Monday, October 31, 2011

Oakland chief defends officers involved in clash

During a news conference, Oakland Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan fields questions about his department's handling of Occupy Oakland demonstrators on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. During a protest Tuesday night, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets injuring Iraq veteran Scott Olsen. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

During a news conference, Oakland Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan fields questions about his department's handling of Occupy Oakland demonstrators on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. During a protest Tuesday night, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets injuring Iraq veteran Scott Olsen. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Occupy Oakland protesters and their tents line a plaza near Oakland, Calif., City Hall on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. Demonstrators reestablished the encampment after a police raid on Tuesday left it deserted. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

During a news conference, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan fields questions about her handling of Occupy Oakland demonstrators on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. During a protest Tuesday night, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets injuring Iraq veteran Scott Olsen. At right is Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Filmmaker Michael Moore addresses several hundred Occupy Oakland protesters outside City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. Moore urged the protesters to continue demonstrating against what they see as a growing disparity between rich and poor. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Bob Burt raises his fist in support as filmmaker Michael Moore addresses Occupy Oakland protesters on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. Moore urged protesters, many of whom are demonstrating against what they see as a growing disparity between rich and poor, to continue their movement until they run the country. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Oakland's police chief says he takes responsibility for a crackdown on anti-Wall Street protesters, who have accused police of seriously injuring an Iraq War veteran during a clash earlier this week.

Interim Chief Howard Jordan's comments came Friday as Occupy Wall Street protesters maintained demonstration sites in some California cities and left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore rallied a gathering in Oakland.

Jordan defended the officers involved in the effort to drive protesters from a dayslong encampment, saying they used what they believed to be the least amount of force possible to protect themselves.

"I want to ensure you that all allegations of misconduct and excessive uses of force are being thoroughly investigated," Jordan said.

The plight of Iraq war veteran Scott Olsen, 24 ? who remained hospitalized in fair condition with a fractured skull ? has become a rallying cry at Occupy protests around the world.

Fellow veterans say police fired an object that struck him in the head, but authorities say object has yet to be definitively established, as well as the person responsible for the injury.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, who on Thursday publicly apologized for Tuesday's incident, said Friday that she did so because people got hurt.

Left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore addressed about 1,000 anti-Wall Street protesters in front of Oakland's City Hall, saying the Occupy movement has changed the national discussion.

"When was the last time in the last few weeks you heard them talking about the debt ceiling?" said Moore, the director of the documentary films "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Bowling for Columbine."

Meanwhile, a protest encampment at a plaza near the City Hall grew to about 50 tents, with organizers saying up to a thousand people were in the area late Friday night with very few police in sight.

The Oakland protesters announced a general strike on Nov. 2 where they will be urging banks and corporations to close for the day.

Farther south, police in San Diego descended early Friday on the encampment that housed demonstrators at the Civic Center Plaza and Children's Park for three weeks.

San Diego protester Chuck Stemke, a 32-year-old mechanical designer, said he awoke to a loud noise and looked out of his tent to see hundreds of police marching toward him in the darkness.

"It was very intimidating," he said. "There was a huge show of force."

Authorities arrested 51 people who faced charges including illegal lodging, illegal drug use, unlawful assembly and other charges. Twenty-four people were arrested on charges of blocking officers from performing their duties, police said.

San Diego police Chief William Lansdowne said negotiations with demonstrators had broken down and officers received no cooperation.

In the Central Valley, officials planned to evict a group of about 30 demonstrators from next to a Fresno County courthouse. The group agreed to officials' request not to pitch tents at the site during their 20-day stay, and the county had so far been lenient with the encampment, said protest spokesman Ruben Verdugo.

But officials on Friday gave notice that the protesters' permit would expire midnight Monday, and that demonstrators faced jail time and $500 fines if they remained.

Maria Torres stopped by the encampment to lend moral support. The 86-year-old said she worked with Cesar Chavez as an organizer of the farmworkers' movement in the 1960s.

"I'm too old now to do much, but I want to be a part of it," she said in Spanish.

Peaceful protests continued in San Francisco, where a handful of police officers patrolled the area across from the historic Ferry Building as 200 to 300 demonstrators gathered.

Mayor Ed Lee wants to avoid the type of police confrontations that happened in Oakland and has been meeting with members of the San Francisco camp to address concerns about public health and safety, said mayoral spokeswoman Christine Falvey.

"We can't have the camp for too many more days because it's not healthy," Falvey said.

__

Watson reported from San Diego. Contributing to this report were Associated press reporters Tracie Cone in Fresno; Terence Chea and Jason Dearen in San Francisco; and Garance Burke in Oakland.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-10-29-Occupy-California/id-7500c7fe227142809e0aa79bc5239ce6

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Cain confident about 2012 chances, but plans to cut back campaign appearances to avoid fumbles (Star Tribune)

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David Axelrod: Obama's Fundraising Rules Still Better Than Anything Republicans Have

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's policy of fully disclosing the list of his top supporters who bundle campaign cash is ironically responsible for a recent New York Times story hitting him for taking contributions from people who are effectively lobbyists, despite a campaign pledge to shun such money.

"At least 15 of Mr. Obama's 'bundlers' -- supporters who contribute their own money to his campaign and solicit it from others -- are involved in lobbying for Washington consulting shops or private companies. They have raised more than $5 million so far for the campaign," the Times reported on Friday. The story noted that the 15 are not registered lobbyists.

David Axelrod, a senior adviser to Obama, told CNN on Sunday that it was the president's own practice of disclosing his bundlers' names that made the story possible. Republican candidates, who have not sworn off cash from registered lobbyists, are likely signing up bundlers from the same crowd, but voters won't be able to find out as long as they decline to disclose the information.

