No 'Avenger' in sight for America

No 'Avenger' in sight for America

By Dean Obeidallah, Special to CNN

updated 4:59 PM EDT, Wed May 23, 2012

Mitt Romney (above) and Barack Obama might talk like superheroes, says Dean Obeidallah, but they must be straight with voters.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Dean Obeidallah: America's economy in trouble, needs an "Avenger" superhero
• Captain Economy, Deficit Reduction Man would be nice; reality is Obama, Romney
• He says Romney promises government cuts, but where has austerity worked?
• Writer: Candidates, level with voters: There's no superhero plan for recovery' it'll be a slog

Editor's note: Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is a political comedian and frequent commentator on various TV networks including CNN. He is the editor of the politics blog "The Dean's Report" and co-director of the upcoming documentary, "The Muslims Are Coming!" Follow him on Twitter.

(CNN) -- America is in trouble. And we know it.

Just look at recent polls: 70% of Americans would describe the nation's economy as bad. Some 61% think our country is on the wrong track. Only 24% of Americans think the economy has actually improved in the past few years. And almost two-thirds of Americans are concerned about being able to pay for their housing.

We could use Captain Economy to help us create jobs. Plus we need Deficit-Reduction Man and Five-Percent-GDP-Growth-a-Year Dude. Or maybe we can just let The Hulk loose in Congress and tell him: "Hulk: Smash!"

(I'm not sure how Hulk smashing Congress helps the economy, but I think most of us would pay to see it.)

But, alas, there's no superhero in no sight. There's only President Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.

I must admit that there was a time in 2008 that I thought Obama could have been a superhero, but I was wrong. We have seen his campaign theme morph in four years from "Yes We Can" to "It Could Be Worse."

In Obama's defense, his economic plan has helped the nation. Unemployment was at 10% in October 2009 and has fallen to 8.1%, and we have seen moderate job creation. But still the economy has a long way to go to match the booming growth years of the mid-2000s. We had a 4.6% unemployment rate just five years ago.

So here comes superhero wannabe Romney. This silver-spooned crusader has attacked Obama by stating, "We are enduring the most tepid recovery in modern history."

Romney essentially admits the economy has improved since Obama took office but claims that he has the super powers that will launch our nation to infinity and beyond. Or at least, as he promised this week, his economic plan would lower the nation's unemployment rate to 6% in four years.

What's Romney's solution? His website outlines a proposal for economic recovery, promising a five-point plan that he will submit immediately upon taking office, then "demand that Congress act on the package within 30 days."

But I think Romney might find that Congress won't be pushed around as easily as a blonde-haired kid in high school. All the "demanding" in the world might not get Congress to do what he wants.

Romney: I'll get unemployment down to 6%

Romney calls for tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations, but his big push to revitalize the economy is to reduce the deficit by cutting government spending. Here is my question for Mr. Romney: Can you please show us where this type of austerity has worked before? I'm all ears.

The most recent example is the United Kingdom, where conservative Prime Minister David Cameron slashed government spending in 2010 with the promise of economic growth. The result? The unemployment rate rose in 2011, and GDP contracted for the past two quarters, meaning that the nation is now back in a recession.

In contrast, last week we learned that Japan's economy grew by an annualized rate of 4.1% in the first quarter this year.

Was Japan's growth spurt caused by cutting government spending as Romney wants? Nope. Quite the opposite. The Japanese government increased expenditures. While the government spending did increase the deficit, it sparked much-needed economic growth.

If either candidate is going to make super promises about revitalizing the economy, he'll have to prove his ideas have worked in the past. And if he can't do that, he should at least be brutally honest and tell us there are no easy answers.

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The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah

CNN.com - U.S.

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Official: Dacia rolls out Dokker vanlet in Casablanca

Official: Dacia rolls out Dokker vanlet in Casablanca

Dacia unveils Dokker and Dokker van in Casablanca, Morocco

Dacia has profited from the Casablanca Show to introduce two models which are poised to join the Dacia line-up this year, namely Dokker, a versatile crew van, and Dokker Van, a practical small van.

The wraps came off the latest additions to the Dacia line-up â€" Dokker and Dokker van â€" in Casablanca. Both models are made in Tangiers and will go on sale initially in Morocco, before the end of June.

Dokker is a practical and versatile five-seat crew-van which can be ordered with either one or two sliding side doors. Thanks to its generous boot space and straightforward, modular interior, it is ideal for customers who need a vehicle that is just as capable of carrying bulky loads as it is of transporting a family in comfort.

