What the Supreme Court health care law ruling means for you

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The Supreme Court upheld President Obama's health care law today, ruling that the government may impose tax penalties on those who do not have health insurance. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. was the swing vote in a 5-4 decision.

Employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees must offer "affordable" health insurance of minimum value to full-time employees and their dependents or pay penalties. The cost of such coverage or the penalties could threaten the slim profit margin on which most restaurants operate.

"Today's ruling by the Supreme Court is troubling for restaurant operators and business owners across the country," said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. "We encourage Congress to continue efforts to repeal the law, since the Court's decision leaves the employer requirements in place, provisions which impact restaurant operators' ability to grow and create jobs."

Upcoming "The Supreme Court's Decision on Health Care Law Webinar": The National Restaurant Association will hold a?member-exclusive webinar June 29, 10 a.m. EDT, to summarize and explain the high court's key findings upholding most provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In addition, the NRA's labor and workforce division will host a second webinar to discuss the ruling's practical implications and what means for restaurateurs nationwide.?

Source: http://nrashow.typepad.com/flooredblog2010/2012/06/what-the-supreme-court-health-care-law-ruling-means-for-you.html

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Latest threat to Europe: A weaker German economy

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? For Germany ? the biggest of the 17 countries that use the euro ? the crisis gripping Europe can feel like someone else's problem. Its economy is growing. Unemployment is low. And its government can borrow at lower interest rates than any other country in the euro alliance.

That helps explain why Chancellor Angela Merkel seems to favor a slower approach to the financial crisis than other leaders do ? especially if a solution would impose a heavy burden on Germans.

But now, Germany itself is at risk of a slowdown, which would make it even harder to end Europe's crisis. Many analysts say a downturn would hit home to Germans how much they depend on the health of other European economies. If so, they could become more willing to put money at risk to support their weaker neighbors.

Those issues are helping drive discussions that began Thursday at a European Union summit in Brussels. The summit is intended to reach agreements on how to shore up Europe's economies and save the euro alliance. Olli Rehn, the European commissioner for economic affairs, said Thursday he expects an agreement on steps to spur growth and reduce Spain's and Italy's unsustainably high borrowing costs.

Concerns about Germany's economy grew last week with a report that German business optimism fell in June. Earlier in the week, a survey showed manufacturing was slowing. Germany's economy is powered by exports, and manufacturing is at the heart.

Both surveys are intended to forecast where Germany's economy could be in several months. For now, its economy remains far stronger than its European neighbors'.

Unemployment is just 5.4 percent. German autos and other products have been selling well in China and North America. Low interest rates have made it easy to borrow and invest. And the euro's value, held down by weaker nations in the currency alliance, has made German goods affordable for foreign buyers.

But Europe's raging debt crisis threatens the entire continent. Nearly 60 percent of Germany's exports go to the 27 countries in the European Union. Recessions in Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal are weakening demand for those goods.

Slowing growth by its trading partners in Asia is also affecting Germany's economy. Asia accounted for 16 percent of German exports. Germany's exports to China surged 15 percent last year and contributed significantly to Germany's 3 percent growth in 2011.

Fear of a catastrophe, possibly resulting from a Greek exit from the eurozone or the need to bail out a big economy like Italy's, could make German businesses scale back plans to expand.

Economists still foresee modest growth in Germany this year, whose gross domestic product totaled ?2.57 trillion ($3.42 trillion) in 2011 and accounted for 27 percent of the eurozone's economy. The interest rate on Germany's 10-year bond is just 1.56 percent ? even lower than the rate on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note.

But the risks of a downturn are growing. The government predicts 0.7 percent growth this year. Other forecasts range from 0.5 to 1.0 percent.

Perhaps the biggest issue is how a recession in Germany would affect its willingness to put its stellar credit rating behind weaker countries so they could borrow affordably.