"Everyone should understand the reason why The New York Times can write that story is because the president is disclosing everyone who raises money for him. None of the Republican candidates are willing to do that," Axelrod said.

In voluntarily banning lobbyists from donating to his campaign, Obama raises the question of just who counts as a lobbyist. The campaign defines a lobbyist as someone who registers with the federal government as one, but a shadow industry of unregistered lobbyists exists in Washington, as people avoid registering under complex federal rules.

"You have people who really are, by any stretch of the imagination, lobbying Congress, lobbying the White House. They are lobbyists and they are bundlers -- that is, they ask other people to give money," CNN's Candy Crowley pointed out.

Axelrod defended the administration by arguing that, since no law requires that bundlers not be lobbyists, whatever steps Obama takes are better than nothing.

"The president has imposed on himself a ban on taking contributions from federal lobbyists. He has imposed on himself a ban from taking money from political action committees. But more importantly as president, he has ended the revolving door between industry and the government so he doesn't hire lobbyists to come in. The last administration you saw lobbyists come in, write the rules, write the laws, then go back to their jobs in industry. That is not going on right now. This is a profound change," Axelrod said.

In fact, some top White House officials have been exempted from that rule. Obama's chief of staff, William Daley, was a lobbyist for JPMorgan Chase, for instance.

"So we can quibble about issues like this, but when you look at the substance of what he's done, he's gone so much farther than anybody has ever gone before. Is it perfect? It's not perfect, Candy. We are not in a perfect political system," Axelrod said. "So it is not a perfect system. But is he better than anybody has ever been before on this? Has he made a real difference on this? Absolutely."

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/30/obama-fundraising-david-axelrod-bundler-lobbyist_n_1066048.html

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Automotive Environmental breakout War Is not really An Empty ...

Motor vehicle Business, ?escape war?

HC Environmental Network: In Financial Clouded the crisis in 2009 underneath the global automotive industry is experiencing unprecedented difficulties. Shrinking of your industry, demand reduction, the whole automobile industry into a vicious cycle, ?cycle.? As persons on automobile security needs have increased, and virtually as clients inside the brand, value, support degree than most major collection requirements. Identical time, deteriorating pure Atmosphere Previously, environmental protection is no extended an empty slogan, as well as social consciousness of environmental protection, electricity preserving and consumption designs are becoming the mainstream automotive industry. For this reason, the auto industry to ?Win in the? require a all-inclusive concept of the entire industrial chain transformation.

?Safety, electricity conservation, environmental protection? is becoming the future advancement of your automotive industry the three crucial themes, crucial automobile companies are utilising sophisticated technologies continued to emerge. Toyota a short time ago launched lithium-ion battery driven electrical automobiles, hydrogen fuel cell driven fuel cell hybrid vehicle, have represented Toyota inside the security, environmental protection sophisticated expertise. And reflect the whole automotive industry later on Online marketing System of ?sustainable advancement of automotive goods,? the path of advancement. The safety and secure the conditions in the end

Tires the sole connection with the ground the whole automotive pieces, which for security and security of your automobile plays a significant function, it had been regarded brought on by ?black pollution? of tire, the way to harmony security and environmental protection of your double standard?

As leader of your Bridgestone tire industry has very long been closely and is also committed to driving the automobile the ?safety? and ?green? matters.

Simply because entering China will undoubtedly be the beginning of your Group?s sophisticated environmental ideas into China, has introduced TBYD (when initial thinking of driving), TCS (totally free tire security inspection), the operator of your security enterprise together with a collection of street driving actions Targeted visitors Security Neighborhood theme actions. A short while ago, the Group?s conditions is a slogan of ?OneTeam, OnePlanet? huge profile to China, from production, products advancement, social welfare and also other aspects of the implementation of its ?green safety? notion.

Recent tire industry is entering a ?security? Green? Economy? era of integrated site management, cost-effective goods increased in global recognition. Inside plenty of years of enterprise advancement, Bridgestone happens to be the ?green? as a vital investigation subject. In addition to not enough air potential customers RFT are usually very low rolling resistance tires in addition to the marketing of products, the products design and style, creation, logistics, Promote As well as other electricity preserving factors are extremely focused, and is also energetic within a wide range of nationwide ?safe? and ?sustainable? environmental protection actions. Bridgestone tire enterprise in China Wu Mr. Tian Bangjun president, mentioned: ?Bridgestone is operating vigorously to advertise the group?s 3R (Help reduce, Reuse, Recycle) actions into China, the ongoing commitment to your group ?as a cycle tire usage of resources?. We have now 4 tire vegetation in China had achieved ?1% or much less of your waste landfill rate? is zero-emissions requirements, outfitted having a very low rolling resistance tires outlined environmental expertise is usually to cut down the environmental loading efforts. for truck bus people to play this calendar year, Bridgestone?s refurbished brand ?Bandag? technical strength, actively selling the brand new tires and renovation expert services for packaged product sales of complete option. In the exact time mainly because last fall Because the give good results while using Chinese Federation of Auto Sports, introduced a collection of proprietors for your standard enlightenment actions driving green. ?

Bridgestone organization stages from creation and use to lessen carbon dioxide emissions, tire use renovation operation to employ resources in spots for example commencing on the exact time, preserving resources, minimizing environmental pollution brought on by waste tires. This Takeda president also stressed that: ?Bridgestone programs to other manufacturers inside the Chinese industry is difficult to counteract the edge of ?environmental goods? to China to, and creation in China. Anticipated inside the subsequent couple of years will set some extra stunning goods launched to China. ?

