New Taiwan bird flu shows animal virus risk to humans [ BeritaTerkini ]

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> <p><br></p> <p>By Kate Kelland</p> <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> <p>NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A woman in Taiwan has become the first person in the world with a confirmed case of a new strain of bird flu, adding to a growing body of evidence of the potential threat from animal viruses that mutate to be able to infect people.</p> <p>Scientists from Taiwan said the infection – with a bird flu strain called H6N1 – appeared to be one isolated human case and probably posed little threat for the moment. But it showed how this virus, like others in the past, had been able to acquire genetic changes allowing it to jump across species.</p> <p>Another new strain of bird flu, called H7N9, is continuing to infect and kill people in China after it first emerged in humans there earlier this year.</p> <p>Infectious diseases that pass from animals into humans are known as zoonoses and have kept scientists on the alert for decades. Several major human epidemics, including the worldwide outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS and the 2009/2010 H1N1 flu pandemic, began as zoonotic events. Many diseases also make the jump and then just peter out.</p> <p>“This again underscores that there are so many viruses out there and we just don’t really know which pose the greatest threats to us,” Wendy Barclay, a flu virologist at Imperial College London, told Reuters when asked about the H6N1 case.</p> <p>She called for more vigilance, surveillance and research into animal diseases with the potential to jump to humans.</p> <p>In study in journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine on Thursday, scientists said the H6N1 case was found in a 20-year-old woman from central Taiwan who went into hospital in May with flu-like symptoms and shortness of breath.</p> <p>Initial tests on throat-swab samples taken from the patient indicated an unclassified subtype of a flu virus, the researchers said, and further genetic analysis showed it was a new H6N1 bird flu virus very similar to chicken H6N1 viruses that have been circulating in Taiwan since 1972.</p> <p>The woman responded to treatment with Roche’s flu medicine Tamiflu and has since fully recovered, they added.</p> <p>Ho-Sheng Wu, who led the case study from the Centres for Disease Control in Taipei, said the important feature of the genetic analysis was that it showed the virus had a mutation in the haemagglutinin – a binding protein on the virus’ surface – that enables it to get into human cells and cause infection.</p> <p>Further investigations into the patient found that she worked in a delicatessen, had not been abroad for three months prior to her infection, and had not been in close proximity to poultry or wild birds.</p> <p>“The source of infection remains unknown,” Ho-Sheng wrote in the study.</p> <p>Barclay agreed that the woman’s case appeared to be “for now an isolated case”, adding: “It is possible that in these days of increased vigilance we are picking up the occasional zoonosis that we previously missed.”</p> <p>Ho-Sheng cautioned, however, that “as these viruses continue to evolve and accumulate changes, they increase the potential risk of human infection”.</p> <p>(Editing by Ben Hirschler and Angus MacSwan)</p> <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Health</li> <li>Infectious Diseases</li> <li>Taiwan</li> <li>Human Immunodeficiency Virus</li> </ul><p></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

New Taiwan bird flu shows animal virus risk to humans [ BeritaTerkini ]

By Kate Kelland NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A woman in Taiwan has become the first person in the world with a confirmed ca...

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14-Nov-2013 02:05

'Holy Cow' And 'Kangaroo Court': Panel Grills HealthCare.gov Officials - KRWG :: <a href="http://krwg.org/post/holy-cow-and-kangaroo-court-panel-grills-healthcaregov-officials">http://krwg.org/post/holy-cow-and-kangaroo-court-panel-grills-healthcaregov-officials</a><br /><br><br /><br>Families of Whitey Bulger's Victims Speak Out Before Sentencing - TIME :: <a href="http://nation.time.com/2013/11/13/families-of-whitey-bulgers-victims-speak-out-before-sentencing/">http://nation.time.com/2013/11/13/families-of-whitey-bulgers-victims-speak-out-before-sentencing/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Snapchat Thinks Its App for Self-Deleting Sexts Is Totally Worth More Than $3 ... - TIME :: <a href="http://business.time.com/2013/11/13/snapchat-thinks-its-app-for-self-deleting-sexts-is-totally-worth-more-than-3-billion/?iid%3Dbiz-main-lead">http://business.time.com/2013/11/13/snapchat-thinks-its-app-for-self-deleting-sexts-is-totally-worth-more-than-3-billion/?iid%3Dbiz-main-lead</a><br /><br><br /><br>4 Marines killed in Camp Pendleton accident - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/11/13/fatal-accident-at-pendleton/3520193/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/11/13/fatal-accident-at-pendleton/3520193/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Toronto City Council Urges Mayor to Step Aside - Wall Street Journal :: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303559504579196213043317486.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303559504579196213043317486.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Three shot, five in custody after shooting near Pittsburgh school - Reuters :: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/13/us-usa-shooting-pittsburgh-idUSBRE9AC14X20131113">http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/13/us-usa-shooting-pittsburgh-idUSBRE9AC14X20131113</a><br /><br><br /><br>Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw wins NL Cy Young Award - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-clayton-kershaw-wins-nl-cy-young-award-20131113,0,4685515.story">http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-clayton-kershaw-wins-nl-cy-young-award-20131113,0,4685515.story</a><br /><br><br /><br>First Take: Obamacare data are simply grim - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/13/obamacare-october-enrollment-data-analysis/3519213/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/13/obamacare-october-enrollment-data-analysis/3519213/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Yellen to Back Stimulus Plan In Remarks To Senators - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/business/economy/yellen-to-testify-in-support-of-feds-stimulus-efforts.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/business/economy/yellen-to-testify-in-support-of-feds-stimulus-efforts.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Former NFL WR Hurd could get life on drug charge - WECT-TV6 :: <a href="http://www.wect.com/story/23952551/former-nfl-wr-hurd-could-get-life-on-drug-charge">http://www.wect.com/story/23952551/former-nfl-wr-hurd-could-get-life-on-drug-charge</a>

14-Nov-2013 02:05

'Holy Cow' And 'Kangaroo Court': Panel Grills HealthCare.gov Officials - KRWG :: http://krwg.org/post/holy-cow-and-kangaroo...

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Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw wins NL Cy Young Award

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><img src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-5284100c/turbine/la-sp-clayton-kershaw-20131113/600" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, delivering a pitch during the first inning of a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the National League division series, led the majors with the lowest earned-run average for the third consecutive season. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / )</p><br /><p>Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw won his second National League Cy Young Award on Wednesday, joining Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers in franchise history to win the honor more than once.</p><br /><p>Kershaw got 29 of the 30 first-place votes. He won in 2011 and finished second last year.</p><br /><p>He led the major leagues in earned-run average for the third consecutive season, joining Greg Maddux (1993-95) and Sandy Koufax (1962-66) as the only pitchers to accomplish the feat.</p><br /><p>A Dodgers pitcher has won the Cy Young award a record 11 times, including Koufax in 1963, '65, and '66. The Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves each have had pitchers win seven times.</p><br /><p>Kershaw went 16-9 with a 1.83 ERA, the lowest such mark by a major league starter since Pedro Martinez posted a 1.74 ERA for the 2000 Boston Red Sox. Maddux was the last NL starter to do better, with a 1.63 ERA for the 1995 Atlanta Braves.</p><br /><p>Kershaw, 25, led the NL in strikeouts and WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched). He ranked among the top three in victories, innings pitched, complete games, shutouts, pickoffs and opponent batting average.</p><br /><p>'I'm a little biased,' Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said in September, 'but I think I have the best seat, catching the best pitcher in baseball.'</p><br /><p>Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals placed second, receiving the one first-place vote not awarded to Kershaw. Jose Fernandez of the Miami Marlins, who beat the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig for NL rookie of the year, finished third in the Cy Young vote.</p><br /><p>Kershaw also is expected to garner some votes in the NL most-valuable-player race. The results will be announced Thursday, although the top three finishers already have been disclosed and he is not among them. The MVP finalists, in alphabetical order: Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Yadier Molina of the Cardinals.</p><br /></div>

SPORTS Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw wins NL Cy Young Award

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, delivering a pitch during the first inning of a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the Natio...

