Reward offered for missing Xbox gamer
Thursday, October 30, 2008Agence France-Presse
First Posted 06:03:00 10/29/2008
OTTAWA -- US software behemoth Microsoft has doubled a cash reward for information on the whereabouts of a Canadian boy who ran away from home after his father took away his Xbox game console, it said Tuesday.
Brandon Crisp, 15, took off on his bicycle from his Barrie, Ontario home on October 13 -- Canada's Thanksgiving holiday -- and rode east along an old rail line.
He has not been seen since.
His father told local media he had removed Brandon's Xbox, built by Microsoft, after noticing changes in behavior since Brandon started playing "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" online.
The boy started skipping school, stealing money and ignoring his studies, his father said.
A local newspaper, the family's Internet service provider and Child Find offered a 25,000-dollar (US$19,500) reward for information leading to his return.
Microsoft topped it up with another $25,000, the company said Tuesday in an email to AFP, "hoping for his swift return."
"Like everyone, we are deeply worried about the disappearance of Brandon Crisp," the company said.
Exhaustive searches have not turned up a single clue beyond the boy's bicycle, found last week with a flat tire.
Police are said to be examining who Brandon played with online. "Law enforcement has contacted Microsoft about this matter and we are cooperating fully with them," said Microsoft.
On Sunday, 1,600 volunteer searchers packed up their reflective vests and ended their efforts to find him, while police stopped their air and water search.
In an interview with the daily Globe and Mail, the boy's father, Steve Crisp, said he had not known how important the gaming system was to his son and how he would react when it was taken away.
Experts commented that gamers may form bonds with fellow online players.
"This had become his identity, and I didn't realize how in-depth this was until I took his Xbox away," Steve Crisp told the Globe and Mail. "That's like cutting his legs off."
"This is such an issue that hits every parent out there, with video games that are starting to control our kids' lives," he said.
"I just took away his identity, so I can understand why he got so mad and took off. Before, I couldn't understand why he was taking off for taking his game away."
Now, Brandon's father says he just wants his son to come home.
To all Filipinos Please Read!
Friday, October 24, 2008The message goes:
As you know, we have plenty of Koreans currently
studying in the Philippines to take advantage of our cheaper tuition fees and learn English at the same time.
This is an essay written by a Korean student i want to share with you. (Never mind the grammar; it's the CONTENT that counts) Maybe it is timely to think about this in the midst of all the confusion at present.
MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES
Jaeyoun Kim
Filipinos always complain about the corruption in
the Philippines . Do you really think that corruption is the big problem in the Philippines ? I don't think so. I strongly believe that the problem is the lack of love for the Philippines .
Let me first talk about my country, Korea . It might help you understand my point.
After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest country in the world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no
natural resources.
Koreans used to talk about the Philippines , for
Filipinos were very rich in Asia . We envy Filipinos.
Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of famine. My father & brother also died because of famine.
Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with patriotism.
Koreans did not work just for themselves but also
for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the spirit of patriotism.
40 years ago, President Park took over the
government to reform Korea . He tried to borrow money from other countries, but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investor because the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had
only three factories. So, President Park sent many
mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to build a factory. They had to go through horrible experience.
In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow
money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and cried there as they saw the President Park . They asked to him, "President, when can we be well off?" That was the only question everyone asked to him. President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well off if everyone works hard for Korea , and the President
of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea . So, President Park was able to build many factories in Korea . He always asked Koreans to love their country from their heart.
Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA
came back to Korea to help developing country
because they wanted their country to be well off.
Though they received very small salary, they did their
best for Korea . They always hoped that their children would live in well off country.
My parents always brought me to the places where
poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that
we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my neighborhood.
Have you cried for the
Philippines ? I have cried for my country several
times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so
many poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid
prison. What made me sad in the prison were the
prisoners who do not have any love for their country.
They go to mass and work for Church. They pray
everyday. However, they do not love the Philippines . I talked to two prisoners at the maximum-security
compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines .
Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were distributed their
profit to their employees fairly so that employees
could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their children.
When I was in Korea , I had a very strong faith and
wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines , I completely lost my faith.
I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable
situations in the Philippines . Street kids always make me sad, and I see them everyday. The Philippines is the only
Catholic country in Asia , but there are too many poor people here. People go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has
been changed.
My parents came to the Philippines last week and
saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so
many beggars and street kids. When we went to
Pagsanjan Falls, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun. However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they would not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boatmen, for the boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a boat and enjoyed it.
But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love
for them. My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was very young told me that if we just go to
mass without changing ourselves, we are not
Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action.
She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good
things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as they love God, so that the Philippines will be well off.
I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos
should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should start from person. Love must start in everybody,
in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to love. Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new eyes.
I discover that every person is worthy to be
loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes
possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and
relationships. It changes the world. Please love your
neighborhood and country.
Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do unto Him. In the Philippines , there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is God who is crying for love.
If you have a child, teach them how to love the
Philippines . Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and country.
You already know that God also will be very happy if
you love others.
That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.
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Dating 101: Eight New Love Truths You Must Know
- Spending time apart strengthens your bond. Sure, it's important to hang out with your guy. But experts now know that it's almost as important not to hang out with him every so often. "When you take time away from each other, it gives you both the opportunity to collect new thoughts, new stories, and new ideas to share," says Jennifer Oikle, PhD, dating coach for Coupling Connection. But the benefits extend beyond having novel tidbits of conversation. "When you're with someone in the moment, you're not really spending time thinking about them," says Debbie Magids, PhD, coauthor of "All the Good Ones Aren't Taken." "When you're distanced, you really think about the person and yearn for them, and you look forward to seeing them again."
- Your inkling that something is wrong in the relationship is probably right. By nature of being a woman, you have a keen intuition, so you'll feel any kind of distancing on a visceral level pretty quickly. And unless you're an overly suspicious or insecure person -- you know who you are! -- you should always trust your gut. Example: He's incommunicado. Before the days of emailing, texting, IMing, and Facebooking, if you didn't hear from your boyfriend for a day or two, it wasn't the end of the world (or your relationship). But now that communication is so easy and instant, it's usually a sign he's not fully invested."When a guy wants to break up, he'll often start to create space," says Oikle. In other words, he'll stop calling quite as much, it will take him a bit longer to return your texts or emails, and he'll sometimes be "too busy" to hang out. "For the record, if a guy is into you, he'll never be too busy," says Paul Coleman, PsyD, author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Intimacy."If the pattern continues, confront your man about his behavior in a direct yet nonaccusatory way, saying something like "You haven't called me, and I'm thinking that means you're having second thoughts about us." If he doesn't give you a clear answer, well, let's just say he's giving you a clear answer.
