Friday, August 31, 2012

Analysis: Things we've learned at the Republican convention

TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - Mitt Romney's campaign choreographed the Republican National Convention to sell voters on three ideas: that the party is unified behind Romney; that he is a qualified presidential candidate who's warmer than he seems, and that his running mate, Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan, is ready to be one step from the presidency.

Ryan took his turn at trying to make the sale on Wednesday night in a convention speech that had Republican delegates roaring with approval. On Thursday, it's Romney's turn.

Whether the convention will give Romney a significant bounce in the polls over Democratic President Barack Obama is not yet clear.

But already this week, the convention has revealed a few other insights about the Republican Party:

DIVISIONS

**Despite shows of unity at the convention, the divisions in the party are deep.

The most obvious sign of discontent at the convention came on Tuesday, when about half of Maine's 24-member delegation walked out of a convention session to protest a move by party leaders to replace them because of alleged procedural violations.

The ousted delegates backed libertarian Texas Congressman Ron Paul; those who replaced them supported Romney.

Another dispute over a Romney-backed plan, aimed at making it more difficult for delegates to switch allegiances to presidential candidates, led some Paul supporters to shout, "Cheater! Cheater!" as Romney supporters chanted, "Please sit down! Please sit down!" and "USA! USA!"

So what's really behind all this?

Look back to the presidential primaries for a clue.

Romney, despite huge advantages in organization and fundraising, had trouble locking up the Republican nomination because many conservatives were - and remain - deeply suspicious of his moderate record as Massachusetts governor, particularly his previous support for a healthcare overhaul and abortion rights.

Paul never led polls in the primary race, but at various times Romney trailed conservatives Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum as activists who are among the party's most loyal voters looked for an alternative to Romney.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

**These divisions aren't going away anytime soon.

For this election, Romney, 65, has formed an alliance with some of the brightest young conservatives in the Republican Party, including Ryan, 42; Florida Senator Marco Rubio, 41; Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, 44, and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, 40.

But on the convention floor, many of the delegates are even younger, and have mixed feelings about Romney even if they were bound to vote for his nomination here.

They represent a new generation of Republicans who believe that the party - which has moved to the right in the last quarter-century - hasn't done so quickly enough.

They see new icons in Wisconsin's Walker, who backed a state measure that stripped most public workers of their collective bargaining rights and then survived a recall election backed by the workers' unions.

"A lot of people are upset" that the party isn't more conservative, said Travis Bryan, 31, of Pasadena, Texas. He is a Romney delegate but was not happy with the procedural moves against Paul's supporters at the convention.

Another Texas delegate, John Burroughs, said the effort to suppress Romney's opposition at the convention - which included having convention officials ignore vote totals that delegations announced for Paul or anyone other than Romney - "doesn't bode well for the party. It's an illusion that we have 100 percent unity."

2016

**This convention could be about 2016 as much as it is about 2012.

Several of the convention speakers could become presidential or vice presidential contenders in four years if Romney loses to Obama, and that seemed evident in their speeches.

Santorum, Haley and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were among those who dwelled on their own story before offering praise for Romney.

Christie, for example, did not mention Romney until the fifth page of his seven-page speech. Santorum, a bitter rival of Romney's during the primaries, mentioned Romney's name three times in his 14-minute speech.

Republicans and Democrats alike have described this election as a benchmark - a once-in-a-generation event that could set the course for American politics for decades.

The current makeup of the Republican Party's leadership suggests that after Romney - whether that's as soon as this year or as late as 2020, if he is elected president and serves the maximum two four-year terms - the flood gates will open to a new generation of Republican leadership.

In Tampa this week, that fact has been difficult to ignore.

"We're focused on this fall - for now," one Republican strategist said. "But yeah, part of the deal here is to position yourself for the future."

ABORTION

**Abortion was never going to be the primary issue of the 2012 campaign. But with Romney as the Republican nominee, don't expect it to come up much.

Romney wants his campaign to be about fixing the struggling economy, not the social issues that are so important to evangelical Christians and other social conservatives who are particularly well-represented among the convention delegates.

Abortion also is an issue on which some conservative Republicans are wary of Romney, because he supported abortion rights when he was Massachusetts governor. Today he says he opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest, or when the health or life of the pregnant woman is in danger.

That position is more in line with that of many conservative Republicans, but not quite so with the no-exceptions view held by many delegates.

In Tampa, Romney's priorities have won out, because it's his convention.

As a result, even convention speakers who typically make a point of targeting abortion - such as Santorum and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee - touched on the subject only briefly in their remarks here.

That helped Romney - and may have helped to tamp down a controversy over remarks about rape that a Republican congressman from Missouri made a few days before the convention.

COMMUNICATING

**Mitt Romney might not be the greatest communicator. But his wife, Ann, and his running mate, Ryan, showed in Tampa that they can play in the big leagues.

Ann Romney's touching tribute to her husband on Tuesday night was a boost for a candidate who has been called stiff and aloof on the campaign trail.

And in his speech to the convention on Wednesday, Ryan showed that years of explaining complex budgets in Capitol Hill hearings have helped make him a particularly good communicator.

Ryan didn't always stick to the facts; he suggested Obama was responsible for the closing of a General Motors plant in Ryan's hometown that actually closed in December 2008, during President George W. Bush's tenure.

But Ryan showed that he likely will be a formidable surrogate for Romney in the 10-week sprint to the November 6 election.

(Editing by Alistair Bell and Jim Loney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-things-weve-learned-republican-convention-051716881.html

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This Horsey Life: What is equine business marketing?

Very simple answer: equine business marketing is whatever you do that makes people want to buy your goods or services

or far more complicated answer:

?The mangement process by which goods and sevices move from concept to the customer comprising of identification and selection of product, determination of price, selection of distribution channel and development of a promotional strategy.

No wonder some people think marketing is hard!

If you talk to people about your business, the goods or services that you have to offer you are marketing.
If you have a website or blog you are marketing.
If you hand out a business card you are marketing.
If you anwer a phone or email enquiry you are marketing.

Marketing doesn't have to be complicated, it doesn't have to cost a fortune and it doesn't have to be scary. Over the coming months I'll be posting lots of marketing tips so do follow this blog to be sure to find them.

Source: http://thishorseylife.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-is-equine-business-marketing.html

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Having An Accountant For your Business Can Be Effective & Boost ...

