Romney gets Trumped by birther talk

Though the GOP candidate clinched the nomination, Donald Trump's claims about the President's statements upstaged the news.

By Steve Peoples,?The Associated Press / May 29, 2012

Romney walks by Donald Trump's airplane on his way to a fundraiser on Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Mary Altaffer/AP

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Mitt Romney's presidential campaign collided with Donald Trump's "birther" rhetoric on Tuesday as the reality television star hosted a fundraiser for the Republican while claiming again that President Barack Obama is foreign-born.

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The debunked conspiracy theory among conservative activists dubbed "birthers" charges that Obama is not constitutionally qualified to serve in the White House. Romney has said he believes Obama was born in America, but he has not condemned Trump's comments.

Democrats contend it's the latest example of Romney's reluctance to confront the more extreme elements in his party.

Play Gaffe Dodger, the presidential election game

"A lot of people do not think it was an authentic certificate," Trump told CNN of Obama's birth certificate, just hours before he was set to host Romney's finance event at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.

Such allegations have been repeatedly proven false. The state of Hawaii recently re-affirmed that Obama was born there.

Trump's comments, repeated in several media interviews Tuesday, overshadowed Romney's visit to Nevada, one of a handful of swing states expected to decide the presidential contest in November. Trump also upstaged news from Texas that Romney had collected enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination.

Romney did not address the issue directly at separate events in Colorado and Nevada, but on Monday night he told reporters aboard his campaign plane that Trump is entitled to his opinion. Even as Trump-related criticism from Democrats and Republicans intensified in recent days, Romney showed no sign of distancing himself from the polarizing figure.

"I don't agree with all the people who support me. And my guess is they don't all agree with everything I believe in," Romney said. "But I need to get 50.1 percent or more. And I'm appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people."

Trump remains popular among the conservative base and boasts ties to deep-pocketed donors. The Las Vegas event was expected to raise $2 million, but Romney's ties to Trump extend beyond that single fundraiser. He has recorded automated phone calls for Romney, hosted a fundraiser for his wife, Ann, in New York, and pressed the candidate's case as a television surrogate.

When Romney's campaign plan arrived at the Las Vegas airport Tuesday, it parked within sight of Trump's plane ? the businessman's name emblazoned on the side in large gold letters.

Trump's "birther" rhetoric threatens to alienate potential Romney supporters.

The Obama campaign released a video Tuesday criticizing what it considers Romney's unwillingness to stand up to Trump and the more extreme elements in his party. There have been other examples in recent weeks that underscore Romney's delicate push to win over skeptical conservatives while appealing to moderates and independents who generally deliver general election victories.

"Mitt Romney's continued embrace of Donald Trump and refusal to condemn his disgraceful conspiracy theories demonstrates his complete lack of moral leadership," Obama's deputy campaign manager, Stephanie Cutter, said in a statement. "If Mitt Romney lacks the backbone to stand up to a charlatan like Donald Trump because he's so concerned about lining his campaign's pockets, what does that say about the kind of president he would be?"

Republicans weighed in as well.

"I do not understand the cost benefit here," conservative commentator George Will said over the weekend. "The cost of appearing with this bloviating ignoramus is obvious, it seems to me."

Will continued: "Donald Trump is redundant evidence that if your net worth is high enough, your IQ can be very low and you can still intrude into American politics. ... Again, I don't understand the benefit. What is Romney seeking?"

Trump revived the false claims about Obama's birthplace late last week, citing a story about a literary agency that mistakenly listed that Obama was born in Kenya.

While Romney briefly addressed the issue Monday, senior aide Eric Fehrnstrom declined to condemn Trump's remarks in a recent interview.

"I can't speak for Donald Trump ... but I can tell you that Mitt Romney accepts that President Obama was born in the United States," Fehrnstrom said. "He doesn't view the place of his birth as an issue in this campaign."

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Reporter criticizes FARC for release as propaganda

French journalist Romeo Langlois, center left, embraces fellow journalist Carlos Villalon, from Chile, in San Isidro in southern Colombia, Wednesday, May 30, 2012. Langlois, who was taken by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on April 28 when they attacked troops he was accompanying on a cocaine-lab eradication mission, was handed over by the rebels to a delegation that included a French diplomat. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

French journalist Romeo Langlois, center left, embraces fellow journalist Carlos Villalon, from Chile, in San Isidro in southern Colombia, Wednesday, May 30, 2012. Langlois, who was taken by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on April 28 when they attacked troops he was accompanying on a cocaine-lab eradication mission, was handed over by the rebels to a delegation that included a French diplomat. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

French journalist Romeo Langlois, center, is escorted by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, upon their arrival to San Isidro, southern Colombia, Wednesday, May 30, 2012. Langlois , who was taken by rebels on April 28 when they attacked troops he was accompanying on a cocaine-lab eradication mission, was handed over by the rebels to a delegation that included a French diplomat in San Isidro. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

French Journalist Romeo Langlois smokes as he films after being released in San Isidro, southern Colombia, Wednesday, May 30, 2012. French journalist Romeo Langlois , who was taken by rebels on April 28 when they attacked troops he was accompanying on a cocaine-lab eradication mission, was handed over by the rebels to a delegation that included a French diplomat in San Isidro. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

French Journalist Romeo Langlois smiles after being released in San Isidro, southern Colombia, Wednesday, May 30, 2012. French journalist Romeo Langlois , who was taken by rebels on April 28 when they attacked troops he was accompanying on a cocaine-lab eradication mission, was handed over by the rebels to a delegation that included a French diplomat in San Isidro. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

A child looks up at a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) during a ceremony for the rebel handover of a French journalist in San Isidro in southern Colombia, Wednesday, May 30, 2012. French journalist Romeo Langlois, who was taken by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on April 28 when they attacked troops he was accompanying on a cocaine-lab eradication mission, was handed over by the rebels to a delegation in San Isidro on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

SAN ISIDRO, Colombia (AP) ? A French journalist freed by leftist rebels Wednesday said he had no complaints about his captivity other than its 33-day duration and lamented that Colombia's war is an "invisible conflict" where the poor kill the poor.

