American Idol Wild Cards - Why Do They Bother?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexDKoyrglyJt-dCXAR4s0RjG6d58wVf156W0qpO-lCThMyN2Duu-HnVLr6xlhBGcobNHlVMfBwH0_ET3iLTe34cocOdpliuJB8rWDS_ZYWyH_k-0MMZrVjAr1lfnh-I4ef6QW5FQIQ1Pb/s1600/bovado-2014-02-21.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexDKoyrglyJt-dCXAR4s0RjG6d58wVf156W0qpO-lCThMyN2Duu-HnVLr6xlhBGcobNHlVMfBwH0_ET3iLTe34cocOdpliuJB8rWDS_ZYWyH_k-0MMZrVjAr1lfnh-I4ef6QW5FQIQ1Pb/s1600/bovado-2014-02-21.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />So I have to start to figure out who the lucky 13 contestants are that are remaining on <a href="http://www.americanidol.com/" target="_blank">American Idol</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Idol_(season_13)" target="_blank">this season</a>. and that made me wonder why they decided to bring back the "wild cards" after they eliminated it last year. I do not think those extra three people have a prayer of lasting very long on the show. Let's look at the past wild card contestants and where they ended up in the show order each season:<br /><br /><u>Season 12</u>: No wild card round<br /><u>Season 11</u>: Jeremy Rosado (#12), Erika Van Pelt (#10), DeAndre Brackensick (#8)<br /><u>Season 10</u>: Ashton Jones (#13),  Naima Adedapo (#10), Stefano Langone (#7)<br /><u>Season 9</u>: No wild card round<br /><u>Season 8</u>: Jasmine Murray (#13), Megan Joy (#9), Anoop Desai(#6), Matt Giraud (#5)<br /><br />As we can see no wild card has ever placed higher than #5 in any season and even he (Matt) had to be saved. None of them have had huge post-Idol musical careers afterwards. Why do the judges even bother? Since I am still trying to figure out the top 10 fan favorites, I do not see much of a reason to even figure out who these other three people are, since I doubt they will be lasting very long.<br /><br />I have also started to look for betting odds or numbers or just about anything to report, and my old friends at <a href="http://sports.bovada.lv/sports-betting/tv-film-movie-props.jsp" target="_blank">Bovado</a> have the first list which I have above. Surprisingly, one of the wild cards, CJ Harris, is selected as one of the favorites, just barely behind Sam Woolf, and tied with MK and Majesty. I wonder why some odds makers think he is worthy of being placed up there with the favorites.  The other two wild cards, Jena and Kristen are much further down the list, with Kristen being the long shot.

American Idol Wild Cards - Why Do They Bother?

So I have to start to figure out who the lucky 13 contestants are that are remaining on American Idol this season . and that made me wonder...

Read more »

Ukraine Peace Accord Signed

<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>This may lead to lower OIL and NATURAL GAS prices</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-ukraine-idUSBREA1G0OU20140221" style="color: red;">http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-ukraine-idUSBREA1G0OU20140221</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The stock market will likely rally on this news if indeed the ongoing Ukrainian chaos subsides.   </b><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Y1jJA1Ky9b8?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><b>...developing...</b></div>

Ukraine Peace Accord Signed

This may lead to lower OIL and NATURAL GAS prices http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-ukraine-idUSBREA1G0OU20140221 The stock marke...

Read more »

Application Pôle Emploi pour mobile

<BR><br />Depuis novembre 2014, Pôle emploi offre la possibilité <span style="font-weight:bold;">d'actualiser sa situation</span> (<span style="font-style:italic;">si vous n'avez aucun événement à signaler à Pôle emploi pour le mois en cours</span>) via une application mobile.<br /><br />Elle est également conçue pour une <span style="font-weight:bold;">recherche d’emploi</span> active. L’application mobile Pôle emploi est téléchargeable gratuitement.<br /><br />Pour la recherche d'emploi, l’appli mobile Pôle Emploi permet notamment de :<ul><br /><li>Consulter les offres du site pole-emploi.fr : choix de critères de recherche ( emploi, localisation, type de contrat, expérience),<br /><li>Enregistrer des recherches avec leur critère,<br /><li>Géolocaliser les offres,<br /><li>Afficher le détail d’une offre et le mode de candidature,<br /><li>Mémoriser une offre,<br /><li>Partager/envoyer une offre (par courrier électronique = fonction envoyer à un ami),<br /><li>Accéder aux offres mémorisées.</ul><br />Pour en savoir plus, consulter le site <a href="http://www.pole-emploi.fr/actualites/smartphone-@/suarticle.jspz?id=60032">Pôle Emploi</a>.<br /><BR>

Application Pôle Emploi pour mobile

Depuis novembre 2014, Pôle emploi offre la possibilité d'actualiser sa situation ( si vous n'avez aucun événement à signaler à Pôle...

Read more »

Ukraine Is Facing Default

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Q1Ac2PDyPyU" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ukraine Faces Default As Russia Stalls -- CNN</b></span></div><br />Ukraine's plans to tap Russia for $2 billion in emergency funding have fallen apart, leaving the country sliding towards economic disaster.<br /><br />Russia said earlier this week it was ready to buy Ukrainian government bonds -- part of a $15 billion financial aid package agreed in December -- but appears to have got cold feet as anti-government protests escalated. The Ukrainian finance ministry canceled the planned bond sale late Thursday. <br /><br />At least 78 people died in clashes between protestors and security forces over the past two days.<br /><br />"It was Russia that refused to buy the bonds because Moscow said [the president] did not have control in his country," said Anders Aslund, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.<br /><br />Ukraine desperately needs the cash because it has to repay as much as $13 billion in debt this year. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/21/news/ukraine-economy/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26285792">Ukraine credit rating cut by S&P as violence continues</a> -- BBC<br /><br /><b>My Comment</b>: In Ukraine .... the fear and panic of what may happen to the economy is everywhere. This RT post<b><a href="http://rt.com/news/panic-ukraine-shops-banks-069/"> sums it up perfectly</a></b>.

Ukraine Is Facing Default

Ukraine Faces Default As Russia Stalls -- CNN Ukraine's plans to tap Russia for $2 billion in emergency funding have fallen apart, leavi...

Read more »

Will The Ukraine Deal Last?

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dk6nz-HjK8g" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ukraine Government, Protesters Nearing A Deal. Will It Last? -- Sara Miller Llana, Christian Science Monitor</b></span></div><br />European officials say the two sides are nearing an agreement that would include reduced presidential powers and early elections in December.<br /><br />Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych announced that all-night talks between the government, protesters, European Union foreign ministers, and representatives from Russia have led to a deal to end violence that has rocked this post-Soviet nation. <br /><br />Diplomats told Reuters that a compromise "involved appointing a transitional government, with a reformed constitution by September reducing presidential powers, and fresh elections by the end of the year."<br /><br />It comes as the European Union finally agreed to issue sanctions against members of the Ukrainian government.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/terrorism-security/2014/0221/Ukraine-government-protesters-nearing-a-deal.-Will-it-last">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/22/world/europe/ukraine.html?_r=0">Ukraine Accord Signed, Despite Doubts in Kiev and Kremlin</a> -- New York Times<br /><br /><b>My Comment</b>: After yesterday's bloody shootout in the city center .... it looks like everyone decided to take a step back. And while I do applaud the fact that an agreement has been reached .... because the alternative is too horrible to contemplate .... I am deeply worried that it will be broken in the next few weeks/months and the cycle of violence will just continue again.<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> On a side note .... because some of my readers know that I have family in Ukraine .... they want to know if I am making plans to go to Kiev. Truth be known ... we made a decision at Christmas time to visit in August of this year .... and yes .... I will be going regardless of what is happening on the streets. I will also be visiting Russia after Ukraine .... so do not be surprise if blogging is light during that time.

Will The Ukraine Deal Last?

Ukraine Government, Protesters Nearing A Deal. Will It Last? -- Sara Miller Llana, Christian Science Monitor European officials say the two ...

Read more »

3ème édition du concours Envie d’Avenir

</BR></BR>En partenariat avec l’Oréal, <a href="http://www.planetadam-orleans.org/">PlaNet ADAM Orléans</a>, lance en 2014, la troisième édition de son concours Envie d’Avenir, pour ceux qui veulent créer ou développer leur entreprise. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknyYm2YbT-wuQuIYDmHx1VCLTN1Qnd5OOkPRJgIu2eLFb_LdQUxghqJIChBr2P8sffD2U0DentvNcf32cF2FXJsZMidLSBC_lGyBBTnym9NM7BImSEn2CYJ4qqkthlKbyCrpY3B1jgFRU/s1600/affiche+concours+envie+d'avenir+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknyYm2YbT-wuQuIYDmHx1VCLTN1Qnd5OOkPRJgIu2eLFb_LdQUxghqJIChBr2P8sffD2U0DentvNcf32cF2FXJsZMidLSBC_lGyBBTnym9NM7BImSEn2CYJ4qqkthlKbyCrpY3B1jgFRU/s320/affiche+concours+envie+d'avenir+2014.jpg" /></a></div> </BR></BR> Ce concours s’adresse principalement aux habitants des quartiers prioritaires de l’agglomération orléanaise, qui ont un projet de création d’entreprise ou qui sont enregistrés au registre du commerce depuis moins d’un an. Il s’adresse également aux personnes intéressées d’entreprendre en ZUS (Zone Urbaine Sensible). </BR></BR> <b>Trois objectifs</b> sont recherchés au travers de ce concours :<UL><li>Sensibiliser à la création d’entreprise</BR><li>Promouvoir les valeurs suivantes : créativité, autonomie et solidarité</BR><li>Valoriser le potentiel entrepreneurial des quartiers populaires de l’agglomération orléanaise</BR></UL> L’entreprise doit être en projet de création ou être créée depuis moins d’un an.</BR>12 000 euros de dotations seront réparties entre les deux catégories et les lauréats dans chacune d’entre elles. </BR></BR><b>Pour s’inscrire</b>, rendez-vous sur <a href="http://www.planetadam-orleans.org">www.planetadam-orleans.org</a> </BR></BR> Les inscriptions au concours sont ouvertes et ce <b>jusqu’au 30 mars 2014</b>. </BR></BR>

3ème édition du concours Envie d’Avenir

En partenariat avec l’Oréal, PlaNet ADAM Orléans , lance en 2014, la troisième édition de son concours Envie d’Avenir, pour ceux qui veulent...

