Opinion: Good economy bad for Mitt?

President Barack Obama smiles as he speaks during a campaign rally in Fairfax, Virginia on Friday, October 5. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign rally in Abingdon, Viriginia, on Friday. Barack Obama is assisted with putting on a raincoat onstage during a campaign rally at Cleveland State University on Friday. Mitt Romney poses for a photo before boarding his campaign plane in Bristol, Tennessee, on Friday. United States Secret Service agents guard vehicles in the motorcade of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Friday, October 5, in Weyers Cave, Virginia. Romney will campaign in Virginia's coal country and Florida. Mitt Romney boards his campaign plane on Friday. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks in Fishersville, Virginia, as Secret Service members keep guard on Thursday, October 4. A day after the first presidential debate in Denver, Romney headed to Virginia to continue campaigning. Romney supporters bow their heads in prayer during Thursday's event at the Augusta Expoland in Fishersville, Viriginia. President Barack Obama addresses the crowd at the University of Wisconsin in Madison on Thursday. Romney greets police officers before boarding his campaign plane in Denver on Thursday. Obama speaks at a campaign rally in Denver on Thursday. He accused his Republican challenger of dishonesty over tax policy and other issues brought up in Wednesday night's presidential debate. Audience members cheer as Obama makes his way onto the stage at Sloan's Lake Park in Denver on Thursday. Reporters watch the final minutes of the debate between Romney and Obama in Denver on Wednesday, October 3. The first of four debates for the 2012 election -- three presidential and one vice-presidential -- was moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS. A member of the U.S. Secret Service keeps watch from the top of a building as Obama takes part in a debate walk-through at the University of Denver on Wednesday. A seat is assigned to first lady Michelle Obama prior to Wednesday's debate. Obama stands at the podium as he speaks during the debate on Wednesday. Michelle and Barack Obama, left, join Mitt Romney and his family at the conclusion of the first presidential debate. University of Denver student Sam Garry sits at the moderator's desk before a presidential debate dress rehearsal at the University of Denver on Tuesday, October 2. Volunteers sit in for on-air television reporters on Tuesday in preparation for the first presidential debate in the Ritchie Center at the University of Denver. Romney greets a father and his daughter after having lunch Tuesday at a restaurant in Denver. Obama stares at the Hoover Dam in Nevada during a visit Tuesday. Romney boards his campaign plane in Bedford, Massachusetts, on Monday, October 1. The Republican candidate was heading to Denver for the first presidential debate on Wednesday. Obama hugs Chasstiry Vazquez after she indroduced him at a campaign event at Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas on Sunday, September 30. Obama supporters cheer during Sunday's event in Las Vegas. Romney leaves his campaign headquarters in Boston on Sunday. A boy reaches out to shake hands with Obama on Sunday in Las Vegas. The president was in Nevada ahead of Wednesday's presidential debate in Denver. Romney arrives at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belmont to attend Sunday services. Obama talks on the phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel in the Oval Office on Friday, September 28. Romney speaks during a rally at Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Pennsylvania on Friday. Romney talks to journalists aboard his campaign plane about his phone call with Netanyahu on Friday. Cadets listen to Romney speak at a campaign rally Friday at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Romney addresses Friday's rally at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College. Vice President Joe Biden hugs U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, as he arrives for a campaign event Friday in Boca Raton, Florida. Romney speaks at a Veterans for Romney campaign event in Springfield, Virginia, on Thursday, September 27. Obama supporters cheer at a campaign rally Thursday in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Veterans at the American Legion Post 176 pray before Romney speaks Thursday in Springfield. People listen to Obama speak at the Farm Bureau Live arena in Virginia Beach on Thursday. Obama delivers remarks Thursday in Virginia Beach. Supporters cheer as Romney speaks at SeaGate Convention Centre in Toledo, Ohio, on Wednesday, September 26. Romney speaks during a roundtable discussion on manufacturing at American Spring Wire in Bedford Heights, Ohio, on Wednesday. Supporters