Obama scores on immigration, but it?s still 'the economy, stupid'

President Obama's announcement on young illegal immigrants this week was a smart tactical move.?But the main question he still faces is: 'Are you better off now than you were four years ago,' as Ronald Reagan put it in ousting Jimmy Carter in 1980.

By Brad Knickerbocker,?Staff writer / June 16, 2012

President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, June 14, 2012.

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

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Barack Obama?s surprise announcement on immigration this week ? in essence, a DREAM Act end-run around Congress ? had immediate political benefits for an incumbent president fighting to win a second term.

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It knocked presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney off-message, forcing him to answer for his own very hard line on immigration during the GOP primary fight (?self-deportation?) and pretty much had him muttering his agreement with Obama about treating with mercy as well as justice young immigrants brought to this country by their parents.

It also went a long way toward solidifying Obama?s clear advantage among Hispanic voters ? the country?s most rapidly-growing demographic ? a vulnerability in their party clearly recognized by such prominent Republicans as Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Haley Barbour.

?If you are a worker who has been here for any length of time, we have to have a path, not to citizenship, but a secure knowledge that they will be able to work,? former Mississippi Gov. Barbour said Friday at a Monitor-hosted breakfast for reporters.

Could you pass a US citizenship test?

But immigration doesn?t overshadow the main question Obama faces: ?Are you better off now than you were four years ago,? as Ronald Reagan put it in ousting Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Here, evidence as to how American voters are answering that question illustrates Obama?s challenge. In his ?Morning Fix? column, the Washington Post?s Chris Cillizza ticks off the stark numbers:

?Median family net worth dropped roughly 40 percent between 2007 and 2010?. Large majorities of Americans?believe that the country is headed off on the wrong direction?. More than three in four says now is a bad time to get a good job.?

The headline on a Gallup analysis put things clearly: ?National Mood a Drag on Obama's Re-Election Prospects.?

?Obama's approval rating is below 50 percent, Americans' satisfaction with the direction of the country is barely above 20 percent, and the economy remains a dominant concern,? Gallup?s Lydia Saad wrote.

Several important Democratic analysts have looked at the evidence as to how Americans feel and what they believe, and they?ve concluded that the Obama campaign needs to reframe its message.

Carville, together with pollsters Stanley Greenberg and Erica Seifert, warn that the party is losing middle-class voters ? holding on only because Romney is vulnerable as well.

?These voters are not convinced that we are headed in the right direction,? the three write in a memo widely reported this week. ?They are living in a new economy ? and there is no conceivable recovery in the year ahead that will change the view of the new state of the country.?

?They actually have a very realistic view of the long road back and the struggles of the middle class ? and the current narrative about progress just misses the opportunity to connect and point forward,? Carville, Greenberg, and Seifert write. ?While we hear some optimism, this is framed mostly by the sense that this has to be rock bottom.?

In other words, they say, Democrats must "move to a new narrative, one that contextualizes the recovery but, more importantly, focuses on what we will do to make a better future for the middle class.? Don?t focus exclusively on progress being made (however halting) or the extent to which the country?s economic doldrums can be blamed on the Bush administration and congressional Republicans.

?We will face an impossible headwind in November if we do not move to a new narrative, one that contextualizes the recovery but, more importantly, focuses on what we will do to make a better future for the middle class.?

So Ronald Reagan?s potent question about being ?better off now? is certainly relevant. So is Democratic operative James Carville?s admonition in 1992, when Bill Clinton ousted George H. W. Bush: ?It?s the economy, stupid.?

Could you pass a US citizenship test?

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Leftists poised for victory in French elections

French citizens prepare their vote in a polling station during legislative election in Louveciennes, 12 kms (7,5 mls) west of Paris, Sunday, June 17, 2012. French voters are choosing a new parliament Sunday that will determine how far Socialist President Francois Hollande can go with his push for economic stimulus in France an around a dept-burdened stagnant Europe. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French citizens prepare their vote in a polling station during legislative election in Louveciennes, 12 kms (7,5 mls) west of Paris, Sunday, June 17, 2012. French voters are choosing a new parliament Sunday that will determine how far Socialist President Francois Hollande can go with his push for economic stimulus in France an around a dept-burdened stagnant Europe. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal casts her vote for the legislative elections, Sunday, June 17, 2012, in La Rochelle, west of France. Royal is facing a Socialist Party opponent in the second round election, and will determine the makeup of the new parliament. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

Gilbert Collard, a National Front Party candidate for French legislative elections, casts his vote during the second round of French legislative elections, in Gallician, near Nimes, southern France, Sunday, June 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

French far-right leader and National Front Party candidate for French legislative elections, Marine Le Pen is seen after voting for the second round, Sunday, June 17, 2012 in Henin-Beaumont, northern France. French Legislative elections determine the makeup of the new parliament. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

PARIS (AP) ? French voters are choosing a new parliament Sunday that will determine how far Socialist President Francois Hollande can push for economic stimulus in France and around a debt-burdened, stagnant Europe.

