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As years go, this one has been pretty good for Teri McKeever.
In March, her University of California women's swimming team won its third NCAA championship in four years. This summer, McKeever served as the first female head coach of a U.S. Olympic women's swimming team, with her Americans dominating the pool in London.
Now McKeever has welcomed six highly regarded swimmers and a diver to her Cal program, including 2012 Olympic star Missy Franklin.
This year's recruiting class, following what was one of McKeever's best group of recruits in 2011, promises to make the Bears a deep, talented and exciting team to watch over the next few years.
"I think the thing that's exciting is backing up the freshman class that we have with another strong class," McKeever said on a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon. "That's been something that (associate head coach) Kristen (Cunnane) and I have really put a lot of attention and purposefulness into. … When you string a couple of great classes together, that's when you can really do some amazing things."
Franklin, of course, is the centerpiece.
"Missy is obviously a dimension in herself," McKeever said.
The 17-year-old from Centennial, Colo., who holds the world record in the 200-meter backstroke and won four gold medals and a bronze this summer, decided to sign a letter of intent with Cal rather than turn professional. She has committed to swimming two seasons in Berkeley.
In addition, top-15 national recruits Celina Li, Kristen Vredeveld and Farida Osman will be swimming for Cal, along with Abi Speers, Taylor Young and diver Hayden Tavoda.
Li, from Pleasanton, Calif., is the No. 5 ranked recruit in the nation by Collegeswimming.com, and was sixth in the 200 IM at this year's Olympic Trials.
Vredeveld and Speers also swam in the U.S. Olympic Trials, while Osman, born in Indiana, swam for Egypt in the London Games.
Next season Franklin and her incoming classmates will join a Cal team that is ranked No. 2 in the nation. While current senior and Olympian Caitlin Leverenz will be gone next fall, freshman Rachel Bootsma (a relay gold medalist at London), will be back.
McKeever admitted she's already looking forward to seeing what next year's team can do.
"Even last weekend when we were getting ready to race with Texas and Wisconsin, I will admit there was a part of me that was fantasizing about having Missy and Kristen and Celina, being able to add them in the lineup," McKeever said. "What an amazing opportunity that's going to be for us, to really have people who are multifaceted in their talents. We're going to be able to come at people in a lot of different ways."
Landing Franklin, of course, was a coup for McKeever, one of the most successful college coaches in the nation who's now in her 21st year at Cal.
The former USC All-America swimmer has coached such college and Olympic standouts as 12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin, Haley Cope and Staciana Stitts, and is known for incorporating some unconventional aspects into her program, such as ocean swimming, dance, yoga and team-building retreats.
McKeever and Franklin had the chance to work closely together in London, and both feel comfortable with the fit.
"I was always admiring (McKeever's) coaching style," Franklin told the Daily Californian Wednesday. "I always wanted to be a part of that group, and I always wanted to be coached by Teri."
McKeever said she's hopeful she can help Franklin become an even more versatile swimmer — something she tries to do with many of her athletes.
"I think that's how a young lady has a successful career," McKeever said. "I don't want Missy to come and swim 100 and 200 back, 100 and 200 free for the next two years and then do that nationally. I think it would be great to work on her breaststroke and have her swim some fly and just develop as an overall swimmer. There are still a lot of things that I think anybody can (do and improve upon), even though you hold the world record in one stroke."
When McKeever was asked what events Franklin might swim at the NCAA championships, she began talking about the possibilities and where to put this swimmer or that, before stopping and saying, "That's a good question."
"I've seen on websites … someone has my whole lineup for me," she added, laughing. "So if I get desperate, I can go back and look at that."
As she's gotten deeper into her coaching career, McKeever says she's become a bit more particular about the student-athletes she wants to work with. She's looking not only for swimming talent, but also for young women who want to learn, work and have perspective about swimming's place in their lives.
"I want to be around people that want to be challenged and want to be coached and want to be in partnership and want to be part of a team," she said.
She mentioned Franklin, Li and Vredeveld as "three young ladies I'm really going to enjoy working with."
Franklin, she acknowledged, is turning away from the chance to make a lot of money now for a chance to be a part of a team, get an education and add a value to her life that can't be computed on a calculator.
"Her decision to say, 'Hey, I want to be part of a team and not, you know, do whatever at 17, speaks to what's important to her," McKeever said. "She knows what's important and she's willing to make that decision."
Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Doug Williams is a freelance contributor for TeamUSA.org. This story was not subject to the approval of any National Governing Bodies.


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4th of July (A Woman's Murder Club Novel)
Hardcover - Used
Fiction, Mystery
A young girl is killed in the crossfire after a routine arrest goes terribly wrong, and Lt. Lindsay Boxer has to defend herself against a charge of police brutality. In a landmark trial that transfixes the nation, Lindsay fights to save her career and her sanity. While awaiting trial, Lindsay escapes to the tranquility of the beautiful town of Half Moon Bay. But the peaceful community there is reeling from a string of unspeakable murders. Working with her friends in the Women's Murder Club, Lindsay finds a link between these killings and a case she worked on years before - an unsolved murder thathas haunted her ever since. As summer comes into full swing, Lindsay battles for her life on two fronts: before a judge and jury as her trial comes to a climax and facing unknown adversaries who will do anything to keep her from the truth about the killings. It all comes to a head before the big annual 4th of July celebration on the waterfront at Half Moon Bay. "Patterson knows where our deepest fears are buried. There's no stopping his imagination." -New York Times Book Review "Patterson's skill at building suspense is enviable." -Kansas City Star"When it comes to constructing a harrowing plot, author James Patterson can turn a screw all right."-New York Daily News
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Happy Fat Buddha or Laughing Buddha, as he is famously called by non-Buddhists, is undoubtedly one of the most famous and recognized image of a Buddha. The Happy Fat Buddha is in reality not a Buddha, at least, not yet. He is currently a Bodhisattva and a future Buddha who'll replace the existing Historical Buddha which is Gautama Buddha or Sakyamuni (also spelled as Shakyamuni) Buddha. The Happy Fat Buddha or Laughing Buddha is in reality known as the Maitreya Buddha.
Buddhist scriptures states that we are currently under the 'era' of Sakyamuni Buddha, which is the fourth Buddha to have appeared on earth, there have been 3 others before him. It is said that his arrival will be at the time of the low point of human existence. He will come at a time where in mankind has forgotten about the Dharma (Buddhist teachings). This is not totally impossible because as shown in what is happening in Tibet, under the rule of China, the original Dharma is being purged and destroyed, albeit with extreme resistance from Tibetans and other Buddhists, but unfortunately, still with a lot of success. This answers why even after several recitations of Mantras it is still bound to happen, because it was prophesied in the Buddhist scriptures. In China, Buddhism has really taken a lot of different interpretations that are watered down. Buddhism, as any other religion in China, is closely monitored and censored by the government. Same thing is currently happening in other parts of Asia, such as Myanmar.
Going back to Maitreya Buddha or Happy Fat Buddha as he is normally called, is said to come when mankind is in need to be reminded of the Dharma. At present Maitreya Buddha is at present said to be living in Tusita Heaven, a celestial place where celestial Bodhisattvas are said to reside. In Tusita Heaven, it is said in the Buddhist scriptures, Maitreya Buddha constantly recites mantras and sutras for us. He also continuously gets lessons in preparation for his coming to earth where he'll achieve enlightenment within 7 days and become a Buddha so that he can impart to us the Dharma.
Typically pictured seated on a throne either cross legged or feet flat on the floor, signifying that he's waiting for his time, Maitreya is originally pictured as a slim, handsome prince. He is also usually dressed as a Indian royalty (India being the origin of Buddhism). As representation of him being a Bodhisattva, it is not uncommon to see that he is also adorned with jewels. A Khata is usually tied around his waist much like a belt.
The idea of him pictured as a Happy Fat Buddha came about of what he represents. The Maitreya Buddha represents wealth, health, love, happiness or joy, success, peace, and harmony. In short, he represents what each person aspire for.
There are several stories as to why the image of Maitreya Buddha became that of the Happy Fat Buddha or Laughing Buddha. In fact, Maitreya is derived from Maitri which means Loving Kindness.
One of the story states that the image of the Happy Fat Buddha came about because of the Chinese buddhist monk Budai. Budai either claimed or people saw in him the qualities of Maitreya Buddha (the written history about this are not clear) that when he passed away people started using his image as the image of Maitreya Buddha.
Another story claims that Maitreya one day visited earth to share the sutras, however, all the women are unable to absorb his teachings because all they can see is a very handsome young prince and they fell in-love with him. Seeing that his image causes women to be distracted he transformed himself to a fat bald man.
Still another story is quite simple. When Buddhism was introduced in China, they're unable to comprehend some aspect of the teachings of Buddhism. For example, Kuan Yin is a female representation of Avalokitesvara, the 'Male' Buddha of Compassion. However, Chinese are unable to comprehend the idea of a very loving, gentle, compassionate MALE being, to make it easier for the people to understand the character and teachings of Avalokitesvara, they decided to represent her with a female image called Kuan Yin or Kwan Sheer Yin (He or She who hears the cries of the world). Allow me to briefly share here that it is said that it is Avalokitesvara himself who instructed some Indian and Tibetan monks through a vision to represent him as Kuan Yin. This is not totally veering away from reality, because in truth, celestial Buddhist gods are androgynous, they are neither male or female, or it can be said they are both male and female. Since at that time Chinese always associates wealth and health with plumpness, and happiness, love, harmony with a happy face, these characteristics became the representation of Maitreya Buddha in China.
Personally, I believe that the 3rd story is the most plausible explanation.
Aside from 'Happy Fat Buddha', 'Laughing Buddha', Maitreya Buddha is also called 'Metteya', 'Puy Lok Yah' (Fookien term for The Happy Fat Father), 'Mi Lo Fu' in Chinese, 'Mile (pronounced as Mee-Lay) Pusa' also in Chinese, Miroku Bosatsu in Japanese, Mireuk Bosal in Korean, Phra Sri Araya Metrai in Thai.
Placing the image of Maitreya Buddha, either as the handsome young prince or as the Happy Fat Buddha or Laughing Buddha helps generate his blessings of happiness, harmony, love, peace, wealth, good health, etc. However, in the Philippines it is easier to get his image as the Laughing Buddha. Also this particular image also gives a psychological effect for all those who see it. It reminds us to be happy, it reminds us to become positive, and at the very least, because of how he looks as the Happy Fat Buddha, it creates an atmosphere of happiness and harmony.
You can place his image either on your altar, or any parts of your house except in the bedroom (for married couples) and or in the rest room.
Wearing an image of the Maitreya Buddha as a pendant is also very auspicious and serves as an homage to him. In return, you get to tap into his blessings.
When I was designing the WISH FULFILLING AND BUDDHA'S BLESSING MANTRA PENDANT, a pendant that I initially designed for myself and for my family but has since then become a popular charm for my readers garnering a lot of very positive personal testimonies, my frustration is not having enough space to include the image of the Happy Fat Buddha. However, since I have a separate Happy Fat Buddha pendant I see no need to include. I'm just happy that the WISH FULFILLING AND BUDDHA'S BLESSING MANTRA PENDANT has since then become an instrument of good luck to a lot of my readers.
NOTE: This post was edited on Dec. 2, 2013.