wait to see Obama on Wednesday at Toledo Express Airport in Bowling Green, Ohio. Air For One aborted an initial landing attempt in Ohio due to weather conditions. Obama addresses supporters at Bowling Green State University on Wednesday. Romney delivers remarks during a campaign rally Wednesday at Westerville South High School in Westerville, Ohio. Former President Bill Clinton introduces Obama during the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York on Tuesday, September 25. Supporters cheer during a Republican campaign rally Tuesday with Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, at Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio. Ryan speaks Tuesday in Vandalia as Sen. Rand Paul, from left, Sen. Rob Portman and Romney listen. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush hugs a waitress as they wait for Ryan's arrival during a campaign stop at a restaurant in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood on Saturday, September 22. Supporters cheer as they listen to Romney speak during a Juntos Con Romney Rally at the Darwin Fuchs Pavilion on Wednesday, September 19, in Miami. Romney shakes hands with supporters during the Juntos Con Romney Rally in Miami on Wednesday. Obama and David Letterman speak during a break in the taping of the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Tuesday, September 18, at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York. A crew member opens the door to Air Force One after the jet arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on Tuesday. From left to right: Romney, his wife Ann, and son Tagg watch one of Tagg's sons play soccer in Belmont, Massachusetts, on Saturday, September 15. Ryan arrives onstage to address the Family Research Council Action Values Voter Summit on Friday, September 14. Supporters wait for Romney to speak at a campaign rally at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio, on Friday, September 14. Obama arrives at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Thursday, September 13. Obama returned to Washington after a two-day campaign trip with events in Nevada and Colorado. Supporters cheer as Romney speaks at a campaign rally in Fairfax, Virginia, on Thursday. An Obama supporter attends a rally in Las Vegas on Wednesday, September 12. Obama focused on economic policies during his two days of campaigning in Nevada and Colorado. Former President Bill Clinton speaks in support of Obama during a campaign stop in Miami on Tuesday, September 11. Obama is lifted up by Scott Van Duzer, owner of Big Apple Pizza and Pasta Italian Restaurant, during a visit to the restaurant in Fort Pierce, Florida, on Sunday, September 9. Obama was on a two-day bus tour across the state. President Obama greets supporters during a campaign stop at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday. Mitt Romney walks through the garage area during a rain delay before the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, September 8, in Richmond, Virginia. Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, waves to the crowd before speaking at a rally in Leesburg, Virginia, on Friday, September 7. Supporters try to stay dry in between rain showers while waiting for President Obama to speak at the University of Iowa on Friday. It was Obama's first day of campaigning after accepting the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. A girl listens to President Obama speak at the University of Iowa on Friday. Vice President Joe Biden, first lady Michelle Obama, President Obama and Biden's wife, Jill, wave after Friday's campaign event at the University of Iowa. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 Paul Waldman: Improved jobs numbers leaves Romney with a challenge He says Romney's center shift accepted even in fractious GOP now just looking to win He says Romney stock-in-trade is to be more of a manager of the economy Waldman: An economic upturn gives Romney a tougher case to make Editor's note: Paul Waldman is a contributing editor at The American Prospect and the author of "Being Right Is Not Enough: What Progressives Must Learn From Conservative Success." Follow him on his blog and on Twitter. (CNN) -- With only a month to go before election day, things are moving fast in the presidential campaign. Twenty-four hours ago it was nothing but good news for Mitt Romney, his campaign revived by a strong performance in the first debate. Then new job numbers came out, showing the economy adding 114,000 jobs in September, upward revisions to the July and August numbers, and a drop in the unemployment rate to 7.8 percent. The economic picture is full of ambiguity, and Mitt Romney's challenge only grows more complex. So though it took longer than most people expected, Romney has finally made the "shift to the center" that all presidential