The display will feature 50 paintings spanning three centuries.

The Republican | Mark M. Murray10.05.2011 | SPRINGFIELD - Michele and Donald D'Amour at the podium during the press conference announcing the upcoming exhibit Old Masters to Monet:Three Centuries of French Painting from the Wadsworth Atheneum, which will be coming Dec. 13-April 29, 2012 to the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts at the Springfield Museums.

SPRINGFIELD – A major exhibition of French paintings spanning three centuries will be on display at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Art at the Quadrangle, premiering Dec. 13, and continuing through April, much to the delight of museum officials and supporters.

The display, “Old Masters to Monet: Three Centuries of French Painting from the Wadsworth Atheneum,” was announced Wednesday during a press conference at the museum. It will feature 50 paintings from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

“We are honored to partner with this prestigious museum to present the very best of French art to the Greater Springfield community,” said Heather Haskell, director of the D’Amour Fine Arts Museum.

Donald D’Amour said the event is “wonderful,” and will be a major attraction, coinciding with the 375th anniversary of Springfield. He said he would not be surprised if visitors come from as far away as Paris.

“It’s just a thrill for us,” D’Amour said, accompanied by his wife Michele.

The Michele and Donald D’Amour fund, established in 2008 to bring world-class art exhibitions to the Springfield museum, helped fund the new display.

The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, founded in 1843. It has never before presented a full-scale survey of its collection of French paintings, according to museum officials.

The paintings include religious, mythological subjects, portraiture, landscape, still life, and genre, museum officials said.

The paintings range from Claude Lorrain’s “Landscape with St. George and the Dragon,” commissioned by Cardinal Fausto Poli in 1641 to a “Self-Portrait” by Vincent van Gogh, circa 1887.

Holly Smith-Bove, president of the Springfield Museums, said the exhibition is an exciting addition to the existing art collection and provides an opportunity to highlight the city of Springfield. She thanked supporters of the museums and arts including the D’Amours and David Starr, president of The Republican.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Peter Rosskothen, chairman of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, joined in saying the art exhibition will be a major attraction to the city.

The boy and a passenger in his car were unharmed in the crash but the 2006 Subaru Impreza was destroyed.

HOLYOKE - A 16-year-old boy from Springfield was written two traffic citations after totaling his car in a drag race Tuesday in Holyoke.

Holyoke police Lt. Michael Higgins said that around 7 p.m., police were called to Kelly Way, a new commercial development off of Interstate Drive/ Bobala Road, to assist with a car accident.

"Upon arrival, police found a utility pole on the ground and a totaled car," Higgins said. "Witnesses said that the totaled car and another were racing and the driver of the totaled car admitted he was going about 60 miles per hour when he hit the pole."

The boy and a passenger in his car were unharmed in the crash, Higgins said, but his car, a 2006 Subaru Impreza, was destroyed.

The second car fled before police arrived, Higgins said.

The boy, who lives on Birchland Avenue in Springfield, was cited for driving to endanger and speeding.

The car, which wasn't far from the Honda Financial Services offices, was towed away from the scene.

There were signs that the U.S. economy grew in September and that European officials are moving to support the region's struggling banks.

Associated PressTraders Stephen Guilfoyle, left, and Richard Deviccaro, work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

By DAVID K. RANDALL
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK — Stocks rose sharply for a second straight day Wednesday on signs that the U.S. economy grew in September and that European officials are moving to support the region's struggling banks.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 131 points. Most of the gain, 80 points, came in the last hour of trading.

Analysts attributed the rise to increasing optimism about Europe's efforts to contain its debt crisis and a pair of reports in the U.S. showing a pickup in hiring and growth in service companies last month.

The Financial Times reported late Tuesday that European officials are exploring a joint effort to support the region's banks. That triggered sharp rises in European markets, especially bank stocks.

Investors are worried that European banks could suffer deep losses if Greece starts missing debt payments, which is also known as a default. That could cause the value of Greek bonds held by the banks to drop sharply. If weakened banks pull back from lending to each other, it could cause another freeze in global credit markets, as occurred in late 2008.

The report, which came out after European markets closed Tuesday, triggered a late rally in U.S. stocks that prevented the S&P 500 from closing down 20 percent from its recent peak, reached in April. A fall that far would have met the test of a bear market.

Analysts cautioned that the two-day gain in stocks may not last, given the strains that are still affecting the U.S. economy.

"The market is trading on sentiment right now, not fundamentals," said Rob Stein, head of Astor Asset Management. "People are hoping that the bounce yesterday means that we've hit a bottom, but the problems that were in the economy Monday haven't changed since then."

Other traders pointed to meetings by the European Central Bank and the Bank of England Thursday in which officials are expected to discuss additional measures to increase investors' confidence in the European banking system.

"There's a reluctance to (bet that stocks are going to fall) when there's a chance that you'll see an announcement out of Europe to help the banks by the weekend," said Nick Kalivas, vice president of research at MF Global.

The Dow rose 131.21 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 10,939.95. The Dow jumped 153 Tuesday after its late-day surge.

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 20.09, or 1.8 percent, to 1,144.04. The Nasdaq composite jumped 55.69, or 2.3 percent, to 2,460.51.

European bank stocks soared, reflecting increasing optimism that European leaders will succeed in limiting the fallout from Greece's debt problems. Credit Agricole jumped 10 percent, and BNP Paribas gained 9 percent.

European markets rose broadly. Germany's DAX jumped 5 percent. Benchmark indexes in France and Italy rose 4 percent.

Reports that the U.S. economy continued to grow in September also sent stock indexes higher. The Institute of Supply Management said its gauge of the U.S. service sector, which employs 90 percent of the work force, grew in line with Wall Street's expectations. The index measures the strength of health care providers, banks, real estate, and other businesses outside of manufacturing. The ISM's index was 53 in September, down slightly from 53.3 in August. Any number above 50 indicates expansion for the sector.

Payroll processor ADP said private companies added 91,000 jobs last month. That was a slight gain from August. ADP's figures do not always predict the outcome of the government's broader report on U.S. employment in September, which will be released Friday. However ADP's report can often influence traders' expectations. Wall Street economists expect that the U.S. unemployment rate will remain unchanged at 9.1 percent.

The latest indications that the U.S. economy was growing, although modestly, pushed Treasury prices lower as investors moved money out of lower-risk investments. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.90 percent from 1.82 percent late Tuesday. It hit a record low of 1.71 percent Sept. 22.

Energy and materials companies, whose profits depend on an expanding economy more than other industries, led the stock market higher.

Walt Disney Co. led the 30 stocks that make up the Dow with a 5.5 percent gain after a Citi analyst upgraded the stock, citing a recent pullback. McDonald's Corp. lagged, dipping 0.8 percent.

Monsanto Co. rose 5.2 percent after the seed maker reported results that beat Wall Street's forecasts. Wholesale club operator Costco Wholesale Corp. dropped 1.7 percent after its earnings came in slightly below analysts' expectations. The company said it will raise its annual membership fees in November.

Yahoo jumped 10.1 percent after Reuters reported that Microsoft is considering a bid for the company. BlackBerry maker Research in Motion also jumped 10 percent on speculation that the company may be up for sale.

The center would service Gulfstream's new GS650 corporate jet and would bring 100 jobs to Westfield.

WESTFIELD - Gulfstream Aerospace plans to host Gov. Deval L. Patrick at a news conference Friday at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport, an apparent sign that Westfield has been successful in its efforts to bring a new Gulfstream maintenance hangar and 100 jobs.

Gulfstream issued a news release Wednesday.

But the city, Gulfstream and the state would not confirm Wednesday, preferring to save the announcement that all three insisted was good news for Friday.

The center would service Gulfstream’s new GS650 corporate aircraft, which come with a price tag of $65 million each. Gulfstream is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics Corp., which designs, develops, markets, services and supports business-jet aircraft and already has a facility at the airport that employs 131, according to state records.

Westfield and state officials have been courting Gulfstream in hopes that the company would build a $20 million, 100,000-square-foot service hangar at Barnes. The Gulfstream project is expected to create 100 jobs and retain 131 jobs.

The city and state have already approved a tax incentive for Gulfstream that could save the company an estimated $4.2 million over its first 15 years of operation. But Westfield will receive an estimated $4 million in new property taxes during that 15 years.

At the end of the 15 years, the annual property tax assessed to Gulfstream for its new service center will be about $550,000 annually.

The city will also gain other revenue from the hangar operation, such as increased landing fees and fuel purchases at the airport.

Last month, the Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport Commission approved a lease for 11 acres of airport land for $54,000 a year. Cost of the lease will increase, based on market rates, every five years and the lease includes five 10-year extensions.

Palin said in a statement that she and her husband Todd "devote ourselves to God, family and country." She said her decision maintains that order.

File photo | Associated PressFormer Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin waves to supporters before addressing a Tea Partly Express Rally in Manchester, N.H.

By CHARLES BABINGTON

WASHINGTON — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Wednesday she will not run for president, leaving little doubt that the eventual Republican nominee will come from the current field of contenders.

After months of leaving her fans guessing, Palin said in a statement that she and her husband Todd "devote ourselves to God, family and country." She said her decision maintains that order.

Palin sent the statement to supporters. She told conservative radio host Mark Levin that she would not consider a third party candidacy because it would assure President Barack Obama's reelection.

In a video posted on Youtube, Palin said, "you don't need an office or a title to make a difference."

Sen. John McCain plucked Palin from relative obscurity in 2008 by naming her as his running mate. She electrified Republican activists for a while, delivering a well-received speech at the GOP national convention. But Palin later seemed overwhelmed by the national spotlight, faltering at times in televised interviews even when asked straightforward questions.

