REWinn Scrapbook: Ohio GOP Attacks Troops Voting Absentee

Absentee ballots casts by servicemembers and their families stationed abroad are in danger of being discarded, if Republican Secretary of State Husted is allowed to implement his latest directive.
Husted orders that when there is a problem with the ballot (e.g. the signature is hard to read) that the former practice of contacting absentee voters by email, fax or telephone be discontinued. Instead, only a first class mail letter will be sent to the voter.
Military mail can be slow, and it is unlikely to reach some servicemembers in time to fix any problem. There is no rational reason to forbid using the email addresses and phones that voters voluntarily provide when applying for absentee ballots expressly for the purpose of clearing up problems.
Now, Husted's motivation is not necessarily against our troops; he's generally interested in suppressing votes for his partisan purposes. But HE KNOWS his actions will hurt troops stationed abroad, because part 4 of his ukase directs that if someone covered by??Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act?(UOCAVA) is lucky enough to get that snail mail warning of a problem delivered and sends a "WTF?" email back, THEN a reply may be made by email ..... ?BUT NOT BEFORE!
Husted's is attack on voting will make "collateral damage" out of Ohio servicemembers.
And that's just wrong.
Read More Here

Source: http://rewinn.blogspot.com/2012/10/ohio-gop-attacks-troops-voting-absentee.html

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Dog takes a ride in car?s grille

A very unlucky dog was transported around 11 miles along a Massachusetts highway in the grille of a Toyota sedan without the driver knowing it. Fortunately, the pooch escaped with relatively minor injuries.

According to the Taunton Daily Gazette, the driver of the car saw a white dog dart out in the middle of the road. He hit the brakes, didn't see the dog in the rearview mirror, and assumed the animal had made it across the road. It hadn't. After driving for 11 miles at around 50 mph, he pulled up to a stoplight, where another driver gestured that something was in the Toyota's grille. That's when the driver got the surprise of a lifetime.

Stuck in the grille was a small female poodle mix looking a bit worse for wear, but still alive. The dog had apparently been scooped up into the grille and was stuck. The driver immediately took the dog to the police, where animal control helped to remove her from the car. The dog suffered a concussion and possibly a minor rupture of her bladder, and after a night at the vet's, she is on the mend, animal control said. Police are currently seeking the dog's owner to pass along the good news.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/dog-takes-ride-car-grille-165139833.html

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'Hotel Transylvania' checks in with $43M debut

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Dracula, voiced by Adam Sandler, in a scene from "Hotel Transylvania." (AP Photo/Sony Pictures Animation)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Dracula, voiced by Adam Sandler, in a scene from "Hotel Transylvania." (AP Photo/Sony Pictures Animation)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Adam Sandler's monster mash-up "Hotel Transylvania" has brought the weekend box office back to life after a late-summer slump.

The animated comedy from Sony Pictures debuted at No. 1 with $43 million, one of the strongest starts ever for a movie opening in September, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"Hotel Transylvania" set a new high for September debuts in terms of actual dollars, beating the previous record of $35.7 million for 2002's "Sweet Home Alabama." But factoring in today's higher admission prices, "Sweet Home Alabama" sold more tickets.

This weekend's box office was further strengthened by a solid No. 2 debut for another Sony release, Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's time-travel thriller "Looper," which took in $21.2 million.

Hollywood's overall grosses rose for the first time in a month compared to the same weekend last year. Revenues totaled $120 million, up 21 percent from the same weekend a year ago, when "Dolphin Tale" led with $13.9 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

"Sony really kind of saved the day here, turning things around after a full month of less-than-stellar box office," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "The post-summer period didn't exactly set the world on fire."

It's rare for one studio to open two wide releases over the same weekend, but Sony had two movies that complemented each other well without overlapping their audiences.

Locking up the family crowds, the PG-rated "Hotel Transylvania" features Sandler providing the voice of Count Dracula as proprietor of a resort catering to Frankenstein, the Wolfman and other monsters.

The R-rated "Looper" pulled in male action fans. Set in 2044, the film stars Gordon-Levitt as a hit man assigned to kill victims sent back in time ? including his future self (Bruce Willis).

The previous weekend's No. 1 movie, Open Road Films' police story "End of Watch," fell to No. 3 with $8 million, raising its domestic total to $26.2 million.

