CareCrunch Answers ? Answers Archive ? Franchising Information ...

Franchise companies might be extremely profitable. Probably you are thinking of beginning a franchise enterprise inside your area or one more form of brick-and-mortar organization. If so, here are some fast guidelines and franchising info to help you get began. Just like wealthy males for example Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, and Robert Kiyosaki, you as well can understand achievement and construct wealth for the future.

What It Requires to begin a Franchise

You will find numerous needs to start a franchise. Most legitimate organizations do demand a start-up investment. You may be expected to stock inventory, pay for landscaping, remodeling and advertisements, hire and train employees, spend for legal and insurance coverage costs, and so forth. They are just a number of with the costs you may incur. Also, consider the time it might take to create a profit. Often new organizations can take up to a year or two before you can appreciate profits.

You also have to be an individuals individual and be prepared to learn from other individuals that have tried and tested techniques just before you. Inside a franchise business it is possible to still be inventive, but some approaches of company and promotion have currently been proven to work. You have to be willing to stick to in the measures of other people on the path of achievement.

Franchise Good results

To realize franchise achievement, you ought to also be willing to perform hard and be consistent. Preserve a steady money flow so you will have sufficient capital to operate your company. Uncover inventive methods to meet your business capital requirements. Discover an established accountant that will guide you by way of the financial procedure. You are going to need an accountant?s wisdom in more methods than 1 all through your business years! The Modest Business Association (SBA) may also be a fantastic resource of capital.

Study Franchising Info and Sales Methods

Study each of the franchising info you are able to collect just before deciding on a franchise company. This may help you understand how it functions and be ready for any unexpected bumps inside the road. Also, study sales methods connected to your merchandise or services. You are able to possess a fancy developing, location full-size ads inside the nearby newspaper, spot huge, desirable signs and banners at your storefront, but you are going to need to have to know how you can sell towards the buyers once they arrive. Your personnel will also require to be trained appropriately in sales.

Options to Brick-and-Mortar Franchises

Should you really feel overwhelmed at the thought of starting a brick-and-mortar enterprise, you?ll find profitable options. With particular kinds of franchise opportunities, you?ll be able to get pleasure from the achievement of a franchise company without having all of the hassles of owning a physical enterprise inside your neighborhood region. Business gurus like Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, and Robert Kiyosaki typically readily reveal their secrets in step-by-step instruction supplies to assist you commence and develop your franchise. They advantage if you grow to be a good results and share your story with other people. You benefit by gaining important knowledge from individuals that have already walked the path of results.

So prior to acquiring started out, use the above franchising data to decide in the event you have what it requires to begin your own franchise organization and also which type of business will function for you personally.

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A group of friends and enemies alike must fight to survive the war engulfing their homeland.

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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Fire Emblem?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
Your characters specific stats will be in accordance with their starting class. The absolute highest HP that a starting unit can have which is not a Laguz character is going to be between 18-23. If you're a fighter, you start with 23, and if you're a mage or any other magic/staff wielder you start with 18. Everything in between, save for Dracoknights start at 19. Dracoknights start with 21.

When it comes to the other stats, no stats above 8 points will be tolerated and you will be expected to collaborate with me to find your character's starting stats. They will be fair and in accordance with the rules as well as taking in your character's specific personality, fighting style and their class growth rates. Your character's specific rates may change depending on how you write your profile, so don't feel like you're limited to what is listed, but always remember to contact me and figure things out first.

With that in mind, I leave it to you guys to start your character profiles!

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The New Personal bankruptcy Regulation And Some Key Changes ...

August 28th, 2012 by Nina

Post by Miodrag Trajkovic

The New Individual bankruptcy Law And Some Key Modifications ? Finance

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The new personal bankruptcy law that has come into influence has a handful of major adjustments that state how individual bankruptcy will be treated by the authorities and by the people. So it would be clever for any specific who is considering of submitting for bankruptcy to be nicely-knowledgeable of the new legislation and all the important alterations in it. One particular of the principal modifications is about obligatory credit score counseling. Any person who desires to file for individual bankruptcy will now have to go through this counseling and it will have to be completed by federal government-accredited counselors. This evaluate has been launched probably to make folks mindful just how critical bankruptcy is. So a lot of individuals think of finding into this without considering about how big a stage this is and what the outcomes can be. With this counseling getting mandatory, ideally there will be a drop in people submitting for individual bankruptcy and a rise in credit ratings of a whole lot more individuals. The next modify pertains to the ?means test? and it hopes to discourage people from filing for individual bankruptcy just so that they do not have to pay out their debts. bankruptcy laws With this, the government hopes to monitor men and women who file under Chapter seven to locate out if they really are at the finish of their tether and cannot pay out their debts. It just tends to make positive that individuals take their liabilities a bit more seriously and do not resort to filing for personal bankruptcy just to get out of spending their debts. There is a transfer for a lot more to file under Chapter thirteen exactly where people can consolidate their debts and then repay them in standard amounts that they can afford to pay for. So individuals get a good deal more severe about their debts when they recognize that they cannot just be created off but that they have to repay them. Nonetheless, they can do so in amounts which are a lot more acceptable as considerably as they are worried.An additional adjust is that there are not so a lot of protections any longer. Earlier, filing for individual bankruptcy meant that the man or woman was guarded from all his creditors, no issue what. Now, this ?automatic law? has some provisions. Just because a person has submitted for personal bankruptcy, it is not as though he cannot be thrown out of the home he has not completed paying out for or his license not suspended or that he can?t have divorce proceedings started out in opposition to him. The regulation no lengthier renders creditors powerless and there is bankruptcy laws far better justice all about.The new legislation has a high precedence for alimony and child help. So the first quantities are paid out here relatively than to the creditors. Previously, lenders have been presented initial priority when the property were taken in excess of. Now, family members members and their requirements come just before them. It?s a single way of creating sure that people who really need to have the income get it very first. These who file for personal bankruptcy have to show up at fiscal-conduite lectures too. The attendance at these is obligatory. The debtors have to sit via workshops and seminars so they comprehend how to handle cash. A clean new commence does not indicate that their absence of fiscal management expertise will be ignored. They have to be geared up with these capabilities so it does not happen to them once again. The governing administration hopes that with this regulation, there will be no inclination to try and file for individual bankruptcy again.

