Hot cars at the Detroit auto show (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/AVvXsEg-tl-H_8SUzsmfn1KhhgA9tg6VLMtAVOw-s5MB4-2WtmXra-MGlWX2wXc5k03ZpOrnHZS_WhWlEO-APBK3aYVhSyZnwitpz2YZTMHZuEyFkz4ANGxIOeBoBjh04HP1VjmzVWeoAa5XMnE/s1600/59ec93bd-382e-45bb-a914-3e216e14b02a_AP157134102627_2.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/AVvXsEg-tl-H_8SUzsmfn1KhhgA9tg6VLMtAVOw-s5MB4-2WtmXra-MGlWX2wXc5k03ZpOrnHZS_WhWlEO-APBK3aYVhSyZnwitpz2YZTMHZuEyFkz4ANGxIOeBoBjh04HP1VjmzVWeoAa5XMnE/s320/59ec93bd-382e-45bb-a914-3e216e14b02a_AP157134102627_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_17491" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">DETROIT - The North American International Auto Show begins this week in Detroit with media and industry previews. It opens to the public Jan. 18.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_17516" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Here are some of the new cars and experimental concept vehicles unveiled at the show:</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_17526" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">— CADILLAC ATS COUPE: General Motors' Cadillac brand gets another tool to go after the Germans with the sleek new 2015 ATS Coupe. Aimed at the BMW 4-Series and Audi A5, the ATS coupe offers the same engines, transmissions and most of the same features as the sedan. But the coupe gets its own roof, doors, front fascia and fenders to accommodate a wider track than the sedan. The coupe, unveiled Tuesday at the Detroit auto show, is expected to arrive in showrooms during the summer. The car will likely cost more than the current sedan, which starts at $33,065 excluding shipping.</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;">— KIA GT4 STINGER CONCEPT: Kia's latest concept car forgoes an audio system, with the idea that the sound from under the hood and the exhaust will be music to the driver's ears. The four-seat GT4 Stinger made its debut in Detroit and features a version of Kia's 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder engine, with a six-speed manual transmission that packs 315 horsepower. Designers gave the sports car what they described as a shrink-wrapped appearance with a bright, orange-yellow hue. Kia Motors America notes that it often ends up making vehicles that closely resemble concept versions.</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;">— LEXUS RC F COUPE: Lexus is marking its 25th anniversary with some power. The RC F coupe is based on the RC coupe unveiled in November at the Tokyo Motor Show, but it's produced for high performance. The hood on the RC F is higher to accommodate a 5.0-litre, V8 engine that produces more than 450 horsepower. The automaker said the rear-wheel drive RC F also features a speed-sensitive, active rear spoiler that deploys at about 50 mph and retracts below 25 mph. The wing helps maintain traction and stability at higher speeds. Lexus expects the RC F to go on sale in early fall. Pricing hasn't been announced.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_17534" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">— VOLVO XC90: Volvo teased its new XC90 seven-passenger SUV, slated to hit the market later this year. The XC Concept Coupe has design elements that will be on Volvo cars going forward, including an oval grille with Volvo's distinctive logo, daytime running lights shaped like a narrow, sideways "T'' and a band of taillights curling down from the roof. A first-time plug-in hybrid version gets an estimated 400 horsepower. The two-door concept doesn't exactly mimic the future XC90, which will have four doors.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_17549" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">— SUBARU WRX STI: The 2015 WRX STI features a four-cylinder, 2.5-litre turbocharged engine with a 6-speed manual transmission that puts out 305 horsepower. The four-door, all-wheel drive STI version of the WRX aims to offer top-of-the-line performance along with comfort. Starting in April, Subaru plans to offer a WRX STI Launch Edition for three months, limited to 1,000 units and featuring special blue paint and gold-colour forged alloy wheels. Pricing will be announced later.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_17559" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">— ACURA TLX: The Honda luxury brand plans to beef up its sedan line-up with a mid-season enhancement. Acura unveiled its 2015 TLX prototype, which it describes as a "performance luxury sedan," to join its ILX compact and RLX performance models. The sporty side comes through with a low and wide stance, rigid and lightweight body, and shortened front and rear overhangs. The car will come with a new 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine or more powerful 3.5-litre V6. The carmaker says that high performance won't compromise luxury, with the TLX offering "vault-like quietness" in all driving conditions. The TLX was designed and developed in the U.S., where it will also be produced.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_17559" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">YahooNews</div></div>

Hot cars at the Detroit auto show (BLOG)

DETROIT - The North American International Auto Show begins this week in Detroit with media and industry previews. It opens to the public Ja...

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Israeli defense chief comments spark spat with US (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/AVvXsEhbTQPBp-aByr6cTiajhB96GkmhfCnd3I0c77MudwyEAN8VusnvSEe7An7M00lKS4iTUkTT3Pdlct3hYKRgu7kS72u-1E_hfIFze8EfCIpaCj2LPeCGYK7Daz6M_HIZxw1lp9itJd45zq4/s1600/e65851fcfc76e901480f6a7067007a98.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/AVvXsEhbTQPBp-aByr6cTiajhB96GkmhfCnd3I0c77MudwyEAN8VusnvSEe7An7M00lKS4iTUkTT3Pdlct3hYKRgu7kS72u-1E_hfIFze8EfCIpaCj2LPeCGYK7Daz6M_HIZxw1lp9itJd45zq4/s320/e65851fcfc76e901480f6a7067007a98.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_13617" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's defense minister was quoted Tuesday as deriding U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's Mideast peace efforts as naive and foolhardy, triggering an angry response from Washington and rekindling simmering tensions with Israel's closest and most important ally.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_13643" 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 comments published by the Yediot Ahronot daily, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon called Kerry "obsessive" and "messianic" and dismissed Kerry's security plan as worthless.The quotes appeared ahead of another visit by Kerry, who is expected in the region in the coming weeks to deliver his ideas on a framework for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Kerry has already submitted to Israel a series of proposals for ensuring Israel's security as part of a future peace deal.</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 only thing that might save us is if John Kerry wins the Nobel Prize and leaves us be," Yaalon was quoted as saying.</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;">Yaalon is a former military chief of staff and close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Since becoming defense minister last year, a position of great influence in Israel, he has been a vocal skeptic of Kerry's peace efforts. In his public statements, he has said Israel has "no partner" for peace and questioned the Palestinian commitment to resolving years of conflict.</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 about the report, Yaalon issued a statement saying that relations with the U.S. are "intimate and meaningful" for Israel.</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 United States is our greatest friend and our strongest ally and when there are differences they are resolved behind closed doors, including with Secretary Kerry with whom I have many conversations about the future of Israel. I will continue to determinedly, responsibly and thoughtfully protect the security of the people of Israel," Yaalon said. His office would neither confirm nor deny the comments in Yediot, and repeated requests for additional comment were not answered.</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;">Late Tuesday, Yaalon's office issued a second statement in which the defense minister expressed appreciation for Kerry' peace efforts.</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 defense minister had no intention to cause any offense to the secretary, and he apologizes if the secretary was offended by words attributed to the minister," the statement read.</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;">Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders scrambled to distance themselves from Yaalon, while the U.S. condemned the reported comments as "offensive and inappropriate."</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.S. Embassy in Israel has complained about the reported comments to the Israeli government, said a senior State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to discuss the matter on the record.</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;">Under heavy American pressure, Israel and the Palestinians resumed substantive peace talks last July for the first time in nearly five years. So far, there have been no signs of progress, and the talks have been marred by finger pointing by both sides.</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 an April target date for an agreement approaching, Kerry has said he will soon return with bridging proposals for a framework deal. In recent weeks, both sides appear to have hardened their positions. During a visit to Israel this week, Vice President Joe Biden said both sides have "difficult decisions" to make.</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 Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, territories captured by Israel in 1967, for an independent state. Netanyahu wants to keep parts of the West Bank and says he will not share control of east Jerusalem, home to sensitive Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious sites. He has also insisted that the Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland, a condition they say would undermine the rights of Palestinian refugees and Israel's own Arab minority.</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 Tuesday's report, Yaalon said there have not been any direct talks with the Palestinians in months, and that the only communications have been through American mediators. He also expressed deep skepticism about Palestinian intentions, saying peace could only be reached if the Palestinians accept Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.</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 his harshest comments were on Kerry's security proposals for the West Bank, which were drawn up by his security adviser, former Gen. John Allen, and dozens of other experts.</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 American plan for security arrangements that was shown to us isn't worth the paper it was written on," Yaalon is quoted as saying. "Secretary of State John Kerry — who arrived here determined, and who operates from an incomprehensible obsession and a sense of messianism — can't teach me anything about the conflict with the Palestinians."</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.S. plan includes a limited Israeli presence in the West Bank, but relies heavily on sensors, satellites and drones, according to Palestinian officials. Israel has demanded it be allowed to retain an on-the-ground presence along the eastern border with Jordan to prevent weapons smuggling or potential invasion by Arab armies.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_13647" 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 report quoted Yaalon as telling Kerry that technology was no substitute for ground troops when confronting militants.</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;">"What are you talking about?" the defense minister was quoted as saying. "You presented us with a plan that is based on sophisticated technology, on satellites, sensors, war rooms with television screens —without a presence of our troops on the ground. And I ask you_how will technology respond when a Salafist or Islamic Jihad cell tries to commit a terror attack against Israeli targets? ... Which satellites will handle the rocket industry developing today ... that will be fired at Tel Aviv and central Israel?"</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;">"Relations between the United State and Israel are intimate and important to us. The United States is our greatest friend and most important ally, and when there are disagreements we air them inside the (discussion) room, including with Secretary of State Kerry, with whom I have held many discussions about the future of Israel," Yaalon said in a statement to the media.</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 Washington, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Yaalon's comments, if accurate, were "offensive and inappropriate," given everything the U.S. is doing to support Mideast peace efforts. He said Kerry and his team have been working nonstop because the U.S. is deeply concerned about and committed to Israel's 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;">"To question Secretary Kerry's motives and distort his proposals is not something we would expect from the defense minister of a close ally," Carney 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;">It was the latest twist in what has frequently been a strained relationship between Netanyahu and the Obama White House. The two leaders have appeared uncomfortable together and often disagreed over issues like Israeli settlement construction on lands claimed by the Palestinians and American positions on the peace talks with the Palestinians. During one recent visit, Kerry said settlement construction raises questions about Israel's commitment to peace in comments broadcast on national TV.</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;">Netanyahu has also been an outspoken critic of the U.S.-led efforts to curb Iran's nuclear program, saying they don't go far enough.</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 a speech at parliament marking the body's 65th anniversary Monday, Netanyahu appeared to distance himself from his defense minister. "The United States is our great ally," he said. "Even when we have disagreements there are always related to an issue, not a person."</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;">President Shimon Peres also devoted his comments at the ceremony to the strong bond with the U.S. "The unusual determination of Secretary of State Kerry to reach peace reflects and serves Israel's deep desire for peace and a chance to mutual understanding," 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;">But dovish leaders took harsh aim at Yaalon, saying he had caused damage to the country's most important relationship. Isaac Herzog invoked the name of Yitzhak Rabin, the former prime minister who was assassinated in 1995 by an ultranationalist Jew opposed to his peace efforts with the Palestinians.</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 will always remember the strong bond with the United States that Yitzhak Rabin believed in. He knew to give respect to our friends and supporters overseas and never call them messianic, strange and obsessive or any other offensive names," he said.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_13685" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">___</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_13675" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Associated Press writers Josh Lederman and Deb Riechmann in Washington and Lara Jakes in Rome contributed to this report.</div></div>

