McDonald's Bagged Coffee Could Be a Great Idea

<div class="MsoNormal">I know what you’re thinking:  I wish I could buy some McDonald’s products in the grocery store.  Well, it appears that wish is about to be granted.  According to the Associated Press, McDonalds bagged coffee, both ground and whole bean, will <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mcdonalds-sell-bagged-coffee-next-002252647.html">soon be available</a> in test markets around the country. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">While the report is mum on where and exactly who will be selling McDonald’s bagged coffee next to Starbucks, Folgers, Dunkin Donuts, and whatever else is on shelves these days, consumers can hardly blame the hamburger and chicken nugget retailer for trying to grab a slice of the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/04/09/coffee-mania/2069335/">$20 billion a year</a> coffee industry in the United States.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/McDonalds/item/mcdonalds-Coffee-Small.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/McDonalds/item/mcdonalds-Coffee-Small.png" width="280" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The McCafe idea has caught on adding significantly more than the <a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/03/22/mcdonalds-names-next-ceo-don-thompson-the-man-behind-mccafe/">originally expected $125,000 per year</a> to restaurant sales.  Every time I am at the drive through I always see the specialty coffee drinks be handed out the window, and a lot of regular coffee cups as well.  <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It makes sense for the restaurant chain to add McDonald’s bagged coffee to a nontraditional retail setting for the chain, and I would not be surprised in the least to see K-Cups with the Golden Arches logo being tossed into Keurigs later in the year.  You can call Ronald a lot of things, but slow to adapt to change is apparently not one of them.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Even if the company can capture a tiny amount of market share from customers looking to duplicate their coffee experience at home, it will present a major win for the company.  The question of whether or not the process is financially viable remains to be seen, but any portion of $20 billion is pretty significant to me.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">McDonald’s bagged coffee presents an intriguing idea, but the cost to value relationship is important, and you have to wonder if store sales will sag because customers can brew the coffee at home before heading out the door instead of picking up a cup at the five locations they pass on their way to work (and perhaps add on a sausage biscuit or two).  <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">As the year unfolds it will be interesting to watch, as with anything the fast food giant does, I have to wonder how many other companies will jump on board.  Does the coffee at a fast food company merit bagged sales?  Lucky for everyone, time will have the answer to this question, but it does seem like a logical play for what could be a significant cash grab. <o:p></o:p></div>

national coffee sales will it work McDonald's Bagged Coffee Could Be a Great Idea

I know what you’re thinking:  I wish I could buy some McDonald’s products in the grocery store.  Well, it appears that wish is about to be g...

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Problem With Furtick Not That He is Wealthy, But Accumulation of Wealth Occurred BECAUSE He is a Pastor

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUv2u37k0ptoOo_zgeVWNygMPCuCJjh5z_71ZdqOt-fq0x-T8YR1WmISb3xCxfdttKG2RWVk5t7RblnjiuJVwjTDCS5u3EL43yaqQzHJM4Y5MlLMBBCjo8pDlCAWbZrx4svV32pHksira/s1600/customerparking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUv2u37k0ptoOo_zgeVWNygMPCuCJjh5z_71ZdqOt-fq0x-T8YR1WmISb3xCxfdttKG2RWVk5t7RblnjiuJVwjTDCS5u3EL43yaqQzHJM4Y5MlLMBBCjo8pDlCAWbZrx4svV32pHksira/s320/customerparking.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Over at Pajama Pages, an anonymous commenter "Josh" <a href="http://www.pajamapages.com/steven-furtick-and-the-walter-white-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-8790" target="_blank">posted a lengthy comment</a> that was worthy of featuring here. Below is the comment in its entirety, with some highlights by me.<br /><br /><b>But first a few comments of why I really like Josh's post. </b><br /><br />Josh's comments below touch on some of the issues of why this blog began in 2007. I had my own eyes opened up to the same sort of thing: <i><b>pastors made wealthy simply BECAUSE they are pastors</b></i>. Pastors who view the church as a business - THEIR business - THEIR FAMILY business. They hire marketing consultants, they use the church resources to build their own brand, to sell their own goods. They view Christians as customers, as impersonal "giving units" who generate revenue for their godly pursuits.<br /><br />And good people allow it. They defend it. They encourage it. As Josh says, the mentality is that if something is good for the CEO/pastor, it is good for the church. And people who give the money are not allowed to see the details of how it is spent, especially on CEO/pastor compensation. If you scan the early days of this blog, what Josh writes about are concerns I had in my own church, and I couldn't believe that good people in a good church would allow this sort of thing to go on. I figured if more people knew, they would do something. Thus the blog.<br /><br />I was wrong. And that is why Steven and Perry and Ed will keep on trucking. The consumers are brand loyal. This will be a very minor speed bump for Steven. The only question is: is this business ("church") model sustainable in the long run? <a href="http://www.pajamapages.com/steven-furtick-and-the-walter-white-conundrum/" target="_blank">As James Duncan wrote yesterday</a>, perhaps not.<br /><br />Lastly, in a strange way I might give MORE leeway to Steven Furtick and Perry Noble than I would most other celebrity mega church pastors in this: <i><b>at least Steven built his OWN business ("church") from the ground up</b></i>, with ZERO members. He just didn't come in behind other pastors and assume the throne and the perks, be anointed the king and get a sweet land deal and immediately build a huge house and put his family on staff and turn the church into his own family business.<br /><br />Steven has built quite a successful business, and feels he is justified in making lots of money. In his response to the congregation, he emphasized how he started the church with just 4 families.<br /><br />It is Steven's business, he started it, he is the CEO.<br /><br />Here is Josh's post:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="comment-text"><i><b>The problem with Furtick isn’t that he’s rich, or even that he’s a rich pastor. <span style="color: red;">The problem is that he’s rich because he’s a pastor.</span> If professing Christian Steven Furtick started a successfully bakery, retail store or construction company in 2006 that was incredibly successful, so much so that he could buy a 3 million dollar home, few would criticize him for enjoying his earnings. In fact, the world and people in the church generally look favorably on successful Christian businessmen. <span style="color: red;">No one questions how Truett Cathy spends his Chick-fil-a money, for example.</span></b></i><br /><br /><i><b><span style="color: red;">The problem is that Furtick and others got their money by turning the church into a business. Pastors like Furtick are obsessed with business leadership because they fashion themselves as the CEO and identify more with celebrity CEOs like Steve Jobs than with non-celebrity pastors</span>. Decisions are made by the CEO to build the brand, to create a larger customer base, to increase the giving margin, and to expand into new opportunities. Church personnel decisions are made in the same way. Is the youth pastor growing the youth brand? Is the worship pastor stylish enough? While such decisions are constrained at some point by biblical considerations…they aren’t going to hire a guy who publicly rejects the bible…the biblical standards of Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3 aren’t really considerations. </b></i><br /><br /><i><b>This creates two problems, though. One, churches aren’t businesses and aren’t supposed to be run as such. There is nothing wrong with Macy’s developing a non-fraudulent pricing and promotional strategy designed to extricate consumers with as many spending dollars as possible. Macy’s should offer products and services designed to produce high margin income. But churches aren’t businesses. The pastor shouldn’t spend time developing (or more likely purchasing from consultants) “offering talks,” or message series, or coaching services, or conferences with a goal of increasing the church’s income. The church shouldn’t be selling books and tshirts and lattes and bibles or anything else. God’s house is not a house of merchandise!</b></i><br /><br /><i><b>So when the Furticks of the Christian world stand up and talk about money (and they talk about money a lot!) it sounds a lot like Macy’s running television commercials for their two-day after Thanksgiving sale. <span style="color: red;">When they preach on tithing (a subject on which bible believing Christians can easily disagree), it sounds self-serving because it is self-serving. Is it Furtick the preacher of God’s word talking, or Furtick the CEO of Elevation Church, Inc. talking?</span> Nothing has changed in two thousand years. A pastor cannot serve two masters.</b></i><br /><br /><i><b>The second problem is the conflict of interest between the company (the church) and the CEO (the pastor.) Former GM CEO Charles Wilson reputedly once claimed that “What’s good for GM is good for the country.” (A misquote, but that’s not the point here.) <span style="color: red;">Celebrity CEO Pastors seem to believe that what’s good for the Lead Pastor is good for the church. That’s why they freely write and promote books on “church time” and bring in other celebrity CEO pastors to “teach”</span> (with undisclosed and sizable speaking fees). Does Furtick invite Craig Groeshel to teach for $____ because Groeshel brought in Furtick to teach at Lifechurhc for $_____? No one knows because it’s all a big, big secret. Is the five week sermon series on “Sun Stand Still Prayers” for the edification of the church, or to promote the CEO’s new book, which is conveniently for sale in the church bookstore. <span style="color: red;">Building the CEO’s profile will help him sell books, increase his demand as a guest speaker, and feed his ego. But does it benefit the church? None of your business</span>.</b></i><br /><br /><i><b>The clear conflict of interest is exacerbated by an utter lack of accountability. Sure, if Furtick gets caught sleeping with his cute personal assistant (which has happened in at least two smaller CEO-style churches I’m aware of), he couldn’t salvage his position. But no one from inside his inner circle is going to question his business dealings, his use of church time to work on and promote his books, his purchase of his own and friends books by the church, his speaking fee at churches with mutual relationships, or his promotional choice of message series. <span style="color: red;">Anyone from the inside who did ask such impertinent questions would suddenly find themselves on the outs, <span style="color: black;">and in a personality driven organization</span></span>, loss of access to the leader is a dire sanction. <span style="color: red;">Outsiders in the media or blog may ask questions, but they won’t get answers.</span> And the rank and file members will stay on and keep giving.</b></i></div></blockquote><br />Josh is so right: outsiders in the media or blog may ask questions, but they won't get answers.<br /><br />Never.