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If you are faced with Individual bankruptcy, try out visitinghttp://individual bankruptcy.explore-me.com, a popular personal bankruptcy site that gives tips, suggestions and methods including details onBuying A House After Personal bankruptcy

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Unique Homes: Living It Up in Carmel, Ind. | AOL Real Estate

By Jillian Anthony

It's not what most people would expect or could afford in the middle of America's heartland. But if you've got $5.5 million, you can buy a palatial movie-themed mansion in Money magazine's Best Place to Live. Hope you like "Star Wars" because this home is bringing Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader realness! See the full gallery and original post at CNNMoney.

Oh, you're a Trekkie instead? Well then, feast your eyes on this Australian "Star Trek" house inspired by the Starship Enterprise.

See more on CNNMoney:
2012 Best Places to Live
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JMIR--Online Advertising to Reach and Recruit Latino Smokers to ...

Original Paper

Online Advertising to Reach and Recruit Latino Smokers to an Internet Cessation Program: Impact and Costs

Amanda L Graham^1,2, PhD; Ye Fang¹, MS; Jose L Moreno¹, MA; Shawn L Streiff³; Jorge Villegas⁴, PhD; Ricardo F Mu?oz⁵, PhD; Kenneth P Tercyak², PhD; Jeanne S Mandelblatt², PhD; Donna M Vallone⁶, PhD, MPH

¹Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research & Policy Studies, American Legacy Foundation, Washington, DC, United States
²Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center/ Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC, United States
³Marketing Department, American Legacy Foundation, Washington, DC, United States
⁴Business Administration, University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield, IL, United States
⁵Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
⁶Research and Evaluation Department, American Legacy Foundation, Washington, DC, United States

Corresponding Author:
Amanda L Graham, PhD

Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research & Policy Studies
American Legacy Foundation
1724 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC, 20036
United States
Phone: 1 202 454 5938
Fax: 1 202 454 5785
Email:

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ABSTRACT

Background: Tobacco cessation among Latinos is a public health priority in the United States, particularly given the relatively high growth of this population segment. Although a substantial percentage of American Latinos use the Internet, they have not engaged in Web-based cessation programs as readily as other racial/ethnic subgroups. A lack of culturally specific advertising efforts may partly explain this disparity.
Objective: Phase I of this study focused on the development of four Spanish-language online banner advertisements to promote a free Spanish-language smoking cessation website (es.BecomeAnEX.org). Phase II examined the relative effectiveness of the four banner ads in reaching and recruiting Latino smokers to the cessation website.
Methods: In Phase I, 200 Spanish-speaking Latino smokers completed an online survey to indicate their preference for Spanish-language banner ads that incorporated either the cultural value of family (familismo) or fatalism (fatalismo). Ads included variations on message framing (gain vs loss) and depth of cultural targeting (surface vs deep). In Phase II, a Latin square design evaluated the effectiveness of the four preferred ads from Phase I. Ads were systematically rotated across four popular Latino websites (MySpace Latino, MSN Latino, MiGente, and Yahoo! en Espa?ol) over four months from August to November 2009. Tracking software recorded ad clicks and registrants on the cessation website. Negative binomial regression and general linear modeling examined the main and interacting effects of message framing and depth of cultural targeting for four outcomes: number of clicks, click-through rate, number of registrants, and cost per registrant.
Results: In Phase I, smokers preferred the four ads featuring familismo. In Phase II, 24,829,007 impressions were placed, yielding 24,822 clicks, an overall click-through rate of 0.10%, and 500 registrants (2.77% conversion rate). Advertising costs totaled US $104,669.49, resulting in an overall cost per click of US $4.22 and cost per registrant of US $209.34. Website placement predicted all four outcomes (all P values < .01). Yahoo! en Espa?ol yielded the highest click-through rate (0.167%) and number of registrants (n = 267). The message framing and cultural targeting interaction was not significant. Contrary to hypotheses, loss-framed ads yielded a higher click-through rate than gain-framed ads (point estimate = 1.08, 95% CI 1.03 1.14, P = 0.004), and surface-targeted ads outperformed deep-targeted ads for clicks (point estimate = 1.20, 95% CI 1.13 1.28, P < .001), click-through rate (point estimate = 1.22, 95% CI 1.16 1.29, P < .001), and number of registrants (point estimate = 2.73, 95% CI 2.14 3.48, P < .001).
Conclusions: Online advertising can be an effective and cost-efficient strategy to reach and engage Spanish-speaking Latino smokers in an evidence-based Internet cessation program. Cultural targeting and smoking-relevant images may be important factors for banner ad design. Online advertising holds potential for Web-based cessation program implementation and research.

(J Med Internet Res 2012;14(4):e116)
doi:10.2196/jmir.2162

KEYWORDS

Internet; smoking cessation; recruitment; Hispanic/Latino; advertising

Cigarette smoking is a major cause of disease and death in Latinos [1]. Approximately 12.5% of Latinos currently smoke [2] translating into roughly 6.3 million Latino smokers. With a projected growth of the Latino population to 133 million by 2050 (30.2% of the US population) [3,4] and the potential for smoking prevalence to increase as Latinos become more acculturated [5,6], there may be more than 16 million Latino smokers by 2050 if smoking rates remain unchecked. Tobacco cessation among Latinos is a public health priority [7,8].

