travel discounts: October 2011

Monday, October 31, 2011

Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey Christmas Duet: Listen Now!

Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey have teamed up to answer a pressing question: What is the only thing these two superstars want for Christmas?!?

Indeed, a few days after Bieber unleashed his duet with Usher (listen to these pals roast chestnuts on an open fire HERE) on an adoring public, the 17-year old icon has done the same for his cover of Carey's holiday classic.

So, what's the answer? What do Justin and Mariah desire in late December? Listen below and find out!

Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas

Bieber will release his Christmas CD, featuring a number of collaborations with a number of big names, on November 1. Have you pre-ordered it yet?!?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/10/justin-bieber-and-mariah-carey-christmas-duet-listen-now/

jeffrey eugenides volcker rule matthew stafford rosie o donnell brady quinn brady quinn nick fairley

Powerful earthquake hits off northeastern Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) ? A powerful earthquake has struck off northeastern Taiwan, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau says the quake registered magnitude 6.5, while the U.S. Geological Survey puts it at 5.5.

The earthquake struck Sunday morning at sea, about 88 miles (141 kilometers) east of the Taiwanese county of Keelung. Keelung is about 17 miles (28 kilometers) east of the capital, Taipei.

Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage.

However, a magnitude-7.6 earthquake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-10-30-AS-Taiwan-Earthquake/id-e06590d77a0341d5b73c46dcf45f52a1

waldorf school new orleans saints world series game 4 world series game 4 indianapolis colts colts colts

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Election worries give momentum to deficit talks (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The congressional "super committee" charged with slashing the U.S. deficit have heard from legions of lobbyists and lawmakers bent on influencing the outcome. Now members are getting an earful from Republican and Democratic leaders who want them to reach a deal and help restore voters' faith in Congress before the 2012 elections.

The panel's six Republicans and six Democrats are under pressure to avoid a deadlock that could further anger voters fed up with the partisan gridlock that has plagued major legislation since President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, according to aides, analysts, lawmakers and lobbyists.

House Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell want a deal, figuring it would be smart politically as well as vital to the country's fiscal well-being, aides said.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi make the same point.

"Knowing how important this agreement is, the message that it will send to the world, to the markets, to the American people (and) the confidence it will be build -- it will be a missed opportunity if we do not do this," Pelosi told reporters. "It behooves all of us to be open as possible."

The committee faces a November 23 deadline to come up with a package to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion over 10 years. A deadlock would trigger automatic cuts spread evenly between defense and domestic programs.

Recent opinion polls show public approval of Congress as low as 9 percent, with data suggesting that Republicans and Democrats are equally disillusioned with the inability of lawmakers to work together.

"The super committee absolutely is in the cross-hairs. The public would be very upset if the super committee couldn't reach agreement. It would be another example that government cannot function," said Frank Newport, editor-in-chief at the Gallup Organization.

Yet, for all the cheerleading from the top brass of both parties, the two sides are still far apart.

Some Democrats have questioned the sincerity of Republicans because of their refusal to consider tax hikes as part of any sweeping deficit-reduction agreement. Republicans say tax increases would undermine job growth.

FAILURE WRIT LARGE

Analysts say deadlock in the committee would likely further disillusion Americans, already frustrated by Washington's inability to agree on even the most simple issues. That could contribute to voter apathy in 2012 and hit both parties hard.

Lobbyists say McConnell has been at the forefront of behind-the-scenes efforts to reach a consensus, partly because of his hopes of capturing the Senate in the 2012 elections.

"Republican leadership wants this process to work," said a lobbyist. "They're starting to flex a little more muscle in terms of trying to herd them toward some sort of consensus."

The possibility of a "grand bargain" on taxes and spending on popular social programs came up at a meeting last week among McConnell, Boehner and Reid, a congressional aide said.

"But it was Reid's sense that the Republicans still weren't ready to move on (tax) revenues," the aide said. "Reid feels it's impossible to have a deal without serious movement on revenues."

House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer contends all sides must try harder.

"I'm not optimistic. I am hopeful. I hope because I think it is absolutely essential that we succeed in producing a product, producing a product that is a big deal," Hoyer said.

(Editing by Ross Colvin and Eric Walsh)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111028/pl_nm/us_usa_debt_supercommittee_leaders

9/11 ground zero world trade center university of michigan university of michigan nadal murray cyndi lauper

This iPad 2 Case Takes Multitasking To A Whole New Level [VIDEO]

Jigar Shah: Governor Rick Perry Please Lobby the Super Committee to End Permanent Energy Subsidies

In August, environmentalists Friends of the Earth and Public Citizen partnered with climate deniers at the Heritage Foundation to produce the non-partisan Green Scissors report which outlines wasteful government subsidies totaling $380 billion over the next five years.

Separately, in August, the twelve members of the Congressional "super committee" were announced. The super committee is charged with finding at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction measures over 10 years.

The super committee deadline: November 23rd.

Cutting $380 billion in permanent subsidies immediately for mature industries like coal, natural gas, oil, and ethanol -- immediately gets the super committee to 25 percent of its goal.

This past June, the Senate sent a strong signal to end the main corn ethanol tax credit, known as the VEETC, and the ethanol import tariff.

Subsidies are necessary in the incubation phase, but oil is a "mature" industry; and ethanol and solar are "proven and established" industries. As industries prove and establish themselves, and then mature, subsidies should be retired. So, now it is time to end permanent federal subsidies for oil drilling and phased out for solar and wind technologies.

Luckily Governor Rick Perry, and Congressman Ron Paul have stepped up to put the end of subsidies in the national conversation. Perry announced his energy plan on October 14, entitled: "Energizing American Jobs and Security." It called for an end to subsidies.

Perry's energy plan website states: "As part of a broader tax reform strategy, I will also ask Congress to eliminate direct subsidies and tax credits that distort the energy marketplace. My plan levels the playing field."

And, according to Ron Paul, "We should start by ending subsidies for oil companies. And we should never, ever go to war to protect our perceived oil interests. If oil were allowed to rise to its natural price, there would be tremendous market incentives to find alternate sources of energy. At the same time, I can't support government 'investment' in alternative sources either, for this is not investment at all."