Germany has resisted proposals for so-called eurobonds. These would be bonds issued jointly by all 17 countries in the eurozone. Because they'd be backed by the collective power of so many countries, including Germany, they'd carry a low interest rate. But eurobonds would put Germany partly on the hook if a big country like Spain or Italy defaulted.

Another idea would be to take the excessive debts of eurozone countries and put them into a "debt redemption fund." The fund would be jointly guaranteed and could be paid down over two decades or more.

If Germans began to fear for their jobs, would their resistance to these proposals begin to melt?

Many analysts suggest it would. They think a downturn would force more Germans to recognize how much they depend on other European nations to buy their goods and support the German economy. They could become more willing to jointly accept the risks of backing weaker countries' debts.

"The main constraint here is political ? the willingness to help, rather than the ability," said Randall Henning, a professor of international economic policy at American University in Washington.

Douglas Elliott, a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said he thinks Germany could turn more sympathetic to its neighbors as their economic problems cut into Germany's exports.

"Germany to this point has not suffered in any obvious way from the crisis, which has made it harder to convince voters that Germany has a strong economic stake in pulling Europe through this," Elliott said.

So far, Germany's economy hasn't slowed enough to tighten the pressure on Merkel. Jacob Kirkegaard, research fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, noted that Germany's low unemployment, rising wages and increasing home prices have kept Germans largely insulated from Europe's crisis.

That's made it easier for Merkel to step up the demands on Greece, Spain and Italy to cut government spending and reduce their budget deficits in return for financial help.

"She can play the long game, the gradualist game to solving crisis," Kirkegaard said.

The dynamics could shift if Germany's economy suffered a sharp slowdown. Merkel, who is up for re-election next year, would likely face more pressure to resolve Europe's crisis quickly, economists said.

"It would be a little like the situation Obama is in," Kierkegaard said.

Merkel and Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble have opposed common borrowing. But they've signaled they could back some form of jointly backed debt ? if much stricter controls were imposed on individual countries' spending and borrowing.

A weakening economy in Germany would threaten the eurozone's growth because Germans normally buy so many of the goods other European nations export. As Germany's economy slowed, its consumers would scale back. And their neighbors' economies would suffer.

The EU predicts the economy in the 17 eurozone countries will shrink 0.3 percent this year ? a relatively mild recession. But without growth, that will make it even harder for the countries to reduce their debt. Growth raises tax revenue because companies and consumers make more money.

Germany's exports benefit its neighbors because its companies import raw materials, parts and factory machinery from other European nations to fill orders from elsewhere. That's already helped some of the heavily indebted countries ? Spain, Portugal and Greece ? narrow their trade gaps.

___

Rugaber contributed from Washington.

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Warriors coach Mark Jackson target of extortion

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson has confirmed that he and his family were the targets of an extortion scheme.

The Smoking Gun reported that a 28-year-old former stripper possessed nude photographs of the married Warriors coach and wanted money to keep the photos from becoming public. The team confirmed two suspects were arrested earlier this week.

The Warriors said in a statement Wednesday that Jackson informed the organization of the extortion plot in April and that the team immediately contacted the FBI. The Warriors say that "although not condoning his previous actions that led to the extortion attempt, the Warriors fully support Coach Jackson during this time."

Jackson was hired last year. He is also an ordained minister, leading a congregation with his wife in the Los Angeles suburb of Van Nuys.

Associated Press

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Credit Blog Article ? ?When Credit Disputing Doesn't Work ? Take ...

Recently, a victim of identity theft contacted me regarding his frustration in trying to correct his credit reports. The consumer was attempting to purchase a home when his mortgage lender informed him of a significant collection account listed on his credit reports. As a result, his loan approval was in jeopardy pending resolution of the collection account.

The consumer immediately contacted the collection company that furnished the negative credit information to the credit bureaus, to inquire about the collection account listed on his credit reports. The collection company told him they were attempting to collect a $20,000 debt on behalf of a creditor for a defaulted lease agreement for a restaurant he had supposedly owned while living in California. The problem is this consumer never actually owned a restaurant before and never lived or worked in California at any time in his life. He had never even been to California.