Problem With Furtick Not That He is Wealthy, But Accumulation of Wealth Occurred BECAUSE He is a Pastor

Over at Pajama Pages, an anonymous commenter "Josh" posted a lengthy comment that was worthy of featuring here. Below is the comm...

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"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is back tonight for the 47th year

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHveDUsgN-E3EKFIi-8zHIKy-YHSQNfcwcugZaloFhIbp8ftW7KrH01wlh0KSrTjzglmsyPYspFqaaSd9VUZ66VKU42WY1z2ePq6N21O8gXbjuiHqC71GbX360c4vhhMLhfqv19tGOOqO/s1600/Peanuts+Halloween+gang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHveDUsgN-E3EKFIi-8zHIKy-YHSQNfcwcugZaloFhIbp8ftW7KrH01wlh0KSrTjzglmsyPYspFqaaSd9VUZ66VKU42WY1z2ePq6N21O8gXbjuiHqC71GbX360c4vhhMLhfqv19tGOOqO/s320/Peanuts+Halloween+gang.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It's Halloween! Do you know where you'll be at 8:00 tonight? I'll be parked right in front of the television watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," that classic Peanuts Gang treat that first aired on October 27, 1966. This year viewers will enjoy it on the holiday itself.<br /><br />Follow along as <span class="kno-fv"><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22charlie+brown%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAAEsANP_AHvTx-gAAAAPCAMiCS9tLzAxM3ozbkAB8F7Th9WmiiCJ1LsF093onJlDlHBfTylNLAAAAA">Charlie Brown</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22snoopy%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA2NksUH8Obtl5-y_i_99Zv29-IPtrsMABdV0BCwAAAA">Snoopy</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22linus+van+pelt%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA2PiDov3npMYSnWuM09bEc23_8Q0lmoAv8UWpSwAAAA">Linus van Pelt</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22lucy+van+pelt%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA-PZLPNT03x-Ck6NP2V3QE5Yk0Fg6goAbM_SjywAAAA">Lucy van Pelt</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22sally+brown%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA-O60JkLl6rd_XCH5c2nBu2gVd4V0mcBQ9QHliwAAAA">Sally Brown</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22schroeder%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA2PRkcWzS9uXsO8oyle8VCMr3X1YZyYA18fceywAAAA">Schroeder</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22pig-pen%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA-MUuZtpO_U_vDiqV7xPd7tUwGqfY7cALeKcRSwAAAA">Pig-Pen</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22patty%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA6PF8rJZucmrvGq9bh5avca7faeHxQMAAl8MFiwAAAA">Patty</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22violet+gray%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA-MCdx6WNzv8d9_xvfq3UoFBaceZqxwAtrGYiiwAAAA">Violet Gray</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22frieda%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA-P3bdMWOVQb_T11kW3p-vLkr35WrR0Aa-_jiCwAAAA">Frieda</span>, <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?biw=1366&bih=664&q=%22it%27s+the+great+pumpkin,+charlie+brown%22+%22characters%22+%22shermy%22&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAz8HsxKnfq6-gaFxlXGeA-P-461qUbk8m-X2Bdd9uNbMyOWw4ScABh2XiiwAAAA">and Shermy</span></span> spend Halloween -- some in the traditional door-to-door search for treats -- and others waiting for the Great Pumpkin.<br /><br />"Comic Riffs" reporter Michael Cavna at the <i>Washington Post</i> has <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/its-the-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown-7-things-you-dont-know-about-thursdays-peanuts-special/2013/10/28/abb92e4c-4023-11e3-9c8b-e8deeb3c755b_blog.html">"7 Things You Don't Know About 'Peanuts' Special"</a> with some interesting tidbits of info. <br /><br />In today's fast-paced, ever-changing world, it's somehow comforting that the Peanuts gang is still alive and well and enjoying Halloween 47 years after the original showing. Creator Charles Schulz would be proud.

autumn in Shenandoah Valley Charles Schulz halloween It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown Linus Peanuts Snoopy "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is back tonight for the 47th year

It's Halloween! Do you know where you'll be at 8:00 tonight? I'll be parked right in front of the television watching "It&#...

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Today's Teamster News 10.31.13

