

The Rev. Stanley Fuller, formerly pastor of Grace Baptist Church, where Zak was a member, was also a friend.

"The thing that stands out about Zak was that he was a respectful kid — he could be mischievous and do all those things kids do — but he was wonderful. He had balance," said Mr. Fuller, who is executive minister at Mount Calvary African Methodist Episcopal Church in Towson.

"He always had deep thoughts that he’d share with me. He loved school, and he loved church. He was a sheer pleasure to be around," he said.

"I watched Zakary as he got sick, and he never complained because he didn’t want to worry his mom. He wanted to make sure that she was OK," Mr. Fuller said. "He had the poise and dignity of a person well beyond his years. He had a special grace,shop for tiffany rings, and I thank God for that."

Mr. Fuller said he wanted to remember Zak’s smile, his love of education and sports, and his enthusiasm and courage.

"Those moments will never die," he said.

Mr. Post, who spoke at Zak’s funeral Saturday at Action Ministries at Lutheran Church of the Holy Comforter, said Monday that he "will live on in each of us because of the way he lived his life."

Also surviving are his father, Troy Lee Sr.; a brother, Troy Lee Jr.; a sister, Adonekka Lee; his paternal grandmother, Sharon Barnes-Thomas; his maternal grandparents, Steven and Geraldine DeGross Sr.; and aunts, uncles and cousins. All live in Baltimore.

fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com

OK, you really don’t have to love Lady Gaga.

It’s optional, like everything else in pop culture. In fact, there’s probably a 50-50 split, at best, on those who love her and those who rue the day she ever appeared on the cultural landscape.

But,tiffany necklaces clearance, to her credit, unlike so many bland pop stars of this generation, she provokes an intense reaction — good or bad — more with her outlandish wardrobe and over-the-top theatrics than her rather conventional dance-pop music.

She paid some dues to get to that point. A nice Italian girl from New York City, Stefani Angelina Germanotta started playing piano at age 4 and braved the open mikes as young as 14. Within a few years, she went from high school thespian to NYU music student to New York cabaret club performer.

Signed and dropped by Def Jam at 19, she got her break as a songwriter for Interscope, where her vocal talents couldn’t be contained. In late 2008, she released "The Fame," which debuted at No. 17 on the charts and climbed, on the strength of singles "Just Dance," "Poker Face," LoveGame" and "Paparazzi," to peak at No. 2 after 62 weeks.

With exposure to her shocking award-show appearances, magazine covers and viral videos, the Lady Gaga audience was primed for the eight-song second release, "The Fame Monster," fueled by "Bad Romance," which went to No. 2 in the States and topped the charts in 18 countries.

More than just a video phenom, she’s been able to back up the hype as a live performer, starting with opening slots on Pussycat Dolls and New Kids on the Block tours, and moving on to her first headlining tour in March 2009. That one didn’t stop in Pittsburgh, but we get our first live look at her when she plays the Consol Energy Center Sunday as part of the Monster Ball Tour.

In honor of that — and because she doesn’t do many interviews — we offer 10 Reasons to Love Lady Gaga:

"Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah! Roma-ro-mamaaa! Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!" Ahhhhhh! Make it stop! No, give me more! Her chart-topping hit from "The Fame Monster" is the catchiest, sexiest, most grotesque,necklaces, most grating and most irresistible song of the past who-knows-when. It burrows into your brain like a larvae and won’t leave. It’s Madonna meets Marilyn Manson on the Eurodisco floor. Just as infectious is the stylized sci-fi video that is one of the most-viewed YouTube clips of all time for good reason. One second she looks absolutely gorgeous crying into the camera, the next she’s doing that horrific robotic twist or gazing at us with pupils the size of quarters. We hate this song. We love this song!

Something must have been happening in the stars on Sept. 12, 2009, because it was a crazy career-changing night in the music industry at the MTV Video Music Awards. Kanye West pulled his mike-stealing stunt on Taylor Swift, altering both careers. And Lady Gaga filled a scrapbook with images we’ll never forget, starting with her funereal look on the red carpet, continuing with the red-laced dress that creepily covered her face and climaxing with her hideous, blood-soaked performance of "Paparazzi." If we didn’t know it before, we knew then that Lady Gaga was as much Warholian performance artist as pop artist.