He frantically tried to explain to the collection company representative that the information reported was fraudulent and pleaded with them to have the inaccurate information removed from his credit reports.

He was certain they would be understanding of this mistake and quickly fix his credit reports. After all, he had seen all of the Federal Trade Commission public announcements that stated consumers don?t need professional help to fix their credit. He had read about how consumers can easily resolve inaccurate credit items themselves by simply notifying the creditors of the errors and/or file disputes online with the credit bureaus and they would be accommodating and readily fix their credit problem.

However, to his surprise the collection company representative refused to have the fraudulent collection account removed from his credit reports. They also refused to provide him with any documentation regarding the debt they were attempting to collect. In fact, their sole purpose in speaking with him was to gather as much information as possible to aid in their debt collection efforts.

He then proceeded to contact his local police department to file a police report regarding the identity theft. He thought surely this would be a simple task to help get the matter resolved. Unfortunately, he was again mistaken. He was told he could not file a police report because he needed to first prove that he was a victim of identity theft. He was sent from station to station and repeatedly denied the opportunity to file a police report. One officer even told him that he would have to travel to California to file an identity theft report!

And to make matters worse, his mortgage loan officer cautioned him not to file formal credit disputes with the credit bureaus because a disputed collection account could possibly impair a consumer?s ability to qualify for automated underwriting of an FHA mortgage loan.

So at this point the poor consumer was completely stumped. He didn?t know what to do. Fortunately for this particular consumer, his Realtor referred him to our company for help. We guided him thru the maze of filing an identity theft police report and helped him properly document that he was the victim of identity theft.

Armed with the proper documentation, we then contacted the collection company on his behalf and reminded them of their duties regarding compliance with the consumer protection laws. As a result, they agreed to have the fraudulent collection account immediately deleted from his credit reports.

Unfortunately, this is only one of many such tragic stories experienced all too often by consumers everyday. However, considering the fact that identity theft and abuse of credit information have now reached epidemic levels, it?s not surprising. Contrary to popular belief, creditors, collection companies, and the credit bureaus are not necessarily as eager to respond to consumer disputes, regarding identity theft, as one might think. As I have stated on several occasions, the financial interests of the credit bureaus are not necessarily aligned with your interests as a consumer.

However, all is not lost. If you encounter a situation where a creditor, collection company, or credit bureau refuses to correct inaccurate or incomplete credit information listed on your credit reports, you may be able to take legal action. The Fair Credit Reporting Act is one of many laws that protect consumers dealing with inaccurate credit information.

How the FCRA Protects You

There are two basic ways in which the FCRA protects consumers.

1. The FCRA provides federal and state law enforcement agencies (e.g. the Federal Trade Commission and state attorney general offices) the right to take legal action against any furnisher who provides incomplete or inaccurate information to a credit bureau. This right is provided by 15 U.S.C. Section 1581s-2(a). Under this section, furnishers are obligated to regularly correct and update credit information about consumers and must also notify credit bureaus if a consumer disputes any credit information reported. However, individual consumers cannot use this section of the code in a private action against a furnisher or against a credit bureau.
2. However, 15 U.S.C. Section 1581s-2(b) provides consumers with a private right of action against both furnishers and credit bureaus. This section basically sites what is supposed to happen once a credit bureau receives a consumer?s notice of dispute regarding the completeness or accuracy of information provided by any person (i.e. any furnisher) to a credit bureau.

How the Credit Dispute Process is supposed to work?

When a credit bureau receives a dispute from a consumer regarding inaccurate credit information, the credit bureau is supposed to send ?all relevant? information regarding the dispute to the creditor that originally provided the credit information to the credit bureau.

For example, if a consumer files a dispute regarding inaccurate information about a Capital One Bank Visa account, the credit bureau is supposed to send the consumer?s dispute and any relevant information provided by the consumer to Capital One Bank.

