‘Iron Man 3′: What we’ve learned so far

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2CzoSeClcw0?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><br /><img alt="Iron Man 3" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/wAuKenHN1Mld1OUiGwrAZw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/movietalk/ironman3-trailer-blog630b-jpg_061350.jpg" /><br /><br /><div class="first" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_829" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; padding: 0px;"><span class="yom-figure yom-fig-right" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_828" style="clear: both; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 6px; width: 630px;"><span class="legend" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_891" style="color: #414141; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">Iron Man 3 (Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)</span></span></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_886" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The big (really big) picture of all that goes down in "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_9"><em class="ywp-page-play-pause ywp-page-video ywp-link-hover" style="outline: none !important;"><em class="ywp-page-btn ywp-page-btn-play" style="background-image: url(http://l.yimg.com/pb/webplayer/0.9.75/img/themes/black-theme.png); background-position: -26px -1561px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin-right: 6px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; top: 1px; width: 14px;" title="Play Video"></em><a class="ywp-entity-link yltnofollow" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810055886/info" id="yui_3_5_1_24_1362586365884_544" style="color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="-1" title="Iron Man 3"></a><a class="ywp-entity" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/iron-man-3-ve-learned-far-003517995.html#" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(15, 74, 163); border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none dashed !important; color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none !important;">Iron Man 3</a></em></span>" is becoming clearer with the release of the <a href="" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_892" style="color: #0f4aa3;">new trailer</a>, which gives us new looks at the villainous Mandarin, the army of flying (and seemingly sentient-ish) Iron Man suits and a new set of armor that looks like it would fit the Hulk just fine (if the Hulk were, you know, suddenly not into going shirtless all the time).</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_890" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Drawing from the new trailer, the original teaser, the Super Bowl spot, the stills released so far and other scattered sources across the Marvel Universe, we've compiled a list of the most important "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_10">Iron Man 3</span>" facts to keep in mind as we prepare for the film's release in less than two months.<span id="more-16971"></span></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_889" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><strong id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_888">1. There are at least three villains</strong></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_889" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin in 'Iron Man 3'" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/lP1BfhqsJHNawTCQhDvIkg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/movietalk/ironman-kingsley-jpg_003455.jpg" /></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_889" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_898" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><span class="yom-figure yom-fig-right" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_897" style="clear: both; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 6px; width: 630px;"><span class="legend" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_917" style="color: #414141; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin in '<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_11">Iron Man 3</span>' (Photo: Marvel Studios)</span></span></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_899" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">One for each "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_1"><em class="ywp-page-play-pause ywp-page-video ywp-link-hover" style="outline: none !important;"><em class="ywp-page-btn ywp-page-btn-play" style="background-image: url(http://l.yimg.com/pb/webplayer/0.9.75/img/themes/black-theme.png); background-position: -26px -1561px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin-right: 6px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; top: 1px; width: 14px;" title="Play Video"></em><a class="ywp-entity-link yltnofollow" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800019559/info" id="yui_3_5_1_24_1362586365884_551" style="color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="-1" title="Iron Man"></a><a class="ywp-entity" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/iron-man-3-ve-learned-far-003517995.html#" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(15, 74, 163); border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none dashed !important; color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none !important;">Iron Man</a></em></span>" movie released so far! The big baddie of "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_12">Iron Man 3</span>" is, of course, the Mandarin, played by an oft-hooded and sunglasses-wearing Ben Kingsley. The Mandarin was originally considered as a character in both "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_2">Iron Man</span>" and "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_19"><em class="ywp-page-play-pause ywp-page-video ywp-link-hover" style="outline: none !important;"><em class="ywp-page-btn ywp-page-btn-play" style="background-image: url(http://l.yimg.com/pb/webplayer/0.9.75/img/themes/black-theme.png); background-position: -26px -1561px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin-right: 6px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; top: 1px; width: 14px;" title="Play Video"></em><a class="ywp-entity-link yltnofollow" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810026429/info" id="yui_3_5_1_24_1362586365884_558" style="color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="-1" title="Iron Man 2"></a><a class="ywp-entity" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/iron-man-3-ve-learned-far-003517995.html#" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(15, 74, 163); border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none dashed !important; color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none !important;">Iron Man 2</a></em></span>" before both stories got too big to also accommodate so big a villain. The Mandarin is one of Tony Stark's most notorious enemies, and his wrath in "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_13">Iron Man 3</span>" threatens to strip our hero of everything -- and everyone -- that he holds dear.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_900" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The Mandarin is Chinese in the comics, so why isn't he being played by a Chinese actor? Director Shane Black spoke with Yahoo! Movies about the film's <a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/iron-man-3-mandarin-origins-explained-164713346.html" style="color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none;">reworking of the character</a> for Ben Kingsley.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_902" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"His nationality is not even clear because he is shrouded in secrecy," said Black. "He has crafted himself in the manner of the Mandarin, of a warlord. And I think that's great because you get to do the comic book but you don't ... have to deal with the specifics of Fu Manchu stereotyping.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_916" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"We're not saying he's Chinese, we're saying he, in fact, draws a cloak around him of Chinese symbols and dragons because it represents his obsessions with Sun Tzu in various ancient arts of warfare that he studied."</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_915" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">[Related: <a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/iron-man-3-mandarin-origins-explained-164713346.html" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_918" style="color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none;">'Iron Man 3': The Mandarin’s origins explained!</a>]</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_914" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Meanwhile, Guy Pearce will be playing Aldrich Killian, another familiar character from the "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_3">Iron Man</span>" comics. Killian is a geneticist who teams up with Stark's old pal Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall) to create a new technology known as "Extremis" ... though we'll get to that in a moment.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_905" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Finally, James Badge Dale makes three as Eric Savin, aka Coldblood. In the comics, Savin is a U.S. Army officer in charge of Killian's Project: Ultra-Tech who's reinvented as a mercenary cyborg after he steps on a mine. We doubt "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_14">Iron Man 3</span>" will go full-throttle with that character origin, though it's probably safe to assume that he'll be some sort of heavy for Killian.