<a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/teamsters-hold-first-meeting-dc-taxi-operators-association">Teamsters Hold First Meeting Of D.C. Taxi Operators Association</a>  teamster.org   ...Hundreds of taxicab drivers in the nation’s capital attended the first meeting of the new Washington, D.C., Taxi Operators Association Tuesday in overwhelming support for a strong affiliation with the Teamsters as the city imposes major, costly industry changes affecting their livelihoods...<br /><a href="http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/281002/158/DC-cabbies-to-be-represented-by-Teamsters" rel="nofollow">DC Cabbies to Be Represented by Teamsters</a>  WUSA9 News   ...A big vote in Northeast DC has forever changed the political landscape for DC cab drivers. See the video... <br /><a href="http://www.dclabor.org/ht/display/ArticleDetails/i/112372" rel="nofollow">DC Taxi Drivers Organize</a>  DC Labor   ...DC taxi drivers chanted "We will win! We will win!" at yesterday's first meeting of the Washington DC Taxi Operators Association, which formalized its affiliation with Teamsters Local Union 922...<br /><a href="http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/money/business/2013/10/29/teamsters-members-reject-wegmans-contract/3310281/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters members reject Wegmans contract</a>  Democrat and Chronicle   ...For the second time during this round of contract talks, Wegmans' Rochester-based distribution and transportation employees have rejected the contract proposal that was agreed to by Wegmans and Teamsters Local 118...<br /><a href="http://www.wadenapj.com/content/arbitrator-rules-teamsters-local-320-and-wadena-county-contract-sues" rel="nofollow">Arbitrator rules on Teamsters Local 320 and Wadena County (Minnesota) contract issues</a>  Wadena Pioneer Journal   ...Nearly 11 months after the county’s new labor agreements went into effect on Jan. 1, arbitrator Stephen F. Befort delivered his decisions on the unresolved issues between the county and its unit of 19 essential public safety employees represented by Teamsters Local 320...<br /><a href="http://www.abc57.com/home/top-stories/Some-Teamsters-unhappy-about-pay-raises-229765421.html" rel="nofollow">City delays budget vote after Teamsters delay contract vote</a>  ABC 57 News   ...The vote happens Tuesday and Wednesday and will affect about 250 city employees who are members of Teamsters Local 364...<br /><a href="http://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/ltl-shipping/yrc-worldwide/yrc-worldwide-teamsters-set-meet-dallas_20131029.html" rel="nofollow">YRC Worldwide, Teamsters Set to Meet in Dallas</a>  Journal of Commerce   ...YRC Worldwide, fresh from a terminal network restructuring and change in leadership at $3.2 billion less-than-truckload carrier YRC Freight, will meet with the Teamsters union early next month to discuss the company’s future...<br /><a href="http://democratherald.com/news/local/county-teamster-union-agree-to--year-contract/article_f32ab8b4-40e0-11e3-aec5-0019bb2963f4.html?comment_form=true" rel="nofollow">County, Teamster Union agree to 4-year contract Albany</a>  Democrat-Herald   ...Linn County in Oregon has reached a four-year wage and benefits contract with Teamster Local Union No. 670, which represents about 42 of the county’s 600 employees...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/corporations-take-take-take-while-workers-pay-bill" rel="nofollow">Corporations Take, Take, Take While Workers Pay The Bill</a> (opinion)  teamster.org   ...What do mega-corporations like communications giant Verizon and big pharma drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb have in common, besides their billions in earnings? They both paid an effective tax rate of zero percent over the past year...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/abf-update-central-region-local-cartage-teamsters-overwhelmingly-decline-authorize-strike">ABF Update: Central Region Local Cartage Teamsters Overwhelmingly Decline To Authorize A Strike At ABF</a>  teamster.org   ...In a vote with 77 percent turnout, a majority of the membership covered by the Central Region Local Cartage Supplement has overwhelmingly (70% to 30%) chosen not to authorize a strike at ABF...<br /><a href="http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/10/anheuser-busch_teamsters_start_contract_talks_could_fate_of_syracuse-area_brewer.html" rel="nofollow">Anheuser-Busch, Teamsters start contract talks</a>  The Post-Standard   ...Negotiations will start next month on a new labor contract that could determine the future for the Anheuser-Busch InBev brewery near Baldwinsville, New York...<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-24/is-funeral-home-chain-scis-growth-coming-at-the-expense-of-mourners" rel="nofollow">Is Funeral Home Chain SCI's Growth Coming at the Expense of Mourners?</a>  Bloomberg   ...For traditional funerals, SCI charges $6,256 on average (excluding casket and cemetery plot), 42 percent more than independents...<br /><a href="http://www.unionplus.org/union-made/halloween-treats?header" rel="nofollow">Union-Made Halloween Treats</a>  unionplus.org   ...When those little ghosts and goblins come collecting on Halloween, make sure you have a full supply of union-made-in-America treats for them like Jelly Belly's candy corn. Find out about other goodies that are made by union workers...<br /><a href="http://bethlehem.patch.com/groups/schools/p/todays-college-grads-wont-be-able-to-retire-until-theyre-73" rel="nofollow">Today's College Grads Won't Be Able to Retire Until They're 73</a>  Bethlehem Patch   ...Student loan debt likely will force today's college grads to work longer...<br /><a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/stop-the-social-security-stupidity-a-q-a" rel="nofollow">Stop The Social Security Stupidity: A Q&A With Bernie Sanders</a>  Talking Points Memo   ...The Koch brothers, Pete Peterson and other billionaires are spending huge amounts of money trying to cut Social Security and other vitally important federal programs. As part of this campaign, an enormous amount of misinformation is floating around...<br /><a href="http://www.msnbc.com/all/americas-new-hunger-crisis" rel="nofollow">America’s new hunger crisis</a>  MSNBC   ...“When 50 million people in the richest country on the planet are hungry, that’s a crisis...”<br /><a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BUDGET_DEFICIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT" rel="nofollow">US budget deficit down to $680B, lowest in 5 years</a>  Associated Press   ...For the first time in five years, the U.S. government has run a budget deficit below $1 trillion...<br /><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-rt-us-usa-trade-20131029,0,5398194.story" rel="nofollow">U.S. trade official pushes Congress to renew trade promotion authority</a>  Reuters   ...The Obama administration's top trade official said on Tuesday that the United States is aiming to finalize a giant trade deal with 11 other Pacific Rim nations by the end of year, but that it needs Congress to approve a rule to speed up the talks...<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-24680283" rel="nofollow">Brazil protests: Sao Paulo bus station attacked</a>  BBC News   ...Friday's protests began with a march through the city that lasted about three hours. Violence erupted when a section of the crowd broke off and attacked a bus terminal in the city centre, police said...<br /><a href="http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/state/Census-More-Ohioans-living-in-poverty-than-since-before-the-Great-Recession" rel="nofollow">Census: More Ohioans living in poverty than since before the 'Great Recession'</a>  Associated Press   ...A U.S. Census report shows there are more Ohioans living in poverty than before the Great Recession. The numbers show one in six Ohioans was living in poverty last year. The state's poverty rate increased from 13.1 percent in 2007 to 16.3 percent in 2012...<br /><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/john-kasich-war-on-poor-gop-republicans-2013-10" rel="nofollow">GOP GOVERNOR: 'There Seems To Be A War On The Poor' With Republicans In Washington</a>  Business Insider   ...Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) criticized members of his party in Washington in an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, saying there "seems to be a war on the poor."...<br /><a href="http://www.indystar.com/viewart/20131029/OPINION/310290027/Lower-middle-class-workers-get-trampled" rel="nofollow">Lower middle-class workers get trampled</a>  Indianapolis Star   ...Consumer confidence has plunged for lower middle-class Americans in recent years...<br /><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/10/30/2859291/alabama-blogger-arrested-jailed-writing-governor%3Cem%3Es-son/" rel="nofollow">Alabama Blogger Arrested, Jailed For Writing About Former Governor’s Son</a>  ThinkProgress   ...this sort of order is what is known as a prior restraint on First Amendment expression and is almost certainly unconstitutional...<br /><a href="http://www.blackagendareport.comhttp//www.blackagendareport.com/content/detroit-will-be-democracys-decisive-battle/content/detroit-will-be-democracys-decisive-battle" rel="nofollow">Detroit Will be Democracy's Decisive Battle</a>  Black Agenda Report   ...Detroit is the battleground chosen by Wall Street to crush the last vestiges of American democracy by creating “the template for direct corporate rule.”...<br /><br />

Today's Teamster News 10.31.13

Teamsters Hold First Meeting Of D.C. Taxi Operators Association   teamster.org   ...Hundreds of taxicab drivers in the nation’s capital att...

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The Royal Television Society Present 'Broadchurch - Anatomy Of A Hit'

<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/AVvXsEgwAJURg0x9miJpNWo6YaSwbdGHuUTBZ2sDElLKCLFdfCf-HUoSFbJo3CnrRq0nvDy5jU5Ma_EG1x46NSQ2KzVEiZzPBjBRiaZEHApKhV_TFHgVMlrbnoSEVzPsdjXc7vIUfQp9DhU3LCAq/s1600/Broadchurch_Banner+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAJURg0x9miJpNWo6YaSwbdGHuUTBZ2sDElLKCLFdfCf-HUoSFbJo3CnrRq0nvDy5jU5Ma_EG1x46NSQ2KzVEiZzPBjBRiaZEHApKhV_TFHgVMlrbnoSEVzPsdjXc7vIUfQp9DhU3LCAq/s640/Broadchurch_Banner+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Royal Television Society present an exclusive look behind the scenes at the creative process behind <i>Broadchurch</i>, the TV drama that hooked the nation earlier this year, as cast and creatives meet at a live event to discuss the success of the ITV show. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Series creator Chris Chibnall, Kudos chief executive Jane Featherstone, director James Strong and star Olivia Colman will be guest speakers at Broadchurch - Anatomy Of A Hit which takes place at 6.30 on Thursday 28th November at 6.30pm at the Cavendish Conference Centre in London. The event will be hosted by Heat editor Boyd Hilton. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rts.org.uk/broadchurch-anatomy-hit-0"><span style="color: blue;">Click here to register for the event</span></a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The award winning eight part series <i>Broadchurch </i>starred David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Arthur Darvill, Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan. Originally airing on ITV, the series has now been broadcast all over the world, including the USA, Australia, Canada, Russia, Latin America Sweden and Norway. It will soon be seen in France, Germany, Spain and New Zealand. A second series goes into production next year, while Chris Chibnall is executive producing a US version of the show for FOX , retitled <i>Gracepoint</i>, also starring David Tennant.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>

Broadchurch Chris Chibnall Olivia Colman TV Drama The Royal Television Society Present 'Broadchurch - Anatomy Of A Hit'

The Royal Television Society present an exclusive look behind the scenes at the creative process behind Broadchurch , the TV drama that hook...

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Trick or Treat!

Its Halloween!<div><br></div><div>We won't be home this evening so I left out a bowl of chocolate bars for any children who call.</div><div><br></div><div>There are only about 10 children on our street and I don't know if any will call - some are quite young.</div><div><br></div><div>Traditionally when you call looking for sweets at neighbors doors in Ireland you would chant "Help the Halloween Party". However over time (and probably seeing it in movies) children have gradually started saying the American "Trick or Treat".  I grew up saying "Help the Halloween Party" - I miss the kids saying it! </div><div><br></div><div>What did you say as a child when you called to houses at Halloween?</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehv7_Kvh2aQ4NAIDtzLSPZw1-mi5KJNuE0eXmvcU9eIwhgQfy7RJf4cR4vMkX8LVP9xPe_vgxpq-SZxI5zRgsWgSGpRfaLKkKgUQvSgvW_nSf5PIzXFnLNkhH1kjXyIfgRWfLYtDYBRQX/s640/blogger-image-1363311287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehv7_Kvh2aQ4NAIDtzLSPZw1-mi5KJNuE0eXmvcU9eIwhgQfy7RJf4cR4vMkX8LVP9xPe_vgxpq-SZxI5zRgsWgSGpRfaLKkKgUQvSgvW_nSf5PIzXFnLNkhH1kjXyIfgRWfLYtDYBRQX/s640/blogger-image-1363311287.jpg"></a></div><br></div>

Trick or Treat!