In narrower release, Universal Pictures' music tale "Pitch Perfect" opened strongly at No. 6 with $5.2 million. The movie stars Anna Kendrick as a college freshman who joins an a cappella singing team and livens up the group's conservative style.

Playing in 335 theaters, "Pitch Perfect" averaged an impressive $15,560 a cinema. That compared to an average of $12,840 in 3,349 theaters for "Hotel Transylvania" and $7,086 in 2,992 cinemas for "Looper."

The weekend's other new wide release, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis' school drama "Won't Back Down," flopped at No. 10 with $2.7 million, averaging just $1,074 in 2,515 theaters. The movie centers on two mothers who organize a campaign to save a failing elementary school.

For Sandler, "Hotel "Transylvania" was a return to hit status after his summer dud "That's My Boy" and so-so results on last year's comedy "Jack and Jill."

Sandler's audience of young males generally has waned as he ages. But Sony, which has released most of his movies, remains eager to stay in the Sandler business.

"I have said that many times, and it still holds in a big way," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Hotel Transylvania," $43 million ($8.1 million international).

2. "Looper," $21.2 million ($8.5 million international).

3. "End of Watch," $8 million.

4. "Trouble with the Curve," $7.5 million.

5. "House at the End of the Street," $7.2 million ($1.5 million international).

6. "Pitch Perfect," $5.2 million.

7. "Finding Nemo," $4.1 million ($1.1 million international).

8. "Resident Evil: Retribution," $3 million ($20.7 million international).

9. "The Master," $2.75 million.

10. "Won't Back Down," $2.7 million.

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "Resident Evil: Retribution," $20.7 million.

2. "Ted," $9.1 million.

3 (tie). "Masquerade," $9 million.

3 (tie). "Les Seigneurs," $9 million.

5. "Ice Age: Continental Drift," $8.7 million.

6. "Looper," $8.5 million.

7. "Hotel Transylvania," $8.1 million.

8. "The Bourne Legacy," $7.7 million.

9. "Taken 2," $6.4 million.

10. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," $6.1 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-30-Box%20Office/id-feacb3ffc9a245b883362bbdbd2e26b3

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Boise State vs. New Mexico notebook

Boise State wide receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes celebrates his touchdown in the fourth quarter against New Mexico on Saturday at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M.

Darin Oswald ? doswald@idahostatesman.com

GERKE, GAVINS START

Boise State junior Spencer Gerke replaced senior Joe Kellogg at left guard for the second straight game. Kellogg missed the BYU game with an injury.

Senior Jerrell Gavins made his second start of the year at cornerback and first in a two-corner alignment. Sophomore Bryan Douglas had started the first three games.

Kellogg came into the game in the second half after starting right guard Michael Ames and backup guard/tackle Jake Broyles were injured on back-to-back plays. Kellogg finished the game.

Tight end Gabe Linehan was in street clothes in the second half and backup tailback Drew Wright didn?t make the trip because of an injury sustained in the BYU game.

Petersen didn?t provide any details on the injuries but said he hopes all of the players will be back soon.

FOURTH-DOWN FAILURES

Boise State is now 0-for-7 on fourth down this season after the Broncos kept the offense on the field for fourth-and-1 at the New Mexico 4-yard line in the second half. Quarterback Joe Southwick rolled right and flipped a pass over the head of fullback Dan Paul.

?We?ve got to hit that,? Petersen said. ?We?ve either got to run for it or hit it. It was open.?

TD DROUGHT ENDS

Boise State didn?t get into the end zone in the first quarter, the sixth straight quarter without an offensive touchdown.

The Broncos finally cracked the goal line 32 seconds into the second quarter. Chris Potter caught a short pass on a crossing route and cut up the sideline for a 10-yard touchdown.

This year, the Broncos have scored an offensive touchdown in just five of 16 quarters.

MILLER SCORES, THROWS

Boise State sophomore wide receiver Matt Miller caught a 9-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and operated the swinging-gate two-point conversion that followed. Miller took the snap, rolled to his right to draw the defense and flipped a pass to wide-open tight end Connor Peters in the back of the end zone for two points. The pass nearly was overthrown.

