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Explosive Consequences of Turkey Downing Russian Su-24 Jet in Syria – Complete Analysis and Predictions!
Putin's video announcement: Turkey, who is aiding terrorists, has stabbed us in the back Rus/Eng. Link
MAP: Russian Su-24 crash scheme by Russian defense ministry:
Russian Defense Ministry demonstrates map of the Su-24M flight which ended in downing by Turkish F-16 jet. Russian MoD insists the jet didn't violate Turkish airspace, while Ankara says the plane crossed into its territory for 17 seconds, leaked document indicates.
US-backed states have right to self defence, but not others- State Dept.
During the moment of Turkey shooting down the Russian Su-24, it flew at the 6km altitude, one kilometer away from Turkish border on the Syrian side. The plane was shot down by AMERICAN missiles from American-made F-16 employed by TURKISH army, in retaliation for Russia successfully bombing Syrian terrorists, whom they call 'Turkmen,' and who are financed, trained and openly supported by Turkey.
In the area in which the plane was shot down there is no peaceful population. It is the territory fully controlled by various armed thugs, fed by Turkey to create havoc on Syrian territory.
It has been known that Turkey actively recruits terrorists in the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as in the Russian Chechnya and Dagestan, through a wide network of mosques and extremist Islamist schools they openly organize and finance. The exception are Chechnya and Dagestan on the Russian side, where recruitment is done more subtly.
As was seen on many videos, the plane crashed very quickly. Both pilots ejected. It was also visible on videos how Turkey-supported terrorists were shelling the pilots as they tried to land.
The info about the pilots is conflicting. There was a speculation that they may have been taken hostage. However, the latest sad news I've heard is that either one or both pilots are unfortunately dead. One of them may still be alive, being a hostage in the hands of the militants.
Let me begin by expressing my deepest condolences to Russia on the downing of the jet, and full support to the families of pilots.
You know how balanced and restrained I usually am in my message. You know that I always try to give the benefit of the doubt to everyone, including Turkey/Erdogan and US/Obama. But this is literally the line they should have never, ever crossed. This bodes big changes with very serious multi-level and multi-directional consequences for many parties worldwide. These changes will be complex and I will discuss them below.
First, let me say that Erdogan and Turkey will have hell to pay. This was a big mistake on Erdogan's part. Russia put up with him despite his schizophrenic idiocy, for fear of destabilizing the region even further.
As we have discussed on many prior occasions, Russia as the Earth's Great Balancer, always strives to maintain balance and status quo, until she is pushed too far.
USA/UK and the West play the opposite role – they (especially the Anglo-American countries) play the role of the global agitator and imbalancer. This is what they do to the rest of the world, while keeping their own countries in wonderful balance.
One of my readers asked me recently a question about millions of the Middle Eastern refugees streaming into Europe, among whom there are sleeper terrorists. What to expect, where is all this going, will Europe and this reader's native Sweden become Muslim?
I've replied that the sooner EU understands that the only solution to this crisis, as well as all the crises that are happening in Europe now, is in getting closer to Russia and distancing itself from the US, the sooner the refugee crisis will stop. US had feared that EU, and especially Germany, were getting too close to Russia and this is why Ukraine coup was engineered, MH17 was blown up in eastern Ukraine and anti-Russian sanctions were organized. Divide and conquer.
Keeping Europe artificially away from Russia, keeping it in fear and distrust – that's the ultimate goal. This way they can continue to control Europe and prevent Russia and China from developing; this is how the world is kept in the perma-instability mode.
Incidentally, here is the blow away part of the intel I was saving for the upcoming piece about the Russian Airbus A321 catastrophe in Sinai, Egypt. But it seems more appropriate here. It is known that it was Turkey that organized the refugee crisis for the EU. It is also known that the USA was the mastermind of the refugee crisis. The whole thing was very well coordinated, down to maps, money, logistics and text messages which way to go and where to meet. I have proof and I will share it in a different piece.
So, to the question how to solve the refugee crisis: look at who benefits and who organised it. Then side with the only country that actually works to solve this crisis. This country would be Russia, for those who haven't heard.
Instead, the likes of Merkel are making deals with the devil. She recently met with Erdogan and offered him a bribe to stop the flow of refugees: 3 bln euro to keep refugees in Turkey, plus a fast track into the EU (between us – this will never happen).
Below I will talk about USA and its unseemly role in the downing of the Russian Su-24 jet in Syria. You know I usually don't talk about Obama, but this is one exception. Obama's despicable role in this matter deserves a special mention.
I previously wrote about Erdogan trying to sit on multiple chairs at once. See ESR5: SYRIA GAME CHANGER, where I explain Turkey/Erdogan's game in detail. But this never works.
Putin at G20 in Turkey that just ended has presented a list of 40 countries, including G20 members, who are supporting terrorism. Certainly Turkey is very high on that list, but the diplomatic Putin has stopped short of accusing country's leadership directly.
At the same time, Turkey is a very significant trade partner for Russia. Russia exports a lot of natural gas to Turkey, a lot of agricultural produce is imported by Russia from Turkey. Several million tourists from Russia go to Turkey for warm sea vacations annually. Russia and Turkey have visa free regime. Turkey was also projected to become a major gas distribution hub for southern Europe, if and when Turkish Stream is to be built.
Incidentally, Turkish Stream up till now was still a reality, contrary to what some have been saying. It is a real project and many parties, including Turkey, Russia, Italy, Greece, all of the Balkans, Hungary and Austia are eagerly awaiting it.
It stands to reason that the following parties would do anything to prevent Turkish Stream from happening, and these are: USA, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. USA and the other two have been working tirelessly to sabotage this project. The downing of the Russian jet is creating conditions for them to achieve their goal, if only temporarily: Turkish Stream may be conserved – at this time I don't see it being abandoned altogether yet. The delay in building it is definitely in the cards.
Now, I want to emphasize that sabotaging Turkish Stream is one of the major goals for the USA, Qatar and Saudis in Turkey. But there are lots of others.
Another goal is not letting Turkey get closer to Russia and China, while distancing itself from its NATO and Anglo-American allies.
In 2014 Putin made huge strides and it seemed this was happening, as Turkish Stream deal was signed, visa free regime began, and various other trade agreements were executed. Erdogan began talking about joining Eurasian Union.
However, after a series of attempts on his life – which to me were rather a warning for him to toe the line than real attacks, terrorist acts, bloody protests and problems with elections, Erdogan changed his song. He began talking again about joining EU despite Turkey being snubbed for several decades. He again began being active in NATO and started taking a more and more actively militant stance against Syria and Assad.
It is evident that there has been tremendous pressure on Erdogan and Turkey to get back into the fold of NATO and Transatlantists.
At the very same time, Turkey has been playing double game with Russia. Saying friendly things to Putin's face, Erdogan has been clandestinely recruiting Islamist militants behind Russia's back and attempting to destabilize the post-Soviet space. The big goal and wet dream number 1 for Turkey has been the resurrection of its Ottoman Empire.
Of course Russia knew all about it – it's pretty much common knowledge. But due to various geopolitical risks, Russians attempted to balance the situation, keeping Turkey reasonably in check.
The thing is that there really is no alternative to Erdogan that would keep the country in a semblance of a balance. Russia, with significant interests and visa-free regime, can't afford the destabilization of Turkey.
It has to be mentioned that Kurds play a very significant and convoluted role in Turkey. On one hand, they have legitimate grievances and it is their right to want independence and being re-united with other Kurds from three other Middle Eastern countries. To remind, Kurds were artificially divided between four countries, with borders drawn by the British Empire during colonial era. Same happened to Armenians, who also became divided between several countries by the British Empire. Read all about it in SYRIA GAME CHANGER.
On another hand, it is known that in many situations Kurds are financed and controlled by the US. Exploiting their natural grievances, desire for equal rights and re-unification, USA systematically uses Kurds as a very clandestine and non-obvious weapon for US geopolitical gains in the Middle East. Therefore, Kurdish protests and riots in Turkey, manipulated since 2014 to get Erdogan back into the US/NATO fold, were helped from across the ocean.
Despite Erdogan's idiotic and inconsistent behavior, Russia still supported him, since there was nothing else on the horizon. Russia could have easily helped Erdogan NOT win the latest elections, if they so desired. Erdogan won with great difficulty.
In view of the Russian jet's downing and the killing of the two Russia pilots, I can predict that Erdogan will be in a more precarious situation than ever.
Read much more on Erdogan and Tukrey in the new EARTH SHIFT REPORT 7: TURKISH CONUNDRUM.
Big changes in Russia's attitude towards Turkey are coming.
Russian Duma has been discussing since the Egypt crash certain security measures regarding Turkey. It has been proposed to stop air traffic to Turkey, in addition to Egypt. It was also proposed to revoke visa-free regime. This proposal didn't pass the Duma, as most rejected such restrictions at the time. It's almost inevitable that it will be passed now.
Egypt tourism indistry is already dead after Russians withdrew all tourism. Russian tourists constituted 70%, in some case up to 90%, of Egypt's tourism revenues. Turkey's tourism industry is about to suffer the same fate. For both of these countries tourism is extremeley important.
Meanwhile, Russian resorts in Sochi and Crimea are getting a boost. In this regard, note the 'co-incidence' of Ukraine's terrorist act, as discussed in: Urgent! Ukraine Blows Up Power Lines, Leaving Crimea and 2.5 Million People Without Electricity. This terrorist act left the peninsula without power, sabotaging the growing Crimean tourism. Russia is also developing winter tourism in Siberia and the Far East.
I foresee other severe repercussions for Turkey, of economic, financial and political nature. If and when Russia withdraws any political support from Erdogan, he will likely not survive for too long in his post. By his erratic and duplicitous actions Erdogan managed NOT to generate any real allies and suporters. Remember Qaddafi? This kind of flip-flopping doesn't do any good.
