The FED will PRINT, PRINT, PRINT, says Peter Schiff

<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">...and the U.S. DOLLAR will collapse.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Peter Schiff is adamant about his expectations of the FED leading the country into RECESSION and give his views on the new FED Chair Janet Yellen...</b></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AXxkLXjBV80?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>...developing...</b></div>

The FED will PRINT, PRINT, PRINT, says Peter Schiff

...and the U.S. DOLLAR will collapse. Peter Schiff is adamant about his expectations of the FED leading the country into RECESSION and give ...

Read more »

World News Briefs -- February 14, 2014 (Evening Edition)

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Qns-ZcOOqhU" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Syria Peace Talks Reach an Impasse -- Voice of America</b></span></div><br />GENEVA — Five days of peace talks aimed at ending Syria's civil war ended in a bitter impasse on Friday with Syrian government and opposition negotiators trading accusations over who was to blame for the stalemate at the UN-mediated talks in Geneva. <br /><br />U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi met separately with the Syrian government and opposition delegations Friday. When the meetings ended, the two parties held separate news conferences to vent frustrations with each other's negotiating positions.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/syria-peace-talks-set-to-end-with-no-progress/1851178.html">Read more </a></b>....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MIDDLE EAST</b></span></div><br />Thousands flee Syrian town as <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-syria-crisis-idUSBREA1D11920140214">'major assault' looms</a></b>.<br /><br />Russia: Syria peace talks <b><a href="http://www.stripes.com/news/europe/russia-syria-peace-talks-going-in-circles-1.267580">'going in circles'</a></b>.<br /><br />As battle rages around historic castle, <b><a href="http://www.terradaily.com/reports/As_battle_rages_around_historic_castle_Syrias_heritage_faces_ruin_999.html">Syria's heritage faces ruin</a></b>.<br /><br />UN puts evacuations from<b><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/un-puts-evacuations-from-syrian-battleground-city-of-homs-on-hold/article16892817/"> Syrian battleground city of Homs on hold</a></b>.<br /><br />Israelis fear Palestinians fighting in Syria <b><a href="http://freebeacon.com/israelis-fear-palestinians-fighting-in-syria-will-bring-terror-home/">will bring terror home</a></b>.<br /><br />Iraqi troops regain ground from militants <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/iraqi-troops-regain-ground-militants-northern-town-131755195.html">in northern town</a></b>.<br /><br />Iranian oil exports soar <b><a href="http://freebeacon.com/iranian-oil-exports-soar-under-sanctions-collapse/">as sanctions collapse</a></b>.<br /><br />West aims to minimize nuclear bomb risk<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-iran-nuclear-deal-idUSBREA1D0KE20140214"> in Iran talks</a></b>.<br /><br />Iran demands ‘proof’ of<b><a href="http://www.defencetalk.com/iran-demands-proof-of-nuclear-weapons-allegations-50697/"> nuclear weapons allegations</a></b>.<br /><br />Gunmen launch deadly attack<b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26177795"> on Yemeni prison</a></b>.<br /><br />Yemen: The Shia rebels close in <b><a href="http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/yemen/articles/20140213.aspx">on the capital</a></b>.<br /><br />Arrests in Bahrain on <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/arrests-bahrain-uprising-milestone-eve-20142141185461822.html">uprising milestone eve</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ASIA</b></span></div><br />Abducted Pakistani <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/02/abducted-pakistani-drone-activist-freed-20142141414744609.html">drone activist freed</a></b>.<br /><br />Karachi violence raises doubts <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/karachi-violence-raises-doubts-about-taliban-talks/1851489.html">about Taliban talks</a></b>.<br /><br />Karzai criticises lack of US respect for Afghan sovereignty <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/13/karzai-criticises-respect-afghan-sovereignty">as relations worsen</a></b>.<br /><br />US sees more delay likely in finalizing <b><a href="http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/sees+more+delay+likely+finalizing+security+agreement+with/9507104/story.html">security agreement with Afghanistan</a></b>.<br /><br />China will act on North Korea, <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-26174433">says John Kerry</a></b>.<br /><br />Kerry meets China's Xi amid <b><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Kerry-meets-Chinas-Xi-amid-heightened-Asia-tensions/articleshow/30383848.cms">heightened Asia tensions</a></b>. Kerry says China willing to push North Korea more <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-china-usa-idUSBREA1D0BJ20140214">on nuclear plans</a></b>.<br /><br />China says "will never allow war or chaos"<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-china-usa-korea-idUSBREA1D0DC20140214"> on Korean peninsula</a></b>.<br /><br />11 'terrorists' dead in shootout <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/11-terrorists-dead-in-shootout-with-chinese-police-report/1851254.html">with Chinese police: Report</a></b>. Several terrorists killed<b><a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-02/14/c_133116298.htm"> in Xinjiang attack</a></b>.<br /><br />Two Koreas to hold more <b><a href="http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/more-high-level-inter-korean-talks-set-friday/">high-level talks this week</a></b>. Koreas agree to hold family reunions<b><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/rival-koreas-meet-border-22510154"> as planned</a></b>.<br /><br />Navy chief: US would 'help' Philippines <b><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140213/DEFREG03/302130031/Navy-Chief-US-Would-Help-Philippines-South-China-Sea">in South China Sea.</a></b><br /><br />Thai police retake<b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2014/02/thai-police-retake-protest-camps-bangkok-20142145210548224.html"> protest camps in Bangkok</a></b>.<br /><br />China's consumer inflation <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26184151">holds steady at 2.5%</a></b>.<br /><br />Indonesia volcano erupts; 3 killed, <b><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/indonesias-mount-kelud-java-island-erupts-22502220">100K evacuated</a></b>. Mass evacuation in Indonesia as <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26183880">Java volcano erupts</a></b>.<br /><br />Nanjing seeks UNESCO listing <b><a href="http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Nanjing_seeks_UNESCO_listing_for_massacre_documents_999.html">for massacre documents</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AFRICA</b></span></div><br />Libyan PM moves to <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/libya-prime-minister-zeidan-moves-to-quash-coup-rumors-after-haftar-video/1851552.html">quash coup rumors</a></b>.<br /><br />Libyan general wants<b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/libyan-general-wants-parliament-suspended-2014214111452905729.html"> parliament suspended</a></b>. Libya's Zeidan says government, <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-libya-crisis-zeidan-idUSBREA1D0ML20140214">security under control</a></b>. Libya denies rumors <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/libya-denies-rumours-impending-coup-132121499.html">of impending coup</a></b>.<br /><br />France to boost forces in <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26195583">Central African Republic</a></b>.<br /><br />UN chief urges international <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/un-chief-urges-international-support-for-car/1851687.html">support for CAR</a></b>.<br /><br />1,000 Muslims reported <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/one-thousand-muslims-reported-trapped-in-car-town/1851047.html">trapped in CAR town</a></b>.<br /><br />Scores of men and women <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/scores-massacred-eastern-dr-congo-201421462858159187.html">executed in DR Congo</a></b>.<br /><br />We must not forget South Sudan as 3.7 million at risk of hunger,<b><a href="http://www.trust.org/item/20140214093824-vw38j/?source=hppartner"> warns charity</a></b>.<br /><br />Russia, Egypt reach initial <b><a href="http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140214/187524953/Russia-Egypt-Reach-Initial-3-Bln-Arms-Deal--Report.html">$3 bln arms deal – report</a></b>.<br /><br />Nigeria orders audit for <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nigeria-orders-audit-billions-petrodollars-130006897.html">billions of petrodollars</a></b>.<br /><br />Insight: Graft allegations test<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-somalia-corruption-insight-idUSBREA1D08P20140214"> West's ties to Somali president.</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 />On Feast of St. Valentine, <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/on-feast-of-st-valentine-a-papal-blessing/2014/02/14/98bef234-95a7-11e3-ae45-458927ccedb6_story.html">a papal blessing</a></b>.<br /><br />Bulgarian police detain 120 <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-bulgaria-mosque-attack-idUSBREA1D1O820140214">after mosque attack</a></b>.<br /><br />Atlantic storm brings more flood misery <b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/14/world/europe/uk-weather-flooding/">to drenched Britain</a></b>.<br /><br />U.K. warns Scotland: Vote to secede, <b><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/02/13/276526750/u-k-warns-scotland-vote-to-secede-lose-common-currency">lose common currency</a></b>. U.K. to Scotland: Walk away, <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/uk-to-scotland-walk-away-lose-the-pound/2014/02/13/f9406a4e-94cf-11e3-9e13-770265cf4962_story.html">lose the pound</a></b>.<br /><br />Ukraine releases all 234 protesters<b><a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a61c09d2-9596-11e3-9fd6-00144feab7de.html#axzz2tKKd5frh"> but tensions remain</a></b>.<br /><br />Russia accuses EU of seeking Ukraine <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-ukraine-russia-eu-idUSBREA1D0PT20140214">"sphere of influence"</a></b>.<br /><br />UK military on alert for <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/uk-military-alert-ira-mail-bomb-threat-132727282.html">new IRA mail-bomb threat</a></b>.<br /><br />Italian Prime Minister<b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26181569"> Enrico Letta resigns</a></b>. Italy's premier resigns <b><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/02/14/italy-premier-resigns-after-sacking-by-own-party/">after sacking by own party</a></b>.<br /><br />Italy's Renzi readies for power <b><a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/italy-politics-idINL5N0LJ30220140214">but faces daunting task</a></b>. Renzi grabs power in Italy<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-italy-renzi-idUSBREA1D0RE20140214"> without election</a></b>.<br /><br />Eurozone GDP growth<b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26185159"> gathers speed</a></b>.<br /><br />Spain closes enclave to <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/spain-closes-enclave-avert-syrian-migrant-rush-115932651.html">avert Syrian migrant rush</a></b>.<br /><br />Russia bans adoptions by <b><a href="http://rt.com/politics/russian-adoption-same-sex-couples-854/">foreign same-sex couple</a></b>.<br /><br />Athens court jails<b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/athens-court-jails-4-turkish-suspected-terrorists-131111786.html"> 4 Turkish suspected terrorists</a></b>.<br /><br />Salzburg art stash <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26187296">'more important than Munich'</a></b>.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AMERICAS</b></span></div><br />Winter storm buries parts of northeast;<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-usa-weather-idUSBREA120WG20140214"> <b></b></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/Winter%20storm%20buries%20parts%20of%20northeast;%20death%20toll%20at%2020">death toll at 20</a></b>.<br /><br />More snow predicted <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/more-snow-predicted-for-eastern-us-/1851293.html">for eastern US.</a></b> Deadly storm brings fresh round of snow to Northeast as <b><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2014/02/14/winter-storm-wreaks-havok-along-east-coast/">outages linger in South.</a></b><br /><br />Canceled! Airlines scrap <b><a href="http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/24723401/canceled-airlines-scrap-record-number-of-flights#axzz2tJ3kKAgM">record number of U.S. flights</a></b>.<br /><br />North Dakota pumps record <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nd-pumps-record-313-5m-194645643.html;_ylt=AvdRIz7TVFYeATaCUqVjiLLQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBsb21manVyBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM1BHNlYwNzcg--">313.5M barrels of oil in 2013</a></b>.<br /><br />Anti-Maduro protests persist in Venezuela,<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-venezuela-protests-idUSBREA1D19J20140214"> dozens jailed</a></b>.<br /><br />Venezuela braces for more violence – but it could work<b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/14/venezuela-violent-clashes-chavistas-opposition"> in Maduro's favour</a></b>. Officials in Venezuela order arrest of <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/officials-in-venezuela-order-arrest-of-opposition-leader-leopoldo-lopez/2014/02/13/a3c95398-94e1-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_story.html">opposition leader Leopoldo López</a></b>.<br /><br />Argentina struggling - again - <b><a href="http://www.dw.de/argentina-struggling-again-with-inflation/a-17429229">with inflation</a></b>.<br /><br />Mexico's president to ask Supreme Court <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-mexico-tv-idUSBREA1D02P20140214">to rule in TV battle</a></b>.<br /><br />Gun rights: Federal judges rule against Calif. restrictions<b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/gun-rights-federal-judges-rule-against-calif-restrictions-011846019.html"> on concealed carry.</a></b><br /><br />Factory production in U.S. falls <b><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-14/factory-production-in-u-s-fell-in-january-by-most-since-2009.html">by most since 2009</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR</b></span></div><br />Here’s a list of former Afghan detainees who have returned <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/02/13/heres-a-list-of-former-afghan-detainees-who-have-returned-to-fight-for-the-taliban/">to fight for the Taliban</a></b>.<br /><br />Al-Qaeda is alive and well <b><a href="http://warontherocks.com/2014/02/al-qaeda-is-alive-and-well-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan/">in Afghanistan and Pakistan.</a></b><br /><br />Al Qaeda splinter group <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-syria-crisis-executions-idUSBREA1D0R020140214">executes 13 in Syria: report</a></b>.<br /><br />The new jihadists make al-Qaeda look like <b><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10636336/The-new-jihadists-make-al-Qaeda-look-like-tired-old-has-beens.html">tired old has-beens</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS</b></span></div><br />U.S. to pursue trade dispute over<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-usa-trade-solar-vote-idUSBREA1D16C20140214"> Chinese, Taiwanese solar imports</a></b>.<br /><br />Comcast-Time Warner Cable deal <b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-comcast-deal-20140214,0,4696720.story#axzz2t41LE47C">would create formidable giant</a></b>.<br /><br />Facebook allows users <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26177050">to customise gender</a></b>.<br /><br />Crude oil slips to near<b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/crude-oil-slips-near-100-demand-doubts-134611365.html"> $100 on demand doubts</a></b>.<br /><br />Lenovo profits and sales <b><a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/lenovo-profits-and-sales-reach-beyond-expectations-114021400609_1.html">reach beyond expectations</a></b>.