This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Even her biggest detractors, and they are many and loud, will state the various reasons they dislike her — "style over substance" being the No. 1 — but then come around to admit, "Yeah, but she can sing." Yes,cheap tiffany money clips, she can. She’s not Christina Aguilera, but she’s in the ballpark. Lady Gaga doesn’t need to lip-synch, doesn’t need autotune, and has demonstrated that she can sit at the piano by herself and sing and play like the New York cabaret star she could have been. Furthermore, regardless of what you think of her songs, she has at least a hand in writing them all.

Imagine her trying to crack the mainstream fronting the Stefani Germanotta Band, as she did for a while around 2005. Not real sexy. The widely told story is that producer Rob Fusari, after comparing her vocal style to Queen’s Freddie Mercury, made "Radio Gaga" her entrance song when she came into the studio. He’s been quoted as saying "[Lady Gaga] was actually a glitch; I typed ‘Radio Ga Ga’ in a text and it did an autocorrect so somehow ‘Radio’ got changed to ‘Lady.’ She texted me back, ‘That’s it.’ After that day, she was Lady Gaga. She’s like, ‘Don’t ever call me Stefani again.’ " She’s also said that she "adored Freddie Mercury."

What would Madonna, Britney or Bon Jovi have done if it had started pouring down rain in the midst of their live TV show gig, their makeup starting running and their hair went to hell? They may have run for Al Roker’s umbrella. Not Lady Gaga. She not only hung in there on that soaking, humid July 9 day in front of nearly 20,000 fans and millions at home, but also she rolled around on the wet stage in her white outfit, proving she can veer from the game plan and deal with whatever is thrown her way.

Remember when Joan Jett sang "Do you want to touch me there — where?" She didn’t really mean it. At a side stage at Lollapalooza on Aug. 7, Lady Gaga appeared in the wings during a set by her friends’ band, Semi Precious Weapons, then walked out and executed a perfect backward stage dive, practically naked, in sheer lingerie. She let the crowd grope her for a minute or so,tiffany, and then peaced. One of the gutsier maneuvers we’ve seen from a pop star, especially a female one.

"Haven’t left the studio. Each song I write,cheap tiffany bracelets, I feel closer to you. Miss you little monsters, little inspirations. X" … "Just emerged from studio bender to hear we won two teen choice awards. Thank you for believing in me little monsters! I’m your hooker. X" Lady Gaga isn’t as chatty as John Mayer, Taylor Swift or OchoCinco on Twitter, but she has the most Twitter followers in the world with 5.7 million. Part of the reason is the overall fascination with Gaga. Another is that she uses the format not just to promote herself but to send the love out to her fans, her "little monsters." During a religious protest of one of her concerts in St. Louis, she tweeted, "Their message is of hatred and divisiveness, but inside at the Monsterball we preach love and unity."

Stefani Germanotta and her handlers did a remarkable job of creating the Lady Gaga character. But she’s shown herself to be a real person underneath. In the recent Rolling Stone, she spills her guts about her fears, hang-ups and obsessions in as honest an interview as you’ll ever read. Along with expressing concerns about her father’s heart surgery, she talked about her fears of being susceptible to lupus — not exactly sexy subject matter for a pop diva.

Lady Gaga borrows heavily from gay and drag fashion and music, and although the association may be taboo for a lot of pop stars and may turn off middle America, she embraces the community. She told MTV News, "The turning point for me was the gay community," she said. "I’ve got so many gay fans, and they’re so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They’ll always stand by me, and I’ll always stand by them. It’s not an easy thing to create a fanbase. … Being invited to play [the San Francisco Pride rally], that was a real turning point for me as an artist."

Away from the stage, she’s created a few bizarre public spectacles, most notably at Mets and Yankees games. But for the most part, Lady Gaga hasn’t been the drunken party animal that so many of her peers have become. During that "Today Show" appearance she told Matt Lauer that while on tour, she spends a lot of time in her hotel room writing. Explaining the song "Telephone," originally written for Britney Spears, she told MTV News, "I don’t go to nightclubs. You don’t see pictures of me falling out of a club drunk. I don’t go — and that’s because I usually go and then, you know, a whiskey and a half into it, I got to get back to work. Because I love my work so much, I find it really hard to go out and have a good time." The proof might be in her production. She’s already completed a third album — something for the little monsters to look forward to next year.

