Romney sweeps to nomination; convention raps Obama

Delegates from the state of Georgia applaud after casting their votes for presidential candidate Mitt Romneyduring the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Delegates from the state of Georgia applaud after casting their votes for presidential candidate Mitt Romneyduring the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

California casts their votes for presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Texas delegate Clint Moore and the rest of Texas delegates fashion their cowboy hats at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney hands out cookies during a flight to Tampa, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, right, stands on the main stage in the Tampa Tribune Forum before the start of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(AP) ? Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney swept to the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday night at a storm-delayed national convention, every mention of his name cheered by delegates eager to propel him into a campaign to oust President Barack Obama in tough economic times.

Romney watched on television with his wife, Ann, at a hotel suite across the street from the hall as the convention sealed his hard-won victories in the primaries and caucuses of last winter.

"I read somewhere that Mitt and I have a "storybook marriage," she said in excerpts released in advance of a primetime speech meant to cast her multimillionaire-businessman-turned-politician husband in a soft and likable light. "Well, in the storybooks I read, there were never long, long, rainy winter afternoons in a house with five boys screaming at once."

"A storybook marriage? No, not at all. What Mitt Romney and I have is a real marriage," she said.

Aides said her husband of 43 years would be in the hall when she spoke.

A parade of convention speakers mocked Democratic incumbent Obama mercilessly from a made-for-television podium, as if to make up for lost time at an event postponed once and dogged still by Hurricane Isaac.

The Democratic president has "never run a company. He hasn't even run a garage sale or seen the inside of a lemonade stand," declared Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican Party.

"Mitt Romney will preserve this exceptional American legacy. Barack Obama will destroy it," said Janine Turner, an actress and radio host.

To send Romney and ticketmate Paul Ryan into the fall campaign, delegates approved a conservative platform that calls for tax cuts ? not government spending ? to stimulate the economy at a time of sluggish growth and 8.3 percent unemployment.

Polls make the race a close one, to be settled in a string of battleground states where neither Romney nor the president holds a secure advantage. More than $500 million has already been spent on television commercials by the two candidates, their parties and allied outside groups, with millions more to come.

Romney's convention victory was more than five years in the making. He was defeated in his first try for the nomination, in 2008, when he was assailed as a false conservative after a term as governor of Massachusetts.

This time, he had the most money, the largest organization and allies with the deepest pockets, all the better to bludgeon Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and other rivals in television ads across a string of hard-fought primaries and caucuses. Even so, conservatives were slow to warm to him, and it took longer than many anticipated for him to lock up the nomination.

Even at the convention, a residue of the struggle for the nomination was evident.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who never won a primary or caucus, drew several dozen delegate votes ? precisely how many were not announced from the podium. Earlier, his supporters chanted and booed after the convention adopted rules they opposed, but were powerless to block, to prevent those votes from being officially registered. "Shame on you," some of his supporters chanted from the floor.

Boehner, presiding over the roll call, made no attempt to have Romney's nomination made by acclamation, even though Ryan's was a few moments later.

The night was Romney's for sure, but some of the loudest cheers were accorded Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a hero among Republicans for fending off a labor-backed recall attempt last spring.

Convention planners squeezed two days of speeches and other convention business into one after scrapping Monday's scheduled opener because of fears that Isaac would make a direct hit on the Florida Gulf Coast.

That threat fizzled, but it was instantly replaced by another ? that Republicans would wind up holding a political celebration at the same time the storm turned its fury on New Orleans, devastated almost exactly seven years ago by Hurricane Katrina.

Romney's convention planners said they were in frequent contact with weather forecasters, but they declined to discuss what contingency plans, if any, they had to accelerate plans for him to deliver a formal acceptance speech Thursday night.

Ratification of a party platform was prelude to Romney's nomination, a document more conservative on abortion than the candidate.

On economic matters, it backs extension of the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 and due to expire at year's end, without exception. It also calls for an additional 20 percent reduction in income tax brackets that Romney favors.

In a time of 8.3 percent unemployment and the slowest economic recovery in the post-World War II era, that went to the crux of the campaign for the White House.

By contrast, Obama wants to allow existing tax cuts to expire on upper income taxpayers, and has criticized Romney's overall economic plans as a boon to millionaires that would raise taxes on the middle class.