If you are like thousands of similar small businesses across the UK, then you will most likely be considering whether or not to consolidate your organisation or look to expand in in the current economic climate. If your revenue has been hit by diminished consumer spending, then your first inclination is most likely to involve incurring cost cutting techniques and the expulsion of any non-essential items of expenditure. This may be a flawed way of thinking, however, especially should the economy begin to experience an upward curve within the next 12 months or so.

How an Accountant Can Boost the Performance of your Business

Hiring an accountant is the type of decision that an overly cautious firm may avoid making in the current climate, but is also one that can deliver exceptional results on behalf of your business. Consider the following: -

  • Streamlining Roles within your Business: As a business leader, you must strive to remain focused on thinking strategically to fulfil your commercial vision. When you are bogged down with managing accounts and finances, you are minimising productivity in areas where you can have a significant influence. Employing an accountant can negate this, however, and help to develop more streamlined and well defined roles within your company.
  • Creating an Empowered and Busy Workforce: The role of an accountant is primarily to manage finances, but they can also provide an overview of your firm?s budget and areas in which you are overspending. This is especially useful in terms of cultivating an empowered and motivated work force, as you can assess the exact amount of employees required to handle your businesses workload and eliminate unnecessary salary costs.
  • Maximise Your Financial Performance: The financial performance of your business is pivotal to it?s success or failure, and only by maximising it can you lay the foundations for long term prosperity. The employment of an accountant can assist you in achieving this, and regardless of the salary expectations that they have their presence more than repays this over time. With the ability to maximise profitability be regulating income and expenditure, qualified accountants can deliver outstanding results on behalf of your firm.

The Bottom Line

When you hire an accountant, you are not simply adding another name to your wage bill. Instead, you making an investment in your businesses financial future, and equipping it with the necessary tools to remain solvent in a struggling economy.

Author Bio: This article was written by Nixon Williams. To hire an experienced and qualified IR35 accountant, then visit the website today.

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30. August 2012 von admin
Categories: Accountant | Tags: Accountant, business | Leave a comment

Source: http://www.paulkiritsis.com/2012/08/having-an-accountant-for-your-business-can-be-effective-boost-productivity-heres-why/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=having-an-accountant-for-your-business-can-be-effective-boost-productivity-heres-why

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Clinton in South Pacific with China in focus

PAPEETE, Tahiti (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has arrived in the South Pacific at the top of a six-nation Asia tour during which she aims to reassert American interests in the face of China's growing influence and calm rising tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Clinton landed in Tahiti late Thursday for a brief refueling stop on the trip that will take her from the Cook Islands to Russia's Far East. The journey will keep her half a world away from U.S. politics at the height of the presidential conventions. But it will put her at the center of maritime disputes between China and its smaller neighbors.

Clinton will visit Beijing at the midpoint of the 11-day tour that begins in the remote Cook Islands, where she will be the first secretary of state to visit the South Pacific island chain that's home to just 10,000 people. On the main island of Rarotonga, she will attend an annual gathering of officials from Australia, New Zealand and the tiny nations scattered across the Pacific Ocean.

U.S. officials said Clinton will stress America's commitment to the sprawling yet sparsely populated area. It is threatened by rising waters, which are attributed to climate change, and faces a choice of whether to continue tight ties with the West or embrace burgeoning Chinese investment and power.

From there, Clinton heads to Indonesia, the seat of the secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, whose members are sharply divided over how to deal with China's expansion and conflicting claims over territory in the South China Sea.

A summit of regional leaders in July failed to reach consensus on how to handle the disputes. Clinton will press them to find common ground and hash out a framework for negotiating with China, U.S. officials said.

One senior official told reporters that it was "absolutely manifest" that ASEAN nations find a way to deal with China. "It's not a matter of geo-strategy, it's a matter of geography," the official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly preview the discussions, said Clinton would be stressing the U.S. view "that it is absolutely essential that cooler heads prevail in every capital and that great care be taken on these issues."

The U.S. takes no position on the sovereignty of the disputed territories, though some are claimed by allies such as South Korea, Japan and the Philippines as well as China, but "insists that they are dealt with diplomatically, without coercion (and) without the threat of the use of force."

China has bristled at the U.S. claiming to have a national security interest in the resolution of the disputes and maintains that they should be resolved between it and each of the other claimants individually, a position that American officials and others say puts the smaller nations at a disadvantage.

After Clinton departs Beijing, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is to make his first visit to China as Pentagon chief in a few weeks to underscore the U.S. message.

After visiting China, where she will raise South China Sea issues along with matters such as the unrest in Syria and Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs, Clinton will stop in East Timor, Brunei and then represent the U.S. at a summit of leaders from Pacific Rim countries in Vladivostok, Russia.

Clinton will be the first secretary of state to travel to East Timor when she makes a brief stop in Dili, the capital.

In another U.S. diplomatic first, the well-traveled Clinton will become the only secretary of state to touch ground in all 10 members of ASEAN when she holds talks in the small oil-rich nation of Brunei.

Clinton made history in December and then July by going to two ASEAN nations that had not seen America's top diplomat since the mid-1950s ? Myanmar, which is emerging from decades of isolation, and Laos.

After Brunei, Clinton will move on to Vladivostok to stand in for President Barack Obama at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which is expected to center on trade and food security.

In meetings with foreign leaders there, Clinton also will discuss Syria, Iran and North Korea, and will lay the groundwork for the upcoming U.N. General Assembly, officials said.

___

Online:

Clinton's trip: http://tinyurl.com/9ousbr8

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-south-pacific-china-focus-054737234.html

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Interest ~ Ford to bring Lincoln brand to China in 2014


More news to do with the People?s Republic ? everybody wants to sell there! This time, Ford Motor Company is planning to introduce its Lincoln luxury marque in China by the second half of 2014. It has already made some appointments for the region ? Richard Baker as general manager and Pei-wen Hsu and Joanne Kao as deputy general managers for marketing and sales respectively.

Lincoln China will sell its cars through an independent dealer network that will offer a personalised brand experience.?Ford will start meeting with interested dealers in China this autumn.

Ford have been wanting to bring the century-old brand to China for the last two years, and the 2013 Lincoln MKZ was designed with Chinese customers? tastes in mind, so says Ford CEO Alan Mulally. It?s safe to assume then, that the MKZ, which will go on sale in the US in the autumn, will be part of the line-up on offer.

The Lincolns sold in China will initially be US-manufactured. So they will cost more, due to China?s luxury taxes (which depend on engine size) and a 25% import duty. Chinese buyers would therefore have to fork out more than the US$35,925 asked for the new MKZ.