Something about the way the older boy suggestively grabbed at her 11-year-old daughter, Nala, drove Gwendolyn Davis to tell him firmly she didn’t want him playing with the girl.

A day later, Davis believed it when Cook County prosecutors alleged Wednesday that the 13-year-old boy purposefully poured drain cleaner containing sulfuric acid onto the girl and a 10-year-old playmate.

Though the boy’s family claims the incident in West Garfield Park was a tragic accident, the result is that Nala Armstrong and her playmate Adrian Bennett each suffered chemical burns on their heads and upper torsos, officials said.

"I’m guessing it was a jealousy thing," Davis said Wednesday, standing beside Adrian’s mother, Loretta Corbett, outside the University of Chicago Medical Center’s burn unit. Both children are being treated there, with Nala suffering burns on her forehead, eyelids,Beads necklace, cheek and arm. Adrian suffered burns to the back of his head and right arm, hospital officials said.

Surgery is likely for Nala, said Dr. Lawrence Gottlieb, director of the burn unit, calling the injuries "bad."

The 13-year-old, whom the Tribune is not naming because he is a minor, was ordered held by a Juvenile Court judge on a delinquency petition with a charge of heinous battery.

Standing before Juvenile Court Judge Colleen Sheehan,Atlas charm bracelet, the boy hung his head and folded his hands behind his back as prosecutors detailed the sequence of events in the 900 block of West Garfield Boulevard that led to his arrest.

Both victims were on the second floor of a rear porch in the apartment building when they looked up and saw the 13-year-old walk out onto the third-floor porch above them, pick up a white container and pour it on them, said Assistant State’s Attorney Matt Howroyd.

They "immediately felt a burning sensation," Howroyd said.

Prosecutors said the container had "poison" written on it and was later identified as Black Swan Zap drain cleaner.

The liquid contains about 93 percent sulfuric acid and can cause "corrosive burns to all human tissue," according to the Black Swan company Web site.

The boy’s mother,earrings, whom the Tribune is also not naming because it could identify her son, tearfully declared that her son is innocent.

"He’s a good kid at home," she said to the judge inside the courtroom. "I know it was an accident. He didn’t know it was a poison substance."

Before the hearing,watches, she said the boy had been playing at his cousin’s home inside the building, adding that she learned what happened when her older son called her to say the two children had been injured.

The boy thought the container — which family members said had been left outside by a maintenance worker last fall — was filled with water, she said.

"He didn’t know it was going to be like that,tiffany," the mother said, tears streaming down her face. "He was very scared, very scared."

The boy’s cousin, Jabari Mathews, 15, said they were playing with the two victims when his cousin ran up the stairs to his third-floor apartment and inadvertently kicked over the container, spilling the chemicals through the floorboards.

Nala did not realize what had happened when the liquid came pouring on her, quickly singeing her skin, Davis said.

While Davis was inside her own apartment inside the same building, she heard her daughter screaming as she ran inside: "He threw hot water on me! He threw hot water on me!"

A FAMILY say their young son might still be alive if he had not been released from hospital while being treated for an e-coli infection.

An inquest heard yesterday that The University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham City, had instituted changes in procedure following an investigation into the death of two-year-old Thomas Oakes.

Thomas,tiffany, of Murray Park, Stanley,Bead bracelet, County Durham, suffered a cardiac arrest at the hospital in August 2008 and died despite efforts to resuscitate him.

He had been rushed to the hospital by ambulance after suffering a prolonged seizure at home, having previously been admitted to the hospital’s Treetops ward because of gastro-enteritis caused by ecoli 0157,Charm pendant, which he may have contracted while on holiday in Cornwall.

Thomas was kept in hospital for a day because he had been vomiting and had had a vacant episode.

After a day in hospital he was allowed home, but no follow-up appointment was made and there had been no monitoring of the urine he was producing, a possible indicator of kidney damage that could be caused by haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (Hus), which can follow e-coli infections in children.

When he was brought back he was described as being extremely ill and needed stabilisation because his body had shut down through shock.

Paediatrician Dr Heather Smith said: "It was felt by our local case discussion and the child death overview panel that there were things that could have been done better." Changes made after the tragedy included giving staff information on Hus, daily blood and urine monitoring, more "robust arrangements" for follow-up appointments and changes to discharge arrangements County Durham Assistant Coroner Graham Hunsley gave a narrative verdict that Thomas’s death was related to the infection.

