Monday, October 29, 2012

Passion for ink, Kipps Lane | Local | News | The London Free Press

When Will Graham opened Neon Crab Tattoos and Piercing in London?s Kipps Lane neighbourhood four years ago, he saw a tight-knit community with potential for growth.

The neighbourhood was ideal because it?s densely populated, on several bus routes and between Western University and Fanshawe College. But the area was wrestling with the false perception it was a violent, unsafe place to live.

?I?m kind of new to London, but what I?ve learned is that everyone hears ?Kipps Lane? and they think ?Gangland? and it?s really not,? he said.

In the last four years, Graham has gotten involved in the community and fought against that negative perception.

His work led to a spot as a finalist for a Pillar Community Innovation Award in leadership. (The awards will be handed out Nov. 13 at the London Convention Centre).

Soon after Neon Crab opened in the Kipps Lane Plaza, Graham launched the Pink Ink event when his staff volunteer their time to tattoo pink ribbons in October to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.

He also works with the Carling-Thames Family Centre painting interactive murals, runs the northeast community market, an outdoor market with a focus on youth entrepreneurship that he hopes one day will be like the ?Dragons? Den of London,? and is trying to start a Kipps Lane business association.

As if that wasn?t enough, Graham also is working on developing a tattoo convention in London.

He?s already laid the groundwork for that by having a recognition and award show for local tattoo artists with plans to expand it to include open submissions from any London artist.

?Tattoo artists are still considered tattooists. We?re not really recognized as skilled labour or artists in our own right. It?s still very much a back-door industry and it shouldn?t be,? he said.

His tattoo studio has grown from the small single storefront it once had with Graham as the only artist, to now taking up more space in the plaza and employing 11 artists.

In 2010, he opened a second Neon Crab Tattoos and Piercing in Parkhill.

Born and raised in Kitchener, Graham travelled Ontario before planting roots in London in 2005.

A multimedia artist, he began his training at Eastwood Collegiate in Kitchener. He worked as a commercial artist for seven years, his work taking him across the province, working on everything from album covers and movie posters to fine-art prints. His work was displayed in Times Square in New York City in June and the Arts Project in London.

Now Graham is trying to raise funds to open a community art gallery where anyone can access exhibition space.

?I guess I just like giving back now that I?m available and able to.?

kelly.pedro@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/KellyatLFPress

Source: http://www.lfpress.com/2012/10/28/passion-for-ink-kipps-lane

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Friday, October 26, 2012

Reputation Management For Your Business | FBF Article Directory

Third, monitoring and responding to feedback is another aspect of online reputation management services. Users get repelled by the negative comments that they find on the SERPs. Any criticisms can also be seen in a positive light provided that they are legitimate. You can?t always prevent it but you can mitigate its effects. Without taking them into the fold is a big reputation management mistake.

Their knowledgeable and skilled chief financial officers (CFOs) can partner with the company as they recover from losses and in the long run strive for business growth. The seller creates an online auction as though he resides in the United States, but responds to buyers with an email claiming he?s outside the United States for business reasons or a family emergency. PC World seems to allude to anonymous posting on Unvarnished that can only happen if someone fakes a Facebook profile. This type of service is defined as passive as it provides detection-only. The problem is that even if you fix the problem that is causing your customers to be angry, those web pages that contain bad reviews still exist, damaging your reputation.

What they didn?t bargain for was that their friends would not take the same precautions. Online Reputation Management or ORM refers to the practice of performing continuous analysis and research for ensuring the reputation of one?s business, personal aspects, professional or industry reputation. Second, the agents working on reputation management services have to find out external posts that highlight your brand in a positive light. Not only do these tools help to bring in more traffic to your website, they also help to ensure that your business has a good online reputation. Many of the bad practices that occurred in the on premises world are now moving their way into SaaS.

However, I think we can all agree that both Nadya Suleman (Octomom) and David Vitter have a right to publicize themselves in a positive light, too, rather than letting their reputations be held hostage to the whims of angry bloggers and forum trolls. By hiring a professional status management team, you will just pay a certain amount of money for the whole service. Beyond the standard re targeting there are also other techniques that businesses can use in order to reach their audience. From the way people buy Christmas gifts to how business pay bills, the Internet has brought a number of radical alterations. It should be noted that corporate reputation management strategies are best when they are implemented in continuous fashion and are designed to promote or maintain a company?s current reputation.

For new businesses, the business plan should take into consideration the kind of reputation the business chooses to build. A note on SaaS versus In-House deployment . The company keeps on top of everything that has something regarding your company on the internet. It also offers an element of giving choices for you to remove unwanted content. The basic search engine reputation strategy is to create optimized web pages that the search engines will position above the negative pages.

Online reputation management will suppress and/or remove the different negative comments that are posted on the web about your business. Although each module for each product has its strengths and weaknesses side by side you need to evaluate each application module against your business requirements (and not user likeability). All of these are tools that support your corporate reputation management strategy. Once you have identified that there is a grievance, legitimate or not, you have to respond fast. These three, particularly, have a great deal of clout, and can be used in almost any situation to improve an online brand.

At this point, one should not be bothered by the editing of the material, people leaving comments or inserting additional references. All this is done through the web using social media channels like Blogspot, Twitter along with online forums. In tandem with his wife Veronique, he created the preschool characters Boowa & Kwala and their amazing online universe, CDs, TV series? Typically a successful Active strategy would be to have any inaccurate references removed through appeal and negotiations while simultaneously working to displace the negative references by increasing the rankings of positive results in Google, and Yahoo-Bing. Whereas in the past, before the internet had such an impact on business, a company?s reputation was built through word of mouth and positive interactions with clients, today, companies also face the added stress of maintaining their online presence and reputations.

So, whether you are looking for a new job, working on wooing clients or even networking with others, someone is going to turn to a search engine sooner or later to find out more about you. When the reputation of a brand begins to taint from allegations and negative rumors, you can trust everyone associated with the brand, not to mention the media, will dig deeper for stories on the brand. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is designed for easy user adoption because of its similarity and compatibility with Microsoft Office and Outlook. Instead, one can expect online marketing agencies offering this service to step into play and craft appropriate responses that put a new ?spin? on the problem. In fact, effective reputation management will essentially suppress negative results so they are less visible than those results that create a more effective image.

It is not easy to watch after every information that goes to the web about your organization. Sometimes its hard to keep social media experiences out of your mind.
Andrew McGlinchey

Source: http://freebookfor.com/2012/10/25/reputation-management-for-your-business/

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Certificates Can Be Better Than Degrees | Modest Money

The following is a guest post. If interested in submitting a guest post, please read my
guest posting policy and then contact me.

When it comes to making smart decisions for your financial future, investing in your education is definitely one of the smartest. For most people this means going to a college or university and getting a degree. This sure is the path that society expects of us, and statistically is a very good choice. People with college degrees, on average, earn vastly more than those who don?t.