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Generic name: acetaminophen and oxycodone [ a-SEET-a-MIN-oh-fen-and-OX-i-KOE-done ]
Drug class: Narcotic analgesic combinations
The Tylox brand name has been discontinued in the U.S. If generic versions of this product have been approved by the FDA, there may be generic equivalents available.
What is Tylox?
Tylox contains a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone. Oxycodone is an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a narcotic. Acetaminophen is a less potent pain reliever that increases the effects of oxycodone.
Tylox capsules are used to relieve moderate to severe pain.
Tylox may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
You should not use Tylox if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications.
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
Do not take more of this medication than is recommended. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death. Call your doctor at once if you have nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes).
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction. Stop taking Tylox and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.
Tylox may be habit forming. Never share acetaminophen and oxycodone with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction.
Before taking this medicine
You should not use Tylox if you are allergic to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or oxycodone, or if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or other narcotic medications.
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
To make sure Tylox is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
liver disease, cirrhosis, or if you drink more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day;
a history of alcoholism or drug addiction;
diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease;
bowel obstruction, severe constipation;
a colostomy or ileostomy;
kidney disease;
low blood pressure, or if you are dehydrated;
a history of head injury, brain tumor, or stroke; or
asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders.
Oxycodone may be habit forming. Never share Tylox with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this medication is harmful to an unborn baby, but it could cause breathing problems or addiction/withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Before you take Tylox, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
Acetaminophen and oxycodone may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.
How should I take Tylox?
Take Tylox capsules exactly as prescribed. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Never take Tylox in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. An overdose can damage your liver or cause death. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.
Drink 6 to 8 full glasses of water daily to help prevent constipation while you are taking Tylox capsule. Do not use a stool softener (laxative) without first asking your doctor.
Tylox can cause unusual results with certain urine tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using Tylox.
If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.
Do not stop using Tylox suddenly after long-term use, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop using this medicine.
Store Tylox capsules at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Keep track of the amount of medicine used from each new bottle. Oxycodone is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.
Always check your bottle to make sure you have received the correct pills (same brand and type) of medicine prescribed by your doctor. Ask the pharmacist if you have any questions about the medicine you receive at the pharmacy.
After you have stopped using this medication, flush any unused pills down the toilet. Disposal of medicines by flushing is recommended to reduce the danger of accidental overdose causing death. This advice applies to a very small number of medicines only. The FDA, working with the manufacturer, has determined this method to be the most appropriate route of disposal and presents the least risk to human safety.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Since Tylox is taken as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of Tylox can be fatal.
The first signs of an acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sweating, and confusion or weakness. Later symptoms may include pain in your upper stomach, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
Overdose symptoms may also include extreme drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, cold and clammy skin, muscle weakness, fainting, weak pulse, slow heart rate, coma, blue lips, shallow breathing, or no breathing
What should I avoid?
Tylox may impair your thinking or reactions. Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how Tylox will affect you.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as APAP) is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen.
Tylox side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Tylox: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could occur even if you have taken acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
shallow breathing, slow heartbeat;
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;
seizure (convulsions);
problems with urination; or
nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Common Tylox side effects include:
upset stomach, constipation;
blurred vision; or
dry mouth.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect Tylox?
Taking Tylox with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous or life-threatening side effects. Ask your doctor before taking Tylox with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.
Other drugs may interact with Tylox, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.
More about Tylox (acetaminophen / oxycodone)
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- Drug class: narcotic analgesic combinations
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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Tylox only for the indication prescribed.
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 15.01.