He said: "Given what I have heard, I don’t consider it necessary for me to make any formal recommendations." Afterwards, Thomas’s parents Paula, 36, a radiologist, and Michael, 32,pendants, a baker, said they felt their son might have survived if things had been done differently.

Mrs Oakes said: "I don’t feel like he should have been going home." Her husband said: "They were saying it was our decision, but I wasn’t there and we couldn’t make a joint decision. I trusted the doctors had done their job right and that Thomas was well enough to go home and there wouldn’t be any further complications." The couple, who have another son, Hayden,necklaces, two-and-a half, and a daughter, Robyn, five months, are considering legal action.

State tournament runs have become commonplace for South Haven boys soccer.

With a significant number of players back from last season’s Division 3 state runner-up squad, another march is definitely possible.

"We’ve hung our hat on defense and our defense is playing quite well," said South Haven coach Benno Trenkle. "In scrimmages and early season play we’ve given up just three goals. With that and getting a little more consistent offense I think we can make a pretty deep run in the playoffs. I think we’re more dangerous offensively than we’ve been the past few years."

The Rams have started the season well, beating Fort Wayne (Ind.) Concordia Lutheran in a day-long soccer event involving many of Indiana’s top teams before returning to Michigan to win the Westside Shootout, topping Lakeshore in a shootout in the final.

Trenkle still sees room for improvement.

"We’re a little inconsistent,bracelets," Trenkle said. "We have really good halves. We’ve had a hard time getting going in the first half. In the second half we play more like we should. We’ve been trying guys in different spots and trying different combinations,tiffany, and you’re going to get that."

The Rams return seven to nine starters, Trenkle said, due to occasional lineup changes, and a handful of other players who saw significant action.

The top returning scorer is senior Randy Bautista, a first-team all-state pick. Trenkle expects Chad Dotson and others to help Bautista with the scoring.

"We have a nice team coming back," Trenkle said. "There’s a lot of high expectations, both fans and players, too."

Lakeshore has few starters returning from last year’s 19-2-1 squad,cuff Links, but coach Brian Samuel expects another strong campaign.

Evidence of that came in the season-opening Westside Shootout, when the Lancers reached the final and tied last year’s Division 3 state runner-up South Haven 0-0 before falling in a shootout.

"With two returning starters, it is easy to say we are rebuilding," Samuel said. "That is not the case. Our upperclassmen are hungry and the young guys want to win. As long as we stay patient and understand that there will be bumps in the road we will be very competitive."

Nick Rueb and Alex Moneta, both juniors, are returning letterwinners and are team captains.

Seniors who lettered last season are goalkeeper Kyle Mitowski, Fernando Vences, Erik Faust,necklaces, Cody Womeldorf and Wes Shenker.

Mitowski saw some action last year but mostly served as a back-up to Drew Kalinowski.

"Kyle Mitowski has big shoes to fill, but he is excited to get playing time and prove to himself that he is a dominant keeper," Samuel said.

Eight seniors are out to lead a St. Joseph squad that went 12-8-1 a season ago.

Kevin Chaddock and Andrew Lignell lead the Bears up front, and each scored 14 goals last year to share team-high honors.

Those two and senior midfielder James Ellspermann are tri-captains.

"We have a lot of team speed, particularly at forward," said St. Joseph coach Jody Haumersen.

Another returner for the Bears is junior goalkeeper Evan Hampton.

Haumersen says goals for the Bears include division, conference and district titles.

Berrien Springs coach Nick Lesch has a much different team than last season, but he still has hopes of a successful campaign.

The Shamrocks lost 12 seniors from last season’s 7-9-2 squad, including 10 starters. The lone starter back is junior Enoch Tsibu-Beckson, last year’s leading scorer with 19 goals.

He’s expected to be a team leader on a 22-player squad with only three seniors.

Berrien Springs has started 1-3.

"We’re off to a challenging start," Lesch said. "Our outlook is to grow stronger from each match and gain experience from each match. I really think we’re going to surprise a lot of teams."

Bridgman, a Division 4 district winner last year, got off to a rough start with three losses to much bigger schools in a season-opening invitational in Portage.