Romeo Langlois said he was not embittered, but he criticized the rebels for using his capture for propaganda purposes. They freed him on their movement's 48th anniversary on a specially built stage, hanging pro-peace banners in this remote southern hamlet and organizing a barbecue.

But the rebels and the roughly 2,000 people they convened for the handover to a humanitarian commission coordinated by the International Red Cross applauded vigorously when Langlois said he appreciated how the guerrillas "live in the mud and risk their lives."

"They never tied me up," Langlois, 35, said of his Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia captors. "Rather, they always treated me as a guest. They gave me good food ... They were always respectful."

Langlos looked relaxed and smiled, appearing unbothered by the wound to his left arm suffered during an April 28 attack by rebels on soldiers he was accompanying on a mission to destroy cocaine laboratories.

"I didn't need this experience to know the Colombian conflict or to know the rebels. I've been in this a long time," Langlois said when asked what he took away from his captivity, which occurred just a few miles away. "What I take from it is the conviction that one must continue covering this conflict."

He has been reporting on it for more than a decade for France24 television and the newspaper Le Figaro.

It was not immediately known if Langlois, a bachelor, would fly to France to be reunited with his parents.

The FARC, as the rebels are known by their Spanish initials, sent a letter with him for France's new Socialist president, Francois Hollande.

Langlois made no apologies for accompanying the military. The rebels had criticized him in an early May communique as lending himself to government propaganda by doing so.

"I hope the army doesn't stop taking people to conflict zones, and let's hope the rebels also take journalists with them to show the daily life of their combatants because this conflict isn't being covered," Langlois said.

Three soldiers and a police officer were killed in the morning-long firefight that saw Langlois captured. A guerrilla commander, Calacho Mendoza, said Langlois was lucky because an AK-47 bullet entered the reporter's left arm above the elbow and exited the forearm without damaging bone or cartilage.

Langlois said he watched a sergeant die, just a meter away, during the battle.

Before fleeing toward the rebels, the journalist shed his helmet and body armor that the military had provided. Mendoza said insurgents initially thought because of the military garb that Langlios could be a U.S. or Israeli military fighter.

Mendoza publicly apologized Wednesday that the FARC initially referred to the Frenchman in a communique as "a prisoner of war."

The delegation that received Langlois included French diplomat Jean-Baptiste Chauvin, former Colombian Sen. Piedad Cordoba and the Red Cross country chief, Jordi Raich. It arrived on rutted dirt roads from the state capital of Florencia in Red Cross vehicles and lunched with the rebels and Langlois on chicken and rice after the handover ceremony.

The group left shortly before nightfall, its departure slightly delayed as Langlois awaited a backpack including the diary he kept while captive.

Residents of San Isidro, which lacks running water and electricity and lives off cattle and coca, slaughtered six calves for the occasion, and rebel commanders gave brief speeches, expressing their desire for peace.

Langlois, who recorded the events with a small video camera, said in a brief speech from the stage that he lamented "we are at a point at which this conflict has become invisible."

It is a war in which there are "neither good nor bad," and in which "the poor are killing the poor," he said.

Before the handover, a public address system played FARC revolutionary songs as farmers converged on the hamlet. Theirs is a region of deep jungles, fast-moving rivers and villages that appear on no maps.

Communal leaders complained of the state's absence: the lack of health care and poor roads that prevent them from getting their crops to market.

Langlois won applause when he said he understood why locals "cultivate their little bit of coca so they can buy bread and notebooks for their children."

Political analyst Alejandro Vargas called Wednesday's event remarkable because Colombians see the FARC so rarely these days, the U.S.-backed military having increasingly driven the rebels into the country's backwaters and across the border into Venezuela and Ecuador.

"I would think that for the average citizen it doesn't have much relevance," he said. "In an armed conflict both parties take whatever opportunity they can to make propaganda and demean the other."

The government of President Juan Manuel Santos, who had from the start demanded Langlois' release, did not immediately comment.

But Santos' predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, was among Colombians displeased by the rebel spectacle and suggested Langlois is a guerrilla sympathizer.

"Langlois: journalistic curiousity is one thing, identification with terrorism another," he said via Twitter. "What relation do you have with the FARC?"

Colombia's government suspended military operations in the handover zone for a 48-hour period that ends at 6 p.m. Thursday.

San Isidro's village council leader, German Pena, told The Associated Press before the ceremony that "war is something we experience almost every day."

"There have been innumerable battles in this area," he said. "They think we're part of the guerrilla forces just because we live in this region and for that reason they target us sometimes."

The government says the FARC funds itself largely through the cocaine trade. It has an estimated 9,000 fighters, and recently stepped up hit-and-run attacks on soldiers and police after suffering years of setbacks.

Langlois' capture followed the rebels' February announcement that they were ending ransom kidnapping as a good-faith gesture in hopes of launching peace talks.

Last month, they released what they called their last "political prisoners," 10 soldiers and police officers held for as long as 14 years.

___

Associated Press writer Fernando Vergara reported this story from San Isidro and Frank Bajak reported from Bogota, Colombia. Independent journalist Karl Penhaul in San Isidro and AP writer Vivian Sequera in Bogota contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Snake-handling preacher dies from rattlesnake bite

Jim Lo Scalzo / EPA

Pastor Mack Wolford handles a timber rattlesnake during a service at the Church of the Lord Jesus in Jolo, W.Va., on Sept. 3.