As I said, Russia tried at all cost to keep Turkey stable, overlooking some of Erdogan's actions. Destabilization of Turkey is beneficial only to the US – this is why by default Russia had to do the opposite.
Now the situation may change. But I will predict preliminarily that Putin will still act very carefully, so not to destabilize the region further. The political outlook for Turkey will change gradually; when Putin is ready to act – no one will see it coming.
This is still the situation when Russia will have to choose between bad and very bad so not to destabilize the region even more.
Another thing that has to be mentioned is this: Turkey and its government simply cannot be trusted under any circumstances. This has always been the way of this region of the world for a long, long time. They will flip-flop and stab anyone in the back on moment's notice, depending on who pays them more or who threatens them more effectively.
There is a saying in those parts: if someone extends a hand to you, bite off his arm. I know it sounds vicious and awful, but in light of the present events, I thought it was necessary to mention this.
It's sad news for those countries that were hoping to get Russian gas first via South Stream and then via Turkish Stream. I still think the pipeline may happen one day, but it may not be through Turkey, after all.
The other variants include: it may still go through Bulgaria, but only after Bulgarian government stops being the complete US slave and the people of Bulgaria take their power back.
Or it may happen through Ukraine, but only after Ukraine is restored as a normal country. Most likely it won't be called Ukraine for long. Also, in the near term, most likely it will either split into several pieces, or become a very, very loose confederation of practically independent, divergent regions.
Now, let's talk about USA's unseemly role in this whole situation.
I wrote in SYRIA GAME CHANGER that USA or NATO airforce under no circumstances would collide in any way with Russian airforce, for fear of world war. But we know that US is very, very peeved at Russia for Russia's independent policy and for trying to maintain stability, when US works so incredibly hard at destabilizing the world.
What can US do to hurt Rusia? US can start a hybird war against Russia. It can employ all kinds of financial and economic attacks and sanctions, as it has been doing. It can also ignite color revolutions all over post-Soviet space. Finally, it can destroy Ukraine.
But Syria presents a great opportunity for USA to sick on Russia its vassals: the clueless Turkey is very convenient; all kinds of 'very moderate' terrorists US is financing – such as ISIL; Qatar and Saudis.
USA is the biggest supporter and CREATOR of terrorism in the world. USA is THE terrorist super-power of the world.
And now let's see what Obama has said immediately after the shooting down by Turkey of the Russian Su-24 jet: 'Turkey has the right to defend itself.' Meanwhile the US command in Iraq says they can confirm that for 5 minutes Turkish army was warning the Russian jet to withdraw from the area, and only then they fired.
Let me get it straight: Turkish army was warning Russian jet to withdraw from the area across the border, in SYRIA, where Turkey has no right to be present or give commands, and where Russian pilots are present at the direct request and invitation of the Syrian government.
It is clear that this is an openly cynical and blatant collusion between USA and Turkey. I would not be surprised if it turns out that the ones pushing the trigger that killed Russian pilots and downed Su-24 were actually Americans, under the guise of the Turkish army. Let's recall that USA and NATO have a lot of military bases in Turkey and this territory has always been their prised stronghold against Russia.
A word about Obama.
I said previously that I didn't normally write about Obama is he was too predictable and un-interesting to me. This is one little exception.
Obama, this typical peace-loving 'nobel peace prize winner,' is one of the biggest war-mongers out there.
Obama is a puppet and a simpleton, who is a very effective mouth piece by virtue of being not very smart, but highly trainable. He's a good actor though. He once fooled a lot of incredibly naive people by his 'we are change' slogan.
Having very little, if any, power from the start, after six years in office he looks like just an empty, soul-less shell. This happens to all American presidents whose daily job is to swindle the world and to lie to their own people. They are the ones who make pacts with the devil as a normal daily occurrence.
And now, a little preliminary prediction for the USA's presidential elections 2016.
I am saving the full prediction for the US elections for 2016, when I'll do a complete prediction about USA as part on a new Earth Shift Report. But I will give you a sneak peek, which is tied to the Russian jet downing in Syria.
Here is my prediction about US elections:
Here are more predictions:
Su-24 crash: RT special video coverage of Russian warplane downed over Syria
Rus – Expert: Turkey is afraid Russia will soon obtain proof of Turkey's connection to ISIL (IS)
Eng – CrossTalk on downing of Russian military jet: Dangerous Skies
Latest coverage from RT:
Read new! ESR6: UKRAINE – NEW KHAZARIAN KHAGANATE?
ESR1 Reloaded: IS PUTIN PART OF NWO?
Video ESR4: ALIEN TECHNOLOGY & NEW RUSSIAN WEAPONS
Read PREDICTIONS
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Posted on November 24, 2015, in Empire Collapse, Geopolitical Trends, Middle East, Russia, USA/EU/West and tagged 2016 US elections prediction, Earth Shift Report, ESR5 SYRIA GAME CHANGER, EU, EU refugee crisis, F-16, how Turkey supports terrorists, how US destabilizes the world, ISIL, islamist terrorists, Kurds, Lada Ray predictions, Muslim Brotherhood, NATO, NATO predictions, Russia predictions, Russia's Syria operation, Russia-Turkey relations, Russian gas pipelines, Russian pilots, solution to crisis, Su-24M jet, Turkey, Turkey downs Russian jet, turkish army, turkmen terrorists, USA. Bookmark the permalink. 79 Comments.
Hi Lada
We may be at an historic juncture point in 21st Century history. Turkey is supporting ISIS against Russia; and the Washington Regime and its NATO vassals are lining up behind Turkey (and ISIS). A truly tragic farce is unfolding that may lead to general war in Europe and globally. The West has lost its moorings in reality and reason and morality. We are in grave danger in the period ahead.
We may be at an historic juncture point in 21st Century history. Turkey is supporting ISIS against Russia; and the Washington Regime and its NATO vassals are lining up behind Turkey (and ISIS). A truly tragic farce is unfolding that may lead to general war in Europe and globally. The West has lost its moorings in reality and reason and morality. We are in grave danger in the period ahead.
Lada, your keen insight into geopolitical machinations continue to astound me. This is a very difficult topic to cover comprehensively, yet you have captured the essence of the dirty games played by the USSA and poodles. The Apocalypse, the great unveiling of the truth, is revealing for all those with eyes to see and ears the sheer evilness of our USSA/City of London Banksters.
BTW, how do you think China will react in light of Turkey's and the USSA's latest provocations?
Lada, many thanks for your comments and inputs regarding today's outrageous event. As the situation becomes increasingly complex I appreciate the fact that you are generously offering us with a growing number of posts. They are very instrumental for me to construct a big picture and have a more clear view on the facts. Putin seems to be a especially selected person to conduct Russia and its allies in this tormentous moment, what a serious mission he was given. All the best !
Dear Lada,
Please do not post this.
The Western world is controlled by jews, like in Isreal, not the USA government, not the British.
These jews are called Zionists, like Stalin was a half jew, Winston Churchill was a jew. The Tsar was murdered by jews. Many of the English officers in the Anglo-Boer war were jews.
These jews in contoll do not show themselves, they appoint goims, who are power hungry and money hungry criminals, and they get it through the jewish banks and through the jewish media.
Obama is a Kenyan, he's a half breed from Africa. He is just a pawn doing the dirty work for the jews.
911 in the USA were done by the jews, even the building behind the towers were ensured for a massive amount of money, and it was exploded with explosives so they can claim te money. There are video's on youtube showing it.
Banks in the west are all jewish control, that is why all money is connected to the US$, controlled by the jewish Federal Reserve. It works on the principle that if someone puts $10 in the bank, they can print $90 against the $10. So if they take $1 million in gold out of the Boer Republics in South Africa, they can generate $9 million in money, and this is debt for the US citizens, and for the rest of the world connected to the US$. They create money out of nothing. That is why all the countries try to get away from the US$. The banking system is an enslaving system where the Western countries work to pay these banks, and in turn the jews just makes more debt. There are videos on Youtube that shows how these corrupt banks work.
These jews are in England, a 1 square km inside Britain, their flag is white with a red cross on it. Same in Washington, inside is an independent "England" where these jews control the Western worlds money and banks from.
These Jews, and Isreal and the Roman church and the German royal family, who are in control of the European countries, are the "new world order". The queen of Britain is of German heritage, not English, so are the Dutch and German royalty, they are of German descent. They intermarry to keep their blood line pure, just as the jews do, it is prohibited by them to intermarry with other races and they carefully choose surrogate mothers for their offspring, like Diana.
You must understand that the whole fraud of the West supporting these jews and funding them has to do with religion. The christian religion teaches that the jews are god's chosen people, and the English also claim they are descendants of these jews, and they are hence this religions holy people who's privilege it is to rule as gods over the rest of the world. ALL the churches, even the ones in South Africa are maintained by the freemasons, they are all, unknown to the public, part of the roman catholic church. If you search on Youtube freemasons Washington you will see what I mean. These christians, controlled by the freemasons, claim that Washington is the "new jerusalem", hence they are gods chosen people too.
Now you will understand why the jews in Israel can murder the Palestinians at 1000 per month, and the Western christian world does not complain about the genocide they commit.
The christian religion was started in the year 325, in the year 600 the muslim religion was started out of the same man written documents, BOTH these religions have the same origin, both were changed to suit the people they targeted to control.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1S6rG7qFr4 – Zeitgeist – Greatest Story Ever Told, do watch, you will see what fraud it is.