The Bees bounced back with a 9-1 win over New Buffalo, however. Bridgman lost four-year goalkeeper Jeff Jakeway to graduation but returns much of its roster.

Lake Michigan Catholic won the Red Arrow Conference last season and finished 19-5-1, but graduated eight senior starters.

Key returnees include junior Trey Smithers, the second-leading goal scorer last season, and junior Anthony Sarno, who led the Lakers with 10 assists. Also back are sophomore sweeper Connor Roden and sophomore defender Taylor Bowser.

The Lakers are off to a 2-2 start this season.

Michigan Lutheran is looking to improve from last year’s 6-13 mark with five three-year letterwinners returning.

Justin Ciboch scored 10 goals last season and leads the offense.

A solid defensive core includes David Kenyon, Josh Ciboch, Michael Koester and sophomore goalkeeper Brandon Lucius.

Grace Christian will be looking to repeat as district champions. The Patriots beat Lake Michigan Catholic,money clips, 2-0, in a Division 4 district final last season.

Grace fell to Hudsonville Freedom Baptist in the regional.

Bangor is only in its second year with a varsity program and looks to build off an 8-11-3 mark in its first season.

Top returners include juniors Mario Diaz and Daniel Lopez. Diaz had 30 goals and 23 assists to earn honorable mention all-state honors while Lopez scored 14 goals.

Coach Ernesto Diaz thinks his group is capable of a district championship.

Benton Harbor will not field a boys soccer team this fall.

A Midwestern discount retailer far from Wall Street is being watched by investors this week,tiffany, as Gordmans Stores Inc. prepares to launch its initial public offering of stock.

The 68-store chain is nowhere to be found in the Northeast, but it has developed a following in the center of the country. It sells discounted clothing and home decor bearing department-store and specialty-store brands, competing against TJX Cos. Inc. and Ross Stores Inc.

Same-store sales and profits rose in the fiscal year ended Jan. 31 and in the 13 weeks that ended May 1. Based in Omaha, Neb., Gordmans is aiming to raise as much as $81 million by listing under the symbol GMAN on the Nasdaq.

"I believe this is the best deal of the week," says Scott Sweet, managing director of research firm IPOBoutique.com. "These stores aren’t being located next to Nordstroms. They’re selling low-priced, high-end clothing, and that is a logical and popular way to shop, especially in the current economic times."

There also is some chatter about Beijing-based Ambow Education Holding Ltd.,pendants, which aims to raise as much as $128 million by listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AMBO.

The company plays on Chinese families’ growing focus on getting their children into better secondary and post-secondary schools,Charm pendant, as well as on skills that will allow graduates to land better jobs. But the deal isn’t a slam-dunk; Chinese IPOs have produced mixed results among American investors this year, and Ambow is competing in a crowded field, particularly against heavyweight New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc., which went public in 2006.

Two technology stocks are also scheduled to debut: Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors N.V., and IntraLinks Holdings Inc. NXP is seeking to raise as much as $714 million with a Nasdaq listing under the symbol NXPI, while IntraLinks is hoping for $176 million through an NYSE listing under the symbol IL.

IntraLinks is a cloud-computing service that offers businesses a way to collaborate on data and documents online. It controlled an estimated 22.5% share, by revenue,rings, of its niche in the world-wide market last year, according to Gartner, a market analysis firm. NXP focuses on high-performance mixed-signal semiconductors,watches, which combine analog and digital functions.

Both companies may face pricing pressure from investors. NXP and IntraLinks have several years of operating losses and considerable debt relative to their size.

In the case of NXP, the losses date back to 2006 but have been narrowing; it broke even in the first quarter of this year and is expected to book an operating profit in the second quarter. IntraLinks’ operating losses began easing in 2008, but the company warns they could continue in the future and gives no timeline for profitability.

Though semiconductor makers had been issuing positive financial forecasts earlier this year after a severe cyclical downturn last year, there’s a bit of unease among investors as some companies have been scaling back their forecasts, including LSI Corp. and Nvidia Corp. last week. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, which tracks the performance of chip-related stocks and made strong gains earlier this year, has since dropped into negative territory.

Write to Lynn Cowan at lynn.cowan@dowjones.com

On January 14th,necklaces, 2010, REMCO is introducing "PAL" — (Prepaid Audit of Landlord Utility Charges) — A new program for multi site retail chains that levels the playing field with the mall landlord.

