Money is the key ingredient that will decide whether California can meet the dictates of a U. Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to slash its prison population by 33, 000 inmates within t. . . Money is the key ingredient that will decide whether California can meet the dictates of a U. Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to slash its prison population by 33, 000 inmates within two years, sheriffs, police chiefs, counties and corrections officials said Tuesday. But questions abound on whether the Legislature will sign off on tax extensions to pay for shifting thousands of convicts from state prisons to local jails, whether voters will approve the taxes, whether the state can meet the deadlines set by the high court and how the shift will play out at local jails around the state.

Gov. Jerry Brown' s administration said Tuesday the governor' s stalled " realignment" plan to shift thousands of inmates to local jails will eventually relieve inmate overcrowding, as the court ordered. But officials acknowledged they need state lawmakers' support and might not meet the court' s initial goal of cutting the prison population by more than 10, 000 inmates by Nov. 24. The state, however, d. . .

A few days after my mother died, several years ago, a strange thing happened.

I opened an old jewelry box and found a bracelet with her name – Judy – engraved on it. It was one of those tinny keepsakes you win at county fairs; I had never seen it before, and had no idea how it came to be in my possession. I am not especially spiritual, but it was crystal clear to me that my mother had sent a message. She wanted me to know that she was still close by.

I have heard that such occurrences are not unusual.

At the time I called a friend who is an Episcopal priest and extremely level- headed. She told me that she frequently hears from people about odd occurrences following the death of a loved one. She agreed that it might be a sort of communication, and also said that such messages often lapse after a few weeks.

I haven’ t had any further such incidents, but I’ m not surprised. I know Judy is near by; I hear her all the time. It isn’ t her voice, though it’ s mine. We just sound alike.

As I talk to my kids, especially, she suddenly pops up, like a freckle. She used to stand at the foot of the stairs on dark winter mornings, yelling “ Rise and Shine, ” trying to rouse my brother and me in time for school. I don’ t know if that annoyingly cheerful message grated because it meant quitting our warm nests, or because it invariably ushered in our two large Boxers tearing noisily up the stairs, pausing at the threshold and then vaulting several feet onto our beds. It was a rude, muddy and often snowy, awakening.

I swore I would never utter those words, but as I race through the apartment, frantic to get to work, I improbably shout “ Rise and Shine! ” At my wits’ end, I borrow those hateful words: “ Because I said so” and “ Go ask your father. ” When I tell my children to pull the hair out of their eyes, to stand up straight, to stop rocking in their chairs, to stop reading in the dark, to replace cokes they take from the fridge, Judy is at my shoulder. Or maybe that’ s just the product of Mom, Inc. , the source of universal coping skills.

I don’ t know, but it sounds awfully familiar. My mother was always up before the rest of us, and always the last to go to bed.

Busy, busy – always moving the family forward. As I sometimes linger in the kitchen late at night, cherishing the peacefulness of a sleeping household, I’ ve thought that she, too, much have relished those few minutes she had to herself at the end of a long day. I remember long, still days in August, when we kids were limp with heat and boredom. She would patiently offer up one possible entertainment after another; finally, in exasperation, she would drive us out of the house with some nonsensical chore. Turns out that’ s a pretty useful technique.

In pure grit, my mother set the bar above my head. Every year we drove south to Florida, where my father spent the winter writing New Yorker pieces about the Ringling Brothers circus people. He would go on ahead, escaping the cold weather and the tedium of a long car trip. & # 160; We would start out in great excitement, with a laundry bag stuffed full of comic books and toys. That cache of entertainments was normally exhausted by the time we hit the George Washington Bridge, about two hours from home; we had three days to go.

Those trips must have been exhausting. Not only did my mom do all the packing and make all the arrangements – she also of course did all the driving. We usually traveled with our dogs and cats, and occasionally with birds, skunks, turtles and other creatures not normally welcome at roadside motels.

One day, we got up early and hit the road – I think it was Georgia.

The morning was misty with dew and the warm air you finally hit driving south. We had traveled about two hours when my brother scoured the station wagon and asked “ Where’ s Molly? ” In the general confusion, we had left one of our Boxers at the motel. I can only imagine how desperately she must have wanted to drive on and leave the damn dog. It was, finally, dealing with the menagerie that elevates my mother out of my league.