- If a man has a history of cheating on his girlfriends, he'll probably cheat on you too.Nasty Men," Sometimes a guy cheats on his partner because there is an emotional or physical void in the relationship. But more often than not, philandering is indicative of something wrong with him. According to Jay Carter, PsyD, author of "many guys two-time because they love the thrill of the chaseAll those factors contribute to serial straying, "which is why men who cheat once usually cheat again," says Oikle. (A recent MSNBC.com survey found that men are twice as likely as women are to cheat more than once.) So if your guy cheated on his last girlfriend with you, don't necessarily write it off as an isolated incident.
- He wants to think he's taking care of you. Despite the fact that many women are outpacing men on the college level and in the workplace, "lots of guys still derive their feelings of masculinity and self-worth by being of value to the person they love," says Allen Berger, PhD, author of "Love Secrets Revealed." "And they feel most valuable when they're doing things for that person." So even though you're an independent chick who can support herself, it may benefit your relationship if you step back once in a while and let him step up -- even if it's just to do something as simple as pay for dinner. Think of it this way: Letting him care for you shows you care for him.
- If a guy tells you that he's not ready for a relationship, take his word for it. Believe it or not, men really hate to disappoint women. So if he's "gotten up the guts to actually cross the threshold and tell you that he's not ready for a relationship, he means business," says Oikle. There could be a variety of explanations for his antirelationship position (he has commitment issues, he wants to meet other people, he doesn't see you as girlfriend material), but in the end, the result is the same: He's doesn't desire to be your boyfriend. End of story.And no, he won't change his mind when he gets to know you a little better. "Once a guy decides how he sees a girl in his life, it's hard to break out of that thinking," says Coleman. Warning: If you stick around after he's told you this, he will likely take it as a sign that you're cool with the casual, nonexclusive nature of your relationship. So make sure you are.
- Passion can grow as a relationship progresses. People used to think settling down meant saying goodbye to romance and passion. But research has found that young married couples are more satisfied in the romance department than their single counterparts are. Familiarity definitely has its perks. Couples who have been together for a long time have probably learned how to please each other and are more comfortable sharing their fantasies and desires to keep the romance alive.
- You won't regret breaking up with a guy you're feeling unsure about. Nowadays, women may be impulsive about dating guys but not dumping them. "In fact, a lot of single women will try really hard to fit a square peg into a round hole because they want the relationship to work so bad," explains Magids. "It's only after a tremendous amount of thought and effort that they finally give up on it."In part, women go through that painstaking process because they fear they'll end up kicking themselves for ending a relationship too soon. But a new study from Northwestern University found that even in the short term, people aren't as upset as they thought they'd be after a breakup. So if you sense you're with the wrong person, don't fret so much about walking away to find a better mate.
- You will always be the one to initiate a relationship talk. Unlike women, who are conditioned to take the pulse of a relationship from time to time, men don't contemplate the state of your union until something's wrong. And even then, they want to work it out in their mind, whereas women want to talk it out.When you go to initiate a relationship talk, bear in mind that men are uncomfortable with the unknown and paranoid that you'll end up in tears. So don't ambush him or it'll feel to him like going to the principal's office or being pulled over by a cop: surprising and nerve-racking, says Coleman.To put him at ease, try what Oikle calls a compliment sandwich: Start with something positive, work in the concern, and end with something positive. For example, if you're trying to gauge if a new guy sees your relationship as serious, say, "I really like you a lot. Are you thinking this is a long-term thing? We've been having so much fun that I hope you do!" That will be much easier for him to digest than "Hey, am I your girlfriend or what?" Or if you want to broach the subject of moving in with a dude you've been dating for a while, try "I think we have an amazing relationship, and I'm ready to take the next step and move in together. Think of how much fun we'd have living under the same roof!"
MLS, Galaxy not Beckham’s main goal
CARSON, Calif. – It was the kind of sunny California day perfect for the start of a brave new adventure and maybe, just maybe, David Beckham meant every word he said.
At the glitzy, open-air press conference to herald his arrival in the United States 16 months ago, Beckham spoke at length about his commitment to the Los Angeles Galaxy and his delight at charting new waters in Major League Soccer.
Even then, there was public doubt and skepticism, but as one of the world’s most recognizable soccer players spread his arms and beamed his winning smile, you wanted to believe him – and to believe in him.
It has taken a while, yet now we know how much the Galaxy, MLS and raising the profile of North American soccer really means to Beckham.
The midfielder’s imminent loan switch to AC Milan in the opening months of 2009 proves that Brand Beckham and England rank far ahead of the employer that facilitated his estimated five-year earnings of up to $250 million.
As addressed recently in this column, England and the chase for more cheap national team appearances has become an obsession for Beckham.
Every player has the right to represent his country if selected. However, the timing of the announcement of his move to Milan – before the MLS campaign has even ended – sends out the totally wrong message.
The Galaxy were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend, a defeat in Houston providing the final blow in an utterly humiliating season. What MLS’s highest-profile yet most deeply sickened franchise needs is strong leadership and a combined effort to ensure that fortunes improve in 2009.
What does a base salary of $33 million over five years and countless extras buy you these days? Apparently not Beckham’s undivided attention.
Beckham is showing the Galaxy and the league a chronic lack of respect. Every signal suggests that he wishes he had not come to America so soon, but that’s tough. No one forced him. It was his hand that scrawled the signature on the huge contract that sent his career off on a tangent.
However, the blame is not Beckham’s alone in this instance. If the Galaxy are not strong enough to stand up to him on the matter of a loan, then maybe he is within his rights to push the issue.
The Galaxy’s problem is that owners AEG seem to prioritize the bottom line over the product on the field. That approach is their prerogative, but soccer wisdom dictates that it makes more sense to develop a quality team and allow the extra revenue to follow.
Beckham is placed in an inflated position of strength because the Galaxy cherish their cash cow so dearly that they are afraid to stand up to him. Hence, the waving him on his way to Italy when he should be sitting down with head coach Bruce Arena and asking what he can do to help build a tighter, hungrier and more competitive squad for next season.
It would be wonderful to hear Beckham’s thoughts on the matter, but on Wednesday he shied away from any media questions, leaving the U.S. soccer public to guess about his mindset. The best indication on that front lies in Beckham’s performances for the Galaxy in the second half of the season.
Gone is the hungry warrior desperate for success. Instead, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star looks every bit a 33-year-old and, worse, one who is going through the motions.
The anger and gesticulations that inevitably follow every time he is tackled were once seen as a sign of commitment. Now, they fool nobody.