Mall landlords find utility bill adjustments a fertile ground for making handsome profits at the expense of their tenants.

"As landlords perform under pressure to maintain profits during a struggling economy the likelihood of them overcharging their tenants on utility expenses is on the rise. We’ve seen increases, not only in the amount, but in the number of utility bill adjustments and back billings for prior years. Moreover, these adjustments are so confusing and baffling to most retailers that they end up paying the adjustment,pendants," said Mary Ann Milsop.

In reality,money clips, most retailers do not have access to an outside consulting firm which specializes in analyzing the landlord’s utility bill adjustments,tiffany, so they end up paying whatever the landlord says they owe; which very well may be higher than the actual charge.

REMCO’s new PAL program will level the playing field between the retail tenant and the landlord. If the retailer is not in agreement or satisfied with the landlord’s increase they will now be able to send the adjustments directly to our engineering department for review.

This is how the service works-

With our patented software, REMCO’s engineers will review any landlord year end adjustments or increases in the retailer’s utility charges that are over 10%. In the event, there is an overcharge our engineers will provide the retailer with a fully documented claim to be sent to the landlord based upon their stores lease language. REMCO will handle the retailer’s claim against the landlord until it is settled.

"REMCO Energy has been helping retailers reduce utility expenses since 1984. The landlords know who we are. They also know they can’t get away with over charging our retail clients," said Mary Ann Milsop.

REMCO Energy Solutions offers a suite of products and services designed to proficiently audit, manage, reduce, control, and pay utility expenses in a manner that turns lost profits into revenues.

Mary Ann Milsop is President, REMCO Energy Solutions, 5 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540; 866-523-0722, fax 609-333-1803, www.remcoinc.com.

SOURCE REMCO Energy Solutions

By inviting Israeli and Palestinian leaders to Washington to relaunch direct talks on September 2, the US government has opened the latest act in the farce of Middle East peace negotiations. So far devoid even of a script, this piece of theatre risks irrelevance outside of the US midterm elections.

For Barack Obama, whose foreign policy record amounts to little beyond a premature Nobel prize, the talks are a public relations feat. His officials only succeeded by leaning heavily on Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. The hint of a one-year time limit is a bone tossed in his direction; inconclusive,key rings, never-ending discussions could do away with what little authority he retains.

Not much is likely to come of the talks. Israel’s notional willingness to put every issue on the table is a fig leaf for continuing construction and evictions in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. What happens when a partial moratorium expires in September is itself left open for negotiation. Arab public opinion, understandably, takes no interest in the talks.

More discouraging yet is the lack of a firm agenda for the talks. US statements carefully declined to define expectations for a final outcome, though it is clear (as recognised by the 2000 Clinton parameters and the 2002 Arab League peace plan) what it must involve: a Palestinian state within 1967 borders subject to marginal land swaps, and a renunciation of most Palestinian refugees’ right of return,Atlas charm bracelet, against fair compensation. As much is implied by the Middle East Quartet’s more direct,tiffany, if coded, statement. But these talks being a US show, the director’s seat will have America’s name on it,pendants, not the Quartet’s.

The US has no excuse for abdicating leadership. It should offer its blueprint for a solution and firm up the one-year deadline to make it clear it will not let talks drag on beyond that point. And it should demand from both parties a commitment to take any final agreement back to their respective peoples for a referendum. That is a riskier gamble. But it would help to sidestep obstructionists on all sides – and it is the only way to bring Hamas on board.

All parties should prefer a negotiated outcome – not least Israel, whose wobbly international legitimacy is its greatest security risk. State-building under way under Salam Fayyad, Palestinian prime minister, could soon put Palestine in a position to aim for a declaration of statehood without Israeli agreement. The final curtain for the theatrics may not be far away.

Last August, convicted felon William Caponegri told his on-again,necklaces, off-again girlfriend in front of a Chicago police officer that he would "come back and kill" her after she had him arrested for shoving her into a wall.

Almost exactly one year after that domestic battery, Cook County prosecutors said, Caponegri fulfilled his promise, strangling Karen Salvino,earrings, 52, inside his Rogers Park apartment over the weekend.

A judge ordered Caponegri, 49, held without bail Monday on first-degree murder charges. Prosecutors said he could face the death penalty because the victim had an order of protection since September that barred Caponegri from contact with Salvino or from being in her home in the 5000 block of North Winthrop Avenue.