She somehow managed an impossible assortment of needy animals that routinely knocked over her furniture, annoyed the neighbors, mixed it up with porcupines, sullied her wardrobe, stole dinner, wandered into oncoming traffic, chewed through important books ( and one of my father’ s manuscripts – that was NOT a good day) but ultimately provided much of the emotional tapestry that was our chaotic home. Having struggled to care for one small Bijan with a slightly leaky bladder, I have no idea how she coped. My mother spoke French, quoted Keats, played tennis, made short ribs and identified flowers.

I’ m behind on most of those skills, and not even close on cooking short ribs. However, I think I’ m keeping up on what was best about her. At all times, and in every way, no matter how small the hurt or improbable the grievance, she had my back. I absolutely knew I could count on her support and love. As I today counsel wounded egos and bruised hearts, I hope that my kids feel the same.

I wonder if someday, my girls, too, will think they have become me. Liz Peek is a Fox. News. com contributor and a financial columnist for . & # 160; For more visit .

Welcome back to another week of " Hannity. " Tonight' s show will kickoff with reaction to the firing of GM' s CEO and the rest of the auto bailout plan. Sean will be joined by former Clinton adviser Dick Morris .

And as an earlier blog post noted, the show will close with Joel and Victoria Osteen who will join Sean in the studio. And there' s a whole lot of news to cover in the middle. Here are some other stories to check out before the clock strikes 9PM eastern: 1. I know it sounds crazy, but what I am about to tell you is actually true.

Believe it or not, President Obama has named an AIG board member to his Task Force on Tax Reform.

Sean will weigh in on this story. . . blogs. wsj. com/ washwire/ 2009/ 03/ 26/ obamas- tax- task- force- includes- an- aig- board- member 2. The scandals surrounding Chris Dodd continue to pile up.

Is he currently serving his final term in office? Ainsley Earhardt and Connecticut State Senator Sam Caligiuri have all corners of this story covered in a special investigation tonight. In the meantime, here' s a refresher. . . It seemed like every other day the mainstream media would run a story criticizing the Bush White House for how they distributed tickets to town halls and speeches. Well, now some surprising details have been uncovered on the people selected by President Obama to ask a question during last week' s " online town hall. " Take a look at this article and Sean will have more on it tonight in " Hannity' s America" . . .

Check back tomorrow at 5PM for another edition of Briefing Material.

Cliff Lee has a simple explanation for his brilliant pitching. Cliff Lee has a simple explanation for his brilliant pitching. " I' m making pitches, staying out of the zone, using my breaking ball and getting lucky, " Lee said, downplaying his recent success. Lee tossed a two- hitter for his third consecutive shutout and the Philadelphia Phillies beat Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox 5- 0 Tuesday night. In a series hailed as a potential World Series preview, Lee ( 9- 5) and the Phillies dominated the opener. Domonic Brown and Shane Victorino each hit a two- run homer for Philadelphia, which improved its major league- leading record to 50- 30.

Lee didn' t allow a hit until Marco Scutaro led off the sixth with a line- drive single to left- center. He ran his career- best scoreless streak to 32 innings with his ninth career shutout and fourth this year. " It' s been a good run, no doubt about it, " Lee said. " I' ve had a few in my career, but I don' t look back and compare them.

I want to throw a shutout every time out there. I never want to give up a run. " Beckett ( 6- 3) g. . .

BUFFALO, N. Y. - Once defenceman Christian Ehrhoff put his round of golf on hold to hear what the Buffalo Sabres had to offer, general manager Darcy Regier was confident he had a shot of signing the player before the start of the NHL' s free agency period. BUFFALO, N.

Y. - Once defenceman Christian Ehrhoff put his round of golf on hold to hear what the Buffalo Sabres had to offer, general manager Darcy Regier was confident he had a shot of signing the player before the start of the NHL' s free agency period. The Sabres' gamble to acquire and then sign Ehrhoff in under two days paid off Thursday after the seven- year veteran signed a 10- year, US$ 40 million contract, which will pay him $ 10 million this season. The terms of the deal were confirmed by two people familiar with the contract, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because those details were not released by the Sabres.

