Asian Governments Need To Establish More Hotlines

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEg1UVJNDPLx6oEre908VCkqtLp9US1mNPTWfEfRVmi06pjtx8_w8Bgoi9K0sD8RPq-NpRiSfvRs1eGMyRHn4ItK1SRpmWeGI7SOFoXmxKT8lmH6mBr3p5w-cy5KQYnzrj8frWeHM6FzZ/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEg1UVJNDPLx6oEre908VCkqtLp9US1mNPTWfEfRVmi06pjtx8_w8Bgoi9K0sD8RPq-NpRiSfvRs1eGMyRHn4ItK1SRpmWeGI7SOFoXmxKT8lmH6mBr3p5w-cy5KQYnzrj8frWeHM6FzZ/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Click on Image to Enlarge)</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Make Asian Hotlines A Regional Diplomatic Priority -- Next Navy</b></span></div><br />The U.S. Navy’s desire for a direct Navy-to-Navy Hotline with China is not new, and has been articulated every few years to little or no effect.<br /><br />If direct Navy-to-Navy Hotlines between operational commanders have the potential to be important in Asian crisis management, then the U.S. Navy must start leading an effort to 1) make bilateral Hotlines more ubiquitous in the region than they are today and 2) demonstrate their utility by publicly using the existing Hotlines more often.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://nextnavy.com/make-asian-hotlines-a-regional-diplomatic-priority/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment</b>: I am surprised that the U.S. does not have a hotline to South Korea or France. It also appears that no one wants to have a link to Iran. Also .... no Japan - China hotline link.

Asian Governments Need To Establish More Hotlines

(Click on Image to Enlarge) Make Asian Hotlines A Regional Diplomatic Priority -- Next Navy The U.S. Navy’s desire for a direct Navy-to-Navy...

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The U.S. Did Develop Nuclear 'Suitcase Bombs' Albeit They Were Put On Backpacks

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwcniFmkz-Ac9MyIGkC7DQYB-Upq8dWQdfZOtIn3AXc6tc0g_FUmFKW9ncgoqsK0lXVF3EC9zBcMfjpHf5vDQ4JxRsSxwPLnwkZHDqTyt5gQoZrnk_KKuiCOSU51qA5VZDU1bF9bxKvRL/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwcniFmkz-Ac9MyIGkC7DQYB-Upq8dWQdfZOtIn3AXc6tc0g_FUmFKW9ncgoqsK0lXVF3EC9zBcMfjpHf5vDQ4JxRsSxwPLnwkZHDqTyt5gQoZrnk_KKuiCOSU51qA5VZDU1bF9bxKvRL/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">U.S. officials examine a M-388 Davy Crockett nuclear weapon. It used the smallest nuclear warhead ever developed by the United States.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W54"> Wikipedia</a></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>When Elite US forces Strapped Nukes To Their Backs -- Adam Rawnsley and David Brown, Stars and Stripes/Foreign Policy</b></span></div><br />WASHINGTON — As Capt. Tom Davis stands at the tailgate of the military cargo plane, the night air sweeps through the hold. His eyes search the black terrain 1,200 feet below. He grips the canvas of his reserve parachute and takes a deep breath.<br /><br />Davis and the men who make up his Special Forces A-team are among the most highly trained soldiers in the U.S. Army. It's 1972, and Davis isn't far removed from a tour in Vietnam, where he operated along the Cambodian border. His communications sergeant served in Command and Control North, which was responsible for some of the most daring operations in the heart of North Vietnamese territory. But none of the men has ever been on a mission like this before.<br /><br />Their plan: drop into Eastern Europe, make their way undetected through forested mountains, and destroy a heavy-water plant used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.stripes.com/when-elite-us-forces-strapped-nukes-to-their-backs-1.266168">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment</b>: A fascinating story. The yield of these miniaturized nuclear devices was only one kiloton .... but one kiloton in the middle of a major city can cause enormous damage.

The U.S. Did Develop Nuclear 'Suitcase Bombs' Albeit They Were Put On Backpacks

U.S. officials examine a M-388 Davy Crockett nuclear weapon. It used the smallest nuclear warhead ever developed by the United States. Wiki...

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Picture Of The Day

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.defense.gov/imgHandler.ashx?h=350&w=0&img=/dodcmsshare/photoessay/2014-02/hires_140129-F-NK166-523a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.defense.gov/imgHandler.ashx?h=350&w=0&img=/dodcmsshare/photoessay/2014-02/hires_140129-F-NK166-523a.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft taxi into position for an inspection before a training mission during Red Flag 14-1 on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 29, 2014. The pilots are assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Lorenz Crespo</span></div>

Picture Of The Day

Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft taxi into position for an inspection before a training mission during Red Flag 14-1 on Nellis Air Forc...

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The Real Monuments Men

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAZXc-Uu9tRe6ifKqk0KKnoF0uoEL-pwqPHjrubZQV0pxlg_NtTl3joLW8VHgnknrU55WdUMvjy8Lh1lyQzDjtBZxAnzXdjbNEKA_VvOZ9avMGdiEN68PUewn1060hcJSCAAo8XUNp5Iu/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAZXc-Uu9tRe6ifKqk0KKnoF0uoEL-pwqPHjrubZQV0pxlg_NtTl3joLW8VHgnknrU55WdUMvjy8Lh1lyQzDjtBZxAnzXdjbNEKA_VvOZ9avMGdiEN68PUewn1060hcJSCAAo8XUNp5Iu/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrhLQBLIkCfLnIz8sTAH3u3AKU_WrHqIW2Atds0LAjWbFILI2uk0HsXDWwLq65xFKMt-AQt_sBNrWEaVlfeLnXsxO4VmTlNRh9vbaqDxO_J7niAWOiO6EoF2znA1GSqo09Id8Oi1NrUBw/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">American GIs hand-carry paintings down the steps of the Neuschwanstein castle under the supervision of Capt. James Rorimer. NARA photo: 239-RC-14-5</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Real Monuments Men -- Richard Green, National Archives</b></span></div><br />Nestled within the Italian Alps, in the small village of San Leonardo, behind the doors of an abandoned jail cell, sat some of the world’s most cherished pieces of art. Together with a nearby repository in Campo Tures, it was estimated that the hidden artwork was worth about 500 million dollars. That was in 1945. Today, that value would be closer to $6.5 billion.<br /><br />Roughly 70 years after finding the hidden art, the major motion picture, The Monuments Men, is set to debut in theaters nationwide. The movie tells the story of the men and women from the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (MFA&A) Section of the Allied Expeditionary Forces. Made up of art historians, museum curators, archivists, and architects, these “Monuments Men,” as they came to be called, were assigned to protect Europe’s cultural heritage. As World War II engulfed the continent, that task became exceedingly difficult.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://blogs.archives.gov/mediamatters/2014/02/06/the-real-monuments-men/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> I saw George Clooney's <b><a href="http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.ca/2014/02/monuments-men.html">"The Monuments Men"</a></b> this weekend .... and I enjoyed it. But I suspect that the real story of these men is even more remarkable.

The Real Monuments Men

American GIs hand-carry paintings down the steps of the Neuschwanstein castle under the supervision of Capt. James Rorimer. NARA photo: 239-...