By Gil Aegerter, msnbc.com

West Virginia preacher Mark Randall "Mack" Wolford,?who believed Christians should handle snakes to test their faith, died after a rattlesnake bit him over the weekend.

Wolford was bitten on the thigh about 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, but he didn't come to the hospital until 10:30 p.m., a nursing supervisor at?Bluefield Regional Medical Center??told the Charleston Daily Mail.?The incident occurred during an outdoor service at Panther State Forest, about 80 miles west of Bluefield in southern West Virginia, the paper said.

---

Wolford had turned 44 on Saturday. He had seen his father die of a snakebite when he was?teenager, the Daily Mail reported.

The Washington Post Magazine had profiled Wolford?in a story in November about the snake-handling faith. The Post said adherents cite Mark 16:17-18: ?And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.?

Snake-handling is legal in West Virginia, and Wolford was trying to keep it alive there and in neighboring states where it is not, the Post reported.

The Daily Mail reported that Wolford was bitten Sunday by a?yellow timber rattlesnake -- named Sheba -- that he had often handled.

Wolford's sister told the Post that during the service he passed the snake to another church member and his mother, then laid it on the ground. "He sat down next to the snake, and it bit him on the thigh," the sister said, according to the Post.

The Post said Wolford was taken to a relative's house in Bluefield to recover, as he had from previous bites, but his condition worsened.

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Summer 2012 Guide to the Immigration Issue

Ok, so maybe it?s not exactly a cheap novel to enjoy under the beach umbrella on a sandy shore, but it is a short ? and hopefully helpful ? primer of the hot issues and updated stats for those following the immigration policy debate this summer.

Two issues presently dominate the debate; state action soon culminating in a Supreme Court decision on Arizona?s SB-1070 and the use (and abuse) of immigration policy by both parties in an election year to influence special interest voters.

The Election

• The Obama Administration continues extending backdoor amnesty to thousands of deportable aliens, while Congress sits on its hands, despite the overt usurpation of Congressional authority.
• Former Governor Mitt Romney is wavering on immigration enforcement policy he articulated throughout the primary. Additionally, he has failed to address if and how he might reverse the backdoor amnesty policies underway should he become President.
• In the battle for the Hispanic vote, both parties consider more concessions for illegal and legal immigrants. Republican Senator Marco Rubio is drafting a GOP DREAM Act hoping to capture Romney?s support while Democrats continue to push amnesty legislation.

The States

• The Supreme Court decision on Arizona?s SB 1070 enforcement law is expected in late June. The battle for immigration enforcement continues at the state level. Recent efforts to weaken Alabama?s state law failed and other states continue to explore E-Verify and enforcement legislation.
• The Obama administration is aggressively shutting down state and local enforcement efforts, whether it?s by suing states over new laws or defunding local enforcement programs like 287(g) or weakening Secure Communities.

Congress

• Senator Marco Rubio wants GOP to support amnesty and increase legal immigration. Rubio appears to have either self-appointed himself the election year ?immigration issue broker? or been assigned the task by the GOP. He is shopping around a GOP version of the DREAM Act but, thus far, has refused to disclose the details of the plan.
• Republicans and Democrats push visa reforms and additions to unnecessarily increase legal immigration. Rather than tackle the underlying issues with our immigration system or acknowledge that the U.S. already admits over 1 million legal permanent residents a year, leaders in both parties advocate for more visas and looser requirements.
• Nationwide E-Verify bill is stalled in the House Ways and Means Committee. Along with requiring E-Verify, the bill could pre-empt state enforcement laws.

Number of Illegal Aliens

• 12 million (FAIR, 2010)
• 11.2 million (Pew Hispanic Center, 2010)
• 10.8 million (DHS. FY 2010)

Number of Jobs Presently Held by Illegal Aliens

National Unemployment Rate

• 8.1% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2012)
• Over 22 million Americans are unemployed, underemployed or have given up actively looking for work. (BLS, April 2012)

Unskilled Immigrant Admissions

• Nearly 1 million (Department of Homeland Security, FY 2011)

Annual National Cost of Illegal Immigration

• $113 billion
• The bulk of the costs ? $84 billion ? are absorbed by state and local governments

Pending Enforcement Legislation

• Several attempts to close loophole that allows illegal aliens to receive the Additional Child Tax Credit. The latest House version was added to the House passed budget. Two bills have been introduced in the Senate.
• The House adopted an amendment to the FY 2013 spending bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS), that defunds the Obama Administration?s lawsuits against several states that seek to strike down their immigration enforcement laws.
• The House adopted another amendment to the CJS appropriations bill that strips certain federal funding from sanctuary cities.

Pending Amnesty Legislation

• DREAM Act ? Versions introduced in both House and Senate (H.R. 1842, S. 952) in 2011. Introduced in every session since 2001 and often lumped into other amnesty bills. Last failed in Senate in December 2010.
• Comprehensive Immigration Reform (S. 1258) ? mass amnesty, introduced nearly every session. No vote on it yet during this session.
• Adjusted Residency for Military Service (ARMS) Act (H.R. 3823) ? Introduced by Rep. David Rivera (R-FL) in January. It is essentially only the military component of the DREAM act. Forthcoming?: GOP DREAM Act from Senator Marco Rubio.