The left is in the spotlight and expected to take the driver's seat of the 577-seat National Assembly after Sunday's second round of legislative elections.

Hollande's Socialists dominated the first round last week and pollsters predict they will win the most seats in the lower house. That would wrench it from the hands of former President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservatives, who have led it for a decade.

The campaign focused on local issues but will determine the country's political direction, which has Europe-wide importance. France is the second-biggest economy in the eurozone and, along with powerhouse Germany, contributes heavily to bailouts to weaker nations and often drives EU-wide policy.

Turnout in the French voting was 21.4 percent at midday, comparable to the 2002 and 2007 legislative elections, with some voters not bothering to cast ballots because so many were predicting a Socialist victory.

The elections come after a hasty new bailout for Spanish banks, and the same day as crucial voting in Greece. The Greek elections may determine whether the country stays in the euro, with repercussions for all the other 16 countries that use the joint currency.

After budget-tightening in France under Sarkozy that leftists warned would send France back into recession, Hollande is pushing for government-sponsored stimulus to encourage growth - and has met opposition from German Chancellor Angela Merkel as the two try to stem Europe's crisis.

Hollande's Socialist government has pledged to reduce the deficit, but markets are worried about higher spending when France's debts are so high.

Hollande, a moderate and mainstream leftist who is committed to European unity, is hoping to get an absolute majority of 289 seats for the Socialists to avoid having to make concessions to the Euro-skeptic far left.

Claire Morel said she voted for the Socialist candidate in her well-off Paris district "because I've been waiting for change for a long time. ... Also I wanted to support Francois Hollande, the government and its projects."

Pascal Albe, a voter from the working class Paris suburb of Ivry-sur-Seine, said that though he generally votes for the right, Hollande should have a Socialist-led parliament. "Otherwise the country will be paralyzed, and especially now, we don't need that," he said.

Voting stations close in big cities at 8 p.m. (1800GMT). Polling agency projections of the results are expected soon afterward, and official results are expected late Sunday night.

Political and personal intrigue ? and the resurgent far right ? have marked the campaign. The anti-immigrant National Front, which wants to abandon the euro and stop immigration, is wrangling for its first real presence in parliament in more than a quarter century.

Sarkozy's conservative UMP party is struggling to hold onto seats, and many candidates are angling for far-right votes.

National Front leader Marine Le Pen has revamped the party to try to shed its reputation as racist and anti-Semitic inherited under party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen. Daughter Marine placed a solid third in spring presidential elections and its candidates ranked third in last Sunday's first round of parliamentary voting.

But the French parliament system is such that the party is not expected to get more than three or four seats.

Any candidate who won support of more than 12.5 percent of registered voters in the first round advanced to Sunday's runoff, and many districts have three-way races. Some 46 million voters are casting ballots for individual candidates at 65,000 voting stations nationwide. Only 36 National Assembly candidates won seats outright in the first round; the remaining 541 seats were up for grabs Sunday.

Associated Press

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10 Jobs That Won't Be Taken By Robots, Yet

Telephone switchboard operators are a thing of the past?the kind of job we only encounter in black-and-white movies. And just as technology and automation rendered those workers obsolete, in the modern age, it's also eradicating all sorts of other jobs; bank tellers, toll booth operators, and pharmacy clerks all may soon be a distant memory. We?re already starting to self-checkout at the grocery store, put in our own orders at McDonald's?and watch robots make our sushi.

At Foxconn, the world's leading electronics manufacturer that currently employs 1.2 million workers and 10,000 robots, humans are rapidly being replaced. Over the next three years, it plans to up the number of androids to 500,000.

RELATED: The Robot Revolution: Your Job May Be Next

Think your job is safe? You might want to think again. "The set of jobs that won't someday be done by robots is actually rather small and shrinking, as technology advances," says Mani Subramani, an associate professor with the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. Silicon Valley computer engineer Martin Ford, author of The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future, agrees. "Jobs that are in any way routine?including skilled jobs?are going to be threatened by automation," he says. Working in a cutting-edge field won't necessarily protect you, either. "New industries that rely on a lot of technology will be more?not less?likely to automate or use labor-saving technology," Ford says.

In fact, increasing automation played a significant role in our current economic crisis, according to Ford. "Big companies have gotten a lot more efficient and need less workers," he says. "This is a factor, to some extent, in the poor job market and flat wages for new college grads."

RELATED: Could Fast Food Robots Steal McJobs?

So what kinds of fields are a good bet for job seekers? Which industries should you aim for if you want to avoid being replaced by R2-D2? "Jobs that are non-routine or creative, or which involve complex human interaction, tend to be safer," Ford explains.

The good news is that there are plenty of emerging or growing industries?like those listed below?that will require a human touch for a long time to come.

