QuantShares Files for Half a Dozen ETFs - Zacks Investment Research

QuantShares, a Boston-based ETF firm, is best known for its lineup of market neutral products targeting various segments of the equity world. The firm currently has funds that employ a market neutral approach with respect to beta, momentum, quality, and size, just to name a few.

While all of the products are still relatively new, they still haven?t exactly seen the most inflows, despite the interesting methodologies that many of the company?s products have. In fact, QuantShares? most popular ETF, BTAL, still has less than $30 million in AUM even though it is one of the only ways for investors to tap into ?spread? returns with a beta focus (read Uncertain about the Economy? Try Market Neutral ETFs).

Nevertheless, it appears as though QuantShares is undeterred by this lackluster asset accumulation, as the firm revealed plans for six more ETFs earlier this month. While some key details were not available at this time?such as expense ratios or ticker symbols?we have highlighted a few of the most important aspects from this unique ETF issuer?s filing below:

U.S. High Dividend Absolute Return Fund ? This proposed ETF looks to invest in a high dividend index with a long/short methodology in which longs outweigh the shorts. Still, with the benefit of the shorts, the managers expect to generate a positive return regardless of general market conditions (see Three Defensive ETFs for a Bear Market).

Investors should also note that the ETF will focus on securities that consistently pay the highest levels of current income in each of the ten market sectors. The product will then equally weight and go long in the highest dividend payers while it will go short in securities that inconsistently pay dividends or those that do not offer out payouts, also with an equal weight technique.

U.S. Low Beta Absolute Return Fund -- This still in registration ETF also looks to generate a positive return regardless of market conditions via its long/short methodology. However, instead of focusing on dividends, this ETF will focus in on beta for its exposure, giving this ETF a much different tilt.

In order to do this, the ETF will find the securities with the lowest beta within each sector and go long in these stocks. Meanwhile, the ETF will also find the highest beta stocks and go short in them, giving the product a similar focus as BTAL but with an absolute return mandate instead.

U.S. Relative Value Fund ? Another proposed ETF from QuantShares looks to focus on relative value for its methodology, seeking only to go long in the top stocks from a broad valuation standpoint. Unlike others on the list, this product does not have an absolute return method and will not engage in short-sales of stock (also read Try Value Investing with these Large Cap ETFs).

?A look at relative value is done by taking into account the following ratios: expected earnings over the next 12 months compared to price, trailing one year cash flow compared to price, and most recent book value against price. With this system, the fund will focus on less expensive stocks with below average valuations, while expensive stocks with above average valuations with receive lower ratings, hopefully giving the product a value tilt.

U.S. Low Beta Fund ? For another look at stocks by beta, QuantShares hopes to one day release this ETF which focuses on less sensitive securities. However, it should be noted that unlike the beta ETFs already discussed, this fund will not use shorting securities as part of its methodology (read Three Low Beta ETFs for the Uncertain Market).

Instead, this ETF will take a few of the lowest beta stocks in each of the 10 sectors that comprise the broad market. With this approach, assets will be spread out across a variety of market segments which should help to prevent a concentration in traditional low beta segments like staples or utilities.

U.S. High Quality Fund ? This proposed ETF from QuantShares seeks to hone in on high quality stocks, forgoing exposure to equities that the firm believes are ?low quality?. This product will not utilize shorts either, making it different from the company?s QLT which goes short in low quality stocks and long in high quality ones.

The ETF looks to find these high quality stocks by looking at a variety of key ratios such as return on equity and debt-to-equity, comparing components within each of the ten major sectors. Stocks that have better metrics in these regards will receive high rankings while those that have poor levels for these points will receive lower rankings, ensuring that only the top ranked stocks are included in the fund (see Four Low Volatility ETFs to Hedge Your Portfolio).

U.S. High Momentum Fund ? For investors who believe that the trend is their friend, the proposed high momentum fund should be of some interest. This product will also zero in on top rated stocks from each of the ten sectors, ensuring some level of sector diversification within the fund.

In order to find the high momentum stocks, the ETF looks at stocks that have the highest total returns over the first twelve of the last thirteen months, investing in the ones from each sector which score the most favorably in this regard.?

This is somewhat similar to MOM, although the proposed product will not utilize shorting (which MOM does for low momentum equities), and it will instead only focus on stocks that are showing the most impressive appreciation characteristics for the time frame in question.?

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>

Follow @Eric Dutram on Twitter

Source: http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/85347/quantshares-files-for-half-a-dozen-etfs

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Michelle Obama tells supporters to go out and vote

RACINE, Wis. (AP) ? As the music of Stevie Wonder pulsated through Racine Memorial Hall, Michelle Obama bounded onto the stage.

"You know what this room feels like? It feels like four more years in here!" the first lady exclaimed as the crowd of 2,500 roared its approval. The audience, including some who had waited overnight to see her, thundered again after Mrs. Obama noted that Racine is just 80 miles north of her hometown.

Until the election, she said, "coming here to Racine is the closest thing I'm going to get to be at home in Chicago."

Her husband's campaign is dispatching her to critical battleground states, high-profile appearances and big-money fundraisers. Her stepped-up schedule, packed with mostly campaign events these days, is a sign of the tight race between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney and the Obama campaign's belief that the first lady is a valuable asset.

Mrs. Obama, whose favorability ratings are higher than her husband's, can make the case for his re-election in a way no one else can, said Anita McBride, who served as Laura Bush's chief of staff in the White House.

"The first lady is always good for a couple of important things," McBride said. "One is the human side of the president, seeing who they are personally through the lens of the spouse, which is always unique."

First ladies also can champion the idea that "my husband is fighting for you" in a way that even the president and vice president cannot, McBride said.

The first lady's 35-minute campaign speech mixes the personal and political, offering glimpses of life in the White House and some of the reasons she married the president, along with an impassioned defense of his policies and character.

Most of all, she beseeches crowds to get out and vote and urge their friends and family to do the same.

"This election will be closer than the last one. That's the only guarantee. And it could all come down to just a few battleground states like right here in Wisconsin," Mrs. Obama said.

McBride called Michelle Obama a skilled campaigner who is much more enthusiastic this time around than in 2008, when she initially appeared reluctant to speak out on behalf of her husband.

"She never loved the political game and she was honest about that" in 2008, McBride said. But this year, "she is comfortable on the stump. She brings a lot of energy and she is in it to win it."

While Obama won Wisconsin handily in 2008, the state could be decided by just a few thousand votes this year, the first lady said. It may sound like a lot, she said, but those votes are spread across the state and hundreds of cities and towns.

"So when you break down those numbers, it turns out that just a handful of votes in every ward could make all the difference in the world," Mrs. Obama said. "So that one neighbor you get to the polls, that one voter you register and persuade, that one volunteer that you recruit, understand that will be the one that puts us over the top."

The Wisconsin visit followed campaign appearances in North Carolina and Ohio and earlier visits to Colorado and Virginia ? all battleground states. She also taped an appearance on "Live! With Kelly and Michael" and flew to New York for two fundraisers that brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

She heads to Hollywood on Thursday to appear on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show and raise money with actor Will Smith.

Jeremy Bird, national field director for the Obama campaign, said Michelle Obama is a valuable "grass-roots champion" in early voting states such as Wisconsin. She heads the campaign's "It Takes One" program, which urges supporters to do one thing to promote the campaign ? and to engage someone else to do likewise.