And Mitt Romney agreed in the October 18 Republican debate that subsidies should be pulled back.

Newt Gingrich piled on in Iowa on October 24 saying, "I don't want to pick a fight with any of my good friends who are running, but I get a little weary of people who represent oil, which has consistently had tax subsidies for its entire history, explaining that they're really not sure about these subsidies. Notice it's always these subsidies. It's never the ones down there. I notice that when Senator [Tom] Coburn [R-OK] introduced a bill that was anti-ethanol, he didn't include subsidies for gas and oil, because as an Oklahoman, that would be suicidal. So I just think we ought to have a fair playing field."

Now, getting back to the Super Committee, I have taken a random sampling of votes over recent years of each committee member to see if each supports subsidies.

My scorecard revealed a random sampling of 34 votes, with 19 for subsidies. It means that much of the time, some interest group is pushing our government officials to underwrite an energy cost whether it is a fossil fuel, or renewable energy source.

But, the other point is that our legislators are spending thousands of hours debating whether to spend money to give an unfair advantage to one energy source over another. And the fight seems to be over renewable fuels versus fossil fuels.

Shouldn't scientists figure out which fuels are safest and then turn them over to the free marketplace to determine which ones are liked by consumers?

Now that Governor Perry has insisted on the end of energy subsidies, can he take the lead over the next few weeks to get the Super Committee to immediately extract $380 billion in wasteful permanent subsidies out of the budget? I hope so - and I am with him on that.

This is no longer a left wing, right wing argument. We don't need votes on issues that are on one side of the aisle or the other. We need votes like we had on ethanol subsidies in June. We want to ask -- "is this how we want to spend our tax dollars?"

The example is in fact, the Green Scissors report. It had groups that are polar opposites like Friends of The Earth, and the Heritage Foundation to come together to agree on the end of permanent subsidies.

Their interest is not in protecting interest groups -- rather it is protecting America's budget and environmental future. If you are a Tea Party fan, you should love the level playing field and reduced budget deficit. If you are an OccupyWallStreet person then you should be happy that the permanent subsidies set up for the 1 percent are going away so that the 99 percent can participate.

Plus, as Governor Perry and Newt Gingrich have said, we need to level the playing field. The right technologies and solutions to fuel our electricity and transportation needs will win a free market society.

So, it is my hope that Governor Perry, Governor Romney, Ron Paul and others who are pushing the debate to "end permanent subsidies" push it to the super committee now. It is $380 billion that can be put to better use.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jigar-shah/super-committee-energy-subsidies_b_1064648.html

soulja boy jason campbell android ice cream sandwich shia labeouf teleprompter ashley greene mukesh ambani

Suspected U.S. drone kills 13 Pakistani Taliban (Reuters)

PESHAWAR (Reuters) ? Thirteen Taliban militants were killed in a suspected U.S. drone attack in Pakistan's South Waziristan region this week, security officials and tribal sources said Friday.

Security sources said there was strong evidence that Taj Gul Mehsud, a senior Taliban commander and close aide to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Hakimullah Mehsud, was among the victims in the attack Wednesday.

Tribal elders from the Mehsud tribe in Mir Ali in neighboring North Waziristan said two missiles struck a militant compound. They put the death toll much higher -- up to 22 people -- and said all were members of the TTP, or Pakistan Taliban.

Six others were injured, security forces said.

Security officials and Taliban sources said the remote location of the suspected strike prevented it from being reported earlier, and reports of the strike only surfaced when the injured arrived at a hospital in Mir Ali.

The Obama administration has stepped up drone strikes against al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal border areas in an effort to stabilize Afghanistan before the end of 2014, when all NATO combat troops are due to leave.

Wednesday's strike came a day before another drone attack Thursday killed five commanders of a powerful Pakistani Taliban faction that attacks Western forces in Afghanistan, one of the group's leaders told Reuters.

The commanders killed in the strike belonged to the Maulvi Nazir faction of Pakistan's Taliban, which carries out cross-border attacks from its strongholds in South Waziristan.

The Nazir faction threatened in June to escalate attacks on U.S. troops in the NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan in response to intensified drone strikes on its territory.

South Waziristan is one of seven tribal agencies in the northwest in a region of Pakistan seen as a global hub for militants. Forbidding terrain makes the region an ideal spot for militants to train and plot attacks.

The spokesman for the TTP could not be reached for comment.

(Writing by Rebecca Conway; Editing by Chris Allbritton and Sugita Katyal)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111028/wl_nm/us_pakistan_drone

bobby fischer the lion king john cabot john cabot

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Cain video ad blows smoke in unorthodox campaign (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? A campaign video showing Republican presidential front-runner Herman Cain's chief of staff blowing smoke from a cigarette at the camera drew heavy play on the Internet on Tuesday.

The video, which logged more than 100,000 views on Cain's YouTube website, kept up the former pizza executive's unpredictable playbook in a campaign for the presidential nomination that has soared in the last month.

In the video, his chief of staff Mark Block makes generic statements touting Cain's candidacy and then sucks on a cigarette and blows a little smoke into the camera.

"We've run a campaign like nobody's ever seen, but then America's never seen a candidate like Herman Cain," Block says.

As he inhales, a female vocalist sings: "I am America."

Cain, a former lobbyist, conservative radio talk show host and Baptist preacher who has never held public office, has jumped to the top of polls among Republican candidates vying for the nomination to try to unseat President Barack Obama, a Democrat, next year.

Supporters bill him as a blunt-speaking political outsider and alternative to fellow Republican front-runner Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor.

"It got watched, so it worked," said Mark McKinnon, a former communications strategist for George W. Bush, said of the Cain video. "The message: We are different and don't play by the rules," he said.

The video, which was posted days ago but gained Internet traction on Tuesday, was called "bizarre" and "strange" in some media reports. It also features a serious-looking Cain breaking into a grin in the last 10 seconds.

