Assault weapon sales spike before election

GARLAND – With nine days left until the election, people aren't only lining up to vote early; they are also apparently heading to sporting goods stores and gun shops as owners have reported an increase in business.

Gun owners have expressed concern that Barack Obama, if elected, will not only renew the ban on assault weapons, but also make it permanent.

"Not that people are fear-buying,” said John Mannewitz, a manager at Target Master. “But, if there's something cool you want to get, people are saying sooner is better than later."

Target Master, a gun store in Garland, used to sell a couple of assault weapons, such as AR15s and AK47s, every week. But now, a little more than a week away from the election, sales have tripled.




Gun Sales Thriving Despite Tough Economy

Americans have cut back on buying cars, furniture and clothes in a tough economy, but there's one consumer item that's still enjoying healthy sales: guns. Purchases of firearms and ammunition have risen 8 to 10 percent this year, according to state and federal data.

Several variables drive sales, but many dealers, buyers and experts attribute the increase in part to concerns about the economy and fears that if Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wins the presidency, he will join with fellow Democrats in Congress to enact new gun controls. Obama has said that he believes in an individual right to bear arms but that he also supports "common-sense safety measures."

"Even though [Obama] has a lot going for him, he's not very pro-gun," said Paul Pluff, a spokesman for Massachusetts-based Smith & Wesson, which has reported higher sales. Gun enthusiasts are "going to go out and get [firearms] while they still can."




Gun, ammo sales increase as election nears

Several gun stores in the valley have seen an increase in firearm and ammunition sales lately. News 3's Dan Ball explains why the election and the economic crisis have people pulling the trigger.

Jeffrey Bergman and his sister came to the Gun Store on Tropicana to practice their aim.

"We've had things like break-ins in the neighborhood," says Jeffrey. "We're concerned about the increase in crime in the area and protecting ourselves."

Gun Store employees like Randy Formanek say they are seeing more and more folks like Jeff come into the store.

"They see a necessity to arm themselves so that they can defend themselves," explains Randy. "You're going to see more and more people without jobs, more and more economic desperation. When people get desperate, they do stupid things, and you need to prepare yourself for the eventuality of that."



Israel attempts to block US weapons deal with Lebanon


Beirut - The New York Times reported on Saturday that the United States was providing light arms and new equipment to the Lebanese army, in keeping with its policy of supporting the Lebanese government.

The newspaper report said that Pentagon and State Department officials were considering a Lebanese request for more substantial weaponry including tanks, anti-tank missiles and an air defense system to deter Israeli air force incursions into Lebanese airspace. Congress must be notified, however, of any significant arms sales.
...
Israeli officials have conveyed their concerns about US military support for the Lebanese government to the Bush administration. They are concerned that the weapons delivered to the Lebanese army may eventually fall into the hands of Hezbollah.



Russian minister says plans drawn for China oil pipeline

MOSCOW: Plans have been drawn up for a pipeline linking Siberian oil fields to China, a Russian minister was quoted as saying Sunday, in a sign of tightening ties between Russia and its energy-hungry neighbour.

Russia's state-controlled pipeline monopoly Transneft has finished designing a spur from the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean (ESPO) pipeline to China, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti news agency.



Spending Stalls and Businesses Slash U.S. Jobs

As the financial crisis crimps demand for American goods and services, the workers who produce them are losing their jobs by the tens of thousands.

Layoffs have arrived in force, like a wrenching second act in the unfolding crisis. In just the last two weeks, the list of companies announcing their intention to cut workers has read like a Who’s Who of corporate America: Merck, Yahoo, General Electric, Xerox, Pratt & Whitney, Goldman Sachs, Whirlpool, Bank of America, Alcoa, Coca-Cola, the Detroit automakers and nearly all the airlines.

When October’s job losses are announced on Nov. 7, three days after the presidential election, many economists expect the number to exceed 200,000. The current unemployment rate of 6.1 percent is likely to rise, perhaps significantly.



Danish FM holds talks in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller has praised indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria and Syria's decision to establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon.

