Islamists smash Sufi saint's tomb in northern Mali

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Heavily armed Islamist fighters in Mali destroyed the tomb of a local Sufi saint near Timbuktu on Saturday, witnesses said, the latest attack on traditional shrines in the rebel-occupied north.

The destruction of the tomb of Almirou Mahamane Assidiki in Goundam came just months after a number of other shrines in the UNESCO-listed city of Timbuktu, 90 km (55 miles) to the south, were reduced to rubble, underscoring the threat to the region's ancient heritage from the rebels' extremist ideology.

"Last night they arrived in several vehicles and told the elders that the tomb of Saint Almirou would be destroyed," Aliou Ahmadou Toure, a resident in Goundam, told Reuters.

Local people tried to protest but were powerless to protect the shrine from men wielding shovels and pick-axes, Toure said.

"Some armed men surrounded the cemetery while a second group, chanting "God is Great", destroyed the tomb inside."

A local politician who was also in the town on Saturday confirmed the incident.

It was not immediately clear which of the Islamist groups controlling Mali's north was involved in the incident but they have previously said they are protecting Islam from idol worship.

Sufi Islam, which reveres saints and sages with shrines, is popular across much of northern Mali.

The rebellion - launched first by Tuareg separatists in January but since hijacked by Islamists - has forced more than 400,000 people from their homes and split the nation in two, with the Bamako government controlling just southern zones and mix of Islamist groups in the north.

Historians say cultural losses are also great, with attacks on tombs and shrines pulverizing part of the history of Islam in Africa, which includes a centuries-old message of tolerance.

(Reporting by Adama Diarra; Writing by David Lewis; editing by Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/islamists-smash-sufi-saints-tomb-northern-mali-150709470.html

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Man's arrest in alleged Lindsay Lohan dispute voided

NEW YORK (AP) ? A 25-year-old man initially arrested Sunday on an assault charge after Lindsay Lohan claimed he grabbed her in a New York hotel room in an argument over cellphone images was freed hours later and his arrest voided when the charge could not be substantiated, law enforcement officials said.

Instead, Christian LaBella of Valley Village, Calif., and Lohan were filing harassment complaints with police against each other after they were interviewed by police about their run-in, law enforcement officials said.

Afterward, Lohan publicist Steve Honig expressed outrage that police did not charge LaBella.

"We think it's both distressing and outrageous," he said in a telephone interview. "Lindsey was assaulted and there needs to be a consequence for that."

LaBella could not be reached for comment.

LaBella was taken into custody about 6 a.m. after a 911 call came from the swank W Hotel in Manhattan's Union Square where Lohan apparently pulled the fire alarm, the two officials said. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A former congressional aide, LaBella was arrested on a misdemeanor assault charge but released later Sunday. The charge could not be substantiated so the arrest will be voided, the officials said.

The paperwork was being completed on cross-harassment complaints, which are considered a violation, and no other legal action would be taken, the officials said.

Lohan and LaBella met hours earlier at a night club, though it was unclear whether they previously knew each other, the officials said. They went back to her room, when she noticed the cellphone photos of her on his phone and grabbed the device, the officials said.

She claimed LaBella grabbed her and threw her, but later he said she had forcefully taken his phone, the officials said. Lohan was injured but not hospitalized, Honig said in a statement.

"Lindsay has spoken with police and is fully cooperating with the investigation," he said after LaBella's arrest.

This is Lohan's second run-in with law enforcement in as many weeks in New York City. The 26-year-old was accused last week of clipping a pedestrian with her car outside a nightclub and driving away. She was given a ticket and was scheduled to appear in court Oct. 23. Honig has said he expects those allegations to be proven false.

The actress was also involved in a car accident in California this summer that sent her and an assistant to a hospital, but didn't result in serious injuries for anyone. The accident remains under investigation.

In May, she was cleared of allegations that she struck a Hollywood nightclub manager with her car.

Lohan remains on informal probation for taking a necklace from a jewelry store without permission last year. That means she doesn't have to check in with a judge or probation officer but could face a jail term if arrested again.

Lohan recently filmed "The Canyons," an indie film written by "Less Than Zero" and "American Psycho" author Bret Easton Ellis.

Steve Tomaszewski, a spokesman for Illinois Rep. John Shimkus, confirmed Sunday afternoon that LaBella has worked for the congressman in his Washington office. Tomaszewski said no one from the Republican's office had been contacted by LaBella.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/official-mans-nyc-arrest-lohan-dispute-voided-225652983.html

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Ex-analyst at SAC Capital unit admits insider trading

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former analyst at a division of SAC Capital, the hedge fund founded by Steven Cohen, pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of insider trading and agreed to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors in an investigation of what they say was a $62 million scheme.

Technology sector analyst Jon Horvath, at a plea proceeding in federal court in Manhattan, said he had obtained non-public information on earnings of Dell Inc in August 2008 and Nvidia Corp in May 2009 that he then shared with his manager.

Horvath, who worked at Sigma Capital in New York, a unit of SAC Capital, from 2006 to 2011, did not identify the manager by name.

Horvath, 42, told U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan that he obtained Dell and Nvidia secrets from employees of the companies before public announcements of their earnings.

"In each instance I gave the information to the portfolio manager I worked for and we executed trades based on that information," Horvath said.

