Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average on the 30-year loan dropped to 3.62 percent. That's down from 3.66 percent last week and the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.

The average rate on the 15-year mortgage, a popular refinancing option, slipped to 2.89 percent, below last week's previous record of 2.94 percent.

The rate on the 30-year loan has fallen to or matched record low levels in 10 of the past 11 weeks. And it's been below 4 percent since December.

Cheap mortgages have provided a lift to the long-suffering housing market. Sales of new and previously occupied homes are up from the same time last year. Home prices are rising in most markets. And homebuilders are starting more projects and spending at a faster pace.

The number of people who signed contracts to buy previously occupied homes rose in May, matching the fastest pace in two years, the National Association of Realtors reported last week. That suggests Americans are growing more confident in the market.

Low rates could also provide some help to the economy if more people refinance. When people refinance at lower rates, they pay less interest on their loans and have more money to spend. Many homeowners use the savings on renovations, furniture, appliances and other improvements, which help drive growth.

Still, the pace of home sales remains well below healthy levels. Many people are still having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can't afford larger down payments required by banks.

And the sluggish job market could deter some would-be buyers from making a purchase this year. The U.S. economy created only 69,000 jobs in May, the fewest in a year. The unemployment rate rose to 8.2 percent last month, up from 8.1 percent in April.

The government reports Friday on June employment.

Mortgage rates have been dropping because they tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. A weaker U.S. economy and uncertainty about how Europe will resolve its debt crisis have led investors to buy more Treasury securities, which are considered safe investments. As demand for Treasurys increase, the yield falls.

To calculate average rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week.

The average does not include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.

The average fee for 30-year loans was 0.8 point, up from 0.7 percent last week. The fee for 15-year loans also was 0.7 point, unchanged from the previous week.

The average rate on one-year adjustable rate mortgages fell to 2.68 percent, down from 2.74 percent last week. The fee for one-year adjustable rate loans rose to 0.5 point, up from 0.4 point.

The average rate on five-year adjustable rate mortgages was unchanged at 2.79 percent. The fee stayed at 0.6 point.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia motorists aren't seeing much movement in gas prices this week.

AAA East Central says the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline decreased less than a penny in the past week to a statewide average of $3.63. That's 18 cents cheaper than the same week a year ago.

Prices range from $3.57 in Wheeling to $3.68 in Bridgeport and Huntington.

Nationally, gas prices average $3.51. That's a penny less than a week ago, and 31 cents lower than a year ago.

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SUNDAY MAY 12: WHAT GOES AROUND

Profile America Sunday, May 12th. It seems like a simple device, really that a row of numbers on the speedometer that measures how far your car has traveled since it was new, or how many miles you've covered on a trip. Called an odometer, it was used for the first time on this date in 1847 by a Mormon pioneer named William Clayton, who was crossing the plains in a covered wagon. Up until his invention, elapsed miles were calculated by tediously counting the revolutions of a rag tied to the spoke of one of the wagon's wheels. Today, most of us regularly drive a lot of miles. Smaller cars, light trucks, vans and SUVs average nearly 10,500 miles annually. Larger vehicles cover more than 15,000 miles a year. Trucks drive about 26,000 miles on average each year. You can find more facts about America's people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at .

Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1101

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at(look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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Facebook makes pretty much all of its money off advertising . The strategy Facebook has been following is the more information it can offer brands about its users the more valuable their advertising. Facebook has already been , and adding your exact whereabouts could help the social network offer the . With Waze's GPS data, if you're near that CVS where you bought some deodorant about six months ago——Facebook could serve you an ad for Arm & Hammer while you're in the neighborhood. 

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In Facebook's theory, this will make the network's ads more useful. Rather than see a sponsored story for something we don't need at a time when we have zero intention of buying, this alerts our consumerist senses at the "right" moment. To others, however, this might come off as creepy or invasive. 