However, not everyone has the opportunity to go to college. It?s extremely expensive, takes at least four years of your life, and prevents you from working full time in most cases. And in today?s world of ever changing technology, the things you learn in college can become outdated in just a couple of years.
All through our younger years we are told that ?you have to go to college to get a good job?. And while that may be true still in most cases, there are exceptions. The rise of technology has provided an alternative that may be just as lucrative, and is much easier to obtain than a full degree. Technical certifications. These little pieces of paper may not come with the prestige and four years of partying that a degree does, but they can get a job just as surely, and maybe even more so. And if you already have a degree but are looking to boost your resume, then they are the perfect route to go in.

What are technical certifications?

Technical certifications are essentially a standard determining that you are well equipped at a certain skill. For instance, the Comptia A+ computer technician certification lets potential employers know that you are skilled enough with computers to fix pretty much any problem that arises with a PC. They come in many varieties, and come from many different sources. Companies like Comptia have them, as well as tech giants like Microsoft. If you earn one, it lets people know that you are well versed in that technology.

How do you get them?

Obtaining a technical certification couldn?t be easier. First, decide what you want to get certified in. Popular choices are computer repair, web design, and programming. Then figure out which company you want to get certified from. It may be smart to get several of them at the same time. If they are in the same subject area, they will both test on most of the same subject areas, so the second one will be very easy to get once you have the first. Once you?ve figure out where you want the certification from, get a study book that is specifically for that test. They typically cost less than just a single book you?d have to buy for one college class. Then just do some studying and take some practice tests, making sure that you?re ready to pass. The exams aren?t cheap, so you want to pass them the first time.

Once you feel you?re ready, schedule the exam through whatever system the company provides. They will typically be taken at either a professional testing center or at a university. Pass the test, and you?ll be certified!

What can you do with one?

Mainly, these certifications will help you get a job in some sort of technical field. If you get the A+ certification I mentioned above, you?ll be able to get an entry level computer technician position at most companies, even without experience or a degree. And if you have a degree, they can really boost your marketability to employers. They show that you are seeking to continue your education, learn new skills, and keep up with modern technology. All great things that employers look for in a candidate.

My experiences

I got my A+ certification when I was a sophomore in high school. The next summer while working in an intern computer technician position I was given a $2 an hour raise, just for having this little piece of paper. Sure, taking the tests was just over $100 if I remember correctly, but that investment paid off very quickly. I also have the Microsoft Software Development Fundamentals Certification, which padded my resume significantly when I was applying for web design jobs last month, and was a contributing factor I?m sure in getting one.

Getting a technical certification isn?t something that everyone needs to do. In fact, there aren?t very many people who really need one. But if you are working in the technical field, or trying to get to that point, it is something that you should strongly consider. And, perhaps most importantly, you avoid students loans when getting one, so the long term benefits may outway even a traditional college education.

Author Bio: James Petzke is a college student, entrepreneur, and the blogger behind This Is Common Cents, an online personal finance magazine about frugality, making money, financial independence, and living the dream.

Source: http://www.modestmoney.com/certificates-can-be-better-than-degrees/

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Are Discounts Shrinking?

real estate discounts

Whether they are flippers or buy-and-holders, more than a few investors? business plans rely heavily on healthy discounts between the price paid for a foreclosure or short sale and the full price a property can be expected to command after it has been renovated and rented or listed for sale.

It?s a good idea to play close attention to discount trends in your market, which may require a subscription to a good foreclosure data provider.? On the mythical national level, it?s also possible to get a sense for how discounts are faring.? Right now there are some unusual currents stirring the pond.

Like everything else in real estate economics, distress sale discounts are a function of supply and demand.? However, the factors that drive supply and demand for foreclosures may have little to do with traditional housing economics. Foreclosure supply is increasingly a function of where you live, state laws more than local economic conditions are determining the speed with which foreclosures are processed and, in turn, local inventories (see Foreclosures Split America). Short sales don?t suffer than problem, but to some degree still are limited by lenders.

On the demand side for foreclosures and short sales, is the arrival of big money hedge funds driving up prices?? What about first-time buyers who are finally waking up to the fact that market is passing them by?? Are new investors getting into the game before the rule change?? Are established investors doing as many deals as they can while discounts are still healthy?? I don?t know of any good data that answers these questions, but if you have an opinion, please leave a comment below and tell us what?s going on in your market.

The tight supply of foreclosures has been a major cause of the record low overall inventories that are driving the increase in home values this year.? ?Should prices for foreclosures and short rise faster than full price properties, discounts should shrink.? Depending on whose numbers you believe, though September national median existing home prices have risen from 2 to 11 percent, year-over-year.? Are distress sale prices exceeding that rate and shrinking discounts?

RealtyTrac probably has the best national numbers on discounts, since their data is based on actual transactions filed in the courthouse.? Through the second quarter discounts on properties in foreclosure or bank-owned sold at an average price that was 32 percent lower than the average price of a non-foreclosure home, a slight improvement from a 30 percent discount in the first quarter and also a 30 percent discount in the second quarter of 2011 (RealtyTrac?s third quarter data should be out soon).? ?So it?s safe to assume that distress sale prices were tracking overall prices fairly closely through the first six months of the year.

However, perhaps the RealtyTrac numbers don?t tell the whole story.? As any investor knows, the discount also reflects the condition of the property.? Have discounts on move-in ready foreclosures and short sales actually been shrinking or is the mix of damaged and move-in ready properties changing? Thousands of foreclosures coming on the REO market this year were tied in agonizing long processing delays due to Robogate.? No doubt they suffered damage as a result.? Demand is limited:? amateur investors and first-time buyers don?t buy seriously damaged properties.? Buyers are serious, experienced investors who know what they are doing.? ?Could it be that prime distressed sales have been cherry-picked in many markets, leaving the serious rehabs to the pros (See Why Short Sale Discounts are Growing & The Best Banks for Bargains)?

The National Association of Realtors conducts a monthly survey of its members called the Realtor Confidence Index .? The RCI covers a wide range of issues, from appraisals to sales to foreign investors. The NAR data is not as good as RealtyTrac, since it does not come from actual transactions but it still could give us a better understanding of what?s going on.

The September survey, posted yesterday, reported that foreclosures and short sales sold at deep discounts ? accounted for 28 percent of April sales (17 percent were foreclosures and 11 percent were short sales), down from 29 percent in March and 37 percent in April 2011.? Foreclosures sold for an average discount of 21 percent below market value in April, while short sales were discounted 14 percent. (Note: It?s not a good idea to compare these numbers directly with the RealtyTrac data since they come from very different sources.)

