November 2009

Obama to detail Afghanistan war expansion

Posted Mon, 11/30/2009 - 23:09 by admin

WASHINGTON – After months of debate, President Barack Obama will spell out a costly Afghanistan war expansion to a skeptical public Tuesday night, coupling an infusion of as many as 35,000 more troops with a vow that there will be no endless U.S. commitment. His first orders have already been made: at least one group of Marines who will be in place by Christmas.
Obama has said that he prefers "not to hand off anything to the next president" and that his strategy will "put us on a path toward ending the war." But he doesn't plan to give any more exact timetable than that Tuesday night.
The president will end his 92-day review of the war with a nationally broadcast address in which he will lay out his revamped strategy from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He spent part of Monday briefing foreign allies in a series of private meetings and phone calls.
Before Obama's call to Britain's Gordon Brown, the prime minister announced that 500 more U.K. troops would arrive in southern Afghanistan next month — making a British total of about 10,000 in the country. And French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose nation has more than 3,000 in Afghanistan, said French troops would stay "as long as necessary" to stabilize the country.
Obama's war escalation includes sending 30,000 to 35,000 more American forces into Afghanistan in a graduated deployment over the next year, on top of the 71,000 already there. There also will be a fresh focus on training Afghan forces to take over the fight and allow the Americans to leave.
He also will deliver a deeper explanation of why he believes the U.S. must continue to fight more than eight years after the war was started following the Sept. 11 attacks by al-Qaida terrorists based in Afghanistan. He will emphasize that Afghan security forces need more time, more schooling and more U.S. combat backup to be up to the job on their own, and he will make tougher demands on the governments of Pakistan as well as Afghanistan.
"This is not an open-ended commitment," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. "We are there to partner with the Afghans, to train the Afghan national security forces, the army and the police so that they can provide security for their country and wage a battle against an unpopular insurgency."
On a few of the bigger questions most on the minds of increasingly restive members of Congress and the public, such as how much the additional $30 billion to $35 billion cost will balloon the already skyrocketed federal deficit, how long the U.S. commitment will continue and how it will wind down, Obama was expected to make references without offering specifics.
Gibbs said detailed discussions on costs would be held later with lawmakers.
Even before explaining his decision, Obama told the military to begin executing the force increases. The commander in chief gave the deployment orders Sunday night, during an Oval Office meeting in which he told key military and White House advisers of his final decision.
At least one group of Marines is expected to deploy within two or three weeks of Obama's announcement and will be in Afghanistan by Christmas, military officials said. Larger deployments will begin early next year.
The initial infusion is a recognition by the administration that something tangible needs to happen quickly, officials said. The immediate addition of Marines will provide badly needed reinforcements for those fighting against Taliban gains in the southern Helmand province, and also could lend reassurance to both Afghans and a war-weary U.S. public.
Obama's overall review was launched Aug. 31, when Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, then the newly minted top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, delivered to Pentagon brass his assessment of the situation on the ground and what was needed to turn it around. McChrystal produced a separate resource request, first seen by Obama on Oct. 1. The president's review was anchored by 10 extensive war council meetings, starting on Sept. 13, that featured a debate between a counterinsurgency strategy focused on protecting the local population and building up the Afghanistan government or a more limited counterterrorism strategy.
The final product is neither, though it leans more toward counterinsurgency.
The length of the process drew sharp barbs. Less than two months in, Vice President Dick Cheney accused Obama of "dithering," beginning a drumbeat of criticism from Republicans. The White House shot back that the administration Cheney helped lead had given inordinate attention to Iraq while turning its back on Afghanistan.
But with U.S. casualties in Afghanistan sharply increasing and little sign of progress, the war Obama once liked to call one "of necessity," not choice, has grown less popular with the public and within his own Democratic Party. In recent days, leading Democrats have talked of setting tough conditions on deeper U.S. involvement, or even staging outright opposition.
The displeasure on both sides of the aisle is likely to be on display when congressional hearings on Obama's strategy get under way later in the week on Capitol Hill.
Obama spent much of Monday and Tuesday on the phone, outlining his plan — minus many specifics — for the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Russia, China, India, Denmark, Poland and others. He also met in person at the White House with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

A briefing for dozens of lawmakers was planned for Tuesday afternoon, just before Obama left for New York to give his speech against a military backdrop.

