News Headlines (394) 16 October 2013

ONLINE TODAY

► This is not a good time to take on new plans or projects -- even a first date should be rescheduled, if possible! You just need to focus on the past, and that's not conducive to novelty. It's time to give that horse one last lash and let it rest in peace. At this particular moment in time, it will be far easier to get mad and stay that way than to forgive and forget; but that doesn't mean it's the best thing to do. In fact, if you're really still interested in keeping things together between you and the person you've been feuding with, why not lay all your cards out on the table, be totally honest and get the problem solved once and for all?

Sorry, I can't. I've tried, but I couldn't.

► LATIMES 26 February 2011 : Bilingualism good for the brain, researchers say || ► NY TIMES 17 March 2012 : Why Bilinguals Are Smarter || ► TIME 18 July 2013 : How the Brain Benefits From Being Bilingual

► DAILY MAIL 14 October 2013

■ Tesco in the dog house with animal charities and shoppers after gift brochure features controversial 'All I want for Christmas is a puppy' message
■ Believe it or not, this is inside a hospital: The Chinese pharmacy overrun with RATS
■ Heidi Klum and ex-husband Seal share a tender kiss as they reunite almost two years after split for daughter's birthday

► TODAY in HISTORY - 16 October

■ 1946 : Nazi war criminals executed
■ 1964 : China joins A-bomb club

■ 1956 : Elvis makes movie debut in Love Me Tender

This song is still tasty to be heard. 2013 -1956 = 57. Unit of measurement behind this series of numbers is year. If linked with the passage of time, I think it's not a short time. Do you know what is in the greatness of a song so that it can enter the small eternity throughout the years? A foresight to see something hidden in the hearts of its listeners. Only love can do that into all the songs. Created to be felt.

Love is the basis of relationship between me and him. So, listen to this song makes me always full of spirit, just like when I am admiring the mighty muscles of a bodybuilder, for example. Strong. Pheromones. Sex. Orgasm. Why do I not see there is money attached to your forehead, stupid? Or like when he is admiring the symmetrical face of a beautiful woman. Smooth, floating, a bit haughty. I'm not a political whore, damn you!

And as to follow the flow of time, memory also has its own groove to be remembered. So monotonous. So boring, sometimes. This situation is just like when you are offered a new appetizers after ye have eaten all your desserts, and you're full with your main meals on the first term. Oh, my God! I have to repeat all of this from the beginning? Aaaaw....!




Honey, you lied when you said you loved me. And I had no cause to doubt you . But I'd rather go on hearing your lies than go on living without you. Now the stage is bare and I'm standing there with emptiness all around. And if you won't come back to me, then make them bring the curtain down.

Shut up! Come down from the tree, silly monkey!

► GUARDIAN 15 October 2013

■ US warned of credit downgrade as Republicans inch closer to the brink
■ Yasser Arafat's belongings have traces of polonium-210, say Swiss scientists
■ Plummeting morale at Fukushima Daiichi as nuclear cleanup takes its toll
■ US debt limit talks in disarray after House GOP fails to back Senate deal

► SLASH DOT 15 October 2013

■ Silicon Valley Stays Quiet As Washington Implodes  || ■ COMPUTER WORLD 14 October 2013 : Silicon Valley stays quiet as Washington implodes
■ British Police Foil Alleged Mall Massacre Copycat Plot

► NPR 15 October 2013

■ Tuesday Morning Political Mix
■ Redefining Rock Bottom: Another Scary Poll For Congress

► DAILY KOS 15 October 2013

■ Deep shutdown thoughts from America's Dumbest Congressman
■ House Republican rush to offer own plan to end their shutdown

► E ONLINE 15 Octobrr 2013 : Fifty Shades of Grey, Gravity, Back to the Future and Other Movies With Recast Roles

► SPACE 15 October 2013 : China Readies Moon Rover for December Launch

► PC WORLD 15 October 2013 : Supreme Court shouldn't review NSA spying case, U.S. gov't says

► ENTERTAINMENT : 2013 Man Booker Prize Readings. An evening of readings from the books written by the six short-listed authors. Hear the work that could win one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, in an evening chaired by renowned journalist and author Mark Lawson.

The authors shortlisted for the prize are:
Below are the authors short-listed for the prize:
We Need New Names - NoViolet Bulawayo
The Luminaries - Eleanor Catton
Harvest - Jim Crace
The Lowland - Jhumpa Lahiri
A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki
The Testament of Mary - Colm Tóibín
Streamed live on Oct 13, 2013 by Southbank Centre



► The Truth About the Government Shutdown. Published on Oct 1, 2013 by Stefan Molyneux

► MANY STEPS



► TRAVEL LOVE


► Coin

► Lawmakers push default deadline to limit
By Richard Cowan and Thomas Ferraro - WASHINGTON - With just a day to stop a U.S. debt default after House Speaker John A. Boehner and his team failed to build a consensus amongst their troops, the Senate now prepares for a last ditch effort to produce a deal that would help avoid a lapse in the government's borrowing authority.

* Obama says he believes fiscal impasse will be resolved
* Influential Heritage group urges House to kill fiscal bill
* Treasury: credit warning a sign of urgency in debt debate
* Felix Salmon: The default has already begun

► U.S. fiscal talks stumble as lawmakers race against time

► Asian stocks hunker down as U.S. debt deadline looms
SYDNEY - Asian stocks marked time on Wednesday with nervous investors praying that frantic talks in Washington to avert a U.S. debt default could lead to a deal before the Oct 17 deadline, after which the government would run out of ways to borrow.