Federal prosecutors announced the case against Horvath and three others in January. The indictment said they were part of a circle of research analysts at different investment firms who illegally obtained inside information from 2007 to 2009.

The case is one of several in federal prosecutors' biggest crackdown on Wall Street insider trading in a generation. In a probe the FBI dubbed "Operation Perfect Hedge," scores of traders, hedge fund managers, lawyers and consultants have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial in the past four years.

Reuters reported in January that Horvath's supervisor was Michael Steinberg, a long-time top trader with the SAC hedge fund. Steinberg has not been charged and he has not been identified in court papers in the case.

Steinberg's lawyer, Barry Berke, declined to comment.

A spokesman for SAC Capital said in a statement that until Horvath's guilty plea, "we gave him the benefit of the presumption of innocence."

He said the firm is "disappointed and angered" that Horvath broke the law and SAC's policies forbidding insider trading.

SAC, with $14 billion in assets under management, is known for delivering double-digit returns over decades. Neither Cohen nor the fund has been accused of any wrongdoing. Horvath is the fourth person once associated with Cohen's hedge fund to be implicated or criminally or civilly charged with insider trading.

Horvath pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy and two charges of securities fraud. As part of the plea he signed a cooperation agreement that requires him to provide "truthful information and assistance" to the government, Sullivan said.

The charges carry a maximum possible sentence of 25 years. Sullivan scheduled a tentative sentencing date of March 31, 2013. The judge told Horvath, who lives in San Francisco and is a citizen of Sweden, that he could eventually be deported from the United States because of his crimes.

Horvath's lawyer, Steven Peikin, declined to comment after Friday's plea proceeding.

Horvath had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges and had been scheduled to go on trial on October 29. Two former hedge fund portfolio managers charged in the same case have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. A fourth defendant pleaded guilty.

The case is US v. Todd Newman et al, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 12-00121.

(Additional reporting by Matthew Goldstein; Editing by Eddie Evans, Leslie Adler and Prudence Crowther)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-analyst-unit-cohens-sac-capital-admits-insider-185405186--sector.html

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Putin rolls back protege's modest liberal legacy

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev meet in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A year ago, Dmitry Medvedev showed an unswerving loyalty to his mentor Vladimir Putin when he refused to seek a second presidential term and agreed to swap jobs. But Medvedev?s self-denial hasn?t prevented Putin from systematically rolling back indecisive and half-hearted attempts at liberal reforms made by his pliant placeholder during four years in the Kremlin. That campaign has seen the revision of Medvedev?s laws, the reversal of some of his key policies and even rolling back his initiative to move the clock. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Government Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev meet in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A year ago, Dmitry Medvedev showed an unswerving loyalty to his mentor Vladimir Putin when he refused to seek a second presidential term and agreed to swap jobs. But Medvedev?s self-denial hasn?t prevented Putin from systematically rolling back indecisive and half-hearted attempts at liberal reforms made by his pliant placeholder during four years in the Kremlin. That campaign has seen the revision of Medvedev?s laws, the reversal of some of his key policies and even rolling back his initiative to move the clock. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Government Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A year ago, Dmitry Medvedev showed an unswerving loyalty to his mentor Vladimir Putin when he refused to seek a second presidential term and agreed to swap jobs. But Medvedev?s self-denial hasn?t prevented Putin from systematically rolling back indecisive and half-hearted attempts at liberal reforms made by his pliant placeholder during four years in the Kremlin. That campaign has seen the revision of Medvedev?s laws, the reversal of some of his key policies and even rolling back his initiative to move the clock. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Government Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A year ago, Dmitry Medvedev showed an unswerving loyalty to his mentor Vladimir Putin when he refused to seek a second presidential term and agreed to swap jobs. But Medvedev?s self-denial hasn?t prevented Putin from systematically rolling back indecisive and half-hearted attempts at liberal reforms made by his pliant placeholder during four years in the Kremlin. That campaign has seen the revision of Medvedev?s laws, the reversal of some of his key policies and even rolling back his initiative to move the clock. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Government Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A year ago, Dmitry Medvedev showed an unswerving loyalty to his mentor Vladimir Putin when he refused to seek a second presidential term and agreed to swap jobs. But Medvedev?s self-denial hasn?t prevented Putin from systematically rolling back indecisive and half-hearted attempts at liberal reforms made by his pliant placeholder during four years in the Kremlin. That campaign has seen the revision of Medvedev?s laws, the reversal of some of his key policies and even rolling back his initiative to move the clock. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Government Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A year ago, Dmitry Medvedev showed an unswerving loyalty to his mentor Vladimir Putin when he refused to seek a second presidential term and agreed to swap jobs. But Medvedev?s self-denial hasn?t prevented Putin from systematically rolling back indecisive and half-hearted attempts at liberal reforms made by his pliant placeholder during four years in the Kremlin. That campaign has seen the revision of Medvedev?s laws, the reversal of some of his key policies and even rolling back his initiative to move the clock. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Government Press Service)

MOSCOW (AP) ? President Vladimir Putin is turning back the clock on his predecessor's reforms ? literally.

This week, Putin signaled his intent to reverse one of the few high-profile reforms Dmitry Medvedev enacted while president: keeping Russia stuck in summer time all year after clocks sprang forward in March. It's perhaps an apt symbol of Putin's relentless drive to roll back even the modest liberal legacy left behind by his protege, who made timid attempts at modernization as president but never emerged from the shadow of his patron ? and meekly agreed to step down to let him reclaim the top job.

