Phone-free Nokia under pressure to boost network sales (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKP_k6s8lacZySgeZBLscZMjemNKAE5HOr8a-0gi0Y7X97itOT9JOiLprrDVqVRzwLjKKAJbabbyJCX96646-QhhOoaK5b9xtWo0oaZREEpFyh-5_qjGb6menOduUsjV59Wr3lJmFUyM/s1600/2014-01-20T160653Z_1_CBREA0J18RL00_RTROPTP_3_FINLAND_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKP_k6s8lacZySgeZBLscZMjemNKAE5HOr8a-0gi0Y7X97itOT9JOiLprrDVqVRzwLjKKAJbabbyJCX96646-QhhOoaK5b9xtWo0oaZREEpFyh-5_qjGb6menOduUsjV59Wr3lJmFUyM/s1600/2014-01-20T160653Z_1_CBREA0J18RL00_RTROPTP_3_FINLAND_original.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3030" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">By Ritsuko Ando</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3032" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia is expected to show a steep fall in network equipment sales in its results this week, highlighting the challenge facing management after selling its once mighty handset division to Microsoft for 5.4 billion euros ($7.3 billion).</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3034" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Improved profitability at Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) due to cost cutting have helped cushion the company's declining handset business in recent quarters.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3036" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">But with major projects in South Korea and Japan coming to an end, the NSN business, the bulk of Nokia's entire business after the handsets sale, is expected to report a 19 percent fall in fourth-quarter sales to 3.2 billion euros and a 17 percent fall for the whole of 2013 to 11.4 billion euros. Results are due on Thursday.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3038" 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 decline for NSN would follow a 26 percent fall in third-quarter sales and come as scale has become increasingly crucial to competing against the industry leader for wireless networks, Ericsson, and China's Huawei, particularly due to high research and development costs.</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;">NSN's chief Rajeev Suri, in an interview with Reuters in November, confirmed the company was now prioritizing revenue growth even if it meant a trade-off in profit.</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;">Analysts said NSN must demonstrate that shift in coming quarters, and that markets will accept a dip in margins as long as they don't fall too far below 8 to 10 percent.</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;">NSN's fourth-quarter adjusted operating margin is still likely to be high. The company forecast it will be around 12 percent, plus or minus 4 percentage points, compared with 8 percent in the third quarter.</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's higher than most rivals such as Ericsson, which reported an 8 percent operating margin last quarter as NSN's restructuring program launched in late 2011 cut a quarter of its workforce and took the business out of low-margin projects.</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;">"It is possible that we won't be seeing such high margins this year, but I'd rather see them starting to grow again," said Inderes Equity Research analyst Mikael Rautanen.</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;">Nordea Markets analyst Sami Sarkamies said Nokia's challenge will be to find new business to make up for a decline in sales in Asia, where a year ago it was busy building out high-speed wireless broadband networks. Asia, including Greater China, accounted for around 41 percent of NSN's 2.59 billion sales in the third quarter.</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 won't be easy. While telecoms operators are expected to spend more on network equipment in 2014 due to strong demand for high-speed 4G mobile broadband technology, competition is set to remain fierce.</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;">MANAGING WITHOUT PHONES</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;">Analysts expect Nokia's results this week to also show a fall in its handset shipments. Quarterly smartphone shipments are expected to have risen 53 percent from a year earlier to 10.7 million while still lagging behind market leaders Samsung and Apple.</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;">But results from the handset business, where revenues last year were estimated to have fallen by 26 percent to 11.6 billion euros, will be counted as discontinued operations, with the Microsoft deal expected to close shortly, pending regulatory approvals in China.</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 leaves Nokia investors to focus on how Nokia will operate the rump business and how much of the sale proceeds will be reinvested or paid out to shareholders. Company sources said last week that the board was still finalizing details of Nokia's new structure and leadership.</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;">NSN's Suri is widely seen as a leading contender for the CEO role, with investors happy with his track record of having turned NSN around.</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;">Some sources familiar with recent talks, however, said Nokia's CFO and interim president Timo Ihamuotila is also a top candidate, favored by those who see a future in Nokia's HERE navigation software and its store of technology patents.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3040" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Those businesses will account for just 10 percent of the new company's sales, with the rest coming from NSN, but some believe they could be used to help turn Nokia into a patent powerhouse or develop wireless services of the future.</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;">As CFO, Ihamuotila has gained experience in mergers and acquisitions, which could prove useful if Nokia decides to sell parts of the remaining business such as HERE.</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;">ALCATEL LUCENT</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;">Analysts, however, see the most likely deal for Nokia as a tie-up with struggling rival Alcatel Lucent. Suri played down the likelihood of such a deal in November, but analysts say it could help NSN compete more effectively against Ericsson as well as Chinese rivals Huawei and ZTE.</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;">"Nokia clearly would have a great opportunity to improve NSN's position with the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent's wireless division," Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu said in a research note.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3042" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">($1=0.7376 euros)</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3044" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">(Corrects spelling of 'cushion' in second paragraph and 'business' in paragraph 10)</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_3046" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">(Editing by Greg Mahlich)</div></div>

Phone-free Nokia under pressure to boost network sales (BLOG)

By Ritsuko Ando HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia is expected to show a steep fall in network equipment sales in its results this week, highlightin...

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JPMorgan sues Berlin transport provider over derivatives contract (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlOcqIaTApegpdBUWIGPfnmMznEsvjU1mY6fp3OzESVmZUHIE2JPp_LhGIT0VENdUF9rAtFH96aVmhpI2lzWVmr4K01qHXBU15NIZ1sw40ZkmYnQ5vSIhOfioKlbueTUzmp2rn0oU2dM/s1600/2014-01-20T180521Z_1_CBREA0J1E9600_RTROPTP_3_JPMORGAN-SETTLEMENT_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlOcqIaTApegpdBUWIGPfnmMznEsvjU1mY6fp3OzESVmZUHIE2JPp_LhGIT0VENdUF9rAtFH96aVmhpI2lzWVmr4K01qHXBU15NIZ1sw40ZkmYnQ5vSIhOfioKlbueTUzmp2rn0oU2dM/s1600/2014-01-20T180521Z_1_CBREA0J1E9600_RTROPTP_3_JPMORGAN-SETTLEMENT_original.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_1793" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">By Clare Hutchison</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_1796" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">LONDON (Reuters) - JPMorgan (<a data-rapid_p="8" href="http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=jpm" style="color: #324fe1; display: inline-block; margin-top: -85px; padding-top: 85px; text-decoration: none;">JPM</a>) is suing Berlin's public transport provider in a British court to recover the $204 million plus interest it says it is owed over an "unfortunate" derivatives contract taken out before the financial crisis.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_1798" 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 lawyer for the U.S. bank said Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) was looking for anyone other than itself to blame for the losses on the collateralized debt obligation (CDO).</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_1800" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Rather than simply accepting that it had been unfortunate in the events that happened in the financial markets... BVG has decided to follow a course doing everything it could to avoid paying its debts... casting around for someone to blame other than itself," Laurence Rabinowitz told a London court on the first day of the trial.</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;">Problems arose simply because the transaction occurred just when serious cracks in the world's financial system were appearing, Rabinowitz added.</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;">BVG, which runs the German capital's underground railway, tram, bus and ferry networks, argues that it was misled by JPMorgan and the bank's law firm, Clifford Chance, and that it did not fully understand the risks involved. BVG is due to begin its defense on Tuesday.</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;">Clifford Chance said in a statement the "claims against us are misconceived and entirely without merit."</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;">The transport authority maintains that the employee most closely involved in the swap had no experience of the complex financial derivative the bank had pitched to him and misunderstood it, according to court documents.</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;">CDOs are a series of assets, often high-yield junk bonds, mortgage-backed securities, credit default swaps and other products, put together by a bank and sold in tranches according to their level of risk. They were marketed to investors as investments with a defined risk and reward.</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;">Following the 2008 financial crisis many investors who lost tens of millions of dollars through such investments have questioned what banks knew when they modeled such products and a number have brought legal action against the banks.</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;">Industry experts have also argued that some organizations may have lacked the sophistication to understand CDOs.</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;">The case comes after JPMorgan paid nearly $20 billion in 2013 to settle assorted legal claims, including the "London Whale" derivatives trading scandal.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390260158023_1802" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">(Reporting by Clare Hutchison; Editing by Louise Heavens)</div></div>