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Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Whiskey Hard Sauce

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWfoEcqwtUVRwxNn8IycleYd8ewbe3FrV5ANKYtYH4pO_4KzlCgBxd6JOaKteeA7nFBeDgxX7yfnNGRyDIbhx78kP7qNZRudQtYY_9FjEgyjiSs2Ab0cz-3Eda6XtnSS2zRj4U4SbUdiQ/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWfoEcqwtUVRwxNn8IycleYd8ewbe3FrV5ANKYtYH4pO_4KzlCgBxd6JOaKteeA7nFBeDgxX7yfnNGRyDIbhx78kP7qNZRudQtYY_9FjEgyjiSs2Ab0cz-3Eda6XtnSS2zRj4U4SbUdiQ/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Part of the fun of being in the blogosphere is the people we meet and the information we share. Case in point is this cold weather recipe a blogging friend sent over that is something my husband will absolutely adore. He's the big sweet potato lover in our family, and bread pudding is one of his favorite desserts. The recipe is posted at her blog, <a href="http://lbdrecipeblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Little Black Dress and A String of Pearls</a>, where she declares:<br /><blockquote>It has been said that a Southern woman only needs three things to survive any social situation: a little black dress, a string of pearls, and a Smithfield ham. If you ever find yourself facing that “social situation”, this little blog is my contribution to weathering the storm, making a splash, or merely creating some 'comfort on a plate'. So .... find a recipe, grab a glass of wine, maybe a mint julep, or perhaps a cold sweet tea and head for the kitchen .... time's a wasting!</blockquote>Amen, Sister!<br /><br />Hop on over and check out Merlot's recipe for <a href="http://lbdrecipeblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/sweet-potato-bread-pudding-with-whiskey.html">Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Whiskey Hard Sauce</a>, just in time for Thanksgiving menu planning. Eat, drink, and be merry!<br /><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />Thanksgiving 2012

cold weather recipes Lynn R. Mitchell Merlot Thanksgiving The Little Black Dress and A String of Pearls blog Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Whiskey Hard Sauce

Part of the fun of being in the blogosphere is the people we meet and the information we share. Case in point is this cold weather recipe a ...

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Jennifer Lawrence’s Windswept Pixie: Yay or Yikes? Vote! [ BeritaTerkini ]

<p><br><span class="authorMeta">von<br><br><br><br><br><br><br> Cinya Burton<br><br><br><br><br></span><br><br><span>| Übersetzt von Cinya Burton</span><br><br></p> <p><span class="timeMeta">13. November 2013 – 15:33</span></p> <p></p> <div> <p>Apparently <strong>Jennifer Lawrence</strong> decided to take her whirlwind <em>The Hunger Games: Catching Fire</em> press tour quite literally.</p> <p>The Oscar winner showed up to her Madrid premiere today (in a Dior Gown) with her new pixie cut extra tousled.  While the back and the sides of the short crop were slightly mussed, the front pieces were dramatically flipped upward in a windswept effect.</p> <p>The actress has been trying out different hairstyles nearly every day while promoting the second installment of the film franchise. Earlier in the day, she flaunted a casual bedhead style. Yesterday she channeled Twiggy with a chic 60s hairstyle. And on Monday, she sported a sleek pushed-back effect at the London premiere, which was her most sophisticated yet.</p> <p><strong>PHOTOS: Celebs in the wind</strong></p> <p>Out of all the looks her latest is certainly the most daring. But are you a fan of the style? </p> <p><strong>PHOTOS: More <em>Catching Fire</em> premeire pics</strong></p> </div> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

Jennifer Lawrence’s Windswept Pixie: Yay or Yikes? Vote! [ BeritaTerkini ]

von Cinya Burton | Übersetzt von Cinya Burton 13. November 2013 – 15:33 Apparently Jennifer Lawrence decided to take her whirlwin...

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14-Nov-2013 01:04

3 Pittsburgh students ambushed near school - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/13/pittsburgh-high-school-shooting/3518621/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/13/pittsburgh-high-school-shooting/3518621/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Officials say 4 Marines killed in training accident at Camp Pendleton - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/13/officials-say-4-marines-killed-in-training-accident-at-camp-pendleton/">http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/13/officials-say-4-marines-killed-in-training-accident-at-camp-pendleton/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Families of Whitey Bulger's Victims Speak Out Before Sentencing - TIME :: <a href="http://nation.time.com/2013/11/13/families-of-whitey-bulgers-victims-speak-out-before-sentencing/">http://nation.time.com/2013/11/13/families-of-whitey-bulgers-victims-speak-out-before-sentencing/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Why Facebook Would Pay $3 Billion for Snapchat (And Why It Shouldn't) - Wired :: <a href="http://www.wired.com/business/2013/11/facebook-snapchat/">http://www.wired.com/business/2013/11/facebook-snapchat/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Obama Administration Gives First Month Health-Site Tallies - Wall Street Journal :: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303789604579196164186803726.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303789604579196164186803726.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>New guidelines could have more people on statins - Marketplace.org :: <a href="http://www.marketplace.org/topics/health-care/new-guidelines-could-have-more-people-statins">http://www.marketplace.org/topics/health-care/new-guidelines-could-have-more-people-statins</a><br /><br><br /><br>Ex-Raiders star, broadcaster Todd Christensen dies - WXIA-TV :: <a href="http://www.11alive.com/news/article/312806/40/Ex-Raiders-star-broadcaster-Todd-Christensen-dies">http://www.11alive.com/news/article/312806/40/Ex-Raiders-star-broadcaster-Todd-Christensen-dies</a><br /><br><br /><br>Toronto police documents reveal new allegations against Rob Ford - CTV News :: <a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/police-documents-reveal-new-allegations-against-rob-ford-1.1541374">http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/police-documents-reveal-new-allegations-against-rob-ford-1.1541374</a><br /><br><br /><br>Ohio governor stays execution of convicted killer - Seattle Post Intelligencer :: <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/news/crime/article/Ohio-governor-stays-execution-of-convicted-killer-4978083.php">http://www.seattlepi.com/news/crime/article/Ohio-governor-stays-execution-of-convicted-killer-4978083.php</a><br /><br><br /><br>Yellen to tell senators Fed must do more to help economy recover - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-janet-yellen-federal-reserve-testimony-20131113,0,7161584.story">http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-janet-yellen-federal-reserve-testimony-20131113,0,7161584.story</a>

14-Nov-2013 01:04

3 Pittsburgh students ambushed near school - USA TODAY :: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/13/pittsburgh-high-school-shoot...