Web-based cessation programs are a promising approach to reach Latino smokers with evidence-based cessation treatment. More than 60% of Latinos (32 million) are online?projected to increase to 70% by 2014 [9]?and almost half of online Latinos (45%) have used the Internet to search for health information [10]. A growing body of evidence supports the reach, efficacy, and cost-efficiency of Web-based cessation programs [11-19], but additional research is needed to understand their impact among subgroups of online smokers, including racial/ethnic minorities. In general, there are few studies of smoking cessation interventions developed specifically for Latinos [20,21], and only two studies of the effectiveness of Web-based interventions for Latinos [12,22]. One of the challenges in conducting Web-based cessation research with Latinos in the United States is that they have not engaged in Internet cessation programs as readily as other racial/ethnic subgroups [23] and recruitment of Latinos into Internet cessation trials has been challenging [11,12,22,24].

Online advertising is widely acknowledged as an increasingly important method to reach Latinos who use the Internet [25-28]. Also known as ?display ads,? banner advertisements appear as graphical ads embedded into a webpage, typically including a combination of static/animated images, text, and/or video designed to convey a marketing message and/or cause the user to take an action [29]. Unlike ?offline? ads (eg, billboards, newspapers, and flyers), banner ads can immediately link smokers to Web-based cessation programs, thus capitalizing on the motivation to quit when it occurs which can be critical to engaging consumers with cessation treatment [23,30]. Moreover, banner ads can target consumers by strategic placement on selected websites with synergistic content, known demographic profiles, or past online behavior. Therefore, online advertising may represent a ?participant-friendly? and cost-efficient solution to reach and recruit online Latino smokers to Web-based cessation programs [31-34].

Reaching online Latino smokers requires not only efficient and effective advertising channels, but also an understanding of the target audiences? preferred content and context of messages [32,33,35]. Approximately half of online Latinos use the Internet either primarily in Spanish (19%) or in both English and Spanish (28%), with the growth of both segments outpacing English language usage as more Spanish content becomes available online [36]. Therefore, we tested ads in Spanish to reach this large and growing segment of online Latinos. With regard to message content, Prospect Theory [37,38] suggests that people respond differently to factually equivalent messages depending on whether they are framed to emphasize benefits through gain-framed messages (eg, ?if you quit smoking, you will live longer?) or costs through loss-framed messages (eg, ?if you do not quit smoking, you will die sooner?). Applied to health behaviors, research suggests that when behaviors have a relatively certain outcome, gain-framed messages are more persuasive; if behaviors result in an uncertain outcome, loss-framed messages are more effective [39]. Because quitting smoking will almost certainly prevent disease, Prospect Theory predicts that gain-framed messages will be more persuasive than loss-framed messages. Recent evidence suggests that highlighting the benefits of quitting (through gain-framed messages) is more effective to encourage preventive behaviors such as smoking cessation [40-42]. However, there have been few studies that have examined the impact of message framing in health interventions designed specifically for racial/ethnic minorities [43,44].

With regard to message context, research with Latinos indicates that addressing cultural elements is critical in developing smoking cessation interventions [5,45-48]. The process of designing messages around group-level characteristics has been referred to as both cultural tailoring and cultural targeting [49-50]. We use the term ?cultural targeting? in this study to refer to the delineation of a particular population segment. Cultural targeting can be done at a surface level (eg, attending to the visual characteristics or language of intervention materials) or at a deep level (eg, incorporating specific Latino cultural values) [51]. In general, few studies have investigated how surface- and deep-targeted messaging functions in specific subgroups of racial/ethnic minorities [52].

The purpose of this study was: (1) to investigate whether online advertising is an effective strategy to promote engagement with a Spanish-language cessation website among online Latino smokers, and (2) to identify the optimal message characteristics for this audience. To address these questions, we conducted a two-phased, mixed-methods study. In Phase I, formative research with online Latino smokers guided the development of four Spanish-language banner ad prototypes (deep-targeted/gain-framed, deep-targeted/loss-framed, surface-targeted/gain-framed, and surface-targeted/loss-framed). In Phase II, we tested the effectiveness of these four ads in reaching and recruiting Latino smokers to a free Spanish-language smoking cessation website. The primary outcomes in Phase II were: (1) the absolute number of clicks on an ad, (2) the click-through rate to the smoking cessation website, (3) the number of ad responders who went on to register on the cessation website (?registrants?), and (4) the cost per registrant. We hypothesized there would be an interaction between message framing and cultural targeting, such that the deep-targeted/gain-framed ad would outperform all others on all metrics. Based on Prospect Theory, we also hypothesized that gain-framed messages would outperform loss-framed messages on all metrics holding constant cultural targeting. Finally, we hypothesized that deep-targeted ads would outperform surface-targeted ads on all metrics holding constant the message frame.

Phase I: Advertising Development and Pre-testing

A multicultural, multidisciplinary, and bilingual expert panel with expertise in behavioral science, marketing, communication technology, and advertising identified two dominant cultural values to consider for cultural targeting of messages to Latino smokers: familismo and fatalismo. Familismo is central to the Latino health experience; family and close friends are often consulted for general health issues before a medical professional, and family is often a strong motivator of health behavior. Fatalismo refers to the belief ?si Dios quiere? (?what God wants?) which often guides Latino perceptions about their control over health and wellness. Our formative Phase I focused on developing banner ad prototypes for each cultural value that crossed message frame (gain vs loss) with level of cultural targeting (surface vs deep) resulting in a total of eight Spanish-language ads (see Figure 1). All ads were written in Spanish, developed in Adobe Flash with animation and motion by a professional creative developer, and included a call to action (ie, ?click here for more information?).

