10 Things Super Successful People Do To Stay Calm (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdaarkpYyiWRLEawc9BoOb6VlcBZBMYXIBRZOX95_7VTyfCSbB6cXFtauMW9a57bBDnyP9CvNQuYPPsIQOAKZ8ZOfD6xMRKps3tsxttwmwR_gkXmju-yKQ22pzmZlA28QE06nMuIk3ac/s1600/11.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/AVvXsEhGdaarkpYyiWRLEawc9BoOb6VlcBZBMYXIBRZOX95_7VTyfCSbB6cXFtauMW9a57bBDnyP9CvNQuYPPsIQOAKZ8ZOfD6xMRKps3tsxttwmwR_gkXmju-yKQ22pzmZlA28QE06nMuIk3ac/s1600/11.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2014/02/06/how-successful-people-stay-calm/?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=how+successful+people+stay+calm&partner=huffpo" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683db9; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_hplink">Forbes:</a></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance. <a href="http://www.talentsmart.com/" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683db9; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_hplink">TalentSmart</a> has conducted research with more than a million people, and we’ve found that 90% of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress in order to remain calm and in control.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">If you’ve followed my work, you’ve read some startling research summaries that explore the havoc stress can wreak on one’s physical and mental health (such as the<a href="http://www.talentsmart.com/articles/Stress-Literally-Shrinks-Your-Brain:-Five-Strategies-for-Reversing-This-Effect-454035964-p-1.html" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683db9; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_hplink">Yale study</a>, which found that prolonged stress causes degeneration in the area of the brain responsible for self-control). The tricky thing about stress (and the anxiety that comes with it) is that it’s an absolutely necessary emotion. Our brains are wired such that it’s difficult to take action until we feel at least some level of this emotional state. In fact, performance peaks under the heightened activation that comes with moderate levels of stress. As long as the stress isn’t prolonged, it’s harmless.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="stress" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1616597/thumbs/o-STRESS-570.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">New research from the University of California, Berkeley, reveals an upside to experiencing moderate levels of stress. But it also reinforces how important it is to keep stress under control. The study, led by post-doctoral fellow Elizabeth Kirby, found that the onset of stress entices the brain into growing new cells responsible for improved memory. However, this effect is only seen when stress is intermittent. As soon as the stress continues beyond a few moments into a prolonged state, it suppresses the brain’s ability to develop new cells.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">More on Forbes:</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2012/09/17/the-six-secrets-of-self-control/?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=how+successful+people+stay+calm&partner=huffpo" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683db9; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_hplink">The Six Secrets of Self-Control</a> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2014/02/02/six-toxic-beliefs-that-will-ruin-your-career/?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=how+successful+people+stay+calm&partner=huffpo" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683db9; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_hplink">Six Toxic Beliefs That Will Ruin Your Career</a> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2014/01/08/top-five-emotional-intelligence-moments-of-2013/?utm_source=huffingtonpost.com&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=how+successful+people+stay+calm&partner=huffpo%3Cbr%20/%3E" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #683db9; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_hplink">Top Five Emotional Intelligence Moments of 2013</a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">“I think intermittent stressful events are probably what keeps the brain more alert, and you perform better when you are alert,” Kirby says. For animals, intermittent stress is the bulk of what they experience, in the form of physical threats in their immediate environment. Long ago, this was also the case for humans. As the human brain evolved and increased in complexity, we’ve developed the ability to worry and perseverate on events, which creates frequent experiences of prolonged stress.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Besides increasing your risk of heart disease, depression, and obesity, stress decreases your cognitive performance. Fortunately, though, unless a lion is chasing you, the bulk of your stress is subjective and under your control. Top performers have well-honed coping strategies that they employ under stressful circumstances. This lowers their stress levels regardless of what’s happening in their environment, ensuring that the stress they experience is intermittent and not prolonged.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">While I’ve run across numerous effective strategies that successful people employ when faced with stress, what follows are ten of the best. Some of these strategies may seem obvious, but the real challenge lies in recognizing when you need to use them and having the wherewithal to actually do so in spite of your stress.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Appreciate What They Have</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Taking time to contemplate what you’re grateful for isn’t merely the “right” thing to do. It also improves your mood, because it reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23%. Research conducted at the University of California, Davis found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood, energy, and physical well-being. It’s likely that lower levels of cortisol played a major role in this.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Avoid Asking “What If?”</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">“What if?” statements throw fuel on the fire of stress and worry. Things can go in a million different directions, and the more time you spend worrying about the possibilities, the less time you’ll spend focusing on taking action that will calm you down and keep your stress under control. Calm people know that asking “what if? will only take them to a place they don’t want—or need—to go.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Stay Positive</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Positive thoughts help make stress intermittent by focusing your brain’s attention onto something that is completely stress-free. You have to give your wandering brain a little help by consciously selecting something positive to think about. Any positive thought will do to refocus your attention. When things are going well, and your mood is good, this is relatively easy. When things are going poorly, and your mind is flooded with negative thoughts, this can be a challenge. In these moments, think about your day and identify one positive thing that happened, no matter how small. If you can’t think of something from the current day, reflect on the previous day or even the previous week. Or perhaps you’re looking forward to an exciting event that you can focus your attention on. The point here is that you must have something positive that you’re ready to shift your attention to when your thoughts turn negative.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Disconnect</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Given the importance of keeping stress intermittent, it’s easy to see how taking regular time off the grid can help keep your stress under control. When you make yourself available to your work 24/7, you expose yourself to a constant barrage of stressors. Forcing yourself offline and even—gulp!—turning off your phone gives your body a break from a constant source of stress. Studies have shown that something as simple as an email break can lower stress levels.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Technology enables constant communication and the expectation that you should be available 24/7. It is extremely difficult to enjoy a stress-free moment outside of work when an email that will change your train of thought and get you thinking (read: stressing) about work can drop onto your phone at any moment. If detaching yourself from work-related communication on weekday evenings is too big a challenge, then how about the weekend? Choose blocks of time where you cut the cord and go offline. You’ll be amazed at how refreshing these breaks are and how they reduce stress by putting a mental recharge into your weekly schedule. If you’re worried about the negative repercussions of taking this step, first try doing it at times when you’re unlikely to be contacted—maybe Sunday morning. As you grow more comfortable with it, and as your coworkers begin to accept the time you spend offline, gradually expand the amount of time you spend away from technology.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Limit Their Caffeine Intake</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Drinking caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline is the source of the “fight-or-flight” response, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat. The fight-or-flight mechanism sidesteps rational thinking in favor of a faster response. This is great when a bear is chasing you, but not so great when you’re responding to a curt email. When caffeine puts your brain and body into this hyperaroused state of stress, your emotions overrun your behavior. The stress that caffeine creates is far from intermittent, as its long half-life ensures that it takes its sweet time working its way out of your body.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Sleep</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">I’ve beaten this one to death over the years and can’t say enough about the importance of sleep to increasing your emotional intelligence and managing your stress levels. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges, shuffling through the day’s memories and storing or discarding them (which causes dreams), so that you wake up alert and clear-headed. Your self-control, attention, and memory are all reduced when you don’t get enough—or the right kind—of sleep. Sleep deprivation raises stress hormone levels on its own, even without a stressor present. Stressful projects often make you feel as if you have no time to sleep, but taking the time to get a decent night’s sleep is often the one thing keeping you from getting things under control.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Squash Negative Self-Talk</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">A big step in managing stress involves stopping negative self-talk in its tracks. The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them. Most of our negative thoughts are just that—thoughts, not facts. When you find yourself believing the negative and pessimistic things, your inner voice says, “It’s time to stop and write them down.” Literally stop what you’re doing and write down what you’re thinking. Once you’ve taken a moment to slow down the negative momentum of your thoughts, you will be more rational and clear-headed in evaluating their veracity.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">You can bet that your statements aren’t true any time you use words like “never,” “worst,” “ever,” etc. If your statements still look like facts once they’re on paper, take them to a friend or colleague you trust and see if he or she agrees with you. Then the truth will surely come out. When it feels like something always or never happens, this is just your brain’s natural threat tendency inflating the perceived frequency or severity of an event. Identifying and labeling your thoughts as thoughts by separating them from the facts will help you escape the cycle of negativity and move toward a positive new outlook.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Reframe Their Perspective</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Stress and worry are fueled by our own skewed perception of events. It’s easy to think that unrealistic deadlines, unforgiving bosses, and out-of-control traffic are the reasons we’re so stressed all the time. You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control how you respond to them. So before you spend too much time dwelling on something, take a minute to put the situation in perspective. If you aren’t sure when you need to do this, try looking for clues that your anxiety may not be proportional to the stressor. If you’re thinking in broad, sweeping statements such as “Everything is going wrong” or “Nothing will work out,” then you need to reframe the situation. A great way to correct this unproductive thought pattern is to list the specific things that actually are going wrong or not working out. Most likely you will come up with just some things—not everything—and the scope of these stressors will look much more limited than it initially appeared.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Breathe</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">The easiest way to make stress intermittent lies in something that you have to do everyday anyway: breathing. The practice of being in the moment with your breathing will begin to train your brain to focus solely on the task at hand and get the stress monkey off your back. When you’re feeling stressed, take a couple of minutes to focus on your breathing. Close the door, put away all other distractions, and just sit in a chair and breathe. The goal is to spend the entire time focused only on your breathing, which will prevent your mind from wandering. Think about how it feels to breathe in and out. This sounds simple, but it’s hard to do for more than a minute or two. It’s all right if you get sidetracked by another thought; this is sure to happen at the beginning, and you just need to bring your focus back to your breathing. If staying focused on your breathing proves to be a real struggle, try counting each breath in and out until you get to 20, and then start again from 1. Don’t worry if you lose count; you can always just start over.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">This task may seem too easy or even a little silly, but you’ll be surprised by how calm you feel afterward and how much easier it is to let go of distracting thoughts that otherwise seem to have lodged permanently inside your brain.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They Use Their Support System</strong></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; direction: ltr; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s tempting, yet entirely ineffective, to attempt tackling everything by yourself. To be calm and productive, you need to recognize your weaknesses and ask for help when you need it. This means tapping into your support system when a situation is challenging enough for you to feel overwhelmed. Everyone has someone at work and/or outside work who is on their team, rooting for them, and ready to help them get the best from a difficult situation. Identify these individuals in your life and make an effort to seek their insight and assistance when you need it. Something as simple as talking about your worries will provide an outlet for your anxiety and stress and supply you with a new perspective on the situation. Most of the time, other people can see a solution that you can’t because they are not as emotionally invested in the situation. Asking for help will mitigate your stress and strengthen your relationships with those you rely upon.</div>