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Tendulkar Stepping Away From Cricket, but His Impact Remains

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/11/14/sports/cricket/14iht-cricket14-tendulkar/14iht-cricket14-tendulkar-articleLarge.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Sachin Tendulkar's ability to generate mind-numbing numbers has survived to the very end of his prodigious career. When tickets for his 200th and final five-day test match went on sale Monday, the 19.7 million hits within the first hour crashed the website selling them.</p><br /><p>That overwhelming demand to see Tendulkar's final test, which starts Thursday in Mumbai, testified to his unmatched standing in India as both a sports and a cultural icon.</p><br /><p>'Jordan, Woods and Beckham may cross more boundaries,' the American writer Mike Marqusee reckoned in 2002, in one of the most perceptive portraits of Tendulkar. 'But nowhere do those players carry the weight of expectation that Tendulkar carries in India (and among the Indian diaspora).'</p><br /><p>Much of that greatness comes from the fact he consistently fulfilled those expectations. Few players have left so comprehensive or so potentially enduring a mark in the record books.</p><br /><p>He will become the first man to play 200 five-day tests, and he has already played more one-day internationals, 463, than anyone else. He is the highest run scorer - 15,847 in tests and 18,426 in one-days - in both formats. He has also scored 100 or more runs more often than anyone else in both formats, with 51 in tests and 49 in one-days, giving him a neat and unprecedented 100 centuries in international cricket.</p><br /><p>He is the exceptional phenomenon, the child prodigy who exceeded his potential. Tendulkar was the youngest active test cricketer - and the fourth-youngest ever - when he made his debut in 1989 at just 16 years and 205 days old. He leaves the game 24 years later as the oldest active international player.</p><br /><p>Those extraordinary numbers reflect both his durability and the sharp increase of the number of international cricket matches played since he started.</p><br /><p>But if there is a doubt where he ranks historically, consider that Tendulkar was the only active player named by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack to its all-time team last month. The sport's leading chronicle had 150 years of cricket to choose from.</p><br /><p>'He was easily the best in all conditions against all types of bowling and he had a wonderful temperament' the Australian spin-bowler Shane Warne, another member of the all-time team, wrote this week in The Daily Telegraph. Tendulkar scored 20 of his international centuries against Australia, which was the dominant team for much of his career.</p><br /><p>'He has no weaknesses. He has been the complete batsman,' Geoffrey Boycott, the English player who left the sport as the leading tester scorer when he retired in 1982, wrote in The Guardian.</p><br /><p>Perhaps the definitive tribute came earlier in Tendulkar's career. Donald Bradman, who played for Australia from 1928 to 1948, is the one batsman in the game's history who can be conclusively listed ahead of Tendulkar. His career average of 99.94 runs per dismissal in test cricket was, it has been calculated, the statistical equivalent of a .394 lifetime batting average in baseball.</p><br /><p>When Bradman looked at the diminutive stature of the 5-foot-5, or 1.65-meter, Tendulkar, at his supernatural balance and footwork and at his extraordinary bat speed, the Australian admitted to recognizing more than a little of himself.</p><br /><p>Bradman's life also provided a taste of what was to come for Tendulkar. Bradman's greatness made him not just a hero, but an unmatched symbol for an emerging nation. But where he carried the hopes of at most 8 million people, Tendulkar has been burdened with the aspirations of 1.2 billion.</p><br /><p>'He has carried India for 20 years, so now it is time we should carry him,' Virat Kohli, the best and brightest of India's next generation, said as Tendulkar's teammates hoisted him on a chair for a lap of honor after their victory in the 2011 World Cup in India.</p><br /><p>That role as the pre-eminent hero of newly confident, modernizing and aspirational India has made this son of the Mumbai middle class - his father was a university professor - immensely rich. Forbes magazine rated him this year as the world's 51st highest-earning athlete, with an income of $22 million. Wealth X, a Singapore-based analyst of the super-rich, has estimated his personal worth at $160 million, more than the next four richest cricketers combined.</p><br /><p>Fame robbed him of his privacy, but never of the psychological balance that underpinned his triumphs. He was eloquent with his bat rather than with words, sidestepping any controversies and remaining free of the slightest hint of scandal.</p><br /><p>At the core of his existence as the best-adjusted of superstars remained his genius as a cricket player. The Australian player Matthew Hayden described his batting as 'A stillness in a frantic world.'</p><br /><p>'With so much happening around him, he never said in his career 'I want to do other things' or 'I should move on it is too hard,'' his longtime teammate Rahul Dravid told the Press Trust of India. 'His love of the game stood out above all. He's been able to maintain that balance.'</p><br /><p>Records can be broken. South Africa's Jacques Kallis or England's Alastair Cook might overtake his test numbers, but Tendulkar's impact will remain.</p><br /><p>'Sachin has influenced every cricketer who has taken up the job in the last 24 years and has touched millions around the globe,' his former teammate Anil Kumble told the Press Trust of India.</p><br /><p>And if the sense of loss is most intense in India this coming week, it will scarcely be any less in the rest of the cricketing world.</p><br /></div>

SPORTS Tendulkar Stepping Away From Cricket, but His Impact Remains

Sachin Tendulkar's ability to generate mind-numbing numbers has survived to the very end of his prodigious career. When tickets for his ...

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Dollar weighed down by dovish Fed comments, sterling up

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20131106&t=2&i=809558567&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBRE9A51BQT00" width="600"/><br /><p>Credit: Reuters/Kacper Pempel</p><br /><p>Arrangement of various world currencies including Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen, US Dollar, Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc and Russian Ruble pictured in Warsaw January 26, 2011.</p><br /><p>Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart, seen as a centrist in policy terms, said on Tuesday a cut in the Fed's bond-buying operations remained a possibility in December.</p><br /><p>At the same time, last month's U.S. government shutdown may undermine the reliability of economic data through December, Lockhart added. That could provide another reason not to expect policy action when the Fed holds its next policy meeting, on December 17-18.</p><br /><p>But in the absence of U.S. data, investors chose to see the harder side to Lockhart's comments even as attention is now turning to comments that incoming Fed chair Janet Yellen will make at her Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday.</p><br /><p>'Markets have to speculate on better data or any of the known hawks saying something, so they anticipate a closer end to quantitative easing,' said Joseph Trevisani, chief market strategist at WorldWideMarkets, in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. 'But it's not real. The Fed will stay accommodative until at least the end of the first quarter.'</p><br /><p>European trading was dominated by sterling's outperformance after the Bank of England said there was a chance British unemployment could fall to 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. Data published earlier on Wednesday showed Britain's unemployment rate fell to 7.6 percent in the three months to September.</p><br /><p>That kept alive speculation the UK central bank might raise interest rates far earlier than it has flagged so far, highlighting a divergence between Britain's monetary policy path and that of both the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan.</p><br /><p>'The tone struck in the quarterly inflation report was that of a more optimistic BoE, with Governor (Mark) Carney even suggesting that it's hard to ignore that the 'glass is half full',' said Chris Vecchio, currency analyst at DailyFX.com in New York.</p><br /><p>The euro fell to $1.3428, down 0.1 percent on the day, dragged down partly by its losses against the pound but holding above the two-month low of $1.3295 struck after Thursday's ECB rate cut.</p><br /><p>The euro was also pegged back by more evidence of falling price pressures in the euro zone, reinforcing concerns about easing inflation that led the ECB to cut rates last week. Data on Wednesday showed Spanish prices fell for the first time in four years in October.</p><br /><p>'The Spanish inflation numbers were slightly below their earlier reading which tells you that the ECB will have to take fresh easing measures,' said Alvin Tan, currency strategist at Societe Generale in London.</p><br /><p>'Having said that, we do not expect the euro to fall sharply against the dollar unless we get more signs that the Fed will start to taper. For that, Yellen's confirmation hearings will be important for near-term direction in the dollar.'</p><br /><p>Sterling rose to $1.6001, rebounding from Tuesday's two-month low of $1.5852 after the better-than-expected UK jobs report and a raised growth forecast from the central bank. [ID:nBELDME92U] <GBP/></p><br /><p>'The BoE has acknowledged that the UK is doing much better than it had forecast three months ago,' said Howard Jones, partner at RMG Wealth Management in London. 'We are certainly long sterling, especially against the euro and the Swedish crown.'</p><br /><p>The dollar eased 0.2 percent to 99.44 yen, not far from a two-month high of 99.79 yen struck on Tuesday. The U.S. currency is up about 0.4 percent so far this week against the yen, having drawn strength from rising U.S. bond yields.</p><br /><p>Higher U.S. bond yields tend to favor the dollar by making dollar-denominated debt more attractive to bond investors. The 10-year U.S. yield has risen since last Friday's strong U.S. jobs data for October.</p><br /><p>(Reporting by Nick Olivari; Editing by James Dalgleish)</p><br /></div>