Cain, who is scrambling to assemble a team with just 10 weeks before the first crucial nominating contests in January, has said he would bring a sense of humor to the White House if elected president in 2012.

However, one former Cain activist in Iowa, who declined to be named, said: "Maybe he hasn't noticed, but smoking isn't the in vogue thing to do these days."

Block, who joined the campaign in January, stood by the advertisement, which he said was straightforward.

"You walk into a veterans' bar in Iowa and they're sitting around smoking, and yeah, we are resonating with them. I'm not the only one that smokes in America, for God's sake. It's a choice that I made, and was at the end of the ad," Block told Fox News.

(Reporting by Eric Johnson; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Peter Bohan)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oddlyenough/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111026/od_nm/us_campaign_cain

dana wilkey dana wilkey chuck liddell chuck liddell dancing with the stars brandi glanville kristin chenoweth

Bush Lauren taps Halloween entrepreneurial spirit (AP)

NEW YORK ? The fundraising box that UNICEF distributes to children to collect pennies in on Halloween has gone as high fashion as it can: Lauren Bush Lauren, the model, philanthropist and entrepreneur designed a version of her Feed bag with a jack-o'-lantern face for the cause.

The burlap tote ? big enough for candy and coins ? has glow-in-the-dark orange trim. The proceeds from each $18 purchase will pay for nutrient powder packets for a child for a year, according to Feed.

Bush Lauren remembers carrying the paper box when she was a kid in Houston. "I feel nostalgic for it. I trick-or-treated for candy and UNICEF," she says.

Nowadays, Bush Lauren ? the 27-year-old granddaughter of President George H.W. Bush, niece of President George W. Bush and new daughter-in-law to Ralph Lauren ? is rarely seen without one of the no-frills bags produced by her charitable for-profit company Feed Projects, which she co-founded in 2007. It was her way to respond to the question, "What can I do?"

"I modeled throughout high school and college but I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do with my life," she says during a telephone interview. So she became a student ambassador during her Princeton University days for the United Nations World Food Program.

She visited Africa and then traveled to U.S. college campuses to tell her peers about the poverty and hunger she saw. It seemed as if everyone she met wanted to help, she recalls, but they weren't sure what they could do from their dorm rooms. "It was through that experience that I came up with the idea of the Feed bag, about attaching a tangible donation to a consumer product. It's a bite-size way to give back."

Most of the Feed products ? now boasting more than 60 eco-friendly products, including a teddy bear, clutch handbag and Clarins cosmetics case ? benefit the U.N.'s school-meals program, which gives free lunches in 62 countries. The UNICEF bags, however, specifically raise money to distribute micronutrient supplements to more than 46,000 kids. The company is also experimenting with local designers in the countries helped by the U.N. programs to give artisans much-needed work and to keep their crafts alive, Bush Lauren explains.

She also has a line of silk pareos (a sarong-like coverup) sold through Calypso St. Barth boutiques that are hand-dyed by women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She says she considers herself more an entrepreneur than a model or a designer, even though she's appeared on the cover of W and Glamour magazines, among others, and does oversee Feed's creative side.

So far, Feed has donated more than $6 million and the ticker at the top of the FeedProjects.com website says more than 65 million meals have been provided from the 560,000-plus bags sold.

There's a companion non-profit, full-fundraising organization called The Feed Foundation also started by Bush Lauren and her business partner Ellen Gustafson. The focus here is about raising awareness about the global food system.

In a tough economic climate, however, Bush Lauren says it sometimes seems easier to collect charitable donations as people are shopping for themselves. "As a donor, you're also a consumer so you don't `feel' the donation. And, hopefully, the bag is something you are proud to carry around."

Bush Lauren carries one almost every day, even on the red carpets and big galas she frequents with husband David Lauren. "I carry it everywhere, whether it's a fancy event or a trip to Africa. It's part of my everyday wardrobe."

So what's inside?

"Always a few pens, paper for to-do lists, lip balm and iPhone ? and it's usually a mess."

___

Samantha Critchell tweets fashion at http://twitter.com/ap_fashion

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/fashion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111027/ap_on_en_ot/us_fea_fashion_lauren_bush_lauren_bags

iphone 4 cases boise state dean ornish dean ornish yom kippur yom kippur diamondbacks

Friday, October 28, 2011

Police: 7 killed on Ind. highway likely related

A photo released by the INdiana State Police show firemena nd EMS workers at the scene of a fatal accident on sthe Indiana Toll Road near Bristol, Ind. Thursday Oct. 27, 2011. A tractor-trailer slammed into the back of a minivan in northern Indiana killing at least seven people and sending four other to hospitals, authorities said. (AP Photo/Indiana State Police)

A photo released by the Indiana State Police shows firemen surveying the wreckage of a fatal accident on the Indiana Toll Road near Bristol, Ind. Thursday Oct. 27, 2011. A tractor-trailer slammed into the back of a minivan in northern Indiana killing at least seven people and sending four others to hospitals, authorities said. (AP Photo/Indiana State Police)

A photo released by the Indiana State Police shows firemen and police examining the wreckage of a fatal accident on the Indiana Toll Road near Bristol, Ind., Thursday Oct. 27, 2011. A tractor-trailer slammed into the back of a minivan in northern Indiana killing at least seven people and sending four others to hospitals, authorities said. (AP Photo/Indiana State Police)

A photo released by the Indiana State Police shows firemen and police surveying the wreckage of a fatal accident on the Indiana Toll Road near Bristol, Ind. Thursday Oct. 27, 2011. A tractor-trailer slammed into the back of a minivan in northern Indiana killing at least seven people and sending four others to hospitals, authorities said. (AP Photo/Indiana State Police)

BRISTOL, Ind. (AP) ? An infant was among the seven people killed when a semitrailer slammed into the back of their packed minivan on an Indiana highway, and all 10 of those on board are believed to have been related, state police said Friday.

None of the minivan's occupants were wearing seatbelts when tractor trailer slammed into their vehicle Thursday night on the Indiana Toll Road about 10 miles east of South Bend, state police Capt. Trent Smith said.