The purpose of racial fornication (black and white interbreeding) is to destroy the properties of a nation, especially the Boers and the Germans are hated by the jews, for their creative abilities. Think about it, the 3 world wars were against the Germanic people, the 2nd Anglo-Boer War, WW1, and WW2 were these jews (English) against the Germanic race. What happens with interbreeding is the result are stupid people, state bred slaves, non of who have the properties of their descendants. Google Cape Coloureds South Africa, they are the offspring of the Afrikaners in South Africa, you'll get the idea…
According to the jews, who keep their bloodline pure, Europe is too white, and white is racist, hence they have to be forced into interbreeding with Africans. Jews want to destroy the white race. Those poor Europeans have no idea what hell they are about to be forced into, these foreigners have not even moved in yet and the whites are already beaten, raped and abused in any way imaginable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44vzMNG2fZc
Now follows the laws protecting these blacks from any crimes on whites, while whites will be punished even if they dare defend themselves against attacks, same as is done here, and again, the jews are behind this, it is the corrupt that execute it for the jews. They always create complicated systems to protect them from exposure, like in South Africa the ANC were made the government, but the Afrikaner bond *freemasons" co-rule, and the democratic political party (zionist jews) are there to supervise.
In South Africa there are between 100 and 150 million squatters at and around every town and city, ready to do what is done in Europe, you can see these squatter camps with google earth, that is why we are frantically trying to prevent disarmament, because the moment our guns are taken, these blacks will swarm all over the towns and cities. You have no idea what it is like to live under these conditions.
The media is making the Palestinians bad because they blow themselves up, but do you realize how bad conditions for those poor people were made under these jews that they would go to such extremes as blowing themselves up ? Think about it.
Here is the history of these jews, and note out of how many countries they have been kicked out of in the past for the problems they caused. http://www.iamthewitness.com/books/Andrew.Carrington.Hitchcock/Synagogue.of.Satan/0740-1818.htm
Thanks for the update, and we hope all goes well with Russia, she's the only hope we have from preventing a sic one world jewish government.
Hi Lada, thank you for your informed articles, I really enjoy reading them.
Do you know if Putin has any evidence for 911 and if so why doesn't he expose it? Also, is it not time to tell the world that we are in the sixth mass extinction and that as our Mother Earth is taking her last breaths we should honor and give her the peace she so deserves. I'm sure Putin is well aware of the extensive daily spraying of our skies around the world, it won't be long before mass populations wake up to the reality of environmental damage. Perhaps the only way to avert mass extinction from nuclear war is to inform the public that we don't have much time left here and that we should make every day count. Don't know where you are, but here in Canada the trees are dying at a very fast pace now and most insects and small creatures are becoming invisible, it won't be long before we follow unless there is a mass consciousness awakening and a quantum leap.
Thank you for your response, would love to hear how to protect from and transmute chemtrails.
Nice report. I suppose I would just mention that a big part of the problem is not Erdoghan, it is the nature of power in that part of the world. Turkey and her Gulf allies were hoping to break Iran, which would then also break Syria and Hezbollah. To a large degree, one or the other is likely to win. As the US and elements in the West came to the conclusion that they needed a deal with Iran, that meant disaster for the others. Russia has been trying to find compromises between these two groups, but it perhaps would have been easier to get the USSR and Nazi Germany to work out their differences. Sometimes, there is no balance between such opposite forces.
It is entirely likely that Saudi Arabia is beyond salvation at this point, and that Iran will end up being the major power – which is a disaster for Turkey and their whole ideology and geostrategic position. In other words, Turkey is in a desperate situation at the moment, no matter who is in charge. And some are arguing that Putin at the recent gas summit in Tehran was showing that Moscow is now moving into Tehran's camp against Ankara. Your thoughts?
Sad news of which I learnt only today. Well-balanced analysis, as always, Lada, thank you.
People in Russia, who had vacation booked in Turkey, started refunding their trips, and hashtag #НеЕдувТурцию (I won't go to Turkey) goes viral.
Meanwhile, Lavrov makes the most direct statement:
Downing of Russian Su-24 looks like a planned provocation – Lavrov
Also, this looks like a fulfilment of the false flag that Saakashvili was heard talking about. I posted about it in a comment in the beginning of November:
Lada, sorry if I am spamming with comments. I am gathering information, and some of it is important.
A comment on the Zerohedge shed some light:
You can shoot down any jet from an ambush even F-22 whatever. When our bombers were covered by SU-30 fighters turks were whining about getting locked and dared not attack. But then we made a mistake: agreement with the US about flight safety and stopped covering our bombers. This mistake has costed us 1 SU-24 bomber, 1 MI-8 evacuation helicopter and 2 lives (a pilot and a mariner).
They didn't trust Americans, did they?! Russian military command acted as naïve fools! About a month ago I read that all bomber groups flew covered by Su-30 fighters, so I wondered how this Su-24 bomber would have been shot down by F-16…. Now I have the answer.
Looking forward to your future reports on the Turkish situation. To me, Turkey and the enemies of Syria and Iran are not really best described as lunatics. They just have different strategic interests. The entire Syrian war was over gas to Europe (weakening Russia and potentially Iran) and breaking Iran's power by smashing Hezbollah, which first required taking down Syria. Totally logical issues – no lunacy, just evil. Once the US refused to bomb Iran, there was no alternative to dealing with the problem from their point of view.
Of course, Erdoghan and the King of Saudi Arabia have had power go to their heads, and it makes them personally seem insane. But, as an example, the recent Turkish downing of the Russian jet had to have had far more than Erdoghan involved. At least the Operation Gladio elements of NATO for starters. Notice that the killer on the ground was a member of the Grey Wolves, a Turkish fascist group that is like its counterparts in the Ukraine. And the press was waiting it seems. More likely, it involved lots of people within Turkey and NATO. This was an ambush that was planned. The big question is what the NATO planners wanted. Perhaps they want a zone from the Baltics to Turkey that is in a state of turmoil or war, all to keep Russia away from Europe. That would be quite logical.
Lada do I have a lot to say and some may find this post too long but I've got to get these ideas off of my chest. I'm proud and so thrilled by Putin's behavior after this stupid act by Erdogan. He's taking a page out of Teddy Roosevelt by "walking softly and carrying a big stick". Putin couldn't ask for more. It's like a beautiful, ripe and delicious fruit has fallen from the tree and into Putin's hands. Now he can really ramp up the defense of Syria with no hesitation. As I write Russia is delivering the dreaded S-400 so feared by the US and Israel so that, with the tables turned, Russia declaring basically a no fly zone over most of Syria. Let's see the next time the little punk psychopath Erdogan tries to attack a Russian jet! Russia has totally shed the cowardly and wimpish times of Gorbachev and Yeltsin and IS BACK BIG TIME IN THE WORLD! The gloves are off.
Believe it or not I'm actually very optimistic and excited for the long term future of the middle east and the world. You know why there's not going to be World War III. The US and Nato are cowards and will not fight head on Russia. It's fantastic that Russia finally has come down on the side of alliance with Syria, Hezbollah, Iran and Iraq. Iran is a hard working, intelligent and a very talented nation and Russia can learn a lot from them. I believe that the Shiites are the most advanced and cultured sect of Islam and they really are the dominant religion in this particular part of the world. You'll never see Shiites destroying world historical monuments like the extremist sunni creeps in Afghanistan and now ISIS have done. I've been waiting so long for Russia to quit pussyfooting with deceiptful players such as Erdogan and join Iran. I hated when Russia got strong armed from the US and Israel in denying Iran the S-300 a few years ago. Now that Iraq is dominated by majority Shia they along with Iran, Syria and Hezbollah are forming a formidable alliance with Russia which I'm absolutely sure will turn the situation around and stabilize the area. It will take time of course but the handwriting is on the wall. By the way Russia already has big plans to rebuild Syria when the islamic creeps are done away with.
The US and Nato invade Iraq and the international jihadi movement is metastisized. With Saddam in power every wahhabi muslim was executed. He didn't put up with these fundamentalist loonies. With him overthrown they grew. Next the US and Nato overthrew Gaddafi of Libya. Gaddafi didn't tolerate these crazies. Now the place is a mecca for ISIS. Next the US and Nato are trying to overthrow Assad. Much of the country and Iraq is currently under ISIS (which of course will change). So the US and Nato are destabilizing one country after another in the middle east with a corresponding rise of ISIS. I think this is deliberate. On top of that because of this destabilization millions of refugees are flooding into Europe with thousands and thousands of jihadis invading the continent (they can thank Erdogan for this). The question that we should ask is why the elites of the US and Europe are allowing this invasion. The great majority of the so-called refugees are healthy looking males between 20 and 40 years old. Make no mistake it's coming to the US also. So now Europe will become destabilized. Europe is screwed. I think they are doomed unless drastic and severe counter action is taken and immediately by patriotic Europeans.
So from the middle east to Europe destabilization is the trend. You see what's happening here. This is no accident. The question is why the powerful elite in western Europe and the US are fomenting this. I don't know the answer. Maybe they are trying to foment violence so they can declare martial law and get rid of our liberties. This is just a guess. I just don't think that it's stupidity. Governments don't work that way. They always do things in a planned way.