Palin's announcement Wednesday was much anticipated but not greatly surprising. Her popularity had plummeted in polls lately, even though she remained a darling to many hard-core conservatives. Some Republicans felt she waited and teased too long about a presidential candidacy. Some remained perplexed by her decision to quit her job as governor with more than a year left in her single term.

Palin also angered some Americans with a defensive speech shortly after a Democratic congresswoman was gravely wounded in an Arizona shooting in January that killed six people.

Palin's announcement came one day after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he would not run. Republican insiders say the field is set.

It includes former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, whom party insiders see as the strongest contenders. Libertarian-leaning Rep. Ron Paul of Texas continues to draw a devoted following and former pizza company executive Herman Cain has gained in recent polls.

Voting in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary will start in about three months.

Because Palin's star had faded, it's not clear that her decision will have a big impact on the Republican race. Some analysts said Palin might have drawn significant conservative support, especially in Iowa. If so, she might have split that constituency with Perry, Cain, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and others, possibly giving Romney a chance to win the caucus with a relatively modest plurality.

Others felt Perry benefits from Palin's decision because it helps him portray himself as the best-known conservative alternative to Romney.

Republican adviser Matt Mackowiak said Romney benefits from Christie's decision, and Perry benefits from Palin's, so it's "a wash."

In a statement, Perry called Palin "a good friend, a great American and a true patriot."

"I respect her decision and know she will continue to be a strong voice for conservative values and needed change in Washington," he said.

McCain, whose staff often clashed with Palin, said he was confident "she'll continue to play an important role in our party and for our nation."

Bachmann in a statement called Palin "an important voice in the conservative movement" with "a lifetime of opportunities ahead of her."

Palin fans expressed frustration and disbelief on conservatives4palin.com, a supporter Web site.

"Oh! Big mistake, Sarah, for the country and for you. And why wait so long? Geez," wrote a poster identified as militantfeather.

Another, identified as Mark Dormann, said: "Sarah I feel betrayed. You are the one we are waiting for. No one else will reform America. ... you have broken my heart :("

Palin repeatedly stoked speculation about a presidential bid, in part by visiting Iowa, home of the leadoff nominating caucuses, seven times since leaving the governorship in 2009.

Last month, she gave a campaign-themed speech at a tea party rally that drew thousands to a town south of Des Moines.

"I've said all along she's a force in her own right," said Des Moines Republican Becky Beach, who became a friend and part of Palin's small circle as her key planning contact in Iowa. "In this capacity, however it takes shape, she'll be someone who has an impact on the 2012 election."

Palin loses the opportunity to seize a network of organized supporters in Iowa, put together by California lawyer Peter Singleton, who has spent the better part of the year in the state. He said there is no one candidate who can lay claim to the voter database, mailing list and team of campaign volunteers he put together in Iowa.

In her statement, Palin said, "my decision is based upon a review of what common-sense conservatives and independents have accomplished, especially over the last year. I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office — from the nation's governors to congressional seats and the presidency. We need to continue to actively and aggressively help those who will stop the 'fundamental transformation' of our nation and instead seek the restoration of our greatness, our goodness and our constitutional republic based on the rule of law."

Associated Press writers Kasie Hunt in Washington, Becky Bohrer in Alaska and Tom Beaumont in Iowa contributed to this report.

The electronics company pioneer had been battling pancreatic cancer.

By JORDAN ROBERTSON | AP Technology Writer

AP File PhotoIn this March 2, 2011 file photo, Apple Inc. Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs waves to his audience at an Apple event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco. Apple is grappling with how to continue without Jobs, who after battling with health issues announced recently he would step down and Tim Cook would run the company. Steve Jobs died Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011.

CUPERTINO, Calif. – Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former CEO who invented and masterfully marketed ever-sleeker gadgets that transformed everyday technology, from the personal computer to the iPod and iPhone, has died. He was 56.

Apple announced his death without giving a specific cause.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today,” the company said in a brief statement.

“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve”

Jobs had battled cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009 after taking a leave of absence for unspecified health problems. He took another leave of absence in January – his third since his health problems began – and officially resigned in August.

Jobs started Apple with a high school friend in a Silicon Valley garage in 1976, was forced out a decade later and returned in 1997 to rescue the company. During his second stint, it grew into the most valuable technology company in the world.

Cultivating Apple’s countercultural sensibility and a minimalist design ethic, Jobs rolled out one sensational product after another, even in the face of the late-2000s recession and his own failing health.

He helped change computers from a geeky hobbyist’s obsession to a necessity of modern life at work and home, and in the process he upended not just personal technology but the cellphone and music industries. For transformation of American industry, he has few rivals.

Perhaps most influentially, Jobs in 2001 launched the iPod, which offered “1,000 songs in your pocket.” Over the next 10 years, its white earphones and thumb-dial control seemed to become more ubiquitous than the wristwatch.

In 2007 came the touch-screen iPhone, joined a year later by Apple’s App Store, where developers could sell iPhone “apps” which made the phone a device not just for making calls but also for managing money, editing photos, playing games and social networking. And in 2010, Jobs introduced the iPad, a tablet-sized, all-touch computer that took off even though market analysts said no one really needed one.

By 2011, Apple had become the second-largest company of any kind in the United States by market value. In August, it briefly surpassed Exxon Mobil as the most valuable company.

Under Jobs, the company cloaked itself in secrecy to build frenzied anticipation for each of its new products. Jobs himself had a wizardly sense of what his customers wanted, and where demand didn’t exist, he leveraged a cult-like following to create it.

When he spoke at Apple presentations, almost always in faded blue jeans, sneakers and a black mock turtleneck, legions of Apple acolytes listened to every word. He often boasted about Apple successes, then coyly added a coda – “One more thing” – before introducing its latest ambitious idea.

In later years, Apple investors also watched these appearances for clues about his health. Jobs revealed in 2004 that he had been diagnosed with a very rare form of pancreatic cancer – an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor. He underwent surgery and said he had been cured. In 2009, following weight loss he initially attributed to a hormonal imbalance, he abruptly took a six-month leave. During that time, he received a liver transplant that became public two months after it was performed.

He went on another medical leave in January 2011, this time for an unspecified duration. He never went back and resigned as CEO in August, though he stayed on as chairman. Consistent with his penchant for secrecy, he didn’t reference his illness in his resignation letter.

Steven Paul Jobs was born Feb. 24, 1955, in San Francisco to Joanne Simpson, then an unmarried graduate student, and Abdulfattah Jandali, a student from Syria. Simpson gave Jobs up for adoption, though she married Jandali and a few years later had a second child with him, Mona Simpson, who became a novelist.

Steven was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs of Los Altos, Calif., a working-class couple who nurtured his early interest in electronics. He saw his first computer terminal at NASA’s Ames Research Center when he was around 11 and landed a summer job at Hewlett-Packard before he had finished high school.

Jobs enrolled in Reed College in Portland, Ore., in 1972 but dropped out after six months.

“All of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it,” he said at a Stanford University commencement address in 2005. “I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out.”

When he returned to California in 1974, Jobs worked for video game maker Atari and attended meetings of the Homebrew Computer Club – a group of computer hobbyists – with Steve Wozniak, a high school friend who was a few years older.

Wozniak’s homemade computer drew attention from other enthusiasts, but Jobs saw its potential far beyond the geeky hobbyists of the time. The pair started Apple Computer Inc. in Jobs’ parents’ garage in 1976. According to Wozniak, Jobs suggested the name after visiting an “apple orchard” that Wozniak said was actually a commune.

Their first creation was the Apple I – essentially, the guts of a computer without a case, keyboard or monitor.

The Apple II, which hit the market in 1977, was their first machine for the masses. It became so popular that Jobs was worth $100 million by age 25.

During a 1979 visit to the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Jobs again spotted mass potential in a niche invention: a computer that allowed people to control computers with the click of a mouse, not typed commands. He returned to Apple and ordered the team to copy what he had seen.

It foreshadowed a propensity to take other people’s concepts, improve on them and spin them into wildly successful products. Under Jobs, Apple didn’t invent computers, digital music players or smartphones – it reinvented them for people who didn’t want to learn computer programming or negotiate the technical hassles of keeping their gadgets working.

“We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas,” Jobs said in an interview for the 1996 PBS series “Triumph of the Nerds.”

The engineers responded with two computers. The pricier Lisa – the same name as his daughter – launched to a cool reception in 1983. The less-expensive Macintosh, named for an employee’s favorite apple, exploded onto the scene in 1984.

The Mac was heralded by an epic Super Bowl commercial that referenced George Orwell’s “1984” and captured Apple’s iconoclastic style. In the ad, expressionless drones marched through dark halls to an auditorium where a Big Brother-like figure lectures on a big screen. A woman in a bright track uniform burst into the hall and launched a hammer into the screen, which exploded, stunning the drones, as a narrator announced the arrival of the Mac.

There were early stumbles at Apple. Jobs clashed with colleagues and even the CEO he had hired away from Pepsi, John Sculley. And after an initial spike, Mac sales slowed, in part because few programs had been written for it.

With Apple’s stock price sinking, conflicts between Jobs and Sculley mounted. Sculley won over the board in 1985 and pushed Jobs out of his day-to-day role leading the Macintosh team. Jobs resigned his post as chairman of the board and left Apple within months.

“What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating,” Jobs said in his Stanford speech. “I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”

He got into two other companies: Next, a computer maker, and Pixar, a computer-animation studio that he bought from George Lucas for $10 million.