The infant who was killed was in a car seat, but it wasn't being used properly, he said.

The minivan had Illinois license plates, and police believe at least some of those on board were Ecuadoran immigrants living in the Chicago area, Smith said. Family members were coming from the Chicago area Friday to help identify the victims, he said.

Two of the minivan's three injured occupants were in critical condition Friday, and the third was in stable condition, he said. The driver of the truck, which had Wisconsin license plates, was also hospitalized Thursday night.

Witnesses suggested that the minivan may have hit a deer, then slowed or stopped before it was hit from behind by the semi, police said.

Both vehicles ended up in the center median, blocking traffic in both directions for several hours.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-10-28-Fatal%20Crash-Indiana/id-c1cbc81334ab46618d153b5499efa06a

texas tech football michigan state michigan state bridge school miami dolphins chicago bears charlie and the chocolate factory

Likes or Yikes? Maya Rudolph on Babies, 'Bridesmaids 2' and 'Up All Night'

Chime in on the week's hottest entertainment stories!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/likes-or-yikes-maya-rudolph-babies-bridesmaids-sequel-up-all-night/1-h-396681

paranormal activity west virginia football west virginia football marco rubio marco rubio groupon ipo groupon ipo

'Dark Knight Rises' Prologue News, 'Arkham City' Cosplay

What was once a possibility is now looking more and more like a reality: "The Dark Knight Rises" prologue has been kinda, sorta confirmed. Click here for the full report, and see what movie and comics experts from around the blogosphere are saying about the possible prologue over here!
Get more comic book movie news beyond [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/10/26/dark-knight-rises-prologue-news-arkham-city-cosplay/

michelle malkin goodrich death penalty gary busey the x factor execution execution

Electronic Arts 2Q loss expands; raises forecast

FILE - This Feb. 25, 2008, file photo, shows the exterior view of Electronic Arts Inc. headquarters in Redwood City, Calif. Electronic Arts Inc. reports quarterly earnings Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, after the market close. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. said Thursday that its second-quarter loss expanded from a year ago due to higher costs, even as revenue grew.

It raised its sales forecast for the all-important holiday season slightly above analyst estimates. CEO John Riccitiello said sales of "Battlefield 3," which launched two days earlier, were "very strong."

The net loss in the three-month period ending on Sept. 30 grew to $340 million, or $1.03 per share. Last year, the company had a quarterly loss of $201 million, or 61 cents per share. EA said costs for marketing, research and development increased from last year.

Excluding stock compensation costs, acquisition expenses and other costs, adjusted earnings came to 5 cents per share, beating the adjusted loss of 4 cents per share expected by analysts polled by FactSet.

Adjusted revenue, which accounts for deferred revenue from games with online components, rose 17 percent to $1.03 billion from $884 million, helped by sales of its sports games "FIFA 12" and "Madden NFL 12." That also beat the $955 million expected by analysts.

"Our results reflected a tremendous performance by our EA Sports titles and a strong showing on a new game on the Facebook platform, 'The Sims Social,'" Riccitiello said on a conference call with analysts. "We're now focused on our biggest title for the holiday."

The company said it expects adjusted revenue in the current quarter through December of $1.55 billion to $1.65 billion, with the midpoint slightly higher than the $1.59 billion expected by analysts.

EA lifted the bottom end of its full-year adjusted earnings. It now expects a range of 75 cents to 90 cents, instead of 70 cents at the low end. Analysts were already expecting 89 cents.

The results didn't satisfy investors after a broad rally by stocks Thursday. Shares in the Redwood, Calif.-based company were down 80 cents, or 3.3 percent, at $23.50 in after-hours trading after closing up 11 cents at $24.50 in the regular session.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-10-27-Earns-Electronic%20Arts/id-9c4d495a76bb48199fac841d4494d4c2

braves braves harrys law orioles atlanta braves national coffee day national coffee day

Thursday, October 27, 2011

US quietly assumes military posture in Africa (AP)

NAIROBI, Kenya ? By the time U.S. military forces left Somalia in 1994 after entering the lawless nation more than a year earlier to stop a famine, 44 Army soldiers, Marines and airmen had been killed and dozens more wounded. Thus ended America's last large-scale military intervention in Africa.

But the U.S. has come back, using special forces advisers, drones and tens of millions of dollars in military aid to combat a growing and multifaceted security threat. This time the United States is playing a less obtrusive role but is focusing once again on Somalia.

While putting few U.S. troops at risk, the United States is also providing intelligence and training to fight militants across the continent, from Mauritania in the west along the Atlantic Ocean, to Somalia in the east along the Indian Ocean.

The Pentagon is paying a lot more attention to Africa than in years past, analysts say. A hardline Islamist group in Nigeria, Boko Haram, bombed the U.N. headquarters in the capital in August, killing 23 people. A Nigerian man tried to blow up an airliner over Detroit on Christmas 2009. The flight was saved only because of a malfunction with explosives the bomber had carried from Lagos, Nigeria. An al-Qaida group known as AQIM that operates in the west and north of Africa kidnaps foreigners, making vast tracts no-go areas.

And, most worrisome to the United States, an al-Qaida-linked group in Somalia has recruited dozens of Americans, most of them of Somali descent.

"If you ask me what keeps me awake at night, it is the thought of an American passport-holding person who transits through a training camp in Somalia and gets some skill and then finds their way back into the United States to attack Americans here in our homeland," Gen. Carter Ham, the commander of the U.S. Africa Command, said in Washington this month. "That's mission failure for us."

U.S. and European officials also worry that AQIM is working to establish contacts with Boko Haram and al-Shabab, the Islamist Somali insurgent group.

"I think the security threats emanating from Africa are being taken more seriously than they have been before, and they're more real," said Jennifer Cooke, the director of the Africa program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The U.S. is conducting counterterrorism training and equipping militaries in countries including Algeria, Burkina Faso Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia to "preclude terrorists from establishing sanctuaries," according to the U.S. Africa Command, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.