The GOP platform also pledges that a Republican-controlled Congress will repeal, and Romney will sign, legislation to repeal the health care legislation Obama won from a Democratic-controlled Congress. So, too, for the measure passed to regulate Wall Street in the wake of the 2008 economic collapse.

On abortion, the platform says, "The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed."

Romney opposes abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or when "the health and life of the mother" are at stake, he said in a convention week interview.

Obama, who accepts renomination at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., next week, campaigned in Iowa Tuesday as he set out on a tour of college campuses in battleground states in hopes of boosting voter registration among college students.

Before departing the White House, he made a point of appearing before reporters to announce the government's latest steps to help those in the way of Isaac. He signed a declaration of emergency for Mississippi and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local storm response efforts in the state.

His surrogates did their best to counter Romney and the Republicans.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, dismissing GOP attempts to woo Hispanic voters, said, "You can't just trot out a brown face or a Spanish surname and expect people are going to vote for your party or your candidate." He added, "This is a party with a platform that calls for the self-deportation of 11 million people."

Hispanics strongly favor Obama, according to public polls, and Romney and his party have been seeking to win a bigger share of their votes by emphasizing proposals to fix the economy rather than ease their positions on immigration.

___

Associated Press writers Brian Bakst, Thomas Beaumont, Tamara Lush, Brendan Farrington, Julie Mazziotta, Steve Peoples, Kasie Hunt and Philip Elliott in Florida and Steven Ohlemacher, Alicia A. Caldwell and Jennifer Agiesta in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-08-28-Presidential%20Campaign/id-48a75b49d25e4e07870c39cda893bc15

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guttering and fascias in Brisbane, gutte - Quality Gutters and Roofing ...

A home should be built and equipped with high quality materials to make it last for the longest time possible. Aside from the doors and the windows, the roof of your house must be well-maintained well as the gutter systems. You can save time, money and effort when you quality roofing supplies.

Guttering supplies

Gutters are important components of a roofing system. They catch and prevent rainwater from accumulating on the roof. Gutters serve as funnels to keep water from saturating the ground near the foundation. If the ground on which your foundation stands becomes saturated, this will cause instability and risk to your safety. Gutters prevent the wooden parts of the roof from rot and damage. They also help you save money as it prevents erosion, flooding and cracking that may lead to costly repairs in the future.

Gutters should be kept clean and free from debris. Since gutters also catch leaves or twigs from trees, this often causes clogging in the drainage system. It is important to remove these materials from your gutters. In time, gutters will deteriorate. When this happens, it does not necessarily mean that the whole gutter would be changed. Parts of it may just be loosened or detached for replacement. You can check out the guttering supplies in Brisbane, which include hangers, brackets, end caps and gutter guards. These may be easily installed if you have the right tools.

Fascia

The gutters may have been checked for damages or leaking but it is wise to check on the soffit or fascia for signs of rotting. Soffit and fascia are the wooden components of a gutter attached to the roof.

Fascia or fascia boards provide support to the guttering system. They are usually made of wood and are susceptible to rotting because of water leaking from the gutter. However, some fascia boards are made of vinyl or aluminum and others are coated with plastic. Supplies for guttering and fascias in Brisbane are widely available, so it would not be difficult to find the best option. Whatever material you choose to serve as a fascia board, you need to make sure it is durable and of high quality.

Gutters and fascia boards protect your roof from long-term damage. If you are unsure of what to buy for your home, consult a home improvement expert to give you professional advice. Some roofing supply stores have knowledgeable sales attendants to assist you with your inquiries.

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Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?articleid=3515876

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NameCheap Review: Is NameCheap a Good Choice?

NameCheap ReviewNameCheap is a popular, ICANN accredited domain registrar based in Los Angles, USA. The company started its operation in 2000. Millions of domains are reportedly registered using their services every year. NameCheap is considered as one of the biggest domain selling and domain hosting organizations. As the name suggests, NameCheap provides domain names at a considerably low price. They take pride in offering multiple quality solutions to the customers.

Some of these services include:
1. Shared Web hosting
2. Email hosting
3. Dedicated servers
4. Business Web hosting
5. Reseller hosting
6. VPS hosting
7. Domain registration
8. Domain transfer
9. Free DNI
10. WhoisGaurd
Apart from the above mentioned features, there are a number of other reasons why you should opt for NameCheap.