"Your vote matters in places like North Carolina and Ohio and Wisconsin," Bird said, adding that the first lady stresses the importance of volunteer efforts to push people to vote and generate enthusiasm for the campaign.

In Racine, Mrs. Obama repeatedly engaged the audience in a friendly, even intimate way. One of her favorite parts of the campaign is being able to praise her husband without him hearing, she told the crowd: "So don't tell him how much I really love him. I kind of keep that leverage. That's between you and me."

Outlining her husband's efforts to rebuild the economy, she said manufacturers have added 500,000 jobs. "Do you hear me?" she asked, one of 11 times she used the phrase.

Interviews with voters produced enthusiastic reviews. Nearly all used the same word: "inspiring."

"I'm ready to go to work," said retiree Melissa Warner, of Caledonia, Wis. A member of the Sierra Club, Warner said she will volunteer at phone banks for the environmental group and the Obama campaign.

Shanon Molina, 32, of Kenosha, Wis., also was ready to volunteer. She said her favorite part of the speech was when the first lady said, "Don't let anyone talk down your dreams."

"I put that on Facebook" even before the speech ended, Molina said.

___

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/michelle-obama-tells-supporters-vote-070422463--election.html

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How To Get In On A Pre-Construction Deal - Business Insider

We?ve already written about the perks (and perils) involved in buying pre-construction, noting that the earlier you buy, the better deal you will probably score (unless, of course, the bottom falls out of the real estate market while you're waiting a year or two to close...or you buy a lemon).

Problem is, most properties listed on real estate sites, even listings for early-development, are past the phase when you can secure early savings. So how do you, a non-insider, get in early?

We polled some NYC real estate experts for their recommended approaches to tracking down pre-construction bargains and negotiating the best deal.

1. NYC.gov listings
The absolute first way to learn about pre-construction is through the NYC.gov website. Developers have to file their intent to build with the city so that?s the earliest information available anywhere.

You can use the database to check in on an empty lot to see which developers are filing permits to build, says Noah Rosenblatt, a real estate broker and founder of the real estate analytics website UrbanDigs, but remember that "you're looking two-to-three years or more ahead into what may ultimately hit the market," he says.

Here?s how to navigate the site:

Go to the ?Buildings Information System,? page.
Choose option D from the ?BIS Menu,? which is ?Building on My Block.?
Just type in your district number and search. A list of all planned buildings will come up. (You can find out the various district numbers on the nyc.gov website, too.)
While these lists are a helpful starting point--and show you which lots are in play--they don't offer total transparency.

"Some developers might file an LLC and you won't know who it is," says Deanna Kory of the Corcoran Group.

2. Pound the pavement

This may be the most tiring method but, hey, at least you?ll get some exercise. These neighborhoods have the most preconstruction, according to Kory.

Gramercy
Flatiron
TriBeCa
Chelsea/West Chelsea
Long Island City, Queens
Brooklyn
If you?re interested in a neighborhood, walk around, get the developers' information off the construction site.

You can also enter the address of a construction site into the AG?s offering plan database to find out about the site and the developer. It will even give you details on other sites that a specific developer has worked on, which will help you research the developer?s track record.

3. Work the phones

Now it's time to contact the developer directly.

"When you see a site you may be interested in, call the number on the signs or do some research to find out who the developer or marketing agent is and register with them immediately ," says Stephen G. Kliegerman, President of Halstead Property Development Marketing.

You may be told that the developer is not be ready to market the property yet, says Paul Zweben of Douglas Elliman.

Find out when to check back and mark your calendar.

4. Real estate website listings

Cold-calling can make you feel active, but until the developer is ready to market a property, it?s a dead-end.

Some developers will only speak with you when the building has a deal with a brokerage firm. A lot of the bigger brokerage firms, like Douglas Elliman, Halstead or Citi Habitats will have new development listed right on the homepage.

Brian Morgan, a broker at Citi Habitats who works on the sell-side of pre-construction, also suggests checking out the Real Deal's website, which features news about pre-construction properties. Sites like Curbed and StreetEasy's Coming Soon section in New Devs can be helpful, too.

Listings can range from buildings two-to-three years away from opening to buildings that already have several units sold (and currently selling!).

5. Specialized brokers

?Align yourself with a local broker who is knowledgeable in the market,? Morgan suggests. Brokers get all the listings and often have relationships with other brokers or with developers? brokers, and they can help track down a specific property or help with negotiating at the end.

?You need an advisor and someone with expertise [in new construction]," says Zweben.

Having a specialized broker can cut out a lot of work for you.

"Halstead and Brown Harris Stevens brokers receive a monthly update from their development divisions informing them of all upcoming developments so those brokers know whom to contact often before any other firm," says Kliegerman.

Brokers can also give you information a particular developer's track record, and can help you come up with questions to ask when you?re buying something that hasn?t been built yet.

6. Find the best deal for you

If you buy in the first phase of construction, you can save 5-15 percent off of what the apartment will be offered at later in the process. But the "best deal" will largely depend on your point-of-view as a buyer -- some people want the penthouse or a fantastic view, which often are made available until later down the sales pipeline, when they can command the highest price.

If you're looking at the property as an investment piece, consider a unit that's "scaleable," Rosenblatt suggests. "Buy a one-bedroom with a large dining area that can easily be converted to a two-bedroom that rents or sells at a higher level."

7. Pay cash if you can--and negotiate, negotiate, negotiate

If you're an all-cash buyer--or have a big downpayment--you may have more than the usual amount of leverage at the preconstruction phase, says real estate broker Mike Akerly, who has significant experience representing condominium developers.

Why?

In the current market where new construction is in high demand, developers may be particularly aggressive with pricing, and "there may not be comparable sales to justify the prices they hope to get," says Akerly. That could lead to appraisal problems with the buyer's bank, who may only agree to lend up to a lower percentage of appraised value.

Thus developers may particularly favor all-cash buyers (who don't usually ask for an appraisal contingency) as well as buyers who can put down high down-payments if the appraisal comes in low, says Akerly, because "once these buyers close in the building, they set the new comps for future sales, thus making it easy for the developer to set a new baseline for pricing."

Your cashola leverage might be helpful in negotiating concessions, snagging a particularly desirable unit--or even negotiating on preconstruction price.

"If the comps show that the per-square-foot-price should be $850, but the developer is asking $1,000 per square foot, the developer may be thrilled with an early cash buyer who comes in at $925 because it sets the floor for future negotiations," says Akerly. "That basically erases the old $850 per-square-foot comps outside of the building and sets a new floor of $925 inside the building without worrying about appraisal issues. The developer will then hope they can build off that number for future sales."

As for concessions, they aren't as common as they used to be (see "Concession Update: What developers are giving and how to get it.") in the current market, but real estate attorney Sandor Krauss tells us he's still seeing sponsors paying transfer taxes and attorney fees. Akerly says the first place to start your negotiations is making sure you understand the fees laid out in the offering plan.

"Besides the ones most buyers have become familiar wtih--such as transfer taxes and attorneys fees--some developers will throw in interesting ones ranging from 'offering plan drafting recoupment fees' to 'creation fees' to 'oven installation fees'. No joke on the last one," he says. "These are the first places to start your negotiation."

Finally, he says, if you're not cash-rich and you're in a competitive bidding situation, keep in mind that "developers focus on their net proceeds from the sale," says Akerly.

"Instead of asking for something like a closing cost concession--which means the developer credits you for something at closing, lowering his net proceeds--consider asking him to raise the purchase price dollar-for-dollar with your closing cost request," he suggests. That way, in addition to addressing your liquidity issue, "the developer doesn't lose out and your bid stays strong."