?We?ve had it in the books a couple weeks now,? Miller said. ?Excited we got to run it in a game situation. Connor Peters sitting in the back of the end zone, he made a good catch on a bad throw.?

BIG NIGHT FOR AJAYI

Redshirt freshman tailback Jay Ajayi became the first Boise State freshman to rush for 100 yards in a game since Matt Kaiserman in 2009 at Hawaii ? and he did it in stunning speed.

Ajayi carried six times for 118 yards at the end of the first half, including a 71-yard dash down the right sideline that set up his own 1-yard scoring run.

He didn?t get a carry in the second half.

Senior starting tailback D.J. Harper rushed 19 times for 98 yards.

?That was great,? Petersen said of Ajayi. ?I wish the second half would have gone a little bit different for us to hang on to the ball and pound the run game a little bit and get him back in there. ? We?ve said all along, D.J. can?t take every rep, but we didn?t have the ball that much (in the second half), so he?s got to go.?

OFFENSE GETS FUNKY

On the opening drive, Boise State used formations that put Harper and wide receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes in the backfield, Harper and tailback Jack Fields in the backfield, and Harper, Fields and Ajayi in the backfield.

On those plays, the Broncos threw a 9-yard pass to Williams-Rhodes, gained 2 yards on third-and-1 on a handoff to Harper at fullback and lost 5 yards when Harper was tackled as the wildcat quarterback.

QUICK HITS

J.C. Percy recorded a season-high 13 tackles (his career high is 14). It was his second-straight game with 10-plus tackles. ? Boise State?s single-game captains were wide receiver Mitch Burroughs, fullback Dan Paul, nickel Dextrell Simmons and Gavins. ? Boise State won the coin toss and deferred.

Chadd Cripe: 377-6398, Twitter: @IDS_BroncoBeat

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IdahostatesmancomBSUFootball/~3/C_5RXiic4So/boise-state-vs-new-mexico-notebook.html

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Self-driving cars are approaching fast — and safely

Having a hard time parallel parking? Press a button on a touch screen and let the car park itself.

Want to stay a safe distance from the car ahead while traveling 65 mph? Switch on adaptive cruise control and let a radar-linked computer handle the accelerator, slowing and speeding your vehicle to keep pace.

The assisted-driving technologies that just a few years ago seemed so futuristic are already here, bringing the auto industry one step closer to a George Jetson-like world where drivers may no longer have to drive.

"We are looking at science fiction becoming reality in a self-driving car," Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday when he signed a bill that would allow self-driving cars on California's roads.

Although that might be some years off, automakers already are pouring millions of dollars into systems that hand more control of a vehicle to a complex network of sensors and computers. Features such as collision avoidance systems that sense a potential crash and trigger the brakes or an alert that tells drivers they are wandering into adjacent lanes are making their way into more cars every year.

Industry, traffic and insurance experts believe that the advances are beginning to transform driving in a way that will reduce accidents and injuries.

"This is the future," said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Vehicles are designed to protect people when crashes happen, but it would be even better to prevent crashes from happening altogether."

Drivers are just beginning to experience these new features, and it's not always without a hitch.

That's what happened when Los Angeles attorney Randy Garrou test-drove the "intelligent parking assist" feature in a Toyota Prius v hybrid. The system backed the station wagon into a lamppost.

"If that had been a human, the person would have been wiped out," said Garrou, who along with the salesman escaped injury. The experience left him thinking that such autonomous driving features "aren't ready for prime time."

An occasional glitch isn't stopping the auto industry and technology companies from speeding into the self-driving car segment.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin said autonomous cars could be functional and safe for operation on public streets within a few years. Think autopilot.

But the concept of handing over the steering wheel to a computer is making some people ill at ease.

"It freaks me out," said Michael Sigman, a writer and music publisher who lives in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles. "It is totally fascinating, and I would like to see how they work, but the idea of thousands and millions of people 'not' driving around in these things is very scary."

Despite the uneasiness, there is some evidence that the early autonomous driving functions are already improving safety.

Volvo's City Safety, a low-speed forward collision avoidance system, is one feature that has been shown to be effective. The system is designed to help a driver avoid rear-ending another vehicle in slow-moving traffic.