Street security and environmental allianceml protection, long way to go

2007 underneath the Ministry of Public Safety of China-related lien statistical info, very poor driving habits is producing the principle reason for China?s tens of a large number of potential customers accidents. Inside class of driving, no matter if its security or environmental protection, moreover to and tires Hardware Facilities, the exterior, wonderful driving habits and driving notion can be indispensable. June 6 this calendar year, Bridgestone security and environmental protection actions, Carnival?s Beijing Railway Station, by way of various promotional techniques and cutting-edge security and environmental protection goods on screen, making sure that the participants a profound knowing of your tires inside the ?security? and ?green? generate to play function.

Security and environmental protection is specifically related to your interests of clients, but additionally promotes the advancement of your environment automobile industry. With expertise in a environment view of your autumn leaves ended up gone, we can see the path of your global automotive industry?? 4 tires if the vehicle a ?safe environment? of your pieces; if the automobile is much more risk-free and dependable devices, design and style of extra green electricity; when environmental consciousness since the consensus of your group, but additionally ushered inside the automobile industry is a moment of chances.

Source: http://www.clubsantander.com/automotive-environmental-breakout-war-is-not-really-an-empty-slogan-of-environmental-safety/

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Samsung now No. 1 smartphone vendor, over Apple

By Athima Chansanchai

?

Samsung

In the third quarter of 2011, Samsung was the king of the smartphone world, with one report showing the domination of the manufacturer overtaking Apple's global reign.

While smartphone sales in the U.S. dipped for the first time during the same duration, the rest of the world was busy snapping up the devices. According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, "Global smartphone shipments grew 44 percent annually to reach a record 117 million units in the third quarter of 2011. Samsung overtook Apple to claim top spot as the world?s number one smartphone vendor." The company?shipped 28 million smartphones and gained 24 percent of the market.

Strategy Analytics

Alex Spektor, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, explained Samsung's leapfrog:

Samsung?s rise has been driven by a blend of elegant hardware designs, popular Android services, memorable sub-brands and extensive global distribution. Samsung has demonstrated that it is possible, at least in the short term, to differentiate and grow by using the Android ecosystem.

When we got in touch with Spektor, he also said that Apple not releasing the iPhone 4S until after the third quarter had something to do with Samsung's ascension. But, the strong showing could also not be laid on the shoulders of the popular and highly anticipated Galaxy S II, which did not ship until after the third quarter was over.

Neil Mawston, Director at Strategy Analytics, added some more insights into the push-and-pull between Samsung and Apple:

After just one quarter in the top spot, Apple slipped behind Samsung to second position and captured 15 percent share. Apple?s global smartphone growth rate slowed to just 21 percent annually in Q3 2011, its lowest level for two years. We believe Apple?s growth during the third quarter was affected by consumers and operators awaiting the launch of the new iPhone 4S in the fourth quarter, volatile economic conditions in several key countries, and tougher competition from Samsung?s popular Galaxy S II model.

But wait, what about Nokia? Unfortunate naming snafu aside, will the new Windows-Phone-powered Lumia be a chance for the one-time phone superpower to recover?

For now, Nokia has continued to slide down the abyss, reaching only 14 percent of the global smartphone market share in the third quarter, from 33 percent a year earlier. But?Tom Kang, Director at Strategy Analytics thinks there may be hope for it to bounce back: ?The transition from Symbian to Microsoft as Nokia?s main smartphone platform has clearly been a very challenging process this year. The recent launch of the new Microsoft Lumia portfolio has helped to raise Nokia?s profile, and Nokia will be hoping the partnership with Microsoft can drive at least an L-shaped recovery in its global smartphone market share over the next few months.?

More stories:

Check out Technolog on?Facebook, and on Twitter, follow?Athima Chansanchai, who is also trying to keep her head above water in the?Google+?stream.

Source: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/28/8523241-report-samsung-new-no1-smartphone-vendor-over-apple

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Kick Other Devices off a Wi-Fi Network with WiFiKill on Android [Evil Week]

Kick Other Devices off a Wi-Fi Network with WiFiKill on AndroidAndroid: We heard about WiFiKill a while ago, but it just seemed too, well, evil to write about until now. The app disables the connection of other devices on the same Wi-Fi network; essentially you can bump people off without them knowing.

WiFiKill is designed to take revenge on bandwidth hogs who are slowing down your network. As developer bponury describes it on the XDA Developers forum:

So if someone (anyone) is abusing the internet wasting precious bandwidth for a Justin Bieber videoclips you could just kill their connection and stay happy with a full bandwidth just for yourself.

The app works only with rooted phones and works, similarly to FaceNiff, by spoofing ARP replies to trick other devices on the network into thinking your Android phone is the router. WiFiKill then drops all their network packets. To the victims, it still appears as if they are connected to the network, but the Internet just appears to have stalled.

Besides pranking people, pure selfishness, and meanness, WiFiKill might have some use for controlling devices on your own network. For example, if you're a small business owner and you don't want to allow your staff to use the Wi-Fi network during certain hours, you or your IT admin could kill their connection (of course, you could do this from the router too, but perhaps you want to do it from your phone). Perhaps you're a parent and want to cut off an errant teenager's Internet access.

Just as we've seen with network sniffing tools, WiFiKill also demonstrates weaknesses in Wi-Fi security, so I guess the app could also be considered educational.

The app, however, was considered too evil for Android Market and Google pulled it, so you'll have to get it from the XDA Developers forum. (Try not to be too evil with your power!)

Lifehacker's Evil Week is all about topics such as password cracking, social hacking and other questionable tricks to make sure you're in the know. Knowledge is power, and whether you use that power for good or evil is in your hands.