Competitive price for buying domain name:
Every online business looks for cheap domain name registration. Although NameCheap doesn?t offer cheapest domain names, they provide excellent quality at an affordable price. The domain registration fee varies from $3.99 to $11.98 per year, which is pretty cheap as compared to other renowned domain selling companies. If you want to transfer your domain, you will be charged no more than $22.99 per year. Renewing and reactivating charges are also comparatively low. You might find domain sellers offering lower prices than NameCheap, but their services cannot be guaranteed.

Excellent customer support:
Unlike most other domain sellers, NameCheap has the finest customer support system. Their representatives provide guidance to the customers 24/7. They also offer the facility of chat support, which makes it extremely convenient for clients to submit their feedback, or get a solution for their issues. They answer your questions immediately without any delay. Their agents are competent and experienced in technical aspect and are capable of handling domain related problems within minutes.

Reliable DNS servers:
To ensure proper operation of client?s blog or website, NameCheap takes care of the dynamic IP addresses. The DNS servers are extremely reliable and use CNAME, MXE, MX, an address and TXT.

Improved domain security:
NameCheap considers the security of your domain as their top priority. Therefore, they have added a number of security features including Registrar Lock, Grant Modification Rights, Security Notifications and WhoisGuard Privacy Protect for keeping your website safe.

Monthly coupon releases:
Although NameCheap offers reasonable prices, they release coupon code every month in order to reduce the prices of domain names. Customers can easily get these coupons online.

Frequent Promotion Code releases:
Unlike other similar companies, NameCheap releases promotion code frequently for buying domain names. Customers can get domains for only $1.99 including free email, WhoisGuard and SSL certificate. Normally, they conduct a challenge on Facebook or other social media websites, and give the winner a chance to get domain for $1.99.

Free URL and email forwarding:
NameCheap redirects your visitors to any other website or URL of your choice for free. You have to choice to cloak the URL for hiding the destination. Furthermore, you can forward you emails to any other account without any charges.
They accept payment through PayPal, which is an extremely convenient method for most customers. NameCheap is undoubtedly a commendable service provider.

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Source: http://www.thepowersellerdirectory.com/namecheap-review-is-namecheap-a-good-choice/

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Meet the world?s dumbest dumbphone

Smartphones are incredibly powerful devices, but they're also incredibly complex. For us technophiles, that's great?? we love being able to watch videos, download songs, and share things on Facebook. But what's great for us is terribly inappropriate for the tiny hands of a toddler, or even a grade schooler. Enter OwnFone, a device that cuts through the smartphone clutter to focus on the most basic of phone functions: making and taking phone calls.

OwnFones are fully customizable devices: You choose the color, design, and exactly who the phone will be able to call. You need to first decide how many buttons their phone will have: two, four, eight, or twelve. Each button is like speed dial ? press it, and your phone automatically completes the call. You can, of course, choose exactly who or what you want to call by filling out a form online. Right now, the buttons are text-only, but braille and picture buttons are "coming soon." The phone is very simplistic, but that helps it avoid the biggest problems of modern smartphones.

The OwnFone is currently available in England (for now), where you can choose plans between 50 and 500 minutes of monthly talk time. Because the OwnFone does nothing but make calls?? no worries about text message fees or data plan allowances here?? the least expensive plan comes in at the equivalent of $12 per month. The phone itself only runs about $87, which helps take the sting out of that inevitable moment when your child drops his or her phone in the toilet or forgets it in the grocery store. (It happens.)

[via Geekosystem]

This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/meet-world-dumbest-dumbphone-180451015.html

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For Home Buyers That Want The Real Estate Commission For ...

For Home Buyers That Want The Real Estate Commission For Themselves

I remember many years ago, long before I got into real estate, talking to a listing agent in another city about how I should be able to get the real estate commission on a purchase because I wasn't going to use a real estate agent. Wow! She looked at me like I was from another planet. What in the heck was I talking about? I HAD to use a real estate agent and there was no way an ordinary person could get a commission that was earmarked for the anointed. I was dumbfounded by her reaction, which just confirmed that the real estate industry was messed up.

That was probably 20 years ago and if you try what I tried today you probably wouldn't get quite the same reaction that I did but you might very well discover that saving the commission is not quite as easy as you think. We've actually gotten quite a few calls over the past few months from home buyers that are running into obstacles trying to do this.