► Dollar firms vs yen on hopes for U.S. debt deal

► Any U.S. sanctions relief on Iran likely to start slowly

► Big powers, Iran seek progress at nuclear talks
GENEVA - World powers will press Iran for details of its proposal on resolving their decade-old nuclear dispute during a second day of talks in Geneva Wednesday.

* World Wrap: Nuclear PowerPoint
* Video: Iran presents proposal on nuclear standoff

► OPINION : On Iran, Obama's bigger challenge is with his allies - By Mark Leonard

► VIDEOS

■ Fitch to U.S.: make a deal or get cut!



■ House Republicans look for a way out of fiscal impasse
■ Iraqis pray for peace on first day of Eid
■ Assad attends Eid prayer at Damascus mosque

► Dramatic footage of India stampede, people using saris to escape

► Australia Antarctic mission focuses on penguin poo



► Russia keeps Greenpeace ship captain behind bars

► World powers in fresh talks with Iran on nuclear drive

► Indonesia celebrate Eid al-Adha  ||  ► Pakistani goat markets teem with buyers before Eid || ► Afghan Muslims pray for Eid al-Adha, prepare for feast ||  ► Flood of Muslim pilgrims stone devil in final hajj ritual



► US veterans protest shutdown, worry about benefits ||  ► US debt ceiling talks in limbo as House plan stalls

► Thousands of sea turtles lay their eggs on Mexico beach

► Raw: Syria Fighting Rages Despite Muslim Holiday
► Boehner: 'No Decisions' About Debt Deal || ► Reid: House GOP Trying to 'torpedo' Progress  || ► House GOP Plan Unclear As Debt Deadline Nears || ► Government Shutdown Affects Alaska Crab Season

► Kangaroo Discovered Hopping Around in Airport



► Arrest in LA Airport Ice Explosions 
[This video has been removed by the user. Sorry about that.]

► NEWS

■ Russian police detain killing suspect after race riot
■ Assange: Snowden is 'healthy and safe'; has applied for asylum in Ecuador, Iceland
■ Bomb in mosque kills governor of Afghan province in highest profile assassination in months 
■ Putin foe Navalny faces prison if appeal is rejected
■ Marco Rubio's incredible vanishing act
■ Syrian fighters battle on, ignoring Muslim holiday

(Oh, they are exactly like working overtime without paid. Dear Syria, news about you start boring us. Like a stage show, you should pay attention to the situation when each one of your audience secretly slipped away leaving your show. And you still continue to act with gusto. Tsk!)

■ Israel warns against nuclear compromise with Iran

Can you continue your life with the same fear every day? Yes, I can. Why not? Thus the Israel answer to whatever about Iran. And this is exactly when you think your boyfriend is just a pleasant mighty penis, without you will never want to help to lift the burden on his mind, or occasionally you give him the opportunity to devote his feelings with tears in your arms. Why not? Your lover is not only a sex machine, but he's also just a man who also has a heart to feel.

And ye Israel, you always assume that Iran is only a form of nuclear weapon that is always ready to exterminate you from the earth map. Why can not you change your mindset that will make you live as a nation which always happy with the notion that Iran is a nation with leaders who also have a heart to feel?

The good feeling will lead us to good actions. And good action will ignore the force of arms to slaughter mankind.

Trust me on this one thing, that the good people will always stand on the firepower of their own creation, and  they can not be enslaved by the power of their own homemade weapons just to kill fellow human beings. The existence of the weapon is not to make men into beasts, but should be closer to the things of humanity.

So, dear Israel, you do not need to be paranoid like that. You can not navigate your life with happiness if you're always living in fear, war and paranoid.

Be a great nation who knows how to enjoy the happiness of life, okay? Your nightmare has ended. There will be no more genocide in the whole earth. Calm down, and start to always perform as an elegant nation. Mwah!

■ Report: George W. Bush's heart condition was potentially life-threatening

► SHINE

■ From Bland to Glam in 6 Simple Steps
■ 5 Surprising Signs You're a Sugar Addict
■ Woman's Get-Engaged Secret: Try On a Wedding Dress

► OMG!

■ Meet Ivanka Trump's Son Joseph Frederick
■ Kim Kardashian's Wedding Ring Fetches $749K at Auction
■ Cease Fire! Exes Heidi Klum and Seal Make Nice for the Kiddies

► FINANCE : Surprising No One, Steve Jobs Was a Jerk to His Girlfriend

► MOVIES : 9 Surprising Films Screened at the White House

► PICTURES : Wildlife Photographer of the Year

► US debt talks grind on amid disarray
Frantic political attempts to avert a US federal debt default pivot back to the Senate, as plans in the House of Representatives collapse.

* Mardell: Pointless grandstanding
* Yueh: Sound and the fury
* Explainer: What if talks fail? - VIDEO
* Top Republicans on Obamacare  - VIDEO
* Lifeline for children in jeopardy
* Q&A: Default
* Q&A: Shutdown

► MAGAZINE : Government shutdown leaves immigrants in limbo

► HEALTH : Air pollution 'still harming Europeans' health'

► ANALYSIS : Could Iran's phased plan defuse nuclear standoff?

► FUTURE

■ Will we ever... face a wireless 'spectrum crunch'?
■ Can a bang on the head cure amnesia?

► Moscow anti-migrant riot: Murder suspect in custody, 276 held at 'nationalist gathering'  
► Fitch puts US credit rating under review for downgrade 
► Freedom of the Press Foundation takes over Aaron Swartz's whistleblower project
► London to become Chinese offshore banking centre
► Greenwald quits Guardian for independent news project
► Phobos-Grunt-2: Russia to probe Martian moon by 2022
► UK Lord nominates Putin for Nobel Peace Prize over Syria plan
► OP-ED : Shutdown of US govt & 'debt default': Dress rehearsal for privatization of federal state system?