Its Halloween! We won't be home this evening so I left out a bowl of chocolate bars for any children who call. There are only about 10 c...

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Warm, Breezy, Dare I Say Muggy

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkW4GbsKGReSmG4pc9csClNFomu6KFD6TPGSPJ4NHipWoz_YiC_YqP-e3jl_zKiAqbWSlSjfrdAP6KJgRwk_VpwroBW2ZohRpJeJK8t-wQJiZdrLizFsHFfPh8C48prx-iolpvdHJ85Me/s1600/103113-AM1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkW4GbsKGReSmG4pc9csClNFomu6KFD6TPGSPJ4NHipWoz_YiC_YqP-e3jl_zKiAqbWSlSjfrdAP6KJgRwk_VpwroBW2ZohRpJeJK8t-wQJiZdrLizFsHFfPh8C48prx-iolpvdHJ85Me/s400/103113-AM1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />A storm system's approach to our region is going to provide a push of warmth and extra mugginess tomorrow. While we may not see a ton of sunshine tomorrow, a warm front will lift far enough north to bring warmer conditions to the Delaware Valley.<br /><br />Not to mention higher dew points -- we could see them push north of 60 tomorrow, reminding you of what humidity is.<br /><br />We've nudged temperatures around a bit tomorrow -- I'm a bit more aggressive on temperatures for Philly and points south, reflective of the fact we will have a nice push of warmth aloft and at the surface as winds increase through the afternoon hours. North of the city will have a tougher time warming as much but should get into the 60's rather easily.  The question turns to just "how warm" we get -- we're projecting mid 60's in Allentown, upper 60's along the PA Turnpike, with around or just above 70 for everyone else.  If we don't get enough brightening temperatures could be a few degrees cooler. That said, the push of warmth is pretty solid and should do enough to nudge us pretty close to these points.<br /><br />A few showers are possible north and west of Route 222 during the day but odds are the vast, vast majority of the region is dry until late tonight when the shield of rain and some thunder approaches.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian0IjpDMlPta4MTrNzN-OFFD-Kef6J0nQ3TA0Doin2q3aPDxNbnNIWmuv6HeX8LgX4g8zpgjdwBh27GiYkRTHxGrgGK7Nxpgjc1zcjPTHwtTzWRrDTHzEejSCth3zKO7mfSq-chUIMWlC/s1600/103113-AM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEian0IjpDMlPta4MTrNzN-OFFD-Kef6J0nQ3TA0Doin2q3aPDxNbnNIWmuv6HeX8LgX4g8zpgjdwBh27GiYkRTHxGrgGK7Nxpgjc1zcjPTHwtTzWRrDTHzEejSCth3zKO7mfSq-chUIMWlC/s400/103113-AM2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />

daycast Warm, Breezy, Dare I Say Muggy

A storm system's approach to our region is going to provide a push of warmth and extra mugginess tomorrow. While we may not see a ton of...

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Happy Halloween: Fright Night Blooper Reel

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5qGqncdz8wB-8ahFwR7UpO95FxSbDApO3NRCEatLkYRA0QOICv-WDKUYkKpUhwBidqfQkkpJ5DElf99ZyidOIyk4NnVjoReYu6P_W5yoKXU3ZFRWR-luxiaZxtQXzx7kxqlRsLD52G_X/s640/vlcsnap-2012-10-31-12h28m43s127.png" width="640" /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a devilishly good treat for Halloween <span style="background-color: #fafafa; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">here's a video of outtakes from David Tennant's Hollywood horror movie Fright Night, be warned it includes scenes of a gory nature and a very itchy pair of leather trousers!</span></span></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6zdBDCMbxsY?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br />

David Tennant Fright Night halloween VIDEO Happy Halloween: Fright Night Blooper Reel

As a devilishly good treat for Halloween  here's a video of outtakes from David Tennant's Hollywood horror movie Fright Night, be wa...

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Happy Halloween - Listen To David Tennant Read Vampire Stories

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfI9AfHCQE-dGKQ120Rk2qKKbefxu4NP1zALFJeCvb54EdQUjCnsChzRlKFVAOK5NqOQn1gK9anlYVLe6BpCT5fsobutw2pNnDOn5EIwWKNLgA23gAPD8PYw7HBtX5uxVhiK8aXWc9JQ/s1600/frightnightstill-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfI9AfHCQE-dGKQ120Rk2qKKbefxu4NP1zALFJeCvb54EdQUjCnsChzRlKFVAOK5NqOQn1gK9anlYVLe6BpCT5fsobutw2pNnDOn5EIwWKNLgA23gAPD8PYw7HBtX5uxVhiK8aXWc9JQ/s640/frightnightstill-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy Halloween! We hope you all have a suitably spooky day. To get you in the mood here's some tales of vampires read by David Tennant!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They're bloody fang-tastic...</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div><div><strong><a href="http://www.david-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/vamp1.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bewitched</span></span></a></strong></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bewitched by Edith Wharton. Saul still goes out to see his previous girlfriend...even though she died years ago.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div></div><div><strong><a href="http://www.david-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/vamp2.mp3" target="_self"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drink My Blood</span></span></a></strong></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drink My Blood by Richard Matheson is about a young schoolboy whose only ambition in life is to become a vampire. </span></div><div></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div><a href="http://www.david-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/vamp3.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Girl With Hungry Eyes</span></strong></span></a></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Girl With The Hungry Eyes by Fritz Lieber concentrates on the magnetic power of the vampire.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div></div><div><a href="http://www.david-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/vamp4.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Lot Of Mince Pies</span></strong></span></a></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Lot Of Mince Pies by Robert Swindells focuses on a group of carol singers who visit the same cottage every year.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div></div><div><strong><a href="http://www.david-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/vamp5.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lady Of The House Of Love</span></span></a></strong></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lady Of The House Of Love by Angela Carter a virginal English soldier, travelling through Romania by bicycle, finds himself in a deserted village.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div><a href="http://www.team-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/bookbed1.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Dead Persons In Hungry</strong></span></a><br />David Tennant reads Antoine Calmet's accounts of real Vampires, gathered from people across Europe who believed they had seen the creatures with their own eyes.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="http://www.team-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/bookbed2.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><strong>The Family Of The Vordalak</strong></span></a><br />Gorcha sets off on a mysterious mission but tells his family not to accept him if he should return after 10 days - for then he will be a vampire.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.team-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/bookbed3.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><strong>The Horla</strong></span></a><br />Guy de Maupassant's striking psychological tale enters the world of the Vampire and how it corrupts and destroys the brain.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.team-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/bookbed4.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Luella Miller</strong></span></a><br />Luella Miller seems incapable of helping herself. But everyone who comes to her aid soon ails and dies in their efforts.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.team-tennant.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/bookbed5.mp3"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Clarimonde</strong></span></a><br />In this true struggle between good and evil, heaven and hell, Theophile Gautier creates a whirlwind world of sensuality, seduction and rampant vampirism. </div></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div>

audio David Tennant halloween Happy Halloween - Listen To David Tennant Read Vampire Stories

Happy Halloween! We hope you all have a suitably spooky day. To get you in the mood here's some tales of vampires read by David Tennant!...