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The High Cost Of Retreat For Iraq

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiru05Kc-W9OES5rqDu86oBuNbw39x4eToozt12TAeF1vvz0OGeTguNGK1uFy2wRXPpD0_Ldn7BQd58eH-sQoDLoirF2009kxEv5RKJG47dQmy73RWIzVSGT56Qag8EW_9ZbAk-CTxrp3tn/s1600/200px-US-DefenseIntelligenceAgency-Seal.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiru05Kc-W9OES5rqDu86oBuNbw39x4eToozt12TAeF1vvz0OGeTguNGK1uFy2wRXPpD0_Ldn7BQd58eH-sQoDLoirF2009kxEv5RKJG47dQmy73RWIzVSGT56Qag8EW_9ZbAk-CTxrp3tn/s1600/200px-US-DefenseIntelligenceAgency-Seal.svg.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Iraq: The High Cost of Retreat -- Raphael S. Cohen, National Interest</b></span></div><br />Almost a decade after the United States military launched a massive operation to clear the militants out of Fallujah, Al Qaeda’s black flag is once again flying over the city and security forces are preparing for yet another large-scale offensive to retake the city. The event is a momentous one, but one that needs to be kept in perspective. Unlike some have argued, the second fall of Fallujah is not analogous to the fall of Saigon. Al Qaeda is not the Viet Cong, much less the North Vietnamese Army. While Al Qaeda can spark sectarian violence, they lack the military power, the outside backing, or the internal support to seize control of Iraq—like the Communist forces did in South Vietnam just shy of four decades ago. Still, Al Qaeda’s dramatic resurgence—and more broadly the return of sectarian violence—only two years after American forces left Iraq must give us pause and prompt a reassessment of American policy.<br /><br />First, this rise in violence should inform our understanding of the past. By all accounts, the 2007 Iraq Surge was a stunning success: within a year of its execution, all major violence indicators fell between 40 to 80 percent and civilian deaths declined by 82 percent from their peak in November 2006. And yet,the Surge was not about winning “hearts and minds” or fundamentally shifting Iraq’s internal dynamics. Indeed, if polling is any indicator, the United States never won the heart or the mind of the average Iraqi. Long after violence declined, a February 2009 ABC News, BBC and NHK poll found that 73 percent of Iraqis had “not very much” or no confidence in American forces, while 69 percent thought that American forces had done “quite a bad” or a “very bad” job in Iraq.<br /><br /><a href="http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/iraq-the-high-cost-retreat-9850"><b>Read more</b></a> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment: </b>A sobering assessment on the situation in Iraq .... and the U.S. decision to leave the country in 2011.

The High Cost Of Retreat For Iraq

Iraq: The High Cost of Retreat -- Raphael S. Cohen, National Interest Almost a decade after the United States military launched a massive op...

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Can The U.S. Stop The Spread Of Al Qaeda?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtd206ummTizd6X36AR2l4QZ-mx4ORDWgnpg3ZeND2gQo2g3k3mro0UMqomgo9hoUNY_L8XcW4h65wxfcdNiVeIh5ft8mlmr_4plR1fJ2Gkgufr6fgwxb2PPop5DRzsGqIUin2sj3_M_0/s1600/200px-US-DefenseIntelligenceAgency-Seal.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtd206ummTizd6X36AR2l4QZ-mx4ORDWgnpg3ZeND2gQo2g3k3mro0UMqomgo9hoUNY_L8XcW4h65wxfcdNiVeIh5ft8mlmr_4plR1fJ2Gkgufr6fgwxb2PPop5DRzsGqIUin2sj3_M_0/s1600/200px-US-DefenseIntelligenceAgency-Seal.svg.png" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is The U.S. Powerless To Stop The Spread Of al Qaida? -- James Rosen, McClatchy Washington Bureau</b></span></div><br />WASHINGTON — There was bipartisan consensus after the 9/11 attacks, in Congress and among Americans, that the United States would never again ignore rising threats in distant lands and allow al Qaida or other terrorist groups to gain sanctuary as it had in Afghanistan.<br /><br />More than a dozen years ago, nine days after the World Trade Center fell and the Pentagon burned, President George W. Bush told a joint session of Congress: “The only way to defeat terrorism as a threat to our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it and destroy it where it grows.”<br /><br />Lawmakers leapt to their feet and burst into applause; Bush’s approval rating soared.<br /><br />Now the black flag of al Qaida flies in Fallujah, the group and its offshoots are spreading across the Middle East and Africa, and their fighters are battling for control of cities not only in Iraq but also in Syria, Lebanon and beyond.<br /><br />“Harbor no illusions: Al Qaida is not on its heels or even on the run,” Rep. Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, told McClatchy.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/02/10/217374/is-the-us-powerless-to-stop-the.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> How can the U.S. fight an enemy when it refuses to even acknowledge the role that radical Islam plays in it's ideology. The following sentence by James Rosen sums up why the u.S. will not be able to stop Al Qaeda.<br /><br /><i>.... After nearly 6,600 American deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, at a cost of more than $2 trillion there and in the broader “war on terror,”<b> the United States may lack the money, the policy knowhow and the political will to respond aggressively to the al Qaida resurgence</b>.</i><br /><br />Indeed.<br /><br />The following report from The Economist provides an excellent analysis <b><a href="http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21586834-adaptable-and-resilient-al-qaeda-and-its-allies-keep-bouncing-back-unquenchable-fire">on the resilience of Al Qaeda.</a></b>

Can The U.S. Stop The Spread Of Al Qaeda?

Is The U.S. Powerless To Stop The Spread Of al Qaida? -- James Rosen, McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — There was bipartisan consensu...

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Day 4: Moguls are the tiny hills that kill your knees.