Whether it is right or not, seeing how Beckham fares in Milan will certainly be interesting. Financially, the deal makes perfect sense for the Serie A club. Yet Beckham faces a tough task in proving he is still capable of being competitive in the highly technical and talent-laden Italian league.
Undoubtedly, there will be rumor and speculation linking him with a permanent move, especially if he does show glimpses of impressive form in Italy. And if his heart is not in California, then maybe he should call time on his American experience, although it is hard to see how such an arrangement could be worked out.
What amount of money could Milan or another European club possibly offer the Galaxy that would compensate them for effectively signing away more than 50 percent of their net worth?
Yet the Galaxy have shown little propensity for making smart decisions in recent times. Why should they start now?
European Stocks Drifted
Thursday, October 23, 2008European stocks drifted at the open, after Asian stocks tumbled overnight on fears of a recession.
The FTSE-100 index was up 23.09 at 4063.98 - after opening lower - with France's Cac 40 up 11.9 at 3310.08 and Germany's Dax down 31.63 at 4539.44.
Japan's Nikkei index closed down 2.5%, recovering from earlier lows of as much as 7%, amid concern that slow exports could accelerate a fall into recession.
The White House is to hold a global summit on the crisis next month.
The meeting will debate the reforms needed to avoid another financial crisis and look at the progress being made. Leaders from the G20 group of nations - the world's leading industrialised countries and major developing nations - will attend.
In other developments:
- South Korea's Kospi index fell 7.4%, its lowest close since July 2005. The Korean won lost 5% of its value against the dollar
- Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 4.7%, at its lowest ebb since April 2005
- At one point, the Nikkei was trading at 8,016.61, its lowest level for more than five years. It recovered to close down 213 points at 8,460 points
- The yen strengthened against the dollar and the euro. The dollar hit a seven-month low of 96.85 yen, while the euro hit a six-year low of 123.40 yen.
- Indian shares opened down 4.8% at their lowest since June 2006. The rupee has so far shed nearly 21% against the dollar in 2008
- In Australia, the benchmark index closed down 4.4%.
Export fears
The fall in Japanese stocks was triggered in part by weak export data.
The impact of the global slowdown has had a clear impact on Japan's exports Tatsushi Shikano, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities |
Its trade surplus plunged 94% to 95.1bn yen ($970.1m; £596.7m) in September and exports grew only 1.5% in September from a year earlier, far below forecasts.
Exports of Japanese cars to the US fell, a sign of slowing consumer demand in the world's largest economy.
The continued strength of the yen prompted fears that this will cause further damage to already weak exports.
"The impact of the global slowdown has had a clear impact on Japan's exports and this was even before the financial crisis erupted in September," Tatsushi Shikano, senior economist, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities.
News of weak Japanese exports knocked shares |
"Sluggish export volumes will put a drag on Japan's industrial output and its export-reliant economy in the coming months," he added.
The plunge came in the wake of Wednesday's trading on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones index closed down 5.7%, amid an increasingly gloomy outlook for the global economy.
Job cuts at Yahoo and drugs firm Merck have increased economic concerns in the US.Free Fresh Download 8.12
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Obama Supporters
Wednesday, October 22, 2008Barack Obama and I are committed to changing the political process by building a campaign founded on a broad base of support from ordinary Americans. This campaign is about putting the people's interests ahead of the special interests, but to do that, Barack needs help from people like you and me.
I've set my own personal fundraising goal for the campaign, which you can see in the thermometer to the right.
Will you click the thermometer to make a donation and help me reach my goal?
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US drops charges against 5 Guantanamo prisoners
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Pentagon said Tuesday it has dropped war-crimes charges against five Guantanamo Bay detainees after the former prosecutor in their cases complained that the military was withholding evidence helpful to the defense.
None of the men will be freed, and the military said it could reinstate charges later.
America's first war-crimes trials since the close of World War II have come under persistent criticism, including from officers appointed to prosecute them. Some of the harshest words came this month from the very man who was to prosecute the five men against whom charges were dropped.
Army Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld said during a pretrial hearing for a sixth detainee this month that the war-crimes trials are unfair. Vandeveld said the military was withholding exculpatory evidence from the defense in that case, and was doing so in others. He resigned over his concerns.
But the chief Guantanamo prosecutor, Army Col. Lawrence Morris, said Tuesday's announcement was unrelated to Vandeveld's accusations. He said the charges were dismissed because evidence "is being more thoroughly analyzed." He would not elaborate on the nature of the evidence but said the review began before Vandeveld's testimony.
"Rather than refine the current charges, it was more efficient and more just to have them dismissed and charge them anew," he told The Associated Press.
In addition, dismissing the charges allows to Pentagon to avoid deadlines set by the Military Commissions Act to bring the men to trial.
"The way to stop the clock and get a new clock is to dismiss the charges and start again," said Air Force Col. Morris Davis, the former chief prosecutor who quit in October and later testified about alleged political interference in the military trials.
Morris has appointed new trial teams for all five cases that will coordinate with intelligence agencies and recommend what to do next.
Clive Stafford Smith, a civilian attorney representing one of the five, Binyam Mohamed, said he has already been notified that charges against his client will be reinstated.
"Far from being a victory for Mr. Mohamed in his long-running struggle for justice, this is more of the same farce that is Guantanamo," Stafford Smith said. "The military has informed us that they plan to charge him again within a month, after the election."
Army Lt. Col. Bryan Broyles, who represents another of the five detainees, said the military might be preparing the tribunals to face increased scrutiny following next month's presidential election. John McCain and Barack Obama have both said they want to close Guantanamo Bay.
Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the military's latest move showed the war-crimes trials are a mistake.
"The implosion of these five prosecutions painfully underscores how the Bush administration's torture and detention policies have failed to render justice in any sense of the word," Romero said.
The military also said Tuesday it has finalized charges against an additional detainee, Mohammed Hashim, an Afghan who is about 32. He is accused of providing material support to terrorism and spying, and could face life in prison.
The detainees against whom charges were dropped are Mohamed, Noor Uthman Muhammed, Sufyiam Barhoumi, Ghassan Abdullah al Sharbi and Jabran Said Bin al Qahtani.
Obama opens 8-point lead over McCain
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democrat Barack Obama has opened an 8-point lead over Republican John McCain two weeks before the U.S. presidential election, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Tuesday.
Obama leads McCain 50 percent to 42 percent among likely U.S. voters in the latest three-day tracking poll, up from a 6-point advantage for Obama on Monday. The telephone poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.
"It was another very big day for Obama," said pollster John Zogby. "Things clearly are moving in Obama's direction."
It was the second consecutive day that Obama gained ground on McCain as the two head into the final sprint to the November 4 election.