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Three (Mesmerizing) Hitchcock Villains Revisited on Halloween

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSnqgNb87Y0Ng5pmOACjMm2jPPAmtBgMQ5x2DsyCg9O23qxd8oNZHUbOC6kPYdfIbHsghcAX6RvY-yGEGmroVmcfDcn2-QGwrLnb7offHNexh9mLMcKXRaIU5bnWZBi1BqPQmM5GL_88/s1600/Hitchcock_Halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSnqgNb87Y0Ng5pmOACjMm2jPPAmtBgMQ5x2DsyCg9O23qxd8oNZHUbOC6kPYdfIbHsghcAX6RvY-yGEGmroVmcfDcn2-QGwrLnb7offHNexh9mLMcKXRaIU5bnWZBi1BqPQmM5GL_88/s400/Hitchcock_Halloween.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today (and today only) our friend Lara of <i>Backlots</i> is hosting a one day <i>Hitchcock Halloween</i> blogathon and for the occasion I'm resurrecting an old favorite from the <i>Reel Life</i> archives.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In January 2011 the Classic Movie Blog Association hosted a Hitchcock blogathon and I decided rather than blog about a particular film, I'd take another approach. The result was an exploration of three legendary Hitchcock killers and the actors who portrayed them: Joseph Cotten's Uncle Charlie in <i>Shadow of a Doubt </i>(1943), Robert Walker's Bruno Anthony in <i>Strangers on a Train </i>(1951) and Anthony Perkins's Norman Bates in <i>Psycho </i>(1960). I was and still am fascinated by the complex characters of Uncle Charlie, Bruno and Norman - and with the masterful performances of the three daring actors who took their turns as what film critic/historian David Thomson calls Hitchcock's "smiling psychopaths."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://eves-reel-life.blogspot.com/2011/01/cmba-hitchcock-blogathon-three-classic.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Click here to read </span></a><i><a href="http://eves-reel-life.blogspot.com/2011/01/cmba-hitchcock-blogathon-three-classic.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Three Classic Hitchcock Killers</span></a><span style="color: black;">.</span></i></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For links to Lara's blog and and more on <i>Hitchcock Halloween</i>, <a href="http://backlots.net/2013/10/31/the-hitchcock-halloween-blogathon-the-entries/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">click here</span></a>.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ATvefdWqpCu1fTzNykEpJ4m1FgXaXYs1CpK9_yRW8aU1I19JETubqPw-NpP-K1rfr2VZoeDSNJTIPxX3X3w6CtDOZABiUq6DZ2HBFnCvtl8BRW6eugzV51ePZK4cF4F_PVBbSl-0DE8/s1600/Classic_Killers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ATvefdWqpCu1fTzNykEpJ4m1FgXaXYs1CpK9_yRW8aU1I19JETubqPw-NpP-K1rfr2VZoeDSNJTIPxX3X3w6CtDOZABiUq6DZ2HBFnCvtl8BRW6eugzV51ePZK4cF4F_PVBbSl-0DE8/s1600/Classic_Killers.JPG" /></a></div><span id="goog_1974639347"></span><span id="goog_1974639348"></span><br />

Alfred Hitchcock Backlots Hitchcock Halloween Psycho Shadow of a Doubt Strangers on a Train The Lady Eve (author) Three (Mesmerizing) Hitchcock Villains Revisited on Halloween

Today (and today only) our friend Lara of Backlots is hosting a one day Hitchcock Halloween blogathon and for the occasion I'm resurre...

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Happy Halloween, Wanna See Something Scary?

Watch this guy process a deer in under two minutes.<br /><br />If you are squeamish, don't bother coming around here.<br /><br />This Blog isn't for pussies or little kids anyway.<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XF2kKqjvG08" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br />BTW, Happy Birthday to my little brother BP.<br /><br /> Heh, little, the shithead outweighs me by damn near 90 pounds and is two inches taller than I am.<br />50 years ago I got my trick or treating cut short because of him and I still remember having to sit in the damn car at the hospital.<br /><br />He turned out alright in the long run though, a real fish killin' machine and quite the finish carpenter.<br /><br />Love ya dude.

Happy Halloween, Wanna See Something Scary?

Watch this guy process a deer in under two minutes. If you are squeamish, don't bother coming around here. This Blog isn't for pussi...

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Self-Branded Smartphone from Idea: Idea Ultra

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Indian telecom provider company Idea Cellular have made announcement to launch its self-branded smartphone. The smartphone comes with the tag of Idea Ultra and company also declared the price of device Rs. 10,500.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Smartphone include all the latest ongoing features, which are popular in the market like 8 MP high resolution camera, dual SIM support, 2000mAh battery with more back-up, 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and Android 4.1.2 OS. The device comes with 5-inch IPS display.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k-BMzWKc_cM/UnH8tTJiscI/AAAAAAAAAeI/3lC0nmOHDek/s1600/265x312xUltra-smartfone_jpg_pagespeed_ic_jDEOHV9QjO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="idea ultra smartphone with latest features like Camera, Processor" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k-BMzWKc_cM/UnH8tTJiscI/AAAAAAAAAeI/3lC0nmOHDek/s1600/265x312xUltra-smartfone_jpg_pagespeed_ic_jDEOHV9QjO.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is 12th smartphone introduced by Idea with 3G enabled since last two year. Company will provide the device across 3G market in India through Idea retail and service outlets. Idea cellular is also providing the new and better data plans for the users, to enjoy more.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular Sashi Shankar made a statement on launching event “The true potential of mobile broadband can be unleashed only with the development of the entire ecosystem. Keeping this in mind, Idea has been actively focused on offering affordable 3G smartphones with high-end features, in addition to rapidly growing 3G network and product portfolio, to ensure that Idea users enjoy the best 3G experience. We are now encouraged to venture into the 12.7cm (5”) category Smartphone with ULTRA, which is targeted at the evolving and experimental, young Indian consumers, for whom the smartphone is increasingly becoming an integral part of their lives”.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;">Technical specifications:</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Display: 5-inch IPS display with FWVGA resolution</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Camera: 8MP rear and 0.3 MP front</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Processor: 1.2 GHz quad-core</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Space: 512 MB of RAM 4GB internal storage with expandable option</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">OS: Android 4.1 with more processing speed</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, 3G, Wi-Fi</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Battery: 2000mAh, providing more back-up to users.</span></li></ul><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/100638775997274345522" rel="author"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anil Swami</span></a></div></div>

idea smartphone Self-Branded Smartphone from Idea: Idea Ultra

Indian telecom provider company Idea Cellular have made announcement to launch its self-branded smartphone. The smartphone comes with the ta...

