Obama: Commander in chief must support gay troops

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama sharply rebuked his Republican rivals, saying anyone who wants to be commander in chief must support the entire U.S. military, including gay service members.

A combative Obama on Saturday criticized Republican presidential candidates for staying silent when the crowd at a recent debate booed a gay soldier serving in Iraq iwho asked a question of the contenders via videotape.

"You want to be commander in chief? You can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States, even when it's not politically convenient," Obama said during remarks at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization.

Referencing the boos at the Sept. 22 Republican debate, he said: "We don't believe in standing silent when that happens."

One of the Republican candidates, businessman Herman Cain, said Sunday that he should not have stayed silent after the debate audience booed the gay soldier. He said it would have been "appropriate" for him to have defended the soldier.

Cain said it wasn't immediately clear to him what had drawn the audience's scorn, adding, "I happen to think that maybe they were booing the whole 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal more so than booing that soldier."

The so-called "don't ask, don't tell" policy barring gays from serving openly in the military was officially lifted last month.

Separately, Sen. John McCain, Obama's opponent in the 2008 presidential race, said that the Republican candidates at the debate should have defended the soldier. "The fact is we should honor every man and woman who is serving in the military and should in no way treat them with anything but the highest regard," he told CBS' "Face the Nation."

McCain added that the candidates may have been thinking about how to respond to the soldier's question rather than paying attention to the booing. "I would bet that every Republican on that stage did not agree with that kind of behavior," he said.

Last December, McCain led Senate opposition to the repeal of the restriction on gay service.

In his speech Saturday night, Obama touted his administration's efforts to repeal the military's ban on openly gay service members, as well as his orders to the Justice Department to stop enforcing a law defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

But, as expected, Obama stopped short of endorsing gay marriage, saying only that "every single American deserves to be treated equally in the eyes of the law."

Obama has said his views on gay marriage are "evolving", but for now he only supports civil union.

Obama's position on gay marriage has become a sore point for some gay activists who say they're otherwise pleased with the president's handling of issues important to them. Some of the president's backers say he could be wasting a chance to energize key segments of his base, including young people, if he doesn't publicly advocate for gay marriage.

"If he doesn't, he could be missing an opportunity to mobilize voters who need to be inspired to vote for him," said Doug Hattaway, a Democratic consultant.

The president's position on gay marriage puts him at odds with some of his supporters. Numerous recent polls suggest a slight majority of Americans favor giving same-sex couples the right to marry, and support is highest among Democrats and young people.

Obama has acknowledged that public support for gay marriage is building. During a meeting with liberal bloggers last October, he said "it's pretty clear where the trend lines are going."

Obama aides have given no indication of where the president's evolution on gay marriage stands. And some gay rights advocates believe political considerations could keep Obama from publicly backing gay marriage until after the November 2012 election.

Joe Sudbay, among a group of bloggers who met with Obama last year, said most gay rights advocates won't vote against Obama if he stops short of backing gay marriage. But he said they may be less likely to volunteer their time and money to the campaign.

"He might not lose votes, but he won't gain enthusiasm," said Sudbay, deputy editor of AmericaBlog.com.

While gay rights advocates may not be getting everything they want from the president, they see little support for their cause among the field of Republican primary contenders.

Most top Republican presidential candidates, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, favor limiting marriage to unions between one man and one woman.

Fred Sainz, the Human Rights Campaign's vice president for communications, said he expects Obama to eventually declare his support for gay marriage. And even if that doesn't happen before next year's election, he said the president's other actions on gay rights issued should not be ignored.

"He really has been an incredible champion for the issues that are important to us," Sainz said. "It's fair to say we've made more progress in the past two years than we have in the past 40 years combined."

In his remarks Saturday night, Obama implored the supportive crowd of 3,200 to stand with him in his re-election campaign, declaring: "This is a contest of values."

