Purveyor
Purveyor's JournalBiden Raises Possibility Of Direct U.S.-Iran Talks
Source: REUTERS
By Adrian Croft and Myra MacDonald
MUNICH | Sat Feb 2, 2013 3:01pm EST
(Reuters) - The United States is ready for direct talks with Iran if it is serious about negotiations, Vice President Joe Biden said on Saturday, backing bilateral contact many see as crucial to easing a dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.
Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Biden said Iran - which says it is enriching uranium for peaceful energy only - now faced "the most robust sanctions in history" meant to ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons.
"But we have also made clear that Iran's leaders need not sentence their people to economic deprivation and international isolation," Biden said. "There is still time, there is still space for diplomacy backed by pressure to succeed. The ball is in the government of Iran's court."
To date, fitful talks on Iran's nuclear program have been between Tehran and the EU's top diplomat representing six world powers including Washington. But analysts have suggested that with his re-election behind him, President Barack Obama might have more leeway to take on direct negotiations with Iran.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/02/us-iran-nuclear-idUSBRE91107720130202
North Korea Threatens US For What It Calls Double Standards Over Rocket Launches By 2 Koreas
Source: Associated Press
By Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, February 2, 12:10 AM
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea is threatening to retaliate for what it calls U.S. double standards over recent rocket launches by Pyongyang and U.S. ally Seoul.
A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman did not elaborate on what that might entail in his comments Saturday to the official Korean Central News Agency. But Pyongyang has recently threatened to conduct its third nuclear test in response to what it calls U.S. hostility.
Washington says Seoul’s rocket launch Wednesday had no military intent while Pyongyang’s in December was a test of banned ballistic missile technology.
The U.N. Security Council has imposed new sanctions on Pyongyang for its launch. Pyongyang says it should be allowed to launch satellites for peaceful purposes.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/north-korea-threatens-us-for-what-it-calls-double-standards-over-rocket-launches-by-2-koreas/2013/02/02/5f40d0f2-6cf6-11e2-8f4f-2abd96162ba8_story.html
Dow Ends Above 14,000 For 1st Time Since Oct 2007
Source: Associated Press
NEW YORK — The Dow stock market index closed above 14,000 for the first time since before the financial crisis rocked the world economy.
Propelled by strong auto sales and optimism about U.S. jobs, the Dow Jones industrial average crossed the line early Friday and continued flirting with the mark all day. The other major stock indexes also rose.
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The government jobs report that pushed stocks forward was mixed. The U.S. said it added 157,000 jobs in January, in line with expectations. But unemployment inched up to 7.9 percent.
Automakers Toyota, Ford, GM and Chrysler all reported double-digit sales gains for January.
Read more: http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/automotive/dow-ends-above-14000-for-1st-time-since-oct-2007/nWC9X/
Whoop-fn-wee! Gasoline is 3.79g, hamburger 4.00 and property taxes increased by $135!!!
[P]
Yeeeehaw!
Report: Nation's Cattle Herd Smallest Since 1952
Source: Associated Press
WICHITA, Kan. — A much anticipated government count shows the nation's cattle herd has shrunk to its smallest size in more than six decades amid a widespread drought that has forced ranchers to sell off their animals.
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The agency says this is the lowest January cattle inventory since 1952. It does two counts per year, in January and July.
A livestock analyst says fewer cows will mean less beef and higher prices coming down the line for consumers.
Read more: http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/texas/report-nations-cattle-herd-smallest-since-1952/nWC9c/
Detroit to Close 50 Parks, Restrict Work in Others (to keep running Belle Isle)
By COREY WILLIAMS Associated Press
DETROIT February 2, 2013 (AP)
Detroit will close nearly half of its parks and reduce maintenance and other services at dozens of others after the City Council passed on a deal with the state to operate the city's massive Belle Isle park, Mayor Dave Bing announced Friday.