States to Watch

• Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Utah ? the Supreme Court decision in Arizona SB 1070 will affect active DOJ lawsuits against these states.
• California ? considering tax plan and guest worker program for illegal aliens.
• Illinois, Massachusetts, New York ? Governors of these states refuse to cooperate with Secure Communities. DHS is set for full compliance in 2013. Will these states hold out?
• Mississippi ? the House passed an immigration enforcement bill in March, will they take it up again next session?
• New Mexico ? the battle over driver?s licenses for illegal aliens continues. If they repeal, Washington will be the only state that gives driver?s licenses to illegal aliens.
• Oregon ? Governor supports allowing illegal aliens to use Matricula Consular ID in place of driver?s license.

In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens

• Total of 13 states have passed in-state tuition for illegal aliens
• Maryland passed in-state tuition for illegal aliens in 2011, however activists led a successful petition drive and the law will be put to referendum in November 2012.
• Wisconsin repealed in-state tuition for illegal aliens in 2011.

Miles of Fence Constructed

• 649 miles out of the 1,954 mile-long southern border is secured by fence
• 299 miles of vehicle barriers
• 350 miles of pedestrian fencing

Deportations Stats 2010

• Criminal removals??????? 168,532
• Voluntary????????? ?????????? ???88,112
• Total?????????? ??????????????????? 387,242

Deportation Stats 2011

• Criminal removals??????? 216,698
• Voluntary???????????????????? ?? 77,829
• Total??????????????? ???????? ????? 396,906

Deportation Stats 2012 YTD

• ICE has removed 127,044 criminal illegal immigrants this fiscal year.
• Deportations are lagging behind last year?s rate by approximately 12,000, or 9%. (According to ICE comments to Los Angeles Times, May 26, 2012)

Mexican Border Violence

• 47,515 killed in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon took office in 2006.
• 49 beheaded bodies recently found on highway in northern state of Nuevo Leon.
• Obama Administration rolls back National Guard, shifts to drone surveillance.

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Preserve Door and Window Seals | Auto Repair Raleigh | A & J ...

Preserve door and window seals by wiping a rubber protectant (such as Armor-All) or silicone on door and window weatherstripping to keep it in good condition. Don?t use an oilbased product, such as WD-40, because the oil will damage the rubber. Regular cleaning and treatment of your car?s weatherstripping will also lessen the likelihood of your door sticking to its rubber seal in cold weather, a common cause of damage to the rubber.

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Its very important to have knowledge on Travel Insurance. Everyone knows that accidents are unpredictable and do not gives you warning. So, travel insurance just gives a warning and helps us protect our future. Now a days we can hear and see, accidents frequently happening. So, we should always be prepared and be conscious about the fact that how travel insurance can help us

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Brent crude rises above $107; Greece, Iran eyed

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Open Child Welfare Hearings: Do They Help Or Hurt?

MIAMI -- A California judge's decision to open a county's child welfare hearings earlier this year has energized a debate among advocates in other states about whether greater transparency helps or harms the young victims appearing in family court.

When a child is abused or neglected, there's a family court hearing to discuss the victim's future. In nearly 20 states, including Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois, those hearings are usually open to the public and there is a push among child welfare advocates to open them in other states. Efforts to open the courts in California, Kentucky and the District of Columbia have garnered attention recently.

Proponents say transparency leads to better decisions by putting a spotlight on judges, exposes the blunders of child welfare workers and gives the public a better understanding of how the system works.

"Confidentiality has done more to protect the system than to protect the children in the system," said Michael Nash, chief presiding judge of Los Angeles County's children's court. He ruled in January that dependency hearings in his county will be open to the public unless there is proof the child will be harmed.

The longtime advocate of open courts was frustrated that fellow judges frequently sided with those who wanted to keep the hearings closed. Nash said decisions were made on an ad hoc basis. His order lays out a uniform process to follow when someone objects to opening the hearing.

But critics say children will be further traumatized by testifying about abuse in a courtroom full of strangers. The Children's Law Center of California, which represents most children in the Los Angeles County system, asked the state appeals court to overturn Nash's decision, but that move was rejected.

Executive Director Leslie Starr Heimov says it's unfair to compare states that have open hearings with California because children don't have a legal right to attend hearings in many states. More than 200 children attend hearings every day at the Los Angeles courthouse.

"It's difficult and it's painful and they're in the system through no fault of their own and to create a system where there's forced to endure more pain, that's harmful," Heimov said.

Family courts have opened gradually since the early 1980s, beginning with Oregon. An advocate for child welfare reform says that among the states that have followed suit, New York and Missouri's moves in the late 1990s were particularly significant. The change is usually spurred by a horrific child abuse case or a push from local media to gain access. The beating death of 6-year-old Elisa Izquierdo by her mother prompted the opening of New York family courts in 1997 and the passage of a state open-records law referred to as "Elisa's Law."

But the practice can vary by county or by judge, even in states that are presumed to be open. A New York Times reporter visited local courtrooms at random last year and found that many were closed with locked doors or hostile deputies.

Still, the reverse can be true in states that are generally closed. For example, courts in Alleghany County, Pa. were opened after a news outlet fought for access, but most of the state is still closed, said Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform in Virginia. No one has compiled national data on how counties treat the issue.

Kentucky Rep. Susan Westrom filed a bill for the third time in March that would open courts under a pilot program. The bill passed the House, but died in the Senate.

"Social workers were identified as falsifying records and lying in court, and I heard horror stories from family court judges. The lack of transparency has harmed far too many families and children in Kentucky," Westrom said.

Among several recent efforts in California was legislation proposing a pilot program to open courts in a few counties. It died in committee last year.

Activist Gail Helms has fought for open courts in California since her 2-year-old grandson Lance was beaten to death by his father in 1995, shortly after the man was awarded custody despite a history of drug use. The boy's father was sentenced to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder.

She said public court proceedings would have exposed holes in the child welfare system and put pressure on the judge to take her son's drug use and criminal history more seriously. Spurred by the case, lawmakers eventually changed state child welfare laws to make it harder for abusive parents to regain custody.

