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Macau Grand Prix quenches thirst for speed, danger [ BeritaTerkini ]

1:12 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> By Mark Dreyer <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> MACAU (Reuters) – Lewis Hamilton calls it the world’s “coolest street circuit” and some of the greatest names in motorsport such as Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher have savoured its super-fast straights and treacherous corners, but for many the Macau Grand Prix is all about the danger. Each year fans flock to the southern Chinese territory to see motorcycles and cars flirt with barriers at breakneck speeds as they hurtle around the 6.2-kilometre Guia street circuit. The racing festival marked its diamond jubilee this month, with 13 races spread out over two weekends, and while there were plenty of spectacular spills on both two wheels and four, there were no fatalities. It was a different story last year, however. Hong Kong driver Phillip Yau crashed and died on the frighteningly fast Mandarin Bend, and Portuguese motorcycle rider Luis Filipe de Sousa Carreira was killed when he smashed into a wall at high speed during qualifying. Adderly Fong, who clinched the 2013 Audi R8 LMS Cup title this year, was good friends with Yau. “I was speaking to him on the Monday, told him I was going to go see him on Thursday, then decided to not go and watched from the hotel instead,” the 23-year-old told Reuters. “It happened right underneath the hotel.” Fong said thinking about the danger would hold drivers back. “It’s like stepping into a coliseum with walls and grandstands. It’s a gamble each time, like walking into a casino – you’re taking chances and you don’t know what the consequences will be. “When you step into a racing car everyone should be prepared for the worst, but you have to put it in the back of your mind, because death is the only thing that causes fear and when you have fear, you can’t drive fast.” Fong’s father said his son’s fate was out of his hands. “God gave us our son and God will decide when to take him away,” he said. Prior to last year, the last two fatalities on the track were in 1994 and 2005, while a spectator died in 2000 after a car left the track, prompting the installation of more safety fences, a far cry from the bamboo barriers used in the early days. Macau Grand Prix race coordinator Joao Manuel Costa Antunes said the safety of drivers, riders and fans was paramount and that last year’s incidents could have happened anywhere. “We cannot say the accidents happened because of the track or because of the safety of the track,” he said in a news conference ahead of the festival. “The two accidents could happen either in Macau or anywhere in the world,” he said, adding that safety “is always our first priority.” BROKEN NECK Since its humble beginnings as a motorized treasure hunt in 1954, the festival has attracted some of the sport’s biggest names, with Formula 1 champions Senna, Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button among those drawn to the race. Racers talk about the importance of track knowledge on the challenging circuit, with its unique undulations, narrow, twisting turns and high-speed straights. Carreira and Yau did not lack for experience, however. Portuguese rider Carreira was taking part in his seventh race in Macau, while Yau had previously notched two wins on the track. Even drivers used to Formula 1 speeds struggle on the circuit. Malaysian Alex Yoong hit the wall hard in qualifying this year and a video of his dramatic crash went viral. For those on two wheels, the barriers come uncomfortably close. British rider Dean Harrison’s bike and body sustained damage when he highsided during the Motorcycle Grand Prix. Harrison said he had experienced far worse. “I broke my neck at Brands (Hatch) last year. I rode the next day. I didn’t know I’d done it until the Monday,” he told Reuters. When he was finally diagnosed with a cracked C7 vertebra, his time on the sidelines lasted just three weeks before he was racing once again. German driver Maro Engel, who was leading this year’s GT Cup race until a puncture from debris on the track forced his retirement, said there was no question what made the race so appealing. “The danger absolutely makes it more exciting. That’s why we’re here,” he said. “It’s the greatest track in the world.” (Editing by Peter Rutherford) <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Sports & Recreation</li> <li>Motor Racing</li> <li>Michael Schumacher</li> <li>Macau Grand Prix</li> <li>Ayrton Senna</li> </ul> //

Macau Grand Prix quenches thirst for speed, danger [ BeritaTerkini ]

By Mark Dreyer MACAU (Reuters) – Lewis Hamilton calls it the world’s “coolest street circuit” and some of the greate...

19-Nov-2013 10:11

1:11 AM Tukiyooo 0

White supremacist serial killer to be executed Wednesday - Hattiesburg American :: <a href="http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/usatoday/article/3632727">http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/usatoday/article/3632727</a> Parents, infant twin sons found dead in Mass. home - Houston Chronicle :: <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Parents-twin-sons-found-dead-in-Mass-home-ID-d-4991268.php">http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Parents-twin-sons-found-dead-in-Mass-home-ID-d-4991268.php</a> Methodist jury convicts Pa. pastor for gay wedding - Watertown Daily Times :: <a href="http://www.wdtimes.com/news/national/article_8ab5daa0-dee9-51d3-beda-5193e7ef4405.html">http://www.wdtimes.com/news/national/article_8ab5daa0-dee9-51d3-beda-5193e7ef4405.html</a> Official releasing what appears to be original court file authorizing NSA to ... - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html</a> Analysis: Republicans plan 2014 campaign around Obamacare chaos - Reuters :: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-usa-healthcare-politics-analysis-idUSBRE9AG0G920131117">http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-usa-healthcare-politics-analysis-idUSBRE9AG0G920131117</a> 'Apocalyptic' Storm Floods in Sardinia Leave 14 Dead - Wall Street Journal :: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303985504579207161105570316.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303985504579207161105570316.html</a> Overnight Curfew Imposed For Tornado-Ravaged Areas - NBC Chicago :: <a href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/stories/illinois-november-tornadoes-cleanup-232323651.html">http://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/stories/illinois-november-tornadoes-cleanup-232323651.html</a> Toronto mayor Rob Ford's spectacular fall from grace - <a href="http://Telegraph.co.uk">Telegraph.co.uk</a> :: <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/10454503/Toronto-mayor-Rob-Fords-spectacular-fall-from-grace.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/10454503/Toronto-mayor-Rob-Fords-spectacular-fall-from-grace.html</a> Zimmerman accused of pointing shotgun at girlfriend - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/18/zimmerman-trayvon-arrested/3628591/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/18/zimmerman-trayvon-arrested/3628591/</a> Explosions Near Iranian Embassy in Beirut Kill 7 - ABC News :: <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/explosions-iranian-embassy-beirut-kill-20932663">http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/explosions-iranian-embassy-beirut-kill-20932663</a>

19-Nov-2013 10:11

White supremacist serial killer to be executed Wednesday - Hattiesburg American :: http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/usatoday/article/3632...

