#homofobiaNAO sou contra a homofobia SIM!

sou contra a homofobia SIM! Nao preciso ser lesbica para lutar contra a homofobia. Sou HUMANA! ODEIO GENTE IGNORANTE #homofobiaNAO

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#Lula diz que ele e #Dilma estão 'preocupados' com a guerra cambial entre China e EUA

FOLHA


BRENO COSTA
DE BRASÍLIA

O presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva disse que ele, a presidente eleita, Dilma Rousseff, e o ministro da Fazenda, Guido Mantega, estão "preocupados" com a política de Estados Unidos e China de desvalorização de suas moedas, prejudicando as exportações brasileiras.

"Nós estamos trabalhando preocupados com o que está acontecendo com os Estados Unidos e com a China. O fato de duas economias do tamanho da chinesa e da americana tentarem fazer sua competitividade desvalorizando as suas moedas não é correto e não é justo para o comércio internacional", afirmou o presidente, que discursou na posse da nova diretoria da CNI (Confederação Nacional da Indústria), em Brasília.

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Segundo o presidente, "se o comércio é livre, ele é livre para valer".

Lula disse ter falado sobre o assunto com o presidente norte-americano, Barack Obama, no último encontro entre os dois, destacando ao americano que o maior superávit comercial dos EUA é com o Brasil.

Na semana passada, o FED (Banco Central americano) anunciou a injeção de US$ 600 bilhões na economia, por meio da compra de títulos do Tesouro americano. Ou seja, basicamente haverá impressão de moeda. O receio no governo brasileiro é de que esse excesso de liquidez repentino tenha reflexo aqui.

EX-SOCIALISTA

Para uma plateia de cerca de 1.500 pessoas, entre elas dezenas de deputados federais e senadores, Lula fez um discurso de 30 minutos, parte improvisado, com um balanço geral de seu governo.

Na mesa principal, estavam o vice-presidente eleito, Michel Temer (PMDB), e o governador de Minas Gerais, Antonio Anastasia (PSDB), além do ex-presidente da CNI e senador eleito, Armando Monteiro Neto (PTB-PE), e do novo presidente da entidade, Robson Andrade.

Lula arrancou risadas da plateia em diversos momentos. Um deles ao destacar a expansão do crédito ao setor privado no Brasil durante seu governo. Dirigindo-se a Robson Andrade, afirmou que se "dizia socialista" e que agora "fortalecia o capitalismo".

"Esse país era um país capitalista que não tinha capital nem crédito. E foi exatamente eu, que passei a vida inteira me dizendo socialista, que vim fortalecer o seu capitalismo aqui", afirmou.

O presidente também afirmou que Robson Andrade e Armando Monteiro Neto pareciam "presidentes do Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos de São Bernardo do Campo", porque a pauta de reivindicações entregue pela CNI ao governo continua a mesma de quatro anos atrás, quando Armando Monteiro assumiu a entidade.

A imprensa também voltou a ser citada por Lula em seu discurso. Comentando a sua popularidade --83% de ótimo ou bom, segundo o Datafolha--, disse que ela não se devia à imprensa.

"Ela [a imprensa] gosta de mim, mas nem tanto", disse.

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Supermercados abrem posto para descarte de remédios

Cinco supermercados de São Paulo abriram ontem postos de coleta de remédios vencidos e embalagens como ampolas, vidros de xarope e cartelas de comprimidos.

Edson Silva/Folhapress

A consumidora Elaine Cristina de Melo deposita medicamento vencido em supermercado do Itaim, zona oeste de SP

Os postos estão em duas lojas do Pão de Açúcar (no Real Parque e no Jabaquara) e em três do Extra (Itaim, Penha e João Dias).

O objetivo é dar um destino correto -a incineração- para remédios e partes de embalagens que entram em contato com as substâncias contidas nas drogas.

Descartado junto com o lixo comum ou jogado no vaso sanitário, esse material pode contaminar a água e o solo.

Nas lojas, o consumidor vai encontrar, ao lado da drogaria do supermercado, uma urna com duas entradas. Uma é para o material cortante (agulhas, vidro). Na segunda vão as cartelas e os comprimidos.

Depos da triagem, o material é incinerado. O processamento do lixo será coordenado pelo Departamento de Limpeza Urbana da Prefeitura de São Paulo.