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Top Auto Mechanic ToolsUpdated: Jun. 30, 2017
Pros pick their top automotive tools that pay off in performance and time saved
You might also like: TBD
Overview: Our top automotive tools cast of experts
Doing your own car repairs saves a boatload of money and gives you bragging rights on Monday morning. (Yeah, I replaced my crankshaft over the weekend—so what?) But let's be honest here—you're really in it for the tools, right?
That's what I thought, so I asked three shop owners, our auto mechanic field editors and my gearhead friends to tell you about their favorite tools. As you might expect, some are pricey. But they're simply the best tools around.
I've also added all the special tools I wish I'd had when I first started bustin' bolts (and knuckles). Most are less than $100. And you can use them for nonautomotive projects too. There, isn't that all the justification you need to buy more tools?
Tool 1: David's portable power
David Marofsky and his auto salvage yard crew spend most of their time out in the yard yanking major components out of junk vehicles. So it's no surprise that his tool of choice is a portable 1/2-in.-drive impact wrench. What does surprise me is that all the professional mechanics featured in this story routinely use battery-powered impact wrenches—and not just when they're outside. In fact, David owns several of these workhorses and always keeps one near the hoist. He also owns a few Snap-on 3/8-in.-drive impact wrenches for working under the hood (No. CT4450A; $422 with one 14.4-volt battery, case and charger).
I never thought I'd see the day when battery power replaced compressed air. But David raves about the bolt-busting power (a whopping 620 ft. lb. of breakaway torque) of the CT6850. He even uses it on large 32-mm axle shaft nuts. "It hasn't let me down yet," he says. If you're ready for power on the go and in the shop, check out a battery-powered impact wrench.
Meet a Pro! David Marofsky
David has owned Marco Auto Parts, an auto salvage yard, for 10 years.
Tool 2: Kurt's bolt blaster
Kurt Spohn shares my love of tools, so it's no surprise that he picked the same 3/8-in. drive Snap-on air ratchet I own. Spending over $400 on an air ratchet may seem excessive, but not if you've tried this baby. It puts out 65 ft. lb. of nut-busting torque. That means you can slip a socket onto a bolt head and just press the trigger. The FAR7200 will break it loose and spin it out in seconds.
But be careful when reinstalling nuts and bolts. Make sure the threads are fully engaged before you hit the trigger. Because if they're not, this ratchet is powerful enough to ram a cross-threaded bolt all the way home.
Meet a Pro! Kurt Spohn
Kurt owns Action Auto Repair in Minneapolis.
Tool 3: Paul's bolt spinner
Paul Selbitschka spends quite a bit of time under the hood doing tune-ups and computer diagnostics. Since I already had nominations for power tools, I asked him for his favorite hand tool. He didn't hesitate for a second. He simply loves his flex-head ratchet. The ultra-thin head lets Paul squeeze into tight spaces, and the flex feature allows him to pivot the handle to get maximum leverage for loosening fasteners and spark plugs. The large plastic handle lets him put more muscle into the "break." The ratchet really goes to town once the bolt is loose. Paul just twirls the handle 360 degrees and spins the nuts and bolts out in seconds. It's a cool tool—one that belongs in every DIYer's toolbox, gearhead or not.
Meet a Pro! Paul Selbitschka
Paul owns a Precision Tune Auto Care shop that specializes in auto diagnostics.
Tool 4: Rick's super-sensitive listening device
Wireless stethoscope in action
Track down annoying hard-to-find noises with a wireless stethoscope. Clamp the microphones near the suspects and go for a drive. Then note which transmitter is capturing the offending sound.
Every day, customers ask mechanics to find and fix strange vehicle noises. Lazy mechanics just guess at the cause and replace parts until the noise goes away (on your dime, of course). But professional mechanics use a stethoscope. So I wasn't surprised that several field editors picked the automotive stethoscope as their favorite tool. It's an invaluable tool. But it does have one drawback—it can't help you find a noise that occurs only when you're driving. So some mechanics (like me) are jumping on the wireless bandwagon. To find the source of clunks, thumps and whirs, I use a wireless stethoscope.
This kit comes with four transmitters and microphone clamps, a receiver, headphones and hook-and- loop straps. Just clamp the microphones to the most likely suspects in the general vicinity of the noise. Then take the vehicle for a spin. Listen to each microphone until you hear the noise. That's your villain.
If you've got an annoying vehicle noise but aren't up for buying one of these kits, find a shop that owns one.
Steelman No. STE97202Wireless Chassis Ear Kit; $200 from tooldiscounter.com
Tool 5: Three great socket innovations
Locking extension bars hold on to sockets
It's a drag when you pull your ratchet and extension bar out of a tight spot only to discover that the socket is still stuck on the bolt head. That'll never happen if you use locking extension bars. Pull back the locking ring, snap on a socket and let go. The socket is locked on and will always come out with the extension bar. Neiko Pro-Grade Locking Extension Bar Set (3-, 6-, 10-in.), about $20 at amazon.com
Save your back with a 20-in. extension bar
I was leaning over the fender and elbow deep into a tune-up when an old pro suggested this tool. "Saves your back," he said as he handed me a 20-in. extension bar. Now I use it all the time. Just snap your socket onto the end and ratchet away—while standing. Kobalt No. 337368, 20-in. Extension, about $14 at Lowe's
Flexible sockets get in tight places
With engine compartments more crowded than ever, I find myself reaching for my flex sockets quite often. They have a much shorter profile than an ordinary socket and universal joint combo. Yeah, they're a bit pricey. But they let you remove and install bolts in really inaccessible places. What's that worth to you? KD Tool No. 80565 10-piece set, 3/8-in. drive, metric, about $57 at tooldiscounter.com
Tool 6: Big impact wrench busts bolts
You can buy an inexpensive impact wrench for less than $50, but you'll regret it every time you run into a rusted bolt. Instead, pony up about $200 for a real impact wrench. This new composite impact wrench from Chicago Pneumatic has all the power you'll ever need. Just slap on an impact socket and squeeze the trigger. Rusted bolts give up the fight when faced with 922 ft.-lbs. of reverse torque. That's almost twice the torque of ordinary impact wrenches. So buy a powerful impact wrench. Get the job done. Go play. Chicago Pneumatic No. CPT-7748, about $200 at citrustools.com
Tool 7: Vacuum pump, bleeder, pressure-testing kit
A hand-operated vacuum pump is simply a "must-have" tool. And this Mity Vac kit is well built, reasonably priced and comes with all the attachments you'll ever need.
Use the vacuum pump to test your vacuum-controlled sensors and motors. Or find a leaking vacuum line by plugging each one and applying vacuum. If it holds, it's good. You can also use the gauge to find a vacuum leak. Just spray carb cleaner around the possible leak sites. The gauge will flutter if you spray a leaking area. Want to bleed your brakes yourself? Just attach the fluid transfer bottle and vinyl tubing to the pump. Next, use the refill adapters to keep the master cylinder filled while you suck brake fluid out of the bleeder screws. Keep pumping until you see fresh fluid. You can also use the pump to flush power-steering fluids.
Tool 8: Battery carrier
Old car batteries weigh a ton, and they're always wedged in tight. The days of wrestling one out with your nice clean hands are over. Just open the jaws of this battery carrier, slap it over the battery, and lift up and out. Now you can carry the battery at your side and away from your clothes. Then use it to load in a new battery. Your work's done—and your shirt lives to see another day.
Kastar B600, $19; amazon.com
Tool 9: Out-of-sight pliers
OK, so you alreadyown needle-nosepliers. But have youever noticed howyour hand is always in your line of sight when you're trying to grab small things with them? Well, so did the guys who came up with these Kiwi pliers. Grab one of these pliers and go after clamps, clips and retainers and still see what you're doing.
E-Z Red No. KWP2 2-Piece Kiwi Pliers Set, about $16 at sears.com
Tool 10: Ratchets that protects your knuckles
Bent-handle flex ratchet
Ordinary ratchets are short, so you need lots of muscle. But longer ratchets don't fit well under the hood. GearWrench has the answer. Its bent-handle flexible-head ratchet lets you get into tight places and still get the leverage you need to break bolts. The cushioned grip makes it more comfortable, and the bent handle lets you put even more distance between you and the engine. So when the bolt breaks loose, your knuckles aren't in the way. To sweeten the deal, the three-piece set includes two spark plug sockets with built-in flexible extensions.
GearWrench No. 81229 3-Piece Set, about $56 at amazon.com
Reach into tight places with a ratchet extender
When you're working in areas like engine compartments, sometimes you just can't get your socket into the tight places. That's where this Tite-Reach tool comes in handy. Slap your socket onto one end of the extension tool and attach your ratchet to the other end. Then loosen or tighten the "unreachable" bolt.
Tite-Reach extension tools are available for 1/4-in. and 3/8-in.-drive sockets/ratchets and range in price from low for the plastic consumer version to higher for a set of two metal professional versions. Find them at tite-reach.com.
Tool 11: Light up the hood
Light up the entire engine compartment with this clip-on light. The Underhood Lite fits car and truck hoods from4 ft. to 6 ft. 6 in. wide. Spring-loaded J-hooks snap it onto the hood of your vehicle. The hooks are foam-covered, so you can scratch the scratch worries.
Central Tools No. 13003; $130 from amazon.com
Tool 12: Screwdrivers with hex bolsters
You won't need hex bolsters very often. But when you really need torque, they do the trick. (What's a bolster, you say? It's the place where the shank meets the handle.) Just slide a wrench down the screwdriver shaft and onto the bolster. Then push the screwdriver tip into the screw head and lean into it while you turn the screwdriver with the wrench. Your "lean-in" will keep the screwdriver bit seated in the head, while the wrench gives you added leverage.
TEKTON No. 2757 Mechanic's Screwdriver Set, 8-Piece, about $10 at amazon.com
Tool 13: Hang 'em high air tool holder
Air tools don't come with hooks, and they don't nest well in drawers. So plunk down 23 bucks on this locking air tool holder and your life will be complete. Having second thoughts about that neighbor you entrust with your house key when you're away? Throw your bolt cutters in your suitcase and snap a padlock on the rack. There, it's done.
Lisle locking air tool holder, No. 49960; $23 from amazon.com
Tool 14: Quick-change chuck in air hammer
If you've ever had to change air hammer bits, you know what a pain it is to mess around with the spring retainer. Forget that. This new air hammer from Ingersoll Rand comes with a quick-change chuck and three chisels. Just pull back the collar and slide in a new chisel. Then hit the trigger and you're in business.
Ingersoll Rand EDGE Series 114GQC Air Hammer, about $50 at Lowe's
Tool 15: Flexible funnel keeps things clean
If you do your own oil changes, you need this formable funnel. It bends, molds and flexes so you can channel the oil right into your drain pan. But it's not limited to auto repair. You can use it for plumbing repairs too. Comes in four sizes. Best of all, you can flatten it and keep it right in your toolbox. For more ideas, watch the manufacturer's video at formafunnel.com.
PIG Form-A-Funnel No. 18609, about $20 at amazon.com
Tool 16: Screw pitch gauge
You've lost a bolt and now you're rummaging through your old bolt collection and trying every one that looks like a contender. It turns in a few threads and then stops. Darn, you're trying to ram an "English" bolt into a metric hole. Stop wasting time and buy an inexpensive screw pitch gauge. The gauge reads both metric and English thread sizes. Every shop owns one and you should too. Just find the "leaf" that mates to the threads on the nut or bolt and read the screw "pitch" (for metric fasteners) or the teeth per inch (TPI) for English fasteners. Record the number and run to the hardware store, or use the measurement to match up an old bolt from your collection.
Hanson pitch gauge, No. 12017; $7 from toolsource.com
Tool 17: Disconnect stubborn electrical connectors
Many electrical connectors in late-model vehicles are locked together with plastic pins and slides. Going after them with needle-nose pliers can wreck those "locks." But you can easily finesse them out with one of these picks. They're also good for snatching O-rings and hors d'oeuvres.
Pratt-Read No. 82061B Precision Hook and Pick Set, 4-Piece, about $10 at amazon.com
Tool 18: Finger ratchet for tight places
Carmakers love to install relays and control boxes in deep, dark places under your dash, and there's no way to get big tools in there to loosen the hex-head screws. That's where this 1/4-in.-drive SK Hand Tools (1-1/2-in. diameter) finger ratchet comes in handy. If you can get your hand in place, you can get the fastener out. The fine-tooth ratchet mechanism lets you rotate backward to get another "bite," without turning the screw back in. You won't use this tool often, but when you need to, it pays for itself.
SK Hand Tools 1/4-in.-drive ratchet, No. 49270; $20 from toolfetch.com
Tool 19: Spark plug pliers prevent boot and wire damage
Grab hold of plug wires with pliers and you'll for sure damage the boot. But the padded jaws on this spark plug boot pliers let you get a firm grip on the spark plug boot without tearing it. Slide it onto the top portion of the boot near the wire and clamp down. That'll apply force to the metal clip inside the boot. Then twist and pull. No more torn boots or wires.
Lisle No. 52990 Spark Plug Pliers, about $11 at amazon.com