► VIDEOS

■ Not One Byte! German telecom giant plans to rout foreign spooks
■ Ciao .com: Intl firm switches domain to .ru to avoid snooping
■ Jim Rogers: US is exceptional...it's largest debt nation in the world!
■ 'Letter encryption should become an easy, standard tool'
■ Hidden Slavery: Journos detained after filming World Cup labor horrors in Qatar

► Inside Story : Where are Africa's leaders?

► Empire : The Brief: Is the US a reluctant empire?

► Iran presents new nuclear proposal

► House vote delayed as US debt deadline nears

► earthrise

■ Saving Namibia's Cheetahs
■ Pangolin Rangers

► WORLD FINANCE : China Got Into Bed With the U.S. Treasury and Can't Get Out
By Michael Schuman - Beijing may complain about Washington, but its reliance on American debt stems from the China's own economic policies

► U.S. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN :  Boehner's Bad Night Clears a Path for a Deal

► DIPLOMACY : Signs of Optimism at Iran Nuclear Talks in Geneva - Iran's new leadership was ready for change, both at home and abroad.

* Iran Doesn't Trust America

► IRAQ : Almost 500,000 Dead in Iraq War, Study Estimates - The figure is actually a big drop from previous calculations

► SOCIETY : Krokodil Users Explain Horrifying Effects of Drug - They hope speaking out will stop others from trying

► INDONESIA : Bali: Indonesian Island Facing Aids Crisis. Bali's 'Gigolos',Carefree Sex Industry Lead to HIV Crisis. Reports of 100 new HIV cases every month on this Indonesian island mar its carefree image

► LOCAL : LAX dry ice explosions: Airport employee arrested in case

► NATION : Boehner's push for budget compromise fails - Conservative Republicans refuse to back his plan, which leaves a bipartisan Senate proposal as the only way to quickly solve the budget impasse as the risk of default grows near.

► OPINION

■ McConnell delivers; Boehner can't. God bless Mitch McConnell
■ Congress: The joke's on us
■ What would Jesus say about Republican attack on food stamps?

The selection of words in the news headings above shows a real panic. You upset but you want to laugh until tears without apparent cause , for then you upset again without any real resolution, right?

It is a political rape . We have a strong government but we do not feel fully feel loved and cared for by them . When they give an explanation to us , we do not fully understand it , even if we could accept their reasons . When they ignore us, we increasingly feel compelled to be free, yeah .. sort of thing.

Because the U.S. style is so unique in addressing its financial problems, I joked to my partner , "Dahling, is this kind of a trial of sexual impotence therapy? Is the failure of negotiations between you just like when a man fails to perform penile erection in front of his partner? And if the man is you, then his partner is me? And if you are the U.S. government and I am your people? Huh?"

Be patient, my dear. All of this will come to an end, despite struggling towards the end of October 2013. They will get back their wages.

You do not have any money at all, hm? Temporarily, go get a loan on your friends, please? Ehhhheeh...

It's embarrassing, damn! Tell me honey, how I could pay all our debts if we always pursued by other new debts? Moreover, they have not fully repaid their debt to us, yet. Haiya, ... this damn debt actually belongs to whom? Ahahahaaa...

► BUSINESS : Shutdown follies: Congress gets tough on the little guy

► JACKET COPY - BOOKS : Eleanor Catton's 'The Luminaries' wins 2013 Man Booker Prize

News Headlines (376) 28 September 2013

ONLINE TODAY

► Your mind is on your home life today, so make sure that you're giving it whatever it deserves. You may decide that you need to pack up and take a step backward -- so you can get going again soon! Your emotions could be running a bit high today, so you might want to warn people that your feelings could be on edge. They'd rather have a heads-up than get their head bitten off after saying the wrong thing. The reasons behind how other people act aren't of very much interest to you today. You will have little patience for people who are blunt because they're busy. After all, you always manage to try to be polite, no matter what is going on in your life.



► DAILY MAIL 26 September 2013  : Walmart pulls 'Naughty Leopard' Halloween costume made for TODDLERS after complaints from outraged parents

► LIVESCIENCE 23 September 2013 : Golden Eagle Attacks Deer in Camera Trap Footage || ► DAILY MAIL 24 September 2013 : Unbelievable moment a golden eagle is pictured swooping on a DEER and trying to fly off with it in its talons 'in first ever photographed case of its kind'

► NY TIMES - MEDIA & ADVERTISING 26 September 2013 : De Niro to Replace James Gandolfini in HBO Drama

► DAILY KOS 27 September 2013

■ Kentucky governor takes on the heartless bastards who would shut down the government over Obamacare
■ A very bad day for Marco Rubio
■ Republican Doomsday Cult

► St LOUIS BEACON 27 September 2013 :  Nixon says Missourians should explore health insurance exchange options

► NPR 27 September 2013 : Friday Morning Political Mix

► CNN 27 September 2013 : It's a three-decade first: Presidents of U.S., Iran talk directly, if only by phone



► GUARDIAN

■ 28 September 2013 : Tories woo married couples with tax break. David Cameron accused of promoting 'fantasy 1950s family' with allowance worth up to £200 a year to start in 2015
■ 25 March 2006 : I must hope that others will one day be spared my mother's fate
■ 27 September 2013 : Britain accused of trying to impede EU data protection law
■ 23 August 2013 : Snowden: UK government now leaking documents about itself  - Glenn Greenwald

