CHILDRENS' ABORTIONS.(Main)(Editorial)

Thirty-three states have some kind of law requiring parental consent or notification before an abortion can be performed on a minor. Clearly, many if not most American parents feel they should have a right to know if their child is going to end a pregnancy.

It is not an unreasonable wish nor an unreasonable requirement, and the U.S. Supreme Court has now said as much in three cases decided Monday.

The court ruled that 1) it was constitutional to require that one parent be notified unless a judge waives the mandate, 2) that it is unconstitutional to require both parents to be notified if a judicial waiver is not permitted, and 3) that it is constitutional to …

Thai prime minister admits he's also British

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's prime minister has a confession to make: He is also British.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajjiva publicly acknowledged his dual nationality Thursday for the first time during a debate in Parliament.

Abhisit automatically holds British citizenship because he was born in Newcastle to parents from a well-to-do Bangkok family. He would have to specifically renounce it to lose it.

Abhisit's political foes have highlighted the matter. They claim that as a British citizen, he can be sued in the International Criminal Court over alleged abuses during his administration's crackdown on anti-government protests last year.

Opponents like to tweak Abhisit …

Shin Satellite sells unit for $200m: Temasek buys Lao, Cambodian firms.

Byline: Komsan Tortermvasana

Jun. 2--Shin Satellite said yesterday that it would sell 49 percent of its Lao and Cambodian operations to a unit of Temasek Holdings for $200 million, causing the company's shares to jump 23.16 percent in heavy trade.

SATTEL shares closed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 10.90 baht, up 2.05 baht, in trade worth 932.47 million.

Dumrong Kasemset, the company's executive chairman, said the transaction would help reduce the company's debt burden and improve its financial status. Shin Satellite's total debt topped $500 million, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39 times as of the end of March.

"After the …

Hasidic burn victim wants US, NY to investigate

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — A lawyer for a man who was badly burned at his home in a Hasidic Jewish village is seeking a federal investigation into what he calls "hate crimes" by the community's religious leadership.

He said the attack evoked "the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi Germany."

The attorney, Michael Sussman, in a letter dated Thursday, said Sunday's violence was the culmination of months of harassment directed by religious leaders of New Square, headed by Grand Rebbe David Twersky, against Aron Rottenberg. The Hasidic sect that populates New Square, about 30 miles northwest of New York City, was decimated during the Holocaust.

Relatives said Rottenberg, 43, was targeted …

Why Ford, Honda should get together

It could be Ford's ticket to becoming the world's No. 1 automaker.

Once the DaimlerChrysler venture was announced, the auto industry began speculating about what companies would be next. One thing that really fueled the conversations was Ford Chairman Alex Trotman's prediction that there would be only five or six major companies left in the world in a few short years.

So it seems fitting to speculate about a partner for Ford. Honda is the first company that comes to my mind. It offers many things Ford will need in the future, from more efficient manufacturing to stronger engineering and environmental technology. Plus, this Japanese company has a strong base in the Asia Pacific region, where Ford wants to grow. Sure, Ford will probably buy all of Mazda soon, but Mazda isn't a big enough company to quickly boost the world's No. 2 automaker's presence in the Asia

Honda is also a premier engine maker. That couldn't hurt Ford, which just bought Cosworth to add to its racing engine expertise. Adding Honda's vast knowledge would be a boon. Plus, Honda also makes turbofan engines and has developed a small six-passenger jet plane. Recently-retired President Nobuhiko Kawamoto had dreams of someday building small planes to sell in the future. That's long-term strategy, but it matches the way Ford President Jac Nasser and incoming Chairman Bill Ford Jr. think. They're already planning where Ford should be in 30 or 40 years.

"We should not define ourselves as a car and truck maker, but as personal transportation providers," Ford says.

Efficient manufacturing is also a Honda strength. The latest numbers in The Harbour Report rank Ford and Honda plants among the top 10 in the U.S. Put those two together and you've got some mighty potent manufacturing power.

Ford and Honda are on the same page when it comes to the environment. Trotman's successor, Bill Ford is one of the industry's leading environmentalists. Honda's strategy is the same. Kawamoto was so committed to the environment that he pushed Honda to develop more and more "clean" engine technology. Add that to Ford's commitment to make his company the cleanest automaker in the world and you've got a promising future.

Culture would not be a huge problem. Honda is perhaps the least Japanese of the Japanese makers, and has only recently begun to enjoy status in Japan where Toyota reigns supreme. Its executives seem willing to try something new and are open to new ideas and ways of doing business.

For Honda's part, it is too small to make the cut long-term as one of the surviving major global automakers, but it is too big to be a niche maker. As time goes on it may have little choice but to link up with another automaker. Ford is a good fit.

OK, there are a couple of catches.

Many of the products would overlap. So what? Ford and Honda could benefit from that by using common components but still selling vehicles through their own distribution systems. Done right, reliability and efficiency should soar, adding to the bottom line and sales volume.

Plus, both Ford and Honda have strong family ties and it is likely neither family would be willing to give up their company. But it is doable. Ford could buy Honda outright but keep the strong name and somewhat independent management, as it has done with Jaguar and Aston Martin. Those companies have kept their images, and added to Ford's. Honda could do the same. Mind you, this acquisition is simply an idea. I certainly wouldn't expect it to happen tomorrow. But if you look closely, it could be Ford's ticket to becoming the No. 1 automaker in the world.

[Author Affiliation]

Marjorie Sorge is the editor-in-chief of Automotive Industries. You can reach her via e-mail at: msorge@chilton.net.

Why Ford, Honda should get together

It could be Ford's ticket to becoming the world's No. 1 automaker.

Once the DaimlerChrysler venture was announced, the auto industry began speculating about what companies would be next. One thing that really fueled the conversations was Ford Chairman Alex Trotman's prediction that there would be only five or six major companies left in the world in a few short years.

So it seems fitting to speculate about a partner for Ford. Honda is the first company that comes to my mind. It offers many things Ford will need in the future, from more efficient manufacturing to stronger engineering and environmental technology. Plus, this Japanese company has a strong base in the Asia …

VRAM flaps are favored over other types for vaginal reconstruction.

2004 MAR 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- VRAM flaps are favored over other types for vaginal reconstruction.

According to recent research published in the journal Annals of Plastic Surgery, "this study compares the outcome of Singapore flap, vertical rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap (VRAM), and gracilis musculocutaneous flap vaginal reconstruction. A retrospective review of 99 consecutive patients with complete vaginal defects was conducted at the Mayo Clinic from January 1988 to October 2001. All possible complications were determined for each of the three reconstructive techniques, along with the effects of radiation and smoking on the respective complication …

USPTO ISSUES TRADEMARK: UPLIFE WORLD

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 12 -- The trademark UPLIFE WORLD (Reg. No. 3927662) was issued on March 8 by the USPTO.

Owner: Uplife World Limited limited company (ltd.) UNITED KINGDOM Chelsea House, West Gate London UNITED KINGDOM W51DR.

The trademark application serial number 77941440 was filed on Feb. 22, 2010 and was registered on March 8.

Goods and Services: Insurance agency and brokerage; travel insurance administration; currency exchange; Electronic funds transfer services

Travel agency services, namely, making reservations and bookings for transportation; arranging of holidays and travel; provision of information on travel guides for vacation; provision and arrangement of tours and excursions; travel booking agencies; reservations and bookings for transportation; providing travel information over computer networks and the internet

Booking of temporary accommodation; providing information relating to temporary accommodation including over a computer network and the internet

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