One by one, each of Medvedev's reforms ? from decriminalizing slander to purging the boards of state-run companies of government officials ? has been swept aside. Observers see it as part of a new tough course taken by Putin in response to massive winter protests against his rule, an indication that he sees no need for a compromise with the opposition. Suspicions are also rife that Putin may even be gearing up to dump Medvedev, his longtime political partner, as prime minister.

Nobody believed that Medvedev would really be in charge when he took over as president in 2008, while Putin moved into the prime minister's seat to observe a constitutional limit of two consecutive terms.

But he led many to believe that he may at least soften Putin's autocratic ways, especially when he proclaimed in a speech that "freedom is better than non-freedom." He heartened many by promising to allow greater political competition, champion media freedoms, liberalize the economy and fight graft.

In the end, he fulfilled few of these pledges, leaving the tightly controlled political system largely intact, while Putin made it abundantly clear that he remained Russia's paramount leader. A year ago, Medvedev showed unswerving loyalty to Putin when he refused to seek a second presidential term and agreed to swap jobs.

Medvedev now sees himself sinking further into irrelevance.

The latest blow came with Putin's comments on his protege's time switch initiative, which had angered many Russians because it meant they would have to trudge to work in pitch darkness during the nation's long winter. Medvedev had argued that keeping clocks on summer time helped farmers. Putin told reporters Tuesday that Medvedev "isn't fixed on his decision" ? a comment that appears to signal that the measure is doomed.

A humiliating revision of his own move would further erode Medvedev's popularity, making it easier for Putin to sack him in the future if he decides to do so. A recent poll by the VTsIOM opinion research center showed Medvedev's approval rating dropping to just over 20 percent this month, half of the level during his presidency. The same poll showed Putin's approval rating staying stable at around 50 percent.

In one sign of fraying ties in the leadership duo, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The Associated Press this week when asked about claims that some members of Putin's inner circle held Medvedev responsible for the explosion of anti-Kremlin protests over the winter that "it's not a secret that during Medvedev's presidency some mistakes were made."

Last winter's protests, which drew more than 100,000 people demanding an end to Putin's role into the frigid streets of Moscow, were the biggest Russia saw since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Clearly shocked, Putin blamed the U.S. for staging the demonstrations and squarely focused his campaign on his core support group of blue-collar workers and state employees.

After his inauguration in May, Putin quickly struck back at his political foes with a series of repressive bills that slapped hefty fines on participants in unsanctioned rallies and required foreign-funded non-governmental organizations, such as rights watchdogs and election monitoring groups, to register as "foreign agents" in a bid to undermine their credibility with Russians.

Medvedev's firm support for Barack Obama's policy of "resetting" ties with Russia, which suffered during George W. Bush's presidency, has given way to a barrage of anti-U.S. comments by Putin and his lieutenants. Earlier this month, Moscow halted the U.S. Agency for International Development's two decades of work in Russia saying it was meddling in elections ? a claim Washington denied.

Opposition activists have faced interrogations and searches, and three members of the feminist rock band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in prison in August for a "punk prayer" for deliverance from Putin in Moscow's main cathedral.

Liberal initiatives of Medvedev's presidency looked increasingly out of place amid the crackdown on dissent, and the Kremlin quickly moved to repeal them.

The parliament controlled by Putin's loyalists quickly reversed Medvedev's law decriminalizing slander, giving law enforcement authorities a new weapon against dissent.

The presidential human rights council, which Medvedev filled with Kremlin critics, was quickly reshuffled to purge them, and a bill widely expanding the definition of high treason that Medvedev shelved in 2008 received a unanimous preliminary approval in parliament last week.

Medvedev's directive to remove government officials from boards of giant state-controlled companies has been reversed. And Putin's lieutenants, like energy czar Igor Sechin, successfully resisted a push for control over energy revenues by Medvedev loyalists. Medvedev himself has avoided meddling in those disputes and sought to demonstrate his loyalty to Putin.

Medvedev faced more trouble this month, when Putin gave a dressing down to several Cabinet ministers, saying that they had failed to fulfill his directives on drafting the next budget. It was an oblique criticism of Medvedev himself ? as he leads the Cabinet and is in charge of the economy.

Alexei Makarkin, a leading analyst with the Center for Political Technologies, an independent Moscow-based think-tank, said that such criticism could be repeated and would help set the stage for Medvedev's ouster in the future.

"He would be unlikely to remain the prime minister for the entire Putin's term in office," Makarkin said.

____

Lynn Berry contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-29-Russia-Turning%20Back%20the%20Clock/id-7f3c0c61dfec4374b71bfb098156a76c

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Franciscan University of Steubenville to recognize eight alumni

STEUBENVILLE - Eight Franciscan University of Steubenville alumni will be honored at the annual Alumni Awards Banquet and Ceremony slated for Friday in the J.C. Williams Center.

A pre-dinner reception begins in the Atrium at 6 p.m., followed by the banquet dinner and ceremony at 7 p.m. in the Tony and Nina Gentile Gallery.

The event recognizes the professional achievements and service to the church and society of Franciscan alumni for many decades.

