How taxpayers are revolting against privatization

State and local governments are starting to end the looting of the taxpayer by for-profit corporations.<br /><br />So says the <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/">Center for Media and Democrac</a>y, our indispensable friends who have done so much to expose ALEC as an escort service for corporations and state lawmakers. ALEC relentlessly peddles its influence to turn state and local services over to predatory corporations.<br /><br />In a recent <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/06/12153/pushback-against-privatization-across-country">post</a> by Brendan Fischer, CMD tells us that voters are trying to restore control over public services in New Jersey, Texas, California and Kentucky: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">In New Jersey, legislation to ensure that public services won't be privatized unless it will result in actual savings for taxpayers has passed both chambers of the legislature. In Texas, a bipartisan coalition is fighting against a private prison in Montgomery County, and Kentucky is rejecting private prisons altogether. And in Fresno, California, voters rejected a proposal backed by the city's popular mayor to privatize trash collection services.</blockquote>Here's what's happened:<br /><ul><li>In New Jersey, a first-in-the-nation bill to crack down on predatory privatizers is on Gov. Chris Christie's desk.  It would ban privatization contracts that save money by cutting services or raising rates, and requires companies to pay workers comparable wages and benefits. </li><li>In Texas, Tea Party groups are joining with others to oppose GEO Group's purchase of a prison in Montgomery County.</li><li>Kentucky is not renewing its contract with the private prison company Corrections Corporation of America, the fifth contract cancellation for CCA in a month.</li><li>Fresno, Calif., voters this month rejected a plan to outsource trash service for the city's 500,000 residents to a private company, which would cut pay for the workers. Opponents of privatization were outspent 3-to-1, but they prevailed anyway.</li></ul>Donald Cohen, who chairs <a href="http://www.inthepublicinterest.org/">In the Public Interest</a>, said: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">...when taxpayers see what they lose by handing over control of their roads, prisons and other services, they don’t want anything to do with outsourcing.</blockquote>Yup.

How taxpayers are revolting against privatization

State and local governments are starting to end the looting of the taxpayer by for-profit corporations. So says the Center for Media and Dem...

Read more »

Sunday was my "off" day

I everyone,  Sunday was my day off from blogging.  Instead, I spent the day creating my facebook fan page Belviq Daily Personal.  This page is about me taking Belviq Daily and my person quest to lose weight by eating right.  I will post pictures of things I ate during the day.  Please stop by and like my page.  Every 100 likes the page gets, I will pick a random name of someone to give me an workout idea to try in the gym.  I will video my attempt and whether I passed or failed at it.  So, please go like and you could be the one to inflict pain! ha!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/BelviqDailyPersonal?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/#!/BelviqDailyPersonal?fref=ts</a><br /><br />I never realized what I was getting in to with my blog.  It all came about on Twitter.  Follow me @ewenker and you can go back and read for yourself.  Overwhelming and exciting at the same time.  MAYBE, just maybe I can get a sponsor to help cover the cost of Belviq.  It's really expensive and my insurance does not cover it.  Fingers crossed..........ANY TAKERS?????<br /><br />Today, my mom would be 71 years old.  She passed away 3 years ago from bladder cancer.  It was then when I began my way to the biggest I have ever been.  I do alot of emotional eating.  Today, normally, would be no different.  The difference with today is, I couldn't force myself to eat with Belviq so it is preventing me from going on a binge.  I am very thankful!!<br /><br />I want to thank everyone for following my progress.  I am determined, more than ever, to make this work!!!  I now have way too many eyes on me, and I would be embarrassed to fail!!!!!  So, keep them coming ya'll!!!!!!!! <br /><br />More later.........

Sunday was my "off" day

I everyone,  Sunday was my day off from blogging.  Instead, I spent the day creating my facebook fan page Belviq Daily Personal.  This page ...

Read more »

A Teamster writes: In unity there is dignity

Brother Charles Wilkinson, a Teamster retiree from Local 222 in Provo, Utah, writes a wonderful op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune. We thought we'd share some of it with you. To read the whole thing, click <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/56488914-82/dignity-working-thank-labor.html.csp">here</a>.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">...maybe the most important definition of dignity is this: the quiet knowledge of self-worth that lies within the human heart. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">I have known and worked with folks who labored physically. They came to work clean but returned to their homes tired, with soiled clothes and hands. They held no official position, had no title and were not part of a privileged class. But most of them had a sense of dignity. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Many working people, though not all, struggle with their own self-worth. Perhaps they are underpaid and treated in the work place as if they are of no importance. Or perhaps they have been taught that a life of labor is undignified and not a desirable way to earn an income. I know many who feel this way... </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">I plead with working people, no matter what your position, not to accept this evaluation. All work, no matter what the duty, is of great importance to an organization. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YaIloYtRd7dPlajuu_q5s7vvQXU2Sxxck_IuJuoOBzvzb3oGXUXprObZDKI7m4-YyFsBgBpnSAidaKjC7R6bofKuMu60NusnhlnTn2_LTWC9vP-nRItYXcKa1r6BrD3Q2CyZCPURSt3J/s960/wilkinson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YaIloYtRd7dPlajuu_q5s7vvQXU2Sxxck_IuJuoOBzvzb3oGXUXprObZDKI7m4-YyFsBgBpnSAidaKjC7R6bofKuMu60NusnhlnTn2_LTWC9vP-nRItYXcKa1r6BrD3Q2CyZCPURSt3J/s200/wilkinson.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq">Every politician who puts on his fine suit and shoes each morning should thank the tailor for the skill it took to make his clothing; thank the sheep man for the wool; thank the cotton farmer and the field hand; thank the truck driver for transporting the materials to market; thank the maintenance people who clean the building where the manufacturing took place and the machinist for the necessary machines... </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">There are occasions when a businessman threatens a working person with: "You can easily be replaced." He is right. As an individual, you can be replaced. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">But that is when dignity can be maintained through unity. Alone, we may be at the mercy of an unjust tyrant, but together, working people can demand the respect they so well deserve. Yes, you, the person who prepares fast food, or who stocks the shelves on the night shift at the big-box store. You, who empties the trash and sweeps the floor. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">You are invaluable to that organization and are a valuable part of our society. Let no one try to persuade you otherwise. You, laborers, are worthy of a living wage, health care, shelter from the storm and whatever else is necessary to live a life with dignity. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">But you can only accomplish this through unity.</blockquote>Brother Wilkinson runs a terrific Facebook page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/267405143716/?fref=ts">Friends of Teamsters Local 222</a>, which is well worth reading. Just click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/267405143716/?fref=ts">here</a>.<br /><br />

unions A Teamster writes: In unity there is dignity

Brother Charles Wilkinson, a Teamster retiree from Local 222 in Provo, Utah, writes a wonderful op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune. We thought w...