candidates are supposed to make once they've gotten their party's nomination and no longer have to appeal to their party's base. This has been a particularly tricky line for Romney to walk, since so many Republicans saw his transformation from Massachusetts moderate to fire-breathing, "severely conservative" (as he put it) candidate as utterly insincere. So another ideological re-imagining had to be handled carefully. When it came in a debate in which Romney was performing with the skill honed in a thousand boardroom PowerPoint presentations, the timing was perfect. Conservatives had been at the point of panic, desperate for anything that would turn the race around. With Romney emerging from the debate with a newfound energy and momentum, they were more than happy to accept a more moderate nominee. Opinion: Mitt is back to loving Massachusetts And more moderate he did indeed seem. Regulations? He's happy to accept them: "Regulation is essential. You can't have a free market work if you don't have regulation." Tax cuts for the wealthy? Heaven forfend. "I cannot reduce the burden paid by high-income Americans." And that videotape in which he sneered at the 47% of Americans who won't "take personal responsibility and care for their lives"? After initially defending the remarks, he was ready to make a 180 on that too. Since Obama never brought it up during the debate, Romney went on Fox News the next day and told Sean Hannity, "I said something that was just completely wrong. When I become president, it will be about helping the 100%." Romney: 'Completely wrong' on 47% Obama fighting back after debate Are the candidates 'Hispandering?' Romney, Big Bird in Hitchcock spoof You won't hear Republicans saying this newly moderate Romney represents a betrayal. First off, they're smart enough to realize that Romney hasn't actually changed any of his plans; all he's changed is how he talks about them. And second, conservatives have always been good at coming together when power is on the line. The right has just as many factions and just as much infighting as the left, but when Election Day approaches, they become deadly serious about the task at hand. There will be plenty of time for an ideological struggle over the GOP's identity once the ballots are counted. Yet it has always been the economic ruling class that stands at the front of the line when the spoils of Republican victory are distributed. The social conservatives may have to wait for abortion to be outlawed and the neoconservatives may have to bide their time before the next war, but a Republican administration will always make tax cuts its first priority. Opinion: Romney's demographic bind Mitt Romney -- as pure a representative of that economic ruling class as has ever been nominated for president -- always had a twofold challenge on the economy. First, he had to convince voters that he is an effective manager with knowledge and experience. That was the easy part. Second, he had to assure them that he has their interests at heart. That second part is where the Obama campaign focused all its fire, attacking Romney as a heartless plutocrat who would toss his own grandmother in the street if he thought it would make him a few extra dollars. I doubt Romney ever had any illusions that the American people would embrace him because he's such a lovable and charismatic fellow. It was one thing to smack down the assemblage of clowns he beat during the GOP primaries (recall that at various times the polls showed Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump leading the field), but defeating an incumbent president with considerable political skills is another matter altogether. So a struggling economy has always been the sine qua non of a Romney victory--and now the economic picture looks better than it did just a few months ago. Avlon: The audacity of Etch a Sketch As both sides understand, the trajectory of the economy matters more to voters than the place it is in on Election Day. We all remember Ronald Reagan's soft-focus, "Morning in America" ads from 1984 showing the country to be in the best of economic times. But when Reagan was reelected, unemployment was 7.2 percent, nearly as high as it is now. What mattered was that two years before, it had been 10.8 percent. Things were improving steadily, and that's what shaped voters' perception of the economy. Today, we have an economy moving in the right direction, if not as fast as anyone would like, meaning neither candidate gets a clear advantage out of economic conditions. We have two candidates, both claiming that the middle class is their primary concern. But one of them just started saying it in the last 48 hours, and he's fighting against his own image and that of his party. It will be an uphill slog. Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Waldman.

