Cruz's Texas victory shows tea party staying power

Ted Cruz, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to the media, the day after defeating Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff primary election, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Houston. Cruz says his tea party supporters who helped him pull off an upset in the Republican primary runoff are "everyday Texans" who want common sense answers to problems plaguing the country. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Brett Coomer)

Ted Cruz, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to the media, the day after defeating Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff primary election, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Houston. Cruz says his tea party supporters who helped him pull off an upset in the Republican primary runoff are "everyday Texans" who want common sense answers to problems plaguing the country. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Brett Coomer)

Texas Republican Senate candidate Ted Cruz speaks to the media, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Houston, a day after defeating Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Texas Republican Senate candidate Ted Cruz speaks to the media, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Houston a day after defeating Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Texas Republican Senate candidate Ted Cruz speaks to the media, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, in Houston a day after defeating Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a runoff. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Ted Cruz's Senate primary victory in Texas will provide a boost for tea party-backed, no-compromise conservatives in Congress.

His all-but-sure win in November will increase the number of tea party-aligned senators to six, and as many as seven more could win election. That will ensure a bigger impact on both politics and policy on Capitol Hill, even if Democrats manage to retain a Senate majority and the White House.

Dozens of tea party-supported candidates won House seats two years ago, but only four were elected to the Senate: Marco Rubio of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah. They joined South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, an ideological godfather of a movement born in the aftermath of Congress enacting President Barack Obama's health care overhaul two years ago.

As a result of those small numbers, the tea party's impact in the Senate has been less than in the House ? for both parties.

Republicans speak optimistically of possibly taking Senate control ? though Cruz will take a safely Republican seat ? and most GOP senators tout their own conservative credentials. But Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has generally not had to contend with conservative insurrections, while House Speaker John Boehner regularly faces fierce resistance from blocks of conservatives at the mere mention of compromise with Democrats.

Cruz defeated the establishment favorite, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, on Tuesday after spending his entire campaign aligning himself with the tea party. He was endorsed by DeMint more than a year ago.

"We are witnessing a great awakening," he said of his victory, presenting himself as part of a new generation of conservatism.

With just three months until the general election, however, the 2012 campaign season has been anything but a tea party sweep. The movement couldn't settle on an opponent to Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination, although more than half a dozen auditioned.

And it came up short in a bid to unseat veteran Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah just two years after Lee pulled off a stunning upset in the state. At least a handful of the tea party-backed candidates in the House also face tough re-election fights this fall.

But Cruz's victory does add to the momentum of tea-party-sponsored Richard Mourdock's upset victory in Indiana's Republican primary over Richard Lugar, a six-term senator who partnered with Democrats on foreign policy. .

Democrats quickly predicted that Cruz's arrival would create havoc for McConnell. Sen. Patty Murray, the head of the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, virtually conceded he'll win in November before musing Wednesday on Cruz's impact.

"I think the bigger issue there is that Mitch McConnell is now going to have a potentially much more Tea Party-oriented caucus, and we have all seen the damage that has done to our ability to govern, to find compromise, to move this country forward in a positive direction, she said. "It's more of their problem than ours."

A stronger tea party presence in the Senate could have a significant impact even before the 2012 election winners take office. Just the prospect could tip the scales in a lame duck post-election session on tax cuts and possible military spending cuts.

Expect an even bigger impact in February when the government approaches the $16.4 trillion ceiling on federal debt. Raising it again is anathema to tea partyers.

Republicans are already welcoming Cruz's arrival.

"People are mad at Washington, D.C., they're mad at what they perceive to be the establishment and they want some change," said Sen. John Cornyn, a fellow Texan and head of the Republicans' Senate campaign arm. "I certainly understand why."

Just how much the tea party's impact grows in the Senate depends on the outcome of seven other races.

In Indiana, Mourdock still has to defeat Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly in November.Nebraska State Sen. Deb Fischer ran as a strict conservative to emerge from a crowded primary and will take on former Sen. Bob Kerrey in a race to replace Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson.

The three candidates in Missouri's GOP primary have all brandished their deep conservative credentials as they compete to take on embattled Sen. Claire McCaskill. And several of the candidates in Wisconsin's hotly contested Republican Senate primary later this month have positioned themselves as tea party alternatives to former GOP Gov. Tommy Thompson. The winner will face liberal Democratic Rep. Tammy Baldwin in November.

In addition, Rep. Connie Mack, the strong favorite in a Republican primary to take on Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida, has expressed support for the tea party movement, as have Josh Mandel, the Republican-nominated challenger to Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio. Former Sen. George Allen has picked up some tea party support in what will be a tight Senate race in Virginia against former Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-08-01-Senate%20GOP%20Divisions%201st%20Ld-Writethru/id-90f8588ceaa14351978d84c5e9bbd16c

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What did McCartney earn for Olympics show?

Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

Paul McCartney at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

By Bruna Nessif, E! Online

Being the famed musician Paul McCartney is, the Olympics must have had to shell out the big bucks to get him to perform for the opening ceremony, right?

You might be surprised at what the Beatle's paycheck came out to be. If you're thinking in the millions, you're going to have to bring that figure way down.

Swimmer Missy Franklin wins first Olympic gold medal

McCartney was paid -- wait for it -- only one pound, or $1.57, for his performance at the Olympics opening ceremony, according to The Huffington Post, but even that wasn't anticipated.

Take a look at pictures from Danny Boyle's "Isles of Wonder"

All performers were aware that their services would be donated to the event, but the fee was a way to make the Olympics contract binding.

That's kinda awesome, don't ya think?

Related content:

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Source: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/31/13049372-paul-mccartney-made-how-much-for-his-olympics-opening-ceremony-show?lite

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Housing Rebound Clear in Metro Chicago Real Estate Market ...

?

The long-awaited rebound in home sales in the seven-county metropolitan Chicago real estate market apparently arrived during the first half of 2012, according to an analysis of area home sales by RE/MAX.

The number of homes changing hands was 22 percent higher than in the first half of 2011.? The median price of a home, while 3 percent lower for the full six-month period, increased in both May and June.

In the category of detached-home sales, McHenry and Will Counties saw the largest increases in activity during the January-June period, each registering a gain of 29 percent.

?First-half results certainly indicate that both home sales and values in the Chicago-area housing market are on the upswing,? said Laura Ortoleva, a spokesperson for the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network.

Home sales activity rose solidly through the first six months of 2012.? Sales of detached homes increased by 19 percent in both the first and second quarters, while sales of attached homes (primarily condominium apartments and townhouses) were up 28 percent in the first quarter and 26 percent in the second quarter.? Detached sales for the entire first half of the year totaled 25,484, while 14,706 attached homes changed hands.

The median price for all homes sold during the six-month period was $160,000 but climbed to $185,000 in June.

Another positive sign for the housing market was the decrease in average market time, which is the number of days that homes sold during the first half of the year spent on the market before a sales contract was signed.? Average market time for the period fell from 180 days last year to 166 days this year.? Average market time for June was 149 days, a full month less than the average market time in March.

Cook County accounted for 57 percent of all home sales in the seven-county area during the first half of 2012, and trends in sales activity, median price and average market time closely tracked those for the metro area as a whole.? Home sales increased 21 percent and the median price fell 3 percent, while average market time was reduced by 10 days to 162 days.

The median sales price of a home was essentially unchanged in DuPage and Kane counties, but declined elsewhere, falling 2.2 percent in Kendall County, 7.6 percent in Lake County, 10.3 percent in McHenry County and 5.5 percent in Will County.

The six counties surrounding Cook all saw notable reductions in average market time, from a minimum decline of 13 percent in DuPage County to a maximum decrease of 25 days in Lake County.

In the category of detached-home sales, McHenry and Will Counties saw the largest increases in activity during the January-June period, each registering a gain of 29 percent.? Kendall County had the smallest increase at 1.5 percent.

The median price of a detached home rose approximately 2.5 percent in Kane and DuPage counties and increased 3.8 percent in Chicago, but declined elsewhere ? as much as 8 percent in McHenry County and as little as 0.6 percent in Cook County.? The average market time for all detached homes fell by 14 days compared to the first half of 2011.

Attached homes were the big gainers when it came to transaction volume in the January-June period.? All seven counties registered strong increases, ranging from 19 percent in Kendall County to 47 percent in McHenry.? However, median prices of attached homes showed less of an upside.? Only DuPage County, with a 1 percent gain, recorded any increase, and declines in this measure ranged from lows of 1 percent in Chicago and 4 percent in McHenry County to as much as 11 percent in Kendall County.

Average market time declined by 13 days for the entire metro area and tumbled as much as 36 days in Will County.

Another positive sign for the market is the continued decline in the percentage of sales accounted for by distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales).? Distressed properties accounted for 41.6 percent of all home sales during the first half of the year, which is 2.4 percent less than during the same period of 2011.? In June, distressed sales were only 33.5 percent of the market.