___

Associated Press writer Julie Pace can be reached at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-10-02-Obama-Gay%20Marriage/id-c79f4dc92e8742be82b7a2ab81bb3a08

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ER doc: Jackson physician never mentioned propofol

Dr. Richelle Cooper, emergency room physician testifies during the Conrad Murray involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP Photo/Al Seib, Pool)

Dr. Richelle Cooper, emergency room physician testifies during the Conrad Murray involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP Photo/Al Seib, Pool)

Conrad Murray watches the testimony of paramedic Richard Senneff during Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP Photo/Al Seib, Pool)

Dr. Richelle Cooper, emergency room physician testifies during the Conrad Murray involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP Photo/Al Seib, Pool)

Conrad Murray with Defense Attorney Edward Chernoff looks on during the Conrad Murray involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP Photo/Al Seib, Pool)

Conrad Murray watches the testimony of during Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. Murray has pleaded not guilty and faces four years in prison and the loss of his medical license if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. (AP Photo/Al Seib, Pool)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Michael Jackson was clinically dead when he arrived at a hospital and two emergency room doctors said they thought it was futile to attempt to revive him. His doctor, however, insisted that they try.

Both doctors, testifying at Dr. Conrad Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial Monday, said Murray failed to tell them that he had been giving Jackson the anesthetic propofol or when Jackson had been medicated or stopped breathing.

"He said he did not have any concept of time, that he did not have a watch," said Dr. Thao Nguyen, a cardiologist at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where Jackson was taken on June 25, 2009.

"Dr. Murray asked that we not give up easily and try to save Michael Jackson's life," she said. "...In Dr. Murray's mind, if we called it quits, we would be giving up easily."

Nguyen said Murray "sounded desperate and he looked devastated." But, she said, without knowing how much time had passed since he stopped breathing, resuscitation was a remote hope.

"It was not too little too late," she said. "It was a case of too late. I feared that time was not on Mr. Jackson's side."

Murray, 58, has pleaded not guilty. Authorities say Murray administered the fatal dose and acted recklessly by providing Jackson the drug as a sleep aid at his home when it is supposed to be administered in a hospital. The defense argues that Jackson gave himself an additional dose of the drug when Murray was out of the room.

Nguyen and Dr. Richelle Cooper, who oversaw Jackson's care in the emergency room, said Murray never mentioned that he had given the singer the propofol. They said he told them that he had given two doses of lorazepam, also known as Ativan, trying to get him to sleep.

"Did he ever mention propofol to you?" Deputy District Attorney David Walgren asked Nguyen.

"Absolutely not," she said in a firm voice.

Before leaving the stand, Nguyen said, "I've never heard of propofol being used outside of a hospital."

She said at least three medical personnel, including an anesthesiologist, should be present when the drug is given. Walgren asked her: "Have you ever heard of propofol being used in someone's private bedroom?"

Nguyen replied: "That would be a first. I've never heard of it."

In cross-examination, defense attorney Michael Flanagan was able to get Cooper to say that, even if they had known about the propofol, they could not have saved Jackson's life.

"Michael Jackson had died long before he became my patient," she said. "It is unlikely with that information I could have done something that would have changed the outcome."

She also said that the amount of propofol which Murray has since claimed he gave Jackson would not have put him to sleep and would have dissipated from his body in five to seven minutes.

Murray claimed he administered 25 milligrams. An autopsy showed that he died of an overdose of the drug.

Cooper said Jackson was "clinically dead" by the time he reached the hospital and she had advocated pronouncing him dead at his home when she received radio calls from paramedics describing his condition.

"Mr. Jackson was my patient and I didn't really have an explanation of why he was dead. I knew it would be a coroner's case," she said and suggested he should have been pronounced dead at 12:57 p.m. when the radio call came in.

But she yielded to Murray and Jackson was brought to the emergency room where more than 14 people worked on the effort to revive him.

"My assessment when he arrived was he was clinically dead and given the time ? it was about an hour ? I thought the attempt at rescue would be futile," Cooper said. She has said more than an hour of resuscitation efforts at the hospital did nothing to improve Jackson's condition.

Cooper also told jurors about trying to speak to Jackson's children after he was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:26 p.m. "They were crying," Cooper said. "They were fairly hysterical."

Murray's phone records are a central part of the prosecution case. Two staffers from cell phone providers identified records of his calls on the day of Jackson's death.

Prosecutors intend to show records of Murray's phone calls and emails from the hours before Jackson's death to show that Murray had other things on his mind ? getting his $150,000 a month deal to serve as Jackson's personal physician approved, running his medical practices and fielding calls from mistresses.

One of Murray's former patients, Las Vegas salesman Robert Russell, detailed one of those calls for jurors last week and the phone traced a call to his number.