<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">I spent a lot of this evening watching the two US curling events that took place today - the women vs. Switzerland, and the men vs. Norway. As I watched, key words like “house” and “end” and “hammer” made me remember that in 2010, as I was writing blurbs about the Olympics, I did an entire tutorial on curling! So I actually read it again and am looking forward to my next viewing experience of curling.</span></span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-63c3f249-1f5e-2100-8781-7f9e71eef8c8" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">For those of you who didn’t read the post back in 2010 (back when all my posts were just Facebook notes!), here’s the curling portion again! The boys I’m talking about are now fourth graders, by the way. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">So I have been recording on videotape some Olympic events to take to my kindergarten class and show them when we have free time...and sometimes when I just don't feel like teaching. (Not like that happens often or anything!)</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Yesterday we watched men's moguls skiing, and today I'd recorded the downhill skiing and snowboard cross. I recorded and showed these because those were pretty tough sports and I thought the boys would get a kick out of them. They did really like it. We pretended to be moguls skiiers and kept our knees glued together, and we went on snowboards, and we raced down a mountain. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">When I had some release time today at lunch recess I just turned on the USA network and there was men's curling going on: USA vs. Germany. I was getting some other stuff done, so I just kept it on in the background. I have pretty much no idea the rules and points of the sport, but I know that if you get that stone in the middle of the ring, that's a good thing.</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">When the boys got back inside from recess I kept it on as they got their shoes on and went back to their seats. They started to watch, too, and had tons of questions about it. When I told them that the red stones and brooms were for the US, they got really excited and were really hoping that the red stones would get the yellow stones out of the circles. They'd cheer if it made it, and groan if a red stone got knocked out. I was pretty entertained that they were so interested in curling, seeing as they knew just as much about the sport as I did!</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What surprised me the most came at the end of the day, when I was asking the boys what sport they've enjoyed watching the most so far. Half of them said something pertaining to "that one when they slid that rock and had brooms!" Really? We've watched moguls and snowboard cross (which I praised yesterday) and downhill skiing, and you would prefer to watch </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">curling?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Hearing this news, I knew I'd have to do a little research. So I went onto the Internet, and found out that two teams of four people play against each other in a match. Each team pushes their granite stone towards the "house," or the middle of the target on the other end of the ice. An "end" is a delivery of 16 stones (8 by each team), and there are 10 ends in a match. Each player throws two stones in an end (so it's not the same person every time - I didn't know that). They push the stone and will turn the handle to begin the travel of the stone. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">That thrower stays on one end of the ice and guides the sweepers, and the others use those brooms to guide the stone to the place they want it to go, make the stone travel farther, and make the stone curl. (Hey! Like "curling"!)</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">At the end of an...end, whoever has the stone closest to the very center of the circle gets a point. If that team has two or more stones closer than their opponent's closest stone, they get two or more points. I saw that today when the US women's team was playing Japan. The US was up 4-1, but crucial errors in delivering the stones meant that Japan had three stones closer to the center than the US' closest stone, so Japan ended up tying the score at 4-4. (They ended up winning 9-7.)</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">I won't try to inform you of the strategy, and the different places you could place your stones to "block" the other team's stones, or anything like that. But now you have a little better idea what is going on if you ever catch curling on TV.</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Reading my 2010 blog posts made me laugh. There were some things I didn’t remember typing, but I do know that the Blurb that I did helped me to launch this website in September of that year. It was hilarious to see that the title of one of the last Olympic posts was “879 days till London!” </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mini Blurbs</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (which used to be called “Baby Blurbs”)</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pants and shirts</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yup, those Norwegian curling pants are really a sight to behold. But I have a problem with the US’s shirt choice. T-shirts? Really? At least make it a polo shirt to give them a little official-ness. It looks like they’re in a beer league. (Wait, that’s probably where some of them do their curling training.)</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today’s roundup</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Men’s 500m long-track speedskating (live), Men’s moguls (live), curling, biathlon, women’s skiing, short track.</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Integration!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As the kids came to the classroom, the final run of the men’s 500m long-track speedskating was going on. We watched it, and I explained that they run two races and use a combined time to determine the final scores. The kids immediately recognized the orange Dutchmen, and we all cheered when they swept the medals </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">again</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I am steamrolling along in my medals competition!</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">We spent some time discussing the countries of Russia, Germany, and the Netherlands (AKA Holland). I gave them a hypothetical situation where if the Olympic rings could no longer be used as a symbol for the Olympics, what symbol would they create? I had some great entries - including a multi-colored peace sign and criss-crossing multi-colored lines instead of rings. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">Finally, we had some fun with moguls. I kept track of the scores of the super final on the board, and we discussed how the athletes are judged on three categories, but moguls has the greatest weight (50%) than speed (25%) and jumps (25%). This allowed us to talk about percentages and fractions. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">When the athlete was finished with his run, I would get their predictions. First, what percent range (60%, 70%, 80%, 90%) would his score be, and what place would he be in. They really got into the predictions, and I loved hearing their reasons. They knew that moguls were the most important part, so they ripped the athletes apart. “His legs came apart! His legs came apart!” When the final skier, Mikael Kingsbury of Canada, started hitting the moguls wrong and his legs came apart, all of us were shocked to see him end up in second! His speed was slower than the others, his moguls weren’t good, and his jumps were average. In our books, he got fourth. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Bearded Wonder</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Swede Per Spett participates in moguls, and he’s got a full-on Duck Dynasty beard and long hair - definitely not someone you think was from Sweden. He’s a little on the chunky side and goes down with reckless abandon, but his jumps are nuts - his final jump was a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">giant</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> front flip that went over half of those tiny moguls! He didn’t make it to the final, but I hope you got a chance to see him in qualification.</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ato! Ato!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Normal track commentator Ato Boldin - whom I adore - is covering the Winter Olympics this year. It’s as if NBC heard me say, “I wish Ato Boldin was here.” I wonder if they hear me say, “You know what this figure skating could use? Rowdy Gaines!” (he does swimming)</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Czech balance</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (like it?): Another medal for the Czechs! Clearly the Winter Games are the Czech Republic’s strongpoint. Biathlete Ondrej Moravic won silver. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh, you Wisconsin cities and your weird names</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: While watching speedskating on the online international English coverage, the British announcer said that Tucker Fredricks trained in “Wawn-ken-sher” Wisconsin. He meant Waukesha. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking of Wisconsin</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: I got </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Denver Post</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> today to cut out pictures for my Olympic collage bulletin board, and I was thrilled to see so many color photos of Olympic events! It just reminds me how ticked off I was four years ago, because </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Wisconsin State Journal</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had AWFUL sports pictures of the Olympics. I checked - I did write about my displeasure back then, and I repeat it now. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I usually hate sob pieces, but…</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I love Alex Bilodeau’s brother. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SHORT TRACK!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It’s been too long, my friend. How about Victor Ahn, who won for South Korea eight years ago? He is super tall. He’s the Usain Bolt of short track. And short track is like the Roman chariot racing of Olympic sports - everyone wants to see a wipeout! </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white;">And isn’t it awesome that Apolo Ohno is doing commentary now? He did great!</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s amazing how everyone has really stepped up to the South Korean dominance in short track. I think that a South Korean struggle might not bode well for everyone, because in 2018 South Korea will host the Winter Games, and they will be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ready</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> if they fail this time around.</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My weakness</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: When it comes to Olympic viewing, I enjoy many different events. However, I have a hard time getting into team events with “round robins.” This includes hockey and curling in the Winter Games. When I talk to my father, he mentions the latest hockey score, but that’s one thing that I can’t get into. I need some immediacy to my events - qualification, a few rounds, and a medal. Having events that are stretched out like seasons makes it hard for me to watch regularly. I will watch in the medal rounds, but not right now. </span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Did You Know</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: That short track converts to figure skating. Did not realize that - I thought they were two separate rinks under one roof!</span></span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slalom is crazy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: How people can see those blue and red poles and know how to go down a steep hill </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> alternate between the two colors at breakneck speed is impossible in my eyes. </span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tomorrow there’s a ton going on - from women’s luge finals to women’s ski jumping finals to women’s long-track finals to MEN’S HALFPIPE. Time to see SJ Shaun White in action!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O59HCwMPl8EAQihlM-aY8M3O_WpV_LiY9R7L0J0_I78GgbeIYFiQfsbFQh0WvIdkYDIDwKDsHFDq3e7uk-h2Htj6Nf791ZWcL7SEF2zjdMPnXo_Pw4egZ60K2BeIfM4AeIELgu7og-Q/s1600/olympic_rings_568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O59HCwMPl8EAQihlM-aY8M3O_WpV_LiY9R7L0J0_I78GgbeIYFiQfsbFQh0WvIdkYDIDwKDsHFDq3e7uk-h2Htj6Nf791ZWcL7SEF2zjdMPnXo_Pw4egZ60K2BeIfM4AeIELgu7og-Q/s1600/olympic_rings_568.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>

Day 4: Moguls are the tiny hills that kill your knees.

I spent a lot of this evening watching the two US curling events that took place today - the women vs. Switzerland, and the men vs. Norway. ...

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A Future Chinese Hegemony In Asia?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVhii9lzdruzefEZ_qU1xQdT-az7Y8Oi-r9l0MFmQq78zfcMltEvl1gvvF5J7X-WIh7C0Js9AeIDFd9wKjaDkjJjs0ZGxDISLmbURecugRy1oyfKbWzmzkUWsOJ-frOYn0rV_HIgSkR9A/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVhii9lzdruzefEZ_qU1xQdT-az7Y8Oi-r9l0MFmQq78zfcMltEvl1gvvF5J7X-WIh7C0Js9AeIDFd9wKjaDkjJjs0ZGxDISLmbURecugRy1oyfKbWzmzkUWsOJ-frOYn0rV_HIgSkR9A/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 5, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What Would Chinese Hegemony Look Like? -- Robert E. Kelly, The Diplomat</b></span></div><br />It is certainly not inevitable, but what form would a Sinic Monroe Doctrine take?<br /><br />East Asia is becoming, in the language of international relations theory, “bipolar.” That metaphor, from magnetism, suggests two large states with overlapping spheres of influence competing for regional leadership. The Cold War was a famous global example of bipolarity. Most states in the world tilted toward the United States or the Soviet Union in a worldwide, zero-sum competition. Although analysts have hesitated for many years in applying such strong language to East Asia, this is now increasingly accepted. A lengthy twilight struggle between China and Japan, with U.S. backing, seems in the offing.<br /><br />Until recently, Asia was arguably “multipolar”—there was no one state large enough to dominate and many roughly equal states competed for influence. China’s dramatic rise has unbalanced that rough equity. China is now the world’s second largest GDP. Although its growth is slowing, it is still expanding at triple the rate of the U.S. economy and six times the rate of Japan’s. By 2020 China is predicted to be the world’s largest economy. Its population, 1.35 billion, is enormous. One in seven persons on the planet is Chinese. Were China’s GDP per capita to ever reach Japanese or American levels, its total GDP would match that of entire planet today. These heady numbers almost certainly inspire images of national glory or a return to the “middle kingdom,” in Beijing. They help account for China’s increasingly tough claims in the East and South China Seas.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/what-would-chinese-hegemony-look-like/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> Robert Kelly's last sentence in his post sums it up perfectly .... <i>The era of U.S. preponderance in Asia is coming to an end.</i>

A Future Chinese Hegemony In Asia?

The first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 5, 2013. [Photo/X...