The university has announced this year's recipients are:

The Rev. Joseph Meagher, Class of 1984, who is receiving the Bishop John King Mussio Award for his service to the Archdiocese of Newark, his involvement in the Pro-Life movement and his ministry to young adults and diocesan seminarians.

Mary Grace (Kniola) Landrum, Class of 1972, who is receiving the Dr. John J. Carrigg Award for her work with youth of Texas as a teacher and special education specialist and for launching her own consulting company to train educational leaders.

John Henricks, Class of 1991, who is receiving the Alumni Citizenship Award for his work in the public square as past director of government relations for the Family Research Council, and currently in the same position for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bobby Aborn, Class of 2012, and Christi Aborn, Class of 2009, who are receiving the Rose M. DeFede Faithful Franciscan Award for their service to Franciscan University of Steubenville students by acting as household coordinators, mission trip coordinators, marriage preparation assistants, athletic coaches and hosts of the Dinner for Twelve Strangers.

Dr. Adam Berman, Class of 1994, who is receiving the Father Dan Egan Award for his work as an expert cardiologist specializing in complex arrhythmia ablation, and for medical research he is conducting in conjunction with two leading medical centers.

Michael Kehoe, Class of 1968, who is receiving the professor Edward J. Kelly Award for his work in the telecommunications industry, rising to executive levels with AT&T, as well as his involvement with numerous civic, educational, and charitable boards such as the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College.

Nate Pollock, Class of 1999, who is receiving the Outstanding Young Alumni Award for graduating at the top of his class from the University of Notre Dame Law School, going on to a successful career in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and authoring numerous legal briefs, two of which have reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

The event costs $30 a person for the reception and dinner, or $10 for the reception alone.

RSVP online at www.franciscan.edu/alumni.

Source: http://www.weirtondailytimes.com/page/content.detail/id/588754.html

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Presidential contest shifts focus to raising money

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a rally at Valley Forge Military Academy and College, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012 in Wayne, Pa. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a rally at Valley Forge Military Academy and College, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012 in Wayne, Pa. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event in Washington, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a rally at Valley Forge Military Academy and College, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Wayne, Pa. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney laughs as he hands out beef jerky to the press on his campaign plane, Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

First lady Michelle Obama speaks during a campaign stop at the McLeod Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (AP Photo/The Waterloo Courier, Matthew Putney) TV OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? For a day, the presidential contest was almost all about money ? money to wage the presidential contest, that is. Mitt Romney promised to help Americans earn more, but he and President Barack Obama focused mostly on private fundraisers and big checks to fuel their 40-day sprint to Election Day.

Obama courted donors in Washington on Friday, while his Republican challenger did the same in Philadelphia and Boston, both men trading swing-state rallies for fundraising in places unlikely to play a significant role in the election of the next president on Nov. 6.

Romney admitted as much during a fundraiser at Philadelphia's exclusive Union League Club. The former Massachusetts governor said it would surprise everyone if he carried Pennsylvania, a state that hasn't supported a Republican presidential candidate in nearly a quarter century.

"We really would shock people if early in the evening of Nov. 6 it looked like Pennsylvania was going to come our way and actually did come our way. That can happen," Romney told about 200 donors who paid between $2,500 and $50,000 to hear his remarks.

"My priority is job creation and growing incomes," Romney continued. "My priority is not trying to punish people who have been successful."

The former businessman's remarks came at the first of three private fundraisers sandwiched around a midday rally. Obama kept close to Washington with a schedule of three fundraisers of his own.

After a midafternoon fundraiser at a downtown Washington hotel, Obama joined about 90 people who paid $20,000 apiece to attend an event hosted by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. The setting was Rockefeller's home, one of Washington's grandest mansions sitting behind a long, winding driveway near leafy Rock Creek Park.

Obama said that Democrats tend to either think "the sky is falling" or "everything is great."

"This is going to be a competitive race all the way down to the wire," Obama said. "I don't want anybody to feel we're done six weeks out."

As the candidates asked for cash, their campaigns prepared for next week's high-stakes meeting on the debate stage ? the first of three presidential debates and perhaps Romney's best chance to reverse the recent Obama gains suggested by opinion polls.

Both men worked international affairs into their politicking Friday with separate telephone calls to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Romney criticized Obama for not meeting with Netanyahu this week during his visit to the United Nations, where the prime minister declared the world has only until next summer to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb. Aides to both candidates did not mention that dire declaration in their reports of the calls.

But money was largely the focus of the day.

In an election where the two sides already have collected more than $1 billion, each campaign has committed millions more they haven't yet raised to help blanket key states with television ads, drive national voter turnout operations and support massive teams of paid staff and consultants. Private events at places like the Union League Club, where dress codes prohibit wrinkled clothes and huge crystal chandeliers hang from ceilings, are regular occurrences for campaigns seeking the modern-day lifeblood of presidential politics.

Romney and the Republican Party had raised about $536 million through the end of August, the most recent reporting data available. Obama and the Democratic Party had collected about $655 million through the same period.

Both camps have been spending furiously, mostly on expensive television advertising in battleground states. That doesn't count the hundreds of millions of dollars likely to be spent by "super" political committees, which can raise and spend unlimited sums. Republican-leaning super PACs and Romney's campaign have outspent efforts for Obama's re-election since mid-July, ad data show.