Obama, an Illinois senator, expanded his lead among two key swing groups. His advantage with independent voters grew from 11 to 15 points, and his edge with women voters grew from 8 to 13 points.
Obama also took a lead among voters above the age of 70 and expanded his lead among Hispanics and Catholics. His support among Republicans grew from 9 percent to 12 percent a day after he received the endorsement of Republican former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
"Maybe this is the Powell effect," Zogby said. "That wasn't just an endorsement, that was a pretty powerful statement."
McCain narrowly trails Obama among men and saw his lead among whites drop from 13 points to 9 points, 51 percent to 42 percent. Zogby said Obama was doing better than 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry among crucial sub-groups.
"He is clearly outperforming Kerry," Zogby said. "But two weeks is a lifetime in politics."
This was the first time Obama has stretched his advantage over McCain, an Arizona senator, to more than 6 points since the tracking poll began more than two weeks ago. Obama's edge had been between 2 and 6 points in all 15 days of polling.
Some other tracking polls have showed the race tightening in the last few days. But with the help of his huge spending advantage, Obama has maintained an edge on McCain in key states.
The poll, taken Saturday through Monday, showed independent Ralph Nader gaining 2 percent support. Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney and Libertarian Bob Barr each registered 1 percent support.
The rolling tracking poll surveyed 1,214 likely voters in the presidential election. In a tracking poll, the most recent day's results are added while the oldest day's results are dropped to monitor changing momentum.
The U.S. president is determined by who wins the Electoral College, which has 538 members apportioned by population in each state. Electoral votes are allotted on a winner-take-all basis in all but two states, which divide them by congressional district.
The Truth About why men Cheat
Monday, October 20, 2008What makes men cheat? Marriage counselor M. Gary Neuman dug through past research on male infidelity and found that most answers came from the wife's point of view. "Wouldn't it make more sense to ask the guys?" he thought. So for his new book, "The Truth About Cheating," Neuman surveyed 200 cheating and noncheating husbands to get at the real reasons behind men's infidelity -- including what cheating men say could have prevented them from straying. Here, some of his findings:
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48% of men rated emotional dissatisfaction as the primary reason they cheated.
So much for the myth that for men, cheating is all about physical intimacy: Only 8 percent of men said that physical dissatisfaction was the main factor in their infidelity. "Our culture tells us that all men need to be happy is to have physical intimacy with someone," Neuman says. "But men are emotionally driven beings too. They want their wives to show them that they're appreciated, and they want women to understand how hard they're trying to get things right." The problem is that men are less likely than women to express these feelings, so you won't always know when your guy is in need of a little affirmation. "Most men consider it unmanly to ask for a pat on the back, which is why their emotional needs are often overlooked," Neuman says. "But you can create a marital culture of appreciation and thoughtfulness -- and once you set the tone, he's likely to match it."
66% of cheating men report feeling guilt during the affair.
The implications are a little scary: It isn't just uncaring jerks who cheat. In fact, 68 percent of cheaters never dreamed they'd be unfaithful, and almost all of them wished they hadn't done it, Neuman says. Clearly, guilt isn't enough to stop a man from cheating. "Men are good at compartmentalizing feelings," Neuman explains. "They can hold on to their emotions and deal with them later." So even if your partner swears he would never cheat, don't assume it can't happen. It's important for both of you to take steps toward creating the relationship you want.
77% of cheating men have a good friend who cheated.
“Hanging around friends who stray makes cheating seem normal and legitimizes it as a possibility.”
Hanging around friends who stray makes cheating seem normal and legitimizes it as a possibility. The message he's subconsciously telling himself: "My friend is a good guy who happens to be cheating on his wife. I guess even the best of us do it." You can't simply ban your husband from hanging out with Mr. Wandering Eyes, Neuman says, but you can request that they spend their time together in an environment that offers less temptation, like at a sporting event or a restaurant for lunch rather than at a bar or club. Another strategy: Build your social circle around happily married couples that share your values -- it'll create an environment that supports marriage.
40% of cheating men met the other woman at work.
"Oftentimes the woman he cheats with at the office is someone who praises him, looks up to him, and compliments his efforts," Neuman says. "That's another reason why it's so critical that he feel valued at home." Luckily, there's a clear warning sign that your husband is getting a little too cozy with a colleague: If he praises or mentions the name of a female coworker more than he would a male counterpart, your antennae should go up -- and it's time for the two of you to set boundaries about what is and isn't okay at work, Neuman says. Is it acceptable for him to work late if it's only him and her? Can they travel together to conferences? Have dinners out to discuss a project? Ask him what he'd feel comfortable with you doing with a male colleague.
Only 12% of cheating men said their mistress was more physically attractive than their wife.
In other words, a man doesn't stray because he thinks he'll get lucky with a better-looking body. "
“In most cases, he's cheating to fill an emotional void”
In most cases, he's cheating to fill an emotional void," Neuman says. "He feels a connection with the other woman, and physical intimacy comes along for the ride." If you're worried about infidelity, focus on making your relationship more loving and connected, not on getting your body just right or mastering how to please him physically. (But know that physical intimacy does matter -- it's one of the key ways your guy expresses his love and feels close to you, so be sure to keep it a priority.)
Only 6% of cheating men had physical intimacy with a woman after meeting her that same day or night.
Actually, 73 percent of men got to know the other woman for more than a month before they cheated. This means that you may have time to see the warning signs before infidelity occurs -- you might even see it coming before he does. Keep an eye out for these common signals: He spends more time away from home, stops asking for physical intimacy, picks fights more frequently, or avoids your calls. Your gut reaction may be to confront him, but most men will deny even thinking about cheating, especially if nothing physical has occurred yet. Instead, Neuman suggests, take charge of what you can control -- your own behavior -- and take the lead in bringing your relationship to a better place. Don't hesitate to show your appreciation for him, prioritize time together, and initiate affection more. Give him a reason to keep you at the front of his mind, Neuman says. And be open about how you feel about what's going on between the two of you (again, without mentioning any third parties). Try "I think we've started to lose something important in our relationship, and I don't want it to disappear." In the meantime, commit to keeping tabs on your relationship and doing what it takes to keep it working for you.
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
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Budget fears dominate EU summit
By Laurence Peter
BBC News, Brussels
Anxiety about national budgets dominated an EU summit where the rescue and supervision of banks vied with climate change as the most pressing issue.
The severity of the financial crisis has had an impact on the EU's ambitious plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which look likely to be watered down under pressure from a new "eastern bloc", along with Italy.
The billions of euros required to adapt large enterprises to the emissions targets threaten to put further strain on budgets already groaning under the weight of bank bail-outs and rising unemployment.
Poland, heavily reliant on coal-fired power stations, teamed up with seven other former communist countries to demand a reassessment of the burden imposed by the targets.