Lincoln isn?t exactly making waves in its home market at the moment, but if GM?s success with Buick in China is anything to go by, this one should work pretty well for Ford.

Related posts:

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  4. Reports: Volkswagen planning a low-cost car brand
  5. Jeremy Lin pens global brand endorsement deal with Volvo
  6. Datsun brand name to make a return in 2014
  7. Volkswagen to start making electric cars in China by 2014
  8. BMW to launch new EV brand for Chinese market
  9. FAW launches new brand called Oley in China
  10. Bufori debuts in China ? first showroom to be in Shanghai

Source: http://www.nogold.com/forum/hobby-interest/430697-ford-bring-lincoln-brand-china-2014-a.html

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MyNews_CJ: MyNews.in (((NCAA))) Enjoy Idaho Vandals vs Eastern Washington Eagles Live Streaming College Football ... http://t.co/J2fifBk7 MyNews.in

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://twitter.com/MyNews_CJ/statuses/241348623185608704

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Twitter Will Do $350 Million In Ad Sales This Year - Business Insider

Twitter ad-sales chief Adam Bain is tasting success.

A source tells Peter Kafka of AllThingsD that Twitter's ad sales will hit $350 million this year.

So Twitter's ad business has gone from a joke to an experiment to a reality in a few short years.

What will drive advertising sales this year is more precise ad targeting and the removal of various arbitrary-seeming limits on the kind of Twitter ads businesses can buy.

  • Advertisers can now target all of Twitter's 140 million users with Promoted Tweets. Previously, they could only target people who followed a company's account or followed similar accounts.
  • There's effectively no longer a minimum price for bids. Twitter charges per "engagement," which can mean a reply, a retweet, or bookmarking a tweet as a favorite. It's dropping the minimum bid from 50 cents to 1 cent.
  • Advertisers can target users based on what they're interested in.?Twitter has set up 350 "interest categories," and advertisers can also target ads to followers of a specific account.

The latter is particularly interesting. In 2010, Twitter hired Adam Bain, a former Myspace executive to run sales. While Myspace's business crumbled as its audience abandoned it, the company was on to something with "hyper-targeted" ads, which let advertisers show ads based on users' interests.

The difference is that Twitter's audience is growing, not shrinking, and its "interest graph"?the information Twitter deduces about users based on the accounts they follow?appears to be far more valuable than Myspace's friends lists.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-new-ad-products-2012-8

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Domestic coal use linked to substantial lifetime risk of lung cancer in Xuanwei, China

ScienceDaily (Aug. 30, 2012) ? The use of "smoky coal" for household cooking and heating is associated with a substantial increase in the lifetime risk of developing lung cancer, finds a study from China published on the British Medical Journal website.

This represents one of the strongest effects of environmental pollution reported for cancer risk in any population, say the authors. It also underlines the importance of taking action to minimise exposure to the most hazardous types of fuel.

About half the world's population uses coal and other solid fuels for cooking and heating, often in simple stoves that are unvented.

Exposure to certain types of solid fuel smoke is associated with several diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute respiratory infections, and lung cancer. However, the relationship between smoky coal use and lung cancer is not fully understood.

So an international team of researchers compared deaths from lung cancer between lifelong users of "smoky coal" and "smokeless coal" for household cooking and heating in Xuanwei County, Yunnan Provine, China, where lung cancer rates are particularly elevated.

In total, over 37,000 individuals were followed over a 20-year period (1976-96) during which time more than 2,000 deaths from lung cancer were recorded.

After taking account of other possible risk factors including tobacco use, lung cancer cases and deaths were substantially higher among users of smoky (i.e. bituminous) coal for home cooking and heating than users of smokeless (i.e. anthracitic) coal.

In absolute terms, the risk of lung cancer death before 70 years of age for men and women using smoky coal was 18% and 20% respectively, compared with less than 0.5% among smokeless coal users of both sexes. These risks are almost as high as those reported for heavy smokers in Western countries, ranging between 20% and 26%.

Lung cancer deaths were also associated with the average number of hours that a smoky coal user spent at home and the age at which participants started cooking.

The authors say that their findings have important implications for public health in this region of China and suggest that the use of less carcinogenic types of coal or other fuels can translate into a substantial reduction of lung cancer risk.

As this chemical and physical composition of coal differs widely in different geographical locations, additional research is needed on the carcinogenicity of various types of coal, they add.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BMJ-British Medical Journal, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. F. Barone-Adesi, R. S. Chapman, D. T. Silverman, X. He, W. Hu, R. Vermeulen, B. Ning, J. F. Fraumeni, N. Rothman, Q. Lan. Risk of lung cancer associated with domestic use of coal in Xuanwei, China: retrospective cohort study. BMJ, 2012; 345 (aug29 2): e5414 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.e5414

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/AA5VoNzteuE/120830191032.htm

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Arctic sea ice melting, sets record low (+video)

New data shows Arctic sea ice has fallen to the lowest point ever recorded and it's likely to continue melting through mid-September. As the Arctic warms, so does the rest of the globe, warn activists.?

By Staff,?Reuters / August 28, 2012

A polar bear is seen in the water during an aerial survey in this file photo. Arctic sea ice shrank to its second-lowest level ever, U.S. scientists said on Wednesday, with particular melting in the Chukchi Sea, where polar bears were recently seen swimming.

REUTERS/Geoff York/World Wildlife Fund/Handout

Enlarge

The world's Arctic ice?cap has shrunk to a new low, surpassing a record set only five years ago, and is expected to keep retreating for a few more weeks, according to U.S. data released on Monday.

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The Arctic sea ice?fell to 1.58 million square miles, or 4.10 million square kilometers, down 27,000 square miles from 2007, the lowest since satellites began measuring the ice?in 1979, according to the?U.S. National Snow and Ice?Data Center.

"It's a little surprising to see the 2012 Arctic sea ice?extent in August dip below the record low 2007 sea ice?extent in September," said?Walt Meier, a scientist with the data center.

"It's likely we are going to surpass the record decline by a fair amount this year by the time all is said and done."

The ice?is expected to dwindle until mid- to late-September when the summer melting usually ends, according to the center.

Shrinking of the Arctic?ices alarms scientists and environmentalists because the Arctic?acts as the world's air conditioner, helping to moderate the globe's climate.

As parts of the Arctic?melted, this year has been marked by record heat in much of the Northern Hemisphere, especially across the continental?United States?which has been ravaged by drought.