He also was to call Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari — two leaders on whom the success of the plan will depend heavily.

In Afghanistan, rampant government corruption and inefficiency have made U.S. success much harder. Obama was expected to place tough conditions on Karzai's government, along with endorsing a stepped-up training program for the Afghan armed forces in line with recommendations this fall by U.S. trainers.

That schedule would expand the Afghan army to 134,000 troops by next fall, three years earlier than once envisioned.

The president faces a tricker task in talking tough on Pakistan.

Though extremist fighters and al-Qaida leaders are believed to be based in its western region near the border with Afghanistan, public scoldings from Washington can hurt as well as help Pakistani efforts because of pervasive anti-American sentiment. The U.S. cannot send troops into Pakistan, and rarely discusses the anti-terrorist missile strikes conducted inside Pakistan from U.S. drones.

Military officials said the speech is expected to include several references to Iraq, where the United States still has more than 100,000 troops. The strain of maintaining that overseas war machine has stretched the Army and Marine Corps and limited Obama's options.

He is expected to at least implicitly pledge not to return to the worst days of the Iraq war, when the Army was resorted to 15-month tours with little time at home between deployments and when National Guard and reserve troops were subjected to lengthy tours.

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Associated Press writers Anne Gearan, Pamela Hess and Robert Burns contributed to this report.

Austin Peay routs Freed-Hardeman 99-61

Posted Mon, 11/30/2009 - 21:51 by admin

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Wes Channels scored 21 points as Austin Peay defeated Freed-Hardeman 99-61 on Monday night.
Anthony Campbell added 18 points for the Governors (3-4). Marcel Williams and Justin Blake chipped in with 12 points apiece.
Austin Peay opened the game with an early 18-6 lead after Channels nailed a 3-pointer with 14:23 left in the first half.
An 18-5 run later in the half boosted the Governor's lead to 42-19 with 5:49 left, and they would go on to lead 53-29 at halftime.
The Lions were led by Zack Frey, who scored 17 points on 6 of 12 shooting. Kyle Teichmann chipped in with 11 points.
Austin Peay shot 64.2 percent from the field (34-for-53), including 55.6 percent from 3-point range (10-for-18).
The Lions were outrebounded 42-20 in the contest.

Las Vegas rebound riding on $8.5B CityCenter

Posted Mon, 11/30/2009 - 20:43 by admin

LAS VEGAS – Sin City is pinning its biggest bet ever — $8.5 billion — on a 67-acre, six-tower complex of striking hotels, gourmet restaurants, swank shops and a single casino that starts opening Tuesday in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.
Many watching the high-stakes roll of the dice shudder at the thought that nearly 5,900 rooms in three hotels will be awaiting guests when CityCenter's crown jewel — the 4,004-room Aria Resort & Casino — opens Dec. 16. That will increase Las Vegas' already saturated inventory by more than 4 percent at a time when fewer visitors are coming and room prices have fallen 25 percent from last year.
CityCenter's debut might pull rates even lower, but state leaders hope the complex leads Nevada out of two years of economic misery that has hit the state with record unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcies.
"We're in a 12-round fight. The first six rounds, you guys got beat up," Tony Alamo of the Nevada Gaming Commission told CityCenter owners MGM Mirage and Dubai World when Aria's license was approved.
"We're putting all our eggs in the `grow-the-market' basket. I would be lying to you if I wasn't concerned — that's a reality," he said. "This is not just the company, it's the state."
When The Mirage opened in 1989, it launched two decades of expansion that more than doubled the number of rooms in Las Vegas to some 141,000 today. A record 39.2 million visitors came to Sin City in 2007, but that dropped to 37.5 million last year as the recession kept many people away.
Sin City's rapid growth came to a halt, crippling casinos and construction, the state's two largest industries. Nevada's unemployment hit a record 13.3 percent in September.
According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, most of about 40 projects that have been proposed or started haven't determined completion dates.
Construction started on three projects that would add 9,390 rooms to the Strip, but Boyd Gaming's $4.8 billion Echelon, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas and an addition at Caesars Palace are all on hold. The $3.9 billion Cosmopolitan casino-resort is scheduled to open next to CityCenter in September 2010, but it's now owned by Deutsche Bank after the developers fell into foreclosure.
Phil Ruffin, who owns the Treasure Island casino-resort about 1 1/2 miles north of CityCenter, said new hotels have historically helped tourism but CityCenter is opening into unprecedented economic circumstances.
"It's going to be bloody out there," the Kansas billionaire told The Associated Press. "We wish them all the success in the world because it would help the whole city of Las Vegas, but I can't think of a worse time to open up 7,000 rooms."
Including condominiums, CityCenter will have nearly 6,800 units open early next year with 400 more hotel rooms planned.
While marketed to high-end customers, rates for a room at CityCenter on Dec. 20 start at $129 at the boutique Vdara, $149 at anchor resort Aria and $345 at the luxury Mandarin Oriental.
Ruffin said tourism likely won't improve substantially until unemployment drops nationally. Others fear that even when the economy improves, visitors won't spend as freely as they did before the downturn.
CityCenter has had anything but a smooth trip to completion. In the five years from the drawing board to its final touches, its funding nearly lapsed, MGM Mirage and Dubai World fought in court, and six construction workers died.
Ruffin bought Treasure Island for $775 million and took over in March, giving MGM Mirage a cash infusion to help it survive and finish building its massive complex.
MGM Mirage and Dubai World each have billions in debt, and Dubai World last week asked creditors for a six-month break from payments on the $60 billion it owes creditors. MGM Mirage officials say the standstill won't affect CityCenter; the partners agreed with banks in April to fully fund and finish the project. MGM Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman said the agreement includes cross-default language that protects the company against any issues at Dubai World.
The result is 18 million square feet in six soaring glass towers and a retail promenade, all built to give visitors a sense of its enormous scale. Each building has gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