Now check out 15 great city homes that are priced to sell >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-in-on-a-pre-construction-deal-2012-10

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Andy Serkis Directing New Animal Farm Movie

Andy Serkis is obsessed with the animal kingdom. Not happy playing all primates great and small in King Kong and Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, his next move behind the camera will reportedly see him rework George Orwell?s barnyard epic, Animal Farm.

?I think we found a rather fresh way of looking at it,? says Serkis in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. ?It is definitely using performance capture, but we are using an amalgamation of filming styles to create the environments.?

Telling the story of a farmyard coup spearheaded by a power-crazed pig named Napoleon, Orwell?s allegorical tale mirrors the circumstances that led to Stalin?s rise to power, although it seems as though Serkis isn?t planning to go into the politics too deeply.

?We?re keeping it fable-istic and [aimed at] a family audience. We are not going to handle the politics in a heavy-handed fashion. It is going to be emotionally centred in a way that I don?t think has been seen before. The point of view that we take will be slightly different to how it is normally portrayed. We are examining this in a new light.?

Just how you can retell Animal Farm without bringing the politics to the forefront remains to be seen, although the ?50s animation already presented a moderately sanitised version of the original text. In any case, we can at least expect it to look rather special, with Serkis toying with the idea of doing some of the mo-cap acting himself.

?It might well be that I do, but nothing is set in stone yet," he says. "At the moment I?m very fixed on the creation of the characters and world from a directorial point of view."
?

Source: THR

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926124/news/1926124/

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Debate moderating: a thankless job

FILE - In this July 23, 2009 file photo, CBS newsman Bob Schieffer, right,arrives for Walter Cronkite's funeral at St. Bartholomew's Church on Park Ave. in New York. Beneath Schieffer's Southern charm is the tough spine of someone used to dealing with politicians. The moderator of Monday's final presidential debate will need it, because it has been open season on the other journalists who have done that job this campaign. Thanks to a bitter campaign rivalry, thriving partisan media outlets and the growth of social media, debate moderator is approaching baseball umpire on the scale of thankless jobs. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

FILE - In this July 23, 2009 file photo, CBS newsman Bob Schieffer, right,arrives for Walter Cronkite's funeral at St. Bartholomew's Church on Park Ave. in New York. Beneath Schieffer's Southern charm is the tough spine of someone used to dealing with politicians. The moderator of Monday's final presidential debate will need it, because it has been open season on the other journalists who have done that job this campaign. Thanks to a bitter campaign rivalry, thriving partisan media outlets and the growth of social media, debate moderator is approaching baseball umpire on the scale of thankless jobs. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2011, file photo, Bob Schieffer arrives at the 59th Annual BMI Country Awards in Nashville. Beneath Schieffer's Southern charm is the tough spine of someone used to dealing with politicians. The moderator of Monday's final presidential debate will need it, because it has been open season on the other journalists who have done that job this campaign. Thanks to a bitter campaign rivalry, thriving partisan media outlets and the growth of social media, debate moderator is approaching baseball umpire on the scale of thankless jobs. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Beneath Bob Schieffer's Southern charm is the tough spine of someone used to dealing with politicians. The moderator of Monday's final presidential debate will need it, because it has been open season on the other journalists who have done that job this campaign.

Thanks to a bitter campaign rivalry, thriving partisan media outlets and the growth of social media, debate moderator is approaching baseball umpire on the scale of thankless jobs.

Jim Lehrer was criticized for not doing enough, Candy Crowley for doing too much and Martha Raddatz worked over about the wedding guest list for a marriage that ended more than a decade ago. Though not unanimously so, the barbs were usually partisan in nature.

"There are millions of people with their hands over their keyboards ready to analyze every single moment of what's happening," said veteran TV journalist Jeff Greenfield. "That puts even more pressure on ... It's a no-win situation."

Conservative columnist George Will called last week's get-together on Long Island the best presidential debate he's ever seen.

It didn't take long, however, for Republican Mitt Romney's supporters to go after CNN's Crowley. They said questions that she chose from undecided voters on immigration, gun control and equal pay for women played to President Barack Obama's strengths. They were incensed when Crowley, faced by two candidates in a dispute over what was said during a presidential address about Libya, corrected Romney by saying Obama had referred to an attack on Americans in Benghazi as an "act of terror." Crowley also noted that others in the administration suggested for nearly two weeks that the reaction to an anti-Muslim video was a motivating factor in the attack.

Radio host Rush Limbaugh called Crowley's work "an act of journalistic terror."

"If there were any journalistic standards, what she did last night would have been the equivalent of blowing up her career like a suicide bomber," he said.

The conservative Media Research Center criticized Crowley for having only one question on a foreign policy issue, even though this Monday's Schieffer-moderated debate is supposed to focus on foreign policy.

Thanks to a clock that airs on CNN's screen during the debate, some conservatives saw as a sign of bias that Obama spoke for 44 minutes, 4 seconds during the debate, compared to Romney's 40:50. This prompted CNN to count the actual words spoken by each candidate. The faster-talking Romney said 7,984 words and Obama 7,506.

Criticism of Crowley was a relentless post-debate topic on Fox News Channel, which knows CNN isn't popular among Republicans in its audience. Conservatives on Fox and liberals on MSNBC offer an echo chamber for partisan complaints and have far greater prominence than they had even a decade ago.

"I knew from the start," Crowley told The Associated Press, "somebody is going to be unhappy no matter what you do."

Crowley's bosses leapt to her defense: "She had to deal with the tricky format, the nervous questioners, the aggressive debaters, all while shutting out the pre-debate attempts to spin and intimidate her," CNN U.S. chief Mark Whitaker said in a memo to staff. "She pulled it off masterfully."

Even as each debate progresses, Twitter is crackling with reactions. Type in the moderator's name in a search and the screen immediately fills with tweets. Generally, it's a dependable way to gauge how a candidate is doing. The harsher one party's reaction to a moderator is, the tougher time their candidate is having onstage.

"I've never known the winning side to (complain)," said Aaron Brown, the former ABC and CNN anchor who is now a professor at Arizona State University.

Frustration against Lehrer boiled over predominantly among Democrats like Michael Moore and Rachel Maddow who were witnessing Obama's admittedly poor performance in the first debate. The former PBS host said he essentially tried to get out of the way, asking general questions and letting the candidates go after each other.

"I wondered if we needed a moderator since we had Mitt Romney," Obama's deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said, even though her candidate talked longer. As in the second debate, Romney spoke more words.

ABC's Raddatz generally received strong reviews for her work moderating the one debate between Vice President Joe Biden and challenger Paul Ryan. Conservative media was buzzing days before the event, however, with the story that future president Obama attended her 1991 wedding to Julius Genachowski, Obama's Harvard classmate. The couple divorced in 1999. Allusions to the wedding popped up in grumbling tweets by Republicans about Raddatz's questioning.

One motive of the pre- and post-debate criticism is to "work the refs," to let the moderators know that partisans are watching. If intimidation works, even on a subtle level, it can seep into their performances at a time when even modest advantages can make a big difference.

During the second debate, George Mason University went so far as to count how many times each candidate and Crowley interrupted one another. They found that Romney was interrupted 58 times and Obama 43. The numbers came with little context, however, so it wasn't clear how many interruptions were related to candidates exceeding agreed-upon time limits.