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Is China's Military Now Acting Independently From Beijing?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l7i6jkK3-pPK6v-vlCu8iBRFt6cxX2_XXyh9U3eze7mh9aFNoBcLs82d_8utH5ELf43ytPTFbrakNw8vTnkdOnmIZXC-UdQvxUk5ClDEtGlkpH8A-7ZSvLvJC-Qgolzi3Yhvo5I5IW7n/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l7i6jkK3-pPK6v-vlCu8iBRFt6cxX2_XXyh9U3eze7mh9aFNoBcLs82d_8utH5ELf43ytPTFbrakNw8vTnkdOnmIZXC-UdQvxUk5ClDEtGlkpH8A-7ZSvLvJC-Qgolzi3Yhvo5I5IW7n/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">File photo taken in December 2012 shows Xi Jinping has a lunch with soldiers during his inspection to the Guangzhou Military Region in south China. (Xinhua)</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is The PLA Going Rogue? -- Minxin Pei, National Interest</b></span></div><br />One of the worries many people have about a potential military confrontation between China and its neighbors in East Asia is whether Beijing’s civilian leadership has a firm grip on the military. This particular concern has been aroused by a series of disturbing incidents going back a decade—<a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL30946.pdf">the collision between a Chinese jet fighter with an American naval surveillance plane near Hainan Island in April 2001</a>, the surprise <a href="http://celestrak.com/publications/AMOS/2007/AMOS-2007.pdf">test of an anti-satellite weapon in January 2007</a>, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/world/asia/12fighter.html?_r=0">the rollout of a stealth fighter during the visit by Defense Secretary Robert Gates in January 2011</a>, and various others.<br /><br />Most recently, as territorial disputes between China and Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands escalated, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) actions triggered even louder alarms. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/06/world/asia/japan-china-islands-dispute.html">One of its warships aimed its fire-control radar at a Japanese destroyer</a> in February last year, an act that could have provoked an accidental conflict. In November 2013, <a href="http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/chinas-adiz-area-denial-9492">the PLA suddenly announced the establishment of an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) that overlaps with those of Japan</a>, South Korea, Taiwan, and covers the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.<br /><br />In early December last year, in another hair-raising encounter, <a href="http://www.stripes.com/news/us/hagel-calls-chinese-actions-toward-uss-cowpens-irresponsible-1.258458">a Chinese naval vessel intentionally cut in front of an American missile cruiser</a>, which was monitoring a Chinese naval exercise in the international waters in the South China Sea. Only the quick reaction by the American crew averted a collision that could have resulted in a maritime disaster.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/the-pla-going-rogue-9846">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> The Chinese Communist Party has always kept a tight lid on the military .... and I suspect that this level of control is still there. But it is also true that there have been instances where military commanders appear to have acted independently .... hence raising these doubts and concerns from China's neighbors and from the U.S..

Is China's Military Now Acting Independently From Beijing?

File photo taken in December 2012 shows Xi Jinping has a lunch with soldiers during his inspection to the Guangzhou Military Region in south...

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China Unveils It's Newest Mobile ICBM

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYDRHNqcdeyxGElIRSBHVL3Iba7pgHlq7JTMh88ZCXi6Hjuhzqnnm4k0b806efBNzxD4j2FA6Cq5VE1z99gJpSuNqS_ydLylPWizbsb6_VnPsJU5jOXr9ICnikoJRrgDhwRg__iDKB1Ep/s1600/200px-US-DefenseIntelligenceAgency-Seal.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYDRHNqcdeyxGElIRSBHVL3Iba7pgHlq7JTMh88ZCXi6Hjuhzqnnm4k0b806efBNzxD4j2FA6Cq5VE1z99gJpSuNqS_ydLylPWizbsb6_VnPsJU5jOXr9ICnikoJRrgDhwRg__iDKB1Ep/s1600/200px-US-DefenseIntelligenceAgency-Seal.svg.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Photo:</b> China's DF-41 missile</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">China Shows New Mobile ICBM On Internet -- Washington Free Beacon</span></b></div><br /><i>Photo reportedly shows missile leaving manufacturing plant</i><br /><br />China’s military recently disclosed a new photo of its longest-range mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a key element of Beijing’s large-scale strategic nuclear buildup.<br /><br />The photograph of the missile reportedly leaving a manufacturing plant in China was posted online Jan. 31 in what a military enthusiast website stated was the transfer of the missile from a factory to a military unit.<br /><br />The photograph shows the mobile missile covered in blue tarp and escorted by security police from the factory.<br /><br />The Chinese military frequently discloses such images online as part of efforts to highlight its nuclear forces, among the most secret elements of Beijing’s military forces.<br /><br />According to the online posting by a user identified only as “witten,” the missile was described as the Second Artillery Corps’ Dong Feng-41 (DF-41) ICBM.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://freebeacon.com/china-shows-new-mobile-icbm-on-internet/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> The Chinese are no longer even hiding their nuclear weapons program .... they want everyone to know that they are now undergoing a large-scale strategic nuclear buildup.

China Unveils It's Newest Mobile ICBM

Photo: China's DF-41 missile China Shows New Mobile ICBM On Internet -- Washington Free Beacon Photo reportedly shows missile leaving m...

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U.S. Report: China Will Use EMP Weapons Against The US

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCWsChzfK7pUoql3c7PSWagseae9fNTIkADYjm8o41uwzGK1eg0Fg8Zv2hN1L3n_NU5Rbu6NKaU6Lw4uD0QOyIEUDSnR8k-z9NT8OJD-qc5pa5E2Ra0ItPiJlF2g9FYh9H7C10Vd_yEja/s1600/us_postal_service_logo-325.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCWsChzfK7pUoql3c7PSWagseae9fNTIkADYjm8o41uwzGK1eg0Fg8Zv2hN1L3n_NU5Rbu6NKaU6Lw4uD0QOyIEUDSnR8k-z9NT8OJD-qc5pa5E2Ra0ItPiJlF2g9FYh9H7C10Vd_yEja/s1600/us_postal_service_logo-325.gif" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>In Any Cross-Strait War China Will Use EMP Weapons Against US: Report -- Want China Times</b></span></div><br />China is likely to mobilize electromagnetic pulse weapons against the United States in any potential war over the Taiwan strait, according to a report prepared by F. Michael Maloof, a retired US defense department official for the WorldNetDaily, a conservative news website based in Washington.<br /><br />Given the possibility that the United States Navy will deploy its aircraft carrier to the Western Pacific in the event of China entering into a territorial conflict with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines over the East and South China Sea or launching any potential military action against Taiwan, Maloof indicated that the People's Liberation Army is looking to use the electromagnetic pulse weapons as part of a "one-two punch" to knock out the defensive electronics aboard the US vessels. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20140209000048&cid=1101">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> If China explodes a nuclear device to generate an EMP pulse .... the assumption in Asia/U.S./and else where is that China is about to use the rest of it's nuclear arsenal. In such a scenario .... U.S. nuclear command will be only one step from launching it's own retaliatory strike against the Chinese mainland.

U.S. Report: China Will Use EMP Weapons Against The US

In Any Cross-Strait War China Will Use EMP Weapons Against US: Report -- Want China Times China is likely to mobilize electromagnetic pulse ...

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Iran Is Escalating It's Military Threats Against The U.S. (Updated)