• 10. Politics

  Predictions about our robot overlords aside, we will probably never have a robot in the White House. "I think a lot of government jobs may someday be threatened, but probably not those of politicians," says Ford. A robotic president would require human-like artificial intelligence of a kind that experts may never be able to develop, he points out. And even if they could, the people who kiss babies, give speeches, and make laws for a living will probably retain their gigs.<br><br> "The best answer for why we won't have robotic politicians is that the politicians would never allow it," says Ford. "Among workers, politicians really have a unique level of power when it comes to protecting their own interests." However, their support staff--government-paid analysts, auditors, and accountants--won't necessarily be as safe since much of all of the work they do could be automated some day.

• 9. Lawyers, Financial Analysts, Creative Knowledge Workers

  Creative knowledge workers--those who have to think creatively for a living--aren't going to be phased any time soon, either. Take lawyers, for instance. "Much of the core work involves value judgment: what is good, what is bad what is desirable or not," says Subramani, who points to the opinions judges write as an example. "It's more than just logical reasoning based on evidence." Other creative knowledge workers include architects and financial analysts. But those doing non-creative knowledge work, like paralegals who search for and gather data won't fare so well. "Doing anything that involves consistently executing a rote task--is likely to be where robots are likely to excel," Subramini adds.

• 8. Media

  Though content-stripping bots can already cut and assemble simple news stories, and "content farms" are spreading like pop-up stores, writers, editor, and designers are likely to be needed well into the future to help keep the Internet running. "Yes, there are very good 'off-the-shelf' programs like WordPress to 'automate' how a website gets published," Kantor notes. "But we need lots of real people to input data, design pages, and write and edit material so that people actually want to read it." Television channels and magazines will also continue to need to employ people for similar reasons--not just to report on stories, but to design graphics, manage editorial and production teams, and so on.

• 7. Human Care

  Robots won't advance that quickly in industries where a human touch is preferable, even if it isn't entirely necessary, as Subramani points out; in situations where interacting with a machine might be upsetting instead of soothing, humans won't be pushed out. "For instance, I find it hard to believe that we will have funeral home employees replaced by robots, even though robots may be more efficient," Subramani says. "I think industries like daycare are reasonably immune for the same reasons."

• 6. Most Health Care

  If you're a doctor, nurse, or physical therapist--working in a healthcare job that requires a lot of direct interaction with patients--there's probably no need to be looking over your shoulder for a machine version of yourself, says Ford. All the same, he cautions, "there are certainly a lot of areas where automation is developing--like hospital delivery and pharmacy robots. The Japanese are even working on automating some nursing and elder-care functions." In fact, he adds, systems like IBM's Watson may even start making diagnoses some day. And radiology jobs--already off-shored to India much of the time, where doctors read scans at much lower cost--are also likely to be largely automated eventually.

• 5. Environmental Think Tanks

  As the environmental problems brought on by global warming increase--and energy costs rise--more and more people will be needed to study and enact means by which businesses can reduce their carbon footprints. As Kantor points out, we'll need workers who can measure carbon use, devise strategies to lower it, and guide implementation of those plans. "Lots of people up and down the supply chain will be needed to make such initiatives work--to decide what data to collect and how to collect it, to analyze it, and to figure out which changes to make," she says.

• 4. Primary And Secondary Education

  Since there's no "profit motive that drives efficiency" when it comes to teaching at the primary and secondary levels, these kinds of jobs aren't likely to be automated any time soon, as Ford notes. But college-level teaching? That might be endangered. "I think higher education will go increasingly online," says Ford; he notes that six recent experiments found that college students enrolled in courses with machine-guided tutoring software performed just as well as their counterparts in traditional classes. "A few high-profile teachers will lecture huge numbers of students, and there are new software applications that can automate grading," he says.

• 3. Managing Automation

  Ironically, even robots needs managers. "Although there's increasing automation in manufacturing plants in the US, there is a huge--and growing--need for workers who can manage the automation," says Kantor. "The industry requires people who understand welding, for example, and can also calibrate, maintain, and run the computers that might be doing the welding."

• 2. Help Desks

  There is a trend to move help desks--for banks, software companies, and online stores, for instance--back into the U.S., especially in the southeast, where jobs are scarce, according to Kantor. "Increasingly, help desks are 'on-shoring,'" she says, pointing out that Microsoft now has help centers all over the U.S, in places like North Dakota, Florida, and California. Why the move back? Thanks to the bad economy, hiring U.S. workers is less expensive than it used to be. What's more, as Kantor notes, language and cultural barriers can make certain customers uncomfortable or impatient; many companies are betting that putting customers more at ease will be good for business. Could a help desk version of Siri be created? Sure, but it's not likely going to be sophisticated enough to handle all the issues that could come up. When software and hardware need a Sherlock instead of a Siri, a problem-solving human is better than a bot.