Business Dollar weighed down by dovish Fed comments, sterling up

Credit: Reuters/Kacper Pempel Arrangement of various world currencies including Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen, US Dollar, Euro, British Pound, ...

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Cisco slumps 11% on weak sales and outlook

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/dam/assets/131113152319-john-chambers-cisco-620xa.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Cisco CEO John Chambers</p><br />Cisco CEO John Chambers has been warning of an 'inconsistent' global recovery for the past few months -- and on Wednesday he warned his company will continue to take a hit from it in the current quarter.<br /><p>Shares of Cisco , whose services span the entire Internet networking process, fell more than 11% in after-hours trading. Chambers made the outlook comments on a conference call following the company's fiscal first-quarter results.</p><br /><p>For the first quarter, Cisco's sales of $12.1 billion came in below estimates from analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. That initially sent shares down 3%, although earnings of 53 cents a share topped expectations.</p><br /><p>For the current quarter, Cisco said it expects to earn 45 to 47 cents a share, and for sales to decline 8% to 10% on an annual basis. That's drastically lower than the earnings of 52 cents a share and a 4% sales gain analysts were expecting.</p><br /><p>Chambers blamed a 'hard to read' economic environment, adding that the U.S. government shutdown increased the 'lack of confidence among business leaders.'</p><br /><p>Many large businesses and government agencies are buyers of Cisco equipment, and the company's global reach makes it a closely watched indicator for the world's economy.</p><br /><p>Chambers had struck a cautiously optimistic tone during the first two quarters of the calendar year, but he turned more somber last quarter. At that time, he said the global economic environment has been 'challenging and inconsistent' -- and the company announced it would cut 4,000 jobs. <img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/money/images/bug.gif" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>First Published: November 13, 2013: 6:10 PM ET</p><br /></div>

Business Cisco slumps 11% on weak sales and outlook

Cisco CEO John Chambers Cisco CEO John Chambers has been warning of an 'inconsistent' global recovery for the past few months -- and...

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Packers' Jermichael Finley to have spinal fusion surgery

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>Jermichael Finley will turn to surgery in an attempt to save his NFL career.</p><br /><p>The evolution of the NFL: Take a look at how the NFL has evolved from its humble roots, and the efforts being made to ensure it continues to grow.<img src="http://static.nfl.com/content/catch_all/nfl_image/evolution_120207_250.jpg" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>Blake Baratz, the agent of the Green Bay Packers tight end, confirmed to ProFootballTalk that Finley will undergo spinal fusion surgery.</p><br /><p>'We have collectively determined that while surgery may not be 100 percent necessary, it is a proactive measure that should alleviate future risks with regards to a similar episode or re-injury,' Baratz wrote in a statement. 'Once surgery has been completed, Jermichael has every intention of resuming his football career, and we fully support his efforts to do so.'</p><br /><p>Finley is on injured reserve after suffering a spinal contusion in a 31-13 win over the Cleveland Browns last month. Former Packers tight end Mark Chmura told WAUK-AM on Monday about Finley's plan to go under the knife. Chmura predicted that Finley will never play again.</p><br /><p>Packers coach Mike McCarthy, speaking to the media prior to the release of Baratz's statement, said he had not spoken to Finley recently. Dr. Joseph Maroon, the Pittsburgh Steelers' team neurosurgeon, will perform the surgery.</p><br />The latest 'Around The League Podcast' recapped every Week 10 game. Click here to listen and subscribe.</div>

SPORTS Packers' Jermichael Finley to have spinal fusion surgery

Jermichael Finley will turn to surgery in an attempt to save his NFL career. The evolution of the NFL: Take a look at how the NFL has evolve...

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The Yellow Dogs Issue Statement After Brooklyn Shooting [ BeritaTerkini ]