To examine preferences for ad characteristics, 200 American Spanish-speaking smokers were recruited from two Spanish-language websites: MSN Latino [53] and MySpace Latino [54]. A study invitation banner ad transferred potential participants to an online screening form where eligible individuals (ie, current smokers, aged 18 or older, and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity of any race) provided online consent and completed a survey. Survey items included demographics, smoking history, Internet use, general receptivity to online ads, and the language subscale of the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) [55]. Next, each participant sequentially viewed two of the eight ads. The two ads differed on cultural value (familismo vs fatalismo), but were identical in message frame and depth of cultural targeting (eg, gain-framed/deep-targeted) for direct comparison of message characteristics. Ad presentation was counterbalanced so that an equal number of participants saw each of the 8 ads first. Participants were asked to indicate their receptivity to the ads using a 10-point Likert scale (1 = not at all, 10 = very much). Participants also responded to 12 statements that addressed the strength of cultural targeting (eg, this ad is for someone like me), ad credibility (eg, this ad is believable), perceived efficacy of the ad (eg, this ad has me thinking about quitting smoking), and intention to respond (eg, I would click on this ad if I saw it) using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Finally, both ads were presented in tandem, and participants were asked which one they liked the most and why. An equal number of participants viewed each ad pair. The survey was administered in Spanish.

Source: http://www.jmir.org/2012/4/e116/

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Goal of united Syrian opposition still elusive

AZAZ, Syria (AP) ? In the foreign halls of power, the strategy is clear: Syria's opposition should unite to present an alternative to Bashar Assad's rule ? a step France's president says would lead to diplomatic recognition.

As a move toward unity, Syrian exiles from the main opposition Syrian National Council and other groups unveiled a blueprint Tuesday in the German capital of Berlin for transition to a democratic, transparent society free of religious and ethnic favoritism.

But rebels and civilians in the bomb-shattered Syrian town of Azaz near the Turkish border view such talk as hollow. They are deeply skeptical of all exiled leaders and believe what really matters is their fight on the ground to overthrow the regime.

"They have never come up with a united position that will save the people," said Fadi Hajji, 25, who had been camped out along the Syrian border with Turkey with his wife and two infant daughters for five days. "All they are good at is arguing. They don't represent anyone here and they don't help."

There was more bloodshed Tuesday as a car bomb ripped through a Damascus suburb, killing 12 people, according to the state news agency. Activists also said an airstrike in the town of Kfar Nabl killed at least 13 people as fighting raged nationwide.

With no end to the carnage in sight, French President Francois Hollande called on the Syrian opposition Monday to form a provisional government, saying France would recognize and support it.

Hollande's statement, believed to be the first of its kind, was quickly shot down by U.S. officials who said talk of a provisional government was premature given the deep divisions within the opposition movement.

The head of the main Syrian opposition group, the Syrian National Council, criticized the U.S. stand, saying that efforts were under way to forge a united front but that the process takes time ? especially in the midst of a raging civil war.

"It seems to me as if the international community is not prepared to take decisive decisions and blames the Syrian opposition for its own shortcomings," Abdelbaset Sieda told The Associated Press by telephone Tuesday from Switzerland.

"Yes, there are differences within the Syrian opposition, and this is normal in any country. But as long as we are agreed on a common vision, these differences can be overcome," he added. "The international community must make a move before it's too late."

Those comments were echoed in Berlin by opposition exiles who drafted the 122-page transition blueprint during six months of consultations funded by governments of the United States, Germany, Switzerland and private groups in Norway and the Netherlands.

"It is quite easy to say the opposition is fragmented and the opposition has not done enough," said Murhaf Jouejati, a U.S.-based professor and SNC member. "But we really should start facing realities ... to get the international community behind this national uprising against a totalitarian, authoritarian, brutal regime."

Although neither expressed a concrete demand, many in the SNC have been hoping the world community would impose a safe zone along the Turkish border, possibly extending to a no-fly zone over at least some areas, and would more openly supply weapons and ammunition to rebels. The disparate groups are also each hoping for support in any power struggle that might follow a collapse of the Assad regime.

Since the uprising began in March last year, Syria's opposition has been plagued by divisions and infighting. In addition to the SNC, several other opposition groups are known to be making similar plans for a provisional government, including a new alliance headed by veteran opposition figure Haitham Maleh.

The strains within the opposition were also evident on Tuesday when the Paris-based SNC spokeswoman Bassma Kodmani, a founding member of the group, resigned. She said the SNC had veered off course.

"The project has not achieved its goals and the council has not earned the required credibility and did not safeguard the trust placed in it by the Syrian people when it was first created. It steered away from the course that we wanted for it when we created it. "

She said she would continue to work for the opposition, just from outside the council.

"I see more space than inside it."

Sieda said his group has been contacting other opposition figures and the Free Syrian Army rebels to consult over a transitional government, but admits they have not started discussing names yet.

Even if the opposition were to unite, there are serious questions whether the disparate groups have enough popular legitimacy to take control of a revolution and rebuild the nation. The men with guns inside Syria have little use for the political figures or even for Free Syria Army commanders who live in the safety and comfort of Paris and Istanbul.

"The SNC is a naive group of people who consider themselves politicians," said Ahmed al-Ghazali, commander of rebels who control Azaz, the town in northern Syria. "To this day, the SNC hasn't done anything ... Count how many people you see here from the SNC. People here are taking their rights for themselves."

Abu Hassan, a bus driver who fled the nearly deserted town of Anadan in northern Syria because of frequent government shelling and airstrikes, complained that "we hear promises" from exiled leaders "but we're not seeing anything on the ground."

"The only people who do anything are the people inside, the officers and the fighters who are in the front lines. The SNC and the Free Army who are abroad, we've never seen anything from them, not aid, not weapons, not ammunition."

As the war inside Syria appears to be grinding to a stalemate, so too is the political struggle. Most foreign powers want to see unity before giving support but the opposition is unable or unwilling to put aside their differences and unite.

Absent a united opposition, the dilemma facing the United States and its Western allies is uncertainty over who inside Syria might emerge with real power after Assad.

Their fear is that the collapse of the four-decade regime ruled by the Assads ? Bashar succeeded his father Hafez 12 years ago ? could unleash a fierce power struggle in which al-Qaida and other Islamic extremists could gain a foothold. With Syria bordering NATO member Turkey, combustible Lebanon with its powerful Hezbollah militia, unstable Iraq, and a nervous Israel with which it has a territorial dispute over the Golan Heights, that is a daunting prospect.