• 1. Wind And Solar Power

  These industries will provide jobs for plumbers, electricians, and construction people, particularly whenever a new power plant or wind farm has to be built. Now sure, parts--like solar panels--are likely to be made by automation. "But they're hard to install by robot," says Tana Kantor, Publisher of The Green Economy, a magazine that covers eco-conscious companies and business practices. "Each installation is different, and there is no way to automate or mechanize the process." She adds, however, that while there will be plenty of work to be done in the development phase, not many people will be needed to maintain plants.

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Furyk, McDowell share US Open lead after Round 3

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Graeme McDowell and Jim Furyk won the battle of par Saturday at the U.S. Open.

Tiger Woods lost a lot more than that.

McDowell showed the kind of fight that won him a U.S. Open two years ago down the coast at Pebble Beach. He scratched out pars and finished with a 4-foot birdie putt that gave him a 2-under 68 and a share of the lead going into the final round at The Olympic Club.

Furyk, also bidding for another trophy from golf's toughest test, outclassed Woods in the final pairing with key bunker saves and an 8-foot birdie putt on the 17th for a 70, making him the only player who has yet to have a round over par.

They were at 1-under 139, the only survivors against par.

Woods, wearing a key lime shirt, turned in a lemon. He fell out of the lead with two bogeys in the first three holes, couldn't make a birdie on the stretch of holes that Olympic allows players to make up ground, and ended with a sloppy bogey on the 18th for a 75.

There were only eight scores worse in the third round. And it matched Woods' highest score when he at least a share of the lead after any round of a major. He also closed with a 75 in 2009 at the PGA Championship when he lost a two-shot lead to Y.E. Yang.

All is not lost for Woods, not to mention another dozen or so players.

In a U.S. Open that is living up to its reputation, it was difficult for anyone to build a big advantage.

McDowell and Furyk were two shots ahead of Fredrik Jacobson, who had a 68. In the group another shot behind were Lee Westwood, whose Saturday-best 67 gave him another shot at his first major, and Ernie Els, who holed a long pitch for eagle on the 17th that carried him to a 68. The Big Easy is a two-time U.S. Open champion, with that first title coming 18 years ago.

Thirteen players were separated by four shots going into Sunday, a list that includes 17-year-old Beau Hossler, who followed bogeys with birdies for a 70.

Woods, who has never won a major from behind, was five shots back. His round ended with a shot from the middle of the 18th fairway that hung up in the right collar of rough, and a stubbed chip that took a hard turn to the left some 10 feet away.

When he two-putted for his sixth bogey, his day got a little worse. Climbing the hill toward the fabled clubhouse at Olympic, a photographer brushed past him and Woods banged his hand into the camera. He shook it several times, but later said he was fine.

The real hurt came from Olympic.

"It was just a tough day on the greens, and most of the day, I just kept getting that half-number, right in between clubs all day," said Woods, who was either well long or short on his approach shots.

Furyk, the only player who has not had a round over par this week, and McDowell played together in the opening two rounds. On Sunday, much more is at stake.

But this was not shaping up as a two-man race for McDowell and Furyk.

"Looking at the leaderboard, you've got to look down as far as the guys at 3 or 4 (over) as having a realistic chance of winning this tournament," McDowell said.

For every bogey Hossler made, he answered with a birdie on the next hole.

His only big blunder came on the 11th, when he was too aggressive with a downhill putt and missed his par putt from 6 feet. Two holes later, he hit a heavy chip from the hazard that rolled back down a slope for another bogey. The kid just wouldn't go away, though, and suddenly he is dreaming big.

Hossler wanted to make the cut. Then, he wanted to be the low amateur. Now?

"My goal now is to win the tournament," he said.

In the 14 majors he has won, Woods was never worse than par in the pivotal third round and had a scoring average of 68.3. There was no way that was going to hold up on a course like Olympic, though Woods was expecting better than what he delivered on this Saturday.

He missed the first fairway, came up short of the third green and wound up with three bogeys through six holes.

Woods wasn't alone in making mistakes. David Toms, tied for the second-round lead with Furyk and Woods at 1 under, played that rugged six-hole stretch in 5 over and fell six shots behind with a 76.

Even with the USGA watering the course Friday night and Saturday morning, Olympic was as relentless as ever.

But it wasn't impossible.

Westwood showed that, as did Els, who called it as easy as the course played all week.

Kevin Chappell, who tied for third last year to earn a spot in this U.S. Open, had a 68 and takes an unthinkable streak of 24 holes without a bogey into the final round. He was at 3-over 213, along with Webb Simpson, who also had a 68.

Asked if the experience at Congressional would help, Chappell gave an apt description of what awaits on Sunday.

"Last year we were trying to make birdies in the U.S. Open," he said. "And here, you're just trying to survive."

Westwood came in right behind Chappell, and while he failed to take advantage on the par 5s, he finished in style with a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 67. Westwood began this week as the third wheel in a powerful threesome of the top players in the world ranking. Luke Donald, the world No. 1, and defending champion Rory McIlroy have gone home. Westwood now has another chance to pick up his first major.