De acordo com Paulo Pompilio, diretor de relações institucionais do Grupo Pão de Açúcar, a ideia é espalhar os postos pelas 154 lojas do grupo que têm drogarias em suas instalações.

Ele lembra que as caixas e as bulas, que não entram em contato direto com os remédios, podem ser descartadas em postos comuns de reciclagem de papel

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#LULA #DILMA Reunião fechada vaza no sistema de som do Planalto

Renato Araújo/ABr

Reuniu-se nesta quarta (17), a porta fechadas, o conselho político do governo. Participaram líderes partidários, ministros e Lula.

Um pedaço da reunião vazou pelo sistema de som do Planalto. O descuido só foi percebido pouco depois que Lula entrou na sala.

Antes que a transmissão involuntária fosse interrompida, ouviram-se do lado de fora diálogos entre reveladores e esdrúxulos.

A certa altura, líderes de partidos que integram o consórcio governista pressionaram o Planalto a apoiar projeto de legalização dos bingos.

Líder do PR, o deputado Sandro Mabel (GO) disse que parte do dinheiro auferido com a jogatina poderia ser usada para tonificar as arcas da saúde.

Com isso, disse o deputado, o governo não precisaria criar um novo tributo para custear as despesas do SUS.

O líder do PDT, deputado Paulo Pereira da Silva, o Paulinho da Força Sindical, afirmou que as verbas do bingo poderiam ter outra serventia.

Financiariam um reajuste maior do salário mínimo que vai vigorar a partir de 2011.

Presente ao encontro, o relator do Orçamento da União, senador Gim Argello (PTB-DF) disse que há “margem” para conceder ao mínimo um reajuste mais expressivo.

Mas, sem saber que sua voz era ouvida fora da sala, Argello fez uma inconfidência.

Disse que o ministro Carlos Gabas (Previdência) lhe pediu que “segurasse em R$ 540” o valor do novo mínimo.

Por quê? Segundo Argello, o ministro está preocupado com a incapacidade financeira das prefeituras.

Argello disse que, se o salário mínimo for fixado agora numa cifra entre R$ 560 e R$ 600, vai a R$ 700 no ano que vem.

Preocupados, os prefeitos teriam produzido um abaixo assinado com as assinaturas de 600 executivos municipais.

Nesse ponto, o empresário Sandro Mabel dirigiu ao sindicalista Paulinho um gracejo infeliz:

“Paulinho, nesta questão do aumento do salário, precisa tomar cuidado. O povo quando fica rico, fica mais exigente”.

Numa intervenção feita minutos antes, Paulinho levara à mesa uma ameaça ao futuro governo de Dilma Rousseff.

Disse que haverá uma greve nacional de policiais militares se não for aprovado no Congresso um projeto que institui o piso salarial para PMs e bombeiros.

A ameaça de Paulinho soou depois que o líder de Lula na Câmara, Cândido Vaccarezza (PT-SP) sugeriu que a análise do projeto fosse adiada para 2011.

“É preciso continuar firme e não permitir que se crie dificuldades para o novo governo”, disse Vaccarezza.

Ecoando o deputado, o ministro Paulo Bernardo (Planejamento) também encareceu aos congressistas que não aprovassem projetos que criem novas despesas.

Referia-se a duas propostas: a que interessa a policiais e bombeiros e a que eleva os contracheques dos servidores da Justiça Federal.

Bernardo orçou o primeiro em R$ 43,5 bilhões. Quanto ao segundo, estimou que sorverá R$ 7 bilhões das arcas do Tesouro.

O ministro insinuou que há no Judiciário funcionários que recebem salários acima do teto: “Como vai dar reajuste se o cara ganha mais que o teto?"

Súbito, Lula entrou na sala de reuniões. E o som que borrifava as vozes para além das paredes foi cortado. Uma pena.

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#gastronomia #Obama Sushi

The Japanese just can’t get enough of Obama. In this article we get to see a ridiculous Obama Sushi platter. It doesn’t stop with his face, though, which is made from small shrimp and rice for the skin, black sesame seeds for the hair, and processed fish paste for the teeth (so that’s how he keeps his teeth so shiny white!). Let’s take a look at the final product, plus how all the little pieces were made.