Then Italy's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, struck a protectionist note, saying Italian firms were "in no state to take on costs like those we thought about last year".
Fiercely debated
The European Commission will now look at the specific problems that some countries face in meeting the targets. But it is determined - along with the French EU presidency - to clinch a deal on the targets before next year.
The proposed changes to the EU's pioneering Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will be fiercely debated in the European Parliament and by ministers, who are supposed to hammer out a deal strong enough to inspire the rest of the world. The EU is gearing up for major international talks next year on climate change.
Fiercely debated
The European Commission will now look at the specific problems that some countries face in meeting the targets. But it is determined - along with the French EU presidency - to clinch a deal on the targets before next year.
The proposed changes to the EU's pioneering Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will be fiercely debated in the European Parliament and by ministers, who are supposed to hammer out a deal strong enough to inspire the rest of the world. The EU is gearing up for major international talks next year on climate change.
For those who want the European Union to walk with power and purpose on the world stage this summit is both triumph and tragedy BBC's Mark Mardell in his blog |
One of the parliament's chief negotiators on the climate package, Green MEP Satu Hassi, urged EU leaders to "keep firm with the commitments already given".
"The financial crisis does not blow away climate change," she said, adding that the crisis "teaches us that early action is always wiser than emergency action".
Yet in the absence of a clear roadmap on the climate package, EU leaders were keen to show a united response to the banking crisis.
The turmoil in Wall Street, with the freezing of inter-bank lending, triggered emergency bank bail-outs by individual European governments before the 15 eurozone countries announced a joint multi-billion-euro plan to recapitalise banks and guarantee loans.
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown basked in his fellow Europeans' praise for showing the way, with his rescue plan for British banks, estimated to be worth £500bn (641bn euros).
But, in contrast with his famously low-key appearances at EU summits, he joined the chorus of calls for more co-ordinated EU action.
'Crisis cell'
The EU plans to set up a "financial crisis cell" - a rapid response team tasked with co-ordinating EU action in any future financial crises. Any member state in trouble will be able to trigger the new alert system. The idea is to prevent any country's state intervention harming the interests of another EU member.
But France's President Nicolas Sarkozy also stressed the need for global solutions, to refashion the world's financial system and make it "fit for the 21st century".
He and commission president Jose Manuel Barroso will meet US President George W Bush on Saturday to prepare for a global crisis summit - a "G8 plus", including emerging powers like China and India.
President Sarkozy wants a tighter rein on the financial sector |
Mr Sarkozy's priority is tighter financial supervision, with action on hedge funds, tax havens, executive pay and ratings agencies.
Maintaining the international competitiveness of European industry is looming as the next big challenge, once some stability returns to the banking system.
Mr Sarkozy says he wants to see the same joint EU effort applied to that problem as to the banking crisis.
Energy security is highlighted as another EU priority in the summit conclusions - though it was overshadowed by the urgent economic and climate agenda.
The fuel protests across Europe earlier this year - triggered by surging oil prices - and worries about the reliability of Russian gas supplies made energy security a pressing issue.
The EU wants to diversify its sources of supply, make the energy market more transparent and improve the Baltic region's pipeline network.
As for the Lisbon Treaty, which dominated the last EU summit in Brussels, the Irish government has pledged to come up with a plan by December. But the bank crisis has forced the EU's controversial institutional reforms onto the back-burner.
Proudly Davaoenyo
Thursday, October 16, 2008Last night was the third biggest Lotto Jackpot Prize ever won this year according to the Philippine Charity Sweeptakes Office . A Davao City resident won the P131,367,621.60 jackpot prize of the 6/49 super lotto game. Dream come true for the sole winner of the Jackpot Prize.
The winner paid P140 for the winning seven-digit combination 42-12-46-26-49-19 and the bet was placed at the Romeo Angcug lotto outlet in Davao City according to PCSO.
The last winner of the Lotto Jackpot and considered the biggest was on May 2008 where a 63-year-old construction worker from Novaliches, Quezon City also the lone winner of a P249-million jackpot prize.
If you win the Lotto Jackpot Prize, what will you do?
I had seen many products that promotes wellness out there in the market. They say that they are effective and enhances various aspects of the body. For most of these products I have doubts about the real effects of them although I believe in herbal and organic products since herbal medicines have natural therapeutic effects.
Magnetic therapy and bracelets are not new to me. I used to wear Chinese charms or bracelets which are magnetic and is said to enhance your personal attraction towards others. The thing is although it is luck at first that I believe is working on it, we can't deny the fact that since our body is composed of energy it is possible and an imminent truth that magnetism can affect our body.
Have you wondered why farmers have longer life? Have you wondered why astronauts needs magnet in their suits when they go to the moon? In all of these the Earth's magnet is one great factor. I am sure all of you from elementary school have learned that the Earth is one giant magnet and the fact that farmers and even the beggars who had no slippers have direct contact to the Earth have healthier body given the more exposure they have to various illnesses.
So how did magnetic therapy start?
For thousands of years, Chinese, Egyptians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans and Indians have used magnets to heal. Ancient Greece discovered the very first natural magnet in the form of the lodestone and Hippocrates, the father of medicine, noted its healing powers.
The Egyptians, too, described the divine powers of the magnet in their writings and Cleopatra frequently adorned herself with magnetic jewellery to preserve her youth. Chinese manuscripts dating back thousands of years described the eastern belief that the life force termed Qi was generated by the earth’s magnetic field. Today, magnetic therapy is well established in many countries such as Japan, China, India, US and Germany.
How do these bracelets work?
The magnetics theory revolves around the premise that magnets improve the circulatory system and blood flow. The increased circulation gives the body more of nutrients it needs in the blood, improving health naturally.
Neodymium biomagnets, which are derived from the earth, hold their charge indefinitely, with no significant loss of power after 10 years. At first their cost is prohibitive but now they are very economical. The magnets are combined with titanium, because titanium is as strong as steel, but is 45 per cent lighter.
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Nouveau Riche Scam?
I was wondering if a school like this will be available in the Philippines. Nouveau Riche is a college which teach its students the ability to become successful entrepreneurs in the field of Real State Investing. Its success stories was tremendous but despite of that they were haunted with the report of the Nouveau Riche Scam branding them as a cheap MLM company and does not deserve to be called a University. But what is this all about?
Nouveau Riche Scam details many things including the fact that the properties sold is overprices, that they are really a Multi Level Marketing company and that their educational courses are priced too high. For my case every MLM company had received that treatment. MLM's defies the law of marketing on a definite target market that would definitely saturate. I have been to MLM and the first thing you should consider is the product and what you are about to sell.