Realtors participating in the survey also rated the median prices for damaged foreclosures and short sales in their markets. ?Foreclosures in the lowest tiers, ?below average? or ?Bottom 1 percent? enjoyed a discount (29.4 percent to 36.1 percent) twice as deep as move-in ready properties and those requiring little work (15.2 percent to 17.0 percent).

It?s quite possible that a change in the mix of quality on the market today could be keeping median discounts? lower than they would be if the mix were the same as it was a year ago.? The fact that discounts have stayed steady in the RealtyTrac numbers may reflect this changing mix and may be masking a shrinking of the discount for top tier quality properties.? What do you think?? Share your thoughts below.

A final caveat.? Discounts aren?t the final word when deciding whether to buy a property.? As my friend Broderick Perkins advises, be sure to do your homework (Don?t judge a foreclosure by its price).

Photo: Mikko Luntiala


Author: Steve Cook

Steve's Website: http://Realestateeconomywatch.com

Steve has written 51 articles for us.


Source: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2012/10/24/are-discounts-shrinking/

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GOP candidates in close races disavow rape remark

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gop-candidates-close-races-disavow-rape-remark-161332932--election.html

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

iPad mini announced at Apple event in California


	Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Philip Schiller introduces the new iPad mini during an Apple event in San Jose, California October 23, 2012.?

Robert Galbraith/REUTERS

Apple debuted the iPad mini on Tuesday.?

?

SAN JOSE, Calif. ?? Apple Inc. on Tuesday revealed a smaller version of its hit iPad tablet computer that will start at $329 and comes with a screen that's about two-thirds the size of the full-size model.

?

Apple starts taking orders for the new model on Friday Oct. 26 and will ship the Wi-Fi-only models on Nov. 2, said marketing chief Phil Schiller at an event in San Jose, Calif. Later, the company will add models capable of accessing "LTE" wireless data networks.

?

The iPad mini weighs 0.68 pounds, half as much as the full-size iPad, and is as thin as a pencil, Schiller said.

?

The screen resolution is 1024 by 768 pixels, the same as the iPad 2 and a quarter of the resolution of the third-generation iPad.

?

"It's not just a shrunken down iPad, it's an entirely new design," Schiller said.

?

Company watchers have for a year been expecting the company to release a smaller iPad to counter cheaper tablets like Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire. However, most were expecting it to cost between $250 and $300. At $329, it's twice the price of the basic Kindle Fire.

?

In a surprise, Apple also said it's upgrading its full-size iPad tablet just six months after launching a new model, doubling the speed of the processor. Previously, the company has updated the iPad once a year.

?

The fourth-generation iPad will have a better camera and work on more "LTE" wireless data networks around the world. Apple is also replacing the 30-pin dock connector with the new, smaller "Lightning" connector introduced with the iPhone 5 a month ago.

?

The price of the new full-size model stays the same as the previous version, starting at $499 for a Wi-Fi-only version with 16 gigabytes of memory.

Source: http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/nydnrss/news/~3/Rpy8y2G8HPU/story01.htm

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Is religion playing a shrinking role in this election? - Texas Faith Blog

Billy Graham met with Mitt Romney this month, offering what some considered his approval of the campaign of a Mormon seeking the presidency. And earlier in the campaign, mostly during the primaries, there was discussion about the definition of religious freedom.

But, by and large, religion has not played a major role in this year?s election. There have been few religious-themed debates over issues such as gay marriage, abortion, the Middle East and Islamic extremism. And there has been little high-profile courting of pastors such as Rick Warren, Jim Wallis or T.D. Jakes.

At least not like in the last several election cycles, where candidates from George W. Bush to Bill Clinton to Barack Obama to John McCain to Sarah Palin talked openly about their religion or courted ?values voters? and their leaders from right, left and center.

With that in mind, the question for this week is this:

Do you agree with this assessment? If so, why do you think religion has played less of a role? And is that a healthy phenomenon?
If not, please make the case for why you think religion still has played a major role. And explain whether you think that has been a positive or negative contribution to the campaign.

JIM DENISON, Theologian-in-Residence, Texas Baptist Convention and President, Denison Forum on Truth and Culture

This is the first election in history with no Protestant on the Republican ballot. One in six Americans think the Democratic candidate is a Muslim; only one in four believe he is a Protestant. The Republican candidate embraces a religion that has historically been classified as a ?cult? by Christian theology. The vice-presidential candidates have provoked criticism from their Catholic church ? Mr. Biden for his pro-abortion stance, Mr. Ryan for his approach to poverty.

Is it any wonder that neither camp is invoking religion?

Another factor: Gone are the days when a single leader could claim to represent or mobilize evangelicals, or American Catholics, or mainline Protestants. I don?t expect another Moral Majority to organize religious constituents as a voting bloc.

The lessening of religious themes in this election is both positive and negative. I?m glad not to see the King of the universe used as an tool of political rhetoric. At the same time, I worry about the perceived irrelevance of religion in our culture.

Perhaps we?re returning to the world of the New Testament, a day when the church possessed little political influence. We were a movement ? now we?re an institution.

Every member was a minister ? now we?re a hierarchy of professionals. As a result, by Acts 17:6 the early church had ?turned the world upside down.? If we focus more on advancing God?s Kingdom than our political agendas, measuring success by service and significance by character, we will once again.

WILLIAM LAWRENCE, Dean and Professor of American Church History, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

Religion is playing a role in the 2012 election campaign. But its effects are more subtle than in other years, primarily because neither party has chosen to use high-profile religious leaders or events as wedge issues in the campaign.

In 2008, forces within the Republican Party chose to wage political warfare against Barack Obama?s local church membership. Based on statements in sermons by his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the opposition to Mr. Obama made such a huge issue of his church affiliation that he was forced to resign as a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Whether there was any precedent for Americans? allowing such political intrusion in private and constitutionally protected religious freedom remains an unexamined question.

This year, Republicans have allowed their fringe friends to trumpet the lie that Mr. Obama is a Muslim. (Being an adherent of Islam is clearly not a constitutionally disqualifying factor in the race for the presidency, of course.) However, mainstream Republicans have chosen not to make an issue of the president?s faith or affiliation.

Likewise, Democrats have chosen not to make an issue of Mr. Romney?s deep devotion to Mormonism. It is constitutionally correct to leave Mr. Romney?s faith alone. But it may be politically unwise. Southern Baptists, it should be remembered, have resolved to evangelize among Mormons and save them from their false faith. And Mormons have escaped criticism for their official policies that subordinate and subjugate women. The Democrats, nevertheless, have avoided making Mormon beliefs a topic for discussion.

It seems that both parties, at least in their presidential campaigns, have decided that religion is potentially too ?hot? an issue to control. Would further attacks on Mr. Obama?s faith rile undecided voters among Jews, Muslims, and others to rally to his side? Would assaults on Mr. Romney?s faith backfire?