Why is it so hard for a home buyer to receive the commission on a purchase? Well, in theory it shouldn't be and often home buyers can pull it off. But you can also run into a lot of hurdles along the way and it can get unbelievably complicated. For example:

The Listing Agent May Decide They Are Entitled To Both Sides Of The Commission

This is probably the most common problem that we see all the time. When a buyer represents their self the listing agent is absolutely going to do more work. They might have to show up for showings they would not otherwise have attended. They will have to answer more questions. They will have to do additional paperwork. They will have to do more hand holding. Given the choice between working with an unrepresented buyer and a represented buyer almost all agents, myself included, would choose to work with a represented buyer. This phenomenon is so real that when we sold my parents' home in Dallas earlier this year I offered the listing agent a higher commission for unrepresented buyers (but lower than the total commission with 2 agents involved).

Anyway, because of this dynamic many listing agents will refuse to give up any commission to an unrepresented buyer and this can get really sticky. For instance, they can make a very credible claim that they are the procuring cause of the buyer finding the home and therefore they are the only agent entitled to the buy side commission. Even if the buyer later brings in their own real estate agent the listing agent can refuse to pay them anything or the whole amount. In fact, in the Chicago suburbs it's not unusual to see a listing with a variation of this note: "If listing agent shows property, buyer's agent must pay 50% referral." I suspect that note is there to prevent a buyer's agent from swooping in at the last minute to collect a big fat commission.

The Listing Agent Might Insist That You Get Your Own Agent

This actually happened to some buyers who consequently became our clients. The listing agent was concerned about the buyers not having their own agent. Either it was an integrity issue for her or she wanted to avoid the difficulties of dealing with unrepresented buyers. In either case she told the buyers to get their own agent.

The Listing Agent May Decide To Keep Both Sides Of The Commission Just Because They Can

This is actually a subtle variation of the previous issue often encountered. Technically the listing agent is entitled to the entire commission and they decide how to share it with a buyer's agent. If there is no buyer's agent they can keep both sides - even if they don't really do any additional work. Many listing agents will decide to exercise this right. They might even tell you that they are foregoing a portion of the commission but then still pocket the whole thing. You won't ever really know if they did - until perhaps closing.

The Listing Agent May Believe That A Buyer Can't Receive The Commission

When I was taking one of the required Illinois real estate classes several years ago the instructor was actually the woman who wrote the book. She has been in the business since 1975 and has been teaching real estate classes since 1989. She has worked with the state and local real estate organizations on educational materials. Yet, when I told her that my business model involved a commission rebate to the buyer she insisted that I could not do this because it was illegal. I knew she was wrong so I just dropped it. But there are a lot of realtors out there that believe that buyers can not receive the commission.

How Exactly Do You Get The Commission And How Should It Be Documented?

There are actually 3 different ways that you can get the economic benefit of the commission. You could get a price reduction. You could get a credit on the closing statement. You could receive a check after closing. And there are a variety of documentation alternatives for these. The listing agent, the seller, the two attorneys, and most importantly your lender all have opinions on this. In fact, if not handled properly your lender can totally disallow the commission savings.

That reminds me. If you are buying a short sale or a bank owned property then the seller's lender has an opinion on this matter also and that opens up a whole other can of worms. In these cases the seller's lender can prevent you from getting the commission.

So Is There Any Way For A Home Buyer To Get The Commission?

Yes. And the solution is pretty simple actually. Just find a realtor that either rebates a healthy portion of the commission or works by the hour in exchange for a 100% rebate of the real estate commission. But, in light of the issues I discussed above, be sure to engage this realtor early on in the process - before you actually start seriously looking at properties. You can go to open houses by yourself but to keep the vultures at bay just tell the listing agent or their minions that you are already working with someone - but be prepared with a realtor's name in case they ask you.

With this approach, on a net basis, you won't get the full economic benefit of the commission but, depending upon the brokerage model you engage, you can get substantially all of it. In exchange for giving up some portion of the commission you will get the benefit of professional help. Like I always say you can change your own oil but is that really the best use of your time? The goal is not to "save" as much money as possible but rather to save as much money as possible without wasting your own time. If you effectively pay a realtor $75 - $100/ hour to do work that you would not do as well in twice the amount of time then that's a pretty good trade off.

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Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/getting-real/2012/08/homebuyers-that-want-the-real-estate-commission/

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Outsourcing Payroll Saves Time and Money ? Kiwicontacts

Companies often face the problem when a hospital employee to go or can not complete their work for whatever reason. External Payroll Company will have support mechanisms in place to be able to process your salary no matter what.