Repeated efforts to unite the opposition have fallen short.

An opposition conference in Cairo last month broke down in shouting and shoving matches over such key questions as whether to ask for foreign military intervention and what role religion would play in a post-Assad Syria.

Some activists complain that SNC is little more than a front for the Muslim Brotherhood, seeking a comeback after the Islamist movement was largely crushed by Hafez Assad in the 1980s.

News reports of bearded fighters inside Syria demanding an Islamist state and the increasing number of car bombs have led to fears in the West that the new Syria would follow the model of Iran or Taliban-run Afghanistan.

At the Berlin news conference, activists took pains to minimize the Islamist character of the revolt. Amr al-Azm, a professor who lives in the U.S., said fears of Islamist influence were widespread during the Libyan uprising but most voters gave their support to secularist leaders in the July election.

Afra Jalabi, a political scientist who lives in Montreal, said the increase in religious symbolism in Syria was "actually a silent protest against a regime that presented itself through its own propaganda as a secular system when it was a macho military system."

__

Reid reported from Berlin. Associated Press correspondent Zeina Karam contributed to this report from Beirut, Lebanon.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/goal-united-syrian-opposition-still-elusive-191310672.html

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4 Signs for Women to Check Out Every Morning - Health Niche

If you have a close look on your body, there will be number of symptoms you can detect beforehand. Also, you will easily figure out sudden changes like skin marks, white patches and others. A
human body shows numerous changes as an indication that a serious disease is developing. And, if you catch the signs early, remedy and treatment is possible before it?s too late.

This means you have to check out your body for any unusual signs. And, this you should do every morning. Here are 4 of those signs.

1. Bright White Stripes on Nails

Everybody has white spots on their nails at some or the other point of time. But if there are long white stripes that are horizontal and show discoloration on the surface of the nail then it indicates you are fatigued. And, it is your kidneys that will suffer. This is an indication of your kidneys not able to filter protein from urine. And, this might result in kidney failure.

2. Thin Hair on Scalp

Extreme hair loss indicates thyroid disorder. When you see many hair strands on your hair brush, it means your thyroid gland has gone out of order. This will make your hair fragile and rough. Go and
consult a doctor. He would figure out if this level is too high or too less. And, provide you medication for the same.

3. Undereye Circles that don?t Fade Away

If you don?t stay up late or have excessive work to do and then too you have dark circles that refuse to go away, indications are that you are developing allergies. In this case, you have to consult a
doctor; he would suggest you to get a test done. On the basis of its result, the allergen that is causing dark circles will be known.

4. Dark, Rough Skin in Armpits

If you are not obsessed with self-tanning then this might be the result of diabetes. Abnormal levels of insulin in bloodstream results in multiplication of skin cells rapidly. And, as a result skin looks
thicker and darker. Get a test for diabetes done to determine whether you suffer from the disease or not.

There are many signs you need to be aware of. Don?t ignore even a small skin eruption or a red/white mark. At once, consult a physician and confirm the cause of abnormal signs.

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Source: http://www.health-niche.com/1448/4-signs-for-women-to-check-out-every-morning/

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Analysis: Akin row shows GOP's social-fiscal rift

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Every now and then, an event awakens the ever-slumbering tensions between the Republican Party's two core wings: social conservatives and corporate interests.

A Missouri congressman's comment about rape and pregnancy was one such moment, and it came just as Republicans were hoping for a united front at their convention to nominate Mitt Romney for president.

A full-blown rupture ? such as the one at the 1992 convention, when a defeated candidate declared a national "culture war" ? seems unlikely. But even a modest squabble between key party factions might raise concerns in a tight presidential race.

Romney joined other mainstream Republicans in denouncing the Aug. 19 remarks by Rep. Todd Akin, the party's Senate nominee in Missouri. Akin said rape victims can generally avoid pregnancy because "if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Romney called Akin's comments "offensive and wrong." He unsuccessfully urged Akin to quit the Senate race.

Like many other top Republicans, Romney stopped short of criticizing Akin's stand on abortion, as opposed to his comments about rape and conception. Akin opposes abortion in all cases, including rape.

Romney would allow abortions in instances of rape and incest. He showed no interest, however, in picking a fight with his party's most ardent abortion opponents, a crucial source of GOP votes and volunteers. And he downplayed the fact that his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, has often joined Akin in anti-abortion measures, including some that sought to differentiate between forcible and non-forcible rapes.

It's hardly surprising that Romney, who's running mainly on economic issues, is trying to maintain a quiet balance between fiscal and social conservatives. The Republican Party cannot win national elections without an alliance between the two groups.

Corporate titans know they must hold hands with anti-abortion crusaders to elect politicians who will keep government regulations and taxes low. Evangelicals and other social conservatives realize they must join ranks with business executives ? even if they would never mingle at a country club ? to elect champions of public prayer, abortion limits and so on.

Romney, who made a fortune heading the private equity firm Bain Capital, comes from the corporate wing. He seems less convincing when talking about the social issues that animate many on the right.

As Massachusetts governor, Romney supported abortion rights, gun control and gay rights. He abandoned those positions as he prepared to run for president in 2008, but many "movement conservatives" remain wary of him.

Romney had to struggle for their support during the Republican primaries, when Newt Gingrich briefly depicted him as a "vulture capitalist." Romney's most persistent rival was Rick Santorum, a hero to anti-abortion activists and home-schoolers.

Now that the primaries are over, and unaffiliated voters are crucial this fall, Republican leaders would rather keep the abortion debate to a simmer, not a boil.

Last week, the party's platform committee approved a provision that backs the "Human Life Amendment," a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest. The Republican platforms in 2004 and 2008 did the same. That might surprise some GOP-leaning centrists, who rarely hear Republican presidents or congressional leaders make loud, full-bore pushes to outlaw abortion.