Source: http://crystallake.patch.com/articles/housing-rebound-clear-in-metro-chicago-real-estate-market-including-mchenry-county

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Manager, Student Communications - HigherEdJobs

Req #:	laur-00008679
Job Type:	Regular
Organization:	Student Services
Location:	USA - MD - Baltimore

Experience Level:

Manager, Student Communications

Description:

GENERAL SUMMARY:

The Student Communications Manager will work with the Director of Student Experience, members of Student Support, Academic Advising, and stakeholders in multiple locations and departments throughout the organization to produce high-quality student communications from concept to completion.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage student communications from concept to completion.
• Identify appropriate opportunities to reach out to students
• Work with departments throughout the organization to ensure that all student communications are in line with our university brand and student-centered focus
• Regularly review all student communications to ensure consistency of message
• Develop, update and maintain a student communication calendar
• Monitor and prioritize all outbound communications to students. Ensure that release of communications is appropriately spaced to avoid risk of over-communication.
• Partner with Marketing to ensure content related to student facing teams is accurate and up-to-date on the Web site.
• Copy edit, fact check, and proofread content for printed and electronic publications, including newsletters, web site, email blasts, and other printed and electronic communications.
• Identify ways to improve university communications and publications.
• Become an expert on the goals, vision, and mission of the university

Experience:

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in English, communications, journalism, or related fields, required.
• Minimum of three years of communications experience in a service environment or university setting
• Strong organizational and project management skills with acute attention to detail
• Experience managing multiple projects on deadline while providing excellent customer service.
• Experience copy writing and editing for print and the Web.
• Experience working with freelancers and vendors, a plus
• Must possess outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Strong copy editing, fact-checking and proofreading skills.
• Experience with AP Stylebook or other style guides.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat (Standard or Professional), Photoshop, Illustrator, and a content management system.
• Ability to adapt to new and rapidly changing situations
• Creative, innovative, able to work independently and in a team environment
• Some travel may be required

Laureate Education, Inc., and all of it subsidiaries or affiliates, are equal opportunity employers. EOE

Source: http://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=175654152

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Should Congress Have Power to Audit the Fed ... - Yahoo! Finance

It is often said that the Chairman of the Federal Reserve is the second most powerful person in the world, with unrivaled influence and clout domestically and abroad. Although our central bank will mark its 100th anniversary next year, its authority has never been greater, its portfolio never larger, and its global dealings never more extensive. This is why so many in Congress say it's time to reign in the Federal Reserve and bring it back under government control.

"We want to know what deals are being made with whom, how much money is going out, what has been promised to central banks throughout the world," says California Congressman Duncan Hunter in the attached video. "In the end, it's about transparency. It's about letting the American people know what the Federal Reserve is doing with your money."

Rep. Hunter is one of more than 200 co-sponsors of the Audit the Fed bill, a piece of legislation written by outgoing Texas
Congressman and former Presidential candidate Ron Paul that overwhelmingly passed the House last week by a huge 327-98 margin.

The timing of the vote is also noteworthy, coming just days ahead of a Fed meeting that many believe could be the backdrop for another round of stimulus, often referred to as quantitative easing or QE3.

As much as Bernanke has his critics, he has lots of allies too, who not only say he has steered the nation away from depression, but has lead and created the most transparent Fed ever. Rep. Hunter says part of Bernanke's openness is due to the mere presence of this pending legislation, which has "all of a sudden made the Fed more forthcoming over the past year or two."

A nasty 3-year lawsuit by Bloomberg News under the Freedom of Information Act also fanned the flames after it delivered a bombshell last year when it unearthed trillions of dollars of previously secret dealings by the central bank, much of which was with foreign banks and other non-U.S. entities.

"At least let us see what we think is important, not necessarily what the Fed thinks is important to tell us," Rep. Hunter says, as the Audit the Fed movement makes its way to the Senate where it will face a far cooler reception.

Should Congress have the power to audit the Fed? Let us know what you think on our Facebook page.

More from Breakout:

Another Half a Trillion Dollars in Fed Stimulus Is on the Way Says Munson

Fed's QE1, QE2 Failed! So Will QE3 Says Schoenberger

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/congress-power-audit-fed-172514304.html

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Commercial Hard Money Loans 877-273-7823

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Two million watch first three days of Olympics as ... - BBC World News

The first three days of sporting action at the London 2012 Olympics attracted more than two million spectators, organisers have said, as 3,800 ?reclaimed? tickets were sold to members of the public. Visitors flock to the Olympic Park on day three of the Games (Picture: Getty) Locog said 856,000 people ? including those at football matches and a ?conservative? estimate of half a million for the men?s cycling road race ? watched events on Saturday with a further 900,000 in attendance on Sunday. Yesterday meanwhile 370,000 spectators turned out, meaning attendance rates for the opening there days were 86 per cent, 92 per cent and 88 per cent respectively. The beginning of the Olympics has been overshadowed by an argument over empty seats at multiple venues. Locog has claimed the rows of empty seats were due to accredited members of the ?Games family? including media representatives failing to turn up. It was revealed today that 3,800 extra unused accredited tickets had gone on sale last night across 30 sessions and 15 sports. Like the 3,000 ?reclaimed? tickets put on sale on Sunday night they all sold out within hours, with some people reporting difficulties using the official website. PICTURES : More images from the London 2012 Olympics

Source: http://bbc-worldnews.net/2012/07/two-million-watch-first-three-days-of-olympics-as-3800-extra-tickets-sold/

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