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Insurer Humana's 3Q profit climbs 13 percent (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS ? Humana Inc.'s third-quarter net income jumped 13 percent after another strong quarter of Medicare Advantage enrollment growth, and the health insurer also raised its 2011 earnings forecast, following a lead set the past couple weeks by other big insurers.

The Louisville, Ky., company said individual Medicare Advantage membership climbed 10 percent to 1.6 million people compared with last year's quarter, mainly because of a successful enrollment season last fall. The insurer's Medicare prescription drug coverage enrollment also jumped 47 percent to 2.5 million people, helped by a low-cost drug plan it offers with retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Humana is the second-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of the government's Medicare program. Subsidized by the government, the plans offer basic Medicare coverage topped with extras like vision or dental coverage or premiums lower than standard Medicare rates. Medicare accounts for 64 percent of Humana's revenue.

Individual Medicare Advantage membership, which excludes group plans offered through employers, also climbed 10 percent in the second quarter, helping the insurer post a 35 percent jump in profit for that quarter.

Humana earned $444.7 million, or $2.67 per share, in the three months that ended Sept. 30. That compares with earnings of $393.2 million, or $2.32 per share, in the same quarter last year.

Revenue climbed 11 percent to $9.3 billion.

Adjusted income was $2.54 per share, which easily beat Wall Street expectations. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected, on average, earnings of $2.03 per share on $9.26 billion in revenue.

Revenue from the company's health and well-being services segment climbed 29 percent to $2.83 billion, helped by Humana's acquisition of health care company Concentra Inc., which provides occupational medicine, urgent care, physical therapy and wellness services.

Balancing gains like that was an 11 percent increase in total operating expenses. Benefits, the insurer's largest expense, climbed 7.6 percent to $7.15 billion, but care use continued to rise at lower-than-expected rates, which has helped Humana and other insurers in recent quarters.

While Medicare Advantage enrollment grew, the company's commercial membership tumbled 9 percent to about 2.5 million people. Humana attributed that mainly to disciplined pricing, which means the insurer aimed to avoid dropping prices too low to boost enrollment.

Humana became the latest big health insurer to raise its 2011 forecast this month, following UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Humana Inc. and Cigna Corp. It now expects 2011 earnings of $8.35 to $8.40 per share. That's up from previous guidance of $7.50 to $7.60 per share. Analysts expect $7.69 per share.

The insurer's third-quarter performance and new 2011 forecast confirm "what was pretty much already known: 2011 has been an extremely strong year," Goldman Sachs analyst Matthew Borsch said in a research note. Goldman Sachs has done investment and noninvestment banking services for Humana.

The company also said it expects 2012 earnings of between $7.40 and $7.60 per share, which would represent a drop compared to this year. Humana's initial guidance last year for 2011 also represented an earnings decline because the insurer sets Medicare Advantage projections conservatively.

Leerink Swann analyst Jason Gurda said in another note the insurer's guidance has been well-below what it actually reports in recent years, "so we wouldn't read very much into the below consensus guidance range."

Analysts expect earnings of $7.79 per share for 2012.

Company shares climbed $1.29 to $81.64 in pre-market trading.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111031/ap_on_bi_ge/earns_humana

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Thriller sends Series to 1st Game 7 since '02

/

By RONALD BLUM

updated 4:41 a.m. ET Oct. 28, 2011

ST. LOUIS - A drained Tony La Russa sat behind the podium, jersey gone and a blue towel draped around his neck,

"When you dream," the St. Louis Cardinals manager said, "you dream about seventh game, all the heroics."

After one of the greatest games in baseball history, a 10-9, 11-inning victory over Texas in Game 6 in which the Cardinals were twice within one strike of elimination, it was too soon for La Russa to announce his Game 7 starter. His choice was whether to send ace Chris Carpenter to the mound on short rest Friday night or start Kyle Lohse or Edwin Jackson.

"This is a very important game and if you don't want it, then there's no need to be here," Carpenter said.

Down to their final strike in the ninth and 10th, the Cardinals won Game 6 on David Freese's 11th-inning homer off Mark Lowe. Afterward, La Russa still would not commit to a Game 7 starter.

"Just barely started to think about tomorrow, but actually it'll be fun to think about it now because there is a Game 7," he said. "Might just roll Jake (Westbrook) back out there. Who knows?"

Texas manager Ron Washington made his decision days ago, announcing he would stay in rotation and start Matt Harrison, the Game 3 loser. Washington could have gone with Game 4 winner Derek Holland on full rest or ace C.J. Wilson on short rest.

"Harrison has been a big part of this team all year," Washington said. "I am not changing the things that I've been doing all year."

The eight-year absence of baseball's ultimate game is the longest since the World Series began in 1903. The Cardinals hold the record for most World Series Game 7s, going 7-3.

When a seventh game was last played in 2002, John Lackey pitched five innings of one-hit ball to lead the Anaheim Angels over the San Francisco Giants 4-1, completing a comeback from a 3-2 Series deficit. Lackey joined Babe Adams of the 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates as the only rookie starters to win a seventh game, and the Angels became the eighth straight home team to triumph in Game 7 since the victory by Pittsburgh's "We Are Family" team at Baltimore in 1979.

In 2001, Randy Johnson came out of the bullpen on no days' rest and the Diamondbacks rallied for two runs in the ninth inning against Mariano Rivera, beating the Yankees 3-2 on Luis Gonzalez's broken-bat single.

"When you're a little kid, you think about the seventh game of the World Series," Gonzalez said. "It didn't matter how the hit came."

While the Cardinals are seeking their 11th title, the Rangers are going for the first in the 51-year history of the franchise, which began as the expansion Washington Senators in 1961. The team moved to Texas for the 1972 season.

"We've been backed into a corner for the last two months," the Cardinals' Skip Schumaker said, "so we know what it feels like."

Carpenter won the opener, then allowed two runs in seven innings in Game 5 on Monday night, giving up solo homers to Mitch Moreland and Adrian Beltre. He didn't get a decision in the Cardinals 4-2 loss but is 3-0 with a 3.30 ERA in five postseason appearances.

He would be just the second pitcher since 1991 to make three Series starts, following Arizona's Curt Schilling a decade ago. But it would be just the second career start on three days' rest for the 36-year-old, who has come back from several arm injuries.

After pitching a two-hit shutout at Houston on the last night of the regular season to help clinch the NL wild card, Carpenter gave up four runs over three innings in Game 2 of the division series at Philadelphia. He didn't get a decision as the Cardinals rallied to win 5-4.