VIDEO: What Would Matt Smith Steal From The Tenth Doctor

1:11 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6a6y5lgCuDKAh-H8dBH_rHoH_29WL_mqTIVW_H-nHlDixBzNcZUO6giBkyNncQTMFJVYrzCZIksqMhqvPwZK_i-CXpGl6XYUpxjjKpUe8pCpO-GeR2Cfn05wtMx4YFqcY6KDDXMG2ihF/s1600/IntBBCA-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6a6y5lgCuDKAh-H8dBH_rHoH_29WL_mqTIVW_H-nHlDixBzNcZUO6giBkyNncQTMFJVYrzCZIksqMhqvPwZK_i-CXpGl6XYUpxjjKpUe8pCpO-GeR2Cfn05wtMx4YFqcY6KDDXMG2ihF/s640/IntBBCA-02.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> "It's all love here...!" BBC America ask Matt Smith what he would steal from the Tenth Doctor in this short interview from the set of The Day Of The Doctor. Watch his answer in the exclusive clip below. <div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="270" id="flashObj" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=2849404035001&linkBaseURL=www.bbcamerica.com%2Fdoctor-who%2Fvideos%2Fwhat-would-matt-smith-steal-from-the-tenth-doctor%2F&playerID=1363944211001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAA-dDLCk~,siZIgFdU3jN0sb7lGOrT158rVROOaX61&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=2849404035001&linkBaseURL=www.bbcamerica.com%2Fdoctor-who%2Fvideos%2Fwhat-would-matt-smith-steal-from-the-tenth-doctor%2F&playerID=1363944211001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAA-dDLCk~,siZIgFdU3jN0sb7lGOrT158rVROOaX61&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></div><div class="MsoNormal"> The Day Of The Doctor starring Matt Smith and David Tennant will be broadcast on BBC One at 7.50pm GMT and on BBC America at 2.50pm ET. Over 75 countries will also be taking part in the global simulcast via TV and cinemas.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.david-tennant.com/2009/id205.html">Find out more about The Day Of The Doctor here</a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div>

"It's all love here...!" BBC America ask Matt Smith what he would steal from the Tenth Doctor in this short interview from the...

Pen Pals

1:08 AM Tukiyooo 0

Do you have a pen pal? Do you still communicate by letter?<div> </div><div>When I was in school I had a pen pal for a few years.  Crystal, from Kentucky, and I regularly wrote letters to each other for a few years.  </div><div> </div><div>I would imagine Crystal was quite disappointed when she read my letter when she got to hear of the mundanities I was getting up to in Ireland, in comparison to her own life which seemed very exciting to the 15 yr old me.</div><div> </div><div>She sent me a photo of herself in one of her letters.  Posing at a party with a red party cup in hand with a crowd of boys in the background.  Tanned and relaxed looking, I was impressed by her, what I thought, was sophistication!</div><div> </div><div> I also was impressed by her disposable red cup.  Partyware in Ireland was a lot more basic and duller in comparison at that time.   Party cups came in one colour (white) and were about a third the size of a red cup!</div><div> </div><div>So anyway with the advent of texting, email, Skype and what's app, etc I put the question to you do you still write letters to pen pals?</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyv-SjQTd5CJkiODN2uYo_JTZZJa3es0NqWYGe9ATYPvp8HboxbF97NGlYZTqkYIpT2aD83C0QcCr_0M-BHN1NGNbVYehkukfhRy3yMPMhPKZxKKEPGMwNAFQBJXQD98MZ9_cUfCZprTU/s640/blogger-image--1676496209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyv-SjQTd5CJkiODN2uYo_JTZZJa3es0NqWYGe9ATYPvp8HboxbF97NGlYZTqkYIpT2aD83C0QcCr_0M-BHN1NGNbVYehkukfhRy3yMPMhPKZxKKEPGMwNAFQBJXQD98MZ9_cUfCZprTU/s640/blogger-image--1676496209.jpg"></a></div> </div>

Pen Pals

Do you have a pen pal? Do you still communicate by letter? When I was in school I had a pen pal for a few years. Crystal, from Kentucky, an...

Without Screen Communication using Wristband: Woodenshark TapTap

12:48 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Now a new and fresh way to communicate with each other rather than text message, tweet and phone call, yes now you can talk without a screen. Woodenshark made a wristband with the tag of “TapTap”, the device is made to communicate with each other, without a screen. Woodenshark offering two wristbands at $130, company mainly target the people who are in relationship. The device will provide you seven days battery back-up, after full charging of battery. User have to download an app by his/her android smartphone to use this device and connect the email through this. The email of another person will be connected in other wristband. The device will also working with iPhone 4S or higher model. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXbUJjmlE9w/UosCxnTrZ2I/AAAAAAAAAik/-6m0Hj0j92g/s1600/tap3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Communicate without the Need of a Screen: Woodenshark TapTap Wristband " border="0" height="183" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hXbUJjmlE9w/UosCxnTrZ2I/AAAAAAAAAik/-6m0Hj0j92g/s1600/tap3.png" title="" width="400" /></a></div> The device comes with a capacitive sensor, an accelerometer sensor and a LED light, which will warn you about low battery or any missed taps. Wristband have many color variants, user can choose according to wish. The company is still working on "TapTap" to make it smarter and include some new features like alarm and game controller using the different apps on your smartphones. “The wristband primarily focuses on people in a romantic relationship, people have already proposed other uses. The company's Kickstarte campaign has helped the team consider some of the proposed alternative uses. People can create their own language. We are testing TapTap with our close circles like friends and family and some couples they use just two or three different ways of tapping each other with different meanings. Like, one tap 'I am missing you' and several taps in a row 'just take a look at your phone or check something, I'm writing.” reported by founder of Woodenshark, Dmitry Gorilovsky, at Mashable. <div> </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/100638775997274345522" rel="author">Anil Swami</a></div></div>

android iphone TapTap Without Screen Communication using Wristband: Woodenshark TapTap

Now a new and fresh way to communicate with each other rather than text message, tweet and phone call, yes now you can talk without a screen...

