Monday, October 29, 2012

DeMarco: Giants beating Tigers at own game

That game is starting pitching, and the Giants' Vogelsong has been the best

OPINION

By Tony DeMarco

NBCSports.com contributor

updated 3:13 a.m. ET Oct. 28, 2012

Tony DeMarco

DETROIT - The Detroit Tigers brought their superstar ace and microscopic postseason rotation ERA into this World Series.

But the San Francisco Giants are on the verge of their second championship in three Octobers by beating the Tigers at their own game.

Game 3 was Ryan Vogelsong's turn, and it ended exactly the same way as Game 2 ? a 2-0 shutout.

You've probably heard more about the other members of the Giants rotation than Vogelsong ? not to mention the starter they've turned into a stealth setup man. But this postseason is turning into Vogelsong's personal coming-out party.

In a well-traveled career, the 35-year-old right-hander was a Giants fifth-round draft choice in 1998, then was sent away in 2001 in a deal for starter Jason Schmidt. He surfaced with the Pirates for parts of four seasons, went through arm surgery, played a few seasons with two different Japanese League teams, then passed through the Phillies and Angels organizations before landing with the Giants in 2011 as a non-roster invitee.

"And the rest is history,'' Giants general manager Brian Sabean said.

Such as leading the NL in ERA for a while this season and landing on the NL All-Star team. And now you'll find Vogelsong in the postseason record book, too.

In 24.2 postseason innings over four starts, Vogelsong's ERA is 1.09. The last time anybody went lower in a postseason was Orel Hershiser in 1987 (1.05 ERA in 42.2 innings).

With 5 2/3 scoreless ? albeit testy ? innings on Saturday, Vogelsong ducked under the mark of another postseason legend ? Curt Schilling's 1.13 ERA with the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks.

Vogelsong has allowed one or fewer runs in all four of his postseason starts (and his last seven, dating back to the regular season). The only other pitchers to do that in one postseason are Schilling, Burt Hooton (1981) and John ?Blue Moon? Odom (1972).

But Vogelsong only added on to what Barry Zito and Madison Bumgarner did in the first two games. The trio has allowed only one earned run in 18.1 innings, with each coming away with a victory. You have to go back 75 years for the last time that happened ? by the 1937 New York Yankees trio of Lefty Gomez, Red Ruffing and Monte Pearson.

This was Vogelsong's most troublesome of his four playoff outings, as he put nine runners on, but then pitched well in traffic.

"I didn't think my stuff was as good as in my NLCS start,'' Vogelsong said. "I really just tried to hit Buster's glove as many times as I could. When the guys are playing defense behind you, it encourages you to just put the ball in play.''

And when you've been where Vogelsong has been in his career, it makes a game's tougher moments a little easier to get through. Double-play ground balls got him out of two-on, one-out jams in the first and third innings, but that was minor compared with facing Miguel Cabrera with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth.

"Right now, he's the best hitter in the game,'' Vogelsong said. "I just tried to make pitches there. It's a lot easier facing him with two outs. I made a good pitch, and he popped it up. This is my first World Series. I've been waiting for this since I was 5 years old, and I wasn't going to go down without a fight, that's for sure.''

Cabrera's popout continued the trend of Giants pitchers? mastering the Tigers' top hitters. Cabrera is 2 for 9 with an RBI in this series. After an 0-for-4, two-strikeout game, Prince Fielder is 1 for 10 and has hit into two double plays.

The Giants aren't the first team to attempt to attack Cabrera by pounding him inside, even off the plate inside. But they've succeeded at it best. Fielder's struggles are deeper, as he has impatiently expanded his strike zone.

"They're great hitters,'' Sabean said. "I certainly understand why with (Justin) Verlander and those two guys, they'd be the favorites in this series. But the game is funny. You still have to compete inning to inning, and we're winning a lot of innings.

"We were ready for this series because of the two teams we played (in the NL playoffs ? the Nationals and Cardinals). Those are two pretty good offensive teams. I hate to use the phrase 'battle-tested' because we're not in the military. But our guys were ready to pitch the way they have needed to pitch, the way they still need to pitch.''

? 2012 NBC Sports.com? Reprints

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Giants blank Tigers again

Shift to Detroit doesn't make a difference as S.F. takes 3-0 series lead with 2-0 victory in Game 3 on Saturday night.

DeMarco: Giants beating Tigers at own game

DeMarco: The Detroit Tigers brought their superstar ace and microscopic postseason rotation ERA into this World Series. But the San Francisco Giants are on the verge of their second championship in three Octobers by beating the Tigers at their own game.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49584568/ns/sports-baseball/

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Friday, October 26, 2012

Rev. Jesse Jackson arrested in protest with workers

FREEPORT, Ill. (AP) ? The Rev. Jesse Jackson has been arrested in a group of protesting northern Illinois workers during an act of civil disobedience in Freeport.

Michael Peery, a spokesman for Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, tells The Associated Press that Jackson was taken into custody Wednesday with about a dozen workers. He is expected to be released later in the day.

Freeport police didn't immediately have comment.

Sensata (sen-SAH'-tuh) Technologies is owned by Bain Capital and in the process of moving its Freeport manufacturing operations to China. That'll cost Freeport 170 jobs.

Company officials say most of the plant's revenues are generated in Asia, making the move a logical decision.

The civil rights leader has been among other high-profile supporters who've visited the workers. The Rev. Al Sharpton recently held a rally in Freeport.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rev-jackson-arrested-protest-workers-031923327.html

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Benefits of Losing Control of Your Brand | Business 2 Community

There?s an old saying about an organization?s reputation in the business world, ?Your brand is what other people say about you when you?re not in the room.? Businesses today are constantly striving to keep control of their brand. This battle over brand perception is nothing new. However, what is different today compared to five or even ten years ago is that companies are now more aware of the thoughts and feels customers have towards their brand. Maybe though, instead of trying to maintain control of your brand it?s time to let go and lose control of it. Do it successfully, and you will be shocked at the outcomes.