Later in the case, prosecutors will further detail calls and messages Murray fielded that day, including several the physician apparently made to his girlfriend as he rode in the back of the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

___

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

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-03-Michael%20Jackson-Doctor/id-6be6a8afe05f4d3f9ebb903945f14233

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Inquiry blames Cyprus president for deadly blast (AP)

NICOSIA, Cyprus ? Cyprus' president is mainly to blame for events that led to the explosion of seized Iranian munitions that killed 13 people and caused a political and economic crisis on the island, the head of an official inquiry said Monday.

Polys Polyviou says President Dimitris Christofias was primarily responsible for the "inadequacy, negligence and carelessness" that led to the July 11 blast at a naval base. But Polyviou said two government ministers also share some responsibility for the disaster.

The explosion wrecked Cyprus' main power station and sapped public trust in Christofias' presidency amid calls for him to resign. The blast's impact on the economy also stoked fears that the island could be forced to seek a bailout from its European Union partners.

"My conclusion is that the main responsibility for the tragedy weighs on the president of the republic," Polyviou, a legal expert, told a nationally televised news conference to present the public inquiry's nonbinding findings.

The president did not immediately commend on the inquiry's findings.

Christofias had testified at the inquiry hearings that he was never told by subordinates just how dangerous the munitions were. He also denied any personal responsibility and blamed the disaster on "a failure of the system." He said that although he consented to destroying any material thought to pose a danger, nothing ever happened.

But Polyviou said Christofias had "very serious personal responsibilities," adding that he should have known about the dangers involved with the munitions and showed "inexcusable negligence which resulted in the death of 13 people."

The munitions ? mostly gunpowder and some nitroglycerine stored in 85 containers ? were seized in February 2009 from a Cypriot-flagged ship suspected of transporting it from Iran to Palestinian militants in Gaza through Syria. The United Nations ruled that the ship had breached a ban on Iranian arms exports.

The containers had been left piled in an open field inside the base for 2 1/2 years, exposed to wide temperature swings on the Mediterranean island. Military officials had warned five months before the explosion about the possibility that the munitions could spontaneously ignite as a result of their exposure to the elements.

Polyviou called the munitions "a ticking time-bomb waiting to go off" and that it was incumbent on the president to take measures that would ensure the munitions' safe storage.

Polyviou said Crprus' ministers of foreign affairs and defense ? both of whom resigned because of the explosion ? also shouldered plenty of blame for the handling of the matter that was "left to the mercy of the usual bureaucratic procedures."

A Foreign Ministry official had served as the main liaison between Christofias and the two ministers regarding the stockpile.

"The essence of the matter is that the president of the republic, in this instance, failed in his duty to implement the necessary measures for the safety of the citizens of the Cyprus republic and especially its military and fire department personnel," said Polyviou.

A separate, police-led probe is also expected to conclude soon.

Polyviou said he had no doubt that serious crimes ? including manslaughter ? have been committed as a result of the blast, but that was a matter for the attorney general to pursue.

Relatives of the victims who had attended the hearings praised Polyviou for his report.

"I always believed that Polyviou wouldn't let us down," said Popi Christoforou, the mother of twins who were killed while serving their compulsory military duty at the naval base.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111003/ap_on_re_eu/eu_cyprus_explosion_naval_base

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Home Loans After the Bubble: The Mortgage Refinance Boom | plan ...

Orlando, FL August 11, 2006

National indicators show a significant slowdown in the real estate market?s new residential construction rates. According to the US Census Bureau?s ?New Residential Construction? report for June 2006, new housing permit issuances dropped 4.3% from May to June. Permit issuances increased in the Northeast only, where a 6.3% growth indicates significant growth in multi-family structure development.

In tandem with slowing real estate metrics, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued a recent statement indicating it expects mortgage delinquencies to increase over the next few years, particularly for interest only and adjustable rate mortgages.

Despite these disappointing indicators, most real estate and mortgage companies, even in the hottest growth markets, foresee an ongoing growth trend more inline with traditional growth patterns.

?While the market has been explosive over the last few years, we are seeing a general overreaction to market slowdowns,? commented Nabil Dajani, President of Orlando based brokerage firm Homestar Funding. ?Many homeowners have had significant equity growth in their homes. With 30-year rates still at relative lows, many homeowners are looking to refinance and convert existing ARMs to a more stable fixed rate.?

http://www.PersonalHomeLoanMortgages.com provides local market research and housing trend information to help buyers make smart market decisions when purchasing a new home. ?The hottest markets ? Miami, Las Vegas, Phoenix ? are obviously going to see a more significant slowdown,? noted David Bayer, President of PersonalHomeLoanMortgages.com. ?Nationwide trends still indicate a steady demand for housing development, particularly in warm weather climates.?