10 Things Super Successful People Do To Stay Calm (BLOG)

Forbes: The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance.  TalentSmart  has conducte...

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World News Briefs -- February 13, 2014 (Evening Edition)

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FylZIhpWE4g" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Brahimi: Syria Peace Talks' Failure Looms -- Al Jazeera</b></span></div><br />UN peace talks mediator says Russia and US pledged to pressure Syrian rival allies to engage in substantial talks.<br /><br />High-level Russian and US diplomats have promised to help keep Syria peace talks alive in Geneva as they reached a deadlock, UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said.<br /><br />Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and US Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman "promised that they will help both here and in their capitals, to unblock the situation for us," Brahimi told reporters on Thursday, according to AFP, following a meeting with the two diplomats.<br /><br />"Until now, we are not making much progress in the process," Brahimi said, acknowledging that "failure is always staring at us in the face."<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/brahimi-syria-peace-talks-failure-looms-201421318362354985.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MIDDLE EAST</b></span></div><br />Syria 'failure' looms, mediator <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-syria-crisis-idUSBREA1C18W20140213">seeks U.S., Russian help</a></b>.<br /><br />Syria strikes kill 400 <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syria-strikes-kill-400-far-month-aleppo-145600457.html">so far this month in Aleppo</a></b>.<br /><br />Fighting spikes in Syria <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/fighting-spikes-syria-as-peace-talks-stall-2014213104128571348.html">as peace talks stall</a></b>.<br /><br />Syrian troops bombard <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26171825">rebel stronghold of Yabroud</a></b>.<br /><br />Cease-fire in central <b><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/syrian-planes-pound-rebel-town-lebanon-border-22486085">Syrian city extended</a></b>.<br /><br />Al-Qaeda inmates freed in <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/al-qaeda-inmates-flee-yemen-jail-after-attack-2014213191556952285.html">Yemen jail attack</a></b>. Attack on prison in <b><a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/uk-yemen-violence-prison-idUKBREA1C1V020140213">Yemeni capital kills 11</a></b>. <br /><br />Gunmen take part of Iraq town <b><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iQYojL2GiaqcjAxCxwLBDZVrkVHw?docId=1d35bc53-6125-4f92-a54f-8ebe2af7b15d">as historic market burns</a></b>.<br /><br />Israelis outraged by <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/israelis-outraged-over-eu-official-comments-201421314200600529.html">EU official comments.</a></b><br /><br />Israeli fire kills <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-palestinians-israel-violence-idUSBREA1C19F20140213">Palestinian in Gaza: hospital</a></b>.<br /><br />Demonstrators clash <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/demonstrators-clash-with-police-bahrain-2014213113721326260.html">with police in Bahrain</a></b>.<br /><br />Turkish president sees 'problems'<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-turkey-internet-idUSBREA1C18420140213"> in law tightening Internet controls</a></b>.<br /><br />Gulf states step up policing <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/gulf-states-step-policing-online-media-185127273.html;_ylt=AmuzcMpfv01nQN0y0Pj3HdHQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBsMm1uODllBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM4BHNlYwNzcg--">of online media</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ASIA</b></span></div><br />Japan files damages suit against Chinese captain <b><a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/02/13/national/japan-files-damages-suit-against-chinese-captain-over-2010-collision/#.Uv1Qo4W0ykM">over 2010 collision</a></b>.<br /><br />Karzai rejects U.S. warnings over<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-afghanistan-detainees-idUSBREA1C08Q20140213"> freed Afghan detainees</a></b>.<br /><br />Afghanistan frees suspected <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/afghanistan-frees-suspected-taliban-prisoners/2014/02/13/1352dbc6-9488-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_story.html">Taliban prisoners</a></b>.<br /><br />Kerry: Military drills should not be linked<b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-miliatry-drills-should-not-be-linked-to-korean-family-reunions/1850610.html"> to Korean family reunions</a></b>.<br /><br />US, SKorea warn NKorea <b><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/kerry-seeks-ease-tensions-asia-22491031">against aggression</a></b>.<br /><br />North Korea looks ready to conduct fourth nuclear test: <b><a href="http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=157117&category=2">South Korean defense minister.</a></b><br /><br />Taliban attack on police bus <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/taliban-attack-on-police-bus-in-karachi-kills-12/1850629.html">in Karachi kills 12</a></b>.<br /><br />Four killed in attacks in<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-thailand-south-idUSBREA1C06H20140213"> Thailand's restive south</a></b>.<br /><br />Pepper spray, chaos in Indian parliament<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-india-parliament-idUSBREA1C0FN20140213"> over new state.</a></b><br /><br />Obama schedules 4-country trip <b><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-02-13/obama-schedules-4-country-trip-to-asia-in-april">to Asia in April</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AFRICA</b></span></div><br />South Sudan peace talks resume amid pressure <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/south-sudan-peace-talks-resume-amid-pressure-compromise-220005732.html">to compromise quickly.</a></b><br /><br />Mali arrests ex-defense minister <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-mali-arrest-idUSBREA1C1Z120140213">over paratroopers' deaths.</a></b><br /><br />Al Shabaab car bomb hits UN convoy, <b><a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/uk-somalia-blast-idUKBREA1C0HE20140213">killing seven Somalis</a></b>.<br /><br />Ceasefire fails to <b><a href="http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Ceasefire+fails+stem+bloodshed+South+Sudan/9501629/story.html">stem bloodshed in South Sudan</a></b>. Reports of South Sudan fighting, despite pact, <b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/world/africa/fighting-persists-in-south-sudan-despite-pact-and-aid-groups-issue-warnings.html?_r=0">prompt worry and warnings</a></b>.