While sorting through my inbox this morning, I was pleasantly surprised by a Google Alert. Inside this email, there was this Ted Talk about businesses? and their constant struggle to maintain control of their reputation. So, out of curiosity I decided to take the five or so minutes and watch it. Turns out that frog design CMO, Tim Leberecht, has some interesting ideas for organizations and their continual battle with maintaining control of their brand.

He argues that while companies have always struggled to keep control of their band, the increases in technology over the past five to ten years have given organizations more control about what others say about them. ?Hyper connectivity, transparency, allow companies to be in that room now ? 24/7 they can listen and join the conversation. In fact, they have more control over the loss of control than ever before,? says Leberecht. So if companies have more control, how do they take advantage of it?

Give people more control

Leberecht, believes a key for companies is to give more control to their employees, customers, and clients. He points out that business today have the capabilities to successfully collaborate with these other groups to help create better content, products, and designs. ?Research has shown that giving employees more control over their work makes them happier and more productive,? says Leberecht. He cites the Brazilian company Semco Group and their novel approach to let employees set their own work schedules or Netflix and Hulu?s open vacation policies. These give employees more control over their work which results in increased employee happiness and productivity.

Give people less control and more meaning

?Traditional business wisdom holds that trust is earned by predictable behavior, but when everything is consistent and standardized how do you create meaningful experiences? Giving people less control might be a wonderful way to counter the abundance of choice and make them happier.? So how can corporations do this? How about forcing employees to help others. According to Leberecht, ?A recent study suggests that having employees complete occasional altruistic tasks throughout the day increases their sense of overall productivity.? Or try conducting speed meet and greets. By holding these speed meeting sessions employees are given less control and less choice, but are given greater social interactions.

According to Leberecht openness is paramount for success today, however he does warn of being too open. If an organization is too open then nothing is open. At the end of the day Companies can chose to give their employees and customers more control or less. ?They can worry about how much openness is good for them, or what needs to stay closed. Or they can simply smile and remain open to all possibilities.?

Source: http://www.business2community.com/branding/the-benefits-of-losing-control-of-your-brand-0314783

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Moderate drinking decreases number of new brain cells

ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2012) ? Drinking a couple of glasses of wine each day has generally been considered a good way to promote cardiovascular and brain health. But a new Rutgers University study indicates that there is a fine line between moderate and binge drinking -- a risky behavior that can decrease the making of adult brain cells by as much as 40 percent.

In a study posted online and scheduled to be published in the journal Neuroscience on November 8, lead author Megan Anderson, a graduate student working with Tracey J. Shors, Professor II in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology, reported that moderate to binge drinking -- drinking less during the week and more on the weekends -- significantly reduces the structural integrity of the adult brain.

"Moderate drinking can become binge drinking without the person realizing it," said Anderson."In the short term there may not be any noticeable motor skills or overall functioning problems, but in the long term this type of behavior could have an adverse effect on learning and memory."

Shors and Anderson worked with postdoctoral fellow Miriam Nokia from the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland to model moderate to heavy drinking in humans using rodents that reached a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent -- the legal driving limit in the United States and many other countries -- and found that brain cell production was affected negatively.

The researchers discovered that at this level of intoxication in rats -- comparable to about 3-4 drinks for women and five drinks for men -- the number of nerve cells in the hippocampus of the brain were reduced by nearly 40 percent compared to those in the abstinent group of rodents. The hippocampus is a part of the brain where the new neurons are made and is also known to be necessary for some types of new learning.

This level of alcohol intake was not enough to impair the motor skills of either male or female rats or prevent them from associative learning in the short-term. Still, Anderson said, th

is substantial decrease in brain cell numbers over time could have profound effects on the structural plasticity of the adult brain because these new cells communicate with other neurons to regulate brain health.

"If this area of your brain was affected every day over many months and years, eventually you might not be able to learn how to get somewhere new or to learn something new about your life," said Anderson, a graduate fellow in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology. "It's something that you might not even be aware is occurring."

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, men who drink 14 drinks a week and women who drink seven are considered at-risk drinkers. Although college students commonly binge drink, according to the institute, 70 percent of binge drinking episodes involved adults age 26 and older.

"This research indicates that social or daily drinking may be more harmful to brain health than what is now believed by the general public," she said.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Rutgers University. The original article was written by Robin Lally.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. M.L. Anderson, M.S. Nokia, K.P. Govindaraju, T.J. Shors. Moderate drinking? Alcohol consumption significantly decreases neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus. Neuroscience, 2012; 224: 202 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.08.018

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/0fIxn3FWv74/121024164759.htm

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UK finance minister says economy on right track

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Analyst: Windows 8 Is the Most Radical Overhaul Since Windows Replaced DOS

With so many analysts expressing their views on Microsoft?s new Windows 8, it?s almost impossible to tell for sure whether the new operating system is good or bad.Frank Gillett, an analyst at Forrester, said in his report called ?Microsoft: The Next Five Years? that 2013 would be a very tough year for Microsoft, as Windows 8 is not expected to succeed on the short term.

It would do it on the long term, the analyst believes, as this is a ?bold, original and impressive? operating system.

This is ?the most radical overhaul since the original Windows replaced DOS,? the analyst explained.

Gillet admitted that users may be a little confused at first, especially due to the new interface design, but it?s all just a matter of time until they get used to it. Both the Surface and the desktop operating system are going to impress on the long term.

"The transition to Windows 8 is simply the first step of Microsoft's transformation," the report reads.

Microsoft however won?t manage to impress in the tablet market and Apple will remain the clear leader of the segment, the analyst believes. Instead, the Redmond-based company?s ace up its sleeve will remain the traditional PC market and its Windows operating system.

Unsurprisingly, Salesforce.com?s CEO Marc Benioff has an entirely different view on Windows 8 and said last weekend that this new version marks the end of Windows.

Microsoft?s operating system lacks the necessary technology to address users? needs, Benioff said while pointing out that cloud-based services will play a key role in the IT industry.

?Now, we're not completely there,? Benioff added. ?Everything is not heterogeneous client, everything is not LTE, everything is not cloud. [...] But we're going to this great new place in our industry.?

Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Analyst-Windows-8-Is-the-Most-Radical-Overhaul-Since-Windows-Replaced-DOS-301507.shtml

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Miss Universe Canada Contestant Wants WHO to Stop Stigmatizing Trans People

Former Miss Universe Canada competitor Jenna Talackova is part of an effort urging the World Health Organization to stop classifying people with transgender identities as having a mental disorder.

"I'm not sick, I'm fantastic," she says.

The effort is linked to a group of Change.org petitions asking the World Health Organization to remove transsexuality from its list of mental illnesses, taking the cue from several other countries, as well as the European Parliament, which also want the WHO to make the change. So far about 45,000 signatures have been gathered as the organization reviews its health guidelines this year.

The WHO amended its list in the 1990s to remove homosexuality from its classifications of mental disorders. The current drive wants the WHO to amend its list to end the stigmatization of transgender people in health care.

Watch Talackova's video below:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AdvocatecomDailyNews/~3/MqpGIH6O4Js/miss-universe-canada-contestant-wants-who-stop-stigmatizing-trans

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PRSA International Conference: It's all about Networking | Meltwater ...

Another great PRSA international conference is behind us and San Francisco sure didn?t disappoint. Power to the people in hippie town USA! And yes it?s the inter-networking of the attendees that made this conference so valuable.

The power of Social, with or without media

I heard a number of times people wondering when ?social media? will loose the media title and just become Social Networking (Biz Stone pops to my mind). Social media has had a dramatic influence on public relations. Transparency, trust, crowdsourcing and storytelling are just a few of the hot new themes in our profession. In fact, we now see the practices uncovered by social media utilized far beyond online communications, they?ve literally changed the way we practice public relations.

Of the 91 workshops, 21 had social media as part of the title or description. When I made the count that number felt so small because it felt like the topic arose in most of the sessions I heard. What an enormous jump it?s been over the last few of years when it was barely on the radar. We had nearly 11,500 tweets during the 3 day conference about PRSA! #PRSAICon was a Twitter trending topic on Sunday.

Integration of PR and Marketing

Another popular theme was the blurring lines of public relations and marketing. I think one could always debate the ?proper? roles for each discipline, but it?s become clearer than ever that we?re frequently at the same operational table. Lee Odden?s session on Content Marketing and PR was highly attended and one of the most discussed and shared sessions of the conference. I guess it struck a nerve. We also had sessions on branding, departmental integrations, digital convergence, integrated communications and inbound marketing. Again as compared to past conferences, we?re seeing a significant trend in a new cooperative environment with marketing.

?Storytelling?

Every year there seems to be a new term that?s coming off everyone?s lips. You know a word has reached Buzzword status when someone utters it and ceremonious eye rolls unfold across the room. While we all know that storytelling has always been part of the public relations tool kit, social media has crystallized it?s importance for communicating effectively in our brave new world. Storytelling, one could say, has become the alchemist that transforms corporate speak into interesting, value-adding reading material.

Picture taken from http://www.webershandwickseattle.com/2011/02/storytelling-powered-by-you/

?

However, while we can all discuss the merits of storytelling and marketing integration on social media channels, it?s the personal conversations and connections that happen during the conference that add the true value of PRSA. Perhaps it helped that my smartphone sat on the other side of the country-not so smartly in its charging station- that made me fully appreciate conversations. It refreshed me on the importance of personal relationships, often one at a time. Rich conversations are a unique source of knowledge, where one can learn from others viewpoints to grow skills and expand one?s network. So while technology surges forward I reflect that our primary role is still to relate to the public, to network and to build relationships that will in turn, help promote the value of our brands. I worry that with all these innovations, we forget about the fundamentals of what we really do. Now if implementation were so simple?

?

?

About Ric Pratte

Director, Agency Partner Program at Meltwater Group

Source: http://blog.meltwater.com/reflections-on-the-prsa-international-conference-in-the-city-by-the-bay

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Monty's Minute Ep6: Breaking In

Each and every week video game business insider Monty Sharma answers your questions about the industry. ?New epsiodes every Tuesday.

?

This week questions:

?

Senaku Jin

You mentioned MMO games like LoL and WoT and their short game models, as opposed to longer game models like a typical MMORPG. My question is: what do you think of middle of the road models where you may have week long games like GW2?s WvW, a cooperative mini-mmo shmup like Realm of the MadGod or upcoming games like The War Z with their idea of cycled maps and rouge like elements ? are they too niche or do you think its a growing market?

Diane Hatcher
I have a couple questions about game design tools and one about education.

There are currently many free tools for creating games that are available for someone who wants to try their hand at game development. ?They range from grade school level 2D scripting languages like Scratch to production engines like Unity and Cryengine 3. ?Would writing some of your own small scale games in one (or mutliple) of these engines be a useful preparation for someone interested in a career as a game developer? ?Are they something a studio looks at when hiring?

Which tools would you recommend for a younger person interested in game design that had between 5-10 years of high school and college left before entering the work force? ?What sorts of gaming tools available now will develop skills relevant that many years in the future?

Is there a level of education would you recommend for today?s high school student wanting to become a game developer? ?Is a BS in computer science enough or would a Masters or PhD provide a large advantage? ?Is there any non-technical education (art or literature or foreign languages) that studios are looking for?

?

Cian Rice

Hey guys. Digging the show. My questions is in regards to social gaming giant Zynga. Recently their stock has been trading below value, and many higher-ups seem to be exiting the company. Do you think this is the beginning of the end for Zynga, or do you think they can rebound from this? What would they need to do to rebound?

Thanks,
Cian Rice

?

Cigs

Hey Gary, thanks for reading this to Monty.

Monty, I am 25 and for the last 7 years I was in the Army. I just got out and would like to go to college with my GI Bill benefits and get a 50k+ position in the video game industry. I would like to focus on some business part but I am really not sure where to go. I do not have any sort of art talent or interest. I am interested in coding but I don?t think that?s for me either. Could you describe some possible career paths for me maybe touching on collegiate majors that would be useful for each.