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(CNN) – When Tuesday evening's showdown between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney concluded, the CNN debate clock showed the president spoke for 3 minutes and 14 seconds longer than his Republican rival.
The totals: 44 minutes, 4 seconds for Obama; and 40 minutes, 50 seconds for Romney.
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
- Check out the CNN Electoral Map and Calculator and game out your own strategy for November.
But in number of words, it was Romney who came out ahead. He spoke 7,984 words - 478 words ahead of Obama, who spoke 7,506 words.
A CNN count found the same phenomenon at the first debate – Obama spoke longer, but said fewer words.
At that matchup, held October 3 in Denver, Obama spoke for 42 minutes, 50 seconds, nearly five minutes more than Romney, who spoke for 38 minutes, 32 seconds.
But the GOP nominee spoke 7,802 words at that first debate, 508 words more than the president. Obama spoke 7,294 words in Denver.
CNN's Lindsey Knight contributed to this report.
Also on the CNN Political Ticker
- Colbert says he can't tell differences between Romney and Obama
- All tied up ahead of second Obama-Romney showdown
- Obama ad makes case for economic policies
- Romney message this week: 'A clear choice on debt and deficits'
- Largely hidden away, Obama reports debate prep 'going great'
This also lets you know that Mitt Romney is a fast talker and will say anything to make a sale. If you are not listening very closely you may fall for the banana in the tail pipe. Kind of like a used car salesmen trying to sell you a lemon and swearing that it's like new. Well I am not falling it for it.
When you don't have to stick to the truth and accuracy, you can talk as fast as you want, no matter how far the fairytale is from the truth.
Romney proved onced again last nite that he is a lying sack of bat guano, and he's got millions of slack-jaws eating it out of his hands.
"Obama wins on time, Romney wins on word count"
reading this headline gave me headache! This is the dumbing down of America.
Now here this: TIME AND WORD COUNT ARE NOT FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN DETERMINING WHO WON A DEBATE.
The fact that CNN has an article about this makes me sad
@West Coast. Obama is in denial about Libya? He took sole blame for it more than once last night. You'll have to try harder to find a reason to slam him.
New question over whether presdient obama is presenting a clear vision for next 4 yrs
""It's proven FACT that tax cuts do NOT CREATE JOBS! DEMAND creates jobs in every sector. Dubya's tax cuts cost $6.4 Trillion and didn't create a SINGLE job."""
Riiiight. And unemployment was what during all but the last year of Bush's term???? 4.6 percent. Stop lying.
Give it up people, stop saying Romney is lying without EVIDENCE or PROOF showing that he is lying!!! We can say anyone is lying anytime we want but that does NOT make it true!!!! Show me some PROOF and EVIDENCE of his lies; otherwise you are the ones looking like lying fools!!!
But every word from Obama's lips was like golden dewdrops from angels, bringing comfort and peace to your very soul. Obama could have said only ONE word (for instance, "muffin") and the effect would have been the same. It doesn't matter WHAT he says, all that matters is that he says something. Don't you understand?
The eloquent that Obama spents most of his speaking with uh- uh- uh.
Not very informative words are they?
That is because he has nothing to say.
The president wins period.
I also owe Candy Crowley an apology. She did a good job with one exception: she should have been clearer on whose time it was to speak, as both men were confused at times and didn't know if it was their turn or not.
The audience was also good at not showing their true feelings, although at the end, they surrounded the president as any thinking American would.
@Wire Palladin, S. F.....trying paying attention to the actual words that he says for a change!!! Even CNN polls had Romney's economic plan way in the lead over Obama's. Last I saw after the debate it was like 61% to 31% and the best part is that the poll was 58% Dems and 33% Rep. LOL
CNN how come Candy Crowly had the transcript conveniently readily handy of Obama's speech in the Rose garden right b/4 he hopped on AF1 to Vegas for a fundraiser? Doesnt that strike anyone as odd? Why is she sticking up for Obama?
Secondly, Crowley later came out and "ate crow" (yes pun intended), when she said SHE WAS WRONG!!! OBAMA DID NOT CALL IT AN ACT OF TERROR! Nothing CNN?
Wow the President lie to cover up our Amb.+3 deaths yet it's Romney who is the liar and is being political about Libya.
When will this country wake. up.
As both stood before us talking of putting America back to work...My question Where are the suits they have on made? How come one of them has not challenged the other to a made in America debate? Could one of them promises that if elected or reelected he would not put a tax of any sort state or federal for the first three months of his term on Any product made in our America? You want to give us Americans jobs then they need to start in there own yard and remove the hazing and slander for the others party digging up useless information except for there own egos and political gain. Put us back to work and do it by giving us a tax break on our goods made here in America. Not Saying I don't enjoy a lot of the products made in other counties or the money I saved on them, but if I get the savings with made in America with no taxes on it my next new car our truck would be American made and bought the fist three months of the next President.
Malory Archer
So the challenger is a fast talker. Great if you're looking for a used car salesman; not so much if you're looking for a statesman.
Sorry to inform you that Obama is no statesman. Anyone who lets his Secretary of State take the blame before him for 4 loyal Americans dying because his administration didn't give them protection and secrity is no Statemen. During the 1st debate he looked like a stuffed pillow without the stuffing..next you got laughing Joe, last night we had angry Obama. What is next? No vote Obama...Mitt gets my vote...and I'm from Massachusetts!
Romney can talk faster because he does not think about what he's saying and he's not using facts.
Maybe after the election, Romney can get a job reading the legal disclaimers at the end of radio ads?
I am getting the since that Obama runs his campaign on thoughts of idealism and Romney is running on facts and figures, realism. I think its time Obama faces reality, American is major debt trouble without any clear vision of where we are going. I think its time to move forward in a different direction Mr. Obama.
But do RoMoney's LIES count as words?
'The case of Before & after.....we remember John Kerry as the Presidental -Candidate saying..."I was against it..before I was for it"....or whatever..................................
Pres Obama's Foreign-Policy sounds a lot like it....Before Pres Obama on the UN-podium said that the Benghazi attack was the result of the "Anti Islam Film" and not a terrorist-attack...said it six times...but now on the podium in the Town Hall Debate said..."I said terrorist-attack the very next it happened in my Rose-Garden speech"...".Didn't I Candy"...
"Yes indeed you did" said Candy....Furthermore was Pres Obama Really debating Romney on this or was he reprimanding Hillary Clinton who the day before took the lead and announced "I take Responsibility for what happened and I am responsible for the security of the more than 60,000 Empoyees at the Sate Department"....We heard Pres Obama say..."Hillary works for me and as....In-Chiel "I take Responsibility".........and so we must ask the question: "If Pres Obama knew the next day of the attack that indeed it was a Terrorist-attack...then why was he not specific and came clean with the American People and delared then "I take Responsibility........?


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The difference between positive thoughts and negative ones…is simply a word or two.
Rather than mentioning how much I MISS specific things, as an optimist I will say instead, I have WONDERFUL MEMORIES of things. It is so easy, but we get in the habit of using negative words and phrases, and our minds, being brilliant learning machines, places the words used into thoughts and feelings.
Today I would like to share memories of things I treasure. I will hope and pray that the children of today, though perhaps unable to enjoy the exact memories, will have exceptional memories of their own as they grow into adults.
The first thing that comes to mind: sitting in a tree when I was eight or so, and I enjoyed the sound of the birds and the big clouds mixing together before a storm. I ate so many tart green apples it did make me ill for a bit – but worth every moment I had sitting in that tree.
I remember how the sound of a train made me feel warm and think of places in the country and the thrill when the engine operator saw me and tooted his long horn. The sound still makes me stop and think….
I remember laying in the grass and listening to silence, while clouds configured into animals and faces, and wonderful things.
I remember riding my bike with my sister to the high school in the evening. There was no fear, no helmet, and no restriction to be home before dark. We dropped our bikes and changed into swimsuits and jumped into the pool. I loved to do a headstand in the water – legs straight as a board.
I remember walking on a downed tree with my cousin on the end of it, pushing it up and down to see if he could shake me off. We laughed and smiled and then went fishing on the river in Kings Canyon.
I remember seeing so many butterflies when the flowers came into bloom. A butterfly would flutter by…The bees came round too when the flowers were in bloom, another memory of joy.
I remember going to a camp where my brother and sister and I floated candles on little lily pads made of cardboard as a show of our faith in Jesus. The lake was brilliant with the light of so many that night.
I remember being scolded at that camp because I let a boy kiss me lightly on the lips. It is not the scolding that brings a fond memory, but because I liked the boy – it was the kiss!
I remember always, with my family, sharing laughter and song. Often we broke into song for no particular reason. We still do. I remember holding each of my children close to me, and thanking God for them.
I am joyful and grateful I was born with something inside my heart than always finds a way to smile and be positive. I believe I was born to love, and in turn, I have been given love by so many people along the way.
I remember as a young adult someone told me "I have the cracklings of a healer" – which to me is wonderful. I want others to feel their hearts almost explode with joy, and their bodies and minds to heal..I want them to KNOW and use the power of the Spirit within.
I am grateful for living, thirty years now, with a man who kept his promises…and still does.
Fireflies, bonfires, a church bell ringing, children giggling, the feel of a baby laying on your chest-your heartbeat and the infants heartbeat, the dog laying upside down, sleeping and snoring, the unity of loved ones when Spirit leaves a body, the faith that keeps you going even when it seems impossible, the movement of the foot when a piece of music begins and that rhythm awakens the body and prods it to get up and dance just for fun, a sunset on the beach with sand sifting between your toes, the sunrise in the pines when the smell of coffee and the sound of crackling bacon awakens you, the colors as leaves turn from green to red and drop off of the trees, the dogs jumping in a pile of leaves you just raked up, a child's eyes as he sits up in a bathtub, after showing you he can put his head under water, the parents gathered together to watch the soccer game with the young children beginning to hone skills in physical challenges, the bravery of a young soldier when he comes home with only one leg and works to begin again, holding hands, a good movie that leaves you smiling and feeling elated, the smile of someone you don't know sitting next to you in stopped traffic, the look someone you love gives you when they shine eyes upon you, and you know they love you, and oh so very much more……all the miracles of the moments, the days, the months, the years.
THIS IS my year of GRATITUDE for all the memories, and all the wonderful moments of life to come – NO MATTER WHAT!
I pray this will be the beginning of a new and beautiful year for you too! REMEMBER there are a few ways to make it happen.
No matter what happens keep in mind you ALWAYS have a choice in how you respond; make it a positive response.
Prayer works so use it. (Even if you question this, try one prayer a day and see what happens!)
Wake up and say, "This is going to be a very good day." Turn around potentially bad incidents into a learning scenario, and move forward.
Think before you speak. As ye think, so shall ye become.
Be a better listener.
Love one another – and FORGIVE. We all make mistakes.


