Poll Shows Public Supports Obama on Gas Prices

More Americans trust President Obama than congressional Republicans to make the right decisions to bring down the price of gasoline, according to a new poll, although neither side commands a majority.

What?s more, as prices continue to rise and the specter of $5-per-gallon gas for the summer driving season looms over the political landscape, the latest United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll shows the public slightly more supportive of the energy priorities of the Democrats and the president than those of the GOP.

Forty-four percent of respondents trust Obama more ?to make the right decisions to help bring down the price of gasoline,? versus 32 percent for Republicans in Congress, according to the poll. Only 1 percent said both; 16 percent said neither and 7 percent didn?t know or refused to answer.

Americans put somewhat more stock in the Democrats? policy of conservation and development of alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar power, than they do in the Republicans? emphasis on greater domestic production of oil and gas. Fifty percent of respondents said that the Democratic approach ?would do more to lower fuel prices,? while 42 percent went with the GOP approach.

It?s worth noting that earlier this winter the Congressional Connection Poll found a substantial majority of Americans favoring construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which has become a rallying cry for congressional Republicans.

This newest survey plumbed Americans? views on what is causing the spike in gasoline prices. When asked what the main reason behind the price increase was, some 38 percent laid the blame on ?the manipulation of prices by large energy companies.? Twenty-eight percent cited ?tension in the Middle East, particularly over Iran and nuclear weapons.? Well down the list were ?the policies of President Obama? (14 percent) and ?the policies of congressional Republicans? (5 percent).

On another contentious issue in Congress?judicial vacancies?the poll showed a plurality of Americans believes that the backlog is due to Senate Republicans ?unreasonably delaying the confirmation process.? Some 44 percent of respondents said that was the cause for the holdup, while 36 percent said that Senate Republicans were ?just doing their constitutional duty.? A full 17 percent of adults responding to the survey didn?t know or refused to answer and 4 percent said they haven?t heard or read about the delays. On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he would take full advantage of his powers to try to break the logjam of judicial nominations.

As the U.S. Postal Service continues to hemorrhage money, a significant majority of survey respondents said that they were willing to forgo Saturday mail delivery in order to save money. But the public appears to be much more wary of paying more for a postage stamp.

Congress is wrestling with the fallout from the Postal Service?s budget shortfalls. The USPS, which is supposed to operate without taxpayer dollars, has been borrowing heavily from the Treasury and will bump up against its $15 billion cap this year. Members of Congress were outraged earlier this year when the postmaster general announced a cost-saving plan that involved everything from closing 223 mail-sorting facilities to ending Saturday delivery.

The poll showed a solid 63 percent of respondents in favor of ending Saturday mail delivery ?as a way for the Postal Service to save money.? Thirty-two percent opposed changing the historic delivery schedule.

A majority who responded to the poll were unwilling to shell out more for a stamp or other postage fees in order to guarantee the continuation of Saturday delivery. Some 42 percent were willing to pay more, but 56 percent were not.
Congress can?t directly stop the postmaster general from implementing his recommendations, but the mere threat of passing measures that could delay or thwart the proposed cuts has made this a hot topic on the Hill, where members of both parties have decried the proposed cuts. The protests have been especially loud from representatives of rural areas, whose constituents would have to travel longer distances for postal services if the cutbacks are implemented.

The poll showed some interesting divides among the respondents on the Postal Service issue. Fifty percent of black non-Hispanics supported the end of Saturday delivery to save money, while 47 percent opposed the idea. Black non-Hispanics were also willing to support a hike in postal rates to preserve Saturday delivery. Support for ending Saturday delivery to save money was slightly weaker in the Midwest and among those earning less than $50,000 annually. White college graduates were most supportive of ending Saturday delivery, with nearly 80 percent backing such a move.

The United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, which surveyed 1,005 adults by landline and cellular phone March 8-11. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/poll-shows-public-supports-obama-gas-prices-213009838.html

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HORROR: Remains of 167 People Found in Mexico Cave

Yikes: As if the mass amount of daily cartel killings aren?t enough, the remains of 167 people were discovered in a southern Mexican cave this weekend and forensic experts believe the remains are at least 50 years old. More details below?

Wendy L.