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Waze, a "community based" traffic and navigation app that uses real-time data from users to give the best directions, already has a big, rapidly growing user-base. It has more than doubled in size since last July, now reporting to TechCrunch's Ingrid Lunden that it has 47 million users. The app works a lot like a Garmin on your phone, giving travelers turn-by-turn directions. The innovation is how it gets that data: Rather than use satellite information from navigation companies like TomTom, it relies on its users for intel on traffic, construction, and road reports. Just by driving with the app turned on, people contribute to the maps. But, people can also actively report accidents, hazards, police and other road happenings. The flow of information also works the other way, with the app sending road alerts as a person drives. 

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This move also fits handily into the network's plans to get smartphone users using its products. It has either amassed or built all the important software parts and apps to do that—besides a maps app. People spend about 31 percent of their time on smartphones deciphering their whereabouts, . And, as we've seen with the whole Google and Apple Maps fiasco, people develop deep loyalties to their mapping apps. Rather than building its own copy-cat app, Facebook could just scoop up all the Waze users and brand them Facebook maps users.

By Julian Linden

NEW YORK, May 7 (Reuters) - Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points, including 20 in the second half, as the New York Knicks turned on the razzle to thrash the Indiana Pacers 105-79 on Tuesday and level their best-of-seven NBA playoff series at 1-1.

After a slow start, Anthony exploded in the second half as the Knicks overturned a two-point deficit with a devastating second half burst at a packed Madison Square Garden.

"In that last minute or two minutes in the third quarter we got a little spurt before we started the fourth quarter," said Knicks head coach Mike Woodson.

"Fourth quarter, defensively, we picked up. We kept getting stop after stop and our offense got into a flow, like old times. It was nice to see."

Anthony, who won this season's NBA scoring title, also had nine rebounds and scored half of his 32 points during a 36-4 New York blitz. In the fourth quarter alone, the Knicks outscored the Pacers 33-13.

"I think he (Anthony) is great," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said.

"He is a best of an offensive player and a competitor on the defensive end. He made a lot of tough shots and guarded pretty well tonight."

Iman Shumpert contributed 15 points for the Knicks, seeded second in the Eastern Conference playoffs, while Raymond Felton chipped in with 14 for the home team, including both three-pointers he attempted.

"I thought it was a total team hustle game," said Woodson. "Everyone was involved with deflections. Our hands were active and our rotations were right where they needed to be."

The Pacers, who had won Sunday's opening game by 102-95, got off to a slow start in Game Two, trailling by 13 points during the second quarter.

They briefly grabbed the lead in the third quarter but were unable to keep up with the Knicks when it mattered.

Paul George led the way with 20 points while David West had 13 and six rebounds. Despite the loss, the Pacers were upbeat about their prospects with games Three and Four being held in Indiana.

The eventual winner will advance to the Eastern Conference Final, against either Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls.

"We didn't finish the third quarter well and it gave them some momentum heading into the fourth quarter," said George.

"And that's when Melo (Anthony) got off. We were scrambling and chasing them around throughout the whole quarter." (editing by Nick Mulvenney)

The Maloof family, which owns the Kings, has favored selling the team to an investment group led by hedge fund manager Chris Hansen, who wants to move the team to Seattle. Hansen's group, which includes Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, said on its website on Friday that it had increased its offer, now valuing the team at $625 million, up $75 million from a prior offer.

If NBA owners next week reject that plan, the Maloof family could move forward with a "backup" agreement to sell a 20 percent stake to the Hansen group for $125 million, while the Maloofs would continue to operate the franchise, according to the ESPN report, which cited two unnamed sources.

Hansen hopes to wrest momentum away from a California group that wants to keep the team in the state's capital.

Last month, a committee of NBA owners decided the team should stay in Sacramento, but a final verdict is not due until a full meeting of the NBA owners this coming week. ESPN reported that, ahead of the meeting of all the NBA owners on Tuesday, the NBA relocation committee has scheduled another huddle to evaluate the increased offer from Hansen's group.