During the last two decades, starters on short rest are 9-8 with a 2.78 ERA in the World Series, with their teams going 12-15, according to STATS LLC.

"I learned what my body's going to feel like, what my stuff's going to be like," Carpenter said. "You go out there and you make pitches. We'll see what happens. Everybody's going to be ready tomorrow, I can tell you that."

Lohse, who would be pitching on five days' rest, was pulled after three innings in Game 3, and the Cardinals went on to win 16-7 against Harrison, who was let down by his defense and allowed five runs ? two unearned ? in 3 2-3 innings. Jackson struggled with his control and walked seven in 5 1-3 innings as St. Louis lost 4-0 in Game 4.

Hall of Famer Bob Gibson started three Game 7s for the Cardinals, winning in 1964 and 1967 and losing in 1968 ? all with complete games.

In 1926, Babe Ruth was thrown out trying to steal second base for the final out as the Cardinals beat the Yankees 3-2. And in 1946, the score was tied at 3 in the eighth when the Cardinals' Enos Slaughter scored from first on Harry Walker's hit as Boston Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky hesitated with his relay after receiving the throw from outfielder Leon Culberson.

Other great moments include Edgar Renteria's 11th-inning single that won the 1997 title for Florida against Cleveland, Gene Larkin's 10th-inning single that gave Minnesota a 1-0 win over Atlanta in 1991 behind Jack Morris' seven-hitter, and Bill Mazeroski's Series-ending home run in 1960 that lifted Pittsburgh over the Yankees 10-9.

"Every day of my life, I think about that home run," Mazeroski said. "Wouldn't you?"

Forty years before losing to the Angels, the Giants fell 1-0 in Game 7 to the Yankees when Bobby Richardson gloved Willie McCovey's line drive to end the game with Willie Mays stranded at second.

While in New York, the Giants lost two especially painful seventh games.

In 1912 against the Red Sox, which actually was the eighth game because of a 6-6 tie in Game 2, the Giants took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 10th inning. They were one out from winning when Fred Snodgrass dropped a routine fly ball in center field. Tris Speaker's single tied the score and Larry Gardner's sacrifice fly won it 3-2.

In 1924, Earl McNeely's grounder bounced over rookie third baseman Freddie Lindstrom's head to bring home Muddy Ruel with the winning run in the 12th inning, giving the original Washington Senators a 4-3 victory.

Brooklyn fans treasure Johnny Podres' 2-0 win in 1955 over the Yankees, who beat the Dodgers in the Series five times previously. Sandy Koufax pitched a shutout on two days' rest in 1965 as Los Angeles defeated Minnesota's Jim Kaat 2-0, and Lew Burdette pitched a shutout on two days' rest in 1957 to lead the Milwaukee Braves over the Yankees' Don Larsen 5-0.

In 1975, Cincinnati's Joe Morgan got the go-ahead hit off Boston's Jim Burton ? who never pitched in the major leagues again ? to give the Reds a 4-3 victory at Fenway Park. The Mets overcame a 3-0 deficit against the Red Sox in Game 7 in 1986 as Ray Knight and Darryl Strawberry homered in an 8-5 victory.

"The experience of Game 7," La Russa said, "is something they'll never forget."

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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From ugly to thriller

HBT: The final three innings of Game 6 were as exciting as can be. The first eight, well, they were rather iffy. But here we are, after a 10-9 Cardinals victory over the Rangers, a Game 7 left to decide who will be crowned champion.

Cards rally past Rangers, force Game 7

David Freese homered to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals forced the World Series to a Game 7 by rallying from two-run deficits against the Texas Rangers in the 9th and 10th on Thursday night.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45072199/ns/sports-baseball/

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US stocks open lower after Thursday's big rally

In this Oct. 27, 2011 photo, specialist Jennifer Klesaris, right, works at her post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. The euphoric rally in share prices fed by a European deal to cut Greece's debt and prevent larger countries from falling down the same hole slowed on Friday, Oct. 28, as investors began to recognize the significant challenges that still face the continent. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

In this Oct. 27, 2011 photo, specialist Jennifer Klesaris, right, works at her post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. The euphoric rally in share prices fed by a European deal to cut Greece's debt and prevent larger countries from falling down the same hole slowed on Friday, Oct. 28, as investors began to recognize the significant challenges that still face the continent. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Stocks edged lower in early trading Friday after appliance maker Whirlpool Corp. said it will cut 5,000 jobs, citing weak demand and higher costs for materials. Whirlpool slumped 11 percent, the most in the Standard & Poor's 500 index.

The modest decline followed a surge Thursday that put the Dow Jones industrial average on track for its best month since 1987.

Investors were reacting Thursday to a plan announced in Europe to defuse the Greek debt crisis. European leaders agreed to expand a regional bailout fund and will force banks to keep bigger cash buffers to protect against future losses. Banks agreed to forgive half of Greece's debt.

The Dow fell 31 points, or 0.3 percent, to 12,177 just before 10 a.m. Eastern time. The S&P 500 lost 7, or 0.6 percent, to 1,278. The Nasdaq composite index slipped 13, or 0.5 percent, to 2,726.

Hopes for Europe's crisis plan propelled the Dow Jones industrial average up 340 points on Thursday, its biggest jump since Aug. 11. The Dow is up 11.8 percent this month, the S&P 13 percent. Both indexes are on pace to have their best month since January 1987.

In less than four weeks, the Dow has risen 14.6 percent from its 2011 low, reached on Oct. 3. The S&P has gained 16.9 percent in that time. However, the Dow remains 4.7 percent below this year's high, reached on April 29. The S&P is 5.8 percent below its high.

Thursday's stock rally led to a sell-off in Treasurys, which traders hold to protect their money when other investments are falling. Demand for Treasurys edged higher early Friday, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury down to 2.35 percent from 2.39 percent late Thursday. The yield remains close to a 10-week high reached on Thursday.

Markets have been roiled for months by fears about the impact of Europe's debt crisis. Greece couldn't afford to repay its lenders, and banks holding Greek bonds faced billions in losses. A disorganized default by Greece threatened to spook lenders to other countries with heavy debt loads such as Spain and Italy. Traders feared that a wave of defaults by countries would cause financial panic and mire the global economy.

Some analysts said Thursday's rally marked a turning point. They expect traders to focus on U.S. economic news after monitoring Europe for months. The government releases its jobs report for October next Friday. A news conference from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will offer clues about the Fed's economic outlook. Key reports on manufacturing and business sentiment are due out as well.

The economy grew at a 2.5 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the government said Thursday. That's too slow to bring down unemployment, but is far stronger than the first half of the year.