World News Briefs -- February 14, 2014 (Evening Edition)

Syria Peace Talks Reach an Impasse -- Voice of America GENEVA — Five days of peace talks aimed at ending Syria's civil war ended in a bi...

Read more »

Jon Corzine to head the OBAMA "myRA" ACCOUNTS

<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">President Obama appoints GUESS WHO?</span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">myRA violates FEDERAL INVESTMENT LAWS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Meet the myRA man Jon Corzine</span></b><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbD6D0K-eBISRr_AEMkVgvOafqDreH4UPWqFnOmsd4SLICInn0WeaKhCT_phLXPVA-ZCh1NI1nxxpAJ8tI2dKu2m-TVBLGBP_rIpgCXB7fJBiAzF1h_i1LJRhn-nBAMY1fVAo9A-aVEc/s1600/Jon_Corzine1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbD6D0K-eBISRr_AEMkVgvOafqDreH4UPWqFnOmsd4SLICInn0WeaKhCT_phLXPVA-ZCh1NI1nxxpAJ8tI2dKu2m-TVBLGBP_rIpgCXB7fJBiAzF1h_i1LJRhn-nBAMY1fVAo9A-aVEc/s1600/Jon_Corzine1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> The lawless continue their lucrative lifestyles</span></b></div><br /><b><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/29/retirement/myra-accounts/" style="color: red;">http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/29/retirement/myra-accounts/</a></b><br /><br /><b><a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/expert-obamas-myra-violates-multiple-investment-laws/article/2543760" style="color: red;">http://washingtonexaminer.com/expert-obamas-myra-violates-multiple-investment-laws/article/2543760</a> </b><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Gerald Celente will bust a blood vessel soon:</b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW_kI_u6GqhVisDVVUfCcL92WHsruazt601a0jLr1r5egysDOkYIDFJBitN6RfLIzBpY6DC5sdS3GB__UA9l3YmyXbx5AQBYEfKPQEV2JrUrjtDyWoKOwOi47ExiDuPzYRUR8eRjBpQI/s1600/GeraleCelentePISSEDpic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW_kI_u6GqhVisDVVUfCcL92WHsruazt601a0jLr1r5egysDOkYIDFJBitN6RfLIzBpY6DC5sdS3GB__UA9l3YmyXbx5AQBYEfKPQEV2JrUrjtDyWoKOwOi47ExiDuPzYRUR8eRjBpQI/s1600/GeraleCelentePISSEDpic.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">And you think everything is getting better in America?</span> </b></div><b></b><br /><b><br /></b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LeiC3BoT5mc?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><b>...developing...</b>

Jon Corzine to head the OBAMA "myRA" ACCOUNTS

President Obama appoints GUESS WHO? myRA violates FEDERAL INVESTMENT LAWS Meet the myRA man Jon Corzine  The lawless continue their lucrativ...