The modern design evokes the feel of a major city's bustling downtown, in contrast with the sprawling resorts that have dominated the Strip, including an Egyptian pyramid, Venetian canals, a pirate show and a volcano.

Aria has about as much casino space as the Bellagio next door and offers 15 places to dine. The rest of the complex has 12 restaurants, ranging from cafes to classic French cuisine by Pierre Gagnaire, a Michelin three-star chef opening his first U.S. restaurant.

There are also 670 condominium-only units opening in January and a 400-room Harmon Hotel & Spa, though it won't open until at least late next year.

There are 15 fine art installations on site, including a Henry Moore sculpture set in a quiet alcove and a large typewriter eraser by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Maya Lin, known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, used recycled silver to build a scale model of the Colorado River over Aria's registration desk.

Jim Murren, CEO of MGM Mirage, said he felt CityCenter needed to incorporate elements found in major cities that Las Vegas doesn't have and give residents a reason to visit the Strip.

"What do we have here? Where's our Lincoln Center, where's our museum, where is that environment?" Murren said. "We don't have every element that major cities have — even after this we certainly don't — but we will have that feeling, you'll get that emotion there."

MGM Mirage and Dubai World hired 12,000 workers from a pool of 175,000 applicants, calling it the largest employment opportunity in the U.S. this year. However, the end of construction at CityCenter will mean about 10,000 laborers must find other projects — something nearly impossible in Las Vegas these days.

CityCenter's owners now find themselves fighting for returns on a resort valued at roughly $4.88 billion as of Sept. 30, less than 60 percent of its construction cost, according to estimates MGM Mirage released last month after it reduced CityCenter's condo prices. The company told regulators Nov. 13 that 1,443 of the 2,440 condo and condo-hotel units were under contract.

Competitors, meanwhile, will see if CityCenter brings more visitors to Las Vegas, then fight to get them in their casinos.

"It's going to be a scramble about customers," Ruffin said. "No doubt about that."

Murren said even though MGM Mirage would probably be better off financially if CityCenter were never built, its finish represents a catalyst that couldn't come at a better time.

"We're at the eve of opening up something that was unimaginable this year, that will have a profoundly positive impact on our cash flows, our cross-marketing opportunities for our other properties, and on visitation and revenue to all of Las Vegas," Murren said. "I believe that it couldn't happen at a better time now that we've survived the first six rounds of the fight."

Alamo said that despite its troubles, CityCenter has a good chance to succeed — but needs a little luck.

"Let's just ring the seventh-round bell," he said.

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On the Net:

http://www.citycenter.com

Ryan Reynolds in the know for 'TMI'

Posted Tue, 11/17/2009 - 11:17 by admin

LOS ANGELES (AFP) –
Rising Canadian star Ryan Reynolds is getting in the know after signing up for romantic comedy "TMI," entertainment industry press reported Tuesday.