Read more »

Before And After Images In Ukraine

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/e12QzYotmvk" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kiev's Maidan In Surreal 'Before & After' Images -- RT</b></span></div><br />The blackened ruins and gaping windows of Ukraine’s landmark Independence Square have left Kiev looking like a warzone for the first time since WWII. The square has always served as a main stage for Ukrainian politics – but not a literal battleground.<br /><br />Featured on every postcard, the grandiose post-war complex of monuments has been the true – if slightly touristy – heart of Kiev.<br /><br />But now, the square is divided by ad hoc barricades built from paving stones, wooden debris, and tires. The iconic Trade Union building, which has served as the protesters' headquarters, was set on fire earlier this week and is now just a shell, after its floors and walls collapsed one by one. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://rt.com/news/kiev-maidan-before-after-946/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26280752">Ukraine crisis: Before and after images</a> -- BBC<br /><br /><b>My Comment: </b>I can see a massive clean-up job in the weeks and months ahead.

Before And After Images In Ukraine

Kiev's Maidan In Surreal 'Before & After' Images -- RT The blackened ruins and gaping windows of Ukraine’s landmark Independ...

Read more »

Mob Wives: Recap Season 4 Finale, Ep 412

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJ5DF_aJoraciKtLvDqUL_9B_tSZy7Kxxonvx88tCWCs4dSFSCHvVGyyxCKgdfVSOU2h1p0tvPqzmWvB0BCuX5XyTgEofQSo3twXxPhhWoYQ-x8c-X0jFGhDahg-feWXUA2S0uvLPxYQ/s1600/playing+with+fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJ5DF_aJoraciKtLvDqUL_9B_tSZy7Kxxonvx88tCWCs4dSFSCHvVGyyxCKgdfVSOU2h1p0tvPqzmWvB0BCuX5XyTgEofQSo3twXxPhhWoYQ-x8c-X0jFGhDahg-feWXUA2S0uvLPxYQ/s1600/playing+with+fire.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Renee's New Book will be out April 8th</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Link to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Fire-Renee-Graziano/dp/0765376199">Pre-order on Amazon</a></b></div><br /><br />Let’s start off with an eye roll @@ instead of a drum roll! What the hell kind of finale was that? Just about every scene was either scripted or filler and no drama. I have to say I am very disappointed. I tried to talk to Mob Mistress, but she was no help since she fell asleep before the first commercial. I’m going to label each scene scripted or filler or both. Let’s get this over with…<br /><br />Deck the halls, it’s Christmastime. Renee, Drita show up at Ang’s door. All the delicious food comes out. Renee tells them she has been journaling and she has been writing so much it turned into a “sex” book. Renee and Drita are surprised. Renee says it’s not about her, it’s about the lifestyle, the girls the guys and loosely based on some aspects of her life. In other words the 50 moods of Renee. The publisher is throwing a big party for her. This may actually be the only piece of “new” material in the show and I’m happy for Renee. The name of her book is “Playing With Fire” and I believe it will be coming out on April 8th. This scene is also a way of promoting Renee’s book. I wish her the best of luck<br /><br />Alicia and Natalie meet for dinner. Another insufferable round of poor, poor pitiful me from Alicia. Alicia feels so alone, but never once mentions her longtime boyfriend, Rob Lascala, on the show. Can you believe it, she is still denying it. The word on the street is that he has been paying all her bills and recently bought her a Cartier bracelet to wear over the “Eddie” tattoo on her wrist. I think it’s safe to say she has moved on long ago. She feels down, defeated and anxious. I think she is a broken record. She claims she is fine by herself. She says she took her rings off the day she heard the wiretaps, she can’t get passed everything Eddie has done. What? Now she tells us? After she has been crying over the love of life, Carla and Chinese food all season long? Do you think she took off her rings and went straight into the arms of her Boo? She is still complaining about being depressed because in 48 hours she is being sentenced and the judge could send her away for 5 years. Really Alicia?  Then why does your VH1 bio say you could get 0 to 6  months or house arrest?  Which is it?  Can’t you keep your stories straight?  Scripted…and not very well.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCntdSvc4u3mZecyHNjqz_we48bnWvGrc2GVFcAXnvQqxKS1IIBVK0u7PyoGynxptwG4BmHcQRvNHFA5HPUAr0y7725irBpG7tWuWgtVgBTYaO_jrlIAO8IvLGE91UZTB2y-rUeQUABEM/s400/Mr.+LaScala.png" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Remember him from the <a href="http://mobwives.blogspot.com/2013/12/mob-wives-alicia-dimichele-garofalo_24.html">Christmas Day Blog</a>? </div><br />Ang and Drita invite Natalie over for a visit now that Renee is in a good mood. They tell her Renee was pissed off over the tweets. Natalie says she was defending Alicia. Drita and Ang are all of a sudden angry with her and defending Renee. They think Natalie should not get involved in Alicia’s issues. They want her to stop tweeting and mind her own business. Natalie says when Renee stops she will stop. Mob Wives fighting over tweets…Please. Scripted…makes me think the tweets went out and then they decided to create some drama with them.<br /><br />Renee and Ang are driving around the neighborhood looking for houses in case Ang and Neil have that baby. Like her house isn’t big enough…yeah, right! We have seen that house and it’s plenty big. They stop to look at Ang’s old house, her favorite house. Who cares? Filler Scene.<br /><br />Drita takes Giselle on a casting call for a children’s clothing line. Giselle decides she doesn’t want to be there after pestering Drita for months about modeling. I don’t know if I believe that. They want to take her picture, but Giselle won’t do it, so Drita shows her how by posing herself. Drita is disappointed. But finally Giselle comes out of her shell a little. I hope they didn’t talk Giselle into doing this just to create another…Filler scene.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpJ7bq592MpDhsAqcmAp1kLKMT820_SUgEXNS4DRzAQo4jW-_NQOYg46rfZ03fvDatJaDhZAq-bpX4h6rxbx8P8bXwzIYaWwkEK9R73V8GeGnMrxvxgBkL4EF3CQTaL5O0DcyNebeqTY/s1600/delicious.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpJ7bq592MpDhsAqcmAp1kLKMT820_SUgEXNS4DRzAQo4jW-_NQOYg46rfZ03fvDatJaDhZAq-bpX4h6rxbx8P8bXwzIYaWwkEK9R73V8GeGnMrxvxgBkL4EF3CQTaL5O0DcyNebeqTY/s1600/delicious.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Delicious"</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Natalie at Renee's party, yawn.</div><br />At the Central Park Restaurant, Renee, AJ and Nikki are there with a crowd to celebrate Renee’s new book party. Ang shows up with her son, AJ. Alicia and her brother go to support Renee. Drita is next to arrive. The party is on and poppin’. And last, but not least, are Natalie and London. Natalie says she has a fun surprise for all the girls tonight. Drita says Natalie better not get out of line. Renee does a reading from her book. Everyone loves the sex scene. Renee starts dancing and she looks wonderful. So Natalie gets a bright idea. She gets on stage with a fake English accent and sings her “Delicious” song. Drita looks pissed. Drta says, “Renee just has to give her a look, like take her out.” Renee says she won’t get pissed, she will take it as a tribute to her. Renee is happy that Drita and Ang are there supporting her and their friendships are still in tact. This is just more promotion for the book. I have to wonder if VH1 financed this “Delicious” song a month or two ago so it would be out there and they could use it on the show? Real book, real party, but scripted, lousy song.<br /><br />At Alicia’s house, her brother asks if she is ready for tomorrow. She says she has no choice. She wants to go over a few things with him like where all her important papers are. He is going to be looking after the boys, with their mom, if she goes to prison. Her brother does not look one bit concerned, as usual. Finally, Alicia admits she committed a crime. I thought she didn’t do anything wrong? She never cooked any books. She says, “If she ends up in prison“…yeah, right. I really believe she knows, and everyone knows, she will not be going to prison. A source of mine said she already got a plea deal and prison is off the table. I tend to believe that. Scripted scene and storyline played out to death. This storyline should be taken straight to Carto’s Funeral Home and buried.<br /><br />Ang is making a salad. AJ and Neil and the fours dogs, and AJ’s girlfriend, are all driving her nuts. Neal’s daughter Briana is there too and she is having a baby. Neil wants an old fixer upper house for the growing family, instead of the beautiful mansion they currently live in @@. Suddenly, out of the blue, Ang wants to put their baby plans on hold…on the back burner…the girls are having babies, that’s enough babies. Neil instantly agrees. Wow. Just like that. Maybe when Ang is 60 they can revisit the idea @@.  A season 4 filler storyline, entirely made up. I am up to my eye balls in BS. 100% Filler.<br /><br />Natalie and London are having a meal and she tells him she is a Philly girl. She will not move to New York, she has too much to give up. He doesn’t think about all her sacrifices. She says her dream is to get married. He says she likes to rush things, but it’s a process. She wants him to move to Philly so they can start their lives together. They are definitely not on the same page. Filler and scripted storyline to give Natalie something to do besides harass Renee.<br /><br />Drita is going to have Christmas home this year. She is talking to the girls about making carrot cake. Aleeya doesn’t like carrot cake. It’ll be the first time in a long time they are spending the holidays together. A nice little Filler scene, we all love to see Drita “the mom.”<br /><br />Alicia’s day of sentencing has finally come. It’s already been played out in the media and on social media. We know what happens. She sends her boys off to school and makes them lunches. She doesn’t know how she got to this point. I tell you how, it’s called committing a crime and getting caught. Renee prays for Alicia and sends her a supportive text. Alicia’s brother drives her to court. She says there is a small possibility she might not come home today…yeah right. Drita and Ang talk about Alicia and feel really bad for her. Oh brother…I feel really bad for me and all of us sitting through this finale, but I have to watch it and write the recap. Alicia is still blaming Eddie for her troubles. Get over it Alicia. Mostly Scripted, the going to court was real.<br /><br />Nikki calls Renee and tells her she got a phone call from her friend. It seems that Junior knows that Renee went to see an attorney. Renee is very upset. Someone leaked the news, Junior found out and he isn’t happy. Hmmm who could have leaked the info? VH1? Everyone filming the show and production knew Renee went to see a lawyer and then it was televised! No leak. Excuse me for being a skeptic, but I don’t believe Junior has been writing letters and trying to get back with Renee. We know he turned informant. We know how the mob feels about informants. It’s hard to believe he would be safe on the streets of New York and he knows it. Scripted Filler.<br /><br />Natalie shows up at court to support Alicia. What else does she have to do? She walked in alone and she left alone. I think she was just filmed on location and wasn’t even there that day. They needed her to call Drita and fill her in on what happened. Filler.<br /><br />Renee tells Drita that Junior is being released, he isn’t in the program. Somehow Junior found out Renee went to a lawyer. She says it was to protect her family. Renee hopes and prays he moves on and leaves her alone. They are all on pins and needles waiting to see if Alicia goes to prison. Scripted Filler.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKcqv14OQNxqV0EsBABIBXvzxF28jki3EI2lQN_DPa_84McL-xdme6CXRM0bP6rggooubKUCtu4J2WILmr4Sz2U1Kubt-ryvWLHi6qUePfF2y6t5em_4z9uZCY3u3jqV-LadnqLTKJ2E/s1600/leaving+court.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKcqv14OQNxqV0EsBABIBXvzxF28jki3EI2lQN_DPa_84McL-xdme6CXRM0bP6rggooubKUCtu4J2WILmr4Sz2U1Kubt-ryvWLHi6qUePfF2y6t5em_4z9uZCY3u3jqV-LadnqLTKJ2E/s1600/leaving+court.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Alicia leaves court</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Boo hoo, what will she do?</b></span></div><br />Natalie leaves court alone. No one has heard from Alicia. Natalie calls Drita. Natalie tells them you will never believe what the judge did! We already know what the judge did because Alicia tweeted it out the day it happened. Apparently, the sentencing was postponed because they couldn’t agree on the fines and restitution. Her lawyer must be fighting it. The prosecution wants $20,000 in restitution and $96,000 (her earnings from Mob Wives) in fines. This happened back in early January. Alicia says she is sick and can’t believe what just happened. No one can believe what just happened. Scripted.<br /><br />That’s the way it ends??? Seriously??? To be continued?  She couldn’t just say her sentencing was postponed until March and the delay is over money? That is the shocking ending? Come on, we can do better than this. I am so disappointed that this is the “finale.” <br /><br />Now we wait for the Reunion show. I understand all five Mob Wives will be there and they will also be in season 5. I don’t know how they can make up storylines for next season. What would they be? A Phantom Junior stalks Renee? Ang takes the baby off the back burner? Alicia is or isn’t sentenced? Drita opens another store? Natalie creates a make-up line for dead people called “Just Dead?”<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">an extra two cents...</span></b></i></div><br />This is what I want to see. I want to see the Philly chicks go home, but that’s not happening…so let’s make the best of it and get back to reality! If Alicia stays, then bring back Karen Gravano to confront her about all her lies! That’s realty! That’s keeping it real! And what about Alicia’s Boo? You know, the married guy who is so taken with her he was even on one of the episodes, in her kitchen, because he allegedly can’t stay away from her. I thought Alicia didn’t approve of Carla because she slept with a married man? Hypocrite much? How do we know Lee is working is in sports memorabilia store all day? Hmmm. Let’s get him to appear on the show. Maybe his ex-goumada should confront Drita? What is Natalie’s purpose…to be Alicia’s friend? We can do without that. How much excitement can putting makeup on dead people bring to the table? Bring in a new and REAL Mob Wife with a compelling storyline! I have my ideas for that, I’ll leave the details to the genius of Jennifer Graziano. Renee should start dating a real man, the rest of her life seems to have fallen into place. Ang will have her new grandchildren to fuss over, at least they are real.<br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />

Mob Wives: Recap Season 4 Finale, Ep 412

Renee's New Book will be out April 8th Link to  Pre-order on Amazon Let’s start off with an eye roll @@ instead of a drum roll! What the...

Read more »

Unending Love: Husband Holds Hands With Wife Of 60 Years As They Died Hours Apart (PICTURED)

<section class="post-lead"> <a href="http://thetrentonline.com/wp-content/themes/stylebook/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fthetrentonline.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F01%2FHeart-Love-The-Trent.jpg&q=90&w=795&zc=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Unending Love: Husband Holds Hands With Wife Of 60 Years As They Died Hours Apart (PICTURED)" border="0" class="aligncenter full-media nomargin" height="399" src="http://thetrentonline.com/wp-content/themes/stylebook/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fthetrentonline.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F01%2FHeart-Love-The-Trent.jpg&q=90&w=795&zc=1" title="Unending Love: Husband Holds Hands With Wife Of 60 Years As They Died Hours Apart (PICTURED)" width="640" /></a><h1 class="post-title"><br /></h1></section> <div class="fb-social-plugin fb-like fb_iframe_widget" data-href="http://thetrentonline.com/together-end-husband-holds-hands-beloved-wife-60-years-died-hours-apart/" data-ref="above-post" data-width="450"><span style="height: 25px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 450px;"></span></div><br /><span>For six decades, Floreen and Ed Hale have been inseparable, and even death could not keep them apart.<br /></span><br /> <span>On February 7, Mrs Hale, 82, passed away in a Batavia, New York, hospital, with her gravely ill husband lying next to her and holding her hand until the very end.<br /></span><br /> <span>Just 36 hours later, Ed Hale died at age 83.</span><br /><span></span><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /> <div><div><img alt="Hand in hand: Floreen Hale, 83 (left) passed away earlier this month, with her dying husband of 60 years, Ed (right) holding her hand to the end" height="435" id="i-60de0d5d" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/20/article-0-1BAEEAF400000578-328_634x435.jpg" width="634" /></div><div>Hand in hand: Floreen Hale, 82 (left) passed away earlier this month, with her dying husband of 60 years, Ed (right) holding her hand to the end</div></div><span>‘He was a gentleman right up to the end, waiting for her to go first,’ the Hales’ daughter Renee Hirsh told the blog <a href="http://www.orleanshub.com/news2014/A-love-story-until-the-very-end.html#top" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Orlean Hub</a>, which profiled her parents.<br /></span><br /> <span>A month ago, a wheelchair-bound Mr Hale was hospitalized in Rochester, New York, with kidney failure.<br /></span><br /> <span>On February 4, his wife was rushed to United Methodist Medical Center in Batavia 35 miles away suffering from congestive heart failure, among other ailments. </span><br /> <div><span>The 83-year-old man was initially too weak to be transported by ambulance to be with his dying wife, but at the request of the family, the two hospitals worked together to reunite the spouses in their last days.<br /></span></div><span>Floreen and Ed’s love story began more than 60 years ago when the two met at a party.<br /></span><br /> <span>When the young engineer went to Floreen’s parents to ask for her hand in marriage, they refused because the young woman was recovering at the time from a horrific car accident, which claimed the life of her first husband, whom she had married only three months earlier. </span><br /> <div><div><img alt="Gentleman's promise: When Ed Hale came to Floreen's parents to ask her hand in marriage, he was told 'no' because the young woman was recovering from a horrific car accident, but the suitor changed his future in-laws' mind when he promised to care for her his entire life" height="876" id="i-b0c20ebc" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/20/article-2564088-1BAEEAFC00000578-478_634x876.jpg" width="634" /></div><div>Gentleman’s promise: When Ed Hale came to Floreen’s parents to ask her hand in marriage, he was told ‘no’ because the young woman was recovering from a horrific car accident, but the suitor changed his future in-laws’ mind when he promised to care for her his entire life</div></div><span>But Ed was determined to be with Floreen and would not take ‘no’ for an answer, declaring to his future in-laws that he was willing to carry his beloved in his arms every day.   </span><br /> <span>The couple said ‘I do” May 12, 1953, and settled in Batavia, New York, in a home designed by Mr Hale. The Hales had two surviving children, Renee and Ricky. A third baby died in infancy.  </span><br /> <span>Ed’s greatest joy in life was pampering his wife and spoiling her with little tokens of affection. </span><br /> <div><span>At a time when she worked as a telephone operator at a local hospital, Ed would bring Floreen her dinner and dessert.<br /></span></div><span>Ed did most of the grocery shopping for the house, and every time he went to the store, he picked up some sweet treat or flowers for Floreen.<br /></span><br /> <span>In the winter, Ed would clear his wife’s car of snow and warm it up for her drive home from work, earning him the nickname ‘Saint Edward’ from their relatives.<br /></span><br /> <span>When Floreen’s family and friends would tease her about her adoring husband, asking her what she would do without him, Floreen would reply that he was not allowed to go before her.<br /></span><br /> <span>After an active, full life, Mr Hale was diagnosed with kidney disease a little over five years ago requiring dialysis regular treatments. He also suffered several heart attacks and had diabetes, but that didn’t stop him from taking his wife out almost every day.</span><br /> <div><div><img alt="Lifetime of happiness: This summer, the Hales celebrated 60 years of marriage - a time spent raising their two children, doting on their three grand-kids and one another" height="468" id="i-ad390e94" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/20/article-2564088-1BAEEB0800000578-752_634x468.jpg" width="634" /></div><div>Lifetime of happiness: This summer, the Hales celebrated 60 years of marriage – a time spent raising their two children, doting on their three grand-kids and one another</div></div><span>Mrs Hale, known for her irrepressible sense of humor, chattiness and a penchant for colorful hair adornments, also had a laundry list of ailments, from asthma to heart disease.<br /></span><br /> <span>Still, she would dress up to go to the doctor, with Ed always by her side.<br /></span><br /> <span>Floreen’s precarious health took a turn for the worse earlier this month when her lungs filled with fluid, landing her in a hospital in grave condition.<br /></span><br /> <span>At the same time, her husband was in Unity Hospital in Rochester with kidney failure.<br /></span><br /> <span>‘We were handed two death sentences,’ Floreen’s sister, Marlene DeCarlo, told the blog.<br /></span><br /> <span>The 83-year-old man was semi-conscious and appeared to be at death’s door, but two days after his wife’s hospitalization, Ed woke up and told his daughter: ‘I need to see Floreen.’<br /></span><br /> <span>What followed next was a series of negotiations between the hospitals in Rochester and Batavia, helped along by a social worker whose job it was to convince United to admit Mr Hale.<br /></span><br /> <span>The Batavia hospital agreed to accept the dying patient, but only if he was strong enough to make the 35-mile trip.</span><br /> <div><div><img alt="Storybook love: As he lay dying from kidney failure in a hospital 35 miles away from his wife, Ed Hale asked to be taken to Floreen so he could be with her in their last moments together" height="554" id="i-add20e9b" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/20/article-2564088-1BACE5C800000578-399_634x554.jpg" width="634" /></div><div>Storybook love: As he lay dying from kidney failure in a hospital 35 miles away from his wife, Ed Hale asked to be taken to Floreen so he could be with her in their last moments together</div></div><span>As if by miracle, Ed rallied sufficiently for the short ambulance ride, arriving at United in the afternoon on February 6. His sole request was to see Floreen<br /></span><br /> <span>The hospital prepared a room for the couple, where two beds were pushed together so they could lie next to one another and hold hands as Floreen faded away.<br /></span><br /> <span>The 82-year-old woman was pronounced dead the morning after Ed’s arrival, surrounded by dozens of friends and family. Her husband followed her a day later.<br /></span><br /> <span>‘I think it would have been more heartbreaking to see one without the other, to see one surviving when the other was not around anymore,’ said Lisa Giattino, the Hales’ niece. ‘I think it was so beautiful the way it happened.’<br /></span><br /> <span>The couple had a joint funeral last Thursday – the eve of Valentine’s Day – at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Batavia, where friends, family and medical staff gathered to celebrate Floreen and Ed’s truly undying love.  </span>