As western Europe gets up to their eyeballs in islamic terror the people there will look to Mother Russia as their savior. The only nation taking head on ISIS is Russia and the western Europeans know that. The US and Nato are just shadow boxing, pretending to fight ISIS. Christian power in the world will move from Rome to Moscow. The Byzantine civilization, which was centered in the East, will come back to life. This development will be truly earth shattering. Russia will become immensely wealthy and powerful as people, especially Christians, will be drawn to it. While I'm personally not religious I think it's great. I also believe that the capital of Byzantine, Constantinople, will go back to its rightful owners, the Orthodox Church of Russia and the Sofia Cathedral will be brought back to life. But in time the US and Nato will regret what they have done to Europe and the middle east. They want to destroy Sykes–Picot agreement which carved up the middle east then they will sow what they reap. They want to destroy and break up nations they will get that but it will be not what they figured they would get. Be careful what you wish for. Turkey will be broken into pieces with the south going to the Kurds and Syria and parts of the north and east going to other nations. Ukraine will also cease to exist with the eastern and southern parts going back to Russia and the rest to Poland, Hungary, etc.
Next but not least Russia will do what it can to bring to justice the perpetrators of the bombing of the Russian plane in Egypt. All roads lead to Qatar and Saudi Arabia. I fully expect Russian help to overthrow these disgusting excuses of humans in Saudi Arabia. I also expect the Shia region of Saudi Arabia (the oil producing area) to break away and join an alliance with Iran.
So in conclusion finally the cowardly and wimpish Gorbachev and Yeltsin years are done with and we find an assertive Russia taking its gloves off and taking head on the evil forces in the world. Yes Lada this is Russia being the balancer.
Here is another must-read article:
Let's talk, Turkey: Downing of Russian SU-24 bomber just doesn't add up
It's a mathematical analysis of the events (as presented by Turkey), done by a pilot and demonstrating that the attack on the Russian plane was a pre-planned murder.
In addition to the ground-based S-400 AA systems, missile cruiser "Moskva" has arrived to the shores of Syria:
(One of the commentors suggested renaming it into "Constantinople" to give a hint)
Without going into technical details, it has both S-300 AA missiles on board, as well as an anti aircraft carrier rocket system, where once a group of 16 rockets is launched, one of the rockets climbs to a high altitude and acts as a radar, relaying target data to the remaining 15, which stay undetectable at low altitude. Half of the rockets agree on targeting a carrier, while the remaining half target different ships in the carrier group. If the radar-acting rocket is shot down, another rocket from the group climbs up and takes over. Everything happens decentralised in a fire-and-forget mode – once these 16 rockets are fired, AI takes over their control, so they will still find their targets even if the launching ship is destroyed right after the launch.
Here's a article on how one of the top Iranian generals organized the rescue of the co-pilot behind enemy lines. It shows tremendous unity and coordination between Syria, Russia and Iran.
I feel that you relate,events and facts accurately.. The world needs your voice.. your coments about the political system in america ,states the obvious,that all, are long past bored of hearing..Enlighten the world about the deep rooted evil forces,pulling the strings of our puppet congress…Awakening the masses here as to how evil–connect the satanic sacrifices of our leadership…Normal corruption is accepted here. It is not news worthy…Good and decent people have no place in the american political system as is…It is completely corrupt…perhaps i may suggest the writings of Thomas Jefferson,about the solution for a completely corrupt political system….it is know , here about the need for a-lawful-military coup…Please help,by paving the way for,why this is a correct step for the constitutional system…
The world needs to know,how the russian federation,is set up to work for the benefit of its citizens…We only know of the Soviet period…American mass media is so very complete here with it s propaganda..I,m sure you are aware of that…NAMASTE…
A brilliant post Lada! I would like you to clarify though if you think this is a case of Erdogan being a madman, or that he is a very rational man being forced into this by the USA and other Gulf countries?….. If its the latter then it makes no sense to me that Russia stops or delays Turk Stream from going ahead.
Some punishments like Turkish companies working in Russia and restricting the visa regime are necessary but scrapping Turk Stream just plays into America's hands of isolating Russia from first Ukraine and now Turkey…….and USA and the Baltic and Polish idiots in their government will do everything to sabotage Nord-2.
Also remember that throughout the Cold War , Russia peacefully supplied gas to western Europe NATO without any problems
Quite unrelated Lada, but a nice heart-warming story here for the animal lovers among us….
Dog Walks 200 MILES To Find The Woman Who Nursed It Back To Health~
Shavi was run over by hit-and-run driver in Rostov-on-Don, Russia
She was left to die at side of the road, with bruises and broken hind legs
Shavi was nursed back to health by Nina Baranovskaya, who lives in town
But Nina could not look after Shavi long-term due to other commitments
She finally found new home for Shavi with friends nearly 200 miles away
But the canine escaped – and managed to walk entire distance back to Nina
Just another opinion: Baba Vanga predicted that there will be a black U.S. president and that he will be the last president. The black president has come… Does "the Democrats will lose" mean, that the Republicans will win? Not necessarily. We shall see 🙂
Thanks for your great work, Lada.
Да здравствует Россия!
Earth Shift Report #7:
Do think Crimea is still part of Ukraine? If not you might want to update the map… :))
Hi Lada
Find the corrected map here (file name unchanged):
My pleasure!
Crusade partitioned Greece with Venice and Russia with Poland. Then imposter Polish clergy concocted the Uniate Eastern Rite. That is why there are Magog Muslim Lipka villages still in Poland. Marco Polo Korcula Croat family were part of Venice force occupying Byzantium. Poland persecuted Protestant Jan Amos Komensky of Torun and burned Leszno under the leadership of Jan Dziedzic banning Protestant Socinians in 1658. Polish laws of 1717 and 1733 barred Protestants from parliament, public office, higher military ranks, and free worship – including Evangelicals of Stanislawow, Calvinists of Wilno and Volhynia, and Lutherans of Silesia – justifying Partition of Poland. They ate glis glis yet blamed others for their pestilence. Polish Jesuit Felix Dzerzhinsky was the Bloodiest Bolshevik. Hitler was a Catholic Altar Boy. Hilter was protege of von Papen, Catholic who directed Armenian Genocide and Black Tom, NJ megaton WWI sabotage – which is why Churchill called them Magog Huns. Pogroms against Jews began with Warsaw decrees of 1570, 1580, and 1633 from tracts of Marcin Czechowic against Isaac of Troki. This is why worst Nazi camps were in the lands of the former Lithuanian-Polish Empire. Magog massacred Little Bighorn, Pearl Harbor and Boston Marathon. Crimean War against Photius Heresy avenged humiliation of Louis Napoleon uncle because Czar Alexander marched on Paris, demanding food Bystra. Do you remember Franco one hundred fifty thousand muslim Moors proclaiming Death to Intelligence? Or Hitler Mufti in Jerusalem and Bosnia spawning the PLO. Greece was neutralized during the Crimean and Cold Wars by P5 Sindona and Venice nobles masquerading as Greek Shipping Families who pay no tax because of Liberian Registry. Clinton embargoed photographs vindicating Serbia because Choochtown had his crotch files. Carolingian Brzezinski spawned Zia al Haq, Khomeini, and bin Laden and breaks up superpowers via Aztlan and Kosovo as per Joel Garreau Nine Nations. Schindler Unholy Terror shows 9/11 was Yugo Crimean Blow Back. Greece 2008 riots incited to stop Russian pipeline. Putin tax, gay and oil policies are almost like Sarah Palin. Putin did not violate constitutional term limits like Bloomberg. CNOOC was not allowed to buy Unocal just like Exxon and Chevron tried to buy Yukos. Hermitage Browder grandfather was FDR chief red. Cuomo environmentals even exterminating Tchaikovsky swans. Anyone who knows the cruel, vindictive ending of Vercingetorix, Spartacus and Carthage can only blame Rome for the death of the Messiah. Let them off to Argentina where Croat and Arab Nazis pork for lore enforcement, casuistry and pestilence instead of thinking! The Europa Canal links the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers to the Black Sea, an aquatic Orient Express. It was for this reason that Yugoslavia was partitioned, to keep the Danube international. The Danube is Ukraine's border with Romania, whose Hun Timasoara is the next conflict area. Obama was raised by his Catholic maternal grandmother and was promoted by Brzezinski, who also promoted Carter and Wojtyla. At the time of the Bolshevik revolution, Russia was the largest petroleum producer. Casey got the Saudis to flood the petroleum market in 1982 to bring down the soviets in Afghanistan. The Tsar chased Napoleon to Paris, leading to the Russian word for fast becoming a type of restaurant, bystro. This is why Napoleon's nephew prosecuted the Crimean war, which the pope called the Crusade Against the Heresy of Photius. France was indebted to the Russian central bank for saving them from the 1838 and 1846 panics.
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The 10 Fastest-Growing Small-Business Sectors Right Now
Over the past year, the strengthening housing market has been helping small companies grow -- and fast.
Over the past year, the strengthening housing market has been helping small businesses grow – and fast.
Sageworks, Inc.'s most recent analysis of companies with less than $5 million in annual revenues finds that four of the ten fastest-growing sectors of 2013 are related to housing.
Building finish contractors and real estate agents' offices saw sales grow by nearly 15% over the past year. Architectural and engineering services, meanwhile, grew sales by 14.2%, and foundation, structure and building exterior contractors' sales increased by 10.6%.
Related: 3 Energy Trends With the Power to Change the Future
Sageworks analyst Libby Bierman says the partial government shutdown had a "notable impact" on the number of mortgages being processed, which may slow the growth spurt.
But since the shutdown lasted only a couple of weeks, Bierman says it is unlikely to cripple these expanding businesses.
"It will show a slight blip, but not all revenue is tied to home mortgages. It will have some impact, but not something that in the long-term will put businesses out of business, most likely," says Bierman.
Related: Google's Secrets to Small Business Success
Perhaps surprisingly, grain farming showed the strongest growth of all sectors analyzed by Sageworks, posting a nearly 20% increase in sales.
"There was a drought in 2012, so they increased prices dramatically because the supply was cut so much," says Bierman, who says the sector was new to the list. Bierman predicts that grain farming is unlikely to make a second appearance on the list of fastest-growing small-business sectors, but says there's room for another surprise.
"I imagine we'll be seeing similar externalities that will change [the list]," says Bierman.
Related: 5 Top States for Business-Tax Climate
The full list of the fastest-growing sectors:
1. Oilseed and Grain Farming
2. Building Finishing Contractors
3. Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers
4. Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
5. Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
6. Computer Systems Design and Related Services
7. Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
8. Utility System Construction
9. Specialty Food Stores
10. Foundation, Structure and Building Exterior Contractors