He twice has missed a playoff by one shot, in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and the 2009 British Open at Turnberry. He twice as been runner-up in the majors.

A win on Sunday would end that heartache, and return him to No. 1 in the world.

"I think I've probably been in contention in major championships more than anybody else over the last three or four years," Westwood said. "So I'm looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully go out and have some fun and see what happens."

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HBT: A's cut Manny ? this might be the end

This might be the end of the road for Man-Ram.

The Athletics just announced that they have released Manny Ramirez at his request.

This comes as surprising news, but perhaps it shouldn?t be. Ramirez was eligible to return from his 50-game PED suspension at the end of May, but the A?s kept him with Triple-A Sacramento because they weren?t satisfied with his production. The 40-year-old was then bothered by hamstring tightness. He has turned things around a bit recently, hitting safely in six straight games, but he hasn?t shown any of the power we?ve seen from him in the past.

Ramirez ended his stint with the the River Cats with a .302/.348/.349 batting line in 69 plate appearances. He collected three doubles and zero homers while posting a 17/5 K/BB ratio.

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Rosneft, ExxonMobil sign unconventional oil deal

TUAPSE, RUSSIA: Rosneft and ExxonMobil signed a deal on Friday on joint development of Western Siberia's substantial tight oil resources, a Reuters correspondent reported from the ceremony.

Tight and shale oil development in both Russia and North America are covered in a partnership agreement signed in April by the Russian state owned company and the American major as part of an exploration partnership centred on the Russian Arctic.

ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson was with Rosneft head Igor Sechin on Friday in the Black Sea refinery town of Tuapse, where Rosneft was presenting its strategy to President Vladimir Putin.

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Lindsay Lohan's Crazy Week: Car Crash, Porn Star And Paramedics

We take a look back at a hectic seven days for the actress.
By James Montgomery

Lindsay Lohan leaves the hospital after her car accident on June 8
Photo:

If your week involved smashing a Porsche into an 18-wheeler, being linked in headlines to a porn star, and having the paramedics called to your hotel room, there's a pretty good chance you are probably James Bond. Or Lindsay Lohan.

Of course, one of those folks is fictional. The other is very much real — and just had a really crazy week. Yes, the Lind-sanity is still with us, as the actress wrapped an impressive seven-day stretch that began with a car wreck (and hospitalization), rolled right on with some salacious headlines and wrapped with some drama at the Ritz-Carlton (and a rumored hospitalization).

Here's a look back at Lindsay Lohan's rather hectic week, one that would give any mere mortal (or secret agent) pause. But not her.

Friday, June 8: Lohan is taken to the hospital after smashing her Porsche into an 18-wheeler on the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. Luckily, she wasn't seriously injured — though the same couldn't be said for her vehicle, as photos showed the Porsche with a severely damaged front end, a smashed windshield and a deployed airbag.

Monday, June 11: Reports surface that Lohan may have lied to police about just who was driving the car. She had originally told responding officers she was sitting in the passenger seat, with her assistant behind the wheel, which supposedly didn't corroborate with the story her assistant told police. Uh-oh.

Tuesday, June 12: Lohan's name is attached to "The Canyons," a Hollywood drama from writer Bret Easton Ellis that will also feature adult-film star James Deen. Lohan will reportedly play Tara, girlfriend to Deen's Christian, a "trust fund kid, power player and major manipulator, who is a film producer that enjoys filming his own three-way sex sessions."

Thursday, June 14: "The Canyons" producer Braxton Pope acknowledges Lindsay's reputation to MTV News, saying, "What's kind of lost in a lot of the Lindsay discussions is the fact that Lindsay is a very talented actress. She's very charismatic and she has a lot of acting skills. So her lifestyle and some of the things that she's gone through have tended to kind of overwhelm the fact, but Lindsay has kind of real talent. So for this part, we felt that she was really the right actor for a host of different reasons."

Friday, June 15: A California news station erroneously reports that Lohan had been taken to the hospital after being found unconscious in a hotel room. While paramedics had been called to her penthouse at the Ritz-Carlton, they left the scene without the actress, and her reps insisted that all she was suffering from was "exhaustion and dehydration" and said Lohan was actually napping after a grueling stretch of shooting the upcoming Lifetime movie "Liz & Dick."

Related Photos

• The Highs And Lows Of Lindsay Lohan

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Upstart Stony Brook loses 9-1 to UCLA in CWS debut

UCLA's Kevin Kramer (3) beats the throw to second baseman Maxx Tissenbaum (8), on a fielder's choice by Kevin Williams, in the first inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday, June 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Francis)

UCLA's Kevin Kramer (3) beats the throw to second baseman Maxx Tissenbaum (8), on a fielder's choice by Kevin Williams, in the first inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday, June 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Francis)

UCLA outfielder Cody Keefer catches a flyball hit by Stony Brook's Pat Cantwell in the third inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday, June 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Francis)

UCLA's starting pitcher Adam Plutko works against Stony Brook in the first inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday, June 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Stony Brook's Pat Cantwell, right, celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run against UCLA during the third inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday, June 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Ted Kirk)

Stony Brook's starting pitcher Tyler Johnson delivers against UCLA in the first inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Friday, June 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) ? So much for shocking the world. This time Stony Brook got zapped.