At this point, Capital One Bank (the furnisher) has 4 duties regarding the dispute:

1. Conduct an investigation regarding the disputed information;
2. review all relevant information provided by the credit bureaus;
3. report the results of its investigation to the credit bureaus;
4. and if the investigation reveals the information is incomplete or inaccurate, report the results to all of the credit bureaus to which the furnisher furnished the information.

This is all supposed to happen within 30 to 45 days after the consumer notifies the credit bureaus in writing of the dispute.

Now here?s the most important part to note. If the furnisher fails to perform any of these 4 duties, the consumer has a right to take legal action against the furnisher and/or the credit bureaus for causing incomplete or inaccurate information to be reported concerning the consumer, and for allowing such false information to remain on the consumer?s credit reports.

However, in order to take legal action against the furnisher or credit bureaus, it?s important to properly document their failure to comply with the duties imposed by the FCRA.

So when disputing inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated items listed on your credit reports, there are some steps you need to keep in mind.

Steps to Take Regarding False or Inaccurate Credit Information on Your Credit Report

1. It cannot be overstated or over emphasized that whenever dealing with the credit bureaus or furnishers put everything in writing. Never use the credit bureaus? online dispute process. Send each dispute letter by certified mail. Phone calls will not protect your rights. Although it?s less convenient, take the time to write your dispute letters and send them via certified mail. This will create a document trail for possible litigation later.
2. Send your dispute letters to all three credit bureaus first. Then send direct dispute letters to the furnishers. Your dispute letters should begin and end with a respectful request to investigate and correct inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated credit information listed on your credit reports. Include any additional documentation necessary to support your dispute. Again, make sure you send all correspondence by certified mail and keep a copy of all documentation for your records.
3. ?It?s not necessary to be nasty in your correspondence with the credit bureaus or with the furnishers. Always be professional. Keep in mind that every letter you write may eventually be shown to a jury. You and your lawyer may be asking that same jury for a verdict and damages. The language in your letters may be a reflection of who you are. So you want to present your best image in court. If the language is unprofessional, you may be less likely to receive adequate and just compensation for your credit injuries. Conversely, if the judge and the jury believe that you are professional and acted reasonably, you are much more likely to receive an adequate judgment.

Remember, if a credit bureau or furnisher (i.e. creditors or collection companies) fails to properly correct inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated credit information listed on your credit reports, you can take legal action against them. But first make sure you properly document your case. Either do it yourself, or seek professional help to legally improve your credit.

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Exclusive: Matt Sandusky details abuse at dad's hands

NBC News has exclusively obtained a tape, recorded by police detectives the week before Jerry Sandusky's conviction, in which his own adopted son, Matt, talks about being sexually abused by the former Penn. State coach. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports.

By Michael Isikoff, NBC News

Jerry Sandusky?s adopted son Matt told police he was sexually molested by his father for years ? and once fled in fear from the Sandusky home ? during a secret police interview that took place in the middle of his father?s trial for child sex-abuse, according to a copy of the tape obtained by NBC News. ?? ?

Matt Sandusky, 33, ?said his father would enter his bedroom at night and ?blow raspberries? on his stomach, then move his hand down his body, rubbing up against his genitals. Matt Sandusky said he would sometimes cower ?in a fetal position? in his bed trying to avoid his father. ?? ?

?It just was, just became very uncomfortable. You know, just with everything that was going on,? he said on the tape.?? ?

?What was, what was going on?? a police detective asked.?? ?

?With like the showering, with the hugging, with the rubbing, with the just talking to me. The way he spoke. And just, the whole interaction with him alone. Anything, anytime we were alone just those interactions?? Matt Sandusky said on the tape. ?? ?

But unlike some of the victims who testified at Sandusky?s trial, Matt Sandusky said he could not remember if his father ever actually engaged in certain sex acts with him.??