Read more »

Revolt in the ranks: Foreign Service group demands better qualified diplomats (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZE7jqqS0pupc7jvC2CxtkG6TMXBdNVUlNwtBK3AFMf8paSXDOvf33eNB7vjweN91tqhXxLi2i4VMs-5d4hRejcLlQR2BgHdHt3kcpFDyBzINaw0Fgl8IjH8KI097FNGvDt9pJFkqZVwI/s1600/r.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/AVvXsEjZE7jqqS0pupc7jvC2CxtkG6TMXBdNVUlNwtBK3AFMf8paSXDOvf33eNB7vjweN91tqhXxLi2i4VMs-5d4hRejcLlQR2BgHdHt3kcpFDyBzINaw0Fgl8IjH8KI097FNGvDt9pJFkqZVwI/s1600/r.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">After a string of rocky confirmation hearings for President Obama's diplomatic nominees, the group representing America's Foreign Service professionals signaled Friday that it's had enough. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The organization, in a major rebuke, is now urging that the White House set minimum qualification standards for its ambassadorial nominees. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">"The topic of the qualifications of ambassadorial nominees is of great interest to AFSA's membership," The American Foreign Service Association said in a statement. "All Americans have a vested interest in ensuring that we have the most effective leaders and managers of U.S. embassies and missions advancing U.S. interests around the globe." </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The American Foreign Service Association has long argued that ambassadorial nominees should, for the most part, come from the ranks of career professionals -- as opposed to the ranks of top-dollar political donors. But the organization is taking its concerns to a new level, announcing Friday that it will propose new guidelines for "the necessary qualifications and qualities" for diplomatic candidates. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The statement said the group has been "closely monitoring" recent confirmation hearings. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The remark was a reference to several problematic appearances by Obama donors who had been rewarded with diplomatic appointments. At confirmation hearings, they betrayed gaps in knowledge about the countries where they were appointed to serve. The performances stoked concerns that the administration is appointing too many politically connected donors, and not enough Foreign Service professionals, to diplomatic posts. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The American Foreign Service Association further fueled those concerns when it reported that a whopping 53 percent of Obama's second-term appointments have been political. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The United States is just about the only major democracy that still uses diplomatic posts to routinely reward political friends. Historically, less than a third of these appointments have been political in nature. Under former President Bill Clinton, 28 percent were political; under former President George W. Bush, that number was 30 percent. Under Obama, the number has climbed to 37 percent overall. By the time he leaves office, it could well be higher. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Though this is a bipartisan practice, the performance during confirmation hearings of some of Obama's latest picks has raised concerns that the United States may be sending the wrong message abroad. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Last week, his nominee to Argentina admitted he'd never been there. His nominee to Norway also flubbed some key facts about the Scandinavian nation at his confirmation hearing. During the hearing, George Tsunis at one point referred to Norway's president, though the country is a constitutional monarchy. He also downplayed the importance of the country's Progress Party but was sternly reminded by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that the party is part of the center-right coalition government there. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Colleen Bradley Bell, a soap opera producer nominated for ambassador to Hungary, also recently struggled to answer what America's strategic interests are in that country. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">A FoxNews.com review shows that Obama has appointed at least 44 so-called bundlers -- people who gather political contributions for a candidate -- since taking office. That's almost as many as Bush appointed in his full two terms. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The positions awarded to these individuals have remained roughly consistent. Plush posts in western European countries, the Caribbean, and places like Singapore and Canada, often go to the politically connected. France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy are just a handful of the most sought-after jobs. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The administration stresses that it's too early to say, especially based on scattered confirmation hearing performances, how these nominees would do in their jobs. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">"I would encourage people to give those who have had tougher hearings a chance to go to their countries and see what their tenure will entail," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said last Friday. "And the judgment can't be made about how effective they'll be or how appreciated they'll be by the government until we have that happen." </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">She noted that many esteemed U.S. ambassadors have come from outside the Foreign Service career path, including former Vice President Walter Mondale in Japan, and Sargent Shriver in France. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">AFSA acknowledged that some "outstanding ambassadors" have come from outside the Foreign Service ranks. The group also said, though, that "individuals who have spent decades in the United States Foreign Service are uniquely qualified for the job of Ambassador given their years of training and hands-on experience." </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The statement suggested that the guidelines would seek to establish minimum qualifications for nominees, rather than rule out political nominations altogether. </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The guidelines apparently have been in the works for months, prepared by 10 ambassadors spanning eight administrations. The group's Board of Governors recently adopted them. It's too early to say whether the administration would follow suit.  </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">-FOX</div>

Revolt in the ranks: Foreign Service group demands better qualified diplomats (BLOG)

After a string of rocky confirmation hearings for President Obama's diplomatic nominees, the group representing America's Foreign Se...

Read more »

Early Indications of Hypersarcasm

The following chart shows the annual change in the semiannual average of the producer price index for finished goods.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0xRfPRr5_LdFR3G70HxJ6UGlJsVjZXL08jr5cSh_peJk2KLeLMZ9092tqrJqxzfuNaqEe3-CguAoFmWEV4Rew7hj5B6IYO4QDYfBatI7wr1AJBruspP0kHjxBxYx5ZmweaBHJqVmgog/s1600/Early+Indications+of+Hypersarcasm.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0xRfPRr5_LdFR3G70HxJ6UGlJsVjZXL08jr5cSh_peJk2KLeLMZ9092tqrJqxzfuNaqEe3-CguAoFmWEV4Rew7hj5B6IYO4QDYfBatI7wr1AJBruspP0kHjxBxYx5ZmweaBHJqVmgog/s320/Early+Indications+of+Hypersarcasm.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />1. Heckle the Fed for achieving long-term "stable price" certainty?<br /><br />2. Heckle Jeremy Siegel for warning us that the Fed would raise rates <a href="http://www.bullfax.com/?q=node-fed-raise-rates-well-2014-siegel-says">well before 2014</a>?<br /><br />3. Heckle CNBC for warning us what <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/101282534">the taper would do to interest rates</a>?<br /><br />4. Heckle Shadowstats for misguided <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/12/where-is-cornpocalypse.html">hyperinflation theories</a>?<br /><br />So many many targets! So little time. I may be forced to resort to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_independently_targetable_reentry_vehicle">Sarcastic ZIRP Technology</a>!<br /><br /><div style="color: black;"><b><span style="color: red;">ZIRP</span> - A <span style="color: red;">Z</span>illion <span style="color: red;">I</span>ndependently targetable interest <span style="color: red;">R</span>ate <span style="color: red;">P</span>uns</b></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjvFoGcPneZ6lxQsbf-wAdE_yv-Ti_fqHUgU0BKPhyphenhyphenKn4D127H0Q02tkVTJbwHKzKBnuECkrJmUTZmQfL62vcGRelXx8ffqEaWwZCHGJgaD4kNlti8mOO9Vvf6CDccon5noDse12usno/s1600/MIRV.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjvFoGcPneZ6lxQsbf-wAdE_yv-Ti_fqHUgU0BKPhyphenhyphenKn4D127H0Q02tkVTJbwHKzKBnuECkrJmUTZmQfL62vcGRelXx8ffqEaWwZCHGJgaD4kNlti8mOO9Vvf6CDccon5noDse12usno/s320/MIRV.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minuteman_III_MIRV_path.svg">File:Minuteman III MIRV path.svg (Fastfission)</a></span><br /><br />This is not investment advice.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=s7B">St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart</a>

Early Indications of Hypersarcasm

The following chart shows the annual change in the semiannual average of the producer price index for finished goods. Click to enlarge. 1. H...

