Jennifer Hudson Identified Nephew's Body

Jennifer Hudson Identified Nephew's Body

October 28, 2008



(Chicago, IL) Hudson's nephew was found murdered today ending a frantic 3-day search. It was a crushing blow after her mother and brother were found murdered Friday and Jennifer Hudson has the grim task of identifying the bodies. CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.

Women Are Majority of Undecided Voters; Gender Gap Persists in National and State Polls

24 Oct 2008 15:21 Africa/Lagos

Women Are Majority of Undecided Voters; Gender Gap Persists in National and State Polls

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Women are a majority of undecided voters in the 2008 presidential race, as they were in past elections, according to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). For example, a new poll from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, conducted two weeks before election day, finds that women are 60 percent of all undecided registered voters and 61 percent of undecided registered white voters. The Pew poll is the only recent poll with a large enough sample to allow a meaningful breakdown of undecided voters by gender and race.


Overall, 8 percent of those polled by Pew are undecided, with fewer non-white than white registered voters having not yet chosen a candidate. Six percent of non-white voters overall and 4 percent of African-American voters are undecided; however, the numbers within these groups are too small to analyze gender differences. Among whites, 10 percent of women and 7 percent of men have not yet made choices in the presidential race.


National and state polls continue to show gender gaps, with national polls reflecting gaps in the 6-7 percentage point range and state polls presenting gaps of varying magnitude, according to CAWP. The Center's latest review of polls is part of Women's Vote Watch, a weekly look at the women's vote in the 2008 presidential election.


Click here for the National Polls


24 Oct 2008
15:21
Women Are Majority of Undecided Voters; Gender Gap Persists in National and State Polls
13:00
McCain's Website Demonstrates His Uncanny Power to Understand the Need of American Small Business Owners
23 Oct 2008
23:08
Sen. Barack Obama Wins the Arab American Voice According to Dandana TV
22:46
Economists Grade Presidential Candidates on 10 Issues Vital to Women
17:41
Democratic National Committee: Sen. Casey to Talk Jobs, Health Care, Retirement Security as Ridge and Palin Campaign in Pennsylvania
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Survey Results Split on Which U.S. Presidential Ticket Ranks Higher on Leadership Characteristics
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Worried About Your 401(k)? Start Asking Obama About the Corporate Income Tax Rate
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First Insights Releases White Paper on Obama & McCain Web Sites: Study Uncovers How Site Usability Can Impact the Decision Making Process of Undecided Voters
14:02
Four Analyses of McCain, Obama Economic Proposals to Be Released October 27-30
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People Caring for Aging Parents Pick Their 2008 Presidential Candidate
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New Study Reveals the Emotional Impact and Effectiveness of Negative Campaigning
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U.S. Election Will Cost $5.3 Billion, Center for Responsive Politics Predicts
22 Oct 2008
17:00
NY Indie Filmmakers Release Mock Cable Newscast Set Eight Years Into McCain-Run Administration. Sure, it's Funny, but is it That Far-Fetched?
16:16
World's Most Popular Evangelist Dr. K.A. Paul Endorses Barack Obama For President
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Economists Grade Presidential Candidates A to F on 10 Issues Vital to Women
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Obama Maintains Strong Lead in Presidential Race Among Energized Youth Vote, Harvard Poll Finds
13:45
Celebrities and Politics Collide in Satirical Art Exhibit
13:35
Nonpartisan Ethics Expert Offers Political Guidance for Voters Re: Character Assessment Issues
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The Pharmaceutical Industry and the Election - New Report Available for Free From Decision Resources
12:00
CN8, The Comcast Network to Broadcast Extensive Election Day Coverage; 'America's Next President' Includes Pre- and Post-Election Programming
10:20
Rapper Gives Up $3,000,000 in Profits to Obama Supporters
01:51
Democratic National Committee: John McCain and Republican Party Must End Hypocrisy on Voter Registration Fraud and Sever Ties with Tainted GOP Operatives Immediately
01:22
Agenda Latina 2008 Washington to Air on Azteca America Sunday, October 26 at 4 PM EDT/ 3 PM CDT/ 1 PM PDT

The Forgotten Man and Election 2008

The Forgotten Man and Election 2008
by Newt Gingrich (more by this author)

Posted 10/21/2008 ETUpdated 10/22/2008 ET

America met Joe the Plumber last week. But a pro-market economist writing over a hundred years ago was already familiar with Joe Wurzelbacher and Americans like him -- and understood how they are used and exploited by politicians.
“They are always under the dominion of the superstition of government, and forgetting that a government produces nothing at all, they leave out of sight the first fact to be remembered in all social discussion -- that the state cannot get a cent for any man without taking it from some other man, and this latter must be a man who has produced and saved it. This latter is the Forgotten Man.”These are the words of William Graham Sumner, brilliantly analyzed and applied to 21st century America by Amity Schlaes in her recent book, The Forgotten Man.