<br /><br />Putin backs Sisi to be <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/02/egypt-sisi-second-day-russia-trip-201421363611426204.html">president of Egypt.</a></b><br /><br />Kenyan court charges 70 people with <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/12/kenyan-court-charges-70-members-al-shabaab">being members of al-Shabaab</a></b>.<br /><br />Kenyan denies obstructing case<b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-kenyan-denies-obstructing-case-against-its-president/1850625.html"> against its President</a></b>.<br /><br />UN official calls for economic reform <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/un-official-calls-for-economic-reform-in-central-africa/1850502.html">in Central Africa</a></b>.<br /><br />Libya’s troubled <b><a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/14/libya-s-troubled-present-and-uncertain-future/">present and uncertain future</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>EUROPE</b></span></div><br /><b><a href="http://winter-games.reuters.com/">Sochi 2014: Live</a></b><br /><br />France wants faster <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/france-wants-faster-un-deployment-c-africa-210847712.html">UN deployment in C.Africa</a></b>.<br /><br />Ukraine's president demands <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-ukraine-judge-idUSBREA1C0XZ20140213">investigation of judge's killing</a></b>.<br /><br />Italian PM Letta to resign after party <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-italy-politics-idUSBREA1C0BJ20140213">withdraws support</a></b>.<br /><br />Italian premier challenged <b><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-02-13/italian-premier-challenged-from-own-party">from own party</a></b>. Italian PM Enrico Letta's government <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/12/italian-pm-enrico-letta-government-danger-collapse">in danger of collapse.</a></b><br /><br />Switzerland's EU treaties <b><a href="http://www.brecorder.com/articles-a-letters/187/1152964/">could face Brussels guillotine</a></b>.<br /><br />Who spied? Dutch ministers grilled over <b><a href="http://rt.com/news/nsa-dutch-minister-intercepts-743/">misinforming MPs on NSA tapping</a></b>.<br /><br />Russia forecasts increase in <b><a href="http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140213/187465963/Russia-Forecasts-Increase-in-Oil-Gas-Output-in-2014.html">oil, gas output in 2014</a></b>.<br /><br />Greece jobless rate hits <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26171213">new record of 28%</a></b>.<br /><br />Belgium passes law extending euthanasia to children<b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/13/belgium-law-extends-euthanasia-children-all-ages"> of all ages.</a></b><br /><br />Britain warns Scotland:<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-britain-scotland-idUSBREA1C0GR20140213"> Forget the pound if you walk away</a></b>.<br /><br />Internet governance too US-centric, <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/12/internet-governance-us-european-commission">says European commission</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AMERICAS</b></span></div><br />Believe it, or not: <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/believe-not-argentine-inflation-index-181304308.html">New Argentine inflation index</a></b>.<br /><br />Colombia, rebels say making progress <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-colombia-talks-idUSBREA1C1YY20140213">in talks over drug trade</a></b>.<br /><br />McClatchy-Marist Poll: <b><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/02/13/218026/mcclatchy-marist-poll-american.html">American dream seen as out of reach</a></b>.<br /><br />Heavy snow as winter storm hits US east coast<b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/13/snow-us-winter-storm-live-updates"> – live updates.</a></b><br /><br />Storm engulfs US east coast as <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26165335">havoc persists in South</a></b>.<br /><br />At least three killed by gunfire<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-venezuela-protests-idUSBREA1B1K220140213"> at Venezuela protests.</a></b> Venezuela seeks protest leader's arrest <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/least-two-killed-gunfire-venezuela-protests-010438574.html">after three dead in unrest</a></b>.<br /><br />Venezuelan rivals <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2014/02/venezuelan-rivals-trade-blame-over-deaths-2014213142340634979.html">trade blame over deaths</a></b>.<br /><br />Host Brazilian city guarantees <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/host-city-guarantees-world-cup-venue-ready-143820147.html">World Cup venue will be ready</a></b>.<br /><br />Fury after Argentina orders cruise liner<b><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/10634998/Former-Navy-chief-accused-Argentina-of-unacceptable-harassment.html"> to lower UK flag</a></b>.<br /><br />Americans' views of <b><a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/167402/americans-views-russia-putin-worst-years.aspx">Russia, Putin are worst in years</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR</b></span></div><br />Jordan terror-suspect cleric Qatada <b><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5igdvH2WCyW6Ws90w6kagZsgUAJ9g?docId=82980048-24e0-4234-8ac7-8aed09893aec">'supports' Lebanon bombings.</a></b><br /><br />US Intel officials differ with Obama<a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140211/DEFREG02/302110017/US-Intel-Officials-Differ-Obama-View-al-Qaida"> </a><b><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/US%20Intel%20Officials%20Differ%20With%20Obama%20in%20View%20of%20al-Qaida">in view of al-Qaida</a></b>.<br /><br />Dempsey tours Guantanamo in 1st visit by<b><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/12/3930585/americas-top-soldier-visits-guantanamo.html"> top US officer in 6 years</a></b>.<br /><br />FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE:<b><a href="http://www.france24.com/en/20140212-france-24-exclusive-syria-french-jihadist-foreign-fighter-confessions/"> Confessions of a French jihadist in Syria</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS</b></span></div><br />Comcast to acquire Time Warner Cable in <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-comcast-timewarnercable-idUSBREA1C05A20140213">$45.2 billion deal: sources</a></b>. Two biggest US cable companies<b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/biggest-us-cable-tv-provider-buying-second-biggest/1850499.html"> to merge</a></b>.<br /><br />OPEC joins US in predicting <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-opec-joins-us-in-predicting-stronger-2014-oil-demand-/1849807.html">stronger 2014 oil demand</a></b>.<br /><br />Apple in conflict mineral <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26144981">'name and shame' crackdown</a></b>.