The Highway Loss Data Institute compared insurance claims for the 2010 Volvo XC60 SUVs equipped with a forward collision avoidance system with claims for other 2009-10 mid-size luxury SUVs that don't have the technology. The Volvos had 27% fewer property damage liability claims. They also had fewer claims for bodily injury.

Acura and Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with other types of collision avoidance systems that work at higher speeds had 14% fewer damage claims than those that didn't have the technology, according to an institute study.

The auto insurance industry estimates that if all passenger vehicles were equipped with just four sensor-based alert systems ? forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind spot detection and adaptive headlights that pivot in the direction of travel based on steering wheel movement ? about 1 in 3 fatal crashes and 1 out of 5 injury crashes could be prevented or have their severity lessened.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/AjYVDjAEf0M/la-fi-autos-self-driving-cars-20120930,0,2896312.story

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Iraqi officials say jailbreak assisted from inside

BAGHDAD (AP) ? Iraqi officials said Saturday that a jailbreak where al-Qaida-linked militants escaped death row had help from inside, further tarnishing state authority and raising new concerns over corruption.

A day after the escape in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad, scores of prisoners are still at large.

The Interior Ministry said there had been "clear collusion" between some guards and inmates in the Tasfirat prison. Weapons were brought in during family visits, and wardens left locks inside the facility open.

"The cells were not searched for a long period, which indicates more deliberate negligence that led to this incident," the ministry said in a statement released late Friday.

The escape occurred after a riot and firefight that left 20 dead, including 16 inmates and four guards, the statement said. After taking over a large part of the prison, rioters used other inmates as human shields in order to make their way out, it added. Of a total 303 prisoners, 102 escaped, including 47 al-Qaida-linked inmates awaiting execution. Some 23 were recaptured.

On Saturday, state television announced a reward for information leading to the arrest of the fugitives, and a curfew remained in force until the afternoon. Salahuddin provincial spokesman Mohammed al-Assi said "security forces have intensified efforts to hunt down those still on the run."

He refused to say how much the reward is for.

The incident generated sharp criticism for Iraqi security forces, who have been unable to stabilize the country almost a year after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Several smaller escapes and attempted jailbreaks have already deeply embarrassed the government, which is eager to demonstrate it can run its justice and detention systems.

The Interior Ministry statement also said that Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim al-Khazraji, the police chief of Salahuddin province where the jailbreak occurred, was fired.

Iraq has a poor track record of keeping inmates behind bars.

The Tikrit prison itself was moved to a different location after 16 prisoners, including five al-Qaida-linked inmates awaiting execution, made their escape after prying open the bars on a prison bathroom window with a pipe wrench in September 2009.

At the time, the entire prison staff and the provincial prison official were detained for questioning. Six of the escaped inmates were later captured.

And in southern city of Basra, a dozen detainees held on terrorism charges broke out of a prison in 2010, disguised in police uniforms. And last year, al-Qaida smuggled weapons and grenades into a prison in Mosul, supposedly one of the country's most secure detention centers, and attempted an ultimately unsuccessful jailbreak that left 17 dead.

In July 2011, detainees linked to al-Qaida escaped at least twice from a Baghdad area prison known as Camp Cropper shortly after the U.S. handed it over to Iraqi authorities.

Authorities earlier reported 12 people dead and 32 wounded in Friday's break in Tikrit.

___

Associated Press writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iraqi-officials-jailbreak-assisted-inside-163308713.html

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London to host Habitat Partner University Initiative meeting Nairobi

UN-HABITAT in collaboration with the University of Westminster will host the first global workshop of the Habitat Partner University Initiative from 16 - 18 May 2011 to discuss the future of the initiative.

With the meeting UN-HABITAT aims to lay the foundation for a sustainable Initiative, based on the needs and interests of universities.

The global workshop of the Habitat Partner University Initiative will bring together approximately 50 representatives from universities from all continents. It is expected that the meeting will agree on the governance structure of the Initiative; the priority areas of the initiative in the fields of education, training, research and knowledge management as well as key components of the e-Platform of the Initiative on concrete implementation mechanisms

For more information please refer to the Aide Memoire and if you are interested in participating, please contact the secretariat: hpui@unhabitat.org.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Un-habitatForABetterUrbanFutureNewsFeed/~3/iMlt8tb_YEs/content.asp

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