"They need to have someone in there to monitor and see what goes on in those courtrooms," said Helms, whose efforts have included protests and remarks at public forums.

Wexler said that despite some initial protest when hearings are opened, no state has reclosed them.

"In every state there are lots of people worried and upset that courts are going to be opened and then a few years later everybody forgets the courts were ever closed. The disasters that everybody worried about never happened and there is a modest uptick in attention. It's constructive," said Matt Fraidin, a law professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Lawyers in Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Oregon, and Utah told Fraidin no problems have been reported since opening courtrooms there.

But former California foster youth Michael Bowen Dural said that opening dependency court may solve some problems, but it creates others ? such as compromising children's privacy. The change also doesn't affect other problems in the system such as social workers having too many cases, said Bowen Dural, who entered foster youth at birth when he was taken from his drug-addicted mother and stayed in the system until he turned 18.

"The laws should include you in deciding whether you want it open or not because every foster kid is at a different point in their life and at a different comfort level with some of the things that are discussed in court," said Dural, 24. He now works in the housing department for the L.A. County Department of Children and Family.

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Cubs end 12-game losing streak, beat Padres 11-7

CHICAGO (AP) ? On a windy day at Wrigley Field, the fortunes finally blew in the Chicago Cubs' favor.

The Cubs stopped their 12-game losing streak, getting a boost from Alfonso Soriano's go-ahead home run to beat the San Diego Padres 11-7 Monday.

"It's a big relief," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "It shows you sometimes how tough it is to win a major league baseball game."

The Cubs' skid was their worst since they opened the 1997 season with 14 straight losses.

"I think now everybody is more relaxed," Soriano said. "Now we have to keep doing our jobs and win some games."

"We have to turn it around. You have to believe in this team because we're not that bad."

The gusts were blowing out at 35 mph on a 90-degree afternoon and the ball was flying. There were eight home runs, including four by each team and two from San Diego's Chase Headley, and a total of 17 extra-base hits.

Chicago trailed 7-6 in the sixth inning when Soriano launched a drive off Alex Hinshaw (0-1) over the right-field bleachers onto Waveland Avenue.

Soriano had three hits and drove in three runs. Ian Stewart and Starlin Castro each homered and drove in three for the Cubs. Darwin Barney also homered and David DeJesus tripled twice.

"We haven't had a game like that in a while where we have a lot of guys break out and get multiple hits, driving the ball," said Stewart. "Losing that many in a row was getting old."

Stewart also had a big day in the field, cutting down the potential game-tying run in the seventh when he threw out Headley trying to score on a grounder to third.

"I take a lot of pride in my defense, so whenever I can make a play out there, it makes me feel good," he said.

Everth Cabrera and Will Venable connected for San Diego, which lost its fourth in a row. The Padres hadn't hit more than two home runs in a game all season and came into the game last in the majors with only 18 overall.

Headley had four hits, including a double.

"Right off the bat, I think you knew it was going to be an offensive game," Padres manager Bud Black said. "It was good see a number of guys swing the bats, get multiple hits. Hopefully, that can carry over ? not only tomorrow but moving through the week."

Randy Wells (1-1) picked up the win in relief.

Barney hit a solo shot in the second and Stewart's two-run shot capped a three-run fourth that put the Cubs ahead 6-4.

Castro hit an 0-2 pitch onto Waveland to pad the one-run lead in the seventh.

Headley hit a tying homer leading off the fourth, then tied it again with a two-run drive in the fifth.

It was Headley's second multihomer game of the year. He has seven home runs this season after hitting just four in 113 games in 2011.

"When it's hot and you come here and the wind's blowing, you're going to be rewarded for good swings," Headley said. "When the conditions are like that, you know you have to put up a good amount of runs to be able to win the game."

Carlos Quentin hit an RBI double in his Padres' debut to give San Diego a 1-0 lead and snap their streak of 26 scoreless innings.

Quentin was activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game. He had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in March after being acquired from the Chicago White Sox on Dec. 31.

DeJesus got the Cubs going in the first with a leadoff triple and scoring on Castro's single. Castro stole second and later scored on Bryan LaHair's groundout.

Cubs starter Travis Wood lasted just five innings. He was tagged for a season-high six runs on seven hits, including four home runs.

San Diego starter Jeff Suppan yielded six runs over five innings.

NOTES: Cabrera's solo shot in the fourth was his first homer since July 11, 2010. ... The Padres optioned OF Blake Tekotte to Triple-A Tucson to make room on the roster for Quentin. ... San Diego OF Cameron Maybin (sprained right wrist) missed his second straight game after leaving in the sixth inning Saturday. He remains day-to-day. ... Padres RHP Huston Street (right shoulder strain) felt "really good" after throwing off a mound Sunday, Black said. He is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Wednesday. ... The Cubs activated RHP Carlos Marmol from the 15-day DL and optioned RHP Rafael Dolis to Triple-A Iowa. ... Jeff Samardzija (4-3, 3.00 ERA) will pitch for the Cubs on Tuesday against San Diego's Eric Stults (1-0, 1.96).

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Astros ship outfielder and Texas A&M alum Ruggiano in deal for catching prospect

Posted on May 26, 2012 at 2:07 pm by Steve Campbell in General

Baseball writer Zachary Levine offers up the key themes to watch for during the 2012 season. Click on SHOW CAPTION to read more.

Curbing attendance losses:

Jim Crane predicts this is the year the attendance stops dropping, which it has been and rather rapidly since 2007, when it was 46 percent higher than in 2011. How much will BYO food and water and some cheaper tickets help? (Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle)

Catchers' health:

The position has the potential to be a huge upgrade from 2011 if Jason Castro (pictured) and Chris Snyder can stay healthy with three surgeries between them in the past 13 months. (Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle)

A Chris Johnson resurgence?