Some cautioned that the rally might not be sustained. They warned that the Europe deal lacks details, and merely buys leaders some time to address the thornier issues. One signal that the crisis threat still looms: Italy's borrowing costs continued to rise, signaling that traders remain worried about its financial health.

European markets alternated between gains and losses as traders turned a more skeptical eye to the crisis plan, and began to ask how it will work.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-28-Wall%20Street/id-a3b7bfbea4bf4cb4bafc7b56c68bb5ba

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Even in New York City, sex education is controversial (The Lookout)

Students in an abstinence-only after-school program in Florida (AP)

A group of parents and religious leaders are outraged that New York City will soon require comprehensive sex education in middle school and high school.

After The New York Post obtained some workbooks that may be used in the classes, the curriculum has attracted national media attention, with Fox News?calling it "shocking." The workbooks ask high school students to jot down different brands and prices of condoms, and middle school students are asked to rate the relative risks of pregnancy and STDs that different sex acts carry.

Sex education experts told the Post that such methods are not unusual. About half of New York City's public high school students say they are sexually active, and teen women in the city have sky-high rates of STDs. A third of the women diagnosed with chlamydia in the city, for example, are between 15 and 19. It makes sense to teach them before they get to high school how to have safe sex, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has argued.

"We have a responsibility, when you have an out-of-wedlock birth rate and a sexually transmitted disease rate that we have in this city, to try to do something about it. Shame on us if we don't," Bloomberg said, according to the Daily News.

City officials stress that students will be taught that abstinence is the best way to avoid pregnancy or disease, and that parents may pull their kids out of the birth control part of the mandatory classes. But parents say they want separate abstinence-only classes that they can put their children in instead. Some Republican state senators say they support that plan, but it's unclear if they can or will do anything about it.

On the federal level, abstinence-only education has fallen out of favor, after an independent review of several programs found that they did not reduce sexual activity and in fact, lowered condom use among participants. (China, however, is looking into creating its own abstinence-only programs with the help of James Dobson.) President Obama eliminated all federal funding for abstinence-only programs in 2009, though $250 million of it was restored as a bargaining chip during the health-care reform debate. The federal funds sometimes went to religiously affiliated programs that emphasized tactics like "virginity pledges," where the participants pledge to remain virgins until marriage.

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Perry Backer Switches to Romney Because He ?Isn?t Going to Beat Obama? (ABC News)

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Oil prices lower a day after big gains

NEW YORK (AP) ? Oil prices dropped Friday alongside modest declines on Wall Street as investors acknowledged that Europe needs to tighten its belt for years to work through a credit crisis.

Benchmark crude fell 73 cents to $93.23 per barrel in early afternoon trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent crude lost $2.04 at $110.04 per barrel.

Prices have seesawed for weeks while Europe tried to deal with Greece's debt troubles. Oil soared Thursday after eurozone leaders hammered out an agreement to avoid default, and economic news in the U.S. soothed fears of another recession. Still, analysts agreed that Europe has much more work to do and the U.S. economy is not up to full steam.

"It's going to be a while before we see a broad-based solution to the problem," independent analyst Jim Ritterbusch said.

Europe will likely see energy demand fall while Greece and other countries cut spending to get their national debt under control. Meanwhile one of the continent's biggest oil suppliers, Libya, is expected to resume exports this year after an eight-month stoppage because of unrest there.

On Wall Street the major stock indexes were down slightly after Thursday's big rally. The Dow Jones industrial average was off about 15 points in midday trading.

In other energy trading, heating oil lost 4 cents at $3.0640 per gallon while gasoline futures fell 5 cents to $2.6617 per gallon. Natural gas futures rose 14 cents to $3.91 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-10-28-Oil%20Prices/id-3e87d76f37194220bb7b42ce733d9339

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Mortgage rates remain at near record lows

Mortgage rates fall slightly, drifting closer to recent record-low levels. Will these mortgage rates last for long?

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage was nearly unchanged for a second straight week after rising from a record low.

Skip to next paragraph

Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan fell to 4.10 percent from 4.11 percent last week. Three weeks ago, it dropped to 3.94 percent. The National Bureau of Economic Research says that's the lowest rate ever.

The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage was unchanged at 3.38 percent. Three weeks ago, it hit a record low of 3.26 percent.

Low rates have done little to jolt the struggling housing market. Sales remain depressed, and home prices are still dropping in many markets.

High unemployment and declining wages have made it harder for many people to qualify for loans. Most of those who can afford to refinance already have.

The number of Americans who bought previously occupied homes fell in September and is on pace to match last year's dismal figures ? the worst in 13 years.

Sales of new homes rose last month after four straight monthly declines. But the increase was largely because builders cut their prices and it followed a peak buying season that was the worst on records going back nearly 50 years.

Many borrowers are unable to take advantage of the low rates because they can't meet banks' restrictive lending standards, or are unable to scrape together a down payment.

The low rates have caused a modest boom in refinancing, but that benefit might be wearing off. Most people who can afford to refinance have already locked in rates below 5 percent.

The Federal Reserve has been helped push rates lower by buying longer-dated Treasurys, such as 10-year Treasury notes. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on the 10-year note. Buying by the Fed pulls the yield lower.

Rates have been below 5 percent for all but two weeks in the past year. Just five years ago they were closer to 6.5 percent.

The average rates don't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount. The average fee for the 30-year fixed mortgage was unchanged at 0.8 point. The average fee for the 15-year loan fell to 0.7 point from 0.8 point.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week.

The average rate on the five-year adjustable loan rose to 3.08 percent from 3.01 percent. It hit a record low of 2.96 percent three weeks ago.

The average rate on the one-year adjustable loan fell to 2.90 percent from 2.94 percent. It fell last month to 2.81 percent, the lowest on records dating to 1984.

The average fee on the five-year adjustable loan fell to 0.5 point from 0.6 point. The average fee on the one-year adjustable loan was unchanged at 0.6 percent.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/KiK7cfGUm0M/Mortgage-rates-remain-at-near-record-lows

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John Boehner: I won?t endorse in 2012 GOP presidential primary (Washington Post)

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Video: Statue of Liberty turns 125

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45083507#45083507

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Electronic Arts 2Q loss expands; raises forecast

FILE - This Feb. 25, 2008, file photo, shows the exterior view of Electronic Arts Inc. headquarters in Redwood City, Calif. Electronic Arts Inc. reports quarterly earnings Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, after the market close. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

FILE - This Feb. 25, 2008, file photo, shows the exterior view of Electronic Arts Inc. headquarters in Redwood City, Calif. Electronic Arts Inc. reports quarterly earnings Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, after the market close. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. said Thursday that its second-quarter loss expanded from a year ago due to higher costs, even as revenue grew.