Ex-butler gets 18 months in Vatican leak

NEW: Judge says there were mitigating circumstances in Paolo Gabriele's case NEW: Gabriele is placed under house arrest pending a possible appeal NEW: "There is a concrete possibility that the pope might pardon him," says official A book based on the leaked papers revealed corruption claims within the Church hierarchy Rome (CNN) -- The pope's former butler, Paolo Gabriele, was convicted Saturday of aggravated theft for leaking confidential papal documents and sentenced to 18 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay the costs of the trial at the Vatican City courthouse. The case is the biggest to go before the Vatican court in decades. It has been the subject of intense interest because a book based on the leaked papers revealed claims of corruption within the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy. Presiding judge Giuseppe Dalla Torre said he was reducing the three-year term requested by the prosecution to 18 months because of mitigating circumstances. These included the fact that Gabriele had no previous criminal record and his acknowledgment of "having betrayed" the pope's trust, Dalla Torre said, in a reading of the verdict broadcast on Vatican TV. Vatican butler's arrest Gabriele, who could have faced up to eight years in prison, looked relieved as the 18-month sentence was handed down. Pope's ex-butler had trove of documents 'of interest' It is not yet clear whether the former butler will serve the full sentence in an Italian prison or whether it may be suspended. He could also be pardoned by the pope, of whom he has asked forgiveness for his actions. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See media office, told journalists at a briefing that Gabriele would remain under house arrest for the time being. His lawyer has three days time to present an appeal Lombardi said. If an appeal is presented and an appeal trial takes place, Gabriele would remain under house arrest during this time, he said. "There is a concrete possibility that the pope might pardon him (Gabriele), but it is up to him to decide when and how," Lombardi added. Prison terms handed down by the court are served in the Italian prison system under an agreement between Vatican City and Italy, since there are no long-term detention facilities within the tiny city-state. Gabriele had defended his actions as having a moral objective in his final remarks before the jury of three lay judges retired to consider its verdict. "I feel strongly the conviction inside of me that I did it because of my overwhelming love, I would say visceral, for the Church of Christ and for its visible leader," he told the court. " I repeat, I don't feel like a thief." His father was also in court Saturday to hear the final arguments. Defense lawyer Cristiana Arru said she was pleased with the verdict, according to a briefing by the small pool of journalists allowed to attend the trial. In her closing statement, Arru, who called for the jury to reduce the theft charge to a lesser one, had told the court that while her client's actions were illegal, they were the result of "the evil he saw" within the Church. Pope's former butler claims innocence in 'Vatileaks' trial Arru told the court that Gabriele's actions were morally motivated and that she hoped that "one day they will be recognized and applauded." The court heard this week how police found more than 1,000 important documents among a stash of hundreds of thousands of papers in Gabriele's apartments in Vatican City and Castel Gondolfo, a town near Rome. Among them were original papers signed by Pope Benedict XVI, some of them stamped with an order for destruction, according to the journalists allowed to attend the trial. Also found in his possession were a gold nugget belonging to the pope, a signed check made out to Pope Benedict XVI for 100,000 euros and an original version of Virgil's Aeneid from 1581. In his testimony Tuesday, the former butler declared himself not guilty of a charge of aggravated theft in connection with the leaked documents -- but said he had abused the pope's trust. He told how he had photocopied many confidential papal papers, saying he did so because he wanted to expose wrongdoing and corruption. Observers say that despite the trial, questions remain about how Gabriele managed to remove such confidential and potentially damaging documents from Vatican City. There is also continued speculation over whether someone high up in the Church, perhaps a cardinal, may have helped him, although Gabriele denied having an accomplice. Some of the private documents contained allegations of financial corruption, claims the Vatican might have preferred to keep under wraps. Gabriele was arrested in May, following a Vatican investigation into how the pope's private documents appeared in the best-selling book "Sua Santita" ("His Holiness"), by Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi. Corruption claims resulting from the book's publication, based on the leaked materials, rocked the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church and could even affect who becomes the next pope. Pope's butler leaked papers to shock 'corrupt' church, prosecutor says Journalist Barbie Nadeau contributed to this report.