Pixar, ultimately the more successful venture, seemed at first a bottomless money pit. Then in 1995 came “Toy Story,” the first computer-animated full-length feature. Jobs used its success to negotiate a sweeter deal with Disney for Pixar’s next two films, “A Bug’s Life” and “Toy Story 2.” In 2006, Jobs sold Pixar to The Walt Disney Co. for $7.4 billion in stock, making him Disney’s largest individual shareholder and securing a seat on the board.

With Next, Jobs came up with a cube-shaped computer. He was said to be obsessive about the tiniest details, insisting on design perfection even for the machine’s guts. The machine cost a pricey $6,500 to $10,000, and he never managed to spark much demand for it.

Ultimately, he shifted the focus to software – a move that paid off later when Apple bought Next for its operating system technology, the basis for the software still used in Mac computers.

By 1996, when Apple bought Next, Apple was in dire financial straits. It had lost more than $800 million in a year, dragged its heels in licensing Mac software for other computers and surrendered most of its market share to PCs that ran Windows.

Larry Ellison, Jobs’ close friend and fellow Silicon Valley billionaire and the CEO of Oracle Corp., publicly contemplated buying Apple in early 1997 and ousting its leadership. The idea fizzled, but Jobs stepped in as interim chief later that year.

He slashed unprofitable projects, narrowed the company’s focus and presided over a new marketing push to set the Mac apart from Windows, starting with a campaign encouraging computer users to “Think different.”

Apple’s first new product under his direction, the brightly colored, plastic iMac, launched in 1998 and sold about 2 million in its first year. Apple returned to profitability that year. Jobs dropped the “interim” from his title in 2000.

He changed his style, too, said Tim Bajarin, who met Jobs several times while covering the company for Creative Strategies.

“In the early days, he was in charge of every detail. The only way you could say it is, he was kind of a control freak,” he said. In his second stint, “he clearly was much more mellow and more mature.”

In the decade that followed, Jobs kept Apple profitable while pushing out an impressive roster of new products.

Apple’s popularity exploded in the 2000s. The iPod, smaller and sleeker with each generation, introduced many lifelong Windows users to their first Apple gadget.

The arrival of the iTunes music store in 2003 gave people a convenient way to buy music legally online, song by song. For the music industry, it was a mixed blessing. The industry got a way to reach Internet-savvy people who, in the age of Napster, were growing accustomed to downloading music free. But online sales also hastened the demise of CDs and established Apple as a gatekeeper, resulting in battles between Jobs and music executives over pricing and other issues.

Jobs’ command over gadget lovers and pop culture swelled to the point that, on the eve of the iPhone’s launch in 2007, faithful followers slept on sidewalks outside posh Apple stores for the chance to buy one. Three years later, at the iPad’s debut, the lines snaked around blocks and out through parking lots, even though people had the option to order one in advance.

The decade was not without its glitches. In the mid-2000s, Apple was swept up in a Securities and Exchange Commission inquiry into stock options backdating, a practice that artificially raised the value of options grants. But Jobs and Apple emerged unscathed after two former executives took the fall and eventually settled with the SEC.

Jobs’ personal ethos – a natural food lover who embraced Buddhism and New Age philosophy – was closely linked to the public persona he shaped for Apple. Apple itself became a statement against the commoditization of technology – a cynical view, to be sure, from a company whose computers can cost three or more times as much as those of its rivals.

For technology lovers, buying Apple products has meant gaining entrance to an exclusive club. At the top was a complicated and contradictory figure who was endlessly fascinating – even to his detractors, of which Jobs had many. Jobs was a hero to techno-geeks and a villain to partners he bullied and to workers whose projects he unceremoniously killed or claimed as his own.

Unauthorized biographer Alan Deutschman described him as “deeply moody and maddeningly erratic.” In his personal life, Jobs denied for two years that he was the father of Lisa, the baby born to his longtime girlfriend Chrisann Brennan in 1978.

Few seemed immune to Jobs’ charisma and will. He could adeptly convince those in his presence of just about anything – even if they disagreed again when he left the room and his magic wore off.

“He always has an aura around his persona,” said Bajarin, who met Jobs several times while covering the company for more than 20 years as a Creative Strategies analyst. “When you talk to him, you know you’re really talking to a brilliant mind.”

But Bajarin also remembers Jobs lashing out with profanity at an employee who interrupted their meeting. Jobs, the perfectionist, demanded greatness from everyone at Apple.

Jobs valued his privacy, but some details of his romantic and family life have been uncovered. In the early 1980s, Jobs dated the folk singer Joan Baez, according to Deutschman.

In 1989, Jobs spoke at Stanford’s graduate business school and met his wife, Laurene Powell, who was then a student. When she became pregnant, Jobs at first refused to marry her. It was a near-repeat of what had happened more than a decade earlier with then-girlfriend Brennan, Deutschman said, but eventually Jobs relented.

Jobs started looking for his biological family in his teens, according to an interview he gave to The New York Times in 1997. He found his biological sister when he was 27. They became friends, and through her Jobs met his biological mother. Few details of those relationships have been made public.

But the extent of Apple secrecy didn’t become clear until Jobs revealed in 2004 that he had been diagonosed with – and “cured” of – a rare form of operable pancreatic cancer called an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor. The company had sat on the news of his diagnosis for nine months while Jobs tried trumping the disease with a special diet, Fortune magazine reported in 2008.

In the years after his cancer was revealed, rumors about Jobs’ health would spark runs on Apple stock as investors worried the company, with no clear succession plan, would fall apart without him. Apple did little to ease those concerns. It kept the state of Jobs’ health a secret for as long as it could, then disclosed vague details when, in early 2009, it became clear he was again ill.

Jobs took a half-year medical leave of absence starting in January 2009, during which he had a liver transplant. Apple did not disclose the procedure at the time; two months later, The Wall Street Journal reported the fact and a doctor at the transplant hospital confirmed it.

In January 2011, Jobs announced another medical leave, his third, with no set duration. He returned to the spotlight briefly in March to personally unveil a second-generation iPad and again in June, when he showed off Apple’s iCloud music synching service. At both events, he looked frail in his signature jeans and mock turtleneck.

Less than three months later, Jobs resigned as CEO. In a letter addressed to Apple’s board and the “Apple community” Jobs said he “always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”

In 2005, following the bout with cancer, Jobs delivered Stanford University’s commencement speech.

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life,” he said. “Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.”

Jobs is survived by his biological mother, sister Mona Simpson; Lisa Brennan-Jobs, his daughter with Brennan; wife Laurene, and their three children, Erin, Reed and Eve.

Are you owed money? The state Treasurer's Office puts out the list of unclaimed property at least once a year.

Hearing that the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Springfield may soon see a windfall, the center leader hoped for a ton of money.

“Wow. Let's hope it’s an endowment somewhere,” Sharon Jewell, interim president and chief executive officer of the non-profit agency, said, partly in jest.

The Community Center, which offers a wide variety of programs to help children, families and the elderly, is among thousands of agencies, businesses and residents who have unclaimed money from forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance policy proceeds, dividend payments from stock and contents of unattended safe deposit accounts.

Steven Grossman

This week state Treasurer Steven Grossman released a list of people and businesses that had unclaimed money. Some of the funds are sizable – four accounts have more than $100,000 in them, and at least 3,700 accounts total $1,000. But others could have just a few dollars in them, said Jon Carlisle, communications director for the treasurer’s office.

Accounts that have not been touched or checks that have not been cashed in three years or longer are considered dormant and end up on the unclaimed property list. The list published this week is mainly for property that has become dormant in the past six months, Carlisle said.

“Every year, thousands of people are surprised to find out that they have a claim to funds that have been misplaced or simply forgotten,” Grossman said in a statement. “It’s not the state’s money – it belongs to the citizens of the commonwealth. We want to take every step possible to get unclaimed property back into the hands of its rightful owners.”

Jewell was one of the people who was surprised. With her agency constantly looking for money to run different programs, she was happy, even if it is a small amount.

“It is like Christmas in October,” she said.

Others contacted said they had no idea how much money was owed to them or where the money was coming from.

Kim Duda, the bookkeeper for Amherst Towing, said she got a letter about the unclaimed property from the Treasurer’s Office on Tuesday and wasn’t even sure what it was about.

Massachusetts Unclaimed Property List

“I didn’t know anything about it, and I don’t think (the owner) does either,” she said.

Duda said she planned to call the office to try to find out more information.

The first time Stephen Fisher, collections manager for the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, heard about the unclaimed property was when he got a call from a reporter.

He said he contacted the Treasurer’s Office, which promised to send a claim notice within eight to 10 days.

“I have no clue what it might be,” he said. “I have a feeling it may not be that much money.”

The sudden news that so many links in the Friendly's chain were closing caused much anguish among long-time regular customers.

Staff photos by Greg Saulmon/ Patrick JohnsonThe top photo shows the Friendly's location on Westfield Street in West Springfield at the time of its announced closing. The bottom photo shows the same location hours later and stripped of all signage.

SPRINGFIELD – Consuela Green stopped by her Friendly’s on Wilbraham Road Wednesday afternoon to pick up a Fribble milkshake, one of her favorite treats, but the locked door stopped her in her tracks.

So, too, did the sign on the door that said the restaurant was closed for good.

She said she had just walked to the front door and pulled on the handle as she had done dozens of times before, only this time the door would not budge.

“I’m pulling on it, and then I see the guy inside pointing to the sign. And the sign says they’re closed,” she said. “I was a little bit surprised.”