subset: commoncrawl


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20-Minute Heart-Healthy Meals
Be good to your heart as well as your appetite in 20 minutes or less. With each heart-healthy recipe, we give you serving suggestions for rounding out the meal, plus tips for shortcuts and substitutions.
Fast, Heart-Smart Meals
Tips for quick heart-healthy meals:
1. Make only one main dish and supplement with frozen vegetables and bagged salads.
2. Stock your pantry and fridge with staples like fruit, veggies, whole wheat pasta, lean meat, and low-sodium seasonings.
3. Add easy, low-fat cooking techniques to your repertoire: stir-frying, steaming, broiling, and microwaving.
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry Tout
A stir-fry is always a good option when you need a healthy dinner in a hurry. This one has very little oil, low-fat shrimp, nutrient-rich broccoli, and it cooks in 10 minutes. Serve over steamed boil-in-bag rice, which you can put in the microwave before you start the stir-fry.
Moroccan Chicken with Fruit and Olive Topping
Moroccan Chicken with Fruit and Olive Topping Recipe
The pairing of dried fruit and olives is also characteristic of other North African cuisines, such as Tunisian and Algerian. Serve over Israeli couscous, a pearl-like pasta; sprinkle with chopped green onions.
Sweet-Spicy Glazed Salmon
Sweet-Spicy Glazed Salmon Tout
Make simple broiled salmon even more succulent by brushing it with a sweet and spicy glaze. For a meal that's super-charged with heart-healthy nutrients, plate the salmon with a microwave-baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli.
Barbecue-Rubbed Pork Chops
Barbecue-Rubbed Pork Chops Tout
Don't write off pork when you're eating for your heart. Lean loin pork chops are low in saturated fat and sodium and high in protein. These are rubbed with a mixture of chili powder, cumin, allspice and red pepper, so the flavor is out of this world. For a simple weeknight meal, serve with refrigerated mashed potatoes and a cucumber salad such as Cucumbers Vinaigrette.
Red Snapper over Sautéed Spinach and Tomatoes
Red Snapper over Sautéed Spinach and Tomatoes Tout
Eating fish at least twice a week can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Perk up the flavor of broiled snapper with a Dijon mustard coating and fresh lemon, and serve it over spinach and tomatoes for an easy one-dish meal. Round out the menu with whole-grain rolls or steamed brown rice.
Pan-Grilled Chicken with Cranberry Salsa
Pan-Grilled Chicken with Cranberry Salsa Tout
Pounding boneless chicken breast halves is a great way to shorten the cooking time as well as make them more tender. But the cranberry salsa–made with refrigerated cranberry-orange sauce and pickled jalapenos–is the real star of this recipe. (It's also great spooned over pork tenderloin or fish.) Complete the menu with steamed green beans tossed with lemon juice and a chopped fresh herb.
Marinara Sauce over Rotini
Marinara Sauce over Rotini Recipe
Put the pasta on first, and let it cook while the marinara sauce simmers. You can use any type of pasta you have on hand, and serve with refrigerated breadsticks and a tossed green salad.
Pepper and Garlic-Crusted Tenderloin Steaks with Port Sauce
Pepper and Garlic-Crusted Tenderloin Steaks with Port Sauce Tout
Tenderloin on a weeknight? Why not? Because they're so tender and tasty, very little prep is required, and they cook in under 10 minutes. For an elegant and easy meal, offer a quick-cooking rice pilaf and steamed green beans.
Sesame Pork Rice
Brightly flavored with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, this fried rice has only a tablespoon of oil, no egg, and lean pork loin. It cooks in 10 minutes, which is certainly faster than take-out. Toss a salad of chopped fresh spinach and mushrooms to accompany the rice.


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Last week, Davin Coburn headed to the Pacific Northwest to learn about one company's revolutionary new build process for their high-performance kitplane—and then to go for a test drive, to figure out what it was like 180 degrees from a midtown Manhattan office. Catch up with his journey by clicking here, then take to the skies below...
The plan today calls for us to meander north — but first we have to backtrack for a fuel stop at Powell River. The Sportsman carries 50 gallons of gas (10 gallons in each of two outboard wing tanks; 15 gallons each in the pair of inboard tanks), and works through either 8.5 or 10.2 gallons per hour, depending on the engine. Out here, anyone can run out of weather — but when that engine stops making noise, you have real problems. Most every bush pilot has their story of sweating fuel, the one time they cut it way too close. And they all know people who came down — hard — on the wrong side of that line.
So it's 20 minutes south for $582 Canadian dollars worth of fuel (at $1.89 per liter, or $6 a gallon) to fill the two planes. From Powell River, we cruise up the Western edge of British Columbia to the Coast Mountains — and then things get interesting.
More From Popular Mechanics
Pilots have mapped a VFR, or visual flight rules, corridor through these peaks — but "the tube" is a double-edged sword: jaw-dropping scenery on one hand; dropping cloud ceilings on the other. Rough weather has already rerouted our flight plan once today — instead of making our next fuel stop straight north at Anahim Lake, we'll head to Mackenzie, in central BC — and if at any point the pass closes in front of us, we'll have little choice but to undo the entire two-hour route.
So we vote — and then dive into the tube, under clouds that guard snowy peaks, and around waterfalls that crash hundreds of feet down the jagged V onto glaciers and the rushing Klinaklini River below. It feels a little like flying into a giant garage: the 10,000-ft. Coast range on our west side, the 11,000-ft. Chilcotins to the east, and a ceiling we hope gets no lower.
Luckily, the clouds dissipate the deeper we go, and we're able to make it into Mackenzie with no delays. A few ham sandwiches later, we hop a well-known scenic route north, along "the trench."
The Rocky Mountain Trench runs nearly 1000 miles, from Montana to the BC-Yukon border. With the Rockies on the east and the Cassiar range to the west, the path funnels up the 130-mi.-long Williston Lake to the Kechika River. I'm still in the right seat of the Sportsman, but Setzer hands over control.
I dive down toward the water and put us 200 ft. over endless miles of Spruce trees, and scratches in the wilderness that once passed for roads. Moose and black bears stop and stare. Cruise speeds range from 105 kts to 135 kts, depending on whether the swirling winds hit us from the front or catch us from the back.
That speed is deceptive as we swing away from rain showers that dot the 5-mi.-wide valley, and slalom along the river. The land here is so massive, it feels like we're hardly moving — but when you follow the water around a bend and find a bridge in front of you, you realize how fast 155 mph really is.
In the shadow of the Rockies, there'd be few options in an emergency. We'd pitch for best glide speed (about 75 kts in the Sportsman), then maybe head for the river. Snaking as it is, though, there might not be a long enough stretch of water to slap down on — meaning we'd wad it up in the trees. Which would be a lot like crashing into a field of telephone poles — but as long as you fly into them, and not plummet, Setzer says, the Spruce will actually flex enough to help set you down. The aircraft would have made its last landing, but you'd walk away to think about buying another one.
Thankfully, crash landings aren't an issue: The engine drones on and we slalom into the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. Covering 16 million acres (nearly the size of Ireland), the conservation zone is the largest in North America. We putter past 2358-ft. Terminus Mountain, the very last peak of the Rockies, and set down at Scoop Lake Outfitters, a hunting lodge 45 minutes south of the Yukon border.
Wild roses and strawberries dot the runway. We have to buzz the strip — twice — to clear away the horses. The two Sportsmen touch down as lightning begins searing the peaks of the Cassiars, and we have just enough time to tie down and grab a home-cooked meal before thunderclouds roll in.
A quick check shows that my cell phone is useless here, my laptop battery's dead — and I have no idea what day of the week it is. Thank God. —Davin Coburn


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Which states are facing the worst budget deficits in 2010?
Many states fell into a fiscal hole in 2009, and continue to lag behind in economic recovery. A look at ten states facing the biggest budget problems in 2010.
The national economy may be in recovery, but most states haven't yet hit bottom – and many are already facing massive budget gaps halfway through their fiscal year, despite basing those budgets on dismal forecasts.
"Unless you're North Dakota, you're probably a state that has had some degree of difficulty or crisis involving finances," says Arturo Pérez, a fiscal analyst with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), which released its survey of state budget situations earlier this month. "It's the worst situation states have faced in decades, perhaps going as far back as the Great Depression in some states."
The result: furloughs, deep cuts to state programs and services, fee and tax hikes.
"The next couple of calendar years will be some of the worst in terms of the tough choices that elected officials will have to make," says Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers, adding that the stimulus funds that benefited states will soon be drying up, make the situation even more difficult. "There's not a lot left to do that aren't really really tough political choices."
Heading into 2010, here are some of the states facing the toughest fiscal challenges:
California. The state has come to symbolize the budget crisis for many people, because of its massive shortfalls and the extreme measures the state has already been forced to take: mandatory furloughs for all state workers, teacher layoffs, aid to the university system reduced by 20 percent, and massive cuts to education, corrections, and social services. It already faces a $6 billion budget gap, and projections from the state's Legislative Analyst's Office show that by the time the state has to come up with its next budget, it will have a $20.7 billion budget gap on its hands. On the plus side, the outlook isn't worsening, and state revenues appear to be stabilizing.
Oklahoma. Until recently, Oklahoma wasn't doing too badly, helped by oil and natural gas prices. The big drop in those prices are one of the reasons the state is now facing a budget gap that's 18.5 percent of its general-fund budget. Revenues for the first quarter of the fiscal year were 26 percent below the estimates.
Arizona. Like California, Florida, and Nevada, Arizona is one of the states that was hit worst and earliest by the housing crisis. "The fiscal situation is dire," state officials states in NCSL's survey, citing major shortfalls in all budget categories. Lawmakers are forecasting a 30 percent budget gap in the next fiscal year.
Illinois. The Land of Lincoln is already facing a budget gap of 16.5 percent through the first five months of this fiscal year, and the outlook for next year – particularly with looming pension payments – is gloomy, with a gap of at least $11 billion.
Hawaii. Three-day-a-month furloughs, a reduced school year, and an income tax raise on top earners haven't been enough to help the state make up its budget gaps: It already faces a shortfall of 13 percent since the fiscal year began in June, and is projecting a 21-percent gap for the next fiscal year.
New Jersey. The state has the third-highest projected budget shortfall for FY2011 (behind Nevada and Arizona) – 27.5 percent – and incoming Gov. Christopher Christie (R) is eyeing cuts of up to 25 percent, on top of $800 million in cuts already outlined. The state's unemployment fund is forecast to have a $1.2 billion deficit within three months, and will trigger a controversial automatic tax increase on employers.
New York. The state already has a $3 billion budget gap (6 percent) since its fiscal year began in July, which is expected to double by the next budget. Gov. David Paterson (D) ran into controversy earlier this month by proposing to delay payments to schools, hospitals, and cities to keep the state from running out of money. He and the legislature have been battling over how to balance the budget, and he is threatening to use executive powers to cut about $1.6 billion from the budget.
Nevada. One of the hardest hit by the housing crisis, the state faces a projected shortfall of 33 percent for its next budget year. The good news is that the legislature has already approved actions to close that gap.
Colorado. The governor has proposed big cuts to try to eliminate a budget gap of at least 10 percent next fiscal year. Efforts to balance the budget are hobbled by laws that limit state revenue and require annual increases in K-12 spending.
Michigan. Michigan entered the recession long before any other state, and has continued to suffer as the auto industry gets hammered. Currently, unemployment is 14.7 percent – the worst in the nation – though it's stabilizing.
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AT&T to launch shared data plans in late August, offer base price around $45 per smartphone
// July 18th, 2012 // No Comments » // Cheap iPhone Monthly Service, iPhone
AT&T to launch shared data plans in late August, offer base price around $45 per smartphone: "
You can't argue with a bit of competition.
Per AppleInsider, wireless carrier AT&T on Wednesday announced its new shared data plans, ranging from 1 gigabyte to 20 gigabytes of cap space, and starting at US$40 for 1 gigabyte of data plus an additional US$45 per smartphone.
The cost per gigabyte and smartphone decreases as customers add more data to their plan, so 4 gigabytes of data has a base price of US$70, plus US$40 per smartphone, all the way up to US$200 for 20 gigabytes of data per month and US$30 per smartphone.
Cellular capable tablet-style devices like Apple's iPad are less expensive, and will cost US$10 per month to add to a shared data plan. Laptops and mobile hotspot devices are another US$20 each month, while basic and messaging phones can get shared data, unlimited talk and text for US$30 each month.
The new shared data plans allow customers to choose open of AT&T's existing individual or family plans, and current customers are not required to switch to the new plans. Those who decide to switch to AT&T's shared data plans can do so without a contract extension, and the rates are also available for business customers.
Customers can choose up to 10 devices to attach to their shared plan, and at least one of those devices must be a smartphone. The plans include tethering and unlimited domestic calls and texts for smartphones.
Competing U.S. carrier Verizon launched its own shared data plans on June 28, called 'Share Everything.' With it, line access for smartphones like Apple's iPhone run US$40 per month, while tablets like the iPad are US$10 per month.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.