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_906" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><strong id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_907">2. The plot will draw from the 'Extremis' story arc</strong></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_906" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Iron Man 3" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/YeUJKTyCM0dJxI4F_4K6TQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/movietalk/ironman3-trailer-blog630-jpg_061350.jpg" /></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_906" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_911" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><span class="yom-figure yom-fig-right" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_910" style="clear: both; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 6px; width: 630px;"><span class="legend" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_919" style="color: #414141; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">Multiple armored suits (Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)</span></span></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_913" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Speaking of suits and armor and whatnot, what's with all the multiple Iron Men in the new trailer and recent posters? "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_15">Iron Man 3</span>" is said to be based in part on "Extremis," a six-issue story arc collected in "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_4">Iron Man</span>" (vol. 4) issues 1-6 (2005-2006). Written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Adi Granov, "Extremis" served as a sort of reboot, reinventing Tony Stark as a weapons designer (one who once stepped on a land mine of his own invention, which may be a nod to Coldblood's origin) and taking place just prior to the second Gulf War.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The main storyline follows the creation, implementation and aftermath of "Extremis," a military nanotechnology serum -- and yet another attempt to recreate the Super-Soldier Serum -- which interfaces with the brain's 'repair center' and prompts the body to rebuild itself from scratch, as if it were all wound tissue to be replaced.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_923" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The serum was developed by Aldrich Killian and Maya Hansen, though in "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_16">Iron Man 3</span>," Killian goes rogue after the U.S. government shuts down the project. He teams up with the Mandarin to experiment on unwilling test subjects and exploit the technology for his own nefarious desires.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_924" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">It looks like Tony Stark has his own upgrades going on in "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_17">Iron Man 3</span>" as well, as he's developed the technology (perhaps with the help of Killian before he turns villainous) that allows him to remotely control his suits of armor with ... well, with his brain, apparently. We see glimpses of this in the new trailer, from the small scale (his Iron Man mask slams onto his face of his own accord at one point) to the rather large (an army of Iron Men serve as the battle backup for Stark and James 'Rhodey' Rhodes).</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_925" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Really, it's all about the suits in "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_18">Iron Man 3</span>" -- you've no doubt seen Rhodey (Don Cheadle) in his red, white and blue Iron Patriot armor. Not exactly subtle, though certainly effective in sending a message to those who would try to blow up America.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">And speaking of not-exactly-subtle suits...</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><strong>3. Something resembling the Heavy Duty Armor makes an appearance (and smashes things)</strong></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_929" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><span class="yom-figure yom-fig-right" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_928" style="clear: both; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 6px; width: 630px;"><img alt="Iron Man 3" class="alignnone" height="269" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_927" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/aHlbQaefIQYMea_kPhvsWQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/movietalk/ironman3-trailer-blog630a-jpg_061350.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block;" title="Heavy Duty Armor (Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)" width="630" /><span class="legend" style="color: #414141; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">Heavy Duty Armor (Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)</span></span></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_932" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">What the hell is that giant mega-suit thing at the very end of the new trailer? In recent comics, Tony Stark has developed a <a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/exclusive-iron-man-3-trailer-shows-tony-stark-164716198.html" style="color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none;">Heavy Duty Armor</a>, an oversized, extra-fortified suit for when his regular one just won't do, though the squared-off head and massive shoulders are also reminiscent of an earlier suit known as "The Hulkbuster," designed for if and when Stark ever had to take on his favorite "giant green rage monster." It's safe to assume the new ultra-suit in "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_6">Iron Man 3</span>" incorporates elements of both, though by the end of the film it may be known as "the Mandarinbuster."</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><strong>4. Love is complicated in superhero movies ... and dangerous</strong></div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_937" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;"><span class="yom-figure yom-fig-right" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_936" style="clear: both; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 6px; width: 630px;"><img alt="Iron Man 3" class="alignnone" height="354" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_935" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/6OAYuihrO330XvU.XYMOLQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/movietalk/movietalk-ironmantrailer-pepper630-jpg_002423.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block;" title="Tony Stark and Pepper Potts (Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)" width="630" /><span class="legend" style="color: #414141; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">Tony Stark and Pepper Potts (Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures)</span></span></div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Tony Stark and Pepper Potts are still together romantically, and in fact getting even closer -- the new trailer shows Stark giving her a necklace, which isn't quite an engagement ring but still makes for an impressive gesture of commitment from the notorious playboy. But as many comic book characters have discovered, having a ladylove complicates the whole superhero thing, as it gives the bad guys a weak spot to hone in on ... and gives the superhero in question second thoughts about leading so dangerous a lifestyle.</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_939" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Indeed, something has been haunting our hero "since New York" (referring to the events of "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_5"><em class="ywp-page-play-pause ywp-page-video ywp-link-hover" style="outline: none !important;"><em class="ywp-page-btn ywp-page-btn-play" style="background-image: url(http://l.yimg.com/pb/webplayer/0.9.75/img/themes/black-theme.png); background-position: -26px -1561px; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 14px; margin-right: 6px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; top: 1px; width: 14px;" title="Play Video"></em><a class="ywp-entity-link yltnofollow" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810026516/info" id="yui_3_5_1_24_1362586365884_565" style="color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="-1" title="The Avengers"></a><a class="ywp-entity" href="http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/iron-man-3-ve-learned-far-003517995.html#" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(15, 74, 163); border-bottom-width: 1px !important; border-style: none none dashed !important; color: #0f4aa3; text-decoration: none !important;">The Avengers</a></em></span>") that's been making for some sleepless nights -- does he perhaps have a feeling that some sort of mighty storm is a'comin'?</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">When the Mandarin conducts a series of attacks against the U.S., Stark actually first retreats to the sidelines, telling Pepper that he's determined to protect "the one thing I can't live without" while the media asks, "Where is Tony Stark?" However, Tony jumps back into action (and his suit of armor) after sneak attack by the Mandarin leaves his lady threatened, his home destroyed and himself bruised and battered.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Indeed, the Mandarin becomes Stark's most personal enemy to date -- or at least the one that riles him up the most. "I'm not afraid of you," Stark says to his foe via a press conference. "No politics here -- just good old-fashioned revenge."</div><div id="yui_3_5_1_1_1362586365884_945" style="margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Whew, that's a lot for one movie! And we're sure it will be a blast (several, actually) to see all of these characters, backstories, conflicts and awesome flying armors come together into a single (hopefully) coherent narrative. The official countdown to the May 3 release of "<span class="yptw" id="lw_1362585093205_7">Iron Man 3</span>" has commenced.</div><br /><br /></div>