When told of Friendly’s financial problems, which forced the restaurant chain on Wednesday to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy and close 63 locations including five in Western Massachusetts, Green shrugged and said it is the latest bit of bad news that is a direct result of the struggling national economy.

She said she was saddened by the news, but was determined to find somewhere else to satisfy her Fribble craving.

The sudden closing of so many links in the Friendly’s chain caused many regular customers similar anguish Wednesday.

Donna Jordan and Barbara Boyd, both of Springfield, also stopped at the Wilbraham Road location for lunch but the announcement stopped them cold.

“We were going to lunch and we decided to go to Friendly’s, as we often do,” Jordan said. “We can’t believe that they’re closed. There’s nothing like Friendly’s. They’ve got the best ice cream, hands down.”

Boyd said when she moved from New York to Springfield, Friendly’s was one of the first places in Western Massachusetts where she felt at home.

The Republican | Mark M. MurrayA sign posted to the door of the Wilbraham Road location in Springfield Wednesday morning.

Jordan said she has been going to Friendly’s regularly for years dating back to when the chain had a State Street location.

“They closed that one, and then we started coming here. But lately we’ve been going to the one on Sumner Avenue. The waitresses there are phenomenal,” she said.

Boyd said she was relieved many of the chain’s locations are still in business including in Western Massachusetts.

“We’ll go to Connecticut if we have to,” she said. As long as there’s a Friendly’s
somewhere, we’ll keep on going.”

In West Springfield, the Friendly’s on Route 20 showed no signs of activity, except for the workers who were removing the building of signs, equipment and furniture from the store.

By 5 p.m., the sign out front was gone, as was any lettering on the building exterior. The painted Friendly’s signs on the front window glass had even been scraped off. Workers still at the scene said they were not allowed to talk to the press.

Across the street at the West Springfield fire station, firefighters Bob Lane and Nate Brown didn’t believe it when someone mentioned that the Friendly’s was not there anymore. Each looked out the front door of the firehouse to see for themselves.

“For me it’s not much of a big deal although I do enjoy their ice cream,” Lane said. “I know a lot of guys I work with who are going to be disappointed.”

At the moment, both were preparing to go grocery shopping for supplies needed to cook dinner in the firehouse.

Going across the street to Friendly’s was not an option - even before Wednesday’s announcement, Lane said.

“I never really go over there for dinner,” he said. “I can say the customer service there has been going downhill.”

Republican reporter Robert Rizzuto contributed to this report.

The Wilbraham-based company plans to reinvent itself with an updated menu and a growing business manufacturing ice cream and ice cream cakes for other retailers. Watch video

The Republican | Mark M. MurrayThe Friendly's Restaurant at 1946 Wilbraham Road, in the Sixteen Acres section of Springfield, was one of five area stores closed after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Wednesday.

WILBRAHAM – Friendly Ice Cream Corp. plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy having shed debt and underperforming restaurant locations and gained the ability to reinvent itself with an updated menu and a growing business manufacturing ice cream and ice cream cakes for other retailers.

“You know Friendly’s has been around 76 years,” said Harsha V. Agadi, the chairman and CEO of Friendly’s since August of 2010. “I think this is the first day of the next 76 years.”

Agadi said Friendly’s has already started serving hamburgers both medium and well-done. For years all burgers came well-done no matter what the customer wanted.

“But how can you make changes if you don’t have money to invest?” Agadi said. “That’s why we needed to get rid of some of this debt.”

Wednesday, Friendly’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a federal court in Delaware. The company also closed 63 restaurants, laying off about 1,000 employees, Agadi said. Five of those locations are in Western Massachusetts.

Friendly now has 424 locations, of which 190 are company-owned and 234 are franchises.

Friendly’s owes $297 million according to court papers filed Wednesday, including approximately $36 million to Wells Fargo Capital Finance and approximately $267.7 million to an affiliate of Friendly’s owner, Sun Capital Partners Inc.

By filing for Chapter 11 in this way, Friendly is planning to sell itself at auction. An entity of its current owner, Sun Capital Partners Inc. has submitted a preliminary “stalking horse” bid of $122.6 million.

That opening bid is about a third of the $337.2 million Sun Capital paid for Friendly’s back 2007.

“They are trying to find some way to stay alive and viable,” said Justin H. Dion, a lawyer who teaches bankruptcy law at Bay Path College in East Longmeadow and is affiliated with Bacon & Wilson in Springfield. “Friendly’s obviously has a strong name and a lot of assets and a lot of good will. It just has too much debt.”

But the goodwill might date back to the days of the Awful-Awful milkshake and waitresses in blue-checkered uniforms. Friendly’s today has a national reputation for out-of-date menus and poky service.

“I just don’t know if they can reinvent themselves,” said Frank P. Lattica, a professor emeritus of hospitality and tourism at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management. “Just look at all the casual dining operations today including Chili’s, the Applebee’s. There is just so much competition out there.”

He said brands like Chipotle Grill, which opened a location in Chicopee last month, offer something new and trendy.

Chains like Buffalo Wild Wings offer alcohol which not only brings in customers but drives up the average bill and the average tip.

“Then again, Friendly’s has tried to focus on the family,” he said. “If they can solve some of their problems, they might be able to turn it around.”

William Bosworth , professor of finance at Western New England University, said he’s noticed that some locations are starting to look a little worn out.

The Republican | Mark M. MurrayA sign posted to the door of the Wilbraham Road location in Springfield Wednesday morning.

“That’s a classic sign of a restaurant chain that is pulling out too much, in this case to pay debt, and not reinvesting,” Bosworth said.

He said restaurant chains tend to emerge strong from this type of bankruptcy.

“There is a lot of competition, but if you do them right, restaurants throw off a lot of cash,” Bosworth said.

Jesse Cook-Dubin, a bankruptcy attorney with Cohen, Kinne, Valicenti and Cook in Pittsfield said a sinking economy and bad financial market can sink a company in Chapter 11 reorganization.

“I think the real unsettled question is what happens to Wilbraham?” Cook-Dubin said.

A new owner might want to consolidate management or cut away manufacturing.

Friendly’s has about 900 employees, including 300 at its Wilbraham headquarters.

Agadi said he expects manufacturing to grow by making ice cream and ice cream cakes for customers like Big Y and Wal-Mart. All the Wal-Mart ice cream cakes sold coast-to-coast are made by Friendly’s .

"We were in 4,000 supermarkets a year ago and are now in 7,200 supermarkets," he said.

A year ago, the plant was running at 75 percent capacity and it is now at 90 percent capacity, Agadi said. But the company reported a 5.3 percent decline in sales at its franchised stores and a 4.5 percent decline in sales at its company-owned stores in the first eight months of 2011 alone, according to documents filed Wednesday.

At least one franchise holder said Wednesday that he sees a future for Friendly’s

“I’d better see a future. I have plans to build two more stores at $1.3 million a pop,” said James Yanucil.

Yanucil has been a Friendly’s franchise owner since 199 and he already owns 12 locations in southern New Jersey.

“It’s a good brand,” he said by phone Wednesday. “I wish it (the bankruptcy) had never happened”

He said franchise holders have been told to expect advertising and deliveries to continue.

All but one of his locations did better last week than they did for that week a year ago, a sign that the High 5 menu and promotion is working.

He knows that Friendly’s has a bad reputation in some quarters for poor service.

“I don’t want to say anything bad about the company,” he said. “But I know they are moving more toward franchise locations versus corporate-owned.”

He’s bought corporate locations and taken them over in the last few years. Sales normally jump 10 percent year-over-year after he takes over, he said.

“I use the same formula, the same standards as the corporate stores,” he said. “Honestly, we just deliver. You’d better run a tight operation when you are in millions of dollars in debt.”

He solicits feedback. If, for example, people start saying it took longer than 30 seconds to be seated, he adds more greeters.

“I’m a person who eats out a lot,” Yanucil said. “If I get great service I go back.”

Agadi said Friendly’s will soon roll out the “American Classic” concept at two Springfield-area Friendly’s as a test. He was short on details, but the new concept will have fewer choices and especially fewer choices that are similar to each other. He hopes to add more healthy choices.

Having fewer menu items should boost speed and quality. He said all locations are judged on speed and that speed of service has been improving over the last six months.

He added that Friendly’s has noticed an increase of sales lately, something he attributed to the “High 5” menu of poplar choices for $5.

“I only invest in iconic brands,” Agadi said. “A trend like Chipotle can come and go.”

Eric Chavez' foul line hit Andrew LeBel in the eye. From there, a kinship has developed.

Staff photo by Don TreegerAndrew LeBel of South Hadley holds the baseball that struck him the eye during batting practice at Fenway Park on Opening Day, sending him to the hospital. Since the incident, LeBel has become friends with Eric Chavez of the New York Yankees, who hit the ball.

SOUTH HADLEY - The most recent text message received from his pal in New York showed up on Andrew S. LeBel's phone, soon after the Boston Red Sox were eliminated from playoff contention last week.

"Sorry we're not going to play the Red Sox, buddy. I wanted to play them in the playoffs,'' was the word from his new friend, Eric Chavez of the New York Yankees.

On Opening Day at Fenway Park on April 8, the lives of two third baseman - Chavez of the Yankees, and LeBel of the Springfield Rifles 8-10 team - became intertwined after Chavez' foul ball in batting practice hit LeBel flush in the right eye.

Only prompt surgery averted the loss of sight in the eye. What could have been a tragedy has blossomed into a friendship, one that has altered how a South Hadley family looks at the team they always loved to root against.

Andrew LeBel of South Hadley was hospitalized in April after being struck in the eye by a foul ball at Fenway Park.