<h2>‘This is not the way we ever imagined the world would learn of our story’</h2> <div class="body"> <p>The remaining members of the Iranian dance-punk group the Yellow Dogs have issued a statement about the triple murder that claimed two of their bandmates and a close friend early Monday morning in Brooklyn.</p> <p></p> <p>In their statement, written jointly by guitarist Siavash ‘Obash’ Karampour and bassist Koory Mirzeai, they explain the immense grief they’re currently feeling and their association with the shooter, Ali “Rafi” Akbar Mohammadi Rafie – who had briefly played in the Iranian band Free Keys, with whom the Yellow Dogs were friendly, and who committed suicide that night. “We wanted the world to discover us as we were: a community of musicians defined by our music, our friendships, our culture and our art,” they say in the statement. “This is not the way we ever imagined the world would learn of our story.”</p> <p></p> <p>The remaining members are planning a memorial for their fallen bandmembers, brothers Soroush and Arash Farazmand and their friend, Ali Eskandarian. They’re also organizing a benefit that will hopefully pay for some of the costs that have arisen in the wake of the tragedy and have set up a donation page for interested parties. Details on the memorial and benefit are forthcoming.</p> <p></p> <p>SXSW 2010: 27 Tweet-Length Reports, Including the Yellow Dogs</p> <p></p> <p>The group wrote the statement with help from their manager, Ali Salehezadeh, street artists Icy and Sot, and a friend of theirs who plays in the group Free Keys, Pooya Hosseini. Read it in full below:</p> <p></p> <p><em>We want to extend our deepest and most sincere thanks for the overwhelming support, love and encouragement we’ve been shown over the past few days, in the wake of such an incredible loss. We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families of Soroush and Arash Farazmand and Ali Eskandarian, and will together share our sorrow.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>Yellow Dogs and Free Keys met in Iran in 2006 with a shared vision of building a strong artistic and creative community. With all of the limitations that we faced there, we still found a way to express ourselves and create art that we believed in. We built an underground venue together so we could play shows, and forged strong bonds of friendship, love and support.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>Yellow Dogs came to America in January 2010, and Free Keys joined in December 2011, with Icy and Sot arriving a year later, bringing our close-knit community together in America. Shortly after the Yellow Dogs arrived in New York, we met Ali Salehezadeh, our manager, and a few months later, fellow musician/author Ali Eskandarian – the group of us connected immediately, forming an instant bond. We rented a house together in Brooklyn, a refuge where we could pursue our dreams and make music together. Since that point almost four years ago, we’ve lived together, worked together, created together and fulfilled some of our wildest dreams together.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>The transition between Tehran and New York was not without difficulties for Free Keys, whose bass player was unable to secure a visa in Iran. With shows already scheduled in New York, the band recruited a new member, Ali Akbar Mohammadi Rafie ‘Rafi’, before coming to the States. By the third show in May 2012, Free Keys decided to stop working with Rafi as a result of personal and musical differences. It became clear very quickly that he was not a natural fit within our group of friends, and his personal views conflicted with our approach to our art and to the world.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>A few months later, both bands severed ties completely with Rafi and in the 14 months since then, we’ve had no contact with him at all. Free Keys enlisted new members and started to move in a new direction artistically, a decision that allowed drummer Arash to join his brother Soroush to play drums in the Yellow Dogs. With both bands’ lineups complete, we were excited about continuing to work and create music together.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>All of that ended Sunday night. Before committing suicide, Rafi shot and killed our guitar player and drummer, brothers Soroush and Arash Farazmand, and our roommate and dear friend, Ali Eskandarian, who was also a frequent guest vocalist for our band. Three days later, we’re still here, still breathing but with a gaping hole in our hearts. For now it’s impossible to even imagine a future without our friends, and no explanation can make sense or begin to justify what has happened to our lives. To say we are heartbroken does not come close. These are the darkest hours of our lives, we are in shock, awe, blinded with rage and paralyzed with grief. Ali Eskandarian was nearly finished with his memoir, Arash had just received political asylum from Iran and Soroush was hard at work on new Yellow Dogs material. Everything we had hoped and worked for was finally coming true. . . the future was so incredibly bright.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>In the aftermath of these horrific events, we are left with pain, emptiness and so many questions that won’t ever be answered. We wanted the world to discover us as we were: a community of musicians defined by our music, our friendships, our culture and our art. This is not the way we ever imagined the world would learn of our story.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>As we face the greatest sorrow we’ve ever experienced, we’re left with something that no one could ever take away from us – beautiful memories of our fallen brothers, friends who we love and so desperately miss. We will not forget the dreams we shared and this life that we built together – it’s stronger, more permanent, more real and more full of life than any senseless, evil act could ever begin to take away from us. We will not let this disgusting brutality define us or become our story, but instead respond by creating music more passionately and with more intensity than ever before, embracing the freedom that we all dreamed would one day be ours back in Iran and play to honor those who should be playing next to us. That is who we are, and that is what we stand for, and we will strive to honor the lives of Ali, Arash and Soroush for the rest of ours.</em></p> <p></p> <p><em>We are currently planning a memorial service for Ali, Arash and Soroush, and will announce more details shortly. We are also organizing a benefit to help with the costs incurred by this tragedy. We would greatly appreciate if the privacy of our friends and family is respected during this difficult time. If you’d like to make a donation, you can do so here: www.neverheardinc.com/donate.</em></p> </div> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

The Yellow Dogs Issue Statement After Brooklyn Shooting [ BeritaTerkini ]

‘This is not the way we ever imagined the world would learn of our story’ The remaining members of the Iranian dance-punk group the Yell...

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14-Nov-2013 00:03

DHS nominee would focus on leadership vacancies - KOB.com :: <a href="http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3216979.shtml?cat%3D641">http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3216979.shtml?cat%3D641</a><br /><br><br /><br>With the governor's signature, Hawaii legalizes gay marriage - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hawaii-gay-marriage-20131113,0,4215077.story">http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hawaii-gay-marriage-20131113,0,4215077.story</a><br /><br><br /><br>For Whitey Bulger, one victim's daughter had a different message: forgiveness - Boston.com :: <a href="http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/11/13/for-whitey-bulger-one-victim-daughter-had-different-message-forgiveness/kfiHlqnsNVtoPlFIxk5drI/story.html">http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/11/13/for-whitey-bulger-one-victim-daughter-had-different-message-forgiveness/kfiHlqnsNVtoPlFIxk5drI/story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Negotiators report little progress in budget talks - Imperial Valley Press :: <a href="http://www.ivpressonline.com/business/negotiators-report-little-progress-in-budget-talks/article_ce23422e-21a8-55b7-8369-03201c2b4c0d.html">http://www.ivpressonline.com/business/negotiators-report-little-progress-in-budget-talks/article_ce23422e-21a8-55b7-8369-03201c2b4c0d.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Statin suggestion puts spotlight on generic drug business - Marketplace.org :: <a href="http://www.marketplace.org/topics/health-care/statin-suggestion-puts-spotlight-generic-drug-business">http://www.marketplace.org/topics/health-care/statin-suggestion-puts-spotlight-generic-drug-business</a><br /><br><br /><br>Toronto City Council asks Mayor Rob Ford to take leave - CNN :: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/13/world/americas/canada-toronto-mayor/">http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/13/world/americas/canada-toronto-mayor/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Three Pittsburgh teens shot after school lets out - CNN :: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/13/us/pittsburgh-school-shooting/">http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/13/us/pittsburgh-school-shooting/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Snapchat-Facebook Wars and Other Fascinating News on the Web - TIME :: <a href="http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/11/13/snapchat-facebook-wars-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/">http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/11/13/snapchat-facebook-wars-and-other-fascinating-news-on-the-web/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Yellen to Testify in Support of Fed's Stimulus Efforts - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/business/economy/yellen-to-testify-in-support-of-feds-stimulus-efforts.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/business/economy/yellen-to-testify-in-support-of-feds-stimulus-efforts.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>First Take: Obamacare data are simply grim - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/13/obamacare-october-enrollment-data-analysis/3519213/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/13/obamacare-october-enrollment-data-analysis/3519213/</a>

14-Nov-2013 00:03

DHS nominee would focus on leadership vacancies - KOB.com :: http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3216979.shtml?cat%3D641 With the governor&...