Reynolds, whose recent films include the box office hits "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "The Proposal," will star opposite "Scary Movie" actress Anna Faris in the Universal Pictures film, Daily Variety reported.

The film's title is an acronym for "too much information," and follows the fortunes of a couple who learn that while honesty is the best policy in their relationship, full disclosure might not be.

No possible release date for "TMI" was revealed. It will be the second time that Vancouver-born Reynolds, 33, and Faris have teamed up on screen following their successful 2005 comedy "Just Friends."

Waysmeans (CQPolitics.com)

Posted Tue, 11/17/2009 - 09:59 by admin

Some Incumbents Slow to Start 2010 Money Race

Top 10 House Receipts for Third Quarter

Palin talks politics, family ahead of book release

Posted Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:14 by admin

NEW YORK – Sarah Palin wouldn't reveal her political plans for 2012 in an interview with Barbara Walters, but when asked whether she'd play a major role replied that "if people will have me, I will."
The former Republican vice presidential candidate said that election isn't even on her radar screen.
"My ambition, if you will, my desire is to help our country in whatever role that may be, and I cannot predict what that will be, what doors will be open in the year 2012," she told Walters.
Palin is making the rounds to promote her new book, "Going Rogue," which will be released Tuesday by Harper, an imprint of News Corp.'s HarperCollins division.
On Monday, she appeared on the "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and ABC released excerpts of the interview with Walters that will begin airing on newscasts Tuesday.
The former Alaska governor said she'd rate President Barack Obama's performance a 4 out of 10. She criticized the president for his handling of the economy and for "dithering" on national security questions.
"There are a lot of decisions being made that I — and probably the majority of Americans — are not impressed with right now," she said on ABC.
The title of Palin's book refers to a phrase John McCain's campaign used to describe his vice presidential running mate going off message. In the book, she criticizes the people who ran McCain's campaign and says wished she had been allowed to speak more freely. But she told Walters the outcome probably would not have been different if she had.
"The economy tanked," she said. "(The) electorate was ready, sincerely, for change."
Palin said she's gotten plenty of offers during the past few months, including to open up her family for a reality show, that she has rejected. She also said she wasn't sure whether a talk show would be best for her family. "I'd probably rather write than talk," she said.
During her interview with Winfrey, which was taped last week, Palin said that it's heartbreaking to see the road that Levi Johnston, the father of her grandson, has taken and that the soon-to-be Playgirl model hasn't seen his baby in a while.
Palin and Winfrey also talked about the controversy surrounding Palin's possible appearance on the show last year. The two women embraced as Palin walked onto the talk show stage.
The new memoir doesn't mention Johnston, who has sparred repeatedly with his former mother-in-law-to-be. Johnston and Palin's daughter, Bristol Palin, are parents to son, Tripp.
When Winfrey asked about Johnston, Palin said she didn't think "a national television show is the place to discuss some of the things he's doing and saying."
But Palin went on to say she finds it "a bit heartbreaking to see the road that he is on right now" and that "it's not a healthy place to be."
Bristol Palin and her son live at Palin's home, she said, and have much family support.
"(Johnston's) quite busy with his media tours and he hasn't seen the baby for a while," Palin said. "But we will let that be the discussion between Bristol and Levi as they work out their relationship."
Palin also said Johnston remains a member of the family and that they can work out any troubles. She said she prays for him and that he has an "open invitation" to Thanksgiving dinner.

Winfrey began the interview by asking Palin if she felt snubbed at not getting an invitation to "The Oprah Winfrey Show" last year. Winfrey said she didn't have any candidates on her Chicago-based show during the campaign because of her support for President Barack Obama.

Palin said she didn't feel snubbed and told Winfrey, "No offense to you, but it wasn't the center of my universe."

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

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AP Writer Caryn Rousseau in Chicago contributed to this report.

Promotional Products

Posted Tue, 11/17/2009 - 05:24 by admin

Most promotional items are relatively small and inexpensive, but can range to higher-end items; for example celebrities at film festivals and award shows are often given expensive promotional items such as expensive perfumes, leather goods, and electronics items.