Unending Love: Husband Holds Hands With Wife Of 60 Years As They Died Hours Apart (PICTURED)

For six decades, Floreen and Ed Hale have been inseparable, and even death could not keep them apart. On February 7, ...

Read more »

2face, Psquare, Femi Kuti, Other Nigerian Artistes Nominated For World Music Awards

<section class="post-lead"> <a href="http://thetrentonline.com/wp-content/themes/stylebook/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fthetrentonline.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F02%2FFemi-Kuti-The-Trent.jpg&q=90&w=795&zc=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2face, Psquare, Femi Kuti, Other Nigerian Artistes Nominated For World Music Awards" border="0" class="aligncenter full-media nomargin" height="426" src="http://thetrentonline.com/wp-content/themes/stylebook/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fthetrentonline.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F02%2FFemi-Kuti-The-Trent.jpg&q=90&w=795&zc=1" title="2face, Psquare, Femi Kuti, Other Nigerian Artistes Nominated For World Music Awards" width="640" /></a><h1 class="post-title"><br /></h1></section> <div class="fb-social-plugin fb-like fb_iframe_widget" data-href="http://thetrentonline.com/2face-psquare-femi-kuti-nigerian-artistes-nominated-world-music-awards/" data-ref="above-post" data-width="450"><span style="height: 25px; vertical-align: bottom; width: 450px;"></span></div>NAN – Some Nigerian artists on Thursday expressed their appreciation for being nominated for the 2014 World Music Awards.<br /> In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria Banky W, Iyanya and Waje exuded joy and pride at the development.<br /> Winner of the inaugural MTN Project Fame West Africa, Iyanya, who was the most nominated with six told NAN that it was a great honour.<br /> “I feel honoured and blessed that the works I have put out have been recognised all over the world.<br /> “It’s always great for an artist to hear about a nomination or win an award no matter where it is taking place or the people he’s competing with,” he said.<br /> Praiz, another Project Fame alumnus who was nominated in three categories expressed surprise at the development.<br /> “I’m still surprised. I never expected the nominations but I’m really elated by them, it means I’m doing the right thing.”<br /> Waje said she didn’t expect the nomination but that she felt honoured to be among the nominees.<br /> “It shows that patience, hard work and faith in God really pays.<br /> “The list is quite heavy though with lots of talented people and I am honoured and humbled that they nominated me, especially for the Album of the Year,’’ she said.<br /> Also speaking to NAN, Banky W said: “It’s always an honour to be recognised in any category and I’m definitely grateful.<br /> “However, there are like 500 artists nominated in each category; five, ten or twenty will be okay.<br /> “But when it gets into the hundreds, you can’t dwell on it too much because there are just too many.<br /> “However, I definitely appreciate being mentioned at all,” he said.<br /> NAN reports that a total of 21 Nigerian artists were nominated in seven out of the nine categories of the awards.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /> The list of categories is World’s Best Song, World’s Best Album, World’s Best Video, World’s Best Female Artist and World’s Best Male Artist.<br /> Others are World’s Best Group, World’s Best Live Act, World’s Best Electronic Dance Music Artist and World’s Best Entertainer.<br /> The other Nigerian artists nominated are Femi Kuti, 2face, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, D’banj, P-Square, Sheyi Shay, Dr Sid, Don Jazzy, Phyno, Darey, Davido, Ice Prince, Kcee, Modenine, Olamide and Timaya.<br /> According to the awards website, The World Music Awards is an international awards show founded in 1989 under the High Patronage of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and is based in Monte-Carlo.<br /> The awards are presented to the World’s best-selling Artists in the various categories and to the best-selling artists from each major territory.<br /> The winners are determined through online and SMS votes from all over the world.

2face, Psquare, Femi Kuti, Other Nigerian Artistes Nominated For World Music Awards

NAN – Some Nigerian artists on Thursday expressed their appreciation for being nominated for the 2014 World Music Awar...

Read more »

World News Briefs -- February 21, 2014

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BkgsTV3Xmxo" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ukraine President, Opposition Sign Deal -- Voice of America</span></b></div><br />Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych signed an agreement Friday with three opposition leaders to end a crisis that sparked violent clashes between protesters and police on the streets of the capital Kyiv.<br /><br />A Reuters correspondent at the signing inside the presidential headquarters said Yanukovych did not smile during a ceremony lasting several minutes.<br /><br />The agreement followed an announcement by Yanukovich to hold early elections, to form a national unity government and relinquish some of his presidential powers. The agreement was witnessed by two European Union foreign ministers who brokered the deal.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/ukraine-opposition-activists-to-sign-preliminary-deal/1856149.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MIDDLE EAST</b></span></div><br />U.S., allies agree on aid <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-allies-agree-on-standards-for-which-opposition-groups-in-syria-will-receive-aid/2014/02/20/7b5b8b02-9a53-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html">for Syrian rebels</a></b>.<br /><br />Dozens killed as mortars <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/dozens-killed-as-mortars-hit-town-iraq-201422135331552974.html">hit town in Iraq</a></b>.<br /><br />Iran’s most sensitive <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/irans-most-sensitive-uranium-stockpile-shrinks-after-nuclear-deal/2014/02/20/82230d14-9a64-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html">uranium stockpile shrinks</a></b>.<br /><br />Fears of Syria militancy expand <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-saudi-princemohammed-insight-idUSBREA1K0MW20140221">influence of Saudi prince</a></b>.<br /><br />Gaza's fragile ceasefire threatened by<b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/gaza-ceasefire-threatened-border-clashes-hamas-weak-palestinian"> border clashes as Hamas weakens</a></b>.<br /><br />Lebanon detains top suspect <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/lebanon-detains-top-suspect-in-car-bomb-campaign/1856271.html">in car bomb campaign</a></b>.<br /><br />One killed in south Yemen <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-yemen-south-protests-idUSBREA1K18C20140221">pro-independence protests: sources</a></b>.<br /><br />Turkey scraps coup plot courts<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-turkey-courts-idUSBREA1K0WE20140221"> in battle over judiciary</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ASIA</b></span></div><br />Suicide attack kills, wounds several <b><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/21/suicide-attack-kills-wounds-several-afghan-police-/">at Afghan police complex</a></b>.<br /><br />Afghan women <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-women-campaign-for-peace/1856204.html">campaign for peace</a></b>.<br /><br />Thai Prime Minister denies corruption allegations <b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/20/world/asia/thailand-protests/">over rice program</a></b>. Thai rice farmers give government <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/thai-rice-farmers-give-government-a-week-to-make-payments/1856234.html">a week to make payments</a></b>.<br /><br />Nepal to deploy security on <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26285028">Everest after brawls</a></b>.<br /><br />Musharraf will not be tried <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/musharraf-not-to-be-tried-in-military-court/1856178.html">in military court</a></b>.<br /><br />South Korea to develop <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26287527">Stuxnet-like cyberweapons</a></b>.<br /><br />Japan to review testimony of women <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-japan-history-idUSBREA1K0SU20140221">who served in wartime brothels</a></b>.<br /><br />China denounces Barack Obama's<b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/china-us-barack-obama-dalai-lama"> meeting with Dalai Lama</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AFRICA</b></span></div><br />Somali presidential HQ a<b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/somali-presidential-hq-attacked-al-shabab-201422112586270319.html">ttacked by al-Shabab</a></b>. 11 die in attack by militants <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-somalia-blast-idUSBREA1K0KF20140221">on Somali president's compound</a></b>. Somalia's Shebab launch suicide attack<b><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5imP6own5YjAFfzB22AFB8wrgBktg?docId=1d8db902-321b-4d20-9ff0-515ee97a6ddf"> on presidential palace</a></b>.<br /><br />UN chief urges rapid <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/un-chief-urges-rapid-reinforcements-car-2014220215313877691.html">reinforcements for CAR</a></b>.<br /><br />Poor turnout in Libyan vote for <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-poor-voter-turnout-for-libyas-constitution-drafting-body/1855978.html">constitution-drafting body</a></b>.<br /><br />With hundreds jailed, Egypt's Islamists <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/hundreds-jailed-egypt-39-islamists-demand-protest-strategy-120003334.html">demand new protest strategy</a></b>.<br /><br />Robert Mugabe celebrates 90th birthday as <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/mugabe-celebrates-90th-birthday-zimbabwe-international-pariah">Zimbabwe's international pariah</a></b>.<br /><br />Zimbabwe court orders deportation <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-zimbabwe-court-orders-deportation-of-former-us-congressman/1856275.html">of former US congressman</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>EUROPE</b></span></div><br />Deal signed <b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/21/world/europe/ukraine-protests/">to end Ukraine crisis</a></b>.<br /><br />Ukrainian president and opposition<b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26289318"> sign early poll deal</a></b>. Ukraine peace deal signed, <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-ukraine-idUSBREA1G0OU20140221">opens way for early election</a></b>.<br /><br />Ukraine credit rating cut by S&P<b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26285792"> as violence continues</a></b>.<br /><br />Anti-Kremlin protesters found guilty amid scenes <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/anti-kremlin-putin-protesters-guilty-verdict-court">of violence outside court</a></b>.<br /><br />Basque separatists Eta set to take historic step <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/20/basque-separatist-eta-historic-weapons-mariano-rajoy">by handing over weapons</a></b>.<br /><br />Italy's Renzi set to<b><a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/italy-politics-idINL6N0LQ1SA20140221"> unveil new cabinet</a></b>.<br /><br />Germany arrests three suspected Auschwitz guards — aged 88, 92 and 94 — <b><a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/02/21/germany-arrests-three-suspected-auschwitz-guards-aged-88-92-and-94-and-uncovers-nazi-documents/">and uncovers Nazi documents</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AMERICAS</b></span></div><br />With 2015 budget request, Obama will call <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/with-2015-budget-request-obama-will-call-for-an-end-to-era-of-austerity/2014/02/20/332808c2-9a6e-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html?hpid=z1">for an end to era of austerity</a></b>.<br /><br />From jail, Venezuela protest leader<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-venezuela-protests-idUSBREA1K17A20140221"> urges resistance</a></b>.<br /><br />Venezuela sends troops to border region <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/venezuela-troops-border-protests-police">as violence escalates</a></b>.<br /><br />Venezuela’s President Maduro threatens <b><a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/21/venezuela-s-president-maduro-threatens-to-expel-cnn-over-its-coverage/">to expel CNN over its coverage</a></b>.<br /><br />Exclusive: Argentina, Repsol to sign <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-repsol-argentina-idUSBREA1K00E20140221">$5 billion YPF deal - source.</a></b><br /><br />Thousands of extra security agents <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-26283966">for World Cup 2014</a></b>.<br /><br />Venture capitalist in bid to<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/20/us-usa-california-split-idUSBREA1J22W20140220"> split California into six states.</a></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR</b></span></div><br />Report: U.S. drone may have <b><a href="http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140220/NEWS/302200002/Report-U-S-drone-may-killed-Yemeni-civilians">killed Yemeni civilians</a></b>.<br /><br />Sources: Airlines warned to beware <b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/19/us/airline-security-threats/index.html">of possible shoe bombs</a></b>.<br /><br />In Yemen, a woman's life entangled <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/yemen-woman-39-life-entangled-al-qaida-070459824.html">with al-Qaida</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS</b></span></div><br />Global growth under scrutiny at <b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/global-growth-under-scrutiny-at-sydney-g20-finance-meeting/1856170.html">Sydney G20 finance meeting</a></b>.<br /><br />U.S. leads pushback against <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-g20-australia-oecd-idUSBREA1K05K20140221">emerging market angst at G20</a></b>.<br /><br />Mexico to trump Japan as<b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mexico-trump-japan-no-2-car-exporter-us-053738480--finance.html"> No. 2 car exporter to US</a></b>.