VIDEO: What Would David Tennant Steal From The Eleventh Doctor?

12:47 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h4QcyDzZJkptbHhV2nmR0Rv8M2B4oglBdYB-KEj-wMvRLNnz1ySADBMDUrlIXB6Kh1pdqzpnsGT2WMXnTXO-6UNmCigufyowTLA0jirVCYVvhazUhJeslwC2ym6WQKxdSv_kMxZS8Bls/s1600/IntBBCA-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h4QcyDzZJkptbHhV2nmR0Rv8M2B4oglBdYB-KEj-wMvRLNnz1ySADBMDUrlIXB6Kh1pdqzpnsGT2WMXnTXO-6UNmCigufyowTLA0jirVCYVvhazUhJeslwC2ym6WQKxdSv_kMxZS8Bls/s640/IntBBCA-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> "I feel like I'm being slightly disloyal there..." BBC America grab a moment with David Tennant to ask him what he would steal from the Eleventh Doctor. Find out the answer in this exclusive video clip <div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="270" id="flashObj" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=2839433659001&linkBaseURL=www.bbcamerica.com%2Fdoctor-who%2Fvideos%2Fwhat-would-david-tennant-steal-from-the-eleventh-doctor%2F&playerID=1363944211001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAA-dDLCk~,siZIgFdU3jN0sb7lGOrT158rVROOaX61&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=2839433659001&linkBaseURL=www.bbcamerica.com%2Fdoctor-who%2Fvideos%2Fwhat-would-david-tennant-steal-from-the-eleventh-doctor%2F&playerID=1363944211001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAA-dDLCk~,siZIgFdU3jN0sb7lGOrT158rVROOaX61&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">David Tennant stars with Matt Smith in Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor which will be broadcast on BBC One at 7.50pm GMT and on BBC America at 2.50pm ET. Over 75 countries will also be taking part in a global simulcast.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.david-tennant.com/2009/id205.html">Find out more about The Day Of The Doctor here</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>

VIDEO: What Would David Tennant Steal From The Eleventh Doctor?

David Tennant Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Matt Smith The Day Of The Doctor VIDEO: What Would David Tennant Steal From The Eleventh Doctor?

"I feel like I'm being slightly disloyal there..." BBC America grab a moment with David Tennant to ask him what he would steal...

Yahoo vows to encrypt all its users' personal data

12:37 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://media.thenewstribune.com/smedia/2013/11/18/17/50/984-1swOdN.AuSt.55.jpeg" width="600"/> - Yahoo is expanding its efforts to protect its users' online activities from prying eyes by encrypting all the communications and other information flowing into the Internet company's data centers around the world. The commitment announced Monday by Yahoo Inc. CEO Marissa Mayer follows a recent Washington Post report that the National Security Agency has been hacking into the communications lines of the data centers run by Yahoo and Google Inc. to intercept information about what people do and say online. Yahoo had previously promised to encrypt its email service by early January. Now, the Sunnyvale, Calif., company plans to have all data encrypted by the end of March to make it more difficult for unauthorized parties to decipher the information. Google began to encrypt its Gmail service in 2010 and has since introduced the security measure on many other services. The Mountain View, Calif., company has promised to encrypt the links to its data centers, too. A Google engineer said that task had been completed in a post on his Google Plus account earlier this month, but the company hasn't yet confirmed all the encryption work is done. Other documents leaked to various media outlets by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden this year have revealed that Yahoo, Google and several other prominent technology companies, including Microsoft Corp., Facebook Inc. and Apple Inc., have been feeding the U.S. government some information about their international users under a court-monitored program called PRISM. The companies maintain they have only surrendered data about a very small number of users, and have only cooperated when legally required. The NSA says its online surveillance programs have played an instrumental role in thwarting terrorism. The increased use of encryption technology is aimed at stymieing government surveillance that may be occurring without the companies' knowledge. Even when it's encrypted, online data can still be heisted, but the information looks like gibberish without the decoding keys. 'I want to reiterate what we have said in the past: Yahoo has never given access to our data centers to the NSA or to any other government agency,' Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer wrote in a Monday post on the company's Tumblr blog. Facebook also has said it's cloaking its social networking network with greater encryption, but hasn't publicly set a timetable for getting all the added protection in place. Debunking the perception that the NSA and other U.S. government agencies can easily vacuum up potentially sensitive information about people's online lives is important to Yahoo, Google and other Internet companies because they need Web surfers to regularly use their services so they can sell more of the digital ads that bring in most of their revenue. The companies fear the government spying revelations eventually will drive some people away from their services and make it more difficult to attract more users outside the U.S. If that were to happen, it could slow the companies' financial growth and undercut their stock prices. Yahoo has been struggling to boost its revenue for years, making it even more important for the company to reassure its 800 million users worldwide about the sanctity of their personal information. </div>

Technology Yahoo vows to encrypt all its users' personal data

- Yahoo is expanding its efforts to protect its users' online activities from prying eyes by encrypting all the communications and other...