Israeli defense chief comments spark spat with US (BLOG)

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's defense minister was quoted Tuesday as deriding U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's Mideast peace efforts...

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Obama: Won't wait for legislation to advance 2014 priorities (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/AVvXsEiHIf-90yeAbhwdOrYZ7IlxCHb2lsjnRWKHxOB0N0JPddipX2-CswS6NFy58QcK8puXJ9DX0nkyqPi_g1yQSuUK0UPQlAaRpWlwBta2EM_Xj5UIOUjeMAL4ItYWtrl14sQRvbpSWksDQ_g/s1600/2014-01-14T203858Z_3_CBREA0D19J500_RTROPTP_2_OBAMA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIf-90yeAbhwdOrYZ7IlxCHb2lsjnRWKHxOB0N0JPddipX2-CswS6NFy58QcK8puXJ9DX0nkyqPi_g1yQSuUK0UPQlAaRpWlwBta2EM_Xj5UIOUjeMAL4ItYWtrl14sQRvbpSWksDQ_g/s320/2014-01-14T203858Z_3_CBREA0D19J500_RTROPTP_2_OBAMA.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_9674" 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 Jeff Mason</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_9629" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Obama, speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House, foreshadowed his upcoming State of the Union address and what appeared to be a new messaging strategy by emphasizing his ability to take executive actions without approval from lawmakers.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he would not wait for Congress to pass legislation to advance his policy priorities this year and said he was "getting close" to finishing a review of U.S. surveillance practices - to be unveiled on Friday.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_9736" 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 are not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we're providing Americans the kind of help that they need," 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;">"I've got a pen, and I've got a phone. And I can use that pen to sign executive orders and take executive actions ... and I've got a phone that allows me to convene Americans from every walk of life," 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;">Obama began last year with high hopes of making progress on gun control, immigration reform, and other issues after giving an inaugural address that rallied his base and set an aggressive tone for his second term.</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 the year concluded with few legislative achievements. His gun control efforts largely failed and an immigration reform bill passed in the Senate but stalled in the House of Representatives.</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;">White House officials, while referring to 2014 as a "year of action," have already played down the prospect of getting a lot of laws passed and told reporters that they would not measure the year's success by the administration's list of legislative victories.</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;">Obama again listed immigration reform as a priority for the year. He will need Congress to turn his goals on that issue into law. The president also emphasized his goal of getting the U.S. economy to recover faster.</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 message to my cabinet - and that will be amplified in our State of the Union - is that we need all hands on deck to build on the recovery that we're already seeing. The economy is improving, but it could be improving even faster," Obama 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;">"And I am absolutely confident that in 2014, if we're all working in the same direction and not worrying so much about political points but worrying much more about getting the job done, that we can see a lot of improvement this year," 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;">Republican speaker of the House John Boehner, whose support Obama will need for the administration's legislative priorities, said the president had lost focus on the economy.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_9774" 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 the president's serious about wanting to improve the prospects for our economy - and higher wages and better jobs - all he has to do is pick up the phone and call Democrat leaders in the Senate and ask them to move one of these dozens of bills that we've sent over there that would help put Americans back to work," Boehner said.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_9789" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">On a separate issue, Obama is scheduled to make a speech on Friday outlining his decisions on how to reform controversial surveillance activities by the National Security Agency that were made public through revelations by former U.S. contractor Edward Snowden.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_9799" 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 if he had finished his NSA review, Obama said: "It's getting close."</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_9809" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">(additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; editing by Gunna Dickson)</div></div>

Obama: Won't wait for legislation to advance 2014 priorities (BLOG)

By Jeff Mason Obama, speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House, foreshadowed his upcoming State of the Union address...

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US judge strikes down Okla. same-sex marriage ban (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/AVvXsEi7uJtVwkVa6duLtjpBrphSU-n-eCMRFHuyfhsw4dXdBfaMKj5wvkoOKo1bGGUBDMf_VyxIOaJyo8zcLS0Qm4fpPLoMt76uJyU06lnAkyRf3881T3UhJhB5RysmFgrY-FuuFLDAMUKetjU/s1600/6a7008d5fdcaef01480f6a7067000115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uJtVwkVa6duLtjpBrphSU-n-eCMRFHuyfhsw4dXdBfaMKj5wvkoOKo1bGGUBDMf_VyxIOaJyo8zcLS0Qm4fpPLoMt76uJyU06lnAkyRf3881T3UhJhB5RysmFgrY-FuuFLDAMUKetjU/s320/6a7008d5fdcaef01480f6a7067000115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_6171" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A federal judge struck down Oklahoma's gay marriage ban Tuesday, but headed off any rush to the altar by setting aside his order while state and local officials complete an appeal.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_6181" 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 ruling, U.S. District Judge Terence Kern described Oklahoma's ban on same-sex marriage as "an arbitrary, irrational exclusion of just one class of Oklahoma citizens from a governmental benefit."It was the second time in a month that a federal judge has set aside a deeply conservative state's limits on same-sex marriage, after Utah's ban was reversed in December.</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 decision drew criticism from the governor, attorney general and other elected officials in this state known as the buckle of the Bible Belt. A state lawmaker who once said gay people posed a greater threat to the nation than terrorism blasted rulings from "activist judges."</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;">Kern said the ban violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause because it precludes same-sex couples from receiving an Oklahoma marriage license. In his 68-page ruling, Kern frequently referenced U.S. Supreme Court decisions issued last summer on gay marriage. He also took a shot at Oklahoma's high divorce rate, noting that "excluding same-sex couples from marriage has done little to keep Oklahoma families together thus far."</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;">"Exclusion of just one class of citizens from receiving a marriage license based upon the perceived 'threat' they pose to the marital institution is, at bottom, an arbitrary exclusion based upon the majority's disapproval of the defined class," Kern wrote. "It is also insulting to same-sex couples, who are human beings capable of forming loving, committed, enduring relationships."</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;">Republican Gov. Mary Fallin issued a written statement accusing Kern of undermining the will of Oklahoma voters who passed the gay marriage ban by a 3-1 margin in 2004.</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 people of Oklahoma have spoken on this issue. I support the right of Oklahoma's voters to govern themselves on this and other policy matters. I am disappointed in the judge's ruling and troubled that the will of the people has once again been ignored by the federal government," the statement 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;">Attorney General Scott Pruitt said the Supreme Court had left it to the states to define marriage and that Kern's ruling was "troubling." He said it would likely take another Supreme Court decision to resolve the matter.</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;">Not including Utah and Oklahoma, 27 states still have constitutional prohibitions on same-sex marriage. Four more — Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming — do not permit it through state laws.</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 are currently 43 same-sex lawsuits in courts, with 27 of those in federal court, said Camilla Taylor, marriage project director at Lambda Legal, a civil rights organization. Oklahoma's ban on same-sex marriage is the third to be struck down by a federal judge, after California and Utah. State courts also ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in New Mexico in December and New Jersey in October.</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;">Taylor said momentum has been increasing as litigators see that gay-rights groups are winning same-sex marriage cases. She said a new same-sex marriage lawsuit is brought almost every week.</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 17 days, Utah was the 18th state to allow gay couples to wed, after a federal judge there overturned the state's same-sex marriage ban. Hundreds of couples got married before the Supreme Court put a halt to the weddings earlier this month by granting the state a stay on a federal judge's ruling that two other courts previously denied.</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 fate of gay marriage in Utah now rests in the hands of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver — the same circuit as Oklahoma.</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 both causes, federal judges said the states' gay marriage laws violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.</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;">"Equal protection is at the very heart of our legal system and central to our consent to be governed," Kern wrote. "It is not a scarce commodity to be meted out begrudgingly or in short portions. Therefore, the majority view in Oklahoma must give way to individual constitutional rights."</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;">Tulsa couple Mary Bishop and Sharon Baldwin, who work at the Tulsa World newspaper, filed the Oklahoma lawsuit along with another same-sex couple in November 2004, shortly after voters approved the constitutional amendment. Their case was the longest-running challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, according to the national gay marriage advocacy group Freedom to Marry.</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's so much emotion, I'm kind of crying right now," Bishop said Tuesday. "It's overwhelming to think that we finally won.</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;">"Sharon and I want to get married here in Oklahoma. We've been together for more than 17 years — it's time. This is something that when I was young, I thought I'd never see in my lifetime."</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;">Tulsa County Court Clerk Sally Howe Smith said there was no way under Oklahoma law for her to give the couple a marriage license. "That's how I became a defendant in the case," 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;">Taylor, with Lambda Legal, said she wasn't sure why the judge's ruling came now, though she noted that he made several references to the Utah case in his ruling.</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 2006, the Tulsa couples' case made its way to the 10th Circuit after the district court denied the governor of Oklahoma and the state attorney general's motion to dismiss the case. The appeals court ruled in 2009 that the couple lacked standing, so the two couples filed an amended complaint removing the governor and attorney general and adding Smith.</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 Bishop couple has been in a loving, committed relationships for many years," Kern wrote. "They own property together, wish to retire together, wish to make medical decisions for one another, and wish to be recognized as a married couple with all its attendant rights and responsibilities."</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;">___</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389762497738_6200" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Associated Press reporters Kristi Eaton, Sean Murphy and Tim Talley contributed from Oklahoma City.</div></div>