► GIZMODO 26 September 2013 : Watch an Island Appear Out of Nowhere Off the Coast of Pakistan 

► PC WORLD 27 September 2013  : Security hackers : Iran accused of hacking into U.S. Navy computers

► NY TIMES 27 September 2013  : Swift Movement Is Seen on Syria After U.N. Action

► SPACE 27 September 2013 : Toxic Mars Chemical Throws Wrench Into Search for Red Planet Life

► USA TODAY 28 September 2013 : Obama speaks to Iran leader by phone

► WIRED 27 September 2013 : Images From Space Confirm Pakistan Earthquake Created New Island 

► NEWS & POLITIC : MICHEL COLLON APRES LA SYRIE C'EST NOUS. Published on Sep 6, 2013 by Allalou mohamed ali



► MUSIC : Full Album/LP! Bossa Nova - New Brazilian Jazz - Lalo Schifrin - 1962 Audio Fidelity.  Uploaded on Mar 7, 2011 by gilmour509

► Micro Empire



► Alchemy



► Another Cloud Reel ...

► Facebook to show users less unwanted ads in newsfeed

► New Jersey judge allows same-sex marriage; state plans appeal

► Refugee boat sinks on way to Australia, 21 dead: Indonesian police

► U.N. council unanimously adopts Syria resolution
By John Irish and Michelle Nichols - UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday that demands the eradication of Syria's chemical weapons but does not threaten automatic punitive action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government if it does not comply.

* Draft U.N. resolution on Syria chemical weapons [full text]
* Syria rebels struggle to rally practical backing on U.N. stage
* U.N. probing more Syria chemical attacks, inspections to start

► Obama, Iran's Rouhani hold historic phone call
By Jeff Mason and Louis Charbonneau - WASHINGTON/NEW YORK - President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke by telephone, the highest-level contact between the two countries in three decades and a sign that they are serious about reaching a nuclear pact. | Video

* Iran makes payments on old loans to World Bank

► Obama urges Congress to avoid shutdown
By Rachelle Younglai and Thomas Ferraro - WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama warned the Congress against a government shutdown on October 1 as lawmakers struggled to pass an emergency spending bill that Republicans want to use to defund Obama's healthcare reform law. | Video

* Analysis: U.S. farm bill, a year overdue, still rolling on slow track

► Exxon to provide same-sex marriage benefits
By Anna Driver - HOUSTON - Exxon Mobil Corp said it will extend benefits to spouses of its U.S. workers in same-sex marriages, a sweeping reversal by one of the world's top companies following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in June. | Interactive

* New Jersey judge allows same-sex marriage; state plans appeal

► VIDEOS

■ UN approves Syria resolution
■ Iran's Rouhani hopes nuclear talks will foster broader cooperation
■ Historic phone call between Obama and Iran's Rouhani 

► SLIDESHOW

■ Hot Air Balloon Championships
■ Palestinian teen wedding
■ Camper hotel
■ Aahaha ... I do not mean to laugh at them and their cutting-edge designs, but this is very funny. And I'm not going to wear clothes that make me laugh at myself, ehehehhe ....

► Istanbul art displays solidarity with protesters
► Femen rally in Paris against Russia Greenpeace detention
► Lavrov accuses West of blaming Syria without proof
► Myanmar's 'tallest man' undergoes successful brain surgery [ Related news : My post 17 August 2013 / BBC ]

► New Angle on 'Sea Monsters' at Georgia Aquarium



► Raw: First Images of Westgate Destruction



► Raw: Rescue at India Building Collapse
► Obama Hails UN Deal on Syria's Chemical Weapons
► Brazil Tigers: Family Pets or Public Danger?



► Pakistani Teen Honored As Humanitarian

► NEWS

■ U.N. Security Council set to vote on Syria chemical arms resolution
■ U.N. Security Council demands elimination of Syria chemical arms
■ Obama and Iran's Rouhani hold historic phone call
■ Ubiquitous Kerry casts shadow on Clinton record
■ Egypt's Nour Party rejects move against religious parties
■ Israeli forces clash with Palestinians over al-Aqsa visits
■ US Senate hands on budget hot potato as shutdown looms
■ Chinese firm under U.S. sanctions wins Turkish missile deal
■ UN Council orders Syria chemical arms destroyed
■ Earth's Beauty Reflects Off Space Station Solar Wings In Striking Astronaut Photo
■ Want to Phone Aliens? Help Get Your Messages On NASA's Pluto-Bound Spacecraft
■ Official says Kenyan forces caused mall collapse

► SCREEN : Frog Runs Away Screaming



► OMG!

■ Will Oprah Winfrey Ever Get Married? Her 'Final Answer'! (Exclusive)
■ Actress Shares Pre-Fame Brad Pitt Photo

► HEALTH : Spotting a Liar: The Health Effects of Deception

► FINANCE : Sebelius: Health bill limited without Texas' help

► GOOD MORNING AMERICA : Boy, 3, Calls 911 When Mom Has Seizure

► ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT : De Niro to step into Gandolfini's Criminal Justice role

► FUTURE : The price of creating a connected future

► HEALTH : Dancers' brains 'adapt to spins'. Scientists pinpoint a key difference in ballet dancers' brains so they avoid feeling dizzy when they spin.

* Why don't ballet dancers get dizzy when pirouetting?

