Dorie and Io: An excerpt for my novel.

Hi there, Vit here! Friendly neighborhood Scholar, RPer, and as a it turns out, an individual with ambitions of being a writer. Recently I stumbled across something that I co-wrote some years ago by the name of 'Dorie and Io' a sort of fantasy Alice Journey type of story. It's a completed novel, though unpublished and could probably use a bit of editing.

I discussed it with the co-author and they agreed to let me post an extract. I would absolutely love it if some of you lovely folks on here could read and share your thoughts on it. So, here goes!

"CHAPTER 12

Natrix

The pathway down the wormhole was not difficult: the floor sloped gently and was slightly ridged, which enabled Dorie to make good progress without slipping. Io had perched himself on her shoulder, and she felt his warm breath in her ear as he clung tightly to her as they descended. All around them, the air was hot and laden with chemicals, whilst the walls of the tunnel gave out a gentle orange glow which lit their way, and showed the faint silhouette of Serendipity as she spiralled downwards, far ahead of them, until she finally rounded a bend and disappeared from view.
"That's her gone again," muttered Io. "Good riddance, I say."
Dorie felt herself sigh, but pursed her lips, refusing to be drawn.
"Come on," she said, pushing Io up higher on her shoulder, "or we'll never catch up."

They seemed to be travelling downwards for a very long time before, without warning, the tunnel ended and they emerged into a huge cavern. The ceiling of this was formed by gold-coloured stalactites, which glowed with a rosy hue here and there - colours which swirled and changed like petrol on the surface of water. For a moment Dorie caught her breath at the amazing lightshow on the rock ceiling, before she became aware of the terrain which stretched before them. As far as they could see was the most amazing rocky landscape: great boulders here, showers of scree there, sometimes smooth, sometimes jagged. Here was grey limestone, further away Dorie thought she could pick out granite: every kind and colour of rock that could ever be imagined. And running through this landscape were streams of some kind of liquid; liquid which writhed and boiled, which hissed and spat, which washed against the rocky shores and dissolved their very substance with its noxious caress.
For a moment Dorie stood transfixed as the reality of the scene dawned on her.
"That is an acid maze", she managed to mutter at last. "We've got to find our way through that lot. And if we take the wrong turning, we're going to end up in it."
Io clung closer to her, giving a tiny shudder.
"How are you going to get through, Dorie?" he whimpered. "After all, I can fly, but you'll have to walk."
Dorie shaded her eyes with her hand and scanned the scene.
"It looks as though there are bridges across the rivers. I suppose it's a matter of working out which is the safe route. And I suspect that there is only one route, and every other path will lead to disaster..."
"That is very true, lovely lady."
The disembodied voice came from close by, and Dorie jumped as the owner of the voice emerged, lizard-like, from behind a rock and introduced himself.
"I am Natrix," bowed the creature, holding out a reptilian hand.

Instinctively, Dorie recoiled as she took in the figure which was now standing before her; a figure which appeared half human, half reptile. The face was most definitely lizard in appearance with green scaly skin mottled here and there with brown. The forehead was domed upwards, at the summit of which sprouted an untidy plume of blue hair, which hung down the back of the naked cranium to well below the humanoid shoulders. Standing erect, he was considerably taller than Dorie, and he was dressed in a long ragged great-coat which swirled about his ankles and revealed glimpses of grubby silken hose and brocaded slippers. His small flat ears, which lay close to his skull, served to display a wild array of ear-rings and chains; around his neck hung a collection of charms and scarves, and his ample low-slung belly was criss-crossed by numerous watch-chains and fobs. He bowed towards Dorie, and the assorted ironmongery clattered at the movement, whilst the redistribution of its weight threatened to topple the creature forward.
"I can help you cross this fearsome place," he announced, delineating the area with a flourish, thereby revealing a dozen or so watches which decorated his forearm. He steadied himself against a rock with his other hand. "You could say I am your guardian angel, for with my help you can cross the acid rivers and reach your goal. I will only be asking for a very small fee in return.?
"I don't think we need your help," snapped Dorie. "We've managed to get this far, after all."
"But look, dear lady," responded Natrix, in a low, whispering hiss, as his clawed hand reached out and encircled Dorie's upper arm, tugging her gently but insistently towards the banks of one of the acrid streams. "What do you say now?" he asked, as his other hand gestured towards the opposite shore.