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0Csxf8fyZjQ" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Iran Escalates Military Threats Against United States -- Times of Israel</b></span></div><br />IRGC navy commander warns that country can sink US aircraft carriers, while defense minister promises response to military attack<br /><br />Despite the signing of a landmark nuclear deal in November with the P5+1 world powers, and a moderate tone coming from President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, Iranian defense officials escalated sharply their rhetoric against the United States over the weekend.<br /><br />On Sunday, Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy Commander Ali Fadavi said that the US knows that its aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf would be sunk if it launched a military strike on Iran.<br /><br />“The Americans can sense by all means how their warships will be sunk with 5,000 crews and forces in combat against Iran and how they should find its hulk in the depths of the sea,” said Fadavi, according to Fars news agency.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-escalates-threats-against-united-states/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Previous Post</b>: <a href="http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.ca/2014/02/iran-announces-that-it-is-sending-its.html">Iran Announces That It Is Sending It's Naval Fleet To The U.S. Coast</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On Iran Escalating Their War Rhetoric Against The U.S.</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/10/iran-ratchets-threats-us-can-sense-how-their-warsh/">Iran Ratchets Threats: ‘U.S. ‘Can Sense … How Their Warships Will Be Sunk’</a> -- Washington Times<br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/Iranian-Threat/News/Iranian-admiral-The-US-can-expect-heavy-losses-at-sea-should-it-attack-Iran-340940">Iranian admiral: The US can expect heavy losses at sea should it attack Iran </a>-- Jerusalem Post<br /><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2554900/Iranian-warships-sailing-US-borders-time-send-message.html?ico=ushome^headlines">Iranian warships will sail to U.S. maritime borders for first time to send 'a message' to the White House</a> -- Daily Mail<br /><a href="http://freebeacon.com/iranian-navy-commander-vows-to-sink-u-s-warships/">Iranian Navy Commander Vows to Sink U.S. Warships </a>-- Washington Free Beacon<br /><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/iran-warships-to-approach-us-maritime-borders/1847472.html">Iran: Warships to Approach US Maritime Borders</a> -- Voice of America<br /><a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/02/09/Iran-says-its-sending-warships-to-US-maritime-borders/UPI-70041391953078/">Iran says it's sending warships to U.S. maritime borders </a>-- UPI<br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/09/world/meast/iran-navy/">Report: Iran sending warships toward U.S. maritime borders</a> -- CNN<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/08/us-iran-usa-navy-idUSBREA170VA20140208">Iran says warships sailing towards U.S.: agency </a>-- Reuters<br /><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/report-iran-sends-warships-u-s-maritime-borders-n25721">Report: Iran Sends Warships To U.S. Maritime Borders </a>-- NBC

Iran Is Escalating It's Military Threats Against The U.S. (Updated)

Iran Escalates Military Threats Against United States -- Times of Israel IRGC navy commander warns that country can sink US aircraft carrier...

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Why The U.S. Navy Is Not Worried About Iranian Warships Off The Coast Of The U.S.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipx0TqS0uEn9SChIQrRPPb1feUREIi90JOXabeFKdFVwphw1ltTX_iYFid3V3Ek97ypJ5w9u0NdUCX8HatN-5OcMtSZwzbLYGlZu_zEycburri-0fbUUenKFcbKa4_tW8CW9xuHtM77qA/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipx0TqS0uEn9SChIQrRPPb1feUREIi90JOXabeFKdFVwphw1ltTX_iYFid3V3Ek97ypJ5w9u0NdUCX8HatN-5OcMtSZwzbLYGlZu_zEycburri-0fbUUenKFcbKa4_tW8CW9xuHtM77qA/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A starboard quarter view of the Iranian destroyer escort ITS ROSTAM (DE-73), now redesignated the frigate IS SABALAN (F-73). NOTE: This vessel was heavily damaged on 19 April 1988 by air attack of units of CVW-11 from the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) in retaliation for the mining of the USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS (FFG-58) in the Persian Gulf. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_frigate_Sabalan">Wikipedia</a></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>These Are the Entirely Crappy Warships Iran Says It’s Sending to the U.S. Coast -- David Axe, War Is Boring</b></span></div><br /><i>A 45-year-old destroyer and Iran’s only big tanker ship</i><br /><br />A senior admiral of the Iranian navy said on Feb. 8 that Tehran is sending two warships near American waters in retaliation for U.S. naval deployments around Iran.<br /><br />“Iran’s military fleet is approaching the United States’ maritime borders, and this move has a message,” Adm. Afshin Rezayee Haddad told Iranian state media, according to U.S. news reports.<br /><br />Haddad called the deployment “Iran’s response to Washington’s beefed up naval presence in the Persian Gulf.”<br /><br />Never mind that the U.S. Navy has actually reduced its forces in the Persian Gulf. Today the Navy has just one nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, in the Gulf along with the amphibious assault ship Boxer. Two years ago the Americans had two carriers near Iran, but budget cuts ended that that practice.<br /><br /><b><a href="https://medium.com/war-is-boring/628995a1bb95">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Update #1:</b> <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/10/iran-warships-threat-to-usa-coast/5365335/">Iranian warships pose little threat to U.S. homeland</a> -- USA Today<br /><b>Update #2</b>: <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/177238#.UvkcfYW0ykM">Washington Plays Down Iranian Navy's Threats </a>-- Arutz Sheva<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> A 45 year old destroyer and a supply ship .... not much of a threat there. My prediction .... expect this Iranian "fleet" to be "watched and hounded" when they are a few hundred miles from the U.S. coast .... if they can get there.

Why The U.S. Navy Is Not Worried About Iranian Warships Off The Coast Of The U.S.

A starboard quarter view of the Iranian destroyer escort ITS ROSTAM (DE-73), now redesignated the frigate IS SABALAN (F-73). NOTE: This vess...

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Did Iranian Special Forces Breech A U.S. Aircraft Carrier's Perimeter Defenses Last Year?

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TS-MHvDylUo" width="420"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Iranian Navy Secretly Filmed A US Air Craft Carrier At Less Than 500 Meters -- Ground Report</b></span></div><br />Last year we reported on a matter where the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) naval forces secretly recorded an almost one-hour-long video of a US aircraft carrier operating in the Persian Gulf from a very close distance. This was confirmed by a senior IRGC commander at the time.<br /><br />The footage was recorded at less than a distance of 500 meters which is close enough to launch an surprise attack!<br /><br />This is the first time that Iranian forces have tracked, photographed and recorded video of a US aircraft carrier this closely.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://groundreport.com/iranian-navy-secretly-filmed-a-us-air-craft-carrier-at-less-than-500-meters/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment: </b>This is the first time that I am reading this report .... and I have found no video evidence of such an operation. Is this Iranian government propaganda? I can only hope so.<br /><br />On a side note .... the above video is from an Iranian source that claims that one of their drones was able to monitor the USS Ronald Reagan in the Persian Gulf in 2006.

Did Iranian Special Forces Breech A U.S. Aircraft Carrier's Perimeter Defenses Last Year?

Iranian Navy Secretly Filmed A US Air Craft Carrier At Less Than 500 Meters -- Ground Report Last year we reported on a matter where the Isl...

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Iran Claims To Have Developed A New Generation Of Centrifuges To Enrich Uranium

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Rb8TeAMS2p8" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Iran Claims New Generation Of 15-Times-Faster Centrifuges -- Times of Israel</b></span></div><br />Tehran nuclear chief reserves right to resume enrichment to 60% if needed; Israeli team to meet US negotiators ahead of next week’s nuclear talks<br /><br />Iran’s nuclear chief declared that his country has developed a new generation of centrifuges 15 times more powerful than those currently being used to enrich uranium, and said it might resume enrichment to 60% if necessary.<br /><br />We unveiled a new generation of centrifuges that surprised the Westerners,” said Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday. “This new machine is 15 times more powerful than the previous generation,” he claimed, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.<br /><br />Salehi added that the development did not violate the November 24 Geneva interim agreement between Iran and six world powers that has imposed curbs on Tehran’s nuclear drive. “We successfully argued that this was allowed within the research and development article in the agreement,” Salehi said.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-claims-new-generation-of-15-times-faster-centrifuges/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On Iran's Nuclear Program</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/iran-says-new-centrifuges/991378.html">Iran says new centrifuges developed to enrich uranium</a> -- Channel News Asia<br /><a href="http://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2014/2/10/iran-unveils-new-generation-of-nuclear-centrifuges#.UvlKoYW0ykM">New generation of Iran nuclear centrifuges unveiled</a> -- JNS<br /><a href="http://phys.org/news/2014-02-iran-centrifuge-enrich-uranium.html">Iran says new centrifuge developed to enrich uranium</a> -- Phys.org<br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/Iranian-Threat/News/Rouhani-says-Irans-doors-open-to-UN-nuclear-watchdog-as-Tehran-unveils-centrifuges-missiles-340981">Rouhani says Iran's doors open to UN nuclear watchdog as Tehran unveils centrifuges, missiles</a> -- Jerusalem Post<br /><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/02/10/un-atomic-agency-says-progress-made-in-iran-nuke-probe-but-still-long-way-to-go/">UN atomic agency says progress made in Iran nuke probe but still a long way to go </a>-- FOX News/AP<br /><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iaea-says-iran-cooperating-with-probe-into-alleged-nuclear-weapons-but-outstanding-issues/">IAEA inspector says Iran cooperating with probe into alleged nuclear weapons work, but "lot of outstanding issues" </a>-- CBS News/Reuters<br /><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140210/iran-sets-red-lines-ahead-fresh-nuclear-talks">Iran sets 'red lines' ahead of fresh nuclear talks</a> -- Global Post/AFP<br /><a href="http://www.tasnimnews.com/English/Home/Single/279188">Salehi: Iran Not to Lose Anything in N. Technology</a> -- Tasnim News Agency

Iran Claims To Have Developed A New Generation Of Centrifuges To Enrich Uranium

Iran Claims New Generation Of 15-Times-Faster Centrifuges -- Times of Israel Tehran nuclear chief reserves right to resume enrichment to 60%...