Read more »

Valentine's Day Special: The 14 Most Romantic Cities in the U.S.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdfo8DWFF5hn2vydtprgjPMFtGX0tBq_HxareaNBjPMcKEhD8JPQHcINGAku997FNrXxSLFYY2Ajf5R2MI-JoQJvAHnzCVsZ7TCAQYET9l3L5T90XRBLRMa1kiWY0ILaW1DhpBTjwmZ0/s1600/e.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/AVvXsEiDdfo8DWFF5hn2vydtprgjPMFtGX0tBq_HxareaNBjPMcKEhD8JPQHcINGAku997FNrXxSLFYY2Ajf5R2MI-JoQJvAHnzCVsZ7TCAQYET9l3L5T90XRBLRMa1kiWY0ILaW1DhpBTjwmZ0/s1600/e.jpg" /></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;">This year, my Valentine (you may have seen me with him -- Irish guy, white hair, blue eyes, adorable) and I will be staying close to home for this most beloved of Hallmark holidays. We've been on a tear since before Christmas and we needed to slow down. Besides, the hearth is always good for the heart.</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 is not to say that our romance has always been homebound. Over the years, Phil and I have lived and loved in more than a few far-flung places. When we first started dating, I had a house in the Hollywood Hills, he lived in Chicago, and we'd actually commute cross-country to go on dates.</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;">Then we got married (in Beverly Hills), took off for a honeymoon (in Greece), and settled into a home in the suburb of Winnetka, Illinois -- where we both learned, firsthand, the quiet joys of neighborhood living. But two careers called, and before long we were headed east, building a home in Connecticut along the waters of Long Island Sound, and eventually putting all our eggs into our cozy nest in New York City.</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;">But romance doesn't live by the coasts alone. Across the country this week, flowers and chocolates (and hugs and kisses) are being exchanged in countless settings in innumerable cities, in honor of Valentine's Day. So I decided to take a little poll: Which American city is the most romantic?</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;">Is it in the sensual south, which has inspired everything from country love songs to romance novels? Or is it one of our major metropolises, which, despite the bright lights and honking horns, always seem to have their own electrifying kind of romance? Or is it an unexpected location -- like a small hamlet tucked into a snowy mountainside, or even smaller beach hideaway.</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;">Take a look at our list and let us know what you think. And if we missed your city, let us know that too, and tell us why!</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;">In the meantime, Happy Valentine's Day, America! (And, Phil -- light a fire and pour the wine. I'll be home in ten minutes).</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;"></div><div class="" data-beacon="{"p":{"slideshow_id":"336112"}}" id="hp-slideshow-wrapper-336112" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; direction: ltr; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="hp-ss-wrapper" data-beacon="{"p":{"slide_id":"3390445","slide_position":0}}" data-id="336112" data-title="Valentine’s Day: 14 Most Romantic Cities" id="hp-ss-wrapper-336112" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; direction: ltr; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 555px; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 570px; z-index: 4999;"><div class="hp-ss-leaderboard" style="background-color: #222222; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(43, 43, 43); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 109px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 920px; z-index: 5000003;"><div class="hp-slideshow-leaderboard-div" id="hp-slideshow-leaderboard-div-336112" style="background-color: black; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 90px; margin: 10px auto 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 728px;"></div></div><div class="hp-ss-body" style="background-color: #101010; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 570px; z-index: 5000003;"><div class="hp-ss-main" data-beacon="{"p":{"view_mode":"screen"}}" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="hp-ss-main-header" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 40px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px 10px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="hp-ss-title-icon hp-ss-icon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; float: left; font-family: hp-ss-icon; font-size: 26px; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; speak: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 22px;"></div><div class="hp-ss-title-block" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: default; direction: ltr; display: inline; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 9px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 396px;"><div class="hp-ss-head-title-fade" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(16, 16, 16, 0) 0px, rgb(16, 16, 16) 100%); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px; z-index: 5000005;"></div><span class="hp-ss-head-title-text" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: default; display: block; height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 360px;">Valentine’s Day: 14 Most Romantic Cities</span></div><div class="hp-ss-next-arrow" data-beacon="{"p":{"event_action":"arrow_top_corner_right"}}" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(252, 252, 252) 0px, rgb(196, 196, 196) 100%); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; float: right; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 2px 0px 0px; padding: 4px 7px 4px 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="hp-ss-icon bN" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: hp-ss-icon; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; speak: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div class="hp-ss-prev-arrow" data-beacon="{"p":{"event_action":"arrow_top_corner_left"}}" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(252, 252, 252) 0px, rgb(196, 196, 196) 100%); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; float: right; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; padding: 4px 7px 4px 6px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="hp-ss-icon bN" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: hp-ss-icon; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; speak: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div class="hp-ss-current-text" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; direction: ltr; float: right; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; min-width: 40px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="fs-inline-ss-current" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span> of <span class="fs-inline-ss-total" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">15</span></div><div class="clearboth" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><div class="hp-ss-main-image" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 420px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1140px;"><div class="hp-ss-fullscreen-prev" data-beacon="{"p":{"event_action":"arrow_in_slide_image_left"}}" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 360px; left: 10px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 35px; z-index: 100;"><span class="hp-ss-icon bN" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; font-family: hp-ss-icon; font-size: 60px; height: 60px; left: 2px; line-height: 60px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.8; padding: 0px; position: absolute; speak: none; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 2px 2px 4px; top: 177.5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 35px;"></span></div><div class="hp-ss-fullscreen-next hover" data-beacon="{"p":{"event_action":"arrow_in_slide_image_right"}}" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 360px; left: 525px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 35px; z-index: 100;"><span class="hp-ss-icon bN" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; font-family: hp-ss-icon; font-size: 60px; height: 60px; line-height: 60px; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 2px; speak: none; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 2px 2px 4px; top: 177.5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 35px;"></span></div><div class="hp-ss-main-image-inner" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; float: left; height: 415px; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 570px;"><img src="http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/336112/slide_336112_3390445_free.jpg?1391551153254" style="border: 1px solid rgb(60, 60, 60); box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 369.7083333333333px; margin: 21.645833333333343px 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 548px;" /></div></div></div></div></div></div>

Valentine's Day Special: The 14 Most Romantic Cities in the U.S.

This year, my Valentine (you may have seen me with him -- Irish guy, white hair, blue eyes, adorable) and I will be staying close to home fo...

Read more »

Mahendra Sharma's Astrological forecasts of PRECIOUS METALS

<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">KITCO seeks an astrologer and stargazer </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mahendra Sharma forecasts GOLD, SILVER, and PALLADIUM</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Learn about his FINANCIAL TRADING STRATEGIES:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.mahendraprophecy.com/" style="color: red;">http://www.mahendraprophecy.com/</a></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mahendraprophecy</span></b> </b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b><b>Watch the peeping and muttering wizard below.  For those of you that seek unto these FAMILIAR SPIRITS, you better do some immediate and serious stacking:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZYM-j15YFT4?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>The News UNIT has a much better synopsis:</b><br /><b><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-news-units-gold-and-silver-analysis.html" style="color: red;">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-news-units-gold-and-silver-analysis.html</a> </b><br /><br /><b>...developing...</b></div>

Mahendra Sharma's Astrological forecasts of PRECIOUS METALS

KITCO seeks an astrologer and stargazer  Mahendra Sharma forecasts GOLD, SILVER, and PALLADIUM Learn about his FINANCIAL TRADING STRATEGIES:...