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If you're hoping to store lots of large media files, Streem might be the cloud storage service that you're looking for.
The startup, which is part of incubator Y Combinator, launched its Streem Drive product last week, and it's announcing that it has raised $875,000 in seed funding.
Co-founder and CEO Ritik Malhotra compared Streem to the external hard drives that he once used to transport large media files. Existing cloud services don't quite work as a replacement, he said, because they usually store copies on your hard drive and they limit your overall storage — that can be problematic if, say, you've got lots of high-quality video files. (Dropbox, for example, offers 2 gigabytes for free and pro plans for storing 100, 200, or 500 gigabytes.)
With Streem, on the other hand, you pay $20 a month for unlimited storage. The company can afford to offer this, Malhotra said, through a combination of de-duplication and compression: "De-duplication is the biggest space saver."
Although the files should act like any other files on your hard drive, they won't take up any space. And Malhotra said the technology is optimized for media, for example adjusting the quality of a video stream based on the user's bandwidth.
The company has created apps for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web.
As for the funding, it comes from YC, 500 Startups, Start Fund, IronFire Capital, Arbor Ventures, Grooveshark/Onswipe founder Andres Barreto, and various other angel investors.


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'Kitten Bowl' set for Hallmark Channel today
LOS ANGELES - Adorably wide-eyed, fluffy and in need of a loving home is an unusual description for a football player.
But it's perfect for the gridiron stars of Hallmark Channel's "Kitten Bowl," an event that aims to both entertain viewers and inform them about animals consigned to shelters.
"The plight of these animals is so sad and really needs" attention, said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of the channel's parent company, Crown Media, and the driving force behind the inaugural Kitten Bowl. "It is an awareness issue."
The three-hour show airs at noon today, followed by repeat showings on what the channel is labeling "Su-Purr Bowl Sunday" for those uninterested in the real Super Bowl on Fox. The Kitten Bowl isn't the only game in which the fur flies: "Puppy Bowl," the granddaddy of the genre, marks its 10th year Sunday on Animal Planet with its own rescue dogs, kittens and, this year, penguin co-stars, who aren't up for adoption.
Carrying the idea to its wry extreme, Nat Geo Wild is counterprogramming the NFL's Denver-Seattle contest with the "Fish Bowl," starring a goldfish in a bowl, for four hours.
For Abbott, the Kitten Bowl is serious business. He's a longtime supporter of the North Shore Animal League America, a leading no-kill shelter that joined the Hallmark Channel in presenting the event. The shelter teamed with Last Hope Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation to provide and care for the 71 kittens featured.
The goal is to provide an upbeat look at how to reduce the number of animals that end up homeless, Abbott said.
There's a happy ending for the bowl kittens, whose names include the playful Crazy Legs and Chase, as well as puns like Dan Furrino, for former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.
All of the felines used in taping last October have been adopted, Abbott said. They worked hard for the opportunity, including two playoff games and the championship match, and consented to interviews, presumably subtitled for non-cat speakers.
An online Feline Fantasy League features digital trading cards and adoption stories.
The Kitten Bowl is hosted by North Shore spokeswoman Beth Stern, wife of Howard Stern, and John Sterling, official radio voice of the New York Yankees. Celebrity guests dropping by include Regis Philbin, Kelly Rutherford and Carrie Ann Inaba.
Although puppies and kittens are competing only indirectly Sunday, cat-loving Abbott isn't shy about predicting who will win viewers' hearts.
"As wonderful as puppies are - and I'm a dog person, too - they are not as cagey and clever and just overall as entertaining at the end of the day," he said.


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Lewis Mumford (October 19, 1895 – January 26, 1990) was an American historian, philosopher of technology and science, and influential literary critic. Particularly noted for his study of cities and urban architecture, he had a broad career as a writer. Mumford was influenced by the work of Scottish theorist Sir Patrick Geddes.
Mumford was also a contemporary and friend of Frank Lloyd Wright, Frederic Osborn, Edmund N. Bacon, and Vannevar Bush.
Mumford was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, and graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1912. He studied at the City College of New York and The New School for Social Research, but became ill with tuberculosis and never finished his degree. In 1918 he joined the navy to serve in World War I and was assigned as a radio electrician. He was discharged in 1919 and became associate editor of The Dial, an influential modernist literary journal. He later worked for The New Yorker where he wrote architectural criticism and commentary on urban issues.


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You could mount your GoPro to your helmet on your next snowboarding trip, but placing it on a puppy is a more wonderful way to use it. Because who doesn't love puppies? People who have withered black hearts, that's who.
Besides, spending a minute out of your day seeing the world through the eyes of a roly poly dog child is fantastic and fun. You sleep. You chew on shoes. You play tug-of-war with your canine cronies. Oh, what a life! [BuzzFeed]


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I have an exciting announcement – I'm going to be tutoring a patternmaking night class this term! Well sort of patternmaking – it is titled "Patternmaking from a Garment you Love" and will go through all the techniques to obtain a perfect pattern from a favourite garment, without having to take it all apart!
The classes will be held on Wednesday evenings at Western Springs College in central Auckland, and will run for four weeks starting mid February. I'll show you all the tricks of the trade for turning a garment into a proper pattern, and tons of practical patternmaking tips along the way. Plus, you'll be able to ask me anything – you know how I love sharing info!
You can find all the details here at Leisuretime Learning, and there are sewing classes and other hobby classes available too.
I'm so excited to be tutoring as it is something I have always thought I would do eventually. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching the fashion students who came to me for work experience, and you know I like making tutorials – so I imagine this will be equally fun!


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The Windows Server 2012 (previously known as Windows Server "8") Test Lab Guides (TLGs) are a set of documents that describe how to configure and demonstrate the new features and functionality in Windows Server 2012 and Windows
8 in a simplified and standardized test lab environment.
The test lab starts with the Windows Server 2012 Base Configuration test lab, which can consist of two subnets representing a simplified intranet and simulated Internet. The following figure shows the initial setup of the Windows Server 2012 test lab based
on the Test Lab Guide: Windows Server 2012 Base Configuration (overview video).
For information about how to configure this test lab on a Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V server, see
Hosting the Windows Server 2012 Base Configuration Test Lab with Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V (overview video).
The following video shows how to build out this test environment.
The TLGs for Windows Server 2012 are the following:
The TLGs for Windows Server "8" Beta are the following:
TLG mini-modules
TLG mini-modules include just the essential configuration steps to get an existing and working test lab to a new working configuration. TLG mini-modules for Windows Server 2012 include the following:
For more information about the TLG initiative and a list of all the TLGs, see
Test Lab Guides in the TechNet Wiki.
For the latest information about TLGs for Windows Server 2012, see the
Test Lab Guides blog.
We strongly encourage you to develop and publish your own TLG content for Windows Server 2012, either in the TechNet Wiki (example:
Test Lab Guide: Demonstrate Remote Access VPNs) or in your own publishing forum (example:
Test Lab Guide (Part 1) - Demonstrate TMG PPTP, L2TP/IPsec and SSTP Remote Access VPN Server). If you want to publish your TLG content in the TechNet wiki, see
Creating and Publishing Test Lab Guide Content for
information about the types of content you can create and for links to templates, guidance, and examples.