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Halloween Isn't Scary...Everyday Life Is!!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx7AwEyqcBQ9y019q8u7buC4EjSVpNaBYKnpcIO9uKhEQj-0pVcHkEQJEpbOP_c_kkxEPsk9m0-wHuH12v98-mn0300JuEjd4ZdrqqcIPVOq4NMb4LvuhqcCG352ZEOOXNA1eGiYhSAje/s1600/Scary+Halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx7AwEyqcBQ9y019q8u7buC4EjSVpNaBYKnpcIO9uKhEQj-0pVcHkEQJEpbOP_c_kkxEPsk9m0-wHuH12v98-mn0300JuEjd4ZdrqqcIPVOq4NMb4LvuhqcCG352ZEOOXNA1eGiYhSAje/s400/Scary+Halloween.jpg" width="400" /></a>Happy Halloween you sexy ghosts and wacky goblins.<br /><br />Unless you live in Amish country or have mean, uncaring, evangelical Christian parents, you know that today is Halloween…<br /><br />A day in which children from 2 to 92 with joy in their hearts and senses of fun, roam about the earth dressed in fun costumes, or in the case of the older children…<br /><br />Dress as pimps and sluts, go to the bars, and drink until they get their chance to make it with someone dressed as Frankenstein or Miley Cyrus.<br /><br />However, Halloween for many is just a fun time to enjoy being scared.<br /><br />People love to pay to walk through manufactured “haunted houses” whose proceeds go to the recently crippled kid down the street, the wife whose husband was killed in a grain elevator accident, or to the local Kiwanis Club so that they can continue to do whatever it is the Kiwanis Club does.<br /><br />I don’t really get scared by “haunted houses” and the traditional Halloween stuff, however…<br /><br />In every day life, there are a boatload of things that scare the hell out of me, and/or more accurately, give me an exponential case of the heebie-jeebies.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwXZwkiHYoNZCYIun3S8YU69hJ6bAIrYWkThe46hUbjRB2SsgUFcMyifLlfaoLV-Kjn-yxVy8qBo0IN2frR5awDxt_fmp9Z1Rva-YcxsUC-Kiu8xNAQCIRDcnMOD8xcqYStOH6c4nf8jR/s1600/house_centipede.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwXZwkiHYoNZCYIun3S8YU69hJ6bAIrYWkThe46hUbjRB2SsgUFcMyifLlfaoLV-Kjn-yxVy8qBo0IN2frR5awDxt_fmp9Z1Rva-YcxsUC-Kiu8xNAQCIRDcnMOD8xcqYStOH6c4nf8jR/s400/house_centipede.JPG" width="400" /></a>Spiders?  Snakes?  Pffffffft.  While I am always leery of those two creepy crawly types, nothing freaks me out more than fast moving multi-legged bugs, many of which I have never seen, nor even knew existed.<br /><br />I hate bugs who just appear out of the blue…bugs that have never been pictured in textbooks, and believe me…<br /><br />They’re out there!!  ICK!!<br /><br />Body Lotion…Oh Dear GAWD…Just thinking of putting that greasy crap on my arms and legs even after completing forty days and nights in the desert with Jesus, makes my skin crawl.  Uuch!!<br /><br />Brussels Sprouts and Eggplant…Seriously?  They both suck…They are things that those stupid Kiwanis Club Haunted Houses would use for their dish of “Frankenstein’s Brains.”  And what really gets me about Eggplant?  I have heard often…<br /><br /><i>“Try Eggplant Lasagna, it’s really good.”</i>  And of course I reply, <i>“But I think Eggplant is gross.”</i><br /><br />And then I hear, <i>“No, it’s really good; you won’t even taste it.”</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwuAWL3Zpr0kPd1Kur90BvVRMsQQDQZNFwW85bE1w1A5UCkCGh6mDDGaAFtVETpgacv_xBNsF8pFh5yL298B_d7BUAB8sQyi8-HyWTIYcmvRlWgCOXH4FJZX6kn6u6V6D-AAetu-CZ_DU/s1600/Nose+Drops+Old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwuAWL3Zpr0kPd1Kur90BvVRMsQQDQZNFwW85bE1w1A5UCkCGh6mDDGaAFtVETpgacv_xBNsF8pFh5yL298B_d7BUAB8sQyi8-HyWTIYcmvRlWgCOXH4FJZX6kn6u6V6D-AAetu-CZ_DU/s320/Nose+Drops+Old.jpg" width="320" /></a>If it’s really good, why allegedly, does it not have any taste!!?  Eggplant pushers!!<br /><br />And if you are my age or older, remember getting nose drops when you were a kid with a cold? They’ll clear you right up…<br /><br />And the nose drops, pressured down your nose by Mama and Papa Mengele always went to the back of your throat and tasted liked carp piss.  Ugh.<br /><br />And here’s one that I think many people feel more than uncomfortable with…<br /><br />When I worked for SEIU, we had many meetings, many conferences, many planning sessions.<br /><br />And of course when you have big groups like that, said groups must have break-out sessions and mini-meetings contained within said meeting or conference.<br /><br />These twenty-one words were uttered often during those meetings, and to this day, give me a giant case of the goo…<br /><br /><i>“Before we begin our meeting, why don’t we go around the table, introduce ourselves, and share a little something about ourselves?”</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNh46Goq9F7wMh_pBuQSr6zLqskRXETrKTn_dr4B_A9a_jOhQBa7HNswTRY3bNeHR81HZRJFvpJhWNHwMTp9rVxtVbhU65_1fHROaulRDFFFUKczRNWJsssm4NvPbQhBOBizP0NwzGpmd/s1600/Meetings+Are+Stupid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNh46Goq9F7wMh_pBuQSr6zLqskRXETrKTn_dr4B_A9a_jOhQBa7HNswTRY3bNeHR81HZRJFvpJhWNHwMTp9rVxtVbhU65_1fHROaulRDFFFUKczRNWJsssm4NvPbQhBOBizP0NwzGpmd/s400/Meetings+Are+Stupid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Whenever I heard, or hear that to this day, I curl up into a fetal position and while crying, say what I always wanted to say to that question/order…<br /><i><br /></i><i>“Hi.  My name is Matt.  I eat scrambled rats brains for breakfast. I eat my girlfriend for lunch, and for dinner?  I go meatless, and drink my own, day-old urine from a rusty, empty Beefaroni can. How you doin’?”</i><br /><br />Oh dear God, how I hate that more than anything…Well…<br /><br />Except for expiration dates on food and milk and food.<br /><br />I never used to care about those, but man…If I come across a container of milk that expires on the day on which I want to drink it?<br /><br />It better have a time stamp on it as well.  Because an expiration date of 10/31/2013 at 8 AM ain’t the same as 10/31/2013 9 PM.<br /><br />Thanks a lot Dad!!<br /><br /><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;">My Facebook Page</span></a></div>

Halloween Isn't Scary...Everyday Life Is!!

Happy Halloween you sexy ghosts and wacky goblins. Unless you live in Amish country or have mean, uncaring, evangelical Christian parents, y...

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Governor McDonnell recognized by tech council for extraordinary leadership

Governor Bob McDonnell has excelled the past four years leading Virginia in the right direction, and Wednesday night he was recognized for that accomplishment. McLean-based Northern Virginia Technology Council presented their <a href="http://www.governor.virginia.gov/news/viewRelease.cfm?id=2055">Chairman's Award</a> to the Governor in recognition of "his extraordinary leadership of the Commonwealth and his successful efforts in ensuring Virginia remains a top state for business."<br /><br />For a man who campaigned as "Bob's For Jobs," it is a recognition that he kept that campaign promise, and more. He joins a Who's Who of leaders including former Senator George Allen, former Congressman Tom Davis, former Senator John Warner, Senator Mark Warner, and Senator Tim Kaine.<br /><br />Appreciative of the award, McDonnell noted:<br /><blockquote>“Over the past four years we’ve worked across party lines to bring Virginians together to get positive results for the Commonwealth. In this effort we’ve had no greater partner than the Northern Virginia Technology Council. <br /><br />"Through the leadership of President Bobbie Kilberg, the group has been a consistent and effective advocate for a number of our policy proposals including our successful efforts to make college more affordable and accessible for Virginia students, help Virginia’s technology community thrive and succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy, and finally put in place the long overdue, long-term transportation funding plan Virginia businesses needed to keep creating good paying jobs for our citizens. Today, unemployment is down and the Commonwealth is headed in the right direction. I thank the members of the NVTC for their hard work in helping make these accomplishments possible, and I greatly appreciate tonight’s award.”</blockquote>NVTC President and CEO Bobbie Kilberg was complimentary of McDonnell, commenting:<br /><blockquote>“We are very pleased to present the 2013 NVTC Chairman's Award to Governor Bob McDonnell in recognition of his exceptional service to the Commonwealth. During his four years in office, Governor McDonnell has advocated for policies that promote technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, backed increased funding for education with a focus on producing more graduates with science, technology, engineering and math degrees, and championed much-needed comprehensive transportation funding legislation. His extraordinary leadership and policy initiatives have helped ensure that Virginia remains a top state for business.”</blockquote>Congratulations to Governor McDonnell for this well-deserved recognition.

Bob McDonnell Bob's for Jobs Bobbie Kilberg George Allen John Warner Mark Warner Northern Virginia Technology Council Tim Kaine Tom Davis Governor McDonnell recognized by tech council for extraordinary leadership

Governor Bob McDonnell has excelled the past four years leading Virginia in the right direction, and Wednesday night he was recognized for t...

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HOTTIE ALERT: John Spainhour for Bench

<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/AVvXsEin73t5r86eBC28DMj5y4V-edp2yGc9S4KGsjKvb-iQ3YHD393p7d4UVRzwa9HpltoGuF6lB-d5Ou8ANJoBuHUYn7TEeEvrOq6cyRzdarHrtxS7XlRmhaO-QCz_2pkxN5Gw_66RUljLCrDN/s1600/bench+-john+spainhour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin73t5r86eBC28DMj5y4V-edp2yGc9S4KGsjKvb-iQ3YHD393p7d4UVRzwa9HpltoGuF6lB-d5Ou8ANJoBuHUYn7TEeEvrOq6cyRzdarHrtxS7XlRmhaO-QCz_2pkxN5Gw_66RUljLCrDN/s1600/bench+-john+spainhour.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">John Spainhour</span><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BenchBodyModels" style="text-align: center;">facebook.com/BenchBodyModels</a>]</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br />

Bench Body hottie alert john spainhour HOTTIE ALERT: John Spainhour for Bench

John Spainhour [photo:  facebook.com/BenchBodyModels ]