Most scientists blame global warming for the retreat of the Arctic ice?and there is concern that the growing amounts of open water means the Arctic?will not be as effective moderating the planet's climate.

"These preliminary figures provide irrefutable evidence that greenhouse gas emissions leading to global warming are damaging one of the planet's critical environments, one that helps maintain the stability of the global climate for every citizen of the world," said?Kumi Naidoo, executive director of?Greenpeace.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/KocipjQSv40/Arctic-sea-ice-melting-sets-record-low-video

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Midlife Fitness Cuts Chronic Disease Later | Health Soluzion

Click here to listen to this podcast

Being physically active has numerous benefits. Now a study has looked closely at the effects of fitness in the midlife years for preventing debilitating chronic diseases later.

The ongoing study gathered fitness stats for more than 18,000 adults, and followed their health status into old age. Assessing 40 years of that data, the analysis finds that those who had higher fitness levels in their 30s, 40s and 50s were substantially less likely to have a chronic condition between the ages of 70 and 85. The findings are in the Archives of Internal Medicine. [Benjamin Willis et al, Midlife Fitness and the Development of Chronic Conditions in Later Life]

Physical fitness seemed to stave off heart disease and heart failure, which might not be a big surprise. But it also reduced rates of diabetes, kidney disease and even Alzheimer?s disease.

Current recommendations suggest adults make time for at least 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day, such as fast walking, jogging, biking or swimming. Busy middle-aged people might find it especially hard to make time for such exercise. But a small investment looks like it could pay big health dividends for decades to come.

?Katherine Harmon

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]
?


Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs.
Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news.
? 2012 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

from your own site.

Source: http://www.hrsoluzioni.biz/midlife-fitness-cuts-chronic-disease-later/

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Joe Paterno's FBI file reveals letters, threats

File - In this Oct. 8, 2011, file photo Penn State president Graham Spanier, left, and head football coach Joe Paterno chat before an NCAA college football game against Iowa in State College, Pa. As Penn State tries to move past the scandal after Sandusky?s trial, the devastating Freeh Report and unprecedented NCAA penalties, Title IX remains a potential long-term legal problem. The reason: Not only have Title IX lawsuits produced some of the most expensive judgments against universities in recent years, but the law allows for the possibility, however unlikely, that a university?s access to all federal dollars could be cut off. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar, File)

File - In this Oct. 8, 2011, file photo Penn State president Graham Spanier, left, and head football coach Joe Paterno chat before an NCAA college football game against Iowa in State College, Pa. As Penn State tries to move past the scandal after Sandusky?s trial, the devastating Freeh Report and unprecedented NCAA penalties, Title IX remains a potential long-term legal problem. The reason: Not only have Title IX lawsuits produced some of the most expensive judgments against universities in recent years, but the law allows for the possibility, however unlikely, that a university?s access to all federal dollars could be cut off. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar, File)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? The FBI kept a thick file on Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, but it mostly involves threatening letters sent to him and his staff years ago, and there's no mention of his former assistant Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted this year of molesting boys.

Paterno's 868-page file shows he received a series of threatening letters sent in the late 1970s and early '80s from someone who signed them A Bitter Father. The author blames Paterno for family problems that apparently surfaced after his son left the university's heralded football program prematurely.

"I feel you are responsible for me loosing (sic) my son," A Bitter Father writes. "He went to Penn State because of you in the first place. He feels he got a bum deal and I agree. He lost interest in everything and went from bad to worse."

Another anonymous letter, to an assistant coach, suggests Paterno was responsible for the assistant's "tragic accident." The file doesn't say what the accident was.

The FBI posted the late coach's file online Wednesday in response to Freedom of Information Act requests from media outlets. The Washington Times first reported on the contents, which also had been mailed to media outlets a day earlier.

Paterno died in January at age 85, two months after losing his job over the Sandusky sexual-abuse scandal.

An FBI memo dated Dec. 16, 1977, said Paterno found the letters troubling.

The FBI withheld 44 pages of Paterno's file, citing privacy issues and the protection of a confidential source.

The FBI spent several years investigating the written threats sent to Paterno, his staff and even a Penn State television commentator, following leads that took agents to a Roman Catholic church and a shipbuilding company in the Pittsburgh area. The leads apparently went nowhere.

Additionally, Penn State basketball coach Dick Harter received a threatening letter in 1980, the file shows.

A Bitter Father later apologized to Paterno, saying he had spoken to his priest and realized he shouldn't blame others for his troubles. But the letters seem to have continued.

Sandusky, Paterno's longtime defensive coordinator, was convicted in June of sexually abusing 10 boys, some on campus. He awaits sentencing and maintains he's innocent.

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh led a recent Penn State internal investigation into the Sandusky matter, faulting Paterno and other university leaders for putting the university's reputation and football program over the safety of children.

Paterno's family strongly denied he protected Sandusky for fear of bad publicity.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-08-29-Paterno-FBI%20File/id-e5504f9dc31f41ee935f65df651cbb84

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Marc McAndrews's Photos of Nevada's Legal Brothels - NYTimes.com

With sweaty palms, a heavy step and a stutter, Marc McAndrews entered a brothel in Elko, Nev., without much of a pitch or a plan. Facing the line of half-naked sex workers, he had to choose one and pose a question that made him blush.

Could he take some pictures?

He had never before set foot in a strip club, much less a brothel, and his first try at gaining access was unsuccessful. He told one of the young women that he was merely interested in taking photos for his work, that he wasn?t in pursuit of pleasure ? this was his job, after all ? and he was booted out.

This was a place with rules. Just because it was a brothel, didn?t mean that anything could happen.

Nevertheless, Mr. McAndrews visited the legal brothels in 11 Nevada counties over a period of five years. He was working on a project that became the book ?Nevada Rose,? which documents these brothels and their workers, owners and customers.

What he uncovered was a view of prostitution that didn?t adhere to culturally appointed preconceptions: of sex work as a living as humdrum as any other.

Mr. McAndrews, who grew up in Reading, Pa., had been drawn to stories of a strictly American stripe. The project that became ?Nevada Rose? emerged from a series of cross-country van trips, on which he sought to photograph different aspects of American life and culture ? mechanics, motel workers, truck stops, bikers, lots and landscapes.