‘Iron Man 3 ‘Iron Man 3′: What we’ve learned so far

Iron Man 3 (Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Pictures) The big (really big) picture of all that goes down in " Iron Man 3 " is becoming ...

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American Idol: The Top Five girls are easy to pick

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><h2 class="subhead" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">American Idol recap: On Tuesday night, the 10 women competing to make the American Idol finals were unevenly matched. Some excelled, others left viewers wondering how they made it to Vegas. Did your Idol favorite shine?</div></h2><div class="sByline" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">By <a class="ui-author" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/About/Staff/Jodi-Bradbury" style="color: #205d87; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Jodi Bradbury</a>, <span class="ui-staffline" style="font-style: italic; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/About/Staff/Jodi-Bradbury" style="color: #205d87; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Contributor</a></span> / March 6, 2013</div><div class="sByline" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><img src="http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/content/2013/0306/american_idol030513/15195293-1-eng-US/American_Idol030513_full_380.jpg" /></div><div class="sByline" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">When the show starts with American idol host </span><a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Ryan+Seacrest" style="color: #205d87; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Ryan Seacrest</a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> standing in a hallway, bathed in techno pastels you just know it's going to be a good night.</span></div><div class="sByline" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">On Tuesday, the Top 10 girls performed and for the first time this season, <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/United+States" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">America</a> was able to vote for their favorites. Another first, not just for the season but for the series, is the new <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/American+Idol" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">American Idol</a> app that allows people to log their votes during the course of the show and submit them at the end. Each viewer is given 50 votes to split amongst the contestants as they see fit. It's nice to see American Idol trying to really embrace social media and technology more but there's something about it that seems vaguely wrong, like when your grandparents open a <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Facebook+Inc." style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Facebook</a> account.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Did you struggle with who should get your 50 votes? Well, the good news is that the talent (or lack thereof) was so unevenly distributed amongst the American Idol girls that it should have been relatively simple to decide who deserved to go home; what might have been a bit harder was choosing five girls who deserve to stay. Watching the performances on Tuesday, it was hard to believe that anyone in their right mind would ever group these individuals in a Top 10, suggesting that they were even in the same hemisphere when it came to talent.</div><div class="promotion-tag" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="promotion-tag-p" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">RECOMMENDED: <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/TV/2011/0310/How-much-do-you-know-about-American-Idol-Take-our-quiz/Jessica-Sanchez-alter-ego?nav=637705-csm_article-promoLink" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">How much do you know about American Idol? Take our quiz.</a></div></div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">The most obvious example of this was <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Zoanette Johnson</b>. Listening to Zoanette attempt to cover<a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Tina+Turner" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Tina Turner</a>'s, "What's Love Got to do with It," was all in all a painful experience. Painful to listen to, painful to watch. and perhaps most painful was to think about the fact that Zoanette actually took up a slot in the coveted Top 10, displacing one of the tens of thousands whose talent was more deserving of that opportunity. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">The American Idol judges all agreed that the performance was terrible. <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Randy+Jackson" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Randy Jackson</a> called it a mess and <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Mariah+Carey" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Mariah Carey</a> lamented that America couldn't see all of Zoanette's little moments off stage - as if any degree of charm and enthusiasm could excuse the judges for their ridiculous decision to keep Zoanette around for this long. <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Nicki+Minaj" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Nicki Minaj</a> added that she could watch Zoanette all day but that the "regular person" may not agree. By regular, we can only assume Nicki means one who isn't suffering from delusions.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Another girl whose performance made viewers wonder how she made it this far, was that of <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Adriana Latonio. </b>Adriana sang, "Stand Up For Love," by <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Destiny's+Child" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Destiny's Child</a> and by the end, Nicki had written her off, telling her to work at her singing a little bit and come back next year. Ouch. Although whether that comment was as insulting as Nicki's catty, "I like your little ball gown," is questionable. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">So with Zoanette and Adriana out of the way, the task of deciding which girls to put into the American Idol Top 10 becomes 20 percent easier - no matter what Mariah tries to tell us. Speaking of which, does anyone really know exactly what Mariah is trying to tell us? Her addition on the panel makes it crystal clear that the four-judge format has never really worked for Idol and the fact that Mariah is the forth and final judge to speak only makes her superfluousness even more evident. Next season Idol should give America the opportunity to vote for their favorite judges - chances are it would save us a lot of time and American Idol producer <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Nigel+Lythgoe" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Nigel Lythgoe</a> a lot of money.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">As easy as it was to identify Zoanette and Adriana as the worst of the night, calling the best of the night was equally easy. There were four girls whose talents surpassed that of the rest of the group so clearly that it is unimaginable that they were ever considered to be in the same league. The first to remind viewers why everyone keeps saying it is a girl's season was <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Angie Miller. </b>Although her song, "Never Gone," by former Idol contestant <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Colton+Dixon" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Colton Dixon</a> was a touch on the too-earnest side - perhaps even reminding viewers why they chose to send Colton home last season - there is no denying Angie's talent as a vocalist. She could be a favorite to win, although her likability factor is still a work in progress.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Kree Harrison</b>, on the other hand has no issues with likability, especially in Nicki's eyes. Nicki, who refers to Kree as her "wife," is infatuated with Kree's effortless sexiness. Others are infatuated with Kree's absolutely amazing vocals and relaxed confidence. Randy called her one of the best vocalists in the competition after her performance of <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Faith+Hill" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Faith Hill</a>'s, "Stronger." (Has anyone else noticed that Kree is a spitting imagine of <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Melanie+Lynskey" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Melanie Lynskey</a>, the actress who played the not-so-wicked stepsister opposite <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Drew+Barrymore" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Drew Barrymore</a> in <i style="font-style: oblique; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Ever After?)</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Following Kree and Angie in the stellar performance department were <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Amber Holcomb</b> and <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Candice Glover. </b>Amber earned a standing ovation from all four judges after her rendition of <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Whitney+Houston" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Whitney Houston</a>'s, "I Believe in You and Me," forcing Randy to declare that Amber was "in it to win it." Although Candice's song choice, "Ordinary People," by <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/John+Legend" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">John Legend</a>, was a touch more obscure than Amber's, her vocals are such that it hardly mattered. Every time she opens her mouth to sing it's easy to see that she will be one to beat this season.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Then there were the others:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Breanna Steer</b> sang <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Beyonce+Knowles" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Beyonce</a>'s "Flaws and All," which pretty much summed up her performance.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Aubrey Cleland </b>just may have done enough to earn herself the fifth spot in the top five. Although her performance of "Big Girls Don't Cry," by Fergie wasn't flawless, the judges all agreed that they loved her vibrato almost as much as her dress.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">One of the moments that left viewers confused no doubt, was the judges' accolades for <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Janelle Arthur</b>. Her rendition of, "<a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/If+I+Can+Dream" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">If I Can Dream</a>," by <a class="inform_link" href="http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Elvis+Presley" style="color: #205d87; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Elvis</a>, did not even come close to earning her the redemption she needed after being chosen over Rachel Hale for a spot in the Top 10. Nicki calling her one of the best vocals of the night made less sense than her calling her a "little marshmallow."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Finally there was <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tenna Torres</b> who sang,"Lost," by Faith Hill. Although all of the judges enjoyed it, Tenna just didn't do enough to earn herself a spot in the top five - despite how much Nicki liked her hair and "boobs." You can't help but feel sorry for Kree, trapped in a marriage to someone so disrespectful.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">The final prediction for the top five don't quite require a soothsayer but let's make them anyway:</div><ol style="margin: 0px 0px 1em 1.25em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px;">Angie Miller</li><li style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px;">Kree Harrison</li><li style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px;">Amber Holcomb</li><li style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px;">Candice Glover</li><li style="line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px;">Aubrey Cleland (This is the only one on this list that is dubious, but the great white dress should be enough to earn her a spot.)</li></ol><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Do you agree with these predictions? Feel free to make your own in the comments below and tune in Wednesday night when the Top 10 boys compete for their place in the Idol finals.</div><br /><br /></div>

American Idol American Idol: The Top Five girls are easy to pick

American Idol recap: On Tuesday night, the 10 women competing to make the American Idol finals were unevenly matched. Some excelled, others ...