World News Briefs -- February 13, 2014 (Evening Edition)

Brahimi: Syria Peace Talks' Failure Looms -- Al Jazeera UN peace talks mediator says Russia and US pledged to pressure Syrian rival alli...

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Paula Deen Lands $75 Million Deal After Racial Slur Scandal (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiZbtLJYoEyaukaORreC3hpC2pT1E4tzV680NdXJfQtl2sdlCAVhlED31XUgkvIIYXXynNmzO541NzHUzuoiqCe2shLS2Zd1bTS9MeWas9mVIbETRu47x80i8x3kcoCxfmAJChh-sdNo/s1600/p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiZbtLJYoEyaukaORreC3hpC2pT1E4tzV680NdXJfQtl2sdlCAVhlED31XUgkvIIYXXynNmzO541NzHUzuoiqCe2shLS2Zd1bTS9MeWas9mVIbETRu47x80i8x3kcoCxfmAJChh-sdNo/s1600/p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Don't count <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Paula Deen</strong> out just yet, y'all. The embattled Southern chef has landed a $75 million investment deal less than a year after a racial slur scandal threatened to ruin her career, CNN Money reports.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Deen is partnering with investor Najafi Media on a new company, Paula Deen Ventures, which will include her restaurants, cookbooks, cookware, and cruises, among other things. In a statement about the project, Najafi Media founder and CEO Jahm Najafi told CNN he has "a deep respect for the hard work, unique content, and quality products which Paula has built around her brand."</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The news comes several months after the former Food Network star's involvement in a racial discrimination lawsuit from an ex-employee, which resulted in her being dropped by sponsors including JC Penney, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Smithfield Foods. The case was ultimately dropped, but not until after Deen's career had taken several hits.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After the suit was dropped, the Georgia-born chef said she was looking forward to getting back to doing what she loved. "While this has been a difficult time for both my family and myself, I am pleased that the judge dismissed the race claims and I am looking forward to getting this behind me, now that the remaining claims have been resolved," Deen told <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Us Weekly</strong> via a statement from her spokesperson.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She continued: "During this time my faith has strengthened me and the tremendous outpouring of support as well as prayers from folks of all walks of life has been both humbling and overwhelming. I am confident that those who truly know how I live my life know that I believe in kindness and fairness for everyone. Moving forward, my team and I working to review the workplace environment issues that were raised in this matter and to retool all of my business operations."</div><span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><br /> @usweekly on Twitter | usweekly on Facebook</span>

Paula Deen Lands $75 Million Deal After Racial Slur Scandal (BLOG)

Don't count  Paula Deen  out just yet, y'all. The embattled Southern chef has landed a $75 million investment deal less than a year ...