For the Philippines, personalities like Manny Villar had made a lot of money through real state. Prominenza here in Baliuag. Bulacan is a great community which is offered to people and it is right beside SM. The cost of one house and lot costs more than 1.5Million pesos. Dealers abound and they get around 3%, so that's what they say to me.
When you to malls and even sidewalks you can see real state dealers giving out flyers about the latest condo units or subdivisions. Real state business is a regular thing and it is profitable but all of that defends on your capability and outlook.
Nouveau Riche University is a university that do teaches techniques on real state enterprising and well before going there I do suggest that people review Nouveau Riche Scam postings and evaluate for themselves. After all there are good and bad things about everything.
Davao News
SHANTIES. A giant billboard stands obtrusively against the shanties along the riverbank of Davao River. About one third of Filipinos are living below the poverty line, their condition worsened by rising inflation, which registered a 17-year high last month. The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) reported in its latest poverty survey released in May that the number of ” poor” Filipinos grew from 23.8 million in 2003 to 27.6 million in 2006. (Photo by Keith Bacongco / AKP Images)
List of Products with Melamine
The Philippine government via the Department of Health (DOH) is ensuring that products coming into the country from China must be free from melamine contamination. The DOH is testing milk, chocolate, ice cream and dairy imported products and byproducts, even testing cosmetic products for possible overdose of melamine levels.
The United States’ Food and Drugs Administration and the European Food Safety Authority have pegged the tolerable daily intake for melamine at .5ppm and .63ppm.
Here is a list of products safe from melamine:
Anmum Materna Milk Powder Chocolate Flavor (400g)
Bear Brand Choco (300g)
Bear Brand Sterilized Milk (200ml)
Cadbury Choclairs
Carnation Calcium Plus Non-fat Milk Powder
Klim Instant Full Cream Milk Powder
Milk Chocolate Bar (40g)
Monmilk Breakfast Milk Walnut Milk Beverage
Monmilk Hi-Calcium Low Fat Milk (1L)
Monmilk Deluxe Pure Milk
Nestlé Chocolate Flavor Ice cream
Nestlé Dairy Farm Pure Milk
Nestlé Fresh Milk (1L)
Nestle Kitkat
Nestlé Milk chocolate (40g)
Nestlé Pops Ice Cream
Nestlé Vanilla Flavor Ice cream
Nestogen 1 DHA
Nesvita Cereal Milk Drink
Blue Tree Express Milk Drink or Green Apple Flavor (500ml)
Prime Roast Instant Nutritious Cereal (28g)
Put on hold are 22 brands of infant milk powder identified by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing, China to contain melamine. Greenfood Yili Fresh Milk and Mengniu Drink, found to have high traces of melamine.
In the watchlist are Sanlu (Shijiang Sanlu Group Co.), Panda Baby (Shanghai Panda Dairy Co., Ltd.), Syrutra (Syrutra International Inc.), Gucheng (Shanxi Gucheng Dairy Co, Ltd.), Hero (Jiangxi Bright & Hero Dairy C), Huimin/HMDP (Baoji Huimin Milk Co. Ltd.), Mengniu (Mengniu Dairy) and Kocci (Duojiaduo Dairy Industry (Tianjin) Co. Ltd.);
Yashili (Guangdong Yashili Group Co. Ltd.), Nanshan Beiyi (Hunan Peiyi Dairy Co.), Heilongjiang (Qining Dairy Co.), Yashili (Shanxi Yashili Dairy Co.), Jinbishi (Shenzen Jinbishi Milk Co. Ltd.), Scient (Guangzhou Shien Dairy Co.), Jinding (Guangzhou Jinding Dairy Co), Yili (Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co.), Ausmeadow Nutriment Co. Ltd.), Suncare Aikeding, (Qingdao Suncare Nutritional Tech Co. Ltd.), Yubao (Xi’an Baiyue Dairy Co. Ltd.), Leilei (Yantai Leilei Dairy Products Co. Ltd.), Baoanli (Shanghai Bao’anli Dairy Co. Ltd.), and Hikid (Fuding Chenguan Dairy Co. Ltd.).
Heart Attacks can happen anywhere
Heart attacks can happen anytime at anywhere. However, a new study from the University of Cincinnati reveals that heart attacks occur more often in the morning, between 6 a.m. and noon. It could happen over the breakfast table or during your morning shower than any other time of day.
Why? No one truly knows why, but studies suggest increased sympathetic nervous system tone and elevated cortisol levels during this time can lead to the rupture of cholesterol plaques in coronary arteries ultimately leading to a four fold higher risk of heart attack early in the morning. Many people are tense before going into work every day, either because of their job or because of their morning routines. Stress can ultimately lead to heart attacks as well.
The researcher urges people to watch for the following warning signs:
-- Chest discomfort
-- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
-- Tightness in the throat
-- Shortness of breath
-- Cold sweats
-- Nausea
-- Lightheadedness
Get to the nearest hospital if you experience signs of a heart attack.
Provided by University of Cincinnati
Via: http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics
Who is Tobi? Madara or his younger brother?
The only thing that confuses me right now about the “Who is Tobi” question is Madara’s younger brother. Although Madara took his eyes out, it was never mentioned that he does not exist anymore. While it was Madara who formed the Akatsuki, I’m still not 100% sure that he is Tobi. Until it’s revealed.
What do you think? Naruto Blog 2.0 has some thoughts to share about Manga Chapter 386. I’m sure you guys do have your own opinions, please share as well.
On the other hand, while Itachi and Sasuke were starting their battle, who do you think will win? Who deserves more to win? Why should Itachi win? Why Sasuke should win?
Peins True Form
The picture above shows Team Jiraiya. The girl looks like Konan and the other guy is possibly Pein in his true form.
101 Things not to say during S*X
Saturday, October 4, 20081. But everybody looks funny naked!
2. You woke me up for that?
3. Did I mention the video camera?
4. Do you smell something burning?
5. (In a janitor's closet) And they say romance is dead...
6. Try breathing through your nose.
7. A little rug burn never hurt anyone!
8. Is that a Medic-Alert Pendant?
9. Sweetheart, did you lock the back door?
10. But whipped cream makes me break out.
11. Person 1: This is your first time... right? Person 2: Yeah... today.
12. Hurry up! This room rents by the hour!
13. Can you please pass me the remote control?
14. Do you accept Visa?
15. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
16. On second thought, let's turn off the lights.
17. And to think -- I was really trying to pick up your friend!
18. So much for mouth-to-mouth.
19. (Using body paint) Try not to leave any stains, okay?
20. Hope you're as good looking when I'm sober...
21. (Holding a banana) It's just a little trick I learned at the zoo!