WiFiKill | XDA Developers


You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/YTGmFCZ_MLU/kick-other-devices-off-a-wi+fi-network-with-wifikill-on-android

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GameStop to offer Android gaming tablets this holiday season (Appolicious)

Android?s open platform has incurred countless devices, all flooding the market. But the gaming industry is helping some manufacturers set themselves apart. With a lucrative gaming sector drawing in advertisers, in-app purchases and virtual goods, mobile gaming has created a sub-market all its own. There?s a growing number of gadget makers looking to put their stamp on Android devices. Video game retailer GameStop, for instance, will soon sell Android tablets as part of an effort to expand its device offerings.

Just in time for the holiday season, GameStop?s family of specialized tablets will come from manufacturers Asustek, Acer and Samsung. They?ll be pre-loaded with a handful of games, including EA titles like Madden NFL. The Android-powered game tablets will also become distribution channels for GameStop?s own mobile app store, Kongregate Arcade. The game store was an early initiative for GameStop as it felt its way into the mobile realm, and only gains potential with a concentrated effort around GameStop devices. The tablets will be priced around $400 to $500, which could be an issue for the retailer if it hopes to compete with the Amazon Kindle Fire, also primped with a gaming marketplace.

Sony looks to Android for PlayStation distribution

Sony is another company anxious to cash in on Android?s gaming potential. In an effort to control more of its mobile offerings, Sony is paying Ericsson about $1.5 billion for its half of the Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications joint venture. Their devices have pretty much always been media-centric, but Sony really began to realize its mobile promise with the Xperia PLAY launch. The device was designed for true gamers, with familiar button placement and optimized graphics support. The Xperia PLAY has also become a distribution channel for the Sony PlayStation network, closing the loop for Sony?s mobile and gaming offerings.

Sony also hopes its PlayStation Suite will help sell more Android devices in the future, extending beyond the Xperia PLAY to include the Sony Tablet S and Sony Tablet P. But the company may be looking even further, as Sony executive deputy president Kazuo Hirai shares their plans beyond Sony devices.

?That?s the beauty of Android,? Hirai says. ?We?re in discussions with non-Sony companies to bring them on board. We?ll make those announcements when it?s time to go public with it. This is not just for Sony devices.?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/videogames/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_androidapps_com_articles10051_gamestop_to_offer_android_gaming_tablets_this_holiday_season/43420346/SIG=13d5joirl/*http%3A//www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/10051-gamestop-to-offer-android-gaming-tablets-this-holiday-season

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Friday, October 28, 2011

Pressed by EU, Berlusconi reaches pension deal


Essential News from The Associated Press

? ?Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-10-26-EU-Italy-Financial-Crisis/id-79d78c51e04940489dcc0bc06f02af18

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Doggone it! Gomez's pup doesn't like Bieber

Selena Gomez has two special guys in her life, Justin Bieber and new puppy Baylor ? but is the star?s new pooch not fond of her singing sensation boyfriend?

Justin recently sat down with Access Hollywood?s Billy Bush while promoting his new Christmas album, ?Under the Mistletoe,? and chatted about Selena?s new furry friend.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Young Love! Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez

?She saw this dog, and she fell in love with it. She was like, ?I need to have it!?? Justin told Billy. ?We just went to the shelter just to look around. Turns out, she brought one home.?

The puppy, a husky mix named Baylor, was instantly drawn to the 19-year-old actress/singer, but not exactly taken with Biebs.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Boy Who Makes The Tweens Swoon ? Justin Bieber

?It was kind of like she just saw the dog, and it kept going to her,? Justin explained. ?I don?t think the dog really likes me that much.?

In fact, Baylor appears to very much Selena?s dog.

?I think he?s on tour with her right now,? Justin added.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: ?Who Says? She?s Not Perfect?!? Young Phenom Selena Gomez

The 17-year-old also explained to Billy why he needs to go to great lengths ? like renting out the Staples Center ? to get some alone time with Selena and enjoy a movie.

  1. More Entertainment stories
    1. Tyler says bathroom fall not drug-related

      Steven Tyler opened up to TODAY's Matt Lauer, saying his tumble was related to food poisoning, not substance abuse.

    2. 'Sister Wives' welcome baby No. 17
    3. Report: Bruce Willis to be a dad again
    4. Exclusive: Taylor Armstrong shares healing
    5. 'Beavis and Butt-head' and ... Snooki?

?If I go into a movie theater and everyone?s not looking at the movie and looking at us, it?s kind of like awkward,? he said. ?I?m looking at the movie and everyone?s looking at me. It?s like I?m the movie or something.?

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Young Hollywood: Then & Now

Justin told Billy that the last movie he saw ? Hugh Jackman?s ?Real Steel? ? choked him up.

?I thought it was just going to be a bunch of robots hitting each other, but it was a good storyline,? Justin said. ?I think I teared up a little bit.?

Do you trust the instincts of animals? Tell us on Facebook.

Copyright 2011 by NBC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45067391/ns/today-entertainment/

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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Winehouse had high alcohol levels in blood: inquest (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? British singer Amy Winehouse had more than five times the legal driving limit of alcohol in her blood when she died on July 23 aged 27, British media reported on Wednesday.

The "Rehab" and "Back to Black" singer had 416 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, according to the findings of an inquest into her death, compared with the legal driving limit of 80 mg.

A hearing in London also learned that Winehouse, who battled drug and alcohol addiction throughout her brief but successful career, had not drunk alcohol in July until the day before she died.

The findings backed reports shortly after her death that the Grammy award-winning artist had been trying to deal with her addiction but ran the risk of complications from binge drinking.

A security guard checked on Winehouse at 10 a.m. on the day she died at her house in Camden, north London, and thought she was asleep. He checked again at 3 p.m. and called the emergency services.