It raised its sales forecast for the all-important holiday season slightly above analyst estimates. CEO John Riccitiello said sales of "Battlefield 3," which launched two days earlier, were "very strong."

The net loss in the three-month period ending on Sept. 30 grew to $340 million, or $1.03 per share. Last year, the company had a quarterly loss of $201 million, or 61 cents per share. EA said costs for marketing, research and development increased from last year.

Excluding stock compensation costs, acquisition expenses and other costs, adjusted earnings came to 5 cents per share, beating the adjusted loss of 4 cents per share expected by analysts polled by FactSet.

Adjusted revenue, which accounts for deferred revenue from games with online components, rose 17 percent to $1.03 billion from $884 million, helped by sales of its sports games "FIFA 12" and "Madden NFL 12." That also beat the $955 million expected by analysts.

"Our results reflected a tremendous performance by our EA Sports titles and a strong showing on a new game on the Facebook platform, 'The Sims Social,'" Riccitiello said on a conference call with analysts. "We're now focused on our biggest title for the holiday."

The company said it expects adjusted revenue in the current quarter through December of $1.55 billion to $1.65 billion, with the midpoint slightly higher than the $1.59 billion expected by analysts.

EA lifted the bottom end of its full-year adjusted earnings. It now expects a range of 75 cents to 90 cents, instead of 70 cents at the low end. Analysts were already expecting 89 cents.

The results didn't satisfy investors after a broad rally by stocks Thursday. Shares in the Redwood, Calif.-based company were down 80 cents, or 3.3 percent, at $23.50 in after-hours trading after closing up 11 cents at $24.50 in the regular session.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-10-27-Earns-Electronic%20Arts/id-9c4d495a76bb48199fac841d4494d4c2

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In Bolivia, a Supervolcano Is Rising

I am coming at this from an uneducated viewpoint, but would appreciate an answer from someone a bit more educated...

If we were to drill into this forming volcano, use geothermal energy to create electricity, could you delay, decrease or prevent the volcano from erupting? It seems like a really good win/win situation where you get almost free energy and prevent a small country from getting obliterated.

70km across (35,000m radius, about 4 billion square meters)... you were planning on extracting energy using maybe 30cm diameter pipes? Say, generously, these pipes can pull heat energy from lava up to 30m away from themselves (3000 square meters), To drain heat energy from just 1% of the surface of the dome, you'd need 13,000 pipes - how deep are you planning to sink them to have an effect? Even if you solidify the cap to a depth of 5km, I'm not sure that the forces underneath would be contained, they'd probably just divert to somewhere nearby, and likely explode with even greater force from a smaller area.

It would be a big project - if you put all the oil drillers in the western hemisphere on the job, you might make an ineffective cooling "cap" a few km deep within a few hundred years - all that heat being dumped into the ocean (unless you have a preferable heat sink?) would have a devastating effect on thousands of square km of sea life, and sure, there'd be "free" geothermal energy until the volcano blew, but only as far as you could transmit it.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/snUanoV9hBM/in-bolivia-a-supervolcano-is-rising

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Pictures of the Droid 4 leak out (Digital Trends)

Is there anything more fun than seeing a picture of a yet unannounced cell phone? We don?t think so, which is why we are so excited about the freshly leaked picture of what is being called the Droid 4. Droid-Life not only was able to get a few pictures, but also some presumed specs, which we will of course take with a grain of salt.

The Droid 4 has gone through what looks to be a complete makeover, and it will not look like its older siblings. First you will see that the corners of the device are missing, much like the Photon or more recently the Droid RAZR. The famous Droid ?chin? has also been removed, which is a design choice we can fully support. This will be the first Droid to have a screen the same size as the keyboard underneath. Like the Droid 3 the Droid 4 will have a full five row QWERTY keyboard, and it looks pretty great in the picture.

The big rumor with this phone is if it will be an 4G LTE device. That was one of our biggest issues with the Droid 3, so we sure hope that Motorola has upgraded the antenna in this Droid. We would like to think that whenever the next Droid phone is released that it will have LTE.

With that being said we have to wonder when is this phone going to come to market. The device in the pictures does not look like an early prototype, it looks like it is ready for production. We can see that there is already some Verizon bloatwear on the device, and there is even a tutorial sticker on the screen. The Droid 3 was launched in July, and it is a little hard to imagine Motorola releasing the Droid 4 so close to the last generation. That being said why would it wait to release what looks to be an amazing phone?

?

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Police Used GPS Tracking to Bust Identity Thief With Over 300,000 Victims [Crime]

Police use of GPS tracking in investigations is something of a hotbed issue that calls into question how much privacy people are entitled to. But when it's used successfully, as it was to arrest a California man who committed identity theft against 300,000 people, that argument becomes much more complex. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ijnm_mu41ds/police-used-gps-tracking-to-bust-identity-thief-with-over-300000-victims

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Insurance firm agrees to pay Joplin survivor | The Associated Press ...

AP Photo/The Joplin Globe, T. Rob Brown, File

FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2011 file photo, Mark Lindquist, of Joplin, Mo., reacts after being released from the Missouri Rehabilitation Center in Mount Vernon, Mo. Lindquist, an underpaid social worker who nearly gave his life trying to save three developmentally disabled adults from the Joplin tornado, has been honored by both houses of the Missouri legislature, the Senate resolution calling him "a true hero and inspiration to others."