World News Briefs -- February 21, 2014

Ukraine President, Opposition Sign Deal -- Voice of America Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych signed an agreement Friday with three oppo...

Read more »

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 21, 2014

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.defense.gov/imgHandler.ashx?h=350&w=0&img=/dodcmsshare/photoessay/2014-02/hires_140214-A-RU942-060a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.defense.gov/imgHandler.ashx?h=350&w=0&img=/dodcmsshare/photoessay/2014-02/hires_140214-A-RU942-060a.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eric Petty and U.S. Army 1st Lt. Maurice Cooper conduct live-fire range training with M4 carbines on Forward Operating Base Lightning in Afghanistan's Paktiya province, Feb. 14, 2014. Petty and Cooper are assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Dixie Rae Liwanag</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>US Military Presence in Afghanistan Uncertain After 2014 -- Voice of America</b></span></div><br />WASHINGTON — After 12 years of fighting in Afghanistan, America’s longest war is coming to an end. By the end of this year, all U.S. combat personnel will be out of the country.<br /><br />The question facing U.S. officials is what kind of a residual force - if any - will remain. That force would continue training Afghan military and security forces and sustaining counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda. <br /><br />Brent Scowcroft was national security adviser to two U.S. presidents, Gerald Ford (1974-77) and George H.W. Bush (1989-93). He said a minimum of 10,000 troops are needed to - in his words - give a sense of reassurance to the Afghan military.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/us-military-presence-in-afghanistan-uncertain-after-2014/1855777.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-allies-agree-on-standards-for-which-opposition-groups-in-syria-will-receive-aid/2014/02/20/7b5b8b02-9a53-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html">U.S., allies agree on aid for Syrian rebels</a> -- Washington Post<br /><br /><a href="http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/russia-to-establish-arctic-military-command/">Russia to Establish Arctic Military Command </a>-- Zachary Keck, The Diplomat<br /><br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140221/187724456/Russia-to-Adopt-Future-Soldier-Gear-in-Summer.html">Russia to Adopt ‘Future Soldier’ Gear in Summer</a> -- RIA Novosti<br /><br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140221/187722127/Russian-Sub-to-Feature-Advanced-Quiet-Propulsion-by-2016.html">Russian Sub to Feature Advanced Quiet Propulsion by 2016</a> -- RIA Novosti<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20140221000033&cid=1101">India's ballistic missiles capable of destroying China's cities</a> -- Want China Times<br /><br /><a href="http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/chinese-military-clamps-down-on-corruption/">Chinese Military Clamps Down On Corruption</a> -- Ankit Panda, The Diplomat<br /><br /><a href="http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/02/20/report-egypt-spies-alerted-israel-to-german-dolphin-submarine-buy-russian-contract-to-upgrade-tanks/">Report: Egypt Spies Alerted Israel to German Dolphin Submarine Buy, Russian Contract to Upgrade Tanks</a> -- Algemeiner<br /><br /><a href="http://indrus.in/economics/2014/02/21/mig-31_a_fighter_ahead_of_its_time_33233.html">MiG-31: A fighter ahead of its time </a>-- Ekaterina Turysheva, Russia & India Report <br /><br /><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140220/DEFREG01/302200036/Germany-Cuts-Order-Eurofighter-Jets">Germany Cuts Order for Eurofighter Jets</a> -- Defense News/AFP<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/21/world/africa/tunisia-libya-plane-crash/">11 killed as Libyan military plane crashes in Tunisia</a> -- CNN<br /><br /><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/brazil-39-navy-conducts-largest-ever-operation-205530716.html">Brazil's Navy conducts largest-ever operation</a> -- AP<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140221/DEFREG01/302210020/New-UK-Army-Chief-Appointed">New UK Army Chief Appointed </a>-- Defense News<br /><br /><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-strategy/198788-study-warns-against-afghan-troop-cuts">Study warns against Afghan troop cuts</a> -- The Hill<br /><br /><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/philippine-public-divided-on-increased-us-military-visits/1856192.html">Philippine Public Divided on Increased US Military Visits</a> -- Voice of America<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-21/u-s-army-chief-in-china-for-talks-with-top-military-officials.html">U.S. Army General Meets China Officials Amid Regional Tensions</a> -- Bloomberg<br /><br /><a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/top-us-army-officer-we-have-common-objectives-with-china/1856136.html">Top US Army Officer: We Have 'Common Objectives' With China</a> -- Voice of America<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stripes.com/news/army-in-europe-plans-to-shed-hundreds-of-local-nationals-1.268843">US Army in Europe plans to shed hundreds of local nationals</a> -- Stars and Stripes<br /><br /><a href="http://defensetech.org/2014/02/19/is-the-f-35s-computer-r2-d2-or-hal/#more-22360">Is the F-35’s Computer R2-D2 or HAL?</a> -- Defense Tech<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140220/DEFREG02/302200043/USAF-Defends-Need-New-Long-Range-Bomber">USAF Defends Need for New Long-Range Bomber </a>-- Defense News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/02/20/navy-launches-massive-ford-class-carrier-test.html">Navy Launches Massive Ford-Class Carrier Test</a> -- Military.com<br /><br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-lockheed-martin-unmanned-idUSBREA1K0EK20140221">Lockheed sees huge potential for military-, commercial-use drones</a> -- Reuters<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nsa-explores-options-for-relinquishing-vast-telephone-record-database/2014/02/20/6237ae9e-9986-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html">NSA explores options for vast telephone record database</a> -- Washington Post<br /><br /><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303636404579393413176249186">NSA Weighs Retaining Data for Suits</a> -- Wall Street Journal<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/02/21/pentagon-unveils-electro-magnetic-spectrum-strategy/">Pentagon Unveils Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Strategy</a> -- DoD Buzz<br /><br /><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-strategy/198810-pentagon-to-share-electromagnetic-spectrum">Pentagon to share electromagnetic spectrum</a> -- The Hill<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/20/hagel-orders-shakeup-of-mia-accounting-mission/">Hagel orders shakeup of MIA accounting mission</a> -- Washington Times<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defenseone.com/management/2014/02/outgoing-comptroller-confident-pentagon-can-be-audited-2017/79166/?oref=d-channelriver">Outgoing Comptroller Bob Hale Says the Pentagon Can Be Audited by 2017</a> -- Defense One/Government Executive<br /><br /><a href="http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140220/BENEFITS02/302200035/Troops-prefer-cash-over-kind-benefits">Troops prefer cash over in-kind benefits</a> -- Military Times<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/20/drugs-room-where-former-seals-found-dead-captain-p/">Drugs in room where former SEALs found dead on ‘Captain Phillips’ ship </a>-- Washington Times<br /><br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/20/institute-study-prevention-military-ptsd-programs/5637987/">Report: Military efforts to prevent mental illness ineffective </a>-- USA Today<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/20/us-ranks-low-global-index-lgbt-inclusion-armed-forces">US ranks low in first-ever global index of LGBT inclusion in armed forces </a>-- The Guardian<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/20/cover-up-army-historian-says-report-on-deadly-afgh/">Cover-up? Army historian says report on deadly Afghan battle was altered to absolve faulty gun </a>-- Washington Times<br /><br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2014/02/20/u-2-vs-global-hawk-why-drones-arent-the-answer-to-every-military-need/">U-2 Vs. Global Hawk: Why Drones Aren't The Answer To Every Military Need</a> -- Loren Thompson, Forbes<br /><br /><a href="http://rt.com/op-edge/us-expands-military-net-africa-081/">US expands military net over Africa, checking China’s influence</a> -- Eric Draitser, RT<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/20/scales-superior-warriors-with-inferior-weapons/">U.S. troops are equipped with inferior, antiquated weapons</a> -- Robert Scales, Washington Times<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2014/02/house-cards-lesson-us-military/79091/">The ‘House of Cards’ Lesson for the U.S. Military </a>-- Harry J. Kazianis, Defense One

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 21, 2014

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eric Petty and U.S. Army 1st Lt. Maurice Cooper conduct live-fire range training with M4 carbines on Forward Operating ...