Read more »

Darren Sharper CHARGED WITH RAPE! NFL Star Allegedly Drugged Multiple Women (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3b0aC-uaCEyGsYwRfe5iotYmgVQwKUUblSCXNIMJeROzqvlgqdAvDF9zKpWhYeJEWyQDrvM2UjHqp8QoPVtjR9ePc3A1MLMHBBZRJczQXMuK9mQaCzEC64FRan5T1fRLCFJXTMmXiaE/s1600/w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3b0aC-uaCEyGsYwRfe5iotYmgVQwKUUblSCXNIMJeROzqvlgqdAvDF9zKpWhYeJEWyQDrvM2UjHqp8QoPVtjR9ePc3A1MLMHBBZRJczQXMuK9mQaCzEC64FRan5T1fRLCFJXTMmXiaE/s1600/w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Darren Sharper has just been charged with 2 counts of rape in L.A. ... after the former New Orleans Saints superstar allegedly drugged multiple women and raped them in his hotel room ... TMZ Sports has learned.<br /><br />Among the charges ... two counts of rape by use of drugs, four counts of furnishing a controlled substance and one count of possession of a controlled substance, all felonies.<br /><br />Sharper -- who had a Hall of Fame-caliber NFL career as a safety -- is accused of drugging the women with zolpidem (Ambien).<br /><br />Officials say Sharper met the two women in a West Hollywood nightclub on October 30th and invited them to another party.<br /><br />On the way, officials say they stopped at Darren's hotel room and he gave them each a shot.<br /><br />The women then passed out and hours later one of the women claims she woke up with Sharper sexually assaulting her.  The second woman says she woke up and "interrupted his actions."<br /><br />Officials say Sharper STRUCK AGAIN on January 14th ... when he returned to the same West Hollywood nightclub and found two more women.<br /><br />Sharper allegedly pulled the same scheme -- inviting them back to hs room, gave them a shot, they passed out, he raped them.<br /><br />Officials say both women left his hotel and sought medical treatment.<br /><br />Sharper was arrested on January 17th. He was released on $200k bail.  In addition to the rape, officials also say he was illegally in possession of morphine.<br /><br />If convicted, Sharper faces more than 30 YEARS in prison. Officials are recommending the judge set his bail at $100 MILLION.<br /><br />(Update: We're told the $100 million bail was a typo ... officials meant to request a $10 MILLION bail).<br /><br />Officials say Sharper is also accused of raping women in 3 other states -- including Arizona, Nevada and Louisiana.<br /><br />As we previously reported, Sharper has addressed the allegations in Louisiana ... claiming the sexual encounter was consensual.<br /><br />-TMZ

Darren Sharper CHARGED WITH RAPE! NFL Star Allegedly Drugged Multiple Women (BLOG)

Darren Sharper has just been charged with 2 counts of rape in L.A. ... after the former New Orleans Saints superstar allegedly drugged multi...

Read more »

Marijuana is still both LEGAL and ILLEGAL

<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Marijuana Monetary Madness </b></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NdGy_pX_D6a0sCgXFPU_OfWcTANChfhyphenhyphencx97rpAu3WCtaKLp0v5UUv-wBbjkYsEOQUVWqY0xkVFDg0k2YZDOo5hTk_AezhoLVacN7R7sWpdOaK5epFrvk98lG3HZ0B-o_Mxt1hKqm-Y/s1600/moneybagspic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NdGy_pX_D6a0sCgXFPU_OfWcTANChfhyphenhyphencx97rpAu3WCtaKLp0v5UUv-wBbjkYsEOQUVWqY0xkVFDg0k2YZDOo5hTk_AezhoLVacN7R7sWpdOaK5epFrvk98lG3HZ0B-o_Mxt1hKqm-Y/s1600/moneybagspic.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Justice Department is making no guarantees...</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zEyFZsibuDsy8L41T2AkGGT4dQmCkV6VMvnBsH-o9HuwAh7p5iPe53ksuP3JFou7A1o1bPOLkL0HS1tRkGW20nci7-VDfhGJyPpXSmisPVxZh5QmzWh0N5JlB8G51yUlDBWffpY2TbQ/s1600/marijuana-pictures-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0zEyFZsibuDsy8L41T2AkGGT4dQmCkV6VMvnBsH-o9HuwAh7p5iPe53ksuP3JFou7A1o1bPOLkL0HS1tRkGW20nci7-VDfhGJyPpXSmisPVxZh5QmzWh0N5JlB8G51yUlDBWffpY2TbQ/s1600/marijuana-pictures-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>  </b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>...but the BANKS are now cleared to take the money...</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JCdfWJmq7yg?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><b>...developing...</b></div>

Marijuana is still both LEGAL and ILLEGAL

Marijuana Monetary Madness The Justice Department is making no guarantees...   ...but the BANKS are now cleared to take the money... ...deve...

Read more »

Valentine's Day shout-out from first lady: 'Hey Barack' (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglG_hkziW2VQespMcQrW6OdrQmGLZTu4m8ohCNcMWfhfnBsNyisI23dNe72MfpIfrOOmqLAqUSyVS4BEnW5u3KUErpPFOhkLQ7NUzH1AuDAtAFLEhWTAlqyNfsEGo-pyAFj80eW0Llh-A/s1600/s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglG_hkziW2VQespMcQrW6OdrQmGLZTu4m8ohCNcMWfhfnBsNyisI23dNe72MfpIfrOOmqLAqUSyVS4BEnW5u3KUErpPFOhkLQ7NUzH1AuDAtAFLEhWTAlqyNfsEGo-pyAFj80eW0Llh-A/s1600/s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;">In case the president wasn't sure who his Valentine was, his wife reminded him on Friday.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"><br /></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">First Lady Michelle Obama sent out photos on Twitter and Instagram of her and President Obama dancing, smiling and kissing. Accompanying the photos was the message, "Hey Barack, I'll always be your valentine! #HappyValentinesDay –mo<span style="color: #006699; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>."</strong></span> </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5em;">This</span> isn't the first time the love birds have exchanged pleasantries on the day of love. In 2012, the president tweeted his wife — and his 41 million other followers — a happy Valentine's Day.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">The couple will be spending the holiday apart, as the president is splitting his time between meeting with House Democrats in Maryland, traveling to California to discuss the drought with farmers and to greet the King Abdullah II of Jordan. But the love is alive through social media. </div>

Valentine's Day shout-out from first lady: 'Hey Barack' (BLOG)

In case the president wasn't sure who his Valentine was, his wife reminded him on Friday. First Lady Michelle Obama sent out photos on T...

Read more »