In Somalia, the U.S. helps support 9,000 troops from Uganda and Burundi to fight militants in Mogadishu, the Somali capital. In June, the Pentagon moved to send nearly $45 million in military equipment to Uganda and Burundi, another country contributing in Somalia. The aid included four small drones, body armor and night-vision and communications gear and is being used in the fight against al-Shabab.

The U.S. also announced this month it is sending 100 advisers, most of them special forces, to battle the rebel group Lord's Resistance Army in Central Africa and nail its leader, Joseph Kony, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court. In Libya, U.S. fighter planes helped rebels defeat former dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

The latest attack against Africa's militants saw Kenya this month deploy troops into southern Somalia to fight al-Shabab insurgents. The U.S. says it is not aiding Kenya's incursion, but America has given Kenya $24 million this year in military and police aid "to counter terrorists and participate in peacekeeping operations," the U.S. Embassy said.

The U.S. government "has had a burr under its saddle about Somalia" for years, dating to the 1993 downing of two U.S. helicopters over Mogadishu, a battle known as Black Hawk Down in which 18 U.S. troops died, said John Pike of the Globalsecurity.org think tank near Washington. Back then, Washington deployed thousands of troops to combat a famine but the mission escalated into a hunt for warlords.

These days, only a handful of U.S. troops are involved directly in Somalia ? special forces who enter on kill missions. In 2009, Navy SEALs targeted and killed al-Qaida operative Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan in a helicopter raid. The Americans jumped out of the helicopters, grabbed Nabhan's body from his bullet-riddled convoy and flew off. The corpse ? like Osama bin Laden's two years later ? was buried at sea.

Pike, who monitors defense issues, said the Pentagon has ramped up operations in Africa tremendously since the time of then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

"The U.S. has really developed an interest in Africa that we just have never seen before," Pike said. "Between all the goings and comings in the Horn of Africa and all this snake-eater (special forces) Sahara stuff, ungoverned territories ... it's all over the place. Since I think an awful lot of it is being run out of Special Operations Command and out of the agency (the CIA), I think it is probably far larger than anyone imagines."

U.S. drones launched from the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean also provide intelligence, and the pilotless planes are capable of being armed.

Al-Shabab counts 31 American citizens among its ranks, a U.S. official in Washington told The Associated Press. They're mostly American-Somalis who left the U.S. to join the group. The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters, said foreign fighters among al-Shabab's ranks want to attack Western targets.

Intelligence has revealed sophisticated and fairly advanced plans by al-Shabab to attack targets in Europe, the official said, but the operations have been disrupted by the recent stepped-up fighting in Somalia.

Ugandan and Burundian troops fighting al-Shabab militants in Mogadishu as part of an African Union force have pushed back the insurgents in recent months and now control almost all the capital. The Kenyan incursion has forced al-Shabab to fight on its southern flank as well.

Though the Kenyan invasion appears to further the U.S. goal of pressuring al-Shabab, U.S. officials say the American military is not providing assistance to Kenya in its incursion.

"The United States has supported Kenyan efforts to improve its ability to monitor and control often porous land and maritime borders and territory exploited by terrorists and illicit traffickers, particularly along its border with Somalia," said Katya Thomas, a spokeswoman at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.

But, she added: "The United States did not encourage the Kenyan government to act nor did Kenya seek our views. We note that Kenya has a right to defend itself against threats to its security and its citizens."

Some aspects of Kenya's military adventure appear poorly thought out. The troops moved in just as seasonal rains began. Kenyan forces are now bogged down in the mud, a literal reminder of the potential quagmire for countries that try to intervene in Somalia, whose last nationwide leader was overthrown in 1991.

A paper published by the U.S. Army examining the ill-fated Operation Restore Hope of the early 1990s concluded that "the chaotic political situation of that unhappy land bogged down U.S. and allied forces in what became, in effect, a poorly organized United Nations nation-building operation."

An invasion by Ethiopia in 2006 was extremely unpopular and gave rise to the militants now known as al-Shabab.

"That's the problem with Somalia, there is just no easy answer," said Cooke, the analyst. "The problem is so huge and multi- faceted that tackling one aspect of it, i.e., beating back al-Shabab, just can't fix it. Part of the problem is that the government we have invested in as our key partner in Somalia is a fiction of a government, and so Kenya can try to create some space but there is nothing to fill that."

The chairman of the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, told the House Armed Services Committee this month that the U.S. must remain active in Africa because terrorists are networked globally.

"One of the places they sit is Pakistan. One of the places they sit or sat is Afghanistan. One of the places they sit is the African continent," Dempsey said.

___

Associated Press reporter Lolita Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Online: http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/somalia/somalia.htm

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/usmilitary/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111027/ap_on_re_af/af_africa_us_military

pat robertson david blaine iowa state evan rachel wood i don t know how she does it katamari roatan

Will foreign policy help Obama keep the White House in 2012? (CNN)

Share With Friends:

| Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/152808620?client_source=feed&format=rss

apple juice brad pitt brad pitt us constitution us constitution articles of confederation articles of confederation

Hospital to name room after Bret Michaels

PHOENIX?? A Phoenix hospital is injecting a little Poison into families waiting for sick loved ones, thanks to a donation from 1980s hair band singer Bret Michaels.

More Entertainment stories
1. Maks: 'DWTS' rant wasn't selfish
  "Dancing" pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy defends himself after Monday night's ballroom rant.
2. You be the judge! Rate the 'Dancing' contestants
3. Kutcher and Cryer lock lips on 'Men'
4. Lindsay Lohan to pose for Playboy?
5. They don't make shows like 'Barney Miller' now

The Poison frontman plans to announce Thursday that he is donating TVs and sound systems for a waiting room at the St. Joseph's Barrow Neurological Institute, where he was treated in April 2010 for a brain hemorrhage. The equipment will allow families to relax and listen to music.

In return, the waiting room will be named after Michaels.

He was also treated at the hospital earlier this year for a procedure to fix a hole in his heart. Doctors discovered the hole when they treated him for the brain hemorrhage.

Michaels says in a statement that the room will be "warm and hip."