Read more »

American Way of Birth, Costliest in the World - NYTimes.com

Seven months pregnant, at a time when most expectant couples are stockpiling diapers and choosingcar seats, Renée Martin was struggling with bigger purchases.<br /><br><br /><br>At a prenatal class in March, she was told about epiduralanesthesia and was given the option of using a birthing tub during labor. To each offer, she had one gnawing question: "How much is that going to cost?"<br /><br><br /><br>Though Ms. Martin, 31, and her husband, Mark Willett, are both professionals with health insurance, her current policy does not cover maternity care. So the couple had to approach the nine months that led to the birth of their daughter in May like an extended shopping trip though the American health care bazaar, sorting through an array of maternity services that most often have no clear price and — with no insurer to haggle on their behalf — trying to negotiate discounts from hospitals and doctors.<br /><br><br /><br>When she became pregnant, Ms. Martin called her local hospital inquiring about the price of maternity care; the finance office at first said it did not know, and then gave her a range of $4,000 to $45,000. "It was unreal," Ms. Martin said. "I was like, How could you not know this? You're a hospital."<br /><br><br /><br>Midway through her pregnancy, she fought for a deep discount on a $935 bill for anultrasound, arguing that she had already paid a radiologist $256 to read the scan, which took only 20 minutes of a technician's time using a machine that had been bought years ago. She ended up paying $655. "I feel like I'm in a used-car lot," said Ms. Martin, a former art gallery manager who is starting graduate school in the fall.<br /><br><br /><br>Like Ms. Martin, plenty of other pregnant women are getting sticker shock in the United States, where charges for delivery have about tripled since 1996, according to an analysis done for The New York Times by Truven Health Analytics. Childbirth in the United States is uniquely expensive, and maternity and newborn care constitute thesingle biggest category of hospital payouts for most commercial insurers and state Medicaid programs. The cumulative costs of approximately four million annual births is well over $50 billion.<br /><br><br /><br>And though maternity care costs far less in other developed countries than it does in the United States, studies show that their citizens do not have less access to care or to high-tech care during pregnancy than Americans.<br /><br><br /><br>"It's not primarily that we get a different bundle of services when we have a baby," said Gerard Anderson, an economist at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who studies international health costs. "It's that we pay individually for each service and pay more for the services we receive."<br /><br><br /><br>Those payment incentives for providers also mean that American women with normal pregnancies tend to get more of everything, necessary or not, from blood tests to ultrasound scans, said Katy Kozhimannil, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health who studies the cost of women's health care.<br /><br><br /><br>Financially, they suffer the consequences. In 2011, 62 percent of women in the United States covered by private plans that were not obtained through an employer lacked maternity coverage, like Ms. Martin. But even many women with coverage are feeling the pinch as insurers demand higher co-payments and deductibles and exclude many pregnancy-related services.<br /><br><br /><br>From 2004 to 2010, the prices that insurers paid for childbirth — one of the most universal medical encounters — rose 49 percent for vaginal births and 41 percent for Caesarean sections in the United States, with average out-of-pocket costs rising fourfold, according to a recent report by Truven that was commissioned by three health care groups. The average total price charged for pregnancy and newborn care was about $30,000 for a vaginal delivery and $50,000 for a C-section, with commercial insurers paying out an average of $18,329 and $27,866, the report found.<br /><br><br /><br>Women with insurance pay out of pocket an average of $3,400, according to a survey byChildbirth Connection, one of the groups behind the maternity costs report. Two decades ago, women typically paid nothing other than a small fee if they opted for a private hospital room or television.<br /><br><br /><br>In most other developed countries, comprehensive maternity care is free or cheap for all, considered vital to ensuring the health of future generations.<br /><br><br /><br>Ireland, for example, guarantees free maternity care at public hospitals, though women can opt for private deliveries for a fee. The average price spent on a normal vaginal delivery tops out at about $4,000 in Switzerland, France and the Netherlands, where charges are limited through a combination of regulation and price setting; mothers pay little of that cost.<br /><br><br /><br>The chasm in price is true even though new mothers in France and elsewhere often remain in the hospital for nearly a week to heal and learn to breast-feed, while American women tend to be discharged a day or two after birth, since insurers do not pay costs for anything that is not considered medically necessary.<br /><br><br /><br>More ...<br /><br><br /><br><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/health/american-way-of-birth-costliest-in-the-world.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/health/american-way-of-birth-costliest-in-the-world.html</a>?

American Way of Birth, Costliest in the World - NYTimes.com

Seven months pregnant, at a time when most expectant couples are stockpiling diapers and choosingcar seats, Renée Martin was struggling with...

Read more »

Learning to love

<div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;">Yes, I'm fine.<i> </i>Thank you so much for your comments and emails and words of support.  I'm fine, really I am.  I'm emotional and this is a place for me to vent.  </div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;">A little over 13 years ago, he brought me from what was one of the deepest darkest moments in my life.  I was broken in the truest sense of broken.  I was newly out of a really bad relationship (which was rebound from another bad situation).  I didn't have much money or a roof over my head.  Family was never there for me.  I had no friends left, I'd alienated myself from them for what I thought was love.  I was seriously contemplating suicide.  It was that bad.  He didn't ask questions (haha, now I know why).  He was just there.  He kept food in my belly, a warm place to live, comfort in normalcy and a way to carry on.  He was then and always will my hero.</div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;">My hero isn't perfect and neither am I.  </div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;">You have to learn how to love.  He is still learning that love is a verb.  It is something evolving.  It is a bucket that gets filled and then spills into the other's bucket, then overflows back into yours.  It takes effort and it's an ongoing constant process.<br /><br />Sometimes I think that I deserve better (I do) and that someone else could give me what I need (probably could) BUT that imaginary person isn't the one I love.  And I won't give up on love.  </div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7d-B8Vr0MLJWaen-EGuSL2a_czcXjSpMqZv61O5AvvhJ6Lti5lFdNHlOocvMHQysm0iIu0r-g8U5dwkBkNqo_3pk92ADwtV87a23y8ut8Z9zNALWCwEMO-UzlASKrXLkPbNxj1Hd5wE/s1600/IMG_3252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7d-B8Vr0MLJWaen-EGuSL2a_czcXjSpMqZv61O5AvvhJ6Lti5lFdNHlOocvMHQysm0iIu0r-g8U5dwkBkNqo_3pk92ADwtV87a23y8ut8Z9zNALWCwEMO-UzlASKrXLkPbNxj1Hd5wE/s320/IMG_3252.JPG" width="240" /></a>I spent the afternoon with my other love, this chubby pony right here.  I stare into the soul of the one that stares back into mine.  The eyes are that gateway and his are soft and kind, like a little doe. We spent hours together in the grass while I listened to the sweet music of his content grazing.  No expectations, no work, no nothing.  The grass was always greener under my butt so he had me in giggles as he shoved me around to get it.  I'd move away and he'd creep back, again and again. It's a magnetic attraction between us.<br /><br />He's a sassy little thing and sometimes hard to handle... just like me.  He's hurt me and I kept believing in him.  Once we came to an understanding, he never hurt me again.  Together we can be graceful, jump, romp or just simply go for a walk.  I can sit on him in the field, my skin on his, feeling his every breath and sometimes even his heartbeat under my legs.  He was previously misunderstood and was given up on by others.  I wouldn't give up on him though.  You see, he hadn't known love and he hadn't learned to trust.  He had no reason to until I came along. I didn't bully him as others had.  I stayed by his side, forgave the idiotic stuff, and in time he learned to love.  We learned how to understand and we grew together.  <br /><br />So when I look at my husband I see the same thing.  I see the same depth of character.  Misunderstood, especially when you read the words that spew through my hurt feelings. I'd accepted our relationship for what it was for many years.  Now I know I don't have to.  Communication and love (the verb) <i>will</i> get better <i>in time</i> because I'm determined to make it happen.  I won't pressure, I won't bully, but I won't back down in my efforts either.<br /><br />(this post was edited because it got too personal and not as anonymous as it should be) </div>

Learning to love

Yes, I'm fine. Thank you so much for your comments and emails and words of support.  I'm fine, really I am.  I'm emotional and ...