Good Samaritans lift car to rescue woman, kids

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com. By Andrew Siff, NBCNewYork.com About 20 Good Samaritans rushed to rescue a woman and her two toddler grandchildren when they were run over by an elderly driver in a busy section of New York Friday afternoon, authorities and witnesses said. The 77-year-old driver was backing up on a street in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn when he hit the grandmother, identified as Elizabeth Castillo, and the toddlers, who were in strollers, according to witnesses. The driver seemed to panic when he felt the impact and hit the gas pedal, further reversing the car up on the sidewalk and through a chain-link fence. "You saw the carriages go straight underneath" the car, said witness Kim Miller. Read more from NBCNewYork.com Bystanders quickly rushed to the victims' aid and gathered around the car that had pinned Castillo and the children, 3-year-old Tyrese and 17-month-old Tashia. "The babies were under there, so about 20 of us got together, lifted up the car and dragged everybody out," Edwin Padua said. "Everybody's voices came out, 'Lift the car up!'" said a neighbor who gave his name as McRae. "We started proceeding to lift the car, and we got some of them out." 'I love them for doing that' Castillo suffered a broken collarbone, and Tashia had a broken arm, according to family. Both children received cuts. All three are in Bellevue Hospital in stable conditions. Tashia's father, who watched video of neighbors on the bustling block rushing to help, told NBC 4 New York that he was touched by their heroism. "I love them for doing that. I love them for doing that," he said. The driver told police he thought he'd stepped on the brake when he was reversing. But friends of the victims were angry. "A person has a license, he's been driving for 20 years, he should have the decency to stop," Tyrone Jackson, a family friend, said. "You should have the decency to check your car before you stick the key in the ignition." More content from NBCNews.com: Friendly fire killed Border Patrol agent, sources tell NBC News Video: 'Coking' accounts for loose seats, airline says Unemployment rate dips for veterans, but not ex-servicewomen 2,000 gone in Afghanistan: Did you notice the death of Sgt. Riley Stephens? Teen calls 911 to report mother, sister dead: 'I hate the feeling of killing someone' LAPD chief: We'll stop holding some undocumented immigrants for feds Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Cards win controversial NL wild card playoff

Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez argues an infield fly ruling with umpires during the eighth inning. NEW: The Cardinals beat the Braves 6-3 to advance in baseball's playoffs An umpire makes a controversial call against the Braves in the eighth inning Atlanta's manager protests and fan throw debris onto the field The call is upheld; the Braves later threaten, but fail to break through Atlanta (CNN) -- A controversial -- and potentially pivotal -- call in a one-game playoff Friday night between the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals prompted a vehement argument by the Braves' manager and fans to toss debris onto the field. The incident occurred in the eighth inning of the newly introduced wild card postseason game, in which the two teams battled for the right to advance to a National League division series. At the time, St. Louis led Atlanta by a 6-3 score. With one out and runners on first and second base, Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons skied a pop-up to shallow left field. Amid apparent confusion between two Cardinals' players, the ball dropped -- which could have led to the Braves loading the bases. But instead, an umpire ruled Simmons out, citing the infield fly rule. The rule is traditionally invoked on pop flies in the infield, in order to prevent fielders from letting a ball drop -- in order to get two outs instead of one, had they caught the ball. Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez stormed out of the dugout to protest the call, while angry fans pelted the field with cups and other debris. After an 18-minute delay in which an umpire watched some replays, play finally resumed -- with the call still valid, and the Braves then playing the game under protest. Braves' pinch-hitter Brian McCann then walked before the Cardinals' Jason Motte struck out Michael Bourn to end the inning. After two quick outs in the ninth inning, Atlanta's Chipper Jones -- the team's legendary third baseman who has announced this is his last season -- got on base with an infield hit. Freddie Freeman then rocketed a ground rule double, bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Dan Uggla. Yet the second baseman ended the game -- and the Braves' season and, with it, Jones' career -- by grounding out to second base. Atlanta fans responded to the final out with more boos, as well as a smattering of more debris flying onto the field. The disgust was interrupted only by a chant of "Chipper," recognizing the end of the fan favorite Jones' career. With the 6-3 victory, St. Louis advances to play the National League East champion Washington Nationals in the next round of the playoffs. The San Francisco Giants face off against the Cincinnati Reds in the league's other postseason series.