This right here, though it doesn’t quite look it, is one of several cars which appear on the main platter. The window is made of cucumber, and the lights are made from mountain burdock root (山ゴボウ). Vroom Vroom!

The American flag portion was made with lots of raw fish (what else?). The red stripes are made from Tuna, and the white made from raw squid. This is going to be the best portion, for sure.

Of course, nothing is complete without a big “USA” somewhere in it. To do this, leftover cooked egg was put in a food processor (will it blend?) with some rice. Let me tell you now, that’s only one way to make yellow rice. Back in my day…

Also made from the “yellow rice” were these smiley faces. Won’t be so happy when they get eaten. Well, it’s about time, let’s look at the finished product!

There it is with the master himself (Mr. Kawazumi). I love the “V” up in the top middle area (V for victory!), and I also love how tasty it looks. Time to go make some absolutely retarded looking sushi in my own kitchen!

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#novela 'Ti ti ti': Edgar e Marcela se casam em segredo no religioso

Os fãs do casal Marcela (Isis Valverde) e Edgar (Caio Castro) vão ter grandes emoções nesta semana. Agora que cedeu à chantagem de Giancarlo Villa (Mauro Mendonça) em nome da gratidão que sente pela família Sampaio, a mineira decide se casar com Renato (Guilherme Winter). A decisão é por uma cerimônia simples, em cartório, mas Giancarlo faz questão que Marcela use um vestido de noiva.

Horas antes do casamento, Marcela vai ao ateliê de Jacques Leclair (Alexandre Borges) fazer os últimos ajustes em seu vestido. Discretamente, Jacques liga para Adriano (Rafael Zulu) espalhar a notícia de que o filho de Giancarlo Villa se casará com um vestido assinado por ele. Jaqueline (Claudia Raia) percebe a tristeza da menina e é surpreendida na porta do estabelecimento por Julinho (André Arteche), seu querido cabeleireiro. Ele a convence a ajudar Edgar a levar Marcela dali. Comovida com a história de amor, ela aceita não só ajudá-los como ser testemunha da surpresa que Edgar preparou.

Jaqueline distrai o segurança de Giancarlo e Edgar aproveita para entrar no carro do empresário. Sem perceber nada, Marcela sai do ateliê vestida de noiva e se assusta ao perceber que o fotógrafo está no volante. Eles partem para uma capela, onde um Reverendo, amigo de infância de Edgar, celebra o casamento simbólico dos dois. Julinho e Jaqueline são as testemunhas. Dr. Eduardo (Josafá Filho) chega com Paulinho e completa o sonho encantado da jovem. Entre juras de amor, troca de alianças e um lindo piquenique, Marcela fica muito mexida com a tarde ao lado de seu amado. Porém, a jovem volta à realidade e decide ir embora. Mesmo sob os protestos de Edgar, ela afirma que não conseguirá conviver com a culpa de destruir o patrimônio da família Sampaio.

Do outro lado, Renato está impaciente com a demora da noiva e descobre que alguém roubou o carro de seu pai. Sem ter dúvidas de que se trata de Edgar, ele fica furioso e desiste de esperar. Ao deixar o cartório, Renato, desarvorado, dá de cara com fotógrafos e repórteres ávidos por notícias do casamento. Ele se irrita com o assédio e, ao ser interpelado, destroi uma das máquinas fotográficas. Os outros jornalistas ficam revoltados, mas Renato Villa consegue entrar no carro e ir embora.

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#news Nigeria: 19 oil hostages released in military raid

LAGOS, Nigeria — A military raid freed 19 hostages held in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta Wednesday night, a negotiator said, striking a stunning blow to a resurgent militancy in a region vital to US oil supplies.

The negotiator said the operation freed seven expatriate workers kidnapped Nov. 8 from an oil rig working an offshore field for London-based Afren PLC. Another seven Nigerians hostages came from an attack carried out Sunday on an Exxon Mobil Corp. rig operating nearby. The origin of the remaining hostages remained unclear Wednesday night.

Others kidnapped included workers for construction company Julius Berger Nigeria PLC.

Those kidnapped from the Afren rig include two US workers, one Canadian, two French and two Indonesians.

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#news France: 500 patients may have died after taking diabetes drug Mediator

A diabetes drug used as weight loss suppressant in France over 30 years is believed to have killed 500 people.