Read more »

Videocon launches new smart phone with best features whatever style, color, brand phone, you will find every kind in this phone

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">The smartphone market is going to become  famous day by day. Every day there debuted smartphones in variety  style, color, features, brand phone applications or we can say all kind of things. So there some contains smart looks, some high speed processor , some great features or some less cost but durable in nature.<br /><br />In this series videocon company has launched a new smart  phone last night Videocon A55HD model in India. There after the coming of Videocon, Spice and Lava can get high competition. Now there would be a match between smartphone. This  phone has quad - core processor and  lots of other great features which  make this phone very attractive.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktzAgt22nirMjzm9ctClhciqCkC_K9zJRXtcJ8wMdTezB_shq5EC95CPARGgthW_9PNsD31g_vxs4x970d8u3bPQ2JJGPiRp_sSK9RLVBowB2-s4Hj-FSJ09f6WaeFBBmQQEhOQ2TyLs/s600/vediocon+a55hd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktzAgt22nirMjzm9ctClhciqCkC_K9zJRXtcJ8wMdTezB_shq5EC95CPARGgthW_9PNsD31g_vxs4x970d8u3bPQ2JJGPiRp_sSK9RLVBowB2-s4Hj-FSJ09f6WaeFBBmQQEhOQ2TyLs/s320/vediocon+a55hd.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">videoconA55HD</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><b>Display</b><br /><b><br /></b>This phone has 5 inch capacitive touch screen with 720 mp high resolution. The screen of the phone is  very attractive and large.You will also like the body of phone<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAYUHvpds0LQ9FDRLCltHSjxBemgZuxqm7pRQ3uPJqG0LFgtCKIZqsVHniJnRdSFtQbgkMFbDr3j6m7Wjq41_DmHLcDiPziN17oxiqsA9yZLLaSONJxR9D3MWlxhD8Ev9D28oiQUkxgc/s600/vediocon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAYUHvpds0LQ9FDRLCltHSjxBemgZuxqm7pRQ3uPJqG0LFgtCKIZqsVHniJnRdSFtQbgkMFbDr3j6m7Wjq41_DmHLcDiPziN17oxiqsA9yZLLaSONJxR9D3MWlxhD8Ev9D28oiQUkxgc/s320/vediocon1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Display of videocon A55HD</td></tr></tbody></table>.<br /><br /><b>Battery and Power</b><br /><br />2000 mAh Li-ion battery of this phone gives the relief  again and again the problem of charging the phone will get salvation.If there we talk about the power of this phone then it should be called high battery backup and high speed processor phone.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_nYzv7b0TRPJCbIGmKwOBmFG1M6Lp8sPIVSvCDIrbtcqWDxQq7OQ3ZcEPiMfHqGibSVg-U5o8tZYEvdpmsFG2PzAvHv1g-9ncyZ01uY33MK08Hj2qQm-xjLaPRMWIr_xOujv62B68W0/s600/ved22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_nYzv7b0TRPJCbIGmKwOBmFG1M6Lp8sPIVSvCDIrbtcqWDxQq7OQ3ZcEPiMfHqGibSVg-U5o8tZYEvdpmsFG2PzAvHv1g-9ncyZ01uY33MK08Hj2qQm-xjLaPRMWIr_xOujv62B68W0/s320/ved22.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">battery of videoconA55HD</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br />Vediocon A55HD Phone is a great and powerful phone. The phone offers a 1.2 GHz quad core processor. and we can get every kind of connectivity in this phone.<br /><br /><br /><b>Features</b><br /><br />This phone has many features that you will attracted. The phone spports an 8 megapixel rear camera and 3.2 megapixel web cam (front camera), too.You will enjoy superb 3G speed and Wi-Fi 802.11 will take you comfortably enjoy the Internet in this phone. The phone has the  features of autofocus and LED flash.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZmaUrn_OPtKi8vy6dCQ2JvItH-stakw3ZP1ozJ8NSQau5LLPHa7qugcS_ktL0lujuTi5OQudcS4yMIrwo4bAEH0xJI1KTqT1rwUOfB6GV1ZVusBui37s5ShMCEVCNSUlgWFNUUN2hZU/s600/vediocon55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZmaUrn_OPtKi8vy6dCQ2JvItH-stakw3ZP1ozJ8NSQau5LLPHa7qugcS_ktL0lujuTi5OQudcS4yMIrwo4bAEH0xJI1KTqT1rwUOfB6GV1ZVusBui37s5ShMCEVCNSUlgWFNUUN2hZU/s320/vediocon55.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">features videoconA55HD</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>Memory</b><br /><br />The memory of this smartphone is also great. Some users often complain the less internal memory. Now the phone company has tried to solve the problem. The phone have 4 GB internal memory and 32 GBextendable memory.With the help of SD card you can increase phone memory. and then also use memory  to install all app.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgcznyOGzYRS5oY_n5rhQ9u2BEn11xTJ2ECs-rRtam0YwyEGaOHxu_wwiC6yzv1XO3cXS8E6JWH7b6hrtau679kVgJ_5RXezHEbQSXRiVNKDyxPG8u26VfQPfpFFvsAvyc7KhJOT520U/s600/vediocon66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgcznyOGzYRS5oY_n5rhQ9u2BEn11xTJ2ECs-rRtam0YwyEGaOHxu_wwiC6yzv1XO3cXS8E6JWH7b6hrtau679kVgJ_5RXezHEbQSXRiVNKDyxPG8u26VfQPfpFFvsAvyc7KhJOT520U/s320/vediocon66.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">memory of videocon A55HD</td></tr></tbody></table><br />COST<br /><br />It is a middle range phone in comparision cost of other phone. The company has its price 13499 rupees. </div></div>Published by <br /><a href="https://plus.google.com/102418621855646948908" rel="author">Narendra Kumar</a>

Accessories android asus hd pad computer Dispaly google musical phone news phone Technology videocon Videocon launches new smart phone with best features whatever style, color, brand phone, you will find every kind in this phone

The smartphone market is going to become  famous day by day. Every day there debuted smartphones in variety  style, color, features, brand p...

Read more »