Fundraising can present image risks for both sides.

During the 2008 campaign, Republican John McCain's campaign aired advertising calling Obama the "biggest celebrity in the world," showing his image along with Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. Obama's brushes with fame and fortune have only grown in the years since.

The president's fundraising trips often combine big money with the mansions and chic brownstones of the nation's elite. Red-carpet stars like George Clooney, Spike Lee, Sarah Jessica Parker and Tyler Perry have all had Obama over for big-dollar dinners. At one fundraiser in Seattle's suburbs last spring, Microsoft founder Bill Gates stood beside a grand piano as Obama spoke at the home of Jeff Brotman, the co-founder of Costco.

And Obama's campaign could have easily staged its own version of the music world's Lollapalooza during his re-election bid: Fundraisers have been headlined by such acts as the Foo Fighters, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. The campaign is planning a "30 Days to Victory" concert on Oct. 7 in Los Angeles featuring Jon Bon Jovi, Earth Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry and Stevie Wonder.

The event will try to eclipse a recent fundraiser with Jay-Z and Beyonce that raised about $4 million in New York.

On Friday, the president delivered remarks at a finance event at the Capital Hilton in Washington, with tickets starting at $250 and going as high as $10,000 per couple. He then attended the smaller fundraiser at Rockefeller's home before returning to the Capital Hilton for another event.

Obama also met with advisers Friday at Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington to prepare for the debates before heading Sunday to Nevada to hold practice sessions. His campaign released a political memo on Friday saying it expects Romney "to be a prepared, disciplined and aggressive debater."

Romney, too, planned to spend much of his weekend in debate preparation, a task he began three months ago.

But he spent more time fundraising on Friday than anything else. And like Obama, Romney faces fundraising-related risks.

As polls suggest his campaign is moving in the wrong direction, Romney is facing calls from within his party to spend less time with donors and more time with voters. Less than a week ago, he promised to do just that and spent three days this week campaigning across Ohio and Virginia. But he was back to fundraising Thursday night at a single Washington event that generated $5 million.

There, Romney was introduced by Bill Marriott, the chairman of Marriott International.

"He rescued me just as he's going to rescue this great country," Marriott proclaimed after sharing a story about boating on the same New Hampshire lake where both men own vacation homes.

The campaign would not say how much Romney raised at the Philadelphia event, but he was expected to generate at least $7 million at two Boston fundraisers Friday evening. The two-day total was expected to exceed $13 million.

___

Ken Thomas reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jack Gillum and Andrew Miga contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-09-28-Presidential%20Campaign/id-7d46511bc20d44ce9bbeabbc48eddc3e

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Small Details Matter When Choosing Home Decor | DirectBuy Home ...

If you are planning to update or replace a portion or all of your present home decor or if you?re decorating a home for the first time, there are a few things to keep in mind concerning your selection of decorative accessories.

Accessing The Impact Of Decorative Accessories

Just to get an idea of how decorative accessories impact the appearance of a room, walk into a friend?s home and be consciously aware of the items that immediately capture your attention. Take notice of what stays in your memory once you leave the room.

Visit a home furnishings store or browse through a home decorating magazine and observe the items and details that make the largest impression on the room design. Now, keep the results of this activity in your mind as you select items of decor for every room in your house.

Hardware Selection

When you think of decorative hardware, you probably think of door and drawer handles in the kitchen and bathrooms. While these are two areas where hardware can impact the decor, they are certainly not the only places where hardware selection impacts the room design. The hardware on your furniture can be changed to update the appearance of the furniture and the room. Curtain rods, clips and tie backs can also be considered decorative hardware.

You may want to select picture frames and mirror frames that decoratively work in conjunction with the hardware choices you make. If you?ve selected oil rubbed bronze or brushed nickel hardware, you might want to choose frames with the same finish.

Small Decorative Details

The pull chain on a ceiling fan can be among the decorative items you select that will capture the attention of visitors. If you simply have the standard or basic style switch plate covers in a room, replacing them with more colorful, elegant or theme related covers will have a positive impact on the room decor.

Versatile Decor

Your decorating style may remain the same for a long period of time. However, you might want to liven up the decor from time to time or make a few changes so that you do not become bored with the room?s design. Choosing decorative items that can easily be switched out as the seasons change is an excellent way to keep your decor interesting.

A display of candles is lovely on a coffee table or accent table. You can easily change the candles so that the colors coordinate with the seasons. Baskets are a popular decorative accessory. You can fill the baskets with seasonal items such as flowers in summer, pine cones in autumn and Christmas ornaments for the holidays. Rugs and pillows are also easy to rotate and store according to your mood or the seasons.

Lighting

The lighting you choose can have a dual purpose affect on the room decor. The lamp base should be a reflection of the decorative style you want to portray. Likewise, the type of shade or globe should coordinate with the basic decor of the room. In addition to enhancing the beauty of a room, the lighting you select will also determine or impact the atmosphere of the room.

When you begin a decorating project, there are many decisions that must be made. Choosing paint colors, floor covering and furniture ranks high on the priority list. However, if you take time to find the perfect accessories for a room, you will be amazed at how much they impact the overall beauty of a room.

DirectBuy is a leader in home decor and furnishings.? Enjoy name-brand products at exclusive confidential dealer pricing at DirectBuy.