US judge strikes down Okla. same-sex marriage ban (BLOG)

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A federal judge struck down Oklahoma's gay marriage ban Tuesday, but headed off any rush to the altar by setting asi...

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt want to adopt another child

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gSSXRZr4ovnBpumkKXrF3n9lr2hQEm4SG-95I4ZVsM-RhdhyphenhypheniFbg2AJK5_U1zHINnhLvskhsRVQhIwQtKMvGVmM2S3S6W4dEpOEXYseD8uZpzFwVRkmWg1RctNe6W5464pRmVbuv/s1600/Angelina+Jolie+and+Brad+Pitt+want+to+adopt+another+child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gSSXRZr4ovnBpumkKXrF3n9lr2hQEm4SG-95I4ZVsM-RhdhyphenhypheniFbg2AJK5_U1zHINnhLvskhsRVQhIwQtKMvGVmM2S3S6W4dEpOEXYseD8uZpzFwVRkmWg1RctNe6W5464pRmVbuv/s1600/Angelina+Jolie+and+Brad+Pitt+want+to+adopt+another+child.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Angelina%20Jolie" target="_blank">Angelina Jolie</a></b> and <b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Brad%20Pitt" target="_blank">Brad Pitt</a></b> want to adopt a new baby. During all the winter holidays pair discussed their plans with six children, three of whom - reception: 12-year-old Maddox, Pax 10-year-old and 9-year-old Zahara. Actors biological children - 5-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, as well as 7-year-old Shiloh. <br /> <br /> Source Grazia magazine confessed: <br /> <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"> Angelina and Brad spent most of the holidays, discussing additions to the family. They openly talk about it with their children. All in anticipation. </blockquote><br /> Initially the couple wanted to adopt a child from Jordan, but the process was complicated. Therefore, they are negotiating with orphanages in Ethiopia, where Zahara was born: <br /> <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"> They always wanted the girl had a sister from Africa at the age of 2 or 3 years. </blockquote><br /> Note actors now consult with one another and an expert on adoption by Dr. Jane Aronson. <br /> <br /> Also, Brad and Angelina are building a clinic in Ethiopia AIDS treatment, which are planning to visit in April. Then they will meet with the heads of shelters. <br /> <br /> Insider added: <br /> <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"> they will probably go to Ethiopia in the coming months to see how the case moves to the construction medtsenra. However, they will visit orphanages. Couple hopes that everything will be ready in April. </blockquote><br /><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><!-- biner noir --><ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:468px;height:60px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8441125172513237" data-ad-slot="2088847501"></ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSBHw8Zas81NnSontijTi6sTWzKzIgyAv5qHXBemjetbrEhJOlpfR-woJNctDw8RfNCC08jjW0cHWugbbmHwavicC0m13Ag4m3VZtY8NQwt6fsGJUy3ZU5_NH6e2Lv61MpruaX-Ut/s1600/Angelina+Jolie+with+children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSBHw8Zas81NnSontijTi6sTWzKzIgyAv5qHXBemjetbrEhJOlpfR-woJNctDw8RfNCC08jjW0cHWugbbmHwavicC0m13Ag4m3VZtY8NQwt6fsGJUy3ZU5_NH6e2Lv61MpruaX-Ut/s1600/Angelina+Jolie+with+children.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angelina Jolie with children</td></tr></tbody></table><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><br />

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt want to adopt another child

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt want to adopt a new baby. During all the winter holidays pair discussed their plans with six children, three...

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Johnny Depp Amber Heard made an offer?

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0V_zwEmbhipLenEwyM2qMqzfvyjkJcYVqJrfjVbqRXZYSvsbIO4Hf9Mx1k4mv9oOY0MaNs_Xxcxy7JnS_lQd8lam-zD0XZE6Xd1eswlb4xR_l_F86IV5TiWVFR3i0ctc9DTzIYud/s1600/Johnny+Depp+Amber+Heard+made+an+offer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0V_zwEmbhipLenEwyM2qMqzfvyjkJcYVqJrfjVbqRXZYSvsbIO4Hf9Mx1k4mv9oOY0MaNs_Xxcxy7JnS_lQd8lam-zD0XZE6Xd1eswlb4xR_l_F86IV5TiWVFR3i0ctc9DTzIYud/s1600/Johnny+Depp+Amber+Heard+made+an+offer.jpg" /></a></div><br />It seems that <b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Johnny%20Depp" target="_blank">Johnny Depp</a></b> has decided to settle down and proposed to his girlfriend, actress <b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Amber%20Heard" target="_blank">Amber Heard</a></b>. On the eve of the paparazzi photographed her at the exit from a restaurant in Los Angeles and, despite attempts to close the left hand from photographers cherished ring on his finger still managed to see. <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 /> Neither the actors nor their representatives about the engagement rumors are not prokommenitirovali . <br /> <br /> Careful attention was drawn to a pair of all last weekend - Saturday Star appeared together at a gala show in Los Angeles Skirtball center. Later, Amber, already alone, shone on the red carpet of the "Golden Globe". <br /> <br /> Note that if the engagement did take place, then Johnny Depp for the first time will be linked by marriage. His longest relationship was with actress Vanessa Paradis, the mother of two of his children. They had been together for 14 years, but Depp and did not propose to her.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmZl4f11OqfGWFETkfvOz0AhpoocPqYdzSoS2F2KQiH7jSbbJmXTQE7Kje1NoNjHAV03TqjdV7v091EwECzAPV9uBYuUogz4cM6MkJLHzSlNMSmg6B_cwNYnjhUdac_gdVuuCLMio/s1600/Amber+Heard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmZl4f11OqfGWFETkfvOz0AhpoocPqYdzSoS2F2KQiH7jSbbJmXTQE7Kje1NoNjHAV03TqjdV7v091EwECzAPV9uBYuUogz4cM6MkJLHzSlNMSmg6B_cwNYnjhUdac_gdVuuCLMio/s1600/Amber+Heard.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amber Heard</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkIu7mocll8wFU9oFlYqAB4SAE8VSBWUZ6I6GJ1fJV4IJquYIta4Kk6J0rt1FwVZJ2kizKz6vjs28bJWT2z_K5_wOyu48FoIyssq7akz3MH7Ghfh4VaWUYl0jAsCgfM9gzceuTwNe/s1600/Amber+Heard+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkIu7mocll8wFU9oFlYqAB4SAE8VSBWUZ6I6GJ1fJV4IJquYIta4Kk6J0rt1FwVZJ2kizKz6vjs28bJWT2z_K5_wOyu48FoIyssq7akz3MH7Ghfh4VaWUYl0jAsCgfM9gzceuTwNe/s1600/Amber+Heard+3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-9taWF4qLCZnhG6DNTIkDljy5UPjlr6122mjHfPKV9dhbXc-mUeHfAQk-mdSy3AW5I-05WRdhnytfIV7lNF01upjRLwtEd4wquVXUideASd8hpkf73uMB7Vz6ngaRzu7NOt0f6rz/s1600/Amber+Heard+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-9taWF4qLCZnhG6DNTIkDljy5UPjlr6122mjHfPKV9dhbXc-mUeHfAQk-mdSy3AW5I-05WRdhnytfIV7lNF01upjRLwtEd4wquVXUideASd8hpkf73uMB7Vz6ngaRzu7NOt0f6rz/s1600/Amber+Heard+4.jpg" /></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><br />

Johnny Depp Amber Heard made an offer?