If a company outsources payroll, he can look to make huge savings compared to having the home ministry. As well as the lower cost of outsourcing in many cases, there are no hidden costs are often found through the hiring and providing benefits to members of staff.
For many start-up businesses, payroll and tax world might be the biggest obstacle of turning business dreams into reality.

This is why most companies now prefer to outsource payroll jobs along with other areas of their accounting. There are many benefits to outsourcing payroll to an external company. Some key elements are:

Not in the home position

having your own home can prove costly bookkeeping, bookkeeper average cost to the company of ? 35,000 per year upwards. Obviously this is a cost that many medium-sized businesses do not always have to buy direct.

Effective report

if the company chooses to outsource its payroll, the company will offer a choice of certain payroll reports. If your company is suffering from the high cost of overtime or for a particular client report can help to highlight problem areas enabling quick action.
Staff Benefits

the secret to a happy workplace is a happy staff. Problems with payments that are often the main cause of the interference between the staff and their employers. Outsourcing your payroll means the company can offer services such as direct deposit to bank accounts and tax consultant. The service is usually exclusive to large companies but their service employees will greatly appreciate.

Expert knowledge

as with any sized business can recognize the most difficult element of running any enterprise is aware of regulations affecting them. This issue is no different when it comes to the world of taxation and pay.

A little mistake on the filing of tax returns could cost the company a lot of money in fines. It is similar to outsourcing payroll that is built into the company?s contract is no guarantee against penalties affect the client.

Also because of the size of the clothing, the company can be sure that outsourcers are up to date with developments in the field of accounting and taxation.

Source: http://www.kiwicontacts.org/2012/08/outsourcing-payroll-saves-time-and-money/

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Tropical Storm Isaac lashes Cuba, with Florida Keys in sights

HAVANA (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Isaac, back over warm ocean waters, lashed Cuba with winds and rain as it swept toward the Florida Keys, where it was expected to strike at or near hurricane strength on Sunday.

The storm left six dead in Haiti, still recovering from a 2010 earthquake, and at least three missing in the Dominican Republic after battering their shared island of Hispaniola on Saturday.

No deaths or injuries had been reported in Cuba, which got off lightly when the storm crossed its eastern flank instead of raking up the length of the island as originally predicted, but it still sustained damage.

Isaac was expected to strengthen to a Category 2 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour, as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall at midweek on the U.S. Gulf Coast, somewhere between Florida and Louisiana, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) Sunday, Isaac was about 135 miles east-southeast of Key West and packing top sustained winds of 65 miles an hour, according to the Miami-based NHC.

The storm's driving winds and heavy rains were already being felt intermittently across south Florida and it was expected to be at or near hurricane force when it swept across the Florida Keys by Sunday evening, the NHC said in an advisory.

A storm becomes a hurricane when sustained winds reach a minimum of 74 miles per hour.

Energy producers in the Gulf of Mexico were shutting down production and the U.S. Republican Party said it would recess its national convention in Tampa, Florida for a day out of safety concerns as the storm bore down on the state.

The storm could force a short-term shut-down of 43 percent of U.S. offshore oil capacity and 38 percent of its natural gas output, according to forecasters at Weather Insight, an arm of Thomson Reuters.

Republicans, who will formally nominate former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as their presidential candidate for the November election, will convene their four-day meeting on Monday as scheduled, then recess until Tuesday.

Tampa, located on Florida's west coast, faces a threat of from both winds and heavy rains from Isaac, according to NHC meteorologist David Zelinsky.

"For the Tampa area, storm surge values could be three to five feet above ground," Zelinsky said, referring to the threat of storm-driven inundations of the city from Tampa Bay.

In its latest advisory, the NHC said Isaac was churning west-northwest at 20 miles per hour. The storm was officially expected to make landfall anywhere between the Florida Panhandle and eastern Louisiana early on Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane.

CRASHING WAVES, FLOODING

In Cuba, Baracoa, the island's easternmost city, appeared to get the worst of the storm, which sent 13-foot (4-metre) waves crashing over the seawall and into the streets. Cuban TV reports said more than a thousand people had to be evacuated and 50 buildings were damaged.

"The force of the waves has destroyed the farmer's market for small businesses, also the children's area of a park and various homes," said Baracoa resident Olider Aguilera by telephone. "But I can tell you that the people are not afraid. They're accustomed to meteorological phenomena stronger than this," he told Reuters.