The inquest ruled that she had died of "misadventure."

"GREAT PAIN"

Members of her family, including her father Mitch, were present at the inquest, but made no comment to awaiting media as they left.

They later issued a statement saying it was "some relief" to find out what had happened to Winehouse.

"We understand there was alcohol in her system when she passed away -- it is likely a build up of alcohol in her system over a number of days," the family said.

"The court heard that Amy was battling hard to conquer her problems with alcohol and it is a source of great pain to us that she could not win in time. She had started drinking again that week after a period of abstinence."

Mitch Winehouse is in the process of setting up a charity in his daughter's name to help young people battling addiction.

"It underlines how important our work with the Amy Winehouse Foundation is to us, to help as many young people and children as we can in her name," the family statement said.

"It means a lot to us and from the overwhelming messages of support we have had since Amy died, we know she meant a great deal to people all over the world."

Winehouse's last filmed performance was in Serbia in June, when she was jeered by the crowd as she struggled to perform her songs and stay upright. Her management then canceled all her scheduled performances.

Results from toxicology tests released in August showed there were no illegal substances in Winehouse's system when she died.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111026/people_nm/us_amywinehouse_inquest

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Motorola RAZR open for unlocked bootloader business, if the carrier says so

Promises, promises. Motorola wasn't exactly fibbing when it said all future phones would ship with unlockable bootloaders, as it appears they will. There's just one teensy obstacle impeding the joy of ROM flashers worldwide: it's up to the carriers' discretion to keep it that way. In a chat with AusDroid, Moto's VP of Enterprise Mobile Devices, Christy Wyatt, revealed that the RAZR would indeed be the OEM's first device to ship with a software unlock. Unfortunately, as in the case of the DROID variant, operators like Verizon have chosen to put the smack down on any custom hackery, citing the typical concerns over security. But it's not all grey wireless skies, the handset's global version will ship with the code on board, so your best bet for CM7 and MIUI looks to be an off-contract option. Or, you know, there's always that Big Red Galaxy Nexus.

Motorola RAZR open for unlocked bootloader business, if the carrier says so originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |  sourceAusDroid  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/dafM7O-DuLs/

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Care about bootloaders and Ice Cream Sandwich updates on Motorola devices? Read this

Xoom bootloader

Heh. Hot on the heels of Motorola's 6-week Ice Cream Sandwich prediction on Twitter, the manufacturer has dropped a couple of websites to watch if you care about updates or unlocked bootloaders. They are:

Those pages, and Android Central, natch, are all you need, right?

Source: Motorola blog


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/G9SmumVI1T8/care-about-bootloaders-and-ice-cream-sandwich-updates-motorola-devices-read

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Siri co-founder Dag Kittlaus quits Apple, departure 'amicable': report (Digital Trends)

dag-kittlausDag Kittlaus, co-founder of the company that created the highly acclaimed Siri voice recognition ?assistant? that?s built into the iPhone 4S has allegedly left Apple, reports Kara Swisher at AllThingsD. His departure is said to have been planned, and friendly.

The co-founder and former chief executive of Siri, which was purchased by Apple in 2010, Kittlaus is said to have left to be closer to his family, who live in Chicago; to have some much-needed time off; and to embark on further entrepreneurial endeavors, say sources close to the matter.

According to Darrell Etherington at GigaOm, Kittlaus? resignation from Apple was long in the making, and ?amicable.? Siri?s other two co-founders, Adam Cheyer and Tom Gruber, apparently still remain at Apple, according to their profiles on LinkedIn.

Siri stands as one of the most-compelling selling points for the newly released iPhone 4S. Lacking any external design changes from last year?s iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S includes a faster dual-core A5 processor, a faster GPU, and a high-quality, 8-megapixel camera. Many of the other updates included in the iPhone 4S come in the form of iOS 5, Apple?s new mobile operating system, which can also be used on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, third- and fourth-generation iPod touch devices, and the iPad and iPad 2. Siri is only available on the iPhone 4S.

Apple boasted last week that it had sold more than 4 million iPhone 4S units in the first three days after the device went on sale in seven markets worldwide. On Friday, pre-order sales of Apple?s new handset became available to customers in 22 additional countries, which include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The device will officially launch in those countries on October 28.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20111024/tc_digitaltrends/siricofounderdagkittlausquitsappledepartureamicablereport

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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Flyers' Pronger out after taking stick in the face (AP)

PHILADELHPIA ? Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger will miss two to three weeks and spend the next few days on bed rest after taking a stick to the right eye against Toronto.

Pronger and Toronto's Mikhail Grabovski sprinted for a loose puck in the circle after a rebound off Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky on Monday night. Grabovski slapped at the puck, but his stick connected with Pronger's stick and the blade shot straight up into the defenseman's face.

Pronger screamed in agony and instantly clutched his face. Hunched over, he skated straight to the bench, his hands over his eyes, and went to the dressing room with 8:02 left in the first period.

Pronger does not wear a visor. General manager Paul Holmgren said Pronger would not be cleared to play unless he wears one. Holmgren said Pronger complained of blurred vision.

"I think he was very scared and rightly so," Holmgren said. "When something like that happens to your eye, you're worried about what's going on. I think he settled down over a period of time and was fine when he left."

The Flyers beat the Maple Leafs 4-2.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111025/ap_on_sp_ho_ne/hkn_flyers_pronger_injured

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Defense of Jackson case opens with doctor, police (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Defense attorneys for the doctor accused of killing Michael Jackson began their case Monday, targeting Jackson as the architect of his own demise by seeking to cure his insomnia with an intravenous drug, even when he was warned it was dangerous.