?You said at the beginning of our interview last night that things happened to you, but there was no, that you can recall, there was no penetration or oral sex. Is that correct?? the police detective asked.??

?Yes. As of this time, I don?t recall that.?? ? ?

NBC News has exclusively obtained the 29-minute audiotape, which was recorded by police detectives on June 15, four days after the Jerry Sandusky trial began. At the time, the detectives were preparing Sandusky?s son to testify as a surprise prosecution witness at his father?s trial.?? ?

For years, Matt Sandusky had publicly stood by his father and even showed up on the first day of the trial, sitting with the rest of the Sandusky family. But after listening to the first day of testimony from a young man known in court documents as "Victim 4," Matt Sandusky contacted police and volunteered to testify on behalf of the prosecution. The prosecutors? plan was to use Matt Sandusky as a rebuttal witness if Jerry Sandusky took the stand in his own defense. ?

It turned out to be a crucial turning point in the Sandusky trial. When Jerry Sandusky learned that his own adopted son was prepared to testify against him, it was a ?complete shock," and it played a big role in his decision not to take the witness stand, according to one of his lawyers, Karl Rominger.?? ?

?You have to understand that Matt has worked with him, Matt has helped the defense, Matt literally carried boxes in the courthouse with us,? Rominger said. ?Matt has given multiple investigators from the government and our side ironclad statements of support for his father.??? ?

?That was the first day where he (Jerry Sandusky) really was visibly shaken, or upset,? Rominger added. Asked how big a role Matt Sandusky played in his client?s decision not to testify, Rominger said: ?It was a huge factor.??? ?

Had Matt Sandusky actually taken the stand, he added, ?We would have hit Matt with both barrels. ? He told the police 'no,' he told our investigator, 'no,' he told the A.G.?s office 'no,' he told the grand jury 'no.' And then one day in the middle of the trial he suddenly says, 'All these things happened?'?? ?

In his interview with police, Matt Sandusky was asked directly why he decided to change his previous denials of abuse and cooperate with police. ?? ?

?I came forward, I mean, for different reasons,? he said. ?But I mean for my family you know so that they can really have closure and see what the truth actually is. And just to right the wrong, honestly, of going to the grand jury and lying.??? ?

Matt Sandusky also said that he has been working with a therapist and, as a result, ?more memories are coming back.? ??

Related stories

Matt Sandusky: From staunch defender to his dad's accuser?

Ghosts of Sandusky's dreams haunt home where his charity was born

Matt met Jerry Sandusky through The Second Mile, the charity the former Penn State University defensive coordinator founded to help at-risk children. Like many other Second Mile boys, he began staying overnight at the Sandusky house. Sandusky?and his wife, Dottie,?later became his foster parents and adopted him at age 18.?? ?

But Matt Sandusky told police he was molested for much of that time, saying?that his father would become sexually aroused by rubbing against him in the shower, during wrestling sessions and in bed. The sexual overtures at one point caused him to try to escape his father?s clutches by fleeing from the house barefoot at night in a thunderstorm and running to his grandfather?s house to hide in the basement.?? ?

On another occasion, he and a girlfriend, who was also staying at the Sandusky house, tried to commit suicide by overdosing on aspirin at a hotel. Matt Sandusky told police he finds it ?hard to believe? that his father?s abuse wasn?t a factor in causing him to try to kill himself, although ?I don?t have any concrete evidence.?? ?

?But I know that I really wanted to die at that point in time so that?s best I can really answer that.? Matt Sandusky also said that his father?s molesting stopped when he started to ?transition? to another young man who used to stay at the Sandusky house. That boy, now a man known in court documents as "Victim 4," was the first witness at Sandusky?s trial, testifying to years of sexual abuse.?

The police detective said on the tape, ?You told us that you feel (Victim 4) took over for you, and that he was your dad?s transition??

?I believe my dad moved on from me to (Victim 4), yes,? Matt Sandusky replied.?? ?