Representatives for the NBA, the Maloof family, the Hansen group and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson could not be reached for comment on Saturday evening.

Sources told ESPN the Hansen group's latest proposal also would include a $115 million offer to other owners as a relocation fee, which would be far higher than the $30 million fee paid to move the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma in 2008.

A California group of investors led by Vivek Ranadive, founder of data giant TIBCO Software Inc, has offered to buy the Kings and keep them in Sacramento. Their latest offer valued the team at $525 million, according to ESPN.

Led by Johnson, a former NBA player, the California group has persuaded the Sacramento City Council to back a proposal for a new $450 million arena for the Kings if the team is sold to the California investors who want to keep it in Sacramento.

In the event the NBA owners reject the Kings relocating to Seattle, one goal of the proposed "backup" deal between the Maloofs and the Hansen group may be putting pressure on Sacramento to agree to terms for a new arena, ESPN reported. If such an agreement is not reached, the franchise could again ask NBA owners to approve the team's relocation, according to ESPN.

The Sacramento Kings this season failed to make the playoffs, finishing with a record of 28 wins and 54 losses. The team has not been in the playoffs since 2006.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Barbara Goldberg)

In Obama's words, "The law is here to stay."

The president made his remarks Friday at the White House during a Mother's Day-inspired event designed to encourage young people to sign up for health insurance "exchanges" that open this fall.

Obama points out that women now have access to free preventable health care such as mammograms.

WASHINGTON/WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A trip to New Zealand will put America's chief prosecutor on the same soil as a flashy internet mogul who is fighting extradition to the United States on charges he assisted massive piracy of copyrighted movies and music.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder visits New Zealand next week for an annual meeting of a "quintet" of attorneys general from mostly English-speaking countries - and not to meet up with the entrepreneur Kim Dotcom.

The founder of defunct file-sharing service Megaupload, Dotcom has oscillated between assailing Holder's trip and wanting to hear what he has to say in person.

It was unclear on Thursday whether Holder would appear in public. His speech at the University of Auckland is planned primarily for students and will be closed to the public and the media, although his U.S. speeches are usually open to the media.

In Twitter posts, Dotcom requested a ticket to the speech, offered to send T-shirts and an ethics manual to wherever Holder is staying and challenged his followers to film Holder while a Megaupload theme song plays for a $500 prize.

Dotcom tweeted that he would like to understand Holder's definition of cybercrime, one issue the quintet works on.

An extradition hearing for Dotcom is scheduled for August, although appeals could further delay it, said Ira Rothken, a lawyer for Megaupload. He told Reuters by phone he had no reason to expect a meeting between Holder and Dotcom.

Holder declined an interview through a spokeswoman on Thursday. Federal prosecutors in Virginia who are handling the case declined to comment on how it is proceeding.

Dotcom got rich from founding Megaupload, which allowed users to upload and download movies, music, television shows, e-books and software. The site once commanded 4 percent of global online traffic before U.S. prosecutors shut it down.

The United States began a criminal copyright case against Dotcom in January 2012. At Washington's request, New Zealand law enforcement officers conducted a dramatic raid on his mansion outside Auckland.

Attempts to have him sent to the United States for trial were delayed after a New Zealand court last year found that New Zealand used unlawful warrants in his arrest and illegally spied on him in the lead-up to the raid.

PRECEDENT SETTER?

Dotcom and six associates face U.S. charges that they conspired to infringe copyrights, launder money and commit racketeering and fraud.

The copyright case could set a precedent for internet liability laws and, depending on its outcome, may force entertainment companies to rethink their distribution methods.

Dotcom maintains that Megaupload, which housed everything from family photos to Hollywood blockbusters, was merely a storage facility for online files, and should not be held accountable if content stored on the site was obtained illegally.

The Justice Department counters that Megaupload encouraged piracy by paying money to users who uploaded popular content and by deleting content that was not regularly downloaded.