NYC to ban tobacco sales to anyone under age 21 [ BeritaTerkini ]

12:14 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg planned to sign landmark legislation banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone under age 21, making the Big Apple the first large city or state in the country to prohibit sales to young adults. <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> City health officials hope that raising the legal purchase age from 18 to 21 will lead to a big decline in smoking rates in a critical age group. A majority of smokers get addicted to cigarettes before age 21, and then have trouble quitting, even if they want to do so. The ban has limitations, in terms of its ability to stop young people from picking up the deadly habit. Teenagers can still possess tobacco legally. Kids will still be able to steal cigarettes from their parents, bum them from friends or buy them from the black-market dealers who are common in many neighborhoods. But City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said the idea is to make it more inconvenient for young people to get started, especially young teens who had previously had easy access to cigarettes through slightly older peers. “Right now, an 18-year-old can buy for a 16-year-old,” he said. Once the law takes effect, in 180 days, Farley said, that 16-year-old would “have to find someone in college or out in the workforce.” Tobacco companies and some retailers had opposed the age increase, saying it would simply drive teenagers to the city’s thriving black market. “What are you really accomplishing? It’s not like they are going to quit smoking. Why? Because there are so many other places they can buy cigarettes,” said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. “Every 18-year-old who walks out of a convenience store is just going to go to the guy in the white van on the corner.” Bloomberg also was to sign legislation Tuesday that will seek to keep the price of tobacco high by prohibiting coupons and other discounts and setting a minimum cigarette price of $ 10.50 per pack. Large cigarette companies now commonly offer merchants incentives to run price promotions to bring in new customers. “For someone who might be trying to quit smoking, it makes it easy for them to buy on impulse,” said Farley. Calvin said the elimination of discounts would just further feed the drift away from legal cigarettes, and toward illicit supplies brought into the city by dealers who buy them at greatly reduced prices in other states, where tobacco taxes are low. Both bills were passed by the City Council late last month. The legislation also prohibits the sale of small cigars in packages of less than 20 and increases penalties for retailers that violate sales regulations. <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Health</li> <li>Politics & Government</li> <li>tobacco products</li> </ul> //

NYC to ban tobacco sales to anyone under age 21 [ BeritaTerkini ]

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg planned to sign landmark legislation banning the sale of tobacco products ...

19-Nov-2013 09:10

12:10 AM Tukiyooo 0

Cheneys Battle Over Gay Marriage - Wall Street Journal :: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303755504579206401350185652.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303755504579206401350185652.html</a> Methodist jury convicts pastor for officiating his son's gay marriage - Christian Science Monitor :: <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1118/Methodist-jury-convicts-pastor-for-officiating-his-son-s-gay-marriage">http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1118/Methodist-jury-convicts-pastor-for-officiating-his-son-s-gay-marriage</a> Administration Explores Easier Path to Insurers - Wall Street Journal :: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303531204579206243153759608.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303531204579206243153759608.html</a> Official releasing what appears to be original court file authorizing NSA to ... - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html</a> Couple and infant sons found dead in Arlington, Mass. - UPI.com :: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/11/19/Couple-and-infant-sons-found-dead-in-Arlington-Mass/UPI-74931384840454/">http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/11/19/Couple-and-infant-sons-found-dead-in-Arlington-Mass/UPI-74931384840454/</a> Toronto mayor Rob Ford loses more powers - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24990650">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24990650</a> George Zimmerman arrested on domestic violence charges in Florida: report - New York Daily News :: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/george-zimmerman-arrested-florida-report-article-1.1520840">http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/george-zimmerman-arrested-florida-report-article-1.1520840</a> Philippine typhoon: British medics treating wounded - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24992965">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24992965</a> At Least 6 Dead in Illinois After Tornadoes, Storms Damage Homes - ABC News :: <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/deadly-illinois-tornadoes-storms-damage-homes/story?id%3D20920739">http://abcnews.go.com/US/deadly-illinois-tornadoes-storms-damage-homes/story?id%3D20920739</a> 'Apocalyptic' storm floods Sardinia, 14 dead - MiamiHerald.com :: <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/19/3763849/apocalyptic-storm-floods-sardinia.html">http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/19/3763849/apocalyptic-storm-floods-sardinia.html</a>

19-Nov-2013 09:10

Cheneys Battle Over Gay Marriage - Wall Street Journal :: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303755504579206401350185652.html Me...