The deal was struck a day before Ehrhoff was eligible to become a free agent.

And it came a day after the Sabres gave up a fourth- round draft pick to acquire his rights from the New York Islanders .

And it didn' t matter to Regier that Ehrhoff had turned down an offer from the Islanders a day earlier after New York acquired him form Vancouver. " As. . .

A flooded river in eastern China is at its highest level in more than 50 years, the government said Friday as thousands of train passengers were stranded after landslides buried parts of a railway line in the southwest. Flooding in China over the past two weeks has left more than 170 people dead or missing and forced out residents in regions along the Yangtze River. Since Monday, about 671, 200 people have had to evacuate their homes, state- run Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The landslides and mudslides have toppled homes, and the torrential rains that caused them are forecast to last through the weekend.

Landslides crushed parts of a railway line in southwestern China, stranding 5, 000 passengers on four trains overnight and affecting train service, local railway authorities said Friday. Over 2, 000 rescuers with 10 excavators rushed to clear the Chengdu- Kunming railway, which links the provincial capitals of Sichuan and Yunnan, the Chengdu Railway Bureau said in a statement, according to Xinhua.

The bureau has sent food and water to the trapped passengers, and buses to evacuate them, the statement said. In eastern Zhejiang, the province' s main river is at its highest level since 1955, China' s flood control agency said. The Qiantang River was 7. 9 feet ( 2.

4 meters) above safety levels, it said.

Elsewhere in the coastal province, a dike breached and flooded 18 villages while landslides toppled about 2, 500 houses and flooded 350 roads, Xinhua said.

Restaurants are spread all over the island, although fewer are found in the west and northwest sections.

Most restaurants out of town are easily accessible by taxi and have ample parking. If you dine in Charlotte Amalie, take a taxi. Parking close to restaurants can be difficult to find, and walking around after dark isn' t advisable for safety reasons. Dining on St.

Thomas is informal. Few restaurants require a jacket and tie.

Still, at dinner in the snazzier places shorts and T- shirts are inappropriate; men would do well to wear slacks and a shirt with buttons. Dress codes on St. Thomas rarely require women to wear skirts, but you can never go wrong with something flowing.

Jeffery Taylor scored 21 points and Vanderbilt held on for an ugly 62- 50 win over LSU Thursday night in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, even without the league' s top scorer.

Jeffery Taylor scored 21 points and Vanderbilt held on for an ugly 62- 50 win over LSU Thursday night in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, even without the league' s top scorer.

Guard John Jenkins , averaging more than 19 points a game, sat out after tweaking his left foot in the regular- season finale against Florida last weekend. He went through warmups, and school officials said he was available if needed. He wasn' t needed, though. After a sluggish start, the Commodores ( 22- 9) pulled away to lead by as many as 14 in the first half. They stretched the margin to 20 points against last- place LSU ( 11- 21) , which closed out its second straight 20- loss season after winning the SEC title in 2009.

Andre Stringer led the Tigers with 13 points.

Right now, I believe a million or more Americans who have been diagnosed with ( including Alzheimer’ s dementia) , which is debilitating and incurable, are actually suffering with major depression - and that is completely curable in more than 90 percent of cases. This massive misdiagnosis of Americans has dire effects on families, well- being and productivity. The symptoms of major depression can perfectly mimic those of dementia.

Either condition can be marked by memory loss, profound changes in energy, difficulty concentrating and difficulty making decisions.

What’ s more, either condition can cause changes in motor function, leading to stumbling. Either condition can even lead to older adults wandering and getting lost. And either condition can lead to irritability, violent behavior or fixed and false beliefs ( for example, being robbed or lied to) .

Because major depression can so perfectly mimic dementia, I believe that every individual diagnosed with dementia should be treated for major depression, just in case that condition is actually to blame.

That may seem like a very bold therapeutic strategy, but there simply is no way to know for sure what percentage of the millions of Americans diagnosed with dementia might have actually been misdiagnosed and might well be completely curable. Only a brain biopsy after death can prove that dementia was to blame for a person’ s cognitive decline.

I would certainly do this for my mother or father if either was diagnosed with dementia ( which, thank God, is not the case) , so I see no reason not to recommend it to others.