JPMorgan sues Berlin transport provider over derivatives contract (BLOG)

By Clare Hutchison LONDON (Reuters) - JPMorgan ( JPM ) is suing Berlin's public transport provider in a British court to recover the $20...

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Nicole Scherzinger on the stylish photo shoot in California

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi-lGauwfXpQSINXYFByJa76wtYlA_t1mhheY-KClSIYa5L3XeZQ_mBih8Az3eKTV3_O6LaFyrdrzutOKlCvI5ZEH6fNthQxRTLtDffd1ZMsE6n040-D2tdUxuByCn6Uh1sgym3vv/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQi-lGauwfXpQSINXYFByJa76wtYlA_t1mhheY-KClSIYa5L3XeZQ_mBih8Az3eKTV3_O6LaFyrdrzutOKlCvI5ZEH6fNthQxRTLtDffd1ZMsE6n040-D2tdUxuByCn6Uh1sgym3vv/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger.jpg" title="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" /></a></div><br /><b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Nicole%20Scherzinger" target="_blank">Nicole Scherzinger</a></b> already very long ago, there were no news. It would seem that after parting with the driver, "Formula 1" Lewis Hamilton singer simply disappeared, but there it was: the network appeared fresh photos with the star. <br /> <br /><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* biner3 */ google_ad_slot = "7346003106"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script><br /><br /> Recently paparazzi captured Nicole when she participated stylish photoset. Filming took place with the actress on the outskirts of Los Angeles at the famous Cadillac Pink Motel. <br /> <br /> Stylists picked for the project Scherzinger very sexy outfits, in which the singer looked perfect against the backdrop of colorful walls of the motel. <br /> <br /> It should be noted Nicole is in good shape - we see immediately that it's pretty much time to training. <br /> <br /> Well, we hope that after the photoshoot Scherzinger will return to the recording studio and soon will appreciate our new hit.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXeX6oCgUabWI2B5TZSmz8bxqEYM23Dw5AlZloaFjowB8arsa8_L5YIPevta4oAOH8LQXvCkYz1G-nxWCahvvulmDU8Vi3KwkGfXTyzT_NykiSUkYHBZicaFc43BTn5QU5QkXTbMV/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXeX6oCgUabWI2B5TZSmz8bxqEYM23Dw5AlZloaFjowB8arsa8_L5YIPevta4oAOH8LQXvCkYz1G-nxWCahvvulmDU8Vi3KwkGfXTyzT_NykiSUkYHBZicaFc43BTn5QU5QkXTbMV/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+1.jpg" title="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yt22Ho6retW2sz7oX34w4djvMQNg8kDTzSYumy9kXU6vK5mhTg0ja_yykGYFAf-TOvDE2-0cesKBfLzZ6kuYttD01bvEZil1iXY68eJpgsrSMIOqx86lVB1Laxe3aMzlG2PG76lB/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9yt22Ho6retW2sz7oX34w4djvMQNg8kDTzSYumy9kXU6vK5mhTg0ja_yykGYFAf-TOvDE2-0cesKBfLzZ6kuYttD01bvEZil1iXY68eJpgsrSMIOqx86lVB1Laxe3aMzlG2PG76lB/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+2.jpg" title="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTnPQG_gJHqdw_LCNZ2uabYwOQZ1bfX9L87SyqBH-bnDD2Y5k3LSzM7AkPLD_bhWbm1xK9zmaRZF_clnlK0eoP-UvfPDCjLut2t5jz0kbiEiwZ7DKlHMdXZSAs3Gh_5f65nVYKUav/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTnPQG_gJHqdw_LCNZ2uabYwOQZ1bfX9L87SyqBH-bnDD2Y5k3LSzM7AkPLD_bhWbm1xK9zmaRZF_clnlK0eoP-UvfPDCjLut2t5jz0kbiEiwZ7DKlHMdXZSAs3Gh_5f65nVYKUav/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+3.jpg" title="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWb5sxaPllIz_tJNXmSoiE1zK13flUBqDUtBrrPnblCRj47_QvnUYZDZTi_6wsRtcmbpF9QocU5wiAFIpS-ioJVrIZaiuySWyx5Xbiux0uQtoBaaBR8DsDIH_48j9tKHZ96MLLbt7/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWb5sxaPllIz_tJNXmSoiE1zK13flUBqDUtBrrPnblCRj47_QvnUYZDZTi_6wsRtcmbpF9QocU5wiAFIpS-ioJVrIZaiuySWyx5Xbiux0uQtoBaaBR8DsDIH_48j9tKHZ96MLLbt7/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+4.jpg" title="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyrUKu6gfcjiJhvM6yhXMbW2Fxb5ZVDwKeNjGaVR1nNaHNNS5Er5P6ZcFH88cTSfWuBNosBRm6f0MNM-XAjvTeJho2muAt4aCrH3oSpOzrAUGcPk6-mf5mK5bQR3s6zcAdPqT6diE/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyrUKu6gfcjiJhvM6yhXMbW2Fxb5ZVDwKeNjGaVR1nNaHNNS5Er5P6ZcFH88cTSfWuBNosBRm6f0MNM-XAjvTeJho2muAt4aCrH3oSpOzrAUGcPk6-mf5mK5bQR3s6zcAdPqT6diE/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+5.jpg" title="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusF2HxUxfFb0NmCGqNMLKJ2Wo2tAPG8p_VRaa5PnkUX-JDcEEHHbzLQor5_-dCGQZCFjja4xfhYWJoLphTj420WirpthAKi_SSgBopI-BUNRKMVb8Ohr2-vkgV4hOYDSAJxd-a4gD/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusF2HxUxfFb0NmCGqNMLKJ2Wo2tAPG8p_VRaa5PnkUX-JDcEEHHbzLQor5_-dCGQZCFjja4xfhYWJoLphTj420WirpthAKi_SSgBopI-BUNRKMVb8Ohr2-vkgV4hOYDSAJxd-a4gD/s1600/Nicole+Scherzinger+6.jpg" title="Nicole Scherzinger Photoshoots" /></a></div><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* boton */ google_ad_slot = "4392536701"; google_ad_width = 200; google_ad_height = 90; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script>

Nicole Scherzinger on the stylish photo shoot in California

Nicole Scherzinger already very long ago, there were no news. It would seem that after parting with the driver, "Formula 1" Lewi...