1. Portland Looks To Keep Up Winning Ways

11:19 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>NEW YORK -- Referring to the coaches' handbook and praising the opponent, plus employing several NBA decades of perspective, Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts confidently predicted the significantly underachieving Brooklyn Nets would be just fine in the long run. 'They're extremely talented and they'll probably have home court in the first round [of the playoffs],' Stotts said. When it comes to his team, though, Stotts is not so willing to make such pronouncements. Right now the Blazers are falling off the other end of the achievement scale, having been one of the league's most pleasant surprises. In fact, they might even be surprising themselves. <img src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/1118/nba_a_mathews_gb1x400_288x162.jpg" width="600"/> 'You want me to give my team a ceiling? Stotts said with a smile after the Blazers' 108-98 victory over the Nets Monday night, not wanting to say something that could be used against him later. Im pleased with what were doing but we have to get better. Truth is, it's pretty hard to see the extended future of either team. The Nets are rather banged up; Brook Lopez and Deron Williams missed the game with ankle injuries and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett both played while hurting. How bad they were hurting Monday when they combined to shoot 10-of-29 will stay private for now, because neither chose to discuss their 3-7 record afterward. All you need to know about how things are going for rookie coach Jason Kidd is that he's been forced to publicly evaluate how often he's supposed stand and sit during the games. The YES Network, which broadcasts Nets games, and the in-house scoreboard operator do him no favors when they constantly show the team huddles and how assistants Lawrence Frank and John Welch are usually the ones in the middle drawing up plays. Meanwhile, Stotts, who's in his sixth year as a head coach with his third franchise, is enjoying his first-ever seven-game winning streak. Now at 9-2, the Blazers are the league's hottest team and off to their best start since the 1999-2000 season. It's hard to imagine the Nets continuing down this path, just as it's hard to justify how the Blazers are this good. These sorts of runs, positive and negative, are not uncommon in November and often are long forgotten by the All-Star break. Portland, which has set its sights on breaking its two-year playoff absence, obviously wants to believe its situation will continue. The Blazers have some hallmarks of a team that's overachieving. They're shooting rather wild numbers from 3-point range so far -- fourth in the league in makes per game (10) and in percentage (.422). Wes Matthews, a career 40 percent 3-point shooter himself, is making a remarkable 53 percent of his 3-pointers so far. That included his first five attempts on Monday. Portland came into the week ranked an unsavory 17th in defensive rating and so far has only beaten two teams with a winning record. Catching the Nets when so much of their team was beaten up could've been considered another positive turn of fortune. This isn't lost on the Blazers, who are aware that some will dismiss their strong start as circumstantial. 'I'm sure there's people who are waiting for us to go on a five- or six-game losing skid and for us to go back to how we were,' Matthews said. 'They'll say we're taking too many shots, were taking too many 3s, we're too aggressive and all that other stuff. That's cool. But we're going to keep going at it.' To be fair, there's also a lot to like about what they've been doing. They have five players averaging double figures, with LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard putting up All-Star-style numbers in the early going, a quality mix of star power and depth. After taxing their starters with huge minutes last season, Stotts is still relying heavily on his starting five but a bench revamped over the summer is more potent. The addition of veteran guard Mo Williams is making a difference in that regard, especially when he comes in the game and plays alongside Lillard as the Blazers essentially operate with two point guards who can also shoot. 'The NBA game is getting more and more about having playmakers on the court,' Stotts said. 'So when you have two guys who can make plays for other people and themselves it makes our offense more effective.' It's part of the reason they routinely generate excellent ball movement. That and their hot shooting have them averaging 108 points per 100 possessions, which is good for third in the league at this point. Last season, by comparison, they ranked 16th in scoring. And while you can pick at their schedule, they are the only team to have beaten the San Antonio Spurs, and they're already 5-1 on the road. They didn't win their fifth road game last season until January and went 11-30 on the road all season. This early run of success also seems to have the Blazers building a little swagger. They were down 11 points in the first half against the Nets while playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Yet they flipped the scoreboard during the second half when they attacked the Nets' pick-and-rolls and disrupted their offense, allowing just 35 points. It was the type of execution a confident team plays with -- one that believes in itself. Then there's a classic underdog role, which is currently being championed by Matthews. Left off the All-Star ballot, Matthews has responded by perhaps the greatest shooting stretch of his career. In the locker room they're playfully calling him Ballot these days. 'He's playing angry right now; he's upset about the ballot,' Aldridge said. 'He's next-level angry.' Most likely, the Blazers are going to find their level a little. They won't keep shooting so well and their opponents, who are currently dead last in 3-point shooting, figure on picking it up. Over the next two weeks they face the Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder as the schedule turns on them a little. But the Blazers' level still might put them as one of the Western Conference's better teams and that would be an achievement. Leaving Brooklyn with the second-best record in the league, they were feeling pretty good about themselves. 'You feed off that positive energy, when your hard work is rewarded with wins it kind of snowballs,' Stotts said. 'There's so much confidence involved and it's reassuring.' <img src="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2fi%2fcolumnists%2fwindhorst_brian_m.jpg&w=35&h=48" width="600"/> ESPN.com </div>

SPORTS 1. Portland Looks To Keep Up Winning Ways

NEW YORK -- Referring to the coaches' handbook and praising the opponent, plus employing several NBA decades of perspective, Portland Tr...

Insight: Health site woes show Washington misses out on cutting edge technology [ BeritaTerkini ]