Princes William, Harry spend Valentine's Day helping flood-ravaged town (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXhyl6mxDRPberTsWOxo2IRh5t3f1eBWNph1rQaZuy2wSIycsED3AEGV2whIFPJWk4wu7lgZ6GaTmoEIOvnOc77MK9QOFhURiapEGe1-bau1logwFdPGcjJ32JbpaUs8ofAQY2EwcNsA/s1600/yy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXhyl6mxDRPberTsWOxo2IRh5t3f1eBWNph1rQaZuy2wSIycsED3AEGV2whIFPJWk4wu7lgZ6GaTmoEIOvnOc77MK9QOFhURiapEGe1-bau1logwFdPGcjJ32JbpaUs8ofAQY2EwcNsA/s1600/yy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">Prince William and Prince Harry spent Valentine’s Day putting their hearts, along with their heft, into helping a flood-hit village in southern England.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">The royal brothers joined military soldiers to haul sandbags early Friday morning in Datchet, Berkshire, where homeowners have been struggling to protect their homes against rising floods.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">The two princes worked with members of the Household Cavalry, for whom Harry is an officer. William also was attached to the regiment before he retired from the military service last September.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">Their visit was unannounced but news crews and photographers followed the pair once word about their work spread about five hours into their effort. At one point, Prince William asked one reporter to help out. The journalist tried but was told he couldn't because he didn't have appropriate clothing.</div><div class="media_container widget tweet-embed flexible-twitter rendered" data-template="<%= Desktop %>" data-twttr-id="twttr-sandbox-0" data-widget-type="tweet-embed2" data-widget="{"Desktop":"<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" lang=\"en\"><p>Prince William to Guardian: &quot;Why don&#39;t you put the notebook down and give us a hand with the sandbags?&quot; I offered but was told no by minders</p>&mdash; Robert Booth (@Robert_Booth) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/Robert_Booth/statuses/434279442148782080\">February 14, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src=\"//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>"}" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding: 0px 30px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">Another reporter asked Harry whether he was enjoying the work.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">"Not really, with you guys around,” he replied, according to the Press Association, a UK news agency.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">Graham Leaver, a clerk at the Datchet parish council, praised the princes for their involvement.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">"They were very natural. To be honest, they could have walked in among people here and nobody would have recognized them looking at the way they were dressed,” he told the Press Association of the two princes, clad in Wellington boots and waterproof outerwear.</div><div class="art medium none" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; margin: 0px auto 20px; width: 500px;"><img alt="DATCHET, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 14: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry leave a temporary military base on February 14, 2014 in Datc..." src="http://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams/2014/February/140214/2D11629653-today-prince-flood-140214-02.blocks_desktop_medium.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%;" /><div class="credit" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.25em; position: relative; text-align: right;">Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images</div><div class="caption" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 5px; position: relative;">Prince William and Prince Harry leave a temporary military base.</div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">Queen Elizabeth also lent her aid to flood victims in the area, according to a Buckingham Palace spokesman who said the monarch contributed food and bedding from the royal farms at Windsor.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: MuseoSans, 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-left: 30px;">Both Prince William and Prince Harry have been known to show their heroic sides in the past, often at unexpected moments. William, a former search-and-rescue pilot, <a href="http://www.today.com/news/teen-prince-william-thank-you-saving-my-life-6C10916517" style="color: #f15822; line-height: 1.5em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">once saved the life of a teenager after the girl got caught in a riptide</a>. And Harry <a href="http://www.today.com/id/46926610/ns/today-today_news/#.Uv5Rz0JdU0M" style="color: #f15822; line-height: 1.5em; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">came to the aid of an injured polo player after a collision </a>during a charity match in Brazil.</div>

Princes William, Harry spend Valentine's Day helping flood-ravaged town (BLOG)

Prince William and Prince Harry spent Valentine’s Day putting their hearts, along with their heft, into helping a flood-hit village in south...

Read more »

Man calls 911 because his wife’s jacket zipper got stuck (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbP1vbZjRwjk338YjE-PmX2-yoMbqVx9a9OEa4bVIhklty4Q_uitLowJspqtx5iehUDE69SH4mRkQViTNErt72ZtCkyt5Foz3DLuy1bAqLfbwQIw6RaXGYTIQTS11oVCB6SJOUgwthB_c/s1600/911.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/AVvXsEhbP1vbZjRwjk338YjE-PmX2-yoMbqVx9a9OEa4bVIhklty4Q_uitLowJspqtx5iehUDE69SH4mRkQViTNErt72ZtCkyt5Foz3DLuy1bAqLfbwQIw6RaXGYTIQTS11oVCB6SJOUgwthB_c/s1600/911.jpg" /></a></div><div id="yui-tmp-18" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Zippers are tricky, or at least they’re tricky for now until that <a data-rapid_p="9" href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2014/02/12/possibly-the-most-radical-innovation-to-zippers-in-over-a-century/" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">cool Under Armor zipper</a> takes over. One Oregon man was particularly frustrated with his wife’s jacket zipper, so much so that he called 911 for their assistance, as <a data-rapid_p="10" href="http://www.kgw.com/news/Man-calls-911-after-wife-cant-get-jacket-off-245255581.html" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14262" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">KGW Newschannel 8</a> reports.</div><div class="yom-fig-frame" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_13861" style="margin: auto; text-align: center; width: 714.125px;"><span id="schemaorg"><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-middle" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_13860" style="float: none; margin: 0px auto 15px; max-width: 100%; overflow: hidden; width: 550px;"><img alt="" class="editorial " id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_13859" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/pMEP_u5IsgNWLjGOk05ROA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTU1MA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/news/2014-02-13/5c3b3e30-94fd-11e3-908a-8bf12991ea43_Screen-Shot-2014-02-13-at-1-58-11-PM.png" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: bottom; visibility: visible !important;" title="(KGW)" width="550" /><div class="legend" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14332" style="background-image: none; color: grey; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; text-align: left;">(KGW)</div></div></span></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14342" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The transcript, lovingly provided by KGW:</div><blockquote id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14354" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(116, 116, 116); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; color: #747474; font-family: Georgia, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 13.33333px; padding: 0px 13.33333px;"><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14353"><em id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14352">OPERATOR: 911, Police Fire and Medical.</em></div><em>CALLER: Yeah we got a problem here. My wife is struggling in her jacket and can't get it off. I want 911 here immediately.</em><br /><em>OPERATOR: Is she not breathing?</em><br /><em>CALLER: She's alright, she just can't get her [expletive] jacket off.</em></blockquote><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14437" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The fire department arrived and helped the woman take her jacket off. As <a data-rapid_p="11" href="http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2014/02/you_called_911_for_that_washin.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">The Oregonian</a> reports, this call was released as part of the Washington Dispatch Agency’s “You called 911 for that?!” campaign. They are attempting to, “educate people on the proper use of the emergency service.” Every week they will post another “ridiculous use” of 911 on their <a data-rapid_p="12" href="https://www.facebook.com/WCCCA911" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Facebook page</a>.</div><span class="yui-editorial-embed" id="yui_3_0_0-2-1392330072976214" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;"></span><br /><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_14427" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">More info: <a data-rapid_p="13" href="http://www.kgw.com/news/Man-calls-911-after-wife-cant-get-jacket-off-245255581.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">KGW</a>, <a data-rapid_p="14" href="http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2014/02/you_called_911_for_that_washin.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">The Oregonian</a></div>

Man calls 911 because his wife’s jacket zipper got stuck (BLOG)

Zippers are tricky, or at least they’re tricky for now until that  cool Under Armor zipper  takes over. One Oregon man was particularly frus...

Read more »

It's Valentines Day

Sorry, I didn't get you any flowers.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjaxcWfw_Bry-qvirSjfgn6GzvvIjpUyDITXgMVKaLb50mvUdPnKPEtmLSTCJhOjpec5ojHZ1MY3PECxYr8uXtGJDve_MeOoMtINu-bZQIElVLbSTGI-T6tOh1yLGyfOBaVkOGk2YAf7V/s1600/heart-butt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjaxcWfw_Bry-qvirSjfgn6GzvvIjpUyDITXgMVKaLb50mvUdPnKPEtmLSTCJhOjpec5ojHZ1MY3PECxYr8uXtGJDve_MeOoMtINu-bZQIElVLbSTGI-T6tOh1yLGyfOBaVkOGk2YAf7V/s640/heart-butt.jpg" /></a></div>

It's Valentines Day

Sorry, I didn't get you any flowers.