There, with a growing feeling of horror, Dorie managed to make out the upper part of a skeleton, the head and arms of which clung to the rock in a last, desperate bid for life. The bottom half of the body, however, had been eated away by the acid, and nothing below the waist remained.
"He thought he could manage without me," leered Natrix. "I did my best to persuade him, but no, he thought he knew best. You see," he turned to Dorie and transfixed her with his beady black eyes, "I explained to him that there is only one way through. Whilst bridges look solid, they may not be. Some of them are merely mirages, whereas others are not as strong as they appear. Step on the wrong bridge and - bouff - you are deep-fried."
His eyes narrowed in the approximation of a smile.
"So, young lady," he smirked. "Would you like to make me a gift of fifty points, which I see you can afford, and I will be pleased to guide you and your pet through the labyrinth."
"Might as well," muttered Io in Dorie's ear. "Don't give much for our chances without him. I don't trust him, but I suppose he's our only hope."
Dorie nodded in agreement.
"Okay," she said, "You've got yourself a deal. You show us the way, and you can have my points."
"Points first," grinned Natrix, as he extended his hand and counted as points flowed from Dorie to him. "Now, after you, dear lady," as he urged them forward with an extravagant gesture towards the first of the wooden bridges.

With Io still perched on her shoulder, Dorie gingerly stepped forward, willing away the vertigo which threatened to engulf her, as she inadvertently looked down into the swirling maelstrom which boiled and seethed far below. She felt Io's paws grip tighter around her neck, as she gradually eased her weight forward, checking that the bridge was stout enough to take their combined weight.
From behind her she heard the creature give a loud and possibly irritated intake of breath.
"You are quite safe on that bridge," it said with a sigh. "Do you not trust me?"
Dorie didn?t respond; she did not know whether or not she trusted Natrix, and indeed, experience had told her that she should trust no-one or nothing until they had proved their worth to her. Consequently, in spite of the creature trying to hurry her forward, she insisted on deliberating before each step, and ensuring that the surface beneath her feet was solid. In this fashion, she slowly eased her way forward in the various directions indicated by Natrix, until at length she was surprised to find that they had reached almost the half-way point of their current challenge.

"I need to stop for a rest," announced Dorie, gently taking Io from her shoulder and setting him down on a rock.
"But it is not far to go now," responded Natrix, looking at one of his many watches impatiently.
"Then if it is not very far, it won't take very long, will it?" spat Dorie, by this time becoming increasingly irritated by Natrix trying to press her to travel faster than she judged to be prudent.

From his vantage point on the rock, Io looked around at the churning streams which sped along the bottom of the gaping chasms; he took in the clouds of acrid steam which rose from viscous pools, and the whooshes and roars which seemed loud enough to tear the caverns asunder. All around him, as far as he could see, were the colours of fire - reds, purples, oranges, yellows - whilst below the streams flowed green and brown with poisonous hues.
"Dorie," he whispered suddenly, looking into the distance through narrowed eyes. "Can you see something black over there?"
Dorie peered in the direction indicated by Io's paw, and for an instant she felt sure that she saw a black, hooded figure amongst the rocks. But it was only for a moment, and too quick for her to be certain, for within the blink of an eye, the figure - if figure it was - had gone, and only the colours of fire remained.
"What do you think it was?" she asked, puzzled.
Io shook his head. "Don't know," he replied. "Should we tell Natrix?"
Dorie shook her head emphatically.
"I really don't trust him," she whispered. "I know he's got us this far, but there's a lot wrong about him and I'm really not happy. You'd better keep your wits about you, Io, because I've got a horrible feeling that he really is just as vile as he looks. So be prepared for trouble. Anything could happen."
Io nodded to Dorie, and climbed back on her shoulder.
"We're ready to carry on now," Dorie called to Natrix who had been pacing backwards and forwards on the next bridge. "And at least," she muttered to Io, "I don't have to check this one because he's already proved it's safe enough for him to stand on."

With Natrix now in the lead, Dorie and Io crossed the bridge whilst, in the distance, if they had looked to their left, they would once again have seen a black-robed figure darting amongst the rocks, obviously trying to avoid being seen as it made its way closer to them.
Here and there, as they picked their way through the rocky maze, they encountered geysers which spurted fountains of boiling liquid high into the air. Elsewhere they saw vast green and yellow pools which bubbled and oozed and emitted sulphorous stenches into the fetid atmosphere. Once or twice Natrix approached what appeared to be a solid bridge, and demonstrated that in fact it was merely a mirage - an evil piece of magic which looked firm enough to hold them, but which was constructed only of miasmic particles.