The order stemmed from when Caponegri pushed Salvino into a wall during an argument at her Uptown apartment last Aug. 18, court records showed. According to a police report, Caponegri threatened Salvino in front of a responding officer,tiffany, telling her, "I’m gonna come back and kill you."

He was immediately arrested on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. Caponegri, who has a long criminal history, including convictions for burglary and public drinking, was convicted for shoving Salvino and sentenced to 18 months of probation.

In court, Assistant State’s Attorney Pamela Stratigakis said the couple had "on- and off-again relationship" over the last couple of years and were together at the suspect’s apartment in the 6700 block of North Glenwood Avenue on Saturday night when they began arguing.

Caponegri accused Salvino of being with another man. During the confrontation, he grabbed her by the neck and strangled her, Stratigakis said.

When Caponegri’s roommate arrived home at about midnight, Salvino was lying on a bed as Caponegri administered CPR, the prosecutor said. After the roommate called 911, paramedics found that Salvino had two black eyes as well as bruises and scratches around her neck.

Salvino was pronounced dead at the scene early Sunday. An autopsy later confirmed that she died of strangulation.

"In a video statement to police, the defendant admitted that he put his hand on the victim’s throat and she wouldn’t shut up, so he kept on choking her," Stratigakis said.

Stratigakis did not comment on why Salvino was at Caponegri’s apartment. But Assistant Public Defender Paul Bellendir,watches, who was appointed to represent Caponegri, noted that Salvino had come to his apartment despite the order of protection.

A Midwestern discount retailer far from Wall Street is being watched by investors this week, as Gordmans Stores Inc. prepares to launch its initial public offering of stock.

The 68-store chain is nowhere to be found in the Northeast, but it has developed a following in the center of the country. It sells discounted clothing and home decor bearing department-store and specialty-store brands, competing against TJX Cos. Inc. and Ross Stores Inc.

Same-store sales and profits rose in the fiscal year ended Jan. 31 and in the 13 weeks that ended May 1. Based in Omaha, Neb.,tiffany, Gordmans is aiming to raise as much as $81 million by listing under the symbol GMAN on the Nasdaq.

"I believe this is the best deal of the week," says Scott Sweet,Charm pendant, managing director of research firm IPOBoutique.com. "These stores aren’t being located next to Nordstroms. They’re selling low-priced,earrings, high-end clothing, and that is a logical and popular way to shop, especially in the current economic times."

There also is some chatter about Beijing-based Ambow Education Holding Ltd., which aims to raise as much as $128 million by listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AMBO.

The company plays on Chinese families’ growing focus on getting their children into better secondary and post-secondary schools, as well as on skills that will allow graduates to land better jobs. But the deal isn’t a slam-dunk; Chinese IPOs have produced mixed results among American investors this year, and Ambow is competing in a crowded field, particularly against heavyweight New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc., which went public in 2006.

Two technology stocks are also scheduled to debut: Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors N.V., and IntraLinks Holdings Inc. NXP is seeking to raise as much as $714 million with a Nasdaq listing under the symbol NXPI, while IntraLinks is hoping for $176 million through an NYSE listing under the symbol IL.

IntraLinks is a cloud-computing service that offers businesses a way to collaborate on data and documents online. It controlled an estimated 22.5% share, by revenue, of its niche in the world-wide market last year, according to Gartner, a market analysis firm. NXP focuses on high-performance mixed-signal semiconductors, which combine analog and digital functions.

Both companies may face pricing pressure from investors. NXP and IntraLinks have several years of operating losses and considerable debt relative to their size.

In the case of NXP, the losses date back to 2006 but have been narrowing; it broke even in the first quarter of this year and is expected to book an operating profit in the second quarter. IntraLinks’ operating losses began easing in 2008, but the company warns they could continue in the future and gives no timeline for profitability.

Though semiconductor makers had been issuing positive financial forecasts earlier this year after a severe cyclical downturn last year, there’s a bit of unease among investors as some companies have been scaling back their forecasts, including LSI Corp. and Nvidia Corp. last week. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, which tracks the performance of chip-related stocks and made strong gains earlier this year,Atlas charm bracelet, has since dropped into negative territory.

Write to Lynn Cowan at lynn.cowan@dowjones.com