He had the best spring of any Astros position player to win the job at third base and could really extend the lineup if that was more than just a tease. If not, will we see a Brett Wallace return on the other corner? (Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle)

Evaluating Brad Mills:

He enters the final year of his contract 132-192, and while it's clear that he's had little talent to work with, new management at every level besides the field level can often be bad news for the manager. (Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle)

A new old closer:

Because it's not really new to Brett Myers, who closed for the NL East champion Phillies in 2007. But after the Astros had the worst save percentage in the majors last year, stability at the back end is clearly paramount. (Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle)

Trading deadline:

The Astros would love a hot start from Carlos Lee (pictured), Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers (pictured), certainly because the veterans must produce to have any shot, but also to make them attractive at the deadline and continue the rebuilding and unloading of big contracts. (Patrick T Fallon / Houston Chronicle)

Next man up:

It's a virtual guarantee that the Astros won't go the whole season with just five pitchers, whether it's because of injury, ineffectiveness or trades. This meaning a shot to see the debut of Paul Clemens, who wowed in spring training, as well as a few others in a Class AAA Oklahoma City rotation worth watching. (Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle)

No. 1 pick:

Coming off the worst season in the majors has one benefit, and the future face of the franchise will be introduced to Houston on June 4 and must sign by the newly accelerated deadline of July 15. Pictured is Stephen Strasburg, 2009's No. 1 pick, taken by the Nationals. (Lenny Ignelzi / AP)

Progression of top prospects:

Class AA Corpus Christi is the affiliate to watch with Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Villar (pictured) and others just two steps away from the majors - or with enough prowess at the "proving ground level" of AA, maybe just one step away. (Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle)

Farewell to the NL:

Appropriately, the Astros' five September road series before their move to the American League are at the five National League Central rivals, including former Astros star Lance Berkman's Cardinals. On a more practical note, it's a big year to figure out how to weave a designated hitter into their plans going forward. (Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle)

LOS ANGELES ? Outfielder Justin Ruggiano didn?t wind up making an impact with the Astros in 2012, but the team is hoping he?ll help them indirectly in the future.

The Astros traded Ruggiano for to the Miami Marlins for minor-league catching prospect Jobduan Morales, general manager Jeff Luhnow announced on Saturday.

The switch-hitting Morales, 20, is a ninth-round 2009 draft choice who has spent this season in extended spring training and will report the Astros? extended spring training complex in Kissimmee, Fla., before receiving his club assignment. He spent most of 2011 with Jamestown in the New York-Penn League (rookie), batting .272 with four home runs, 23 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage in 52 games.

Ruggiano, 30, is a Texas A&M alum who came to Astros spring training as a non-roster invitee. Assigned to Class AAA Oklahoma City coming out of camp, Ruggiano batted .325 with five home runs and 29 RBIs in 39 games.

With the Marlins having lost center fielder Emilio Bonifacio for four to six weeks because of a left thumb injury that required surgery, they turned to Ruggiano for outfield depth. Ruggiano got 195 at-bats with the Tampa Bay Rays for 2007-2001, posting a .226/.262/.359 batting line with six home runs and 23 RBIs.

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Twitter.com/CampbellChron

Ruggiano, 30, is a Texas A&M alum who came to Astros spring training as a non-roster invitee. Assigned to Class AAA Oklahoma City coming out of camp, Ruggiano batted .325 with five home runs and 29 RBIs in 39 games.

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Church of England nears vote on women bishops

By Avril Ormsby

LONDON |
Thu May 24, 2012 3:22pm EDT

LONDON (Reuters) ? The Church of England paved the way on Thursday for a final vote on women bishops to go ahead in July, but supporters angry at last-minute concessions to traditionalists who favour an all-male clergy immediately threatened to scupper it.

After more than a decade of bitter wrangling, traditionalists and liberals appeared no closer to finding a workable blueprint this week with the opposing sides predicting future chaos or departures from the Anglican mother church.

A rare decision by bishops on Monday to make two amendments to accommodate Anglo-Catholics and conservative evangelicals, seems to have stoked tempers still further.

The consecration of women, along with homosexual bishops and same-sex marriages, is among the most divisive issues facing the 77 million members of the Anglican Communion around the world.

Other Anglican provinces already have women bishops, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The next Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, will inherit these problems when he takes over from the outgoing Rowan Williams next year.

Coincidentally, a group called the Crown Nominations Commission met on Thursday for the first time in a long process to choose the next archbishop.

NOT IF, BUT WHEN

That women in the Church of England will get to one day wear the mitre, 20 years after it voted in favour of women priests, is in little doubt ? the only question is when.

A so-called ?group of six?, which includes the Church?s two most senior clerics, could have delayed the vote by a year at their meeting on Thursday.

But by deciding the bishops? amendments did not substantially change the draft legislation it avoided the need to go back to the dioceses for review.

If the Church?s parliament, or General Synod, gives final approval to the draft legislation in July, the first woman bishop could be consecrated after 2014.

But liberals, angry at the amendments which they say create what they called ?pick and mix? bishops, are looking to stall the vote or even scupper it.

The amendments would give parishes which object to a woman bishop the power to choose one who shared their theological convictions, pro-women bishop supporters say.

Some priests and laity are threatening to take the extraordinary step of invoking a standing order before the vote. If passed, synod would send the amendments back to the House of Bishops for reconsideration.