The statement released Saturday said the remains were found Friday on the Nuevo Ojo de Agua ranch in an area frequently used by Central American migrants traveling north. The statement said there were no visible signs of violence on the remains, which ?break easily.?

The statement said authorities will ?not discard any line of investigation.?

The remains were discovered stacked atop each other in the cave, said a prosecutor?s office employee who was not authorized to release information and asked not to be identified. The remains have been moved to the state capital of Tuxtla Gutierrez for examination, the employee said.

Mass graves have been found in the past two years mainly in northern Mexico?containing the bodies of dozens of migrants and others allegedly killed by drug cartels.

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Source: http://www.inflexwetrust.com/2012/03/11/horror-remains-of-167-people-found-in-mexico-cave/

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Piers Morgan rips Kate Moss and Madonna

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images file

Piers Morgan arrives at the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Hollywood on Feb. 26.

By Alexis L. Loinaz, E! Online

Oftentimes, it's Piers Morgan's guests who make headlines for what they say on his eponymous CNN show. (Kirk Cameron, step this way, please.)

But the talk-show host is in the hot seat himself over some very randy comments he unleashed about two very big celebs.

Gird your egos, Madonna and Kate Moss: He's taking aim at ya!

Shall we enter the verbal shooting range?

MORE: Feud Alert (Again)! Piers Morgan Slams Madonna's "Gruesome" Super Bowl Halftime Show

Morgan spoke with U.K.'s the Mirror?and didn't hold back on trashing the two stars.

Let's start with Moss.

"Utterly horrific" is how he describes the British supermodel, adding, "If people actually knew what she was like, they would never, ever be interested in her again."

He claims that Moss literally kicks him whenever they run into each other at public events -- looks like the gal knows how to do much more with those heels than stomp catwalks!

MORE: Piers Morgan's Wife Delivers Baby Girl

"She's just a real, spoilt little madam from Croydon," he says of the South London-born fashion icon. "There's nothing wrong with Croydon -- I was brought up near Croydon. But she's just a vile little creature."

Morgan saves his most vicious barbs, though, for Madonna -- a celeb who seems to be his favorite punching bag these days.

"She's a complete con artist and those arms are just terrifying," he offers.

MORE: The Kirk Cameron-Rush Limbaugh Controversy Scorecard -- Who's in Worse Trouble?

"It's like watching Conan the Barbarian. She's looking even more barbaric than ever at the moment, utterly grotesque."

Atta boy! Apparently, in his eyes Madge has devolved from being just a "mad drunken aunt at Christmas," which is how he recently described her?on Chelsea Lately while talking about her Super Bowl halftime show.

PHOTOS: 20 Years of Scandals

Guess he's not worried about booking her as a guest. "When I got the CNN job, I banned her from the show, permanently," he says. "She responded by saying she'd never heard of me, but we both know she's lying."

Be careful there, Piers! Doncha know Madonna's a girl gone wild?these days, and she's not afraid to slug it out with guys who cross her?

Related content:

Source: http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/12/10656286-piers-morgan-rips-vile-kate-moss-con-artist-madonna

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HBT: Nats are selling 8-pound Strasburger

Via Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post comes this press release from the Nationals about a new concession item called the ?StrasBurger?:

Weighing eight pounds total (including toppings), the StrasBurger is a monstrous all beef burger (combination of ground brisket, chuck and short ribs). The burger is served on a large burger bun with our secret sauce, American cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onions, pickle chips and served with a cone basket of fresh cut fries and a pitcher of your choice of soft drink.

Hopefully they have Diet Coke available.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/12/nationals-to-sell-eight-pound-strasburger-this-season/related/

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Egypt army doctor cleared in 'virginity tests' case

An Egyptian military court on Sunday acquitted an army doctor accused of conducting forced "virginity tests" on female protesters last year, state media reported.

Ahmed Adel was cleared of conducting the test on Samira Ibrahim, who brought the case against him, after the judge found the witness statements to be "contradictory", the official MENA news agency said.

The ruling comes "from what has been proven in documents and based on my conscience," the judge said according to MENA, adding that he had "not been subjected to any pressures."

Adel was accused of "public indecency" and "disobeying military orders", after the initial charge of rape had been dropped.