Tags: DirectBuy, Furniture, Home Accessories, Home Decor, Window Treatments

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 at 7:08 am and is filed under Home Decor. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://www.directhomediscount.com/blog/home-decor/small-details-matter-when-choosing-home-decor/

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Ahmadinejad's aide in prison as Iran president addresses U.N.

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Learn More About IGNOU Procedure for Admissions

By Ankita | September 26th 2012 | Views:

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? ?? IGNOU conducts various admission tests to enroll qualified students for further researches at this Open University. Students can take the advantage of distance education by completing the whole MBA, MCA, BCA and MCOM/ MA courses from home.However, before starting courses at this Open University, a student needs to clear entrance tests for ensuring the trouble free studies under the full guidance and supervision of IGNOU authority. You will have to be acquainted with several admission procedures for the completion of various short and long term condensed courses to get degrees and certificates.

Admission procedures depend on the course and academic session. For MBA students, IGNOU has set up a fruitful admission test to evaluate the quality of students. For appearing at the entrance test at MBA level, students must fill up barcode registration forms properly. Online admission forms are available in the official site of IGNOU. You can download forms for fill-up. You need to give your personal details as per requirements. The printed copies of admission forms must be kept intact for future reference. You will have to paste two thumb nail size photographs of yours. You need to duly sign on the particular area in the forms. If it is an online registration form, you need to submit on the spot within the given time. For a registration fees clearance, you need to get the demand draft for paying your exam fees.

The eligibility criteria of facing admission tests at MBA and graduate levels are as follows. For instance, students must get 50 percent marks in the particular stream. If he belongs to creamy layer of schedule casts and schedule tribes, he will have to get 45 % marks in BA/BCOM/BBA. Widows, and physically challenged persons are fallen under special categories. They are given chances to choose the right subjects for studying at IGNOU. They also get financial benefits during online/offline registration process. Students must be 18 years of age and Indian citizens. Demand drafts or challans with application forms need to be submitted at the Regional Centre of IGNOU. Read information booklets and brochures to know in details about the commencement of admission tests, course fees, syllabi and other important facts in this regard.

Ankita - About Author:
IGNOU4U is a wide Educational Portal which provides all information about IGNOU, IGNOU Correspondence and IGNOU Procedure for Admissions

Article Source:
http://www.authorsboard.com/reference-and-education-articles/learn-more-about-ignou-procedure-for-admissions.html

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How Food And Clothing Size Labels Affect What We Eat And What We Wear

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Watch Bon Iver Play Radio City [Video]

Bon Iver played three nights NYC's Radio City Music Hall last week. The folky band played a beautiful 97-minute set on Friday, the final evening, and it's streaming on YouTube for the next two days. More »

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Crucial Tricks For Rising Personal Development | Spring Flowers

Most of us make the effort to be a improved sort of our-self. If this sounds like the way it is for you personally, then you must pay back it to yourself to see these thoughts about acquiring by yourself. Best Careers For 2011 To Get Into Be it a feat to do greater at your workplace or perhaps a far more friendly an affiliate your social life, you?ll discover some ideas here that will help you construct a greater you.

Individuals must know when it comes to personal development not to ever anticipate effects in a single day. It may be a very irritating experience, but set yourself up for achievement by only wanting progress at the running pace. When you over expect from oneself ahead of time you are far prone to throw in the towel resulting from insufficient progress. How To Customer Service Interview In A Bank Taking a meditation class or purchasing a meditation online video media is usually very best way to improve your self improvement. This age-old exercising contains building up, extending, in addition to a aerobic exercise session to make it an exciting all around wonderful kind. Additionally, you will gain mental understanding while keeping focused whilst exercising pilates. Look at pilates today. When you?re trying to improve your life, compose your purpose straight down. Publishing ambitions all the way down makes them concrete. You?ll find it offers you a little something to believe daily. Your primary goal ought to be clear, helpful and include a time frame. Accomplishing this tends to make your purpose a far sooner, instead of in the future.

Have a very diary. Any time you begin an outing in the direction of personal development, you should definitely record all of your views, thoughts, and concepts. Not only will it be described as a joy to look back on if you arrive at your primary goal, but it could be a useful tool when you are intending down the wrong path. Cover Letter For Career Change Sales You?ll be able to check out your log to get what directed that you where you?re and pay attention to the way in which to get back on track. Being a improved individual is easier in theory. The most significant suggestions I?m able to give is that you must use a wide open and inquiring mind. Check with many concerns and be ready to other?s beliefs. Don?t let your own way of thinking demolish a chance to mature and understand. Reduce the negative thoughts which are at heart. Detrimental, unsure and thought processes to limit your self growth haven?t any put in mind. They may cause it to extremely hard for you to achieve serenity and a harmonious relationship that will take you the thrill you seek out to be in your lifestyle.

You will have defects, undesirable or abnormal quirks, nevertheless, that means about to catch very different than other people. Consider the following tips and concepts and assist produce very own criteria earlier mentioned whatever you at the moment seeking yourself. Career Path Planning Training Attempting to improve your own self is never a problem and can cause an increasingly assured mind-set about everyday living and yourself.