Cigs

Source: http://www.gamebreaker.tv/video-game-shows/breaking-in-2/

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MBS Chart, VA Loans, Capacity Constraints, HARP Helps, Housing ...

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email signup???????? ?RSS News Signup????????? Fay Servicing???????? ?BC?s profile

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(elegant chart says it all for MBS) QE3 begins ? Sober Look Blog
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V.A. Loans Surge in Fiscal Year ? by Coester VMS ? Mortgages guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs surged by 50 percent in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, as tighter credit standards on conventional financing made these programs all the more attractive to current and former military members. The department guaranteed almost 540,000 loans in fiscal year 2012, the most since 1994

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(paperwork + capacity constraints = profits) Analysis: Mortgage demand too much for U.S. banks, who respond slowly ? Dan Wilchins and Rick Rothacker ? Reuters ? Chicago Tribune

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(HARP helped) U.S. Bancorp Pumps Out Record Results As Mortgage Revenues Jump ? Trefis Team ? Forbes

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(beautiful charts) Housing Starts And Building Permits Exceed Forecasts ? Bespoke Investment Group ? Seeking Alpha

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Study: Falling Home Prices Not Improving Affordability ? BY: TORY BARRINGER ? However, a study released by Interest.com shows homes are only truly affordable in about half of the nation?s major cities. ? - The M Report?
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(hedge funds buy) Property Flippers Are Back as Housing?s Middle Men ? By Diana Olick | CNBC ? ? Blomquist says the difference for today?s flippers is that they must add value to the home before selling, because price appreciation alone won?t net the profit they seek. That means rehabbing,? ?
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(has details) FHA: Reverse Mortgage Program Changes on Six-month Horizon ? by Elizabeth Ecker ? ? (HUD) is actively seeking meaningful change to its Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program in an effort to protect its mortgage insurance fund and sustain the program long-term, a HUD representative told reverse mortgage professionals ? ? Reverse Mortgage Daily
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No, Virginia, Consumers Delevering via Default is Not a Reason for Economic Cheerleading -Matt Stoller ? Naked Capitalism

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Are we seeing an echo housing bubble in California? The low inventory low interest rate mania. The psychology of buying in a perpetual bubble machine. ? Dr. Housing Bubble

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Homebuilder Blues: NAHB/Wells Fargo Home Builder Ratings October 2012 - Paper Economy ? A US Real Estate Bubble Blog
and
NAHB Builder Confidence increases in October, Highest since June 2006 ? by Bill McBride ? Calculated Risk?
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FHFA: HARP leaps forward with 99,000 refinancings in August ? By Kerri Ann Panchuk ? Housingwire
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(White paper) Berkery Noyes: Upturn Just Starting for Mortgage Sector ? BY: TORY BARRINGER ? ? In a white paper from the firm, managing director John Guzzo wrote that rising home equity, lower excess vacant homes, and more flexible FHA refinance qualifications are all leading the originations sector to ?the beginning of an upward cycle in terms of both volume and dollars.? ? ? The M Report
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FHFA should help pursue Fannie, Freddie strategic defaulters: Report ? By Jacob Gaffney ? The Inspector General for the Federal Housing Finance Agency concludes that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would benefit from getting some help in pursuing those who walk away from their mortgage, despite their ability to pay ? Housingwire
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HARP on Track to Reach 1M Borrowers This Year ? BY: CARRIE BAY ? DS News

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For Rob Chrisman?s latest daily post, click here.

To subscribe to Joe Garrett?s news letter, send an email to jgarrett at garrettmcauley dot com

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Overseas Shipholding may file for bankruptcy

(Reuters) - Debt-laden Overseas Shipholding Group Inc , the world's No. 2 independent tanker operator by fleet size, said it was evaluating options including filing for bankruptcy protection and may have to restate results for at least three years.

Shares of the company, which had estimated debt obligations of $2.24 billion as of June 30, fell as much as 66 percent to a life low of $1.02 on Monday morning.

The stock lost more than a third of its value last week on speculation that talks with lenders had stalled.

Shares of Nordic American Tanker Ltd , Teekay Tankers Ltd , DHT Holdings Inc and Top Ships Inc were down between 3 percent and 8 percent.

Financial statements for at least the three years ended December 2011 should no longer be relied on, Overseas Shipholding said in a regulatory filing on Monday.

Overseas Shipholding said it was reviewing a tax issue arising from the fact that while the company is domiciled in the United States, it has substantial international operations.

Allen Andreas, a director and member of the audit committee, resigned on September 27 over disagreements with the board in reviewing the tax issue, the company said in a filing.

The New York-based company had yet to determine if it would need to restate its results for the years in question.

Global Hunter Securities suspended coverage on Overseas Shipholding on Monday, saying it could no longer rely on the company's financial statements, and noting that there was no clarity on the specifics of the tax issue.

DEEP DEBT

Overseas Shipholding said it was reviewing how the tax issue would affect the interpretation of certain provisions in the company's loan agreements.

The company, which had a market value of about $100 million as of Friday's close, said in August it needed to plug a $100 million shortfall in its $1.5 billion fully-drawn revolving credit facility, which would expire in four months.

Analysts, however, said the gap could be as much as $300 million.

Overseas Shipholding has hired Chilmark Partners and Proskauer Rose as financial and legal advisers to help with its potential Chapter 11 filing, according to Thomson Reuters LPC, a Reuters loans news service.

Weak rates and high bunker fuel costs have forced many shipping companies to restructure, including Norway-listed Frontline , Italy's Deiulemar Shipping, Indonesia's Berlian Laju Tanker and Sanko Steamship in Japan.

"I do not think the banks want to see them file for bankruptcy. I am sure they are using this as a negotiating leverage," said a former shareholder, who did not wish to be named. He cashed out of Overseas Shipholding last month.

However, Deutsche Bank analyst Justin Yagerman said that given the company's statements, a potential filing may be a real possibility rather than a negotiation tactic.

"Overseas Shipholding's mention of a Chapter 11 filing, especially this far before its loan expiry in February 2013, signals negotiations with its lender group have not progressed positively," he wrote in a note.

The company had cash reserves of over $550 million as of June 30.