Dorie shuddered as she thought about what would happen if they missed their footing on the bridges they crossed, for not all were sturdy. Here and there were crossings made of pieces of kindling or bamboo, cobbled together with rope so worn that it seemed impossible that the bridge could serve its purpose. But steadfastly the three of them continued their journey towards the far side of the poisonous cavern; and in the background the cloaked figure was also making a journey, but in the opposite direction. All the time it was edging towards them, employing great stealth and cunning, to ensure that it was not seen. And finally, as they approached a swinging bridge, constructed of ropes, with the path made with pieces of flat wood tied together, the creature was very close indeed.

Dorie could never really be sure what happened to make her tumble off the bridge. From where she was, she could not have seen the flash of a metal blade as Natrix withdrew it from his coat and with a single movement, sliced through one of the ropes which connected the bridge to its moorings. Almost simultaneously, Natrix shot out a hand and grabbed Io, who had been flying at the height of Dorie's shoulder and held him tightly by the scruff of the neck, as Dorie felt herself plunging downwards towards the seething acid far below... "

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/JMLm725k_7w/viewtopic.php

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Barely A Blog ? Who Will Be Our 'Massa'? The Mormon Or The ...

We all live on the ?plantation?; we are all ?moocher-hiddeen,? says Barely A Blog contributor, Myron Pauli.

Who Will Be Our ?Massa?? The Mormon Or The Mulatto?
By Myron Pauli

Unless you are hiding in the Unabomber?s Montana shack and consuming rabbits and berries, we all give to and take from the government. However, some give more than they take and some take more than they give.

Just how large is the sector that depends upon government?

Children and the elderly have become virtual wards of the state ? so that 50% already falls into the ?moocher-hiddeen? (to use an Islamic term!). That leaves the ?working age population? of roughly 25 to 65 supporting the rest. Of course, if ?Joe the Plumber? has kids or elderly parents, then the government acts as a conduit from him to his extended family. Even addressing just those working age people with neither children nor parents ? are they the ones who pay more than they receive? Maybe.

Remove government employees and the government contractors from that. Then you have the governmental corporations such as Fannie Mae and academia who are funded via government largesse. And what to make of GM, Chrysler, the bailed-out-financial sector, etc., kept afloat by government? Public utilities are governmentally regulated monopolies. Automobile Dealers function only thanks to governmentally legislated monopoly. Pharmaceutical firms, publishers, and the entertainment industry function on patents and copyright for their financial status. Sectors in agribusiness, health care, insurance, energy, and transportation (Amtrak!) are so heavily regulated that those employees are de-facto governmental workers even if there is a semblance of profit. The less said about lawyers and lobbyists, the better!

Truly private workers such as waiters, plumbers, and preachers are quite independent of government; but in locations like metropolitan Washington DC, nearly all their customers come out of the ?oink sectors.? Even worse is that when Americans invest their money, the Roth?s, IRA?s, 401k?s, 529?s, HSA?s, ?cafeteria plans? are so controlled by governmental rules that one wonders who owns the money ? you or the government ? or is that even a distinction?

The sad and pathetic truth is that we are all living on a large plantation with a quadrennial democratically elected ?Massa? and a bureaucracy of overseers. It is to the credit of racial and religious tolerance that we can have a Mormon vs. mulatto fighting for the job of ?Massa?.

The fact is that government has entangled itself from cradle to grave like a metastasizing cancer. Rhetorical flourishes aside, the only government programs downsized in the last 40 years was transportation deregulation under Carter and welfare reform under Clinton (nothing eliminated under Republican presidents), and the budget was in near-balance (ignoring raids on the ?Social Security Trust Fund!?) by Clinton. I mean, this not as an endorsement of the unabashed big government Obama but merely to point out that the odds of Romney downsizing the Federal Government is smaller than the odds that the Chinese politburo will make Yom Kippur a Chinese holiday!

So when ?Tea Party Conservatives? start bitching about Obama endangering their Medicare, it is because the addiction to government is nearly universal. Some of us on the plantation may be more productive than others, but we all live under the rules and, regrettably, most inhabitants (or inmates) generally support the system.

A few libertarian ?nutcases? like Paul or Johnson may point the other way, but even most billionaires are as happy to have the Warfare-Welfare state as the poor. Who do you think pays for the TV commercials and the spin doctors and the political ?think tanks? ? Christian coalminers and Hispanic gardeners, or guys named Koch, Adelson, Soros, and Spielberg?