Tyler Johnson allowed five runs in the first inning and the Seawolves couldn't get much going against UCLA ace Adam Plutko in losing 9-1 in their College World Series debut on Friday.

Johnson said the pressure of playing in front of 22,000 people at TD Ameritrade Park on college baseball's biggest stage was no excuse.

"We're a very good ball club and we're here for a reason," he said. "It didn't go our way today. That's going to happen. We'll get back after it on Sunday."

Stony Brook (52-14) has staved off elimination five times in the NCAA tournament and will have to do it again Sunday in order to extend its stay in Omaha.

Until Friday it had been an amazing week for a Stony Brook baseball program that has been Division I for only 12 years. Little known outside the Northeast, the Seawolves emerged on the national scene with their "Shock The World" mantra after upsetting powerful LSU in a three-game super regional in Baton Rouge, La.

The Seawolves came to town as the first team from their part of the country to play at the CWS since Maine in 1986.

They were no match for a UCLA team that has won 134 games the past three seasons ? the best stretch in program history.

Plutko, who threw a two-hit shutout against Creighton in the regional and allowed two runs in seven innings against TCU in the super regional, gave up just two singles before Pat Cantwell drilled his second homer of the season in the third.

"Even if they hadn't scored as much as they did early, you go up against a team like that, and a pitcher like that, you're only going to get a couple of chances to score," Stony Brook coach Matt Senk said. "We had some chances with people in scoring position with less than two outs, and we didn't take advantage of that."

The Bruins (48-14) sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning against Johnson (12-2), who allowed a season-high seven runs in a 2 1-3-inning outing that was his shortest of the year. Jeff Gelalich's bases-loaded single opened the scoring, and Kevin Williams' two-run double off Jasvir Rakkar in the third made it 7-1.

"We had some plate discipline, had some quality at-bats, and we were fortunate we got some runs," UCLA coach John Savage said. "I'm sure he has not started off a game like that all season long."

Plutko (12-3) allowed five hits and struck out seven in seven innings. He has given up three runs and 14 hits in 23 postseason innings.

Stony Brook threatened in the second inning when its first two batters reached base and again in the fifth after Sal Intagliata's double put men on second and third with no outs.

The Seawolves couldn't push across a run either time. Plutko got a strikeout and pop foul to end the second. In the fifth, UCLA first baseman Trevor Brown threw out Kevin Courtney at home after Travis Jankowski grounded out, though it appeared on television replays that Courtney touched the plate ahead of Tyler Heineman's tag.

"Any pitcher knows that you get a lot of confidence when your team starts scoring runs. It makes it easier to pitch," Plutko said. "They did a good job coming back in the top of the second inning. They really put the pressure on. I got out of it, but it gives the team a lot of confidence, and gives the pitcher, for sure, a lot of confidence."

The Bruins, winners of 10 straight and 20 of their last 22, have outscored the competition 42-10 in six NCAA tournament games.

They wasted no time getting to Johnson, who came in 3-0 in the NCAA tournament and off wins in 12 straight decisions since a March 2 loss to East Carolina.

Johnson said his heavy workload the past two weeks wasn't a factor.

"At this point of the year no one's really 100 percent," he said. "We've got guys going out there with little bumps and bruises here and there. But fact of the matter is, I just wasn't on today. I had a good five days to rest, so as much as people may say it was overworking, it was just me being off today and a good UCLA team took advantage."

Beau Amaral and Heineman singled and Cody Keefer walked before Gelalich, the Cincinnati Reds' first-round draft pick, singled down the right-field line for two runs. Brown followed with an RBI single and Pat Valaika's safety squeeze bunt made it 4-0.

The Seawolves' hard luck continued when Kevin Kramer's grounder bounced off the third base bag before William Carmona could make a play, allowing another run to score.

It was the third time this season Stony Brook has allowed five or more runs in an inning. The Seawolves fell behind 5-0 in the first inning against Missouri State in a regional elimination game but rallied to win 10-7.

Associated Press

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Lena Dunham Admits Near-Obsession, Body-Swapping Fantasy With Jimmy Fallon On 'Late Night' (VIDEO)

Mon., June 11: "Tia and Tamera"

(8 p.m. ET on Style) <em>season premiere</em> <br /><br /> As they face the realities of motherhood and matrimony, Tia and Tamera lean heavily on each other to lighten the difficult moments with comedic insight and advice. After giving birth to her first child, Tia is figuring out how to balance being a successful actress and a successful mom. Tamera, as she approaches her one-year anniversary, is wondering about her new role as a working wife. With homes in Los Angeles and Napa Valley, where her husband's family also owns a vineyard, Tamera finds herself pulled between two different worlds, struggling to decide which she will ultimately call home.