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October colors at home

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yP0YHh7IEnnJAVsi-ZbKyqKzErK29NL3Jk3I6KkvIDY2awS4hkdm3FAMG3RZJINkVUtQuignD9gRuHmT-g_z4ZNuWsLvWBdkIuDmq2Qbw1ikNUqFZOeMa9rRH8OppWumhz0Jm-XSf3py/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yP0YHh7IEnnJAVsi-ZbKyqKzErK29NL3Jk3I6KkvIDY2awS4hkdm3FAMG3RZJINkVUtQuignD9gRuHmT-g_z4ZNuWsLvWBdkIuDmq2Qbw1ikNUqFZOeMa9rRH8OppWumhz0Jm-XSf3py/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The maple tree beside the deck puts on a show every year and 2013 is no exception. While the autumn colors this year have been hit-and-miss, this reliable maple remained a star in our October yard.</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/AVvXsEj4B9gFIwYWv981WI_lFFbyeunsj5OJxPrzdc-n69P0Fo0CEHZCjUIEzQVX5SUX3rN0XytCes8ggP62ZSRolawvED2C5uo8OW_MfppV1XRIcT9DNgUuycxa0SmF3zlbBGRBXuWPcuLVW2td/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4B9gFIwYWv981WI_lFFbyeunsj5OJxPrzdc-n69P0Fo0CEHZCjUIEzQVX5SUX3rN0XytCes8ggP62ZSRolawvED2C5uo8OW_MfppV1XRIcT9DNgUuycxa0SmF3zlbBGRBXuWPcuLVW2td/s640/1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mini pumpkins and gourds from the garden.</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/AVvXsEhX_x35To_A54_oEnK97Cpe1r4UN0RQQ0HXbCA1-FxvY5xehE9V8wp59HIlvXroi6OnkT4ntdor_gOHQIZZ42eXX713YBpPDbXOzp8Xjj9AHpPDthx64wEalrscCacsUIyoiYnjCBAGmRXF/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_x35To_A54_oEnK97Cpe1r4UN0RQQ0HXbCA1-FxvY5xehE9V8wp59HIlvXroi6OnkT4ntdor_gOHQIZZ42eXX713YBpPDbXOzp8Xjj9AHpPDthx64wEalrscCacsUIyoiYnjCBAGmRXF/s640/2.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgA-bArHCMj51V7UVKZZ8cWAOnlKwREwMulCd_-p_loFhDP4U1B8PIvpSDENXYVG2E2E2kRLc0eFg_WHnGzxh6I2uFGg3oxCoe1Zp_mG_I4EQZXRbasT59cbu-WVMnR3one__4LgiucLaR/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgA-bArHCMj51V7UVKZZ8cWAOnlKwREwMulCd_-p_loFhDP4U1B8PIvpSDENXYVG2E2E2kRLc0eFg_WHnGzxh6I2uFGg3oxCoe1Zp_mG_I4EQZXRbasT59cbu-WVMnR3one__4LgiucLaR/s640/6.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFPwrGgNP7U_laHy246jOiObv0m6UE8npw9aTg8zJuxLZaJX53Gk9y7tVHy5TepbvdNY56WQMbtt0sKOr-Lb7eb861mcK-goE1fevg6p_rc4zNLv3ZxCzF2cpvFAH0hsE5_vJgPgLCWAJ/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFPwrGgNP7U_laHy246jOiObv0m6UE8npw9aTg8zJuxLZaJX53Gk9y7tVHy5TepbvdNY56WQMbtt0sKOr-Lb7eb861mcK-goE1fevg6p_rc4zNLv3ZxCzF2cpvFAH0hsE5_vJgPgLCWAJ/s640/5.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKptEWiwc82NuZEcJaRbiP9Cb5zxswSPLPIjYxyy1vz3EQp-xdtDHxKOnxpDS4Wf5utXm1hV3qDx1mKfcAdx05uwUziY0LtYBw9Ab8yhYLuhbo8DPVFlu-G0LBLeXWuoWBZlhGcXqb34O0/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKptEWiwc82NuZEcJaRbiP9Cb5zxswSPLPIjYxyy1vz3EQp-xdtDHxKOnxpDS4Wf5utXm1hV3qDx1mKfcAdx05uwUziY0LtYBw9Ab8yhYLuhbo8DPVFlu-G0LBLeXWuoWBZlhGcXqb34O0/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />October 30, 2013

Augusta County autumn in the Shenandoah Valley autumn leaves October October colors at home

The maple tree beside the deck puts on a show every year and 2013 is no exception. While the autumn colors this year have been hit-and-miss,...

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MAG COVER: Bianca Gonzalez for Mega

<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/AVvXsEhKeU7YqcS4WdnVI7pWZkowjNsgMD23-yahkdf3QTM9HRFCcXBr183n96I2hn1k-OoThc9eck-cziDtMvPf75O8yp_xL_H9_X_zSgdeNXHgP2yslPLB4VYfZmnKLvhZv6VFVf7K9We3Bzsv/s1600/bianca+gonzalez+for+mega.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bianca Gonzalez for Mega Magazine [duchessofandrogyny.blogspot.com]" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeU7YqcS4WdnVI7pWZkowjNsgMD23-yahkdf3QTM9HRFCcXBr183n96I2hn1k-OoThc9eck-cziDtMvPf75O8yp_xL_H9_X_zSgdeNXHgP2yslPLB4VYfZmnKLvhZv6VFVf7K9We3Bzsv/s1600/bianca+gonzalez+for+mega.png" title="Bianca Gonzalez for Mega Magazine [duchessofandrogyny.blogspot.com]" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bianca Gonzalez on the cover of Mega Magazine November 2013 issue.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />

bianca gonzalez MAG COVER mega magazine november 2013 MAG COVER: Bianca Gonzalez for Mega

Bianca Gonzalez on the cover of Mega Magazine November 2013 issue.

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Joan Rivers takes a swipe at Chris Brown on twitter

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7410976635118812044" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; text-align: start; width: 616px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGHrL238cWT6piU2t96JyJmY9xGUhp7J7kf57jDJfvIs-kkBwhdGbBCf2IGVg9bP0-LTwQwI_sIHgceft9uzSXtRs52S42v727E22fA6oG0VoHceCQqiZYqjXpduVkfi2MnW9sZOOMUch/s320/JoanRiversWeb.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px;" width="287" /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b_sYBoyTvdUbER5HSQK7GIrvxksOTLMyi4_kINdZ2oG-jInlnRKmvsG8rdsTMxnGVlFIwqZgypVtYhhhaX2BZz5SSTtl1RReU_wfu9SWtl6p_4AwlgshjqqSGLX0q487fVZPrUdh1vMi/s320/chris-brown-amas-2012-red-carpet-01.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px;" width="286" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXoS7QYoL4N-6uXRk_QyzCGOKxLgRiRmgMSq_dPCWmwq41EgehyphenhyphenROw5P-jk6cQr2VfynywYOg6d_4vlF1R7YHLk0Pf97jkP9grx0_4-oZRtHBzM3bkEHErkquZI85-jWuZVjtaCLEANM7/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXoS7QYoL4N-6uXRk_QyzCGOKxLgRiRmgMSq_dPCWmwq41EgehyphenhyphenROw5P-jk6cQr2VfynywYOg6d_4vlF1R7YHLk0Pf97jkP9grx0_4-oZRtHBzM3bkEHErkquZI85-jWuZVjtaCLEANM7/s1600/Untitled.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">People should learn to be them before talking shit about Chris Brown!!!  #praying for him!!!</div></div></div>

Joan Rivers takes a swipe at Chris Brown on twitter

People should learn to be them before talking shit about Chris Brown!!!  #praying for him!!!

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14 year old boy rapes 9 year old girl to death in Nigeria