Crowley's role in the Libyan discussion also raised the issue of how much the moderators should be prepared to practice journalism while onstage. If you hear something factually incorrect or misleading, is it your duty to point it out to viewers, or is that strictly the candidates' job?

For most viewers, the answer no doubt has to do with which candidate is being corrected.

So let's get this moderator's job straight:

Craft sharp questions to get the candidates to talk, while being meticulously fair not to challenge one more than another. Keep an eye on the clock so one candidate doesn't get to hog the time. Don't be bullied; be firm in forcing the candidates to move on. But be flexible enough to keep a productive discussion flowing. Know the difference. Keep the focus off yourself. And do it all on live television before some 60 million people.

Any applicants?

"There is not enough money to get me to do one of these things," Brown said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-10-22-Debate%20Moderators/id-abe4ccbb81654ae8b15c91136186e960

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Poll: Germans accept nuke exit despite rising bill

BERLIN (AP) ? A new poll finds that a large majority of Germans back the government's decision to phase out nuclear power and switch to renewable energies within a decade, despite rising electricity bills.

The poll for German news magazine Focus published Sunday found that 72 percent continue to support the country's energy switchover. Only 24 percent were opposed to the policy.

Germany's grid operators announced earlier this month that a surcharge on households' electricity prices financing the expansion of renewable energies will increase by 47 percent starting in January. A typical family of four will then have to pay about ?250 ($325) per year on top of their bill.

Polling agency Forsa surveyed 1,000 people this week. Focus did not provide the poll's margin of error.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-10-21-Germany-Energy/id-e2323311c62243a39dec616fa4b27df3

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Two Months 'Til Doomsday? Mayan Apocalypse Set for Dec. 21

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Brooks excited by Country Hall of Fame induction

FILE - This Oct. 7, 2012 photo shows Garth Brooks singing "Papa Loved Mama," a song written by Kim Williams, as Williams is inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. On Sunday, Oct. 21, Brooks will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, file)

FILE - This Oct. 7, 2012 photo shows Garth Brooks singing "Papa Loved Mama," a song written by Kim Williams, as Williams is inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. On Sunday, Oct. 21, Brooks will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, file)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Name just about any trophy, lifetime achievement award or honorific, and Garth Brooks can claim ownership.

Sunday night he'll get the big one: Country Music Hall of Fame member.

Brooks will be inducted along with Connie Smith and Hargus "Pig" Robbins in a surprise-packed performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville.

Trisha Yearwood says she's rarely ever seen her husband so worked up.

"I don't know if there's anybody who's received more honors, and I've never seen anyone so excited," she said in a recent interview with Brooks. "I've never seen him as excited about such an honor."

It's a well-deserved honor for the man who took country music from a regional sound to an international phenomenon. It's also one the 50-year-old balked at, though he's become more comfortable with it.

"When they announced it, all I could think about was the guys who aren't in there that should be before me," Brooks said. "And as we've gotten closer I see that, but I just can't help be like a little kid at Christmas. It's going to be a great, great, great night."

___

Online:

http://countrymusichalloffame.org

___

For the latest country music news from the Associated Press: http://twitter.com/AP_Country . Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-10-21-Music-Country%20Hall%20of%20Fame/id-f3284e117deb40199fb0b3538b390a09

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In uphill battle for Senate seat, Bills is driven to 'stop the debt' (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/256923482?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Home Care San Francisco Are You Listening?

ARE YOU LISTENING?

Remember when your parents were lecturing you on the rules for taking the car for a spin? Dad would put his face in front of yours and say, ?Are you listening?? Of course you would say ?sure? even though your mind was miles away on the adventure to come.

Today, as adults, the children who received the counsel and wisdom of their parents are facing a reverse situation in their lives. They are finding themselves concerned about their aging parents and what their needs will be as their health and mental abilities fail them. In some cases the children must take the role as parent in securing the safety and well being of an elderly family member.

Julie lives 600 miles from her mother. Knowing her mothers health is frail and she lives alone, Julie calls her every evening after work. The conversation always goes like this;

?How are you doing today Mom, Julie asks?
?Everything?s fine?, Mother replies.
?Are you taking your pills??
?Yes, everything?s fine.?
?Do you need anything??
?Everything?s fine.?

Julie does not get much more conversation from her mother. Perhaps everything is fine, or perhaps Julie?s mother just wants Julie to think she can take care of herself. Even worse, mother could think all is fine and be forgetting her medication and not eating properly.

Is Julie really listening? ARE YOU LISTENING?

It may be time to put your face in front of your parent and listen.

Assuming that all is well and that your elderly family member knows and does what is best for them, may be putting them at risk.

Become a partner with them in their care. The best time to form the partnership is before a crisis happens.

Donna Schempp, a licensed clinical social worker and program director at the Family Caregiver Alliance, states that in talking to your parents, ?The sooner, the better.? If you bring up the subject before your parents need any extra support, ?then it?s not crisis driven,? she explains. ?It?s not a way of saying, ?Mom, Dad, there?s something wrong with you.?

A good way to begin is to sit with your parents and ask questions like, what are your concerns for the future. Do you want to remain in your home? Are you worried about losing your independence? Listen to their answers. You might relate your concerns as well, or you desire to be of help.

In become a partner in planning for care and helping your loved one, you need to know what legal and financial arrangements are in place. By asking, ?What if you had a stroke, Mom, I would need to know where your medical and insurance documents are and what you would have me do in your behalf.?

The next step might be to accompany them to their doctor appointment so to understand what their medical needs are and help create a plan for future needs.

The National Care Planning Council?s book ?The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning? gives the following list of most common services family care givers will provide for their parents.

?Walking, lifting, and bathing
?Using the bathroom and with incontinence
?Providing pain management
?Preventing unsafe behavior and preventing wandering
?Providing comfort and assurance or arranging for professional counseling
?Feeding
?Answering the phone
?Making arrangements for therapy, meeting medical needs, and doctors? appointments
?Providing meals
?Maintaining the household
?Shopping and running errands
?Providing transportation
?Administering medications
?Managing money and paying bills
?Doing the laundry
?Attending to personal hygiene and personal grooming
?Writing letters or notes
?Making repairs to the home, maintaining a yard
There are many resources available to help families in caring for their elder parents. As you become involved you will know when it is time to bring in professional services to help or when the need to find new living arrangements is necessary.

Beginning now to talk, listen and plan together can make the journey more pleasant for everyone involved.

Contact?ComForcare Home Care Services?for all of your?elder care?needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable care to our seniors, veterans and disabled in the San Francisco Bay area. Call (415) 689-8567.

?

Source: http://www.sfbayseniorcare.com/home-care-san-francisco-are-you-listening

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Standing Proud ? Poor Man's Family Bitters ? Oswego, NY ...

Only Think! A Half-pint Bottle of Poor Man?s Family Bitters for 25 Cents: a Mild and Pleasant Tonic, Alterative and Stimulant : Composed of Sarsaparilla, Dandelion, Mandrake, Wild Cherry, Prickly Ash, Red Alder, Valerian, &c. ? Manufactured by Poor Man?s Bitters Company, Oswego, N.Y. ?

Currently on eBay you will see a labeled, Poor Man?s Family Bitters (visit eBay and see listing) from Oswego, New York with quite a bit of cool information on a rather mundane bottle. Well maybe mundane for most, as I find the bottle and brand fascinating and certainly own an example in my collection. I mean this bottle on eBay has a full label, contents and a tax stamp! And then there is the original shipping crate full of bottles! Let?s look at the brand a little closer.