The practice in March last year had sparked a national outcry and stained the ruling military's reputation.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-army-doctor-cleared-virginity-tests-case-105215362.html

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NCAA Lacrosse Rankings: Villanova Moves Back Into The Top 10

The NCAA lacrosse rankings have been released and Villanova has moved back into the top 10 in both the Nike Poll and the USILA Coaches Poll this week. The move up comes following Villanova's win over cross-city rival Penn on Saturday afternoon at Franklin Field.

'Nova is now ranked #10 in the country in both polls.

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Related: Max Hart's Late Goal Gives 'Nova 8-7 Victory Over Penn

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Quint Kessenich also has the Wildcats back in the top 10 in his Top 20 Poll. Here's what he had to say about 'Nova.

'Nova is 4-1 with wins over Lehigh, Bucknell, Drexel and Penn. The Wildcats' defense ranks No. 34 in the country. 'Nova hosts Princeton on Tuesday followed by Maryland, Syracuse and Penn State.

Definitely a tough stretch of games coming up and really the season-defining stretch for the 'Cats. If you're in the area, make sure and get out to Villanova Stadium on Tuesday night when they take on Princeton at 7 pm ET!

Source: http://www.thenovablog.com/2012/3/12/2864281/ncaa-lacrosse-rankings-villanova-move-back-into-the-top-10

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Six in 10 Criticize War in Afghanistan; Most Favor Abandoning Training Mission

Sixty percent of Americans say the war in Afghanistan has not been not worth fighting and just 30 percent believe the Afghan public supports the U.S. mission there - marking the sour state of attitudes on the war even before the shooting rampage allegedly by a U.S. soldier this weekend.

Indeed a majority in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, 54 percent, say the United States should withdraw its forces from Afghanistan without completing its current effort to train Afghan forces to become self-sufficient.

The survey was completed Saturday. Early Sunday a U.S. service member allegedly left his base in Kandahar and shot and killed more than a dozen civilians in two nearby villages, an incident certain to raise tensions already inflamed by the U.S. military's inadvertent burning of Muslim holy books at Bagram Air Base last month. That incident sparked violent protests, including a series of incidents in which Afghan soldiers have turned their guns on U.S. forces.

Against that backdrop, the number of Americans who say the war has not been worth fighting, at 60 percent, is up by 6 points from its level last June to just 4 points from its peak, 64 percent, a year ago. Intensity of sentiment is deeply negative: Forty-four percent feel "strongly" that the war has not been worth fighting. Just 17 percent, by contrast, support it strongly.

Criticism of the war had been assuaged to some extent last year by the drawdown of U.S. forces, a step backed by 78 percent of Americans in an ABC/Post poll last month. Taking another tack, this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, asked if the United States should keep its forces in Afghanistan until it has trained the Afghan Army to be self-sufficient, or withdraw even without accomplishing that task. Given those competing interests, 43 percent favor completing the training effort; 54 percent, as noted, opt for withdrawal regardless.

While the war lacks majority support on the basis of a cost-benefit evaluation for the United States, support is further eroded by the fact that 55 percent of Americans think most Afghans themselves do not support U.S. efforts in their country, and an additional 15 percent are unsure. Just three in 10 think the U.S. mission enjoys majority support.

Partisanship informs views on the war. Democrats and political independents see it as not worth fighting by broad 40- and 31-point margins, respectively, while Republicans divide evenly on the question. Similarly, liberals and moderates are critical of the war by 49- and 27-point margins; conservatives share this view much more narrowly, by 9 points. And while nearly six in 10 Republicans favor staying until Afghan forces are trained, that drops to 37 percent among others.

A renewal of critical views could have political ramifications for President Obama's re-election effort. Discontent with the war in Iraq, at similar levels as views on Afghanistan today, badly damaged George W. Bush's presidency, marking the risk for Obama, especially in an election year.

METHODOLOGY - This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone March 7-10, 2012, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults, including landline and cell-phone-only respondents. Results have a margin of sampling error of 4.0 points for the full sample. The survey was produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates of New York, N.Y., with sampling, data collection and tabulation by Abt-SRBI of New York, N.Y.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/six-10-criticize-war-afghanistan-most-favor-abandoning-175126580--abc-news.html

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