Though the book, published last year by Umbrage, contains plenty of saucy photos, the themes are more prosaic than one might expect from a book about sex as industry, and they?re profoundly American. With ?Nevada Rose,? Mr. McAndrews presents a story about work, commerce, capitalism and community. Mr. McAndrews was as interested in the landscape, the spaces, the mundane, the untouchables and staff members ? as he was in the kinky and the taboo.

And, in seeking a straightforward approach to a subject that skirts the taboo, Mr. McAndrews found himself confronting misconceptions. ?I think it is hard for people to imagine a woman owning her own sexuality and being O.K. with something like this,? said Mr. McAndrews, 36. ?We?re taught and socialized to believe certain things about sexuality and women?s sexuality and prostitution in general.?

The problem, Mr. McAndrews explained, is that, broadly speaking, people tend to equate prostitution with illegal prostitution ? a grim world of exploitation, crime and desperation. His experience photographing these brothels presented a contrast ? the legal brothels of Nevada have relationships with community lawmakers, with health care professionals, and there are rules, values and protections in place. (For instance, Mr. McAndrews noted that there is a panic button in every room, and that in the accumulated years he spent in Nevada on the project, he said he only witnessed the alarm go off once ? when he nudged it with his gear.)

Though there were obstacles to his access at first, eventually word got around about his activities and intentions ? he would furnish Polaroids of his work to show what he was up to ? and they let him in, even assisting Mr. McAndrews with calls on his behalf to other brothels. He observed a close-knit community, a vibe that more resembled a chummy neighborhood bar than a fetid den of sin. He lived at these brothels, had breakfast with the workers and owners, and his work at times felt like a collaboration ? he would invite input from his subjects, asking the women to choose their outfits, working together to help them present themselves.

But, of course, these brothels mean business. They cater to markets, work to appeal to certain tastes, Mr. McAndrews said. There are ?country houses,? homey, simple and intended to make customers feel comfortable, and ?city houses,? with sleeker designs sporting more of a strip club aesthetic. When a brothel entertained the notion of a male prostitute in 2010, to broaden its customer base, the market spoke and said ?no.? (The first legal male prostitute, brought in to cater to the female demographic, quit the Shady Lady Ranch in Beatty, Nev., after five months and only 10 customers. And, apparently, there is no outspoken demand for gay prostitutes in Nevada.)

But it?s not a perfect system and concerns ? ethical, political, cultural, commercial ? abound. Last year, Harry Reid of Nevada, the United States Senate majority leader, called for a ban, and though legalized, with a degree of regulation (the law requires weekly cervical exams and monthly blood work, for example), these brothels ? from a commerce point of view ? present some contradictions. Coercive, shameful or liberating? Libertarian yet regulated?

For Mr. McAndrews, the topic was a historical aspect of American culture that had not yet been surveyed straightforwardly, without hand-wringing and finger-pointing. His task, as he understood it, was simple: present what?s there.

?At a certain point a lot of women wanted to be a part of it because they weren?t ashamed and they?re proud of the light being shown on what they are doing,? he said. ?I wasn?t glorifying. I wasn?t demonizing. I was just showing as it was. That was my intent, anyway.?

That project ended, and moving on, Mr. McAndrews has been photographing youth groups in uniforms as part of his effort to better understand how America socializes its children. He is interested in what signifies one as belonging to a particular group.

His next topic? Religion.


Source: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/a-fresh-take-on-the-oldest-profession/

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Yahoo News bureau chief David Chalian fired (Michellemalkin)

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The Rural Stops: A Website Teaches Internet-based Business ...

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Source: http://ruralstops.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-website-teaches-internet-based.html

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Study Internet Website Marketing And Begin A Web-based Business




Posted on August 29th, 2012 Web Doctor

Giving benefits or gifts on the affiliate site can prove to generally be extremely productive. Buyers who currently know about this supply, are likely to visit the merchant via your internet site, specially whenever they get presents or other incentives from you. This increases the quantity of your guests and also your possible revenue.

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Source: http://doctorweb20.com/study-internet-website-marketing-and-begin-a-web-based-business/

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Ed Downes Blog - Learn How To Grab Your Lifestyle With The Help ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]This is the platform in which he matches himself with a fellow marketing expert who has made a thriving online business ,after which he asks him a great deal of questions. ... include Super List Building System, 24 Hour Product Creation, Lazy Way To List Building, Beginner?s Mastermind, Internet Automation Plan, Automatic Traffic Blast, Momentum Marketing System, Hire Your First VA or Programmer, How To Build A List With A Blog, Super Sales Funnel System.

Source: http://griffeexyluke.typepad.com/blog/2012/08/ed-downes-blog-learn-how-to-grab-your-lifestyle-with-the-help.html

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Coffee Benefits Article ? Food And Drink Coffee Articles

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Millions people begin the day with cups of strong coffee. And they not even suspect, how much that pep up drink fraught contradictions.

Find more about coffee health on Coffee Health Benefits of coffee

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Coffee Benefits by Shir On

Trade: An Organizational Entity by Robert Thomson
Author: Shir On Article Tools: Millions people begin the day with cups of strong coffee. And they not even suspect, how much that pep up drink fraught contradictions. For many years, scientists break his head over the question, it is harmful or helpful. According to one opinion, coffee may cause irreparable harm to human health, according to other ? a ?magic drink? has healing properties. Coffee pep up,Ralph Lauren, promotes memory, gift optimistic view on life. The main component of biological coffee, which raises passion for this beverage, is caffeine. Scientists prove that caffeine is a weak stimulant affecting the brain through the departments of the central nervous system and circulatory system. It?s use raises a sense of vivacity, fit of energy, removes the headaches. For this reason it is include in more than twenty different types of drugs.

However, caffeine ? this is just one of 500 chemicals that are members of the coffee. In addition to caffeine, the coffee beans contain potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, sulfur, phosphorous, nitrogen, magnesium, chlorine, eight Group B vitamins and salubrious organic amino acids ? citric, acetic, coffee, and others.

This variety substances are contained in coffee,armani pas cher, and made beneficial effects on the human body. Since caffeine stimulates the central nervous system activity,ralph lauren pas cher, increases overall efficiency and endurance. That is why the ?coffee break? so recommended for people working in offices, especially because this category of citizens often suffer neuroses. Caffeine ? balm for asthmatics: it stimulates the brain and promotes breathing center. Good cup of coffee can return man?s vivacity, actually improves memory,Robe de mari?e pas cher, especially among the elderly. Coffee ? effective tool against caries, because both coffee ? arabika and robusta ? have some bactericidal property.