► Today's African Proverb : "An eagle does not eat clouds - it still comes to the ground to feed"-A Baganda proverb sent by Toto Raymond Tongoto El-Sharaawy, Kampala, Uganda

► OP-ED : Hamas: Syrian regime is 'fully responsible' for internal conflict escalation

Small note: in Egypt, Hamas is the Muslim Brotherhood's friend. When Morsi ousted by mass mobilization, Assad commented in his capacity as "not a friend of Hamas". So, now Hamas also commented as "not a good friend of Syria". It is normal, is not it?

► Syrian civil war could end in weeks - Foreign Minister

► UN Security Council unanimously adopts Syria resolution



► No country can usurp right to judge chemical weapons use – Lavrov
► Obama speaks to Iran's Rouhani, believes resolution of nuclear issues is possible 
► Iran-backed hackers infiltrated Navy computers - US officials
► 'Last chance': Abbas urges UN to pressure Israel over settlements
► Morales: Obama can invade any country for US energy needs  
► Flesh-rotting 'krokodil' drug makes it to US, 'frightens' Arizona medics


► VIDEOS

■ Chemical Solution? Draft resolution on Syria weapons agreed, implies no immediate force
■ Female Face-Off: Muslim veil ban finds public support in UK
■ Sacre blEU! Euroscepticism on rise in France amid demand to boost economy
■ CrossTalk: Blowback's Revenge
■ Ex-Lebanese Army Commander: Assad fall would plunge Middle East in chaos
■ Hangout with Pirate Party Founder Rick Falkvinge (Recorded Live 27 Sept 2013)
■ Waterspouts interrupt Florida coast lobster diving trip

■ 'We should stop using language of force' - Lavrov to UN Assembly 2013 (FULL SPEECH)



■ United Response: Security Council votes 15-0 for Syria chem weapons resolution
■ Iran unveils attack drone dubbed Shahed-129

► Iran agrees to Geneva nuclear talks
► 101 East : Nepal's slave girls
► Featured Documentary - Algeria: Test of Power Episode 2

► Counting check mates. What do time-travel, chaos theory and skyscrapers have in common? They all involve mathematics. But is there a reason why girls seem to do worse at maths than boys? And how does playing chess make you better at maths? This week on South2North Redi speaks to Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, Mamokgethi Phakeng, the vice principal of research and innovation at the University of South Africa, and junior chess champion Tshepang Tlale about maths and chess. 

► Talk to Al Jazeera - Mahinda Rajapaksa: 'This is all propaganda' 

► IRAN : Takeaways from a Historic Call
By Michael Crowley - The conversation between President Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani marked the first time in 34 years that leaders of the U.S. and Iran have made direct contact. Why this symbolic step is so important

* Developments from the General Assembly
* A Handshake to Shake the World

Ahahaha ridiculous! Tacky! I'm bored. Watch it! Obama is on the American continent. Iran is in the Asian continent. They shake hands? ehehhe, where are you Israel? Clap alone behind the scenes?

My question is, "If only Iran has a nuclear weapon, do you think the U.S. is the main target of Iran, hm? Ehehehe.

Is this a typo, Cisca? Do you mean Israel?

► SYRIA : U.N. Votes to Eliminate Syria's Chemical Weapons. In a landmark decision, the Security Council voted unanimously to strip the country of its weapons stockpile

► NATIONAL : From Family Man to Terrorist - How a Somali-American was recruited by al-Shabab

► CELEBRITIES : Jimmy Kimmel: The Boy Who Cried Meme

► VIDEO : What Iranians Want to Say to the U.S

► FRAMEWORK : The Week in Pictures | September 23 – 29, 2013 - Posted By: Marc Martin 



A bald head serves as a canvas for a tattoo artist in London. PHOTOGRAPH BY: FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA / EPA

* Tattoos: What You Need to Know
* Think Before You Ink: Are Tattoos Safe?
* Before You Tattoo Slideshow: Tattoo Types, Safety, Removal
* The Truth About Tattoos

News Headlines (119) 8 January 2013

ONLINE TODAY

► Long-Term Consequences for Those Suffering Traumatic Brain Injury - Jan. 4, 2013 — Researchers from the University of South Florida and colleagues at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital studying the long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) using rat models, have found that, overtime, TBI results in progressive brain deterioration characterized by elevated inflammation and suppressed cell regeneration. However, therapeutic intervention, even in the chronic stage of TBI, may still help prevent cell death. 

► Toldo, loyal Italian cat visits owner's grave everyday with gifts

► Rare Color Photos of the Beatles Going Up for Auction - Collection documents the band's first U.S. tour

► Arnold Schwarzenegger says 'Terminator' and other violent movies shouldn't be blamed for mass shootings - 7 January 2013

►
Alain Soral à Hong Kong (Complet).  Published on Dec 25, 2012 by Dieudo SoralTV :: Cadeau de Noël du meilleur sociologue français.  Conférences complètes du 28 et 30 novembre 2012. || ► Pierre Desproges. Théâtre Fontaine. Uploaded on Oct 19, 2011 by Jean-Marie Gingembre



►
Krokodil: Russia's Deadliest Drug (NSFW). Published on May 17, 2012 by VICE :: A homemade drug called Krokodil is gaining popularity in Siberia and its effects on users are horrific. Krokodil is Russian for Crocodile, because of the way addicts' skin begins to get turn scaly, dry and eventually rot right off their bodies. Even most heroin users are frightened by Krokodil and want nothing to do with this terrifying drug. Hosted by Alison Severs | Originally released in 2011
 

►
Monsters and Mysteries in Alaska. Uploaded on Jan 13, 2012 by speakthetruthtoday    



► By  DISCOVERY 









►
Technology's Latest & Greatest on Display.  Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: Technology companies from around the world are showing off their newest developments at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. (Jan. 7)