In the picture above I have dropped in an image of the Poor Man?s Family Bitters with three of Jack Stecher?s killer labeled bitters from upstate New York. Folks, there is a product for every housewife and caring mother when shopping for Bitters. For 25c you get the Poor Man?s Family Bitters, and for a lot more you can get the other products. I am looking for unit prices of these bottles if anyone out there knows. A simple bottle, 25c, a great name that says it all and a yellow label. Mom doesn?t need that fancy stuff!

Oswego Morning Herald Advertisement ? February 14, 1879

The Era Druggists? Directory, Volume 18 notes a D. M. Mead as mfrs. for Poor Man?s Bitters ? 213 W. 1st

The Carlyn Ring and W.C description in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

P 123 ?POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS

POOR MAN?S / FAMILY BITTERS // f // f // f //
Bush Pharmacy ? Donald H. Burnside Proprietor ? 231 W. First St.
Oswego, New York
6 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 1 9/16 (5) 3/8
Rectangular, Aqua, NSC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Scarce

Label: Judge me by my works! A laxative bitter stomachic and appetizer. Poor Man?s Family Bitters is only recommended for the relief of temporary constipation and should not be used habitually for it may develop ?laxative habit?. In case of nausea, vomiting, and severe abdominal pains, do not?use a laxative. These are symptoms of appendicitis. Consult your physician. Poor Man?s Family Bitters are not to be used by children under 12.

POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS ? Meyer Collection

POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS ? Meyer Collection

POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS ? Meyer Collection

eBay Example Description

Rare 1870 aqua Poor Man?s Family Bitters embossed bottle with original label Oswego, New York ? perfect condition

This is an antique aqua glass embossed bottle with original paper label from 1870. Bottle is for ?poor man?s family bitters?. Bottle has a wrap-around front label and embossing of ?Poor Man?s Family Bitters? on the back side. The beautiful label tells all the afflictions this cure-all was used for and directions for use. Antique bottle came right out of a full case which still has the sawdust packing inside of it. This bottle is in as perfect condition as it comes with the label never having seen daylight until now. Medicine bottle has no chips or cracks and has a cork-top. The original contents are still inside, as well, which is hard to find. The top has a proprietary stamp on it dated November 11, 1870. This bottle was produced 5 years after the civil war ended. They put these stamps on items back then to raise money for the wounded veterans of the war. Product was ?manufactured by Poor Man?s Bitters Company Oswego, N.Y.?. Please see pictures for the look of this lovely bottle. It measures 6 and 1/4? tall by 2 and 3/4? wide by 1 and 3/4? thick. You won?t find antique bottles in this pristine condition very often. Don?t miss out on owning your very own piece of history. Very old aqua embossed labeled medicine bottle would be great for display in your collection.

WOW. Look at this full case, which still has the sawdust packing inside of it?for POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS ? eBay example

Labeled with contents POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS ? eBay example

Labeled with contents POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS ? eBay example

Tax stamp dated November 11, 1870 on the bottom of the POOR MAN?S FAMILY BITTERS ? eBay example

2c Revenue Stamp from same time period. Oswego, N.Y. ? National Marine Bank check #125, 1/19/1869 date of issue, acct. Of Mrs. _ Robinson__, size approx. 2 5/8? x 7 3/4?, back blank, Revenue stamp #r15, ink cancel, sharp schooner vignette, blue on cream paper. ? eBay

Oswego (see panoramic c 1909 above) is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as ?The Port City of Central New York?. It is the county seat of Oswego County.?The city of Oswego is bordered by the towns of Oswego, Minetto, and Scriba to the west, south, and east, respectively, and by Lake Ontario to the north. The State University of New York at Oswego is located just outside the city on the lake. Oswego is the namesake for communities in Montana, Oregon, Illinois, and Kansas.

Early History

The British established a trading post in the area in 1722 and fortified it with a log palisade later called Fort Oswego. The first fortification on the site of the current Fort Ontario was built by the British in 1755 and called the ?Fort of the Six Nations.?

Military Base

Fort Ontario was destroyed by the French upon capturing it in the Battle of Fort Oswego, during the French and Indian War. Construction of a second British fort began on the same site in 1759, but Fort Oswego was only used as a cannon emplacement. During the American Revolution, the British abandoned the Fort, and in 1778, American troops destroyed it. In 1782, the British reoccupied Fort Ontario, and didn?t forfeit it to the U.S. until 1796, thirteen years after the cessation of hostilities in the Revolution. During the War of 1812, a weaker American garrison at Fort Oswego was overwhelmed by superior British forces, in order to stem the flow of supplies from the interior of New York state. Throughout the 19th Century, the U.S. military maintained a presence at Fort Ontario.
At the end of the Second World War, the ?new? fort was used as a ?Safe Haven,? an emergency refugee center for victims of the Nazi Holocaust, the only one of its kind in the U.S. In 1946 the Fort was transferred to the State of New York. Initially used to house veterans and their families during the post-war period, development of the fort as a State Historic Site began in 1949

The fort that stands today was built between 1839 and 1844. Major masonry improvements to the forts outer wall were undertaken, but left incomplete when in 1872, congress cancelled its funding. By 1901, the old fort was abandoned.

Today, Fort Ontario is being restored to its 1867-72 appearance. Costumed interpreters recreate the lives of the officers, men, and civilians who garrisoned the fort in 1868-9.

Growth of the City

Oswego was incorporated as a village on March 14, 1828, and the Oswego Canal, a branch of the Erie Canal, reached the area in 1829. The city was incorporated in 1848. When the city incorporated, its area and population were removed from the figures reported for the towns. In the 1850s, at the height of a popular water-cure movement occurring in the U.S.A., in turn stimulating growth, Oswego was the home of the Oswego Water Cure establishment, which Stonewall Jackson reportedly visited in August 1850.

Oswego is home to the port of Oswego and once was a major railroad hub for the New York Central, Lackawanna/Erie Lackawanna, and NY Ontario and Western railways. Three stations remain (as landmarks not functioning): two passenger (D&LW and NYC) and one freight (NYC) as does a rather large trestle over the Oswego River. The tunnel on a local hiking trail in the city was the north end of the NYO&W.

Oswego was home to almost 1,000 Jewish refugees during World War II including one particularly feisty refugee by the name of Scruff. Fort Ontario was the only attempt by the United States to shelter Jewish refugees during the war. Oswego also has the Safe Haven Museum to commemorate the stories of the refugees. [Wikipedia]

Fenner?s Complete Formulary ? Poor Man?s Bitters ? 1888

In 1922 you can see that a George W. Bush was selling a Man?s Family Bitters in Oswego, New York for retail 50c a bottle and $3.75 for a dozen.

Source: http://www.peachridgeglass.com/2012/10/standing-proud-poor-mans-family-bitters-oswego-ny/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=standing-proud-poor-mans-family-bitters-oswego-ny

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Colorful Garden Hoses for Los Angeles ... - Real Estate Marketing Blog

Garden Hose and Watering Accessories | Shop Gardener?s Supply

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Gardener?s Supply | Shop garden hose accessories and tools to make watering the garden easier. Water conservation and drought prevention items that also ?

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Source: http://realestatemarketingblog.com/colorful-garden-hoses-for-los-angeles-california-homes/

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Dumaine Street shooting killed aspiring filmmaker, subject of ...