22. Do you get any premium movie channels?
23. Try not to smear my make-up, will ya!
24. (Preparing to incorporate peanut butter) But I just steam-cleaned this couch!
25. Got any penicillin?
26. But I just brushed my teeth...
27. Smile, you're on Candid Camera!
28. I thought you had the keys to the handcuffs!
29. I want a baby!
30. So much for the fulfillment of sexual fantasies!
31. (In a menage a trois) Why am I doing all the work?
32. Maybe we should call Dr. Ruth...
33. Did you know the ceiling needs painting?
34. I think you have it on backwards.
35. When is this supposed to feel good?
36. Put that blender back in the kitchen where it belongs!
37. You're good enough to do this for a living!
38. Is that blood on the headboard?
39. Did I remember to take my pill?
40. Are you sure I don't know you from somewhere?
41. I wish we got the Playboy channel..
42. That leak better be from the waterbed!
43. I told you it wouldn't work without batteries!
44. But my cat always sleeps on that pillow..
45. Did I tell you my Aunt Martha died in this bed?
46. If you quit smoking you might have more endurance.
47. No, really.. I do this part better myself!
48. It's nice being in bed with a woman I don't have to inflate!
49. This would be more fun with a few more people.
50. You're almost as good as my ex!
51. Do you know the definition of statutory ****?
52. Is that you I smell or is it your mattress stuffed with rotten potatoes?
53. You look younger than you feel.
54. Perhaps you're just out of practice.
55. You sweat more than a galloping stallion!
56. They're not cracker crumbs, it's just a rash.
57. Now I know why he/she dumped you..
58. Does your husband own a sawed-off shotgun?
59. You give me reason to conclude that foreplay is overrated.
60. What tampon?
61. Have you ever considered liposuction?
62. And to think, I didn't even have to buy you dinner!
63. What are you planning to make for breakfast?
64. I have a confession..
65. I was so horny tonight I would have taken a duck home!
66. Are those real or am I just behind the times?
67. Were you by any chance repressed as a ****?
68. Is that a hanging sculpture?
69. You'll still vote for me, won't you?
70. Did I mention my transsexual operation?
71. I really hate women who actually think s*x means something!
72. Did you come yet, dear?
73. I'll tell you who I'm fanatasizing about if you tell me who you're fantasizing about..
74. A good plastic surgeon can take care of that in no time!
75. Does this count as a date?
76. Oprah Winfrey had a show about men like you!
77. Hic! I need another beer for this please.
78. I think biting is romantic -- don't you?
79. You can cook, too right?
80. When would you like to meet my parents?
81. Man: Maybe it would help if I thought about someone I really like.. Woman: Yourself?
82. Have you seen "Fatal Attraction"?
83. Sorry about the name tags, I'm not very good with names.
84. Don't mind me.. I always file my nails in bed.
85. (In a phone booth) Do you mind if I make a few phone calls?
86. I hope I didn't forget to turn the gas oven off. Do you have a light?
87. Don't worry, my dog's really friendly for a Doberman.
88. Sorry but I don't do toes!
89. You could at least ACT like you're enjoying it!
90. Petroleum jelly or no petroleum jelly, I said NO!
91. Keep it down, my mother is a light sleeper..
92. I'll bet you didn't know I work for "The Enquirer".
93. So that's why they call you Mr. Flash!
94. My old girlfriend used to do it a LOT longer!
95. Is this a sin too?
96. I've slept with more women than Wilt Chamberlain!
97. Hey, when is it going to be my friend's turn?
98. Long kisses clog my sinuses..
99. Please understand that I'm only doing this for a raise..
100. How long do you plan to be "almost there"?
101.You mean you're NOT my blind date?
Tiny Bit of melamine in Food is usually ok?
WASHINGTON - Eating a tiny bit of a melamine, the chemical responsible for a global food safety scare, is not harmful except when it's in baby formula, U.S. food safety officials said Friday.
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Melamine-tainted formula has sickened more than 54,000 children in China and is being blamed for the deaths of at least four tots. The chemical has also turned up in products sold across Asia, ranging from candies, to chocolates, to coffee drinks, that used dairy ingredients from China. Authorities in California and Connecticut have found melamine in White Rabbit candies imported from China.
But infant formula made in the U.S. is safe, because manufacturers do not use any ingredients from China.
The Food and Drug Administration said Friday its safety experts have concluded that eating a very tiny amount of melamine — 2.5 parts per million — would not raise health concerns, even if a person ate food that was tainted with the chemical every day.
But officials stressed the scientific assessment does not mean that U.S. authorities will tolerate any melamine that is deliberately added to foods. In China, unscrupulous suppliers appear to have been adding melamine to make watered-down milk seem protein-rich in quality-control tests. That's because melamine is high in nitrogen, as is protein.
"If products are adulterated because they contain melamine, (authorities) will take appropriate actions to prevent the products from entering commerce," the FDA said in a statement. The agency said it was setting the 2.5 parts-per-million standard to address situations in which the chemical accidentally comes into contact with food, such as in cases where it is used for industrial purposes in a factory that makes food products.
Officials also stressed that infant formula sold to U.S. consumers must be completely free of melamine.
"There is too much uncertainty to set a level in infant formula and rule out any public health concern," the FDA said.
Melamine first came to the attention of U.S. consumers last year, when it touched off a massive pet food recall. Chinese suppliers of bulk pet food ingredients were found to have been adding the chemical to artificially boost the protein readings of their products. Thousands of pets here were sickened, and hundreds are believed to have died.
Melamine is harmful to the kidneys. It can cause kidney stones as the body tries to eliminate it, and in extreme cases, life-threatening kidney failure.
Melamine (Chinese Food)
Days after contaminated White Rabbit Creamy Candy was found in California, Connecticut Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell Jr. said tests found melamine in bags of the candy sold at two New Haven stores, a West Hartford market and an East Haven store.
"We're concerned, obviously, there may have been bags sold of these before we got to them," Farrell said.
Anyone who has the candy should destroy it, Farrell said.
The contamination has been blamed for the deaths of four children and kidney ailments among 54,000 others. More than 13,000 children have been hospitalized and 27 people arrested in connection with the tainting.
Melamine, which is high in nitrogen, is used to make plastics and fertilizers and experts say some amount of the chemical may be transferred from the environment during food processing. But in China's case, suppliers trying to boost output are believed to have diluted their milk, adding melamine because its nitrogen content can fool tests aimed at verifying protein content.
Melamine can cause kidney stones, leading to kidney failure. Infants are particularly vulnerable.
Melamine has been associated with contaminated infant formula and other Chinese products containing milk protein.