Rambling retirees trade homes for open road

NEW YORK — At 68, Barbara Miller Elegbede is living proof that flower children need not grow up. A self-described hippie, she attended a San Francisco college at psychedelia's height and remembers friends constantly crashing on the couch of her apartment, just a block away from Janis Joplin's pad in the hip Castro neighborhood. Now retired from teaching and secretarial work, Elegbede, 68, has become a full-time "couchsurfer" herself, living in other people's guest quarters all over the world. (She has a temporary apartment in Tempe, Ariz.) "I've lived in Africa. I know how to take a bath from a bucket ... I've lived in caves in Greece and hitchhiked all over the world. Next year, I'm off to India for two or three months." Call Elegbede one of the "rambling retirees": folks who give up the senior community or a comfy house for a life of constant travel. And they're not all hippies. "The RV (recreational vehicle) has replaced the rocking chair, and the whole notion of retirement has changed in the last 10 years," says Ken Budd, executive editor of AARP magazine and author of "The Voluntourist: A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem." There are no good statistics on just how many boomers are taking retirement on the road. But some indicators -- steadily rising traffic at houseboat and recreational vehicle websites, and a growing number of retirement-age members on couchsurfing.com - confirm the trend. There are two drivers, according to journalist Samantha Dunn, who's written about RV retirees for the website Next Avenue. First, wireless technology means you can easily stay in touch with friends and family even while living on the road. Then there's the financial angle. Today's retirees have limited budgets and long life expectancies. Living on the road for a year or five can be a way to spend less than hanging on to the big house or moving into a service-heavy retirement community. "Even if you buy the $100,000 RV rig, it's cheaper than dealing with an oversized house and taxes and all the things home ownership entails," Dunn says. Folks who have done it agree. John Graves, editor of the Retirement Journal and author of "The 7% Solution," a book about financing retirement, spent 10 years without a fixed address and traveled to 80 countries. By living simply, bartering and eating from street vendors, Graves, 64, says he saved the equivalent of $36,000 annually. Only on NBCNews.com Sources: Friendly fire killed Border Patrol agent 2,000 gone in Afghanistan: Is nation taking note? Up for grabs: $300M estate of heiress Huguette Clark Americans go to Pakistan to protest US drone strikes NBC's Kerry Sanders answers questions about the Venezuela elections Obama uses positive jobs report to make case against Romney Peanut butter plant tests positive for salmonella If that's sounding good, read on. Here's what it takes to retire on the go, whether you choose to hang your hat in a houseboat, a mobile home, or on the back of someone's sofa. Different strokes: Freestyle Couchsurfing is the practice of moving from home to home, sleeping in whatever space is offered gratis. Of the almost 5 million members at couchsurfing.com, some 160,000 are over 50 years old; their ranks have at least doubled since 2009. Accommodations can range from a weathered futon in someone's living room to a yacht bunk or a Maui tree house. Typical stays last two to three days but can also last several months. While you can reciprocate and offer your own couch when your host travels, there's no requirement that you do so. Lodging comes free, though extended stays in a city may mean side trips to a hostel or hotel while hopping between host homes. Elgebede says she can stay in South America for as little as $1,200 a month, or China for $1,500, including eating out. Couchsurfing.com has a group for global couchsurfers over 50 years old with 145 members, up 7 percent from a month ago. It includes members from all over the world, including Iran, Argentina, Uzbekistan and the Ukraine. Afloat and laid-back As many as 9,000-plus people have retired to houseboats in the United States and Canada, an estimate based on statistics collected by the Center for Competitive Analysis of the University of Missouri. Some houseboaters float from dock to dock, though many stay in one place on the water. People who call themselves "liveaboards" have a leisurely life marked by sunbathing and grilling. Houseboaters vary as much as the retirement population itself: upscale and downscale, singles and married couples, serious sailors and novice boaters, says Ian Morton, editor of the All About Houseboats website. Many are concentrated on Kentucky's Lake Cumberland, affectionately known as the "Redneck Riviera." A used boat for a couple, plus room for guests, will cost $50,000 to $250,000, Morton says. The same boat new ranges from $200,000 to $1 million, and amenities can include dishwashers, garbage compactors, a full kitchen and even a hot tub. Morton, 51, is semi-retired and lives on a