Collecting certain types of promotional items is also a popular hobby.

http://www.logosurfing.com/

GAO: Full recovery of auto investment unlikely

Posted Tue, 11/03/2009 - 00:02 by admin

WASHINGTON – Taxpayers are unlikely to recover their full investment in General Motors or Chrysler, government investigators said Monday in the latest review to cast doubts that the government will recoup the $80 billion it poured into the two automakers.
The Government Accountability Office concluded that General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC likely won't be valuable enough for the Treasury Department to break even on its investment in the two auto companies that went though bankruptcy earlier this year.
The GAO also revealed that the Obama administration is closely scrutinizing the finances of GM and Chrysler and has set some requirements on production even though it has said it will maintain a hands-off approach on the automakers' daily operations.
To recover the loans Treasury gave Chrysler and GM to keep them afloat, the automakers would have to reach valuations they didn't approach even when they were healthier.
Treasury officials said they were considering a series of initial public offerings to dispose of the government's 61 percent stake in GM. For Chrysler, a private sale of the government's nearly 10 percent stake is more likely because of the government's minority ownership.
GM would need a market capitalization, or the market value of the company's outstanding shares, of $66.9 billion for Treasury to make its money back, according to GAO. GM's peak market value was $57 billion in 2000. Chrysler, which was last publicly valued at $37 billion in 1998 when it merged with Daimler AG, would need a market value of $54.8 billion.
Treasury officials told GAO that the companies' previous equity values were not comparable because GM and Chrysler have undergone substantial reorganizations through bankruptcies. The Obama administration has said it is confident it can recover the bulk of its investment in the GM and Chrysler restructurings.
GM spokesman Greg Martin said "if we get our job done, the government has an excellent chance of getting a return on its investment." Chrysler declined to comment.
In September, the Congressional Oversight Panel reviewing the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program said most of the $23 billion initially provided to General Motors and Chrysler late last year was unlikely to be repaid. GAO did not provide an estimate of how much might be returned to taxpayers.
Treasury officials reiterated that they don't plan to be involved in the companies' day-to-day management. But as a major creditor and equity holder, Treasury is closely scrutinizing the financial well-being of Chrysler and GM.
In GM's case, it must supply 13-week forecasts every two weeks, monthly reports on its liquidity and monthly budgets covering a five-year period. All financial statements, budgets and other material must be turned over to Treasury as long as it owns 10 percent of GM. The automaker must provide its consolidated balance sheet until it repays its loans. Chrysler is required to make similar disclosures.
Both automakers must keep much of their manufacturing in the United States. Chrysler must produce either 40 percent of its U.S. sales volume domestically or come near its 2008 U.S. production volume. GM agreed to give its "best efforts" to keep its U.S. manufacturing within 90 percent of its business plan.
The companies are also subject to limits on executive pay and corporate expenses. Italy's Fiat Group SpA can increase its stake in Chrysler if it produces a new engine in the United States or a car that gets 40 miles per gallon.
Treasury officials told the GAO that the measures were meant to protect the government's financial interest, but acknowledged that they "reflect the administration's views on responsibly utilizing taxpayer resources for these companies," the GAO report said.
GAO also questioned staffing levels for the administration's auto task force. Treasury officials told GAO that they plan to disband the team over time as other Treasury aides monitor the companies' financial conditions. Once made up of 16 staffers, the task force now has just four professional staff members. Former task force head Steve Rattner has left, while Ron Bloom, a key member, is now also advising the administration on manufacturing policy.
GAO said it was concerned Treasury "may not have sufficient expertise to actively oversee and protect the government's ownership interests, including determining when and how to divest these interests."
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On the Net:

Government Accountability Office: http://www.gao.gov/

Congressional Oversight Panel: http://cop.senate.gov/

Diabetic Test Strips

Posted Mon, 11/02/2009 - 16:29 by admin

In severe cases, perinatal death may occur, most commonly as a result of poor placental perfusion due to vascular impairment. Induction may be indicated with decreased placental function. A cesarean section may be performed if there is marked fetal distress or an increased risk of injury associated with macrosomia, such as shoulder dystocia.

Various hereditary conditions may feature diabetes, for example myotonic dystrophy and Friedreich's ataxia. Wolfram's syndrome is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder that first becomes evident in childhood. It consists of diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness, hence the acronym DIDMOAD.

Diabetic Test Strips