Treating major depression in those diagnosed with depression might include beginning with a low dose of an antidepressant medication with a favorable side- effect profile ( such as sertraline or paroxetine) , increasing the dose if no effect is obtained ( while monitoring for side effects) , then adding repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation ( r. TMS) . r.

TMS is a relatively new technology, with no known serious side effects, that rivals or exceeds the antidepressant effects of medication in many patients. The treatment delivers magnetic waves to a particular area of the brain thought to be underactive in depressed individuals. r. TMS, combined with an antidepressant, would be a robust treatment strategy for older Americans diagnosed ( or misdiagnosed) with dementia.

The idea of “ empirically” ( without clear evidence) treating dementia as depression would be no different than empirically treating with antibiotics were it impossible to know with absolute certainty whether pneumonia might be the real diagnosis. Wouldn’ t it make sense to try to cure the patient? To sum it all up, here’ s this psychiatrist’ s prescription: If your loved one is diagnosed with dementia, instruct the geriatrician or internist or family physician or neurologist to enlist the aid of a psychiatrist in treating your loved one for major depression. Insist on the use of an antidepressant ( one with a side effect profile that is appropriate, given the other clinical facts) and insist on using r.

TMS at the same time. You might just save your loved one a decade or more of suffering. Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A- Team. Dr.

Ablow can be reached at info@ keithablow. com. His team of Life Coaches can be reached at lifecoach@ keithablow. com.

Along with its sister branches— Beekman Bar and Books on Beekman Place and Lexington Bar and Books on, yep, Lexington— the Hudson reflects a literary bent on its cocktails with names like the Dewey Decimal, the Cervantes Spritzer, and Alphabet Absinthe ( topped off with floating letter- shape sugar cubes) . Despite that, it' s hardly a hushed library where well- read butlers serve you; no— the atmosphere here is more about book decor than serious literature. ( It' s usually too dim to read or write anyway. ) Still, it is seriously gorgeous in a clubby way with wood paneling and leather banquettes. And the cigars and swell cocktail menu stimulate all kinds of conversation, literary or otherwise. www. barandbooks. cz.

The Utah Jazz have exercised the option on guard- forward C. Miles that will keep him under contract through the 2011- 12 season. The Utah Jazz have exercised the option on guard- forward C. Miles that will keep him under contract through the 2011- 12 season. The team also said Wednesday that it had exercised the options for forwards Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward for the 2012- 13 season.

Miles averaged career highs in points ( 12.

8) , rebounds ( 3. 3) and assists ( 1. 7) during the last season. Miles was originally selected by the Jazz in the second round of the 2005 NBA draft.

Hayward, the Jazz' s first- round pick in the 2010 draft, averaged 5. 4 points and 1. 9 rebounds per game during his rookie season. Favors, also a rookie, averaged 6. 8 points and 5.

3 rebounds in 78 games for the Jazz and the New Jersey Nets .

You can hear some of the coolest jazz, blues, rock, and alternative sounds in town at this basement bar. Built in 1907, it has retained some of its original Victorian features, which contribute to the hip, vaguely illicit feel— reminiscent of its days as a . . .

An open- mike session follows one or more featured readers here every Friday night at 8.

Spoken- word performances are interspersed with acoustic musical acts. Designed by art- deco master Timothy Pfleuger and opened in 1922, the most dramatic movie theater in the city hosts revivals as well as foreign and independent engagements and the occasional sing- along movie musical. Parking is limited in the Castro . . . A Bay Area treasure, this all- male a- cappella ensemble stages lively and technically flawless performances that show off a repertoire ranging from sacred medieval music to show tunes to contemporary avant- garde works. www. chanticleer. org.

This classy lounge with shimmering chandeliers is dimly lighted, but fellow patrons will still notice the logo on your purse; dress appropriately ( par for the course in the Marina) . At the central, square bar, attractive yuppies sip cosmos and nibble . . . Each year this program includes more than 20 fascinating conversations with writers, composers, actors, politicians, scientists, and others. The Herbst Theatre, in the Civic Center area, is usually the venue.

Past speakers include Nora Ephron, Salman . . . City Box Office, a charge- by- phone service, offers tickets for many performances and lectures.