text:
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- Cable isn't waiting until the summer to roll out its latest wave of originals.
More than 40 newcomers will bow in the next few months while even more are due back.
Here's a breakdown of the latest additions:
-- CMT will offer up its new "adventure" reality series "Gator 911" and "Danger Coast" on Friday, April 9 starting at 9:00/8:00c. The former "chronicles the adventures of Gary Suarage, conservationist and owner of the Texas-based adventure park, Gator Country" while the latter details "the dramatic exploits of Miami's elite waterborne Marine Operations Bureau as they fight against overwhelming odds to selflessly protect the public at large."
-- E! has booked the second season premiere of "Kendra" for Sunday, March 14 at 10:00/9:00c. Leading out of the show's sophomore season will be "Pretty Wild," a Chelsea Handler-produced reality series about tabloid fodder the Neiers sisters.
-- Discovery's veteran franchise "Mythbusters" will return with new episodes of Wednesday, March 24 at 9:00/8:00c. Meanwhile on its sister networks, Science Channel will offer up "Machines!" (formerly "How Machines Work") on Friday, March 5; TLC will get "Addicted" on Wednesday, March 17; and Investigation Discovery will be back "On the Case With Paula Zahn" on Sunday, April 18.
-- On Thursday, April 8, look for "LisaRaye: The Real McCoy" on TV One. The reality series tracks the day-to-day world of the actress/fashion designer.
-- MTV will offer up the 19th edition of "The Real World/Road Rules Challenge" on Wednesday, April 7 at 10:00/9:00c. Then on Tuesday, April 27, the cable channel will roll out new seasons of "The Hills" and "The City."
-- Troy Dunn's "The Locator" will move outside its usual Saturday night home when its fourth season premieres Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00/9:00c on WE tv.
-- And finally over on the Travel Channel, "Dhani Tackles the Globe" returns with a new season on Monday, April 19 at 11:00/10:00c. The following week, look for "Bizarre Foods" to kick off its fifth season on Monday, April 26 at 10:00/9:00c.
As always, you can find a daily (or monthly) list of upcoming premieres in our Listings section.


text:
You have a router. It's ugly and it blinks. Maybe it's located somewhere where you can't completely place it out of view. Maybe it needs to be in the open for reasons of signal strength. Either way, here's a very quick, very easy, and very elegant way to camouflage your router in the home.
Deadly Mississippi Tornado Kills More Than 2 Dozen | Extreme Earth
- Find a visually attractive hardcover book of little value that is around the same height and depth as your router when placed flat.
- Gut the middle of that book, removing all pages. (An Xacto knife works well, apparently.)
- Slip the book around the router so that the spine is covers the front.
Aaaaaaaand you're finished.
That said, this probably isn't the best idea if the primary heat vents for your router aren't located around the back and sides. But for the rest of us, it's a quick way to de-nerd our tech dens. [Ana Maria Muñoz via Apartment Therapy]
Image via Ana Maria Muñoz


text:
IT'S A NEW DAY at the PGA Merchandise Show. I conquered parking. I know my way around. And I have a plan. Here's an outline of my activities:
9:00 a.m. – I arrive in the media room and set up on the back table. A few minutes later, AP golf writer Doug Ferguson plugs in beside me. Nearly every time you read an AP wire story about the PGA Tour on any Web site or in any newspaper, it came from Doug's laptop. He's the guy. We chitchatted about where we're from, I-95 and the high price of wireless Internet in this media room ($24.95 a day!).
9:30 a.m. – I meet Tammy Boclair of Alday Communications, a Nashville-area PR and marketing firm that works with the PGA of America on golf initiatives such as Play Golf America and Get Golf Ready, a new program designed to introduce golf to new players.
10:30 a.m. – I stop by Booth #4994 to meet Casey Jones (Casey Jones Golf). Casey is a professional scoreboard artist who hand draws scores on scoreboards at PGA Tour events. Inside the ropes on a regular basis, Casey has unique access to Tour players and an up-close perspective on tournament golf. He has turned his artistic talent into a creative business venture, custom drawing oversized scorecards and other items to commemorate special events. One of his semi-regular playing companions in the Atlanta area is Stewart Cink, who fired a ho-hum 31 the last time the two played nine holes.
11:00 a.m. – Where's Ian Poulter? I'm unable to locate the Fashion Gallery where Poulter is showcasing his new clothing line and holding a press conference. I turn back and begin the long walk to an event at the PGA Equipment Forum Stage.
11:15 a.m. – I walk by David Leadbetter, who is at the Golf Pride booth talking about grips. I overhear him say, "Putting is all about feel." Indeed. I walk by Butch Harmon, who is doing a demo at the Momentus Golf booth. Butch is saying something about ball position in the stance. I walk by the Bridgestone booth where Paula Creamer is attracting a large crowd and a long line of autograph seekers. There's no time for David, Butch, or Paula because I'm on my way to see my favorite golfer, Lorena Ochoa.
11:30 a.m. – PING presents the "other" No. 1 player in the world, Lorena Ochoa. But first a VP talks a lot about their nFlight clubfitting system. (Please stop. Please bring out Lorena.) Finally, out walks a smiling Lorena for a demonstration and Q&A. As you can imagine, it's crowded, but I had slipped into one of the last remaining front-row seats, pen and pad at the ready. (Look for my separate story on Lorena.)
12:30 p.m. – Lunch in the media room. I meet and talk with Kevin Sniffen, VP of The Hamilton Group, a public relations and marketing communications agency that represents golf and travel industry clients, including the Turning Stone Resort, site of a PGA Tour Fall Series event. I also meet Vince Matracco, the host of Golf Talk, a weekly radio show based in the Sacramento area. We talk a bit about the California governor's golf tax proposal. Vince says he thinks it's a trial balloon that isn't going anywhere.
3:30 p.m. – The difference between the men's and women's game is apparent. Women's golf legend Nancy Lopez only draws about two-dozen people to the Fashion Gallery stage for an appearance, so she remains at the NancyLopezGolf booth. I wait in a short line, shake Nancy's hand, and thank her for her contributions to the game. I ask her for an interview at a later date. Sure, she says. I hope to bring that to you in the spring. (I also pick up autographs for my two daughters.)
4:00 p.m. – I attend a special preview of Uneven Fairways, the Golf Channel's new documentary on the Negro leagues of pro golf. It will air in mid February. Watch it; it's a history lesson on the African American golf pioneers who made Tiger Woods possible.
5:20 p.m. – While packing up, I meet Jeff Babineau, editor of Golfweek. I ask him how it's going since he took over for Dave Seanor (fired over the "noose" cover controversy). Fine, he says. Jeff still enjoys reporting and writing, even though he also has editorial responsibilities.
More to come.
−The Armchair Golfer


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3 more Secret Service employees ousted in scandal
Three more Secret Service employees have been forced out of the government, bringing to nine the number of people who have lost their jobs in the prostitution scandal roiling the agency. President Barack Obama said the employees at the center of the sordid episode were "knuckleheads," but not representative of the agency that protects his family in the glare of public life.
Two employees have resigned and a third is having his national security clearance revoked, the Secret Service said Tuesday. The employee whose clearance is being revoked can appeal the decision.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said one of the resigning agents stayed at the Hilton hotel in Cartagena, Colombia, where Obama stayed for the Summit of Americas. The others stayed at the nearby Hotel Caribe.
Two others have been cleared of serious misconduct. Last week, six employees, including two supervisors, were forced out and another was cleared of serious wrongdoing. The three who were cleared will still face "appropriate administrative action", the Secret Service said.
The scandal erupted after a fight over payment between a Colombian prostitute and a Secret Service employee spilled into the hallway of the Hotel Caribe. A dozen military personnel have also been implicated and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this week they have had their security clearances suspended.
Obama acknowledged Tuesday that the scandal was "a little distracting" and pressed for perspective.
"These guys are incredible. They protect me. They protect Michelle. They protect the girls. They protect our officials all around the world," the president said on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."
"A couple of knuckleheads shouldn't detract from what they do," Obama added. "What these guys were thinking, I don't know. That's why they're not there anymore."
Even as Obama spoke, officials on Capitol Hill were probing for any misconduct in the agency in the past decade and girding for the first public accounting of the incident that embarrassed the Obama administration.
A dozen Secret Service personnel and another 12 military enlistees preparing for Obama's visit to Cartagena have been under investigation for cavorting with prostitutes.
As many as 20 prostitutes were involved with the group, officials say, and none are believed to be underage.
Local law enforcement intervened on the prostitute's behalf during the fight over payment. Paid sex is legal in Cartagena but violates codes of conduct for U.S. personnel who were working there.
In a similar but unrelated incident, Panetta said Tuesday that three Marines on a U.S. Embassy security team and one embassy staff member were punished for allegedly pushing a prostitute out of a car in Brasilia, Brazil, last year after a dispute over payment. Panetta, speaking in Brasilia, said he had "no tolerance for that kind of conduct."
A senior defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an investigation, said in the wake of the Cartagena scandal the woman involved in the Brasilia incident has hired a lawyer and is suing the embassy. The official said the woman broke her collarbone when she was pushed from the car.
The military investigation into the Cartagena incident is continuing.
The Colombia scandal has been widely denounced by official Washington, but it's a delicate political matter in an election year with the presidency and congressional majorities at stake. All sides have praised Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan's swift action and thorough investigation, in part because he's spent significant time keeping key lawmakers in the loop. Pentagon officials too are investigating and are expected to brief Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin and ranking Republican John McCain on Wednesday.
Even so, at least four congressional committees are investigating on the grounds that letting foreign nationals near U.S. personnel with sensitive information about the president's visit is a national security risk. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is expected to face tough questions Wednesday from the Senate Judiciary Committee on such matters as whether the agency's inspector general has launched an independent investigation.
Another Senate panel is looking for a pattern of misconduct. Sen. Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told reporters Tuesday that he'll hold hearings on the service's culture and whether clear rules exist on how agents should behave when they are off duty but on assignment.
"I mean you think they wouldn't need that but maybe they do," Lieberman said. He added that his investigators are taking a longer view and beginning to follow up on tips that "whistle-blower people" have called in. He declined to provide details.
"I want to ask questions about whether there is any other evidence of misconduct by Secret Service agents in the last five or 10 years," Lieberman said. "If so what was done about it, could something have been done to have prevented what happened in Cartagena? And now that it has happened, what do they intend to do?"
Associated Press writers Ben Feller, Jim Kuhnhenn and Donna Cassata in Washington and Lolita C. Baldor in Brasilia, Brazil, contributed to this report.