Mark Lindquist, whose against-the-odds story of survival and heroism in the Joplin tornado touched people around the world, got some good news Monday: The insurance company that initially denied his medical claim agreed to pay.
Lindquist, 51, was hurt while trying to protect group home residents during the May 22 twister. Lindquist and a co-worker placed mattresses on top of three middle-aged men with Down syndrome in an effort to protect them from the tornado, even climbed atop the mattresses for added weight.
The group home residents died and Lindquist was in a coma for nearly two months, broke every rib, lost most of his teeth and suffered other catastrophic injuries.
Lindquist's job paid barely above minimum wage and he couldn't afford medical insurance.
He sought workers' compensation, claiming he was injured on the job. His company's workers' compensation provider, Accident Fund Insurance Company of America, denied the claim in June "based on the fact that there was no greater risk than the general public at the time you were involved in the Joplin tornado," according to a letter from a claims adjuster.
The decision was devastating because Lindquist's medical bills already are more than $2.5 million, and rising, his sister, Linda Lindquist Baldwin said last week.
But on Monday, a day after an Associated Press story, Accident Fund Insurance Company of America announced it was changing course.
"Upon further review of the case, and receiving additional information on the facts involved in this situation, Accident Fund believes the appropriate decision is to honor Mr. Mark Lindquist's claim for worker's compensation benefits," Mike Britt, president of the Lansing, Mich.-based insurance company, said. "We are committed to working with Mr. Lindquist to ensure he receives all the benefits to which he is entitled and helping him to recover from his injuries."
Lindquist said he was thrilled with the news ? not just for himself but for the doctors who saved him. He had planned to sell his house to try to pay off some of his bills. Now, he said, he may not have to.
"I'm happy ? it's a big worry off my mind," Lindquist said. "I'm glad the doctors are going to get paid because they did such an awesome job with me."
Baldwin said the family, which had planned to meet with an attorney when the claim was denied, still plans to weigh legal options before accepting the payment. But she said the family was overwhelmed by the turnaround.
"What it's going to mean for Mark is long-term help and medical care for him," Baldwin said, adding that Accident Fund has agreed to pay all past and future medical bills related to his injuries. "My only concern is that Mark's cared for. He's younger than I am and will probably outlive me, and I want to make sure he is cared for his entire life."
Britt cited Missouri law in the initial decision to deny Lindquist's claim. He said state laws "limit recovery for injuries received during a tornado to situations where the employee was not subjected to a greater harm than that of the general public."
But Britt said additional review indicated that paying the claim was appropriate.
The Joplin Globe first reported Lindquist's story earlier this month. The AP story published Sunday prompted interest from people, organizations and media nationwide, Baldwin said. Several well-wishers offered donations. An organization for trial attorneys offered up lawyers to work on Lindquist's behalf at no charge.
In an earlier interview with AP, Lindquist and Baldwin said the insurance company's decision to deny the claim never made sense. The EF-5 twister killed 162 people and destroyed more than 7,000 homes, making it among the most deadly single tornadoes in U.S. history.
But Lindquist's own home was not in the path of the tornado and was undamaged. And Lindquist said he never even considered trying to get away from the tornado and leaving behind the three men under his care.
"I loved them almost as much as I love my own kid," said Lindquist, the father of a 12-year-old boy, Creed.
Lindquist's employer, Community Support Services, also had asked the insurance firm to reconsider. Both houses of the Missouri legislature passed resolutions honoring Lindquist for his efforts to save the group home residents, the Senate resolution calling him "a true hero and inspiration to others."
The storm tossed Lindquist more than half a block. Two men out searching for survivors found him buried in rubble, impaled by a piece of metal. Large chunks of flesh were torn off, and pieces of his shoulder crumbled to the ground as the rescuers lifted him to safety.
Things got even worse when Lindquist developed a fungal infection from debris that got into open sores, an infection that killed five other Joplin tornado victims.
Lindquist wasn't expected to survive and was in a coma for nearly two months, first at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, then at a hospital in Columbia and finally at a rehabilitation center in Mount Vernon. It was there that he awoke.
"I'm a walking miracle," he said.
Doctors were stunned by his recovery. He moves slowly but walks. He is regaining use of his right arm and of an eye that was badly damaged. He suffers short-term memory loss but speaks clearly. And he is engaged to a woman he first met three decades ago in Montana ? they rekindled the romance on Facebook and she came to be with him after the tornado.
Amy Susan, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation, said that 132 workers' compensation claims were filed after the Joplin tornado. Only eight were denied by insurance companies.

Source: http://www.sfexaminer.com/news/2011/10/insurance-firm-agrees-pay-joplin-survivor

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Hispanic voters: Stick with Obama or go with GOP? (tbo)

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US pulls envoy out of Syria, citing safety concern

FILE - In this June 20, 2011 photo taken during a government-organized tour for foreign diplomats and the media, US ambassador in Syria Robert Ford, covers his nose during his visit with other foreign diplomats to a mass grave, in Jisr el-Shughour, north of Syria. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, that Ambassador Robert Ford returned to Washington this weekend after "credible threats against his personal safety." (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi, File)

FILE - In this June 20, 2011 photo taken during a government-organized tour for foreign diplomats and the media, US ambassador in Syria Robert Ford, covers his nose during his visit with other foreign diplomats to a mass grave, in Jisr el-Shughour, north of Syria. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, that Ambassador Robert Ford returned to Washington this weekend after "credible threats against his personal safety." (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi, File)

FILE - In this Friday, July 8, 2011 file photo, pro-Syrian President Bashar Assad protesters attach Assad portraits at one of the US embassy entrances, as they protest against the visit of the US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford to the Syrian city of Hama, in front the US embassy in Damascus, Syria. The U.S. has pulled its ambassador out of Syria over security concerns, blaming President Bashar Assad's government for the threats. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday Oct. 24, 2011 that Ambassador Robert Ford returned to Washington this weekend after "credible threats against his personal safety."(AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2011 file photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, meets with Robert Ford, the new U.S. ambassador to Syria, in Damascus, Syria. The American Embassy in Syria says U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford has been "temporarily" called back to Washington. (AP Photo/SANA, File) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

FILE - This Oct. 21, 2005 file photo shows Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha responding to a U.N. report at the Syrian Embassy in Washington. In an immediate response to the Obama administration pulling its ambassador out of Syria over security concerns, Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha promptly left the U.S. on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, said Roua Shurbaji, a Syrian Embassy spokeswoman. She said no other steps were being taken by the embassy and declined to comment on U.S. allegations. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, file)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration has pulled its ambassador home from Syria, arguing that his support for anti-Assad activists put him in grave danger ? the most dramatic action so far by the United States as it struggles to counter a Mideast autocrat who is withstanding pressure that has toppled neighboring dictators.

Syria responded quickly Monday, ordering home its envoy from Washington.

American Ambassador Robert Ford was temporarily recalled on Saturday after the U.S. received "credible threats against his personal safety in Syria," the State Department said, pointing directly at President Bashar Assad's government.

Ford, who already had been the subject of several incidents of intimidation, has enraged Syrian authorities with his forceful defense of anti-Assad demonstrations and his harsh critique of a government crackdown that has now claimed more than 3,000 lives.

Calling Ford back to the U.S. is short of a complete diplomatic break but represents the collapse of the administration's hopes that it could draw Assad toward government changes and a productive role fostering Mideast peace. Washington held off on a full condemnation of Assad as his crackdown worsened this spring, and waited months to demand that he step aside.