But perhaps there is another explanation. Younger Americans, according to one major study, have become very unhappy with religious organizations that tie themselves to specific political ideologies and parties. Perhaps the religious leaders of America have decided that it is in their organizations? own best interests to take a lower profile this political year. It may be that instead of the politicians? reducing their use of religion, religionists are resorting less to politics.

GEOFFREY DENNIS, Rabbi, Congregation Kol Ami in Flower Mound; faculty member, University of North Texas Jewish Studies Program

The primary reason there is less religion this year is because a progressive Christian vs. a Mormon does not a good wedge-issue make. The groups that spin religion as the big issue each election cycle are on the evangelical right. Virtually everyone else is simply reacting defensively to the ?us vs. the godless? posture of the Christian right.

Since there is no self-proclaimed ?true-believer? running for the highest office this year, the holier-than-thou shibboleths don?t resonate so well. Frankly, I find it a relief. The question of religion and the presidency in past cycles generated more heat than light, more than a little pharisaic grandstanding, and mostly interfered with, rather than improved, the discourse.

MATTHEW WILSON, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Southern Methodist University

I think we have reached the point where religion has become so ?baked in? to our politics that candidates don?t even have to talk about for it to matter for vote choice. Candidates almost never talk explicitly about race in presidential campaigns, but no one would argue that racial issues are irrelevant to American politics.

Despite the relative absence of religious discussion in the campaign, I guarantee that on Election Day religious commitment will be one of the biggest predictors of vote choice. The ?God gap,? or the difference in support for Republican candidates between those who attend church regularly and those who attend seldom or never, will dwarf the vaunted gender gap, and will be much greater than the partisan differences stemming from income.

In every election since 1980, the Democratic candidate has been unambiguously pro-choice and the Republican candidate has been pro-life. Beginning in 1972, elites in the Democratic Party moved sharply to the cultural left and away from the values of traditional Christianity. Voters know these things, and they have become so self-evidently true that they don?t really require talking about any more.

At the Democratic Convention in Charlotte, speaker after speaker fired up the crowd with references to abortion rights and gay marriage, and the party infamously struck all mention of God from its platform (something that it hastily and superficially corrected once the media noticed). Given this pattern, do Republicans really need to say much to win the lion?s share of support from religiously-committed voters?

All in all, I would argue that it?s a good thing that people bring their religious values to bear in the political process. To be sure, some do so in a shallow, unsophisticated way, but this is true of every sort of political reasoning that shapes partisanship and candidate choice. Robust religion cannot be a wholly private matter; it must shape how we act in the public sphere as well. When the two parties diverge on such fundamental questions as the nature of personhood and the meaning of marriage, how could voters not decide based on their most deeply held values?

DANIEL KANTER, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church of Dallas

Religion has played a lesser role in this election because we have other things to think about. In the past it has been used as a weapon, a rally cry, and a way to focus voters away from substantial issues to so-called ?family values? concerns.

Those attempts to turn elections into a ?my religion is better than yours? event or to sway people to vote with one foot in a small circle of interest around a social issue have shown our ignorance more than our concern for real values that matter to Americans. Credit the Obama campaign for taking the high road by not highlighting the Mormon faith of Mitt Romney or asking him to explain his faith?s position on the lack of women in power within the faith or it?s support for anti-same gender marriage laws like in California.

Without these distractions we have avoided hearing how one must vote based on one?s personal faith or for or against a single issue. On the other hand let?s ask of both campaigns whether they are asking us to vote on serious issues, such as whether we are promoting a society that cares about mutual responsibility, the care and future of the elderly, access to health care for all, and poverty. I am uncertain we have really filled the gap left by the use of religion in elections with anything more substantial.

GORDON K. WRIGHT, Dallas attorney and a North Texas leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Faith and religion are important to many Americans. It has always been the right of American voters to exercise their franchise based on whatever issues may be important to them. As candidates seek office, they may choose to address those issues that they perceive are important to the public. If the perception of the candidates is that people wish to have the candidates? personal religiosity and faith discussed, then candidates have shown a willingness to raise those issues.

It is important that people of religion continue to have a place in public discussions ? that they not be discounted or ignored simply because their faith informs their choices. This election has raised some questions about religion ? although perhaps not so many as in the recent past.

The candidates have perhaps chosen to allow their positions on various issues ? moral, religious and otherwise ? to pass through each voter?s personal filters without being as overt in striving for a religion-based ?sound-bite? as candidates in the past may have done. If the effort is to allow voters to choose between candidates based on their values, goals, policies and perspectives without attacks on a candidate?s personal religious belief, such a goal may be laudable. If the goal is to minimize the voice of religious people in public debate or discourse simply because their motivations may be faith-based, then such a course is lamentable.

JOE CLIFFORD, Head of Staff and Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church of Dallas

While religion has not played a major role in this year?s general election, it certainly was a factor in the Republican primary process. Rick Perry hosted last year?s ?Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis? in Houston. In January of this year 150 evangelical leaders gathered at a Texas ranch to determine the Republican candidate they would endorse. Prior to that gathering Bryan Fischer, the American Family Association?s director of issue analysis, predicted, ?If Romney gets the nomination, his support (from the Christian Right,) is going to be tepid, lukewarm, maybe even non-existent.? That meeting ended without consensus, so no candidate was embraced by the religious right. R

Robert P. Jones, director of the Public Religion Research Institute, suggests the influence of the Christian right in the Republican party is declining. He says, ?Focus on the Family has laid off hundreds of people. The Moral Majority is no more. The Christian Coalition is no more. So these groups that really were able to translate these decisions made in closed rooms by a group of men deciding who was going to be the next candidate really don?t exist in the way they did.?

This is the primary reason religion has played less of a role in this election. Thanks be to God! Aligning faith with any political party?s agenda ultimately distorts faith and co-opts religion to serve political purposes. I pray current trends continue.

(The source for both quotes was a 1/13/2012 story on NPR by Barbara Bradley Haggerty entitled, ?Evangelical Leaders Struggle to Crown a Candidate.?)

DARRELL BOCK, Executive Director of Cultural Engagement, Center for Christian Leadership, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies Dallas Theological Seminary

I think religion is playing a more subtle role because of the nature of the candidates. There certainly has been much discussion of evangelical support for a Mormon. There has been a focus on values of each of the candidates, but without a direct connection, the interaction has been of a different kind and at a different level. All of this is healthy for it shows our culture dealing with the diversity involved and thinking its way through this, in some cases out loud.

It also has come with less ideological rancor because the card deck has been shuffled in a way we are not used to considering. Issues tied to health care coverage and the moral choices involved in some situations have been on the table. So I think religion is there, just in a fresh configuration.