text:
The S&P 500 is up a whopping 200% from its March 2009 low. At 2,003, the S&P has already exceeded many analysts' forecasts.
Morgan Stanley strategist Adam Parker and economist Ellen Zentner believe that the conditions are just right for the bull market to keep going for years.
"Our best guess is that an S&P 500 peak of near 3000 is possible should the U.S. expansion prove to have five or more years left to it, based on 6% per annum EPS growth through that time frame and a 17x price-to-earnings ratio," Parker writes.
Like many experts on Wall Street, Parker reminds us that our recent experience of crisis to recovery is not like most of history's boom-and-bust cycles. He also reminds us that bull markets and economic recoveries don't just end because they have gone on for a long time.
"We believe a prolonged period of deleveraging in the U.S., coupled with an uneven global recovery, are just two of the reasons why this could prove to be the longest US expansion — ever," he writes.
In a meaty 27-page research note titled "2020 Vision: Long Live the Expansion," Parker and Zentner argue that the U.S. economy is actually only in the early parts of its growth cycle. It is also uniquely positioned in the world, benefiting from low volatility, healthier balance sheets, and a lack of corporate exuberance.
Here's their bulleted summary (verbatim):
- The world economy is not in sync. Major regional economies are at different points along the growth cycle. In general, DM is leading while EM is lagging.
- Volatility in the U.S. continues to trend lower, which can extend the life of expansions.
- Deleveraging in the U.S. is ongoing, albeit largely complete, and balance sheet priorities have shifted.
- Interest payments on debt burdens are ultra-low, and household debt dynamics suggest there exists a sizable cushion protecting consumers in a rising interest rate environment.
- Capital spending and inventories do not look stretched.
- Corporate management hubris and other corporate metrics of overheating remain muted.
- Several broad economic indicators in the U.S. have only just reached "normal" expansionary levels and are far from looking unsustainable.
A couple of things are worth highlighting from the analysts' note.
The Capital Spending Comeback
First is their comment about capital expenditures, or business investment. The capex recovery has been one of the most highly anticipated and controversial aspects of this recovery. And recent data show that it's finally happening.
However, Parker notes that capex levels are still at reasonable levels when considered relative to sales. For Parker, this is a sign that "hubris" is absent.
The Debt Cushion
No one has forgotten the financial crisis, which was highlighted by a freeze in credit. This had even the most financially healthy companies struggling to meet their financial obligations.
However, that memory also had companies turning their balance sheets into fortress balance sheets.
Many companies engaged in aggressive amounts of refinancing, which pushed the maturities on their debt back by several years.
From an income statement perspective, a very high interest coverage ratio shows that companies have plenty of operating earnings to finance their current debt financing needs.
Obviously, there's no guarantee that we're looking at five years of smooth sailing.
"There are a number of ways the current expansion could get derailed," Parker writes. "Europe and China are already slowing and near recession in some parts. Japan is highly dependent on the success of policy. U.S. reforms on key issues like the budget, taxes and entitlements, and immigration seem a long way off and are likely to cause much angst in the coming years. And after a prolonged period of unprecedented monetary policy accommodation, we are on the cusp of removal of that accommodation — also in an unprecedented way."
But their base case remains quite bullish.
"As the prolonged expansion becomes more visible, we'd expect a materially higher U.S. stock market."


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Health News
Diseases that May Go Hand in Hand
Patients who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) face a greater risk of developing shingles compared to those without COPD. The risk becomes even greater for those taking oral steroids for COPD.
That Long and Dusty Road
Past research has shown that living close to busy roadways increases the risk of asthma in developed countries. Now, a new study shows that the same holds true Peru, a developing country.
You're Doing It Wrong
Once asthma and lung disease patients leave the hospital and are no longer under the supervision of physicians, they are likely to misuse their respiratory inhalers, according to new research.
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Used BMW MotorcyclesThe legendary German marque that is so well known for its automobiles actually has its roots in motorcycles. BMW's first motorcycle, the R32, debuted in 1923, and its Flat-Twin engine layout is still used in its current lineup. The BMW name is known for premium motorcycles that can go long distances, although its current offerings are also geared toward younger and faster riders.
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"Light tomorrow with today." ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning
This morning I lined up for a 5k knowing I'm not in racing condition, knowing that I've struggled all summer to find space in my runs, and knowing that 3 miles now feels like a long run. I know all of this, yet I was excited. The timing of this race just felt right. I was ready to test my new running philosophy: accept where I am at today.
But old habits die hard. I did my best not to speculate about finish times, to analyze the few runs I have worn my garmin on this summer to predict my outcome, or to stress that a PR wasn't a possibility (24:50 for those of you who are curious, 7:59 pace). I only let my brain wander as far as setting a few loose goals for the race outside of enjoying myself and pushing myself on the course.
A perfect day – 27:xx, 8:59 pace (I am well aware that I ran this pace for 10 miles in April. Another true test of my new running philosophy. Could my ego let go?)
A solid run – Low 9s
Crap that sucked – anything over 9:20
I lined up next to a few friends and told them that who ever was having a solid day running was required to run.
Laura and I stuck together for Mile 1. I had previously told her my plan was to hit a 9 minute mile. At some point she kindly told me that if a 9 minute mile was my pace, I was running way too fast. We slowed down, chatted, and had some fun.
Mile 1 – 8:28
In mile 2 I encouraged Laura to go ahead. My stomach was telling me to slow down, but I knew I was in a good spot if I could just hang on. Panicking mid-race has been my weakness this year. When I saw 8:28 on my watch and my stomach started to rumble, I felt panic taking over. My focus quickly become to sit in a pocket that felt comfortable. Don't panic. Relax. Don't panic. Relax.
Mile 2 – 9:35 (I may have got a little too comfortable this mile)
Mile 3 was about hanging on. My hip flexors are tight lately. I like to lead with my pelvis when I run. Instead of focusing on the miles or the finish line, I focused on my body. I did my best to keep my hips under me. I did my best to keep my upper body relax.
Mile 3 – 9:16
In the final stretch I found a familiar face. Teresa, the overall female winner today, came back to run me in. She helped squeeze out the last bit of energy I had left in my legs. She reminded me to lift my knees and to use my arms. She took over my thinking since my brain had shut off.
Final stretch – 6:58 pace
Official Finish time: 28:00, 9:02 pace
Am I happy with this run? You bet!
It's no secret my ego has been attached to my running ability for some time. It's so easy to get caught up in the race to run further or to run faster. I got stuck in a place that let the pace on a race clock determine my level of success. Today that ego didn't show up. I hope it's squashed for good. I ran each mile as best I could. I have happily accepted exactly where I am at right now, not last year, not last month, but today! Coming to terms with this has been hard. My ego put up a good fight. But man, it feels good to kick that ego to the curb. It feels good to enjoy the run!
Today's run was perfect! It makes me really excited about the fall races I have coming up!


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Arizona GOP reprimands McCain
The Arizona Republican Party has formally reprimanded Sen. John McCain, censuring him for a liberal voting record and working with Democrats in Washington.
The state party adopted a resolutionby voice vote condemning the five-term senator for a record that is "disastrous and harmful" to the nation during a party meeting in Tempe on Saturday. The resolution knocks McCain for being critical of his party's conservative wing while staying "eerily silent against liberals," working closely with Democrats on immigration reform and not backing a conservative strategy to defund Obamacare, which McCain long warned would result in October's government shutdown.
In adopting the censure, state GOP leaders affirmed that until McCain champions the party platform they will "no longer support, campaign for or endorse John McCain as our U.S. senator." The resolution was authored by Timothy Schwartz, the chairman of the Arizona District 30 Republicans and a member of a conservative wing of Arizonans who have long been critical of McCain.
( PHOTOS: John McCain's life and career)
"America's voters believe that 'fake-Cain' is OK. We want the public to know Sen. McCain does not have the support of his own party," Schwartz toldKSAZ.
McCain's office declined to comment but pointed to a spirited defense of McCain by a former colleague, the now-retired Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). In an interviewwith the Arizona Republic, Kyl described the resolution as "wacky" and not representative of the state's GOP voters.
"To say that John McCain doesn't work with Republicans, doesn't have a conservative voting record – that's just baloney," said Kyl, a former Republican whip.
( PHOTOS: Joe Biden and John McCain)
Kyl's successor, GOP Sen. Jeff Flake, also defended McCain and said "Arizona is fortunate to have the conservative leadership" of the senior GOP lawmaker.
Twenty percent of the state's committee members from at least four counties had to sign off on the measure to bring it to the floor, according to party rules. About 700 of the state's 1,658 committee members were present, said Arizona Republican Party spokesman Tim Sifert.
Since his unsuccessful run for president in 2008, McCain has already fended off one conservative primary challenger, former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, and was returned to office by Arizonans in 2010. He has not definitively stated whether he will run for reelection in 2016.