The drug Mediator that was produced by pharmaceutical firm Servier was used by millions but was banned in November 2009 over fears it was linked to heart trouble.

Drug samples in a Servier laboratory. The French Health Authority has warned the drug Mediator may have caused 500 deaths

Now the French Health Minister has called on patients who took the drug to go for an urgent check-up.

'Our message to all those who took Mediator is that they must see a doctor - particularly those who took it for three months over the past four years,' Mr Xavier Bertrand said.

It follows a warning issued by France's drug safety body Afssaps on Mediator's active ingredient since launching in 1976.

A statement from them said: 'Analyses by expert epidemiologists estimate that about 500 deaths could be attributable to benfluorex.'

The drug has also been banned in the United States, Spain and Italy. The drug was never authorised in the UK.

However, the pharaceuticals giant Servier rejected the deaths estimate describing it as 'theory founded on extrapolation.'

'Simply observing a valve problem in a diabetic person does not allow it to be attributed to medicinal treatment which remains a very rare cause,' it said in a statement yesterday.

However Irene Frachon, a doctor who this year published a study warning about the drug, said 'Mediator is responsible for a health disaster'.

She said the health authorities in France had been late in withdrawing the drug despite several alerts.

She estimated on in 2,000 who took the drug were at risk of serious ill-effects, some of whom would require open-heart surgery.

Afssaps pulled it from the market last November and the European Medicines Agency followed suit.

A similar drug also sold by Servier, the appetite-suppressor Isomeride, was withdrawn in 1997 after tests showed it raised the risk of high blood pressure, Afssaps said. That drug spawned several lawsuits against Servier.

A Servier spokesman confirmed that four patients had lodged complaints about Mediator since 2009.

A weight loss drug that has been taken by millions of French is likely to have been the cause of death of 500 people, the country's drug safety body announced on Tuesday, amid claims that health authorities long ignored calls for the drug to be banned.

Newly appointed Health minister Xavier Bertrand (right) and Junior minister for Health Nora Berra (left) give a press in Paris to sound warn patients Photo: AFP

By Henry Samuel in Paris 9:00PM GMT 16 Nov 2010

France's second-largest pharmaceutical group was yesterday at the heart of a spiralling health scandal over Mediator, a drug initially reserved for obese people with diabetes that became a popular appetite suppressor.

Afssaps, the drug safety body, yesterday said expert epidemiologists believed Mediator, made by Servier, had been lethal for at least 500 people and had caused 3,500 others to be admitted to hospital since its launch in 1976.

Some 300,000 people were taking the drug when Afssaps pulled it from the market last November, saying it had little effect on diabetes and might lead to a dangerous thickening of heart valves. The European Medicines Agency followed suit.

Diabetes patient tests his blood sugar. (istockphoto)

(CBS) For more than 40 years, the drug Mediator was used to treat diabetes and obesity in Europe, but now French health officials are saying it may have killed hundreds and offered almost no benefit to patients.

And those who used it from 2006 to 2009, before it was banned, are being asked to see their doctors to check for possible heart valve problems.

The French health products safety agency says at least 5 million people took the drug since 1976. They believe the medication is linked to the deaths of about 500 people.

Mediator, also known as benfluorex, is not the only diabetes drug to come under fire. In September, European regulators pulled the popular Type 2 diabetes drug Avandia off the shelves for fears it is linked to heart attacks. In America, the FDA voted to keep Avandia on the market but only as a medicine of last resort.

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#news Celebrating National Unfriend Day

Country singers Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker rang in the celebration on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last night with "The National Unfriend more

CNN International ( 11/17/2010 9:39:05 AM -08:00 )

National Unfriend Day a time to trim the Facebook fat

Jimmy Kimmel is my hero. But not my friend. Kimmel, the late night (at least by Victoria standards, more

Montreal Gazette ( 11/17/2010 9:28:41 AM -08:00 )

Happy National Unfriend Day!

Happy National Unfriend Day, PopWatchers! Jimmy Kimmel created this dubious holiday to restore integrity to the word “friend” and more

Entertainment Weekly ( 11/17/2010 7:28:29 AM -08:00 )

Facebook Unfriend Day: Jimmy Kimmel wants you to have fewer friends
	"Cut out some of the friend fat in your life," Jimmy Kimmel announced on his show last week to promote today's National Unfriend Day. more
Washington Post (blog) ( 11/17/2010 6:58:39 AM -08:00 )

National Unfriend Day: Why You Should Purge Your Facebook Friends (And How To

What better way to lose all of the annoying "friends" who do nothing but complicate your life (or even just aggravate you). It's time to say, "see ya! more

TIME ( 11/17/2010 6:31:21 AM -08:00 )

Time to cut Facebook fat?