►
Obama: Hagel Is 'Leader Our Troops Deserve'. Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: President Barack Obama has chosen former Republican senator Chuck Hagel as the nation's next defense chief. The president said during a news conference on Monday that Hagel is the leader U.S. troops deserve. (Jan. 7) || ► Obama Taps Homeland Security Aide to Head CIA. Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: President Barack Obama has tapped White House homeland security adviser John Brennan as his nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Brennan is a 25-year veteran of the CIA and among Obama's closest advisers. (Jan. 7)



►
Gun Sales Spike As New Laws Are Considered. Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: In Connecticut and Colorado, scenes of the most deadly U.S. mass shootings in 2012, people were less enthusiastic about buying new guns at the end of the year than in most other states, according to an Associated Press analysis of new FBI data. (Jan. 7)



►
Google Executive Chairman Arrives in North Korea. Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: Google's chairman, Eric Schmidt wants a first-hand look at North Korea's economy and social media during his private visit Monday to the communist nation, his delegation said, despite misgivings in Washington over the timing of the trip. (Jan. 7)

► 2013 in Foreign Policy: Invading Syria, Containing Iran, Drone Strikes in Yemen - By Cory Bennett | National Journal 

► Who Is John Brennan, Obama's Choice to Succeed David Petraeus at the CIA? - By Brian Resnick | National Journal

► What Obama's Senate Mafia Means for America - By Michael Hirsh | National Journal

► Obama's 'in your face' cabinet picks: why he chose Chuck Hagel, John Brennan. President Obama officially nominated Chuck Hagel for Defense secretary and John Brennan for CIA chief Monday. Each brings a unique view of the organization he would lead. - By Anna Mulrine | Christian Science Monitor

► Assad speech resoundingly dismissed by opposition and allies. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a rare public speech yesterday that, outside the regime, is seen as offering nothing more than many more months of violence. - By Arthur Bright | Christian Science Monitor


► Venezuela opposition furious over likely Chavez inauguration delay - By Brian Ellsworth

► 17 Billion Earth-Size Alien Planets Inhabit Milky Way - By SPACE.com Staff - SPACE.com || Study: Billions of Earth-size planets in Milky Way - By ALICIA CHANG  Associated Press  || Mars Flight Habitat Volunteers Lost Sleep And Fitness - Scientific American 

► 2013 CES - Highlights from this year's International Consumer Electronics Show. (PHOTOS) 

► What's For Dinner

► 8 Seasonal Salads to Help You Get Back in Shape After the Holidays. With the holidays complete, it's time to get your eating habits back on a healthier track.  There's no better way to do that than by adding a bit of greens to mealtime. And it just so happens that winter offers a ton of great, seasonal fruits and vegetables to kick your regular salad up a notch. Whether you're a sucker for clementines or love a good fennel dish, we rounded up 8 seasonal salads your palate -- and your waistband -- will thank you for. - By Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell

* The 25 healthiest foods for under $1 
* 16 skinny soups to warm up with this winter
* The 5 worst foods for weight loss

► 7 Ways to Use Miso. We've got lots of New Year's resolutions over at Food52 (http://food52.com/), and trying new ingredients is one of them. Enter: the soft, spoon-able, umami-rich miso paste. From salmon to roast chicken, salad dressings to caramel, we're a fan of using a dollop in just about every dish that passes through our kitchen. Pick up a jar for the new year -- we can guarantee you'll put it to good use.

► Low-Cal Cocktail Ideas - by Rachel Jacoby  | SELF magazine


► Maria Sharapova Is Dating 'Baby Federer' 

► Brad Pitt Hints He's Coming to China - By Karson Yiu

► Heat and wind fan Australia fires || VIDEO

High winds and record temperatures fan fires in south-east Australia, after the prime minister warned of a "very dangerous day".
* Gillard visits fire-hit area - VIDEO
* In pictures: Tasmania wildfires
* Tasmania fires strand thousands
* 'Perfect firestorm' of 2009

► 'What's that Skippy? You're looking for a plane?' 7 January 2013 - A kangaroo on the loose in a car park at Melbourne Airport has been captured by wildlife officers. Police and security chased the three-year-old male eastern grey before he was sedated with a tranquilizer gun by wildlife officers. Australian TV reported that the kangaroo will be kept in captivity and observed by a vet until it is ready to be released into the wild. Kirsty Lang reports (VIDEO)

► Surgery hope as 'world's fattest man' sheds 46 stone. 4 January 2013  - A Suffolk man once labelled the world's fattest said he is desperate for surgery to remove excess skin after losing 46 (292kg) of his 70 stone (444kg). Paul Mason, 52, from Ipswich in Suffolk, was fitted with a gastric band two years ago to help him lose weight. He thinks his extra skin weighs six (38kg) of his current 24 (152kg) stone. (VIDEO) || NEWS -  26 December :: 'World's fattest man' Paul Mason looks to the future


► Show of support called for Chavez

Venezuela's assembly speaker calls for a major rally on Thursday to mark Hugo Chavez's inauguration, despite the president's likely absence.
* Chavez ally elected by assembly
* Chavez inauguration puzzle
* Profile: National Assembly chief
* World media consider life after Chavez

► 8 January 2013  - Berlusconi 'won't stand for PM'

Silvio Berlusconi will not be a candidate for prime minister in next month's Italian election, according to a pact he has signed with the Northern League party.
* Stark choice for voters 
* Has Mario Monti done a good job?