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4442637300768372290" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; text-align: start; width: 616px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev30wmuEkD4KpV8jDYRzWV3ebqNDJWDzA8zyFUkjrDPMEG0Vfe7sN2yzyJg673C4tqoN5RgrBnsy4koMKflK1_ptHxqwpspP_658iT8eZvmPXdxardL2Vp-41ZBbwxUxhWwHEibNy-hQJ/s1600/Rapist-480x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgev30wmuEkD4KpV8jDYRzWV3ebqNDJWDzA8zyFUkjrDPMEG0Vfe7sN2yzyJg673C4tqoN5RgrBnsy4koMKflK1_ptHxqwpspP_658iT8eZvmPXdxardL2Vp-41ZBbwxUxhWwHEibNy-hQJ/s1600/Rapist-480x300.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4442637300768372290" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; position: relative; text-align: start; width: 616px;"><br /></div>Sad story of how a teenage boy raped a 9yr old girl to death in the Ikorodu area of Lagos<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">From <a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/boy-14-rapes-nine-year-old-girl-to-death/" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Punch</a> </div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align: justify;">The police in Lagos State have commenced investigation into how a nine-year-old girl died, after sustaining injuries caused by alleged consistent rape. According to police authorities, the deceased was raped over five times, by a 14-year-old student, Onyi Adimabua, in the Ikorodu area of the state.</div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align: justify;">The father of the deceased, Simeon Jigo, told <i>Punch Metro</i> that Onyi is the son of the proprietor of the school his daughter attended. He said his daughter opened up about the rape when she started having medical problems. The 77-year-old man said his daughter died on October 3, 2013.</div><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8120270386125426868" name="more" style="cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto;"></a></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><a name='more'></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said, “Up until my daughter’s death, she was a pupil of Fulfilled Greenland School, Ikorodu, and she was in primary three. One day, she came home and started complaining of pains around her vagina, stomach area. We rushed her to Ikorodu General Hospital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“A doctor checked her and after conducting some tests on her, told us that my daughter had sustained medical complications due to forced sexual intercourse. I was alarmed by this; so, I had a private discussion with my daughter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“She told me that it was her school proprietor’s son, Onyi, that had been raping her. The boy had threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone about it.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The indigene of Ondo State told <i>PUNCH Metro</i> that after initial treatments, he took his daughter to Arogbo in Ondo State to be taken care of but her condition continued to deteriorate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few days after the troubled father travelled to Ondo State, Onyi, accompanied by his parents, also travelled to Ondo State, to apologise to Jigo’s family. The girl, however, was said to have died that very day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> “On getting to the house where my daughter was, we discovered that she was dead. Onyi confessed that he had been raping my daughter prior to her death,’ Jigo said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>PUNCH Metro</i> learnt that after the girl’s demise, irate youths in the area attempted to lynch the 14-year-old boy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bereaved father was said to have intervened and reported the matter to a nearby police station, where the teenager was held for safe keeping. The next morning, Onyi and his parents travelled back to Lagos.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The alleged rapist’s parents, in company with a chief in Ikorodu, reportedly visited Jigo when he returned to Lagos. The group were said to have pleaded that the bereaved father should not pursue the case but he refused.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jigo said, “I went to the Ikorodu Police station to report the case but was surprised when the policemen on duty said I should not write any statement.  They only told me to write down my telephone number and said they would call me later.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“After waiting for many days without any call, I wrote a petition and the matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was however learnt that Onyi had been taken to his father’s hometown in Delta State thereby stalling police investigation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The teenager’s parents,  however described the incident as the handiwork of the devil.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 14-year-old boy’s father, Andrew Adimabua, said, “I trained that boy in the way of the Lord and expected so much from him. He has confessed to the act; there is nothing to hide. He told me that he learnt about sex by watching blue (pornographic) films.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We are not hiding him and we will cooperate with the police. On the day the little girl died, he was beaten up and made to stay in the rain for hours. As a result, he contracted pneumonia so we sent him home for treatment. When he recovers, he’ll be taken to the police for questioning.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone, expressed shock at the development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Braide said Onyi would be re-arrested in the course of investigation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It is appalling that a teenager could indulge in such act. The matter is under investigation and the culprit will be re-arrested.”</div><div><br /></div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div class="post-footer" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px; text-align: start;"></div></div>

14 year old boy rapes 9 year old girl to death in Nigeria

Sad story of how a teenage boy raped a 9yr old girl to death in the Ikorodu area of Lagos From  Punch   The police in Lagos State have comme...

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Forbes releases World's Most Powerful list, puts Putin ahead of Obama

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-750281737288651505" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; position: relative; text-align: start; width: 616px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1D592EjhrVeNAk4CCdIZv_WVaTIq0Ig8cSG0w_x1xLVRq1bVw8YodPppZDkgpMVcaKIz0Ikrk1roOB-bqhCJtrh_W84C1_eFBdmq-H_KrBN0aKD0KjKflI64N1dvg9fYATVdarclCfc2/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1D592EjhrVeNAk4CCdIZv_WVaTIq0Ig8cSG0w_x1xLVRq1bVw8YodPppZDkgpMVcaKIz0Ikrk1roOB-bqhCJtrh_W84C1_eFBdmq-H_KrBN0aKD0KjKflI64N1dvg9fYATVdarclCfc2/s1600/Untitled.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div>Forbes just released its World's Most Powerful People list and put Russian president Vladamir Putin ahead of US president Barack Obama. That's wack! They also said Dangote is more powerful than President Goodluck Jonathan. Dangote was placed 64th most powerful person in the world, Jonathan didn't make the list. See the rest after the cut...<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="" name="more" style="cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto;"></a></span><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhOlBbRmcJeGSF9W3x0Xyv6OvfAxvkAwXDr410n2FKL3FAaFG3wKVjsSSisbiLJqHq5TTLmgbSpqPFye2F7zA-B5qeFSRVKvkhh5fw98TKuDhGAePzow2Il-UKPCn7YyOAF1r-tPt8XOt/s1600/Untitled8.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhOlBbRmcJeGSF9W3x0Xyv6OvfAxvkAwXDr410n2FKL3FAaFG3wKVjsSSisbiLJqHq5TTLmgbSpqPFye2F7zA-B5qeFSRVKvkhh5fw98TKuDhGAePzow2Il-UKPCn7YyOAF1r-tPt8XOt/s1600/Untitled8.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Cw66R_70B-NePfih8zC3VTAQbPuS43VofnVz2RMmRtvWRhKgg04vdQyrq91Am9ecgHL_pzugq-FuLO5wzd2TWt5ylHU48ZzA1_CUvJq3lkgsupWnkZAtOMOzdh-JA9nZnpDqFscKiVpl/s1600/2.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Cw66R_70B-NePfih8zC3VTAQbPuS43VofnVz2RMmRtvWRhKgg04vdQyrq91Am9ecgHL_pzugq-FuLO5wzd2TWt5ylHU48ZzA1_CUvJq3lkgsupWnkZAtOMOzdh-JA9nZnpDqFscKiVpl/s1600/2.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0wN0sxw0USOn13Dr7CXt611U1RZ91-BBY-m8n56uxvggNm4O-o17uSPKSzn1h88XG9xiiOgiaYFt6fKalXznsFE1Ze0X5eLVtquBCD2O13oD0lHgIPI6gSYDfPWkYGDkaesEgiogIjOf/s1600/3.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0wN0sxw0USOn13Dr7CXt611U1RZ91-BBY-m8n56uxvggNm4O-o17uSPKSzn1h88XG9xiiOgiaYFt6fKalXznsFE1Ze0X5eLVtquBCD2O13oD0lHgIPI6gSYDfPWkYGDkaesEgiogIjOf/s1600/3.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbOaueWL6celb6-Ce_Q3lbQ5CO1FYgaMBPE5tXLH9QWD3d55xi-RuPDc14RPTnBF87SW0EkVSp1YGOIAVHOa0uCMdtQtKw179-0bEjvqvVZp9krs1uClaHzuJkcUSpMvzOqCz7HENtKaL/s1600/4.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbOaueWL6celb6-Ce_Q3lbQ5CO1FYgaMBPE5tXLH9QWD3d55xi-RuPDc14RPTnBF87SW0EkVSp1YGOIAVHOa0uCMdtQtKw179-0bEjvqvVZp9krs1uClaHzuJkcUSpMvzOqCz7HENtKaL/s1600/4.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM4DYq5pwu2T0MHqqpO8VKzrUUVY8eBjDhc2lP5vPW5e2AHszjvXUmQ_ZCJzZYWrLl2_AGEYHPHyaXOBpBF9MiyLvHF7XzBPkKDq4dVRlzAOTMZZ3HGzGG0GKQLvsJjVnCpA-nSbpXgEL/s1600/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM4DYq5pwu2T0MHqqpO8VKzrUUVY8eBjDhc2lP5vPW5e2AHszjvXUmQ_ZCJzZYWrLl2_AGEYHPHyaXOBpBF9MiyLvHF7XzBPkKDq4dVRlzAOTMZZ3HGzGG0GKQLvsJjVnCpA-nSbpXgEL/s1600/1.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKC2NChxgZ0atGuxjqnasYy1xy3ykufM4MV-nFnkvE3GDJVTQ_XIv7O11ysn9hGu09P5gmeFTw9H7x_74pi9KudBqURHautwVWyfSHSO6Fv-JE4NwPgXc_oK5ySHDdZzLuONYfMmOtPDC/s1600/5.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b41e20; cursor: url(http://webfactory.ng/cursor/bottle2.png), auto; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKC2NChxgZ0atGuxjqnasYy1xy3ykufM4MV-nFnkvE3GDJVTQ_XIv7O11ysn9hGu09P5gmeFTw9H7x_74pi9KudBqURHautwVWyfSHSO6Fv-JE4NwPgXc_oK5ySHDdZzLuONYfMmOtPDC/s1600/5.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(158, 9, 11); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></div></div></div>

Forbes releases World's Most Powerful list, puts Putin ahead of Obama

Forbes just released its World's Most Powerful People list and put Russian president Vladamir Putin ahead of US president Barack Obama. ...

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