Read more »

Want to know the secret to a 67-year marriage? Ask Bill and Betty Evans (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1AnCPSCf_DTjKoafl8V-szjq3UFWG76TqwGuj5Tbi3GdWS4Fbp6SmB1xwWY1C6DlkkfhJZn2PkUHKALQfC1xEZQQDAg92Q8fPyOOVm_7KaEfB9p2T7nCLjieQiIZcBQv0DZhbCl_YZw/s1600/q.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/AVvXsEhj1AnCPSCf_DTjKoafl8V-szjq3UFWG76TqwGuj5Tbi3GdWS4Fbp6SmB1xwWY1C6DlkkfhJZn2PkUHKALQfC1xEZQQDAg92Q8fPyOOVm_7KaEfB9p2T7nCLjieQiIZcBQv0DZhbCl_YZw/s1600/q.jpg" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9099" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The average American marriage that ends in divorce lasts about <a data-rapid_p="9" href="https://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-125.pdf" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9151" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">eight years</a>.</div><div class="body-slot-mod" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.307693481445313px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 10px; max-width: 300px;"><div class="yom-remote"><div class="" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div></div></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9117" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Bill and Betty Evans have been married for nearly 67 years.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9127" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"I probably asked her half a dozen times before she said 'Yes,'" Bill told Iowa's <a data-rapid_p="10" href="http://www.kcci.com/news/central-iowa/For-Iowa-couple-Valentine-s-Day-is-a-story-of-love/24481566" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9136" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">KCCI.com</a> in a special Valentine's Day report.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9205" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The pair met on a naval base in Maryland in 1947 and tied the knot a few months later. Fast forward to today, and they have three children, four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9215" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Speaking to KCCI, Bill joked that he didn't think he'd live 67 years "let alone be married for that long." But he has, and he and his wife shared some of their secrets for a long and loving relationship.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9225" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Bill joked that he "learned early in life to say, 'yes, ma'am.'" He said the two rarely argue, but they do have "discussions" and have never made a "serious decision without consulting the other one."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Cherish each other," he continued. "Respect each other forever. No matter what happens."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Of course it's one thing to hear that advice from somebody who just watched "The Notebook" and think they know it all. But to hear the advice from a couple who's still in love after 67 years of marriage is something else entirely.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9253" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">As for how they plan to celebrate Valentine's Day, KCCI reports the couple will be enjoying a meal at their local Red Lobster, which happens to be Betty's favorite restaurant. </div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_9253" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;"><em id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389377114892_1114">Follow Mike Krumboltz on Twitter (<a data-rapid_p="11" href="https://twitter.com/mikekrumboltz" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389377114892_1113" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">@mikekrumboltz</a>).</em></div>

Want to know the secret to a 67-year marriage? Ask Bill and Betty Evans (BLOG)

The average American marriage that ends in divorce lasts about  eight years . Bill and Betty Evans have been married for nearly 67 years. &q...

Read more »

Analysts express concerns of FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>HYPER-INFLATION of NATIONAL DEBT</b></span></div><br /><b>The Liberty Symposium masterminds discuss the current economic trends and concerns...</b><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_z48xPMd1AI?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TeZSfeeUsZ0?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe>

Analysts express concerns of FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

HYPER-INFLATION of NATIONAL DEBT The Liberty Symposium masterminds discuss the current economic trends and concerns...

Read more »

Govt issues roadmap to banks on marijuana business (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfbeg8m8Gz6nJ5NEqCYBQ7X-yVI42OKPojUzrci5w0lQ2T3W2c0YfkiKswovRE6RLe1ajZ8HKHTG_8bDWcQDWcbHNpzfNhaaLIYZoBrsWrb_7K7mV5xwkyopURg8bsknIr2KGC6eZo6c/s1600/a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfbeg8m8Gz6nJ5NEqCYBQ7X-yVI42OKPojUzrci5w0lQ2T3W2c0YfkiKswovRE6RLe1ajZ8HKHTG_8bDWcQDWcbHNpzfNhaaLIYZoBrsWrb_7K7mV5xwkyopURg8bsknIr2KGC6eZo6c/s1600/a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_3217" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is giving banks a roadmap for doing business with marijuana sellers.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_3207" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">It's another step toward enabling a legalized marijuana industry to operate in the United States.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_3184" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The Justice and Treasury departments issued new guidance on Friday. It's intended to increase availability of financial services for legal marijuana businesses. But it still preserves the government's power to enforce criminal laws.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392406268669_3237" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The guidance comes after Washington and Colorado became the first states in the nation to approve recreational use of marijuana. A citizens' group is hoping to make Alaska the third state to do so.</div>

Govt issues roadmap to banks on marijuana business (BLOG)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is giving banks a roadmap for doing business with marijuana sellers. It's another step toward e...

Read more »

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry In China To Discuss North Korea And Border Disputes

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIU4AroL6v6VcdUZTb8kxj6tu-97p6g43JMwAGlR8gfEafbeU6ZuJlhE-1rnT9cLGiyaxvCR7GpO-tMB4ViPXWauD5kiQBj8R9tRqrj_BCWCRB0fp9XyCFDeVrKgojThXOYiaWpnk-sz-/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIU4AroL6v6VcdUZTb8kxj6tu-97p6g43JMwAGlR8gfEafbeU6ZuJlhE-1rnT9cLGiyaxvCR7GpO-tMB4ViPXWauD5kiQBj8R9tRqrj_BCWCRB0fp9XyCFDeVrKgojThXOYiaWpnk-sz-/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Feb. 14, 2014.</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kerry Talks Human Rights, N. Korea in China -- Voice of America</b></span></div><br />BEIJING — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Beijing where he met with senior Chinese officials to discuss rival territorial claims in the region, North Korea's nuclear program, and human rights concerns.<br /><br />Secretary Kerry says he had frank discussions with Chinese leaders about human rights challenges here, again stressing that the United States believes the free exchange of information contributes to national strength.<br /><br />"Recent arrests of peaceful advocates for reform run counter, in our judgment, to all of our best interest and the ability to make long-term progress," he said. "I emphasized today that the United States remains concerned about the human rights situation here in China, especially with respect to the Tibetan and Uighur areas."<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/kerry-talks-human-rights-north-korea-in-china/1851381.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry In China To Discuss North Korea And Border Disputes</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/14/john-kerry-china-north-korea-tensions/5482123/">Kerry presses China on N. Korea, regional tensions </a>-- USA Today<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-kerry-china-north-korea-20140214,0,2861829.story#axzz2t41LE47C">Kerry presses China to ease territorial claims, rein in North Korea </a>-- L.A. Times<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-13/kerry-shuns-talks-with-north-korea-in-urging-pressure-by-china">Kerry Shuns Talks With N. Korea in Urging China Pressure </a>-- Bloomberg Businessweek<br /><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/John%20Kerry%20appeals%20to%20China%20over%20North%20Korea%20nuclear%20talks">John Kerry appeals to China over North Korea nuclear talks</a> -- The Guardian<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/kerry-pushes-china-on-north-korea-nukes/2014/02/14/c10b36ee-954d-11e3-ae45-458927ccedb6_story.html">Kerry pushes China on North Korea’s nukes </a>-- Washington Post<br /><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20140214-707623.html">China to Further Pressure North Korea Over Nuclear Program</a> -- Wall Street Journal<br /><br /><b>Update: </b>It looks like North Korea is pursuing <b><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/02/13/north-korea-accelerates-excavation-at-nuclear-test-site-us-research-institute/">it's own nuclear agenda.</a></b>

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry In China To Discuss North Korea And Border Disputes

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Feb. 14, 2014. Ke...

Read more »