HOWARD COHEN, Lecturer in Jewish/Christian Relations and member of Congregation Shearith Israel and Congregation Beth Torah, Dallas

I think that Romney has been trying to keep his campaign focused on the economy for obvious reasons. That doesn?t mean he hasn?t gone hat-in-hand seeking the endorsement of high profile pastors in order to gain the votes of the conservative right who are more concerned with abortion, contraception, tax-supported charter schools, stem cell research, and the pseudo-threat of the Islamization of America. It has been reported that Romney?s senior staff has met with a dozen of the well-known representatives of the conservative, Christian organizations repeatedly.

Perhaps his pandering and reassuring of the conservative Christian right is not being played out in the media spotlight because of his ongoing attempt to be all things to all people. He?s against Pell grants until he?s for them. He dismisses the 47% until he is for the 100%. He?s for preserving Medicare but wants it to be a voucher system which in fact would end it. He doesn?t want to lose the middle-of-the-roaders who might be turned off by his promises to the Christian conservatives that ?there will always be a seat for you at my table,? as he promised them the last time around.

Maybe Obama has not talked as openly about his religion this time around because he has given up trying to convince the 30% of the Republicans that he isn?t a Muslim.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Indeed, it is a relief to see the diminishing role of religion in the general election. No American has to live in apprehension, discomfort and fear of the other.

Religion has been used, abused and misused by the self-appointed protectors of religions. No one should privatize and impose their version on others.

Mormons, Muslims and gays are relieved. And all other Americans have welcomed this healthy change. We have come a long way from accepting each new tradition with suspicion. We still have a ways to go with race, but go, we will.

Women are still apprehensive. The evangelibans, as I call them, are bent on controlling women as to what they can do with abortion in extreme cases, and candidate Romney wishes to appoint judges who can repeal Roe V. Wade. As Americans, we need to stand with women to keep government out of their right to live without fear.

The religious right played havoc in the primaries. They ganged up on Romney. And some even called his religion a cult. Mormonism was not Christian enough to them. Finally, the moderate majority rejected other candidates for their extremist views and accepted Romney and Mormonism.

Muslim-Americans were hounded in the primaries. One candidate said he will not even hire them in his administration. The Sharia attackers did not have a clue of what they were attacking. For Muslim-Americans, it is a an alternate means of resolving dispute between two parties, just like the Jewish Halaqa, pastoral counseling or even mediation. A conference in Dallas with virulent Sharia opponents and Sharia scholars was canceled. The fear of putting one?s name to this educational conference prevented sponsors. As an alternate, a website www.ShariaLaws.com is created to dispel the myths of its role in America. Thank God the rhetoric dissipated after the primaries and Muslim-Americans are somewhat relieved.

Gays and lesbians were apprehensive about living their lives. Thanks to Shepherd Obama for taking the bold step and accepting the gay and lesbian community and delivering peace of mind to fellow Americans.

Religion is one of the most beautiful gifts from the creator to his creation. It is an expression of God?s love for his creation to live in peace and harmony with itself and with others through many beautiful pathways. Let the bad buys be villains, not God and religion.

CYNTHIA RIGBY, W.C. Brown Professor of Theology, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

I agree that religion is not playing a big role in the presidential race, this time around. But I suspect this phenomenon does not represent as dramatic a shift in our cultural outlook as seems commonly to be touted.

Statistics from Pew and other religious surveys are being interpreted as indicating we care less about religion than we did before. I don?t think we really cared more about religion ?before?; I simply think it was more politically expedient in the last election, than it is in this one, to make use of religion.

In the last election, the Republican Party could make good use of Senator McCain?s Episopalian-turned-Baptist Protestant pedigree to woo more conservative evangelical voters. In the last election (before that huge round of speculation about whether he is actually Muslim), President Obama was viewed as a Christian committed to social justice. He garnered a great deal of support, by way of this perception, from progressive evangelicals (e.g., those who read ?Sojourners? magazine and appreciate Jim Wallis).

In this election, the majority of registered voters don?t resonate with the religious affiliations of Governor Romney and President Obama, and a good percentage don?t even know what religions they claim as their own. A July 2012 Pew study reports that a full 32 percent of voters don?t even know Gov. Romney is Mormon, and 31 percent don?t know President Obama is Christian. Just 41 percent say they are ?comfortable? with Romney?s faith commitments, and 45 percent with Obama?s.

When over 50 percent of voters do not say they are comfortable with a candidate?s faith, using a candidate?s faith to gain votes is not a good strategy. With questions about Romney?s Mormon commitments and Obama?s Islamic influences in play, it is clearly not politically expedient for either political party to be emphasizing religious affiliations.

As soon as emphasizing religion helps to win votes, and to the degree to which it works to gain votes, you can be sure talk about candidates? faith will be in the mix, again.

What I wish is that we would talk about religion not as a means to some other end, but as valuable for its own sake, because it promotes our well-being.

Source: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/2012/10/texas-faith-is-religion-playing-a-shrinking-role-in-this-election.html/

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McMahon's Obama ad irks some GOP supporters

Linda McMahon's U.S. Senate campaign will not cancel a television commercial that has angered some of her GOP base by appealing to supporters of President Barack Obama.

"I don't know how long the ad's going to run," McMahon spokesman Todd Abrajano said Tuesday. "We're certainly not going to pull the ad. The ad is very effective."

Launched over the weekend, the television spot features a handful of voters identified only by first name who said they are splitting their ticket, voting to re-elect Obama, a Democrat, to the White House but sending McMahon, the Republican party's nominee, to the Senate.

One of those is "Prophetess" Geraldine Claytor, 62, a Pentecostal minister from Bridgeport and a registered Democrat.

At first glance, the spot could be for a Democrat attempting to ride Obama's coattails in blue Connecticut. Neither Obama's nor McMahon's party affiliations are mentioned.

At the end, viewers are encouraged to vote for McMahon on the Independent line, which she secured after collecting petitions over the summer.

The Obama ad has some complaining it appears McMahon has endorsed the president's re-election and thrown Republican nominee Mitt Romney under the bus. State GOP Chairman Jerry Labriola said Tuesday he has heard from many concerned party members.

"I know that Linda McMahon is a strong supporter of Mitt Romney," Labriola said, declining comment otherwise.

McMahon's campaign posted similar sentiments on her Facebook page.

Former Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, chairman of the board of the conservative Yankee Institute for Public Policy, sent an email to colleagues Monday afternoon arguing McMahon was advocating for Obama.

"I do not recall ever asking my supporters to support a Democrat presidential candidate ... even when the odds were against George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 in Connecticut," wrote Simmons, a vocal critic of McMahon's when they fought for the Senate nomination in 2010. "Please tell me what I am missing here?"

Tea party activist Bob MacGuffie said the spot is poorly executed, but he will still vote for McMahon and doubted the controversy will cost her GOP support.