Today's Teamster News 07.01.13

<a href="http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/new-study-shows-13-jobs-prone-offshore-outsourcing">New Study Shows 1/3 of Jobs Prone to Offshore Outsourcing</a>  Economic Populist   ...The occupational groups identified as being vulnerable to offshoring include office support (e.g., data entry and payroll clerks), auditors and tax preparers, computer programmers and software engineers, medical transcriptionists and paralegals, and technical writers...<br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/06/29/the_capital_of_exploitation_temp_town_usa_partner/">Without full-time jobs, workers flock to temp towns</a>  Salon   ...Short-term work has become a mainstay of the American economy, intensifying the rise in income inequality...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/business/an-unstoppable-climb-in-ceo-pay.html?pagewanted=all">An Unstoppable Climb in C.E.O. Pay </a> New York Times   ...the executive compensation analysis firm, found that the median 2012 pay package came in at $15.1 million — a leap of 16 percent from 2011. ..<br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/06/29/no_manufacturing_jobs_wont_revive_the_economy/">No, manufacturing jobs won’t revive the economy</a>  Salon   ...Stop claiming a factory boom will save the country and lift people up. Here's what these jobs really look like...<br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/30/nsa-spying-europe-claims-us-eu-trade">Key US-EU trade pact under threat after more NSA spying allegations </a> The Guardian   ...The prospects for a new trade pact between the US and the European Union worth hundreds of billions have suffered a severe setback following allegations that Washington bugged key EU offices and intercepted phonecalls and emails from top officials...<br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/06/28/new_bank_of_america_whistle_blower_emerges_more_customer_abuse/">New Bank of America whistle-blower emerges: More customer abuse secrets</a>  Salon   ...Bank of America whistle-blower details latest scheme to abuse homeowners, evade settlement rules and pocket cash...<br /><a href="http://wallstreetonparade.com/2013/06/mf-global-and-wall-street-whose-job-is-it-to-take-the-keys-away/">MF Global and Wall Street: Whose Job Is It To Take the Keys Away</a> (opinion)  Wall Street On Parade   ...Isn’t it the job of Congress to pass laws to ensure that checks and balances exist that prevent powerful men from gaming the system and dipping into customer funds to make casino bets...<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/opinion/krugman-the-war-on-the-unemployed.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">War On the Unemployed</a> (opinion)  New York Times   ...there’s a nationwide movement under way to punish the unemployed, based on the proposition that we can cure unemployment by making the jobless even more miserable...<br /><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/07/20137162126149643.html">Protests overshadow football final in Brazil </a> al-Jazeera   ...Protesters hurling petrol bombs have clashed with riot police in Brazil at the Confederations Cup football match, overshadowing the host nation's victory over world champions Spain in the final...<br /><a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/13/06/3718985/sci-rejects-last-and-best-offer-from-teamsters">SCI Rejects Last and Best Offer from Teamsters</a>  Benzinga   ...Houston-based funeral giant Service Corporation International ... rejected a last and best offer from Teamsters Local 727 and countered with its original proposal to eliminate the employees' pension, health and educational assistance benefits...

Today's Teamster News 07.01.13

New Study Shows 1/3 of Jobs Prone to Offshore Outsourcing  Economic Populist   ...The occupational groups identified as being vulnerable to...

Read more »

Fast day

<div>It's a fast day of 500 cals today. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Breakfast:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJPz2m-8dCXASB5xBXSLO8d3PnbntJRqTYlVn7wIad1nW3WA1dTB63VCpMdoj0eB1AwaeXGGv3w0gtN0ztmV8V0NmjfP_JgrMQ2n2kep1Ad4ocNJAjEoRW4RoyYeSbb4hoLRk1GA0WA5T/s640/blogger-image--17436010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJPz2m-8dCXASB5xBXSLO8d3PnbntJRqTYlVn7wIad1nW3WA1dTB63VCpMdoj0eB1AwaeXGGv3w0gtN0ztmV8V0NmjfP_JgrMQ2n2kep1Ad4ocNJAjEoRW4RoyYeSbb4hoLRk1GA0WA5T/s640/blogger-image--17436010.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1puV5myV9HKRCPDmYxIwXrmknj-InnZMnplhdvOM6NwM0k_tTtaaG6zBIP9yDTtKMNY8Mq78LYymBMtNE6v_sZVOU7jgdufBY7xuF_1H3pmKA3Lock58nNr4XzAca_XZ28cJ0BeHNFT-J/s640/blogger-image--808975210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1puV5myV9HKRCPDmYxIwXrmknj-InnZMnplhdvOM6NwM0k_tTtaaG6zBIP9yDTtKMNY8Mq78LYymBMtNE6v_sZVOU7jgdufBY7xuF_1H3pmKA3Lock58nNr4XzAca_XZ28cJ0BeHNFT-J/s640/blogger-image--808975210.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lunch: Hummus</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXpP1H_BmXhE6wUD2zwcSeKag_4-q780df1sYUQllPuR-6z_-McdBjr9xiaX4sfzxCJyZyc4pRIxDElf9BFm1hPxtAMrtgJ31zEMr5sHte4lqCzhBNyboLogwKhIUjSRr4h_Fko6EVBUm/s640/blogger-image--1014856705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXpP1H_BmXhE6wUD2zwcSeKag_4-q780df1sYUQllPuR-6z_-McdBjr9xiaX4sfzxCJyZyc4pRIxDElf9BFm1hPxtAMrtgJ31zEMr5sHte4lqCzhBNyboLogwKhIUjSRr4h_Fko6EVBUm/s640/blogger-image--1014856705.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Dinner: Small bowl of All Bran & rocket leaves salad</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKm_BBTluQUKTIAMvAZiNqrzL-KMJplpJ_6xhlhRXYAYFs5DBtLORyVeQSoCs3unstsgJnfDmWTs5foSUP3Y3TbKN5XLGBkWUQKEzjQyl8eCam1N-DaUF-si1D7IZ0gr1c_ISdB3ES9pE/s640/blogger-image-1083480510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKm_BBTluQUKTIAMvAZiNqrzL-KMJplpJ_6xhlhRXYAYFs5DBtLORyVeQSoCs3unstsgJnfDmWTs5foSUP3Y3TbKN5XLGBkWUQKEzjQyl8eCam1N-DaUF-si1D7IZ0gr1c_ISdB3ES9pE/s640/blogger-image-1083480510.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fGA6qbD0zlvydoOd3YSYtMUiWkzN75M_sYioPM54UtDnUDpNiDPg28jxUsPc8-JAkHdPK7mH8rnSvXkt7bdtH241akxdLpi1TWJhyphenhyphen-E_QZgtx1FYW2IRFeeuZ53P406Ybha8BkrQmo91/s640/blogger-image-903795488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fGA6qbD0zlvydoOd3YSYtMUiWkzN75M_sYioPM54UtDnUDpNiDPg28jxUsPc8-JAkHdPK7mH8rnSvXkt7bdtH241akxdLpi1TWJhyphenhyphen-E_QZgtx1FYW2IRFeeuZ53P406Ybha8BkrQmo91/s640/blogger-image-903795488.jpg"></a></div><br></div>After work we got in to the hot tub for the first tine since we refilled.  The water was sparkling and perfectly warm.  It was divine.  After our soak we went straight to bed - surprisingly unhungry.  However, Ciaran did say he felt like making cheese and crackers even though he wasn't hungry but that it was just habit.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It was Ciaran's first day fasting - men can eat 600 cals on the 5:2 diet. For breakfast he had muesli sprinkled with seeds.  Lunch was 2 poached eggs, half a tomato & a slice of multigrain toast. Dinner was a banana and an apple.  He then went for a physio session followed by a boxing class.  He got home about 15 mins before me at 8.30pm.</div><br></div><br></div>

Fast day

It's a fast day of 500 cals today.  Breakfast: Lunch: Hummus Dinner: Small bowl of All Bran & rocket leaves salad After work we got ...