"Ronald Reagan used to talk about the party's three-legged stool: fiscal conservatives, social conservatives and national-security conservatives," said Dan Schnur, a former Republican adviser who now teaches political science at the University of Southern California.

"At best, it's a three-legged stool," Schnur said. "At worst, it's three scorpions in a bottle."

The party's factions usually coexist peacefully, he said, but "the Akin matter makes it a lot harder."

The visibility and prominence of national-security conservatives have waned in recent years, partly because of widespread disillusionment with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But business-oriented fiscal conservatives remain vitally important, as do social conservatives, who play big roles in swing states including Iowa, Florida and North Carolina.

The Akin episode ignited new tensions between the groups. Mike Huckabee, the Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor, ripped into establishment Republicans for trying to force Akin from the Senate race.

In a conference call monitored by CNN, Huckabee, who ran for president in 2008, likened the National Republican Senatorial Committee to "union goons" trying to kneecap rivals.

Romney needs as much peace between the factions as possible.

Corporate conservatives provide a disproportionate amount of funding for the GOP. Casino owner Sheldon Adelson, for instance, has pledged more than $10 million for groups opposing President Barack Obama. The wealthy industrialist brothers David and Charles Koch have donated and helped raise millions more.

Religious conservatives and anti-abortion activists, meanwhile, provide thousands of foot soldiers to knock on doors and make phone calls for candidates they support.

"The Akin case shows that the Republican establishment will pander to the social conservatives until they become a liability," said Democratic strategist Doug Hattaway. "But the Wall Street/country club set still rely on the right-wing religious vote to prop up the party at the polls."

Some veteran Republican operatives question why Romney maintains ties with Donald Trump, who continues to question whether Obama was born in the United States.

A hard, clean break with Trump, however, might alienate a small but fervent group of conservatives who, for now, are in Romney's corner. In a presidential race that conceivably could turn on a few votes in one or two states, the loss of a tiny faction ? led by Donald Trump, Todd Akin or someone else unloved by the Republican establishment ? could prove crucial.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Charles Babington covers national politics for The Associated Press.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-akin-row-shows-gops-social-fiscal-rift-172535636.html

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This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal: How to create the life you ...

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Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of August 27, 2012 12:11 am ? Details). Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Amazon site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal ? How to create the life you've always wanted

Sometimes, all a person needs is a glimmer of hope. Sometimes, they need to know someone understands their frustration ? what they?re going through.

Sometimes, a simple little book comes along and offers that hope and encouragement.??I know what it?s like to be up against it. I know how it feels to be down and out, broke, hungry, homeless, at the bottom. I know the feelings of pain and hopelessness that come from not being able to see a way out.

I also know how it feels to succeed in ways beyond anything I could have imagined. I know what it's like to be living my dream life and I want to share with you the steps I took to change my own life.

?Here's what a few readers had to say about this book:

"A manual to help you achieve your goals, and to lead fulfilling and meaningful life. Inside, there are 74 ideas for the success of life that anyone can start immediately, all written in an easy-to-understand manner." Mr. Cho Fujio, Former CEO, Toyota Corporation

"Jim Donovan has put together a magnificent 'success manual' that is down to earth, fun to read, and right on target." Jeff Keller, author, Attitude is Everything
"Once again, you've assembled basic truths to share with the world. Your newest contribution is so supportive, like an unconditional friend. It's here to inspire, to nurture, to encourage and to offer hope." Bonnie Ross?Parker, author, Walk in My Boots

Is this book a cure for the ills of the world? Of course not but it is a simple to use guide that can help you turn your life around. It can help a friend or loved one gain the confidence they need to change their life.

I know this deep in my heart. I know the ideas in "This Is Your Life, Not A Dress Rehearsal" work. I've used them in my own life to go from living, as Thoreau so aptly put it, ?a life of quiet desperation,? to living a life today that is beyond my wildest dreams.

This Is Your Life, Not A Dress Rehearsal has been published in paperback in more than 20 countries and is being read by hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, ordinary people, like you and me, who simply want a better and more satisfying life.

My easy to use, simple ideas and techniques have become my trademark. I write easy to use books so people will read them and use the information they contain. The ideas in This Is Your Life, Not A Dress Rehearsal are not theory. They have been used by me and countless others to change our lives.

From teenagers to seniors, executives to single parents, people from all walks of life are resonating with the ideas in this easy to read book.

What is it about This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal that has had people all over the world telling me what a powerful impact it had in their lives?
To be perfectly honest with you, I don?t know. I do know that there?s something ?magical? in this simple, little book.

I've had people tell me the book changed their life in dramatic ways. One man told me he had been contemplating suicide but, after reading this book, felt he had a renewed sense of purpose. I can?t even describe how awesome that felt!
Now, don?t get me wrong. I?m not taking any credit for this. I?m not claiming to have caused this effect. This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal was written by a power greater than myself. I feel as though it was written through me rather then by me. You see, when I sit down to write, I say a prayer that I will be guided what to say. ??I believe this is the ?magic? in This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal.

Sure the stories are mine and the chapter structures are mine but there?s something else in there that I, truthfully, do not understand. Something that connects with people from all walks of life on a deeper level.

See for yourself.

Self-empowerment Blog

Product Details

• File Size: 201 KB
• Print Length: 128 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Austin Bay (June 1, 2012)
• Sold by: ?Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002ECER4C
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled

Customer Reviews

Well worth reading, acting upon, and sharing

?April 7, 1999

By Dick Thomas (rltvideo@voicenet.com)

?This Is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal? inspires the reader to become pro-active about his life and then provides the techniques and tools to change the course of his life. For years I had allowed myself to drift down the river of life allowing the current to control my course. Jim Donovan has shown me how I can take control and change the course of my life. This book provided and provides me with many insights into discovering who I am and the means to become who I would like to be. For instance, after reading Chapter 2, I discovered how I limited myself by beliefs I had acquired as a child. Beliefs that were not true. From Donovan I learned how to challenge those beliefs, those false limits, and remove them. Is this book worth it? Absolutely. In fact, I have given away at least a half dozen to friends. Many read it the same day and called me to tell me how much it meant to them. I have used this book as a study guide for an adult Sunday School class. And I continue to use it on a daily basis.