11:12 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> By Andy Sullivan <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> WASHINGTON (Reuters) – One part of the Obama administration’s technically flawed HealthCare.gov website is actually working as promised. Unfortunately, the company that built it does not intend to seek more government business. Working out of a garage a few blocks north of the White House, a 12-person software shop called Development Seed built a customer interface praised for its elegance and stability, a bright spot in the rollout of a website that has been an embarrassment for President Barack Obama. But chief executive Eric Gundersen said his company will not seek another slice of the $ 82 billion the U.S. government will spend on technology this year because of the paperwork and regulatory hurdles. “We don’t have proposal writers and lawyers. We have developers,” Gundersen said. The technical problems since the October 1 debut of the website have cast a harsh light on the federal government’s tangled procurement process, a system that favors incumbents with long track records but leaves little room for innovation. As a result, the government struggles to deliver the sophisticated digital services that tech-savvy consumers have come to expect. Obama has apologized repeatedly for the performance of the website that is central to his healthcare overhaul. But he and other officials also have pointed fingers at the project’s contractors, who have been paid at least $ 174 million for their work so far. Contractors say the administration is ultimately to blame. The site has been plagued by timeouts, errors and slow responses, although an emergency effort to get the site running smoothly for most visitors has resulted in some improvements. Fewer than 27,000 people signed up for private health insurance plans through the federal marketplace in October, a tiny fraction of the millions ultimately needed to make it financially viable. Technology projects have never been easy for the federal government. One problem, say former administration officials, is that agencies too often rely on established contractors. Those contractors feel little pressure to innovate because there is no competition from cutting edge companies, which are deterred by government red tape. More nimble tech firms such as Development Seed find it hard to overcome hurdles that surround competitive bidding or dealing with risk-averse bureaucrats. All but one of the 47 companies that worked on HealthCare.gov had done previous government work, according to the Sunlight Foundation, a watchdog group. Obama himself says government too often gets it wrong. “How we purchase technology in the federal government is cumbersome, complicated and outdated,” he said last week. “We might have done more to make sure that we were breaking the mold on how we were gonna be setting this up,” he said. “But that doesn’t help us now.” POOR RECORD Government has a poor track record in tackling large technology projects. The Standish Group, a research firm, found that 40 percent of large federal, state and local tech projects are canceled or abandoned, while only 5 percent are completed on time and on budget. The research firm did not provide reasons. Perhaps the only thing that makes HealthCare.gov exceptional is its high visibility. “It’s not an unusual screw-up,” said Charlene Frizzera, a former acting head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency overseeing implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which passed in 2010. Even an effort to streamline the way the government buys goods and services came in years late, at twice the anticipated cost. That website, SAM.gov, crashed shortly after going live in 2012 and is still riddled with glitches. The HealthCare.gov site illustrates the divide between companies specializing in government work and the freewheeling start-up culture that flourishes in Silicon Valley and other tech hubs. Development Seed did not bid on the healthcare project. It was brought in as a subcontractor by a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who admired its emphasis on simplicity and “open source” design, the practice of releasing software code to the public so outsiders can spot flaws and suggest fixes. “This is cutting edge, sort of where things are going,” HHS chief technical officer Bryan Sivak said of Development Seed at a conference in March. Development Seed reduced the number of computer servers involved in its part of the website from 32 to two, minimizing potential failure points, and finished work in June. Gundersen said officials like Sivak, a former tech officer for the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia, ultimately had limited control. “We’ve probably got one of the most visionary guys, that actually gets code, from a tech background, being the chief technology officer,” Gundersen said of Sivak. “And still he can’t turn the battleship?” INSIDE TRACK As Development Seed finished its work on the front page of HealthCare.gov this spring, a much larger company called CGI Federal scrambled to assemble the back end. CGI Federal is a division of Montreal-based tech services provider CGI Group Inc, which globally employs 68,000 people. Roughly a quarter of its $ 1.3 billion revenue last fiscal year came from the U.S. government. Like many large federal contractors, CGI spends handsomely to influence Washington. It spent $ 200,000 on lobbying last year, and its employees donated $ 128,500 in last year’s election to federal candidates from both parties. CGI ultimately could earn as much as $ 292 million under the HealthCare.gov contract, which it won over three other companies in 2011. Even if it had wanted to, a small company like Development Seed would have been unable to bid on the main HealthCare.gov contract – CMS limited the competition to 16 companies already selected as primary technology providers under an open-ended contract in 2007. CMS shaved months off the bidding process by limiting competition to those pre-screened companies. The website needed to be up and running by October 1, 2013. A large company like CGI handles other complex projects for CMS, and it had the resources to build the site’s complicated health exchange, said several people familiar with the process. The company declined to comment for this story. “Companies that compete for government business every day have to use the latest technologies to be successful,” said contracting expert Larry Allen, who said CMS had ensured an adequate level of competition when awarding the contract. But companies with the ability to bid for big government projects often rely on technology that is years out of date, several former Obama administration officials said. “This is a stagnant community – they do not have to keep up with the latest technology,” said Clay Johnson, a onetime Presidential Innovation Fellow who developed a tool that made it easier for small technology firms to bid on government work. Merici Vinton, a former assistant to the chief information officer at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said agency employees were better informed about technology than some vendors who competed to build its ConsumerFinance.gov site in 2010. “I was shocked at the quality of the projects they were promising,” Vinton said in an email. COMPLEX TASK With HealthCare.gov, CGI took on a task of enormous complexity. An insurance applicant’s identity and income must be verified through computer systems at the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Homeland Security. Then, the system checks databases from more than 170 insurance carriers to find the best plans. The Obama administration has acknowledged it did not leave CGI and other contractors enough time to test the system before it went live. But administration officials also have said CGI failed to meet certain development goals. A top CMS official, Henry Chao, worried three months before the site’s launch that quality problems could “crash the plane at take-off,” according to government documents obtained by Reuters. CGI has blamed other contractors for site problems and the administration for last-minute design changes. It is unclear whether the government would have gotten a better result if it had recruited more companies like Development Seed, rather than relying on established contractors like CGI. Gundersen said his company lacks the scale to tackle such complex projects, and other contracting experts say it is often more cost-effective to go with a larger company that already has the engineers and other resources needed to tackle the job. But the administration may have ended up with a better website if it had gone with a company that used some of the more current techniques now commonplace in companies that serve the private sector, former Obama administration officials say. Open source development, for example, could have enabled engineers to spot possible flaws sooner and keep the complexity of the site to a minimum. “Government could benefit from that dynamic, but it has saddled itself with a procurement and contracting model that makes it off-limits,” said Andrew McLaughlin, a former White House deputy chief technology officer. (Editing by David Lindsey, Ross Colvin and Grant McCool) <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Politics & Government</li> <li>President Barack Obama</li> <li>Obama administration</li> <li>technology</li> </ul> //

Insight: Health site woes show Washington misses out on cutting edge technology [ BeritaTerkini ]

By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – One part of the Obama administration’s technically flawed HealthCare.gov web...

19-Nov-2013 08:09

11:09 PM Tukiyooo 0

Paris shooting is close to home for former Mexico correspondent (+video) - Christian Science Monitor :: <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/1118/Paris-shooting-is-close-to-home-for-former-Mexico-correspondent-video">http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/1118/Paris-shooting-is-close-to-home-for-former-Mexico-correspondent-video</a> Obama's sudden 'fix' gives states another headache from health care - Washington Times :: <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/18/obamas-sudden-fix-gives-states-another-headache-fr/?page%3D2">http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/18/obamas-sudden-fix-gives-states-another-headache-fr/?page%3D2</a> United Methodist jury convicts Pa. pastor who performed son's same-sex marriage - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/18/united-methodist-jury-convicts-pa-pastor-who-performed-son-same-sex-marriage/">http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/18/united-methodist-jury-convicts-pa-pastor-who-performed-son-same-sex-marriage/</a> Historic autumn storms killed 8 and left many more homeless - Chicago Tribune :: <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-illinois-tornadoes-met-1119-20131119,0,1894733.story">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-illinois-tornadoes-met-1119-20131119,0,1894733.story</a> Indonesia's President Slams Australia's Abbott over Spying Claims - Voice of America :: <a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/indonesias-president-slams-australias-abbott-over-spying-claims/1792932.html">http://www.voanews.com/content/indonesias-president-slams-australias-abbott-over-spying-claims/1792932.html</a> More enroll, but Web glitches still plague health-care site - The Seattle Times :: <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2022288224_obamacareupdatexml.html">http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2022288224_obamacareupdatexml.html</a> His Honor? Toronto's Mayor Rampages On, to City's Shame - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/world/americas/his-honor-torontos-mayor-rampages-on-to-citys-shame.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/world/americas/his-honor-torontos-mayor-rampages-on-to-citys-shame.html</a> Official releasing what appears to be original court file authorizing NSA to ... - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html</a> George Zimmerman 'pointed a shotgun at his girlfriend' - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24995459">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24995459</a> Couple and infant sons found dead in Arlington, Mass. - UPI.com :: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/11/19/Couple-and-infant-sons-found-dead-in-Arlington-Mass/UPI-74931384840454/">http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/11/19/Couple-and-infant-sons-found-dead-in-Arlington-Mass/UPI-74931384840454/</a>

19-Nov-2013 08:09

Paris shooting is close to home for former Mexico correspondent (+video) - Christian Science Monitor :: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Euro...