Read more »

WaPost: 'Obama yet to leave a lasting legacy for Africa on the scale of Bush and Clinton'

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-xLr7IN3Q3pN_zBAieochku5BCuOXMS5FbJNwShAVcFCMaetejkbB0qCSEet0Bw3WoWol9KUBhQ2XS1gMH_jAaYdyKNc6Pxnf7SH6b5Qnm-xsb_7W2HJDBR43tw1OwJ0XMJlW9s3kxc9/s720/George+W.+Bush+20+Africa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-xLr7IN3Q3pN_zBAieochku5BCuOXMS5FbJNwShAVcFCMaetejkbB0qCSEet0Bw3WoWol9KUBhQ2XS1gMH_jAaYdyKNc6Pxnf7SH6b5Qnm-xsb_7W2HJDBR43tw1OwJ0XMJlW9s3kxc9/s400/George+W.+Bush+20+Africa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Laura and George W. Bush in Zambia, June 30, 2013.</i></div><br />The pictures are all over Facebook showing Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura traveling Africa this week as they continue their humanitarian mission that began before leaving the White House four years ago.<br /><br />Slowly but surely liberals have begrudingly had to admit GWB has played a large role in <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/bush-aids-policies-shadow-obama-in-africa/2013/06/30/0c8e023c-e1ac-11e2-aef3-339619eab080_story.html?tid=pm_world_pop">AIDs relief</a> that has been credited with saving millions of lives. The Bushes have been <a href="http://bearingdrift.com/2012/04/03/george-w-bush-not-endorsing-in-presidential-primary-is-no-mystery/">instrumental in other global health advances</a>, too, and are almost revered in that part of the world. <br /><br />President Barack Obama? Not so much, and the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/obama-yet-to-leave-a-lasting-legacy-for-africa-on-the-scale-of-bush-and-clinton/2013/06/28/2d47d9f2-dfc3-11e2-8cf3-35c1113cfcc5_story_1.html">Washington Post</a> has noticed:<br /><blockquote>Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush passed innovative Africa initiatives while in the White House and passionately continue their development work in the region in their presidential afterlife. Obama’s efforts here have not been so ambitious, despite his personal ties to the continent.</blockquote>It must be a tad awkward for Obama to find himself in Bush's shadow after spending the first four years of his administration blaming his predecessor for everything that went wrong in America. The Post notes that Obama is five years into his administration and just now on a major tour of Africa, just the second time while President:<br /><blockquote>His first major tour of Africa as president is coming just now, in his fifth year, while Bush and Clinton are frequent fliers to Africa. Bush even will be in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, next week at the same time as Obama, although they have no plans to meet. Instead, their wives plan to appear together at a summit on empowering African women organized by the George W. Bush Institute, with the former president in attendance.</blockquote>The people of Africa had expected more from America's first black president after he told them in his first year, "I have the blood of Africa in me."<br /><br />Meanwhile, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush captured the heart of Africa with work that continues to this day:<br /><blockquote>Clinton first drew extensive attention to Africa in 1998 when he made the longest trip ever by a U.S. president, with stops in six countries that had never before been visited by any occupant of the Oval Office. Bush’s trip this week is his third in 19 months to promote his Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon partnership to combat breast and cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. On this visit, he and his wife, Laura, plan to help renovate a cervical cancer screening and treatment clinic in Zambia before heading to Tanzania for the African First Ladies Summit advocating investment in programs for women and girls.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI7N-R5ei14mySuFZE6ERRnUWTtuuULYNs3nQMCoTgzejuA9JbBUdOvurO4dnEkuOCLX3eMm3x8MbuVPiWd0d_X1Xvz9h83rTxg-ghPiSX_ynUoTUBiHfeG0mETAI7-4yIUgnpbEHa5jU/s640/George+W.+Bush+21+Afrida.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI7N-R5ei14mySuFZE6ERRnUWTtuuULYNs3nQMCoTgzejuA9JbBUdOvurO4dnEkuOCLX3eMm3x8MbuVPiWd0d_X1Xvz9h83rTxg-ghPiSX_ynUoTUBiHfeG0mETAI7-4yIUgnpbEHa5jU/s400/George+W.+Bush+21+Afrida.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>After a week of renovating, President and Mrs. Bush opened the Mosi-Oa-Tunya clinic, a cervical cancer facility in Livingstone, Zambia. Their trip demonstrates their continued commitment to the people of Africa through the work of the global health initiative at the George W. Bush Institute. June 30, 2013</i></div><br />Photos from the <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBushCenter?fref=ts">George W. Bush Presidential Center</a></i>

Africa AIDS Relief Barack Obama Bill Clinton George W. Bush George W. Bush Presidential Center humanitarian mission Laura Bush Washington Post Zambia WaPost: 'Obama yet to leave a lasting legacy for Africa on the scale of Bush and Clinton'

Laura and George W. Bush in Zambia, June 30, 2013. The pictures are all over Facebook showing Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura...

Read more »

