Sunday, September 30, 2012

Schwarzenegger kept many secrets from wife Maria

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ? Arnold Schwarzenegger says his lifelong penchant for secrecy and ability to put his emotions "on deep freeze" led him to keep many secrets from his wife Maria Shriver, eventually causing the dissolution of their marriage when he was forced to admit he fathered a child with the family's housekeeper years earlier.

Throughout their strained 25-year marriage, Schwarzenegger says he did not want to tell Shriver about crucial life decisions such as major heart surgery and running for California governor because he feared she would overreact and tell her well-connected family and friends.

In his new autobiography, "Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story," and in an interview airing Sunday on "60 Minutes," the former California governor acknowledges that his inability to be honest with people has hurt those closest to him.

"That's the way I handle things. And it always has worked. But, I mean it does not ? it's not the best thing for people around me because I sometimes ? some information I just keep to myself," Schwarzenegger tells reporter Lesley Stahl on "60 Minutes."

The former Mr. Universe traces his detachment to his bodybuilding days, where he says emotions make athletes lose.

"So I became an expert in living in denial," says the Hollywood action star and former governor.

Schwarzenegger praises Shriver throughout the book as a partner and friend who was essential to his success, but also admits to keeping her in the dark about many career decisions. Shriver filed for divorce in July.

Although he had been toying with the idea of running for governor for more than a year, Schwarzenegger waited until just days before the filing deadline for the 2003 recall to discuss it with Shriver, writing in the book that he "didn't want endless conversation about it at home."

Shriver opposed the idea, but was persuaded to soften her stance by her mother, Eunice Shriver, who told her to support her husband's ambitions, or he might resent her for the rest of his life. Despite that struggle, he also didn't inform her when he decided to seek a second term, writing that she had to read about it in the newspaper.

"Total Recall" will officially be published Monday. The Associated Press purchased an early copy.

But Schwarzenegger's biggest secret, the child he had with the family's housekeeper, became tabloid news last year after he left office. Shriver confronted him during a January 2011 counseling session and he finally acknowledged the boy, Joseph, was his. Schwarzenegger says he kept the secret from his wife for years because he was worried "it would get out."

He tells Stahl he never even had a conversation with the housekeeper, Mildred Baena, about the son. Instead, after he began noticing the boy's strong resemblance to him, around age 8, he just began giving Baena extra money.

"I kind of put it away and just said to myself, 'OK, I'm going to put this away. I'm going to fulfill my responsibilities,'" he tells Stahl.

He declined to say whether he has a relationship with the child, who is now about 15, and he said he didn't want to go into any more details about his relationship with Baena because he's already caused Shriver and their four children enough pain.

"I don't want to reawaken and kind of talk about it because it's not going to help them. And I just want to protect them as much as I can," he says.

There were other deceptions, too, including a "hot affair" with actress Brigitte Nielsen while filming the 1985 film "Red Sonja," when he and Shriver were living together. He admits to other affairs, but tells Stahl they are "something that's obviously between Maria and me."

Schwarzenegger says in the interview that his marriage and his family were the most important things in his life, but he caused them tremendous pain.

"So the thing that really meant the most to me kind of fell apart because of my doing," he says in the "60 Minutes" interview. "That is something that I will always look back and say, 'How could you have done that?'"

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/schwarzenegger-kept-many-secrets-wife-maria-230149320.html

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New US Jobs Report Alters Presidential Campaigns (Voice Of America)

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Blocking key protein could halt age-related decline in immune system, study finds

ScienceDaily (Sep. 30, 2012) ? The older we get, the weaker our immune systems tend to become, leaving us vulnerable to infectious diseases and cancer and eroding our ability to benefit from vaccination. Now Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have found that blocking the action of a single protein whose levels in our immune cells creep steadily upward with age can restore those cells' response to a vaccine.

This discovery holds important long-term therapeutic ramifications, said Jorg Goronzy, MD, PhD, professor of rheumatology and immunology and the senior author of a study published online Sept. 30 in Nature Medicine. It might someday be possible, he said, to pharmacologically counter aging's effects on our immune systems.

In the study, the Stanford team fingered a protein called DUSP6 that interferes with the capacity of an important class of immune cells to respond to the presence of a foreign substance, such as those appearing on the surface of an invading pathogen or in a vaccine designed to stifle that invasion.

The researchers also identified a potential lead compound that, by inhibiting DUSP6's action, restores those cells' responsiveness to a more youthful state.

A person's immune response declines slowly but surely starting at around age 40, said Goronzy. "While 90 percent of young adults respond to most vaccines, after age 60 that response rate is down to around 40-45 percent. With some vaccines, it's as low as 20 percent." Vaccine failure among seniors poses a serious health problem: Some 90 percent of influenza deaths are among people over age 65.

A vaccine is, in essence, a "mug shot" of one or more of a pathogen's most prominent features, akin to a photo of a giant wart on a suspect's nose. This chemical snapshot -- or antigen, in scientific parlance -- is nailed into customized "frames" and displayed on the surface of "desk cop" cells specializing in signaling T cells, the "beat cops" of the immune system.

One important type of beat cop, the so-called T-helper cell, stimulates other immune cells called B cells that play a key role in our response to infection-preventing vaccines. On exposure to an antigen from a vaccine or the pathogen itself, along with appropriate interactions with T-helper cells, B cells proliferate, mature and get down to brass tacks: producing and secreting antibodies. These molecules are designed to snare and immobilize the pathogen, flagging it for incarceration and, quite likely, a death sentence meted out by still other very tough immune cells.

For poor responders, there are a few ways of increasing a vaccine's potency. One is to simply boost the dose. A second is the use of adjuvants: chemicals, or combinations of them that, like a cup of strong coffee, wake up the desk cops whose job is to display the description of the pathogen's distinguishing feature (the antigen) to the beat cops. A recently published large, multicenter study, one of whose co-authors was Cornelia Dekker, MD, professor of pediatrics (infectious disease) at Stanford, showed that adding an experimental adjuvant to the standard seasonal flu vaccine substantially improved seniors' response to the vaccine.

But just waking up the desk cops won't cut it if the beat cops are too sluggish. Older people's T-helper cells suffer from a diminished capacity to activate, proliferate and secrete crucial signaling chemicals in response to infections or vaccines. This limits even an adjuvant-containing vaccine's ability to get the job done.

"Some age-associated defect or defects raise the threshold of responsiveness to the presented antigen, so a vaccine dose that triggers T-cell activation in a younger person doesn't in an older person. Adjuvants can't compensate for these defects," Goronzy said.

So he and his team sought to identify the defects that cause this age-related sluggishness in T-helper cells, and to see how to counter them.

Circulating T-helper cells fall into two broad categories. "Na?ve" T-helper cells have never encountered an antigen before (as in the case of, say, a rare or emerging pathogen or a new vaccine), but are capable of wheeling into action once they do. It takes a week or two to reach full tilt.

"Memory" T-helper cells have previously been exposed to an antigen. These cells are long-lived and narrowly fixed on that particular antigen. They can rapidly transition to an activated state should the same antigen ever cross their path again. That's why prior exposure -- through infection or a vaccine -- renders us more resistant.