With the testimony of a doctor and a nurse practitioner, the lawyers showed that Jackson had been on his quest for at least 15 years, and in the months before he died he began asking for intravenous medication, specifically an anesthetic.

Jackson would eventually get the drug propofol from Dr. Conrad Murray, now on trial for involuntary manslaughter in the death of the superstar.

Taking over in the packed courtroom after prosecutors rested their four-week case, defense lawyers showed their hand at last, calling witnesses who indicated it was Jackson who demanded the drug that eventually killed him.

Dr. Allan Metzger, who was Jackson's friend and confidant over two decades, said he refused the singer's request for an intravenous anesthetic two months before his death and told the star it would be dangerous if administered in his home.

Prosecutors were quick to exploit the testimony to show that other medical professionals rejected any suggestion by the singer that he receive anesthetics as a sleep aid.

"You explained to him that it was dangerous, life-threatening and should not be done outside a hospital, correct?" prosecutor David Walgren asked on cross-examination.

"That's correct," Metzger replied.

Metzger added that there was no amount of money that would have prompted him to give Jackson the anesthetic propofol,

The next witness, holistic nurse practitioner Cherilyn Lee, said she treated Jackson with vitamin infusions and he felt so much better that he invited her to go with him to London for his concert tour. Then he reported he couldn't sleep and asked her to come to his home and watch him sleep, she testified.

She said she thought his problem was that he had been drinking highly caffeinated beverages for energy. Once he withdrew from them, was confident his problem would abate. But it did not.

She said she urged him to undergo a sleep study but he said he didn't have time.

In mid-April, 2009, shortly before he began treatment with Murray, Jackson asked Lee to watch him sleep, which she did. She said he slept for five hours but was upset when he awoke.

"He said, `You see, I can't stay asleep,'" she said.

Lee, who has spoken publicly about Jackson's demand that she get him propofol, was expected to tell jurors about that exchange when she returns to the witness stand Tuesday.

Metzger also said he had known for at least 15 years that Jackson had trouble sleeping. When he made a house call to the singer's home in April 2009, Metzger said the singer asked him about intravenous sleep medications and anesthetics. He mentioned a specific drug that he wanted, Metzger said.

"I think he used the word juice," Metzger said. The physician prescribed two oral medications, although he said the singer told him that he did not believe any oral medication would work.

Metzger added that there was no amount of money that would have prompted him to give Jackson the anesthetic propofol, which he said the singer didn't mention by name during their visit.

Murray has pleaded not guilty. Authorities contend Murray gave Jackson a lethal dose of propofol as a sleep aid.

Metzger was one of several hostile witnesses that defense attorneys plan to call during their case, which began with brief testimony from a 911 records custodian, a police surveillance specialist and two detectives who investigated Murray.

Defense lawyers have said they will have 15 witnesses but have not publicly revealed whether they will call Murray to testify.

Jurors have heard from Murray through a more than two-hour interview with police, and it seems unlikely his attorneys would subject their client to what would be blistering questioning from prosecutors.

Prosecutors rested their case earlier in the day after testimony from 33 witnesses.

The defense then began its effort to counter damaging testimony that cast Murray as an opportunistic doctor who broke legal, ethical and professional guidelines to satisfy a patient who was paying him $150,000 a month.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

___

McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111025/ap_en_mu/us_michael_jackson_doctor

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NBC's Brian Williams to moderate GOP debate from Tampa (tbo)

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Monday, October 24, 2011

Photographers tap their wild side to win

Dave Stock, deputy picture editor

Gallery: Our pick of the winners

?Dedication, resilience, courage, resourcefulness, cunning - essential survival attributes of many wild animals.? This introduction to the portfolio for the Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011, by judge Joe Cornish, lists character traits that apply equally well to the photographers of the winning images as they do to their subjects.

This year?s winner is a case in point. Daniel Beltra?s image ?still life in oil? depicts eight brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) covered in crude oil as they undergo the first stage of cleaning at a bird-rescue facility in Fort Jackson, Louisiana. Despite its perfect composition and almost staged look, Beltra actually shot the photograph in a brief 10-second window as volunteers helping rescue these birds briefly opened the door to move a pelican in or out.

Daniel Beltra?Greenpeace.jpg(Image: Daniel Beltra/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

The birds were victims of last year's Deepwater Horizon disaster, which, at its height, was leaking up to 6.4 million litres of oil per day into the Gulf of Mexico and caused severe ecological damage to the area. ?I could easily see this image as iconic of the disaster,? said judging chair Mark Carwardine, introducing the winner at the awards ceremony at London?s Natural History Museum this week.

The image?s newsworthiness swung it. ?We want to see something different,? explained judge Michael Aw. ?If a fantastic image of a topic or subject has been photographed well before, then that becomes the benchmark. An image might be amazing, but if it doesn?t better the benchmark it will be disregarded?. Of Beltra?s image, Aw remarked that: ?In any other year, I?m not sure that this image would have won?.

The image formed one part of a sequence that won Beltra the coveted Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year award. His beautifully executed, painterly aerial shots, captured the sheer scale of the spill. Oil and water mix in stunningly beautiful colours and abstract shapes, yet the images are unnerving, bringing home the scale of the disaster by providing a birds-eye view of the acres of oil spreading out from the Deepwater rig. A tiny boat, little more than a speck on the blighted seascape, informs the scale of Beltra?s aptly titled Toxic Beauty.

Elsewhere, technique played a part in deciding other winning images. Last year's overall winner, Bence M?t?, returned to take the Eric Hosking Award for the forth time. The prize, awarded to photographers aged 18 to 26, showcases a portfolio of 6 images representative of the photographers work. In "pelican perspective", M?t? planned a complex setup to capture an unusual, wide angle, water level shot of dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus), catching one of the birds receiving a tasty fish into its pouch. For the shot M?t? utilised a floating pontoon and numerous flash units wired together and operated remotely.