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Verizon juices cell phone plans (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oEulb28s06iHxC5bfJY2fIpZ1Vl3dTp32R8lVs6B-xzeDVrl9dloNMifEmGPzXR9UUr5LKXLJhzXtT6pd4khhuX5W9S7oAmJ-dIrDOnWnYhqr9syUxAdU_h9wyYW4Agz0Uyxp7f90Fo/s1600/Verizon-Wireless-3-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oEulb28s06iHxC5bfJY2fIpZ1Vl3dTp32R8lVs6B-xzeDVrl9dloNMifEmGPzXR9UUr5LKXLJhzXtT6pd4khhuX5W9S7oAmJ-dIrDOnWnYhqr9syUxAdU_h9wyYW4Agz0Uyxp7f90Fo/s1600/Verizon-Wireless-3-jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h2 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Verizon hatched its latest scheme to win customers in the mobile service battle Thursday, boosting data allowances, storage and messaging ability, and offering a discount for some plans.</h2><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">-- Data: The biggest increases will be seen at the lower end of data plan offerings, said Verizon spokeswomen Debi Lewis. Some customers could see a doubling of their data allowance.</div><div id="ie_column" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 20px 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 220px;"><div id="quigo220" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div align="center" id="ad-121f148185b65ec8" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe class=" adunit_220x200" frameborder="0" height="200" id="121f148185b65ec8" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="121f148185b65ec8" scrolling="no" src="http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_money&cnn_money_position=220x200_ctr&cnn_money_rollup=technology&cnn_money_section=quigo&params.styles=fs&page.allowcompete=no&Params.User.UserID=52fd05ff0dc5ab0a3c8de1507201842e&transactionID=13923142118545394420088832&tile=5090124132931&domId=121f148185b65ec8&kxid=n5qp85unc&kxseg=" style="background-color: transparent; border-width: 0px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="220"></iframe></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">-- Storage: Each customer will now get 25 gigabytes of cloud storage. Previously, such storage costs $2.99 a month.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">-- Messaging: Unlimited international messaging, including pictures and video.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">-- Discounts: Customers with the "Edge" plan, which allows faster upgrades but requires paying the full price of the phone -- will be eligible for a monthly discount of up to $20.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/04/technology/mobile/cell-phone-plans/index.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inStoryHeading" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 6px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Related: Choosing the cheapest cell phone plan is a headache</span></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">All the upgrades are free of charge. Existing Verizon customers will automatically receive them as of Thursday. Customers who don't want the upgrades will, as always, be able to select new, cheaper plans, said Lewis.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Verizon also announced upgrades to its network that should allow for faster connections.</div><div class="cnnplayer" id="cnnplayer0" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="cnnVidplayer" style="background-color: black; border: 0px; height: 348px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620px;"><a class="summaryImg" href="http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2014/01/08/t-t-mobile-ceo-john-legere-subscribers-pay-to-switch-no-contract-full-flexibility.cnnmoney?iid=EL" id="vid0" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="T-Mobile CEO's world with no contracts" border="0" height="348" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/dam/assets/140108200058-t-t-mobile-ceo-john-legere-subscribers-pay-to-switch-no-contract-full-flexibility-00031815-620x348.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="620" /><span class="video_playbtn" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/bigPlay-videoGallery5.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; height: 67px; left: 310px; margin: -33px 0px 0px -33px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 174px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 67px;"> </span></a></div><div class="cnnVidFooter" style="background-color: #ebebeb; border: 0px; height: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 8px 7px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="cnnHeadline" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">T-Mobile CEO's world with no contracts</div><div class="countdown" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Verizon's move is just the latest among mobile phone carries that have been <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/04/technology/mobile/cell-phone-plans/index.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">battling it out</a>on the price front, since phone offerings and the network quality are now relatively similar among all carriers.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AT&T</span> <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=T&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">T</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/2756.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span> recently <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/02/news/companies/att-price/index.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">cut the prices</a> of its family smart phone plans, while<span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sprint</span> <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=S&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">S</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/2015.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span> announced a "framily" plan that lets people share a package even if they don't live together. <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">T-Mobile</span> <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=TMUS&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TMUS</a></span>)</span>, the No. 3 carrier, has eliminated contracts, cut rates and increased upgrade frequency. <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/13/technology/verizon-plans/index.html?iid=s_mpm#TOP" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="To top of page" border="0" height="7" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/money/images/bug.gif" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="7" /></a></div>

Verizon juices cell phone plans (BLOG)

Verizon hatched its latest scheme to win customers in the mobile service battle Thursday, boosting data allowances, storage and messaging ab...

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Civil War In Syria -- News Updates February 13, 2014

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JwITt9e04dI" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Syria Conflict: 'Surge' In Fighting Death Toll -- BBC</b></span></div><br /><i>Activists in Syria have reported a surge in fighting across the country, amid attempts to broker a peace deal in Geneva.</i><br /><br />The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said more than 200 people had been killed every day for the past three weeks.<br /><br />Both government forces and rebels were trying to gain territory, it said.<br /><br />This was possibly to strengthen their negotiating position at the peace talks, it added.<br /><br />The talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups are continuing in Switzerland, but there is no sign of a breakthrough.<br /><br />At least 4,959 people had died in the three-week period since 22 January, the SOHR reported. About a third of the casualties were civilians, including 515 women and children.<br /><br />That casualty rate was higher, the group added, than in any other three-week period since the conflict began in March 2011. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26166834">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On Syria's Civil War</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.albawaba.com/news/syria-554319">More Syrians dying than ever before as peace talks stumble in Geneva</a> -- Al Bawaba<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-syria-crisis-talks-idUSBREA1B0TX20140213">Syria killing accelerates as peace talks falter </a>-- Reuters<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/surge-in-deaths-as-syria-talks-flounder/2014/02/12/c36d7272-9411-11e3-9e13-770265cf4962_story.html">Surge in deaths as Syria talks founder</a> -- Washington Post<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/world/middle-east/2014/02/13/syrian-airstrikes-shelling-kill-aleppo/PuV7uyvkkBzVFva4rxrEGP/story.html">Syria strikes kill 400 so far this month in Aleppo</a> -- AP<br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-13/syrian-government-strikes-kill-51-as-peace-talks-in-geneva-stall.html">Syrian Government Strikes Kill 51 as Peace Talks in Geneva Stall</a> -- Bloomberg<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26171825">Syrian troops bombard rebel stronghold of Yabroud </a>-- BBC<br /><a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/25551673-418/syrian-planes-pound-rebel-town-near-lebanon-border.html">Syrian planes pound rebel town near Lebanon border </a>-- AP<br /><a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/syrian-army-starts-crucial-battle-against-rebels-114021300769_1.html">Syrian army starts crucial battle against rebels</a> -- Business Standard<br /><a href="http://news.sky.com/story/1211084/syrian-army-gains-ground-in-key-region">Syrian Army Gains Ground In Key Region</a> -- SKY News<br /><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/02/lebanese-sunnis-fighting-holy-war-syria-201421394828913798.html">Lebanese Sunnis fighting 'holy war' in Syria</a> -- AL Jazeera<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-26181501">Anil Khalil Raoufi killed in Syria 'was jihadist'</a> -- BBC<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dw.de/syrians-flee-besieged-homs/g-17423542">Syrians flee besieged Homs </a>-- Deutsche Welle<br /><a href="http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-452878/">U.N. Resumes Aid Mission in Homs</a> -- Wall Street Journal<br /><a href="http://www.dw.de/syria-ceasefire-extended-in-homs-as-talks-in-geneva-deadlock-again/a-17429638">Syria ceasefire extended in Homs as talks in Geneva deadlock again</a> -- Deutsche Welle<br /><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/un-watching-fate-200-men-homs-powerless-n28661">UN Watching Fate of 200 Men from Homs, But Powerless</a> -- NBC<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26171674">Syria conflict: Emerging from the siege of Homs</a> -- BBC<br /><br /><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/opposition-plan-post-war-syria-ignores-assad-228893">Opposition Plan for Post-War Syria Ignores Assad </a>-- Newsweek/Reuters<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/world/middleeast/syria.html">Syrian Rebels Sketch Peace Plan That Omits Demand for Assad’s Ouster </a>-- New York Times<br /><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=673279">Syria regime refuses to discuss opposition plan</a> -- Ma'an News Agency<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/world/middleeast/syria.html?hpw&rref=world">U.S. and Russian Diplomats Confer With Syria Mediator </a>-- New York Times<br /><a href="http://rt.com/news/syria-resolution-russian-variant-818/">Russia offers alternative Syria resolution, slams West-Arab draft as helping 'military aggression'</a> -- RT<br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/world/20140213/187506770/Russian-Resolution-Focuses-on-Fighting-Terror-in-Syria--Minister.html">Russian Resolution Focuses on Fighting Terror in Syria – Minister</a> -- RIA Novosti<br /><br /><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/02/13/us-ship-tasked-with-destroying-syrian-chemical-arms-arrives-in-spain-en-route/">US ship tasked with destroying Syrian chemical arms arrives in Spain en route to Italy </a>-- FOX News/AP<br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hD8-IXUlZn5R9EebNmxNkFp2WbRw?docId=023b519d-4e12-4033-9b71-e69f5f8ad66c">US ship stops in Spain on way to destroy Syria weapons</a> -- AFP<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/us-ship-on-syria-chemical-arms-mission-in-spain/2014/02/13/e5411cc4-9483-11e3-9e13-770265cf4962_story.html">US chemical arms ship arrives in Spain</a> -- Washington Post/AP