In a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study published earlier this year, Goronzy's team showed that faulty regulation in memory T-helper cells, due to aging-related increased levels of a protein called DUSP4, inhibits the activation of those cells, with their consequent failure to ignite a good B-cell (antibody-producing) response.

This time around, the investigators uncovered a similar effect with a related protein, DUSP6, on na?ve T-helper cells. In test tubes, they compared blood cells drawn from people ages 20-35 versus 70-85 in response to stimulation. In na?ve T-helper cells (but not in memory cells), there were age-associated differences in a specific chain of biochemical events involved in the cells' activation, proliferation and differentiation. Laboratory tests showed that the culprit behind the cells' fecklessness in older people was DUSP6, an enzyme that works by hacking phosphate groups off of other enzymes, thus dialing down their activity. Those "downstream" enzymes are crucial to na?ve T-helper cell activation. DUSP6 levels were much higher in older people's na?ve T-helper cells.

Further experimentation revealed that DUSP6's increase in aging na?ve T-helper cells was caused by an age-associated easing up on a brake pedal called miR-181a, one among hundreds of small molecules made of RNA (called microRNA) that regulate proteins' production. All microRNA molecules work by affixing themselves to larger protein-template RNA molecules, also made of RNA, gumming things up and stalling the procedure. Each distinct variant of microRNA molecule can bind to several different varieties of protein-prescribing RNA molecule, thereby swiftly redirecting a cell's overall behavior.

Goronzy and his colleagues saw that miR-181a directly interferes with the production of DUSP6 and noted that the amount of miRNA-181 present in na?ve T-cells declines steadily, bottoming out around age 65-70, causing levels of DUSP6 in these cells to increase with age. Artificially boosting miRNA-181a levels in na?ve human T cells caused DUSP6 levels to plummet, commensurately increasing those cells' readiness to activate on exposure to a given dose of influenza vaccine. In contrast, artificially increasing the levels of DUSP6 blocked the beneficial effects of heightened miR-181a levels.

A study conducted by University of Pittsburgh researchers and published in Nature Chemical Biology in 2009 had shown in zebrafish that a particular compound with an extremely long chemical name (abbreviated in Goronzy's study as "BCI") appeared to block DUSP6's action in certain heart cells, leading to cardiac hypertrophy. (In this case, DUSP6's proliferation-preventing function was beneficial.)

So Goronzy and his colleagues incubated blood cells from 10 60- to 85-year-old individuals with activation-stimulating molecules in the presence of increasing concentrations of BCI. The greater the BCI dose, the more evidence of na?ve T-helper cell activation they saw.

"We are still far from application in the clinic," cautioned Goronzy. "We need to keep tweaking the compound and testing it in mice to make absolutely sure it's safe enough to try in humans. But improving vaccine responses to overcome age-related immune defects represents a unique opportunity to attain healthy aging."

First authorship of the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was shared by Guangjin Li, PhD, Mingcan Yu, PhD, and Won-Won Lee, PhD, all postdoctoral scholars in Goronzy's lab. Other Stanford co-authors were Eswar Krishnan, MD, assistant professor of medicine; and Cornelia Weyand, MD, PhD, professor of medicine.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Stanford University Medical Center, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS. The original article was written by Bruce Goldman.

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


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/rzjLSrogwIo/120930142113.htm

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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Top Reasons Your Fans Are Hitting the 'Unlike' Button | Social ...

ImageGetting a lot of people to like your Facebook page can be gratifying, but losing their loyalty can be equally devastating. You?re usually left thinking ?what did I do wrong, was it something I said?? That?s if you?re keeping track of your fan numbers close enough!

This is the unsettling reality for many companies and independent pages who are struggling to find ways to retain fans after enjoying an initial boost of popularity. So what is causing your fans to hit the infamous unlike button, and what can you do to stop more fans from doing so?

The Human Spam Filter Effect ? Posting Too Frequently

If you?ve ever used an email client before you know about spam filtering ? it?s an automated mechanism that identifies spam-like content and throws it straight into the trash bin. Many Facebook users are so in-tuned with internet browsing that they?ve developed their own built in spam filter and are quick to discard overbearing, unwelcomed, and useless status updates. In fact, people get so aggravated by a high frequency of posts that they don?t even want you having access to their wall anymore, and subsequently they unlike your page.

So how often should you post?

This is no rocket science and there is no magic formula. Each business is different so it's all about A/B testing. Besides, your emphasis should be on quality not quantity. The general rule of thumb is that if you don?t have something great to post, don?t post at all. With that said, if you?re taking the time to research your market and pay attention to the requests, opinions, and interests of fans, you should be able to produce at least 3-5 good status updates per week to start with. Increase the frequency if you see a positive response and increased engagement from your fanbase. Again, test different scenarios and don't be afraid to fail at times...

Lack of Incentive - What Have You Done For Me Lately?

You may have forgotten how you got all of those fans to begin with; you probably offered some type of incentive. Maybe it was a discount, some exclusive content or app, some genuinely helpful information, or some wholesome entertainment that made them come back for more. Whatever it was, you?re obviously not doing it anymore. Keeping fans on Facebook is a lot like keeping fans with any other type of media. If a television show is no longer entertaining, viewers stop watching, ratings decrease, and eventually it gets taken off the air. If you?re noticing a steady decline in fan numbers, you need to take action immediately and reintroduce the incentive-based status update strategy. A good way to let your fans know that they?re appreciated is to use a reveal tab/fan gateway to give them access to exclusive content that only fans can see. This will make your fans feel valued and motivate them to keep following your statuses to avoid missing any upcoming contest or giveaway. It will also encourage non-fans to join your page out of curiosity.

Failed Initial Targeting

Maybe the reason why they?re unliking you is because they were never really your fans to begin with? It could be that in your rush to get as many fans as possible in the beginning, you may have neglected the process of carefully targeting your audience. There are lots of ways to get fans on Facebook, including buying them from marketing gurus that are equipped with all the latest tools and tricks. However, if you don?t make an effort to ensure that your fans are properly targeted you could find a large percentage of them losing interest down the road.

So how do you do a better job of targeting your true fan base?

One of the best "organic" ways to attract fans that are likely to stick with you for the long haul is to advertise your fan page EVERYWHERE you can. Think beyond your website, e.g. email signatures, business cards, flyers, invoices, brochures etc... Another great way to attract targeted fans is do joint ventures with other fan pages in your niche. The concept is simple ? you find already successful fan pages that have a lot fans who would probably be interested in your page, then you contact the page administrators and ask them what it would take for them to post a link to one of your statuses in their next update. However, the most efficient ways to attract laser targeted Facebook fans will require you to put your hand in your pocket: Facebook Ads! Using Facebook Ads you can target people by location, age, sex, marital status and most importantly INTERESTS. This gives you the ability to display your ad only on profiles that are likely to become fans and/or customers. Coupled with a fan-gated contest or giveaway, Facebook Ads is ridiculously efficient! Try different ad rotations and targeting options to ensure you get the best bang for your buck.