THE BALKAN CHESSBOARD: RUSSIA’S RUBLE DIPLOMACY AND EU INTERESTS

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; 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; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH7wHJMtsVuYs7qmVosWZEQZNME5yTqUid-CB4wrfQHHikAputjMZM0KCjoW-0pVVzDWAN03xLgkaADXnWwod3vU6sSoAz3KT_WGxlesIPFK7nh8ZZOLDX9r5nHN6jcKG5KWBTPoMiqw9/s1600/balkans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH7wHJMtsVuYs7qmVosWZEQZNME5yTqUid-CB4wrfQHHikAputjMZM0KCjoW-0pVVzDWAN03xLgkaADXnWwod3vU6sSoAz3KT_WGxlesIPFK7nh8ZZOLDX9r5nHN6jcKG5KWBTPoMiqw9/s400/balkans.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><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";"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">OLD ACTORS ARE LOSING THEIR GEOPOLITICAL INFLUENCE OVER THE REGION</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Source: Aspeninstitute </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><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";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">In 1998, Zbigniew Brzezinski argued that “a power that dominates EURASIA would control two of the world’s three most advanced and economically productive regions. A mere glance at the map also suggests that control over EURASIA would entail AFRICA’S subordination, rendering the WESTERN Hemisphere and OCEANIA geopolitically peripheral to the world’s central continent”.</span> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His book <i>The Grand Chessboard</i> was indeed a major contribution to geopolitical studies. Depicting the new challenges for US foreign policy in a multipolar world, Brzezinski identifies the geopolitical Achilles’ heel of the 21st century in the area he designated as the GLOBAL BALKANS, i.e. “the swathe of EURASIA between EUROPE and the FAR EAST.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An arena of historical disputes among the UNITED STATES, RUSSIA and EUROPE, and a source of regional instability, the BALKANS are undergoing an uncertain transition towards a new security architecture; new forces are playing an increasingly crucial role and old actors are losing their geopolitical influence over the region. The gradual decline of US leadership coincides with the EUROZONE recession: the EU is perceived as unable to provide the BALKANS with a new pathway towards a form of pan-EUROPEAN integration and incentives for major structural and economic reforms. This political vacuum is exposing the area to the influence of other active powers, such as TURKEY and even ISRAEL, but above all RUSSIA.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></b><span style="color: blue; 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; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">EUROPEAN POLITICS IN THE BALKANS</span></b><span style="color: blue; 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: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/08/bosnia-cursed-by-european-union-eu.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/08/bosnia-cursed-by-european-union-eu.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/07/bosnia-european-unions-stepchild.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/07/bosnia-european-unions-stepchild.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/bosnia-suffers-from-unresolved-issues.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/bosnia-suffers-from-unresolved-issues.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/ethnic-rift-key-hindrance-to-bosnias.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/ethnic-rift-key-hindrance-to-bosnias.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/bosnia-2012.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/bosnia-2012.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><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";">RUSSIA’S ULTIMATE GEO-STRATEGIC GOAL IS TO RE-FRAME A CONTINENTAL BLOCK AGAINST THE ATLANTIC POWERS</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vladimir Putin’s renewed <i>EURASIANISM</i> validates this assumption. Alexander Dugin, a RUSSIAN politologist close to the Kremlin and the military entourage, acknowledges that RUSSIA’S ultimate geo-strategic goal is to re-frame a continental block against the ATLANTIC powers, by making use of the vast strategic and demographic potential of the EURASIAN continent. Following this approach, RUSSIA should adopt a multi-dimensional foreign policy waiving close relations with the EU, CHINA and the regional powers, such as IRAN and TURKEY.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Post-Soviet Space (<i>Bližee Sarubeže </i>or<i> Near Abroad </i>in Russian’s political rhetoric) stresses the historical and cultural affinities with the Slavic communities and represents a pivotal area for Moscow’s external projection. Energy links are the key tools of political leverage for RUSSIA’S power projection towards this <i>Near Abroad</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><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";">“SOUTH STREAM” PROJECT</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The “South Stream” project represents the cornerstone of this trend: the pipeline, once completed, will pump RUSSIAN gas under the Black Sea to BULGARIA, branching off in two directions, north to AUSTRIA and south to ITALY. Considering that EUROPE’S demand for gas imports is projected to grow significantly in the next few years (reaching 80 billion cubic meters by 2020 and surpassing 140 billion cubic meters by 2030) the South Stream project will be crucial for the EUROPEAN energy supply.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR481LSzprQvewLKYRKl9PJ53hZC4DihnXNAa6CJgkoNhi0mZS8_rR26Dk3g-Qqef55LjqtH5AyYi-IvoUNI4Bp6SN83zBhszATIbBcBdeff9HpBnOyy2lqIZIwmKA2mdG-2wnYk2mW-i/s466/nabucco-gas-pipeline.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR481LSzprQvewLKYRKl9PJ53hZC4DihnXNAa6CJgkoNhi0mZS8_rR26Dk3g-Qqef55LjqtH5AyYi-IvoUNI4Bp6SN83zBhszATIbBcBdeff9HpBnOyy2lqIZIwmKA2mdG-2wnYk2mW-i/s400/nabucco-gas-pipeline.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With the intent of securing political commitment to the South Stream Project, RUSSIA has signed inter-governmental agreements with several BALKAN states, such as CROATIA, SLOVENIA, SERBIA and BULGARIA. Moscow is aiming at promoting deeper economic integration in the BALKANS, possibly persuading the countries of the region to join the Customs Union between RUSSIA, BELARUS and KAZAKHSTAN.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><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";">RUSSIA’S INCREASING COMPETITION WITH CHINA </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Near Abroad is not just seen as an area of natural expansion of RUSSIAN interests, but also a factor in Moscow’s increasing competition with CHINA – – now an active competitor in the BALKANS. The uncertainty over the future of the EUROZONE was inevitably exported to the EU periphery with a GDP contraction of 5.2% in 2009 in BALKAN countries. Moscow is making its influence felt as a reliable counterpart for the BALKAN countries. The unresolved KOSOVO question and the relative (or at least temporary) weakening of the EU’s and NATO’s direct role in the region are viewed by Moscow as an opportunity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><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";">SERBIA TO OBTAIN LOANS FROM RUSSIA IN EXCESS OF $800 MILLION</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Encouraging RUSSIAN companies to invest in the region and raising the flag of cultural affinity, RUSSIA eyes the BALKANS as an economic hub to ensure better access to EUROPEAN markets. In SERBIA, the election of the RUSSIAN-leaning President Tomislav Nikolić is accelerating projects for the enhancement of hydro-electric stations, the advancement of the railway tracks and the rearming of the SERBIAN military. As a complement to those projects, Belgrade is also expected to receive RUSSIAN credits to the tune of $800 million.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In 2011, RUSSIA promoted large investments in the real estate sector in MONTENEGRO as well as in the oil and gas sector in MACEDONIA. In turn, more than 200 SLOVENIAN companies are operating in almost 50 RUSSIAN regions. To put this into context, EU FDIs have steeply declined in the last few years.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><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";">RUSSIA’S FOREIGN POLICY IN THE BALKANS LEVERAGES ENERGY LINKS......</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiST5j16qJmFIe5EyhfRCGjS7XU2Oz2F4_OlHDj0CfsXLAU_LoQNOcIRE4dOR5N0uBOvAMibpWasBW5n-31Bnfzs8z3y9MoO64XK2YTHmpBsFBwDIYskAwgoSqUmCzudUd_RWlAw5BGF1oq/s627/macedonia-pipeline-map-balkan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiST5j16qJmFIe5EyhfRCGjS7XU2Oz2F4_OlHDj0CfsXLAU_LoQNOcIRE4dOR5N0uBOvAMibpWasBW5n-31Bnfzs8z3y9MoO64XK2YTHmpBsFBwDIYskAwgoSqUmCzudUd_RWlAw5BGF1oq/s400/macedonia-pipeline-map-balkan.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meanwhile, lack of funds and of a reliable supply of natural gas are the main reasons for the stalemate of the EU’s flagship project of the Southern Gas Corridor – The Nabucco pipeline, the gas bridge from ASIA to EUROPE that was designed essentially to by-pass RUSSIA and link the TURKISH-BULGARIAN border to Baumgarten in AUSTRIA via BULGARIA, ROMANIA and HUNGARY. Once completed the 1,300km pipeline’s annual capacity will be between 10-23 billion cubic meters, one third of the actual capacity of South Stream.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information</span></b><span style="color: blue; 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; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ENERGY EQUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE BALKANS</span></b><span style="color: blue; 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; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/new-mediterranean-oil-and-gas-bonanza.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/new-mediterranean-oil-and-gas-bonanza.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/12/energy-adventures-in-eastern.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/12/energy-adventures-in-eastern.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/geo-strategic-dynamics-in-eastern.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/geo-strategic-dynamics-in-eastern.html</a></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/complexity-of-eastern-med-energy-games.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/04/complexity-of-eastern-med-energy-games.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12.0pt;">TRANS-ANATOLIAN PIPELINE: A GEOPOLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT, BUT NO PANACEA FOR TURKEY’S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE</span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-energy-dependency-on-countries.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/08/turkeys-energy-dependency-on-countries.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A widely shared perception is that as RUSSIA’S foreign policy in the BALKANS leverages energy links to promote diplomatic and security ties, and vice-versa, the EU may be <i>de facto</i> disengaging from the region.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The EUROPEANS remain committed to the principle of stabilization through integration, adopted in the late 1990s in the form of both military and civilian missions – the largest of which is currently EULEX in KOSOVO, aiming at promoting the rule of law with an executive mandate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, if the EU is to be a decisive player in the future, Brussels will have to identify new synergies in its pursuit of the enlargement process and the creation of a security architecture in the BALKANS. This will allow the promotion of its interests – within the framework of a common EUROPEAN space – while also entailing an economic cooperation with RUSSIA from a better bargaining position.</span></div>

THE BALKAN CHESSBOARD: RUSSIA’S RUBLE DIPLOMACY AND EU INTERESTS

OLD ACTORS ARE LOSING THEIR GEOPOLITICAL INFLUENCE OVER THE REGION Source: Aspeninstitute  In 1998, Zbigniew Brzezinski argued that “a powe...