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Manchester United Shouldn't Play the Blame Game

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/03/07/sports/soccer/07iht-soccer07-nani/07iht-soccer07-nani-articleLarge.jpg" /><br /><br /><div class="articleSpanImage" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 8px; width: 600px;"><span itemid="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/03/07/sports/soccer/07iht-soccer07-nani/07iht-soccer07-nani-articleLarge.jpg" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><div class="caption" itemprop="description" style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.2727em;">Nani of Manchester United, left, colliding with Álvaro Arbeloa of Real Madrid. Nani was shown a red card, leaving United a man short in the second half.</div></span></div><nyt_byline style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><h6 class="byline" style="color: grey; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 2px 0px;">By <span itemid="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/h/rob_hughes/index.html" itemprop="author creator" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/h/rob_hughes/index.html" rel="author" style="color: #666699; text-decoration: none;" title="More Articles by ROB HUGHES">ROB HUGHES</a></span></h6></nyt_byline><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"></span><h6 class="dateline" style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px;">Published: March 6, 2013</h6><h6 class="dateline" style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">LONDON — The shoe is raised dangerously high, and the referee, given only one split-second view of it, red-cards the offending player.</span></h6><h6 class="dateline" style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px;"><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Uproar. The e-mails, the television commentaries, the tweets pour in.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Some said <a class="meta-org" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/soccer/premier-league/manchester-united/index.html?inline=nyt-org" style="color: #666699;" title="More articles about Manchester United.">Manchester United</a> had been robbed by the Turkish referee’s decision to send off its winger, Nani, in the Champions League against <a class="meta-org" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/soccer/la-liga/real-madrid/index.html?inline=nyt-org" style="color: #666699;" title="More articles about Real Madrid.">Real Madrid</a> on Tuesday. Others said the referee, Cuneyt Cakir, had done his duty, gone by the book and punished dangerous play.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Either way, a game played between two clubs worth more than a billion dollars apiece and televised live around the globe was deemed to have been perverted by a single call from the arbiter.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Nobody knows whether United would have gone on to win the contest. It led at the time of the red card, but it ultimately lost, 2-1, after being reduced to 10 men against 11 for the remaining half-hour at Old Trafford Stadium.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">The consequence of United’s elimination is that in all probability there will be no English side in the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League. And, barring a soccer miracle when Arsenal attempts to turn around a 3-1 deficit in Munich next week, the prospect of English involvement in the final — to be played in London in May — is finished.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">A good thing, too, some within UEFA say. UEFA runs the tournament, and it feared, just a few years ago, that English clubs, bankrolled by oligarchs and oil families and American entrepreneurs, would monopolize the trophy. Indeed, it nearly happened in 2009, when three of four semifinalists were English, or nominally English.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">But none of this, one hopes, was on the mind of Cakir when he made his call Tuesday.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">His occupation is in insurance, but Cakir has been around the top echelons of soccer for a decade. He would have seen the video of horrendous fouls that Michel D’Hooghe, the Belgian chairman of FIFA’s medical committee, showed to leading referees in the buildup to the 2010 World Cup.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">D’Hooghe’s purpose was to instruct the referees to take a hard line against dangerous fouls that could take players out of the game, even threaten their livelihoods. And together with the leader of the referees’ committee, the doctor emphasized that the referee does not have to rule on the intent of the perpetrator, merely on the danger of the action.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">In that 2010 final, the English referee Howard Webb saw nothing in a lunge with the foot of the Netherlands’ Nigel de Jong that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzLdsDaj64E" style="color: #666699;">almost caught the head of Spain’s Xabi Alonso</a>. On Tuesday, a lesser foul by Nani was interpreted by Cakir as dangerous play.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Was it? We can all look a thousand times at it, from various angles and in real time or frame-by-frame replay. Most people believe that Nani did not even see Real defender Álvaro Arbeloa advancing from behind him like an express train.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Nani has extraordinary dexterity, like a ballet star. He had eyes only for the ball and was attempting to pluck it out of the air above his own shoulder. Arbeloa rushed in, Nani’s shoe brushed his chest, and the Spaniard went down.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">But in a British TV studio, Roy Keane, the former Man United hard man, played devil’s advocate. The referee made the right decision, Keane insisted.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">“It is irrelevant if Nani intended to do it,” he said of the impact on Arbeloa. “He should be aware of the players around him. Does he think that he will have 20 yards to himself in a football match?” Keane is one of the few who might have intended harm in his playing days. He wrote in his autobiography that he did maliciously end the career of an opponent whom he stomped on while the player was grounded.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">In general, however, the game is clean. Injuries are unintended, but the referees are in the same position as the traffic police who must take off the road a motorist whom they think might endanger others through reckless driving.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">All this is why Manchester is out of the Champions League? Alex Ferguson, the United manager and coach through more than a quarter of a century and many more than 1,000 games, was so incensed by the red card that he refused to speak to anyone after the final whistle. He simply jabbed an accusing finger at the match officials.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Maybe in his state of mind, silence was prudent. But when the master of Old Trafford calms down, he may see that the goal from Luka Modric that equalized the score was exquisite, and the winning goal tapped in by Cristiano Ronaldo could have been prevented either by his keeper David De Gea or his fullback Rafael.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Neither moved with due diligence to a straightforward pass across the goalmouth to where Ronaldo lurked, unmarked. And Ronaldo, almost apologetically, stabbed in the finishing touch against the club that made his career before United sold him to Madrid.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Manchester’s players could hardly claim to have been surprised by Ronaldo’s match-winning qualities. And the rest of us cannot know for certain that Madrid would not have snatched victory from defeat, regardless of the red card.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">That is the nature, in part the attraction, of the sport. Two sides, each filled with expensive talents, but neither close to being the outstanding team that the clubs have fielded in their history.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">The bottom line is that United, along with Chelsea and Manchester City, was not good enough to reach the final eight. And the Premier League, for all its hype and its global TV appeal, is not always the very best in Europe.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">That is likely to come this season from Spain or Germany. Overshadowed by the brouhaha in Manchester, Borussia Dortmund unequivocally put out Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">The German side, which has already outplayed Manchester City and Real Madrid this season, sailed on serenely with a headed goal from defender Felipe Santana, a deft one from Mario Götze and an opportunist finisher from Jakub Blaszczykovski.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">Nothing controversial, just a quietly impressive side winning and advancing to the next round.</div></h6></div>

Manchester United Manchester United Shouldn't Play the Blame Game

Nani of Manchester United, left, colliding with Álvaro Arbeloa of Real Madrid. Nani was shown a red card, leaving United a man short in the ...