Mon., June 11: "Bunheads"

(9 p.m. ET on ABC Family) <em>series premiere</em> <br /><br /> Don't let the title put you off -- this witty, heartfelt dramedy from "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino is as close a return to Stars Hollow as we're ever going to get. It has that signature "GG" rapid-fire banter, all too familiar music cues and a smart, sarcastic brunette at its center (this time played by Broadway star Sutton Foster). Did we mention it also stars Kelly Bishop? Foster plays Michelle, a Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries a man, moves to his sleepy coastal town, and takes an uneasy role at her new mother-in-law's dance school.

Mon., June 11: "Lost Girl"

(10 p.m. ET on Syfy) <br /><br /> Bo's efforts to help Trick find a stolen body uncover a lethal Lich -- and our heroine is put in a precarious position that helps open her eyes to the true extent of her powers.

Tues., June 12: "The Catalina"

(8 p.m. ET on The CW) <br /><br /> It's Gay Pride weekend in South Beach and The Catalina has never been more fabulous. Eyal and the staff build a float to compete in a local parade, while hotel manager Stephanie becomes romantically involved with a guest.

Tues., June 12: "Thorne: Sleepyhead"

(9 p.m. ET on Encore) <em>original miniseries </em> <br /><br /> Part One of the eerie and atmospheric crime drama event, starring David Morrissey as the compelling Detective Inspector Tom Thorne, who possesses a gritty sensibility and an unhinged desire to discover killers. In the first installment, Thorne investigates a series of unusual attacks on young women. The first three victims are found dead, however the fourth victim -- Alison Willetts -- survived an excruciating attack and is lucky to be alive. The miniseries concludes on Wed., June 13 at 9 p.m. ET with "Thorne: Scaredy Cat," when Thorne is joined by Sandra Oh ("Grey's Anatomy") as Detective Sergeant Sarah McEvoy, who appears to be a tough, calm and capable cop to her male colleagues, but is simultaneously battling a serious drug addiction.

Tues., June 12: "The Next Big Thing"

(11 p.m. ET on Oxygen) <em>series premiere</em> <br /><br /> Starring Trapper Felides, a top New York City performance coach and musical director who gives his clients the blunt truth and tough love they need to succeed. The series will follow Felides as he mentors a group of performers as they prepare for their next career-changing audition or their big music industry break. In each episode viewers will get an inside look at Trapper's uncensored methods for success to turn good performers into great ones, and great ones into stars. Trapper is much more than just a vocal coach and career maker -- he's also a life coach, a brother, a mentor and a seasoned guide through the tough world of show business.

Wed., June 13: "Dallas"

(9 p.m. ET on TNT) <em>two-hour series premiere</em> <br /><br /> Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray reprise their famous characters as J.R., Bobby and Sue Ellen Ewing, returning to Southfork with secrets, schemes and betrayals. This time, they're joined by the next generation of Ewings, played by Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe, who take ambition and deception to a new level as the future of Southfork is called into question.

Wed., June 13: "Duets"

(9.31 p.m. ET on ABC) <em>new timeslot</em> <br /><br /> For the next two weeks, the talent contest moves to Wednesday nights, returning to 8 p.m. Thursdays on June 28. Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke take the stage and perform party songs with their hand-picked Duet Partners. Tonight one amateur is eliminated, leaving six remaining in the competition.

Wed., June 13: "America's Best Dance Crew"

(10 p.m. ET on MTV) <em>season finale</em> <br /><br /> The two remaining crews, 8 Flavahz and Elektrolytes, battle it out for the coveted title.

Thurs., June 14: "Burn Notice"

(9 p.m. ET on USA) <em>season premiere</em> <br /><br /> Season 6 of this summer favorite picks up after Fiona turned herself in on charges of terrorism to save Michael from an extreme case of blackmail. With Fiona in federal custody, Michael and his crew must band together to rescue their friend from a lifetime prison sentence.

Thurs., June 14: "Suits"

(10 p.m. ET on USA) <em>season premiere</em> <br /><br /> The future of brilliant, but not-technically-legal, associate Mike Ross hangs in the balance when a friend threatens to expose him. Legendary law partner Harvey Specter attempts to guard his secret from the firm's top suit Jessica Pearson while she faces even bigger problems when the other half of Pearson Hardman reemerges on the scene.

Thurs., June 14: "The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet"

(11 p.m. ET on Lifetime) <br /><br /> Presenting an honest, authentic and raw view of the shared issues affecting women today, each episode features de Cadenet having powerful and in-depth interviews with some of the world's most famous and influential women. This week's topic is "Living Deliberately," with guests Connie Britton, Mira Sorvino, Kelly Preston and Christina Applegate.

Fri., June 15: "Fairly Legal"

(9 p.m. ET on USA) <em>season finale</em> Kate digs deeper when a news station fires a lesbian couple for fraternizing in the workplace. Also, Kate must choose between Justin and Ben.