Nothing short of a major non-violent libertarian revolution? (Constitutional restoration) is needed ? but until then, we can all stick our hand out for our share of the public gruel.

******
Barely a Blog (BAB) contributor Myron Pauli grew up in Sunnyside Queens, went off to college in Cleveland and then spent time in a mental institution in Cambridge MA (MIT) with Benjamin Netanyahu (did not know him), and others until he was released with the ?hostages? and Jimmy Carter on January 20, 1981, having defended his dissertation in nuclear physics. Most of the time since, he has worked on infrared sensors, mainly at Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC. He was NOT named after Ron Paul but is distantly related to physicist Wolftgang Pauli; unfortunately, only the ?good looks? were handed down and not the brains. He writes assorted song lyrics and essays reflecting his cynicism and classical liberalism. Click on the ?BAB?s A List? category to access the Pauli archive.

Source: http://barelyablog.com/who-will-be-our-massa-the-mormon-or-the-mulatto/

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Analysis: IPhone 5 defines Apple success, Tim Cook-style

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tim Cook is no Steve Jobs when it comes to leading Apple Inc. As the debut of the new iPhone 5 just proved, that may not be a bad thing.

The taller, thinner and lighter phone prompted a rush on Wall Street to raise price targets for Apple stock, but the optimism was not because of a big technological advance or design breakthrough; the "wow" factor that was the trademark of the late Apple co-founder Jobs was decidedly absent.

Rather, it was the speed of the global launch that astounded, validating the new CEO's much-touted wizardry at the essential but unglamorous task of managing a supply chain.

"We are positively surprised regarding the pace of the rollout, since we had expected a bigger impact from component constraints," Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes said.

By next Friday, the iPhone 5 will be in 31 countries, and will be in 100 by the end of the calendar year. That would be 30 more than the rollout of the predecessor phone, the 4S, over a similar period, Jeffries analyst Peter Misek calculated.

That means Apple has worked out supply constraints and inked deals now with 240 carriers. It will get enough phones out the door in the next 10 days to have a material effect on earnings.

"His skills fit the time period and the flow of product," said Raymond Miles, professor emeritus at Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, adding that Apple may be at a stage where it needs "someone with a production vision."

The iPhone launch offers some other, subtler indications of how Apple is changing under Cook. In public events, Jobs stood out in his black turtleneck, and performed carefully crafted one-man stage shows. At the press event for the iPhone 5, Cook blended into a pack of executives all sporting a uniform of jeans and untucked casual dress shirt.

Indeed, one might say that practical, low-flash, but high-impact actions are emerging as the Cook trademark. He has introduced a dividend to pay out part of the more than $100 billion cash stockpile, raised salaries for a rabidly loyal but low-paid workforce in the Apple stories, and sped up product rollouts.

Under Cook, more Wall Street analysts have been invited to headquarters to talk to executives, particularly Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer and head of Internet services Eddy Cue. Cook himself addressed investors at a Goldman Sachs conference, a rarity for Apple executives, and initiated investigations into allegations of labor abuse in its supply chain.

APPLE MAPS PROBLEMS

Insiders say he is a refreshing presence after the prickly Jobs, who was admired but feared. Cook is also known for his ability to track vast amount of data and zero in on a critical parameter.

One person familiar with the CEO notes that under Cook, the company has continued to rapidly increase its revenue, retain all the senior executives, maintain its product rollout schedule and avoid huge blunders.

On the flip side, the imbroglio over the sub-par mapping software in the iPhone 5 suggests that Jobs' obsessive perfectionism and attention to user experience is already being missed.

Apple Maps, which offers soaring 'flyover' views of major cities, has displaced Google Maps on the new iPhone software. But the new program has no public transit directions, limited traffic information, and flat-out mistakes, such as putting one city in the middle of the ocean.

"Apple made this maps change despite its shortcomings because they put their own priorities for corporate strategy ahead of user experience," said Anil Dash, a widely followed technology pundit, reflecting widespread annoyance and consternation.

Jobs would have put the whole company to work on the problem, as each negative review of the widely used feature would have irked him, said the person familiar with Apple's inner workings. The issue facing Cook now is how fast he reacts to the Maps problem and how quickly it gets fixed, the person said.

Jobs himself allowed email synchronization software MobileMe to launch in 2008, to deadly reviews. Fortune magazine reported Jobs telling the entire development group, "You should hate each other for having let each other down" and immediately replaced the group's head.

"No CEO, not even Steve Jobs, would be able to catch all the problems in every new feature of a new complicated product, like the iPhone 5," said Harvard Business School professor David Yoffie. "The big question is how will Tim respond now?"