We're talking about your virtual friends, the ones on the mega social site Facebook. The average Facebook user has 130 friends. Many others have thousands. more

Hamilton Spectator ( 11/17/2010 4:02:31 AM -08:00 )

On Facebook, Nov. 17 is 'Intl. Unfriend Day'

Today, November 17, is International Unfriend Day, and popular American TV host Jimmy Kimmel is urging Facebook users to purge their friends list and remove more

ABS CBN News ( 11/16/2010 8:47:11 PM -08:00 )

National Unfriend Day For Facebook Haters
	Happy National Unfriend Day! November 17th is the day when the unofficial holiday that sees you remove fake friends from your social network takes place. more
Online Social Media ( 11/17/2010 9:43:39 AM -08:00 )

NUD Needs U — But Not U

Fort Worth Weekly reserves the right to remove any posts that we deem to be overly abusive or offensive. by Jeff Prince Finally, National Unfriend Day (NUD) more

FWWeekly ( 11/17/2010 9:41:04 AM -08:00 )

Kimmel wants you to 'un-friend' on Facebook

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- If you have hundreds or even thousands of friends on Facebook, Jimmy Kimmel wants you to "un-friend" some of them on Wednesday. more

abc7.com ( 11/17/2010 9:33:57 AM -08:00 )

National Unfriend Day has arrived, have you been hit yet?

Today is November 17th, the day declared by late night host Jimmy Kimmel as “National Unfriend Day.” Kimmel feels that technology is getting in the way of more

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National Unfriend Day, Time To Clean House
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National Unfriend Day: What Is It?
	National Unfriend Day is one of the latest weird holidays, but this one at least has some interesting theories behind it. Created by Jimmy Kimmel, more
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Jimmy Kimmel and William Shatner unite for National Unfriend Day (video)

The Howard Stern Show pal and late night talk show host is leading the charge to combat faux Facebook friendships by declaring November 17th "National more

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National Unfriend Day: Time for a Facebook Cleanse?

The girl who beat you for the solo in 4th grade chorus. The frenemy-of-a-frenemy you met at a bar one time and more

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Evaluating your Facebook friends for National UnFriend Day

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WQAD ( 11/17/2010 9:06:52 AM -08:00 )

National Unfriend Day: Today is National Unfriend Day
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National Unfriend Day: Ditch Your Virtual Friends

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Jimmy Kimmel Announces November 17 National Unfriend Day
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Jimmy Kimmel Calls for National Unfriend Day

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#news Rare pink diamond smashes world record

A rare pink diamond has broken auction records after being sold for $US46.2 million ($47.2 million), auction house Sotheby's says.

Sotheby's had valued the 24.78 carat 'fancy intense pink' diamond, regarded as one of the most desirable and beautiful in the world, at $US27 million to $US38 million ahead of the sale.

But intense bidding wiped out the record of just over $US24 million set during an auction in December 2008 in the sale of a grey-blue Wittelsbach diamond.

"At 40.50 million francs, the world record price. Selling it. Sold," the auctioneer said.

The final price of over $47.2 million includes the hammer price and the commission.

Sotheby's has named the buyer as Laurence Graff, a London-based diamond dealer.

An employee of Sotheby's auction house holds a 24.78 carat pink diamond mounted as a ring, last seen on the market some 60 years ago. (Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press)

A 24.78-carat pink diamond that sold at Sotheby's Nov. 16 auction of jewels in Geneva. Not seen on the open market for 60 years, it was estimated to sell for between 27 million francs and 38 million francs. It fetched 45.4 million francs. Source: Sotheby's via Bloomberg

A 24.78-carat pink diamond sold at Sotheby's Nov. 16 auction of jewels in Geneva. Not seen on the open market for 60 years, it was estimated to sell for between 27 million Swiss francs and 38 million francs. It fetched 45.4 million francs. Source: Sotheby's via Bloomberg

An imperial bottle of Chateau Cheval Blanc’s 1947 vintage sold for 298,500 Swiss francs at Christie's International in Geneva on Nov. 16, 2010. The bottle is the equivalent of eight standard bottles. It is an auction record for a large-format bottle. Source: Christie's via Bloomberg.