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45028293/ns/today-entertainment/

the rum diary new iphone 5 release mary j blige cole hamels cole hamels curtis painter apple news conference

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Demi Lovato Sings National Anthem At World Series (WATCH)

Demi Lovato performed the National Anthem at game 5 of the World Series -- the former Disney darling totally smashed the ball out of the park.

For those of you who found "The New Girl" Zooey Deschanel's version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to be a bit boring and lacking a punch of attitude, then you'll love Demi's traditional, more diva-like version. She even did a few impressive high runs to compliment the touch of soul she added to the performance.

The young Texas native -- and Rangers fan -- took the plate, wearing a red Rangers jersey with a short black leather skirt and a black blazer, and she looked cool, confident and most importantly, happy. The singer has had quite a rough year, after suffering a very public breakdown and completely a stint in rehab for an eating disorder. But looking at the talented teen star now, you wouldn't even know it.

"Getting to do this in my hometown of Dallas, Texas, is such a dream come true, because I've been to these Rangers games many times," Demi told MTV News prior to game 5. "I've sat in the nosebleed sections where you can barely see anything, and now I'm going to be singing on the field. That to me is such a dream come true and it represents my journey and how far I've come. I just feel so blessed and so thankful and so honored."

How do you think Demi did? Do you think she was better than Zooey?

WATCH:

'; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/25/demi-lovato-sings-national-anthem-at-world-series_n_1030533.html

packers bears boeing 787 mike wallace mike wallace johnny appleseed hank baskett kody brown

Obama offers mortgage relief on Western trip

President Barack Obama speaks in Las Vegas, Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. Obama, in Las Vegas during a three-day trip to the West Coast, announced new rules to help homeowners with little or no equity in their home to refinance their mortgages to avoid foreclosures. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Barack Obama speaks in Las Vegas Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. Obama, in Las Vegas during a three-day trip to the West Coast, announced new rules to help homeowners with little or no equity in their home to refinance their mortgages to avoid foreclosures. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Barack Obama, center, meets with homeowners Jose Bonilla, left, Lissette Bonilla, in green, and their children Margarita bonilla, in flower print, and son Mario Bonilla in Las Vegas Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. Obama, in Las Vegas during a three-day trip to the West Coast, announced new rules to help homeowners with little or no equity in their home to refinance their mortgages to avoid foreclosures. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Barack Obama, left, greets homeowner Jose Bonilla in Las Vegas, Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. Obama, in Las Vegas during a three-day trip to the West Coast, announced new rules to help homeowners with little or no equity in their home to refinance their mortgages to avoid foreclosures. (AP Photo/John Locher)

President Barack Obama, right, walks out of the home of Lissette Bonilla, left, in Las Vegas Monday, Oct. 24, 2011. Obama, in Las Vegas during a three-day trip to the West Coast, announced new rules to help homeowners with little or no equity in their home to refinance their mortgages to avoid foreclosures. (AP Photo/John Locher)

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? President Barack Obama offered mortgage relief on Monday to hundreds of thousands of Americans, his latest attempt to ease the economic and political fallout of a housing crisis that has bedeviled him as he seeks a second term.

"I'm here to say that we can't wait for an increasingly dysfunctional Congress to do its job," the president declared outside a family home in Las Vegas, the epicenter of foreclosures and joblessness. "Where they won't act, I will."

Making a case for his policies and a new effort to circumvent roadblocks put up by Republican lawmakers, Obama also laid out a theme for his re-election, saying that there's "no excuse for all the games and the gridlock that we've been seeing in Washington."

"People out here don't have a lot of time or a lot of patience for some of that nonsense that's been going on in Washington," he said.

The new rules for federally guaranteed loans represent a recognition that measures the administration has taken so far on housing have not worked as well as expected.

His jobs bill struggling in Congress, Obama tried a new catchphrase ? "We can't wait" ? to highlight his administrative initiatives and to shift blame to congressional Republicans for lack of action to boost employment and stimulate an economic recovery.

Later in the week, Obama plans to announce measures to make it easier for college graduates to pay back federal loans. Such executive action allows Obama to address economic ills and other domestic challenges in spite of Republican opposition to most of his proposals.

While Obama has proposed prodding the economy with payroll tax cuts and increased spending on public works and aid to states, he has yet to offer a wholesale overhaul of the nation's housing programs. Economists point to the burst housing bubble as the main culprit behind the 2008 financial crisis. Meanwhile, the combination of unemployment, depressed wages and mortgages that exceed house values has continued to put a strain on the economy.

While the White House tried to avoid predicting how many homeowners would benefit from the revamped refinancing program, the Federal Housing Finance Agency estimated an additional 1 million people would qualify. Moody's Analytics say the figure could be as high as 1.6 million.

Under Obama's proposal, homeowners who are still current on their mortgages would be able to refinance no matter how much their home value has dropped below what they still owe.

"Now, over the past two years, we've already taken some steps to help folks refinance their mortgages," Obama said, listing a series of measures. "But we can do more."

At the same time, Obama acknowledged that his latest proposal will not do all that's not needed to get the housing market back on its feet. "Given the magnitude of the housing bubble, and the huge inventory of unsold homes in places like Nevada, it will take time to solve these challenges," he said.

In spelling out the plan to homeowners in a diverse, working-class Las Vegas neighborhood, Obama chose a state that provides the starkest example of the toll the housing crisis has exacted from Americans. One in every 118 homes in the state of Nevada received a foreclosure notice in September, the highest ratio in the country, according to the foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac.

Obama visited the home of Jose and Lissette Bonilla, two grocery store workers whose house was refurbished under a program paid for by the original 2009 economic stimulus plan. The program was designed to stabilize communities hit by foreclosures or abandonment. Lissette Bonilla said she told the president that without his stimulus plan, the five members of her family would still be living in a one-bedroom apartment.

Presidential spokesman Jay Carney criticized Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for proposing last week while in Las Vegas that the government not interfere with foreclosures. "Don't try to stop the foreclosure process," Romney told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Let it run its course and hit the bottom."

"That is not a solution," Carney told reporters on Air Force One. He said Romney would tell homeowners, "'You're on your own, tough luck.'"