houseboat six months out of the year in Montreal, Canada. (He also travels in an RV and has an apartment.) His major annual costs are insurance ($2,000 for a $200,000 boat) and docking ($3,000 and up). A marine survey for your floating home to ensure it's shipshape can run $1,500 to $2,000. First-year costs typically run $25,000, including maintenance and fuel, says Morton, citing the survey and improvements to a newly acquired boat. Annual costs may drop 20 percent or more in subsequent years, assuming a lack of weather damage or major repairs. Morton, who's saving thousands of dollars annually compared to a land-based life with a mortgage, plans to live on a houseboat as long as he's able. "It's peaceful, everybody's in a good mood, you get to fall asleep with the rocking of the waves and the wind, and with the Internet, you can home-office from just about anywhere." Informative websites include Houseboat magazine (houseboatmagazine.com), Boat Owners Association of The United States (boatus.com) and All About Houseboats (all-about-houseboats.com). Despite fuel costs, RVs still popular Estimates vary on how many retirees live in RVs year-round, but it's probably north of 25,000, based on data from the Escapees RV Club and the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. Large variations exist in RV price, says Jaimie Hall Bruzenak, co-editor of the RV Lifestyle Experts website and co-author of "Retire to an RV: The Roadmap to Affordable Retirement." A used Class A RV, manufactured on a large truck chassis, can run from $10,000 to $150,000. Some top out at more than $1 million. The Lazy Daze, a Class C motor home (built on a cutaway van chassis), is especially popular. It sells in the $100,000 price range new, or as little as $5,000 used. RV expenses top out at $14,000 per year, calculates Rich Arzaga, founder and CEO of Cornerstone Wealth in San Ramon, California, who just took an extended RV vacation with his family to sample the lifestyle. Costs include campsites, which average about $30 a night, and gasoline: Expect to spend around $300 to fill a 74-gal. tank. Insurance can run $2,000 and storage an additional $1,000 annually. With housing costs for renters and homeowners averaging $16,557 (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), living in an RV is actually cheaper by at least $2,500 annually, says Arzaga. "Full-time RV travelers can also choose their state of residence, and eight states have no income tax." Informative websites include RV Lifestyle Experts (rvlifestyleexperts.com) and the Escapees RV Club (escapees.com). Many retirees living in RVs, such as Fran Reisner, 52, suggest towing a car to explore back roads. "I have a Honda CRV, which happens to be one of the easiest to tow," says Reisner, who paid $92,000 for a 35-ft. Winnebago Adventurer in a high-stakes trade-in: life at home in Frisco, Texas, for life on the road, indefinitely. Her rolling home has a king-size bed, double-wide refrigerator and a washer-dryer. Reisner says RV life has worked out well financially, and she has no plans to give it up. Having just hit the one-year mark, she's logged 18,000 miles across 27 states. And countless miles of exploring remain as life takes her down a new road: photographing nature and wildlife. (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Click For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Dozens of vehicles involved in I-75 crash in Florida

WFLA-TV Authorities in Florida say a series of accidents, involving as many as 70 vehicles, shut down Interstate 75 at the Manatee and Sarasota county line. By Sevil Omer, NBC News SARASOTA, Fla. -- As many as 47 vehicles were involved in multiple crashes on a stretch of southbound Interstate 75 Friday, leaving mangled heaps of wreckage strewn along the Manatee and Sarasota county line, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. At least 52 people were taken to area hospitals, including three who were airlifted from the scene, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. There were no immediate reports of fatalities, authorities said. A steady rain was falling at the time of the crash, which occurred after 3 p.m., the Herald-Tribune reported. "It was confusing, a lot of cars, a lot of rain," motorist Julio Olmedo told the newspaper. David Wagle, 57, said he was driving in the middle lane when he spotted a truck ahead lose control, the trailer jackknifing to the right, it said. "For a minute, nonstop, you could hear crash after crash," he said. Wagle said he escaped injury after his white Ford truck slammed into a ditch, narrowly missing a row of trees. "My truck doesn't have a scratch," he said. "Every car literally around is smashed." Authorities said I-75 was expected to be closed for hours. More content from NBCNews.com: Unemployment rate dips for veterans, but not ex-servicewomen 2,000 gone in Afghanistan: Did you notice the death of Sgt. Riley Stephens? Teen calls 911 to report mother, sister dead: 'I hate the feeling of killing someone' LAPD chief: We'll stop holding some undocumented immigrants for feds Lanai to become eco-lab that runs on solar, billionaire Ellison promises Up for grabs: the $300 million estate of reclusive heiress Huguette Clark Gray wolves probably real target of poisoned meat that killed dog Video: Could Border Patrol agent's death have been friendly fire? Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