Read more »

Stupid People Rule!!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jFFaNMGr62ytJ0TMiFf-s3TfkHWFzMBnGuLZpOPoqI8lbcbJrRL9yTbeUOzTH_lwjr2cQNCTvAOxXFYHmoBbAKoEcCkeonjvExj0obHccfo98aKrpbExMVAmPRfbvorVVnKvk2IX6P8/s750/Don+West+Zimmerman+Trial+Daughters.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jFFaNMGr62ytJ0TMiFf-s3TfkHWFzMBnGuLZpOPoqI8lbcbJrRL9yTbeUOzTH_lwjr2cQNCTvAOxXFYHmoBbAKoEcCkeonjvExj0obHccfo98aKrpbExMVAmPRfbvorVVnKvk2IX6P8/s400/Don+West+Zimmerman+Trial+Daughters.jpeg" width="266" /></a>If you are one of those freaks who lives vicariously through felons and follows trials on TV, you know that this past week, one of George Zimmerman’s defense attorney’s, Don West, opened his defense argument with the following:<br /><br />Know Knock?<br /><i>Who’s there?</i><br />George Zimmerman.<br /><i>George Zimmerman, who?</i><br />You’re on the jury.<br /><br />And then, later this past week Don West’s daughter Molly, posted a picture of Esquire Don and his other daughter, the slightly more than mildly hot Rachel West, on the internets. The trio seemed to certainly be enjoying the sucking and licking of their ice cream cones of stupidity.<br /><br />What does all of this tell us?<br /><br />Something we already knew, yet are constantly reminded of on a daily basis…<br /><br />People are stupid!!<br /><br />I know, I know…many of us knew that.  Many of us know that even we are on occasion, kinda stupid, but here’s the thing…I’m talking about folks who are in government…or a position of power…or a person who addresses the masses through the media.<br /><br />Don’t you think Attorney West could have told his daughter, or better yet, she on her own, would have the aforethought to not post a picture like that on the internet during the opening of the trial?<br /><br />The West family refers to this Friday ice cream eating tradition as, the ice cream cone of stupidity, and well…they nailed that one.<br /><br />Stupid, just plain stupid coming from the family of an attorney trying the biggest trial going to day, and then?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_kJpIxp2PrwLnkidwhaWNtvFul0RkZPLJW3qvoasQOy6x6uten1FtSKEcQdKXbj8eqtAgaZbIMwldWeeGVXoy_gws40bDwxAOjc0N2mLtf41yRMwTRJ3oORsh7BrcHcgwiQkM6SGFHU/s350/Louie+Gohmert+Crazy+Tea+Party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_kJpIxp2PrwLnkidwhaWNtvFul0RkZPLJW3qvoasQOy6x6uten1FtSKEcQdKXbj8eqtAgaZbIMwldWeeGVXoy_gws40bDwxAOjc0N2mLtf41yRMwTRJ3oORsh7BrcHcgwiQkM6SGFHU/s320/Louie+Gohmert+Crazy+Tea+Party.jpg" width="320" /></a>We have Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)…who upon hearing that the Supreme Court struck down DOMA immediately invoked the word of GAWD Almighty throug the teachings of Solomon…<br /><br /><i>"I think polygamy is wrong, bigamy is wrong, and it's a crime in many places -- but how will that be justifiable now that the court has removed this [DOMA]?  There's some [who] believe polygamy is a way to go….You know, King Solomon, many -- including me -- believe was the wisest man who ever lived…Of course, then he had too many wives, and that [will] always mess up anybody's wisdom."</i><br /><br />Loony Louie while attempting to let the words of God pass through his lips, managed to insult and belittle Jewish Mormons and tie gay marriage to the evils of polygamy that were the downfall of King Solomon and Brigham Young.<br /><br />And then, and THEN!!  Last week, Paula Deen, in efforts to keep hold of her vast, yet quickly crumbling media empire, was stupid enough to think that common folk were stupid enough to buy her non-tearful, Jimmy Swaggart-type mea culpa on the TODAY Show.<br /><br />But…there was a big difference between Swaggart’s apology and that of Paula Deen’s.  Jimmy admitted that he sinned, and Paula?  She just wants those of us who are without sin to hit her in the head with a rock.  And let me tell ya, if I was without sin, I would find the biggest boulder in the world and crush her cranium until it was nothing but…butter.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHBmFyhh_JVu24QYcUrHGTBAioVLVGxbaCyo7k6KcaGa_LWRq318GxWKdSSb_LkVNu7cNF2z2aaAXSO5Hy186D-jzOHpqq33mocj4l6At36fWrLQV0eVABRfBt6NWAHKkhvwYTbtQuy8/s428/Paula+Deen+Crying+Racist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHBmFyhh_JVu24QYcUrHGTBAioVLVGxbaCyo7k6KcaGa_LWRq318GxWKdSSb_LkVNu7cNF2z2aaAXSO5Hy186D-jzOHpqq33mocj4l6At36fWrLQV0eVABRfBt6NWAHKkhvwYTbtQuy8/s320/Paula+Deen+Crying+Racist.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Poor, clueless, and stupid Paula Deen, she is still living in the 60’s…the 1860’s.<br /><br />People of financial worth, positions of governmental power, and litigational libido, prove every day that they too can be as stupid as the rest of us peons.<br /><br />And really?  We don’t need that.  We need people to look up to.  We need people who give us something to shoot for.  We need heroes.<br /><br />Sadly, as we approach yet another Independence Day, our forefathers, builders of American capitalism, and rebellious scalawags seem more and more impressive, because well…<br /><br />Our “leaders” of today both public and private, are nothing more than self-involved, self-serving idiots, and to be truthful, so is a sizable cross-section of the American public.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Of course…a few folks who are not idiots did a radio show yesterday.  Jay, Matt, and the IWS Radio gang celebrated American Independence yesterday.  They celebrated the greatness of leaders past, and did so, with the hottest and most articulate lesbian in the world, Angie!!</div><br />Angie was as always, awesome, as were Kirk Douglas, Buddy Acapella, Bobby Kraft, and Paul Piatt.  If you missed the hilarity LIVE, you can listen to it right here:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="http://player.cinchcast.com/?show_id=5053823&platformId=1&assetType=single" width="400"></iframe></div><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;"><br /></div><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br />Matt-Man<br /><br /><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">@mattman_iws</span></a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mattmaniws" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Matt’s Facebook Page</span></a></div>

Stupid People Rule!!

If you are one of those freaks who lives vicariously through felons and follows trials on TV, you know that this past week, one of George Zi...

Read more »

Arizona wildfire tragedy claims 19 firefighters

In what may be the largest loss in Hotshot history, <a href="http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/22726613/2013/06/30/yarnell-hill-wildfire-grows-to-almost-1000-acres">tragedy</a> struck Sunday night as officials confirmed that 19 Prescott Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters were killed while battling the Yarnell Hill wildfire that has consumed over 1,000 acres.<br /><br />The news brings to light the heartbreaking reality of fighting dangerous western wildfires. <br /><br />The local <a href="http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/22726613/2013/06/30/yarnell-hill-wildfire-grows-to-almost-1000-acres">Fox affiliate</a> reported more about the fire:<br /><blockquote>The wildfire was likely caused by a lightning strike Saturday night.<br /><br />The Yarnell Hill fire, about 35 miles southwest of Prescott, has burned about 1,300 acres and forced the evacuation of 50 homes.<br /><br />The fire started Friday and has not yet burned down any structures, but Sunday night firefighters pushed the blaze back away from communities, hoping to keep the blaze from overtaking any homes.</blockquote><a href="https://plus.google.com/111766091747410833625/posts/6ahoQeeVmNr">Reports</a> are that a flashover killed all 19 even though they deployed their <a href="http://forestry.about.com/od/forestfire/tp/fire_shelter.htm">fire shelters</a>.<br /><br />It is reminiscent of the July 2, 1994, <a href="http://forestry.about.com/od/forestfire/ss/s_canyon_fire.htm">wildfire on Storm King Mountain </a>near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, also known as the South Canyon fire, when 14 Hotshots were killed. It, too, was started by a lightning strike. Firefighters were trapped when winds shifted in the extremely rugged terrain.<br /><br />More details about the breaking Arizona fire from <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/30/fire-in-arizona-prompts-evacuation-of-120-homes/2477469/?csp=fbfanpage">USA Today</a>. Prayers for the families and friends of those who were lost.