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Tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea have intensified due to earlier monsoon onset

ScienceDaily (Sep. 21, 2012) ? The tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea during the pre-monsoon season (May -- June) have intensified since 1997 compared to 1979 -- 1997. This has been attributed to decreased vertical wind shear due to the dimming effects of increased anthropogenic black carbon and sulfate emissions in the region. The decrease in vertical wind shear, however, is not the result of these emissions, but due to a 15-day on average earlier occurrence of tropical cyclones, according to a study spearheaded by Bin Wang at the International Pacific Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa and published in "Brief Communications Arising" in the September 20, 2012, issue of Nature.

"About 90% of the pre-monsoon tropical cyclones occur during a small widow in late spring. The mean date during which the cyclones with maximum intensity occur has advanced from June 8 in the earlier period to May 24 in the second period," explains Bin Wang. "This advance has been accompanied by a significant decrease in vertical wind shear, which leads to tropical cyclone intensification, because large vertical wind shear is most destructive to intensification."

"The ultimate reason for this earlier occurrence of storms and their intensification is the tendency we have noticed for the southwesterly monsoon to begin earlier in recent years," says Wang. "This earlier monsoon onset is related to the greater warming of the Asian landmass than the ocean and thus an increased temperature ocean-land contrast over the last years. This greater temperature difference may strengthen the monsoon and create more favorable conditions for the formation of tropical cyclones."

"All the changes that we see in the pre-monsoon storms and the earlier monsoon onset since the late 90s, can be the result either of natural variability, namely the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, or of warming effects due to greater greenhouse gas emissions, but not the effect of increased aerosols. Only time and more research will tell."

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Journal Reference:

1. Bin Wang, Shibin Xu, Liguang Wu. Intensified Arabian Sea tropical storms. Nature, 2012; 489 (7416): E1 DOI: 10.1038/nature11470

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/a_dQ_3Z7iuI/120924102702.htm

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Mount Diablo Unified Community Advisory Committee on Special ...

We welcome submissions of relevant articles, links and list items! Please send submissions by email to the blog committee or email us at mountdiablocac@gmail.com for review. We will notify you when your article will be posted or contact you for editorial review. Articles should be no more than 800 words, be relevant to special education issues and have content that builds community knowledge about educating and caring for students with special needs.

The articles and adverting is not sponsored by the CAC Blog and opinions are not necessarily those of the CAC Blog or the committee members.

Source: http://mtdiablosped.blogspot.com/2012/09/food-for-all-severe-food-allergies.html

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Sidelight to carry on in progressive way in Game Ball Puppy Trophy ...

Sidelight to carry on in progressive way in Game Ball Puppy Trophy at Coventry

Sidelight after making waves in Monmore?s graded fare is geared up to make a winning debut at the open level. C. Allsopp?s 1?-year-old pup is fully pumped after a few impressive acts at the lower grades, and carries an obviously bright chance in the Game Ball Puppy Trophy at Coventry on Sunday, September 23^rd.

The brindle bitch got off the mark on August 18^th, when finishing on top of the chart by 3? lengths. Justifying her highest starting price of 7 to 4, she won the A3 event with plenty of ease. After stepping out of the third stall, she covered 480 metres in 28.40 seconds, securing the top rank without any trouble.

A comprehensive win was not enough to satisfy her hunger for success. The daughter of Hondo Black continued her brilliant work to seal another impressive win at the end of last month. She showed no nervousness on her promotion to the A2 level, and captured the first position by a couple of lengths.

She also ran well in the trials at Newcastle lately. After three back-to-back good runs, Sidelight is full of confidence. So, she is expected to make things very tough for rest of the pack, which includes Change Of Shift, Longwood Mojito, Lemon Pluto, Aghaburren Tom and Kilcuala Hondo.

The pressure will be enormous on every hound. Hence, a fine start is required. According to the schedule, the 485 metres contest will be begun at 18:15 GMT. The ultimate champion of the Puppy Trophy will leave the field with ?200.

Longwood Mojito seized the runner-up place last time. A repeat of the latest effort would see him go close. As far as Aghaburren Tom?s chances are concerns, a succession of wooden spoons does not read well.

Lemon Pluto is an interesting newcomer having moved well in the trials. Yet, pinning up too many hopes is not the way to riches. Change Of Shift was successful on his previous visit here. The brindle dog also looks the call to score. Kilcuala Hondo is still getting to grips with life at the higher level.

Change Of Shift and Sidelight are the two best options for betting. The latter is in better form, and should be preferred. Good luck to all the hounds.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect Bettor.com?s editorial policy.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Sidelight-to-carry-on-in-progressive-way-in-Game-Ball-Puppy-Trophy-at-Coventry-a189508

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Rural household energy consumption in the millennium villages in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Sony's stacked Exmor RS phone camera sensors detuned over quality worries

Sony would still like you to get excited about its upcoming Exmor RS stacked CMOS image sensors -- just not too excited. Both the 8-megapixel IMX134 and 13-megapixel IMX135 are scaling back from their original RGBW (red, green, blue, white) coding to an ordinary RGB over concerns that they aren't meeting Sony's "image quality standards" as originally designed. Consequently, either sensor will be less sensitive to light and diminish some of that high dynamic range magic. The company also doesn't want to get our hopes up for a quick arrival on shelves and clarifies that there's a phased launch starting in January. Mobile shutterbugs may be crestfallen knowing that Sony won't have the best possible camera sensor in future Xperia phones, but the honesty at least guarantees that the company gets a timely return on its $994 million investment.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras

Sony's stacked Exmor RS phone camera sensors detuned over quality worries originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft, HP skirted taxes via offshore units: Senate panel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Technology giants Microsoft Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co used offshore units to shield billions of dollars from U.S. taxes by taking advantage of loopholes in the tax code, a U.S. Senate panel said on Thursday.