Hiccup or Bubble? As investors and speculators begin to withdraw from the market, some experts are concerned about an overload of excess inventory. ?If we don?t see any significant hike in interest rates by the Federal Reserve, the retreat of speculative investors should be less pronounced.? A blend of excess inventory and high rates could drive some investors to unload properties below market values, which could have a downward driving effect on the industry as a whole. ?Investors who moved into the market too late and overextended themselves may find themselves in a tight position. As a whole, most non-speculative homeowners have been able to enjoy low rates and equity growth. Things just seem to be settling back to ?normal?.?

For more local housing trends and real estate market information, please visit http://www.personalhomeloanmortgages.com

For more information about Central Florida mortgages including mortgage refinance & home equity loans in Florida, please visit Homestar Funding at http://www.homestarfunding.biz.

###

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Source: http://www.planmortgagerefinance.com/home-loans-after-the-bubble-the-mortgage-refinance-boom?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=home-loans-after-the-bubble-the-mortgage-refinance-boom

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Greece to miss deficit targets for 2011-2012 (AP)

ATHENS, Greece ? Greece won't meet 2011-2012 deficit targets imposed by international lenders as part of the country's bailout, the Finance Ministry said Sunday.

The country's deficit this year is expected to reach 8.5 percent of gross domestic product, or euro18.69 billion ($25.2 billion) ? higher than the targeted euro17.1 billion ($23.1 billion), which would have been 7.8 percent of GDP, the ministry said.

Greece has been reliant since May 2010 on regular payouts of loans from a euro110 billion ($150 billion) bailout from other eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund. It was granted a second euro109 billion package in July, but details of that deal remain to be worked out.

The Finance Ministry said the missed target was because of a deeper-than-expected recession, with the economy contracting by 5.5 percent instead of the 3.8 percent estimate made in May. It implied the deficit could even exceed this level by the end of the year unless all new austerity measures were implemented.

"The final estimate for a deficit equal to 8.5 percent of GDP can be achieved, if there is a proper response by the state authorities and the citizens themselves, on whose stance the country's financial ... and social future depends," the announcement said.

The announcement reflects the government's frustration with tax collection, which they blame on tax inspectors' lax performance, and its fear that citizens, angry at seeing their wages shrink and, at the same time, having to pay an increasing amount of one-off taxes, would refuse to pay.

There are already widespread calls not to pay a property surcharge, to be included in the next batch of state electricity company bills, despite the fact that delinquent payers are threatened with having their houses disconnected from the grid. The government hopes that revenue from the property levy will raise about euro2 billion ($2.7 billion) in 2011 and a similar amount in 2012.

The 2012 budget is projected to reduce the deficit to euro14.68 billion ($19.82 billion), or 6.8 percent of GDP, up from the 6.5 percent target agreed with Greece's lenders. Excluding serving Greece's debt, the budget is projected to have a primary surplus of euro3.2 billion, or 1.5 percent of GDP, meaning that Greece's debt will stop growing, as a percentage of GDP.

The Cabinet also decided up to 28,000 public sector employees will be placed on "reserve" ? that is, suspended with reduced pay, by the end of 2011.

The program falls short of the 30,000 reduction demanded by Greece's creditors and, with few exceptions, it is actually an early retirement program on full pensions. Those affected will be paid a fraction of their actual salary for a period of one to two years, but will be able, at the same time, to hold jobs in the private sector, if they can find them.

"The approved proposal is the result of lengthy and difficult negotiations with (the lenders) who insisted that placing employees on reserve should have been a step towards firing them and not an early retirement" program, government spokesman Elias Mossialos said.

The government expects savings of euro300 million from the plan in 2012.

The cabinet committed itself to reducing civil service jobs by 150,000 within four years.

___

Elena Becatoros contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111002/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_greece_financial_crisis

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Shelton CT: Connecticut's Best Cities For Your Home And Family

Article Directory :: Travel & Leisure Articles

Shelton, Connecticut is an ideal blend of a charming residential community and a thriving business environment that has made it one of the fastest growing communities in the state. The combination of Shelton's civic pride and dedication to innovative development, together with its commitment to open space for creating a vital, balanced community makes Shelton one of Connecticut's best cities for your home and family.