If the standing order move fails, some liberals are even considering voting ?no? to the draft legislation, which would set

Article source: PRNewswire

Related posts:

1. Leader of U.S. ex-Anglicans says won?t forget roots
2. Williams quits as Anglican head, says successor needs "rhino skin"
3. In heart of corporate America, women struggle to break into top jobs
4. Survey: Women get more value out of college than men do
5. Take the money and vote, song tells Senegalese

Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.

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Dean Royles and Jan Sobieraj at NHS health and wellbeing stand

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Football: Switzerland humble Germany

Eren Derdiyok gets the congratulations of teammates on his way to a hat-trick in Switzerland's 5-3 win over Germany.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Switzerland beat Germany 5-3 in friendly international in Basel
• Eren Derdiyok scores hat-trick for the rampant Swiss
• World and European champions Spain beat Serbia 2-0
• Netherlands lose 2-1 at home to Bulgaria

(CNN) -- Germany's build-up to Euro 2012 suffered a setback Saturday with a 5-3 defeat to Switzerland in Basel.

It was the first time the Swiss, who did not qualify for this summer's tournament, had beaten Germany in an international since 1956.

German coach Joachim Loew fielded an understrength team as he rested eight Bayern Munich players who were involved in the Champions League final defeat to Chelsea last weekend.

But the performance of their understudies will do little to inspire confidence, with goalkeeper Ter Stegen having a forgettable error-strewn match as the Germans lost for the second time in a row.

Having gone through Euro qualifying unbeaten, they were beaten by France 2-1 in their last friendly in February.

Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok, who plays in the Bundesliga, scored a hat-trick and put his team 2-0 ahead with two first half goals in three minutes.

We didn't expect a result like this and we cannot be satisfied by it
Joachim Loew

Both goals were laid on by strike partner Tranquillo Barnettas before defender Mats Hummels pulled one back for Germany just before halftime with a header from a Mesut Ozil cross.

But Derdiyok made it 3-1 after 50 minutes, again from a Barnettas assist.

Andre Schuerrle cut the lead to give Germany some hope before Andre Lichtsteiner made it 4-2 in the 67th minute. Marco Reus added the third for the Germans five minutes later but Admir Mehmedi sealed victory for the Swiss and made it 5-3 late on.

"We didn't expect a result like this and we cannot be satisfied by it," Loew told AFP.

Meanwhile, Spain warmed up for a defense of their European title with a 2-0 friendly win over Serbia in a friendly played in Switzerland.

Coach Vicente del Bosque was also forced to field a second string line-up with many of his players involved in Friday's Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao.

Atletico Madrid's Adrian Lopez, a second half substitute, headed the 2010 World Cup winners in front in the 64th minute.

He was then pulled down by Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic to earn a 75th minute penalty, converted by Santi Cazorla.

Spain announce their 23-man squad for Poland and the Ukraine Sunday.

Portugal, captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Macedonia in Leiria.

Their group rivals in the Euro finals, Denmark, were beaten 3-1 by a young Brazil side, who are preparing for the London Olympics, in a friendly in Hamburg.

Porto striker Hulk scored twice with Denmark's Niki Zimling turning an Oscar cross into his own net for the other goal.

Nicklas Bendtner pulled a goal back for the well-beaten Danes.

The Netherlands also went down to a friendly defeat, losing 2-1 at home to Bulgaria.

Arsenal's Robin van Persie gave the Dutch a 45th minute lead but Bulgaria, who did not make Euro 2012, equalized four minutes into the second half with an Ivelin Popov penalty after Rafael van der Vaart had hand balled.

Bulgaria striker Ilijan Mizanski grabbed a shock winner in the second minute of injury time as the home side pushed forward and were caught on the break.

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Bud weakens to a tropical storm off Mexico's coast

MIAMI (CNN) -

Hurricane Bud weakened to a tropical storm as it approached Mexico's southwestern coast on Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, could drench the Mexican states of Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan, Guerrero and Guanajuanto, the Mexican state news agency Notimex reported.

"Continued weakening is expected during the next 48 hours," the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 p.m. ET advisory.

Earlier in the day, the storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane.

Bud, the second named tropical storm of the East Pacific hurricane season, was about 80 miles (about 130 km) west-northwest of Manzanillo and 65 miles (about 105 km) south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes, the hurricane center said in its 8 p.m. ET advisory.

It was moving north at about 7 mph.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for Manzanillo northwest to Cabo Corrientes, while a tropical storm watch is out for the coast north of Cabo Corrientes to San Blas, according to the hurricane center.

A hurricane warning and watch, issued previously, have been discontinued.

Bud is expected to bring between 6-10 inches of rain along Mexico's southwestern coast, with isolated amounts of 15 inches possible in spots, the center said.

"These rainfall amounts could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," according to the U.S. weather agency.

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US general: Afghanistan better vetting recruits (Providence Journal)

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auto insurance-HEATH | Baltimore Share

auto insurance HEATH OH There are more cars and drivers hitting the road every year. With so many vehicles on the road, accidents will happen. The difference between a small aggravation and major obstacle can be automobile insurance. But why do you need insurance and just how much should you buy? Required coverage varies by state/province but usually includes the following: Pays for damages due to bodily injury and property damage to others for which you are responsible. Bodily injury damages include medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Property damage includes damaged property and loss of use of property. If you are sued, it also pays your defense and court costs. State laws usually mandate minimum amounts, but higher amounts are available and usually recommended. Personal injury protection: This is required in some states and is optional in others. Sometimes referred to as no-fault coverage, this pays the medical treatment for you or your passengers regardless of who was at fault. It may also pay for lost earnings, replacement of services and funeral expenses. State law usually sets minimum amounts. Medical payments: This coverage is available states that are not considered no-fault; it pays despite who may have been at fault. It pays for an insured person?s reasonable and necessary medical and funeral expenses for bodily injury from an accident. Collision: This pays for damage to your car caused by a collision. Comprehensive: Applies if your car is stolen or damaged by causes other than collision, including fire, wind, hail, flood or vandalism. Uninsured motorist: This pays for damages when an insured person is injured in a crash caused by another person who does not have liability insurance or by a person who cannot be identified (usually a hit-and-run driver). Under-insured motorist: This pays for damages when an insured person is injured in a crash caused by another person who does not have enough liability insurance to cover the full amount of the damages. Other coverages, like car rental and emergency road service, are also available. Truck Insurance