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Turlock Pita Bread Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_k0FbQqrSw/UoP2m3cO8zI/AAAAAAAAKx0/4jwxLpCtNlU/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_k0FbQqrSw/UoP2m3cO8zI/AAAAAAAAKx0/4jwxLpCtNlU/s320/13+-+1" width="320" /></span></i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.turlockpita.com/"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Turlock Pita</span></i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The bread you choose for a sandwich can make or break lunchtime whether if the breads to dry, too thin or you don't like how it tastes. Don't get me wrong the ingredients you out inside can make it better but the first you bite into is the bread.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whether your a white bread, whole grain or whole wheat kind of person Turlock pita bread company has you covered!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was ecstatic when I was sent a mixture of different pita breads from there for review, and just in time for lunch after a day of shopping. I must say I worked up a healthy appetite too!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I've tried other pita breads before and they would break when trying to stuff the ingredients into the bread such as meats,cheeses and veggies and this bread does not do that at all!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now keep in mind I haven't tried all of them yet but I will update as soon  as I do!!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the pitas I received:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whole wheat:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whole wheat 9 grain:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9 grain white bread pita:</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWXQLa6SugY/UoP2mwxKHJI/AAAAAAAAKyE/LjVaTdD4alY/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWXQLa6SugY/UoP2mwxKHJI/AAAAAAAAKyE/LjVaTdD4alY/s320/13+-+2" width="320" /></span></i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This bread made the perfect sandwich and was the best one I've had in a long time! Mom prepared some chicken salad from a rotisserie chicken we bought at the market today and tossed in some almond cranberry orange mix along with some lettuce and oh my good the flavors married together from the moist tender chicken with a bit of mayo and the citrus zing of cranberries and crunchiness from the almonds was out of this world amazing!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whole grain:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And white bread pita</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I like about the ingredients on the back of the package it's words that you can actually pronounce.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pita facts:</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All natural</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vegan</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No cholesterol</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No preservatives</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fat free</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vegan</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No sugar</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good for 30 days refrigerated and 90 days in the freezer</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Excellent shelf life for 10 whole days!</span></i><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Turlock Pita Bread Review

Turlock Pita The bread you choose for a sandwich can make or break lunchtime whether if the breads to dry, too thin or you don't like ho...

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McDonald has high ankle sprain, unlikely to play vs. Saints

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><img src="http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/wp-content/blogs.dir/2277/files/2013/11/49ers1.jpg" width="600"/>The 49ers will likely face one of the NFL's most potent offenses without defensive tackle Ray McDonald.</p><br /><p>Sporting a walking boot on his left foot, McDonald revealed that he sustained a high ankle sprain in last week's 10-9 loss to Carolina and is pessimistic about his ability to play Sunday at New Orleans.</p><br /><p>'I think probably, yeah,' McDonald said when asked if his injury ruled him out this week.</p><br /><p>If McDonald can't play, he will be replaced at left defensive end by Tony Jerod-Eddie, 23, who hasn't started a game in his two-year career. Jerod-Eddie, who replaced McDonald in the second quarter last week, had four tackles in 40 snaps against the Panthers. Demarcus Dobbs, who played 24 snaps last week, would also be in line for more playing time.</p><br /><p>If McDonald is inactive, it's likely at least one of the 49ers' two rookie defensive linemen, Tank Carradine and Quinton Dial, would in uniform against New Orleans. Both Carradine, a second-round pick, and Dial, a fifth-rounder, were inactive against Carolina. Both linemen spent the majority of the season on the non-football injury list because of injuries sustained in their college careers.</p><br /><p>Dial has played 15 snaps in two games this season, while Carradine, who was activated from the NFI list on Oct. 29, has yet to play a snap.</p><br /></div>

SPORTS McDonald has high ankle sprain, unlikely to play vs. Saints

The 49ers will likely face one of the NFL's most potent offenses without defensive tackle Ray McDonald. Sporting a walking boot on his l...

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Cara Delevingne Prepares For the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show By Chowing ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://assets-s3.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/articles/68061-cara-delevingne-prepares-for-the-victorias-secret-fashion-show-by-chowing-down-o/1384375906_cara-delevingne-467.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>On Dec. 10, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will air on CBS, but tonight the legendary lingerie show is being taped with a live audience and thousands of dollars worth of intimates. But sassy British model <strong>Cara Delevingne</strong> doesn't seem concerned about fitting into her designer undies.</p><br />PHOTOS: Victoria's Secret 2012 Fashion Show<br /><p>She took to Instagram on Nov. 13 to show a picture of her 'prep,' which featured her and fellow Victoria's Secret model <strong>Candice Swanepoel</strong> chowing down on lots of food, including a giant plate of French fries.</p><br /><p>'#regram @jeromeduran @angelcandices prep for the show #vsfashionshow #howwedo,' she captioned the pic.</p><br /><img src="http://assets-s3.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/article_photos/Bar-Refaeli-Inline-467.jpg" width="600"/>PHOTOS: Stars' first modeling gigs<br /><p>Swanepoel will be wearing the $10 million fantasy bra in tonight's show, so she she must have even more confidence than her quirky partner in crime.</p><br />PHOTOS: Victoria's Secret's hottest looks<br /><p>Delevingne also walked the Victoria's Secret runway in 2012, sporting her favorite accessories -- her signature thick eyebrows.</p><br /></div>

ENTERTAINMENT Cara Delevingne Prepares For the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show By Chowing ...

On Dec. 10, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will air on CBS, but tonight the legendary lingerie show is being taped with a live audie...

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Budget czar to Congress: Just do it

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/dam/assets/131113122218-doug-elmendorf-620xa.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf urged lawmakers to boost certainty about fiscal policy for the next year. Even a small budget deal can help the economy, he said.</p><br />He said it at least three times.<br /><p>In his own diplomatic way, Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf on Wednesday told budget negotiators that if a grand bargain eludes them, a short-term deal on the federal budget is better than none.</p><br /><p>'[S]mall steps are better than no steps at all,' Elmendorf told a bipartisan committee under pressure to propose 2014 funding. 'If one can move the ball a little bit and reduce uncertainty about what will happen throughout next year -- that can be an important lift to the economy.'</p><br /><p>But he also cautioned them to not make the long-term outlook worse.</p><br /><p>Elmendorf noted that the deficit reduction scheduled to occur in the next few years marks the sharpest fiscal contraction the country has gone through since the end of World War II. And that has placed a drag on what has been an underwhelming economic recovery.</p><br /><p>If Congress were to cancel the spending cuts known as the sequester -- on track to reduce deficits by roughly $1 trillion by 2021 -- 800,000 more jobs could be created in 2014, according to CBO estimates.</p><br /><p>Related: Aiming for more than bupkis on the budget</p><br /><p>At the same time, Elmendorf noted, the long-term outlook for the federal budget is unsustainable. Debt relative to the size of the economy is already the largest it's been since World War II. Even if it the debt doesn't budge from where it is today, it will drag down wages in the future, he said.</p><br /><p>Moreover, unless Congress changes its spending and tax policies, the debt will reach 100% of GDP in 25 years, as a result of Baby Boomers retiring and health care costs rising, among other things. And interest payments on the debt will eat up ever larger portions of tax dollars and constrain lawmakers' capacity to prioritize spending and respond to crises.</p><br /><p>Members of both parties acknowledge that tax and entitlement reform would help close the country's long-term shortfalls and help boost the economy over time. They just disagree vehemently about how to go about it.</p><br /><p>The budget conference committee that met Wednesdaywas formed as a result of the deal Congress cut in October to end a 16-day partial government shutdown and avert the risk of default.</p><br /><p>That deal funded the government only through January 15. The committee is supposed to agree on a funding level for the rest of fiscal year 2014, and both chambers of Congress must approve it. Otherwise, the government could be forced to shut down again.</p><br /><p>What's more, a new round of budget cuts under the sequester would take effect in the second half of January without congressional action.</p><br /><p><img src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/dam/assets/131017082032-n-debt-ceiling-deal-washington-congress-shutdown-00015228-620x348.jpg" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>A big task before the committee is to find ways to replace the sequester while preserving the deficit reduction it would deliver.</p><br /><p>Lawmakers gave the panel a December 13 deadline to reach a deal. And there is pressure for the committee to agree sooner so that appropriators can start allocating spending among various federal agencies.</p><br /><p>Whether the 29-member committee will hit its deadline isn't clear. The meeting on Wednesday was only its second since it was formed over a month ago. <img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/money/images/bug.gif" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>First Published: November 13, 2013: 5:24 PM ET</p><br /></div>

Business Budget czar to Congress: Just do it

Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf urged lawmakers to boost certainty about fiscal policy for the next year. Even a smal...