Bence_Mate.jpg
(Image: Bence M?t?/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

"It was a huge buzz to find that the contraption actually worked", said M?t?, but it wasn?t without hiccups. As he explained in his acceptance speech, it was his team?s resourcefulness - one of those essential attributes highlighted by Cornish - that snatched the project from the jaws of disaster. When one of the flash units burnt out it took the technical ingenuity of M?t??s assistant, who scavenged parts from a hotel remote control to repair the damaged equipment, to rescue the shoot.

Aspiring to evolve her photography skills, the winner of the under 10s category, Hui Yu Kim, melted hearts with her pre-recorded video acceptance message (she could not make to the ceremony because of exams): "I will try harder and promise to come back better next year", she says. Her image, simply entitled Alien, uses macro photography techniques to get up close with a tropical flat-faced longhorn beetle (Aegomorphus quadrigibbus), taken on a family trip to Gunung Jeri, Malaysia.

Hui Yu Kim.jpg(Image: Hui Yu Kim/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011)

It?s dedication like Kim?s that is perhaps the essential trait that unifies all the winning photographers, and results in the collection of breathtaking photographs that comprise this year?s images.

The Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year images can be seen at the Natural History Museum, London, until 11 March 2012.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/1976b0e7/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cculturelab0C20A110C10A0Cphotographers0Etap0Etheir0Ewild0Eside0Eto0Ewin0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Is Obama hogging credit for Gadhafi's death? (The Week)

New York ? President Obama hailed the death of Libya's longtime dictator, and the NATO mission that hastened his end. Do you get credit for "leading from behind"?

President Obama confirmed the death of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi in a brief Rose Garden speech, welcoming the lifting of "the dark shadow of tyranny" in Libya and the definitive end of the Gadhafi dictatorship. "Without a single U.S. service member on the ground, we achieved our objective," he added. Obama's Republican rivals denied him credit, however, heralding Gadhafi's death without mentioning the president. As the Heritage Foundation's James Carafano quipped, "You can't lead from behind and then elbow to the front for applause." Is Obama claiming credit where none is due?

No, give Obama his due: As the 9.1 percent unemployment rate reminds us, "Obama has been a bad president," says Matt Lewis in The Daily Caller. "But when it comes to killing terrorists, pirates, and dictators," he's racked up some impressive wins: Osama bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki, and now Gadhafi. And that's just the past six months. Others deserve credit, too ? George W. Bush made sure Gadhafi didn't have nukes ? but this happened under Obama's watch, and his policies.
"Praise where it is due"

Obama barely led, even from behind: It's "outrageous for this White House to take credit for Gadhafi's death," says Richard Grennel in Politico. In fact, "how about [accepting] blame for it taking so long?" Obama had to be dragged into action by France and Britain, then he "dithered and ended up doing too little too late." Remember, the U.S. only led the NATO mission for 10 days, and never committed the resources to the fight that our allies did.
"Credit due Obama for Gadhafi death?"

Obama earned the win, but it won't help him much: Obama did take credit, and rightfully so, in the same "low-key" way he waged war in Libya, sharing the spotlight with NATO and Libyans, say Eleanor Clift and Daniel Stone in The Daily Beast. But voters care only a little about foreign policy, so Obama's key role in taking out Gadhafi and his regime, "at minimal cost and with no loss of American life," won't matter nearly as much as his unfocused economic record.
"Should Obama get credit?"

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politicsopinion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20111021/cm_theweek/220597

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You tell us: What fight are you most looking forward to in 2011?

You tell us: What fight are you most looking forward to in 2011?Through the end of the year, the MMA world will go on a massive run of fights, taking time off only for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nearly every weekend will feature events from the UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator.

Ben Askren vs. Jay Hieron at Bellator 56: Askren and Hieron have been jawing at each other over this bout since Hieron won the right to fight Askren for the Bellator welterweight belt. Askren's been working on his striking with Duke Roufus and his band of strikers in Milwaukee. Will that, combine with his world-class wrestling, be enough to hold off Hieron?

Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson at UFC on Fox 1: Though Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos will be shown to the masses in the UFC's first fight on Fox, it's hard not to get hyped about Guida and Henderson's scrap. Both fighters are known for putting on exciting bouts and ridiculous conditioning. The best part? This bout should decide the next challenger for the UFC lightweight belt.

Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139: Pick your favorite storyline in this fight. Henderson's return to UFC after winning the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship. Two PRIDE champions meeting up. Shogun's chance to get revenge for Henderson's win over Rua's brother. Two men with scary striking power being thrown in the Octagon. No matter which way you look at it, this fight should be fun.

Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 140: The UFC light heavyweight champ will get another chance to defend the belt against a former champion. Machida is 1-2 in his last fights, and like Jones, was once considered an unsolvable puzzle. This match-up will turn the main event at UFC 140 into a chess game.

Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem at UFC 141: Former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Overeem needed a big opponent for his first bout in the UFC, and opponents don't get much bigger than former champ Brock Lesnar. For Lesnar, it will be his first fight back since losing the belt. The Octagon will need reinforcement for this bout.

With so many fights coming up before the end of the year, there's a pretty good chance that Cagewriter didn't list your favorite fight. Vote in the poll, and tell us your favorite in the comments or on Facebook.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/You-tell-us-What-fight-are-you-most-looking-for?urn=mma-wp8461

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Friday, October 21, 2011

Fla. Bar shares more details on Baez complaints (AP)

ORLANDO, Fla. ? A Florida Bar spokeswoman says two complaints pending against attorney Jose Baez both relate to his role as lead counsel during Casey Anthony's murder trial.