Murphy's campaign and Democrats in general said the ad shows how desperate McMahon is to conceal the fact she shares Romney's "right wing" positions.

Claytor said she has nothing against Murphy but likes McMahon's "vision" and wants to send a strong woman to the Senate.

Asked about concerns McMahon would obstruct Obama if he wins a second term, Claytor said she knows that will not happen and that God is on the president's side.

"I'm a prophetic person," Claytor said.

brian.lockhart@scni.com; 203-414-0712; http://twitter.com/blockhart1

Source: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/McMahon-s-Obama-ad-irks-some-GOP-supporters-3975829.php

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Infamous Collection (PS3)

By Jeffrey L. Wilson

Infamous Collection?the tale of bike courier Cole MacGrath, who gains super powers after an explosion wrecks Empire City ?joins the likes of God of War Saga, Ratchet & Clank Collection, Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, and Journey Collector's Edition?as wallet-friendly game bundles that showcase the PlayStation 3's exclusive titles. The $39.99 compilation?which features Infamous, Infamous 2, a voucher code to download PSN's Infamous: Festival of Blood, extra missions, and more?is a solid package for those who like sandbox titles where you can wreak havoc in a bombed-out city that's suffered societal collapse. Bugs (such as getting stuck in walls) unfortunately dull the experience.

Sucker Punch Production's action title puts you in the role of Cole MacGrath, a generic, gravelly-voiced protagonist who fits into this console generation's unfortunate ho-hum lead character archetype. He gains mysterious energy generation abilities that let him shock enemies with lightning bolts, reverse gravity, and more. The hook in these games is that how you use these abilities in Karma Moments affects not just the gameplay, but how your character evolves as a person.

For example, when a group of people faced off against a line of Empire City cops safeguarding a walled-off area of the city, the game prompted me to either directly engage the cops, or do so within the confines of the crowd. The former is the benevolent option as you put yourself at risk; the latter is the malevolent option, as you incite a riot which brings the police's wrath upon the crowd. As you progress through the game, you unlock more powers catered toward your good/evil inclination. Whether you save or destroy Sucker Punch's beautifully detailed game world is up to you.

The gameplay holds up for the most part. Cole can climb structures, shoot projectiles from his hands, and perform other superhuman acts. Unfortunately, he would occasionally get stuck in a wall or in the ground. Sometimes I could wiggle Cole free; other times I had to reset the PS3.

If you like action games with a touch of superhero flair (or supervillain flair, depending on how you play), Infamous Collection is worth the $39.99 asking price?if you don't currently own any of the games. Gamers new to the series will have a blast slinging cars, hurling lightning bolts, climbing buildings, and battling impressive boss characters. Just beware a few bugs.

More Console Games Reviews:
??? Infamous Collection (PS3)
??? Pokemon Black Version 2
??? Pokemon White Version 2
??? NBA 2K13 (PC, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii)
??? God of War Saga (PS3)
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/tiPltgBzPbY/0,2817,2411142,00.asp

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Rupert Sanders' Wife Liberty Ross:"I'm Very Happy"

Three months after Kristen Stewart was caught cheating with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, his wife Liberty Ross claims "I'm very happy with my life. I'm lucky. I have good people. I have two amazing children."

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/rupert-sanders-wife-liberty-rossim-very-happy-my-life/1-a-496135?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Arupert-sanders-wife-liberty-rossim-very-happy-my-life-496135

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Apple announces 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display: 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, Thunderbolt and HDMI starting at $1,699

Apple announces 13inch MacBook Pro with Retina display 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, Thunderbolt and HDMI starting at $1,699

If the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display was feeling lonely up there on its high-resolution pedestal, it needn't any longer. As expected, Apple just announced a 13-inch version to keep it company. The 2,560 x 1,600 resolution means that 13-inch screen offers a ppi of 232, marginally more than its larger brother's 226. As well as that lovely new display, there's a pair of Thunderbolt ports, and a full-size HDMI port to let you make good use of it with, as well as a pair of USB 3s. While this might not be the primary focus of the day, it will definitely be one of the more hotly anticipated reveals from the company's San Jose event this afternoon. The base model will run you $1,699 and comes with a 2.5GHz i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash memory. At the top end you can expect 768GB hard drive, atop a Core i7. And, like last time, to top it all off, all the new goodies come in a slimmer, desire-stoking design -- weighing a whole pound less than the 2011 13-incher and at just 0.75-inches thick, 20 percent thinner. Already full of want? Then don't hang around, as it ships today! In the meantime, keep your retinas locked right here for our hands on.

For more coverage, visit our Apple Special Event hub!

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U.S. court-martial delayed for Fort Hood shooting suspect

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - The court-martial of Fort Hood massacre suspect Major Nidal Hasan was postponed indefinitely on Monday by the top appellate court in the U.S. armed forces.

Hasan, 42, is charged with 13 counts of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting rampage at the U.S. Army post in Texas in November 2009. He faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, in a one-page order, said the court martial will be delayed indefinitely, "pending further review of the court."

The order came after Hasan's lawyers told the court they plan to appeal last week's ruling by the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals that the judge at Hasan's court martial may order him to shave his beard and that Hasan may be forcibly shaved if he refuses.

The delay is a victory for Hasan, who had requested and was refused a continuance of his court-martial in June. But since then, Hasan has grown a full beard, in violation of U.S. Army regulations, and the question of whether he can keep the beard is winding its way through the courts.

Hasan had argued that he grew the beard to show his Muslim faith and requiring him to shave it amounted to religious discrimination.

Monday's ruling is certain to push the start of the court martial past the third anniversary of the shooting on November 5.

"A speedy trial is definitely not what's taking place," said Kimberly Munley, one of 32 people wounded in the shooting spree.

"These delays have not allowed us to have any sort of closure whatsoever."

Munley and the others who were wounded in the incident, along with relatives of those who were killed, last week began an effort to get the Pentagon to declare the massacre an act of terrorism rather than an incident of workplace violence. Survivors say the change could help them get extra compensation and benefits.

(Editing by Corrie MacLaggan and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-court-martial-delayed-fort-hood-shooting-suspect-012625982.html

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Monday, October 22, 2012

Miguel Cabrera gets in his licks, and his laughs

Associated Press Sports

updated 4:43 p.m. ET Oct. 21, 2012

(Eds: Updates with quotes, details. With AP Photos.)

DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Tigers were in the middle of a workout for the World Series when comedian George Lopez showed up and began milling around near home plate. Almost instantly, Miguel Cabrera was beside him, laughing it up and looking as excited as he'd been all afternoon.

"He likes to have fun," teammate Quintin Berry said. "He enjoys himself. He loves being here, and he likes the loose environment. I understand him having a lot of fun with George and stuff because that's the same kind of person he is."