Serious laboratory studies confirmed that the drink intensify memory and attention; besides,Chaussures Louboutin, it protects against cancer and diabetes,moncler outlet, helps to lose weight women and restore potency men. But provided to be coffee have a long beneficial effect: according to research people, its use can prevent memory loss in old age.

These feature drink because it contains caffeine step-up the electrical activity of the brain and thereby increases the gamma rhythms. At that blocks the effects of substances responsible for the loss of memory ? adenosine. Incidentally, a similar process of accelerating the gamma rhythms occurs when a person try to solve the thorny problem. Incidentally, according to doctors, regular mental exercises also help preserve the memory and attention in old age.

The fact that caffeine stimulates mental human activities, has long been known, and many know about this on personal experience. Some can not start the day without a cup of coffee,Louboutin Pas Cher, other ?charged? with the help of energy drink. Short invigorative effect of coffee base on the same principle of blocking adenosine, but its ?promising? impact became truly discovery.

In spite of the possible positive effects of coffee in old age, researchers remind of the side effects immoderation beverage use. A bulk of caffeine prevents healthy sleep and seriously harms the cardiovascular system. Therefore scientists will have to separate the positive influence of drink on the human body from its devastating effects. ???????? Cheap Payday Advance Loans In UK Avail Fast Money How To Choose Serveware And Stemware For Your Next Party Article ? Family Home I Short Term Business Loans A Smart Option Indeed Article ? Finance Loans Articles Ralph Lauren

Source: http://www.medicaltravelclub.com/qa/2012/08/coffee-benefits-article-food-and-drink-coffee-articles/

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AL wild cards: A's blank Indians

Associated Press Sports

updated 9:31 p.m. ET Aug. 28, 2012

CLEVELAND (AP) - Tommy Milone and three Oakland relievers extended Cleveland's scoreless streak to 22 innings and the Athletics beat the Indians 7-0 on Tuesday night.

Brandon Moss and Chris Carter homered off Zach McAllister (5-5) as Oakland won its fourth straight to remain tied with Baltimore atop the AL wild-card race. Oakland is 5-0 against Cleveland and has won 10 of 12 since dropping eight of 13.

Milone (11-9) worked six innings. Jerry Blevins, Pat Neshek and Evan Scribner completed Oakland's third straight shutout over the Indians.

The Athletics are 14 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 2006 at 93-69. They have the best overall record since the start of July at 34-15.

Cleveland has lost 12 of 13 and is 5-25 since July 27. The Indians have failed to score in 45 of their last 48 innings overall.

Oakland has outscored the Indians 17-0 in their last three meetings. It started with a 7-0 home win Aug. 19 behind Jarrod Parker's eight strong innings. Brett Anderson worked seven innings in a 3-0 win in this series opener Monday.

Cleveland's offensive futility was on full display in the fourth, when the Indians put runners on second and third with no outs. Milone struck out Casey Kotchman and Jason Donald. Third baseman Josh Donaldson then made a barehanded scoop and throw on a slow roller to retire Jason Kipnis at first to keep the shutout intact.

McAllister struck out the side in the first inning, then yielded four singles to fall behind 2-0 in the second. Moss had Oakland's third straight hit to make it 1-0. Adam Rosales added a two-out RBI single.

Moss made it 4-0 in the third by hitting a 3-2 pitch for his 14th homer. It came one out after Seth Smith doubled.

Carter homered to open the fifth for a 5-0 lead. It was his 12th homer in just 46 games since being recalled from the minors. Carter had an RBI double in the ninth off reliever Joe Smith, who allowed another run to score on a wild pitch.

McAllister struck out a career-high eight over only 4 1-3 innings. The right-hander gave up nine hits and five runs to drop to 1-3 in six starts in August. He had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his previous nine starts at Progressive Field.

Indians reliever Esmil Rogers struck out the side in the eighth and Carlos Santana dropped each third strike, throwing to first baseman Kotchman for the putout. Santana also had to throw to first to complete two of McAllister's strikeouts.

NOTES: Oakland has won six straight from Cleveland for the first time since taking eight in a row from the Indians in 1998. ... One day after leaving a start with a sprained ankle, Indians RHP Roberto Hernandez threw in the outfield. The Indians still are not sure if Hernandez will miss his next scheduled start. ... Oakland OF Coco Crisp didn't play after fouling a ball off his right foot Monday. X-rays were negative and Crisp is day-to-day. Manager Bob Melvin moved SS Stephen Drew from second to Crisp's leadoff spot and RF Josh Reddick from sixth to second while Yoenis Cespedes shifted from left field to center. ... Oakland RHP A.J. Griffin (shoulder) allowed one run in five innings in his second rehab start for Triple-A Sacramento on Monday. ... Indians RF Shin-Soo Choo broke an 0-for-13 slide with a third-inning single. ... Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera singled in the seventh and is in a 4-for-35 (.114) slump.

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


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With a total combined payroll of $402 million, the 2013 Dodgers-Yankees series will be the most expensive in US sports history.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/48821376/ns/sports-baseball/

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Hurricane Isaac hits southeast Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Hurricane Isaac crashed ashore in southeast Louisiana on Tuesday, bringing high winds and soaking rains that pose the first test for multibillion-dollar flood defenses put in place in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast seven years ago.

Flood-control systems and levees failed when Katrina hit in 2005, leaving parts of the New Orleans underwater. Troops and law enforcement officials have been deployed throughout the city this week to prevent a repeat of the chaos and looting that followed in the days and weeks after Katrina.

Isaac killed at least 23 people and caused significant flooding and damage in Haiti and the Dominican Republic before skirting the southern tip of Florida on Sunday.

The effects of the large, slow-moving storm were felt along the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Storm surge caused flooding in Louisiana and winds gusted to 62 miles per hour in New Orleans, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu assured residents "your city is secure," and said emergency services were ready for search and rescue missions. This raised the specter of Katrina, when Coast Guard helicopters plucked stranded residents from the roofs of their flooded houses.

"We're in the heart of this fight," Landrieu told an evening news conference. "We are in the hunker-down phase."

About 1,000 U.S. National Guard troops in military vehicles took up positions on the city's mostly deserted streets, brandishing automatic assault rifles to ward off any threat of looting.

Isaac spared Tampa, Florida, where the Republican National Convention began on Monday. But it forced party leaders to revamp their schedule. They may have to make further revisions so as not to be seen celebrating Mitt Romney's presidential nomination while Gulf Coast residents struggle through the storm.