"After the incident, we saw a couple of messages on our phone with a strange area code,'' aid Andrew's father, Stephen R. LeBel.

At first, the messages were ignored. When the LeBels finally checked their voicemail, they learned it was Chavez, who had learned of the episode and was calling to offer whatever help and moral support he could.

"I wanted to reach out and make sure everything was cool,'' Chavez said last week from Yankee Stadium.

"I was distraught when I heard he might need surgery. He took it like a tough kid.

Associated Press file photoEric Chavez of the New York Yankees has new fans in South Hadley, deep in the heart of Red Sox Nation.

"He's a good kid from a good family.''

"I had never heard of him before,'' LeBel said of Chavez, a six-time Gold Glove third baseman with Oakland whose career had been slowed by injuries.

What began as a player's genuine concern has developed into a genuine kinship.

Chavez and LeBel exchanged occasional text messages during the season. They are long-distance pals, mutual participant in a shared, scary experience that ended well - one 33 years old, the other 11.

"When Eric went on the disabled list, Andrew told him, welcome to the DL,'' his father said.

The LeBels remember April 8 as if it were yesterday.

"The Red Sox were lobbing balls into the stands, and Andrew had already caught one from Jed Lowrie,'' his father said.

"When the Yankees started doing it, he wanted to go down near the field and maybe get one for his sister, Angela.''

Standing near the right-field foul pole, Andrew was not facing home plate when Chavez hit a screaming batting practice liner his way.

"There was an older man standing in front of me. Then about eight kids got up to catch it,'' Andrew said.

The older man stepped aside. When Andrew next saw the ball, it was about five feet from his face.

His eye was open at the time. That was incredibly fortunate, for the eye absorbed ome of the impact.

Chavez remembers it, too.

"I saw some commotion, and Joba Chamberlain and some of the other guys ran over there, but I didn't know (the details) until after batting practice,'' he said.

"I've got three kids of my own. That hits home.''

Staff photo by Don TreegerAndrew LeBel of South Hadley shows off some of the baseball memorabilia that he has collected since being struck in the eye by a foul ball in April at Fenway Park.

Among the first to rush to Andrew's side were Yankees pitchers Chamberlain and A.J. Burnett - ironically, of favorite targets of Red Sox fans.

"Joba said, Dude, it hit you in the head. Why aren't you crying,'' Steve LeBel recalled.

Andrew's mother, Judy, and Angela were elsewhere in Boston at the time.

"I called them and said, don't panic, but we're in an ambulance,'' Steve LeBel said.

After learning of the injury, which doctor discovered was more serious than feared, Chavez expressed interest in meeting LeBel.

On August 31, Andrew returned to Fenway for another Red Sox-Yankees game. This time, he spent batting practice on the field, where he met several of the Yankees and had his picture taken with Reggie Jackson.

The family has the original ball, which contains a blood stain from Andrew's eye. They have Chavez's bat.

Andrew has used Chavez's batting gloves in batting practice. Derek Jeter signed a ball that Andrew passed along to a teacher at Michael E. Smith Middle School, where he is in fifth grade.

The family has also saved Chavez's first voice message. When he changed his number, he made sure the LeBels had the new contact information.

What they have most profoundly is a new view of a passionate rivalry.

Staff photo by Don TreegerAndrew LeBel of South Hadley has been exchanging text messages with New York Yankee Eric Chavez ever since being struck by a Chavez foul ball at Fenway Park.

"His father told me he used to hate the Yankees,'' Chavez said.

Steve LeBel is still a passionate Red Sox fan, but no longer takes pleasure in seeing failure from his favorite Yankees - Chavez, Burnett and Chamberlain in particular.

"I told my friends, what's left?'' he said with a laugh.

"To be honest, in these playoffs, I hope the Yankees win,'' Judy LeBel said.

Andrew is still reluctant to toss too many bouquets to the opposition, but he knows firsthand hat good can be found in pinstripes, too.

"I like Curtis (Granderson), too,'' he said.

Why not? In August, Granderson gave him a big hug.

Chavez is a reserve player for the Yankees, who will try to advance to the American League Championship Series on Thursday.

They will play Detroit in deciding Game 5 of the Division Series.

Back in South Hadley, evidence of the injury has all but vanished from Andrew's face. He came back to hit .310 for the Rifles, who won the 8-10 Sandlot Tournament and state tournament titles.

He wore a patch for awhile and donned protective glasses. His ability to judge colors has been affected, and he has delayed playing football for a year.

But by and large, life is back to normal, with one exception.

He has a friend in the New York Yankees clubhouse.

"If the Yankees make the World Series, I'll root for them against any National League team except the Phillies,'' Andrew said.

"But even that, I hope, goes seven games. Mostly, I just hope Eric plays.''

Legislators approved a measure that would require a new civilian court administrator to take a fresh look at planned courthouse closures around the state.

File photo | The RepublicanWestfield District Court

BOSTON – The state House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill that includes a measure that could at least delay the planned closure of Westfield District Court and other courthouses around the state being eyed for consolidations to save money.

The measure was tucked into $506 million spending bill that also includes $10 million for communities to fund repairs from the June 1 tornadoes, $300,000 to keep open a state laboratory at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst that tests illegal drugs seized by municipal police in Western Massachusetts and $100,000 for the Friends of the Homeless in Springfield to pay for increased numbers of people who needed assistance following the tornadoes.

The House voted 147-1 in support of the bill, which allocates $460 million surplus from the fiscal year that ended June 30. The state Senate is expected to approve the bill on Thursday.

A measure in the bill would force state Trial Court leaders to take a new look at plans to close a dozen of the state’s courthouses including Westfield District Court.

The Republican file photoJudge Robert Mulligan

Under the measure, no courthouse proposed for closure could be shut down until it is approved by a new civilian court administrator who has yet to be hired. The measure says the new administrator would need to give 90 days notice to top legislators of any court closings. The administrator’s position, created under a new law that overhauls hiring in state government and the probation department, would need to file a report that would include the specific reasons for the closure, the cost savings and a plan to provide services to people affected by such closure.

The measure would trump a similar report filed by the state's top administrative judge, Robert A. Mulligan, in early August for providing 90 days notice for closing Westfield District and other courthouses.

Court administrators and lawmakers say the planned closure of Westfield District poses a particular logistical nightmare because it serves a large geographic area including several hill towns that do not have a highway nearby.

“If you asked the Boston police to drive 39 miles to bring their prisoners to court, no one would even think of it,” said Judge Philip A. Contant, the senior justice at the Westfield court. “Some of these people calling the shots in Boston have no concept of the geography involved here.”

The Republican / File photoMassachusetts State Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield

Sen. Michael A. Knapik, R-Westfield, said the new civilian court administrator may not be hired until July, when a new 90-day notice of closures would be filed.

“It’s certainly a very favorable short-term reprieve,” Knapik said, adding that he expected the court-related measure to pass in the Senate on Thursday and be signed by the governor shortly after. “We weren't sure we could gather the data we needed in 90 days. This is an access to justice issue.”

Knapik said part of Westfield’s vulnerability was that is has a $710,000 annual lease associated with it and is hopeful the state will be able to renegotiate that for cost savings.

However, Contant said he is hoping for a longer-term solution that will get the courthouse out from under a private landlord and save it a certain amount of fiscal scrutiny in the future if it survives.

Paul C. Picknelly, president of Monarch Enterprises in Springfield and owner of the building on Elm Street, said he may consider converting the building to student housing to serve Westfield State University but did not rule out negotiating with the state. Contant said he hopes a lease-to-buy or taking by eminent domain will be considered.

According to Mulligan’s report, the operations of Westfield District would be consolidated into district courts in Chicopee, Holyoke and in Great Barrington. The 26 employees at Westfield District would be assigned to different courts. The Westfield District serves nine cities and towns, including Agawam and Westfield.

Municipal leaders and state legislators said on Wednesday they are pleased with the $10 million for helping pay for June 1 tornado damage, even if the money falls short of funding all municipal costs not covered by federal reimbursements.

Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, said it’s unclear if the $10 million will be sufficient to cover all municipal costs for the June 1 tornadoes. The federal government is expected to pay for 75 percent of the costs and the remaining 25 percent could be paid by municipal or state governments.

Judge said no decisions have been made about how to divide the $10 million.

In Western Massachusetts, Springfield alone is estimating the city’s costs to be $106.2 million, including $64.9 million for rebuilding the Dryden, Brookings and Zanetti elementary schools and the South End Community Center, as well as overtime for employees, debris removal and demolishing city-owned properties.

Rep. Todd M. Smola, a Palmer Republican, said that Brimfield is estimating it’s costs from the tornado at $700,000.

Smola said the $10 million will help a lot.

West Springfield Mayor Edward J. Gibson said the community is facing tornado-related costs of just under $1 million. Gibson estimated that West Springfield would be eligible to receive a little less than $250,000 from the $10 million approved by the House on Wednesday.

Most of the costs stem from debris removal, cutting and removing trees from public streets and some damage to roads and sidewalks. “Anything, even if it falls a little short, is going to be a shot in the arm,” Gibson said of the state money.

Rep. Brian M. Ashe, a Longmeadow Democrat whose district includes Monson, which was hit hard by the tornadoes, said the $10 million may not cover all municipal costs after federal reimbursements, but it’s “a good faith gesture” and shows the state is moving quickly to help communities.

William J. Miller, executive director of the Friends of the Homeless, said he was also very pleased the organization would receive $100,000 in the bill. An average of 150 people stay each day in shelters in Springfield operated by the Friends of the Homeless.