It seems that Johnny Depp has decided to settle down and proposed to his girlfriend, actress Amber Heard . On the eve of the paparazzi ph...

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Hump Day Already?

Gee, time flies when you are working your ass off.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2okDJKcvGakb3vE-dc6lFhzXGBI4XPNfVbuWV60axK_lDnUHfLUNIDl-2JNFnj0rdMzVzytTjaoY7cCfP9ofdaoEt7GlhIDQzSRb0nnvpkO8RpDAi1yEVGqXLYtjt7WOc7ARqCT6EQgwk/s1600/boobs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2okDJKcvGakb3vE-dc6lFhzXGBI4XPNfVbuWV60axK_lDnUHfLUNIDl-2JNFnj0rdMzVzytTjaoY7cCfP9ofdaoEt7GlhIDQzSRb0nnvpkO8RpDAi1yEVGqXLYtjt7WOc7ARqCT6EQgwk/s640/boobs.jpg" /></a></div>

Hump Day Already?

Gee, time flies when you are working your ass off.

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In spite of all the rumors: a passionate kiss Leonardo DiCaprio and Toni Garrn

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQZ5KXu44PPz9qfVxGDzfMoxNPwKVIZy-jFuh8hNj0Uqc_51DWHV2WORN41OSmAiRC3esesxQlCsxsuKt1Jlpks-kH0OLaauOspzWWKKIvaxdB4himcNQtjlyjGxcELdRfkoYedya/s1600/In+spite+of+all+the+rumors+a+passionate+kiss+Leonardo+DiCaprio+and+Toni+Garrn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQZ5KXu44PPz9qfVxGDzfMoxNPwKVIZy-jFuh8hNj0Uqc_51DWHV2WORN41OSmAiRC3esesxQlCsxsuKt1Jlpks-kH0OLaauOspzWWKKIvaxdB4himcNQtjlyjGxcELdRfkoYedya/s1600/In+spite+of+all+the+rumors+a+passionate+kiss+Leonardo+DiCaprio+and+Toni+Garrn.jpg" /></a></div><br />Since autumn last year by Western journalists, and the whole world wondered just one question - is it <b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Leonardo%20DiCaprio" target="_blank">Leonardo DiCaprio</a></b> threw Tony Garnier for Brazilian fashion model? Until now it was not known how things are in the relationship of the actor and model, but these days things are finally cleared - star together and happy. <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 /> Want proof? Blogger Lesya22 pleased to provide them to you. <br /> <br /> The night from Sunday to Monday in Los Angeles hosted one of the biggest events in the world of cinema - an awards ceremony "Golden Globe". The gala event, where, by the way, DiCaprio has been awarded the coveted statuette in the category "Best Actor (Musical or Comedy)," the actor has appeared in the company of his mother. But later, at the afterparty, paparazzi still imprinted with the star Garnier. <br /> <br /> The network has a picture in which the star couple displayed during a passionate kiss. Beloved were in the crowd, but it seemed that at this moment for them there is no one but each other. <br /> <br /> Well, glad of DiCaprio and Garnier, hopefully loving actor has finally found his soul mate with which ever tie the knot!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyp9gZiGDEewyyN9iY3Y5mzI_Q5K9Hv4Wux-3vJJbIZp45GaKjCWYLv3bkC5EMx9AY1G8Y4hs_-_GE_Xku5Dbp3_gSaPEK4jpvXkT4-AR62caurvs_cuLip6o9ycKPN5M5qZQVrwV/s1600/Tony+Garnier+and+Leonardo+DiCaprio+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyp9gZiGDEewyyN9iY3Y5mzI_Q5K9Hv4Wux-3vJJbIZp45GaKjCWYLv3bkC5EMx9AY1G8Y4hs_-_GE_Xku5Dbp3_gSaPEK4jpvXkT4-AR62caurvs_cuLip6o9ycKPN5M5qZQVrwV/s1600/Tony+Garnier+and+Leonardo+DiCaprio+2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpijkT1axL9AxEqpi6KVbl8xAa6mbWYh-FP1BQgNduMETuo35EBCeu2yhODmLxwGrlxbHGMVNuqxslZupqzWR_r-NjLTqa_otghIM4zgFLzU2OWFA3zEKZBRVDRbP1H-UOI0fB2o4N/s1600/Tony+Garnier+and+Leonardo+DiCaprio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpijkT1axL9AxEqpi6KVbl8xAa6mbWYh-FP1BQgNduMETuo35EBCeu2yhODmLxwGrlxbHGMVNuqxslZupqzWR_r-NjLTqa_otghIM4zgFLzU2OWFA3zEKZBRVDRbP1H-UOI0fB2o4N/s1600/Tony+Garnier+and+Leonardo+DiCaprio.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Garnier and Leonardo DiCaprio </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Xt73dMF-4v2FWrcQn_xcxXQGSEqYzgfak_FXuVlh0Ns9IEzYCNDhNEn_pb7NKrBYL0Jg-tgR7GUXOuEZOJBSMCNONNzpCQwCFbSpn1_wMRvfWBhcck6G_ts05GMBbYgiA3fKMHL/s1600/Leonardo+DiCaprio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Xt73dMF-4v2FWrcQn_xcxXQGSEqYzgfak_FXuVlh0Ns9IEzYCNDhNEn_pb7NKrBYL0Jg-tgR7GUXOuEZOJBSMCNONNzpCQwCFbSpn1_wMRvfWBhcck6G_ts05GMBbYgiA3fKMHL/s1600/Leonardo+DiCaprio.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leonardo DiCaprio</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvQfQdRQJK4VychXqAm_sExpmqZT8mqtVFljgmYDD7BlI1Js25zTtMWdZnrw_l797KN1n6YsIIDrVFX49bpE5SNVYqdlYbHjuYneEyL1_Vom7owTGIGEH5mkiq5H-zOELqLbtWjLh/s1600/Tony+Garnier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvQfQdRQJK4VychXqAm_sExpmqZT8mqtVFljgmYDD7BlI1Js25zTtMWdZnrw_l797KN1n6YsIIDrVFX49bpE5SNVYqdlYbHjuYneEyL1_Vom7owTGIGEH5mkiq5H-zOELqLbtWjLh/s1600/Tony+Garnier.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toni Garrn</td></tr></tbody></table><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><br />

In spite of all the rumors: a passionate kiss Leonardo DiCaprio and Toni Garrn

Since autumn last year by Western journalists, and the whole world wondered just one question - is it Leonardo DiCaprio threw Tony Garnier...

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk secretly married?

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqCAIBB1rbbEMma55VuXMjGmR5yhchE7jPSAr8UncbSHr9ah2-66hzm3Fkh6-eZLx1tiW1oPdn2CiVd_hF56YoXZHJNpXvP8ft6YhaHbK6SempTgzYLIMEQOQL6EaRL67zRPdRm8i/s1600/Cristiano+Ronaldo+and+Irina+Shayk+secretly+married.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqCAIBB1rbbEMma55VuXMjGmR5yhchE7jPSAr8UncbSHr9ah2-66hzm3Fkh6-eZLx1tiW1oPdn2CiVd_hF56YoXZHJNpXvP8ft6YhaHbK6SempTgzYLIMEQOQL6EaRL67zRPdRm8i/s1600/Cristiano+Ronaldo+and+Irina+Shayk+secretly+married.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/06/urban-romance-cristiano-ronaldo-and.html" target="_blank">Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk</a></b> secretly married? This question is asked all the world the last few days, but today finally cleared - no wedding was! <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 /> So, first things first. Recently known Portuguese appeared at the award ceremony "Golden Ball", accompanied by his son and lover. On this day, the athlete for the second time in his career was named the best player in the world. Of course, Ronaldo went on stage to get the coveted statuette, and at the same time to say thank-you speech. <br /> <br /> According to press reports, Cristiano did not forget to say thank you and Irina, while calling her his wife: <br /> <br /> I I want to thank everyone who supported me - my wife, my friends, my son. This is an incredibly exciting moment. <br /> <br /> It was after this phrase in the media and there were reports of secret wedding footballer and model. But a spokesman Sheik hastened to deny the news. <br /> <br /> During the ceremony, Ronaldo spoke in their native language, and the translator, who reported to the assembled guests his words in English, just made a mistake: he replaced the word "girl" for "wife" that gave rise to rumors.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uAgz6hBnnicXyLyajmEz32wV-TDBbC_jmwmGAnmyxquEJP98z6UW0y6iMuRc9dkVZxC5rOjgq8a4-pjZSAOyGqIxPJRd-wP1evFFFzGS-JyeS1SHAmehcxvuhsPOy9AONmAPqLn3/s1600/Cristiano+Ronaldo,+Irina+Shayk+and+son+football+-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uAgz6hBnnicXyLyajmEz32wV-TDBbC_jmwmGAnmyxquEJP98z6UW0y6iMuRc9dkVZxC5rOjgq8a4-pjZSAOyGqIxPJRd-wP1evFFFzGS-JyeS1SHAmehcxvuhsPOy9AONmAPqLn3/s1600/Cristiano+Ronaldo,+Irina+Shayk+and+son+football+-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cristiano Ronaldo, Irina Shayk and son football </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrDCeHgt4Rgdz1plrfGzoStDrnmOoKQmkr03y0oDzgQbbkeJVrSSq5bdL5TGMdO4kyazKClJUa4YpwZ95ItpbklN2RsQqTOnJH-9i86nzVDatacIxwwMC4ZHLmcBseCMLwKIJGmdq/s1600/Cristiano+Ronaldo+-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrDCeHgt4Rgdz1plrfGzoStDrnmOoKQmkr03y0oDzgQbbkeJVrSSq5bdL5TGMdO4kyazKClJUa4YpwZ95ItpbklN2RsQqTOnJH-9i86nzVDatacIxwwMC4ZHLmcBseCMLwKIJGmdq/s1600/Cristiano+Ronaldo+-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cristiano Ronaldo <span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">"Golden Ball"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><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><br />

Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk secretly married?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk secretly married? This question is asked all the world the last few days, but today finally cleared - no...