Your Posts Just Suck

There really is no better way to say it. Your fans are unliking your page for the simple reason that they are tired of reading substandard posts that lack useful information or entertainment value.

How do you fix this?

In essence, you need to learn how to post status updates that are captivating and share-worthy. Adding a dislike button to each one of your statuses using Status Magic (as explained in the previous link) might be a good way to find out what your fans do not like before they get so sick of your antics that they completely unlike your entire page.

Use media to your advantage.

If you don?t have the resources, time, or skill to create your own quality media content, find it elsewhere on the web and introduce it to your fans. Sometimes being a known resource and sharing content that has already been created is all it takes. You?d be surprised how many people will stick around just because they know you always bring the best of the web to their fingertips. Think of websites like Digg or Reddit to find potential "viral content" that is relevant to your niche.

Use news and trends to your advantage.

Again, you don?t have to be a world-class journalist and conduct interviews or author breaking news. You just need to point out the latest trends and occurrences that your fans are likely to be interested in, and maybe add your own spin or opinion on the matter. Remember that your fans are basically subscribers; keep them up-to-date and involved.

Be interactive and engaging.

When you?re posting a status about an upcoming promotion, recent news, or a popular trend, make sure you pursue the input of your fans. Hold a poll, ask them to leave a comment, and give them the opportunity to engage in open dialect. Getting your fans involved is a good way to keep their mouse cursor away from the unlike button, and it also creates a buzz. If you're running out of ideas on what to post, check out this article.

And finally...Have a personality and be personable!

Don?t be afraid to be funny, witty, and unique. Stand out from the crowd by acting like a human being, and not a status updating advertising robot. There is no preset formula that will make people like you. Facebook is a digital platform but it still operates in the real world; people like other people simply because... they?re likable. What?s the point of starting a page on a social network if you?re just going to be antisocial?

Authored by:

Amine Rahal

I have been passionate about the web since 1995! Started out as a web developer and then turned into an online marketing specialist, focusing mainly on SEO and SMM.?

During my career, I have worked for many large-scale organizations in Canada, the United States and China. In 2008 I founded IronMonk Solutions to help small businesses reach new heights using online marketing. Since its ...

See complete profile

Source: http://socialmediatoday.com/ironmonk/855031/top-reasons-why-your-fans-are-hitting-unlike-button

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Masked Conn. teen killed by dad called a good kid

The residence of Alexis Scocozza at 7 Meetinghouse Hill Circle is seen in New Fairfield, Conn., Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. Scocozza's brother and next door neighbor, Jeffery Giuliano, fatally shot a masked teenager in self-defense during what appeared to be an attempted burglary early Thursday morning, then discovered that he had killed his son, state police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

The residence of Alexis Scocozza at 7 Meetinghouse Hill Circle is seen in New Fairfield, Conn., Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. Scocozza's brother and next door neighbor, Jeffery Giuliano, fatally shot a masked teenager in self-defense during what appeared to be an attempted burglary early Thursday morning, then discovered that he had killed his son, state police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Visitors arrive at the home of Jeffrey Giuliano in New Fairfield, Conn., Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. Giuliano fatally shot a masked teenager in self-defense during what appeared to be an attempted burglary early Thursday morning, then discovered that he had killed his son, Tyler, state police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

The home of Jeffrey Giuliano is scene here in New Fairfield, Conn., Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. Giuliano fatally shot a masked teenager in self-defense during what appeared to be an attempted burglary early Thursday morning, then discovered that he had killed his son, state police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Students leave New Fairfield High School where in New Fairfield, Conn., Friday, Sept. 28, 2012. Tyler Giuliano, a student involved in Civil Air Patrol at the school was killed by his father Jeffrey Giuliano during what appeared to be an attempted burglary early Thursday morning. Giuliano fatally shot a masked teenager in self-defense, then discovered that he had killed his son, state police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

A blue tent protects the scene of a fatal shooting in New Fairfield, Conn., Thursday, Sept, 27, 2012. Police say Jeffrey Giuliano shot a masked teenager in self-defense during what appeared to be an attempted burglary early Thursday morning, then discovered that he had killed his son, Tyler. (AP Photo/The News-Times, Carol Kaliff) MANDATORY CREDIT

(AP) ? Tyler Giuliano had no trouble with the law. The teenager loved flying small planes as a Civil Air Patrol cadet and seemed happy as he played an online game with friends Wednesday night. But hours later, authorities say, Tyler was outside wearing a black ski mask and wielding a knife when he was shot by his father, who thought he was a prowler.

No immediate charges were brought against Jeffrey Giuliano, a popular fifth-grade teacher, in the slaying of 15-year-old Tyler, who was gunned down in his aunt's driveway next door to his own home in New Fairfield around 1 a.m. Thursday.

"It's something out of a Hollywood script," said John Hodge, the first selectman, or top elected official, in the town of nearly 14,000 people about 50 miles from New York City. He said he couldn't recall another killing in his eight years on the job.

State police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said the boy had never been in trouble with the law, and some of those who knew him described him as a good kid with an easygoing personality. Investigators and acquaintances said they were at a loss to explain what he was doing outside dressed all in black and carrying a weapon.

"Certainly, that is the major question we are trying to answer at this point," Vance said.

State police said the shooting happened after Jeffrey Giuliano got a call from his sister next door saying that someone might be trying to break into her home in their neighborhood of attractive colonial-style houses. Giuliano grabbed a handgun and went outside to investigate, troopers said.

He confronted someone in a ski mask and opened fire when the person came at him with something shiny in his hand, police said.

When police officers arrived, Tyler was lying dead in the driveway with a knife in his hand, and his father, in a T-shirt and shorts, was sitting on the grass. Detectives informed the elder Giuliano several hours later that he had shot his son, Vance said.

"All in all, it's a tragedy," Vance said.

Police were investigating whether the father's gun was registered.

No one answered the door at Giuliano's home or his sister's.

Tyler was a student at New Fairfield High School and a Civil Air Patrol cadet. Some of those who knew him said he enjoyed spending time with his family and flying gliders and small planes. He was adopted by Giuliano and his wife a few years ago, friends said.

One classmate said many students were baffled by what happened.

"I just thought it was so weird when I heard because I knew Tyler, not very well, but he was just a sweet person and he always made everyone laugh. I met him in the chorus room, actually, and he just wasn't the type to do what happened," said Erin Pallas, 16. "So it didn't make sense to us. It doesn't make sense to the student body."

Brett Rasile, a 14-year-old friend, said he and Tyler were playing an online game called Minecraft while talking and laughing together via Skype until about 10 p.m. Wednesday, when Tyler said he had to go to bed. Brett said Tyler wasn't in any trouble that he knew of, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Same old Tyler. He was perfectly fine," Brett said. "He didn't really leave any evidence, any hints towards what he would do."

Alicia Roy, New Fairfield superintendent of schools, said the elder Giuliano grew up in the town, holds summer music and zoology camps for his students and plays guitar in a local rock band that raises money for charity. He is affectionately known as "Mr. G" around Meeting House Hill School.