Grizzlies give Clippers their first home loss

11:05 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-528b0152/turbine/lat-clippers-grizzlies-wre0012514238-20131118/600" width="600"/> Clippers power forward Blake Griffin steals the ball from Grizzlies forward Tayshaun Prince in the first half. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press / ) Zach Randolph had 26 points and 15 rebounds, Mike Conley scored eight of his 15 points during a four-minute span of the fourth quarter, and the Memphis Grizzlies overcame the first-quarter ejection of shooting guard Tony Allen to beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 106-102, on Monday night in a rematch of their first-round playoff series. Marc Gasol had 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to help put the Grizzlies (6-5) over .500 for the first time this season. They are 5-0 when Randolph leads them in scoring. Blake Griffin had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who were beaten at home for the first time this season. Chris Paul had 18 points and 11 assists for his 11th consecutive double-double, the most by any player from the start of a season since Magic Johnson in 1990-91. </div>

SPORTS Grizzlies give Clippers their first home loss

Clippers power forward Blake Griffin steals the ball from Grizzlies forward Tayshaun Prince in the first half. (Chris Carlson / Associated ...

The $98 32-Inch Flat-Screen TV

10:32 PM Tukiyooo 0

The $98 32-Inch Flat-Screen TV

November 18, 2013 Wal-Mart Touts $98 TV as Holiday Seen Weakest Since 2009: Retail Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) is dangling a 32-inch flat-scr...

Still Stuck in ZIRP?

10:12 PM Tukiyooo 0

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4J7_qBmDKRwAKD0vIrQn9YApB68Rkyo6Xeky8HFX2FUK7ToKQpgvRPbsCuuc9gQWFudDf70TV2MnfvGnpl0tPqeDksYE7YACntuwe6W9wFs808F2VYrWaF90QSBj98Q6ak0WfKpMESo/s1600/Fed+Funds+Trend.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4J7_qBmDKRwAKD0vIrQn9YApB68Rkyo6Xeky8HFX2FUK7ToKQpgvRPbsCuuc9gQWFudDf70TV2MnfvGnpl0tPqeDksYE7YACntuwe6W9wFs808F2VYrWaF90QSBj98Q6ak0WfKpMESo/s320/Fed+Funds+Trend.jpg" /></a> Click to enlarge. Still stuck in ZIRP. <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/04/wrong-way-siegel-strikes-again-v2.html">Big shocker.</a> Where does the time go? The good news is that we're making good progress on getting back to the trend line and that the Japanese have been studying this monetary problem for more than two decades (ever since their epic housing bust). The bad news is that the trend line continues to come down to meet us, the Japanese are still stuck, and we are too more than likely. Even if we were to miraculously temporarily extract ourselves, then we'd probably just get stuck even more severely in the aftermath of the next recession. Many talk about how Janet Yellen will offer easy money in an attempt to solve our long-term structural problems. They aren't factoring in the difficulty of the job though. We need someone who can wake up with a positive attitude each and every morning and exclaim with the utmost confidence, "Let's keep interest rates at zero and see what happens next!" Nothing but good things from here! I assure you! Source Data: <a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?id=FF">St. Louis Fed: Effective Federal Funds Rate</a>

Still Stuck in ZIRP?

Click to enlarge. Still stuck in ZIRP. Big shocker. Where does the time go? The good news is that we're making good progress on getting...

Obama administration was warned of Obamacare risks in March: report [ BeritaTerkini ]

10:12 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> By David Morgan <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Obama administration officials, including senior White House staff, were warned last spring of risks to the rollout of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, including the danger of scant testing, according to a report released by congressional investigators. In a 14-part slide presentation, consulting firm McKinsey & Co said a compressed testing window could inhibit the administration’s ability to resolve problems with the website, HealthCare.gov, that could occur after the October 1 launch. It also found that the project lacked comprehensive testing, noted many functions were dependent on contractors and warned against taking risks to meet deadlines. The presentation was given to officials at the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in four presentations between March 28 and April 8. The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, which released the report on Monday, said Sebelius testified at a panel hearing that the project was on track two weeks after seeing the presentation. But the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, the HHS agency responsible for the rollout, said concrete action was taken to address potential risks highlighted. A McKinsey spokeswoman declined comment, saying its work for clients was confidential. “As we have said, CMS has continually evaluated progress and has taken steps to prioritize and address concerns, and mitigate risk,” the agency said in a statement. HealthCare.gov, the federal government’s website for providing subsidized health coverage to millions of uninsured people in 36 states, crashed soon after its launch on October 1 and has been plagued by technical problems since. Administration officials have blamed the troubles on unexpectedly high volumes, acknowledged that more testing was needed before the launch and have named a contractor to oversee the repair project. The McKinsey report also said there was a risk of problems with the federal call center for potential applications and the federal data hub, which serves as a high-tech bridge between the marketplace, states and federal agencies. But those segments of the system have been relatively problem-free. (Editing by Peter Cooney) <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Politics & Government</li> <li>Government</li> <li>Obama</li> <li>Kathleen Sebelius</li> <li>White House</li> </ul> //

Obama administration was warned of Obamacare risks in March: report [ BeritaTerkini ]

By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Obama administration officials, including senior White House staff, were warn...

