SOME CLARIFICATION ON NATURE OF CREDIT UNIONS.(MAIN)

Byline: CURT CECALA Scotia The writer is a federal credit union general manager

I am responding to a recent Jane Bryant Quinn column. She says there is a size standard that makes a credit union bank-like. She adds credit unions operate with an unfair advantage.

Consider the following:

Credit unions are people who pool their money together.

Credit unions are not-for-profit.

Every credit union is owned equally by each person who has a deposit account.

Credit unions are not able to do business with any consumer, only those people who choose to use their credit union, because they are eligible.

Credit unions' boards …

Former linebacker heads up Chattanooga, Tenn., technology council.

Byline: Bob Gary Jr.

Dec. 23--T.J. Gentle has gone from attacking quarterbacks to being a quarterback of sorts.

As president and CEO of the Chattanooga Technology Council, the former Middle Tennessee State University defensive end/linebacker tries to marry high-tech companies to the capital and counsel those businesses need to grow.

"Certain of our members, such as Tricycle and Smart Furniture, have progressed from concept to viable, large-growth companies," said Mr. Gentle, an associate attorney at the Miller & Martin law firm.

"The council isn't responsible for those successes, but we've had a hand in helping people align the interests …

Australian fugitive being deported from Greece

Police say that a plane carrying Australian fugitive Tony Mokbel has left Athens for Australia after he lost a court battle to stay in Greece.

Mokbel, 41, was extradited Friday to face trial for alleged drug trafficking and murder.

Mokbel was arrested on an Interpol warrant near Athens last summer after skipping bail in 2006 …

PLUS NEWS

RELIEF TURMOIL: About 400 of Zaire's elite soldiers are to bewithdrawn from the town of Goma following a protest by thousands ofresidents and refugees from Rwanda who are fed up with the soldiers'thievery and thuggery. Meanwhile, relief officials reported that anew exodus of refugees may have begun from southwest Rwanda, aprotection zone set up by French troops who are being withdrawn. NO VISA ALLOWED: Pope John Paul II's decision to grant knighthood toKurt Waldheim was up to the Vatican, but the former United Nationssecretary-general remains ineligible for a visa to visit the UnitedStates, Secretary of State Warren Christopher said. Christopher'scomments came in response to …

SocGen cuts Acergy to "hold" after Q2 results.(Financial report)

(ADPnews) - Jul 16, 2010 - Societe Generale has downgraded its recommendation on Oslo-listed oil service company Acergy SA (OSL:ACY) to "hold" from "buy" following the release of the group's report for the second quarter of 2010 last Wednesday.

The share price target was reduced to NOK 104 from NOK 125.

Although Acergy beat expectations, the broker is disappointed with the falling order book and the company's comments on competition margins in 2011, as well as a cautious tone related to the indirect effect which the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will have for the …

Lack of ideas plague liberals.(Perspective)

Byline: RICH TUCKER

In the ``Charlie Brown Christmas'' special, Lucy says, ``As they say on TV, the mere fact that you realize you need help indicates that you are not too far gone.'' So maybe there's hope yet for the American left. On Feb. 28, The New Republic magazine _ house organ of the liberal movement _ celebrated its 90th anniversary with an issue that included a Martin Peretz essay. ``Ask yourself: Who is a truly influential liberal mind in our culture?'' he asks. ``There's no one, really.'' Peretz accurately describes modern liberalism as a ``laundry list: The catalog of programs (some dubious, some not) that Republicans aren't funding.''

And that's exactly the problem on the left today. A lack of …

Maersk offers direct service to Tokyo, LA.

Byline: Aranee Jaiimsin

Dec. 1--The shipping company Maersk Line has introduced two direct routes from Bangkok to Tokyo and Bangkok to Los Angeles to provide faster service to customers.

Maersk did not previously operate at the Port of Tokyo, according to Thomas Lindy Sorensen, vice-president of the liner operator's parent company, A.P Moller-Maersk A/S. Shipments to Tokyo stopped at Yokohama Port before heading to Tokyo via inland transportation.

The new Intra-Asia 2 (IA2) direct service takes only eight days to get from Laem Chabang Port to Tokyo, a day faster than most other shipping lines in Thailand that cover the same route.

"We offer …