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Mortar slams into Syrian school, killing 29 students
While concerns over the potential use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government increase, a conventional weapon does lethal damage in a Damascus suburb.
| Beirut
A mortar slammed into a school in the Damascus suburbs on Tuesday, killing 29 students and a teacher, according to state media, as the civil war closed in on President Bashar Assad's seat of power.
The state-run news agency SANA blamed the attack on terrorists, the term the regime uses for rebels who are fighting to topple the government. There were no immediate details on the ages of the students or their identities.
But the bloodshed comes as Syrian forces fired artillery at rebel targets in and around the capital and the international community grew increasingly alarmed about the regime's chemical weapons stocks.
Syrian rebels have made gains in recent weeks, overrunning military bases and bringing the fight to Damascus. Since Thursday, the capital has seen some of the heaviest fighting since July, killing scores of people, forcing international flights to turn back or cancel flights and prompting the United Nations to withdraw most of its international staff.
"The push to take Damascus is a real one, and intense pressure to take control of the city is part of a major strategic shift by the rebel commanders' strategy," said Mustafa Alani, a Middle East analyst from the Geneva-based Gulf Research Center. "They have realized that without bringing the fight to Damascus, the regime will not collapse."
U.S. intelligence has detected signs the regime was moving chemical weapons components around within several sites in recent days, according to a senior U.S. defense official and two U.S. officials. The activities involved movement within the sites, rather than the transfer of components in or out of various sites, two of the officials said.
But this type of activity had not been detected before and one of the U.S. officials said it bears further scrutiny.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned Tuesday that "if anybody uses chemical weapons, I would expect an immediate reaction from the international community."
His comments echoed a warning on Monday from President Barack Obama that there would be consequences if Assad made the "tragic mistake" of deploying chemical weapons.
"Syrian stockpiles of chemical weapons are a matter of great concern," Fogh Rasmussen said as he arrived in Brussels.
Syria is believed to have hundreds, if not thousands, of tons of chemical agents, including mustard gas, a blistering agent, and the more lethal nerve agents sarin and VX, experts say.
Syria is party to the 1925 Geneva Protocol banning chemical weapons in war.
In July, Syria threatened to unleash its chemical and biological weapons in case of a foreign attack. The statement was Syria's first-ever acknowledgement that the country possesses weapons of mass destruction.
But the regime quickly tried to clarify its comments, saying "all of these types of weapons — IF ANY — are in storage and under security." That appeared to be an attempt to return to the regimes position of neither confirming nor denying whether it possessed non-conventional weapons.
NATO foreign ministers are expected Tuesday to approve member Turkey's request for Patriot anti-missile systems to bolster its defense against strikes from neighboring Syria.
Ankara, which has firmly backed the Syrian opposition, wants the Patriots to defend against possible retaliatory attacks by Syrian missiles carrying chemical warheads.
Syria is reported to have an array of artillery rockets, as well as short- and medium-range missiles in its arsenal — some capable of carrying chemical warheads.
Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs foreign policy magazine, said Assad will never leave without a fight because he has so few options.
"Assad realizes that there is no way back for him," said Lukyanov, a leading Russian foreign policy expert with high-level Foreign Ministry connections. "If he tries to jump the boat, his own supporters will not forgive him for doing that. And if he loses, no one will give him any guarantees."
In the Damascus area, the Britain-based opposition activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday's clashes between rebels and troops loyal to Assad were taking place in Beit Saham, Akraba and Yalda suburbs as well as near the international airport.
The Observatory relies on reports from activists on the ground.
The Damascus suburbs, which have been opposition strongholds since the uprising against Assad began in March 2011, have been the scene of heavy fighting since last week following the start of an army offensive to regain lost territory around the capital. Assad's forces have so far repelled major rebel advances on the capital, though their hold may be slipping.
SANA reported that a journalist for the state-run Tishrin newspaper was killed near his home in al-Tadhamon suburb of Damascus. Naji Assaad was "assassinated by an armed terrorist group" Tuesday morning on his way to work, SANA said. The regime refers to rebels fighting to topple Assad as terrorists.
The Syrian uprising began with peaceful protests in March 2011, but has since morphed into a civil war that activists say has killed more than 40,000 people.
Reports emerged Tuesday of at least three killings of at least a dozen people each a day earlier.
A regime shell attack on the Aleppo neighborhood of Bustan al-Qasr killed 12 men, the Observatory said. Amateur videos posted online showed bloody and dismembered bodies lying on a sidewalk in front of destroyed shops as people struggled to lift the wounded into vans and pick-up trucks.
Nearby, dozens of men stood in what the unnamed cameraman said was a bread line.
"We still see people standing in a long line despite a massacre to get bread," the cameraman says.
The Observatory also reported 13 dead in a separate attack in Aleppo's Halak neighborhood.
The group said at least 17 unidentified bodies were found in the Damascus suburb of Thiyabiyeh.
In an online video showing the dead lined up on a floor, many of their heads bloody, an off camera voice says they were shot after being detained at a government checkpoints.
The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other reports on the incidents.
Washington has so far declined to intervene in the crisis, saying doing so could worsen the conflict.
On Monday, U.S. officials said the White House and its allies were weighing military options to secure Syria's chemical and biological weapons.
Syria is believed to have several hundred ballistic surface-to-surface missiles capable of carrying chemical warheads, and a U.S. defense official said American and allied intelligence officials have detected activity around more than one of Syria's chemical weapons sites in the last week.
As the battles rage on the ground, there was growing speculation about the fate of a top Syrian spokesman who has become a prominent face of the regime.
Lebanese security officials say Jihad Makdissi, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman, flew Monday from Beirut to London. But it was not clear whether Makdissi had defected, quit his post, or been forced out. Syria had no official comment on Makdissi, who speaks fluent English and has defended the regime's crackdown on dissent.


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When Luke is driving Kee and Theo to a boat on the coast, the car's heads-up-display shows him the car's speed with a translucent red number and speed gauge. There are also two broken, blurry gauges showing unknown information.
Suddenly the road becomes blocked by a flaming car rolled onto the road by a then unknown gang. In response, an IMPACT warning triangle zooms in several times to warn the driver of the danger, accompanied by a persistent dinging sound.


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Guest Opinion: The time has come for an expanded BCC early college program
Bristol Community College faculty, staff and administrators are always looking for opportunities to build partnerships with the Fall River community, and importantly, with BMC Durfee High school. We look forward to expanding such partnerships with Durfee, should the very new prospect of an early college program develop between our institutions. That idea, while promising, has yet to be explored fully and will need to meet the approval of all our respective constituencies.
In the meantime, we already host dozens of thriving academic initiatives and programs. The Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program annually provides resources, matched with college funds, to support several hundreds of qualified students in the region each year to complete rigorous coursework at Bristol Community College.
This spring alone, 356 students are being served. In this program, students meet both high school and college program requirements at the same time. Between 50 and 100 Durfee students participate each year, performing very well as measured by earned grade reports. They learn in college classrooms alongside college students.
BCC also runs several grant-funded contract courses each year for students at Durfee: college success seminars, developmental math courses and STEM science offerings. We partner on a successful program for students at risk of dropping out of Durfee or the alternative high school, called Gateway to College, which is modeled on early college principles and allows for college credits to count toward high school completion and college degree requirements simultaneously.
In all these partnerships, the instructors are qualified Bristol Community College full-time or adjunct faculty members. Other successful and long-term partnerships between BCC and Durfee include the federal Upward Bound program, going on its 25th year; the federal Educational Talent Search program; the College Access Challenge program; and more. These college preparation programs provide academic instruction, tutoring and field experiences for first-generation college-bound youth.
A robust early college program at BCC may be an idea whose time has come. Our long history of working together has built a strong foundation.
Sarah Morrell is dean of the Division of Access and Transition at Bristol Community College.