Being the subject of a documentary movie a few years ago inspired Joshua Short to enroll in film production classes at Delgado Community College, according to his twin brother, Jonathan. Jonathan?said Joshua?dreamed about capturing and telling stories the way his and his brother's story was depicted by filmmakers Vince Morelli and Jason Berry in "Left Behind: The Story of the New Orleans Public Schools."

Late Tuesday, someone shot Joshua Short in the face in the 2600 block of Dumaine Street, where he grew up and had just attended a Night Out Against Crime party. He died the following day at a hospital, becoming?at least the sixth person to be slain on that stretch of Dumaine since Hurricane Katrina. He was 25.

Jonathan Short on Friday fought back tears as he noted the depressing irony of?the night on which his twin was killed. "It's ridiculous it was Night Out Against Crime," Jonathan said. "It's just horrible."

Jonathan?said his brother had lingered on Dumaine Street following the Night Out Against Crime event to visit a teen he tutored and practiced basketball with. "My brother had a heart of gold," Jonathan?said. "He didn't really believe too much in adults. But he knew kids were the future."

In "Left Behind," viewers were introduced to Jonathan and Joshua Short when they were seniors at Walter L. Cohen High School during the 2004-05 academic year. The brothers had shared an apartment and managed to support themselves for three years while their parents were missing from their lives. "Left Behind" explored the challenges local public school students like the Short twins face.

Jonathan?said he graduated from Cohen, and his twin obtained a GED. Joshua pursued his film studies at Delgado and had been selected to attend a competitive boot camp for production assistants this weekend.

Meanwhile, Joshua forwarded his resume to a wide range of employers, from those seeking dishwashers to those needing general laborers. "Whatever he could apply for, that's what my brother applied for," said Jonathan, who examined his brother's e-mail account after the homicide. "He must have two sent two resumes daily this summer."

Joshua?struggled to find employment, his brother said, but he tried to make the most of his spare time, such as?by?helping the Dumaine Street teen do his homework and improve his basketball skills.?"Joshua had a rough upbringing," his brother said. "He knew that kid shouldn't have to go through that. They would do things so that young guy wouldn't be sitting on Dumaine Street with nothing to do."

On top of that, Joshua?took film jobs from Berry whenever they were available. During the NCAA Men's Final Four?basketball championship in New Orleans this spring, for example, he helped Berry record a Jimmy Buffett concert at Woldenberg Park.

Berry recalls how he and Joshua?rode in an elevator at a nearby hotel with legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight.?Joshua "freaked out," Berry said. "It was a huge experience for him to meet Coach Knight."

Authorities haven't publicly discussed exactly what unfolded when Short was shot about 10:40 p.m. on Tuesday. Jonathan?said his brother had gone to the Night Out Against Crime gathering to greet friends and visit the youth he was mentoring. Jonathan doesn't believe the deadly gunfire was meant for either his twin or his friend.

Berry lamented that Joshua Short became the second student profiled in "Left Behind" to fall victim to shooting violence in New Orleans. The first, Mario Pleasant, survived when he was attacked in the middle of filming the documentary.

"For an act of violence like this to take Joshua's life, it makes me very angry," Berry said. "I'm fed up with it. The entire point of the documentary, for me, was (to show) the way we are treating our children is leading to this epidemic of violence. I don't see it getting any better. I don't see any changes being made."

Anyone with information?about Joshua Short's killing is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111 or toll-free at 877.903.7867. People can also text tips to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637); text TELLCS and then the crime information. Callers or texters do not have to give their names or testify and can earn a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an indictment.

Source: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/10/deadly_dumaine_street_shooting.html

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Myanmar find could flood vintage Spitfire market

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? As many as 140 World War II Spitfire fighter planes ? three to four times the number of airworthy models known to exist ? are believed to be buried in near-pristine condition in Myanmar. A British-Myanmar partnership says it will begin digging them up by the end of the month.

The go-ahead for excavation came earlier this week when the Myanmar government signed an agreement with British aviation enthusiast David J. Cundall and his local partner. Cundall, a farmer and businessman, earlier this year announced he had located 20 of the planes, best known for helping the Royal Air Force win mastery of the skies during the Battle of Britain.

On Thursday, however, a retired Myanmar geology professor who has assisted in the recovery operation since 1999 said there are about 140 Spitfires buried in various places around the Southeast Asian country, which until 1948 was a British colony called Burma. He did not explain the discrepancy in estimates.

Soe Thein said the British brought crates of Spitfires to Myanmar in the closing stages of the war, but never used them when the Japanese gave up the fight in 1945. The single-seat version of the fighter plane was 9.14 meters (30 feet) long with an 11.3 meter (37 foot) wingspan.

The U.S. Army was in charge of burying the planes after British forces decided to dispose of them that way, he said, adding Cundall interviewed at least 1,000 war veterans, mostly American, to gather information about the aircraft's fate.

He said a ground search was started in 1999 using magnetometers and ground radar, but faced difficulties. Only in recent years did technology become advanced enough to be more certain of the finds, he said.

Each plane was kept in a crate about 12.2 meters (40 feet) long, 3.4 meters (11 feet) high and 2.7 meters (9 feet) wide, said Soe Thein.

The plans under a two-year contract are to recover 60 planes in the first phase: 36 planes in Mingaladon, near Yangon's current air base and international airport; 18 in Myitkyina in Kachin state in the north; and six in Meikthila in central Myanmar. Others are to be recovered in a second phase.

The Myanmar government will get one plane for display at a museum, as well as half of the remaining total. DJC, a private company headed by Cundall, will get 30 percent of the total and the Myanmar partner company, Shwe Taung Paw, 20 percent.

British Prime Minister David Cameron eased the way to an agreement when he visited Myanmar President Thein Sein in April.

Cundall has said his quest to find the planes involved 12 trips to Myanmar and cost more than 130,000 pounds ($210,000), not including the planned excavation expenses.

Spitfires in working shape are rare and popular with collectors. In 2009, a restored but airworthy Spitfire was sold by British auction house Bonhams for >1,739,500 ($2,544,130)

The excavation agreement was signed Tuesday by Civil Aviation Director-General Tin Naing Tun, Cundall on behalf of DJC, and Htoo Htoo Zaw, managing director of Shwe Taung Paw.

"It took 16 years for Mr. David Cundall to locate the planes buried in crates. We estimate that there are at least 60 Spitfires buried and they are in good condition," Htoo Htoo Zaw said Wednesday. "We want to let people see these historic fighters, and the excavation of these fighter planes will further strengthen relations between Myanmar and Britain."

The British Embassy on Wednesday described the agreement as a chance to work with Myanmar's new reformist government to restore and display the planes.

"We hope that many of them will be gracing the skies of Britain and as discussed, some will be displayed here in Burma," said an embassy spokesman, who spoke anonymously because he was not directly involved in the excavation agreement.

Myanmar from 1962 until last year was under the rule of the military, which changed the country's name from Burma in 1989. Thein Sein's reformist government has turned away from the repression of the military government and patched up relations with Western nations that had previously shunned it.