Closing 50 of the city's 107 parks will allow it to keep running Belle Isle after the Detroit City Council declined to vote on Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's offer for the popular 985-acre island park in the Detroit River. The city also will reduce services at 38 other parks.
Belle Isle — the same size as about 900 football fields and about 150 acres larger than New York's Central Park — provides views of Detroit and Canada and has a maritime museum and boat marina, as well as woods and hiking and biking trails.
Snyder's proposal called for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to run Belle Isle as a state park. The state would have taken on the $6.2 million annual operating costs, freeing up money for the city to use on other parks, Bing told reporters.
MORE...
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/detroit-close-50-parks-restrict-work-18380271
White House Expects Senate Confirmation Of Hagel
WASHINGTON -- The White House says it expects the Senate to confirm Chuck Hagel to be the next defense secretary despite his struggles at a contentious confirmation hearing.
White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Friday that President Barack Obama thinks Hagel will be an excellent Pentagon chief.
He dismissed criticism of Hagel's less-than-stellar performance over nearly eight hours of testimony under withering attacks from fellow Republicans.
Democrats hold the majority in the Senate and no Democrats has expressed opposition to Hagel.
Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2013/01/31/2557639/republicans-hammer-defense-nominee.html#storylink=cpy
Guest Lineups For The Sunday News Shows
ABC's "This Week" - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Michelle Rhee, former public schools chancellor of the District of Columbia.
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NBC's "Meet the Press" - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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CBS' "Face the Nation" - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
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CNN's "State of the Union" - Panetta, Dempsey; Melody Barnes, former chief domestic policy adviser to President Barack Obama; former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis; former Sen. George Allen, R-Va.
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"Fox News Sunday" - Wayne LaPierre, CEO and senior vice president of the National Rifle Association; Mark Kelly, husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.
Construction Of New Centrifuges Not Against Iran's Intl Commitments - Lavrov
19:04 January 31, 2013 Interfax
Iran's construction of new uranium enrichment centrifuges technically does not run counter to the country's obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"We were told by the IAEA that they [the Iranians] will install next generation centrifuges. In principle, they have been urged to freeze enrichment until some result is achieved at negotiations. But they are doing everything in line with their commitments under the safeguards agreement," he said.
MORE...
http://rbth.ru/news/2013/01/31/construction_of_new_centrifuges_not_against_irans_intl_commitments_-_lav_22392.html
‘Downton Abbey’ Fan Creates Show-Inspired Cookbook
Sizzling British hit “Downton Abbey” has stolen the hearts of its legions of avid fans, but one viewer hopes the television show will steal its way to their stomachs as well.
Canadian culinary historian Pamela Foster has crafted a cookbook based on the early 20th century British cuisine featured in the show — though she’s given it a modern, and more healthy twist.
So don’t expect to find a recipe for kidney souffle in Foster’s book, no matter how much Downton’s lords and ladies — and their maids and footmen — may have enjoyed it.
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Foster, whose blog DowntonAbbeyCooks.com chronicles her thoughts on the show with recipes to fit the mood, started the project last year after a marathon viewing of the first season.
MORE...
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/01/31/downton-abbey-fan-creates-show-inspired-cookbook/
Consumer Sentiment Gains In January On Fiscal Deal Optimism
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in January as Americans felt Washington's deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" at the beginning of the year boded well for the economy, a survey released on Friday showed.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final reading on the overall index of consumer sentiment rose to 73.8 from 72.9 in December, topping economists' forecasts for 71.5.
It also marked an improvement from early January's 71.3 preliminary figure, which had been the lowest level in over a year. Survey interviews were done before data earlier this week showed the economy contracted in the fourth quarter.
The agreement reached in Washington earlier in January averted the full brunt of tax increases and spending cuts that had been set to come into effect. But taxes did increase for some Americans, and a 2 percent reduction in payroll taxes came to an end.
MORE...
http://wkzo.com/news/articles/2013/feb/01/consumer-sentiment-gains-in-january-on-fiscal-deal-optimism/
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