Ford's presence in Damascus had been an important symbolic part of President Barack Obama's effort to engage Syria, which was without a U.S. ambassador for years after the Bush administration broke ties over Syria's alleged role in the 2005 assassination of a political candidate in neighboring Lebanon.

With Moammar Gadhafi's death last week in Libya, and the revolutions that toppled long-time leaders Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia, Assad is among the Arab Spring autocrats left standing. Along with Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen, he is facing the most pressure from his citizens to leave power. Yet with his vast security network and close links with Russia and China, Assad is perhaps the one best placed to withstand pressures for change ? peaceful or violent.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, "We are concerned about a campaign of regime-led incitement targeted personally at Ambassador Ford by the state-run media of the government of Syria." She called on the Assad government to "end its smear campaign of malicious and deceitful propaganda."

Nuland could not say when Ford might go back to Syria. Earlier, department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. Embassy would remain open in Damascus as the threats were specifically directed toward Ford, and that the ambassador's return depended on a U.S. "assessment of Syrian regime-led incitement and the security situation on the ground."

The State Department said there were no plans to expel Syria's top diplomat in Washington in retaliation. But Roua Shurbaji, a Syrian Embassy spokeswoman, said Ambassador Imad Moustapha left the U.S. on Monday for consultations in Damascus. She said no other measure was being taken by the embassy, and declined to comment on the U.S. allegations.

Ford's departure comes at a worrisome stage in the seven-month movement against Assad. U.S. officials are increasingly concerned about reports of weapons smuggling into Syria and the threat of peaceful protests being replaced by an armed uprising.

Amid that pressure, the world's attention is turning to Syria, even if the demonstrations have delivered only a stalemate. The protesters are too weak to force Assad and his government from power, and for all its brutality the government cannot stamp out all opposition. At the same time, Assad's pledges of reforms have long been ignored as meaningless and there is little indication his government is prepared to initiate a real dialogue with opponents.

If the level of violence resembles Libya's before the NATO intervention, Syria is different because anti-government groups are insisting that they want no outside assistance. The opposition is also hindered in that it remains a largely Sunni movement, with Assad maintaining significant loyalty from his dominant Alawite sect and Syria's minority Druze, Christians and business elite.

Ford arrived in January as the first American ambassador to Syria since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on a Beirut street. Syria at the time had thousands of troops in Lebanon and pulled many political strings there, but it has always denied any involvement in the bombing attack.

The Obama administration had hoped to persuade Syria to change its often anti-American policies regarding Israel, Lebanon and Iraq, and to drop its support for extremist groups. Syria is designated a "state sponsor of terrorism" by the State Department.

Assad largely shrugged off U.S. attempts to pull his nation away from its alliances with Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. And as protests escalated in Syria, Ford essentially dropped his engagement efforts and took on an increasingly high-profile role defending the rights of Syrian protesters.

That shift was cemented when Obama called on Assad to leave power in August.

"We believe Assad needs to step aside, so engagement with him is certainly over," Nuland said on Monday. "But we are prepared to engage with Syrians of all stripes" and see "if they are able to take the next steps to pursue a democratic future."

Ford has been leading that effort, at great personal danger. He was greeted by demonstrators with roses and cheers when he traveled to the restive city of Hama in July, prompting immediate travel restrictions from Syria. The government stopped short of declaring him persona non grata, but U.S. officials say it has tried to make life for him in the country intolerable.

Just days after the trip to Hama, hundreds of government supporters attacked the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, smashing windows and spray-painting obscenities on the walls. Ford has been hit with eggs and tomatoes while going to meet dissidents or visit mosques. His postings on Facebook have prompted thousands of Syrian and other responses, including death threats from pro-Assad hardliners.

The U.S. last month decried Ford's treatment as "unwarranted and unjustifiable," after Assad supporters tried to force their way into a meeting he was having with a prominent opposition figure. Syrian police were slow in responding, and Ford was trapped inside the building for about three hours. But White House press secretary James Carney insisted at the time that the U.S. had no plans to remove Ford for his safety.

Nuland pointed to two articles in Syrian state-run media that she said highlighted the government's increased incitement of violence against Ford. The first, in the al-Baath newspaper in early October, warned Ford that he could receive more "rotten eggs" if he didn't end his alleged support for armed anti-government groups in Syria. The second appeared in al-Tharwa last week, she said.

The article claimed Ford operated death squads while he was posted diplomatically in Iraq, and that he was trying to apply his experience now in Syria. U.S. officials feared such an allegation might lead to an attack of greater violence against him.

___

Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-24-US-Syria/id-d7b76403d23a4734878c1564453e66fe

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Canada cuts growth forecasts as Europe, U.S. sag (Reuters)

OTTAWA (Reuters) ? Star performer Canada cut economic growth forecasts sharply on Tuesday as troubles abroad hit exports and dampened confidence about a recovery touted as the strongest in the G7.

An expected "brief recession" in the euro zone and more weakness in the U.S. economy prompted the Bank of Canada to delay by 18 months its forecast of when the economy will recover to full capacity. The bank left its key interest rate unchanged at an unusually low 1 percent and took any prospect of an interest rate hike completely off the table.

Separately Finance Minister Jim Flaherty downgraded the growth assumptions to be used in budget projections next month and spoke more openly than before about the possible need for additional stimulus if the economy stumbled again.

"We're of course concerned that we could have external events damage our economic growth to the point where other measures would be necessary within Canada, particularly with respect to jobs," Flaherty told reporters.

Ottawa, which bases its outlook on the average of 15 private sector forecasters, sees the economy growing 2.2 percent this year, down from a 2.9 percent forecast in June, and 2.1 percent in 2012 compared with 2.8 percent previously.

The central bank's outlook varies slightly but both now see growth at closer to 2 percent than 3 percent until 2013.

Still, that outlook is hardly doom and gloom and barring an economic catastrophe stemming from Europe, Flaherty said there will not be another recession. "Most of the countries in the world would gladly change places with Canada," he said.

Canada had one of the mildest recessions in the Group of Seven rich nations and as of January recovered all the jobs lost in the downturn.

But now some of the gloss is coming off that performance, and policy makers lay the blame on other countries.

The Bank of Canada's statement focused heavily on setbacks in the global economy and said modest domestic demand would drive growth.

"If I'm just adding up the words here, more talk about the global economy than the domestic economy, which itself perhaps sums up where the net risks to Canada really lie," said Michael Gregory, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets.

The bank's dovish tone means investors have increased the chance of a rate cut in the coming year, although the bank made no suggestion of easing. The Canadian dollar hit a session low.

Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said this month the bank won't be "trigger happy," but has room to cut rates if needed.