Baseball's first Triple Crown winner in 45 years seems to enjoy hitting and joking around in equal proportion. Fans are plenty familiar with Cabrera's talent - his consistently high average and awe-inspiring power - but the rest of the Tigers appreciate him for more than that.

Cabrera may be shy in front of a camera or microphone, but there's a goofy side to the third baseman that helps keep his team upbeat.

Now in the prime of his career at 29, Cabrera's approach remains meticulous, but he's careful not to take himself or his job too seriously.

"Besides the business, it's a game. I think baseball is a very fine game and you have to enjoy it," Cabrera said recently. "You have to go out there and have fun. Don't get me wrong, you have to be serious at the same time, but I think when you have a team and try to have fun and get loose before the game and between innings, I think it helps you play good. That's the way I've played since I was a kid."

Cabrera and the Tigers open the World Series on Wednesday. It will be his first trip to the Fall Classic since he was a 20-year-old rookie in 2003 and his Florida Marlins beat the New York Yankees.

Cabrera played all over the field in that postseason - third base, left field, right field, even three innings at shortstop. After being traded to the Tigers before the 2008 season, he eventually settled in at first base. Detroit acquired the Venezuelan for his bat, after all, not his glove.

"He was a good hitter before we ever got him," manager Jim Leyland said. "I mean, nobody here taught Miguel Cabrera anything about hitting."

Still, even the Tigers had to be amazed by what Cabrera did this season. His .330 average, 44 home runs and 139 RBIs made him the first Triple Crown winner since 1967.

"I told him that a Latino winning the Triple Crown is as impressive as having a black president," Lopez said during his visit with the team Saturday.

During the final days of the Triple Crown chase, Cabrera did his best to deflect the pressure and the attention.

"I kind of want to stay away from baseball when I go home," he said. "I want to see movies ... try to play with my kids, try and forget baseball for a little bit."

As outgoing as he can be, Cabrera doesn't always look comfortable when talking to reporters, especially when asked to talk about himself. It wasn't long ago he seemed on the verge of wasting his prodigious talent, when he was arrested at the start of spring training in 2011 - he later pleaded no contest to drunken driving.

General manager Dave Dombrowski said Cabrera has worked hard to overcome his off-field problems.

"I think he's grown in abundance," Dombrowski said. "Just some of the things that when you're a youngster, you need to learn, and the only way you learn is through experience, and he's done that. So we see him in a much more comfortable place - his growth as a family man, his growth on the field as a leader."

Perhaps the best example of Cabrera's team-first mentality came when he moved to third base this year to accommodate newly signed first baseman Prince Fielder. Cabrera's range isn't particularly good, and the adjustment got off to a rocky start when he was hit around the eye with a bad-hop grounder during spring training.

It would have been easy for a player of Cabrera's stature to call off the experiment after that scary injury, but he never did.

"He's a very tough individual," Dombrowski said. "He continued his hard work. I can't say he wasn't concerned, but we were more concerned than him at the time."

Some of Cabrera's quirkier habits may be on display for a national audience once the World Series starts. Watch him after a checked swing. He might signal toward first base himself, as if expecting the umpire to cut him some slack if he appeals the play before the catcher.

Cabrera is focused whenever he steps on the field. The Tigers were scrimmaging Sunday at Comerica Park, and when Cabrera stepped up, he used the plate to help mark off exactly where he wanted to stand, since there was no marked batter's box.

Cabrera is all about details. But make no mistake, he has fun along the way.

"He tries not to worry about anything," Berry said. "He gets bothered if everybody starts worrying too much. He just wants everybody to relax and believe in yourselves. That's pretty much what I take from him."

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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CSN: Will Giants win their first Game 7 ever?

CSN: The Giants have never won a Game 7 in their 128 years of dancing on diamonds. They?ll hand a freshly rubbed baseball and all their hopes to Matt Cain as they seek to outreach the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL pennant on Monday. Could there be a more perfect choice?

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49496471/ns/sports-baseball/

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Reverse brain drain pulls Brazilians home, and Europeans with them

Reverse brain drain means twofold "brain gain" for Brazil as the global recession pulls native Brazilians home and, with them, a wave of European migrants leaving their austerity stricken homelands.

By Sara Miller Llana,?Staff writer / October 21, 2012

Miguel Lago works at the nongovernmnetal organization Meu Rio (My Rio), in Rio de Janeiro. He left Brazil to go to Columbia University in New York and returned in the global reverse brain gain when the economy in his home country turned around. This is part of the "Great Brain Gain" cover-story project in the Oct. 22 issue of The Christian Science MonitorWeekly magazine.

Melanie Stetson Freeman

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When school friends Alessandra Orofino and Miguel Lago were growing up here in the 1990s, their hometown wasn't where they envisioned getting an auspicious start to their futures. It was depressed, dirty, and violent. So like thousands of Brazilians with means, they headed abroad for college ? both to Europe, and she, later, to the United States.

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"When I left, people said, 'You are never going to come back,' " says Ms. Orofino, who graduated from Columbia University in New York City.

RELATED: Four reasons illegal immigration from Mexico to the US has dropped

Both friends ? like many immigrants around the globe ? figured they'd have careers abroad, returning home much later. They were part of the classic brain drain in which human capital flows from developing to developed nations.

But as they began college in the mid-2000s, the Brazilian economy was starting to boom, with a rising middle ? and consuming ? class. Indeed, by 2009, when Rio won the bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, Brazil was an economic magnet for investment and "brain gain" migration. It was no longer a place to flee.

Now, not only is the Brazilian diaspora reconsidering its exile, but educated Europeans, fleeing economic recession, are flocking here.

Orofino and Mr. Lago returned in 2011 and started a nongovernmental organization ? Meu Rio (My Rio) ? to foster citizen promotion of transparency and good government in this era of explosive and lucrative growth in Rio.

"I saw the way that France's public services work, [and] for the first time in my life I experienced what was possible," says Lago, who studied at Sciences Po in Paris. "I thought, we have to fight for that in Brazil."

As Meu Rio opened its doors, Portuguese engineer Francisco Cruz saw firms around him downsizing as projects dried up. So he left his job in Portugal to relocate in Rio, which was drawing up blueprints for stadiums, bridges, and tunnels.

It was "riskier to stay in Portugal with a job than to move to Brazil without one," says Mr. Cruz, who got his first employment interview on his second day here and within a month was on the job at a firm designing Rio's bus transit system for the Olympic Games. The firm now is bidding on an Olympic Park project.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/7GcPAgyWsAo/Reverse-brain-drain-pulls-Brazilians-home-and-Europeans-with-them

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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Baltimore Tourism Group Backs Expanded Gambling ? CBS Baltimore

Latest Polls
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BALTIMORE (WJZ) ? Time is ticking on the upcoming election and the clock is running out to sway voters on expanding gambling in Maryland. Now, as Gigi Barnett reports, the referendum to bring table games to the state is getting support from the tourism industry. Supporters say more gambling means more visitors to Baltimore.