Laurence Graff, a London jewelry dealer, last night bought a diamond in a Swiss sale for 45.4 million francs ($45.6 million), a record for any gem at auction.

Graff’s telephone bid for the pink stone beat an estimate of 27 million francs to 38 million francs at Sotheby’s, Geneva.

“It is the most fabulous diamond I’ve seen in my career,” Graff said in a statement issued by Sotheby’s. He named the gem “the Graff Pink,” the auction house said.

The jewelry auction raised a record 103 million francs, Sotheby’s said. Demand for rare gems as a portable form of wealth has pushed up prices.

The 24.78-carat emerald-cut stone was graded “Fancy Intense Pink” by the Gemological Institute of America. It was sold by a private collector and hadn’t been seen on the open market since being bought from Harry Winston about 60 years ago, the New York-based auction house said.

“What makes it so immensely rare is the combination of its exceptional color and purity with the classic emerald-cut,” David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s European and the Middle Eastern jewelry departments, said in a statement. “It’s a style of cutting normally associated with white diamonds and one that is so highly sought-after when found in rare colors such as pink and blue.”

Graff previously paid 16.4 million pounds ($24.3 million) for the 35.56-carat grayish-blue “Wittelsbach Diamond” at Christie’s International in London in December 2008, then the highest for a gem at auction.

Geneva Wine Record

Earlier in the day at a Christie’s wine sale, also in Geneva, a 6-liter imperial of Chateau Cheval Blanc’s 1947 vintage sold for 298,500 francs. The price, paid by an unidentified collector, was an auction record for a large-format bottle of wine. An imperial bottle is the size of eight standard bottles.

Described by Christie’s wine specialist, Michael Ganne, as “probably the only known existing ‘imperial’” of the red Bordeaux, it had been estimated to fetch between 150,000 francs and 250,000 francs. Cheval Blanc’s famously port-like 1947 vintage is regarded by some connoisseurs as the greatest wine of the 20th century.

The auction record for a standard-sized 75-centiliter bottle of wine was set at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on Oct. 29 when three bottles of Chateau Lafite’s 1869 vintage each sold for HK$1.8 million ($230,000). All three were bought by the same Asian telephone bidder, said Sotheby’s.

(Scott Reyburn writes for Muse, the arts and culture section of Bloomberg News. Opinions expressed are his own.)

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#news FDA warns makers of alcoholic energy drinks

By MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON

The Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to four manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks, saying the caffeine added to their beverages is an "unsafe food additive."

FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein said Wednesday that the agency has decided the combinations of caffeine and alcohol in the drinks is a public health concern after a yearlong review of the beverages. The FDA said the government could seize the products if the companies continue to make them.

The agency said experts have raised concerns that the caffeine in the drinks can mask a person's feeling of intoxication, leading to risky behavior.

One of the companies, Phusion Projects, has already said they will remove the caffeine from their alcoholic drinks.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration is poised to announce a virtual ban of alcoholic energy drinks on Wednesday, even as a leading manufacturer is pulling its products off the market.

The FDA is expected to say that caffeine is an unsafe food additive to alcoholic drinks, a move that would effectively ban them from sale. College students have been hospitalized after drinking the beverages, including the popular Four Loko, and four states have banned the drinks.

Phusion Projects, which manufactures Four Loko, announced late Tuesday that it would reformulate its drinks, removing caffeine. While there is little known medical evidence that the drinks are less safe than other alcoholic drinks, public health advocates say they can make people feel more alert and able to handle risky tasks like driving.

The company's statement said it was removing caffeine from the drinks after unsuccessfully trying to deal with "a difficult and politically-charged regulatory environment at both the state and federal levels."

"We have repeatedly contended -- and still believe, as do many people throughout the country -- that the combination of alcohol and caffeine is safe," said Chris Hunter, Jeff Wright and Jaisen Freeman, who identify themselves as Phusion's three co-founders and current managing partners.

The statement did not mention several recent incidents in which college students were hospitalized after drinking the beverage. In response to such incidents, four states -- Washington, Michigan, Utah and Oklahoma -- have banned the beverages. Other states are considering similar action.