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Evgeni Plushenko go to the Olympics in Sochi

<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* bleu 280 */ google_ad_slot = "8164661108"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script><br /><br />Skater <b>Evgeni Plushenko</b> received the only Russian quota for participation in the men's figure skating at the Winter Olympics in 2014. Thank you for the news blogger AlisaZal. <br /> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* biner3 */ google_ad_slot = "7346003106"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script><br /><br /> Source RIA Novosti news agency reports: <br /> <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"> In Sports Ministry had prepared a paper on the composition of the Russian team at the Olympic Games, which will adopt the executive committee on Thursday, the Russian Olympic Committee. In the men's figure skating there is one name - Plushenko, who will have to perform in the team competition, and in the singles tournament. </blockquote><br /> Earlier, it was reported that the Olympic champion will not participate at the European Championships and the Olympics take part only in the team competition.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQWpxcfcLQmuKiOaRHiNujg5jqSd2Zo_mJiufGNiAeFASlDLPFoHoUH6Gs-Gkx3z9MBp2-iE6jppfMiTAH2IZZPB9np4zy110hQ9YgVkG4vK-mMgqwIJTEp_pGNdHg3xqec7h_Ssn/s1600/Evgeni+Plushenko+go+to+the+Olympics+in+Sochi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Evgeni Plushenko" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQWpxcfcLQmuKiOaRHiNujg5jqSd2Zo_mJiufGNiAeFASlDLPFoHoUH6Gs-Gkx3z9MBp2-iE6jppfMiTAH2IZZPB9np4zy110hQ9YgVkG4vK-mMgqwIJTEp_pGNdHg3xqec7h_Ssn/s1600/Evgeni+Plushenko+go+to+the+Olympics+in+Sochi.jpg" title="Evgeni Plushenko" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSXueoYDtmA6fXRpEpiLKIN2sqYZVvWQhFKd0V8dHtxxh6GJKBWH-ODKGSlQ186LAULjxlZ1nzeuxKSp49mR_Dhgp1N0UJhfTjv6liGb702SVXD-jfcOX61aZuYd6SUCdYnDUn51d/s1600/Evgeni+Plushenko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Evgeni Plushenko" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSXueoYDtmA6fXRpEpiLKIN2sqYZVvWQhFKd0V8dHtxxh6GJKBWH-ODKGSlQ186LAULjxlZ1nzeuxKSp49mR_Dhgp1N0UJhfTjv6liGb702SVXD-jfcOX61aZuYd6SUCdYnDUn51d/s1600/Evgeni+Plushenko.jpg" title="Evgeni Plushenko" /></a></div><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* boton */ google_ad_slot = "4392536701"; google_ad_width = 200; google_ad_height = 90; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script>

Evgeni Plushenko go to the Olympics in Sochi

Skater Evgeni Plushenko received the only Russian quota for participation in the men's figure skating at the Winter Olympics in 2014....

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"Cheap Energy"

I heard this phrase from a guest on CNBC today. Perhaps it is time for a refresher course on the meaning of the word cheap.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cheap">The Free Dictionary: Cheap</a><br /><br /><div style="color: red;"><i>a. Relatively low in cost; inexpensive or comparatively inexpensive.</i></div><br />Let's attempt to compare the cost of energy to the cost of everything to find out how relatively low in cost energy actually is. The following chart shows the annual average of the consumer price index for energy divided by the consumer price index for all items.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rY99_WvDTu8d-_NaNX9lmb25TEWMpsQU5gogyR3cOMVSlCAWrlBBsdthLuAG_rdtnbEVgYcexGG3194nzk8siYMog3FFs-tnqUtVdH4S18UoJ4jNCCRi_HwUtnuj0oykR9JbVPqxWQw/s1600/Cheap+Energy.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rY99_WvDTu8d-_NaNX9lmb25TEWMpsQU5gogyR3cOMVSlCAWrlBBsdthLuAG_rdtnbEVgYcexGG3194nzk8siYMog3FFs-tnqUtVdH4S18UoJ4jNCCRi_HwUtnuj0oykR9JbVPqxWQw/s320/Cheap+Energy.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />Did I somehow manage to transport myself to a Pulp Fiction alternate universe? It's sure starting to feel that way lately.<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/UPHuE5pDlEs">Say "cheap energy" one more time! I dare you!</a><br /><br /><b>See Also:</b><br /><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-pulp-fiction-of-rising-interest.html">The Pulp Fiction of Rising Interest Rates</a><br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=rcJ">St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart</a>

"Cheap Energy"

I heard this phrase from a guest on CNBC today. Perhaps it is time for a refresher course on the meaning of the word cheap. The Free Diction...