?I think it will be a good thing for the state of Maryland,? said one ad.

?The big losers are Maryland taxpayers,? counters a different ad.

Whether for or against Question 7 on the upcoming ballot, voters are a little more than two weeks away from hitting the polls. Television ads?worth millions?are overtaking the airwaves. It?s in this time crunch that one group for expanded gambling in the city is backing Question 7.

?Harrah?s and Caesar?s are going to come to town,? said Tom Noonan.

Tom Noonan runs Visit Baltimore, the city?s main tourism arm. He says bigger games mean more tourists to Baltimore and greater job numbers.

?People will come to town and stay in hotel rooms and obviously go gambling and use restaurants. For us, it?s all about growing the tourism industry,? Noonan said.

And whether the city is planning to build its new casino makes a big difference, according to Noonan. It?s set to sit right next to M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park.

?That?s a great one-two punch together. People are coming 91 nights out of the year for baseball or football games. They?ll have the opportunity to go right over to the casino and come back,? said Noonan.

That may be a sweet deal for gamblers, but for some voters, a new casino on Russell Street only poses a traffic tie-up.

?[It will be] a mess,? said voter Harry Kunze.

If Question 7 is approved by voters, the Baltimore casino would offer more than 3,700 slots to visitors.

Source: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/10/21/baltimore-tourism-group-backs-expanded-gambling/

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HBT: Valverde says he's fixed, won't stink anymore

Tigers right-hander Jose Valverde has been dreadful this postseason, yielding seven earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings. But he wants to participate in the World Series and thinks he is ready to be more effective.

According to beat writer Jason Beck of MLB.com, Valverde made around 20 throws in a simulated game against Tigers minor leaguers on Saturday afternoon at a crowdless Comerica Park and noticed significant improvement with his delivery.

?A lot,? said Valverde. ?I open too much. I do too much stuff with my hands. That?s what I?ve been working on the last couple days with [pitching coach Jeff Jones], and now it?s over.?

Phil Coke served as the Tigers? closer-by-default last round against the Yankees and will probably remain in that role for the Fall Classic. But a refreshed Valverde would be nice for the Detroit ?pen.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/21/jose-valverde-thinks-hes-discovered-a-mechanical-flaw/related/

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No. 3 Florida drubs No. 9 South Carolina 44-11

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) ? Florida went 0-for-October last season, with humbling losses to Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia.

It bothered coaches and players for a year.

It motivated them, too.

A year later, the Gators have a chance to end the month with a division title.

"I like this better," coach Will Muschamp said. "So does everybody else."

Jeff Driskel threw four touchdown passes ? three of them after turnovers ? and the third-ranked Gators matched their win total from 2011 with a 44-11 drubbing of No. 9 South Carolina on Saturday.

The Gators avenged consecutive losses to the Gamecocks, including one a couple of years ago that ended with Steve Spurrier and his players celebrating a division title in The Swamp.

"We remember the feeling, how bad it hurt," center Jon Harrison said. "We even had guys getting emotional over it. We just used that as pure motivation to come out here and completely dominate this team."

Florida's latest whatever-it-takes win kept Muschamp's team undefeated and put it on the cusp of the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division title. The Gators (7-0, 6-0 SEC) can clinch a spot in the league's championship game by beating No. 13 Georgia next week in nearby Jacksonville.

Florida won this one with turnovers, stellar defense and more halftime adjustments ? the kind of successful tweaks that are making Muschamp and his staff seem like the right fit in Gainesville.

The Gators finished 7-6 last season, barely avoiding the program's first losing season since 1979. The struggles had outsiders questioning whether Muschamp could get Florida back to national prominence.

He's got the team there now ? even if it hasn't always been pretty.

The Gators managed just 29 yards and two first downs in the first half against South Carolina (6-2, 4-2). But they led 21-6 thanks to three turnovers.

Loucheiz Purifoy knocked the ball out of Connor Shaw's hands on the first play. Lerentee McCray recovered, giving Florida the ball at the 2-yard line. Driskel hooked up with Jordan Reed on third down, putting the Gators up early.

It also was a sign of things to come for the Gamecocks, who had trouble holding onto the ball all afternoon.

Ace Sanders fumbled on a punt return that led to Driskel's second TD pass. He found Quinton Dunbar for a 13-yard score. Dunbar spun out of DeVonte Holloman's grasp before coasting across the goal line.

On the ensuing kickoff, Solomon Patton forced Damiere Byrd to fumble. Chris Johnson picked it up and nearly scored. He was stopped at the 1, setting up Driskel's third TD pass to Reed. Driskel faked a handoff and found Reed alone in the back of the end zone, which made it 21-3.

"I'd rather have 1 yard in front of me than 75," Driskel said.

South Carolina failed to generate much offense. In fact, the Gamecocks managed two field goal in the first half thanks to penalties and returned a blocked extra point for two points in the third quarter.

Shaw completed 9 of 20 passes for 72 yards. He was benched in the second half, replaced by Dylan Thompson. Thompson completed 8 of 20 passes for 83 yards, with an interception.

"Coach Spurrier told me at halftime we were going to make the change," Shaw said. "He told me I wasn't getting the job done. I was completely supportive of him. Bottom line today, we just didn't execute."

The Gators put the game away by scoring on all three possessions in the third quarter, getting a 6-yard TD run by Omarius Hines, a field goal and a 6-yard pass from Driskel to Frankie Hammond Jr.

They made South Carolina's defensive front, which dominated in the first half, look suspect. They also better controlled standout end pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who gave them fits early. And they kept South Carolina off balance with creative play-calling that included tight end Trey Burton in the wildcat.

"It was embarrassing for us, very embarrassing to lose," Spurrier said. "We've got to reevaluate a lot of our personnel and get players out there who really want to play for South Carolina. Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have thought this. We had a bad one today. LSU was bad (last week). This one was worse. We've got to regroup somehow."

Driskel completed 11 of 16 passes for 93 yards. Mike Gillislee ran 19 times for 37 yards. Reed caught four passes for 44 yards.

Florida's defense and special teams were much more impressive.

The Gators held South Carolina to 191 yards, including minus-1 in the third quarter. Marcus Lattimore, who didn't start because of a hip injury, ran just three times for 13 yards. And Florida dominated every aspect of special teams. In addition to the two forced fumbles, Kyle Christy had seven punts of at least 50 yards.

"We're on our way to being what Florida used to be, what Florida's known for," Harrison said. "We hope to accomplish that this season."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-3-florida-drubs-no-9-south-carolina-231652101--spt.html

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