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Wells Fargo Holds Summit on Bitcoin Engagement

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="single-title"><h1></h1><div class="single-info"><span class="single-author"><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/author/danny-bradbury/" rel="author" title="Posts by Danny Bradbury">Danny Bradbury</a> (<a class="authortwitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/dannybradbury" target="_newwindow">@dannybradbury)</a> | </span><span class="single-date">Published on January 15, 2014 at 00:49 GMT | </span><span class="single-category"><b><i><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/news/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in News">News</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/regulation/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Regulation">Regulation</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/regulation/us-canada/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in US & Canada">US & Canada</a></i></b></span></div></div><div class="article-share"><span class="IN-widget" style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: inline-block ! important; font-size: 1px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important; text-indent: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088337_0"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=385169727923081999" id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088337_0-link"><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088337_0-logo">in</span><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088337_0-title"><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088337_0-mark"></span><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088337_0-title-text">Share</span></span></a></span></span><span style="display: inline-block ! important; font-size: 1px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important; text-indent: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"><span class="IN-right" id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088369_1-container"><span class="IN-right" id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088369_1"><span class="IN-right" id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088369_1-inner"><span class="IN-right" id="li_ui_li_gen_1389784088369_1-content">9</span></span></span></span></span></span> <span class="reddit" data-title="Wells Fargo Holds Summit on Bitcoin Engagement" id="reddit"></span></div><div class="single-content"><div class="picture featured"><img alt="Wells Fargo" class=" wp-post-image" height="185" src="http://media.coindesk.com/2014/01/shutterstock_100904233-300x185.jpg" width="300" /></div><span class="wpsr_floatbts_anchor" data-offset="31"></span>Wells Fargo bank has assembled a group of experts that met in San Francisco today to discuss the “rules of engagement” for bitcoin, the company has confirmed.<br />Digital currency experts, executives from the finance industry, and members of the US government are all said to be on the action team to discuss the bank’s attitude to bitcoin in the future. The group was assembled by Jim Richards, the head of anti-money-laundering at the bank.<br /><blockquote>“We are gathering a group of internal and external experts and interested parties to help us understand virtual currencies as well as the digital currency payment system. We are looking to learn and become better informed in that area,” a source at Wells Fargo told CoinDesk today.</blockquote>Bitcoin is becoming an increasingly visible part of the monetary landscape, garnering not only a report from the Congressional Research Service last month, but also warranting two hearings from Congressional committees, one of which <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-regulatory-push-senate-banking-committee-hearing/" rel="nofollow">explored banking regulation</a> as a discrete topic.<br />At that November hearing, banking industry representatives called for more regulation of the digital currency, arguing that controls were needed to ensure that illicit transactions could not take place. Regulation was needed to “legitimize” the digital currency, warned Paul Paul Smocer, the president of BITS. BITS is the technology policy division of The Financial Services Roundtable – an industry body set up by the financial services industry to explore approaches to new technologies.<br />Bitcoin companies have traditionally been plagued by strained banking relationships. Banks have closed accounts without warning, or simply refused to open them at all. Some companies have negotiated working partnerships. Coinlab famously signed an agreement with Silicon Valley Bank last year, although since then, grassroots reports have <a href="https://bitcorati.com/2013/10/30/silicon-valley-says-no-to-bitcoin-businesses" rel="nofollow">emerged</a> of others being refused accounts. Tradehill, an exchange for high net worth individuals, ceased trading after the firm’s relationship with the Internet Archive Credit Union, fell through.<br />Government regulations already steer bitcoin policy for Wells Fargo, which is a federally regulated entity. “It’s a rapidly evolving area, and there has been some guidance shared. But what we have seen says in part that administrator exchanging it for federal currency is a money transmitter under federal regulations,” the Wells Fargo spokesperson said, explaining why it is so difficult to have a clear policy on whether it will do business with a bitcoin-based company.<br /><blockquote>“We are working to make sure that we are meeting our due diligence requirements. That if we are providing services to those companies, that we look at federal registration, state licensing, business background, AML procedures, all of that due diligence.”</blockquote>It is still unclear what will transpire from the meeting, and how positive the group will be toward bitcoin. Indeed, one legal contact of CoinDesks’s refused to comment on the story until more substantive news emerged of the firm’s position. Wells Fargo would not reveal which people were involved in the discussion, and as testimony at the banking hearing showed, opinions differ wildly on how aggressive regulators should be toward bitcoin.<br />Nevertheless, the fact that Wells Fargo is holding the meeting at all must be a positive sign for the digital currency community. It is the largest bank by market capitalisation, and has over 9000 retail branches across the US. Any clarity in banking policy at this level will doubtless steer opinion elsewhere in the banking community.<br />“Wells Fargo could remake the Bitcoin business in the US overnight,” said Ryan Singer, co-founder of Tradehill, who has since left to pursue another company in the bitcoin security space. “They have the expertise, knowledge and clout necessary to deal with concerns about AML compliance and banking risk. If they are truly getting close to being ready to experiment with bitcoin, then every bitcoin startup should be lining up to learn more. It’s also worth mentioning that they are active FinTech investors.”<br /><i><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-100904233/stock-photo-jacksonville-fl-apr-a-wells-fargo-bank-branch-in-jacksonville-florida-on-april-wells.html?src=DWJm05JRl_zcvBQ56rmoXA-1-0">Wells Fargo</a> image via Shutterstock</i><br /><div class="single-tags"><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/banks/">banks</a><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/wells-fargo/">Wells Fargo</a></div></div></div>

Wells Fargo Holds Summit on Bitcoin Engagement

Danny Bradbury ( @dannybradbury) | Published on January 15, 2014 at 00:49 GMT | News , Regulation , US & Canada in Share 9 Wells Far...

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plank walls - what i learned