"He was the teacher you requested in the fifth grade. He was a great teacher. All the kids loved him," said Rosemary Rasile, Brett's mother.

Brian Wyckoff, 17, said Mr. G "was always walking around with a smile on his face. He always says hi to everyone."

The high school stayed open late to provide grief counseling for students and parents.

"The community is deeply saddened, and our hearts go out to all the family members," Roy said.

___

Associated Press reporter Dan Sewell reported from Cincinnati. Pat Eaton-Robb and Stephen Singer reported from Hartford, Conn. AP video journalist Ted Shaffrey also contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-09-29-Masked%20Son%20Shot%20Dead/id-a3c6ae5b18b64e31b5b058ad617ef683

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FBI agents staying away from Benghazi for now

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Two law enforcement officials say that for security reasons FBI agents are staying away from the Libyan city where a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed.

The officials say the bureau is not going to put agents in harm's way and that the city of Benghazi must be made secure before the FBI sends investigators there.

The officials demanded anonymity because of they are not authorized to speak on the record about an ongoing investigation.

An FBI team arrived in Libya last week to investigate the Sept. 11 deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

Separately, the State Department is further reducing the U.S. Embassy staff in Tripoli for security reasons. The embassy warned Americans of possible demonstrations in the capital and Benghazi on Friday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-agents-staying-away-benghazi-now-153256095.html

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Friday, September 28, 2012

The New HTC One X+ Looks a Lot Like the HTC One X [Rumors]

Pocket-lint is reporting that it's been sent images of the new HTC One X+ from a trusted source and... it looks almost identical to the existing HTC One X. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/chzsnt2Yjzs/the-new-htc-one-x%252B-looks-a-lot-like-the-htc-one-x

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Top 10 Mind Mapping Productivity Tips for ... - Business 2 Community

mind mapping productivity tips - cover imageMind mapping is a content marketing productivity tool that involves both an approach and a specific category of software.

Mind mapping adds a visual dimension to words and ideas, helping content marketers handle today?s challenges of complexity, increased responsibilities, and information overload.

A recent study by Innovation Trend?s Chuck Frey, for example, revealed that not only did mind mapping immediately and significantly enhance most user?s productivity, the more they used mind mapping, the more productive they became.

Mind mapping productivity tips

Key mind mapping features

Regardless of the software you choose, mind mapping key features allow you to visually display information in ways that make it easy for you to gain a fresh perspective, sparking new ideas, encouraging collaboration, and breaking complex projects into manageable tasks. Mind mapping permits you to:

  • View as much, or as little, information as desired: You can collapse a mind map to just display the main topics, or expand the map and zoom in to reveal subtopics containing more details. A plus sign (+) next to a topic indicates the presence of subtopics. Clicking a minus sign (-) collapses a topic or subtopic.
  • Export your work: After organizing your content ideas for an article, mind map, or white paper, you export it to other software programs for editing, formatting, and sharing. These include word processors, spreadsheets, presentation programs, and project management programs.

What can you do with mind maps?

Here are some of the types of content marketing tasks that mind maps can help you efficiently execute on a day-to-day basis:

  • Analyzing and tracking your competition
  • Creating buyer personas
  • Planning editorial calendars
  • Delegating editorial responsibilities
  • Brainstorming article and blog post topics
  • Organizing complex projects (eBooks, reports, white papers, etc.)

Mind mapping best practices

Unfortunately, many mind mapping users fail to take advantage of the full capabilities built into their software. The following best practices, however, can take your mind mapping to the next level.

With few exceptions, you can use the majority of these tips with most of the mind mapping software programs on the market.

  1. Start with a sketch. Before starting to work on your computer, create a hand-drawn sketch showing the major topics you want to address in your map.
  2. Use templates to save time. It?s always tough to start a new mind mapping project when you are staring at a blank screen. Instead, start by developing templates for the types of projects you will likely be creating over and over again ? like articles, blog posts, editorial calendars, personas, press releases, presentations, speeches, webinars, or white papers. This gives you a structure, or head start, to begin your work. Templates also foster consistency across all your content efforts.
  3. Brand your maps. Customize your mind maps using consistent backgrounds, borders, typefaces, line, fill, and typeface colors that are used throughout your firm?s corporate identity. You can also brand your maps by choosing different borders and by adding map titles, copyright information, or your firm?s name to the headers and footers of your map.

mind mapping productivity tips - image 2

  1. Use Notes to reduce clutter. Avoid including too much detail in topics and subtopics by limiting them to just key words and phrases. To help you, you can use the Notes feature available in most mind mapping tools to add the more detailed information you?ll need in sentences, paragraphs, and lists. A small icon in your mind map will indicate the presence of a Note associated with a topic, and clicking the icon or running the mouse pointer over the icon reveals the Notes text. (The text will appear in the proper location when you export your map to Microsoft Word, or another software program.)
  2. Add comments for reminders. The Comments feature is similar to Notes. Use it to add reminders, prompts, or warnings to topics without adding clutter. Comments are especially important when sharing maps with others.
  3. Take advantage of keyboard shortcuts. Use keyboard shortcuts to navigate from topic to topic, show/hide subtopics, add new topics, add links, or edit and format text. Keyboard shortcuts eliminate the need to remove your hands from the keyboard to open menus and select commands or options. Though there might be a slight learning curve while getting used to your keyboard shortcuts, it should soon become second nature to you. (And if you want to create some customized shortcuts for your favorite tasks, consider using a tool like Alfred.)
  4. Explore View options. In addition to collapsing and expanding topics, the better mind mapping software programs allow you to temporarily display one topic at a time, along with the subtopics associated with it. This reduces distraction and focuses your attention on a particular topic or task by displaying it at a larger size.

mind mapping productivity tips - image 3

  1. Make it visual! Most mind mapping programs include icons and simple graphics that you can insert to emphasize importance, delegate responsibilities, and display progress. You can also use boundaries and relationships to topics. Powerful mind mapping software programs, like MindManager 12 for Windows, allow you to add start dates and due dates to topics, to help organize your thought process and strategic planning.

mind mapping productivity tips - image 4

  1. Filter your maps. Filtering permits many mind mapping programs to offer scheduling and project management capabilities. You can filter on the basis of keywords, dates, or icons. For example, you can hide all completed projects, or just display overdue projects, projects with upcoming deadlines, or only projects assigned to specific individuals.
  2. Take your mind maps with you. Mind mapping isn?t just for the desktop: Mobile versions of most mind mapping programs allow you to start projects and update them using your smartphones, iPads, and Android devices.

Sharing & collaborating ? Mind mapping trends

Mind maps are intended to be shared. You can export mind maps as static documents or, in some cases, as interactive PDFs. Reader programs are generally available to allow you to share your mind maps with those not currently using a mind mapping program.

More and more mind mapping programs are intended to be stored online, using proprietary cloud-based services, like Mindjet Connect or independent services such as Dropbox.

These services permit you to determine who has access to your stored maps and who can update them. You can also sync maps, so that the latest version of your project-planning templates or content marketing editorial calendar will always be available to your co-workers and clients.