In Haiti, Isaac added to the misery of more than 350,000 survivors of the 2010 earthquake still living in flimsy resettlement camps as water gushed into tents and corrugated plastic shacks ripped apart by the wind.

Authorities said six people were known dead, including a 10-year-old girl killed when a wall fell on her and a woman crushed to death by a falling tree.

Many main roads were blocked or impassable and 14,000 people had been evacuated to shelters, authorities said.

In the Dominican Republic, officials said three people were missing, including the mayor of a town near Santo Domingo swept away as he tried to save another person from a flooded river.

Officials said 764 homes had been damaged by the storm and more than 9,600 people evacuated from storm-struck areas.

(Additional reporting by Tom Brown, David Adams, Jane Sutton and Kevin Gray in Miami; Nelson Acosta in Havana, Susana Ferreira in Port-au-Prince and Manuel Jimenez in Santo Domingo; Editing by Tom Brown, Patrick Graham and Vicki Allen)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tropical-storm-isaac-hits-cuba-drenching-haiti-022351417.html

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US doping agency erases Lance Armstrong's titles

His seven Tour de France titles stripped away and his legacy in tatters, Lance Armstrong is heading back outdoors and into the public eye.

A day after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency punished Armstrong with a lifetime ban from professional cycling and erased 14 years of his career after concluding he used performance-enhancing druugs, Armstrong is scheduled to ride in a mountain bike race in Aspen, Colo., on Saturday and follow it up by running a marathon there Sunday.

And he has no plans to slow down any time soon, despite the whirlwind of controversy swirling around him.

Armstrong spokesman Mark Higgins said Armstrong also still plans to attend the World Cancer Congress in Montreal where's he scheduled to deliver a keynote address to thousands in attendance.

"He's getting out there," Higgins said.

Anti-doping and cycling officials will continue to address his career.

USADA said Friday it expects cycling's governing body to take similar action, but the International Cycling Union was measured in its response, saying it first wanted a full explanation of why Armstrong should relinquish Tour titles he won from 1999 through 2005.

The Amaury Sport Organization, which runs the world's most prestigious cycling race, said it would not comment until hearing from the UCI and USADA. The U.S. agency contends the cycling body is bound by the World Anti-Doping Code to strip Armstrong of one of the most incredible achievements in sports.

Armstrong, who retired a year ago and turns 41 next month, said Thursday he would no longer challenge USADA and declined to exercise his last option by entering arbitration. He denied again that he ever took banned substances in his career, calling USADA's investigation a "witch hunt" without any physical evidence.

USADA chief executive Travis Tygart described the investigation as a battle against a "win-at-all-cost culture," adding that the UCI was "bound to recognize our decision and impose it."

"They have no choice but to strip the titles under the code," he said.

That would leave Greg LeMond as the only American to win the Tour de France, having done so in 1986, 1989 and 1990.

LeMond did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment left through his attorneys and friends.

Armstrong on Friday sent a tweet about his plans to race in Aspen, but did not comment directly on the sanctions.

The UCI and USADA have engaged in a turf war over who should prosecute allegations against Armstrong. The UCI even backed Armstrong's failed legal challenge to USADA's authority, and it cited the same World Anti-Doping Code in saying that it wanted to hear more from the U.S. agency.

"As USADA has claimed jurisdiction in the case, the UCI expects that it will issue a reasoned decision" explaining the action taken, the Switzerland-based organization said in a statement. It said legal procedures obliged USADA to fulfill this demand in cases "where no hearing occurs."

If Tour de France officials follow USADA's lead and announce that Armstrong has been stripped of his titles, Jan Ullrich could be promoted to champion in three of those years. Ullrich was stripped of his third-place finish in the 2005 Tour and retired from racing two years later after being implicated in another doping scandal.

The retired German racer expressed no desire to rewrite the record book of cycling's greatest event, even though he would be the biggest beneficiary.

"I know how the order was on the finishing line at the time," Ullrich said. "I've finished with my professional career and have always said that I was proud of my second-place finishes."

The International Olympic Committee said Friday it will await decisions by USADA and UCI before taking any steps against Armstrong, who won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Games. Besides the disqualifications, Armstrong will forfeit any medals, winnings, points and prizes, USADA said, but it is the lost titles that now dominate his legacy.