Civil War In Syria -- News Updates February 13, 2014

Syria Conflict: 'Surge' In Fighting Death Toll -- BBC Activists in Syria have reported a surge in fighting across the country, amid ...

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Comcast buys Time Warner Cable for $45 billion (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANli1Md3i9Gx14w51BOy-bySwkxCeNnhRCvwCo7w_1KCqieI05s7dulJdOZHPL0lURNlx9gw_35xnyxAXm91HQrzZ5xUsLgf5bizh11wXyZRANBZc-EK4PIs9ItJ6pr2ZD-epVX9eAV8/s1600/cable13n-1-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANli1Md3i9Gx14w51BOy-bySwkxCeNnhRCvwCo7w_1KCqieI05s7dulJdOZHPL0lURNlx9gw_35xnyxAXm91HQrzZ5xUsLgf5bizh11wXyZRANBZc-EK4PIs9ItJ6pr2ZD-epVX9eAV8/s1600/cable13n-1-web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h2 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Comcast said Thursday it had agreed to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion in a deal that would combine the two biggest cable companies in the United States.</h2><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">If the deal is approved, the combined group will be the country's dominant provider of television channels and Internet connections, reaching roughly one in three American homes.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Analysts say the consolidation could help Comcast to compete with satellite providers like DirecTV, wireless phone companies like</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AT&T</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=T&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">T</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/2756.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">and new streaming services like</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Netflix</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=NFLX&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">NFLX</a></span>)</span><span style="background-color: transparent;">.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">"This isn't about TV anymore -- it's about controlling a fatter, more intelligent pipe for multiple services that emanate from it," including broadband Internet, phone and home security monitoring, said Tim Hanlon, the founder of the Vertere Group, an investment advisory firm that focuses on media and technology.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Time Warner Cable</span> <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=TWC&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TWC</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/11590.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span> owners will be offered 2.875 <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Comcast</span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=CMCSA&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">CMCSA</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/5035.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span> shares for each share they own, valuing Time Warner Cable at about $158.82 per share.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">The two companies expect the merger to take effect by the end of the year, but regulators are likely to take a close look at the potential impact on consumers.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">To address those concerns, Comcast said it was prepared to divest about 3 million subscribers. But it would still have about 30 million customers. Comcast Cable CEO Neil Smit will lead the merged company.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">The proposed deal ends months of jockeying for control of Time Warner Cable, the second biggest U.S. supplier of cable television, with about 11 million subscribers in cities such as New York and Los Angeles.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Smaller rival <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Charter</span> <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=CHTR&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">CHTR</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/10875.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span> wanted to buy Time Warner Cable, indicating last month it was ready to pay about $130 per share.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Time Warner Cable called that price "grossly inadequate" and countered with a suggestion of $160 per share, very close to Comcast's offer.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Comcast had <a href="http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/25/comcast-eyes-time-warner-cable-and-unprecented-market-power/?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">cast a shadow</a> over the negotiations, and had reportedly held talks with Charter about how to divvy up Time Warner Cable's territories.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, by swallowing Time Warner Cable on its own, Comcast will gain even more leverage over the country's marketplace for television, broadband Internet and phone services. Comcast has about 23 million television subscribers in markets like Philadelphia, where it is headquartered.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">With millions more subscribers, Comcast will add muscle in its negotiations with cable channel owners like <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Walt Disney Company</span> <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=DIS&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">DIS</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/2190.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span> and <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Time Warner</span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<span class="inlink_chart" style="background-image: url(http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/.element/img/5.0/buttons/assorted_icons.gif); background-position: -200px -160px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 2px 19px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="inlink" href="http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=TWC&source=story_quote_link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TWC</a></span>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/11590.html?iid=EL" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortune 500</a>)</span>, the parent company of this website. (Time Warner Cable was spun off from Time Warner in 2009 and no longer has any connection to the owner of CNN, HBO and Warner Bros.)</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">On a call with reporters on Thursday, Comcast executives projected $1.5 billion in operating efficiencies as a result of the deal, mainly through what they called "programming synergies."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">James McQuivey, a media analyst for Forrester Research, said the deal signals Comcast's intention to be a tech giant like Apple and Amazon -- not just a cable company.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">McQuivey predicted that Comcast would eventually sell a bundle of cable channels via the Internet to households that can't currently subscribe to the company's products. Verizon and AT&T, the country's top two wireless companies, are also believed to be preparing similar "over the top" TV services.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">"To really compete on equal footing with Apple and Amazon, Comcast has to figure out what it can offer the world, not just the U.S. All of that starts today."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Although cable providers in general have poor reputations, Comcast has received some high marks for its next-generation software and set-top boxes.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Time Warner Cable, on the other hand, had what the American Customer Satisfaction Index called an "industry low" score last spring. It has shed television subscribers in recent months for a number of reasons, including a protracted blackout of CBS and Showtime in several million homes. Comcast could theoretically improve Time Warner Cable's performance by bringing in its own software.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">But even before the official announcement of the deal, questions arose about whether Comcast will be allowed to expand its cable footprint so substantially.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Regulators used to enforce a rule that prohibited a single cable company from controlling more than 30% of the market. But Comcast led a challenge to that rule in the mid-2000s, and in 2009 a federal appeals court threw out the 30% cap.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Still, the proposed combination will surely be scrutinized by the government.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Justice Department's antitrust division will review the proposal. William Baer, who heads the division, recently told the New York Times that the department would closely scrutinize mergers in the wireless and cable industries. He said he was wary that consumers could benefit from certain combinations.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gina Talamona, a Justice spokeswoman, declined to comment on Thursday.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">The two companies are likely to point out that they don't directly compete -- Comcast has its own markets, like Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and Time Warner Cable has its own, like New York and North Carolina. The lack of overlap may temper antitrust concerns.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Analysts also point out that Comcast is remarkably well connected in Washington. In fact, its chief lobbyist, David Cohen, was a guest at the White House state dinner for the French president on Tuesday night.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">Comcast persuaded government agencies to approve its $30 billion bid for NBCUniversal in 2011. At that time it agreed to a number of conditions that were designed to prevent anticompetitive behavior. It could be compelled to do the same in this case.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">On Wednesday night, some of the public interest groups that opposed the NBCUniversal deal, like Free Press, signaled immediate opposition to the consolidation involving Time Warner Cable.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">"No one woke up this morning wishing their cable company was bigger or had more control over what they could watch or download. But that -- along with higher bills -- is the reality they'll face tomorrow unless the Department of Justice and the FCC do their jobs and block this merger," Free Press said in a statement. "Stopping this kind of deal is exactly why we have antitrust laws."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;">It appears unlikely that Charter, the other cable company that had been chasing Time Warner Cable, would stand in the way of Comcast's bid. In a statement, it said, "Charter has always maintained that our greatest opportunity to create value for our shareholders is by executing our current business plan, and that we will continue to be disciplined in this and any other M&A activity we pursue."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Arial, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">--CNN's Evan Perez contributed reporting to this article.</i> <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/13/technology/comcast-time-warner-cable-deal/?iid=EL#TOP" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #004276; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="To top of page" border="0" height="7" src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/money/images/bug.gif" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="7" /></a></div>