Kanye West Rants, 'Charlamagne, Sway, What the F--k You Did?' (BLOG,Video)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwKtzv1SoqU8MM5HnaWayrxL3L3Lw-3PkD5sRXD5167NwX7MTexOj4WNiBnraWngvDQmDMCAduoQwa_Xq3eVwYqUc6roSRgMo8Z8ocoAR_BIVjmD9kUdtxcjkyWp-wHhZ_kjOGcoGe5c/s1600/ye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwKtzv1SoqU8MM5HnaWayrxL3L3Lw-3PkD5sRXD5167NwX7MTexOj4WNiBnraWngvDQmDMCAduoQwa_Xq3eVwYqUc6roSRgMo8Z8ocoAR_BIVjmD9kUdtxcjkyWp-wHhZ_kjOGcoGe5c/s1600/ye.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">At the Penn State date of <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/kanye-west" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Kanye West</a>'s <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/yeezus-20130614" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Yeezus</a></em> tour Thursday night, the rapper pumped the brakes to take radio DJs Sway and Charlamagne tha God to task. Last year, West <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/kanye-west-flips-out-during-interview-with-sway-20131126" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">unleashed a tirade</a> on Sway in November and Charlamagne, whom <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Rolling Stone</em> has dubbed <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/meet-hip-hops-howard-stern-charlamagne-tha-god-20140205" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">"Hip-Hop's Howard Stern,"</a> speaks openly about "this new Kanye Kardashian guy."</div><div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">"Stop that shit!" yelled West, who looked to be wearing a denim kilt, as he was finishing the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/late-registration-20050825" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Late Registration</a></em> track "Touch the Sky." "If I go to a radio interview, <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">shut the fuck up</em>!" he shrieked. He complained about Charlamagne "showing a picture of me walking with my girlfriend." He explained that he works hard in the studio every night until 5 a.m. "This ain't no joke," he said. "We ain't think about nobody. We think about Shakespeare. We think about Beethoven. What can we make for y'all? What can y'all play on your way to school or on y'all way to work? What can we make to make y'all feel better?" The rapper then led the audience through an a capella recital of the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/graduation-20070904" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Graduation</a> </em>track "Can't Tell Me Nothing."</div><div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">"You're trying to make a joke out of what we do?" West says. "Shut the fuck up! What the fuck you do?" Then he said that last question again in a slower, calmer way. "Everybody writing all shit to fucking diss me and talk shit, what the fuck did you do? Charlamagne, Sway, what the fuck you did? Fuck you did?" He paced around the stage like an angry dog. "Fuck these niggas' names is? I am Yeezus!" And a "Yeezus" chant broke out in the audience. West ended his rant by putting his hand up "like <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/michael-jackson" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Michael Jackson</a>," he said, and again yelling "Shut the fuck up!"</div><div style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">"Now that was a brief intermission," he said. "We can continue with the show."</div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CkXYAvGypK8" width="560"></iframe><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /> </span></div>

Kanye West Rants, 'Charlamagne, Sway, What the F--k You Did?' (BLOG,Video)

At the Penn State date of  Kanye West 's  Yeezus  tour Thursday night, the rapper pumped the brakes to take radio DJs Sway and Charlamag...

Read more »

De La Soul to Make Entire Catalog Available for Free (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KPe-dnpkWTFHghVeeKSKyI-SVi0TGLU0vSyfNakVMkhFM8DcfYlwnAAG0vz6g52lkNukurUcvSFhvH_J1OwjaYF3IL-L3w-6Hsjqp9zz5mlUv47LY_h0olruXYVB8Sj04MGn6m5h9O8/s1600/d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KPe-dnpkWTFHghVeeKSKyI-SVi0TGLU0vSyfNakVMkhFM8DcfYlwnAAG0vz6g52lkNukurUcvSFhvH_J1OwjaYF3IL-L3w-6Hsjqp9zz5mlUv47LY_h0olruXYVB8Sj04MGn6m5h9O8/s1600/d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">In honor of next month's 25th anniversary of their debut album <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3 Feet High and Rising</em>, <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/de-la-soul" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">De La Soul</a> are making their entire catalog available for free download for 25 hours on the <a href="http://www.wearedelasoul.com/" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.012em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">group's website</span></a>. The download bonanza will begin on Friday, February 14th at 11 a.m. EST until Saturday at noon.</div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">"It's about allowing our fans who have been looking and trying to get a hold of our music to have access to it," De La Soul member Posdnuos tells <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Rolling Stone</em>. "It's been too long where our fans haven't had access to everything. This is our way of showing them how much we love them."</div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">The same things that made <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3 Feet High</em> and other De La albums so influential — its creative, if not fully licensed, use of a myriad of samples — has also prevented the group's work from appearing on many digital platforms. "It's been a trying journey," admits Posdnuos. "We've been blessed to be in the <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/story/122544-de-la-soul-makes-library-congress-national-registry/" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Library of Congress</a>, but we can't even have our music on iTunes. We've been working very hard to get that solved." The rapper points to frequent personnel changes at record labels and hazy language in early contracts that have led to long delays in properly clearing the group's catalog. </div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">The release of the group's catalog is the first of numerous upcoming projects. In a few weeks, they'll post new songs to their site, with <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You're Welcome, </em>their first album since 2004's<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> The Grind Date,</em> expected to be released before summer. Next month will also see the release of <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Preemium Soul on the Rocks</em>, a six-song EP with three beats each from DJ Premier and Pete Rock. The group is also planning a visit to Detroit to work on an unreleased beat from J Dilla, the prolific producer who passed away in 2006. "Dilla was the Tupac of producers," says Posdnuos. "He has so many unreleased things that no one has heard. His family knows how vital and important an ingredient his music was to our work."</div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Asked about the status of <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You're Welcome</em>, an album originally scheduled for release last year, Posdnuos says that it's "coming along amazingly," but points to self-criticism in its delay. "We have tons of music, but we're our own worst critics," admits the rapper. "Certain groups have too many 'yes men.' In our group, we have too many 'no men.' When we look back on some of the stuff we have, we're like, 'Yo, we need to just put this out.' The album is still called <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You're Welcome</em>, but we also have this whole other album that we're working on that…Wooo, I wish I could talk about it."</div><div class="p1" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">Twenty-five years into their career, the group is ready, if somewhat cautiously, to adopt the more-is-more release schedule of its younger peers. "We're just getting in the mode of constantly giving people new music," says Posdnuos. "I'll be the first to say that not everyone can do it. You can put out a new mixtape every week, but it can dilute what you're putting out because you haven't had enough time to see what's going on with your life to write something from a different angle. With us, we've sat a long time without releasing an album. It's high time we start releasing a bunch of stuff because it's there."</div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=bbJxak64Kr4kEzacwqm_6l&u=rollingstone" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@rollingstone on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bbJxak64Kr4kEzacwqm_6l&u=RollingStone" style="color: #003366; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">RollingStone on Facebook</a></span>

De La Soul to Make Entire Catalog Available for Free (BLOG)

In honor of next month's 25th anniversary of their debut album  3 Feet High and Rising ,  De La Soul  are making their entire catalog av...

Read more »

Philippines deploys rescue teams for distracted lovers (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe8fCPS7ZaQh64cuI0DbajKs4SGIyHNlgbTogsI7TRIJZFzazQ5T00F26PLjrBAg1PEGqZWMibswHgzG2CI3vb8xp9qfL367IYEQZMVanyGg05jtvPeNlQW2zhKcCD9hHLDce4weJOZc/s1600/ss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe8fCPS7ZaQh64cuI0DbajKs4SGIyHNlgbTogsI7TRIJZFzazQ5T00F26PLjrBAg1PEGqZWMibswHgzG2CI3vb8xp9qfL367IYEQZMVanyGg05jtvPeNlQW2zhKcCD9hHLDce4weJOZc/s1600/ss.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392403109463_3266" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Manila (AFP) - Rescuers are deploying in the Philippines' Manila Bay to help distracted lovers aboard boats who could fall into the water while on Valentine's Day cruise dates, the coastguard said Friday.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392403109463_3280" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The authorities expect the bay, with its spectacular views of the sunset, to throb with activity by sundown as couples hop onto yachts and cruise ships for deck-side, candle-lit dinners accompanied by romantic music from live bands.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392403109463_3290" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Hundreds of lovers are expected in the area until midnight, and the main danger would be people falling overboard, coastguard spokesman Commander Armando Balilo said in a statement announcing the safety measures.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"We cannot prevent people from being sweet on Valentine's Day but they should be alert and be mindful of their safety, be mindful of their environment," he said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"They should not only gaze into each other's eyes or show public display(s) of affection."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Coastguard personnel would be aboard two private cruise ships with four boatloads of rescuers patrolling the waters, while two other boat teams would be on standby ashore, Balilo said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Our Coast Guard personnel on board the cruise ships would be reminding the passengers on the safety procedure and they would also be informing them of the location of the life jackets," Balilo said.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392403109463_3307" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Valentine's Day is widely celebrated in this largely-Roman Catholic country, with many couples scheduling romantic events for the occasion.</div>

Philippines deploys rescue teams for distracted lovers (BLOG)

Manila (AFP) - Rescuers are deploying in the Philippines' Manila Bay to help distracted lovers aboard boats who could fall into the wate...

Read more »