Every one of Armstrong's competitive races from Aug. 1, 1998, has been vacated by USADA, established in 2000 as the official anti-doping agency for Olympic sports in the United States. Since Armstrong raced in UCI-sanctioned events, he was subject to international drug rules enforced in the U.S. by USADA. Its staff joined a federal criminal investigation of Armstrong that ended earlier this year with no charges being filed.

USADA said its evidence came from more than a dozen witnesses "who agreed to testify and provide evidence about their firsthand experience and/or knowledge of the doping activity of those involved in the USPS conspiracy," a reference to Armstrong's former U.S. Postal Service cycling team.

The unidentified witnesses said they knew or had been told by Armstrong himself that he had "used EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and cortisone" from before 1998 through 2005, and that he had previously used EPO, testosterone and Human Growth Hormone through 1996, USADA said. Armstrong also allegedly handed out doping products and encouraged banned methods ? and even used "blood manipulation including EPO or blood transfusions" during his 2009 comeback race on the Tour.

In all, USADA said up to 10 former Armstrong teammates were set to testify against him. Had Armstrong chosen to pursue arbitration, USADA said, all the evidence would have been available for him to challenge.

"He chose not to do this knowing these sanctions would immediately be put into place," the statement said.

Armstrong said he has grown tired of defending himself in a seemingly endless fight against charges that he doped while piling up more Tour victories than anyone. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he passed as proof of his innocence during his extraordinary run of Tour titles.

"There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now," Armstrong said Thursday night, before the deadline to enter arbitration.

His success helped sell millions of the "Livestrong" plastic bracelets and enabled him to promote cancer awareness and research, raising nearly $500 million since his Lance Armstrong Foundation was started in 1997.

Foundation officials said they remained "proud" of Armstrong and had received hundreds of messages of support from donors, partners and supporters since his announcement. Among them was Nike Inc., which said it planned to continue supporting Armstrong and the foundation.

"Lance has stated his innocence and has been unwavering on this position," the company said.

Anheuser-Busch said its partnership with Armstrong was unchanged. American Century Investments, another partner, issued a statement supporting him.

___

AP National Writer Eddie Pells, AP Sports Writers Graham Dunbar and Paul Logothetis, and freelance writer James Raia contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-doping-agency-erases-lance-armstrongs-titles-214459174--spt.html

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Drug test can block the road to Eagle Ford riches

While the Eagle Ford Shale holds out the promise of tens of thousands of jobs, many job seekers aren't making the cut, while qualified workers are facing a bottleneck in obtaining credentials for trucking jobs, experts said Friday.

Employers say they're rejecting 30 percent to 40 percent of all shale job applicants because they can't pass a pre-employment drug test, said Leodoro Martinez, who moderated a panel discussion about workforce issues at the Texas Economic Development & Energy Summit attended by 175 at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel.

The audience included energy industry officials, elected officials, public officials and economic development officials.

Drug use is ?a family, school and community problem? that needs to be addressed but won't be easily solved, said Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio.

Doug Ridge, director of employer initiatives for the Texas Workforce Commission, agreed, saying drug use ?is a big, big problem, a major problem.?

The problem isn't occurring among all applicants, Ridge said after the panel discussion. ?I'm not seeing it in engineers or the professions,? he said, but he said it's a problem among applicants for jobs on rigs or as truckers.

An audience member asked if students are being told that they could land a great job in the shale ? but only if they stay away from drugs.

Ridge cited a program called GeoFORCE, which encourages promising but at-risk students to avoid drugs while showing them the opportunities in the energy industry.

The summer outreach program for eighth- through 12th-grade students for now is concentrating only on some Southwest Texas and Houston schools.

It's run by the University of Texas at Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences.

?We hold that program out as a best practice,? Ridge said. ?It's a very impressive program, but it's too small.?

A study by the University of Texas at San Antonio estimated that 20 counties in the Eagle Ford Shale supported 47,097 full-time jobs in 2011, a number that's expected to grow to 116,972 full-time jobs by 2021.

For now, many of the jobs in demand are for truckers. And a pay range of $25,000 to $80,000 a year is attracting many applicants, according to Workforce Solutions Alamo officials. But even solid job applicants are being stymied by the licensing system, panelists said.

?The whole process of getting the CDL (commercial driver's license) is backed up,? said Martinez, who also is chairman of the Eagle Ford Consortium.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is responsible for handling CDL applications.