The president also was using his visit to Las Vegas to promote a $15 billion neighborhood revitalization plan contained in his current jobs proposal that would help redevelop abandoned and foreclosed properties and stabilize affected neighborhoods.

The Nevada stop was the first leg of a three-day tour of Western states, blending his pitch for boosting the economy with an aggressive hunt for campaign cash.

From Nevada, Obama will head for the glamor of Hollywood and the homes of movie stars Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas and producer James Lassiter for some high-dollar fundraising. On Tuesday, he will tape an appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. He will also raise money in San Francisco and in Denver.

Before the president addressed his mortgage refinancing plan, he attended a fundraiser at the luxurious Bellagio hotel, offering a sharp contrast between well-to-do who are fueling his campaign and the struggling homeowners hoping to benefit from his policies.

The mortgage assistance plan by the Federal Housing Finance Agency will help borrowers with little or no equity in their homes, many of whom are stuck with 6 or 7 percent mortgage rates, to seek refinancing and take advantage of lower rates. The FHFA plans to remove caps that had allowed homeowners to refinance only if they owed up to 25 percent more than their homes are worth.

The refinancing program is being extended until the end of 2013. It was originally scheduled to end in June 2012.

The administration's incremental steps to help homeowners have prompted even the president's allies to demand more aggressive action.

Rep. Dennis Cardoza, a moderate Democrat from California, gave voice to Democratic frustration on the housing front last week when he announced his decision not to seek re-election, blaming the Obama administration directly for not addressing the crisis.

"I am dismayed by the administration's failure to understand and effectively address the current housing foreclosure crisis," Cardoza said in a statement that drew widespread attention. "Home foreclosures are destroying communities and crushing our economy, and the administration's inaction is infuriating."

Obama's new "We can't wait" slogan is his latest in a string of stump-speech refrains he hopes will pressure Republicans who oppose his $447 billion jobs package. He initially exhorted Congress to "Pass this bill!" then demanded "I want it back," all in the face of unanimous Republican opposition in the Senate, though even some Democrats were unhappy with the plan.

Obama has now agreed to break the proposal into its component parts and seek congressional approval one measure at a time. The overall proposal would increase taxes on millionaires, lower payroll taxes on workers and businesses for a year, pay for bridge, road and school construction projects, and help states and local governments retain teachers and emergency workers.

The proposals with the best chance of passage are the payroll tax cuts and extensions in jobless insurance to the long-term unemployed.

Countering Obama's criticism, GOP leaders say the sluggish economy and stubbornly high unemployment rate are the result of failed Obama administration policies.

"It's another day in the campaign life of President Obama, and he's bringing his re-election tour to Nevada, ground zero for the damaging effects of his failed economic policies," Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said Monday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-24-Obama/id-1e137a99abcc46929121818eb82e2877

kevin smith washington monument demarcus ware terra nova miles austin ellen degeneres patti stanger

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Intense Firefighter Footage Puts You Inside a Burning Building [Video]

Click here to read Intense Firefighter Footage Puts You Inside a Burning Building

There are things you instinctually don't do. Rushing into a burning building is one. Fortunately for the citizens of Detroit, firefighters have tossed those instincts aside and with the help of Contour HD helmet cams have created an incredible video that shows what it's like to battle a blaze. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/YxssgsDkb0w/intense-firefighter-footage-puts-you-inside-a-burning-building

matt moore stacy keibler stacy keibler dancing with the stars season 13 cast tay sachs tay sachs watch the walking dead

Sound quality concerns, Off contract RAZR [From the Forums]

Boom! Seems just tge other day I mentioned HTC not bringing any news as of late and now they have scheduled a new event for November. Wonder what it could be? Time will tell, and we'll be right here to tell you all whatever it is as well. In the meantime, hit up some of todays forums post for more Android discussion:

Rumored Device Forums - Motorola XOOM 2
Samsung Stratosphere Forums - No front LED indicator light?
Samsung Galaxy Nexus Forums - Sound quality on the Nexus
Motorola Atrix 2 - Will ICS come for the Atrix 2?
Motorola RAZR Forums - Anyone gonna buy one off-contract?

If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/E3IEbA6PV_8/sound-quality-concerns-contract-razr-forums

bob harper aapl x factor judges x factor judges lemony snicket lemony snicket

'Survivor' favorite to run for Indiana governor

FILE - In this May 19, 2010 file photo, former "Survivor" contestant Rupert Boneham poses for a photo as he attends the CBS Upfront presentation in New York. Boneham, 47, announced Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011, that he's seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for Indiana governor, saying he wants to take on the state's political establishment because he feels voters deserve better. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Rupert Boneham won over TV viewers during 2004's "Survivor: All-Stars" ? earning a nifty $1 million as the overwhelming choice for fan favorite on the reality show. Now the bushy-bearded Boneham is hoping Indiana voters will find him just as charming.

Boneham, 47, announced Saturday that he's seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for Indiana governor, saying he wants to take on the state's political establishment because he feels voters deserve better.

At a news conference in Indianapolis, Boneham said he's the best candidate to replace Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has reached his term limit and can't run next year, because he's "not beholden to any special interests."

In prepared statements circulated later by his campaign, Boneham said he wants to run as the Libertarian candidate because he thinks Indiana voters deserve an alternative to "the dysfunctional state of our current government."

"I have only one interest: Empowering Hoosiers to give back to their communities. If the government puts up roadblocks, then they should be repealed," Boneham said.

"Hoosiers have consistently voted in professional politicians and look at the results. Hoosiers should have a different choice in 2012," he said in the news release.

Boneham, who's known for wearing tie-dyed shirts, won $1 million when he was voted fan favorite in 2004's "Survivor: All-Stars." He donated a portion of his winnings to his Indianapolis-based charity, Rupert's Kids, which provides mentoring and job-training to at-risk youths.

Boneham formed an exploratory committee in August for a possible gubernatorial bid and said he wanted to gauge public support to see if people are ready to elect him.

Among the candidates who are seeking to replace Daniels, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Pence and former Democratic Indiana House Speaker John Gregg are the early favorites.