A Great Gift To Lift The Spirit

?November 30, 2001

By Dr. Suzanne Zoglio

At a time when we all seem to be reassessing our priorities, this is the perfect gift?for yourself or someone you care about. It is an easy read filled with wise, inspiring thoughts. Packed into this slim volume are powerful tips for refining your focus, buoying your spirit, and putting your ?some day? plans into motion. Reading it reminds you of your power to set things right and challenges you to live fully each day of your life.

Touches on all the important subjects

?May 11, 2002

this book is good and easy to read. Having read a few books on self-improvement, I recognized a lot of important subjects. The author presents these in an easy-going way and really does his best to build the reader up along the way.

So why only four stars? The answer lies in the word ?touches? in the title of my review. The book doesn?t contain all that much text. The author skims past about 50 subjects, each of which deserver a book in their own right.

The again, you want to improve your life, (probably) not get a Ph.D. in psychology. So, if you feel that you could do with some wise and credible words from a man who?s been there, go ahead and buy this book. If you, after reading, feel that you?re still stuck in a rut, then look further, cause there?s a lot more in-depth material out there.

Direct approach.

?March 16, 1999

I have read enough books on the subject of personal success through positive thinking and introspection, from other authors in the field such as Richard Tosti, Tom Peters, Dr. Denis Waitley, Dr. Robert Schuller, and Wayne Dyer to know what works. Jim Donovan?s This Is Your Life, Not A Dress Rehearsal, works. It puts you at ease from the first page. Jim?s direct approach and no nonsense style, takes the mystery out of realizing your full potential. If you only read one self-help motivational type book in your life, make it This Is Your Life, Not A Dress Rehearsal, by Jim Donovan you will not be disappointed.

Don?t Die With Your Music In You"

?December 7, 1999

By Artist Barbara Garro

Because of the wisdom in ?This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehearsal? fewer people will die with their music still in them. In this life, God created all of us equally. He gave each one of us a basket of talents. Some of us begin early digging into our baskets. Others, like Grandma Moses, don?t begin digging until they are in the sunset of their lives. Donovan invites you to dig now. His ideas work because he takes ?grow where you?re planted? to an energized new level, teaching people how to have the courage to realize their biggest dreams and truly live their version of the good life. Use Jim?s book to help you realize every dream you?ve ever dared to dream and more. Give Jim?s book to every brilliant underachiever you know and you?ll make the world a better place with your efforts!

Wonderful!!!

?April 8, 2001

I have read many self help and motivational books. This one is at the top of my list! It is easy to read, and gets to the point. It is full of wonderful information for everyone. Some books drag on and are confusing and boring. This one is not. It is fun to read, gives great examples and exercises one can do. It has inspired me to live my best life, and follow my dreams.

A quick powerful punch

?October 21, 2003

By A. Gudzunas

I loved this book. It was clear and packed a powerful punch on me. Very inspirational and most imporatntly, helpful. If you ever find yourself sitting around wondering how to find happiness, not sure how to go about getting what you want or not even being sure what it is that you want, this book can help guide you there. It?s a quick read and if you do the exercises it will give you a good kick in the rear and put a smile on your face at the same time.

Inspires the reader to jump up and get moving!

?March 2, 1999

Donovan?s suggestions mirror the inspirational masters like Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, and Jim Rohn. His practical suggestions, presented in an easy-to-read format, make the book a very memorable quick read! We all need to be reminded that we truly control our lives with our thoughts, and what we dare to dream CAN come true. As a professional coach and motivational trainer, myself, I recalled simple steps to make things better. Within mere days of finishing Jim?s book, I rewrote my goals, re-set my priorities, and attracted 5 new clients!

Definitely a book worth reading

?October 26, 2003

Donovan manages to pack a plethora of self help principals in a relatively thin book of just over 100 pages. At the beginning of every year, I reread this book, and by following it?s advice I have achieved more success in my life. His guidelines for goal setting are particularly powerful. I belive that if people really follow this book?s advice, they will achieve success as well.

Plainly inspiring and motivating

?July 23, 1999

By David Jarret

To find anything more inspiring and motivating, read the Bible. Otherwise you will not find a clearer, more concise recipe for personal growth than from Jim Donovan?s writings. The challenge is to buy just one copy of his book; you will think of a dozen people who need to read this, and you?ll want to buy them each a copy.

Other articles you might like;

Source: http://runvsc.com/this-is-your-life-not-a-dress-rehearsal-how-to-create-the-life-youve-always-wanted/

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Obama-Romney race is focused on 7 states

President Barack Obama speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, in Washington. Obama talked about the presidential race and Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the exclusive AP interview before heading off to a long weekend with his family at Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains. His comments come ahead of the GOP convention opening Aug. 27, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, in Washington. Obama talked about the presidential race and Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the exclusive AP interview before heading off to a long weekend with his family at Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains. His comments come ahead of the GOP convention opening Aug. 27, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, in Washington. Obama talked about the presidential race and Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the exclusive AP interview before heading off to a long weekend with his family at Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains. His comments come ahead of the GOP convention opening Aug. 27, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks as vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., listens during a campaign rally on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012 in Powell, Ohio. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Barack Obama speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, in Washington. Obama talked about the presidential race and Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the exclusive AP interview before heading off to a long weekend with his family at Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains. His comments come ahead of the GOP convention opening Aug. 27, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney listens as vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., not pictured, speaks during a campaign rally on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012 in Powell, Ohio. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? On the eve of their national party conventions, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are locked in a close race to amass the requisite 270 Electoral College votes for victory. And the contest is exactly where it was at the start of the long, volatile summer: focused on seven states that are up for grabs.