Fri., June 15: "Say Yes To The Dress"

(9 p.m. ET on TLC) <em>season premiere</em> <br /><br /> The show returns to its roots at New York's famous Kleinfeld Bridal salon. Part fashion show, part bridal story, part family therapy, the series uncovers the hurdles every staff member faces to make each bride completely satisfied on what may be the single most important day of her life. The new season brings a new batch of unique personalities. From demanding moms to picky fianc?s, brides with unlimited budgets and an appearance from fashion-forward Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, viewers will be exposed to nearly every aspect of dress shopping in preparation for the big day.

Fri., June 15: "Comedy Bang! Bang!"

(10 p.m. ET on IFC) <br /><br /> In each episode, host Scott Aukerman engages his guests with unfiltered and improvisational lines of questioning, punctuated by banter and beats provided by bandleader, one-man musical mastermind Reggie Watts, to reinvent the traditional celebrity interview. Packed with character cameos, filmic shorts, sketches and games set amongst an off-beat world, the show delivers thirty minutes of absurd laugh-loaded fun featuring some of the biggest names in comedy. This week's guest is "Parks and Recreation" star Amy Poehler.

Sat., June 16: "Piranhaconda"

(9 p.m. ET on Syfy) <em>original telefilm</em> <br /><br /> With a name like that, how can you resist? In B-movie icon Roger Corman's latest, a hybrid creature -- half piranha and half anaconda -- attacks a movie crew on location near her nest when her egg is stolen. Now they must outrun and kill the deadly piranhaconda as well as stop the mad scientist who stole the egg -- before they all become dinner. Stars Michael Madsen and Rachel Hunter.

Sun., June 17: "Falling Skies"

(9 p.m. ET on TNT) <em>two-hour season premiere</em> After last season's cliffhanger finale, Tom returns to the resistance, but his loyalty is called into question, while Pope takes command of a renegade faction within the 2nd Mass.

Sun., June 17: "The Killing"

(9 p.m. ET on AMC) <em>season finale</em> <br /><br /> Will the second season finale cause as much controversy as last year's did? Only time will tell. Sarah and Holder close the case. Richmond sets out on a bold new path. The Larsen family gains closure from an unsuspected source.

Sun., June 17: "Forensic Firsts"

(9 p.m. ET on The Smithsonian Channel) <em>series premiere</em> <br /><br /> This series showcases the history of the forensic tools we take for granted today. Each episode weaves together two criminal cases: a headline-grabbing modern murder investigation and the very first case where a forensic technique was invented and tested in court. Through the course of the hour, the cases reveal how the science evolved, often from a simple hunch into a sophisticated tool that revolutionized crime science.

Sun., June 17: "Nurse Jackie"

(9 p.m. ET on Showtime) <em>season finale</em> <br /><br /> Cruz pushes Jackie to the breaking point, then fires her. Followed by the season finales of "The Big C" and "The Borgias."

Sun., June 17: "Girls"

(10 p.m. ET on HBO) <em>season finale</em> <br /><br /> It's been a divisive freshman season, but we're intrigued to see what Lena Dunham has in store for the finale. Hannah's on the hunt for a new roommate, and has a surprising confrontation with Adam, while Jessa throws a "mystery party."

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Polls open in French legislative elections

A woman looks at posters for the French general election, in Nice, southeastern France, Saturday, June 9, 2012, on the eve of the first round of the French general election. The second round will take place on June 17t to elect the 14th National Assembly of the 5th Republic. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)

A woman looks at posters for the French general election, in Nice, southeastern France, Saturday, June 9, 2012, on the eve of the first round of the French general election. The second round will take place on June 17t to elect the 14th National Assembly of the 5th Republic. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)

A woman looks at posters for the French general election, in Nice, southeastern France, Saturday, June 9, 2012, on the eve of the first round of the French general election. The second round will take place on June 17, to elect the 14th National Assembly of the 5th Republic. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)

French President Francois Hollande, left, and his companion Valerie Trierweiler, in Tulle, southwestern France , Saturday, June 9, 2012, on the eve of the first round of the French general election. The second round will take place on June 17 to elect the 14th National Assembly of the 5th Republic. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

PARIS (AP) ? Polls are open in France where voting for the lower house of parliament begins, which will determine whether new President Francois Hollande's Socialists or rival conservatives control the government.

The Sunday elections, followed by runoffs a week later, will also show whether Hollande can push his tax-the-rich, down-with-austerity agenda, and how much of a voice the far right will have in policies on immigration and Muslim practices.

The legislative race hasn't garnered nearly the headlines or drama of the presidential race in April and May, and many polls suggest turnout among France's 46 million voters could be around 40 percent ? far less than in Hollande's showdown with Nicolas Sarkozy.

The new lower house serves for the next five years ? coinciding with Hollande's five-year term.

Associated Press

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