Comcast buys Time Warner Cable for $45 billion (BLOG)

Comcast said Thursday it had agreed to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion in a deal that would combine the two biggest cable companies in...

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US crushes Slovakia 7-1 in men's Olympic hockey (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdGVlmwZU5FJbXHRWNfwVmrvL8csU6InS-1RnjPqz_FWfE7ad8nu7ltMqsCtnAde5SNHMRDBCW3yQD3zycuW19ZMGRZ0Usx-aBuAqHk_9bLqwn6JizVey3WnQlKaPBikKxrHZwSqJJTc/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdGVlmwZU5FJbXHRWNfwVmrvL8csU6InS-1RnjPqz_FWfE7ad8nu7ltMqsCtnAde5SNHMRDBCW3yQD3zycuW19ZMGRZ0Usx-aBuAqHk_9bLqwn6JizVey3WnQlKaPBikKxrHZwSqJJTc/s1600/download.jpg" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">SOCHI, Russia (AP) With just one game to prepare for its Olympic showdown with Russia, the United States men's hockey team decided to cram an entire tournament's worth of hard work and highlights into one spectacular opener.</div><div class="inline-ad" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; float: right; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-right: -120px; padding: 15px 0px 15px 15px;"><div class="ad_slot" dimensions="300x600;300x250" id="si-vault-right-rail-flex" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;"><div id="si_1392313892456_1" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div id="google_ads_iframe_/8484/si/olympics_3__container__" style="border: 0pt none; box-sizing: border-box;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/8484/si/olympics_3" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/8484/si/olympics_3" scrolling="no" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; vertical-align: bottom;" width="300"></iframe></div></div></div></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Paul Stastny scored twice during a six-goal barrage in the second period, and the Americans got off to a roaring start in Sochi with a 7-1 victory over Slovakia in preliminary-round play Thursday.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Ryan Kesler, David Backes, Phil Kessel and Dustin Brown also scored as the U.S. battered Slovakia for six consecutive goals in a 13:51 span, turning what was expected to be a tough matchup into a laugher with their relentless offense.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">''I guess you never really expect to beat a team like that 7-1, and you never do it in a tournament like this,'' captain Zach Parise said. ''We just capitalized on the chances we had, moved the puck well and used our speed.''</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Although their goal celebrations declined from elation to excitement to sheepishness while the score skyrocketed, the Americans answered any lingering questions about their offensive abilities and their aptitude on the big Olympic ice by decimating a Slovak roster studded with NHL players.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">''You have to do a lot of skating out there on the big ice, but I think we handled it all right,'' said Kessel, who led the U.S. with two goals and an assist.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Jonathan Quick made 22 saves in his Olympic debut for the U.S., which hopes to improve on its silver-medal finish in Vancouver despite a roster that isn't thought to have the offensive power of Canada, Russia or Sweden.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">In their only warmup for Saturday's game against Alex Ovechkin and the host Russians, the Americans had more than enough potency to leave Slovakia's two goalies battered.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">''For the first time on the big ice for most of us, I thought we did pretty well,'' Stastny said. ''Our strengths are our puck possession and our speed, and we were really able to use both of them. All four lines just kind of clicked, and so did our D-men.''</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Jaroslav Halak stopped 20 shots before getting pulled when Stastny tipped home Kevin Shattenkirk's pass to put the Americans up 5-1 with their fourth goal in 12:04. Peter Budaj replaced Halak, but Kessel and Brown piled on goals in the next 1:47.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Tomas Tatar scored for Slovakia, which traveled to Sochi without high-scoring Marian Gaborik and veteran defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky due to injury. Nobody anticipated such a defensive collapse by a talented roster anchored by Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Zdeno Chara.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Slovakia's last two Olympic appearances have been humiliations: The Slovaks blew a third-period lead and lost to Finland in the bronze medal game in Vancouver, depriving them of their nation's first Olympic hockey medals.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">''We're going to be better,'' said Tatar, the Detroit Red Wings' young forward. ''We had a solid first period and then tied it. We've just got to play way better in our defensive zone. I think we're going to be ready to play the next game. We have a lot of talent in our locker room, and we're going to sort it out.''</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">John Carlson opened the scoring for the U.S. in the first period, and Tatar tied it with a nasty wrist shot in the opening minute of the second. Kesler put the Americans back ahead 1:02 later with a one-timer through Brown's screen, and Stastny scored 1:06 later on a fat rebound of Max Pacioretty's shot.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">The hits just kept coming, and the U.S. didn't let up until Brown redirected Carlson's pass to make it 7-1, sending the once-boisterous Slovak crowd into frustrated silence at Shayba Arena.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">Patrick Kane, T.J. Oshie and James van Riemsdyk added two assists apiece, with the speedy Kane looking particularly comfortable on the wide Olympic ice.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">The U.S. had lost to Slovakia in each of the teams' two previous Olympic meetings, giving the game special meaning to Stastny. The two-time U.S. Olympian has a famous Slovak father: Hall of Famer Peter Stastny played extensively for the Czechoslovakian and Slovak national teams alongside his lengthy NHL career.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">''It was good to finally get it on the third try,'' Stastny said.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 1.625rem; padding: 0px;">The Americans' scoring outburst made their goaltending situation seem secondary for a day, but Quick still handled the Slovaks' chances well. U.S. coach Dan Bylsma waited until Wednesday to choose Quick for the first start over Ryan Miller, who backstopped the Americans to silver medals in Vancouver while winning the tournament MVP award.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2f343b; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 26px; padding: 0px;">Quick, who didn't get in a game in Vancouver, emerged as one of the world's top goalies while leading Los Angeles to a Stanley Cup championship in 2012, but he missed seven weeks of the Kings' current season with a groin injury.</div>