Many mind mapping software programs permit you to track changes made by individual participants, and some even permit others to contribute to or update mind maps in real time. This allows remote participants in an online planning session to help you brainstorm new ideas. New topics and ideas are color-coded and tagged with the name, date, and time of the updates.

Getting started with mind mapping

Most mind mapping programs offer ?try before you buy? options, allowing you to download and use a full-featured program for up to a month. (After that, you can read the maps you?ve created, though you wouldn?t be able to export or modify them.)

Many mind mapping software publishers, such as Mindjet, offer unlimited free versions of their software programs for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.

Some powerful mind mapping programs, such as Mindo and iThoughts HD, are available for iPads for purchase at a fraction of the cost of equivalent desktop programs. These can create and export maps in formats that can be read by programs from other software publishers.

If you?re not already a mind mapping user, getting started has never been easier.

Do you use mind maps?

If you?re currently a mind map user, share some of your experiences. Tell us how you use mind maps, the programs you use, and the lessons you?ve learned. Let us know if you have any advice, shortcuts, or content marketing productivity tips you?d like to share with newcomers to mind mapping.

Want more content marketing inspiration? Download our ultimate eBook with 100 content marketing examples.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/top-10-mind-mapping-productivity-tips-for-content-marketing-success-0285333

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Sept. 29th ? Minority and Multicultural Health Events

Sept. 29: Legal Considerations and Chronic Conditions

9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Registration deadline: September 27

Southdale Library 7001 York Avenue S?? Edina, MN 55435 Google Maps

For those living with life changing chronic conditions; those who provide professional services for people living with chronic conditions.?

Attorneys from a variety of practice specialties will discuss common legal issues of special importance to people with life-changing chronic conditions. The half-day seminar will conclude with a round-table Q & A to address specific questions by attendees. A diagnosis of any chronic disease may carry a variety of legal issues, including concerns about access to health care and government benefits, employment discrimination, financial solvency, and consideration of health care directives and living wills. These legal issues can be overwhelming and cause people unnecessary worry, confusion, and stress. Open to those with chronic illness, supporters, as well as those who provide professional services for people living with chronic conditions, this seminar assembles experts in many legal areas of concern to provide insight and expertise on issues confronting those with a life-long illness. The seminar is free, but pre-registration is required to attend. Deadline for registration is September 27.

Register online now to reserve your seat. Go to?www.lupusmn.org?to find the event in the calendar. Registration is free, fast and easy.

Legal Considerations and Chronic Conditions Seminar is presented by the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota in conjunction with a panel of experienced Twin Cities law professionals.

Contact: Cheryl Como?? 952-746-5151?? ccomo@lupusmn.org?

For more information:?Lupus Foundation of Minnesota

?

Sept. 29: Dream of Wild Health at IHB Native American Day Celebration

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Midtown Farmers Market? Lake St. & 22nd Ave Minneapolis, MN?55407 Google Maps

Come visit the Dream of Wild Health farmer?s market booth. Event open to everyone!

Live music, dancing, door prizes, info booths, 5k walk/run (8 a.m.), and farmer?s market.

Spend $5 on EBT market tokens and get $5 extra in market bucks.

Contact: Maria Krisch?? 612-721-9803?? mkrisch@ihb-mpls.org?

For more information:?Indian Health Board

Source: http://multiculturallife.org/?p=14016

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Russell estate continues scholarship support | Roundabout Murray

Dr. Randy Dunn
MSU President

Greetings for this week.

As I am wont to do on an occasional basis, I?m using my space in?RM?this week to do a kind of ?potpourri? column, opining and sharing thoughts on a few different topics:

***I have a strong sense that both the collegiate unit and University-wide Budget Planning and Review Teams are now starting to really get into the thick of their important task.? Notably more questions and data requests have been coming in over the past couple of weeks; I also am getting the impression of increased stress levels as I talk with various BPR Team members diving into some of the nitty gritty details that will inform their work.? This is expected and not surprising to me at all?and it is a testimony, I think, to the seriousness with which every budget team is approaching its charge.

If you are reading any of the HIED press at all, you know that MSU is far from the only institution undergoing a wholesale budget review process this year.? This week?s?Chronicle?featured related stories on both Emory University and Wilson College?and if you haven?t seen the articles, they make for interesting reading.? We?ve linked them to the Murray State website for your convenience.

Emory article:

http://www.murraystate.edu/Libraries/President_s_Documents/News_of_Scuttled_Programs_Chronicle_9-23-12.sflb.ashx

Wilson College article:

http://www.murraystate.edu/Libraries/President_s_Documents/A_Struggling_College_Chronicle_9-23-12.sflb.ashx

Given my present job situation (which I will talk about a bit more at the end of this column), there have been some questions raised this past week about any impact on the continuation of the budget teams and review process here at MSU.? There is none.? Our Board of Regents has been clear that we must resolve not only a nearly $2 million operating deficit?but also free up reallocated monies to keep tuition low?fund new program development?pay for future salary and benefit increases?and cover myriad additional needs for the coming years.? We?ve chosen to make those recommendations to our BOR utilizing an employee-intensive, inclusive process with the BPR Teams.? And those recommendations are still due to the Board by mid-spring, so that work must go on, no matter what.

***As I write this on Thursday, I have just come out of a meeting where some decisions were made that?I?trust?many of you will take as very good news.? As always happens this time of year, we have been working with our third-party consultants to determine pricing for our employee health insurance program for the coming 2013 calendar year.? (You may recall that our health insurance rate renewal follows the?calendar?year, as opposed to the?fiscal?year.)? In looking at 1) the cost savings we?ve realized in our medical plan this past year?and we have to credit those MSU staffers who provide great employee wellness and acute care programs to those of us on campus; plus 2) the fact that we were able to budget a sufficient amount within the present FY13 University Budget to address the plan?s cost increases we will see heading into 2013?there will be no additional employee contribution (i.e., NO cost increase to employees) for health insurance coverage for 2013.? The plan design will remain the same.

Many thanks to our standing University Governance committee?the Insurance and Benefits Committee, and its chair, Maeve McCarthy?for their review and analysis in support of this decision.? In another year where overall salary increases were not awarded, I?m sure it is the hope of the IBC members?as well as all of us who deal with this issue administratively?that this will have at least some helpful economic impact for MSU employees.? All that all of you are doing to stay healthy?please keep doing it!

***Of course, this weekend is Family Weekend at MSU.? I hope many of you will be able to enjoy a wide variety of the events and festivities planned for these next couple of days.? You can access a full schedule of events at the following site:

http://www.murraystate.edu/Students/Undergraduate/GettingStarted/Parents/FamilyWeekendSchedule.aspx

With over 2,000 pre-registered for FW this year, it?s becoming practically as big a Racer football weekend as Homecoming.