On Wednesday, the Chinese government identified 15 more Chinese dairy companies as producing milk products contaminated with melamine, bringing the total to 20 companies. At least 100 batches of milk powder have been found to contain the chemical, according to data on the food safety administration's Web site.
Last week, California health officials announced it discovered traces of melamine in White Rabbit candy it tested. Queensway Foods Company Inc. of California distributed the candy and says it is recalling itWho Won the Debate?
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US dailies on Friday differed sharply in scoring the vice presidential debate between Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden, suggesting that neither candidate clearly won over public opinion.
The Wall Street Journal said the first term Alaska governor "more than held her own" in debating foreign policy with the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and "won on points at least on Iraq and Afghanistan."
The conservative business daily said she had "shown herself worthy of the national stage" both in the debate and in her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, and should be allowed to do more media interviews.
"Let Mrs Palin be herself, and then when she makes a mistake, as every candidate does, it won't be treated like some epic judgment on her fitness to be vice president," the Journal argued.
The New York Times gave a scalding review of Palin's performance.
"The debate did not change the essential truth of Ms Palin's candidacy: Mr McCain made a wildly irresponsible choice that shattered the image he created for himself as the honest, seasoned, experienced man of principle and judgment," it said.
"After a series of stumbling interviews that raised serious doubts even among conservatives about her fitness to serve as vice president, Ms Palin had to do little more than say one or two sensible things and avoid an election-defining gaffe" in Thursday's debate, it said.
"By that standard, and only that standard, the governor of Alaska did well."
The Washington Post gave both sides a tepid review.
"It is a measure of the low expectations for last night's vice-presidential debate that what was, in the end, rather a surface-skimming discussion full of evasion and mischaracterization, was viewed as good news for both Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joseph Biden," it said.
"Mr Biden was neither discursive nor condescending, as he can be; Ms Palin was more confident and more coherent than she had been in the few, increasingly disastrous interviews she has given since joining the Republican ticket.
"But there was little serious give-and-take about the major issues of the day -- from the Wall Street bailout to the war in Iraq -- and much trading of canned and misleading talking points," the Post opined.
Bailout bill gains momentum on house Floor
WASHINGTON - After a week of tumult, an unprecedented government bailout of the financial industry gained ground in the House on Friday and leaders in both political parties expressed optimism the $700 billion measure would clear Congress by day's end for President Bush's signature.
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With the economy showing fresh signs of weakness, the measure advanced past a key hurdle on a 223-205 vote.
An Associated Press tally showed 22 lawmakers who sent an earlier bailout bill to unexpected defeat on Monday had changed their minds and would vote in favor of the revised legislation, more than the dozen needed. Officials said changes made to the measure had sparked a far smaller number of defections among previous supporters.
"I'm optimistic about today. We're not going to take anything for granted but it's time to act," said House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio.
"I think it will pass," agreed Rep. Jim Clyburn, the chief Democratic vote-counter, as debate unfolded in the House chamber.
The Senate passed the measure earlier in the week on a bipartisan vote of 74-25.
"No matter what we do or what we pass, there are still tough times out there. People are mad — I'm mad," said Republican Rep. J. Gresham Barrett of South Carolina, who opposed the measure the first time it came to a vote. Now, he said, "We have to act. We have to act now."
Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., another convert, said, "I have decided that the cost of doing nothing is greater than the cost of doing something."
Critics were unrelenting.
"How can we have capitalism on the way up and socialism on the way down," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, a leader among conservative Republicans who oppose the central thrust of the legislation — an unprecedented federal intervention into the private capital markets.
If anything, the economic news added to the sense of urgency.
The Labor Department said initial claims for jobless benefits had increased last week to the highest level since the gloomy days after the 2001 terror attacks. Employers slashed 159,000 jobs from their payrolls, the most in five years. That came on top of Thursday's Commerce Department report that factory orders in August plunged by 4 percent.
The stock market opened higher on anticipation that the bill would pass, and the financial industry shakeout rolled on unpredictably.
Wachovia announced it had agreed to be acquired by San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Co rather than by Citigroup. Executives said the new arrangement would keep the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., on the sidelines, thus preventing any depletion of the government's fund that backs bank deposits.
The FDIC said it was sticking behind the Citigroup plan, leaving the fate of the bank in limbo.
It was little more than two weeks ago that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke concluded that the economy was in such danger that a massive government intervention in the private markets was essential.
The core of the plan remains little changed from its conception — the Treasury Department would have $700 billion at its disposal to purchase bad mortage-related securities that are weighing down the balance sheets of institutions that hold them. The flow of credit has slowed, in some cases drying up, threatening the ability of businesses to conduct routine operations or expand.
At the same time, lawmakers have dramatically changed the measure, insisting on greater congressional supervision over the $700 billion, taking measures to protect taxpayers, and insisting on steps to crack down on so-called "golden parachutes" that go to corporate executives whose companies fail.
Earlier in the week, the legislation was altered to expand the federal insurance program for individual bank deposits, and the Securities and Exchange Commission took steps to ease the impact of the questionable mortgage-backed securities on financial institutions.
The legislation had the support of the leadership in both parties — as was the case in the Senate, where it passed on Wednesday on a bipartisan vote of 74-25.
President Bush has been lobbying aggressively for its passage, and the White House issued the latest in a series of grim warnings of the risks of defeat. "If the financial markets fail to function, American families will face great difficulty in getting loans to purchase a home, buy a family car or finance a child's education," it said in a written statement.
The two major party presidential candidates, Barack Obama, the Democrat, and John McCain, the Republican also supported the bill and worked to assure its passage.
The vote on Monday staggered the congressional leadership and contributed to the largest one-day stock market drop in history, 778 points as measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Across the Capitol, party leaders decided to add legislation extending a series of popular tax breaks, as well as spending on rural schools and disaster aid. They also grafted on a bill to expand mental health coverage under private insurance plans.
At the same time, the change in federal deposit insurance and the action by the SEC on an obscure accounting rule helped produce a trickle of converts.
GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, said she was switching her "no" vote to a "yes" after the Senate added some $110 million in tax breaks and other sweeteners before approving the measure Wednesday night.
"Monday what we had was a bailout for Wall Street firms and not much relief for taxpayers and hard-hit families," Ros-Lehtinen told The Associated Press. "Now we have an economic rescue package."
Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad of Minnesota also switched to "yes," partly because the Senate attached the mental health measure.
Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri was switching, too, said spokesman Danny Rotert, declaring, "America feels differently today than it did on Monday about this bill."
And Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley of Nevada said she would back the bill after business leaders in her Las Vegas-area district made it clear how much it was needed. She said, "There isn't a segment of the population that hasn't been slammed and is not asking for some relief."
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