President Barack Obama urged residents to take cover and heed warnings, saying that now was "not the time to tempt fate." [ID:nL2E8JS2YV]. He issued emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi earlier this week.

On Tuesday morning, army engineers closed the massive new floodgate at Lake Borgne, east of New Orleans, for the first time. It is largest storm-surge barrier in the world.

In other preparations, oil production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico nearly ground to a halt, and ports and coastal refineries curtailed operations.

At 7 p.m. CDT (2400 GMT), the Hurricane Center said Isaac was centered about 90 miles southeast of New Orleans with top sustained winds of 80 miles per hour.

The storm was traveling at a relatively slow 8 mph. The sluggish pace is a concern for people in its path since slow-moving cyclones can bring higher rainfall.

Isaac was about 370 miles wide. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center of the storm. Heavy rains and big storm surges were also forecast for parts of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Nearly 70,000 people in Louisiana were without electricity.

Isaac comes almost exactly seven years to day after Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29, 2005, killing more than 1,800 people and causing billions of dollars of damage.

MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR DEFENSE

The Army Corps of Engineers has since built a $14.5 billion defense system of walls, floodgates, levees and pumps designed to protect the city from a massive tidal surge like that which swamped New Orleans in Katrina's wake.

Most of the city's Lower Ninth ward, still scarred by the devastation of Katrina, was deserted on Tuesday. Residents who had not evacuated stocked up on water, food and fuel.

"We've got all kinds of eats and treats," Arthur Anderson, 61, who was trapped in the attic of his house during Katrina before he escaped by boat.

Authorities have urged thousands of residents in low-lying areas to leave, warning that the storm could flood towns and cities in Mississippi and Alabama, as well as Louisiana, with a storm surge of up to 12 feet.

Rainfall accumulations, potentially totaling as much as 20 inches in some areas, could trigger widespread flooding. Customers in Louisiana's coastal parishes were already without power.

Isaac has not been forecast to strengthen beyond a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. Its winds have been forecast at up to 80 mph. While this would be well below the intensity of Katrina, which was a Category 3 storm, the size of Isaac's slow-moving system has had forecasters predicting widespread flooding.

Residents of Louisiana's low-lying Plaquemines Parish, where some flooding was already happening on Tuesday, were anxious about their homes.

Avenal Terrance, 52, who was evacuated early on Tuesday, is hoping the levee holds up. "I'm living in an old trailer, not a new one, and I just hope and pray that the storm doesn't take it," she said.

U.S. ENERGY OUTPUT DISRUPTED

With more than 90 percent of offshore U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil production shut down and nearly half of natural gas output offline, energy companies along the Gulf Coast refining center braced for the storm's impact, shuttering some plants and running others at reduced rates ahead of Isaac's landfall.

Intense hurricanes such as Katrina -- which took out 4.5 million barrels per day of refining capacity at one point -- have flooded refineries, keeping them closed for extended periods and reducing fuel supplies.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimated that about 12 percent of the Gulf Coast's refining capacity had gone offline. Louisiana usually processes more than 3 million barrels per day of crude into products like gasoline.

Although no damage to offshore installation was reported, some energy experts said the sweeping disruption of oil production, refineries and key import terminals could make it more likely that the U.S. government would release oil supplies from its nearly 696-million-barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

A release, which had previously been under consideration, is still on the table, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday.

International benchmark Brent crude traded down slightly to $112 a barrel on Tuesday.

(This version of the story has been corrected to fix a typo in sub-heading)

(Additional reporting by Tom Brown, Jane Sutton, David Adams and Kevin Gray in Miami, Ben Gruber in New Orleans, Emily Le Coz in Tupelo, Mississippi, Kristen Hays, Erwin Seba, Ros Krasny and Chris Baltimore in Houston and Verna Gates in Alabama; Writing by Tom Brown and Anna Driver; Editing by David Brunnstrom)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hurricane-isaac-makes-landfall-louisiana-000237979.html

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

CONVENTION WATCH: Ryan's calling, Kasich's music

Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul?Ryan, R-Wis., and wife Janna appear on stage at the Wisconsin delegation's Beers and Brats event, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul?Ryan, R-Wis., and wife Janna appear on stage at the Wisconsin delegation's Beers and Brats event, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at the American Legion National Convention, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Members of the Swift Water Rescue Team launch a boat to rescue employees of WQRZ radio station in Shoreline Park area of Bay St. Louis, Miss., during Hurricane Isaac on Wednesday Aug. 29, 2012. Isaac was packing 80 mph winds, making it a Category 1 hurricane. It came ashore early Tuesday near the mouth of the Mississippi River, driving a wall of water nearly 11 feet high inland and soaking a neck of land that stretches into the Gulf. (AP Photo/Sun Herald, John Fitzhugh)

Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. gestures during a walk through ahead of his delivering a speech at the Republican National Convention, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

(AP) ? Around the 2012 Republican National Convention and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details to you:

___

RYAN'S CALLING

GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan plans to tell the Republican convention he accepts "the calling of my generation to give our children the America that was given to us, with opportunity for the young and security for the old."

Ryan gives his big convention speech Wednesday night. In excerpts released by the campaign, Ryan says he and Mitt Romney have a goal of generating 12 million new jobs over the next four years.

"We will not duck the tough issues ? we will lead. We will not spend four years blaming others ? we will take responsibility. We will not try to replace our founding principles, we will reapply our founding principles," Ryan says.

? Stephen Ohlemacher ? Twitter http://twitter.com/stephenatap

___

KASICH'S FEELING NOT MUTUAL

Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am called it dope on Twitter when the rover Curiosity beamed his new song "Reach for the Stars" from Mars to Earth. Not so much when Ohio Gov. John Kasich walked on stage at the Republican National Convention hours later Tuesday night to a snippet of the musician's song, "I Gotta Feeling."

Add to that Kasich's opening remarks: "You know, you know, I don't know about you, I don't about you but I've got a feeling, you know I gotta feeling ... that we're about to elect a new president of the United States of America."

To which will.i.am tweeted: "Hey Gov Kasich (hash)Igottafeeling that Ohio needed the auto bail out...(hash)unitedamericanotdivided let's educate our youth (hash)reachforthestars."

? Leanne Italie ? Twitter http://twitter.com/litalie

___

POLICE NOT SO BUSY

Many workers and residents seem comforted by the platoons of police roaming downtown during the convention, but at least one man isn't.