When I did the reveal of our <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/11/one-room-challenge-week-6-aka-reveal.html" target="_blank">family room</a> on the latest <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/p/one-room-challenge.html" target="_blank">One Room Challenge</a>, I got a lot of comments and emails about the plank wall and several requests for a tutorial. Ask and you shall receive.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LIbo__-wZLuxZucWdt3ycrrIXt6uIi1ffwbqdABQrRJuFpJDUUFed7XSpNSBkgqt2CN3OvCiwLkDO3UPTNGT2xXDSs-LKmEGFovg8fLeCjPDUy8UkDgseJ8GFeVRjl3sIgOxc-qCRD_S/s1600/brightfamilyroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LIbo__-wZLuxZucWdt3ycrrIXt6uIi1ffwbqdABQrRJuFpJDUUFed7XSpNSBkgqt2CN3OvCiwLkDO3UPTNGT2xXDSs-LKmEGFovg8fLeCjPDUy8UkDgseJ8GFeVRjl3sIgOxc-qCRD_S/s640/brightfamilyroom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Well, sort of.<br /><br />There are dozens of tutorials for planks walls out there, all of them giving you fine directions on the logistics. So I'd rather focus on the issues that made this project unique and a few 'learn from my mistakes' nuggets. So with that, let's dive in, shall we.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ7YdDadhQdZyXHuoUy1NV2bNpp3jStX1h-WREZ8k7V36LrOm-nLAGORFZKSvADN_ASPvTidGNJDpFgricmuUGNncqydluRsqD6RPwMowt4lWfKwOT3OuNXF47Q6i8CIWqiNKukNMx5Sx/s1600/basementbefore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ7YdDadhQdZyXHuoUy1NV2bNpp3jStX1h-WREZ8k7V36LrOm-nLAGORFZKSvADN_ASPvTidGNJDpFgricmuUGNncqydluRsqD6RPwMowt4lWfKwOT3OuNXF47Q6i8CIWqiNKukNMx5Sx/s640/basementbefore.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />There was one huge head scratcher in our family room, which is in the basement, and that was the 15 foot long foundation wall that runs along one whole side of the space. Since it is the foundation it always made me a little uneasy to think about drilling holes in it. But it was so vast and boring and it just looked cold. It would basically give me the middle finger every night as I watched TV. "I may be ugly, but there is nothing you can do about it sucka."<br /><br />I loved the idea of a plank wall to give that beast some texture and warmth, but every. single. tutorial talked about nailing the planks into the wall. And that wasn't happening.<br /><br />Enter creative thinking.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDupbr50ofczVNAnGe0twOZU0KKle9riEsyMsjOTupggUv5jbi3aoqyoX9QQxSE8Ja9RCXOU154uMy-xkLbaOuDNaTNwPAo2Z2g7pu69P3U68z0xdsEoaRf4QJlq8T3cX-ejngb8fqSQA/s1600/411-LONG_CFIP_rev_D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDupbr50ofczVNAnGe0twOZU0KKle9riEsyMsjOTupggUv5jbi3aoqyoX9QQxSE8Ja9RCXOU154uMy-xkLbaOuDNaTNwPAo2Z2g7pu69P3U68z0xdsEoaRf4QJlq8T3cX-ejngb8fqSQA/s400/411-LONG_CFIP_rev_D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Thanks to a night of G&G&T (Google, gin and tonic) I found an alternative that was worth a shot. <a href="http://mounting.scotchbrand.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/ScotchMountingAndFastening/Home/ProductCatalog/~/Scotch-Outdoor-Mounting-Tape-1-in-x-450-in?N=7583086+3294268039+3294529207&rt=rud" target="_blank">Scotch Outdoor Mounting Tape</a>. (we got ours at <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Scotch-1-in-x-1-66-yd-Exterior-Mounting-Tape-411-DC/100575385#.UtXUkWRDvpY" target="_blank">Home Depot</a>). The reviews were excellent and it said it would hold up to 10 lbs. I also liked the fact that it was outdoor, meaning it would hold up to any possibly dampness that can sometimes come with a basement. With a solution in hand, I went to put this plank wall into action.<br /><br />On the advice of many a plank wall tutorial, we went to Lowe's to get our plywood and have it cut on site. We went with a mid-grade option that was light but sturdy. For our 15 foot wall we got eight boards which totaled around $180.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisU_Q9frXM0cJscpbBP_vb4KgEw3vvNnqg1iAMIV8lkL31FHoYNh9wsAZI7-uXpMCTD-NIxOleYRSWtVROOqDH1CR7jIucjQUZpPMv7CuNT80WKfkkNc99wIlnwA9QRa9JldkxQODvpXWr/s1600/pinewoodpricetag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisU_Q9frXM0cJscpbBP_vb4KgEw3vvNnqg1iAMIV8lkL31FHoYNh9wsAZI7-uXpMCTD-NIxOleYRSWtVROOqDH1CR7jIucjQUZpPMv7CuNT80WKfkkNc99wIlnwA9QRa9JldkxQODvpXWr/s320/pinewoodpricetag.JPG" width="238" /></a></div><br />Our first attempt to get our planks cut was on a Friday night (I am Mrs. Weekend Excitement) and the old dude was obviously annoyed to be at work and tried to tell me that they didn't cut wood for customers. As he was standing in front of the big huge wood cutting machine. I asked him what that machine was for then and he just said, "Lady, we just can't do it." Uh huh.<br /><br />So I went back the next day and got the young spry Lowe's dude who was more than happy to use the big machine for me. So hold strong and be firm - Lowe's does cut boards. Home Depot however does not, and they state that fact in their lumber area. Go figure.<br /><br />One other important note - make sure to stand right next to the young Lowe's dude as he cuts your boards. We sadly, did not do this. And then when we got home after loading all of these boards into the car and then unloading them into the garage and then bringing them downstairs, we noticed that he was not a straight cutter. The first three planks cut from each board were straight as an arrow but as he got closer to the bottom of the board, young Lowe's dude didn't hold the board with both hands and the ends of the last two planks would start out straight and then get narrower as the weight of the board would tilt at the end of the cut. Bummer.<br /><br />Of course, this discovery wasn't made until we were already several boards into the project and it caused me to exceed my cussing quota for the day. So cutter beware.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRvv-vg_AWUAxlzQ0Bzgg668I18aEYyz1DCgNNQnG7moJJus8vxfTUucXf7apmj0cKFE3CSCxwxViOgeSCN70V3p-pGrJEOC_kyA1TskWFQ7MHOwbA0iS9OZTT3PwUBbaXX_1DIUgPE3c/s1600/plankwallwithtape.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRvv-vg_AWUAxlzQ0Bzgg668I18aEYyz1DCgNNQnG7moJJus8vxfTUucXf7apmj0cKFE3CSCxwxViOgeSCN70V3p-pGrJEOC_kyA1TskWFQ7MHOwbA0iS9OZTT3PwUBbaXX_1DIUgPE3c/s320/plankwallwithtape.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />With the wall primed and the boards home we got busy installing. We cut our tape into long strips spacing them out on the plank and up it went.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6lG5lyN7F6mh3ZRCxO8bwoi9GT272rEbcV66KcVBVDc9r66P_7qTuV88mC9-0giNRc4FuI79JY1bwCMEYRcR3p5BrO8Bwsi1BsrEPk74LUEmBnfYRis3QctEmyfEr6yP2Sn4uEQV-pD0/s1600/plankwallstart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6lG5lyN7F6mh3ZRCxO8bwoi9GT272rEbcV66KcVBVDc9r66P_7qTuV88mC9-0giNRc4FuI79JY1bwCMEYRcR3p5BrO8Bwsi1BsrEPk74LUEmBnfYRis3QctEmyfEr6yP2Sn4uEQV-pD0/s400/plankwallstart.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Since the walls nor the floor in the basement are perfectly level we started at the top knowing we could address the unevenness at the bottom with finishing trim.<br /><br />Once the plank was up, one of us would keep our hands on it while the other would run the length of the plank making sure all of the tape was adhering. And it worked like a charm. This stuff sticks like no ones business so it is hard to remove after you put it up, which was the hope. We did have to remove a few pieces as our friends cutting skills came to light but with a bit of muscle the plank came off with only a small chip to the paint on the wall. The key is to remove it right away if you decide you need to. Once that tape is on for a few minutes, it is on there for good.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq_-R8sRw7Up41ReI1u8vu83erukEwP3McVrAa_ezPYAX6a1kwBvIJlG6QCafZPceh7Utkq2lZNvRImG9_6tDzdFLAu1X52AZLMMBdYRxa_DuvCMB435ZYOSbJhc5dQpGV1I4Fdg0QMvE/s1600/plankwallprogress.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq_-R8sRw7Up41ReI1u8vu83erukEwP3McVrAa_ezPYAX6a1kwBvIJlG6QCafZPceh7Utkq2lZNvRImG9_6tDzdFLAu1X52AZLMMBdYRxa_DuvCMB435ZYOSbJhc5dQpGV1I4Fdg0QMvE/s400/plankwallprogress.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />From there the process went quickly. It would have gone at lightening pace if we didn't have to fit the planks like a jigsaw puzzle to account for the poorly cut boards. But without the need for a nail gun the whole thing moved right along. Just make sure to stager your seems as best you can.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Tz4Kwu_eItkzKQVjSCdQGszaKsqGpUBf7ZYYKJPT94cVgCBF_QwhvHNQzte0Ef7mRH9N6wL0dT_vNAoemRyn9_ArEW9fTy7-G24EqZdG8uW4syxeSG4P7M8Aae40LB0o1rJQ0yLTKO1g/s1600/P9024255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Tz4Kwu_eItkzKQVjSCdQGszaKsqGpUBf7ZYYKJPT94cVgCBF_QwhvHNQzte0Ef7mRH9N6wL0dT_vNAoemRyn9_ArEW9fTy7-G24EqZdG8uW4syxeSG4P7M8Aae40LB0o1rJQ0yLTKO1g/s320/P9024255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Some people suggest using a nickel as your spacer in between planks but I wanted more space between my planks so the wall looked more authentic and less engineered. So we used a short castoff plank as our spacer.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwpTwjXlRWGInZohljF4unfkHhM4-NjcrjipgPXbZ0kz66vSgAGwlcxvWFEomJ9ONfMy2IJyl3gONsjrpOsukU9CzsTeAvmDWjLqM19TkPq_17yuG0ak1tqlFB68lRHqWSYgi4H_MY6LV/s1600/plankprime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwpTwjXlRWGInZohljF4unfkHhM4-NjcrjipgPXbZ0kz66vSgAGwlcxvWFEomJ9ONfMy2IJyl3gONsjrpOsukU9CzsTeAvmDWjLqM19TkPq_17yuG0ak1tqlFB68lRHqWSYgi4H_MY6LV/s400/plankprime.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Once the wall was up it was time to prime. I was worried that this wood would just drink up paint and I would need many many coats. But <a href="http://www.kilz.com/primer/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ef4c693378683210VgnVCM1000006b0910acRCRD" target="_blank">Kilz</a> killed it again and one coat of primer was all that was needed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvR_8lSvR1OiCEqmQc6PmdWIEfUY9BRmBos9H5y7So-_XVWmivo_URUNzFMifkNpUyF-XwynFaVYQYV58f_3UPXGQwaH31TmgjWvbZqhPHG2ObEW2-VYToqOWTo0Kqbu1zr2HP2QqmdsF/s1600/PA054580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvR_8lSvR1OiCEqmQc6PmdWIEfUY9BRmBos9H5y7So-_XVWmivo_URUNzFMifkNpUyF-XwynFaVYQYV58f_3UPXGQwaH31TmgjWvbZqhPHG2ObEW2-VYToqOWTo0Kqbu1zr2HP2QqmdsF/s400/PA054580.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Once the primer was up, I went over the wall and caulked some of the bigger seams as well as the space between the wall and the crown. And then finished it off with two coats of the white paint I used on all the other walls of the room. I didn't paint in the seams because I liked the depth it gave the planks but you certainly could use a paint brush to get dip into those cracks. Just a matter of preference.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYETPnsIedWClHhDs8JucJPmEsbQLRXemwJm7K2C3u5lhUoVIAujX1LqJoMuvLlncrbmwgjpIBJfrjjP7q_Q6T8fLInXVv9W0UNdX7rJ1Idm9ZRd5sJEQHlSkFHU7WUFy2sobqyIopMxQc/s1600/familyroomleft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYETPnsIedWClHhDs8JucJPmEsbQLRXemwJm7K2C3u5lhUoVIAujX1LqJoMuvLlncrbmwgjpIBJfrjjP7q_Q6T8fLInXVv9W0UNdX7rJ1Idm9ZRd5sJEQHlSkFHU7WUFy2sobqyIopMxQc/s640/familyroomleft.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVQsGB-67C92M-SUym6nhCZwVA-Amegp5-V8ytU-AwALJPVNYUT4GpTzXzZzKDYoULGpt_JaBZHshuDJoS_7Q5cvmPc4oy0XPo1_TRP1GFsdatQarQkUCQY1CFa5yUvQYQzSO4IlZgUP1/s1600/slipcoveredchair2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVQsGB-67C92M-SUym6nhCZwVA-Amegp5-V8ytU-AwALJPVNYUT4GpTzXzZzKDYoULGpt_JaBZHshuDJoS_7Q5cvmPc4oy0XPo1_TRP1GFsdatQarQkUCQY1CFa5yUvQYQzSO4IlZgUP1/s640/slipcoveredchair2.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMy27abOORhMRegsiE7XGVaByrcnm41wKG21-pzNe2UIfubpD-MVSHJeQ32H7XZDg5dR0Wbl1XzuQ9gSXy7HXMFeYKcE_bh6zJK0B7eLVR-0D9ofwEwXKh4fZ4qHYotbePW7td-8kuorT/s1600/blueandwhitebookshelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMy27abOORhMRegsiE7XGVaByrcnm41wKG21-pzNe2UIfubpD-MVSHJeQ32H7XZDg5dR0Wbl1XzuQ9gSXy7HXMFeYKcE_bh6zJK0B7eLVR-0D9ofwEwXKh4fZ4qHYotbePW7td-8kuorT/s640/blueandwhitebookshelf.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I was so happy with the result that I used the leftover planks for the backs of the bookshelves.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9BruWkIpNC7FhyphenhyphenICxJs8OYe3_F_BCf8ShEH1wkv5ZW0yWsRwnZ-VGhrTXLB5VY-pqWPze1T4yxI6UVGeYwtYZLShLFQHbVLH9inis_2l39BdAq6cDwkOsg2NLRjwJHW20SBGdt-ZMOkS/s1600/c6f0a9afd0562cec256e9f48fe4f46d0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9BruWkIpNC7FhyphenhyphenICxJs8OYe3_F_BCf8ShEH1wkv5ZW0yWsRwnZ-VGhrTXLB5VY-pqWPze1T4yxI6UVGeYwtYZLShLFQHbVLH9inis_2l39BdAq6cDwkOsg2NLRjwJHW20SBGdt-ZMOkS/s640/c6f0a9afd0562cec256e9f48fe4f46d0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I finished the corner where the plank wall meets the stairwell with a piece of corner trim that fit like a charm. And with that the project was done.<br /><br />So with the experience behind me and the benefit of time and hindsight I would tell you that a plank wall is a very cost effective and manageable DIY. Just be sure to make sure those boards are cut straight, and know that if you thought this wasn't an option for you before Scotch Outdoor Mounting Tape is your friend.<br /><br />What about you? Have you ever had to tweak an online tutorial to fit the quirks of your house? Ever hung anything on your walls with tape? (Besides your Cory Haim posters)

