Recently in National Category

Homeland Security has started to crack down on websites and individuals who sell counterfeit merchandise across the country.

From luxury items to jewelry, dvd's, music and even medicine the counterfeiting world is more prevalent than ever.

Homeland Security has released new campaigns highlighting some of the problem that come with the counterfeiting business.

The government says that counterfeit merchandise and stolen intellectual property cost the economy 200 billion dollars each year reports MSNBC Today.

Scene: "At 10 a.m. every Thursday -- the same day he usually took his dad for chemotherapy treatment -- Dan Dewey is at the cancer unit of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland hospital in Pontiac, taking coffee orders.

By about 10:30 a.m., he's at the Starbucks down the street. ... "

***************************************************************************************

Dan Dewey can be spotted every Thursday at Starbucks holding up the line buying multiple cups of coffee.

Dewey buys coffee for cancer patients receiving chemo therapy in honor of his father who told him to continue on the tradition. His father had cancer twice and received treatment at the hospital he continues to make coffee runs for.

A baristas at the Starbucks, Valerie Edgington, noticed what he was doing and asked to help. She created a type of debt card that people can donate money to in order to help ease the cost for Dewey since he pays for it all out of his own pocket.

"He just brings a smile to your face," Sharon Donley told MSNBC.com. "It's such a wonderful thing to do for the patients. He brings you coffee, and he makes you laugh. It's such a wonderful thing to know that there's someone who doesn't even know you who cares. It makes a difference because when you're here, you're always a little nervous. And then you have this pleasant familiar experience."

Disney reported record-setting earnings earlier this month as revenues increased by 7 percent.

Disney's fiscal year ended October 1 when it was released that revenues increased by 7 percent and net income increased by 21 percent reported CNN Money.

The company had a strong year in its consumer product section and cable networks.

Disney's cable section posted a 9 percent gain bringing in $4.8 billion in revenues reported Reuters. The department is still out-performing its rival television companies Comcast Corp, Time Warner Inc and News Corp.

The number were better-than-expected.

Michele Bachmann initially took the national stage by storm in her pursuit for the presidential nomination. Even though her campaign is fizzling out Bachmann has made a lasting impression across the country.

From misstatements to her highly conservative beliefs Bachmann has made a name for herself as one of the faces of the Tea Party.

"It's also a new type of Republican leadership. There's a fresh element to her, and obviously, she's a woman," said Andrew Hemingway, chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Liberty Caucus the StarTribune reported.

Bachmann has had many notable misstatements from confusing John Wayne and John Wayne Gacy as well as her recent statement regarding the HPV shot Gardasil.

Bachmann is one of four children whose lives were drastically changed by the separation of their parents. The split left the family in poverty.

"We had to sell our home and sell most of the things that we had and move into a little apartment," she told Ryan Lizza of The New Yorker.

Bachmann hasn't ended her campaign quite yet but it is struggling to regain the momentum it had early on.

After a rare October storm thousands of people are left without power across the east coast.

"It's too scary -- the windows are rattling too loud," Sophia Band, 6, told MSNBC.com.

The power outages included 287,943 customers reported by Connecticut Light and Power; 200,000 by PSE&G in New Jersey; more than 300,000 by First Energy in Pennsylvania and New Jersey; more than 50,000 by Consolidated Edison in New York and more than 66,000 by Allegheny Power in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia reported Reuters.

The Northeast saw snowfall as high as 31.4 inches in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.

Officials say it will take days to restore power to residents.

******************************************************************************************
******************************************************************************************

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45093724/ns/weather/#.Tq4Pg7_Dq6g

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/29/us-weather-northeast-idUSTRE79S1VP20111029