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Pussy Riot Member Turns Up in Siberian Prison [ BeritaTerkini ]

<h2>The jailed musician-activist hadn’t been heard from in weeks</h2> <div class="body"> <p>After weeks of uncertainty about her whereabouts following a hunger strike and subsequent prison transfer, Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has turned up at a penal colony in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia.</p> <p></p> <p>Russia’s prison ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, confirmed that Tolokonnikova has been transferred to Siberia and offered a reason she hadn’t been heard from, The Associated Press reports. ”After a transfer to another prison, inmates are quarantined for 10 days,” Lukin said through wire service ITAR-TASS.</p> <p></p> <p>Paul McCartney, U2, Bruce Springsteen Join Call for Pussy Riot’s Release</p> <p></p> <p>He also noes that Tolokonnikova had finally ended her hunger strike, which originally began in September. Tolokonnikova was protesting  bleak working conditions of her then-prison, Penal Colony 14 in the republic of Mordovia, where she claims prisoners were forced to work 16 hours a day. Due to health complications (which reportedly approached “unrecoverable damage”), she suspended the strike, though she started it again after demanding the transfer. The 23-year-old musician-activist is currently serving a two-year sentence on charges of “premeditated hooliganism,” which stem from Pussy Riot’s infamous “punk-prayer” protest at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior in February of 2012.</p> <p></p> <p>While Lukin notes that Tolokonnikova will be meeting with both her husband and lawyers within the week, he didn’t mention the specific location of the prison. But the Russian art group Viona tweeted that the Pussy Riot member is being held at Penal Colony 50 in Nizhny Ingash – a statement that prison management would not confirm.</p> <p></p> <p><span>Tolokonnikova’s father, Andrei Tolokonnikova,</span> <span>told </span>Buzzfeed <span>earlier this month that he and her husband have been unaware of her location since October 21st, when she was transferred from the Mordovia prison. “No one knows anything,” he said. “There’s no proof she’s alive; we don’t know the state of her health. Is she sick? Has she been beaten?”</span></p> <p></p> <p>Petya Verzilov, Tolokonnikova’s husband, said his wife was last seen on October 24th by a train passenger in the city of Chelyabinsk. “They want to cut her off from the outside world,” he said.</p> </div> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

Pussy Riot Member Turns Up in Siberian Prison [ BeritaTerkini ]

The jailed musician-activist hadn’t been heard from in weeks After weeks of uncertainty about her whereabouts following a hunger strike ...

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Spanked by Captain Sparrow

So I have yet to be spanked for real.  Just tell him, y'all insisted.  Don't waste years upon years of spankability by being embarrassed, y'all said.  Once he tries, he'll love it.  So I did.  And yes, husband did a little.  It was more of a "here silly, you can't possibly want this but if you think you do here you go" kind of thing.  Followed quickly by a "holy shit this crazy bitch likes this" kind of thing.  Yes, i do admit that these conversations made our increasingly infrequent sex a lot more interesting.  Just not spanky interesting.<br /><br />So it just ain't gonna happen... with him.  Some other plans on the horizon ;-)<br /><br />Anyway, our dear <a href="http://joeyred51-joeyandfriends.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">joey</a> has written a story that made me giggle.  Somewhere along the line I seem to have drooled over Johnny Depp (who hasn't?) and he ran with it.  It needs to be part of my blog.  Obviously it's not me, it's Lady Catherine.  And since one can pretend... here's<br /><a href="http://joeyred51-joeyandfriends.blogspot.com/2013/11/fantasy-spanking-series-catherines-story.html" target="_blank"><br /></a><br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><a href="http://joeyred51-joeyandfriends.blogspot.com/2013/11/fantasy-spanking-series-catherines-story.html" target="_blank">CATHERINE'S STORY</a></h3>Catherine opened her eyes and squinted as the sun shone in the small port hole of her cabin. The dawn of a new day brought a smile to her face. She knew that soon she would be landing in New South Britain, the large port city on the continent that her country had built to be a gateway for exploring the vast new land across the ocean.<br /><br />She closed her eyes and dreamed of her father, the Governor of this important city. Soon, she would see him waiting at dock side to welcome her. But, it was the figure of her lover, Captain John Taylor that sent shivers through her. After a year of waiting, she would soon be reunited with him. She imagined her wedding, a feast in the Governor’s mansion with all the important people in attendance to see her in a beautiful gown. Catherine knew she was spoiled, she had been the only female in her father’s life since her mother died of the pox. But, she loved being pampered by men.<br /><br />KNOCK, KNOCK. “Wake up Lady Catherine.” A booming explosion rocked the ship. Catherine jumped out of bed in her sleeping gown and opened the door. The first mate told her that pirates were attacking the ship and warned her to stay inside her cabin while the marines on board repulsed the intruders. She shook in fear as she locked the door. Shots were fired on the decks above and men were screaming and yelling. Catherine had read about the fierce pirates and worried about what they might to do her if they took over the ship. But, she thought, the brave Captain will certainly dispatch them.<br /><br />Suddenly, the shooting stopped and she heard men running to her cabin door.<br /><br />“Open up this door,” said a raspy voice.<br /><br />Catherine was frozen in terror and could not move. The door exploded in front of her and two men with beards and long swords burst into the cabin. “What have we here, a pretty young lady. Captain Sparrow will be very pleased.”<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1tlvjzFVtHSIuwQ3C4knwotNdhqzrLagtkQzJ7bx1A4Hcq-AhyphenhyphenOlTfypK-giB3_ZLnjQIjqEbfqAd2t1Ni0zR9dq3EBkoaxDqtkYcwDJpIm81g6mbKiPt5vKRngEm0_nJObrS_1fJQg/s1600/depp.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1tlvjzFVtHSIuwQ3C4knwotNdhqzrLagtkQzJ7bx1A4Hcq-AhyphenhyphenOlTfypK-giB3_ZLnjQIjqEbfqAd2t1Ni0zR9dq3EBkoaxDqtkYcwDJpIm81g6mbKiPt5vKRngEm0_nJObrS_1fJQg/s320/depp.png" width="319" /></a>“Don’t you dare touch me,” said Catherine, “I am the Governor’s daughter.” <br /><br />The two men laughed and grabbed the young lady by her arm. “You are coming with us.” Catherine kicked and screamed, but it just made the men laugh harder as they dragged her out of the cabin and onto the deck where she was thrown to the hard wood in front of Captain Sparrow. <br /><br />Lady Catherine cursed herself for not changing from her flimsy sleeping gown as she tried to regain her composure. <br /><br />“What do we have here?” said Captain Sparrow. <br /><br /><br />“I am the daughter of the Governor of New South Britain and I expect to be treated with the respect I deserve.” Captain Sparrow and his men burst into laughter. “Is that so? You are quite feisty and arrogant. I have just the remedy to cure your attitude problem.”<br /><br />He took her roughly by the arm with his strong hands and dragged her to a nearby barrel. With a quick turn, he had Lady Catherine over his knee. <br /><br />“How dare you? I will not be treated like this. My father will have your neck stretched if you do not let me go.”<br /><br />Captain Sparrow held her firmly with his left arm and pulled up her gown with his right hand causing Lady Catherine to squirm and scream. He placed his thumb inside the top of her knickers and down they came revealing a pretty round bottom, much to the pleasure of the other pirates standing on the deck. He removed her knickers and tossed them to one of the pirates who held them up for all to see. Captain Sparrow waited with a firm grip as the young lady fought and wiggled, but she failed to escape.<br /><br />Catherine was mortified. Her bare bottom was on display for all to see. This pirate will pay for this someday she thought. He will surely be hanged by her father when he is brought to justice for his misdeeds. <br /><br />“Let me go. I am a lady. Let me go.” Her screams just made the pirate laugh louder. “Shut up girl.” Captain Sparrow started spanking Catherine with hard blows. His hands were rough and his body strong from years of sailing on the seas. Each blow stung her tender skin.<br /><br /><br />“Stop, stop, stop,” she wailed as the blows hit her round bottom over and over again. “Please, please, please,” she said, but the spanking continued until she was in tears and sobbing.<br /><br />Captain Sparrow stopped and whispered in her ear. “Will you behave now young lady?” “I hate you. I hate you.”<br /><br />Captain Sparrow’s face became serious and once again rained heavy blows on Catherine’s sore bottom. “Good, your skin is now a bright red. “ He continued as Catherine screamed and begged for mercy.<br /><br />“Will you obey me dear lady?” he said in a commanding voice. “Yes,” whimpered Catherine.<br /><br />“You mean yes sir.” Four more hard spanks were placed on her now welted bottom. “Yes Sir.”<br /><br />“Good girl.”<br /><br />“Take the young lady to my cabin and ensure that no one harms her.”