Describing tax avoidance as rampant in the technology sector, the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said tech companies used intellectual property, royalties and license fees in tax havens such as the Cayman Islands to skirt U.S. taxes.

"The high-tech industry is probably the No. 1 user of these offshore entities to transfer intellectual property," Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the panel, said at a news conference. "The tax practices and gimmicks range from egregious to dubious validity."

The investigative panel's findings came hours ahead of a hearing Thursday, at which Levin is slated to reveal further details and to take testimony.

Witnesses set to testify include tax executives from Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, a tax executive from Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young, and senior officials from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Levin has been investigating offshore tax evasion for years and often issues reports calling attention to the issue.

The committee said that from 2009 to 2011, Microsoft shifted $21 billion offshore, almost half its U.S. retail sales revenue, saving up to $4.5 billion in taxes on goods sold in the United States.

It also said the software giant shifts royalty revenue to units in lower-tax nations such as Singapore and Ireland, avoiding billions of dollars of additional taxes in the U.S.

A spokesman for Microsoft could not be reached for comment.

The panel said Hewlett-Packard funded U.S. operations with a stream of intercompany loans, using an exception in the law for short-term loans, to avoid billions of dollars in taxes.

A spokesman for HP could not immediately be reached for comment.

(Additional reporting by Lynnley Browning; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Bernadette Baum)

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Source: http://finance.blogrange.com/finance-news/microsoft-hp-skirted-taxes-via-offshore-units-senate-panel/

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Mom who 'smooshed' son's alleged bully: No regrets

Bus surveillance video shows a Florida mother fighting her son's alleged bully on the school bus. WESH's Stephanie Kolp reports.

Flagler County Sheriff's Office

Felecia Phillips was arrested after getting into a fight with a 17-year-old student at a bus stop in Bunnell, Fla.

By Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News

A Florida mother who faces child abuse charges after a school bus brawl was caught on camera says she has no regrets about going after a teenager she says was bullying her son.

"I mean, I really, honestly can't say I won't do it again," Felecia Phillips, 35, of Bunnell, Fla., told NBC Orlando affiliate WESH.com?of Wednesday morning's fight.?"I just wanted him to leave my son alone, you know? What's the problem?"

The trouble began on Tuesday, according to Phillips, when?her 15-year-old son, Terez Smith, got beat up at Flagler Palm Coast School by a friend of the teen she confronted on the bus,?17-year-old Justin Mickens.

Worried about her son's safety, Phillips decided to accompany Smith on Wednesday to the bus stop. Before the students even got on the bus, Phillips and Mickens began to argue, and Phillips pushed the teen, witnesses told deputies. Phillips believes Mickens was behind the attack on her son.?

Watch the school bus surveillance video from WESH.com

"Words kept going back and forth or whatever, and he called me out," Phillips said. "And I smooshed him in his face or whatever."?

Mickens slammed Phillips to the ground as the bus arrived, deputies said. Phillips then allegedly followed him onto the bus, grabbing his hair as the bus driver yelled that she needed to get off the bus and other students tried to stop the brawl.

"She chased me on the bus and pulled me by the back of my head," Mickens told WESH.com. "I don't even talk to her son. I don't even hang around him ... None of that ain't true."

Phillips was arrested and charged with child abuse and trespassing on school property. Her bond was set at $2,500.?

After paying bond, she told Florida's News4Jax.com she felt Mickens got what he deserved.

"That's what they need; a good old-fashioned whooping," she said. "We're not able to do that because we end up in jail-- child abuse charges."

Mickens is not currently facing any charges, Debra Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, told NBC News on Thursday. When he pushed Phillips, he was acting in self-defense in the?deputies' opinions, she said.

Phillips' son, Smith, defended what she did.

"I feel great about it because I know a lot of people wish they had a mom that had their back," he told News4Jax.com. "Some parents, when you tell them, they just ignore it."

Smith is just looking to get an education, Phillips told 10 News in Tampa, and she didn't feel bad about confronting the boy who was "messing" with her son.

"I don't want anybody picking on him, and messing with him. Leave my son alone," Phillips said. "He's not looking for trouble. I don't even raise my kids that way. He's not messing him, why are you messing with him? So no, I don't regret it."

The Flagler County school district discouraged other parents from dealing with bullying in the fashion that Phillips chose to.

"While we encourage parents to be involved in their students' education, we don't encourage parents to go onto buses. Buses are really for students only; parents are certainly welcome to speak to bus drivers through the window, through the door, but they shouldn't come on buses to handle incidents like that," Mike Judd, senior director of school operations for Flagler County public schools, told NBC News on Thursday.?

"If there's a problem they either need to contact law enforcement or school administration, but they should not take matters into their own hands," he said, adding he didn't know if Phillips had reached out to authorities prior to Wednesday's altercation.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/20/13986089-mom-who-smooshed-sons-alleged-bully-no-regrets?lite

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