DPS spokesman Tom Vinger said DPS ?is addressing the increased demand for CDLs with our existing resources, and our examiners are processing them as quickly possible.?

DPS is expected to continue having to make do with existing resources. Rep. Rafael Anch?a, D-Dallas, told summit attendees that because of budget cuts, he isn't hopeful that the Legislature will be able to increase funding to DPS to help expedite CDL applications process.

Vinger recommended that applicants help streamline the process by scheduling their skills test online. ?The skills test is a critical requirement to ensure the proper certification of a commercial vehicle driver, which ultimately impacts the safety of all travelers on the roadway.?

vvaughan@express-news.net

Source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/energy/article/Drug-test-can-block-the-road-to-Eagle-Ford-riches-3813925.php

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Miscellaneous Mentionables, Teenage Drinking, Sports Illulstrated ...

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I frequently receive email from companies asking me to share news or discounts with my readers. Each week I?ll gather the best requests and share them with you here.

Frankenweenie National Dog Day

Walt Disney Studios? FRANKENWEENIE wishes you a happy National Dog Day this Sunday, August 26th!

?Like? FRANKENWEENIE on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FrankenweenieMovie

FRANKENWEENIE arrives in theatres everywhere on October 5th!

Anheuser-Busch Family Talk About Drinking program

The school year brings new surroundings and social situations, which makes it an ideal time for parents to talk with their teens about not drinking. A new survey positively reveals that many parents have already started the conversation ? and that their teens were receptive:

? Two-thirds of parents (67 percent) said they?ve talked with their teens about drinking during the back-to-school season

? 88 percent of those parents felt their teens were receptive to the conversation

? Separately, 67 percent of parents surveyed feel they have influence on their teens? decisions about underage drinking and their teens listen to them.

For those of you that haven?t yet had that talk, Anheuser-Busch?s Family Talk About Drinking program?s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ABFamilyTalk) continues to help parents start the conversation and maintain an ongoing dialogue. The page features a downloadable parent guide and forum for visitors to ask questions and share stories, as well as periodic live chats with certified parent coach MJ Corcoran.

Nominate Someone Special for Sports Illulstrated Kids SportsParent of the Year Contest

For the first time ever, Sports Illustrated Kids is naming a ?SportsParent of the Year? and would like to invite you to enter or nominate an inspirational SportsParent! Modeled after the famed Sportsman and SportsKid of the Year awards, the SportsParent of the Year title will honor a parent who embodies the essence of sportsmanship. After all, we wouldn?t have a Sportsman or SportsKid without the role model who initially set the example. A true SportsParent is dedicated to using sports to support family and community, not scores and trophies. The SportsParent will exemplify qualities that SI Kids aims to impart to children through a shared passion for sports, including fun, dedication, healthy living, and the value of community and team.

The ?2012 SportsParent of the Year? Grand Prize Winner will receive a $1,000 gift card to support his/her child?s or community team?s sports needs! The winner may also be featured in an upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated Kids magazine and/or on SIKids.com. Deadline for contest entries end 9/24.

As a special offer for you, SI Kids is providing their August tablet issue COMPLETELY FREE! The tablet edition has everything that the print magazine has, but also includes bonus photos and interactive features like games and sports cards that kids will love! Simply download the SI Kids app on iPad or Kindle Fire, and use these credentials to access this latest issue:

? login: trialissue@sikids.com
? password: free2012

Or, if you want to receive an entire year of SI Kids in print and on tablet for only $19.95, you can subscribe immediately by heading HERE.

It?s not too late to nominate their exceptional young athletes for this year?s ?SportsKid of the Year? award, sponsored by Goldfish. This award honors a young athlete, ages seven to fifteen, for superior performance on the field, in the classroom and in service to the community. To nominate your athlete go HERE.

About Sports Illustrated Kids

SI Kids is THE magazine for boys and girls who love sports. It presents sports the way kids want to read about them: with great action photos, easy-to-read stories about star athletes, helpful instructional tips from the pros, and humor, comics, and activities. SI Kids is a great way to encourage kids to read, and it has won highest honors from the Association of Educational Publishers and the Parents? Choice Award.

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Tags: Anheuser-Busch Family Talk, Disney, Frankenweenie, National Dog Day, Sports Illustrated Kids

Category: Announcements

Source: http://www.valmg.com/index.php/2012/miscellaneous-mentionables-135/

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