Dokker van, the small van version of the same model, can be specified with eithe r one or two wide, sliding side doors and chiefly targets the needs of business customers, tradespeople and traders. In addition to being reliable and robust, its carrying capacity is among the segment's best, while it also benefits from a carefully thought-through modular interior and economical fuel consumption.

The name Dokker is a play on the word 'dockworker' and expresses the high carrying capacity of the two models, as well as their modular interior layout and robustness.

Further information concerning these two new models will be available shortly as a function of their presentation in their different markets.

Dacia: the 'smarty buy' brand...

In the eight years since its relaunch with the introduction of Logan in 2004, Dacia, which belongs to the Renault Group, has established itself as a top player in the automobile industry. The clear values championed by the brand lost no time winning over the confidence of customers

- Generosity: the market's best cabin space for its price,
- Simplicity: equipment specifications which focus on what customers really need,
- Reliability: thanks to the employment of technical solutions proven on other Renault Group vehicles.

The full range now features nine vehicles:
- Logan, three-box saloon
- Logan MCV (estate)
- Logan Van (LCV)
- Logan Pick up
- Sandero, hatchback and Stepway versions
- Duster, SUV (4x2 or 4x4 transmission)
- Lodgy, family MPV (five or seven seats)
- Dokker, a versatile crew van
- Dokker Van, a practical small van

Autoblog

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Hip-Hop Rumors: Man Shoots Up The Block For Meek Mill? Then Tweets?

Hip-Hop Rumors: Man Shoots Up The Block For Meek Mill? Then Tweets?

People are losing their minds. I almost made this an epic fail, but it would seem that they already have that today in the form of “Trayvoning,” which I think is very sick.

[Click here: Signs The World Is Coming To And End: Trayvoning]

Anyway, there is another fail on deck with a slice of signs the world is coming to an end. So, there is a rumor that a man reportedly shot up the block as he listened to Dreamchasers 2 by Meek Mill. As the story is told, he is so amped up that he goes shoots up the block and then turns around and decides to see “who got hit.” So, dude got so amped up over listening to Meek, dude airs out the block, trying to kill somebody, and then also wants to see who got shot. Got it? Right.

Here is the real foolishness.

Dude tweets it and then, on top of that, he @’s Meek Mill. Meek proceeds to add it to his Instagram, which then leads to everybody calling him an idiot. I have not been able to determine if he was just poppin’ junk or actually did shoot up the block and tweet a crime to a rapper that then sent it to his network of 1.2 million followers on Twitter.

Whoa!

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Dollar trades at 97 cents

Dollar trades at 97 cents

UPDATE: THE Aussie dollar is slightly lower, trading in a tight range throughout the morning, ahead of the release of Chinese economic data.

At noon, the dollar was trading at 97.56 US cents, down from 97.74 cents yesterday.

Last night, the Australian dollar fell as low as 96.90 US cents, its lowest level since November 28.

CMC markets foreign exchange dealer Tim Waterer said there was not much of a reaction in currency markets after a summit of EU leaders ended.

The meeting showed that France and Germany are divided on how to resolve the euro zone debt crisis, particularly on the issue of the European Central Bank issuing its own eurobonds.

"We had a marginal rise in Asian equity markets, which is helping support the currency," Mr Waterer said.

"We're still having no buying impetus for the currency today, that may come if we happen to get a good reading in the Chinese PMI."

This afternoon, the May HSBC purchasing managers index from China will be released.

"Given the market is still very much risk averse due to the situation in Europe, if that number is below expectations tha t could send the Aussie retreating towards the 97.00 cents," he said.

Meanwhile, the Australian bond market was stronger at noon.

At noon, the June 10-year bond futures contract was trading at 96.915 (implying a yield of 3.085 per cent), up from 96.890 (3.110 per cent) yesterday.

The June three-year bond futures contract was at 97.630 (2.370 per cent), up from 97.620 (2.380 per cent).

In overnight trade, early on Thursday morning, the three-year contract hit an all-time high of 97.700.

ForexNews.com

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Jermain Defoe denies 'threesome' claims by nurse but Alexandra Burke dumps him

Jermain Defoe denies 'threesome' claims by nurse but Alexandra Burke dumps him

Once a cheat...

Alexandra Burke kicked Jermain Defoe to the kerb

Alexandra Burke, 23, has dumped Jermain Defoe, 29, after ?a nurse from Somerset claimed she slept with him in March.

Kirsty Crummey, 26, alleges the footballer wooed her on Facebook and even asked her to take part in a threesome.

Jermain's denied Kirsty's claims, Tweeting: 'I've allegedly been having a relationship with Peter Kay. Here again is an example of someone trying to make money off my back.'

Read more celebrity gossip in Now magazine dated 28 May 2012 - out now!