“He Works, He Votes, Generally He Prays – But He Always Pays”Sumner wrote of the Forgotten Man: "He works, he votes, generally he prays -- but he always pays -- yes, above all, he pays."Joe the Plumber has struck a chord in the closing weeks of this election because he represents the Forgotten Man. When he confronted Sen. Barack Obama on the campaign trail with the question of what would happen to his taxes under an Obama Administration should he realize his dream of owning his own business, Joe cast the decision that faces us in this election in stark relief:Which will be better for our economy: Politicians redistributing our wealth or growing more wealth? And Sen. Obama gave us an equally stark answer: Under his leadership, America will focus on “spreading around” the Forgotten Man’s wealth, not encouraging him to create more of it.

In a One Party Washington, There Will be Nothing Standing In the Way of Redistributionist Policies. Joe the Plumber has struck a chord because he reminds us (and should remind politicians in Washington) that government, no matter how well intentioned, has to be paid for and that money comes from guys like Joe. Politicians can either bleed him dry to fund their programs, or they can encourage Americans to create more jobs and more wealth -- and keep government limited and effective.But in a one-party Washington, completely controlled by Harry Reid with a veto-proof Democratic majority in the Senate, Nancy Pelosi with an expanded Democratic majority in the House, and Barack Obama in the White House, the liberal politicians’ impulse to take your money and use it as they see fit will be unrestrained and unrestrainable.In such a Washington there will be no one to remove (as House Republicans did) the ACORN slush fund inserted into the Paulson bailout plan that would have diverted 20 percent of the proceeds from the sale of government-bought securities to radical leftwing groups like ACORN.

In such a Washington, there will be no filibuster threat in the Senate to stop legislation passed in the House that will take away Americans workers’ right to a secret ballot.In such a Washington, there will be no one standing in between the American people and liberal plans for higher income, capital gains and dividend taxes, the “harsh measures” House Speaker Pelosi has promised, and confiscatory taxes imposed through regulation by the federal bureaucracy.By 84% to 13%, Americans Prefer Wealth Creation Over Redistribution.

If Washington politicians bothered to ask, they would know that the American people are overwhelmingly opposed to redistributionist policies that limit wealth creation.Last June, as a matter of fact, the Gallup Organization did ask the American people. Here’s how they reported the results:

“When given a choice about how government should address the numerous economic difficulties facing today's consumer, Americans overwhelmingly -- by 84% to 13% -- prefer that the government focus on improving overall economic conditions and the jobs situation in the United States as opposed to taking steps to distribute wealth more evenly among Americans.”“Republicans (by 90% to 9%) prefer that the government focus on improving the economy, as do independents (by 85% to 13%) and Democrats (by 77% to 19%).”It turns out that Americans remember the Forgotten Man, even if politicians in Washington don’t.“Whoever Controls Your Fuel Will Control Your Freedom”On a related topic, do you ever wonder what happens to all the money you spend to fill up your gas tank or heat your home? The chilling answer can be found in Callista’s and my new movie, “We Have the Power,” which is now available on DVD. Callista and I traveled across the country -- from the halls of political power to the generators of nuclear, coal and hydro power -- exploring the ways in which American workers, American ingenuity and American innovation can make America energy independent.

Newt and Callista Gingrich film "We Have the Power"

Take a minute to watch the trailer for “We Have the Power” here. If you like what you see, you can order the DVD here. From the Forgotten Man to the Forgotten Restaurant.

Remember in the vice presidential debate when Sen. Joe Biden referenced a restaurant in Wilmington, Delaware named “Katie’s” that he likes to frequent with the other common men and women?Here’s what Sen. Biden said:"All you have to do is go down Union street with me in Wilmington or go to Katie's Restaurant or walk into Home Depot with me where I spend a lot of time and you ask anybody whether or not the economic and foreign policy of this administration has made them better off in the last eight years."
Katie’s closed sometime in the 1980s. So either Sen. Biden hasn’t been in touch with middle class Americans for twenty years or he’s completely lost touch with reality. Or maybe he was just “winging” it.