Its unsecured bonds due 2018 and 2024 were trading around 31 cents on Monday morning, down 10 points from Friday, according to Thomson Reuters LPC.

(Reporting by Swetha Gopinath and Divya Lad in Bangalore; Editing by Supriya Kurane)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/overseas-shipholding-may-file-bankruptcy-160444909--finance.html

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Monday, October 22, 2012

Benin: 3 held for alleged attempt to poison leader

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Survival and Food inside a Main Turmoil

With the sudden popularity of the J.J. Abrams NBC television series, Revolution, many are starting to wonder what they should have on hand in the event the lights suddenly go out, or some other crisis befalls us. We have put together some of the most common items that ?preppers? or survivalists feel are necessary.

WATER SUPPLY:

People need 3 things to survive: Water, Food and Shelter, in that order. For water supply you have a few options.

Short-term supplies of water consist of a few gallons per person, ready to transport, in addition to a portable filtering system or a treatment system.

A long-term supply will require many hundreds of gallons for each person, depending on how much supply you intend to store.

A normally active person needs to drink at least 2 quarts of water each day. Hot environments can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers and sick people will need more. You will also need it for food preparation and hygiene. Store a total of at least one gallon per person, per day. So a 1 year supply for a typical family of 4 will require at least 1460 gallons. Those plastic storage barrels hold 55 gallons, so you?ll need 26 of them.

If you think that because you live near a lake, river, pond, stream or swimming pool- that you don?t need to worry about drinking water, you could be dead wrong. Many survival scenarios have contaminated supplies at their root, and if you don?t properly prepare the water before drinking it, it could be fatal.

Treating Water for emergency use can be as simple as filtering it or dropping a pill into it before use. Used worldwide by hikers, campers, emergency volunteers and anyone else who might need to administer or drink water of uncertain quality, water-purification tablets disinfect contaminated drinking water.

FOOD SUPPLY:

If you want to be fully prepared for whatever may come, food is the absolutely essential item you need to have on hand.

There are many ways to store it, and many types of food supply you may need to store. You can grow and dehydrate or can your own, or you can buy them already packaged for normal storage (1-2 years) or long-term storage (20-30 years).

3-Day Supply-the 72-hour kit is ?grab a bag and jump in the car? for emergency evacuations. This is essential calories and hydration to get you through a short-term crisis, or to a safe place where supplies will be available. It consists of anything from protein and calorie snacks to MRE (Meals Ready-to-Eat) packs. Have one for each member of your family stored at home, at work, or in the car.

2-Week Supply-if the nature of an emergency is going to take you out of your routine for more than a few days, you?d better have a 2 week supply conveniently located. Keep it handy for quick evacuation, or at your cabin or other emergency destination. You?ll need MREs, dehydrated entr?es, energy snacks, and water for each of you.

6-Week Supply-if you need to rely on an emergency food supply for up to 6 weeks, something serious has hit the fan. This should be stocked at your homestead hideaway in the woods, or in your fully secured home. It should be easily portable in case you need to change locations in a hurry. You?ll need dehydrated meals, water, firearms, and preparedness kits.

6-Month Supply-for long term crises. You?ll need basics, plus full meals and all the necessities. Dehydrated meals, MREs, rice, beans, wheat, spices, and a lot of water or water filtering equipment. Store it where you intend to wait out the disaster. You?ll also need survival gear, camping equipment and hunting skills to get you through.

1-2 Year Supply. You?re in for the long haul, so make sure you have everything on hand you?ll be needing until the major crisis has passed and civilization has restabilized. In addition to all of the dehydrated and stored foods, you?ll want seeds, hydroponics, and hunting, trapping and camping gear. You?re completely on your own during this time, and that means you?ll need to protect yourself and your loved ones, so have firearms and ammo as well.

Long-term food supply should consist of most of the foods you eat on a regular basis-if you?re eating right, that is. Canned foods taste great and are convenient and inexpensive, but are not easily transported. Dehydrated or freeze-dried food can be stored in a much smaller space, and is reasonably portable if necessary. It can also have a storage life of 20-30 years. Vegetables, fruits, meats, nuts, oils, spices, batters and mixes, beans, grains, pasta, potatoes, desserts, breakfast foods, eggs, and TVP (textured vegetable proteins-fake meat). Even powdered milk, coffee, tea and fruit drinks. Lots and lots of water or filtering supplies.

Seed packs will come in handy for lots of garden fresh food when the stores are empty and the trucks have stopped delivering to grocery stores. For longer waits, large supplies of seeds can make you king of the hill, so start stocking up.

Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in nutrient solution rather than in soil, and is especially crucial when growing outside is no longer practical. Become an accomplished hydroponic grower before the need arises. Grow a garden in your basement, or closet.

KITS:

The Emergency Get-Home-Bag (GHB) is a midsized disaster preparedness kit that?s perfect to keep on hand in your office or trunk of your car. The GHB provides provisions and tools to help you get home (or other suitable shelter) should an emergency emerge while going about everyday life. Your pack should include things like 1-3 days? water and dehydrated food or snack bars, compass, whistle, blanket, lighter and matches, duct tape, water purification tablets and portable filter, light sticks and flashlight, batteries, first-aid kit, multi-tool, knife, poncho, tube tent, work gloves, zip ties, paracord, respirator mask, etc.

A Bug-Out-Bag (BOB) is the basic, essential kit everyone should have. As its name implies, it?s the grab-and-go bag containing basics to get you safely to your base destination, where you can assess the extent of the emergency and the length of your stay. The BOB will contain more than your GHB, and you may want to pack it in an emergency roll-away system. Once you?re clear of danger or need to continue on foot, backpacks and hydration systems allow you to stay moving on foot as needed.

Vital for evacuation or shelter-in-place scenarios, the BOB provides the same things as your GHB; food, water, tools, communications and first aid for one adult for an absolute minimum of three days, and up to 10 days, or longer with rationing. A BOB will also contain a light-weight tent and suitable sleeping bag, a head-lamp, emergency multiband multi-power weather radio, water filtering bottle, camp trowel, hand warmers, goggles, sewing kit, toiletries, etc.