► Depardieu on drink-drive charge

Actor Gerard Depardieu is due in court in Paris on a drink-driving charge, days after he took Russian citizenship in a tax row with France's government.
* Will the rich flee France?
* Depardieu's larger-than-life tax row

► Berlin's abandoned WWII bunkers

► Qatar: regional backwater to global player - By Michael Stephens Researcher, RUSI Qatar, Doha


► 8 January 2013 - Earth-size planets 'number 17bn'

An analysis of planet candidates suggests at least one in six stars in the night sky hosts an Earth-sized planet - 17 billion in total.
* Is there life out there?
* Telescope search for ET revived

► Japan protests over China ships near disputed islands

► 8 January 2013 -  Home ownership dreams in booming Beijing

► 8 January 2013 -  PG Wodehouse and his French connection | By Hugh Schofield BBC News, Paris

► Can filming one second of every day change your life? 8 January 2013  -  When Cesar Kuriyama saved up enough money to quit his advertising job at the age of 30, he planned to take a year off to travel and spend time with family. To document the year, Kuriyama filmed one second of video every day. "After just six weeks, I realised I was going to be doing that for the rest of my life," he says. After editing the clips into a single video, Kuriyama had not only a record of daily life, but a new perspective on how he lived day to day. Inspired by the experience, he developed a smartphone app, "1 Second Everyday", which will allow users to create their own videos. Everyone will probably have a different experience with their videos, he says, but he says self-reflection is never a bad thing. - Produced by the BBC's David Botti | Video material courtesy: Cesar Kuriyama (VIDEO) || more NEWS 

► America's best sushi restaurants ( are : Yutaka Sushi Bistro, Dallas, Texas |  Soto, New York City, New York | Urasawa, Los Angeles, California | Masu Sushi and Robata, Minneapolis, Minnesota | Sushi Sasabune, Honolulu, Hawaii ) 

► CrossTalk: West End. Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: What do we mean when we use the term 'West'? Is the 'West' a value system? Or a mere geographical term? Is it behind all the crises in the world? How strong is its presence in the Middle East? And should it perhaps be replaced with another term? CrossTalking with Stephen Lendman, Michael Coren and David Merkel. (VIDEO)

► Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas around the world. Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: As Christmas celebrations in western countries are now over, for followers of the Orthodox church around the world, the 7th of January marks the biggest day of celebration. That includes many millions in Russia - and the country's main cathedral has been packed out to mark the occasion. (VIDEO) ||  NEWS - Merry Christmas! RT’s special coverage of midnight mass in Christ the Savior Cathedral

►
China & Japan: War Inevitable? Published on Jan 7, 2013 :: Watch the full Keiser Report E390 on Tuesday! In this episode, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert discuss the butch welfare Queens in Virginia, Maryland and DC who rely on the 'untouchable' Pentagon budget. They also discuss the US deploying both its FMDs -- "financial extortion", "monetisation" and "devaluation" -- to finance its debt and deficit requirements and its troops to 35 African nations. In the second half of the show, Max Keiser talks to Dan Collins of  TheChinaMoneyReport.com (http://www.thechinamoneyreport.com/)  about the petro-yuan, China's gold and the problem with the fact that nobody in Africa wants to buy America's opium - credit default swaps.



► Obama nominates Hagel for Secretary of Defense, Brennan for CIA head

► Could Obama be the first three-term president since FDR? 

► US conservatives ring in Gun Appreciation Day

►
Manatees under threat from Peruvian hunters. Published on Jan 6, 2013 :: Biologists say manatees in Peru's Amazon rainforest are in danger of extinction.  A wildlife organisation is trying to save the animals, but one of the biggest threats to their existence is a part of Peruvian culture. Even though legislation forbids it, people continue to capture the manatees for human consumption. Al Jazeera's Mariana Sanchez reports from Lima.



►
Venezuela confirms would-be caretaker president. Published on Jan 6, 2013 :: As concerns grow over the Venezuelan president's health, the National Assembly has elected its leader.  Diosdado Cabello could be in line to step in as the caretaker president, if Hugo Chavez does not recover from his cancer surgery. The government says for now it has no plans for that to happen. The vote comes just days before Chavez's inauguration, although the vice president says he can be sworn in for another term at a later date. Al Jazeera's Teresa Bo has more from Caracas.



►
Scores missing after Tasmania bushfires now accounted for. Published on Jan 6, 2013 :: Australian police is now reporting that most of the 100 people feared missing in Tasmania bushfire are now accounted for. So far, no injuries or deaths have been reported, and police teams are conducting a search to try and account for all the residents. Al Jazeera's Andrew Thomas reports from Tasmania.

Latest Headlines

■ NATO Service Member Killed by Uniformed Afghan
■ British Explorer Embarks on Antarctica Adventure
■ Officials: Wild Dogs Kill 4 in Mexico City Park
■ Hearings, Trial Closed in Indian Rape Case
■ Pakistan: Officials Say U.S. Drones Kill 8 Militants
■ State of Palestine Name Change Shows Limitations
■ Bomb Threat Prompts Evacuation of Calif. School
■ Fighting in Syria as World Slams Assad Speech
■ Wildfires Rage Across Australia Amid Searing Heat
■ Judge: Release Unredacted Calif. Priest Files 
■ Supreme Ct. to Hear 2 Days of Gay Marriage Arguments
■ Hillary Clinton Back at Work After Hospitalization
■ 10 Banks Agree to Pay $8.5B for Foreclosure Abuse
■ CNN: Morsi: Syrians 'Have the Will to Win'
■ CNN: Google's Eric Schmidt on North Korea Trip