You Can Still Be a Part of the Solution

American Solutions recently held our second annual Solutions Day to put aside partisan rhetoric and create a positive, solution-oriented action plan for the economy, energy and education. Take a moment to watch our workshops at SolutionsDay2008.com to get our economy back on track and develop sound education and energy policies. To accompany the presentations, we produced action-oriented checklists with ways to get involved and make a difference in your community and for candidates in this election. Health Care Lessons from the Aloha StateIn the midst of the economic crisis and fretting about mortgage payments, a recent story that will impact all of us is going largely unnoticed:

How our government and country are mishandling healthcare. Recently, the state of Hawaii announced that it is ending its universal healthcare for children because of skyrocketing costs. Hawaii joins the ranks of other states that have attempted to dramatically shift healthcare policy, and, like all the others, has been unsuccessful. These unsuccessful radical reforms make it all the more clear that we cannot approach changing healthcare starting from a financial argument. At the Center for Health Transformation, we recognize the need for a fundamentally new approach to rethinking the health system. There are three fundamental changes which will revolutionize our approach to a better health system for all Americans. The first is to adopt a health-based health reform approach.

This moves us away from a financial discussion first and places the individual at the center of healthcare. Health-based health reform is part of our four box model for reform:
• Box 1: Individual rights, responsibilities, and expectations of behavior

• Box 2: Maximize cultural and societal patterns for a healthy community

• Box 3: Create an effective, efficient, and productive health delivery system

• Box 4: Transform healthcare financing to enable a 300,000,000-payer systemThis process is straight forward and can bring significant changes to our healthcare system.

Learn more about the other two fundamental changes at http://www.healthtransformation.net/.

P.S. A Few Seconds for a Good Cause: The business sponsors of the Breast Cancer Site donate free mammograms to women who need them based on the traffic on their website. It’s free -- all it will cost is less then a minute of your time. So go here and click on “donating a mammogram.” It’s all for a good cause.Platform of the American People UpdateAmerican Solutions Chief Advocate, Princella Smith, blogged at the Defending the American Dream Summit recently. Check out her posts here! American Solutions had a great presence on the air this week and last week. Check out two of the latest appearances by Princella Smith on CNN’s “Glenn Beck Show” and MSNBC’s “Dayside”. Princella was also featured on BET’s “The Truth” with Jeff Johnson this past Sunday morning. On Friday, Princella visited The Maryland Federation of Republican Women to provide training about new media and the effects on movements such as the Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less initiated and largely run online by American Solutions. Learn more about it here! Stay tuned to http://www.americansolutions.com/ and visit our blog for updates from the American Solutions team. -- HAVE YOU SIGNED? Join the Drill Here, Drill Now Pay Less Campaign, and get involved with the entire movement for the Platform of the American People!

Contact: Princella Smith at http://princella.americansolutions.com/

My Case Against Senator Barack Obama and Gen. Colin Powell On the 2008 US Presidential Election

Colin Powell

I am 100% Black African and I agree with the critical analysis of Mark Davis' opinion on "What Powell endorsement says about him" published at 12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, October 22, 2008, in the Dallas News online edition.

Like Colin Powell, most of the African American Republicans are going to turn to Judas Iscariot and betray the GOP in the 2008 United States presidential election to vote for Barack Obama on November 4, 2008.


Barack Obama

I have never trusted African Americans, because of their flip-flop characters as they are easily swayed by their narrow views and shallow opinions of the truth on the hypocritical Christian posturing of Barack Obama who wrote a letter to beg Gays and Lesbians to vote for him to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and vote for same sex marriage.

He condemns Gays and Lesbians behind their backs and then turns around to woo them to vote for him for President?
Is that whom Gen. Colin Powell claims to have always been a "Christian" all his life and "Transformational" figure?
Who is Colin Powell trying to fool?
Dumb Americans being fooled by the political hypocrisy of Barack Obama, whose campaign strategy reads like a script from Robert Greene's "The 48 Laws of Power " on how to use political deceit and intellectual conceit to spin American voters.

The same Gen. Colin Powell lied to the United Nations Security Council on February 5, 2003, to argue in favour of the invasion of Iraq, but his so called oratorical skills did not stop Britain's Channel 4 News to expose that Powell had in fact presented a plagiarized essay by an American graduate student as his fine paper and his information on the weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) was false.

No true Christian would have voted against the DOMA as Barack Obama did and continues to oppose.

The Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, is the short title of a federal law of the United States passed on September 21, 1996 as Public Law No. 104-199, 110 Stat. 2419. Its provisions are codified at 1 U.S.C. § 7 and 28 U.S.C. § 1738C. The law has two effects:

1. No state (or other political subdivision within the United States) need treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state.

2. The Federal Government may not treat same-sex relationships as marriages for any purpose, even if concluded or recognized by one of the states.
The bill was passed by Congress by a vote of 85-14 in the Senate[1] and a vote of 342-67 in the House of Representatives[2], and was signed by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996.

The following is the letter Senator Barack Obama wrote to the LGBT Community vowing to repeal DOMA and on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell, etc.