Bar spokeswoman Francine Walker confirmed Tuesday that one of the complaints relates to Baez failing to turn over information to prosecutors during pretrial discovery before Anthony was tried for her 2-year-old daughter's slaying. She was acquitted.

Another is related to Baez not informing the court that Anthony was serving a year of probation for a check fraud conviction while in jail awaiting the start of her murder case. Judge Belvin Perry chastised Baez in an August order to have Anthony serve a year of traditional probation.

In an email to The Associated Press, Baez reiterated a previous statement that the complaints have no merit.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111018/ap_on_re_us/us_baez_complaints

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Midwest is best, when it comes to credit scores

Experian

By Allison Linn

People who live in New York or Los Angeles may gloat about their superiority of restaurants and cultural amenities, but towns in the Midwest have something to brag about, too: better credit scores.

A new report from credit monitoring agency Experian finds that eight of the 10 cities with the highest average credit score are in the Midwest.

On the flip side, eight of the 10 cities with the lowest credit scores are in the South.

Wausau, Wis., takes the top spot, with an average credit score of 789. It?s one of four Wisconsin cities that are in the top 10 in terms of average credit scores.

Harlingen, Texas, has the lowest average credit score of 686. It?s one of four Texas cities that fall into the bottom 10 in the credit score rankings.

Credit scores generally range from 501 to 990. A higher score is considered better, with those consumers expected to be most likely to pay off their debt on time. The survey looked at representative sample of consumers in the first half of this year.

The national average was 749, little changed from 2010. Exerian estimated that average U.S. debt, excluding mortgages, was $24,542, down slightly from the previous year.

New York ranks 37th with average credit scores of 762. Los Angele is 96th with an average score of 738.

The report notes that there?s a clear link between unemployment and credit scores. Many of the cities making the top 10 had lower-than-average unemployment rates.

The exception was San Francisco, which had an average credit score of 781 and an average unemployment rate of 10 percent during the period being studied.

Want to see how your city fared? Check out this interactive map or take a look at this list of cities.

?

Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/19/8398679-the-midwest-is-best-when-it-comes-to-credit-scores

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Factory, jobs data offer hope for economy (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Factory activity in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region rebounded in October and the number of Americans claiming new jobless benefits fell last week in fresh signs that the economy was likely to duck a new recession.

Optimism over the economy was tempered, however, by other data on Thursday showing a drop in sales of previously owned homes and only a small rise in a gauge of future growth.

"The numbers we have seen today provide some hints that the domestic economy is doing a little bit better, even with the challenges that are unfolding in Europe," said Michael Strauss, chief economist at Commonfund in Wilton, Connecticut.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped 6,000 to 403,000 last week, the Labor Department said. A four-week average, which smooths out weekly volatility to give a better view of trends, hit its lowest level since April.

Separately, the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank's business activity index rebounded to 8.7 in October, the highest reading in six months, from minus 17.5 in September.

A reading above zero indicates factory activity is expanding in the region, which covers eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware.

U.S. stocks initially rose on the data, but surrendered gains on nagging doubts over whether European leaders would decisively deal with the euro zone debt crisis at a summit this weekend. Prices for U.S. Treasury debt rose marginally and the dollar firmed against a basket of currencies.

Fears had been mounting that the sickly U.S. economy was heading back toward recession after growth wobbled in the first half of the year and after consumer confidence plunged in August amid signs both the United States and Europe were having trouble coming to terms with their huge debts.

But the recent stream of data, including figures on retail sales and trade, suggest output sped up in the third quarter.

Analysts estimate U.S. gross domestic product grew at an annual pace of anywhere between 2.3 and 2.7 percent, a sharp step up from the second quarter's tepid 1.3 percent rate.

"There is little evidence the economy is ready to enter a downturn based on the Philadelphia Fed (data)," said Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank in New York.

JOBS MARKET TONE IMPROVING

That view was also underscored by the four-week moving average of initial jobless claims.

The claims data covered the survey week for the government's closely watched nonfarm payrolls count for October. Initial claims dropped 25,000 between the September and October survey periods, suggesting a step-up in nonfarm employment after payrolls increased 103,000 last month.

After spiking in mid-September, jobless claims appear to have settled near the 400,000 mark that is usually associated with some improvement in the jobs market.

While most parts of the U.S. economy are plodding along, the housing market continues to show little signs of life, however.

Sales of existing homes dropped 3.0 percent to an annual rate of 4.91 million units in September, the National Association of Realtors said.

In another report, the Conference Board said its index of leading economic indicators edged up 0.2 percent in September, pointing to continued sluggish growth. Still, it warned that the economy faced a 50 percent chance of recession whereas a month ago it said recession risks were lower than that.

Most economists, however, see a lower chance of recession, and signs of continued manufacturing expansion have bolstered hopes another downturn can be avoided.

Factories in the Mid-Atlantic region this month reported growth in order books after shrinkage for two straight months. Shipments rose too and there was an increase in unfilled orders, although employment slowed from September.

Still, manufacturers remain leery on the economic outlook.

Diversified manufacturer Danaher Corp, air conditioner maker Ingersoll Rand Plc and electrical products company Cooper Industries Plc all reported higher-than-expected earnings but were guarded about the fourth quarter.

"Clearly, we're seeing some moderation in the economy," Danaher CEO Larry Culp said. "(But) I don't think we'll see anything like an '08, '09 collapse.

(Additional reporting by Pedro da Costa and Jason Lange in Washington and Nick Zieminski in New York; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111020/bs_nm/us_usa_economy

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