It said Megaupload cost copyright holders such as movie studios and record companies more than $500 million and generated more than $175 million in criminal proceeds. It called the case among the largest ever involving criminal copyright.

Dotcom launched a new file-sharing service, Mega, in January.

Many New Zealanders view Dotcom, born in Germany as Kim Schmitz, as a folk hero fighting for online freedom and willing to stand up to the U.S. and New Zealand governments.

Dotcom, who has been released on bail and is suing the New Zealand government for illegal surveillance, predicted Holder would keep a low profile during his visit.

"It's probably risk management and avoidance of bad PR because the story has not yet arrived in any big way in the U.S. media," he wrote in an email to Reuters. "Any bad coverage here might spill over to the U.S."

Holder's visit to Dotcom's country of residence is not his choice. The attorneys general of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States began meeting as a quintet in 2009 to discuss legal matters including cybercrime.

After a gathering in Ottawa last year, it was New Zealand's turn to host.

(Reporting by David Ingram in Washington and Naomi Tajitsu in Wellington; Editing by Howard Goller and Xavier Briand)

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Recall Summary

Name of product: High-Pressure Scuba Diving Air Hoses

Hazard: The diving hose that connects the regulator to the tank's pressure gauge can leak, posing a drowning hazard to the user.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the hoses and contact Trident Diving Equipment for a free replacement hose.

Consumer Contact: Trident Diving Equipment at (800) 234-3483, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or e-mailor online at , then click on "Smooth High Pressure Hose Safety Recall" for more information.

Photos are available at

Recall Details

Units: About 200

Description: The recalled air hoses are high-pressure scuba air hoses with a black, smooth rubber outer covering. They are about five millimeters in diameter and 32 or 36 inches long. These hoses connect the regulator to the tank pressure gauge. The phrase "Scuba Diving High Pressure hose I.D. 3/16 (4.76 mm) W.P. 5000 PSI Exceeds SAE 100RT braid with Kevlar fiber from Dupont" is printed in white lettering on the hose's outer covering. The hoses have metal fittings on each end one female fitting and one male fitting. "CE EN 250 230" is stamped on the female fitting and one of the following production date codes is on the male hex head fitting: T1011, T1111 or T0312.

Incidents/Injuries: Trident has received one report of a hose leaking. No injuries have been reported.

Sold at: Scuba diving retailers nationwide from November 2011 through June 2012 for about $35.

Importer: Trident Diving Equipment, of Chatsworth, Calif.

Manufactured in: Taiwan

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on .

Media ContactPlease use the phone numbers below for all media requests.Phone: (301) 504-7908Spanish: (301) 504-7800

CPSC Consumer Information HotlineContact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)Times: 8 a.m. 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytimeCall to get product safety and other agency information and to .

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Veteran basketball player Jason Collins announced on Monday that he was gay, smashing through one of the final frontiers in U.S. sports with a frank personal statement and winning warm praise as a groundbreaker.

Collins, a 12-year player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), became the first active athlete from any of the four major U.S. men's professional sports leagues to come out publicly as gay.

He was quickly enveloped in a wave of support from the White House to tennis player Martina Navratilova, a pioneer for gay athletes in sport.

Collins is not a well-known sports star but is now likely to become famous for his stance. He revealed the secret he had harbored for years in a first-person account published in Sports Illustrated, saying he had gradually become frustrated with having to keep silent on his sexuality.

"I'm a 34-year-old NBA center," his essay began. "I'm black. And I'm gay."

Collins said he had considered coming out years ago but it was the Boston Marathon bombings this month that convinced him not to wait any more for a perfect moment to come out.

"I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different.' said Collins, who played last season with the Boston Celtics and then the Washington Wizards and is currently a free agent. "If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand."

Players, administrators and some politicians applauded him for taking a stance. Some hailed it as a landmark day in American civil rights, perhaps as important as when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball.