You can buy tickets in person at its downtown location weekdays 9: 30- 5: 30. www. cityboxoffice. com. A bit classier than the Beach Chalet, with a more impressive, sweeping view of Ocean Beach, the Cliff House is our pick if you must choose just one oceanfront restaurant/ bar. Sure, it' s the site of many high- school prom dates, and you could argue that the . . . Club Fugazi' s claim to fame is a wacky musical send- up of San Francisco moods and mores that has been going strong since 1974, making it the longest- running musical revue anywhere.

Although the choreography is colorful, the singers brassy, and the . . . Stand- up comics such as Bill Maher, Paula Poundstone, and Sarah Silverman have appeared at this club. You can also see sketch comedy and comic singer- songwriters here. No one under 18 is admitted. www. cobbscomedyclub. com. The nation' s oldest public- affairs forum hosts speakers as diverse as Erin Brockovich and Bill Gates; every president since Teddy Roosevelt has addressed the club.

Topics range from culture and politics to economics and foreign policy. Events are open to . . . Some of the biggest touring shows mount productions at this theater, which has hosted classical music, dance, and stage performances since its 1925 opening. Shows are of the long- running Broadway musical variety, such as and and the seasonal www. shnsf. com.

made his way back into the semifinals Tuesday, and he' ll now get a chance to end Novak Djokovic' s perfect season. The 16- time Grand Slam champion advanced by beating of 6- 4, 6- 3, 7- 6 ( 3) , making it five straight- set wins in a row at Roland Garros. Against Djokovic, Federer will be up against the player who eliminated him from the semifinals at the last two major tournaments. Earlier, completed his fourth- round match, reaching the quarterfinals with a 4- 6, 4- 6, 6- 3, 6- 2, 7- 5 win over .

On the women' s side, Francesca Schiavone reached the semifinals by beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 1- 6, 7- 5, 7- 5, and defeated 7- 6 ( 4) , 6- 4. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information.

AP' s earlier story is below. PARIS ( AP) & mdash; Lethargic at times and brooding at others, Andy Murray worked his way into the French Open quarterfinals by coming back to beat Victor Troicki 4- 6, 4- 6, 6- 3, 6- 2, 7- 5 on Tuesday in a match that started a day earlier. The three- time Grand Slam runner- up won the final five games of the fifth set despite injuring his right ankle in the previous round. The first four sets were played Monday before darkness suspended the match. " The sort of day, day and a half before the match was pretty tough. So it was pretty stressful and tiring before I went on the court, " Murray said. " And then, obviously, today more so than yesterday maybe was tougher.

I was really nervous. " Defending women' s champion Francesca Schiavone also rallied, reaching the semifinals by beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 1- 6, 7- 5, 7- 5.

Later Tuesday, Roger Federer is set to face Gael Monfils for a spot in the semifinals, and 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova is scheduled to play No. 11 Marion Bartoli of France.

Murray, who said he had a tear in the tendon in his right ankle, looked out of it in the opening two sets on Court Suzanne Lenglen, often pacing around the clay with his head low and sometimes screaming to no one in particular. But he soon started placing his shots and quickly worked his way back into the match before play was suspended.

When the match resumed Tuesday, the pair held serve until Troicki broke for a 4- 2 lead shortly after a ball boy interfered with play on a point won by the 15th- seeded Serb. Troicki complained, but the point was replayed and Murray eventually took a 15- 0 lead. " I won that game, but still, I never saw & mdash; haven' t seen it on TV or ever, " Troicki said. " I mean, since I watched tennis and I played tennis, I have never seen such a situation.

Kid just jumped in and messed up my point. " Two games later, Troicki was serving for the match. He took a 30- 0 lead, putting him two points from victory, when Murray rallied again and broke back. " I was a bit nervous and didn' t go for my shots at those points, and he took advantage of it, " Troicki said. " Definitely one of the toughest losses in my career. " Not a good moment. " It is the fifth time in the 24- year- old Murray' s career that he has come back from two sets down to win. The fourth- seeded Briton is now 11- 5 in five- set matches. Murray will next face . The Argentine advanced Monday and will have a day of rest before playing the injured Murray. " There' s a lot sort of liquid and sort of stiffness & mdash; causing stiffness & mdash; and quite a lot of sort of crunching in the joint, " said Murray, adding he' s been icing his ankle and taking pills. " But the physios and a lot of the guys I work with have really helped.