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The 5 Most Important Tech Companies That Want to Stick a Computer On Your Face (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislNR2viqqPe_Jzyktdq_SQuFSc1gkXd3dxmnnILSJ10w2-Os_xC2VJHWSbqyW6PfOajbf4BH2QH5dlhtA9O7P6DcEvh3gk3zktFwLn9iaPhuUN9lUHUNPSy1aJkCF4axnprAnDBQDcVQ/s1600/1d97ef141732db605de8623587f9908c6d610f38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislNR2viqqPe_Jzyktdq_SQuFSc1gkXd3dxmnnILSJ10w2-Os_xC2VJHWSbqyW6PfOajbf4BH2QH5dlhtA9O7P6DcEvh3gk3zktFwLn9iaPhuUN9lUHUNPSy1aJkCF4axnprAnDBQDcVQ/s1600/1d97ef141732db605de8623587f9908c6d610f38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">The battle for your face is on!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">On Thursday night, Google <a data-rapid_p="49" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/google-develops-contact-lens-glucose-monitor/2014/01/16/e309c822-7f0a-11e3-97d3-b9925ce2c57b_story.html" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">announced that it is working </a>on a “smart contact lens,” which is meant to be worn by diabetics and which would use small sensors to measure the wearer’s glucose levels.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Google’s Contact — or “<a data-rapid_p="50" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.google.com/edu/resources/igoogle.html" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">EyeGoogle</a>,” as I’m calling it — isn’t the Silicon Valley giant’s first foray into wearable face-computing: Google Glass, the company’s head-mounted smartphone assistant, is slated for a wide release in 2014; nor is Google the only technology company working hard to get you to stick a computer in front of your eyes in the coming years.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Here are the most important companies working on wearable facial computers. If any of these companies have their way, we’ll all have little screens plastered on our noggins by New Year’s 2015. These are the ones you should keep an eye out for.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><strong>1. Google</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">In the past year, Google has certainly established itself as the company people most associate with whimsical, futuristic face computers, with its <a data-rapid_p="51" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.google.com/glass/start/" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">forthcoming Google Glass</a> and <a data-rapid_p="52" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/google-shows-off-smart-contact-lens-that-lets-diabetics-measure-their-glucose-levels/" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">still-several-years-away smart contact lens</a>.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><img alt="image" height="338" src="http://l3.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/760faf68d7626e7f862195ee8506742e06309bc4" style="border: 0px; margin-right: 20px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="500" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Important to note: Though glasses and contact lenses perform similar functions in normal life, Google Glass and Google Contact Lens do not. Google Glass is what you might consider a more traditional wearable computer (if such a thing exists): It simply performs several of your smartphone’s functions on a small screen in front of your eye — showing you text messages, the time and weather, walking directions — so that you don’t have to pull your phone out of your pocket. Google’s contact lenses, meanwhile, has a more specialized function: Intended for diabetics, it measures your body’s glucose level in the eye so that you wouldn’t have to prick yourself for a blood sample several times per day.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">With contact lenses and eyeglasses covered, it’s only a matter of time before Google introduces computerized binoculars, opera glasses and monocles. Stay tuned</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><strong>2. Oculus VR</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">For decades now, playing video games at home has usually meant staring at a screen — either several feet away from your eyes, with video game consoles, or about a foot away from your eyes, with computer games.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><img alt="image" height="375" src="http://l3.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/6ae2ccde0ccf5efe490792cfc3ab382181beab92" style="border: 0px; margin-right: 20px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="500" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><em>Photo by Steve Kovach/<a data-rapid_p="53" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://businessinsider.com/" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></em></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">The <a data-rapid_p="54" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.oculusvr.com/" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Oculus Rift</a>, created by a startup called Oculus VR, is a buzzy new system that brings the screen right up against your face. Still in prototype mode, the Rift itself is a sort of visor that completely blocks out your vision, except for a high-definition screen in front of your eyes that hooks up to a computer game. Your point-of-view is your game character’s point-of-view; and the system also tracks your head movements, so that wherever you look, that’s where your character in the game looks, too.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">It’s all very disorienting and immersive and lifelike, and it’s earned rave reviews from early testers. A consumer version that you can actually buy is on its way, perhaps this year, so that you, too, can look ridiculous while <img alt="image" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3sFDKV18b2VQiXi6dW1DBA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTMzMjtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz02MzQ-/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/news/2013-07-12/bb9d4270-ba64-459b-869a-c07a1119c13d_oculus-2.gif" style="border: 0px; margin-right: 20px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><strong>3. Vuzix</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Perhaps Google’s stiffest competition for Google Glass (for now),<a data-rapid_p="55" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.vuzix.com/" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Vuzix</a> specializes in wearable, glasses-like computers of various shapes and sizes, mostly aimed at professionals. Vuzix’s bread-and-butter is industrial smart glasses, meant for anyone from doctors to firefighters to construction workers, to allow those workers to view information in front of their eyes without having to reference other materials not in their eyeline. (The <a data-rapid_p="56" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.mygoldeni.com/" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Motorola-owned Golden-i performs a similar task</a>.)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><img alt="image" height="290" src="http://l2.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/8ce4752aaddbbd9172d0d9d6c004a92e7972f558" style="border: 0px; margin-right: 20px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="500" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Recently — especially with the surprise interest surrounding Google Glass — <a data-rapid_p="57" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/news/a544065/vuzix-to-launch-fashionable-smart-glasses.html" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Vuzix has made strides toward creating consumer models</a> of its smart glasses, too, showing off a more fashionable design for its M100 model,  with HD cameras and Bluetooth smartphone connections at this January’s Consumer Electronics Show.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><img alt="image" height="376" src="http://l3.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/560fc388b6072d804056825201234b0db4acf4b1" style="border: 0px; margin-right: 20px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="500" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><strong>4. GlassUp</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Speaking of competition for Google Glass: <a data-rapid_p="58" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.glassup.net/shop/" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">GlassUp</a> launched on the crowdfuding startup Indiegogo, <a data-rapid_p="59" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/glassup-augmented-reality-glasses-that-display-messages-from-your-smartphone" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">seeking $150,000 to build a Glass alternative that</a> displays all of the notifications from your smartphone onto a small display in front of your eye. If that sounds familiar, GlassUp differentiates itself from Google Glass in its design: GlassUp looks more like a regular pair of glasses than does the Star Trek-ish Google version.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><img alt="image" height="194" src="http://l1.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w500/e23b1fa7c80f7035756148a23410d760493599bb" style="border: 0px; margin-right: 20px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: bottom;" width="500" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">GlassUp missed out on its fundraising goal by about $25,000, but the Italian company is soldiering ahead. It is now accepting preorders (in $300 cash, or in bitcoins) with an expected delivery date of June 2014.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><strong>5. Oakley</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Yes, <em>that</em> Oakley: The sunglasses manufacturer has gotten into the smartglasses game, producing a range of high-tech skiing goggles that display your speed, altitude and navigation, as well as text messages and music coming from your smartphone. You’re probably not going to wear these high-tech ski goggles every day; but the fact that a consumer-focused company like Oakley is dipping its toes into the smart-glasses water may be a sign that wearable face computers might be preparing to enter the mainstream.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><iframe height="281.25" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_gIvrVgLmWM" style="border-width: 0px;" width="500"></iframe></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">Despite the hype, head-mounted computers haven’t quite entered public acceptance in the way that, say, smartphones or Bluetooth headsets have. Google has heavily promoted its own version, but no other major technology companies have begun to push — or in many cases, even demonstrate — their own versions quite yet.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;">But with Microsoft, Samsung and Apple all rumored to have Google Glass competitors in the works, you might be heading to Lenscrafter for a quick charge of your glasses before long. The future’s so bright, you might be wearing electronic shades. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0.55em; margin-top: 0.55em;"><em>Y</em><em>ahoo Tech is a brand new tech site from David Pogue and an all-star team of writers. <a data-rapid_p="60" data-ylk="elm:itm;elmt:link;g:d49aa3bb-c5bf-3884-8b92-8b007da3efce;ct:1;t1:a5;t4:18;itc:0;" href="http://www.facebook.com/yahootech" style="color: #324fe1; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Follow us on Facebook</a> for all the latest.</em></div></div>

The 5 Most Important Tech Companies That Want to Stick a Computer On Your Face (BLOG)

The battle for your face is on! On Thursday night, Google  announced that it is working  on a “smart contact lens,” which is meant to be wor...