Open Letter from Barack Obama to the LGBT community

I'm running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all - a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters. It's wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans.

Equality is a moral imperative. That's why throughout my career, I have fought to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans. In Illinois, I co-sponsored a fully inclusive bill that prohibited discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity, extending protection to the workplace, housing, and places of public accommodation. In the U.S. Senate, I have co-sponsored bills that would equalize tax treatment for same-sex couples and provide benefits to domestic partners of federal employees. And as president, I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples - whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) - a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and I have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.

The next president must also address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When it comes to prevention, we do not have to choose between values and science. While abstinence education should be part of any strategy, we also need to use common sense. We should have age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception. We should pass the JUSTICE Act to combat infection within our prison population. And we should lift the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. In addition, local governments can protect public health by distributing contraceptives.

We also need a president who's willing to confront the stigma - too often tied to homophobia - that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. I confronted this stigma directly in a speech to evangelicals at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, and will continue to speak out as president. That is where I stand on the major issues of the day. But having the right positions on the issues is only half the battle. The other half is to win broad support for those positions. And winning broad support will require stepping outside our comfort zone. If we want to repeal DOMA, repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and implement fully inclusive laws outlawing hate crimes and discrimination in the workplace, we need to bring the message of LGBT equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones - and that's what I've done throughout my career. I brought this message of inclusiveness to all of America in my keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention. I talked about the need to fight homophobia when I announced my candidacy for President, and I have been talking about LGBT equality to a number of groups during this campaign - from local LGBT activists to rural farmers to parishioners at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King once preached.

Just as important, I have been listening to what all Americans have to say. I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans. But neither will I close my ears to the voices of those who still need to be convinced. That is the work we must do to move forward together. It is difficult. It is challenging. And it is necessary.

Americans are yearning for leadership that can empower us to reach for what we know is possible. I believe that we can achieve the goal of full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country. To do that, we need leadership that can appeal to the best parts of the human spirit. Join with me, and I will provide that leadership. Together, we will achieve real equality for all Americans, gay and straight alike.

Yes, Gays and Lesbians have their rights as bona fide citizens of the United States of America, but no true American Christian will vow to repeal the DOMA! But since most African American Christians are hypocrites, they are ready to sell their soul to the devil and vote for the election of the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party as the first African American President of the United States of America.

As a Christian and standing on the true Word of God and even on commonsense, I will not support any hypocrite and liar to be elected into any position of authority, because the election of such a desperate character will do more harm than good to the noble values and virtues of the American society and the rest of humanity.




You can download this article and others on Kindle now.

Fannie Mae Redemption

10 Oct 2008 14:00 Africa/Lagos

Fannie Mae Redemption

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) will redeem the principal amount indicated for the following securities issue on the redemption date indicated below at a redemption price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount redeemed, plus accrued interest thereon to the date of redemption:

Principal Security Interest Maturity Date CUSIP Redemption Date
Amount Type Rate

$40,000,000 MTN 4.050% January 21, 2011 3136F9YK3 October 21,
2008
$250,000,000 MTN 4.710% October 22, 2009 31398AHQ8 October 22
2008
$50,000,000 MTN 5.125% April 22, 2011 3136F8UD5 October 22,
2008
$50,000,000 MTN 5.150% October 22, 2012 3136F8UJ2 October 22,
2008
$250,000,000 MTN 5.375% October 22, 2012 31398AHY1 October 22,
2008
$50,000,000 MTN 5.160% October 23, 2009 3136F74F1 October 23,
2008
$25,000,000 MTN 3.170% April 23, 2010 3136F9MB6 October 23,
2008
$25,000,000 MTN 3.270% April 23, 2010 3136F9MH3 October 23,
2008



Fannie Mae exists to expand affordable housing and bring global capital to local communities in order to serve the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae has a federal charter and operates in America's secondary mortgage market to enhance the liquidity of the mortgage market by providing funds to mortgage bankers and other lenders so that they may lend to home buyers. In 2008, we mark our 70th year of service to America's housing market. Our job is to help those who house America.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities of Fannie Mae. Nothing in this press release constitutes advice on the merits of buying or selling a particular investment. Any investment decision as to any purchase of securities referred to herein must be made solely on the basis of information contained in Fannie Mae's applicable Offering Circular, and that no reliance may be placed on the completeness or accuracy of the information contained in this press release.

You should not deal in securities unless you understand their nature and the extent of your exposure to risk. You should be satisfied that they are suitable for you in the light of your circumstances and financial position. If you are in any doubt you should consult an appropriately qualified financial advisor.