The state-owned Myanma Ahlin daily on Wednesday cited Transport Minister Nyan Tun Aung as saying the Spitfire agreement amounts to the British government's recognition of the democratic reforms.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/myanmar-could-flood-vintage-spitfire-market-011243922.html

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Afghan police school tries to fix struggling force

In this Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 photo, an Afghan instructor instructs a police student shooting with live ammunition at the police academy in Kabul, Afghanistan. On Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, President Hamid Karzai said that his military and police are prepared to take full responsibility for security if the American-led international coalition decides to speed up the handover. But international observers warn that the largely illiterate police force will disintegrate after 2014 into factional militias more loyal to local warlords than to the state. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

In this Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 photo, an Afghan instructor instructs a police student shooting with live ammunition at the police academy in Kabul, Afghanistan. On Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, President Hamid Karzai said that his military and police are prepared to take full responsibility for security if the American-led international coalition decides to speed up the handover. But international observers warn that the largely illiterate police force will disintegrate after 2014 into factional militias more loyal to local warlords than to the state. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

In this Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 photo, police officers participate in early morning prayers inside a mosque at the police academy in Kabul, Afghanistan. The readiness of Afghanistan?s security forces is central to U.S. and NATO plans to withdraw all forces from the country by the end of 2014, and the academy?s new commander wants to help turn around a 146,000-strong national police force long riddled with corruption, incompetence and factional rivalries. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

In this Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 photo, police officers line up for breakfast after morning prayers at the police academy in Kabul, Afghanistan. The readiness of Afghanistan?s security forces is central to U.S. and NATO plans to withdraw all forces from the country by the end of 2014, and the academy?s new commander wants to help turn around a 146,000-strong national police force long riddled with corruption, incompetence and factional rivalries. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

In this Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 photo, Afghan National Police officers navigate a ropes course during a training session at the police academy in Kabul, Afghanistan. The readiness of Afghanistan?s security forces is central to U.S. and NATO plans to withdraw all forces from the country by the end of 2014, and the academy?s new commander wants to help turn around a 146,000-strong national police force long riddled with corruption, incompetence and factional rivalries. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

In this Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 photo, Afghan National Police instructor Ghulam Hazrat, left, 70, instructs recruits at the police academy in Kabul, Afghanistan. On Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, President Hamid Karzai said that his military and police are prepared to take full responsibility for security if the American-led international coalition decides to speed up the handover. But international observers warn that the largely illiterate police force will disintegrate after 2014 into factional militias more loyal to local warlords than to the state. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

KABUL (AP) ? At the gate to the National Police Academy, on the western edge of the Afghan capital, the guard's rifle bolts into firing position. "Stop!" he shouts.

It's 4 a.m., the street lights are not working and the guard's superiors had neglected to tell him that the red Toyota Corolla would be arriving. Time and again, suicide bombers have attacked Afghanistan's police and army outposts. So one of the first lessons taught at the academy is diligence.

The readiness of Afghanistan's security forces is central to U.S. and NATO plans to withdraw all forces from the country by the end of 2014, and the academy's new commander wants to help turn around a 146,000-strong national police force long riddled with corruption, incompetence and factional rivalries.

Such problems are not always acknowledged publicly. On Thursday, President Hamid Karzai said that his military and police are prepared to take full responsibility for security if the American-led international coalition decides to speed up the handover. And a statement released this week by the NATO-led force, ISAF, called the Afghan National Army the most respected institution in the country and said "the Afghan national police also rank highly."

But the National Police Academy's director, Mullah Dad Pazoish, presents a different viewpoint.

"There are police who don't even know the meaning of the word 'police,'" Pazoish said in a recent interview. "We have generals who have no training. They are the jihadi commanders."

International observers warn that the largely illiterate police force will disintegrate after 2014 into factional militias more loyal to local warlords than to the state.

There are also questions about the ability of the Afghan army, which continues to suffer from a high rate of attrition.

A report released this month by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group concluded that Afghan security forces are not even close to being ready to take over security nationwide. "Only 7 percent of the army and 9 percent of the national police units are considered capable of independent action even with advisers," the report stated.

And Karzai himself complained two weeks ago that Afghan forces are not getting the weapons they need from NATO allies, suggesting Afghanistan might have to go to other countries such as China and Russia to acquire them.

Little noticed amid the criticism is that the police have taken the heaviest casualties in the war. On average, nearly 10 police officers are killed or wounded every day, according to the ISAF statement.

The risks were clearly on the mind of the guard who recently pointed his weapon at the Toyota approaching the gates of the 70-year-old academy, the nation's oldest, a sprawling compound that harks back to a peaceful Afghanistan ruled by a monarchy.

Gen. Nawroz Khaliq, who took command of the academy eight months ago, wants to restore higher standards to the institution. A career cop with a receding hairline, Khaliq envisions an academy that will create a new generation of policemen who understand the law and are committed to upholding it.

"In 10 years this academy I promise will be as good as any in the world," he said inside his comfortable office across from the parade grounds. A giant picture of Karzai hangs on the wall. A bouquet of dusty plastic flowers dominates a small bookcase, and plush couches line the walls.

Khaliq said the withdrawal of foreign forces in 2014 could be an opportunity for Afghans to rise to the occasion and prove themselves, but he acknowledged that the job ahead is colossal.

After the collapse of the Taliban regime in 2001, the academy's traditional three-year program was mostly supplanted with a new eight-week training course in the rush to turn out uniformed policemen. Large sections of the police were drawn from the ranks of militias whose warlord leaders sit in the Afghan parliament. Others came from remote villages. Few had seen the inside of a school.

Standards for the eight-week police training program are low, according to Khaliq. There is no educational requirement, and new recruits don't even have to be able to sign their name, just provide their fingerprints. They do, however, need to be recommended by a government official, who vouches they are neither Taliban nor a criminal.

Falaq Niaz Samedi, a lawyer and law professor at the academy, said government officials promote poor-quality candidates and then blame the academy for turning out corrupt police.

"I was at a seminar when the deputy (interior) minister said to me, 'All police are robbers,' but I told him, 'Police are not the robbers. It is you people who are bringing in the robbers. You take all those people that you send out and the police will not be robbers.'"

When he arrived on the job, Khaliq said he was surprised to find only a handful of students in the three-year program. The academy's entrance exam had also been suspended for two years.

He immediately held nationwide exams in which 8,257 men took part. Nine hundred were selected for the academy.

But a discouraged-looking Khaliq said the government is already applying pressure to reduce the standards for entrance. Currently recruits have to have a Grade 12 education and be 18 to 25 years old, but the government wants to increase the upper age limit to 35 ? presumably to accommodate more unemployed militiamen.

Khaliq said 30 years of war have devastated the country's education system and that even high school graduates today are poorly educated. Nevertheless, Khaliq is trying to shore up standards, increasing the three-year program to four to allow for one year of specialization. The curriculum has been expanded to include human rights, prisoner treatment and gender studies.

Nearly 30 women are enrolled at the academy. They study with their male counterparts but train separately and eat their lunch behind a giant white curtain, hidden from the hundreds of men in the cavernous dining halls. The female police officers are trained to protect and search other women. They are not deployed to outposts and checkpoints. At the academy they wear the gray uniform, with a longer tunic and a black headscarf.

A female recruit who goes by only one name, Spushmai, said she does not fear retaliation from insurgents who advocate a strict code of conduct for women, but that "we will be very worried after the foreigners leave."

Another fresh recruit, who wanted to practice his English, spoke haltingly.

"We are the future. We will have real training and education," said Azim Aga, 18, from northern Baghlan province. "Right now the police who are on the street are not educated and are from the jihad," a reference to Afghanistan's successive wars. "We will be proud policemen."

But pride alone will not defeat the militants.

In one Taliban attack on a police station this month, only two of the four officers had weapons, according to Khaliq. He said police have more vehicles than weapons and that barely 60 percent of the police out on the streets and in the rural outback have communications equipment.