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Hollywood bids a fond farewell to Hugo Chavez

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img alt="(From left) Oliver Stone, Hugo Chavez and Michael Moore are shown. | AP Photo" src="http://images.politico.com/global/2013/03/06/130306_stone_chavez_moore_ap_328.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As the legacy of Hugo Chavez gets debated in the wake of his passing, filmmakers Michael Moore and Oliver Stone took to Twitter to praise the late Venezuelan president.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“You won’t hear much nice about him in the US media in the next few days. So, I thought I’d say a couple things to provide some balance” <a href="https://twitter.com/MMFlint" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">wrote</a> Moore.</div><span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;">“Hugo Chavez declared the oil belonged 2 the ppl. He used the oil $ 2 eliminate 75% of extreme poverty, provide free health & education 4 all.” “That made him dangerous. US approved of a coup to overthrow him even though he was a democratically-elected President.” “54 countries around the world allowed the US to detain(& torture) suspects. Latin America, thanks 2 Chavez, was the only place that said no.”</span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><br /><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Moore <a href="https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/309130183036780544" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">shared</a> a picture of him meeting with Chavez in 2009 at the Venice Film Fest.</div><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We spoke for over an hour. He said he was happy 2 finally meet someone Bush hated more than him.”</div><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Oliver Stone <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOliverStone/status/309106569205927937" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">said</a>, “I mourn a great hero to the majority of his people and those who struggle throughout the world for a place.” “Hated by the entrenched classes, Hugo Chavez will live forever in history. My friend, rest finally in a peace long earned.”</div><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Roseanne Barr also <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealRoseanne/status/309108159371436032" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">tweeted</a> out her mourning over Chavez, saying, “Ruling Classes hated Hugo Chavez. RIP.” Recording artist M.I.A <a href="https://twitter.com/MIAuniverse/status/309063919421489152" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">said</a> the same .</div><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sean Penn <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hugo-chavez-dead-sean-penn-426205" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">said</a> in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter that “the people of the United States lost a friend it never knew it had. And poor people around the world lost a champion. I lost a friend I was blessed to have. My thoughts are with the family of President Chavez and the people of Venezuela.”</div><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For others, however, Chavez’s passing was a good opportunity to crack some jokes.</div><div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“My greatest regret at the passing of America-hating strongman Hugo Chavez, is that he didn’t live long enough to party with Dennis Rodman,” <a href="https://twitter.com/RobLowe/status/309132305723703296" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">wrote</a> Rob Lowe. Arsenio Hall <a href="https://twitter.com/ArsenioHall/status/309106143618293761" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">tweeted</a>, “Venezuelan dictator HUGO CHAVES died today! Horrible timing, ‘cause he had dinner scheduled with Dennis Rodman tomorrow!” Comedian Michael Ian Black <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelianblack/status/309075091558375426" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">wrote</a>, “Please respect Sean Penn’s privacy during this difficult time.</div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><br /></span></div>

Hugo Chavez Hollywood bids a fond farewell to Hugo Chavez

As the legacy of Hugo Chavez gets debated in the wake of his passing, filmmakers Michael Moore and Oliver Stone took to Twitter to praise th...

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Library Technical Assistant, Circulation - E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, Madison

<strong>Library Technical Assistant, Circulation -</strong> <strong><span style="color: #48286d;">E.C. Scranton Memorial Library</span></strong>, Madison, has two (2) part-time openings for Library Technical Assistants to work at the Main and Children’s Circulation Desks. Excellent customer service, computer, and communication skills are required. Public library experience is helpful. Must be able to work a flexible schedule including evening and weekend hours. This position is responsible for performing the full range of circulation desk functions while presenting a courteous and welcoming first impression of the Library. Duties include circulating, renewing and reserving materials using the automated circulation system, registering new patrons, managing and updating patron records including fine and fee collection for late or damaged items, answering and routing phone calls, sorting and processing C-Car deliveries, emptying the book drop, and providing information about Library policies, programs and services. Qualified applicants must possess a high school diploma, be able to work efficiently and effectively while juggling multiple priorities, and be comfortable working as part of a team. Starting salary is $12.00 per hour and includes paid vacation, sick time and retirement benefits. No healthcare benefits are associated with this position. Applications are available at the Library or you may send a resume and cover letter via email to Beth Crowley, Library Director at: <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:scrantonlibraryhr@madisonct.org" href="mailto:scrantonlibraryhr@madisonct.org">scrantonlibraryhr@madisonct.org</a>. Closing date: <span style="color: red;">March 20, 2013</span>.

Library Technical Assistant, Circulation - E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, Madison

Library Technical Assistant, Circulation - E.C. Scranton Memorial Library , Madison, has two (2) part-time openings for Library Technical ...

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Librarian II, Circulation Supervisor - New Britain Public Library

<strong>Librarian II, Circulation Supervisor -</strong> <strong></strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">New Britain Public Library</span></strong>. 37.5 hours per week. A Masters in Library Science Degree from an ALA accredited Library Science program and five years of supervisory and library experience in public service to children and or adults required. SIRSI experience preferred. Ability to use professional judgment in the application of library rules and procedures. Full posting and job description at <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.nbpl.info" href="http://www.nbpl.info/" target="_blank">www.nbpl.info</a>. Resume, letter, and 3 references to Library Director, New Britain Public Library, 20 High Street, New Britain, CT 06051 or email to <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:prutkowski@nbpl.info" href="mailto:prutkowski@nbpl.info">prutkowski@nbpl.info</a>.

Librarian II, Circulation Supervisor - New Britain Public Library

Librarian II, Circulation Supervisor -   New Britain Public Library . 37.5 hours per week. A Masters in Library Science Degree from an ALA ...