Arizona firefighters Fox News Hotshots Lynn R. Mitchell Prescott Granite Mountain Hotshots USA Today Yarnell Hill Arizona wildfire tragedy claims 19 firefighters

In what may be the largest loss in Hotshot history, tragedy struck Sunday night as officials confirmed that 19 Prescott Granite Mountain Ho...

Read more »

Storm clouds over the Blue Ridge Mountains

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcPMmmuNxleOtVn4OurySgMCBMfwM2KMLsubIrCVrP5LxAL7J6Ff6ZXeew-FeEuqTQTDWOCJfFa2JO_3AGYgp5nexSs5NlaY5BoNnk4ZccEQMKKK9_ootxQXLWX01n0lHJt1hpYRsvph_/s800/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcPMmmuNxleOtVn4OurySgMCBMfwM2KMLsubIrCVrP5LxAL7J6Ff6ZXeew-FeEuqTQTDWOCJfFa2JO_3AGYgp5nexSs5NlaY5BoNnk4ZccEQMKKK9_ootxQXLWX01n0lHJt1hpYRsvph_/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Storm clouds gather over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Photos were taken from Weyers Cave.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRP8cAjuqJeL0sIEsYc-6DpHpqQOTBx-gRWoJ8pGShIAmUMCyom8DTC6J7ru5InztKmz6CH70AKnriB7IeMzLc5rFCFqCkgUz_sXijEtOeF91fwneAFJTXzl0BLarxf5CDxh8PQ9tz6_l/s800/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDRP8cAjuqJeL0sIEsYc-6DpHpqQOTBx-gRWoJ8pGShIAmUMCyom8DTC6J7ru5InztKmz6CH70AKnriB7IeMzLc5rFCFqCkgUz_sXijEtOeF91fwneAFJTXzl0BLarxf5CDxh8PQ9tz6_l/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvu1fRsQH6GolyOwwPFcPpTQTrqP1xOksEKCtWRn-1hfPPLaaGjQFPgp4Zx9vECSKVJtpsaFHl9C1FpvGUEuhoIK7ZcxKGUAkEXLyTHJXdk5GF1k66z7YGtn-s_gaI7eKyh9d_VxCd0gf8/s800/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvu1fRsQH6GolyOwwPFcPpTQTrqP1xOksEKCtWRn-1hfPPLaaGjQFPgp4Zx9vECSKVJtpsaFHl9C1FpvGUEuhoIK7ZcxKGUAkEXLyTHJXdk5GF1k66z7YGtn-s_gaI7eKyh9d_VxCd0gf8/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfriWFGDwm4PJQz32Be4GsCFLtu_QSDu1-HKy1KY9ZXtWfqAyY6qJLwuYnp6MWDPmtOB3lbSkggkz5dFKDhTf5OswoiAu6P50XhzMg1IEDROIJi5PmGb7lyGXOd3rvynsk1qrb5J4TBRU/s800/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfriWFGDwm4PJQz32Be4GsCFLtu_QSDu1-HKy1KY9ZXtWfqAyY6qJLwuYnp6MWDPmtOB3lbSkggkz5dFKDhTf5OswoiAu6P50XhzMg1IEDROIJi5PmGb7lyGXOd3rvynsk1qrb5J4TBRU/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 28, 2013

Augusta County Blue Ridge Mountains storm clouds western Virginia Weyers Cave Storm clouds over the Blue Ridge Mountains

 Storm clouds gather over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Photos were taken from Weyers Cave. Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell June 28, 2013

Read more »

Sunday sunset

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssecOfWCXzhf9g3ogBkiEtRWxaX2qY-y9Aos2XIp6C2o524p4nHtrxoXAWsQfG0WdsLJPJa7bU-AeZlMVKm3GkDEgIj1J3zxc33K-YIyq-Pt3ZrMo8JZfvfHNXqXXeCtX0WFvDGRk9PPz/s800/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssecOfWCXzhf9g3ogBkiEtRWxaX2qY-y9Aos2XIp6C2o524p4nHtrxoXAWsQfG0WdsLJPJa7bU-AeZlMVKm3GkDEgIj1J3zxc33K-YIyq-Pt3ZrMo8JZfvfHNXqXXeCtX0WFvDGRk9PPz/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunday sunset over the Appalachian Mountains.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 30, 2013

Appalachian Mountains Augusta County Shenandoah Valley sunset western Virginia Sunday sunset

Sunday sunset over the Appalachian Mountains. Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell June 30, 2013

Read more »

Fragments of RPBW

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9164089708/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="448" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7296/9164089708_52e232f7d0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />In a summer of must-see architecture exhibitions (specifically I'm referring to <a href="http://www.world-architects.com/en/pages/le-corbusier-moma"><i>Le Corbusier</i> at MoMA</a>), there is one more<i>,</i> at the Gagosian Gallery on West 21st Street: <a href="http://www.gagosian.com/exhibitions/renzo-piano--june-27-2013"><i>Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments</i></a>, which runs until August 2. I stopped by on Thursday for the opening reception.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9164091994/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3753/9164091994_691ca51094_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Twenty-four tables document the same number of projects in the large skylit space, with even more models and photos overhead.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9164088540/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/9164088540_09317c7d52_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The opening reception was the least ideal time to visit the exhibition and get immersed in any of the projects, be it the Pompidou, the Tjibaou Cultural Center, the New York Times Building, or one of the in-progress projects on display. The large numbers of people just accentuated the sheer quantity of models, drawings, photos, books, and other objects on display, while making it impossible to sit down and examine the materials.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9164090458/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3668/9164090458_0987617125_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The exhibition has been done before <a href="http://www.fondazionerenzopiano.org/exhibition/62/renzo-piano-the-architect-s-studio-i-louisana-museum-of-modern-art-i/images/page/1/">in slightly different form as early as 2003</a>, but this iteration coincides with the halfway point of construction on Piano's Whitney Museum of American Art a few blocks south in the Meatpacking District; a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/sets/72157634415039287/">hard hat tour of the building</a> was hosted by the Whitney and Mr. Piano the day before the Gagosian opening.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9161870753/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7352/9161870753_c00c457605_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />My short visit to the Gagosian before heading to Long Island City for the <a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/2013/06/todays-archidose-688.html">MoMA PS1 unveiling</a> will be the first of at least a couple more; Piano's show requires numerous visits to really take in the thorough documentation presented. No wonder each table is served by eight chairs for sitting down to take a closer look at the projects. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9164087958/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="480" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5513/9164087958_06f0eb9564_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />While very few architects are deserving of such a treatment, if every architect thought of their process being displayed in a similar manner they would probably take more care in the sketches, models, and other pieces that make up the interim steps toward realizing a project. Or at the very least they wouldn't throw away the napkin sketch that seemed so important at the time but whose significance faded over time. <i>Fragments</i> expresses that each piece is an important part of the whole.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9164090858/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="800" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9164090858_622112335a_c.jpg" width="600" /></a><br /><br />Whatever you do, go see this show—but make sure you do it when you have a couple hours free.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/archidose/9161869675/" title="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments by archidose, on Flickr"><img alt="Renzo Piano Building Workshop: Fragments" height="800" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/9161869675_5d786e2a94_c.jpg" width="600" /></a>

Fragments of RPBW

In a summer of must-see architecture exhibitions (specifically I'm referring to Le Corbusier at MoMA ), there is one more , at the Gag...

Read more »