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Iran Claims To Have Successfully Test Fired Two Long-Range Missiles

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/p2orUEsqXM8" width="420"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Iran Test-Fires Long-Range Missile: Minister -- Reuters</b></span></div><br />ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's military has successfully test-fired two new domestically made missiles, the defense minister said on Monday according to state television, ahead of talks with world powers to try to reach an agreement on curbing Tehran's nuclear program.<br /><br />Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said one of them was a long-range ballistic missile with radar-evading capabilities.<br /><br />"The new generation of long-range ground-to-ground ballistic missile with a fragmentation warhead and the laser-guided air-to-surface and surface-to-surface missile dubbed Bina (Insightful) have been successfully test-fired," state television quoted him as saying.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/iran-successfully-test-fires-long-range-missile-irna-192932288.html;_ylt=AwrBEiEWKflSCSUASVTQtDMD">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On Reports That Iran Successfully Have Test Fired Two Long Range Missiles</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-iran-successfully-test-fires-2-missiles/">Report: Iran successfully test-fires 2 missiles</a> -- CBS/AP<br /><a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/669998/iran-claims-to-have-tested-two-new-missiles/">Iran claims to have tested two new missiles </a>-- Express Tribune<br /><a href="http://freebeacon.com/white-house-draws-red-line-on-iranian-ballistic-missile-program/">White House Draws Red Line on Iranian Ballistic Missile Program </a>-- Washington Free Beacon<br /><a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/10/iran-our-ballistic-missile-program-is-off-limits-during-nuclear-talks/">Iran: Our ballistic missile program is off limits during nuclear talks </a>-- RAW Story/AFP

Iran Claims To Have Successfully Test Fired Two Long-Range Missiles

Iran Test-Fires Long-Range Missile: Minister -- Reuters ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's military has successfully test-fired two new domestica...

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Is Russia Withholding Information On Olympic Threats?

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ko58hGlgP6s" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Russia Withholds Information On Olympic Threats, US Lawmakers Say -- McClatchy News</b></span></div><br />WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence officials are frustrated that the Russian government is withholding information about threats to Olympic venues coming from inside Russia, several lawmakers said on talk shows Sunday.<br /><br />"We aren't getting the kind of cooperation that we'd like from the Russians in terms of their internal threats," Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said on "Fox News Sunday."<br /><br />"It means that we're less effective in protecting our people, and that's a frustration," Schiff said.<br /><br />More than 70,000 Russian security officers have been deployed to protect the Olympic venues in Sochi. Russian President Vladimir Putin describes the layers of security around Sochi as the "ring of steel."<br /><br />The United States has set up a command center in Sochi with about 150 security personnel from the FBI, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.<br /><br />The American ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, said the U.S. is "quite satisfied" with the cooperation coming from Russian security officials.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/02/09/217529/russia-withholds-information-on.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/B172zhEgGBY" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On Olympic Security And Terror Threats</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/09/us-olympics-usa-security-idUSBREA180QK20140209">U.S. lawmakers see serious threat of attacks in Russia during Olympics</a> -- Reuters<br /><a href="http://swampland.time.com/2014/02/09/sochi-security-congressmen/">Lawmakers Warn Of Terror Threat At Sochi</a> -- Time<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-09/sochi-olympics-security-appropriate-u-dot-s-dot-delegation-head-says">Sochi Security Risks Far From Over, U.S. Delegation Says</a> -- Bloomberg Businessweek<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/02/09/mccaul-high-degree-of-probability-something-will-detonate-near-olympics/">McCaul: ‘High degree of probability’ something will ‘detonate’ near Olympics</a> -- Washington Post<br /><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rep-michael-mccaul-high-probability-of-terror-attack-at-sochi-olympics/">Rep. Michael McCaul: High probability of terror attack at Sochi Olympics</a> -- CBS<br /><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/02/09/attack-outside-sochi-olympics-is-biggest-security-concern/">Attack Outside Sochi Is Security Concern </a>-- Wall Street Journal<br /><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/9/intelligence-chair-guards-gates-and-guns-mitigate-/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS">Intelligence chair: ‘Guards, gates and guns’ mitigate Olympics threats</a> -- Washington Times

Is Russia Withholding Information On Olympic Threats?

Russia Withholds Information On Olympic Threats, US Lawmakers Say -- McClatchy News WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence officials are frustrated ...

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Spain Issues Arrest Warrants For Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin And Former Premier Li Peng

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlylw0GNeiUjGUIkQbWs_i8awmoVQmN32Ap2AlfCm3DYC6EAIF4vcNSGDiPjDQl-zESF7qs4nWruhyphenhyphen_XE4grEoypswV_rOyFFagkfzw-_EEs0jXsfMzgu9sNEvzjJZn74OjHKxmr_K5Jc/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlylw0GNeiUjGUIkQbWs_i8awmoVQmN32Ap2AlfCm3DYC6EAIF4vcNSGDiPjDQl-zESF7qs4nWruhyphenhyphen_XE4grEoypswV_rOyFFagkfzw-_EEs0jXsfMzgu9sNEvzjJZn74OjHKxmr_K5Jc/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, left, and ex-prime minister Li Peng have been accused of crimes against humanity in Tibet.<b> </b>(Andrew Wong/Reuters)</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Spanish Judge Issues Arrest Warrants For China's Former President, Prime Minister -- CNN</b></span></div><br />Madrid (CNN) -- A Spanish judge issued international arrest warrants Monday for China's former President Jiang Zemin and former Prime Minister Li Peng for alleged genocide against the people of Tibet, Spain's National Court in Madrid said.<br /><br />The warrants against them and three other senior Chinese officials are the latest chapter in a long-running lawsuit by pro-Tibetan groups and a dual Tibetan-Spanish citizen who seek international legal action against some Chinese officials.<br /><br />Judge Ismael Moreno issued the arrest warrants for alleged "genocide, torture and crimes against humanity," and ordered them to be sent to Interpol, the international police agency, according to a copy of the order viewed by CNN.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/10/world/europe/spain-chinese-officials-arrest-warrants/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On Spain Issuing Arrest Warrants For Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin And Former Premier Li Peng</b></span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/agencia-efe/140210/spanish-judge-orders-former-chinese-presidents-arrest-over-tibet-ki">Spanish judge orders former Chinese president's arrest over Tibet killings</a> -- Global Post/EFE<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/spain-court-signs-chinese-leaders-arrest-warrants/2014/02/10/abf84e96-926d-11e3-b3f7-f5107432ca45_story.html">Spain court signs Chinese leaders’ arrest warrants </a>-- Washington Post/AP<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-china-spain-idUSBREA191J520140210">Spain seeks arrest of former Chinese president over Tibet</a> -- Reuters<br /><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140210/spain-judge-orders-arrest-former-china-president-jiang-zemin">Spain judge orders arrest of former China president Jiang Zemin</a> -- Global Post/AFP<br /><a href="http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/spain-issues-arrest-order-for-jiang-zemin-li-peng/">Spain Issues Arrest Order For Jiang Zemin, Li Peng</a> -- The Diplomat

Spain Issues Arrest Warrants For Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin And Former Premier Li Peng

Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, left, and ex-prime minister Li Peng have been accused of crimes against humanity in Tibet. (Andrew Wo...