plank walls - what i learned

When I did the reveal of our family room on the latest One Room Challenge , I got a lot of comments and emails about the plank wall and sev...

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Vitamin C, Shingles, and Vaccination

<img alt="Vitamin C, Shingles, and Vaccination" height="386" src="http://cdn.greenmedinfo.com/sites/default/files/ckeditor/Sayer%20Ji/images/lemon.jpg" width="400" /><b> </b><br /><b>by Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD</b><br /><div style="padding-bottom: 10px;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'The pharmaceutical industry, and many doctors, appear to be making great efforts by to get as many people as possible <b><a href="http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/pox-cdc%E2%80%99s-vaccination-agenda-rise-herpes-zoster-shingles">vaccinated against shingles</a></b>. Even if such an intervention was highly effective in preventing shingles, which certainly has not been shown to be the case, the information below should make it clear that such vaccinations are unnecessary. </span></div><div style="padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The side effects that would be suffered by a significant number of individuals need never occur in the first place. The real problem is that what is discussed below generates relatively little income for anybody in the healthcare industry. Regardless, you need to decide for yourself.'</span></div><div style="padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/vitamin-c-shingles-and-vaccination">more...</a> </span></div>

Vitamin C, Shingles, and Vaccination

  by Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD 'The pharmaceutical industry, and many doctors, appear to be making great efforts by to get as many people a...

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Man in his 80s with “severe dementia” returning to old self after starting coconut oil

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yxR24JMAE0c" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'My Dad was diagnosed with Severe Dementia about 7-8 years ago. I still remember the day when he forgot my name. Ever since then I've been praying for him to return to whom he was, but as time passed he got worse and worse. I saw a very articulate man go from creative, comical and caring to distraught, lost and childlike.</span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br />A friend of mine told me about this coconut oil and its results and I practically got tears in my eyes. So I bought some coconut oil and gave it to my mothe<span class="text_exposed_show">r as she cooks all his meals.<br /><br />Two weeks later I returned and my father was far more social, and he even began to tell jokes. He still wasn’t himself, but a glimpse of his former self was there. One day I believe he will return to the person whom he was. The change in him over the 7 weeks has been far better than I would of hoped for. This diet of coconut oil in everything he eats has done wonders for him.'</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text_exposed_show">Read <a href="http://healthimpactnews.com/2012/man-in-his-80s-with-severe-dementia-returning-to-old-self-after-starting-coconut-oil/">more... </a></span></span>

Man in his 80s with “severe dementia” returning to old self after starting coconut oil

'My Dad was diagnosed with Severe Dementia about 7-8 years ago. I still remember the day when he forgot my name. Ever since then I'...

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DMSO and Dr. Stanley W. Jacob

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/u0i7jARfKeI" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/icfh4x2vxbA" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gvHNN2XbkqU" width="420"></iframe>

DMSO and Dr. Stanley W. Jacob

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Pregnant Nurse Fired for Refusing Flu Shot

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b> </b><img alt="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxfjd0KOQlkQcVtIfhXiR2ZzWWitDy2z428oRSMQfYA6szShaLR8lzoi-9bgz-DOdKA66K8GxkAmf0R7Qwc6AgK39UZtNxHhxxdUKaCyo25uke0hRf2U5YfcUL_wbPhgyToYfSvAcuto/s1600/deesvaccine.jpg" class="decoded" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxfjd0KOQlkQcVtIfhXiR2ZzWWitDy2z428oRSMQfYA6szShaLR8lzoi-9bgz-DOdKA66K8GxkAmf0R7Qwc6AgK39UZtNxHhxxdUKaCyo25uke0hRf2U5YfcUL_wbPhgyToYfSvAcuto/s400/deesvaccine.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><b>By Dr. Mercola</b><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'The brainwashing about influenza vaccines runs deep, and perhaps more in the US than in many other countries. So much so that, over the past couple of years, we've heard more and more reports of health care workers being required to get vaccinated against their will or be fired from their jobs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">In 2012, <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/20/flu-vaccine-exemption.aspx#_edn11">Missouri health care workers</a> were threatened with corrective action for refusing the flu vaccine and were told they'd be ineligible for pay raises.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Last year, <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/22/flu-epidemic.aspx">eight nurses in Indiana were fired</a> for not complying with the hospital's new mandatory flu vaccination rule, announced in September 2012. One of them had worked at the hospital for 22 years, with a stellar work record.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Most recently, a 29-year old pregnant nurse at a hospital was fired from her position with Horizons Healthcare Services in Pennsylvania after refusing the flu shot.' </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/14/flu-shot-pregnancy.aspx">more... </a></span>

Pregnant Nurse Fired for Refusing Flu Shot

  By Dr. Mercola 'The brainwashing about influenza vaccines runs deep, and perhaps more in the US than in many other countries. So much...

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Earth Balance Betrays Consumers With False Non-GMO and Organic Claims

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1/1487295_10151877191812499_765961115_n.jpg" style="height: 358px; width: 428px;" /></div>Photo Credit:Prevent Disease<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'Earth Balance is a company that claims to "take the health of our planet just as seriously as we take the wellness of our customers." They also assert this position with a Non-GMO commitment believing in "environmental protection and agricultural methods that work in harmony with nature." When we investigated Earth Balance, we found these statements to be purely superficial marketing tactics designed to deceive consumers into purchasing foods manufactured with ingredients which completely contradict their corporate philosophy statements.'  </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/13/042213_Earth-Balance-Betrays-Consumers-With-False-Non-GMO-and-Organic-Claims.shtml">more...</a></span>

Earth Balance Betrays Consumers With False Non-GMO and Organic Claims

Photo Credit:Prevent Disease 'Earth Balance is a company that claims to "take the health of our planet just as seriously as we tak...