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In S. Sudan, rebel-held town of Bor destroyed (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAESEKu5S3BmQDzlePU2j8GN9LYEX9pWH0RcuUioyj9DCH_1CNhoZvvEcstIMpTjZ_z-OwcxgRf1irafFpvd779tQuREV60Hj-kBJ_OTJo-whqPcD5B2t7pgoC_cVAwTICWJ1xiKkFisE/s1600/8c05a86db0ea6202490f6a7067001ae7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAESEKu5S3BmQDzlePU2j8GN9LYEX9pWH0RcuUioyj9DCH_1CNhoZvvEcstIMpTjZ_z-OwcxgRf1irafFpvd779tQuREV60Hj-kBJ_OTJo-whqPcD5B2t7pgoC_cVAwTICWJ1xiKkFisE/s1600/8c05a86db0ea6202490f6a7067001ae7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_29180" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">BOR, South Sudan (AP) — Bor is a ghost town. Every shop is looted and empty. Bodies lie on the ground, and English-language graffiti curses the ethnic group of the South Sudanese president.</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;">Once held by the rebels attempting to overthrow South Sudan's government, the city was taken back by the military over the weekend with the help of Ugandan troops.Near the airport, the road is littered with trash. Shipping containers are pried open and their contents ransacked. Smashed cars and motorbikes litter the dusty streets.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_29194" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">More and more cities are falling back under government control after a conflict that began Dec. 15 saw rebels gain control of several key cities.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_29203" 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 government said Monday it has also regained control of Malakal, the capital of the oil-producing Upper Nile state, though the U.N. said its base there took fire, wounding nearly three dozen people and damaging the hospital.</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;">Thousands of people have been killed and an estimated half million people have fled the fighting, which pits the government of President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, against former Vice President Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="8" data-uuid="1243a3cf-17fd-3f73-b477-5937996d3aa8" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/south-sudan-39-president-salva-kiir-speaks-media-photo-181116328.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="South Sudan&#39;s President Salva Kiir speaks to the&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 196px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; color: white; font-size: 16px; left: 5px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 5px; transition: opacity 0.24s linear; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 270px; zoom: 1;"></span><span class="cta-text xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; bottom: 5px; color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 42px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.24s linear;">View gallery</span><span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.16s linear; background-color: #324fe1; background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: -1000em; transition: opacity 0.16s linear; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span></div><img alt="South Sudan&#39;s President Salva Kiir speaks to the&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="196" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Xr6Vtw2NqV4tXNAPlATgtg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE5NjtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/230f0563d48e7802490f6a7067006fde.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div></a><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;">South Sudan's President Salva Kiir speaks to the media at a press conference in Juba, South Suda …</div></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;">Negotiators for Kiir and Machar said over the weekend that a cease-fire was close at hand. But a Twitter feed believed to be controlled by Machar said Monday there won't be a cease-fire until Ugandan troops supporting the government leave and high-level political detainees are released.</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;">The government insists the detainees go through South Sudan's judicial process. Kiir late Monday said he would pardon Machar if he surrenders.</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;">The governor of Jonglei state, where Bor is located, urged residents to return to their shattered town, insisting the military is now in charge and is chasing the rebels into the countryside. But it is not clear what kind of lives people will return to when they come back. The aftermath of the killings and looting is tangible.</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;">The streets are deserted, except for government soldiers. Tens of thousands of residents fled across the White Nile River earlier this month as rebels rushed in. Thousands of others took refuge in a nearby U.N. camp, where they remain under the protection of U.N. soldiers.</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;">In Bor's hospital, the smell of death is overwhelming. A body lies stiffly on a hospital bed. The pools of dry blood beneath suggest the person has been dead for quite a while.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="9" data-uuid="f697e316-85ef-368d-b7e1-39f74772f4bf" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/unidentified-man-sits-gun-turret-while-leading-convoy-photo-181116800.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="An unidentified man sits in the gun turret while leading&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 189px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; color: white; font-size: 16px; left: 5px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 5px; transition: opacity 0.24s linear; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 270px; zoom: 1;"></span><span class="cta-text xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; bottom: 5px; color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 42px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.24s linear;">View gallery</span><span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.16s linear; background-color: #324fe1; background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: -1000em; transition: opacity 0.16s linear; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span></div><img alt="An unidentified man sits in the gun turret while leading&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="189" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/YGXGxmDpw37.lFiINxjQeQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE4OTtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/034d5b10b0ea6202490f6a706700b4e3.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div></a><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;">An unidentified man sits in the gun turret while leading a convoy of armoured vehicles from both the …</div></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;">A frail woman, who identified herself only as Mary, was caring for two other women sleeping on a mattress in an empty ward. She said she had to help those too weak to flee the fighting.</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;">"I am here to help them. They are sick, cannot move. It is my duty," she said.</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;">A U.N. humanitarian charter plane on Tuesday will deliver humanitarian supplies, including medicine and medical equipment, UNICEF, the U.N. children's agency, said in a statement Monday.</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;">As the U.N. increases its involvement in South Sudan, friction between the government and the global body is increasing, with Kiir accusing it of trying to take over the country.</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;">The U.N. complained Sunday that senior members of the government tried to enter the U.N. base and that the military threatened its staff when they refused soldiers entry.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="10" data-uuid="a01e21f8-04c4-32b7-beec-2a95a6658b29" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/elderly-woman-hid-rebels-office-during-recent-fighting-photo-181116413.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="An elderly woman who hid from rebels in an office during&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 194px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; color: white; font-size: 16px; left: 5px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 5px; transition: opacity 0.24s linear; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 270px; zoom: 1;"></span><span class="cta-text xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; bottom: 5px; color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 42px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.24s linear;">View gallery</span><span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.16s linear; background-color: #324fe1; background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: -1000em; transition: opacity 0.16s linear; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span></div><img alt="An elderly woman who hid from rebels in an office during&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="194" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3qU8AewJ8YJfFw1ZN2iKmQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE5NDtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/0badc0e2b0e66202490f6a706700a948.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div></a><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;">An elderly woman who hid from rebels in an office during the recent fighting, speaks to a South Suda …</div></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;">"This incident is just one of a growing number of violations ... making it increasingly difficult for (the U.N.) to implement its mandate and dangerous for United Nations staff working in South Sudan," it said.</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;">South Sudanese officials strongly disputed the U.N.'s version of events. John Kon Kelei, a spokesman at the Information Minister, said the U.N. was distorting the facts.</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;">Kiir told a news conference that he submitted an official request to the U.N. to return guns he said fighters have inside the camp.</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;">He said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should make it clear the U.N. wants to take over South Sudan.</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;">"We know the U.N. is in South Sudan. We did not know that when (the mission) was brought that it was brought as a parallel government," Kiir said.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_29231" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">South Sudan became the world's newest country in 2011, when it broke away from Sudan after an independence vote, the capstone of decades of fighting.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_29221" 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 country, one of the world's poorest, derives nearly all of it income from an oil industry that has mostly been idled since the fighting broke out.</div></div>

In S. Sudan, rebel-held town of Bor destroyed (BLOG)

BOR, South Sudan (AP) — Bor is a ghost town. Every shop is looted and empty. Bodies lie on the ground, and English-language graffiti curses ...

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Mob Wives: "How To Use A Meat Cleaver" CONTEST!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="preorder_book_cover_copy" height="225" src="http://reneegraziano.com/media01/2014/01/preorder_book_cover_copy.jpg" width="400" /><br /><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">COMING OUT February 4th!</span></b></div><br /><br />Well, we all know the saying "Go big or go home!"- well these girls are definitely going big. Jennifer Graziano, the Executive Producer of Mob Wives is on a mission and she isn't stopping at anything. Collaborating with her sisters Renee and Lana, they have written their own cookbook. I asked Jenn a few questions and she gave us some insight in what to expect. A detailed interview with Jenn will be posted tomorrow!  To promote their book's release they have posted a few very funny videos. The one below is great interaction between the sisters, while making sausage and "peppas." If you want to learn how these girls get down and dirty in the kitchen pick up your copy of <b>"How to Use a Meat Clever" </b>and join in on the fun and learn some authentic family recipes.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="293" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Zyk2q5VBP40" width="520"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Don't forget to pre-order your copy of the book by<b> February 3rd</b> and enter into the contest. The winner will get to have Jennifer, Renee and Lana come to their home and cook with you.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Contest Rules</span></b></div><br />Everyone who Pre-Orders their copy of How To Use a Meat Cleaver by Renee, Lana & Jennifer Graziano before February 3rd 2014 will receive:<br /><br />1. A signed photo not seen in the book of Renee, Lana and Jennifer<br /><br />2. An Exclusive invite to a private webinar session with Renee, Lana and Jennifer to watch them cook a dish and answer all your questions!<br /><br />3. Be entered in the ” Cook with the Graziano’s” Contest.  One lucky person will be selected to have Renee, Lana and Jennifer travel to your home for the day and cook with you in your kitchen! They will teach you how to cook their favorite recipe from the book and eat with your family!<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">How to Win?</span></b><br /><br />1. Purchase your pre-order from one of the online retailers<br /><br />2. Email us your email confirmation after you purchase to <a href="mailto:preorder@reneegraziano.com" style="background-color: white; border-width: 1px; color: #68009f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">preorder@reneegraziano.com</a><br /><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b><b>More Videos!</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="293" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qk9Hx6jC5Fs" width="520"></iframe><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="293" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/q2FYe6l0-eA" width="520"></iframe></div><br /><br /><b>Written By: Carmela Corleone, Mob Chef</b><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><b>REMEMBER to look for my interview with Jennifer Graziano tomorrow AND PRE-ORDER your copy of How To Use A Meat Cleaver today!</b></span><br /><br />

Mob Wives: "How To Use A Meat Cleaver" CONTEST!