The bank now sees inflation returning to its 2 percent target at the end of 2013 rather than in mid-2012, as it forecast in July. Inflation was an above-target 3.2 percent in September, but the bank sees the rate declining to 1 percent by the middle of next year before bouncing back.

Canada's central bank was the first among advanced economies to raise interest rates after the global financial crisis, lifting the rate three times in mid-2010. It has been on hold since then, and nobody expected a move on Tuesday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111025/media_nm/us_economy

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PFT: Fans go nuts for Tebow after game (video)

Getty Images

Before the season started, we noted that the teams in the AFC North appeared to have an easy schedule.

They face the NFC West and AFC South out of division, which looked soft on paper. ?Usually ?on paper? doesn?t translate to reality, but it did this time around.

The NFC West and AFC South are the two worst divisions in football, despite the presence of the 49ers and Texans. ?ESPN?s John Clayton notes that?if the Jaguars lose tonight, the AFC South will have the worst out of division record in football at 5-16. ?The NFC West is next worse at 6-15.

It shouldn?t be a surprise, then, that every team in the AFC North is .500 or better. The division is home to one of the league?s biggest surprises (Cincy) and the worst 3-3 team we can remember. (Cleveland)

On top of that, the AFC North has the top four defenses in the league according to yards allowed. This is what happens when every team in the division gets to play the Seahawks, Jaguars, Colts, Cardinals, and Rams.

What does it all mean?

The AFC North division champion is almost a lock to get a playoff bye and could get the No. 1 seed. ?Second place in the division is very likely to go to the playoffs, and perhaps the Bengals could hang around the wild card race longer than expected.

So much of the NFL comes down to schedule, but it?s rarely talked about. We?ve heard a number of times this year how the Patriots won 11 games with Matt Cassel, but no one mentions how they faced one of the softest schedules in football that year.

It?s not like it?s the fault of the Ravens, Steelers, Browns, and Bengals. These things even out. It?s up to them to take advantage while they can.

Which reminds me: Are you ready for some football tonight? A Monday night blowout!

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/24/behold-tebowmania/related/

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Turkish forces target PKK Iraq camp: sources (Reuters)

ISTANBUL (Reuters) ? Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq overnight and some 500 soldiers have crossed the border with armored vehicles, military and security sources told Reuters on Tuesday as hostilities between Turkey and Kurdish militants escalated.

The Turkish forces were advancing toward a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) camp at Haftanin, around 20 km (12 miles) from the Habur border post and near the Iraqi city of Zakho.

The sources described it as the busiest military activity along the border since the Turkish army launched cross-border activities last week in response to a PKK attack on Turkish forces which killed 24 soldiers in Hakkari, bordering Iraq.

Warplanes bombed PKK targets at Haftanin and Hakurke, the sources said, who said on Monday tanks and armored vehicles had crossed into northern Iraq. Several hundred PKK fighters were believed to be based at Haftanin.

The remoteness of the camps' locations and the difficult terrain made it difficult to assess how close the Turkish force had moved toward the camps.

On Monday, residents of the village of Dashtatakh in Dahuk province, about 10 km east of Haftanin, reported 200 Turkish soldiers had entered Iraqi territory but left about an hour later.

Turkish air strikes have killed 250 to 270 Kurdish militants, wounded 210 and destroyed many arms stores in northern Iraq since August 17, news broadcaster NTV on Monday quoted armed forces head General Necdet Ozel as saying.

Ankara's reaction to one of the deadliest attacks on its security forces in a conflict that began three decades ago had fueled speculation that Turkey could move to a full-blown incursion to clear out PKK camps deeper inside northern Iraq.

More than 40,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in 1984. The United States, the European Union and Turkey designate the PKK as a terrorist organization.

(Writing by Daren Butler, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111025/wl_nm/us_turkey_iraq_pkk

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Report: Google mulling role in possible Yahoo bid

NEW YORK (AP) ? Google is exploring the possibility of helping to finance a possible deal by others to acquire Internet search company Yahoo, according to a report published by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday.

Google Inc. has talked to at least two-private equity firms about potentially assisting them to finance a deal to buy Yahoo Inc.'s core business, according to the story, which cited a person familiar with the matter, and did not identify the source.

The Journal said Google and prospective partners have held early-stage discussions, but haven't assembled a formal proposal. The source said Google may not end up pursuing a bid.

A spokeswoman for Mountain View, California-based Google declined to comment to The Associated Press. A spokeswoman for Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo said the company doesn't comment "on rumor or speculation."

Messages that The AP left on Saturday with representatives of Google, based in Mountain View, California, were not returned.

Any involvement by Google in a Yahoo acquisition would likely draw antitrust scrutiny from regulators, because of both companies' shares in the Internet search business.

The report came as investors have recently driven up Yahoo's stock price, betting that the company will sell itself, either in whole or in part. Closing Friday at $16.12 apiece, the shares have gained nearly 25 percent since Sept. 6, when CEO Carol Bartz was fired. They are up 45 percent from the stock's 52-week low reached in early August.

There has been repeated speculation that the company might be sold to an assortment of buyout firms that prey upon troubled companies. Alibaba Group, a Chinese Internet company of which Yahoo owns a 43 percent stake, has expressed interest if it can line up the financing for a deal that would likely require a bid of more than $20 billion, the current market value of Yahoo's shares. Microsoft Corp., which offered to buy Yahoo for $47.5 billion in 2008 before withdrawing the bid, also has been mentioned as a possible suitor.

Since Bartz' firing, Tim Morse has been filling in as Yahoo's interim CEO while also working as chief financial officer. After the company's third-quarter earnings announcement on Tuesday, Morse told analysts that he couldn't discuss what the company's next step might be or when it might take it.

Yahoo is under pressure because its revenue has been falling at a time when the Internet advertising market has been growing as rivals such as Google and Facebook gain market share.

Although it's still recognized around the world, Yahoo's brand has been losing its luster as people increasingly embrace social networks such as Facebook and short-messaging service Twitter to keep track of what's going on instead of relying on a media hub like Yahoo's website.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-10-22-Google-Yahoo/id-1477e8da0a1a486bb6171847931bb0b2

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Arianna Huffington: Lessons From Spain: "Los Indignados," Occupy Wall Street, and the Failure of the Status Quo

Saying I've just returned from a country in which I witnessed huge protests calling for economic justice doesn't tell you much about where I was -- it only narrows it to about 15 or 20 countries. In fact, I was in Spain during the loosely coordinated worldwide demonstration that took place on October 15th. The date was chosen because it was the five-month anniversary of the Spanish protests, which began in the middle of May. Many of the Occupy Wall Street protesters have said that the Spanish protests served as one of their inspirations, and many of the Spanish protesters I spoke to said they had been re-energized by OWS. (What's the Spanish word for "synergy?")