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Syria Needs George Clooney

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN2LK8w6M9TWX_C_xjfBb127hDXmgt3aYII5nDUlZyFP2NerIWvroaiwTwsAqNzU3Hh1Qb70foUuEWb-wBrhPzOmBkMccTOzxEVkhyphenhypheni8pbrNwbvSEy6DJeROkF_WYAhOCM2uby6aihLha/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN2LK8w6M9TWX_C_xjfBb127hDXmgt3aYII5nDUlZyFP2NerIWvroaiwTwsAqNzU3Hh1Qb70foUuEWb-wBrhPzOmBkMccTOzxEVkhyphenhypheni8pbrNwbvSEy6DJeROkF_WYAhOCM2uby6aihLha/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">George Clooney, co-founder of ''Not On Our Watch,'' listens to opening remarks before speaking on a recent trip to Sudan and on the in-country situation at an event held by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington October 12, 2010. Credit: Reuters/Molly Riley</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why Syria Needs George Clooney -- Jeremy Barnicle, Special to CNN</b></span></div><br />Beirut, Lebanon (CNN) -- Syria needs lots of things right now. One of them is George Clooney.<br /><br />Let me explain. As the Geneva II talks this week made clear, there is no end in sight for the bloody three-year war in Syria. In the meantime, more than 100,000 people have been killed, the country is destroyed, and millions of Syrians have fled their homes, half of them children.<br /><br />This is the defining war and humanitarian crisis of this decade, which was underscored by my visit to Syrian refugees here this week.<br /><br />And yet there is no outcry from the broader rich-country public to end the suffering there.<br /><br />To the extent that the media cover Syria, it is a diplomatic and political story. My media contacts say they need a "fresh angle" on the humanitarian aspect of Syria in order to get it covered.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/30/opinion/syria-george-clooney-jeremy-barnicle/index.html?hpt=op_bn4">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> Syria needs a hundred George Clooneys

Syria Needs George Clooney

George Clooney, co-founder of ''Not On Our Watch,'' listens to opening remarks before speaking on a recent trip to Sudan and...

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Mother Nature and Old Man Winter Can Kiss My Clean Shaven Head

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkIch1t-QiCiWRcjlWBJJdtt1m64pFQrH6axyVxhlCPm4FEYfEPX3bZOfKtq4HaAtA1FpBgLKVuDDPTrYNQYAkFluipP22l4DUBIPUIkvOBNA8UBo4O_Ui3WvvMRqBCT7h78LVrMjRASm/s1600/mother+nature+old+man+winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkIch1t-QiCiWRcjlWBJJdtt1m64pFQrH6axyVxhlCPm4FEYfEPX3bZOfKtq4HaAtA1FpBgLKVuDDPTrYNQYAkFluipP22l4DUBIPUIkvOBNA8UBo4O_Ui3WvvMRqBCT7h78LVrMjRASm/s1600/mother+nature+old+man+winter.jpg" width="225" /></a>Cheeeeeers Bitches!!<br /><br />Y’know?  I can’t speak for everyone…<br /><br />But Old Man Winter and Mother Nature have been having a sub-zero FuckFest this winter at our expense.<br /><br />These past three and half months here in Ohio, have been nothing but an endless stream of bullshit…And I’m talking cold, snowy, booger freezing bullshit.<br /><br />It has snowed nearly every damn day, and the cold air clings to us like a Danish tiger clinging to a lifeless, yet delicious giraffe.<br /><br />For weeks, I have told myself that weather patterns will change and we’ll at least hit our averages of mid-30’s during the day, but…no such luck.  We have been mired in the teens during the days, and in the single to below zero digits during the nights.<br /><br />So?<br /><br />I am taking extreme measures, and willing the temps to moderate using extreme measures of Karma.<br /><br />After weeks of growing a beard and a sparsely populated head of hair in order to combat the polar vortices that have smothered our area this winter season, I have cleaned myself up, and shaved both face and head.<br /><br />Here was my rugged winter chin at approximately 8:30 PM last night…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME0zsjIsu_cNsL0A2mP90xeYSVgvnIWRJl3AzKVNzeG82MvK6jvKpJb7YDxIzr_d84WB5EEk-_pVab9qBu9Jbv-tR0ktmV2D6liSYkpwUJaik9RXxPPWjLZ6OKg-OdcqjJiBoG0z2t7zt/s1600/Bad+Beard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME0zsjIsu_cNsL0A2mP90xeYSVgvnIWRJl3AzKVNzeG82MvK6jvKpJb7YDxIzr_d84WB5EEk-_pVab9qBu9Jbv-tR0ktmV2D6liSYkpwUJaik9RXxPPWjLZ6OKg-OdcqjJiBoG0z2t7zt/s1600/Bad+Beard.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />And here is my smooth, luxurious chin and face now…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1AZfULV5X-6fbuo59mVhCBt8k0oGnYS4JoreVMIdjRekfgCA_87P_0vdo7GiGwuAczOBwNO46FtD6TR5EQp1mPxl2VUECZbseTivEEm2-gUSseSK4uyOEDdycolRUcs0xDNvoGs0vMPK/s1600/Sexy+Goatee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1AZfULV5X-6fbuo59mVhCBt8k0oGnYS4JoreVMIdjRekfgCA_87P_0vdo7GiGwuAczOBwNO46FtD6TR5EQp1mPxl2VUECZbseTivEEm2-gUSseSK4uyOEDdycolRUcs0xDNvoGs0vMPK/s1600/Sexy+Goatee.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Here was my fucked up looking think melon last night at the same time…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMacgmnTsloiUSz02MHK186CVrk0oOmh2lEbPmvIy4U83rrnAx36YHDncb_7eoL3buLvw4tq_048Em4wob70B4L1k1BKD4ku1QHdaJKX5wN1eZV5wp9-UwhtfAzqtKdlBX9ukkDr3i2Qq/s1600/Stupid+Bald+Guy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMacgmnTsloiUSz02MHK186CVrk0oOmh2lEbPmvIy4U83rrnAx36YHDncb_7eoL3buLvw4tq_048Em4wob70B4L1k1BKD4ku1QHdaJKX5wN1eZV5wp9-UwhtfAzqtKdlBX9ukkDr3i2Qq/s1600/Stupid+Bald+Guy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />And here is my sexy, smooth container of a genius IQ now…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIbRz1D-omvN_ZqJPDzAWHm7RSbB-jml0kZHFyM2pX-TbHQ5yuDtQOHd971dEpxuNKfObMEuzKbsr6YWPjSm9Vl9qRyxJ9zCYKuBSuxwSkDKb4_imarxo2zV38WSYsNTr82cqerwSKbDV/s1600/Hot+Bald+Guy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIbRz1D-omvN_ZqJPDzAWHm7RSbB-jml0kZHFyM2pX-TbHQ5yuDtQOHd971dEpxuNKfObMEuzKbsr6YWPjSm9Vl9qRyxJ9zCYKuBSuxwSkDKb4_imarxo2zV38WSYsNTr82cqerwSKbDV/s1600/Hot+Bald+Guy.JPG" width="303" /></a></div><br />Pretty sexy, no?<br /><br />Damn right, and let me tell you…<br /><br />I know it’s going to continue to be cold for the foreseeable future, but mark my words, my courage in doing the follicle cleansing is going to make the Gods and Goddesses of Warmth shine upon me, and Old Man Winter and Mother Nature will be kissing my ass.<br /><br />And they should…mainly because I am now bald, clean shaven, and most of all…I'm beautiful.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_arYTZwc0npHxOj9YBCA7spLQNBQPs2Zm_9Kx5wAd6sjyWnbNGxWjDxPHRa_90juLHTDjSW7GWLlf8ERQimW4oGKMBRUlcxhDlUXtFE0CrhH4Ota9bXX2Yyb1u5D8pcWi0WkSsWAMaFjK/s1600/Sexy+Bald+Guy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_arYTZwc0npHxOj9YBCA7spLQNBQPs2Zm_9Kx5wAd6sjyWnbNGxWjDxPHRa_90juLHTDjSW7GWLlf8ERQimW4oGKMBRUlcxhDlUXtFE0CrhH4Ota9bXX2Yyb1u5D8pcWi0WkSsWAMaFjK/s1600/Sexy+Bald+Guy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Or Something.<br /><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br />Matt-Man<br /><br /><i><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a></i><br /><i><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">@mattman_iwsradio</span></a></i><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mattmaniws" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: blue;">My Facebook Page</span></i></a></div>

Mother Nature and Old Man Winter Can Kiss My Clean Shaven Head

Cheeeeeers Bitches!! Y’know?  I can’t speak for everyone… But Old Man Winter and Mother Nature have been having a sub-zero FuckFest this win...