COMING OUT February 4th! Well, we all know the saying "Go big or go home!"- well these girls are definitely going big. Jennifer Gr...

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Fatalities reported in Omaha plant explosion (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwKGM-WJapjZ7pMTbJQPFp3pAG0CnbGKji6kRceoH7OgjyWWdKTUm5kMOk7bP_9cMwAJrvBl3mxCib2KuZ7dpLcpmVh9HjGzB7fAxoRjVoTl3ycRgA0h_fTidAySYTErugHqfF34H37s/s1600/d98b896e-6af2-4f7e-8c05-7c14b57feb93_AP245091164147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwKGM-WJapjZ7pMTbJQPFp3pAG0CnbGKji6kRceoH7OgjyWWdKTUm5kMOk7bP_9cMwAJrvBl3mxCib2KuZ7dpLcpmVh9HjGzB7fAxoRjVoTl3ycRgA0h_fTidAySYTErugHqfF34H37s/s1600/d98b896e-6af2-4f7e-8c05-7c14b57feb93_AP245091164147.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_25174" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha's fire chief said Monday that people have died in an explosion and partial building collapse at an animal feed processing plant, but he would not give a specific number of deaths.</div><div class="body-slot-mod" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.307695388793945px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 10px; max-width: 300px;"><div class="yom-remote"><div class="" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div></div></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;">Interim Omaha Fire Chief Bernie Kanger said crews have stopped rescue efforts and will start a slower recovery effort to retrieve victims. The International Nutrition plant is unstable, so rescuers must work deliberately to ensure their safety, he said.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_25203" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Thirty-eight people were inside the building when the explosion occurred Monday morning. Ten were taken to hospitals and four are in critical condition. It's unclear how many people got out without being hurt.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_25213" 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 cause of the blast has not yet been determined, but Kanger said there were no hazardous chemicals at the plant.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_25223" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Plant worker Nate Lewis, 21, said he was on the first floor when he heard the blast. The building went dark, so he used light from his cellphone to make his way across the production floor to safety outside.</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;">"I was a production line worker, although I don't know if I want to be that anymore," said Lewis, who's worked at International Nutrition for about four months.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-video go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="8" data-uuid="a509eae9-5fa8-39a4-a96e-1cabfdf60337" href="http://news.yahoo.com/video/raw-video-ofd-interim-chief-214244476.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="Raw video: OFD interim chief confirms fatalities in&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 169px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; color: white; font-size: 16px; left: 5px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 5px; transition: opacity 0.24s linear; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 270px; zoom: 1;">Raw video: OFD interim chief confirms fatalities i …</span><span class="cta-text xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; bottom: 5px; color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 42px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.24s linear;">Play video</span><span class="icon-play icon-white-play-xsmall" style="background-color: #324fe1; background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; line-height: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: -1000em; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span></div><img alt="Raw video: OFD interim chief confirms fatalities in&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="169" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/eEzyOiddBkuQibx.rE6AzQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE2OTtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/video/video.hearstnews.com/1390255743_1_lwyww5bb_1_spol743h_11.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div></a></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;">There appears to be structural damage to the top of the building, which sits in an industrial area visible from Interstate 80, which bisects Nebraska's largest city. There are no residences nearby and no other buildings were evacuated after the explosion.</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;">Diane Stout said she'd heard from her husband, a manager on the plant maintenance crew, so she knows he's OK, but she and her two daughters were still anxiously waiting to see him because he has heart problems.</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;">The workers all know each other well, Stout said, so she was hoping to hear good news about friends there.</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;">Sarah White said she was at home with her four children when she got a call from her husband right after the explosion.</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;">"I could hear the panic in his voice," she said. "But he said he was OK." She said he'd been watching trucks unload from outside the building when the blast occurred.</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's where he works every day. That could have been him," White said, referring to the injured workers.</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;">Her husband, Jamar White, said he was lucky.</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;">Jamar White said he heard a loud crack and then looked up to see the back wall of the building collapsing.</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;">"I ran at least 150 feet," White said. "I ran far enough to make sure nothing else would keep falling."</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_25250" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Afterward, White said, he could see inside the third floor of the building where at least two co-workers were screaming for help.</div></div>

Fatalities reported in Omaha plant explosion (BLOG)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha's fire chief said Monday that people have died in an explosion and partial building collapse at an animal feed ...