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FACT CHECK: Obama off on thrifty spending claim

President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign grassroots event at the Iowa state fairgrounds, in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, May 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign grassroots event at the Iowa state fairgrounds, in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday, May 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House is aggressively pushing the idea that, contrary to widespread belief, President Barack Obama is tightfisted with taxpayer dollars. To back it up, the administration cites a media report that claims federal spending is rising at the slowest pace since the Eisenhower years.

"Federal spending since I took office has risen at the slowest pace of any president in almost 60 years," Obama said at a campaign rally Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa.

The problem with that rosy claim is that the Wall Street bailout is part of the calculation. The bailout ballooned the 2009 budget just before Obama took office, making Obama's 2010 results look smaller in comparison. And as almost $150 billion of the bailout was paid back during Obama's watch, the analysis counted them as government spending cuts.

It also assumes Obama had less of a role setting the budget for 2009 than he really did.

Obama rests his claim on an analysis by MarketWatch, a financial information and news service owned by Dow Jones & Co. The analysis simply looks at the year-to-year topline spending number for the government but doesn't account for distortions baked into the figures by the Wall Street bailout and government takeover of the mortgage lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The MarketWatch study finds spending growth of only 1.4 percent over 2010-2013, or annual increases averaging 0.4 percent over that period. Those are stunningly low figures considering that Obama rammed through Congress an $831 billion stimulus measure in early 2009 and presided over significant increases in annual spending by domestic agencies at the same time the cost of benefit programs like Social Security, Medicare and the Medicaid were ticking steadily higher.

A fairer calculation would give Obama much of the responsibility for an almost 10 percent budget boost in 2009, then a 13 percent increase over 2010-2013, or average annual growth of spending of just more than 3 percent over that period.

So, how does the administration arrive at its claim?

First, there's the Troubled Assets Relief Program, the official name for the Wall Street bailout. First, companies got a net $151 billion from TARP in 2009, making 2010 spending look smaller. Then, because banks and Wall Street firms repaid a net $110 billion in TARP funds in 2010, Obama is claiming credit for cutting spending by that much.

The combination of TARP lending in one year and much of that money being paid back in the next makes Obama's spending record for 2010 look $261 billion thriftier than it really was. Only by that measure does Obama "cut" spending by 1.8 percent in 2010 as the analysis claims.

The federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also makes Obama's record on spending look better than it was. The government spent $96 billion on the Fannie-Freddie takeovers in 2009 but only $40 billion on them in 2010. By the administration's reckoning, the $56 billion difference was a spending cut by Obama.

Taken together, TARP and the takeover of Fannie and Freddie combine to give Obama an undeserved $317 billion swing in the 2010 figures and the resulting 1.8 percent cut from 2009. A fairer reading is an almost 8 percent increase.

Those two bailouts account for $72 billion more in cuts in 2011. Obama supported the bailouts.

There's also the question of how to treat the 2009 fiscal year, which actually began Oct. 1, 2008, almost four months before Obama took office. Typically, the remaining eight months get counted as part of the prior president's spending since the incoming president usually doesn't change it much until the following October. The MarketWatch analysis assigned 2009 to former President George W. Bush, though it gave Obama responsibility that year for a $140 million chunk of the 2009 stimulus bill.

But Obama's role in 2009 spending was much bigger than that. For starters, he signed nine spending bills funding every Cabinet agency except Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security. While the numbers don't jibe exactly, Obama bears the chief responsibility for an 11 percent, $59 billion increase in non-defense spending in 2009. Then there's a 9 percent, $109 billion increase in combined defense and non-defense appropriated outlays in 2010, a year for which Obama is wholly responsible.

As other critics have noted, including former Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the MarketWatch analysis also incorporates CBO's annual baseline as its estimate for fiscal years 2012 and 2013. That gives Obama credit for three events unlikely to occur:

?$65 billion in 2013 from automatic, across-the-board spending cuts slated to take effect next January.

?Cuts in Medicare payments to physicians.

?The expiration of refundable tax cuts that are "scored" as spending in federal ledgers.

Lawmakers are unlikely to allow the automatic cuts to take full effect, but it's at best a guessing game as to what will really happen in 2013. A better measure is Obama's request for 2013.

"You can only make him look good by ignoring the early years and adopting the hope and not the reality of the years in his budget," said Holtz-Eakin, a GOP economist and president of the American Action Forum, a free market think tank.

So how does Obama measure up?

If one assumes that TARP and the takeover of Fannie and Freddie by the government as one-time budgetary anomalies and remove them from calculations ? an approach taken by Holtz-Eakin ? you get the following picture:

?A 9.7 percent increase in 2009, much of which is attributable to Obama.

?A 7.8 percent increase in 2010, followed by slower spending growth over 2011-13. Much of the slower growth reflects the influence of Republicans retaking control of the House and their budget and debt deal last summer with Obama. All told, government spending now appears to be growing at an annual rate of roughly 3 percent over the 2010-2013 period, rather than the 0.4 percent claimed by Obama and the MarketWatch analysis.

Associated Press

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Suspect held in case of New York boy missing since '79

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