12 more meningitis infections reported

47 people in 7 states meet criteria for a non-contagious, fungal form of meningitis These patients were injected with steroid called methylprednisolone acetate The plant where the steroid was manufactured voluntarily shut down (CNN) -- Forty-seven people in seven states are now confirmed to have fungal meningitis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday, 12 more than the day before. The death toll hasn't risen. So far, five people have died after having a preservative-free steroid called methylprednisolone acetate manufactured contaminated by a fungus injected into their spine. Michigan, the latest state to find patients sickened by this drug, is reporting four cases. Physicians and clinics in 23 states are reviewing patient records to determine which patients may have received injections contaminated with a fungus. The Greenspring Surgery Center in Baltimore, Maryland, has determined that 300 patients received injections with the recalled drug. Robert Eisenberg, who is at nurse/administrator at this facility tells CNN none of the their patients are among the two confirmed cases in Maryland. "Our doctors used it as standard medication," he said. "We trust that all drug manufacturers provide drugs that are safe for our patients. We are very disappointed that in this particular instance they were not safe and put our patients at risk." While only certain doses of the injectable steroid methylprednisolone acetate are being recalled, as a precaution, FDA officials are asking doctors and clinics and consumers to stop using any products produced by the New England Compounding Center. NECC said in a statement Friday that "although there is no indication of any potential issues with other products," they stopped all operations for now and are cooperating with authorities. The statement said "the fatalities and illnesses confirmed today by the CDC and FDA are tragic. The thoughts and prayers of everyone employed by NECC are with those who have been affected." Health officials say approximately 75 medical facilities in 23 states have received products from NECC. Those states are California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas and West Virginia. Nearly 10% of drugs administered in the United States come from compound pharmacies, according to a 2003 Government Accountability Office report. Drugs manufactured by compound pharmacies do not have to go through FDA-mandated pre-market approval. Instead, oversight and licensing of these pharmacies comes from State health pharmacy boards. Compound pharmacists create customized medication solutions for patients for whom manufactured pharmaceuticals won't work, according to the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists. FDA officials are asking doctors and clinics and consumers to stop using any products produced by the New England Compounding Center. The FDA could not say how many patients may be have been exposed to this possibly contaminated steroid. Bernstein said she did not know how many doses were in each of the three lots of the drug. She emphasized that the investigation is still ongoing. Federal health inspectors began inspecting the NECC plant on Monday. One of the inspectors said he saw foreign material in one unopened vial, but the investigation is not yet complete. Fungal meningitis is "quite a rare infection," said Dr. Benjamin Park, from the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Disease. But it's is not a required reportable illness, so it's unclear how often these types of infections occur. Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told CNN that fungal infections are not usually mild. He said when funguses invade small blood vessels they can cause them to clot or bleed, which can lead to symptoms of small strokes. Other symptoms of meningitis to look out for are include fever, chills, new or worsening headache and stiff neck, said Schaffner. If someone is experiencing any symptoms, they should seek medical attention immediately. The earlier a patient gets treatment, the more likely he or she will survive. Patients are treated with antifungal medication, which is given intravenously so patients have to be admitted to the hospital -- at least in the beginning, said Park. He added that patients may need to be treated for months. The FDA is urging anyone who has experienced problems following an injection with this NECC product, to report it to MedWatch, the FDA's voluntary reporting program, by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088 or on line at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm. CNN's Brian Todd and Aaron Cooper contributed to this report.