In a statement Monday night to NBC News, Matt Sandusky?s lawyers, Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici, said: ?This tape demonstrates Matt?s tremendous courage and strength as he begins to disclose that Jerry Sandusky sexually abused him when he was a child. Although the tape was released without Matt?s knowledge or permission, he made the difficult decision to come forward and tell the painful truth to investigators despite the extraordinary pressure to support his father.???

After a two-week trial, Jerry Sandusky was convicted Friday night on 45 of 48 counts of child sex abuse. His lawyer, Rominger, said he was the first to visit Sandusky in jail Monday and described his client as defiant.?? ?

?He?s not a beaten man,? he said. ?He is pacing a cell right now, being held in solitary confinement, wanting to get out and get his story out and continue to defend himself.? He added: ?I don?t think Jerry believes there?s anything to feel sorry for. At this point, he maintains his innocence adamantly.??????

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Lochte vs. Phelps, Part 2 set for US swim trials

Brendan?Hansen smiles as he looks at the time after swimming in the men's 100-meter breaststroke preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Monday, June 25, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Brendan?Hansen smiles as he looks at the time after swimming in the men's 100-meter breaststroke preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Monday, June 25, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Michael Phelps swims in the men's 400-meter individual medley preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Monday, June 25, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/David Phillip)

Ryan Lochte swims in the men's 400-meter individual medley preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Monday, June 25, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/David Phillip)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) ? Ryan Lochte won Round 1 of his showdown with Michael Phelps at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Phelps won't have to wait long for a second chance to take down his rival.

They'll compete in the 200-meter freestyle preliminaries on Tuesday morning, with the 16 fastest qualifiers advancing to the evening semifinals. Lochte owns the upper hand in that event, having beaten Phelps at last year's world championships in Shanghai.

Any butterflies two of the world's best swimmers may have felt going into the eight-day meet should be gone since both qualified for the London Games on the first night of the trials. Lochte became the first swimmer to make the U.S. team with his win over Phelps in the grueling 400 individual medley on Monday.

"I can sit down and take a deep breath and relax," Lochte said. "I can just do what I love to do and have fun and just race."

It was a three-man race between world champion Lochte, world record holder Phelps, and Tyler Clary, the fourth-fastest swimmer ever in the event. Each of them owned the lead at different points in the race ? Phelps in the butterfly, Clary in the backstroke and Lochte in the breaststroke.

"All three of us were side by side by side and we were neck and neck," Phelps said. "You could hear the excitement of the crowd and that's something that definitely played a pretty big role in giving me a little extra energy the last 150. I was very pleased with that."

Once Lochte took over, he kept on going, building a body-length lead over Phelps and Clary heading into the final 100 meters. He eased up in the closing 20 meters and touched first in 4 minutes, 7.06 seconds. Phelps took second at 4:07.89. Their times were the top two in the world this year.

"That time was not good at all. I know I'm capable of going way faster," Lochte said. "There's definitely a lot of places during that race where I knew I could go faster, I just didn't. I just had to do what I had to do to get my hand on the wall first."

Lochte beat Phelps for the first time ever in the event, snapping a string of nine consecutive losses to his rival in the event dating to 2002.

"It really doesn't say much," Lochte said. "It's a rivalry that we've had for almost eight years now. We've just been switching back and forth. It's hard to say who's the best swimmer because we're both great racers."

Clary came home in third at 4:09.92, a bitter finish for the silver medalist at worlds last year. Phelps didn't swim the event in Shanghai, and since winning it as one of his historic eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics he had sworn he wouldn't compete in it again.

Now he's back, and Clary finds himself the odd man out. Clary didn't speak with reporters after the race.

Lochte is entered in 11 events this week, but he was coy about exactly where he'll turn up.

"We're going to pick and choose what events day-by-day and see how I feel," he said.

Phelps didn't win, but he made a little history of his own, becoming the first American male swimmer to qualify for a fourth Olympics.