There were protests in over 80 countries on the 15th, with half a million taking to the streets in Madrid to voice their frustration with a political system that has failed the people of Spain -- in the same way our own "Los Indignados" (Spanish for "The Outraged") are voicing their anger and frustration at a system that has failed the "99 percent" here in America.

The Spanish protests have become the granddaddy of the protest movements sweeping most Western democracies, and might just offer a look at the future of what's to come on this side of the Atlantic. There are three things in particular that strike me as I look back on my week in Spain and try to apply it to the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon unfolding here.

The first is the political paradox inherent in the European protests. In Spain, the dissatisfaction is widely expected to lead to an overwhelming victory for the conservative candidate for prime minister, Mariano Rajoy of the Popular Party, over Alfredo P?rez Rubalcaba of the Socialist Party, in elections to be held on November 20th. (The current prime minister, Socialist Jos? Luis Rodr?guez Zapatero, announced in April that he wouldn't be running for a third term.) By some estimates, the Popular Party may win over 190 of the 350 seats in the Spanish Parliament, while the Socialists might drop below 120.

Meanwhile in France, in elections to be held in April, it is widely expected that President Nicolas Sarkozy of the conservative Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) will lose to the Socialist Party candidate, Fran?ois Hollande. This shows that the outpouring of anger isn't directed against any one particular party or political philosophy, but against the status quo. It doesn't matter what party you represent; if you're in power, you're part of the broken political system and the people of Spain, of France, and, quite possibly of the United States, want you out.

In Spain, the evidence of the failure of the status quo is particularly stark, with an unemployment rate of nearly 21 percent (over twice what it is here). Among young people, the number has soared to 45 percent, the highest in Europe.

While I was in Spain, I spent an hour with each of the two leading candidates for prime minister. There were, of course, many differences in their positions, but they were both hearing the Indignados loud and clear.

"Three years into the recession," Rubalcaba told me, "the Spanish only have one word on their minds: 'change.'" He spoke especially about the plight of the young, the so-called "Lost Generation" of those who have recently graduated from college and have little chance of finding work any time soon. "They did everything they needed to do to have a future, and now they can't find a job," he said.

Even though they're more than likely to vote his party out of power, Rubalcaba is not, as many of his American counterparts are, willfully blind to what's fueling the protesters. "The people out there demonstrating aren't anti-system," he said. "They expect solutions from politics, from the system, and they haven't gotten them."

For his part, Mariano Rajoy has eagerly presented himself as the conduit for the widespread desire for change. Like his opponent, he too stressed that his "basic priority" is employment and jobs. "Many young people don't see a future," he told me, noting that in Spain, as in the U.S., for the first time the younger generation doesn't expect to do as well as their parents.

The second thing that struck me was how family-oriented the protests were. However they started, they are now truly a middle-class movement. But when I looked at how the media covered the October 15th protests, instead of the thousands of families and children and retirees who marched in the streets, what dominated the airwaves were burning cars from the protest in Rome -- which was hijacked by a coterie of masked anarchists.

Just as solutions to the problems facing Europe and America are not going to be found in traditional political ways, the truth of what's happening is not going to be found in traditional media coverage either. The conventional wisdom of the establishment media has been constantly upended -- not just about the economic crisis and how it unfolded, but about the reaction to it, as well.

Greg Sargent, for example, convincingly challenged the conventional wisdom that there is some unbridgeable "cultural fault line" between blue-collar white Americans and the people who take to the streets to protest for economic justice. He pointed to a recent National Journal poll in which the percentage of non-college-educated whites who agree with the Occupy Wall Street protesters was 56. Just over 30 percent disagreed. Sargent also cited a Time poll in which the percentage of those in agreement with OWS was over 50 percent.

So the real message of the protesters is getting out, even if many in the media want to portray it as a hippie-dippy relic of the 1960s. In a piece for HuffPost, CNBC contributor and former White House aide Keith Boykin concludes that, after visiting Zuccotti Park, "almost everything the media told me about the protest is wrong."

Boykin takes apart myths like "The Movement Is Violent," "It's Just A Bunch Of Pampered Kids," and "There Are No Black People Involved." Boykin says he was "taken aback by how many black and Latino participants" he saw. "I hadn't seen them on the television coverage," he writes. He also counters the idea that it's just a bunch of hippies. "To watch some of the media coverage of the movement, you would think the protest was filled with long-haired hippies left over from the 1960s," he writes, noting he saw "high school-aged kids with their parents, college students in their school sweatshirts, men in business suits, mothers with baby carriages, people with jobs, people who were unemployed," and "white-haired retirees."

The third thing that struck me about the protests -- both in Spain and here -- is that they are about more than political and economic goals. They are bigger than that. They are about changing civil society -- about creating a new relationship not just between the people and their government, but among the people themselves. There's the growing sense that the problems we're facing can't be solved just by fixing our political institutions. We need to transform our relationships to our communities.

There is, of course, a rich tradition for strengthening civil society here in America -- but not so in Spain. As Rubalcaba told me, an activist civil society isn't something that's been historically nurtured. "Spanish civil society is passive," he said.

Working hard to help Spain develop its civil society muscle is U.S. Ambassador Alan Solomont, the former chairman of the board for the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency responsible for Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. A one-time community organizer, Solomont has spent his life championing the need to develop a culture of citizenship, service, and social responsibility in America -- and is trying to assist Spain in doing the same. As he told me: "Civic participation is not a luxury but a necessity for a healthy democracy."

The need to nurture civil society was acknowledged by both candidates. And so was the need for entrepreneurship and innovation. Indeed, it was Rubalcaba, the Socialist candidate, who lamented the fact that "the coming century should be our century -- Spain has a lot of creativity, innovation and intelligence, but risk is not part of our DNA." He sees nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit -- especially among the young -- as key to Spain's turnaround: "It's about enabling people to have a chance to get as far as they can."

If we're going get out of this mess -- the U.S., Spain, Greece and all the rest -- there are two essential ingredients we'll need: empathy nurtured by a strong civil society, and innovation nurtured by an entrepreneurial spirit. Producing a political system that rewards these essential traits, instead of being at the mercy of lobbyists and big money donors, may require a movement of citizens taking to the streets.

As George Bernard Shaw put it: "All progress depends on the unreasonable man."

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Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/spain-indignados-protests_b_1029640.html

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