Read more »

Ukrainian President And Protesters Agree To An End To The Crisis

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Ks3SGWJMqMY" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ukrainian President And Protesters Agree Early Election -- BBC</b></span></div><br /><i>Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition protesters have agreed to an early presidential poll before the end of the year.</i><br /><br />The election is part of a deal to end the country's political crisis.<br /><br />The deal has not been published, but Mr Yanukovych referred to a national unity government and constitutional changes reducing the president's power.<br /><br />The compromise came after hours of talks between mediated by three European foreign ministers.<br /><br />The German and Polish ministers met protesters in Kiev's Independence Square before announcing their leaders backed the deal.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26289318">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Y_LFrMcoEm4" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Live Updates On The Ukrainian Crisis</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26285352">Ukrainian police storm Kiev protest camp: Live</a> -- BBC<br /><a href="http://rt.com/news/kiev-clashes-rioters-police-571/">Fierce clashes in Kiev as new wave of unrest grips Ukraine: Live</a> -- RT<br /><a href="http://live.reuters.com/event/world_news">World Coverage: Live</a> -- Reuters<br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/ukraine-crisis-president-claims-deal-with-opposition-after-77-killed-in-kiev">Ukraine police storm Kiev protest camp – live updates</a> -- The Guardian<br /><a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/21/live-updates-ukraine-protesters-yanukovich-deal-euromaidan-opposition/">Ukraine: high tension in Kyiv as government deadline expires [Live updates</a>] -- Euronews<br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10653226/Ukraine-protests-live.html">Live: Ukraine protests</a> -- The Telegraph<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On The Crisis In Ukraine</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://rt.com/news/ukraine-president-deal-elections-087/">Ukraine's President Yanukovich declares early elections, constitutional reforms</a> -- RT<br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/news/20140221/187750684/Ukraine-Leader-Announces-Early-Presidential-Poll.html">Ukraine Leader Announces Early Presidential Poll</a> -- RIA Novosti<br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/world/20140221/187745120/President-Opposition-Reach-Deal-to-End-Ukraine-Unrest.html">President, Opposition Reach Deal to End Ukraine Unrest</a> -- RIA Novosti<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-ukraine-idUSBREA1G0OU20140221">Yanukovich announces early Ukraine poll, mediators say protesters back deal</a> -- Reuters<br /><a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/02/21/ukraine-president-announces-early-elections-promises-coalition-government-after-clashes/">Ukraine president announces early elections, promises coalition government after clashes </a>-- National Post/AP<br /><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-president-announces-early-elections-as-violent-clashes-continue-in-kiev-9143364.html">Ukraine crisis: President announces early elections as violent clashes continue in Kiev</a> -- The Independent<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-21/yanukovych-vows-early-presidential-election-to-end-crisis">Yanukovych Offers Early Presidential Vote to End Crisis </a>-- Bloomberg Businessweek<br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/ukraine-president-says-deal-has-been-reached-opposition-bloodshed">Ukraine protest leaders agree deal with government, mediators say </a>-- The Guardian<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-02-21/shaky-peace-reigns-after-ukraine-rocked-by-protest">Ukraine: Opposition agrees to deal with president</a> -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP<br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/21/ukraine-president-opposition-protesters-sanctions-eu/5671131/">Ukraine opposition to sign deal to end crisis</a> -- USA Today<br /><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/ukraine-president-offers-early-elections-end-clashes-n35171">Ukraine President Offers Early Elections to End Clashes </a>-- NBC<br /><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/02/ukrainian-presidency-says-deal-made-at-talks-201422165257342300.html">Ukraine president announces early elections </a>-- Al Jazeera<br /><a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/21/ukraine-yanukovych-reaches-deal-to-end-crisis-france-urges-caution/">Deal reached in Ukraine to end crisis says Yanukovych</a> -- Euronews<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-ukraine-president-early-elections-20140221,0,2766176.story#axzz2tseORMfW">Ukraine president seeks to defuse crisis, calls for early elections</a> -- L.A. Times<br /><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/02/21/ukrainian-presidency-says-deal-reached-at-crisis-talks/">Fresh violence flares in Ukraine as president announces concessions to end crisis</a> -- FOX News<br /><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/ukraine-deal-announced-denounced-protesters/story?id=22614759">Ukraine Deal Announced, But Denounced by Protesters </a>-- ABC News<br /><a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/21/armed-police-expelled-from-ukrainian-parliament/">Armed police expelled from Ukrainian parliament</a> -- Euronews<br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26290625">European, Russian press split on Ukraine events</a> -- BBC<br /><a href="http://rt.com/news/panic-ukraine-shops-banks-069/">Panic-stricken Ukrainians storm shops, banks and gas stations</a> -- RT

Ukrainian President And Protesters Agree To An End To The Crisis

Ukrainian President And Protesters Agree Early Election -- BBC Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition protesters have agreed t...

Read more »

$200 million: Beyonce becomes highest paid black musician in history

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mtv.co.za/wp-content/blogs.dir/69/files/2014/02/Beyonce-Stage-600-x-450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.mtv.co.za/wp-content/blogs.dir/69/files/2014/02/Beyonce-Stage-600-x-450.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="post-social-vert"> </div><br /> Beyonce is expected to make well over 200 million dollars by the time the Mrs Carter Show World Tour wraps up this year (2014). The tour, which was already the highest grossing concert by a female artist in 2013, is set to become the most successful of her entire career and make her the highest paid black musician of all time!<br /> More impressive is the fact that Mrs Carter is the director and executive producer of this entire production and is touring the world with her all female band and eight female backing dancers with the exception of the french dancing duo, “Les Twins” the only men on this tour are cast and crew.<br /> There tour was put together by her production company “Parkwood Entertainment”, which is also responsible for creating her visual album and her directorial movie debut “Life Is But A Dream.”

$200 million: Beyonce becomes highest paid black musician in history

Beyonce is expected to make well over 200 million dollars by the time the Mrs Carter Show World Tour wraps up this year (2014). ...

Read more »

Meet the Pastor who gives women DIRTY slaps to get them pregnant (WATCH)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ynaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/women.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="women" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-249535" height="402" src="http://www.ynaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/women.png" width="506" /></a></div><header class="entry-header"> </header><br /> Having children in marriage is definitely a good thing and a sign of growth  in most parts of the world which is why women go to extremes to have them.<br /> This pastor is shown in the video giving to the women what may be termed ‘holy slap’ which will make them conceive during a prayer session in church.<br /> In the video,the women are seen holding white cloth beforea loud slap descended on their faces.<br /> Click to watch video <a href="http://ireporterstv.co/ir_fullvideo/too-bad-pastor-slapping-the-barren-in-the-face-to-give-them-fruit-of-the-womb/" target="_blank">here</a>.

Meet the Pastor who gives women DIRTY slaps to get them pregnant (WATCH)

Having children in marriage is definitely a good thing and a sign of growth  in most parts of the world which is why women go to ...

Read more »

Why Another 9/11 Will Happen

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaRFE3cT4i73vFh3NnH28pjMaS1-tLmM7Obvn1F60sQEihfJt_KvIRGpHROjeoeVQRdM-HrTnBRDUdUDKWLjPXP4YHkxqBEipyXXC-spg0RQknpn46hrjK7Sg_j7fC_Qj37la7HwYifHj/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaRFE3cT4i73vFh3NnH28pjMaS1-tLmM7Obvn1F60sQEihfJt_KvIRGpHROjeoeVQRdM-HrTnBRDUdUDKWLjPXP4YHkxqBEipyXXC-spg0RQknpn46hrjK7Sg_j7fC_Qj37la7HwYifHj/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2011/09/05/where-were-you-on-911/">Photo: Sean Adair/Reuters</a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why 9/11 Can Happen Again -- Gary Hart and Norman Augustine, LA Times</b></span></div><br />Congressional oversight remains an organizational maze. Instead of doing what various studies recommended, Congress has made matters worse.<br /><br />In February 2001, a bipartisan federal commission on which we served warned that terrorists would acquire weapons of mass destruction and mass disruption. "Attacks against American citizens on American soil, possibly causing heavy casualties, are likely over the next quarter-century," the Hart-Rudman Commission said. "In the face of this threat, our nation has no coherent or integrated governmental structures." We added: "Congress should rationalize its current committee structure so that it best serves U.S. national security objectives."<br /><br />We identified 50 ways to improve national security, none of which was implemented before 9/11. One recommendation — to create a single agency to deal with homeland security — was not acted on until a year and a half after those tragic attacks.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-hart-streamline-national-security-20140220,0,6353417.story?track=rss#axzz2tpas4U8I">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> Yup .... the question is not if another 9/11 attack will occur .... but when. But even if the recommendations that Gary Hart and Norman Augustine outlined are implemented .... it can never be a guarantee that another 9/11 terror attack can be prevented. So .... do we limit our freedom and privacy in a police state so that we can feel safe .... that is the question that should not even be asked .... but it is being debated today.