Specialized Kits, like medical kits, first responder kits and pandemic kits are for specific purposes when normal services and facilities aren?t available. A Medical kit will contain everything you need to assist with routine first-aid to diabetes and other medical needs and emergencies. A First Responder kit will include much of what a first-aid kit contains, plus some tools and equipment for getting people out of dangerous situations, and for splinting limbs, washing eyes, clearing airways, plus an aspirator, thermometer, respirator, pain relief, etc. A Pandemic kit provides the basics for isolating you from others infected with life-threatening diseases. Includes items like N95 respirators, eye protection, vinyl gloves, disposable thermometers, tissues, hand sanitizers and biohazard bags.

Some items that top survivalists and first responders recommend you have on hand are tobacco products; to barter and bribe. Red Man Chewing Tobacco, pipe tobacco and cigarettes are powerful negotiating tools when people with nicotine addictions run out of cigarettes.

SELF-PROTECTION:

Firearms are the best choice for self-protection and hunting food. Choose from a large selection of handguns, rifles or shotguns for your particular self-defense and hunting needs. Store plenty of ammunition, and get all of your reloading supplies and equipment for inexpensive ammo.

Archery is also a great method for hunting, and can be an effective tool for self-defense. There are many types of bows that can be very effective in various circumstances, but for survival most will choose a Compound Bow or a Crossbow. This kind of weapon is especially good for silent hunting.

There are likewise many types of Knives that will enable you to protect yourself, or perform any number of tasks. There are hunting knives, folding knives, and large and small multi-blade knives with saws and scissors and other handy devices.

A good Hatchet is not only practical for camping, but can aid in defending against a violent attacks. The same can be said about a Machete.

Don?t underestimate the value of a quality Slingshot or even a Blowgun if the occasion requires it. With a little practice you?ll be surprised at how well you can hunt with these useful weapons. A Pellet Gun can likewise bring down small game without giving away your position.

GEAR:

Survival Self-Reliance Gear varies widely depending on the circumstances you find yourself in. A good place to start in your home is everything you use now, only in a 1-2 year supply, plus whatever you?ll need if all outside retailers and services go black. This will include equipment for filtering and purifying water, solar and other energy equipment, firearms and ammo, clothing and sewing gear, communications equipment, and all of the tools you?ll need.

Camping Equipment makes some of the best survival gear, with hiking shoes, packs, clothing and overnight equipment, and cooking and gathering tools. Lamps, flashlights, radios, and plenty of batteries and solar recharging equipment are a must.

Hunting weapons and digital and other gadgets to give you an advantage over the game or your opponents. Don?t forget-all of the restrictions on how to hunt that you?ve learned in the past go out the window when food is for survival. All of the don?ts become dos-hunting in the dark with a bright light or night vision, taking underage game, fishing with multiple lines and hooks, or putting nets across the creek-it?s all fair when your next catch is the difference between survival and starvation.

Hot Weather gear like sunglasses, sunscreen and a shade hat for southern climes and Cold Weather gear like a Fire Starter kit and thermal hiking clothes and sleeping bag for the North Country.

If you are in a hurricane region or flood plain, a rubber raft and life jacket will be necessary.

And don?t neglect the little things, like the right cooking equipment, twine, hand sanitizer, or a latrine shovel. Duct Tape is indispensable at home, the homestead, or on the trail. Put a Survival Handbook in your bags, and be sure to have whistles, pocket knives, and bandages in your pockets.

ENERGY FUEL:

Whether you?re making your home energy independent through Solar, Wind or Hydro collection installations or generators, or you?re using them to power your remote cabin, there is a great deal of cutting-edge energy technology that can take you off the grid and render you entirely self-reliant. There are even some low tech, very affordable tricks you can follow to get electricity or heat for water, comfort or cooking from the environment.

Solar ovens are very portable and can be easily set up for cooking, baking and heating water for washing and cleaning. You can even build your own parabolic solar oven out of a TV dish and some tin foil.

There are also a number of portable solar collectors that enable you to power your radios, lights, and digital devices, as well as recharge your batteries.

For heating your house or cabin there are a number of inexpensive and storable fuels ranging from condensed wood chips, coal, alcohol, propane, natural gas, and cord wood.

We should all be prepared for emergencies.

About the Author

JL Thompson is an author and survival writer. Seen the new TV series Revolution, and wondered what you would do if the lights went out, or some other crisis shut down society?

Get everything you need to get through a crisis from http://www.GetRevolutionReady.com/ or http://www.CenturySurvival.com/
Get Revolution Ready | Preparedness, Survival Emergency Supplies, Food Water Storage, Self-Protection, Kits, Solar, Wind and Hydro Power. Water Filters Treatment. Hydroponics, Seedpack, Canning. Hunting, Hiking, Camping. Get everything you need to get through a crisis from http://www.GetRevolutionReady.com/ or http://www.CenturySurvival.com/

http://goarticles.com/article/Survival-and-Food-Supply-in-a-Major-Crisis/7075024/

Source: http://www.yorkshiredalesreport.co.uk/news/2012/10/survival-and-food-supply-in-a-major-crisis/

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Gadhafi's youngest son reported killed amid ... - World News - MSNBC

Ahmed Jadallah / Reuters, file

Khamis Gaddafi is shown in a photograph found at Fatih University in June 2011.

By NBC News

Khamis Gadhafi, youngest son of slain Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, was reported dead Saturday, exactly a year after his father?died.

There were conflicting reports about whether Khamis Gadhafi was captured alive but gravely wounded after a gunbattle in Bani Walid, a pro-Gadhafi stronghold where fighting has raged for three days. And Khamis Gadhafi has been reported killed several times, including in an August 2011 NATO airstrike.


Al Arabiya news agency?reported?that sources told it Khamis Gadhafi was severely wounded and arrested but that he later died. However, Al Arabiya also said,?Mohamed al-Magarief, the head of Libya?s democratically elected General National Congress, told the agency?the late dictator's son was killed during the clashes.