I didn?t get it sent out in time for the first home game, but I always try to reiterate my ?tailgating message? each fall.? We want this wonderful college football tradition to continue and grow at Murray State?but for that to happen, please make sure to socialize on campus property safely and responsibly.? We?re committed to making tailgates a safe, wholesome, fun, and clean environment for our students, their families, and all Racer fans.? All state laws regarding underage drinking will be enforced.? And I think most of our participants understand the ?rules? of tailgating that are common to almost all campuses nationwide (e.g., no visible branding, no clear cups or containers, pick up ALL waste and trash by game time, etc.).? Build our Racer Tradition using both common sense and courteousness.

***I?ve received many kind comments and emails from the Campus Community regarding my candidacy at Missouri State.? Given my Presbyterian roots I suppose, I take a very Calvinistic view of such things and?no matter how it all turns out?I figure it?s predestined anyway.? But there is one point I would make about it.? This past Wednesday I had the chance to meet with the SGA Student Senate for awhile, and the subject (as you would expect) engendered discussion.? I shared with them the fact that looking at another position at this level is typically not a mark of dissatisfaction or unhappiness, nor does it reflect something in need of remediation or fixing.? Rather, for some individuals (and I include myself in this group) who view their profession or vocation as a calling, there can be a natural inclination or desire to expand one?s reach and scope of influence.? When the right opportunity arises to do so, I think there?s a personal obligation to think about it.? It?s rare for a major sport coach to be faulted when he or she aspires to a higher position and changes universities?but presidents can get a little closer scrutiny at times.??Whatever the future holds, please know that?like most every president I know who has ever been in this situation?I remain committed to positively and proactively fulfilling the full range of my duties here at Murray State for as long as I am honored to serve as its President.

Because of the short week next week due to Fall Break, I?ll pick the column back up on October 12.

Have a great week.

?

Randy Dunn

Source: http://www.roundaboutmurray.com/?p=2934

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Kim Kardashian: So Exhausted from Taking Miami!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/kim-kardashian-so-exhausted-from-taking-miami/

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Netanyahu says world must draw "red line" for Iran

UNITED NATIONS (AP) ? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday that Iran will have enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb by next summer and urged the world the draw a clear "red line" to stop it in its tracks.

Flashing a diagram showing the progress Iran has made, he said it was getting "late, very late" to stop Iran.

"Red lines don't lead to war, red lines prevent war," he said. "Nothing could imperil the world more than a nuclear-armed Iran."

Netanyahu said Iran had completed the first stage of uranium enrichment.

"Iran is 70 percent of the way there and ... well into the second stage. By next summer, at current enrichment rates, they will have finished the medium enrichment and move on to the final stage," Netanyahu said. "From there it is only a few more weeks before they have enriched enough for a bomb."

Netanyahu has repeatedly argued that time is running out to stop the Islamic Republic from becoming a nuclear power and the threat of force must be seriously considered.

"I believe that faced with a clear red line, Iran will back down ? and it will give more time for sanctions and diplomacy," the Israeli prime minister said.

Israeli leaders have issued a series of warnings in recent weeks suggesting that if Iran's uranium enrichment program continues it may soon stage a unilateral military strike, flouting even American wishes.

The Obama administration has urgently sought to hold off Israeli military action, which would likely result in the U.S. being pulled into a conflict and cause region-wide mayhem on the eve of American elections.

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be an existential threat, citing Iranian denials of the Holocaust, its calls for Israel's destruction, its development of missiles capable of striking the Jewish state and its support for hostile Arab militant groups.

"Given this record of Iranian aggression without nuclear weapons, just imagine Iranian aggression with nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/netanyahu-says-world-must-draw-red-line-iran-183329844.html

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What can the police deny you when you've been arrested? [Discussions Of The Day]

What can the police deny you when you've been arrested?Great discussions are nothing new here on Lifehacker. Each day, we highlight a discussion that is particularly helpful or insightful, along with other great discussions and reader questions you may have missed. Check out these discussions and add your own thoughts to make them even more wonderful!

Discussion of the Day

Other Great Discussions

Great Discussions Any Time

To join or start great discussions on any topic, be sure to visit the Openthread forum.

And if you've got a cool project, inspiration, or just something fun to share, be sure to let us know in our Tips forum.

Happy Lifehacking, everybody!

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/uW2qsIMZ41Q/what-can-the-police-deny-you-when-youve-been-arrested

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Video: The long journey of a message in a bottle

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

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49199385/

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

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The needs to get a loan are pretty straight forward. If you are employed, having a month to month profits involving $800 or maybe more, this will let you bank account, you fulfill the fundamental qualifications. A number of creditors inside our network could have additional requirements.

Money financial products tend to be unguaranteed lending products eliminated on your next wage. Since they are short-term financial loans, they may be small; varying from $100 to $1500 and repayment arrives in your next pay day. They might be very helpful for overcoming a brief financial unexpected emergency, however shouldn't be viewed as a long-term financial option.

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Many home loan programs are addressed by banks or any other expert loan providers. They might make use of a various criteria to find out in case your potential customer is skilled for a financial loan. Previous credit score is practically usually regarded as, together with current earnings and also assets. The objective of the money can be an issue-a established investment possibility may have a lot more appeal than a good misguided concept for just about any new restaurant. 1 essential consideration may be the earnings in order to debt percentage from the client. May the customer manage to pay for the loan back interest? Professional loan companies essentially 'sell' cash, consequently customers should be aware just how much funding truly 'costs' when it comes to real money.

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Source: http://vikcheroky.livejournal.com/48816.html

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The Big Inversion: Understanding the impact that generational shifts ...

Across the country large demographic shifts are currently taking place that will significantly affect future housing demand.? These trends are well documented, much discussed, and certain to have an impact on housing choices throughout the United States, including the Des Moines region.

Household growth data hold many of the clues for the future of housing demand.? Between 1985 and 2000, just over 67% of U.S. household growth was comprised of one- and two-person households.? By comparison the U.S. Census anticipates that as much as 90% of the household growth between 2010 and 2025 may be comprised of one- and two-person households. ?In other words, American households are shrinking in size.

Much of this shift is being fueled by Generation Y (individuals born between 1979 and 1996).? Census data from 2009 show members of Generation Y delaying (or forgoing) marriage at much higher rates than previous generations. When comparing marriage rates for ages 18-28 across generations, we see that only 21% of Generation Y?ers are married, a much smaller figure than what previous generations experienced at 29% for Generation X, 42% for Baby Boomers, and 54% for the Greatest Generation.

Generation Y, the oldest of whom turned 33 in 2012, also appears to have a much more pronounced preference for downtowns and other urban neighborhoods, where denser housing types typically predominate. Gen Y?ers prefer downtowns and inner-ring suburbs; they prioritize the ability to walk to entertainment and services; they seek diverse communities; and they value location and community over home.? Within Gen Y there is still significant appetite for more suburban settings, the key being that they want the suburbs to be different ? more walkable and with more variety of products.? The Gen Y cohort is well represented within the Des Moines metropolitan area at 25% of the population, exactly in-line with the national percentage. This group is currently helping to drive the strong market for multifamily housing in walkable locations, but it will be interesting to observe the on Gen Y preferences as the group matures to prime home- purchasing and family-rearing ages.