"We knew that (losing) was a distinct possibility in this event," his coach, Bob Bowman, said. "I don't think we had any illusions. He knows that he's in the range. He knows he can get better."

Peter Vanderkaay made his third Olympic team by winning the 400 freestyle in 3:47.47. He was joined by training partner Conor Dwyer, who finished second.

Elizabeth Beisel became the first woman to qualify for the U.S. team with an easy victory in the 400 IM. She won in 4:31.74 to earn a berth in her second consecutive games. Caitlin Leverenz grabbed the second spot.

Some big names will hit the pool for the first time in Tuesday's preliminary heats. Missy Franklin, the 17-year-old Colorado swimmer tabbed for stardom in London, competes in the 100 backstroke; Amanda Beard opens her quest to make a fifth Olympic team in the 100 breaststroke; and Janet Evans, making a comeback at 40, goes in the 400 freestyle, although her stronger event is the 800 free.

Beard faces a loaded field in the 100 breast that includes world champion Rebecca Soni, former world record holder Jessica Hardy, and 2000 Olympic champion Megan Jendrick, who gave birth to her first child eight months ago.

On Tuesday night, Brendan Hansen goes for a spot on his third Olympic team in the 100 breaststroke. He flirted with the American record in Monday's semifinals, coming up short with a time of 59.71 seconds ? fourth-fastest in the world this year. The 30-year-old former world champion quit after Beijing but returned to the pool looking to make up for disappointments in the last two Olympics.

"I went out there and hit the first five strokes and I was like, 'I'm gone, later,' and just took off," Hansen said. "You have no idea how hard it is to break a minute."

Eric Shanteau, who competed in Beijing after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, also advanced.

Dana Vollmer, a 2004 Olympian who failed to qualify for the team four years ago, set an American record in the semifinals of the 100 butterfly. The defending world champion put up the world's fastest time this year of 56.42. Natalie Coughlin, an 11-time Olympic medalist, also made the eight-woman final.

Associated Press

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CAR DECAL - CHOICE - STUNNING ... - AuctionBidz online auctions

Your Auction Watcher is here! Download now! Rate my item!Currently: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast) Format: Item Status: Open Quantity: 1 Ends in: --:--:-- (11 Jul. 2012 19:30:01) Shipping costs: 2.95 AUD ( International: 4.95 AUD ) Standard (Australia Post)? (International: Standard (Australia Post)?) Ships to: Seller will ship internationally Item location: Australia, 4506 Starting time: 27 Jun. 2012 19:30:01 Duration: 14 Days listing The Seller of this item, StickersandStencils, assumes all responsibility for this listing! Hello you are bidding on this CHOICE sticker. - Looks great on the Car Window! Personalize something that is special to you with this Stunning Decal and let everyone know it's yours. It's size is 90mm high x 280mm long making it a perfect size for the Car, boat, laptop, trailer, shed, tool box, esky, fridge, toilet or bathroom, motor bikes or helmets basically any where you think a sticker will go. I use the best Vinyl which is high gloss 75 micron thickness offering high dimensional stability to suit most surfaces. It also has 5 year outdoor durability making it a wonderful all round product. You can have this sticker in Black, White, red, purple, silver, gold, yellow, rose pink, light pink, blue or holographic silver but let me know which color you want or WHITE will be sent ok...... Your sticker arrives to you Hassle free and already taped and ready to go. All you will have to do is remove the backing and apply your sticker to your clean dry area. It's that simple. I have an amazing range of car decals so I hope you enjoy this one. Any 'Q' let me know, Cheers! IF YOU DON'T SEE WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR JUST ASK ME IF I CAN DO IT...THIS CAN BE MADE LARGER ON REQUEST.. PLEASE REMEMBER TO LEAVE POS FEEDBACK ONCE YOUR ITEM ARRIVES SO I CAN DO THE SAME FOR YOU. GOOD FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OF US SO ONCE YOURS HAVE BEEN LEFT I WILL DO THE SAME CHEERS. Buyer pays for shipping expenses Seller will ship internationally Domestic: International: Shipping and Handling Costs: ????2.95 AUD Standard (Australia Post)? Insurance: 2.70 AUD Shipping & Payment Details: Buyer please note that your shipping cost includes the following. Postage, packaging and handling. Also we strongly recommend you take the optional postal Insurance as sometimes things go missing in the post. Shipping and Handling Costs: 4.95 AUD Insurance: 2.70 AUD Type of Service: Standard (Australia Post)? Shipping & Payment Details: Buyer please note that your shipping cost includes the following. Postage, packaging and handling. Also we strongly recommend you take the optional postal Insurance as sometimes things go missing in the post. *Sellers are not responsible for service transit time. Transit times are provided by the carrier, exclude weekends and holidays, and may vary with package origin and destination, particularly during peak periods. Return policy may differ for international buyers. Contact seller for more details.