Staff writer Stephanie Barry contributed to this report.

Steve Jobs had no formal schooling in engineering, yet he's listed as the inventor or co-inventor on more than 300 U.S. patents.

By PETER SVENSSON | AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK — Steve Jobs had no formal schooling in engineering, yet he's listed as the inventor or co-inventor on more than 300 U.S. patents. These are some of the significant products that were created under his direction:

1. Apple I (1976) — Apple's first product was a computer for hobbyists and engineers, made in small numbers. Steve Wozniak designed it, while Jobs orchestrated the funding and handled the marketing.

Associated PressThis is an undated file photo of an advertisement for the Apple II computer introduced in 1977.

2. Apple II (1977) — One of the first successful personal computers, the Apple II was designed as a mass-market product rather than something for engineers or enthusiasts. It was still largely Wozniak's design. Several upgrades for the model followed, and the product line continued until 1993.

3. Lisa (1983) — Jobs' visit to Xerox Corp.'s research center in Palo Alto inspired him to start work on the first commercial computer with a graphical user interface, with icons, windows and a cursor controlled by a mouse. It was the foundation for today's computer interfaces, but the Lisa was too expensive to be a commercial success.

4. Macintosh (1984) — Like the Lisa, the Macintosh had a graphical user interface. It was also cheaper and faster and had the backing of a large advertising campaign behind it. People soon realized how useful the graphical interface was for design. That led "desktop publishing," accomplished with a Mac coupled to a laser printer, to soon become a sales driver.

5. NeXT computer (1989) — After being forced out of Apple, Jobs started a company that built a powerful workstation computer. The company was never able to sell large numbers, but the computer was influential: The world's first Web browser was created on one. Its software also lives on as the basis for today's Macintosh and iPhone operating system.

6. iMac (1998) — When Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, the company was foundering, with an ever shrinking share of the PC market. The radical iMac was the first step in reversing the slide. It was strikingly designed as a bubble of blue plastic that enclosed both the monitor and the computer. Easy to set up, it captured the imagination just as people across the world were having their eyes opened to the benefits of the Internet and considering getting their first home computer.

Associated PressBono, left, of the band U-2, and Apple Computers Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs, right, hold up Apple iPods at an unveiling of a new branded iPod.

7. iPod (2001) — It wasn't the first digital music player with a hard drive, but it was the first successful one. Apple's expansion into portable electronics has had vast ramifications. The iPod's success prepared the way for the iTunes music store and the iPhone.

8. iTunes store (2003) — Before the iTunes store, buying digital music was a hassle, making piracy the more popular option. The store simplified the process and brought together tracks from all the major labels. The store became the largest music retailer in the U.S. in 2008.

9. iPhone (2007) — The iPhone did for the phone experience what the Macintosh did for personal computing — it made the power of a smartphone easy to harness. Apple is now the world's most profitable maker of phones, and the influence of the iPhone is evident in all smartphones.

10. iPad (2010) — Dozens of companies, including Apple, had created tablet computers before the iPad, but none caught on. The iPad finally cracked the code, creating a whole new category of computer practically by itself.

The protesters have varied causes but have spoken largely about unemployment and economic inequality and reserved most of their criticism for Wall Street.

Associated PressMarchers with Occupy Wall Street lead off a march that included labor unions through Lower Manhattan Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 in New York. Unions gave a high-profile boost to the long-running protest against Wall Street and economic inequality, with their members joining thousands of protesters in a lower Manhattan march. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

By DEEPTI HAJELA
and VERENA DOBNIK

NEW YORK — Unions lent their muscle to the long-running protest against Wall Street and economic inequality Wednesday, with their members joining thousands of protesters in a lower Manhattan march as smaller demonstrations flourished across the country.

Protesters in suits and T-shirts with union slogans left work early to march with activists who have been camped out in Zuccotti Park for days. Some marchers brought along their children, hoisting them onto their shoulders as they walked down Broadway.

"We're here to stop corporate greed," said Mike Pellegrino, an NYC Transit bus mechanic from Rye Brook. "They should pay their fair share of taxes. We're just working and looking for decent lives for our families."

Of the camping protesters, he said, "We feel kinship with them. We're both looking for the same things."

People gathered in front of the courthouses that encircle Foley Square, then marched to Zuccotti Park, where they refueled with snacks and hurriedly painted new signs as the strong scent of burning sage wafted through the plaza.

Previous marches have resulted in mass arrests. Police said there were about a dozen arrests on Wednesday night, mostly for disorderly conduct. But at least one arrest was for assaulting a police officer; authorities said a demonstrator knocked an officer off his scooter.

The protesters have varied causes but have spoken largely about unemployment and economic inequality and reserved most of their criticism for Wall Street. "We are the 99 percent," they chanted, contrasting themselves with the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.

Susan Henoch, 63, of Manhattan said she was a "child of the '60s" and came out to the park for the first time Wednesday. She held a sign that read, "Enough."

"It's time for the people to speak up," she said. "Nobody's listening to us, nobody's representing us. Politics is dead.

"This is no longer a recognizable democracy. This is a disaster," she said.

Some of the union members traveled from other states to march.

Karen Higgins, a co-president of National Nurses United, came down with a group of colleagues from Boston. She said they had seen patients who skipped important medical tests because they couldn't afford them.

"Tax Wall Street," she said. "Those who make all the money need to start paying their fair share."

The Occupy Wall Street protests started Sept. 17 with a few dozen demonstrators who tried to pitch tents in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Since then, hundreds have set up camp nearby in Zuccotti Park and have become increasingly organized, lining up medical aid and legal help and printing their own newspaper.

Several Democratic lawmakers have expressed support for the protesters, but some Republican presidential candidates have rebuked them. Herman Cain, called the activists "un-American" Wednesday at a book signing in St. Petersburg, Fla.

"They're basically saying that somehow the government is supposed to take from those that have succeeded and give to those who want to protest," the former pizza-company executive said. "That's not the way America was built."

On Tuesday, CBS reported that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney called the protest "class warfare" at an appearance at a Florida retirement community.

Activists have been showing solidarity with movement in many cities: Occupy Providence. Occupy Los Angeles. Occupy Boise.

More than 100 people withstood an afternoon downpour in Idaho's capital to protest, including Judy Taylor, a retired property manager.

"I want change. I'm tired of things being taken away from those that need help," she said.

In Seattle, at least four demonstrators who had been camping out since the weekend in a downtown park were arrested after they refused orders from city park rangers to pack up. The reception was warmer in Los Angeles, where the City Council approved a resolution of support and Mayor Antonia Villaraigosa's office distributed 100 rain ponchos to activists at another dayslong demonstration, according to City News Service.

In Boston, hundreds of nurses and Northeastern University students rallied together to condemn what they called corporate control of government and the spiraling costs of their education. The students banged on drums made of water jugs and chanted, "Banks got bailed out, and we got sold out."

"This is an organic process. This is a process of grassroot people coming together. It's a beautiful thing," said David Schildmeier, spokesman for the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

Many of those protesting are college students. Hundreds walked out of classes in New York, some in a show of solidarity for the Wall Street movement but many more concerned with worries closer to home. Protests were scheduled at State University of New York campuses including Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton, New Paltz and Purchase.

Danielle Kingsbury, a 21-year-old senior from New Paltz, said she walked out of an American literature class to show support for some of her professors who she said have had their workloads increased because of budget cuts.

"The state of education in our country is ridiculous," said Kingsbury, who plans to teach. "The state doesn't care about it and we need to fight back about that."

Not every campus appeared to feel the rumblings of dissent. At the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, there were students publicizing breast cancer awareness and National Coming Out Week, students crawling on their elbows in an apparent fraternity hazing ritual, quarreling evangelicals and even a flash mob to promote physical fitness, but no sign of the Wall Street protests.

Senior Alex Brown tried to promote an event on Facebook, but said students' disgust with the government and wealth inequality was "not enough to reach a fever pitch."

Some protesters were recent graduates looking for work, including Rachelle Suissa, who held up a sign in Manhattan that read: "I have a 4.0 GPA & $20,000 in debt. Where's my bailout?"

The 25-year-old Brooklyn woman said she has applied for at least 200 jobs and is finding it difficult to remain optimistic.

"I don't understand what's going on here," she said.

Wednesday was quieter for the New York protesters than Saturday, when about 700 people were arrested and given disorderly conduct summonses for spilling into the roadway of the Brooklyn Bridge despite warnings from police. Wednesday's march route was well marked with metal barricades along the side of the road.

Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Cristian Salazar and Karen Zraick in New York City, Mark Pratt in Boston, Chris Carola in New Paltz, N.Y., Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Justin Pope in Ann Arbor, Mich., contributed to this report.

Intended to force illegal workers out of jobs, the law is also driving away many construction workers, roofers and field hands in the country legally who do backbreaking jobs that Americans generally won't.

Associated PressTomato farmer Leroy Smith, second from left, talks with State Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, in Steele, Ala. Only a few of Smith's field workers showed up for work this week after Alabama's new immigration law took effect last week. Hispanic workers and their children are fleeing Alabama or going into hiding because of the state's strict new immigration law, which will surely deal a significant blow to the state's economy and may slow the rebuilding of Tuscaloosa and other tornado-damaged cities. The impact is being felt from construction sites to farms and schools, and it's driven by fears of being jailed and held without bond if police should catch them without the proper documentation. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

By PHILLIP RAWLS

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama's strict new immigration law may be backfiring. Intended to force illegal workers out of jobs, it is also driving away many construction workers, roofers and field hands in the country legally who do backbreaking jobs that Americans generally won't.