The aging Baby Boomers are another major factor.? As they become empty nesters and eventually retirees, their lifestyle and corresponding housing needs change.? This shift is significant as many of these aging households are becoming increasingly interested in simplifying their lifestyles and place increasing importance on convenience.? The data shows an increasing number of Baby Boomers opting for townhouses, smaller single-family homes and rental apartments; all housing types that are appropriate for town center and urban locations. Recent surveys indicate that nearly half of Baby Boomers prefer to live within walking distance of a variety of services including restaurants, shopping and medical offices.? In Greater Des Moines, Baby Boomers make up 23% percent of the population (relative to 24% nationally), so this group is sure to make an impact on the housing market in the coming years.

Based on the growth in smaller households as well as growing preferences for higher-density housing, it is likely demand for multifamily housing will increase dramatically over the coming decade. While single-family homes will remain the dominant housing type (at over 60% of both supply and demand), multifamily is likely to represent the majority of the growth.? Our research indicates that in Greater Des Moines, multifamily housing (including duplexes, townhomes, and other multi-unit buildings) represents 30% of current supply and 37% of current demand.? This means that the market is currently undersupplied with multifamily units, a mismatch that the private market is likely to address over the coming years, and one that planners would be wise to contemplate today.? The impact that changing housing preferences have on the demand for schools, city services, open space, and transportation are all significant issues that communities will grapple with over the next decade and beyond.

Source: http://www.thetomorrowplan.com/exchange/the-big-inversion-understanding-the-impact-that-generational-shifts-have-on-housing-demand/

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Obama sees Libya attack as ?terrorist? act, spokesman says

President Barack Obama regards the Sept. 11th assault on the American Consulate in Libya as a terrorist attack, the White House said Wednesday, as Republicans questioned why the commander-in-chief has not said so publicly.

"It is certainly the case that it is our view as an administration, the President's view, that it was a terrorist attack," press secretary Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.

"It is, I think by definition, a terrorist attack when there is a prolonged assault on an embassy with weapons," Carney said as Obama headed to Ohio for a campaign swing.

The head of the National Counter-Terrorism Center labeled the attack "terrorism" last week, as did Carney. Obama, asked about the issue on "The View" this week, did not explicitly agree but said the level of sophistication showed it wasn't just "a mob action." Republicans led by Mitt Romney have said that the president needs to clarify whether he views it as a terrorist act.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the Obama Administration denounced the bloodshed but portrayed it as the result of violent demonstrations fueled by anger at an Internet video that insults Islam's Prophet Muhammad. Top officials played down the prospect that it could have been a planned attack by anti-American extremists. But top Republican and Democratic lawmakers quickly declared they believed it to be a planned terrorist attack. And the White House gradually shifted its version of events?though officials said the differing account reflected changing information about the attack.

"This administration has provided as much information as it has been able to," Carney said Wednesday.

"The broader questions here about who participated, what led to the attack on the facility in Benghazi--all those questions are under investigation at two levels, by the FBI and by the Accountability Review Board established by Secretary Clinton to look at issues of security in Benghazi and security at other diplomatic facilities," he said.?But "let's be clear, it was a terrorist attack and it was an inexcusable attack."

The Romney campaign criticized Carney's remarks, with spokesman Ryan Williams saying "this is now the second time the White House?Press Secretary has said something that President Obama has declined to admit."

"If the President thinks the tragic events in Libya were acts of terrorism, he should say so himself. Mitt Romney believes these tragic acts were terrorism and should be condemned as such," Williams said in a statement.

So is this just inside-the-Beltway word games? The American Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three colleagues were killed. Does it matter how the attack gets labeled?

For two reasons, the answer is yes, albeit with one big caveat. First, formally designating the attack as terrorism allows the U.S. government to respond more forcefully?with intelligence and military means if necessary?than if this were merely judged to be an out-of-control demonstration. Second, what a president calls an act of violence can sometimes provide a window into how he will respond to it, or similar incidents in the future. The caveat is that an Administration could privately declare the attack terrorism and get the same benefits. And of course a president's actions speak louder than words.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-sees-libya-attack-terrorist-act-spokesman-191300532--election.html

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Romney decries military cuts; Obama talking jobs

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney campaigns at American Legion Post 176 in Springfield, Va., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney campaigns at American Legion Post 176 in Springfield, Va., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama gestures during a rally in Virginia Beach, Va., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney campaigns at American Legion Post 176 in Springfield, Va., Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama speaks at Farm Bureau Live during a campaign stop in Virginia Beach, Va. on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Stephen M. Katz) MAGS OUT

President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event at Farm Bureau Live, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012, in Virginia Beach, Va. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

(AP) ? President Barack Obama pledged to create many more jobs and "make the middle class secure again" in a campaign-closing appeal on Thursday ? more than five weeks before Election Day ? to voters already casting ballots in large numbers.

Republican Mitt Romney, focusing on threats beyond American shores, accused the commander in chief of backing dangerous cuts in defense spending.

"The idea of cutting our military is unthinkable and devastating. And when I become president we will not," declared the challenger, struggling to reverse a slide in opinion polls.

Romney and Obama campaigned a few hundred miles apart in Virginia, 40 days before their long race ends. They'll be in much closer quarters next Wednesday in Denver ? for the first of three presidential debates on the campaign calendar and perhaps the challenger's best remaining chance to change the trajectory of the campaign.

In a race where the economy is the dominant issue, there was a fresh sign of national weakness as the Commerce Department lowered its earlier estimate of tepid growth last spring. Romney and his allies seized on the news as evidence that Obama's policies aren't working.

There was good news for the president in the form of a survey by The Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation suggesting he has gained ground among older voters after a month-long ad war over Republican plans for Medicare.

The pace also was quickening in the struggle for control of the U.S. Senate.

Prominent Republican conservatives pledged financial and political support for Rep. Todd Akin in Missouri. That complicated Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill's bid for re-election. But it also left Romney, running mate Paul Ryan and the rest of the GOP hierarchy in an awkward position after they tried unsuccessfully to push Akin off the ballot in the wake of his controversial comments about rape.

Farther west, in Arizona, Republican Rep. Jeff Flake unleashed an ad calling Democratic rival Richard Carmona "Barack Obama's rubberstamp." It was not meant as a compliment in a state seemingly headed Romney's way, a response for sure to Democratic claims that the Senate contest was unexpectedly close.

In the presidential race, early voting has already begun in Virginia as well as South Dakota, Idaho and Vermont. It began during the day in Wyoming as well as in Iowa, like Virginia one of the most highly contested states. Early voters had formed a line a half block long in Des Moines before the elections office opened at 8 a.m.

Campaigning in Virginia Beach, Obama said, "It's time for a new economic patriotism, an economic patriotism rooted in the belief that growing our economy begins with a strong and thriving middle class." It was a line straight from the two-minute television commercial his campaign released overnight.

He said that if re-elected he would back policies to create a million new manufacturing jobs, help businesses double exports and give tax breaks to companies that "invest in America, not ship jobs overseas." He pledged to cut oil imports in half while doubling the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks, make sure there are 100,000 new teachers trained in math and science, cut the growth of college tuition in half and expand student aid "so more Americans can afford it."