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Since being bought by Acer in 2008, Packard Bell has gone from strength to strength, releasing a wide range of high-quality laptops and netbooks. The updated Dot S adds to this legacy, combining great usability and unique features at an equally pleasing price.
Acer's involvement can be seen in the design of this device, as it is built around the same chassis as the Aspire One D260. Available in a choice of black or champagne colour schemes, you will either love or hate the patterned finish.
Build quality is excellent and the resilient plastics will be more than tough enough to withstand daily family use.
The slim chassis can easily be carried in a small bag, with the fantastic 502-minute battery life only beaten here by the Acer Aspire One D260.
The spacious keyboard has all the strengths of the Acer. It is a pleasure to use, with a near flawless typing action. The white keys of the champagne model are easily tarnished, however, so you may prefer to opt for the black model.
The spacious touchpad is great to use, with its wide design matching the screen of the Dot S perfectly. A slim scrollbar on the right-hand side of the touchpad makes it easy to scroll vertically through documents and web pages.
The bright 10.1-inch screen shows photos and videos to great effect. The low resolution is common on netbooks and reduces sharpness somewhat, but not drastically so. The screen can also be folded back almost 180 degrees, making it easy to find a comfortable viewing angle.
A unique feature of recent Packard Bell netbooks and laptops is a dedicated social networks key. When pressed, a proprietary software application opens and provides instant access to Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. This is sure to be a hit with younger users.
Photo editing
Packard Bell also trumps the competition by including a full version of Adobe Photoshop Elements software as standard. This excellent entry-level photo editing package makes it easy for first time buyers to tweak their photos.
The only real flaw of the Dot S is that it shares the same limited storage as the Acer. The 160GB hard drive will be capacious enough to store most collections of music, photos and videos, but is vastly bettered by the 250GB Asus Eee PC Seashell 1015PE and Dell Inspiron Mini 1018 drives.
Combining a striking consumer design and all-day battery life with great usability and unique features, the Dot S succeeds on almost every level. While its somewhat limited storage may put some buyers off, this is still by far one of the best netbooks you can currently buy.
Follow TechRadar Reviews on Twitter: http://twitter.com/techradarreview


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This is a celebration week that was created in 1997 and continues during the first week of March. It promotes genealogy so it is natural that I want to participate. My response for each of the days is all in this one post.
March 2 – Namesake Day: Today is for thinking about where you got your name and if you were named after a particular person, place, etc. Also, to identify people with the same name as yours, if any.
Even though I've heard this story many times I'm sure I'll get this wrong but luckily Mom can correct me and add to it so I'll have it in writing to get right the next time (Update: read my Mom's addition to this). I was named after a person my mother thought was one of the most beautiful girls she'd ever seen, Kay Lynne (not sure how she spelled it). Also, my mother's room mate in college had the same given and maiden names as I did she was Kay Brown. It is because of this that I often get confused on who I was named for.
As a child I never liked my first name because when people say "Okay" they rarely actually say the "O", which leaves only 'kay'. I was always mistaking a teacher's transition of 'okay' as a call for me to answer a question or pay attention and, as an extremely shy child, I found that horrifying. Once when I was about 9 years old a woman asked me my name and I told her it was Kay and she said "No, what is your real name?" I said "Kay". She continued to tell me that could not be my real name that it must be Katherine or something and she basically told me that I was wrong or lying because no one has the real name of Kay. I found her exasperating. In junior high school I hated my name more when boys, in particular, used the phrase "if you see Kay…" as though each word is the single letter it says (F U…), which spells an obscene word. This use may have begun by Memphis Slim in 1963 with his blues song by that title. Since then there have been several songs made with the same connotation in mind. I hated that so much. Today, I like my name just fine. Not too many people have it but it's not so unusual that no one can remember it.
Celebrities with my first name.
March 3 – Fun Facts Day: Celebrate names today by finding fun facts about names.
Here's a site has listings of famous people and fictional characters named Kay as well as other fun facts.
I stumbled upon a site that tells me that names have a mathematical formula that contributes to our personality, who knew? I certainly am not going to pay money to learn this but here's what their free information says about the name Kay:
- Your name Kay has given you tenacity of purpose and has made you extremely independent.
- Whatever you undertake, you approach from your own point of view, and others either have to conform to your ideas or go their own way and leave you to work things out for yourself.
- You are so narrowly focused in your pursuits that you frequently overlook the little personal considerations and attentions that create a bond of understanding and sense of companionship.
- Thus it is difficult for you to merge your efforts harmoniously with others.
- Although the name Kay creates the urge to be creative and original, we emphasize that it causes a blunt expression that alienates others.
- This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses through tension or accidents to the head.
March 4 – Unique Names Day: This is the day for all people to appreciate friends, acquaintances and loved ones who have a unique name. Let's acknowledge them for going through life without seeing their name on things such as ready-made key chains, etc.
Here are a few names in my genealogy database that seem unusual.
March 5 – Learn What Your Name Means Day: There are many online sites with a names/naming theme.
As a girl's name, Kay is a shortened form of the name Katherine, which is of Greek origin and means "pure." It may also be a shortened form of any female name that begins with a "K." While the girl's name Kay originated as a nickname, it has evolved into a given name in its own right. Kay was also a name used among the Native American Hopi tribe: in that tradition it means "elder sister." You can read more here.
March 6 – Nametag Day: Celebrate your name by wearing it proudly! (Not necessarily suggested for unsupervised children.)
March 7 – Middle Name Pride Day: Today's name celebration requires honesty and boldness. Tell three people who don't already know it, what your middle name is.
My middle name is Lynne. Often people spell it incorrectly, even my father and grandparents and I've given up correcting them. I like that my middle name is spelled with 2 n's and an e because it seems it is not as common a way to spell it.
March 8 – Genealogy Day: Join in on one of the world's fastest growing hobbies and celebrate names at the same time.
I do this every day.


text: NEW YORK (AP) A costumed Spider-Man accused of slugging a police officer in Times Square says its superhero and comic characters are key ingredients of the flavor of the Crossroads of the World.Junior Bishop spoke after a brief, procedural court appearance Thursday. He said Times Square's costumed characters, ticket agents and others who interact with passers-by "make it what it is."He says children enjoy seeing him and other costumed figures, and "it's all positive."Bishop was arrested Saturday on assault and other charges. Police said the 25-year-old punched an officer in the face after being told to stop hassling tourists to give him more money than they offered for photos with him. He denies demanding more money.Recent reports of costumed characters behaving boorishly have spurred calls for regulation.


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Ami Chitrangada
After a long absence from my blog, I thought I should mark International Women's Day by publishing the part of our film version of Chitrangada in which Chitrangada reveals herself to Arjun. This is the version with English subtitles. We've also published the versions with French subtitles and with Spanish subtitles. Hope you enjoy it.
You can watch the full film here.


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When Debt Can Be Useful
Going all-cash can trip you up if you need credit one day
En español| Debt is a two-edged sword. Some of us have too much if it. Others — surprisingly —have too little. It might sound prudent to throw away your credit cards and pay for everything by check, debit card and cash. But going all-cash can trip you up, says Gerri Detweiler of Credit.com, a consumer credit website. If you have no debt, you have no credit score. That complicates your life.
Credit scores are created from the monthly reports that lenders send to credit reporting companies. Your score reflects how many creditors you have, how much you owe, how fast you pay, the size of your credit lines and any defaults. It also incorporates information from the courts, such as bankruptcies or tax liens.
Lenders depend on credit scores to measure how likely you are to repay a loan. The most widely used score, from a company known as FICO, ranges from a high of 850 down to 300. With a score of 750-plus, you can generally borrow or get a new credit card on the best possible terms, says John Ulzheimer of the consumer site CreditSesame.com. At 700-plus, loans are still competitively priced. Below 600, don't bother asking. With no score at all, you don't exist.
Your score could vanish. If you ever had loans or credit cards in the past, you might assume that you always have a score, even though you currently operate debt-free. But that's not so. Your score could vanish if you've had no activity on at least one credit line in the past six months, says FICO's Anthony Sprauve, a senior consumer credit specialist. No score usually means no loans.
See also: 5 bad money moves
Being "unscorable" might not bother you, if you gladly gave up credit cards and debt. But scores touch your life in many other ways, Detweiler says. Without a score (or a high enough score), you might not get a discount on your auto or homeowner insurance. Utilities might require a higher deposit if you move to another town. If you sell your house and want to rent an apartment, the landlord will probably require a good score before giving you a lease. Credit checks are usually required for cable and cellphone service.
If you're married, you acquire a credit score by having personal debt or by sharing debt with your spouse — for example, by applying jointly for a credit card. If one of you dies, shared cards are usually canceled. To keep them, the survivor needs to reapply. You might be given a lower credit limit if your income has declined.
One card is enough. No financial adviser (I hope!) would suggest that you take a mortgage or car loan just to keep your credit score alive. All you need is an active credit card. To get a good score, you don't even need a variety of credit sources, Sprauve says. One card is enough, provided that you've had it for several years, use it once or twice a month— say, for small purchases such as groceries or gas — and pay in full when the bill comes in.
If you have a credit card that you've been keeping in a drawer for emergencies, check to see if it's still good. The lender might lower your credit limit or even close the account if you haven't used it for 12 to 18 months, Ulzheimer says. To reactivate the card, you might have to apply for it all over again.
For those whose problem is too much debt, credit cards are a trickier issue. Should you, or should you not, cut them up? You're at a danger point if your payments exceed 40 percent of your monthly income. Among people 55 and up who carried debt in 2010, 8.5 percent hit that perilous mark, the Employee Benefit Research Institute reports. (Those are the latest numbers available.) A much higher percentage of people 65 and up carry debt — and a larger amount of debt — than was true 15 years ago. Bankruptcy rates have risen, too, especially among those 75 and up.
Community: How do you make the most of your money? Join the discussion
Cutting up cards makes sense when you're digging out of debt. But save at least one of them and use it once a month. It's your door to good credit when, finally, you're debt-free.
Jane Bryant Quinn is a personal finance expert and author of Making the Most of Your Money NOW.
Also of Interest
- Take charge of your money at 50, 60 and 70
- 10 budget-friendly trips
- Help bring relief to struggling seniors; find volunteer opportunities near you
Join AARP Today — Receive access to exclusive information, benefits and discounts