Source: Fannie Mae
CONTACT: Latressa Cox of Fannie Mae, +1-202-752-6707
Web site: http://www.fanniemae.com/

Obama Middle Class Bailout Bill Passed 55-Years Ago

10 Oct 2008 14:00 Africa/Lagos

Obama Middle Class Bailout Bill Passed 55-Years Ago
Middle Class Bailout Bill That Can Rescue the Economy Was Passed in 1953

PETALUMA, Calif., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from Lloyd Chapman:

In Tuesday's Presidential debate, Senator Barack Obama (D - IL) called for a bailout bill for the middle class. Yesterday, Senator Obama said he would also make sure that tax dollars are spent wisely. Today, there exists a great piece of legislation that would accomplish both of Senator Obama's goals. It would infuse billions of tax dollars back into the firms where most Americans work, create thousands of new jobs and help middle class families pay for their healthcare and mortgages.

It's called the Small Business Act, and it became law in 1953. Today, based on the original Small Business Act, the federal government is supposed to insure that a minimum of 23 percent of the total value of all federal contracts and subcontracts are awarded to small businesses. Twenty-three percent of the federal government's total acquisition budget amounts to roughly $150 billion a year in federal contracts and subcontracts that should by law go to the middle class small businesses where approximately 56 percent of our nation's population is employed.

What better place to spend tax dollars than with the 27 million small businesses where most Americans work, and where most of our nation's tax revenue is generated?
The Small Business Act is the perfect vehicle to rescue our nation's middle class economy, and boost the segments of the American economy that were completely ignored by the $700 billion Wall Street bailout bill.

There are a couple of hurdles that need to be addressed before the Small Business Act can help lead our nation out of one of the worst economic disasters in modern history. First, since 2003, 15 federal investigations have found that Fortune 500 firms are the actual recipients of most federal small business contracts. It has been estimated that large businesses receive over $100 billion a year in federal small business contracts. ABC, CBS and CNN have all aired investigative reports which have found firms like: Rolls Royce, Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Raytheon, IBM, Xerox, Dell, John Deere, General Dynamics, GTSI, Home Depot, Titan Industries, Hewlett Packard, Battelle and British Aerospace Engineering (BAE) have all received millions of dollars in federal small business contracts.

Second, the Bush Administration has systematically dismantled virtually every single federal program the Small Business Act established to help small businesses, woman-owned firms, minority-owned firms and veteran-owned firms. The Small Business Act established the Small Business Administration (SBA), and during the past eight years President Bush has cut that agency's budget more than any other agency. Today, the SBA budget is less than half of what it was when President Bush took office.
Neither Barack Obama, nor John McCain have even mentioned any aspect of the Small Business Act in their small business plans. Neither candidate has pledged to restore the SBA's budget and staffing. Most surprising is that neither Obama, nor McCain have proposed any specific solutions to the diversion of up to $100 billion a year in government contracts that by law should be going to our nation's middle class, but instead are being diverted to Fortune 500 firms. Senator Obama even seems to be trying to distance himself from a statement he made in February of 2008, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." I would guess that he received a call from the "corporate giants" the following day regarding some new fundraising ideas.

Senator Obama was right though; we definitely need a bailout bill for the middle class. The good news is it was passed in 1953. If Senator Obama and Senator McCain are serious about helping middle class families pay their health care and their mortgages, it's going to take more than just campaign rhetoric and pandering.
America's middle class deserves some help from the government in these difficult economic times, and the Small Business Act is a free and easy solution. It's time to fully implement the Small Business Act and restore the budget and staffing of the only federal agency established to assist America's 27 million small businesses, the SBA. It's also time to stop the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants and get that money back into the hands of the small businesses that are the heart and soul of this nation's economy.

Source: American Small Business League
CONTACT: Christopher Gunn, Communications Director of American Small
Business League, +1-707-789-9575, cgunn@asbl.com

The Unraveling Economy Puts New Yorkers Under Pressure

7 Oct 2008 14:00 Africa/Lagos

The Unraveling Economy Puts New Yorkers Under Pressure

Money, Work, Economy and Housing Top Stressors for New York City Residents, APA Survey Finds

NEW YORK, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- By simply turning on the news or opening a newspaper, it is easy to see that money, work, and the economy are worrying many Americans. And while the fast pace of New York City may appear to cause more stress for its residents, a survey released today by the American Psychological Association (APA) shows that New Yorkers actually mirror adults nationally as to what causes them stress and how they manage that stress. The survey, conducted in June, highlights the already stressed state of Americans before the recent financial crisis took hold.