Why Another 9/11 Will Happen

Photo: Sean Adair/Reuters Why 9/11 Can Happen Again -- Gary Hart and Norman Augustine, LA Times Congressional oversight remains an organizat...

Read more »

Photos from Osita Iheme's (Paw paw) birthday party

<h3 class="post-title entry-title"></h3><div class="post-header"> </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2524774786462858813"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnF_YUDkcY4gs-MAo5VMv61MiS45vz_1_sgit623GNgrIL0CqgX7juZXNamkCL-GC2ccnwMaI8-QR2vi9lxxQzAj2Xv70hvfsA1qJGb7ZwACuQLtkn7iyBpfQGQ7SJf9tBCiTucW6vNqk/s1600/Untitled.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnF_YUDkcY4gs-MAo5VMv61MiS45vz_1_sgit623GNgrIL0CqgX7juZXNamkCL-GC2ccnwMaI8-QR2vi9lxxQzAj2Xv70hvfsA1qJGb7ZwACuQLtkn7iyBpfQGQ7SJf9tBCiTucW6vNqk/s1600/Untitled.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Actor Osita Iheme was a year older yesterday Thursday, February 20th and celebrated his day with friends and colleagues on a movie set in Enugu. His best buddy Chinedu Ikedieze was also there. Continue to see more photos....<br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE48o0pce1WvOErJcDMZ00cmYxjHp43f9P5pbxHMVQ3ykokE_pHixeNbfTY2GVNcy0iWxNYDLcdQ3R4qGRxt8DZObm5aFCdrG-jCXQiRfAZ0bcwITV5iPOyBDwPL2vtmMFC7OEXLqQCZY/s1600/12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE48o0pce1WvOErJcDMZ00cmYxjHp43f9P5pbxHMVQ3ykokE_pHixeNbfTY2GVNcy0iWxNYDLcdQ3R4qGRxt8DZObm5aFCdrG-jCXQiRfAZ0bcwITV5iPOyBDwPL2vtmMFC7OEXLqQCZY/s1600/12.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHrrzAcMm5V-BQMO6XSuSYsSPVSS0BnZDWolNdRN9GU6mqntjZGBfBOVc0Bw3N12roCyBQoakQo_ZkTR-mweibHoCGu0jVqstxPaMltOf2dIDwuk-7Sbsz0ioQnHjmETD9-s8crdDZ1w/s1600/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHrrzAcMm5V-BQMO6XSuSYsSPVSS0BnZDWolNdRN9GU6mqntjZGBfBOVc0Bw3N12roCyBQoakQo_ZkTR-mweibHoCGu0jVqstxPaMltOf2dIDwuk-7Sbsz0ioQnHjmETD9-s8crdDZ1w/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2hZ_n8z5hFbRDrNMoch5RwO99kldlCrzpCkaCMd8FFcSTkAfWphM1AfDT0KZgMUqD5XFtneyqV5Lb4iKy_9r0vz4JPqvQiszJM_4t6whCYDamL278i1L2cnZKaquHk5EnBe6h3qa9Iw/s1600/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2hZ_n8z5hFbRDrNMoch5RwO99kldlCrzpCkaCMd8FFcSTkAfWphM1AfDT0KZgMUqD5XFtneyqV5Lb4iKy_9r0vz4JPqvQiszJM_4t6whCYDamL278i1L2cnZKaquHk5EnBe6h3qa9Iw/s1600/4.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeMJD_gN0mBk2852mwHMjtOqVC3dTOi8h2bc31xnTCDLJ9YvDCwDFvdLRdVvBfidoadsi9usBkLfkdzM1rHQDhyphenhyphen0nDKzoh7auaijZX-Hx3PGwZCkZcxlxpq0tLMHpMNTeHtjaVfq1gGQ/s1600/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeMJD_gN0mBk2852mwHMjtOqVC3dTOi8h2bc31xnTCDLJ9YvDCwDFvdLRdVvBfidoadsi9usBkLfkdzM1rHQDhyphenhyphen0nDKzoh7auaijZX-Hx3PGwZCkZcxlxpq0tLMHpMNTeHtjaVfq1gGQ/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgZP5kEfYty0pI0ri_zR27e0P8KsqE2Xm4CWeilHpZ0OmQDWgEb_gzoedEOEoENjwlZ8EVAejhwp95F1LHwHGS10FhyBQomv18SwKNlPaZjz6t6X5_u2dNzFMN0p4SkDwZ8RyPN8gF_0/s1600/11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgZP5kEfYty0pI0ri_zR27e0P8KsqE2Xm4CWeilHpZ0OmQDWgEb_gzoedEOEoENjwlZ8EVAejhwp95F1LHwHGS10FhyBQomv18SwKNlPaZjz6t6X5_u2dNzFMN0p4SkDwZ8RyPN8gF_0/s1600/11.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08zNWtL3c2yYt24Gb0_GoPNZjGOnDkRXMqsetOZwWIaydDWrpGjBTBCACN26Via7y79nWQ1Z0SH515JgQPZpquCPnN3KrMKQTS42GxlOV7sS8SUCH23vjoI7OvF_eIvVeluSIKdp_t3M/s1600/10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08zNWtL3c2yYt24Gb0_GoPNZjGOnDkRXMqsetOZwWIaydDWrpGjBTBCACN26Via7y79nWQ1Z0SH515JgQPZpquCPnN3KrMKQTS42GxlOV7sS8SUCH23vjoI7OvF_eIvVeluSIKdp_t3M/s1600/10.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZUqJhRczdpABACn2DDgPEGX_xnrLTtKohNDgZNTnpgIJU1amvz66M_y3id803Z-uK9YV8zClXRwpwQI-nB9oV9In_5RorvzG1J5AlBdS3zI4QKeRAFSMP1zh83bcEAFgvt_Ww4xvE4I/s1600/9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZUqJhRczdpABACn2DDgPEGX_xnrLTtKohNDgZNTnpgIJU1amvz66M_y3id803Z-uK9YV8zClXRwpwQI-nB9oV9In_5RorvzG1J5AlBdS3zI4QKeRAFSMP1zh83bcEAFgvt_Ww4xvE4I/s1600/9.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M_uyN4aKmCTRO3aM_3rZdtSMs08esrwbOwxMgTRaIG7IibsJdZSZubjUwSDYL4Y_XBU6r8PT2LmZhIZa0aXdues_gKvsudHCIlUFfjqiEUnqP6VM5H4BQIzf3g4WIu18yVMrq8aVHZo/s1600/0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M_uyN4aKmCTRO3aM_3rZdtSMs08esrwbOwxMgTRaIG7IibsJdZSZubjUwSDYL4Y_XBU6r8PT2LmZhIZa0aXdues_gKvsudHCIlUFfjqiEUnqP6VM5H4BQIzf3g4WIu18yVMrq8aVHZo/s1600/0.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVWt2akMbbVcuUzy7LBZeg-ebxkVcedl-zSi3pYc01ChdlBbsQQuwDVOGIkD16MCYHi9YrA3_5GVd5xl3VrhIIgSnc_PD-JQ2YDtiNbGM3-p58Wq0oW3XqNkvv-qzwWZWu0DSfzZQTDQ/s1600/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVWt2akMbbVcuUzy7LBZeg-ebxkVcedl-zSi3pYc01ChdlBbsQQuwDVOGIkD16MCYHi9YrA3_5GVd5xl3VrhIIgSnc_PD-JQ2YDtiNbGM3-p58Wq0oW3XqNkvv-qzwWZWu0DSfzZQTDQ/s1600/2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4Knq3m-kHkMhXb5_yh04eJHnoIvE-U99IABXdqEYQetoO5d7nU5gvHumdaihiO9sbFXxJX1zonaA5J7bawdJFaHxeGtbxvK8VcEz6u8C4as5YrU7YrAKr3eeT1jCiYKPjmdU0qRLx1Q/s1600/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4Knq3m-kHkMhXb5_yh04eJHnoIvE-U99IABXdqEYQetoO5d7nU5gvHumdaihiO9sbFXxJX1zonaA5J7bawdJFaHxeGtbxvK8VcEz6u8C4as5YrU7YrAKr3eeT1jCiYKPjmdU0qRLx1Q/s1600/6.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZX0ayikD0wVfKsreM0XKBAwsVjNK0sRSzrHvhNBpTqQSVid92dwwCfG_ylb8SV44smym-hTTyGGyh3XxIHt6zDwFsEaFWhCXwKwKcnmV_h2qFYobiqHJHzYBFC1Kkq7v0Ye-ITTZVjw/s1600/7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZX0ayikD0wVfKsreM0XKBAwsVjNK0sRSzrHvhNBpTqQSVid92dwwCfG_ylb8SV44smym-hTTyGGyh3XxIHt6zDwFsEaFWhCXwKwKcnmV_h2qFYobiqHJHzYBFC1Kkq7v0Ye-ITTZVjw/s1600/7.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9vXZXjdguMdnzmi1YhUIXI_rPrg3unYZshRulAQnJEF3x7kO0dbLRQoxJCDkinkVcaknxLF6V7ZHuz0PGc-Vih4A8BA79e4CK8H4j-BX4l97vFsZUR40oAzuw81qBn2ct86cBWy5C4M/s1600/8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9vXZXjdguMdnzmi1YhUIXI_rPrg3unYZshRulAQnJEF3x7kO0dbLRQoxJCDkinkVcaknxLF6V7ZHuz0PGc-Vih4A8BA79e4CK8H4j-BX4l97vFsZUR40oAzuw81qBn2ct86cBWy5C4M/s1600/8.jpg" /></a></div></div><span class="post-author vcard">Photo Credit: Linda Ikeji</span><span class="post-icons"><span class="item-action"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=9174986572743472561&postID=2524774786462858813" title="Email Post"></a></span></span>

Photos from Osita Iheme's (Paw paw) birthday party

Actor Osita Iheme was a year older yesterday Thursday, February 20th and celebrated his day with friends and colleagues on a movie set in...