Moeller held talks Sunday with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem centering on the stalled Middle East peace process.



Terrorists Might Be Using Twitter

A report issued by the Federation of American Scientists revealed some surprising conclusions that might be hard to believe for some. The study was conducted by the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion and addressed the alternative ways that terrorists might use for coordinating future attacks.

The social network and microblogging Web site Twitter was one of the main focuses of the report, as it is believed that it was used and will be used again for such activities.

Two of the examples presented involve an earthquake and a Republican Convention. The earthquake that occurred in Los Angeles on July 29, 2008 was discussed by one of the site’s users "approximately four minutes prior to the information being reported by the news," and over the next few minutes, several other "hundreds of tweets" appeared from other users. The protestors from the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul in September 2008 used Twitter to offer information about the police, ways of avoiding them through certain parts of the town and also first aid solutions.

These facts helped the U.S. military put together three possible terrorist attack scenarios that involve Twitter. The first scenario was presented as it follows: "Terrorist operative "A" uses Twitter with (or without) using a cell phone camera/video function to send back messages, and to receive messages, from the rest of his cell. Operative "A" also has a Google Maps Twitter Mash Up of where he is under a code word for other members of his cell (if they need more in-depth directions) posted on the WWW that can be viewed from their mobiles. Other members of his cell receive near real time updates (similar to the movement updates that were sent by activists at the RNC) on how, where, and the number of troops that are moving in order to conduct an ambush."


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Three temblors strike Santa Clara County on Saturday

Magnitude 2.5 - EASTERN TENNESSEE
2008 October 25 23:47:17 UTC

Earthquake injures 9 in southern Iranian port town

Earthquake hits Pakistan, Afghanistan

Magnitude 4.9 - ASCENSION ISLAND REGION
2008 October 26 04:56:10 UTC

Magnitude 5.6 - SULAWESI, INDONESIA
2008 October 26 09:08:34 UTC
Strong quake hits Indonesia's island

Magnitude 4.9 - OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2008 October 26 09:27:21 UTC
Earthquake hits California
Magnitude 3.5 - OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2008 October 26 16:07:48 UTC

Quakes, tremors unnerve residents
Rumblings have been felt as late as Thursday.

Magnitude 5.0 - KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI REGION, INDONESIA
2008 October 26 10:27:37 UTC

Magnitude 1.8 - NEW YORK
2008 October 26 13:36:21 UTC

Magnitude 3.7 - NEVADA
2008 October 26 15:53:25 UTC

Magnitude 4.2 - GREECE
2008 October 26 17:20:31 UTC

Magnitude 3.8 - NEVADA
2008 October 26 19:47:48 UTC

Mud volcanoes erupt in Santa Flora

BROMYARD,HEREFORDSHIRE
October 26, 2008 Time: 18:06:26.0
Magnitude: 3.6 Intensity: 4
Earthquake is centred on Bromyard

Magnitude 3.5 - NEVADA
2008 October 27 05:41:46 UTC

Magnitude 5.6 - VANUATU
2008 October 27 05:43:50 UTC

Magnitude 4.3 - OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE
2008 October 27 08:54:09 UTC

Magnitude 4.9 - ATACAMA, CHILE
2008 October 27 19:08:17 UTC

Magnitude 5.0 - BABUYAN ISLANDS REGION, PHILIPPINES
2008 October 27 20:25:27 UTC

Magnitude 5.2 - KOMANDORSKIYE OSTROVA, RUSSIA REGION
2008 October 27 21:26:07 UTC

Magnitude 5.0 - FIJI REGION
2008 October 27 23:23:38 UTC

3.6 magnitude quake rocks Cebu

Earthquake again hits West Bohemia

Magnitude 5.0 - MINDORO, PHILIPPINES
2008 October 28 04:16:04 UTC

Magnitude 2.8 - OKLAHOMA
2008 October 28 09:06:51 UTC

Magnitude 6.0 - NEAR NORTH COAST OF NEW GUINEA, P.N.G.
2008 October 28 16:00:06 UTC
Strong earthquake hits Papua New Guinea