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Vladimir Putin Defends Anti-Gay Law, but Vows No 'Problems' for Olympic Visitors (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJRrP1JsVDsrrvoHDka2Mz-2dDu915WRiDQm6peMAWX-0dnhlXHH-Moq89p1E2KorBS5dWKNDUsK4GTc5e0zufZdNF9Xg6DoCnToiEtVv0UHrUI-D9fKq5GiOjPExN1Eb2YlEf9CiXY4/s1600/AP_vladimir_putin_jt_140119_16x9_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJRrP1JsVDsrrvoHDka2Mz-2dDu915WRiDQm6peMAWX-0dnhlXHH-Moq89p1E2KorBS5dWKNDUsK4GTc5e0zufZdNF9Xg6DoCnToiEtVv0UHrUI-D9fKq5GiOjPExN1Eb2YlEf9CiXY4/s1600/AP_vladimir_putin_jt_140119_16x9_992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_21235" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Russian President Vladimir Putin defended his country's controversial new anti-gay law, saying it aims to protect children and does not discriminate against anyone.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_21215" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Moreover, individuals of non-traditional orientation cannot feel like second-rate humans in this country because they are not discriminated against in any way.""It seems to me that the law that we have adopted does not hurt anyone," he said during an interview with a small group of reporters in Sochi Friday, including ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, the only U.S. reporter.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_21268" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">But that didn't prevent a gay Russian protester from being detained Saturday for unfurling a rainbow flag during the Olympic torch relay as it passed through his hometown of Voronezh, 560 miles north of Sochi, where the games will begin Feb. 7, The Associated Press reported.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_21253" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Photos uploaded by his friends show Pavel Lebedev pulling out the flag and then being detained by Olympic security personnel, who wrestle him to the snow as they wait for police to arrive. Lebedev, reached by The Associated Press on the phone, said he was still in the police station and undergoing questioning.</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;">The Russian law, passed last year, outlaws what it describes as "propaganda" of "non-traditional sexual relations" around minors. Critics and gay rights advocates say, however, that the law potentially makes any public display of homosexuality, or even displaying gay pride symbols like a rainbow pin, illegal.</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;">In the wide-ranging interview, his first with a U.S. television network since returning to the Kremlin in 2012, Putin rejected that characterization, noting that Soviet-era laws making homosexuality illegal were struck down years ago.</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;">"It has nothing to do with persecuting people for their non-traditional orientation," Putin said Friday. "My personal position is that society must keep children safe."</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;"><strong>READ: <a data-mce-href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/01/five-things-to-know-about-vladimir-putin/" data-rapid_p="9" href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/01/five-things-to-know-about-vladimir-putin/" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Five Things to Know About Vladimir Putin</a></strong></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;">His comments come amid fears that fans and athletes at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi could be prosecuted for violating the law. Russia has provided assurances to the International Olympic Committee that the law will not apply during the games, yet senior Russian officials have sent mixed signals.</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;">In his interview, Putin suggested they will not be prosecuted during the games.</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;">"I couldn't care less about their sexual orientation. We will welcome all athletes and all visitors to the Olympics," he said. "None of our guests will have any problems."</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;">Putin blasted those calling for a boycott of the Sochi Olympics because of the law and rejected Western criticism of the law, saying "the Russian people have their own cultural code, their own tradition. We don't interfere, don't stick our noses in their life and we ask that our traditions and culture are treated with the same respect."</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;">Putin said he would be willing to meet with the U.S. delegation, which includes gay athletes like tennis legend Billie Jean King, figure skating star Brian Boitano and hockey player Caitlin Cahow.</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;">King recently told ABC News' Amy Robach that she has a direct message for President Putin.</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;">"Please change this law. Just be inclusive -- champion everyone, don't -- have groups where you don't treat them the same ," she said.</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;">King said the Sochi Olympics should be seen as an opportunity for gay athletes.</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;">"For me, personally, if I were still young enough to be going to the Olympics to perform, this would give me such high incentive. I'd be crazed. I'd be like, 'Let's go,'" she said. Though few have been prosecuted under the law since it was enacted last year, gay rights activists say it has made an already difficult situation for Russia's gays even more perilous.</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;">"The propaganda laws are almost the least of it. It's a huge concerted campaign that's unleashed by the Kremlin. It's a campaign of hate and violence," Masha Gessen, a Russian-American journalist who recently fled to New York for fear of Russia's mounting threats on homosexuals.</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;">"Basically, it's a law that enshrines second-class citizenship," Gessen said.</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;">During his interview Friday, Putin also addressed some of the other controversies surrounding the Sochi Olympics, namely that massive corruption was to blame for its $51 billion price tag, making it by far the most expensive Olympics ever.</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;">"Given the scale and, let's be honest about it, given the lack of experience of construction on such a vast scale in this country, in today's Russia, of course setbacks were inevitable," he said.</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;">Putin rejected claims that up to a third of the Olympic budget was stolen or inflated due to corruption.</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;">"If anyone has specific information about 'signs of corruption' in regard to the implementation of the Sochi Olympics project, we ask for objective data to be given to us," he told Stephanopoulos. "So far, I do not see any serious signs of corruption at this time."</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;">Just under three weeks before the Opening Ceremony, the Olympic city still a giant construction site, but Putin said he was confident that all Olympic projects will be completed on time.</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;">"Everything has been done. Things need to be cleaned up," he said. "All the facilities are ready."</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;">He said he hopes foreigners attending the Games, and those watching on television, will see a new Russia.</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;">"Take an unbiased, fresh look at it," he said. "I'm positive that it will produce, should produce a positive, good result and will facilitate Russia's relationship-building with its partners around the world."</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;">Putin told Stephanopoulos that Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who received asylum in Russia, is free to attend the Sochi Olympics if he wants to.</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;">"Everybody is invited," he said. "Mr. Snowden is subject to the treatment of provisional asylum here in Russia. He has a right to travel freely across the country, he has no special limitation, he can just buy a ticket and come here."</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;">Asked whether Snowden could stay as long as he wants, Putin replied: "Yes, sure, definitely."</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;">Putin told Stephanopoulos that he hoped the Olympics would help bridge the divide between the United States and Russia.</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;">"Between major countries there certainly always are some common ground and points of tension," he said.</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;">"With respect to athletes I'd recommend and advise them not to think about the political differences," Putin said, adding with a smile: "Politics should not interfere with sports. And sports should impact politics."</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_21342" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;"><em>The Asssociated Press contributed to this story.</em></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_21332" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;"><br /></div></div>

Vladimir Putin Defends Anti-Gay Law, but Vows No 'Problems' for Olympic Visitors (BLOG)

Russian President Vladimir Putin defended his country's controversial new anti-gay law, saying it aims to protect children and does not ...

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Nastya Kamensky told the whole truth about his pregnancy

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLESzb53A2yegoP-rwhjO-SO_u3VI7kVHa_Z_RS4_R02BHMYWDQGNc8gekq-0px5mC7CwlkqfeZoYds-bt74JDXtE4GT9VAasgXPl1_x0XYLUaJ1Vzb0BDoakHXFLFyVYa9OD3gTPB/s1600/Nastia+Kamensky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLESzb53A2yegoP-rwhjO-SO_u3VI7kVHa_Z_RS4_R02BHMYWDQGNc8gekq-0px5mC7CwlkqfeZoYds-bt74JDXtE4GT9VAasgXPl1_x0XYLUaJ1Vzb0BDoakHXFLFyVYa9OD3gTPB/s1600/Nastia+Kamensky.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/11/nastya-kamensky-shocked-fans-naked.html">Nastya Kamensky</a> "pregnant" with surprising regularity - almost every year, as soon as the form of the Ukrainian singer noticeably rounded journalists ascribe an interesting position. Potap and Nastya already so tired of these news, that this time the scenic Kamenskikh partner for the next issue media said that the present waiting twins from rapper Seryoga. <br /> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* biner3 */ google_ad_slot = "7346003106"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script><br /><br /> Latter, incidentally, did not understand the plague Potap and asked for more so do not joke, and Potap and did disown his words. Finally, she commented on her Nastya Kamensky hyped "pregnancy». <br /> <br /> Singer noted that in such an interesting position it for 7 years - as much as there is a duet "Potap and Nastya". According to her, the extra pounds often recruited during active touring because of irregular work schedules, frequent flights, fatigue and inability to comply with the normal diet and sports training. <br /> <br /> This time, after another round of rumors about the pregnancy, Nastya again decided to go on a diet. Now with the growth of 173 cm Artist weighs about 80 kg, because for the next month hoping to lose at least 10 kg. Nastya said that usually first arranges cleaning the kidneys and bladder of toxins. To do this, it goes for 10 days for fruits, fresh juices and take 1 tbsp olive oil per day. This cleaning helps remove about 5 kg. Then Kamenskikh sits on a diet: refuses potatoes, sugar, flour, sausages and cheeses. Its diet consists of fruits, vegetables, fat-free yogurt. At the same time the singer eats often, but little. Nastya loves walking about 5-6 miles a day. <br /> <br /> Potap admitted that supports Nastya in her diet. Actor joked that he checks it for strength, eating at her when she on a diet and trying to get enough leaf lettuce. Nevertheless, Potapov said he believes Kamenskikh benchmark Ukrainian beauty with delicious naturalness and curvaceous. But when Nastia is really pregnant, he promised to arrange a free concert after her.<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* boton */ google_ad_slot = "4392536701"; google_ad_width = 200; google_ad_height = 90; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script>

Nastya Kamensky told the whole truth about his pregnancy

Nastya Kamensky "pregnant" with surprising regularity - almost every year, as soon as the form of the Ukrainian singer noticeabl...