Read more »

Iran Steps Up It's Military Support For The Syrian Regime

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYbUD2__epcTCg35GeE3O2cLe6lb1aykfS74FAag6KAUgL2vBzsnwLAR2dy8vpsue3h9QThPZ8MdeAi5_pLjI04KXKDIHEYXr4UHnmByH_6gda3T_aO2frV7muRiLlI6x_56DT7x6Y6Ud/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYbUD2__epcTCg35GeE3O2cLe6lb1aykfS74FAag6KAUgL2vBzsnwLAR2dy8vpsue3h9QThPZ8MdeAi5_pLjI04KXKDIHEYXr4UHnmByH_6gda3T_aO2frV7muRiLlI6x_56DT7x6Y6Ud/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A view shows damaged buildings in Deir al-Zor, eastern Syria February 19, 2014. Picture taken February 19, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Khalil Ashawi</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Iran Boosts Military Support In Syria To Bolster Assad -- Reuters</b></span></div><br />(Reuters) - As Syria's war nears the start of its fourth year, Iran has stepped up support on the ground for President Bashar al-Assad, providing elite teams to gather intelligence and train troops, sources with knowledge of military movements say.<br /><br />This further backing from Tehran, along with deliveries of munitions and equipment from Moscow, is helping to keep Assad in power at a time when neither his own forces nor opposition fighters have a decisive edge on the battlefield.<br /><br />Assad's forces have failed to capitalize fully on advances they made last summer with the help of Iran, his major backer in the region, and the Hezbollah fighters that Tehran backs and which have provided important battlefield support for Assad.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/21/us-syria-crisis-iran-idUSBREA1K09U20140221">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> The Syrian rebel movement has suffered setbacks in the past two months .... the Iranians are now trying to assist the Syrian regime in escalating this momentum in their favor. This probably also explains why the Syrian regime has offered no concessions in recent peace talks.

Iran Steps Up It's Military Support For The Syrian Regime

A view shows damaged buildings in Deir al-Zor, eastern Syria February 19, 2014. Picture taken February 19, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Khalil Asha...

Read more »

PayPal Likes Digital Currencies? Yawn

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="single-title"><h1><br /></h1><div class="single-info"> <span class="single-author"><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/author/ryan-galt/" rel="author" title="Posts by Ryan Galt">Ryan Galt</a> (<a class="authortwitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/twobitidiot" target="_newwindow">@twobitidiot)</a> | </span> <span class="single-date">Published on February 20, 2014 at 13:40 GMT | </span> <span class="single-category"><strong><em><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/analysis/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Analysis">Analysis</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/companies/merchants/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Merchants">Merchants</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/news/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in News">News</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/companies/wallets/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Wallets">Wallets</a></em></strong></span></div></div><div class="picture featured"><img alt="paypal_logo" class=" wp-post-image" height="185" src="http://media.coindesk.com/2013/11/paypal_logo-300x185.jpg" width="300" /></div><span class="wpsr_floatbts_anchor" data-offset="31"></span>It’s hard to not get frustrated when everyone starts jumping for joy after a televised interview in which eBay CEO John Donahue told <em>Bloomberg</em> that PayPal is building a digital wallet for multiple cryptocurrencies. Because, of course, it is. The e-payments giant would be silly not to.<br /><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/paypal/">Paypal</a>, which is owned by eBay, is the pioneer in digital payments and they already accept over 25 foreign currencies – basically, all of the ones that matter, with the exception of the Chinese RMB.<br />New digital currencies like bitcoin will likely interact with PayPal’s systems in the same manner as existing fiat currencies – when they are big enough. That’s because, like <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/coinbase/">Coinbase</a> and <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/bitpay/">BitPay</a>, you would expect PayPal to lock-in fiat prices for merchants accepting bitcoin.<br />They would also be likely to batch transactions ‘off-block chain’ in order to cover transaction risks during the 10-minute confirmation window.<br /><h2>What they said</h2>In the interview, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/video/ebay-paypal-most-successful-together-donahoe-says-M8oKQ3F5Q3SBdIrbWSnzcw.html" target="_blank"><em>Bloomberg</em>’s</a> Matt Miller told Donahue that he thinks digital payments like bitcoin will rule in the internet commerce of the future and have the potential to make PayPal defunct unless the company starts preparing now.<br />However, it is absurd to infer that PayPal is useless in the long-term, and neglects the fact that PayPal owns some serious e-commerce real-estate. This is like saying that Amazon, after utterly dominating the book industry, would never be able to move into electronics (or any other category that they have since dominated).<br />Miller speaks with an irritating certainty about bitcoin. It’s safe to call me a fanatic, but Miller is already in outer space on his way to the moon.<br />Finally, the idea of the “head start” PayPal would get for spinning off now makes some sense until you consider what he is really saying. This is, that PayPal should essentially spin-off to the highest bidder before it dies an inevitable death. Is Miller suggesting a perverse corporate pump and dump?<br />Donahue’s no fool. He coolly pointed out there’s nothing that’s holding PayPal back from integrating digital payments today as part of <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/ebay/">eBay</a>, in fact:<br /><blockquote>“PayPal is pursuing digital payments and is the leading digital payments alternative in many different environments. So it’s not a matter of eBay holding PayPal back.”</blockquote>What Donahue is really saying of course is: we will do with bitcoin what we want, when we want to, because we are really, <i>really</i> good at payments.<br />He doesn’t need to utter the word ‘bitcoin’, because that particular currency would be lower volume for PayPal today than the Russian ruble. Miller is like a dog with a bone though: “Until everyone starts using bitcoin, and then there will be no reason to use PayPal.”<br />Then Donahue responded with the bombshell:<br /><blockquote>“[That is just what] PayPal is doing in building a wallet that can hold multiple types of digital currency.”</blockquote>So, we can assume that, as soon as cryptocurrencies are actually worth PayPal’s time and regulatory uncertainties over the commercial use of cryptocurrencies are removed, the company will integrate them into their system. And will very likely be a force from day one.<br />It’s really not a matter of <i>if</i> PayPal enters the bitcoin industry, but <em>when</em> and, more importantly, <em>how</em>.<br /><h2>Build or Buy?</h2><a href="http://media.coindesk.com/2014/02/shutterstock_101159869.jpg"><img alt="E-commerce" class=" wp-image-47500 alignright" height="192" src="http://media.coindesk.com/2014/02/shutterstock_101159869.jpg" width="288" /></a><br />PayPal has enormous resources at its disposal in terms of financial and human capital, but the company seems to have a much better option than building their own bitcoin products from the ground up – on the merchant side, at least.<br />If PayPal could acquire BitPay, it would be a great deal for both parties.<br />Not just because BitPay is the leading bitcoin payment processing company and that PayPal would gain all their expertise, while dotting the global map with locations that accept the virtual currency overnight.<br />Or because their joint DBA (‘doing business as’ title) is already flawless – what’s not to like about BitPayPal?<br />But because BitPay’s business model would compliment, not cannibalize, existing PayPal sales.<br />A lot of people have the misconception that bitcoin will crush PayPal’s margins. That’s not likely.<br />PayPal could drop their prices for bitcoin transactions overnight by a full percentage point and make the same gross margins, because the company wouldn’t be exposed to the same interchange or credit card fees.<br />In addition, PayPal could become an instant bitcoin market maker.<br /><h2>Contrasting cultures</h2>BitPay is really two businesses: a SaaS (software as a service) company that offers merchant services and a ‘long’ hedge fund that benefits from jumps in the price of bitcoin.<br />Multiple sources have told me the company sits on over 40,000 bitcoins. That’s a lot of exposure to price swings, but it is also a valuable asset.<br />Ownership of BitPay would allow a company like PayPal to kill two birds with one stone via an acquisition: acquire the talent and IP <i>and</i> seamlessly acquire the necessary underlying currency.<br />Will this acquisition actually happen, though? Probably not. But the move would make a lot of sense for Paypal.<br /><i>Ryan Galt is a blogger, entrepreneur and freelance opinion writer for CoinDesk. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk. You may email him at </i><a href="mailto:2bitidiot@gmail.com"><i>2bitidiot@gmail.com</i></a><i>, or follow him on twitter @twobitidiot.</i><br /><em><strong>Disclaimer:</strong> CoinDesk founder <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/shakil-khan-bitcoin-can-be-money-over-ip-but-services-must-get-more-intuitive/" target="_blank">Shakil Khan</a> is an investor in BitPay.</em><br /><em><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-101159869/stock-photo-e-commerce-business-written-on-a-blackboard-with-world-map-sign.html" target="_blank">E-commerce</a> image via Shutterstock</em></div>

PayPal Likes Digital Currencies? Yawn

Ryan Galt ( @twobitidiot) | Published on February 20, 2014 at 13:40 GMT | Analysis , Merchants , News , Wallets It’s hard to not get f...

Read more »

Former White House WMD Expert: No Chance Of Success With Iran

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cQEmZp6VYDw" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Obama Weapons Expert: No Chance of Success With Iran -- Bloomberg</b></span></div><br />Until recently, Gary Samore was the Barack Obama administration’s top expert on weapons of mass destruction and the go-to White House official on the complexities and challenges of the Iranian nuclear program. So I pay attention when he says that the Iran nuclear talks -- restarting today -- have an almost zero chance of success.<br /><br />One of the many reasons for this, he believes, is that the West has given the Iranian regime insufficient cause to feel as if it must give up its nuclear dreams. The negotiations might drag on for two or three years. And then? “And then the Iranians could decide they’re strong enough to walk away,” he says. <br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-18/obama-weapons-expert-no-chance-of-success-with-iran.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment: </b>Not everyone is gloomy <b><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iran-nuclear-talks-end-on-upbeat-note-next-round-march-17-1.2544409">on these talks</a></b>. As to what is my take .... never trust what the mullahs in Tehran are saying unless it can be verified unconditionally .... and it will be the verification guidelines that will be the biggest sticking point.

Former White House WMD Expert: No Chance Of Success With Iran

Obama Weapons Expert: No Chance of Success With Iran -- Bloomberg Until recently, Gary Samore was the Barack Obama administration’s top expe...

Read more »