I' ve got all the best equipment here, all the right advice, and made it as best as possible. " According to the International Tennis Federation, it' s the first time since 1984 that the top five seeded men all reached the quarterfinals at the French Open, and the first time since in 1989 that it happened at any of the Grand Slam tournaments. Like Murray, Schiavone was also two points from losing in her match. The 14th- seeded Pavlyuchenkova, at 19 the youngest quarterfinalist at this year' s tournament, won 10 of the first 12 games to lead 4- 1 in the second set before Schiavone turned things around. " I never stopped believing in what I could do, " Schiavone said. " I started too slow, absolutely too slow. But in the end I felt better. . . . I could play better. " Last year at Roland Garros, Schiavone became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.

S. health officials are considering including tests for like syphilis and B for the elderly and disabled covered under . The national health insurance program, which already pays for HIV tests, said on Thursday that it was considering adding the additional STD exams as part of an initiative to cover more preventive care.

Centers for Medicare and Services ( CMS) officials are expected to announce a draft decision by August 24. Americans are living longer, and Medicare' s review comes as researchers find more older Americans remaining sexually active.

Most sexually transmitted infection tests under consideration are aimed at people at high risk for such diseases. Most are for women and some specifically for pregnant women, who are included in Medicare' s disabled beneficiaries. Nearly 39 million Americans age 65 and older are covered under the insurance program as well as 7. 6 million disabled.

Public health experts say early screening and preventive care can cost less in the long run by avoiding complications that can arise from delayed treatment. In this case, it could also help prevent the spread of infection to others.

CMS has had the power to add coverage for preventive services since 2009, and Medicare already covers pap smears and pelvic exams in addition to screening tests for colorectal cancer and diabetes. Specifically, Medicare is now considering testing for: * chlamydial infection for sexually active or pregnant women aged 24 and younger and for older, sexually active or pregnant women at higher risk * high- intensity behavioral counseling to prevent infection for sexually active adolescents and for adults at greater risk.

The Hampton Majestic is located in one of the most high- traffic areas of town. It offers stunning and quiet guest rooms with rust- color walls, white sheets, and chocolate- brown furnishings. Online pictures, which can make the rooms look orange, don' t do . . . We' re not huge fans of the ubiquitous restaurant chain, but the hotel— flashy, loud, and packed with plasma TVs— has our approval.

Set within the 40- story Carbide and Carbon Building, it touts modern rooms adorned with rock- and- roll paraphernalia and a . . . On a busy day the lobby of this Hilton might be mistaken for a terminal at O' Hare Airport; it' s a bustling convention hotel, but one that retains its distinguished 1920s heritage in a Renaissance- inspired entrance hall and gold- and- gilt grand ballroom. . . . Thanks to its proximity to the financial district, this hotel welcomes hordes of business travelers. But leisure seekers have an added incentive to visit in the summer months: the rooftop pool.

Guests appreciate the accessibility of this hotel: not only is . . .

Suites here seem custom- designed for families, with sleeper sofas, separate bedrooms, and fully equipped kitchens.

Free food isn' t lacking; indulge in a complimentary breakfast buffet seven days a week, and an evening reception with drinks and a light meal . . . Just blocks away from the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower— both architectural marvels— this recently renovated property offers delightfully rare views of the heart of downtown, fantastic in daytime and even better at night. There are also lovely views of . . . Theater lovers will relish an opportunity to stay at this recently renovated, Art Deco- themed hot spot. The new, eclectic decor— including pop art- inspired chairs and sofas— is a hit, and the lobby' s black- and- gray wallpaper looks supersharp.

The service is . . . This eco- friendly hot spot boasts a rich brown, purple, and green lobby that turns into a makeshift meeting room by day.

The guest rooms are large; the brightly colored nature photographs breathe life into to soft browns and gray tones found throughout. . . .

A multimillion renovation updated this spacious landmark a few years back.