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The Sarcasm Report v.185

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIRcxdHNjcgqKYTCIsOKx3CkzvbZ13d_CMGO_kD_mEP8HkRLWMMWGu1nEP5cn9XRFxV3w9EXX1Weo4c1ZwFmQjokJdiKfGFUjukOH_rvSb4DqrkX3nX30vJoU903P482ZHP5dcMT-HRU/s1600/Financial+Stress+vs.+SP500.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIRcxdHNjcgqKYTCIsOKx3CkzvbZ13d_CMGO_kD_mEP8HkRLWMMWGu1nEP5cn9XRFxV3w9EXX1Weo4c1ZwFmQjokJdiKfGFUjukOH_rvSb4DqrkX3nX30vJoU903P482ZHP5dcMT-HRU/s320/Financial+Stress+vs.+SP500.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />The blue line shows the annual average of the St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index and the Kansas City Financial Stress Index.<br /><br />The red line shows the negative of the annual average of the real S&P 500 Index (December 2013 dollars).<br /><br />1. The key to maintaining the stock market's currently lofty level is to keep the financial stress at a near record low. That's right. Keep it there permanently. Just say no to stress.<br /><br />2. The key to maintaining the financial stress at a near record low is to keep the stock market at its currently lofty level. That's right. Keep it there permanently. Just say no to stress.<br /><br />What could possibly go wrong with this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_reasoning">circular reasoning</a> strategy? As seen in the chart, <b>there hasn't been this little financial stress in the system since the top of the housing bubble</b> in the mid 2000s! Oh, what a carefree time that was!<br /><br />I am very optimistic about our long-term future!! ZIRP! Employment growth! Real GDP growth! Real median household income growth! Uncharted territory growth! You name it! It's going to be an adventure.<br /><br /><b>February 11, 2014</b><br /><a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/markets/asx-bets-on-derivatives-clearing/story-e6frg916-1226823009473#">ASX bets on derivatives clearing</a><br /><div style="color: #666666;"><br /></div><div style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: red;">"We don't even celebrate trillions any more,"</span> the Englishman recently elevated to the top job of global clearing house LCH Clearnet, told The Australian on a recent visit to Sydney.<br /><br />It's not quite so flippant a comment as it might seem. The arcane world of over-the-counter derivatives such as interest rate swaps that Davie inhabits turns over $600 trillion of notional value a year, so <span style="color: red;">a trillion is not far off being a rounding error</span>.</i></div><br />This concludes the sarcasm report.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=rYc">St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart</a>

The Sarcasm Report v.185

Click to enlarge. The blue line shows the annual average of the St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index and the Kansas City Financial Stress In...

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Bruce Jenner changing over to Bridget

<b><a href="http://www.classicalite.com/articles/5909/20140209/dr-phil-kuwtk-bruce-jenner-woman-supports-sex-change-rumors.htm" style="color: red;">http://www.classicalite.com/articles/5909/20140209/dr-phil-kuwtk-bruce-jenner-woman-supports-sex-change-rumors.htm</a></b><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XO_taIbsc48?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe>

Bruce Jenner changing over to Bridget

http://www.classicalite.com/articles/5909/20140209/dr-phil-kuwtk-bruce-jenner-woman-supports-sex-change-rumors.htm

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31.7 mn Americans tuned in for Olympics opening ceremony (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BI2McqoX0rV2BuCag4E9x95a9eyZTttKHP7QXCgEcSQ0bk64dxtX624U__nEQH1sNY_VcJT98Xb0z7IUvnTovjXsRP5ycLwz85OE57fz6UMrcAkB8NFi8xtQniASIEkdJor5ia8EUdU/s1600/ol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BI2McqoX0rV2BuCag4E9x95a9eyZTttKHP7QXCgEcSQ0bk64dxtX624U__nEQH1sNY_VcJT98Xb0z7IUvnTovjXsRP5ycLwz85OE57fz6UMrcAkB8NFi8xtQniASIEkdJor5ia8EUdU/s1600/ol.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392088116438_3505" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Washington (AFP) - The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics opening ceremony was watched by an impressive 31.7 million viewers in the United States, despite the fact that it aired hours after the fact, NBC said Saturday.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392088116438_3519" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The figure puts the Sochi event "as the most-watched Opening Ceremony for a non-live Winter Games since the 1994 Lillehammer Games," the statement from the network that airs the games on US television said, citing figures from the Nielson Company.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392088116438_3529" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The viewership was just slightly below the 32.7 million Americans who watched the live telecast of the Vancouver Games opening ceremony in 2010.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392088116438_3539" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The strong ratings are "an early sign that our strategy of emphasizing primetime viewing is working," said NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus, justifying the delay in broadcasting the show.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392088116438_3549" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The world press hailed the Sochi opening ceremony as a triumph and show of power for Russian President Vladimir Putin seeking to showcase the post-Soviet revival of the former superpower.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Despite an embarrassing technical glitch at the start -- when one of five illuminated snowflakes which were supposed to morph into the Olympic rings failed to appear -- there was general praise for the spectacle in the Black Sea resort.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">That included cheers from Russians, who gushed at the "fairy tale" spectacle, saying it restored pride missing for too long in the former superpower.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">After a build-up dogged by controversies on issues ranging from Russia's gay rights record to security, the successful ceremony took some pressure off the organizers, who have been under unprecedented scrutiny.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392088116438_3572" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">There was, however, some criticism of the staggering $50 billion price tag for the games, amid cries that corruption has seen much of the money siphoned off and that concerns about the environment had been disregarded.</div>

31.7 mn Americans tuned in for Olympics opening ceremony (BLOG)

Washington (AFP) - The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics opening ceremony was watched by an impressive 31.7 million viewers in the United States, d...

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‘Saturday Night Live’ Star Chris Kattan Arrested for Alleged DUI (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3NEaxPCmfVNPWZ5a9jYluZi4znSpdTFE3Q-CvfuAD8-yNzuFAs0ZbdbBe3f6xShR85pboBn_80fhivHYJSNwIq7G8I48E2CNr1zKx9eYe_nXchxnNLp4uOgg5gqdeFsaCpDJLtpzx0c/s1600/la.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3NEaxPCmfVNPWZ5a9jYluZi4znSpdTFE3Q-CvfuAD8-yNzuFAs0ZbdbBe3f6xShR85pboBn_80fhivHYJSNwIq7G8I48E2CNr1zKx9eYe_nXchxnNLp4uOgg5gqdeFsaCpDJLtpzx0c/s1600/la.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Former “Saturday Night Live” star Chris Kattan was arrested for alleged DUI early this morning, according to police.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">At 1:53 a.m., Kattan, 43, was driving a 2011 Mercedes Benz westbound on the 101 Freeway near Los Angeles when he crashed into the back of a Department of Transportation vehicle, according to California Highway Patrol.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one was injured in the accident and DOT workers were doing maintenance on the freeway at the time.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Police report that prior to Kattan’s accident, they received 911 calls reporting a Mercedes weaving all over the roadway at slow speeds.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The comedian was arrested for DUI and booked at Van Nuys jail.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kattan rose to fame on “SNL,” including his iconic skits with Will Ferrell, which eventually became a movie “A Night at the Roxbury,” about two brothers head-bobbing at clubs, looking to pick up girls.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More recently, Kattan has had guest spots on “The Middle” and was in post production for a movie “Walk of Fame” opposite Scott Eastwood.</div><div class="wp-caption alignnone" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="GTY chris kattan jtm 140210 16x9 608 Saturday Night Live Star Chris Kattan Arrested for Alleged DUI" height="342" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/Entertainment/GTY_chris_kattan_jtm_140210_16x9_608.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" title="Kattan" width="608" /><div class="wp-caption-text" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; border-bottom-color: rgb(229, 229, 229); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: proxima-nova, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 10px 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 468px;">(Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz/Getty Images)</div></div>

‘Saturday Night Live’ Star Chris Kattan Arrested for Alleged DUI (BLOG)

Former “Saturday Night Live” star Chris Kattan was arrested for alleged DUI early this morning, according to police. At 1:53 a.m., Kattan, 4...

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