OPEC agrees sharp output cut, oil slide goes on

An emergency OPEC meeting on Friday reached swift agreement to chop production by 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in an effort to halt a deep oil price slide. International benchmark U.S. crude has slumped by close to 60 percent from a record high of $147.27 hit in July. On Friday, it fell again to below [...] "eliotcobb.com"

The New York Times endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for U.S. president on Thursday, saying he had “met challenge after challenge, growing as a leader and putting real flesh on his early promises of hope and change.” The Times posted its endorsement on its Internet site on Thursday evening and was to publish it in Friday editions [...] "eliotcobb.com"

After his own personal mini-meltdown caused him to sell some of his shareholdings in CBS and Viacom, Sumner Redstone said this week that the situation is under control and that he won’t be selling any more. Meanwhile, media wags are still handicapping whether one or both of the companies he controls might end up in play. But [...] "eliotcobb.com"

Obama has reached the 323 electoral vote total, which easily gives him the Presidency assuming the polls reflect the actual vote.  To win, a candidate needs to get more than 270 electoral votes, which Obama will clearly will, should the polls hold.  These numbers are based on recent state polls as of Oct. 24. [...] "eliotcobb.com"

Ali is a highly trained German shepherd that spent eight years on narcotics patrol with the New Jersey police force, hunting down drug smugglers at airports and drug dealers on inner-city streets. Post-retirement, he’s working in the private sector, sniffing teenagers’ bedrooms. Ali and his handler are now working for a new company in New Jersey [...] "eliotcobb.com"