Although fewer New Yorkers report managing their stress well than the rest of the country -- 74 percent versus 81 percent of Americans nationwide -- what they are stressed about is on par with the Nation as whole. Housing costs marked the starkest difference between New Yorkers and Americans, with 67 percent of New York survey responders citing it as a significant source of stress versus 47 percent nationally. In addition, New Yorkers are more stressed about workplace issues, with 56 percent reporting job stability (42 percent nationally) and 59 percent of employed New Yorkers reporting low salaries (49 percent nationally) as significant sources of stress.


The APA survey also found that slightly more New York City residents are using exercise or walking as a way to handle their stress than the rest of the country -- 51 percent of them say they turn to exercise or walking to relieve their stress, whereas 47 percent do so nationally. Furthermore, 8 percent of New Yorkers and 9 percent of Americans nationwide play sports to manage their stress.


"Exercise, walking and other forms of physical activity, are healthy and proactive ways to handle your stress," says psychologist Dr. Katherine Nordal, Executive Director for Professional Practice of the American Psychological Association. "People often turn to overeating, drinking or other destructive behaviors in times of stress; however, such activities are harmful to their physical and emotional well-being. Remember, the healthy choice is always the best choice."


How New York City fares with the rest of America:
-- 79 percent cited money as a significant source of stress (72 percent
nationally)
-- 79 percent cited work (68 percent nationally)
-- 74 percent cited the economy (69 percent nationally)


APA's annual survey reveals that money (72 percent), the economy (69 percent) and work (68 percent) are the most frequently cited causes of stress by Americans. Housing costs are a source of stress for almost half (47 percent) of Americans and job insecurity causes stress for more than one-third of employees (34 percent).


In fact, a later nationwide poll conducted in September found that stress about the economy has increased further with 80 percent of Americans citing it as a significant cause of stress, a jump from the 66 percent in April[1].


Nationally, stress is having an increased physical impact on Americans, with 53 percent reporting fatigue (51 percent in 2007) and 61 percent reporting irritability or anger (50 percent in 2007). Other symptoms include lack of interest or motivation, feeling depressed or sad, headaches and muscular tension. More than half of those surveyed (52 percent) said that stress had caused them to lose sleep in the past month.


APA offers these tips in dealing with your stress:


Understand how you experience stress and identify your sources of stress. Everyone experiences stress differently. How do you know when you are stressed? How are your thoughts or behaviors different from times when you do not feel stressed? What events or situations trigger stressful feelings? Are they related to your children, family, health, financial decisions, work, relationships or something else?


Learn your own stress signals. People experience stress in different ways. You may have a hard time concentrating or making decisions; feel angry, irritable or out of control; or experience headaches, muscle tension or a lack of energy. Gauge your stress signals.


Recognize how you deal with stress. Determine if you are using unhealthy behaviors (such as smoking, drinking alcohol and over-/under-eating) to cope. Is this a routine behavior, or is it specific to certain events or situations? Do you make unhealthy choices as a result of feeling rushed and overwhelmed?


Find healthy ways to manage stress. Consider healthy, stress-reducing activities such as meditation, exercising or talking things out with friends or family. Keep in mind that unhealthy behaviors develop over time and can be difficult to change. Don't take on too much at once. Focus on changing only one behavior at a time.


Take care of yourself. Eat right, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and engage in regular physical activity. Ensure you have a healthy mind and body through activities like yoga, taking a short walk, going to the gym or playing sports that will enhance both your physical and mental health. Take regular vacations or other breaks from work. No matter how hectic life gets, make time for yourself -- even if it's just simple things like reading a good book or listening to your favorite music.


Reach out for support. Accepting help from supportive friends and family can improve your ability to manage stress. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can help you better manage stress and change unhealthy behaviors.


Survey Methodology


The 2008 Stress in America research was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Psychological Association between June 23, 2008, and August 13, 2008, among 1,791 adults aged 18+ who reside in the U.S. and an oversample of 228 adults aged 18+ who reside in New York. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.


The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 148,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting human welfare.


[1]The September data was collected online within the United States between September 19 and September 23, 2008, among 2,507 U.S. residents 18 or older. The April data was collected online within the United States between April 7 and April 15, 2008, among 2,529 U.S. residents aged 18 or older. Data for the April and September polls were collected using an omnibus survey; the causes of stress question included a "not applicable" response. Data presented here were calculated excluding those who responded "not applicable."