Spanked by Captain Sparrow

So I have yet to be spanked for real.  Just tell him, y'all insisted.  Don't waste years upon years of spankability by being embarra...

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Frustrated and Definitely Not Losing

The reality is that I haven't been able to get "back on the wagon".<br /><br />It's annoying, irritating, depressing and frustrating. <br /><br />Since giving birth, I've rejoined Weight Watchers, made a feeble attempt at Visalus Shakes, and almost started Plexus Slim (until I <a href="http://www.tga.gov.au/safety/alerts-medicine-plexus-slim-accelerator-capsules-130716.htm" target="_blank">read</a> about the dangers of certain ingredients that they use). <br /><br />The reality is that I'm still struggling with the same things I was before I got pregnant last year.  At first, it was the same old story - no planning/poor planning meant going over my daily points target every day.  But why am I doing this in the first place?  I simply hated planning my meals everyday.  I felt like I didn't have time because when I would plan the meals in advance (meaning not just the actual planning, but also pre-tracking), it would take me hours to do that.  I thought I had such few time then - ha!  Motherhood definitely nixed any free ounce of time I had!<br /><br />Then I thought if I had 2 less meals to plan each day, it'd be a lot easier (hence the Visalus approach).  And while those shakes are good, I was STARVING.<br /><br />I'm up.  I'm up in weight big time.  I'm still wearing some maternity pants.  It's depressing.<br /><br />But my motivation - it's no where to be found.  Why can't I get it together?  I don't like feeling like this - overweight.  So why can't I just face the music?<br /><br />I just don't know what to do anymore.  I'm so sick of the "tomorrow is a new day" or "I'll start tomorrow" - that whole concept - because it just doesn't happen.  I wake up expecting to feel energized, and I'm simply burned out on weight loss.<br /><br />I want to be healthy not only for myself, but for my daughter and husband.  I don't want the effects of obesity to kill me. <br /><br />I just don't know what to do or where to go from here.  I love the idea of Weight Watchers, but I'm almost burned out on it anymore. <br /><br />Gah!!!

Lacking Motivation Weight Loss Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watchers Frustrated and Definitely Not Losing

The reality is that I haven't been able to get "back on the wagon". It's annoying, irritating, depressing and frustrating....

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13-Nov-2013 23:02

Police: Bomb intended to destroy Ore. DA's building - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/13/oregon-prosecutor-bomb/3517407/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/13/oregon-prosecutor-bomb/3517407/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Dollar Falls Amid Bets Yellen May Signal Unabated Fed Stimulus - Bloomberg :: <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-12/euro-snaps-2-day-gain-before-factory-growth-data-amid-ecb-bets.html">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-12/euro-snaps-2-day-gain-before-factory-growth-data-amid-ecb-bets.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Heart/stroke guidelines call for statins, lifestyle changes - UPI.com :: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2013/11/13/Heartstroke-guidelines-call-for-statins-lifestyle-changes/UPI-87881384358070/">http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2013/11/13/Heartstroke-guidelines-call-for-statins-lifestyle-changes/UPI-87881384358070/</a><br /><br><br /><br>With the governor's signature, Hawaii legalizes gay marriage - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hawaii-gay-marriage-20131113,0,4215077.story">http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hawaii-gay-marriage-20131113,0,4215077.story</a><br /><br><br /><br>Rob Ford, embattled Toronto mayor, admits he has bought illegal drugs - CBS News :: <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57612162/rob-ford-embattled-toronto-mayor-admits-he-has-bought-illegal-drugs/">http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57612162/rob-ford-embattled-toronto-mayor-admits-he-has-bought-illegal-drugs/</a><br /><br><br /><br>White House urges Senate to hold off on Iran sanctions - NBCNews.com :: <a href="http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/13/21441098-white-house-urges-senate-to-hold-off-on-iran-sanctions">http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/13/21441098-white-house-urges-senate-to-hold-off-on-iran-sanctions</a><br /><br><br /><br>Snapchat turns down Facebook's $3 billion cash offer: report - NBCNews.com :: <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/business/snapchat-turns-down-facebooks-3-billion-cash-offer-report-2D11591431">http://www.nbcnews.com/business/snapchat-turns-down-facebooks-3-billion-cash-offer-report-2D11591431</a><br /><br><br /><br>Whitey Bulger emotionless as victims' relatives speak of loss, deride him as rat ... - Boston.com :: <a href="http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/11/13/victims-families-testify-today-whitey-bulger-sentencing-hearing/0NzmtWjgcaAwf9ayNjRunL/story.html">http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/11/13/victims-families-testify-today-whitey-bulger-sentencing-hearing/0NzmtWjgcaAwf9ayNjRunL/story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>3 shot outside Pittsburgh Brashear High School - Pittsburgh Post Gazette :: <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2013/11/13/Shooting-reported-at-Pittsburgh-Brashear-High-school/stories/201311130158">http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2013/11/13/Shooting-reported-at-Pittsburgh-Brashear-High-school/stories/201311130158</a><br /><br><br /><br>Obamacare: Critics seize on low enrollment numbers - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-obamacare-enrollment-numbers-october-20131113,0,538644.story">http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-obamacare-enrollment-numbers-october-20131113,0,538644.story</a>

13-Nov-2013 23:02

Police: Bomb intended to destroy Ore. DA's building - USA TODAY :: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/13/oregon-prosecut...

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