Khaliq, who acknowledged the mountain of criticism heaped on the police, said they also make some of the greatest sacrifices, living among the insurgents, not knowing if their neighbor is Taliban.

This month in Ghazni province, Zalmai Faizi, a seven-year veteran of the national police force, buried his 5-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son. Taliban militants shot and killed them both as they sat in his parked car outside the family's home.

Faizi's voice broke, his eyes watered and he bit his lip as he recounted the killing in an interview. For a moment he couldn't speak. He clenched his fist and in a hushed voice said: "I don't want anyone to see me cry, because it will give strength to my enemies and hurt the morale of our policemen."

___

Kathy Gannon is AP Special Regional Correspondent for Afghanistan and Pakistan and can be followed on www.twitter.com/kathygannon

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-10-19-Afghan-Police%20Academy/id-ce88c9715d244573b60dd9004608e1f3

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Fall, Halloween Activities In Central Oklahoma - News9.com ...

OKLAHOMA CITY -

It's that time of the year again! Halloween is just around the corner, and for families in central Oklahoma, there are many fall activities you and your children can take part in.

Situated at the crossroads of I-35, I-40 and I-44, the 12 central counties of Oklahoma, known as Frontier Country, offer a variety of events, attractions and festivals to entertain the whole family this Halloween.

Festivals and Events

Haunt the River with Oklahoma River Cruises on Friday and Saturday nights through Oct. 27. The adult cruises begin at 8 p.m. departing from Regatta Park Landing. Enjoy ghoulish hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, costume prizes, fortune tellers and frightful fun. The cruise is $35 per adult and reservations are required. Family-friendly haunted cruises are available on public service.

Experience Frontier City's FrightFest for festivities for all ages. Open on weekends through Oct. 28, FrightFest features the kid-friendly Booville including the Trick-or-Treat Trail, pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, storytelling, face painting and more. For the brave at heart, the Nightmare Haunted House is just $5.

The Storybook Forest at Arcadia Lake's Spring Creek Park Oct. 23-31 features a walking trick-or-treat trail with storybook characters and scenes from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly. Other activities include hayrides, game area and campfire. Adults are admitted free with the purchase of a child's ticket.

Haunt the Harn at the Harn Homestead &1889ers Museum Oct. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. Children of all ages are invited to trick-or-treat at each of the historic buildings on the Homestead grounds and participate in games and crafts. Also take a hayride or roast marshmallows around a campfire. Admission per child is $3 in advance, $5 at the door.

The Boo on Bell Fall Family Festival, Shawnee's second largest event, is Oct. 26-27 on Bell Street in downtown Shawnee. Families can enjoy a variety of free activities on Bell Street including a car show, live music, costume contests, carnival games, hayrides, parade, ghost tours, trick-or-treating and more.

Oklahoma City Zoo hosts its annual Haunt the Zoo for Halloween Oct. 26-31. Haunt the Zoo, one of Oklahoma's largest Halloween celebration, offers six nights of family-friendly trick-or-treating throughout the Zoo grounds from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly. Admission is $7 per child at the door.

Yukon's annual Spooksville Halloween event is Oct. 27 at the Yukon Community Center. Beginning at 2 p.m. take part in the Mutt Masquerade or kids costume contests. From 3 to 6 p.m. enjoy the Spook House and a carnival featuring games, crafts treats and more. Admission is $2 for children and adults.

Take a Halloween Train Ride in costume at the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City Oct. 27. The train leaves Oakwood Depot at the museum at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices vary. Wear a costume to receive $1 off a train ride ticket.

Join El Reno Main Street, The Centre Theatre and the El Reno CVB for Halloween Spooktacular Oct. 27 in historic downtown El Reno. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., festivities include trick-or-treating downtown, arts festival and costume contest.

Haunt Old Town in Moore is Oct. 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. with trick-or-treating, hayrides, inflatables, food vendors and live entertainment. Moore Community Center will have a haunted room, games, costume contest and more for all ages. Moore also debuts their newest attraction ? the Trail of Fears Haunted Trail at Little River Park Oct. 30. Trek through a winding, haunted trail with creatures lurking around every corner from 7 to 10 p.m. The trail is designed for ages 12 and older and cost is $5 per person. Free activities for kids include story time for children, train rides around the park and a movie in the park.

Downtown Stillwater hosts their annual Halloween festival, Red Dirt Zombies, Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. Enjoy free family-friendly activities including trick-or-treating, games, live entertainment and a costume contest located at 7th and Main Street.

The Museum of Osteology in Oklahoma City hosts their Halloween Bash Oct. 31 from 6 to 9 p.m. with prizes, candy and a special museum admission price of $3 per person. Costumes are welcome.

Theater and Music

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma presents The Mystery of Irma Vep at Lyric's Plaza Theatre in Oklahoma City through Oct. 27. Two actors take on all the roles with dozens of lightening quick costume changes in Charles Ludlam's high-camp comedy. This sidesplitting spoof pokes fun at all that is ridiculous in Gothic horror, Victorian melodrama, and classic movies, plus it's a contender for the funniest American play of the last quarter-century.

Guthrie's Pollard Theatre presents The 39 Steps through Oct. 27 ? a mix of a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel and a dash of Monty Python. A cast of four actors play over 150 characters in this fast-paced tale of an ordinary man on an extraordinarily entertaining adventure of murder, espionage and flirtatious entanglements.

Phil's Monster Mash ? A Discovery Family Concert at the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Oct. 28 is designed for children ages 4 to 13, the afternoon starts at 1 p.m. with lobby activities and the concert begins at 2 p.m. The one-hour concert features "The Chill of the Orchestra," a fun and educational look at symphony music. Tickets are $9 for general admission.

Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Patches

Located near Enid, Daze in a Maze provides fall family fun through Thanksgiving weekend with a six-acre hay bale maze, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, picnic and play areas along with a number of corn mazes. Daze in a Maze is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays and also weekdays by appointment. Hours of operation and admission prices vary.

The Mikles Family Farm in Shawnee offers plenty of activities for an entire day at the farm. The five-acre corn maze of thick, tall stalks features more than two miles of walking trails to trek through in daylight or dark. Other activities include an old-fashioned hayride, farm animals, campfire, pumpkin patch and more. The Mikles Family Farm is open weekends through Nov. 3. Hours of operation and admission prices vary.

In Oklahoma City, Orr Family Farm has a variety of fall activities through Nov. 3 to entertain the family including a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, train rides, fishing pond, pony rides, zip line and more. Trick-Orr-Treating and a costume contest will be Oct. 27. Hours of operation and admission prices vary.

Chickasha's Reding Farm offers The Maize, Oklahoma's largest corn maze covering 35 acres. Open through Nov. 4, Reding Farm is complete with hayrides, pumpkin patch, farm animals, train rides, campfire and corn cannon. At night, experience the Haunted Maize: Harvest of Fear open through Oct. 27. Hours of operation and admission prices vary.

In Piedmont, enjoy something for all ages at Chester's Party Barn & Farm through Nov. 4 with a three-acre mystery maze, pumpkin patch, pony rides and hayrides, games, petting zoo and "Chester's World's Largest Ant Farm Habitat". Admission is $8 and hours of operation vary.

Frontier Country Marketing Association, a 501-c6 organization, promotes the economic growth of the tourism industry in the 12 central counties of Oklahoma.

For more information about these events, visit oktourism.com or call (405)-232-6552.

Source: http://www.news9.com/story/19855833/fall-halloween-activities-in-central-oklahoma

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