Sam Goldstein, the state chair of the Libertarian Party of Indiana, said he's "very excited" about Boneham's announcement.

"His nomination would be a great asset to the party and I look forward to working with him and his campaign team should he win the nomination at our convention next spring," Goldstein said in a statement.

The party, which will hold its convention April 14, said Boneham has been a supporter and a member of the Libertarian Party for nearly a year.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-22-Survivor-Indiana%20Governor/id-e76a161bed7a4bfc96c43d640a395e65

caroline wozniacki caroline wozniacki ua ua weeds weeds wings

Shark kills American off Australian coast: police (Reuters)

PERTH, Australia (Reuters) ? A shark killed an American out diving off a popular Australian tourist island on Saturday, in the third fatal shark attack off the country's west coast in two months, police said.

The man, a U.S. national, was killed while diving alone off Rottnest Island, a popular getaway in the Indian Ocean about 20 km (12 miles) west of the Western Australia state capital, Perth.

A police spokesman told Reuters the body surfaced with "obviously traumatic fatal injuries."

Witnesses said the shark was a three-meter white pointer, the spokesman said. The victim, thought to have been 32 years old, has not been named.

Sharks are common in the waters around Australia. Attacks on humans are normally rare, but fatal attacks periodically occur.

(Editing by Sugita Katyal)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/pets/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111023/us_nm/us_australia_shark

miguel cabrera pay it forward pay it forward haunted houses favicon.ico favicon.ico nascar

Monday, October 24, 2011

'Occupy' camps provide food, shelter for homeless (Providence Journal)

Share With Friends:

| Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/151872479?client_source=feed&format=rss

groupon ipo groupon ipo wvu football meteor shower tonight district 9 district 9 pandaria

Obama's foreign successes may help little in 2012 (AP)

WASHINGTON ? By declaring the Iraq war over, President Barack Obama scored what his allies see as a fourth big foreign policy success in six months, starting with Osama bin Laden's killing.

But in his re-election bid, these events might play a discouragingly small role even if they burnish his eventual place in history.

Voters tend to focus heavily on domestic issues, especially in times of high unemployment. That will limit Obama's campaign options.

His supporters are seeking ways to make the most of his foreign policy accomplishments. One approach is to contrast them with Congress' partisan-driven gridlock on taxes, the deficit and other domestic issues.

"Look at the progress the president can make when he doesn't have Republicans obstructing him," said Karen Finney, a former Democratic spokeswoman who often defends the party on TV and radio.

Democratic strategist Rebecca Kirszner Katz distributed a similar remark on Twitter this past week: "Terrorists and dictators, lacking the filibuster, have no effective defense against Barack Obama." It referred to the stalling tactic that Senate Republicans frequently use to kill Democratic bills even though they hold only 47 of the chamber's 100 seats.

These Democrats hope people will see a bold and capable president who keeps his promises when Republicans don't create roadblocks. They note that he approved the raid to kill bin Laden in Pakistan on May 1 and policies that led to last month's drone-missile killing of American-born al-Qaida figure Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen; backed allied actions that led to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's ouster and death; and ended U.S. involvement in Iraq on schedule.

"It is very important for any incumbent to be able to talk about promises made and promises kept," Finney said. The list of achievements, contrasted with President George W. Bush's erroneous claims about Iraq's weaponry in the first place, should help Democrats shake their image of being the weaker party on national security, she said.

"That baggage is finally lifted," Finney said.

Translating that claim into votes for Obama 13 months from now may be difficult, however. The latest Associated Press-GfK poll confirmed that Americans place far greater emphasis on domestic issues, especially the economy, than on foreign matters, including the fight against terrorism.

The poll found Obama's overall approval rating at a new low, 46 percent, for the second straight month, even though 64 percent of adults approved of his handling of terrorism. Only 40 percent approved of his handling of the economy.

Ninety-three percent of those questioned said the economy was an extremely or very important issue. By comparison, 73 percent put the same emphasis on terrorism.

Democratic officials believe Obama's foreign policy record will look even better when the Republican presidential candidates hold a debate on that topic Nov. 15. Leading contenders Mitt Romney and Rick Perry are current or former governors, and businessman Herman Cain has never held public office. None has extensive foreign policy experience.

But voters routinely accept that. In recent presidential elections they have chosen governors from Georgia, California, Arkansas and Texas, plus a first-term senator, Obama.

On Friday, Romney and Perry criticized Obama's handling of Iraq. Some Democrats found Romney's remarks exceptionally harsh.

"President Obama's astonishing failure to secure an orderly transition in Iraq has unnecessarily put at risk the victories that were won through the blood and sacrifice of thousands of American men and women," Romney said. "The unavoidable question is whether this decision is the result of a naked political calculation or simply sheer ineptitude in negotiations with the Iraqi government."

Obama's defenders fired back. "Is there anything more hollow than Mitt Romney decrying `political considerations' in decision-making?" said former White House spokesman Bill Burton.

Perry said in a statement: "I'm deeply concerned that President Obama is putting political expediency ahead of sound military and security judgment by announcing an end to troop level negotiations and a withdrawal from Iraq by year's end." He said Obama "was slow to engage the Iraqis and there's little evidence today's decision is based on advice from military commanders."

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, was more generous. "American forces not only freed Iraq from a vicious tyrant, but ? under the strategy developed and implemented by our generals, and the leadership of both President Bush and President Obama ? ended a violent terrorist insurgency," he said.

Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said Obama "kept his pledge to the nation to end the war in Iraq in a responsible way, he has promoted our security in Afghanistan, and eliminated key al-Qaida leaders." He said Romney "didn't lay out a plan to end the war in Iraq."

Republican strategist Rich Galen said the economy clearly will dominate the 2012 election, and it might undo Obama. As for Obama's foreign record, however, Galen said, "they're doing exactly the right thing" by highlighting every success they can.

Galen said Obama clearly deserves credit for the raid on bin Laden's compound.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111022/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_politics_promises

michael fassbender jumpstart cbi al pacino hu shame shame