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CDC warns of rise in “nightmare bacteria” - The Washington Post

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; color: black; text-align: left; "><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Federal officials warned Tuesday that "nightmare bacteria" — including the <a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/superbug-stalked-nih-hospital-last-year-killing-six/2012/08/22/5be18b1a-ec66-11e1-9ddc-340d5efb1e9c_story.html">deadly superbug </a>that struck a National Institutes of Health facility two years ago — are increasingly resistant to even the strongest antibiotics, posing a growing threat to hospitals and nursing homes nationwide.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a news conference: "It's not often that our scientists come to me and say we have a very serious problem and we need to sound an alarm. But that's exactly what we are doing today."</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">He called on doctors, hospital leaders and health officials to work together to stop the spread of the infections. "Our strongest antibiotics don't work, and patients are left with potentially untreatable infections," he said.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Although the bacteria, known as Carbapenen-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, haven't spread to the wider community — like some other germs — they are more dangerous, said Frieden, who described them as a "triple threat."</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">First, the bacteria are resistant to all or nearly all antibiotics, even those of <a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nih-superbug-outbreak-highlights-lack-of-new-antibiotics/2012/08/24/ec33d0c8-ee24-11e1-b0eb-dac6b50187ad_story.html">last resort</a>, he said. Second, they kill up to half of patients who get bloodstream infections from them. And third, the bacteria can transfer their antibiotic resistance to other bacteria within the family, potentially making other bacteria untreatable, as well.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">For example, carbapenem-resistant <em>Klebsiella, </em>which caused the NIH outbreak, "can spread the genes that destroy our last antibiotics to other bacteria, such as E. coli, and make E. coli resistant to antibiotics also," Frieden said.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">E. coli is the most common cause of urinary tract infections in healthy people.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">In 10 years, the percentage of Enterobacteriaceae resistant to antiobiotics increased almost fourfold, to 4.2 percent in 2011 from 1.2 percent in 2001, according to data reported to CDC. And the strain that caused the NIH outbreak has increased sevenfold in the past decade, according to a CDC report issued Tuesday.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">During the first half of 2012, almost 200 hospitals and long-term acute-care facilities treated at least one patient infected with these bacteria. The CDC did not have statistics for fatalities.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Enterobacteriaceae are a family of more than 70 bacteria, including E. coli, that normally live in the digestive system. Over time, some of these bacteria have become resistant to a group of antibiotics known as carbapenems, often referred to as last-resort antibiotics. During the past decade, CDC tracked one type of CRE from a single health-care facility to facilities in at least 42 states, according to a CDC news release.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Only six states — Tennessee, Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Oregon and North Dakota — require hospitals and health-care facilities to report CRE infections to state health departments.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">The NIH outbreak sickened 19 patients, including the woman who brought the germ with her when she was transferred to the Bethesda facility; 12 patients died.<a data-xslt="_http" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nih-superbug-claims-7th-victim/2012/09/14/09b3742e-fe9b-11e1-b153-218509a954e1_story.html"> Seven of the deaths</a> were directly attributed to an antibiotic-resistant strain of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">When the outbreak erupted, the clinical center's infection control staff scrambled, walling off infected patients and tearing out plumbing. They swabbed equipment, walls, railings and patients to track and contain the bacterium. Despite these extreme efforts, the outbreak still ticked along for more than a year as the hardy superbug lingered on hard surfaces — and inside patients, among the sickest of the sick.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">The seven patients who died of bloodstream Klebsiella infections had immune systems weakened by cancer, anti-rejection drugs given after organ transplants, and genetic disorders.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Almost all CRE infections occur in patients receiving care for serious conditions in hospitals, long-term acute-care facilities (such as those providing wound care or ventilation) or nursing homes.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">These patients often have catheters or ventilators, which can allow bacteria "to get deeply into a patient's body," Frieden said.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">The germs themselves spread from person to person, often on the hands of doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">The CDC said the spread of the germs can be controlled with proper precautions and better practices. Standard infection control precautions include washing hands and dedicating staff, rooms and equipment to the care of patients with CRE. Prescribing antibiotics wisely can significantly reduce the problem.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Patients who are hospitalized can, and should, ask their doctors and nurses to wash their hands before touching them, the officials said. And patients should not always demand antibiotics for their illnesses.</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">"Not all fevers require antibiotics. The more we use antibiotics, the more we encourage the spread of antibiotic resistance," Frieden said.</p></div><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cdc-warns-of-rise-in-nightmare-bacteria/2013/03/05/5596b952-85cb-11e2-999e-5f8e0410cb9d_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cdc-warns-of-rise-in-nightmare-bacteria/2013/03/05/5596b952-85cb-11e2-999e-5f8e0410cb9d_story.html</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

CDC warns of rise in “nightmare bacteria” - The Washington Post

Federal officials warned Tuesday that "nightmare bacteria" — including the  deadly superbug  that struck a National Institutes of ...