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Boston Marathon bombing: Is American jihadism on the rise?
The Boston Marathon bombing suspects appear to be the latest American jihadis, responsible for a surge in homegrown terror plots and attacks. But their ranks are diminishing, say some experts.
The emerging portrait of the brothers Tsarnaev, deceased 26-year-old Tamerlan and Dzhokhar, 19, both implicated in a terrorist bomb attack at the Boston Marathon, is one that increasingly describes a pair of homegrown American jihadis.
However what caused Tamerlan and Dzhokhar, who shared an apartment in Cambridge, Mass., to "radicalize" – going from young party-throwing American immigrants to suspected bomb-toting terrorists willing to wreak destruction on their adopted country – isn't known yet.
Relatives and friends describe a shift in Tamerlan, beginning around 2009, in which he suddenly delved into Islam and tossed aside his boxing career. But even before he left the sport he was quoted, now famously, as saying that he had no American friends and didn't understand them.
For his part, Dzhokhar was reported Tuesday to have told investigators from his hospital bed that he and his brother read "Inspire," an online magazine published by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. If so, the pair would not be the first Americans to take inspiration and operational advice on how to conduct mayhem from that jihadi magazine, which first appeared in mid-2010.
But for clearer answers on why the brothers turned to violence, government intelligence agencies are still analyzing the suspects' backgrounds, their FaceBook pages, immigration information, travel connections, and biographical data. Whom, for instance, did Tamerlan meet with during his trip last year to Dagestan, a republic in Russia's south that borders Chechnya?
What does seem to be getting clearer, though, is that the Boston Marathon bomb attack that killed three people and wounded more than 280 appears to fit a national portrait in domestic jihadism – mostly attempted plots with a handful of attacks – that have bubbled up from within America over the past decade.
There have been 63 homegrown violent jihadist plots or attacks in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) reported in January. Two-thirds of those – 40 plots and two attacks –were uncovered or occurred between April 2009 and December 2012.
"Most of the 2009-2012 homegrown plots likely reflect a trend in jihadist terrorist activity away from schemes directed by core members of significant terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda," the CRS reported. "It may be too early to tell how sustained this uptick is.... Regardless, the apparent spike in such activity after April 2009 suggests that ideologies supporting violent jihad continue to influence some Americans – even if a tiny minority."
But there is serious disagreement about this "spike" in home-grown jihadi activity. Are the Tsarnaev brothers part of a dangerous upswing in homegrown American jihadism since 2009 – or the rare exception in a vastly diminished, quickly receding threat?
"The circumstances of this [Boston Marathon] case are a little different, but it does seem to reinforce the overall pattern, the spike that we've seen since 2009," says Jarret Brachman, author of "Global Jihadism," and former director of research at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. "There's been increasing silence by Al Qaeda's senior leadership, but an evolution toward outsourcing Al Qaeda operations to the grass roots."
But if the number of indictments, uncovered plots, and actual attacks have surged since 2009, other researchers say another statistic, the number of participants in the homegrown terror plots, tells a different story.
"I certainly agree there was a big spike in 2009 and 2010, but our data show that Muslim-American terrorism is declining," says David Schanzer, director of the Triangle Center of Terrorism and Homeland Security in Durham, N.C. "We're seeing domestic jihadi terrorism declining further. The facts are we've seen a drop off in the last three years."
By looking at the number of those arrested on terrorism charges, not just the number of plots they are involved with, it becomes clear that the number of participants involved in homegrown jihadism is shrinking, he and others say.
Fourteen Muslim-Americans were indicted for violent terrorist plots in 2012, a drop from 21 the year before, according to a Triangle Center study released in February. The number of plots also dropped from 18 in 2011 to 9 in 2012.
"The director of the FBI in 2003 testified before Congress that Americans should expect hundreds of terrorist attacks in shopping malls, stores, and schools," says Charles Kurzman, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of the recent Triangle Center study.
"Fortunately we have not seen anywhere near that level of terrorist violence. Part of that is due to good policing that has disrupted plots," he say. "But the decline also has to be because Muslim Americans have resisted calls to violent activity and share more values with their American neighbors than revolutionary movements overseas."
Since 9/11, and not including the marathon bombing, Muslim-American terrorism has left 33 dead in the United States, Dr. Kurzman's study found. During the same period, more than 180,000 murders were committed in the US – with more than 200 Americans killed in political violence by white supremacists and other groups on the far right, according to a recent study published by the Combating Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy.
For perspective, the volume of US domestic terrorist activity was far greater in the 1970s than it is today, with 60 to 70 terrorist incidents, mostly bombings, on US soil each year, according to a 2010 RAND study. In the nine-year period from 1970 to 1978, 72 people were killed in terrorist incidents, more than five times as many as were killed by jihadist terrorists in the United States in the nine years following 9/11, writes Brian Jenkins, the study's author.
Still other experts contend that the 2009-2010 "spike" in cases of domestic jihadism and the overall increase since then are reflective more of the policies of federal investigators. The threat of big-scale terrorist violence "has pushed law enforcement toward prevention rather than criminal apprehension after an event – or, as one senior police official put it, 'staying to the left of the boom,' which means stopping the explosions or attacks before they occur," Mr. Jenkins writes.
Such policies result in inflated numbers that may give Americans an exaggerated fear of the threat from homegrown jihadism – and distract resources from catching the likes of the Tsarnaev brothers, some experts say.
"These arrest numbers are soft," says Marc Sageman, an independent counter-terrorism researcher and former Central Intelligence Agency case officer. "They don't look at whether the attacks would have occurred without FBI involvement in many of them as sting operations."
A change in federal strategy, beginning around 2009, led to an increased focus on drawing out those involved in online discussions about attacking the US, he says.
"Before it was just these guys fantasizing about attacking," Dr. Sageman says. "Now they get someone – an FBI informant – saying, 'I'll get you weapons.' This did not occur very often prior to 2009. So, basically, what you are seeing is a very aggressive counter-terrorism strategy where a lot of people on the Internet are threatening government authority – but absent the FBI – it's doubtful anything would have happened."
Other experts are less sure. Online forums, websites, chat rooms, and other online means of disseminating Al Qaeda's message – especially it's online magazine "Inspire" that once included an article entitled "How to make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom" – is proving to be a potent means for cultivating jihadis, they say.
Dr. Brachman worried the Boston Marathon bombing is just one sign that Al Qaeda, which has struggled to get young Western male Muslims embrace the idea of attacking the societies they live in – now may have "cracked the formula on how to radicalize a young Muslim male in the West – one who feels culturally dislocated and may be dealing with personal grief."
Al Qaeda's "Inspire" purports to supply a rationale – and a solution – for the predicament faced by a small subset of American Muslims who may find themselves not fitting in and alienated from society, he says. The magazine creates for its readers a funnel that systematically works the reader through a process, explaining that all the disappointment, anger and failure are a result of one thing – the western "war on Islam" – and that the only solution is to fight back.
"I think we have to be concerned now about what we've seen demonstrated with the Tsarnaev brothers in Boston," says Brachman. "Dzhokhar's admission to the authorities that he and his brother read 'Inspire' isn't just about how to build bombs. The fact they were reading and drawing on 'Inspire' is significant and reflective of a pattern we're seeing in homegrown jihadism. He may be seeing these heroes of the Al Qaeda movement and saying to himself – "maybe I can be like them."


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A Yale Professor is compelling the world to wake up from its nuclear slumber and face some cold-hard facts, "All of humanity will be threatened for thousands of years" if the Fukushima Unit 4 pool can't be kept cool. Your worries about eating cesium-contaminated fish from the Pacific Ocean are grounded in fact, but this is a world-wide disaster of the most epic proportions just waiting to happen. If nothing else, it points to the necessity of nuclear-free power to fuel the planet, but in the meantime, more than 1,535 fuel rods must be meticulously removed from Unit 4, which in all likelihood is crumbling.
Charles Perrow, Professor Emeritus of Sociology from Yale University cautions:
"Conditions in the unit 4 pool, 100 feet from the ground, are perilous, and if any two of the rods touch it could cause a nuclear reaction that would be uncontrollable. The radiation emitted from all these rods, if they are not continually cool and kept separate, would require the evacuation of surrounding areas including Tokyo. Because of the radiation at the site the 6,375 rods in the common storage pool could not be continuously cooled; they would fission and all of humanity will be threatened, for thousands of years. […]"
In early stages of the Fukushima disaster Tepco, under influence of the Nuclear and Industiral Safety Agency (NISA), tried to keep the full ramifications of Fukushima under wraps, and now the entire country faces a possible trillion dollar price tag and multiple decades of active clean up to make this go away, but that will all be a moot point if the fuel rods aren't removed properly.
Read: Radiation Levels Hit New High at Fukushima
All the boron between spent fuel rods has disintegrated. This means a nuclear chain reaction could ensue if the rods get too close together in the pools, causing nuclear mayhem like we've never endured. In less than two months, Tepco plans to try to remove these rods, admitting that they haven't the expertise or resources to do it perfectly – and that is what it would take – absolute perfection.
According to globalreasearch.ca:
Some 400 tons of fuel in that pool could spew out more than 15,000 times as much radiation as was released at Hiroshima….
… More than 6,000 fuel assemblies now sit in a common pool just 50 meters from Unit Four. Some contain plutonium. The pool has no containment over it. It's vulnerable to loss of coolant, the collapse of a nearby building, another earthquake, another tsunami and more.
Overall, more than 11,000 fuel assemblies are scattered around the Fukushima site. According to long-time expert and former Department of Energy official Robert Alvarez, there is more than 85 times as much lethal cesium on site as was released at Chernobyl."
Read: Protect Yourself Against Fukushima Nuclear Radiation
This is no time for Tepco or the Japanese government to try to save face, or the world to turn the other cheek. If we don't treat this as a global disaster it would be like waiting for the Russians to start nuclear war back in the 1980s – or worse. Harvey Wasserman has created a petition at NukeFree.org to alert our own president and other politicians about the extreme seriousness of this incident. All while they were planning to go to war with Syria, the nuclear disaster right under our noses was escalating to unfathomable proportions.
Not to sound doom and gloom, but it's important to recognize the ramifications if this issue isn't taken care of – properly.


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The reviews continue to trickle in for our current productions, Mozart's "Don Giovanni" ending on Sunday and Donizetti's "Anna Bolena," which runs through November 14th. Mark-Brian Sonna praises a host of "jaw-dropping and amazing vocal performances" but adds that one is in a class by itself.
Get your tickets before they're gone!
Suzanne Calvin, Manager/Media & PR


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Remember that Pirate Bay user who archived the site's entire torrent index earlier this week? It's available for all to download, but he's now used it to create a full replica site. You can check it out at BTArena.net. [TorrentFreak]
According to the site: "tracker.btarena.org" can be used to track new torrents.
The torrents available from the BTArena.net copy still carry the announce URLs from The Pirate Bay's tracker but since all torrents were updated with the OpenBitTorrent tracker, they will remain functional even when GGF's version of the site takes over at the end of this month