SEE PICTURES The X Factor judges launch the 2011 show>>

SEE PICTURES The X Factor: Where are they now?>>

SEE PICTURES Alexandra Burke in The X Factor final 12 get star makeovers>>

Now Celebrity News

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European leaders put off key decisions

European leaders put off key decisions

By Peter Spiegel and Hugh Carnegy, FT.com

May 24, 2012 -- Updated 0146 GMT (0946 HKT)

French President Francois Hollande arrives for a press conference after a meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels early May 24 2012.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• European leaders put off any decisions on shoring up the region's banks
• Heads of the EU's main institutions will make plans for closer fiscal co-ordination
• Could include path towards a Europe-wide deposit guarantee and, later, eurozone bonds
• Officials: Guarantee needed to prevent bank runs that could follow a Greek exit

(CNN) -- European leaders put off any decisions on shoring up the region's banks at a late-night summit on Wednesday despite rising concerns that instability in Greece was undermining confidence in the eurozone's financial sector.

Instead, the heads of the EU's main institutions were given the task of drawing up proposals for closer fiscal co-ordination in time for another summit next month, plans that could include a path towards a Europe-wide deposit guarantee scheme and, in the longer term, commonly-backed eurozone bonds.

Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, cautioned that even the June plan would be limited to "building blocks" and "working methods" towards economic integration and not specific proposals towards a banking union or mutualisng eurozone debt.

"These ideas on stronger, stricter banking supervision and resolution were only mentioned, we did not have a real discussion on it, but we will work on them in the upcoming weeks," said Mr Van Rompuy.

Support appeared to be building for deposit guarantees commonly backed by all 17 eurozone members, which some officials believe are needed to prevent bank runs that could follow a Greek exit. François Hollande, the new French president attending his first EU summit, said he backed his Italian counterpart, Mario Monti, who has proposed such a plan.

And Enda Kenny, the Irish prime minister, said there was also "strong support" for using the eurozone's new €500bn rescue fund to inject capital directly into teetering banks, a proposal opposed by Germany but considered by many as essential for helping cash-strapped sovereigns shore up their financial sectors.

Instead of firm decisions, leaders voiced repeated assurances that they wanted Greece to remain in the eurozone, but emphasised any new government in Athens had to live up to the terms of its €174bn bailout.

"If I were to talk about the hypothesis of a Greek exit from the eurozone it would send a signal to Greece and to the markets," said Mr Hollande. "I would rather say that France and Europe want Greece to stay in the eurozone. We want you to respect your commitments but we want to take steps to show you that we want to restore hope. That is in the interests of Greece, the eurozone and the global economy."

The failure to decide on a clear path forward for Greece, Europe's banks or eurozone bonds reflects continued, deep divisions over how to respond to the mounting crisis caused by the possibility of a Greek exit. Officials said there had not been any in-depth discussion about Greece during more than six hours of deliberations.

Instead, most of the session focused on a "growth compact" consisting of ways to spur investment in large-scale infrastructure projects. But even there, no decisions were made on such proposals as injecting €10bn in new capital for the European Investment Bank.

Mr Hollande gained most of the attention by continuing his surprisingly aggressive push for eurozone bonds, making clear his disagreement with Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, at a post-summit press conference.

"For now, Germany's line of thinking is that euro bonds, if I give the most optimistic version, could only be an end point, whereas for us they are a starting point," he said. "It's true that there is there a difference."

Additional reporting by Joshua Chaffin and Alex Barker

CNN.com

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Apple: Oh, FYI, We Store and Sell What You Say to Siri

Apple: Oh, FYI, We Store and Sell What You Say to Siri

This shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone, but what happens between you and Siri doesn't stay between you and Siri. The ACLU just published a report on their website about how Apple's personal assistant sends our personal voice and user info to Apple to stockpile in its databses. While Apple maintiains that this "Voice Input Data" is used to help Siri perform better, it's also used for "other Apple products and services." 

So what might Siri be storing? Oh, you know: your name, your parent's names, their addresses and phone numbers, song titles and playlists...anything really.

 If you're telling yourself "well, duh," I agree. This is the kind of thing I always figured was happening with a service like Siri. That said, I am surprised that not only is information sent to Apple but that Apple STORES this information and then (possibly) sells it to ANYONE.Now, unlike Google, Apple is NOT in the advertising business, primarily, so they have less of an incentive to sell your data than a company like Google. That said, they could really be doing anything with this data.

Given that the ACLU's report has made the front page of Reddit, I'd say it's pretty likely that a lot more people are going to be talking about what's going on with Siri and I'd expect Apple to respond in the coming days as well.

(Photo: CultofMac.com)

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