The lobby is dark but welcoming; the rooms— a mix of browns, reds, and creams— are very large, considering the location. Choose a suite and you' ll have a condo- size spread with . . . Making creative use of a city landmark, this hotel is housed in the famed 13- story Reliance Building, which D. Burnham & Company built in 1895. The refurbished interior retains original details, such as Carrara marble wainscoting and ceilings, terrazzo . . .

The Hotel Cass is a true boutique hotel, and bears no resemblance to the Holiday Inn chain. The crisp, white lobby is sparse and elegant, and the dramatic red hallway is offset with a touch of humor; it' s lined with several austere portraits of roosters. . . . The lobby, decorated with glass sculptures hanging from the ceiling, is small, inviting, and bustling. The wooden wall sculpture lends a den- type feel, a surprisingly rustic splash in the otherwise modern setting.

The rooms are typically small in size, but . . . Even though this hotel caters to business travelers, there is something refreshingly noncorporate about its guest rooms and lobby dressed in plucky blues and greens. Furthering the summer- in- Cape Cod feel are the rooms' white wooden lounge chairs and . . . A registration desk fashioned after a classic steamer trunk, and meeting rooms named for international destinations such as Tokyo and Paris inspire wanderlust here.

We love each room' s bay windows ( the Monaco is the only hotel in the city that has ' em) and . . . Brand new and smack in the middle of one of Chicago' s most vibrant neighborhoods, this trendy hot spot serves up solid rooms and excellent cuisine. Texture is everything here; the speckled woodwork offers a unique touch to the spacious and modern rooms. . . . Visitors to Chicago would be hard- pressed to find a more chic or tech- savvy place than the Hotel Sax.

Stark white walls, adorned with appropriately risqu artwork, make the scented lobby feel ultraswank. In the rooms, modern furniture is chunky and ornate, . . . This 2, 000- plus- room hotel is one of the largest in Chicago, with illuminated signs that guide you through the labyrinth of halls.

Ficus trees, bamboo, and gushing fountains fill the two- story atrium lobby. In the comfortably sized guest rooms . . . The Shriner greeting " Es Salamu Aleikum" ( " Peace Be To God" ) etched on foyer columns and the marble lions throughout remind us of the building' s past as the Medinah Men' s Athletic Club, a private men' s club. Lodging is found in two adjoining buildings.

We . . .

Mike Tannenbaum has a tough time sitting still on draft day.

Mike Tannenbaum has a tough time sitting still on draft day.

Whether it' s trading up or down, or for future picks, the New York Jets general manager is as big a wheeler and dealer as there is in the NFL. So, the fact the team has almost as many draft picks this year as it has the last two combined might just be a temporary luxury. " It' s nice to have six picks for a change, " vice president of college scouting Joey Clinkscales said with a smile before turning to Tannenbaum. " We' ll see how long we have six picks. " Clinkscales and the rest of the Jets front office know better. New York had four picks last year after a handful of deals, and ended up with just three the year before when Tannenbaum pulled off two big draft- day trades to move up and take quarterback Mark Sanchez at No. 5 overall and running back Shonn Greene two rounds later. New York has the 30th overall pick this time around and Tannenbaum said the Jets will have about 10 players in mind to take at that spot & mdash; if they stay there. . .

AP' s Top 10 Derby prospects: Pletcher has 4 of ' em, AP' s Top 10 Derby prospects: Pletcher has 4 of ' em.

Monday, February 22, 2010 By RICHARD ROSENBLATT, AP Sports Writer.

Print. Bob and Todd' s excellent adventures carry on after a winning weekend in Kentucky Derby prep races. The exceptional results leave Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher training six of the horses in the AP' s latest Run to the Roses Top 10 list of Kentucky Derby contenders. Baffert' s Lookin At Lucky remains No.

1 while awaiting his 3- year- old debut in the San Felipe at Santa Anita on March 13. Conveyance won the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, giving Baffert the No. 3 prospect as well.

Pletcher, meanwhile, hit the trifecta with victories in three Derby preps. Eskendereya romped by 8 1/ 2 lengths in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, Discreetly Mine won the Risen Star by 1 1/ 2 lengths at the Fair Grounds, and Connemara took the El Camino Real by three- quarters of a length at Golden Gate Fields. The results leave Pletcher with four top- 10 horses _ No. 2 Eskendereya. . .