US crushes Slovakia 7-1 in men's Olympic hockey (BLOG)

SOCHI, Russia (AP) With just one game to prepare for its Olympic showdown with Russia, the United States men's hockey team decided to cr...

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Ninth Circuit strikes California’s restrictive rule against licensed carry of handguns

This oughtta make Wirecutter and several million other gun enthusiasts very happy.<br /><br />Even though to me, "Shall Not Be Infringed" seems to be plain freakin' English that doesn't need interpretation, there are apparently a great number of people who can't seem to grasp the concept.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/02/13/ninth-circuit-strikes-californias-restrictive-rule-against-licensed-carry-of-handguns/">The Ninth Circuit just helped the illiterate bastards out</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/02/13/ninth-circuit-strikes-californias-restrictive-rule-against-licensed-carry-of-handguns/"> By David Kopel </a><br />February 13 at 1:17 pm<br /><br />The Ninth Circuit’s decision in Peruta v. San Diego, released minutes ago, affirms the right of law-abiding citizens to carry handguns for lawful protection in public.<br /><br />California law has a process for applying for a permit to carry a handgun for protection in public, with requirements for safety training, a background check, and so on. These requirements were not challenged. The statute also requires that the applicant have “good cause,” which was interpreted by San Diego County to mean that the applicant is faced with current specific threats. (Not all California counties have this narrow interpretation.) The Ninth Circuit, in a 2-1 opinion written by Judge O’Scannlain, ruled that Peruta was entitled to Summary Judgement, because the “good cause” provision violates the Second Amendment.<br /><br />The Court ruled that a government may specify what mode of carrying to allow (open or concealed), but a government may not make it impossible for the vast majority of Californians to exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms.</blockquote><br />There is more in Mr. Kopel's article at the link above.<br /><br />My thanks to <a href="http://thelibertyzone.wordpress.com/">The Liberty Zone</a> for being on top of this and posting about the decision just minutes after it's announcement.<br /><br /><a href="http://thelibertyzone.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/second-amendment-win/">Good job Nicki!</a>

Ninth Circuit strikes California’s restrictive rule against licensed carry of handguns

This oughtta make Wirecutter and several million other gun enthusiasts very happy. Even though to me, "Shall Not Be Infringed" see...

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U.N. Mediator Is Predicting That The Syrian Peace Talks Will Collapsel

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8muLo5ePlsQ" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Syria 'Failure' Looms, Mediator Seeks U.S., Russian Help -- Reuters</b></span></div><br />(Reuters) - Warning that "failure" was staring him in the face, the Syria peace talks mediator said on Thursday that the United States and Russia had promised renewed support to keep their rival Syrian allies talking.<br /><br />U.N. diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi met senior diplomats from Washington and Moscow in Geneva, hoping the co-sponsors of the three-week-old negotiating process could bury their own deep differences over Syria and prevail respectively on the opposition and Syrian government to move ahead and compromise.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-syria-crisis-idUSBREA1C18W20140213">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On Reports That The Syrian Peace Talks Are ON the Verge Of Collapse</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/world/syrian-peace-talks-on-the-brink-of-collapse-20140214-hvcch.html">Syrian peace talks on the brink of collapse</a> -- Sydney Morning Herald<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/world/middleeast/syria.html">U.S. and Russian Diplomats Confer With Syria Mediator </a>-- New York Times<br /><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/brahimi-to-consult-with-us-russian-officials-on-syrian-peace-effort/1850440.html">US, Russia Pledge to Unblock Syria Talks </a>-- Voice of America<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-syria-crisis-talks-brahimi-idUSBREA1C1HK20140213">U.S., Russia pledge to unblock Syria talks, Brahimi says</a> -- Reuters<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/un-us-russia-to-try-to-unblock-syria-stalemate/2014/02/13/31cce2ac-94da-11e3-9e13-770265cf4962_story.html">UN: US, Russia to try to ‘unblock’ Syria stalemate</a> -- Washington post/AP<br /><a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/syria-talks-falter-as-west-russia-feud-483181">Syria talks falter as West, Russia feud </a>-- NDTV

U.N. Mediator Is Predicting That The Syrian Peace Talks Will Collapsel

Syria 'Failure' Looms, Mediator Seeks U.S., Russian Help -- Reuters (Reuters) - Warning that "failure" was staring him in ...

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