He also touted a "balanced plan to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion," but he included $1 trillion in reductions that already have taken place, and he took credit for saving half of the funds budgeted for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that no longer are needed.

Obama also said he would "ask the wealthy to pay a little more," a reference to the tax increase he favors on incomes over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. It is perhaps his most fundamental disagreement on policy with Romney, who wants to extend expiring tax cuts at all levels, including the highest.

Obama's campaign put out a second, scathing commercial during the day based on Romney's recorded comments from last May that 47 percent of Americans don't pay income taxes and feel they are victims entitled to government benefits. Romney added that as a candidate his job is not to worry about them.

In the ad, Romney's by-now well-known comments are heard as images scroll by of a white woman with two children in a rural setting, a black woman wearing workplace safety goggles, two older white men wearing Veterans of Foreign Wars hats; a Latino, and finally a white woman with safety goggles ? each of them meant to portray millions whom Romney described dismissively in the appearance before donors four months ago.

Romney countered with a new ad of his own, pointing to comments Obama made four years ago when he said he would support proposals to raise the cost of business for facilities than run on coal. "So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them," the then-presidential candidate is seen saying.

The narrator adds, "Obama wages war on coal while we lose jobs to China, which is using more coal every day. Now your job is in danger."

Romney campaigned at an American Legion hall in Springfield, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C., accusing Obama of supporting cuts in the defense budget that would be detrimental to the nation's military readiness.

"The world is not a safe place. It remains dangerous," he said, referring to North Korea, Syria, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. "The idea of cutting our military commitment by a trillion dollars over this decade is unthinkable and devastating."

Appealing for support from his audience, he said, "You realize we have fewer ships in the Navy than any time since 191. ... Our Air Force is older and smaller than any time since 1947, when it was formed. This is unacceptable. And the idea of shrinking our active duty personnel by 100,000 or 200,000 ? I want to add 100,000 to active duty personnel."

To have a strong military, he said, it's imperative to have a strong economy, yet he added that growth in China and Russia is stronger than in the United States. He predicted that under Obama, there would be no improvement.

"So two -- two very different paths. One is the path the president's proposed, which is the status quo. His is the path of -- well, he calls it 'forward.' I call it 'forewarned.' All right? All right?

The $1 trillion Romney mentioned in defense cuts had the support of Republicans and Democrats alike in Congress, although he says GOP lawmakers made a mistake in voting for the reductions and several now want to prevent them from taking effect.

____

Associated Press writers Matthew Daly in Springfield, Va., Beth Fouhy in New York and Ben Feller and Jim Kuhnhenn in Washington contributed to this report. Espo reported from Washington.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-09-27-Presidential%20Campaign/id-3f48310dd3e94bfa9186ad0bcab6b660

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EU rejects U.S. claim to have weaned Boeing off subsidies

GENEVA (Reuters) - U.S. aircraft giant Boeing is still getting U.S. subsidies despite Washington's claim to have stopped the handouts, the European Union said on Tuesday in the latest round of the world's biggest trade dispute.

The EU's claim came one day after the U.S. Trade Representative's office said it had complied with a ruling by a World Trade Organisation dispute panel that found Boeing had benefited from illegal payments. The United States had until September 23 to comply.

"We had expected that the U.S. would have finally complied in good faith with its international commitments and would have abided by the WTO rulings that clearly condemned U.S. subsidies to Boeing", EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said in a statement.

"We are disappointed that this does not seem to be the case. So, the U.S. leaves us with no other choice but to insist on proper compliance before the World Trade Organisation. We are confident that this process will finally lead to a level playing field in the aircraft sector."

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office said the United States was confident it has fully complied with the WTO ruling against U.S. subsidies for Boeing, but was still studying the EU's claim it had not.

"Based on our initial review, the EU simply does not account for many of the changes announced by the United States. For example, the EU included programs in its request that we made clear have been terminated," USTR spokeswoman Andrea Mead said.

The U.S. has set out very clearly how it had complied with the WTO ruling, and the numerous steps it has taken to insure full compliance, Boeing spokesman Charlie Miller said.

The U.S. is still trying to stop European governments from subsidizing Airbus, including so-called launch aid for the Airbus A350 jet, Miller said.

"There is a crystal clear ruling against launch aid subsidies, yet the European governments are continuing to provide illegal subsidies for development of the A350," Miller said. "The U.S. government is pursuing the WTO processes necessary to bring an end to these subsidies and Boeing fully supports the actions that the government is taking."

The EU's latest complaint is likely to result in meetings between the two sides about the EU case against the U.S., Miller said. At the same time, compliance hearings on the U.S. case are also taking place. "That is moving ahead rapidly," Miller said. "It is likely that the compliance panel will make a ruling in the next few months."

A U.S. industry official, speaking on condition that he not be identified, said the EU appeared to have decided to challenge the U.S. submission before it was even filed.

Typically, a country would first ask for more information and only take action if still dissatisfied, he said.

TRADE BATTLE

The EU's complaint is part of a seven-year trade battle over subsidies for Boeing and Airbus. Washington and Brussels have both won WTO rulings that the other paid billions of dollars of illegal subsidies to its aircraft industry.

Both have claimed victory every step of the way. Boeing says the subsidies paid to Airbus were much bigger, while Airbus claims the U.S. breach of the rules was much more heinous.

The United States case claims the EU failed to withdraw subsidies for Airbus as required by Dec 1, 2011, and triggered a WTO arbitration to claim up to $10 billion. That process is effectively frozen until the two sides have exhausted other legal avenues.

Many trade experts expect the two sides to attempt to negotiate a settlement as the legal appeals and counter-appeals become increasingly entangled.

Such a deal could pave the way to wider agreement on subsidizing large civil aircraft, involving China, Japan, Brazil, Canada and Russia, which joined the WTO last month.

The industry is so capital-intensive that some experts say it is impossible to build big planes without government help. A global pact could set rules for subsidies, avoiding future spats among WTO members where airliners are built.

Frederico Curado, chief executive of Brazilian planemaker Embraer, told Reuters on Tuesday he hoped such an agreement would follow resolution of the Airbus-Boeing dispute.

Speaking on the sidelines of a WTO conference, Curado recalled a dispute between Brazil and Canada on aircraft financing 12 years ago that led to the creation of an agreement on aircraft financing, the Aircraft Sector Understanding.

"Hopefully from those two (WTO dispute) panels between the EU and United States, a similar framework agreement, a framework governance, could be reached. I think it will be important for the whole industry.

"Not only for the EU and U.S. but also for Brazil, for Canada, for Japan, for China and Russia, especially in those two countries with a state of capitalism where the frontier between a company and the state is very blurred. So something like that would be very important."

(Reporting by Tom Miles, additional reporting by John O'Donnell in Brussels and Doug Palmer in Washington and Alwyn Scott in Seattle; Editing by Stephen Powell, Xavier Briand and Daniel Magnowski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eu-rejects-u-claim-weaned-boeing-off-subsidies-014617145--finance.html

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