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'+content[0]+'

'+content[1]+'

') var scrollerinstance = this; if (window.addEventListener) window.addEventListener("load", function() {scrollerinstance.initialize()}, false); else if (window.attachEvent) window.attachEvent("onload", function() {scrollerinstance.initialize()}); else if (document.getElementById) setTimeout(function() {scrollerinstance.initialize()}, 500); } pausescroller.prototype.initialize=function() { this.tickerdiv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid); this.visiblediv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid+"1"); this.hiddendiv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid+"2"); this.visibledivtop=parseInt(pausescroller.getCSSpadding(this.tickerdiv)); this.visiblediv.style.width=this.hiddendiv.style.width=this.tickerdiv.offsetWidth-(this.visibledivtop*2)+"px"; this.getinline(this.visiblediv, this.hiddendiv); this.hiddendiv.style.visibility="visible"; var scrollerinstance=this; document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseover=function() {scrollerinstance.mouseoverBol=1} document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseout=function() {scrollerinstance.mouseoverBol=0} if (window.attachEvent) window.attachEvent("onunload", function() {scrollerinstance.tickerdiv.onmouseover=scrollerinstance.tickerdiv.onmouseout=null}); setTimeout(function() {scrollerinstance.animateup()}, this.delay); } pausescroller.prototype.animateup=function() { var scrollerinstance=this; if (parseInt(this.hiddendiv.style.top)>(this.visibledivtop+5)) { this.visiblediv.style.top=parseInt(this.visiblediv.style.top)-5+"px"; this.hiddendiv.style.top=parseInt(this.hiddendiv.style.top)-5+"px"; setTimeout(function() {scrollerinstance.animateup()}, 50); } else { this.getinline(this.hiddendiv, this.visiblediv); this.swapdivs(); setTimeout(function() {scrollerinstance.setmessage()}, this.delay); }} pausescroller.prototype.swapdivs=function() { var tempcontainer=this.visiblediv; this.visiblediv=this.hiddendiv; this.hiddendiv=tempcontainer; } pausescroller.prototype.getinline=function(div1, div2) { div1.style.top=this.visibledivtop+"px"; div2.style.top=Math.max(div1.parentNode.offsetHeight, div1.offsetHeight)+"px"; } pausescroller.prototype.setmessage=function() { var scrollerinstance=this; if (this.mouseoverBol==1) { setTimeout(function() {scrollerinstance.setmessage()}, 100); } else { var i=this.hiddendivpointer; var ceiling=this.content.length; this.hiddendivpointer=(i+1>ceiling-1)? 0 : i+1; this.hiddendiv.innerHTML=this.content[this.hiddendivpointer]; this.animateup(); }} pausescroller.getCSSpadding=function(tickerobj) { if (tickerobj.currentStyle) return tickerobj.currentStyle["paddingTop"]; else if (window.getComputedStyle) return window.getComputedStyle(tickerobj, "").getPropertyValue("padding-top"); else return 0; }

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