More broadly, there is also the question of whether Apple under Cook can produce products that are revolutionary rather than evolutionary. His products thus far - the iPhone, the new iPod line and an expected iPad mini - represent improvements, rather than game changers.

In the meantime, Cook is topping Jobs' sales record: IPhone 5 preorders hit 2 million in 24 hours, twice the level of the 4S, and analysts expect a smaller iPad mini in October.

Investors do not seem to need much more convincing about Cook's ability to captain the ship: the average price target for Apple stock is now $763, up 6 percent from a month ago, thanks to analysts raising targets in the wake of the "wow-less" launch event.

(Editing by Jonathan Weber and Mary Milliken)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-iphone-5-defines-apple-success-tim-cook-130234743--finance.html

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Computer Hardware Blog ? Certain People Require Custom ...

Local area networks have become the heart of many types of business these days. However, owning them requires a large investment of time and money. To save money business owners ask for custom computers Tampa Bay because they know these kinds of devices can meet their individual needs.

Store bought units have internal parts that the company may not need. Therefore, they are paying money for materials that not required for their business. This situation can be avoided with a little planning. All they have to do is purchase machines and are designed to meet their requirements.

Gamers also want special systems. The store bought machines do not have enough power or speed to make the game run efficiently. A serious gamer can get quite frustrated when the game crashes and freezes. They need a system that is quick, efficient, and reliable.

Therefore, they will have their machines built with a special graphic card and a large fan. They will also get more random access memory and a faster CPU. In other words, they need something that is not found at the local store, so they have the machine built specially to play games. They are willing to pay extra to have just what they need.

The armed forces needs machines which are built to exact methods too. They order models with additional cooling fans and thicker wire. Additionally, they need systems that can face up to extreme temperatures and tough circumstances. That is why their machines are ordered with advanced filters.

They also need devices that can serve multiple purposes. For instance, they will use special technology that allows them to hot swap internal boards and parts. Now, they can easily add features without having to do expensive upgrades. All this is made possible when the machines are specially ordered to exact specifications.

An average family realizes the benefits of getting their machines built, too. For example, many of them are going in the direction of whole house automation. That means they need bigger networks with custom machines to perform specific tasks. Ordering these machines are cost-effective.

Nowadays, home theater systems, security alarm systems, and closed circuit television systems, can all be operated remotely by connecting to the home network. This is easily done when folks have the right machines built for the right jobs. Best of all, doing this saves the family money because they are not buying components that are not necessary.

As the years go, use will different devices to control the appliances in their home. They will have the lights go on at regular times, or let dinner begin automatically. Savings can be revised using computerized climate systems as well. This is made possible once they have devices made just for them.

Above are a few of the folks who call for custom computers Tampa Bay. Avid gamer get what they need, families can expand their home devices, and businesses will not spend too much just to run the intranet. Moreover, the systems are constructed to last and include a similar warranty.

Source: http://www.a-sasan.com/certain-people-require-custom-computers-tampa-bay

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Video: PFT Live: Saints or Chiefs going 0-3?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/49122369#49122369

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Dax Shepard: Before Kristen Bell I Loved Cocaine & Jack!

In his directorial debut Hit and Run, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell play the proverbial opposites who attract are crazy in love with each other. The plot point was a bit of art mirroring life, because Shepard reveals he's very much the bad boy to Bell's goodie-two-shoes.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/dax-shepard-reveals-kristen-bell-i-loved-cocaine-and-jack-daniels/1-a-488467?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Adax-shepard-reveals-kristen-bell-i-loved-cocaine-and-jack-daniels-488467

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Obama leads in Michigan; many voters undecided

Public release date: 21-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andy Henion
henion@msu.edu
517-355-3294
Michigan State University

EAST LANSING, Mich. President Barack Obama holds a substantial lead in Michigan over Republican challenger Mitt Romney, although many of the state's voters remain undecided, according to Michigan State University's latest State of the State Survey.

In the quarterly survey, completed in August, the Democratic incumbent leads Romney 39 percent to 30 percent among likely voters, for a margin of 9 percentage points. The results come on the heels of an EPIC-MRA poll for the Detroit Free Press and a Detroit News/WDIV Local 4 survey that both show Obama with a commanding lead.

The MSU survey the largest of the three was taken before the national party conventions, at a time when 30 percent of those questioned were undecided. Republicans were more likely than Democrats to still be making up their minds, said Charles Ballard, survey director and professor of economics.