Neither candidate has a significant advantage in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire and Virginia, which offer a combined 85 electoral votes, according to an Associated Press analysis of public and private polls, spending on television advertising and numerous interviews with Republican and Democratic strategists in battleground states.

The analysis, which also took into account the strength of a candidate's on-the-ground organization and travel schedules, found that if the election were held today, Obama would have 19 states and the District of Columbia, offering 247 votes, solidly in his column or leaning his way, while Republican Romney would have 24 states with 206 votes.

Obama won all seven of the too-close-to-call states in 2008, and they are where the race will primarily be contested in the homestretch to the Nov. 6 election.

Ten weeks before Election Day, the AP analysis isn't meant to be predictive but rather is intended to provide a snapshot of a race that's been stubbornly close all year.

Among the unknowns that could shake up the electoral landscape before November: the latest unemployment figures that come out early next month, an unexpected foreign policy crisis in Syria or Iran and the outcome of the candidates' October debates.

Both sides are working to persuade the 23 percent of registered voters who said in an Associated Press-GfK poll that they are either undecided about the presidential race or iffy in their support for a candidate.

To woo them, the campaigns and political parties, along with allied groups with access to unlimited financial contributions, have already spent an astounding $540 million on television advertising, according to ad spending reports provided to the AP. And there's more to come.

Over the past three months, the campaign took a sharply negative turn, at times becoming nasty and personal.

Obama sought to define Romney early as a ruthless corporate raider for his time at the head of a private equity firm in Boston, and as an out-of-touch rich man keeping secrets about his wealth. Romney, in turn, worked to cast Obama as a failed president on a host of fronts, primarily the economy.

Both candidates have hit road bumps: Obama saw the unemployment rate rise to 8.3 percent and gave Republicans an opening to argue that he was unfriendly to small business. Romney had a widely panned foreign trip and made a series of potentially problematic comments, most recently joking about the debunked conspiracy theory regarding Obama's citizenship.

The national party conventions, starting with Republicans here, who convene Monday and start with a full schedule on Tuesday, and ending with Democrats the following week in Charlotte, N.C., will set the parameters of the fall campaign, and could provide each side with at least a temporary surge of support in national, if not battleground state, polls.

While Obama has a clear advantage given his incumbency, Romney does have a path to victory ? though it's a steep climb.

He must win most of the seven most competitive states ? Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire and Virginia ? in order to reach the magic number. For instance, he can lose Ohio's 18 electoral votes and still become president if he wins the other six and hangs onto those already in his grasp. It's difficult to see a scenario where Romney wins without a victory in Florida, which offers 29 electoral votes.

Neither side expects a dramatically different playing field this fall.

"You know the states that are in play," said Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina. "I don't think there's going to be a surprise."

Romney's political director Rich Beeson makes the same point: "I don't think you're going to see the map go crazy."

Still, once their conventions are over, both campaigns will commission polls in the hardest-fought states to determine whether to shift their strategies. The candidates and their allied outside groups will pull money and manpower from states that are moving out of reach while relocating it to others they may now think they have a shot at winning.

"We're in a holding pattern," said Charlie Black, a veteran Republican campaign strategist and informal adviser to Romney.

Perhaps not for long.

With a huge cash advantage, Romney is considering trying to put more states in play ? and creating more state-by-state paths to reach 270. He's closely watching to see whether it's worth it to compete aggressively in Wisconsin, now that native son Rep. Paul Ryan is on the ticket.

The Republican National Committee and GOP allies have been advertising in the state in hopes of making it competitive; at least one poll shows they've had some success and the race appears close. Obama, who has a formidable campaign on the ground that includes the state's active labor and minority blocs, hasn't advertised there but might be forced to do so.

Romney also is eyeing a deeper investment in Michigan, where he campaigned Friday, and Pennsylvania, where Ryan was last week. Obama carried both states in 2008, but the GOP sees promise in the economically struggling northern industrial states, especially among working-class, white voters.

The Republican may have the money to expand the map.

August financial reports show that Romney's overall fundraising apparatus ? his campaign, the RNC and a separate joint-fundraising committee ? had roughly $177 million in the bank at the end of July. The reports are the most recent public data.

And to a greater degree than Obama, Romney also has amassed an untapped stockpile of general election money that he plans to use this fall. He can begin spending it immediately upon accepting the nomination for president at the convention's close Thursday night.

Obama and his comparable committees, in turn, had only about $127 million on hand, according to the most recent report.

He also must wait until he accepts his party's nomination on Sept. 6, the close of the Democratic convention, to start spending his general election money.

Unlike Romney, Obama isn't focused on expanding the map in earnest.

He's mostly looking to hang onto as many of the states he won four years ago, with Ohio being of particular focus. In recent months, Obama's standing there has strengthened, the unemployment rate has dropped and last week General Motors announced a $200 million expansion of a northeast Ohio plant to continue building the Chevrolet Cruze there.

Beyond playing defense, Obama's team is watching to see whether the political terrain becomes more favorable to him in Missouri in the aftermath of controversial abortion and rape comments by Rep. Todd Akin, a GOP Senate candidate.

The backlash has been fierce, and polls show Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill ? arguably the most vulnerable Senate Democrat ? having gained ground. Obama competed for Missouri four years ago but lost and hasn't run ads there this year. Romney has had a comfortable advantage there.

If they have the money to do it, both sides will engage in head-faking: spending money in places simply to force the other side to defend their home turf. For example, if Romney goes after Pennsylvania, which has voted Democratic in all recent presidential elections, Obama would likely have to spend money to defend it, limiting the amount of cash he'll have available to spend in more competitive states, like Florida or Virginia.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-08-26-Road%20to%20270/id-dfd72a2804ff45a7aa16a19807441450

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