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VENEZUELA: LEFT OR RIGHT, THAT IS THE QUESTION

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mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCm1OrRR0sUkkmrvtartG7veN8qHmzKd7CQCDKxt4OJcjq7DDdj2tDJt3xuko3hn38Y3idVclm9X9X1fxTGinunt1KtcWPh3QT3n_r46RPk91h5aNlsJj3xPaG_T4irDZnFogs3iYUJZAu/s1600/0,,1424472_4,00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCm1OrRR0sUkkmrvtartG7veN8qHmzKd7CQCDKxt4OJcjq7DDdj2tDJt3xuko3hn38Y3idVclm9X9X1fxTGinunt1KtcWPh3QT3n_r46RPk91h5aNlsJj3xPaG_T4irDZnFogs3iYUJZAu/s400/0,,1424472_4,00.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simón Bolívar</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">EL COMANDANTE HAS LEFT THE   BUILDING</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Pepe Escobar via Asia Times </span><br /><br />Now that would be some movie; the story of a man of the people who rises against all odds to become the political Elvis of LATIN AMERICA. Bigger than Elvis, actually; a president who won 13 out of 14 national democratic elections. No chance you will ever see such a movie winning an Oscar - much less produced in Hollywood. Unless, of course, Oliver Stone convinces HBO about a cable/DVD special. <br /><br />How enlightening to watch world leaders' reactions to the death of VENEZUELA'S El Comandante Hugo Chavez. URUGUAY'S President Jose Mujica - a man who actually shuns 90% of his salary because he insists he covers his basic necessities with much less - once again reminded everyone how he qualified Chavez as "the most generous leader I ever met", while praising the "fortress of democracy" of which Chavez was a great builder. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw-HEtykKZDABeI97lS92gkYIDRcEYEcayvUweMkXD_3CsPPoaDKBLGw0ag8xvq8OJU3Pfcy11m5amcgs-FyjguhIjFxgG4GsO0K6_7CXqTnmt1FE1SBw_HvVhIPNywJWsbwM0nMVEm5R/s1600/bobrow-obama-latin-america1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw-HEtykKZDABeI97lS92gkYIDRcEYEcayvUweMkXD_3CsPPoaDKBLGw0ag8xvq8OJU3Pfcy11m5amcgs-FyjguhIjFxgG4GsO0K6_7CXqTnmt1FE1SBw_HvVhIPNywJWsbwM0nMVEm5R/s320/bobrow-obama-latin-america1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Compare it with US President Barack Obama - in what sounds like a dormant cut and paste by some White House intern - reaffirming US support for "the VENEZUELAN people". Would that be "the people" who have been electing and re-electing Chavez non-stop since the late 1990s? Or would that be "the people" who trade Martinis in Miami demonizing him as an evil communist? <br /><br />El Comandante may have left the building - his body defeated by cancer - but the post-mortem demonization will go on forever. One key reason stands out. VENEZUELA holds the largest oil reserves in the world. Washington and that crumbling Kafkaesque citadel also known as the European Union sing <i>All You Need is Love</i> non-stop to those ghastly, feudal Persian Gulf petro-monarchs (but not to "the people") in return for their oil. By contrast, in VENEZUELA El Comandante came up with the subversive idea of using oil wealth to at least alleviate the problems of most of his people. WESTERN turbo-capitalism, as is well known, does not do redistribution of wealth and empowerment of communitarian values. <br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><b>I HATE YOU, CABRON</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">According to the Foreign Ministry, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro - and not the leader of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, very close to top military leaders - will be temporarily in power before new elections to be held within the next 30 days. Maduro is bound to win them handily; the Venezuelan political opposition is a fragmented joke. This spells out Chavismo without Chavez - much to the chagrin of the immense pan-AMERICAN and pan-EUROPEAN <a href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/7962"><span style="color: blue;">Chavez-hating cottage industry</span></a> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NEOLIBERALISM, AND THE EXPANSION OF POVERTY?</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__UPxniX2dWr0TxFQWw8K3kajcqwk-mUXqGj3UNL60FEdw_yRrbFSwi9P0va-pd9XSCB3BmDgsMc7jQwB9MZc5qorhArzB4cOiJ3ZnvL0_I1GfZbIu4SxkMVU_AYxC0cBPTBrAGPx_9Lt/s1600/LAPW.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__UPxniX2dWr0TxFQWw8K3kajcqwk-mUXqGj3UNL60FEdw_yRrbFSwi9P0va-pd9XSCB3BmDgsMc7jQwB9MZc5qorhArzB4cOiJ3ZnvL0_I1GfZbIu4SxkMVU_AYxC0cBPTBrAGPx_9Lt/s200/LAPW.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span>It's not an accident that El Comandante became immensely popular among "the people" of not only vast swathes of LATIN AMERICA but also all across the Global South. These "people" - not in the Barack Obama sense - clearly saw the direct correlation between neoliberalism and the expansion of poverty (now millions of EUROPEANS are also tasting it). Especially in SOUTH AMERICA, it was popular reaction against neoliberalism that led - via democratic elections - to a wave of leftist governments in the past decade, from VENEZUELA to BOLIVIA, ECUADOR and URUGUAY. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />The Bush administration - to say the least - abhorred it. They could not do anything about Lula in Brazil - a clever operator who adopted neoliberal clothes (Wall Street loved him) but remained a progressive at heart. Washington - incapable of getting rid of the coup after coup reflexes of the 1960s and 1970s - thought that Chavez was a weak link. Thus came the April 2002 coup led by a military faction, with power given to a wealthy entrepreneur. The US-backed coup lasted less than 48 hours; Chavez was duly restored to power, supported by "the people" (the real thing) and most of the army. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">US EMBASSY EMPLOYEES EXPELLED, ALLEGEDLY FOMENTING A COUP</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><br /><br />So there's nothing unexpected in the announcement by Maduro, a few hours before El Comandante's death, that two US embassy employees would be expelled in 24 hours; Air Attache David Delmonaco, and assistant Air Attache Devlin Costal. Delmonaco was accused of fomenting - what else - a coup with some factions of the Venezuelan military. Those gringos never learn. <br /><br />Immense suspicion among Chavistas that El Comandante may have been poisoned - a convoluted replay of what (allegedly) happened to Yasser Arafat in 2004 - is also predictable. It could have been highly radioactive polonium-210, as in Arafat's case. The Hollywood-friendly CIA may have some ideas about that. <br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><b>ALL SHOOK UP</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The verdict is now open on what exact brand of revolutionary was Chavez. He always praised everyone from Mao to Che in the revolutionary pantheon. He certainly was a very skillful popular leader with a fine geopolitical eye to identify centuries-old patterns of subjugation of LATIN AMERICA. Thus his constant reference to the Hispanic revolutionary tradition from Bolivar to Marti. <br /><br />Chavez's mantra was that the only way out for LATIN AMERICA would be better integration; thus his impulsion of myriad mechanisms, from ALBA (the Bolivarian Alliance) to Petrocaribe, from the Banco del Sur (the Bank of the South) to UNASUR (the Union of South American countries). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GOLDMAN SACHS GANG AND COHORTS SAW CHAVEZ AS WORSE THAN THE BLACK PLAGUE</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />As for his "socialism of the 21st century", beyond all ideological straitjackets he did more to explore the true spirit of common values - as an antidote to the putrefaction of turbo-charged, financial capitalism - than tons of neo-Marxist academic analyses. <br /><br />No wonder the GOLDMAN SACHS gang and cohorts saw him as worse than the Black Plague. VENEZUELA bought Sukhoi fighter jets; entered strategic relationships with BRICS members RUSSIA and CHINA - not to mention other Global South actors; maintains over 30,000 CUBAN doctors practicing preventive medicine living in poor communities - what led to a boom of young VENEZUELANS studying medicine. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_CuyGrlUCfftZ9eS3kdcoIogMpnzhCT60h6QAGaIBymGwyCf0y_eY19DWAJv1hnzdeK8sLPhjOpPeDyrzi6xgqXGzilNZ4Y0GGB9ZOUwp0L2OLbKADfKLR0dt_8bxRd5U5l6mWb4FT5f/s1600/venezuela-boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_CuyGrlUCfftZ9eS3kdcoIogMpnzhCT60h6QAGaIBymGwyCf0y_eY19DWAJv1hnzdeK8sLPhjOpPeDyrzi6xgqXGzilNZ4Y0GGB9ZOUwp0L2OLbKADfKLR0dt_8bxRd5U5l6mWb4FT5f/s320/venezuela-boy.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FACTS AND FIGURES</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stark numbers tell most of the story that needs to be known. VENEZUELAN public deficit is a mere 7,4% of GDP. Public debt is 51,3% of GDP - much less than the EUROPEAN UNION average. The public sector - defying apocalyptic "communist" accusations - accounts for only 18,4% of the economy; less than state-oriented FRANCE and even the whole of SCANDINAVIA. In terms of geopolitics of oil, quotas are established by OPEC; so the fact that VENEZUELA is exporting less to the US means it's diversifying its customers (and exporting more and more towards strategic partner CHINA). <br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #741b47;">And here's the clincher; poverty accounted for 71% of VENEZUELAN citizens in 1996. In 2010, the percentage had been reduced to 21%. For a serious analysis of the VENEZUELAN economy in the Chavez era, see <a href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/7513">here</a>. </span><br /></b><br />Years ago, it took a superb novelist like Garcia Marquez to reveal El Comandante's secret as The Great Communicator; he was one of them (his "people", in the not-Barack Obama sense), from the physical appearance to the mannerisms, convivial attitude and language (the same applied to Lula in relation to most Brazilians). <br /><br />So while Oliver Stone surveys the film market, one will be waiting for a Garcia Marquez to elevate Chavez to novelistic Walhalla. One thing is sure; in terms of a Global South narrative, history will record that El Comandante may have left the building; but then, after him the building was never the same again. <br /><br /></span></div>

VENEZUELA: LEFT OR RIGHT, THAT IS THE QUESTION

Simón Bolívar   EL COMANDANTE HAS LEFT THE   BUILDING   By Pepe Escobar via Asia Times Now that would be some movie; the story of a man of t...