If the undecided voters follow party lines, Ballard said, Obama's lead would be 49 percent to 43 percent. "These results indicate that Gov. Romney faces an uphill battle in capturing the state of his birth," said Ballard. "Michigan has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 and the auto-industry rebound appears to favor President Obama. But the election is more than six weeks away, so there is still time for Romney to gain ground."

Among white voters, Obama and Romney are in a statistical dead heat, although Obama holds a commanding lead among black and Hispanic voters, Ballard said. Obama has a significant lead among both men and women. Obama leads by double digits in southeast Michigan, while Romney has a narrow lead in west Michigan.

The survey also measures approval ratings for the president and governor. In the latest survey, 41 percent give Obama a rating of "excellent" or "good." That is statistically unchanged from the previous survey.

"When Barack Obama first took office in 2009, Michigan residents gave him very high marks, with 71 percent saying he was doing an 'excellent' or 'good' job," Ballard said. "The president's ratings fell over the next year, however, and since early 2011 his positives have been between 40 percent and 45 percent."

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's approval ratings increased but still remained lower than the president's. "The governor's ratings went from 33 percent positive in the spring to 36.8 percent in the current survey," Ballard said.

When it came to how Michiganders feel about their financial situation, about 54 percent call it "excellent" or "good," Ballard said. That's the highest reading since 2005, but still below the levels recorded in the late 1990s.

About 34 percent of residents said they are better off than they were a year ago. That's down slightly from 37 percent in the previous survey, but still higher than in any other survey since 2005. Some 47 percent of survey respondents expect to be better off a year from now.

The phone survey was conducted from June 12 to Aug. 13. A total of 1,015 Michigan adults were questioned in the survey, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.08 percent.

MSU's State of the State Survey has been conducted by the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research since 1994. IPPSR is a unit of MSU's College of Social Science.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 21-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andy Henion
henion@msu.edu
517-355-3294
Michigan State University

EAST LANSING, Mich. President Barack Obama holds a substantial lead in Michigan over Republican challenger Mitt Romney, although many of the state's voters remain undecided, according to Michigan State University's latest State of the State Survey.

In the quarterly survey, completed in August, the Democratic incumbent leads Romney 39 percent to 30 percent among likely voters, for a margin of 9 percentage points. The results come on the heels of an EPIC-MRA poll for the Detroit Free Press and a Detroit News/WDIV Local 4 survey that both show Obama with a commanding lead.

The MSU survey the largest of the three was taken before the national party conventions, at a time when 30 percent of those questioned were undecided. Republicans were more likely than Democrats to still be making up their minds, said Charles Ballard, survey director and professor of economics.

If the undecided voters follow party lines, Ballard said, Obama's lead would be 49 percent to 43 percent. "These results indicate that Gov. Romney faces an uphill battle in capturing the state of his birth," said Ballard. "Michigan has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 and the auto-industry rebound appears to favor President Obama. But the election is more than six weeks away, so there is still time for Romney to gain ground."

Among white voters, Obama and Romney are in a statistical dead heat, although Obama holds a commanding lead among black and Hispanic voters, Ballard said. Obama has a significant lead among both men and women. Obama leads by double digits in southeast Michigan, while Romney has a narrow lead in west Michigan.

The survey also measures approval ratings for the president and governor. In the latest survey, 41 percent give Obama a rating of "excellent" or "good." That is statistically unchanged from the previous survey.

"When Barack Obama first took office in 2009, Michigan residents gave him very high marks, with 71 percent saying he was doing an 'excellent' or 'good' job," Ballard said. "The president's ratings fell over the next year, however, and since early 2011 his positives have been between 40 percent and 45 percent."

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's approval ratings increased but still remained lower than the president's. "The governor's ratings went from 33 percent positive in the spring to 36.8 percent in the current survey," Ballard said.

When it came to how Michiganders feel about their financial situation, about 54 percent call it "excellent" or "good," Ballard said. That's the highest reading since 2005, but still below the levels recorded in the late 1990s.

About 34 percent of residents said they are better off than they were a year ago. That's down slightly from 37 percent in the previous survey, but still higher than in any other survey since 2005. Some 47 percent of survey respondents expect to be better off a year from now.

The phone survey was conducted from June 12 to Aug. 13. A total of 1,015 Michigan adults were questioned in the survey, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.08 percent.

MSU's State of the State Survey has been conducted by the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research since 1994. IPPSR is a unit of MSU's College of Social Science.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/msu-oli092112.php

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