The vacancies have created a void that will surely deal a blow to the state's economy and could slow the rebuilding of Tuscaloosa and other tornado-damaged cities.

Employers believe they can carry on because of the dismal economy, but when things do turn around, they worry there won't be anyone around to hire. Many legal Hispanic workers are fleeing the state because their family and friends don't have the proper papers and they fear they will be jailed.

Rick Pate, the owner of a commercial landscaping company in Montgomery, lost two of his most experienced workers, who were in the country legally. He spent thousands of dollars training them to install irrigation systems at places like the Hyundai plant.

"They just feel like there is a negative atmosphere for them here. They don't feel welcome. I don't begrudge them. I'd feel nervous, too," Pate said.

While it's not clear how many of an estimated 185,000 Hispanic people in the state have fled, one estimate figured as much one-fourth of the commercial building work force had left since the law was upheld last week, said Bill Caton, president of Associated General Contractors of Alabama. Commercial construction is a more than $7 billion-a-year industry in Alabama.

Legislators said the law would help legal residents suffering from nearly 10 percent unemployment.

One of the bill's authors, Republican Sen. Scott Beason, said he expected short-term problems, but he has received "thank you" calls from two people who replaced illegal immigrants who fled their jobs. Beason predicts that trickle will become a rush.

"We have the best law in the country and I stand by what we've done," Beason said.

Some farmers disagreed.

On Chandler Mountain in north Alabama, tomato farmer Lana Boatwright said only eight of the 48 Hispanic workers she needed for harvest showed up after the law took effect. Those who did were frightened.

"My husband and I take them to the grocery store at night and shop for them because they are afraid they will be arrested," she said.

Farmer Chad Smith said his family farm stands to lose up to $150,000 because there are not enough workers to pick tomatoes spoiling in the fields.

"We will be lucky to be in business next year," he said.

The financial toll will vary by area, and experts said it's too early to make predictions.

The law allows police to detain people indefinitely if they are suspected of being in the country illegally and requires schools to check the status of new students when they enroll. Those elements make it perhaps the toughest law in nation.

The law targets employers by forbidding drivers from stopping along a road to hire temporary workers. It also bars businesses from taking tax deductions for wages paid to illegal workers and makes it a crime for an illegal immigrant to solicit work. A federal judge has temporarily blocked those sections of the law so she can study them more.

Cristian Gonzalez, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, is a stay-at-home mother of four who lives in a mobile home in suburban Birmingham with her husband. They sneaked across the border in 2009 and planned to save money and eventually return to their home country.

"We're afraid to go to Walmart. I'm afraid to walk the kids up there to get the bus. I am afraid to drive," Gonzalez said.

Her husband worked as a brick mason and cook, but was recently unemployed. Now they have decided they probably will return to Mexico.

"We're just trying to be here one more year, but with this law ..." she said, her voice trailing off as she shook her head.

In Tuscaloosa, there is still a lot of rebuilding to be done after Alabama's killer tornadoes in April. Without the Hispanic workers to help out, it will take even longer for neighborhoods to be fixed up. Blake Corder, the president of the Home Builders Association of Tuscaloosa, noted that the workers had left the area and he even lost a few renters in the past week.

Likewise, schools are worried about their students who have suddenly stopped showing up for class. Out of 34,000 Hispanic students, 2,285 were absent Monday. That number increased from Friday by a few hundred.

The figures show seven out of every 100 Hispanic children were out of school, even though state school officials have tried to assure parents that they won't release their names to police and that no child will be denied an education due to legal status.

At Gonzalez' mobile home community, driveways were full of cars and trucks at midday Tuesday, a time when most residents used to be at work. A resident who didn't want to be identified out of fear of the law said people are afraid to venture out during daylight.

"People are just not going to work. They don't want to be arrested," the woman said.

Builders have complained they can't find replacement workers and delays in projects are expected. Once the economy picks up and construction returns to normal, the impact will increase, said Russell Davis, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Alabama.

"There is going to be a void. No question," Davis said.

Associated Press writers Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Ala., and Dave Martin in Steele, Ala., contributed to this report.

Besides ruling against a mistrial, Judge Peter Velis also rejected a request by the defense to postpone opening arguments.

10-5-11 - Springfield - Republican staff photo by Don Treeger- A bus carrying the jury in the trial of Eric B. Denson is parked outside the former Blue Fusion Bar and Grill on St. James Ave. where Denson is accused of murdering Cathedral High student Conor W. Reynolds in 2010.

Updates a story posted Wednesday at 12:12 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD – Hampden Superior Judge Peter A. Velis threw out a motion for a mistrial Wednesday, clearing the way for opening arguments Thursday in the trial of a 22-year old man accused of killing Cathedral High School soccer standout Conor W. Reynolds last year.

After jurors visited the now-defunct bar where Reynolds was stabbed to death at a birthday party, Velis rejected a request by defense lawyer Harry L. Miles for a mistrial based on a misunderstanding over whether the defense is required to share blood tests results with the prosecution.

The judge dismissed the motion, but reserved the right to bar District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni from using test results initially obtained by the defense to bolster the prosecution’s case.

Defendant Eric B. Denson was charged with first degree murder and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after the March 13, 2010 party at the Blue Fusion Bar & Grill on St. James Avenue.

Denson, who has been in custody for 17 months, was also charged with stabbing Peter D’Amario, the goalie and captain of Cathedral’s hockey team, at the party.

Police described the stabbings as unprovoked attacks by someone with extensive arrest records and ties to the Sycamore Street Posse, a violent street gang.

The defense claims the case hinges on testimony from witnesses who were manipulated by police and prosecutors, or influenced by accounts in the media.

In seeking the mistrial Wednesday, Miles argued that the defense might have inadvertently opened the door for prosecutors to use the defense’s blood tests to confirm its own findings.

While the defense had no intention of calling its California-based testing expert, his name was placed on a list of possible defense witnesses – allowing the prosecution to demand his results and related documents as part of pre-trial discovery.

“If that happens, it would be a grievous error,” Miles said.

Besides ruling against a mistrial, Velis also rejected a request by Miles to postpone opening arguments until Friday, giving him an additional day to prepare.

The Northampton-based defense lawyer is scheduled to argue a case before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Thursday morning, and is expected back by 2 p.m.

The scheduling squeeze, Miles asserted, could detract from his performance on the first day of the trial. But Velis responded with an endorsement of the lawyer’s stamina and legal skills.

“I keep hearing the phrase ‘ineffective counsel,’ but I think (the defendant) has had a very effective counsel,” the judge said.

Several of Reynolds’s family members, including his mother Kate, were present Wednesday to hear lawyers argue over whether graphic post mortem photos of Conor Reynolds could be shown to the jury.

The judge allowed two close-up pictures of the victim’s neck to illustrate the depth and length of the knife wound, but said an autopsy photo would have to be closely cropped to avoid prejudicing jurors.

Mastroianni said the photos would point to the “extreme cruelty and atrocity” of the stabbing.

Many of those who called had financial questions.

File photo | The Republican

SPRINGFIELD – Timothy A. Reilly, a lawyer with offices in Springfield and Northampton, said he answered a lot of financial questions at Wednesday’s Dial-A-Lawyer program.

The Massachusetts Bar Association sponsors the Dial-A-Lawyer program twice a year to provide free legal advice to residents of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties as a public service.

Reilly said he answered calls about bankruptcy and credit cards.

One woman asked whether if she had co-signed a loan for her ex-boyfriend she was still liable for the loan.

“She is liable for the loan,” Reilly said.

Some people who call need referrals. Referrals are given to Lawyer Referral Services which can help a person find a lawyer in the applicable area of law.

Other people simply need advice or help in determining how to address an issue, said Jennifer Rosinski, spokesman for the Massachusetts Bar Association.

Gillian Szlachetka Dubay, a lawyer in Chicopee, said she volunteers for the program every year because it is rewarding to help people solve their problems without the pressure of a financial relationship.

Stephen J. Phillips, a Springfield lawyer, said that Wednesday he answered questions from elderly widows.

One woman could not make the payments on her home, he said. Another had questions about estate planning.

Reilly said those who called said they knew of the Dial-A-Lawyer program because they read about in their newspaper.

A lot of these people do not have Internet service. They save up their legal questions for the program, Reilly said.

There are people who call with more than one question, he said.

The Western Massachusetts Dial-A-Lawyer program has been held for the past 17 years and became a semi-annual program, held in May and October, 10 years ago. Western New England University School of Law, the only law school in Western Massachusetts, hosts the program.

Other sponsors include The Republican, El Pueblo Latino, MassLive.com, the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys and the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Rosinski said 30 lawyers answered calls from 358 Western Massachusetts residents on Wednesday.

Enter the 2011 Fall Photo Contest today!

With all the crazy weather we have had in New England this year, it is definitely time to turn our attention to the beauty of the landscape that surrounds us. As we enter the autumn season, it is time once again for MassLive.com and The Republican's Fall Photo Contest.

Our 5th Annual Fall Photo contest begins today. Send us your very best photo of fall and you will be entered for the chance to have your photo printed on Page One of The Republican. Those who have their photos printed on Page One will also receive a plaque of the front page of the winning day's edition. All entries will be published on MassLive.com.

The top seven photos deemed the best by our panel of editors and photographers will be published on Page One of The Republican on successive days from Thursday, Nov. 10 to Wednesday, Nov. 16. Several runners-up will also be selected and printed inside the newspaper each of those seven days.

