ME AT THE GOP CONVENTION IN TAMPA

COVERING THE GOP CONVENTION IN TAMPA. THE GUY WITH THE BOOT ON HIS HEAD SAID HE WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. I THINK THE MUPPET MAY HAVE BEEN HIS RUNNING MATE

MAKING REAL NEW YORK PIZZA AT TAMPA'S EDDIE & SAM'S - THEY SAY THE SECRET IS IN THE WATER - WHICH THEY SHIP IN FROM NEW YORK

VIEW OUTSIDE MY TAMPA HOTEL ROOM AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

NEW YORK STATE SEN. SHIRLEY HUNTLEY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN FRONT OF HER QUEENS HOME TO ANNOUNCE SHE WAS GOING TO BE ARRESTED. SHE LATER LOST HER REELECTION BID

VOLUNTEERS FROM THE NY CITY BEEKEEPERS ASSN REMOVE 45 BEE HIVES = 3 MILLION BEES FROM A QUEENS DRIVEWAY. THAT'S MORE BEES THAN THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF QUEENS

FLASH MOB DINNER - ALL IN WHITE - ON THE PLAZA OUTSIDE NEW YORK'S LINCOLN CENTER. 3,000 SHOWED UP

HISTORIC ROCKVILLE CENTRE, LONG ISLAND EPISCOPAL CHURCH. I SNAPPED THIS WHILE THERE COVERING THE FUNERAL OF A MARINE CORPORAL KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AROUND THE CORNER.

Marine corporal killed by Afghan cop laid to rest

Saturday I covered the funeral of Marine Lance Corporal Greg Buckley Jr. on Long Island for 1010 WINS.

Buckley and two other Marines were gunned down by an Afghan cop with whom they had just shared a meal. His father was lead from the cathedral - held up by a priest and a Marine. Terribly distraught.

Family friends, politicians and strangers just there to pay their respects all told me that, while being in a combat zone is, obviously, inherently dangerous, the deliberate killings of American troops by presumed  allies is hard to comprehend.

New York City vigil for Sikh temple victims attracts diverse crowd

I covered Wednesday night's vigil at New York City's Union Square vigil in response to Sunday's attack by a white supremisist at a Sikh temple outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin for 1010 WINS and was struck by the fact that an equal number of Sikh's and non-Sikh's were in attendance. 


I wasn't the only one.

Many of the Sikh's in interviewed said they hadn't expected such an outpouring of support from the general community. Several said it restored their faith in human kind.

Syrian refugees flee to harsh conditions in Jordan

About 2,600 Syrian refugees have moved into Jordan's Al Zaatri, the country's first official, refugee camp in Al Mafraq. Many people there say they are appalled by a lack of basic necessities and "horrendous" conditions at the camp, run by the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and the Jordan Hashemite Charity organisation The refugees say bathing water is scarce and the dust is causing breathing problems for children. The UNHCR acknowledges that camp conditions are challenging, but it seems that what is on offer is the most that can be done with what has been granted by international donors. Andrew Harper, the UNHCR Jordan representative, said: "If people are really concerned about Syrians if they're really concerned about the people's lives then we need to have prefabricated units because we also have to start preparing for winter."

Obama, GOP offer differing assessments of jobs report

By BENNY MARTINEZ Talk Radio News Service WASHINGTON - President Obama on Friday welcomed July’s jobs report as evidence to a recovering economy and pressed Congress yet again to extend current tax rates for middle-class families. But Republican National Committee Press Secretary Kristen Kukowski aruges the numbers fall far short. She says the White House’s Jobs Council should reconvene and maintains that the country’s employment situation would look much better under a Romney presidency. Listen to the interview with Kukowski here. Despite the slight uptick in unemployment – which rose from 8.2 to 8.3 percent in July – Obama somberly applauded the addition of 163,000 jobs to the U.S. economy. “Those are our neighbors and family members finding work and the security that comes with work,” Obama told voters in Washington, D.C. “But let’s acknowledge, we’ve still got too many folks out there who are looking for work [and] we’ve got more work to do on their behalf.” A heavy dose of conservative backlash to July’s jobs report did not throw Obama off message. He reminded his audience that the economy has seen 29 months of job creation and that more time – a seemingly clear campaign plug – would be enough to fully remedy the sputtering economy. “We knew when I started in this job that this was going to take some time,” he said. “But we also knew that if we were persistent, if we kept at it, if we kept working, that we’d gradually get to where we need to be.” Obama quickly pointed to the lack of action by House Republicans to follow suit with Senate Democrats in passing legislation that would extend the current tax rates – better known as the Bush-era tax rates – for families earning less than $250,000. Democrats and Republicans have been at each other’s throats over whether the wealthiest Americans – or those making upwards of the $250,000 threshold – should also see their rates extended. The Senate passed a measure that mirrors the president’s plan, while House Republicans passed a bill that includes everyone. There was hope that Congress would be able to act before its month-long August recess, but amid election-year posturing the likelihood that the debate will be dealt with in a lame-duck session after the November election.

Doctors appeal for help to treat large number of wounded in Syria

Doctors in Turkey say they need more help to treat the injured fighters arriving from Syria. Hospitals are struggling to deal with the large number of wounded crossing the border every day.

Netanyahu to Panetta: Sanctions have not worked

Leon Panetta, the U.S. secretary of defense, in Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urgng him to let sanctions against Iran take effect. But Netanyahu, standing next to Panetta at a joint appearance before reporters, said flat out that the sanctions have failed. And are an indication to Iran that the international community lacks the willpower to do what is necessary to stop that nation's nuclear program.