President Barack Obama, a big fan of the NBA who regularly plays pickup basketball with his friends, called Collins to express his support, a White House official said.

"I can certainly tell you that here at the White House we view that as another example of the progress that has been made and the evolution that has been taking place in this country, and commend him for his courage, and support him in his - in this effort and hope that his fans and his team support him going forward," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

DEBATE OVER GAY RIGHTS

Collins' move came at a time of shifting attitudes toward gay rights in the United States, where polls show public opinion is fast moving toward greater acceptance, although a core of social conservatives oppose such change.

Some in sports declined to join the chorus of voices in support of Collins. Sportswriter Chris Broussard, speaking on ESPN television, grouped homosexual acts with adultery and premarital sex, saying he believed this was "walking in open rebellion to God."

In the coming months, the Supreme Court will rule on whether to strike down parts of a federal law that defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman. In 2011, the military repealed a ban on openly gay soldiers.

"Jason's announcement today is an important moment for professional sports and in the history of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community," former U.S. president Bill Clinton said in a statement.

NBA commissioner David Stern said he was proud of Collins for taking a brave stance.

"Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue," Stern said.

In a country where it is no longer news for politicians and entertainers to be openly gay, there had been questions over the lack of an openly gay player in the big four men's professional leagues: the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball.

Sports, which helped play a key role in changing public opinion on racial discrimination, had come to seem out of step with much of the rest of American society.

Collins, who has played with six different teams during his 12 years in the NBA, said he never had any grand plans to be the first openly gay player, but events off the basketball court persuaded him to come out.

He was inspired by last year's gay pride parade in Boston, he said, but delayed making an announcement due to a desire to protect his team, waiting until the end of the regular 2012-2013 season ended. Collins was also prompted by the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings which killed three people and wounded more than 200, he said.

"The recent Boston Marathon bombing reinforced the notion that I shouldn't wait for the circumstances of my coming out to be perfect," he wrote in Sports Illustrated. "Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?

PRAISE FLOODS IN

Kobe Bryant, one of the NBA's greatest players, was fined $100,000 in 2011 for a homophobic slur. On Monday, he was among the first of dozens of active players who took to social media to applaud Collins.

"Proud of @jasoncollins34. Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others," Bryant tweeted.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash tweeted: "The time has come. Maximum respect."

There are openly gay players in many top professional leagues in other countries in the world as well as smaller leagues in North America and individual sports.

Navratilova, the tennis star who also became a champion for gay rights, said Collins would feel like a burden had been lifted from him.

"Hey Jason Collins-you are now an activist!!! And trust me, you will sleep a lot better now - freedom is a sweet feeling indeed!," she tweeted.

Other gay athletes, including former NBA center John Amaechi, had waited until their retirement to divulge their sexuality publicly, but there was a growing sense that times were changing.

Earlier this year, the American soccer player Robbie Rogers outed himself, although he had just retired. And Brittney Griner, one of the country's top women's basketball players, said she too was gay.

But there were still no currently playing, openly gay athletes from the four biggest men's leagues.

The question came into sharp focus this year around the National Football League (NFL), usually viewed as the most macho of America's pro sports.

In the days leading up to this year's Super Bowl in New Orleans in February, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver told reporters he would not welcome a gay teammate into the locker room.

He later retracted his comments but reports later emerged of NFL teams asking college players about their sexuality at a scouting session in February.

This prompted the New York State attorney general to send a letter to the NFL, urging the league to take action and adopt a formal policy on discrimination over sexual orientation.

High-profile NFL players, most notably Chris Kluwe and Brendon Ayanbadejo, began advocating for gay rights, and suggested there were a handful of players ready to come out once someone had taken the first step.

"All of us have huge admiration for what Jason is doing," said Patrick Burke, co-founder of equal rights advocacy group You Can Play.

"Jason's courage in stepping forward with his personal story will provide athletes and fans with a new role model."

(Editing by Frances Kerry and Tim Dobbyn)