Source: American Psychological Association

CONTACT: Kate Kelley of American Psychological Association,
+1-202-336-5898, kkelley@apa.org; or Juanita Panlener, Vanguard
Communications, +1-202-331-4323, jpanlener@vancomm.com, for American
Psychological Association


Web Site: http://www.apahelpcenter.org/


15:19
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NEWSWEEK Cover: She's One of the Folks (And That's the Problem)

In the October 13 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, October 6): "She's One of the Folks (And that's the problem)." Editor Jon Meacham writes an essay about how Sarah Palin's populist view of high office is risky for the country. Plus: the problems the next president will inherit; Biden opens up about the campaign; the fall of America Inc.; an interview with Irani Foreign Minister Mottaki; the Women & Leadership series and keeping kids healthy in cold-weather months. (PRNewsFoto/NEWSWEEK) |||DW_DOM_101308.tif NEW YORK UNITED STATES 10/05/2008

5 Oct 2008 16:56 Africa/Lagos

NEWSWEEK Cover: She's One of the Folks (And That's the Problem)

Editor Jon Meacham On Sarah Palin's Folksiness: 'Do We Want Leaders Who Are Everyday Folks ... Or Who Understand Everyday Folks?'



Palin's Populist View Of High Office -- Hey, Vice President Six-Pack, What Should We Do About Pakistan? -- Is Dangerous

NEW YORK, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham writes in an essay that the honest explanation of the rationale for Sarah Palin's candidacy -- not her preparedness for office, but her personality and nascent maverickism in Alaska -- raises an important question, not only about this election but about democratic leadership. "Do we want leaders who are everyday folks, or do we want leaders who understand everyday folks? Therein lies an enormous difference, one that could decide the presidential election and, if McCain and Palin were to win, shape the governance of the nation."


(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081005/NYSU002 )


In the October 13 Newsweek cover, "She's One of The Folks (And that's the problem)" (on newsstands Monday, October 6), Meacham examines this question of Palin's folksiness, looking at how it's a liability for the campaign and the country. Sitting with her for part of the Katie Couric interview on CBS, John McCain implicitly compared Palin to Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, saying that they, too, had been caricatured and dismissed by mainstream voices. The linkages are untenable, Meacham writes. "A successful two-term governor of California, Reagan had spent decades immersed in politics (of both the left and the right) before running for president. He did like to call himself a citizen-politician, and Lord knows he had an occasionally ambiguous relationship with facts, but he was a serious man who had spent a great deal of time thinking about the central issues of the age. To put it kindly, Palin, however promising a governor she is, has not done similar work."


Meacham writes that he could be wrong, and perhaps Palin will somehow emerge from the hurly-burly of history as a transformative figure who was underestimated in her time by journalists who could not see, or refused to acknowledge, her virtues. "But do I think that I am right in saying that Palin's populist view of high office -- hey, Vice President Six-Pack, what should we do about Pakistan? -- is dangerous? You betcha."


"A key argument for Palin, in essence, is this: Washington and Wall Street are serving their own interests rather than those of the broad whole of the country, and the moment requires a vice president who will, Cincinnatus-like, help a new president come to the rescue," Meacham writes. "The problem with the argument is that Cincinnatus knew things. Palin sometimes seems an odd combination of Chauncey Gardiner from 'Being There' and Marge from 'Fargo.' Is this an elitist point of view? Perhaps, though it seems only reasonable and patriotic to hold candidates for high office to high standards. Elitism in this sense is not about educational or class credentials ... It is, rather, about the pursuit of excellence no matter where you started in life. Jackson, Lincoln, Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Clinton were born to ordinary families, but they spent their lives doing extraordinary things, demonstrating an interest in, and a curiosity about, the world around them. This is much less evident in Palin's case."


Meacham praises Palin for her public service. "If she were seeking a Senate seat, or being nominated for a cabinet post-secretary of energy, say, or interior -- the conversation about her would be totally different. But she is not seeking a Senate seat, nor is she being nominated for a cabinet post, and so it is only prudent to ask whether she is in fact someone who should be president of the United States in the event of disaster. She may be ready in a year or two, but disaster does not coordinate its calendar with ours. Would we muddle through if Palin were to become president? Yes, we would, but it is worth asking whether we should have to."


In a counterpoint essay, Karl Rove, the former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President Bush and a Newsweek contributor, writes that, with respect, Meacham misses the principal arguments for Palin. "She is the governor of a state with an $11 billion operating budget, a $1.7 billion capital budget and nearly 29,000 employees; she's got more executive experience than any candidate for president or vice president this year. In Alaska she took on the state political establishment, the incumbent Republican governor and the oil companies. She's a rising star who accentuates McCain's maverick strengths and a 'hockey mom' who has developed a powerful tie to ordinary voters."


"That link isn't itself an argument for Palin. But being able to connect with, and inspire, the public is an asset -- not a liability. As for Jon's argument against 'everyday Americans' as political leaders, many great presidents have been more average than elitist. Ronald Reagan, from Eureka College, was a far better leader than Woodrow Wilson, a former president of Princeton. Wilson would have given you 100 Supreme Court opinions he disagreed with, whether you wanted to listen or not," Rove writes.