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Bride caught Klitschko with Mike Tyson

<center><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-8441125172513237"; /* video */ google_ad_slot = "9278264705"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></center><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G_cHKmNqVAkW4cYwhw4SflblZqCj4NZ6Ak8jAiCy__-KS0jTYOgopAIo0-UR6I0Ura7HVZWs6DKdFtC8ng0gzikFjFRWuvZSKUIEb0TlNcuY9z7rKUk8PvmWZ5-DE7HxOwS4pY1d/s1600/Bride+caught+Klitschko+with+Mike+Tyson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9G_cHKmNqVAkW4cYwhw4SflblZqCj4NZ6Ak8jAiCy__-KS0jTYOgopAIo0-UR6I0Ura7HVZWs6DKdFtC8ng0gzikFjFRWuvZSKUIEb0TlNcuY9z7rKUk8PvmWZ5-DE7HxOwS4pY1d/s1600/Bride+caught+Klitschko+with+Mike+Tyson.jpg" /></a></div><br />Bride Wladimir Klitschko Actress Hayden Panettiere apparently has a weakness for big and athletic men. Thus, social event had to shoot her in the company of another boxer - Mike Tyson. <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 /> Actress came to the awards ceremony "Golden Globe" with Klitschko, and after the official part, at a party in an informal setting uncoupling with Tyson. <br /> <br /> Her photo in an embrace with American boxer appeared on the official website fanclub Ukrainian boxers. Who knows, maybe it myself Klitschko and his bride photographed with Tyson. By the way, because of his career both fighters never met in the same ring. <br /> <br /> Recall that Klitschko promised Panettiere wedding, when Ukraine will end evromaydan.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIsb7Whu-6Jd3ApVHdWXfwG1que9tzAC-5OQVESYUCVCL3YaviX3NUbArgMKWJ5iGUfRi1mtDk7CLmdDRpuAjTfXDQuFFln03-kzyewqRIjajU2a3jG0leZPV34cZdajXo2kg8nqI/s1600/Bride+caught+Klitschko+with+Mike+Tyson+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIsb7Whu-6Jd3ApVHdWXfwG1que9tzAC-5OQVESYUCVCL3YaviX3NUbArgMKWJ5iGUfRi1mtDk7CLmdDRpuAjTfXDQuFFln03-kzyewqRIjajU2a3jG0leZPV34cZdajXo2kg8nqI/s1600/Bride+caught+Klitschko+with+Mike+Tyson+1.jpg" /></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><br />

Bride caught Klitschko with Mike Tyson

Bride Wladimir Klitschko Actress Hayden Panettiere apparently has a weakness for big and athletic men. Thus, social event had to shoot her ...

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Rise of the Machines

The following chart compares the growth of nonstore retailer sales vs. overall retail sales (in black and red) to the growth of nonstore retailer employment vs. overall retail employment (in blue and orange).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJCKHM8Qd-DLm92Br4fTHBQMriYbxcPuFewji9pmTPiRR5jsinQdZtiN2w84pgSrHXsVRjsYPp90zWEYsNPkVE_M-z1_sIWCWcWoIKry2pDqVzLrToz8aB77TitHvwqqYCNED2Pfheo0/s1600/Rise+of+the+Machines.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJCKHM8Qd-DLm92Br4fTHBQMriYbxcPuFewji9pmTPiRR5jsinQdZtiN2w84pgSrHXsVRjsYPp90zWEYsNPkVE_M-z1_sIWCWcWoIKry2pDqVzLrToz8aB77TitHvwqqYCNED2Pfheo0/s320/Rise+of+the+Machines.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />Nonstore retailers are growing their sales exponentially relative to overall retail sales but nonstore employment is decaying exponentially relative to overall retail employment. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand the stress that's placing on brick and mortars over the long-term (and the jobs that go with them).<br /><br />I believe with every fiber of my being that retail employment of the future is going the way of <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/09/automation-and-inequality.html">farming employment</a> and <a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=qYN">manufacturing employment</a>. It won't stop there though. Coming soon to a profession near you!<br /><br /><b>September 13, 2013</b><br /><a href="http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/half-of-all-us-jobs-will-be-automated-but-what-opportunities-will-be-created/">Half of all U.S. jobs will be automated, but what opportunities will be created?</a><br /><br /><div style="color: #666666;"><i>A study out of Oxford University has grim news for U.S. workers: up to 45% of all jobs will be automated within the next 20 years. But there is little mention of what needs to be done to provide more opportunity.</i></div><br />I'm thinking that the answer isn't <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2013/12/27/2012-grads-have-highest-ever-student-debt/stories/201312270106">extreme student loan debt</a>. That's just a hunch though.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181852/quotes?item=qt0315895">Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)</a><br /><br /><div style="color: #666666;"><i><b>Dr. Peter Silberman:</b> You're safe now, they can't hurt you. Kate, my name is Doctor Silberman. I'm a post trauma counselor for the Sheriff's Department. How are you feeling?<br /><br /><b>Kate Brewster:</b> He's not human... he's really, not human.<br /><br /><b>Dr. Peter Silberman:</b> I know what it's like to be in a hostage situation, I've been there myself. The fear, the adrenaline, you find yourself imagining things, impossible things, crazy things, insane things... takes years to get over it.</i></div><br />Was Kate Brewster a <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/sears-holdings-tech-driven-revamp-may-struggle-as-retail-sales-tank-7000024995/">Sears employee</a>? Sigh.<br /><br />This is not investment advice.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=qYK">St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart</a>

Rise of the Machines

The following chart compares the growth of nonstore retailer sales vs. overall retail sales (in black and red) to the growth of nonstore ret...

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Taylor Swift and Jared Leto together?

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4Fp7agudWOoD_oRe9QMoliITyW-Glu8eZFpcFSuLCqAzmdeHPw8TiKSoQMugibPqIyNa2ol5uOQc_LEJMz5jhvEYXs1U3NCFlqtg405ly9TyzFMzDrL13WZck8EP2gz7Tn1gyg4I/s1600/Taylor+Swift+and+Jared+Leto+together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4Fp7agudWOoD_oRe9QMoliITyW-Glu8eZFpcFSuLCqAzmdeHPw8TiKSoQMugibPqIyNa2ol5uOQc_LEJMz5jhvEYXs1U3NCFlqtg405ly9TyzFMzDrL13WZck8EP2gz7Tn1gyg4I/s1600/Taylor+Swift+and+Jared+Leto+together.jpg" /></a></div><br />We continue to sum up the "Golden Globe". At this time - personal. Despite the fact that <b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Taylor%20Swift" target="_blank">Taylor Swift</a></b> did not get a coveted statuette seem unrewarded in the evening she went. At the afterparty reporters noticed singer with <b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/search/label/Jared%20Leto" target="_blank">Jared Leto</a></b>. <br /><br />Rumors of mutual sympathy and even celebrities fueled by the fact that the morning after the ceremony musician posted to your Instagram photo sharing with Taylor. Signed to a snapshot was laconic: <br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Ya Taylor Swift. Golden Globe.</blockquote><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 /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPsYTU2jJQDvs3MQ9uCj9VQ3RO-0A2DdLk76utS2EZrtapYi8nPSVBUok54VcjLCtYLQqiZYfuEpJ1Es5i8PBmkj2a7g7L9jSP-JP68Trbx4BoM_sWMtFqhfnuI-ekJ2ANPm_2067/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPsYTU2jJQDvs3MQ9uCj9VQ3RO-0A2DdLk76utS2EZrtapYi8nPSVBUok54VcjLCtYLQqiZYfuEpJ1Es5i8PBmkj2a7g7L9jSP-JP68Trbx4BoM_sWMtFqhfnuI-ekJ2ANPm_2067/s1600/8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Recall that for Jared awards ceremony has become more successful than Taylor. He was awarded the "Golden Globe" award for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role in "Club of Dallas buyers." Traditional speech winner, which the actor said from the stage, has become one of the most memorable of the evening. In particular, Summer told about his impressions of the shooting after 6-year hiatus, as well as an interesting experience full body hair removal for the role.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsB5BXDLddVRnqsqHO0Q5-2gCKv2O-8gCAl0NKFPu1kA1aUxui8srfMH9d7FurBAaJsvDcarYiLpFBjjWBstplpY5_nvCvdYSuP0IGhbox6n6pfaGrEF8Xu_A293OJ_jBbS9acBq4o/s1600/Jared+Leto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsB5BXDLddVRnqsqHO0Q5-2gCKv2O-8gCAl0NKFPu1kA1aUxui8srfMH9d7FurBAaJsvDcarYiLpFBjjWBstplpY5_nvCvdYSuP0IGhbox6n6pfaGrEF8Xu_A293OJ_jBbS9acBq4o/s1600/Jared+Leto.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jared Leto</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAp-m6Lv55r6TuppF2UusgTmGq9PItsuKnHpzh4OT5Xs1APGnajcC1xRcu50XBWXMkT8TgAiItAb9MPXyjuGQtz0uIx6F7pAshutSqUVozjLj26VtckY4TzMCowG_XpXzrMC6Ptjz/s1600/Taylor+Swift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAp-m6Lv55r6TuppF2UusgTmGq9PItsuKnHpzh4OT5Xs1APGnajcC1xRcu50XBWXMkT8TgAiItAb9MPXyjuGQtz0uIx6F7pAshutSqUVozjLj26VtckY4TzMCowG_XpXzrMC6Ptjz/s1600/Taylor+Swift.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taylor Swift</td></tr></tbody></table><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><br />

Taylor Swift and Jared Leto together?

We continue to sum up the "Golden Globe". At this time - personal. Despite the fact that Taylor Swift did not get a coveted stat...

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