Hoboken Mayor Arrested

AP from BBC News
Two mayors, rabbis and politicians are among some 30 people arrested in a major corruption and money-laundering investigation, say US authorities.

Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, and Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt are among those said to have been arrested in New Jersey.

Federal prosecutors said several rabbis were also detained in the states of New York and New Jersey.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker said it had been "an unbelievable morning so far".

Cars were said to be backed up four deep with suspects outside the FBI's office in Newark, New Jersey's largest city.

Jersey City deputy mayor Leona Beldini and former Jersey City council president L Harvey Smith were also reported to be among those arrested.

The nature of the charges they may face is unclear.

A news conference is scheduled for Thursday.

Synagogue raid



The news agency Associated Press spoke to a congregation member of a synagogue in Deal, a seaside borough in New Jersey, which was reportedly raided by agents from the FBI, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and local prosecutors' office.

"Everyone was looking at each other, like, 'What's going on here?'" Mike Winnick said.

Mr Winnick said four FBI agents escorted a rabbi from the synagogue into his office and blocked the doorway.

Agents also removed several boxes from the nearby yeshiva, a school that educates the children of Sephardic Jews, AP reported.

Poll: US image abroad surges under Obama (They love us! Well, our fearless leader anyway.)

AP on YAHOO
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's popularity has boosted America's image abroad even though deep suspicions about the U.S. persist in the Muslim world, according to a poll released Thursday.

The survey of two dozen nations conducted this spring by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that positive public attitudes toward the United States have surged in many parts of the world since Obama's election.

Positive opinions about the United States have returned to higher levels not seen since before President George W. Bush took office in 2001. The Bush presidency marked a steep decline in U.S. popularity overseas, notably after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, because of a perception that the post-9/11 war on terrorism was targeted at Muslims.

"The image of the United States has improved markedly in most parts of the world, reflecting global confidence in Barack Obama," the center said in its annual Pew Global Attitudes Report.

The only exception was Israel, where attitudes toward the U.S. have dipped since Bush left office.

Beijing Provides 100,000 Condoms For Athletes

The Sydney Olympics ran out of them, so organisers of the Beijing Games are hoping 100,000 condoms will satisfy the needs of Olympic athletes.

While sex is not an Olympic sport it is expected to be an activity in the Beijing village housing 10,500 athletes, all of whom are in great shape and with plenty of free time on their hands once they're knocked out of the Games.

Athletes have received free condoms at every Olympics since Barcelona in 1992.

"There are many young, strong, single people in the athletes' village and, like everywhere, some will fall in love or other things so we need to make condoms available," said Ole Hansen, spokesman for UNAIDS China.

"A lot of these young people are not married or in relationships so we want to make sure they have the information and tools to protect themselves if they have sexual encounters."

At the Sydney Games in 2000 athletes quickly exhausted a supply of 70,000 and another 20,000 had to be brought in.
The Foundation for AIDS Research, amfAR, said 100,000 were distributed at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002 after a plan to distribute 250,000 condoms met protests by religious groups and was scaled back. At Athens in 2004 about 130,000 condoms were distributed.

Bush still an idiot

President Bush addresses Americans on the invasion of "Georgia". This is a "C" student at his finest!

Bush still an idiot - Watch more free videos

McCain DHL issue could cut 10,000 jobs in Ohio

Barack Obama's presidential campaign claimed that the general election had reached a critical turning point this past week after it was revealed that John McCain and his campaign manager had helped facilitate a merger that could result in the loss of thousands of jobs in Ohio.

On a conference call with reporters, Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe said news of McCain and Rick Davis' involvement in the DHL deal was "the most important development of the entire campaign this week" and would convince voters in the critical swing state that the Arizona Republican was far from his maverick image.

"He was there a month ago in this community and was asked a question about this DHL issue and did not say one word about his role in this or the role of his campaign manager. That is the furthest thing from straight talk that we can imagine," said Plouffe. "John McCain can become an emblem for people about what is wrong with Washington. He released an ad this week about how Washington is broken and how he will strive to fix it. He didn't mention that he has been enmeshed in a broken Washington culture for 26 years or that his campaign is run by the most powerful, now former lobbyist in Washington."

Prior to the press conference the Obama campaign released a harsh new radio ad blasting McCain for his role in helping "foreign-owned DHL buy a U.S. company and gain control over the jobs that are now on the chopping block in Ohio."

On Thursday, the Republican presidential candidate called on the Justice Department to launch an investigation into DHL's plans to puts its packages aboard the planes of a rival, United Parcel Service. If that deal is to go through (with UPS flying its cargo out of Louisville, Kentucky) DHL's shipping hub in Wilmington, Ohio would be effectively closed, eliminating up to 10,000 jobs.

On the conference call, Plouffe was forthcoming about the political advantages that he believed the revelation presented.

"He has spent several days now dogged with questions about this," said the campaign manager. "His appearances in Ohio were completely overshadowed by this. And by November 4 in the Cincinnati and Dayton markets this is something that is going to be known by every voter in this area."

Basic Economics

A president's pension currently is $191,300 per year. Assuming the next president lives to age 80. Sen McCain would receive ZERO pension as he would reach 80 at the end of two terms as president. Sen Obama would be retired for 26 years after two terms and would receive $4,973,800 in pension.

Therefore it would certainly make economic sense to elect McCain in November.

How's that for non partisan thinking???

John Edwards admits affair (says he IS NOT the father)

Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards is admitting to an extramarital affair but denies fathering the woman's daughter.

Edwards tells ABC News that he lied repeatedly about the affair with a 42-year-old woman but says that he didn't love her. He says he has not taken a paternity test but knows he isn't the father because of the timing of the affair and the birth.


ABC says a former Edwards campaign staffer claims he is the father, not Edwards.
Edwards was a top contender for the Democratic nomination for president. He placed second in the Iowa caucuses last January but dropped out of the race a few weeks later.


Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina, was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2004.