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COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is deadly. The third leading cause of death in the U.S., the slow killer too often opens the door to other medical conditions. Some really unpleasant. COPD Studies have been few – the CLIMB Study may well be the springboard to real solutions for those who may follow us into the long slow smother – our kids and grandkids.
I've applied to be a part of it and look forward to the experience. I hope you'll join me…if for no other reason than to meet the incredible people involved…including the #1 in the nation study nurses at the University of Washington.
Thanks for listening… Sharon O'Hara


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Thursday News: Happy Halloween! Random House acquires a writing community; America's Test Kitchen offers reduced access to all sites
America's Test Kitchen now offers access to all 3 of its sites for $69.95/year – This should probably fall under the daily deals. America's Test Kitchen, the company behind Cook's Illustrated and Cook's County is allowing access to all three of its websites for only $69.95 per year. It used to cost $34.95 for just one site.
"On Tuesday, though, America's Test Kitchen is taking a step toward bundling that will make readers who want, and in many cases are paying for, access to all three brands very happy. Starting today, ATK is offering bundled access to all three of its websites, plus a selection of 1,000 recipes from its cookbooks, for $69.95 per year. That's a good deal because previously a subscription to just one website was $34.95 a year, and if you wanted access to the "Cookbook Collection" recipes you had to pay an additional $15 a year." GigaOM | Tech News and Analysis
Random House Acquires Figment – I guess this is big news. Random House has acquired Figment which is an online writing community for teens. It has a user base of more than 300,000. Given the relative youth of some of the big YA authors like Veronica Roth (25), cherry picking authors from a website that you own makes sense. Macmillan has launched Swoon, a similar site. HarperCollins had and closed Inkpop so who knows what will happen to Figment. Publishers Weekly
Brenda Chin to Belle Books – Earlier this month it was announced Brenda Chin will be the editorial director of ImaJinn. ImaJinn was a paranormal imprint (most famous for publishing Keri Arthur before she broke out) but Belle Books bought the publishing house from the estate of the deceased owner. Chin was formerly in charge of the Harlequin Blaze line. It will be interesting to see how her contemporary tastes transition to the paranormal. Chin will join Belle Books December 1 Publishers Marketplace Paid Link
- Little Red
That's Cook's deal is awesomely awesome! I've been wanting to stop my subscription to the paper magazine since it's hard to store eleven years worth of issues.
- Amanda
America's test kitchen is one of my favorite cooking shows and while I am not so into cooking that I would subscribe to their website they do do good work
- AlexaB
Actually, Figment acquired Inkpop, and Harper Collins remained involved in contests after the acquisition. I'm guessing that has ceased or will cease now.
Harper Collins still runs Authonomy, the adult equivalent.


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'Wimpy Kid' author to open bookstore in Mass.
NEW YORK (AP) — Meet the latest bookstore owner: "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" author Jeff Kinney.
The beloved children's writer surprised and delighted a breakfast gathering Friday at BookExpo America, publishing's annual national convention, by announcing that he and his wife were converting an abandoned general store into a bookshop. The store will be based in Plainville, Massachusetts, where Kinney and his wife live.
Kinney, whose books have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, joked that he was opening a store to get rich.
Kinney isn't the only author to go into the bookselling business. Ann Patchett runs Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, and Larry McMurtry is the longtime owner of Booked Up in Archer, Texas.
BookExpo America is being held in New York City.


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Free version
Paid version
The L.A. Times' Michelle Maltais highlighted the new Kindle Fire app yesterday, Draw Something
' Picture this: Kindle Fire users finally get to join in the addictive fun of Draw Something. '
Note there are free and paid versions. I haven't seen what more is available with the Paid version, but reviews are sort of ecstatic on both versions.
In images above, cLick on 'Free' to read the description for that and on 'Paid' to get that one (and I'll just add links in on this line).
While Draw Something had been available for regular Android users, the Kindle Fire runs, she points out, on an altered version of the Android operating system and Amazon tests them for compatability and reliability before approving them for their Android Apps Store
The multiplayer game is a bit different in that you try to get your opponent to guess the right answer, and you both get rewarded. Maltais writes that in less than two months after launching on Android and Apple's iOS, the app has had 50 million downloads across platforms.
NEW KINDLE APP: sendtokindle for Mac (Send Once, Read Everywhere
Amazon released this in the last week. Their page explains that with this Mac-focused Kindle app, you can:
- Send personal documents to your Kindle from your Mac.
- Drag and drop one or more documents on to the Send to Kindle icon in your Dock or launch the application and drag and drop one or more documents on to it.
- From any Mac application that can print, select the print menu and choose Send to Kindle.
- From Finder, simply control-click on one or more documents and choose Send to Kindle.
- Choose to archive documents in your Kindle library, where you can re-download them conveniently at any time.
Note the System Requirements though:
- A Mac with a 500 MHz Intel processor or faster
- At least 512MB of RAM
- 100MB of available disk space
- Mac OS X v10.6 (Snow Leopard) or Mac OS X v10.7 (Lion)
Amazon's net profits -- after sacrificing short term profitability by putting money back into expanding the market (Kindles and digital media) and the business, opening distribution centers galore, hiring 9,000+ more people recently, providing better customer service (a major strength) -- were down over last year but less so than anticipated by the analysts ('beating expectations'), so there was a lot of cheering Thursday over the numbers.
While they were expected to have first quarter earnings of only $0.07 per share, the earnings were $0.28 per share, 4 times higher than anticipated by the experts -- despite earnings per share falling 35% compared to last year's $0.44. It's all about beating (and managing) expectations. News of their revenues increasing 36% and their obviously on-track long-range plans to grow the business are causing the stock to soar the last 2 days.
Good reading on this, with many details:
Seeking Alpha - "Investors Are Cheering After Another Quarter Of Margin Sacrifices," by Robert Broens
A note to Kindle-Edition Subscribers: Remember that Kindle Keyboard and Kindle Touch e-readers have MENU/ARTICLE MODE once you reach the articles I link you to (which means you are then using the e-Ink Kindle's web-browser).
The linked articles' fonts won't be particularly readable, size-wise, until you choose Menu/Article Mode, but then you'll see how easy it is to follow these links and read comfortably on the E-Ink Kindle after Article Mode removes ads and side-columns.
Kindle Fire users: The new software update v6.3 has a Web READING VIEW, which shows up now as a pair of glasses that show up next to the Bookmarks ribbon at the bottom status bar showing the rectangular lined Menu.
This feature removes any side elements (ads, links to other features) and just shows you the body of the article in very readable font, isolated, and with clickable links which the e-Ink Article Mode feature doesn't have.
This new feature is SO good that I now use Amazon's Web ("Silk") by default instead of my previously preferred "Dolphin" Android browser which doesn't have the Reading View.
Kindle Fire readers have an advantage in that they can double-click the normal web page text and that will enlarge the font of the story and fit it to the width of the screen usually, depending on your web settings. But the new Reading View feature is a sure thing.
Here are several RELATED ARTICLES that I'll link interested readers to, as they give a better idea of the dynamics involved with Amazon's history of longer-range planning and they help explain what's happening now with Amazon in a digital-media-focused world.
I'd mentioned that their new main page shows an emphasis on digital products, front and center, and that this emphasis was duplicated on submenus -- and that's where most of the profits came. But a LOT of it came from their third-party Marketplace area, where company expenses would be lower.
Amazon Kindle Fire has 54.4% of U.S. Android Tablet market, by TechnoBuffalo's Todd Haselton
Note that Amazon's having over 54% of the Android Market here is rather huge for obvious reasons and also because Google owns the Android operating system. I enjoy a Galaxy 10.1" Tab, and the very popular Samsung's percentage in comScore's data-collection is 15.4%, in 2nd place.
All this is despite comScore's subtitle, '10" Tablets Have 39 Percent Higher Content Consumption Rate than 7" Tablets' (How does that affect advertising? How much reading is done on the Kindle Fire?)
The Kindle Fire doubled its share of the Android Tablet Market in two months.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 a better Kindle Fire than the Kindle Fire?, by Eric Franklin
I want to go into this one a bit more later but am pointing readers to the article, as it's related to what is happening with Amazon's overall sales of course.
The answer in the article is No, and Franklin makes good points about why he thinks the Kindle Fire would be the better choice for Amazon's audience despite more features in the Samsung hardware.
Even TIME Techland's Keith Wagstaff, in his review of the new Samsung 7", while impressed with the Samsung otherwise for only $50 more, ends with, "So, the $250 question: Should you buy this instead of a Kindle Fire? If you have Amazon Prime, the answer is no. That tablet was built as a media mecca for Amazon's ever-growing library of books and movies, and it serves that purpose extremely well..."
Amazon: Jeff Bezos Is a Genius, by The Street's Rocco Pendola (thanks to Island Librarian Nancy Picchi's alert, is a very interesting, entertaining article.
Say something enough, even based on soft assumptions, and many will just repeat it until it becomes an Internet truth.
Forbes's Tim Worstall asks, Does Amazon Really Sell The Kindle At Break Even Or a Loss?.
Worstall makes points that should have been made by others long ago, with most news articles I've seen just repeating the first guesstimates given, as fact. Looking at device parts and assuming one knows the prices Amazon could get for massive production orders is odd. Repeating an even educated guess as 'fact' from that is even odder to me. But, yes, as Worstall points out, the margins at the same selling price tend to increase with time on electronic devices.
Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links
Kindle Fire 7" tablet - $199
Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $79/$109
Kindle Touch, WiFi
- $99/$139
Kindle Touch, 3G/WiFi - $149/$189
Kindle Keybd 3G - $189, Free, slow web
Kindle DX - $379, Free, slow web
Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £89
Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - £109
Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi, UK - £169
Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149
Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB
|OTHER International
Kindle NoTouch Basic - $109
Kindle Touch WiFi - $139
Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi - $189
Kindle Keybd 3G - $189
Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB
Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. Top 100 free bestsellers. Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.
*Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE. Or click on the web browser's BACK button Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.
(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!