► China: Media Censorship Sparks Protests

By Austin Ramzy
* China's Nobel Laureate Mo Yan Defends Censorship 
* No Laughing Matter: Parody Tweet Leads to a Detention in China

► Chuck Hagel Faces a Fight as Obama's Defense Pick

* John Brennan: Obama's (Holy) Ghost Warrior Gets CIA Nod

► India's Gang-Rape Case: The Accused Go to Court

► Lionel Messi Is Player of the Year for the Fourth Time

► Israel Pushes Washington to Give Iran an Ultimatum

► How Keeping Psych Records Too Private Can Hurt Patients 

► College Football's Night: How the SEC Got Rich

* Alabama Bashes Notre Dame 42-14 in BCS Title Game

Featured

■ Downton Abbey: Unexpected News
■ The USS Enterprise's Last Voyage
■ Do Athletes Control Their Own Bodies?
■ Fast Food: Spreading Like the Blob

► Real Photographer, Fake War: Jonathan Olley and Zero Dark Thirty (PHOTOS)

► Emperor of Ruins: Hirohito in Post-War Japan (PHOTOS)

► Military Photos: A Month Inside the Armed Forces, December (PHOTOS)

► Banks, regulators reach mortgage settlements

By E. Scott Reckard and Jim Puzzanghera  - In one case, 10 banks settle with regulators for $8.5 billion. In the other case, Bank of America agrees to pay almost $10.4 billion to Fannie Mae.
* Lazarus: Banks shortchange consumers in settlement

► Crime in L.A. down for 10th straight year in 2012, city says - January 7, 2013 (VIDEO)

► NASA seeks to lease or sell space shuttle facilities

► Kepler data point to more planets in habitable zone

► M U S I C

* Music in Vegas 2013: Zedd, Def Leppard, Diplo, Boys II Men, more
* M.I.A.'s 'too positive' album 'Matangi' set for April 
* Nile Rodgers hints at 2013 release for Daft Punk collaboration
* LAPD radio signals + ambient music = a haunting collage

► CES 2013 - Full coverage of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

* CES 2013: World's first big-screen OLED TV coming to U.S. in March 
* CES 2013: Canopy case adds touch-screen function to back of iPhone
* Lenovo debuts IdeaCentre table-top PC at CES 2013: Feels intimate :: http://www.latimes.com/business

► F R A M E W O R K

■ Inside the 'perversion files' - January 2, 2013 |  Posted By: Marc Martin :: The Los Angeles Times has reviewed nearly 1,900 confidential files kept by the Boy Scouts of America on employees and volunteers accused of sexual abuse. The review revealed many instances in which problems were not promptly recognized and abuse suspects were not held to account — and scouts were harmed as a result.

Two former members of Berkeley's Troop 22 talk about their troop leader, who served time in prison for child molestation. (VIDEO)

■ T.H.E. Clinic: Battling diabetes  - January 6, 2013 | Posted By: Marc Martin 

■ Pictures in the News | January 7, 2013 - Posted By: Marc Martin


Duisburg, Germany — A giraffe eyes an unfamiliar species at the zoo || A child is entertained at a carnival


■ 29th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival - January 7, 2013 Posted |  By: Marc Martin :: Hundreds of massive sculptures and buildings constructed from ice blocks are on display at the 29th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival being held in China's Heilongjiang province. This year's "Ice and Snow World" features majestic ice castles and sculptures of fairy tale characters equipped with LED lights, bringing a colorful and warm aura to the icy wonderland.

Related Photo & News :: My Older Post on 28 December 2012 || 6 January 2013

► Harbin Ice and Snow World 2013 welcomes first visitors.  Published on Dec 27, 2012 by telegraphtv ::The Chinese city of Harbin opens its famous snow sculpture park to visitors two weeks early for a special preview event. Despite freezing temperatures, visitors flocked to the trial opening of Harbin Ice and Snow World, the best-known winter theme park in China. The park covers nearly 600,000 square metres and is the mainstay of Harbin's month long Ice and Snow Festival, now in its 29th year.

The wintry theme park draws crowds from across China as well as from overseas each year with its unique sculptures, which are illuminated with multicoloured electric lights encased in translucent ice. "The park is putting on an even grander show than past years," said Qian Yuzhao, a tourist. "Apart from the landscape, there are also more ice slides. They've incorporated interactive activities into this year's exhibition, which is really great." For this year's event, artists created over 2,000 ice and snow sculptures within two weeks, including a 48-metre-tall "Crystal Castle".

"This year, we've added new features like S-shaped sleds and a challenging zip-line. We've also prepared a mini-train for children in the woods. Everyone will be able to find an activity they like," said Wang Zengjue, manager of the theme park. After its official opening on January 5, the park will charge an entrance fee of 150 yuan (£15) during the daytime and 300 yuan (£30) after dark.

Harbin, China's northern most provincial capital city widely known as an "Ice City", is directly affected by cold winter winds from Siberia. The city's temperatures in January averages 18 degrees Celsius below zero.

3 PICTURES TODAY

A tourist offers a sweet to a boy dressed up as Santa Claus at the Church of the Nativity, the site revered as the birthplace of Jesus, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Jan. 6, 2013, during the Eastern Orthodox Christmas. (REUTERS/Ammar Awad)

A tourist offers a sweet to a boy dressed up as Santa Claus at the Church of the Nativity, the site revered as the birthplace of Jesus, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Jan. 6, 2013, during the Eastern Orthodox Christmas. (REUTERS/Ammar Awad)

Artists perform during Cirque du Soleil's Kooza show in London's Royal Albert Hall, Jan. 4, 2013. (REUTERS/Paul Hackett)