(Read cover story at www.Newsweek.com)

Cover Story

Rove essay

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081005/NYSU002
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN3
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Newsweek

CONTACT: Jan Angilella of Newsweek, +1-212-445-5638


Web site: http://www.newsweek.com/


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Gay Democrats Respond to Palin Accusations on Sexual Orientation

1 Oct 2008 17:30 Africa/Lagos

Gay Democrats Respond to Palin Accusations on Sexual Orientation,

Vice Presidential Candidate Wrongly Argues that Sexual Orientation is a "Choice"

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Stonewall Democrats issued the following statement in response by accusations from Governor Sarah Palin that sexual orientation is a choice:


"John McCain chose a poor running mate, but he did not choose his sexual orientation. This is another example of why we need a pro-equality President like Barack Obama in the White House. For Governor Palin to suggest that individuals randomly choose their sexual orientation based on nothing but a whim is wrong and it repeats the talking points of the anti-gay special interests which continue to control the McCain/Palin campaign and the Republican Party."


- Jon Hoadley, Executive Director


Governor Palin asserted that sexual orientation is a choice - a fact disputed by the majority of the scientific community - in a response to a question posed by Katie Couric of CBS News. Couric asked Palin to comment on her views regarding sexual orientation in light of revelations that Governor Palin's church continues to promote harmful "conversion therapy" for gay Americans.


Palin responded: "But what you're talking about, I think, value here, what my position is on homosexuality and you can pray it away, because I think that was the title that was listed on that bulletin. And you know, I don't know what prayers are worthy of being prayed. I don't know what prayers are going to be asked and answered. But as for homosexuality, I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions that they make in their adult personal relationships. I have one of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years happens to be gay, and I love her dearly. And she is not my 'gay friend,' she is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn't a choice I would have made. But I am not going to judge people."


CBS News released the interview portion quoted above late Tuesday evening.


National Stonewall Democrats is the national voice of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied Democrats, with more than 90 local chapters across the nation. Stonewall Democrats works to elect more pro-equality Democrats regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity - and to improve the Democratic Party on issues important to LGBT Democrats.


For more information, see: www.stonewalldemocrats.org


Source: National Stonewall Democrats

CONTACT: John Marble, Communications Director, National Stonewall
Democrats, +1-202-436-5966, cell, jmarble@stonewalldemocrats.org


Web Site: http://www.stonewalldemocrats.org/

'101 Things You - and John McCain - Didn't Know About Sarah Palin'

1 Oct 2008 11:00 Africa/Lagos

'101 Things You - and John McCain - Didn't Know About Sarah Palin'

By Gregory Bergman

BOSTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- www.101thingsaboutsarahpalin.com: Sarah Palin is living proof that politics does indeed make strange bedfellows. In "101 Things You -- and John McCain -- Didn't Know" about Sarah Palin (Adams Media/October 1, 2008) by comedian Greg Bergman, readers learn the (alleged) truth about the (reputed) Republican darling from Alaska who has taken the nation by (ice) storm. From hunter, to hockey mom, to live action figure, this book confirms America's latest instant-celebrity is indeed stranger -- and scarier -- than ever imagined.


With the polls projecting a statistical dead-heat and the election nearly one month away, left-leaning voters are feeling the pressure -- and desperate for a laugh. For the 18 million-strong Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuits to the 72 million registered Democrats praying for a Palin pratfall, "101 Things You -- and John McCain -- Didn't Know about Sarah Palin" proves politics can be much funnier than fiction. For instance:


-- When Sarah Palin was a little girl, her father Charlie reportedly often took her moose hunting before school. We know that eating together as a family is important, but hunting your meal down as a family? Now that's true togetherness ...


-- Palin attended a Pentecostal church until 2002. Interestingly, she's characteristically silent on the subject of her speaking in tongues.


-- Palin has sued the federal government for putting polar bears on the endangered species list. Apparently they are not as cute and cuddly up close as they are in cartoons.


-- In 2007, Sarah Palin offered $150 to every hunter who hacked off the left foreleg of a wolf shot from a plane. Talk about wolves being thrown, uh ... to the wolves.


A hilarious and irreverent look at America's favorite "Caribou Barbie," this is the only humor book on Palin currently available.


Author and comedian Gregory Bergman is the author of "WTF?," "BizzWords," "Isms," and "The Little Book of Bathroom Philosophy." His work has been featured in the "Wall Street Journal" and on NPR. Bergman is based in Los Angeles.


VISIT www.101thingsaboutsarahpalin.com


Source: Gregory Bergman

CONTACT: Beth Gissinger, +1-508-427-6757, beth.gissinge@fwpubs.com, for
Gregory Bergman


Web site: http://www.101thingsaboutsarahpalin.com/