Entering is easy, just fill out the form, attach your photo and when we receive it we will upload your photo to the website for you (Note that there may be a delay of up to 72 hours before your photo appears in the online photo gallery). Be sure to send your best photo, as only one photo will be accepted per person!

You have until Oct. 22, at midnight, to send us your photo for consideration. Read the complete rules for any questions you may have and then come on back and send us the best fall photo you have ever taken. Please be sure to only submit a photo that you took and that you own the copyright to.

This is the favorite contest of all of us here at MassLive.com and The Republican and we look forward to seeing all the terrific fall shots that you have to offer! Check back soon to see the photo gallery of all the entries – you’ll be glad you did!

Enter your photo today!

Neumann spoke to the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD - The stakes are too high to pull out of Afghanistan, Ronald E. Neumann, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, said.

Neumann spoke to the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts Tuesday night at Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel.

Neumann is the author of the 2009 book, “The Other War: Winning and Losing in Afghanistan.”

He was asked why the United States should not just pull all its troops out of the Middle East.

The reasons he gave included “the price at the pump,” United States support for Israel and the possible increase in terrorism threats to the United States.

Other nations, such as the Europeans, will “follow us in” and “follow us out” of the Middle East, Neumann said.

Neumann said the U.S. will not be able to economically sustain the size of the war effort it has had in Afghanistan. In the next few years he predicted that U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be brought down from 100,000 to perhaps 20,000 troops.

He said the U.S. can train an Afghan Army with fewer economic resources than continuing to support 100,000 U.S. troops.

Neumann said the U.S. government should not give the impression to Afghanistan that it plans to withdraw immediately. That prompts the Afghans to form alliances with corrupt allies because they fear for their survival, he said, adding that Afghanistan has been at war for the past 30 years.

Neumann said that efforts to negotiate peace must be undertaken parallel to fighting.

“You don’t get peace because you say wouldn’t it be nice,” he said. He said peaceful solutions come when all sides realize that war will not work.

Neumann said an Afghan Army is being built, but it is still to be tested.

“The Afghans are taking charge,” he added, “but they have yet to be tested.”

Americans should not say, “I’m tired and I want to quit,” Neumann said. “That argument is fine for children, but not for adults.”

Steve Jobs pushed the envelope many times when it came to product design, and the results weren't always pretty.

FILE - In this April 4, 1991, file photo, Steve Jobs, of NeXT Computer Inc., poses with his NeXTstation color computer for the press at the NeXT facility in Redwood City, Calif. Apple on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 said Jobs has died. He was 56. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Steve Jobs pushed the envelope many times when it came to product design, and the results weren't always pretty.

Here are seven Apple products created under his direction that failed commercially or functionally:

1. Apple III (1981) — The successor to the very popular Apple II was focused on business users and priced accordingly. Unfortunately, the hardware was unreliable. Apple lost the business market to the IBM PC, launched the same year, and a rapidly expanding market of PC clones.

2. Lisa (1983) — The first commercially produced computer with a graphical user interface cost $9,995 when it launched. It quickly fell into the shadow of the cheaper Macintosh, launched a year later.

3. NeXT Computer (1989) — Jobs' venture after being forced out of Apple created a computer that was in many ways ahead of its time, but in the vein of the Apple III and Lisa, it was also too expensive to catch on with mainstream users.

4. Puck Mouse (1998) — The new iMac was the first major product created after Jobs' return to Apple in 1996, and it was a big success, despite its tiny, round mouse. Users couldn't tell which way it was oriented by feel, and it tended to disappear in the cup of the hand, making it hard to use.

5. The Cube (2000) — This small desktop computer was beautifully encased in a cube of clear plastic. It won design awards but was a flop in stores because of its high price. Also, it didn't really offer any functional benefits over other Macs. Apple's designs are iconic, but people aren't usually willing to pay a premium for design alone. The Cube idea lives on in the Mac Mini, a more successful but less eye-catching small Mac.

6. iTunes phone (2005) — It's easy to forget that the iPhone wasn't Apple's first venture into the cellphone business. It formed a partnership with Motorola Inc. to launch the ROKR in late 2005. As a phone, it was decent if unexciting, but as a music player, it fell far short of the iPod. It could only hold 100 songs, and transferring them from the computer was a slow process. It was also criticized for not allowing users to download music over the cellular network, a limitation that also applied to the first iPhone. Some even called the ROKR "the iPhone."

7. Apple TV (2007) — Apple's foray into the living room was an uncharacteristically half-hearted effort — Jobs later referred to the Apple TV as a "hobby." It was a small box that connected to a TV and to a Mac in the home. A tiny remote allowed the owner to play music and movies from the PC on the TV. It was expensive, at $249, and complicated to set up and use. Movies purchased from iTunes were low resolution and looked blurry on HDTV sets. In 2010, Apple introduced a much improved, cheaper Apple TV designed to connect directly to the Internet.

Out of sight and off the minds of millions of Americans, the war is the most prolonged conflict this country has been engaged in since Vietnam.

FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2011, file photo, President Barack Obama touches the names etched into the memorial wall during his visit to the North Memorial Pond at the National Sept. 11th Memorial in New York. Obama plans no public events on Friday, Oct. 7, 2011, to mark a moment the nation never really expected: 10 years of war in Afghanistan. The lack of attention to the 10-year milestone is driven in part by White House thinking that Obama has already helped lead a national reflection on a decade of costly sacrifice and battle. He did that on the recent anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, the day when many people feel the war unforgettably began. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

By BEN FELLER, AP White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — A decade of war will pass quietly at the White House this week.

President Barack Obama plans no public events Friday to mark a moment the nation never really expected: 10 years of war in Afghanistan. Out of sight and off the minds of millions of Americans, the war is the most prolonged conflict this country has been engaged in since Vietnam. Obama has gone so far as to declare it "the longest war in American history."

The lack of attention to the 10-year milestone is driven in part by White House thinking that Obama has already helped lead a national reflection on a decade of costly sacrifice and battle. He did that on the recent anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, the day when many people feel the war unforgettably began.

Yet Obama's handling of the new war milestone also underscores his interest in sticking to an economic message without distraction. Jobs, not war, matter most right now.

What's more, in military terms, analysts say a 10-year anniversary holds little significance compared with other markers. The main one is the end-of-2014 deadline Obama has set for withdrawal of most U.S. forces, along with the question of whether the United States will be able to leave Afghanistan stable enough politically to prevent a perilous collapse.

It was on Oct. 7, 2001, that the United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan, seeking to end the rule of radical Islamic Taliban and its ability to provide haven to the al-Qaida terrorists who launched the unprecedented terrorist assault on Sept. 11.

At the time, President George W. Bush said to the country, "In the months ahead, our patience will be one of our strengths."

The nation, under Bush and Obama, saw its patience tested much longer than that.

The American role in the war is now on pace to last at least 13 years.

Put together, more than 2 million troops have been sent to Afghanistan and the war in Iraq, which began in 2003, including hundreds of thousands of troops who have served more than one tour. Nearly 4,500 U.S. troops have died in Iraq and about 1,700 in Afghanistan. Tens of thousands more have been wounded.

Obama moved to end the war in Iraq but initially expanded the one in Afghanistan, trying to regain control of the conflict he saw as central to American security.

His focus was clear in June when he announced that, as promised, troops would begin withdrawing in July and that 33,000 troops will be home by next summer. It was time to focus on home, he said.

Still, almost 70,000 troops will remain in a volatile country after that as the United States continues its withdrawal and its shift of security control to Afghan forces through 2014.

"The tone of the whole speech was, 'This war is effectively over and we're gradually shutting it down,'" said Nora Bensahel, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. "Since that is what the White House wants to signal to the country, it doesn't surprise me that the White House isn't spending a lot of attention on the 10th anniversary."

Obama is in an accelerating re-election fight in which Republicans have taken aim at his Afghanistan policy, but foreign policy is vastly overshadowed by economic concerns.

A recent CBS News poll found that nearly 6 in 10 Americans say the United States should not be involved in Afghanistan, a sharp turnaround from as recently as two years ago, when a majority supported the U.S. mission there. Almost 7 in 10 people say the war has gone on longer than they expected.

In terms of the military, 1 in 3 U.S. veterans of the post-9/11 military believes the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not worth fighting, according to a Pew Research Center poll released Wednesday.

Obama has spoken on a series of occasions lately about the sacrifice and success of the military in the 9/11 generation, the families who support them and the goals ahead.

"As our mission transitions from combat to support, Afghans will take responsibility for their own security, and the longest war in American history will come to a responsible end," Obama said at an American Legion conference in August. "For our troops and military families who've sacrificed so much, this means relief from an unrelenting decade of operations."

Obama may seek another occasion to thank troops in the coming days, and the White House would not rule out a written statement from him Friday about the war anniversary. The president spoke about American resilience on Sept. 11 after he visited memorials at all three sites where hijacked airliners crashed, in New York City, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville, Pa.

"We, in many respects, mark the beginning of war coming to our shores as 9/11, and everything has flowed from that," Obama's deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, said.

Political and governance instability continue to cast doubt over Afghanistan's progress even as military gains have taken hold. Afghan intelligence officials said Wednesday that they had broken up a plot to assassinate President Hamid Karzai. The 10-year mark of the war raises questions about what it will take for the United States to leave on successful terms.

"If we want to leave behind, when we withdraw, something that doesn't collapse shortly after we go, then Afghanistan is going to have to be different politically than it is now," said Stephen Biddle, a senior fellow for defense policy at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"We've done very well on the military side in the last couple years," he said. "We have not nearly so well on the political side. And we're running out of time."

___

Associated Press Deputy Director of Polling Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report.