Donny Rhode stood on the edge of a park Wednesday in the spitting rain, holding a cardboard sign criticizing Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. It said, "Generalissimo Buckhorn Declares Victory" and "Free Speech Dead."

Rhode was angry about the thousands of police deployed to Tampa for the convention. He wondered how much that cost taxpayers. And he said it resulted in fewer protests.

Clearly, the number of demonstrators in the city is far less than police anticipated, and they have been more peaceful than expected. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, only two protesters had been arrested.

Some anti-GOP protesters praised police officers, though they said their presence was perhaps more than needed.

"I haven't experienced one rude cop. They have been great," said Nick Sabatella, who came to Tampa from New York with Occupy Wall Street. "I walk by the cops and I say 'hi' and they say 'hi' back."

? Tamara Lush ? Twitter http://twitter.com/TamaraLush

___

BEER AND BRATS

If it's beer and brats, it must be the Wisconsin party.

Paul Ryan and his wife, Janna, dropped in on his home state delegation's brewski and bratwurst feast Wednesday, but Ryan didn't have much to say.

"I've got to give this speech later on today so I'm going to keep it brief and save my voice," he joked.

Ryan's big moment ? a speech that will introduce him to millions of Americans as the party's vice presidential nominee ? comes Wednesday night.

? Philip Elliott ? Twitter http://twitter.com/philip_elliott

___

ROMNEY PREVIEW

Around the 2012 Republican National Convention and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details to you:

Mitt Romney is previewing the sorts of choice words for President Barack Obama that are likely to show up in his acceptance speech Thursday night.

Speaking to the American Legion in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Romney said leadership to protect the world's peace and freedom must come from the U.S.

"For the past four years, President Obama has allowed our leadership to diminish," he said. "In dealings with other nations, he has given trust where it's not earned, insult where it's not deserved and apology where it's not due."

? Sam Hananel ? Twitter: http://twitter.com/SamHananelAP

___

OBAMA NOT WATCHING

White House press secretary Jay Carney says President Barack Obama hasn't watched any Republican convention speeches because "he has other things to do." Obama's campaign staff, however, has apparently been watching closely.

Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Air Force One Wednesday that a theme invoked by many convention speakers was "built on a house of lies." She specifically cited what she said were distortions of Obama's "you didn't build that" comment and his positions on Medicare and welfare.

Psaki praised Ann Romney's speech, saying she did "a great job" in telling the public about her relationship with her husband.

"She gave a very powerful speech about her husband and their family and the strength of their bond," Psaki said.

? Julie Pace ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

___

WHY SPOIL IT?

Vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan visited the convention stage to get used to the teleprompters, the lights and the sound while his three children played around at the podium.

The 42-year-old congressman from Wisconsin gives the biggest speech of his career so far on Wednesday night.

He asked aides where delegates from Wisconsin and Michigan would be sitting, as well as the location of running mate Mitt Romney's box.

"I'm going to point to them in my speech," Ryan said.

That's about all he gave away, even when reporters pestered him for a preview of his remarks.

"You'll find out tonight," he said. "Why would I spoil it now?"

? Julie Mazziotta

___

ISAAC LOOMS

Even though Isaac has moved beyond Florida, the hurricane's still having an impact on the Republicans meeting in Tampa.

Presidential nominee Mitt Romney is considering a visit to hard-hit Gulf Coast areas after the storm passes.

Convention activities on Monday were canceled because of the approaching storm, but GOP officials say they have no plans to make further changes to the schedule.

Still, as rain and flooding in New Orleans and surrounding areas intensifies, there is increasing media coverage of the storm, threatening to overshadow the convention events surrounding Romney's nomination. His acceptance speech is set for Thursday night.

Many speakers Tuesday night mentioned the hurricane at the beginning of their remarks, and the top of the official convention page features a promotion for Red Cross relief efforts.

? Kasie Hunt ? Twitter https://twitter.com/kasie

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WHO'S WHO?

Talk about getting into character.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, ran into each other on a CNN set at the convention Wednesday.

Van Hollen greeted Portman as "Mr. President."

Van Hollen is playing the role of Rep. Paul Ryan for the Democrats as Vice President Joe Biden prepares for the vice presidential debate.

Portman is playing President Barack Obama for the Republicans as Mitt Romney prepares for the presidential debates.

? Nancy Benac ? Twitter http://twitter.com/nbenac

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LOVE, CONVENTION-STYLE

It wasn't all politics at the convention. There was time for romance, too.

RNC Production Manager Bradley Thomson, 32, proposed to Laura Bowman, 27, on the convention stage Wednesday morning. Thomson led Bowman onstage, where the screens were filled with pictures of the couple and their dog. Thomson got down on one knee, and Bowman immediately accepted.

She later said that the engagement was a surprise, although she knew something was up. "I thought there was something fishy when he said that there was a sound problem, because there never is," Bowman said.

The couple met in New York and have dated for about two years.

? Julie Mazziotta ? Twitter http://twitter.com/julietmazz

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BIG TIPPERS

The Republicans put their convention in Tampa for a reason ? Florida's outsized role in electoral politics.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio predicted the state will go for Mitt Romney come November.

If the speeches in the convention hall aren't enough to do the trick, there's always this:

"The folks that have been visiting this week have done great, leaving great tips," Rubio said Wednesday on NBC's "Today" show. "That's going to help, too. They're real good tippers."

? Nancy Benac ? Twitter http://twitter.com/nbenac

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ROMNEY'S EVENING

After returning from Indiana on Wednesday evening, the newly nominated Mitt Romney is expected to be "down" at his hotel watching the convention proceedings on TV with his wife, Ann. That's according to spokesman Rick Gorka, who says he doesn't know whether Romney might visit the convention floor later in the evening.

Will Romney make another surprise appearance at the convention on Wednesday night next to his running mate, Paul Ryan?

? Steve Peoples ? Twitter http://twitter.com/sppeoples

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DEFINING RYAN

Romney running mate Paul Ryan takes center stage at the GOP convention Wednesday night.

What to make of him?

When voters were asked what one word comes to mind when thinking of him, the most frequent responses were conservative, intelligent, good, unknown, and young. People offered roughly an equal number of positive and negative descriptions.

That's according to the latest national survey by the Pew Research Center and the Washington Post.

? Nancy Benac ? Twitter http://twitter.com/nbenac

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Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-08-29-RNC-Convention%20Watch-Package/id-b7590b7e3fbf45c29f229d850466eb56

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