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GOLD and SILVER get CRUSHED

<div style="text-align: center;"><b>INVESTORS DUMP PRECIOUS METALS</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Most credible analysts and financial advisors that are FINRA and SIPC members are advising clients to exit the precious metals and to get into equities and various growth funds due to improvements in the U.S. economy and continued favorable outlooks.   The U.S. economy is doing well now except for the small fraction of conspiracy theorists and ass-clown analysts that inhabit YOU TUBE which say that we are nearing hyperinflation and a total economic collapse: </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="http://www.kitco.com/images/live/gold.gif" class="decoded" height="253" src="http://www.kitco.com/images/live/gold.gif" width="400" /> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><img alt="http://www.kitco.com/images/live/silver.gif" class="decoded" height="253" src="http://www.kitco.com/images/live/silver.gif" width="400" /> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Register for the upcoming SYMPOSIUMS</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hear the MASTERMINDS speak great swelling words of vanity... </b></span></div><br /><b>The YOU TUBE masterminds of GOLD and SILVER will be there:</b><br /><b><a href="http://libertymastermind.us/" style="color: red;">http://libertymastermind.us/</a> </b><br /><br /><b>Also check out Fabian Calvo a.k.a. "Fabian for Liberty" who is another economic trends forecaster:</b><br /><b><a href="http://ger2015.com/ger-preparedness-seminar/" style="color: red;">http://ger2015.com/ger-preparedness-seminar/</a></b><br /><b>  </b><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ebNofsWWo94?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><b>...developing... </b></div>

GOLD and SILVER get CRUSHED

INVESTORS DUMP PRECIOUS METALS Most credible analysts and financial advisors that are FINRA and SIPC members are advising clients to exit th...

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Urgent Search for 'Black Widow' Suicide Bomber, May Be Already in Sochi (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgHqAbsIjK-eHefyyiu210AYZlMYRau0UpI_1eJVv-SKCE3soAqqB-GCZHlkpXVKk4dpKbHw9FSfFGY1Y2HVbj81nMVYxSsZP8kwWLkoRxkTvBNxikw2gR84il00boLD1hxwOOWBUmGU/s1600/HT_sochi_wanted_poster_tk_140120_16x9_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgHqAbsIjK-eHefyyiu210AYZlMYRau0UpI_1eJVv-SKCE3soAqqB-GCZHlkpXVKk4dpKbHw9FSfFGY1Y2HVbj81nMVYxSsZP8kwWLkoRxkTvBNxikw2gR84il00boLD1hxwOOWBUmGU/s1600/HT_sochi_wanted_poster_tk_140120_16x9_992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_17321" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Police in Sochi have launched an urgent search for a possible female suicide bomber who may have already made it past the ring of security set up for the Olympic Games.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_17331" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">A spokesperson for the U.S. Olympic Committee reacted to the revelation by saying that the safety of Team USA is their "top priority."Hotel employees in Sochi told ABC News that posters with pictures and descriptions of a 22-year-old woman from nearby Dagestan were distributed over the weekend by authorities and a similar flyer was also seen posted at Sochi's airport.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_17350" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"As is always the case, we are working with the U.S. Department of State, the local organizers and the relevant law enforcement agencies in an effort to ensure that our delegation and other Americans traveling to Sochi are safe," spokesperson Patrick Sandusky said.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_17360" 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 woman featured on the wanted posters is identified as Ruzanna Ibragimova, using the nickname Salima, the widow of a militant reportedly killed in a shoot-out with police last year in Dagestan.</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;">She is described as being affiliated with the Caucasus Emirate, the terror group led by Doku Umarov that has threatened attacks against the Winter Games in Sochi.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-video go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="8" data-uuid="de77eb5b-1dfe-332a-b2e4-4dcac7c07534" href="http://news.yahoo.com/video/eyes-russia-olympic-terror-threat-113811479.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="All Eyes on Russia Olympic Terror Threat"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 169px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; color: white; font-size: 16px; left: 5px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 5px; transition: opacity 0.24s linear; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 270px; zoom: 1;">All Eyes on Russia Olympic Terror Threat</span><span class="cta-text xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; bottom: 5px; color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 42px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.24s linear;">Play video</span><span class="icon-play icon-white-play-xsmall" style="background-color: #324fe1; background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; line-height: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: -1000em; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span></div><img alt="All Eyes on Russia Olympic Terror Threat" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="169" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ZYS8Xk7BkVi1aOjQbnbe4w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE2OTtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/video/video.abcnewsplus.com/69147a44ec88fecc0d8ad7f0fc6e053c" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div></a></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;">Ibragimova is described as having a 10 centimeter scar across the left cheek, a pronounced limp, and a stiff left arm that doesn't bend at the elbow.</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;"><em><a data-rapid_p="9" href="http://news.yahoo.com/urgent-search-39-black-widow-171341177.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">RELATED: Terror 'Surprise' for Sochi Olympics? Purported Suicide Bombers' New Threat</a></em></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;">A police wanted poster published by an online Sochi news website said she had left Dagestan earlier this month and arrived in Sochi about ten days ago.</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;">Security experts said it was troubling that she may have been able to get to Sochi despite the so-called "ring of steel" of security forces that President Vladimir Putin has said will make the Olympics safe from terrorists.</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;">"The fact that one individual either was able to stay in the area before the ring of steel went up or get through it really raises questions about the strength of the Russia security apparatus," said Christopher Swift, a Georgetown University professor who has studied militant groups in the North Caucasus.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-video go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="10" data-uuid="f82c380c-03e8-3485-b188-31f94ccfa19d" href="http://news.yahoo.com/video/putin-olympic-security-39-whatever-144231425.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="Putin on Olympic Security: &#39;We Will Do Whatever&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 169px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; color: white; font-size: 16px; left: 5px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 5px; transition: opacity 0.24s linear; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 270px; zoom: 1;">Putin on Olympic Security: 'We Will Do Whateve …</span><span class="cta-text xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; bottom: 5px; color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 42px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.24s linear;">Play video</span><span class="icon-play icon-white-play-xsmall" style="background-color: #324fe1; background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; line-height: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: -1000em; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span></div><img alt="Putin on Olympic Security: &#39;We Will Do Whatever&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="169" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/v2wior6Qou9z18NiOhlWrQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE2OTtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/video/video.abcnewsplus.com/32e03ed4dd366684e53e1f573a23cdb7" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div></a></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;">"The specific worry is that she's a woman and because of that it's easier for women to infiltrate indoor or outdoor venues, that she could be a bomb carrier."</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;">Swift said it is rare for the group's suicide bombers to operate alone.</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;">"Usually, in the past, when we've seen female suicide bombings, there's either been two women who are both bombers," said Swift.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1390254995993_17421" 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 FSB, Russia's domestic intelligence service preceded by the KGB, declined to comment for this report.</div></div>

Urgent Search for 'Black Widow' Suicide Bomber, May Be Already in Sochi (BLOG)

Police in Sochi have launched an urgent search for a possible female suicide bomber who may have already made it past the ring of security s...

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