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Bosnian Economics

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr_46-kaJ5CeQMw2D1SGRXdp8b7x3cpTNwph0fwgfGxzCrzelhk23H4aCevi8JdVVjHT3P1dQfnpMTx5gU5CfPP1B4qpJSLpcHlTbOmDLs9dlroWS8Yp7lRc3DjNjxqE91EFFUAipGpk2/s1600/5118870590_40e88e353e_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr_46-kaJ5CeQMw2D1SGRXdp8b7x3cpTNwph0fwgfGxzCrzelhk23H4aCevi8JdVVjHT3P1dQfnpMTx5gU5CfPP1B4qpJSLpcHlTbOmDLs9dlroWS8Yp7lRc3DjNjxqE91EFFUAipGpk2/s400/5118870590_40e88e353e_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Bosnia's BH Airline Grounded Over Debt</span></span></h1><div class="cbcontents clearfix"> <div class="story"> <div class="storyheader clearfix"><br /></div>Bosnia's BH Airlines has been grounded and faces possible bankruptcy over an outstanding bank debt, a senior government official said on Tuesday.<br /> The Sarajevo-based carrier is solely owned by Bosnia's autonomous Muslim-Croat Federation, after Turkish Airlines pulled out of a joint venture in June last year and handed its 49-percent stake over to the government.<br /> Enver Bijedic, the Federation's minister for transport and communications, told reporters that flights had been halted due to claims of BAM7 million Bosnian marka (USD$4.6 million) by the Bosnian arm of Austria's Hypo Alpe Adria Bank.<br /> Last month the bank froze the airline's accounts over an unpaid BAM5.5 million marka leasing loan for two ATR 72 aircraft and a BAM1.5 million marka rehabilitation loan. Bijedic said BH Airlines had deposited collateral of roughly the same amount with the bank.<br /> The bank confirmed in a statement that it had frozen the accounts of BH Airlines because of significant outstanding debt and delays in the payment of the leasing loan.<br /> "We did not rush with this decision and the blocking of accounts was the last option," the bank's statement said.<br /> "The bankruptcy of BH Airlines is not in our interest," the bank said, adding it expected the airline's management to consider all options to relieve its financial problems and ensure operations continue.<br /> Hypo Alpe Adria is in the process of rolling back an ambitious expansion into southeastern Europe in an attempt to shrink itself back to health.<br /> Under a 2005 contract with Hypo Alpe Adria's leasing arm, BH Airlines bought two 66-seat ATR 72 aircraft worth a total of USD$18.4 million.<br /> "The company has paid back USD$15 million under the leasing loan, while these two planes are today worth USD$9 million," Bijedic said, blaming the debt on the airline's previous management.<br /> He said the airline had offered the bank a new deal to pay off the debt from the sale of the two aircraft, topped up with a further USD$550,000 from the government.<br /> "We have proposed to level the balance with the bank," Bijedic said. "If they decline, BH Airlines will go bankrupt, which means that everybody will face a loss," he said, adding that the Bosnian arm of the bank had sent the offer to its Austrian headquarters.<br /> "We have already conducted early negotiations with Airbus to buy one 160-seat Airbus A319 aircraft under a favourable agreement, so we would then be able to resume flights," he said.<br /> Goran Jovanovic, president of BH Airlines' supervisory board, said he was hopeful the matter could be resolved and flights resumed.<br /> BH Airlines receives an annual government subsidy of BAM2.7 million marka, as well as proceeds from departure taxes at Sarajevo airport.<br /> </div>(via Reuters)<br /> </div>

Bosnian Economics

Bosnia's BH Airline Grounded Over Debt Bosnia's BH Airlines has been grounded and faces possible bankruptcy over an outstanding b...

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It's breakfast time!

<p>What do you take on your porridge?</p><p>I really enjoy my porridge sprinkled with seeds.  At weekend I like to treat myself to porridge with Bailey's!</p><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gcfdZBQAUBd0X2OHac8FfENCbHr9yWOHC7GIJM4rBeVRA-HJvPQcmo8eLNXYkgqNub9weoTA5YpMgZxYLxx-wGBFBN_MNlLcgTFQ_dcUT0XpBm4UzEAGfblUU4U_DWWbs9_MlVf6gfGH/s1600/20130306_112030.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gcfdZBQAUBd0X2OHac8FfENCbHr9yWOHC7GIJM4rBeVRA-HJvPQcmo8eLNXYkgqNub9weoTA5YpMgZxYLxx-wGBFBN_MNlLcgTFQ_dcUT0XpBm4UzEAGfblUU4U_DWWbs9_MlVf6gfGH/s400/20130306_112030.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBfniRg1t7tnw-kb91Q8yWh4WKe6qoxgVd3_kbuPERHPQJcjBMJFrz45_3LcXPaRnpEkU37g7ljvmNUQfySuhSygH-_YR7uOWnpeudk_IAs0C6HN2pRwa9P2SVtkUk17wo557s4rZ7CEB/s1600/20130306_112224.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBfniRg1t7tnw-kb91Q8yWh4WKe6qoxgVd3_kbuPERHPQJcjBMJFrz45_3LcXPaRnpEkU37g7ljvmNUQfySuhSygH-_YR7uOWnpeudk_IAs0C6HN2pRwa9P2SVtkUk17wo557s4rZ7CEB/s400/20130306_112224.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVY-rgES_tIemJehA6i2xG2XTq_i-F-FSUYEEbiMrbins0iPoJKKx6_E-Jdndr5XJh3U1w3XmflNEjcQk4p5s1qzfDCckysbOhySxnWg6UpRmL9QnVJIWIZLI1tDDu0b7ydtc353kytpj/s1600/20130306_112043.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVY-rgES_tIemJehA6i2xG2XTq_i-F-FSUYEEbiMrbins0iPoJKKx6_E-Jdndr5XJh3U1w3XmflNEjcQk4p5s1qzfDCckysbOhySxnWg6UpRmL9QnVJIWIZLI1tDDu0b7ydtc353kytpj/s400/20130306_112043.jpg" /> </a> </div>

It's breakfast time!

What do you take on your porridge? I really enjoy my porridge sprinkled with seeds.  At weekend I like to treat myself to porridge with Bail...

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