Located on the northeast edge of Fairfield County, Shelton was originally known as Huntington after colonial Gov. Samuel Huntington. The town was later renamed Shelton as it grew into a larger and more flourishing community.

The Huntington area of Shelton still retains much of its innate beauty and New England charm of its early days with many historic homes and where the community's handsome town green is located. A farmers' market and veteran's memorial is also situated downtown.

Shelton's residential communities have all benefited from these beautifully well-preserved areas of the town. Shelton includes neighborhoods of both traditional single-family houses as well as charming condominium communities tucked tastefully into the countryside.

Shelton cultivates new commercial growth and has attracted a great number of business enterprises. The combination of Shelton's available land and closeness to major highways has made it a center for many prominent high technology and research firms located in Commerce Park and Research Drive including Robert Scinto, Pitney Bowes, Aquarion Water, and Health Net. Wiffle Ball Inc., maker of the original Wiffle Ball is one of Shelton's largest employers, along with many other diverse corporations.

Shelton's residents enjoy a wide selection of recreational activities. Indian Well State Park is 153 acres of scenic splendor along the Housatonic River and is loved by nature enthusiasts. It offers swimming, fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking, and field sports.

Shelton also has two private golf clubs - The Highland Golf Club and the Brownson Country Club, an 18-hole venue located in the Huntington section of Shelton.

There are over 20 miles of hiking trails in Shelton which are maintained by local volunteers. The trail complex at Shelton Lakes has received a Millennium Trail award from the White House for its outstanding open space program. The City of Shelton's goal is to preserve at least 15% of the land as permanently protected open space.

Shelton is located about 90 minutes from New York City by highway or rail transportation. Route 8 traverses the city, which connects to the south with Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkways to Bridgeport, Stamford and New York City, and to the North with Interstate 84, providing access to Waterbury, Hartford and Boston.

The combination of Shelton's dedication to balanced commercial development and historic preservation, together with its commitment to open space and strong environmental values makes Shelton one of Connecticut's best cities for your home and family.

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Source: http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Steven-Penny-8485/Shelton-CT-219501.php

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Hester sets record, Bears beat Panthers 34-29 (AP)

CHICAGO ? Devin Hester was performing somersaults. Matt Forte was running wild, too.

Even so, this was hardly a breather for the Chicago Bears.

Hester set an NFL record with his 11th punt return for a touchdown, Forte ran for a career-high 205 yards and Chicago beat Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers 34-29 on Sunday.

Hester had earlier set up a touchdown run by Forte with a 73-yard kickoff return before he ran back a punt 69 yards in the second quarter to move ahead of Eric Metcalf on the all-time list. He performed three somersaults in the end zone with the lead at 24-10, but the celebration was a little early.

The Panthers (1-3) cut the lead to four points at halftime and had their chances to take the lead in the second half but came up short, spoiling coach Ron Rivera's return to Soldier Field while wasting another big performance by Newton.

The rookie threw for 374 yards and Carolina wound up with 543 total yards. Steve Smith passed Muhsin Muhammad as Carolina's all-time leading receiver, finishing with 181 yards on eight catches. He needed 23 to set the record and now has 9,414 in his career, but a few key plays helped preserve a wild win for the Bears.

An apparent 22-yard touchdown catch by Jeremy Shockey was waved off by what appeared to be an interference call after Chicago's Charles Tillman lost his footing.

Former Panther Julius Peppers then blocked a 34-yard field goal by Olindo Mare, who also made it a one-point game with a 38-yarder to start the fourth quarter.

He also missed a 52-yard attempt after Charles Godfrey intercepted Jay Cutler at the Chicago 38 right after that, and the Bears' Robbie Gould made it 27-23 when he nailed a 24-yarder with 6:41 remaining.

The Bears (2-2) added to their lead in the closing minutes, when Forte broke off a 40-yard run and Marion Barber took it in from the 3, sealing the win after back-to-back losses to New Orleans and Green Bay.

Forte easily broke his previous career high of 166 yards last year against Carolina and shook off a brutal performance last week, when he managed 2 yards on nine attempts.

He and Hester lifted Chicago on a day when Cutler threw for 102 yards and the defense couldn't contain the Panthers.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111002/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_panthers_bears

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