19-Nov-2013 07:08

10:08 PM Tukiyooo 0

Off to the races: Christie vs. the Keans - NBCNews.com :: <a href="http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/15/21476171-off-to-the-races-christie-vs-the-keans">http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/15/21476171-off-to-the-races-christie-vs-the-keans</a> Vote Lands Albuquerque at Center of Abortion Battle - TIME :: <a href="http://nation.time.com/2013/11/18/vote-lands-albuquerque-at-center-of-abortion-battle/?iid%3Dent-main-mostpop2">http://nation.time.com/2013/11/18/vote-lands-albuquerque-at-center-of-abortion-battle/?iid%3Dent-main-mostpop2</a> Methodist jury convicts pastor for officiating his son's gay marriage - Christian Science Monitor :: <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1118/Methodist-jury-convicts-pastor-for-officiating-his-son-s-gay-marriage">http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1118/Methodist-jury-convicts-pastor-for-officiating-his-son-s-gay-marriage</a> Historic autumn storms killed 8 and left many more homeless - Chicago Tribune :: <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-illinois-tornadoes-met-1119-20131119,0,1894733.story">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-illinois-tornadoes-met-1119-20131119,0,1894733.story</a> George Zimmerman 'pointed a shotgun at his girlfriend' - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24995459">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24995459</a> Bitcoin Gaining Validity Fuels Rally in Virtual Currency: Tech - Businessweek :: <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-11-19/bitcoin-gaining-validity-fuels-rally-in-virtual-currency-tech">http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-11-19/bitcoin-gaining-validity-fuels-rally-in-virtual-currency-tech</a> His Honor? Toronto's Mayor Rampages On, to City's Shame - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/world/americas/his-honor-torontos-mayor-rampages-on-to-citys-shame.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/world/americas/his-honor-torontos-mayor-rampages-on-to-citys-shame.html</a> Family of 4 dies violently in Arlington - Boston Globe :: <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/18/four-people-found-dead-arlington-home/BCIlKtB8Ia5j3NHjMWWR4J/story.html">http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/18/four-people-found-dead-arlington-home/BCIlKtB8Ia5j3NHjMWWR4J/story.html</a> Paris shootings: Liberation photographer shot 'on first day' - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24989762">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24989762</a> JPMorgan, Justice Department near $13B settlement - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/11/18/jpmorgan-justice-dept-near-settlement/3633575/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/11/18/jpmorgan-justice-dept-near-settlement/3633575/</a>

19-Nov-2013 07:08

Off to the races: Christie vs. the Keans - NBCNews.com :: http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/15/21476171-off-to-the-races-christie-...

Check kids’ mobiles, parents warned [ BeritaTerkini ]

9:27 PM Tukiyooo 0

<cite class="byline vcard">Press Association – </cite> <div class="yom-mod yom-art-content" id="mediaarticlebody"> <div class="bd"> Parents are putting their children at risk of sexual abuse by failing to carry out basic checks on their mobile phones, a report has warned. The study into child sexual exploitation found a lack of understanding among families that paedophiles often try to contact children through the mobile devices. Smartphones are now a “key tool” used by sex offenders targeting children, according to Pace (Parents Against Child Exploitation), which commissioned the study along with Virtual College’s Safeguarding Children e-academy. The report, Are Parents In The Picture?, found more than half (56%) of parents thought it was “most intrusive” to check text messages sent and received by children aged nine to 14. This is despite agreement from nine out of 10 safeguarding professionals that mobile phones were a key tool for perpetrators of child sexual exploitation, Pace said. Seven out of 10 professionals believed a lack of knowledge and engagement among parents was the most significant barrier in the fight against child sexual exploitation, the report found. The study was based on two YouGov surveys of 945 professional staff, including more than 200 police officers, 226 social workers and 510 teachers, and 750 parents with at least one child aged nine to 17. It follows a crackdown announced by Microsoft and Google on internet searches for horrific photographs and videos, which Prime Minister David Cameron hailed as “real progress against the absolute evil of child abuse”. Half (51%) of professionals believed parents do not have the right information needed to keep their children safe from sexual exploitation, while 53% thought families did not understand what child sexual exploitation entails. Nearly nine out of 10 parents (87%) said that there had been no education about child sex abuse at their children’s school One in 10 parents admitted they did not know enough about child sexual exploitation, while four out of 10 said they were not confident they would recognise the difference between normal adolescent behaviour and key indicators that a child is being sexually exploited. Pace chief executive Gill Gibbons said: ” It’s time to bring parents out of the shadows and into the centre of the picture. We need to build more awareness across all communities, with a stronger statutory focus on working with parents.” Former children’s minister Tim Loughton said: “It is particularly crucial that parents are better educated and better engaged in protecting their own children. “The huge attention given to the prolific crimes of celebrities such as Jimmy Savile should not detract from the fact that most child sexual exploitation happens at the hands of ordinary criminals targeting ordinary children from all sorts of backgrounds and mostly living at home. “Schools must redouble their efforts to include parents in the battle against the perpetrators of CSE at an early stage and no one must be under any illusion that this could never happen to their children.” The study comes ahead of Pace’s conference in central London tomorrow to discuss the wider impact of child sexual exploitation on families, and a week before the release of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s (OCC) two-year inquiry into child sexual exploitation in groups and gangs. Yesterday Mr Cameron said the expertise of eavesdropping agency GCHQ will be used to “go after” paedophiles that exploit hidden parts of the internet. New software will be introduced to automatically block 100,000 “unambiguous” search terms which lead to illegal content on the two search engines, and Britain’s National Crime Agency will join forces with America’s FBI in a new transatlantic task force to target paedophiles who use encrypted networks online. </div> </div> //

Check kids’ mobiles, parents warned [ BeritaTerkini ]

Press Association – Parents are putting their children at risk of sexual abuse by failing to carry out basic checks on their mobile ...