A Libyan journalist told NBC News that Khamis Gadhafi was captured while fleeing in a convoy. His right leg had been amputated, but it was not clear if that was a result of recent fighting or a previous injury.

Dr. Mustafa Abushagur, sacked as Libya?s prime minister last week, tweeted Saturday that Khamis Gadhafi?s body was taken to a Misrata hospital, the Russian Times reported.

The Guardian of London reported that a statement by the Libyan national congress spokesman, Omar Hamdan, said the 28-year-old was killed "in battle" but gave no further details.

The reports came after heavy fighting between the pro-Gadhafi garrison in Bani Walid and militias allied to the Libyan government.

The seventh son of Col. Moammar Gadhafi, Khamis Gadhafi is known as one of the most hardline of Gadhafi's sons.?

His reported death prompted wild celebrations in Misrata, Libya's third city, where fireworks and car horns filled the night, the Russian Times reported. He was reviled there for atrocities allegedly perpetrated by the 32nd Brigade, a special unit he formed after studying in a Russian military academy, the Russian Times said.

Goran Tomasevic / REUTERS

An uprising in Libya ousts dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Related: US slaps sanctions on woman accused of helping Saadi Gadhafi

The reports came the same day of reports that Moammar Gadhafi's chief spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim,?had been captured.

Watch World News videos on NBCNews.com

On Saturday,?Magarief?said?not all areas of Libya had been liberated, Al Jazeera news agency reported.

"The campaign to liberate the country has not been fully completed," Magarief said on state television.

"Bani Walid's misfortune is that it has become a sanctuary for a large number of outlaws and anti-revolutionaries and mercenaries," Magarief said.

Patrick Kovarik / AFP - Getty Images

A look at the life and times of Libya's mercurial and flamboyant leader

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More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/20/14584931-gadhafis-youngest-son-reported-killed-amid-libya-clashes?lite

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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Cardiff white van horror father Adam Lewis describes terror as ...

THE father of one of the Cardiff hit-and-run rampage's youngest victims has described the terrifying moment his family were hit by the van.

Adam Lewis, 23, told how his partner Annie Jones, 22, and and two-year-old daughter Amelia-May were catapulted into the air as the madman aimed his vehicle at the toddler's pushchair.

Annie was undergoing surgery today to put pins and rods in her shattered leg, while little Amelia-May's swollen face is covered in scabs.

Cuddling the tot on his lap, Adam said it was a "normal day" until they were targeted out of the blue while walking from his grandmother's house.

He told Sky News: "All of a sudden we were hit from behind with the van.

"I caught the van in my peripheral vision but it was too late. He just sped up and smashed straight into us.

"I got pushed to the side with the wing mirror and unfortunately my partner and the baby took the brunt of it.

"She (Amelia-May) ended up face down on the pavement, and my partner was there holding onto her leg. It was broken."

Adam Lewis describes how his two-year-old daughter was catapulted from her pram

CCTV footage emerged today showing the young couple pushing the buggy along the pavement.

Seconds later the white Iveco van is seen swerving across four lanes and heading straight for them.

The maniac driver also killed mum-of-three Karina Menzies, 32, and left a total of 13 injured in a three-mile rampage.

Hundreds of mourners left flowers and held a minute's silence today at the spot where Karina died.

Adam, who escaped with only minor injuries, said the attack was "mind-boggling", adding: "Why somebody would want to do that I'll never know."

He went on: "I know there was a fatality and our hearts go out that family.

"We're just so relieved that we're still all OK, you know? It's just overwhelming.

"You don't expect a big white van to come and smack you off the pavement. It was a normal day. We were just walking down the road and all of a sudden, this happened, a van whacked into the back of us.

CCTV shows van swerving across four lanes of traffic to strike couple pushing toddler

"I saw it hit my missus and she let go of the pram. It looked like she buckled. Literally her legs and her head were like an S-shape where the van hit her and she just sort of flew.

"And then she ended up going beneath the van as well.

"She's got a broken fibia and tibula and a hairline fracture to her ankle, and she's got a puncture wound on her left hip.

"She's OK, she's bearing up. She's being very brave for the baby. Very, very brave. She's doing well."

Adam joked his daughter looked like she'd been through "twelve rounds with Mike Tyson", but "she's being incredibly brave as well - I'm just hoping there's going to be no psychological effects for her.

"She just keep saying to me, 'oh I fell over, I've got a big baddie', which makes me feel terrible to be honest that she thinks it's her fault."

Meanwhile more than 200 of Karina's friends and family staged a vigil at the spot where she was mown down outside Ely Fire Station.

friends and family pay tribute to tragic Karina Menzies

Tears ... friends and family pay tribute to tragic Karina Menzies

Wales News Service

Her brother Craig, 34, led the tributes to the mother-of-three who was killed as she walked her two youngest children home from school on Friday.

He said: ?Karina was such a beautiful person so full of life. Everyone loved her - you can see that by the overwhelming turnout. It shows the love people had for her.

?She was a wonderful mother to her three girls and all our thoughts are with my nieces now.

more than 200 people gathered at Ely Fire Station where Karina was killed

Vigil ... more than 200 people gathered at Ely Fire Station where Karina was killed

Wales News Service

?Those gorgeous three girls have lost their mum. But she died saving her children - I?ve been told that she threw them out of the way.

?She gave herself like any loving mum would do."

Prayer services are due to be held across the city this evening for all the victims of the horror. Two of the injured are still fighting for life.

Source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4601647/Cardiff-white-van-horror-father-Adam-Lewis-describes-terror-as-partner-and-toddler-mowed-down.html

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Luxembourg royals tie knot at the altar

Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie kiss on the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie kiss on the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie wave from the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Geert vanden Wijngaert)

Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie wave from the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Geert vanden Wijngaert)

Britain's Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex arrive at Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie's wedding in Luxembourg, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Geert vanden Wijngaert)

Soldiers stand guard near the Palace during the royal wedding in Luxembourg, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. Royalty from Europe, the Middle East and Japan have arrived in the tiny country to celebrate the wedding ceremonies of the heir to the throne Prince Guillaume to Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

(AP) ? Luxembourg Prince Guillaume and Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy have put the finishing touches on their two-day wedding extravaganza with a religious ceremony at the tiny duchy's Notre Dame Cathedral.

With a celebratory fireworks show still to come, Saturday's church wedding drew onlookers lining the streets and royals from around the globe including Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, royal couples from Sweden and Denmark, and Britain's Prince Edward ? Queen Elizabeth's youngest child ? and his wife, Sophie.

The couple also had a civil ceremony Friday at city hall.

Stephanie plans to renounce her Belgian citizenship in order to one day become Luxembourg's grand duchess. The tiny country wedged between France, Belgium and Germany is an important financial center and continues to prosper despite Europe's economic trouble.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-20-Luxembourg-Royal%20Wedding/id-5616ee109c3e46c4be2804361da7ace5

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?What?s He Doing Back There?? (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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Saturday, October 20, 2012

A Night of Humor ? After Day of Campaign Criticism ? CBS Tampa

?

NEW YORK (AP) ? President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney poked gentle but sharp fun at one another Thursday night during an esteemed New York Catholic charity dinner that has long been a required stop for presidential candidates. Romney mocked his own wealth while taking aim at the president for running up the federal debt while Obama noted the ?nice long nap? he had taken during the first presidential debate.

The two rivals donned tuxedos and white ties to share the dais at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, an annual gala that has drawn political leaders and other notables since the end of World War II.

The event was a comedic pause in a contest that has drawn increasingly nasty and close with less than three weeks left before the Nov. 6 election. On Tuesday, Obama and Romney sparred in a nationally televised debate in which each questioned the other?s character and truthfulness.

Romney spoke first at the dinner, which was set to raise $5 million for Catholic charities. Addressing the elegantly dressed crowd, Romney, a millionaire many times over, said ?it?s nice to finally relax and wear what Ann and I wear around the house.? Of Obama, Romney said: ?You have to wonder what he?s thinking. So little time, so much to redistribute.?

Obama followed, noting his soporific performance in the first debate but also chiding Romney for his wealth.

?Earlier today I went shopping at some stores in Midtown,? Obama said. ?I understand Gov. Romney went shopping for some stores in Midtown.?

Obama noted that he was preparing for the final debate with Romney on Monday, which will focus on foreign policy.

?Spoiler alert: We got bin Laden,? Obama said, referring to the military mission that killed the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

In a television interview earlier Thursday, Obama rejected criticism that his administration has offered a confused response to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya, an accusation Romney has made repeatedly in the campaign for the White House. Of any breakdown that might have led to the killing of four Americans, Obama declared, ?We?re going to fix it.?

Obama made the comments on ?The Daily Show? on Comedy Central. Host Jon Stewart turned serious in pressing Obama over the government?s changing explanation about the attacks in Benghazi. When Stewart suggested that even Obama would concede his administration?s coordination and communication had not been ?optimal,? Obama said: ?If four Americans get killed, it?s not optimal. We?re going to fix it. All of it.?

Romney has pointedly questioned Obama?s handling of the matter and his honesty about it to Americans. Those accusations led to the fiercest conflict of the presidential debate on Tuesday and will surely come to the fore again on Monday in the campaign?s final debate.

Obama insisted information was shared with the American people as it came in. The attack is under investigation, Obama said, and ?the picture eventually gets filled in.?

The exchange came on a day when Vice President Joe Biden compared the policies of Romney?s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, to a gun pointed at Americans, and after Romney?s son said he was tempted to ?take a swing? at Obama when the Democrat questions the GOP candidate?s honesty.

Ryan, speaking at a campaign stop in Ocala, Fla., before Biden made his comments in Nevada, accused Obama of sending a divisive message.

?He?s basically trying to disqualify his opponent with a sea of negativity,? Ryan said. ?He?s trying to divide this country, pitting people against each other. He?s trying to win this election by default. You know what? We?re not going to let him get away with that.?

The sharpness of the barbs is a reflection of just how tight the race is 19 days out. Hard campaign decisions are being made, state by state.

Romney aides said Thursday that no staff had been dispatched to Michigan or Pennsylvania, where they once suggested he would compete aggressively but has not.

The bickering between campaigns eased briefly at the Smith dinner, named for the four-term Democratic governor of New York who lost the 1928 presidential race to Republican Herbert Hoover. Smith was the first Catholic to run for president and the dinner named for him is organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York for the benefit of needy children.

Democrats are pushing the accusation that Romney is being dishonest, taking up Obama?s refrain since Tuesday?s debate that the GOP nominee is offering ?a sketchy deal.?

?I don?t think they were just sketchy,? Biden said at a rally in Las Vegas. ?I think they were Etch-a-Sketchy.?

Obama and Biden are to campaign together next Tuesday in Ohio after Monday night?s debate.

On Libya, Obama has faced scrutiny for shifting explanations of what happened. He pushed back on ?The Daily Show.?

?We weren?t confused about the fact that four Americans had been killed,? Obama said.

?I wasn?t confused about the fact that we needed to ramp up diplomatic security. ? I wasn?t confused about the fact that we had to investigate exactly happened so it gets fixed. And I wasn?t confused about the fact that we?re going to hunt down whoever did it and bring them to justice,? the president said.

On another national security issue, Obama said he still wants to close the prison for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a big unmet promise of his 2008 campaign. The effort was blocked by Congress, which passed a law prohibiting the government from moving prisoners to the U.S. for detention or trial.

On the celebrity front, Obama picked up the endorsement of rock star Bruce Springsteen, who also backed the Democrat in 2008 and Thursday campaigned for him in Ohio with former President Bill Clinton.

?For 30 years I?ve been writing about the distance between the American dream and American reality,? Springsteen said, reading from a statement on his music stand. ?Our vote is the one principal way we get to determine that distance.?

___

Associated Press writers Nedra Pickler and Ken Thomas in Washington, Thomas Beaumont in Norfolk, Va., and Tamara Lush in Ocala, Fla., contributed to this report.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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Source: http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2012/10/19/a-night-of-humor-after-day-of-campaign-criticism/

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