Four Loko comes in several varieties, including fruit punch and blue raspberry. A 23.5-ounce can sells for about $2.50 and has an alcohol content of 12 percent, comparable to four beers, according to the company's website.

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#news Protests have occurred in northern rural areas following cholera outbreak

UN blamed for Haiti shootings

Peacekeepers deny shooting at least five people hospitalised in Cap-Haitien in third day of angry protests over cholera. Last Modified: 17 Nov 2010 21:51 GMT

[Alessandro Rampietti]

Haitians have blamed UN peacekeepers for a number of shootings in the country's second city of Cap-Haitien on the third consecutive day of violent demonstrations over an outbreak of cholera that has killed more than 1,000 people.

Doctors said on Wednesday that at least five people had been admitted to hospital with gunshot wounds.

Al Jazeera's Cath Turner, reporting from Cap-Haitien, said that protests had started at a cemetery where cholera victims were being placed in mass graves.

"Clashes had then begun and according to doctors in the city's main hospital, the patients brought in were shot by live fire. They confirmed to us that they were shot by real, not rubber bullets," she said.

"According to some residents, there has also been a body laid out in front of the UN office in Cap-Haitien, said to be of someone who was shot dead by UN peacekeepers."

UN denial

However, a spokesman for Minustah, the UN mission in Haiti, told Al Jazeera there was no exchange of gun fire between UN troops and local residents.

The spokesman added that local gang rivalry could be to blame for the gunshot wounds.

The reported shootings come after the deaths of at least two people during clashes between residents and UN troops on Tuesday.

Crowds have taken to the streets expressing anger at the Haitian government and the UN for failing to contain the outbreak of cholera.

Some Haitians blame Nepalese peacekeepers for the disease, which is rapidly claiming more lives, and according to medical experts, could kill 10,000 people and cause 200,000 infections in the coming year.

"Our projections show that we could have around 200,000 cases of infection in Haiti over the next six to twelve months," Ciro Ugarte, a regional adviser for the Pan-American Helath Organisation (PAHO), told the AFP news agency.

"If the fatality rate [of four to five per cent] is maintained ... we may have 10,000 dead.

Ugarte also said that the cholera epidemic could spread "beyond Haiti", followng reports of the first reported case in neighbouring Dominican republic, as well as in the US state of Florida.

More than 1,100 Haitians have died since cholera was first detected in the nation in mid-October and the number of people treated in hospitals and clinics has soared to 18,382.

The PAHO, a regional office of the UN's World Health Organisation, has warned that cholera has taken hold and the troubled Caribbean nation should now expect hundreds of thousands of cases over the next few years.

Health officials fear the cholera epidemic could spread rapidly if it infiltrates Haiti's squalid refugee camps around the capital Port-au-Prince, where hundreds of thousands of earthquake refugees live in
cramped and unsanitary conditions.

The cholera outbreak - the first in more than half a century in the impoverished Caribbean nation - is bringing new chaos to Haiti after it was ravaged in a January earthquake that killed 250,000 people.

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OAB vai investigar advogado de Bruno viciado em crack

17 de novembro de 2010 | 19h 03

EDUARDO KATTAH - Agência Estado

A Comissão de Ética da seção mineira da Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (OAB-MG) instaurou um procedimento para apurar a conduta do advogado Ércio Quaresma, que representa o goleiro Bruno Fernandes de Souza, acusado de ser o mandante do desaparecimento e já considerada morte da ex-amante Eliza Samudio. Conhecido pelas atitudes polêmicas, o advogado poderá ser suspenso preventivamente pela OAB, o que o impediria de continuar à frente do caso.

Ele aparece em um vídeo da TV Alterosa - afiliada do SBT em Belo Horizonte - fumando crack, supostamente em uma boca de fumo localizada na região noroeste da capital mineira. Ciente da gravação, Quaresma se antecipou à veiculação do vídeo e admitiu em entrevista à emissora que é dependente da droga e luta há oito anos contra o vício.

Desde o início das investigações envolvendo o desaparecimento da ex-amante do goleiro foram abertos quatro procedimentos disciplinares contra o advogado na OAB. A conduta de Quaresma tem causado constrangimento na seção mineira da ordem.

A entidade requisitou o vídeo em que ele aparece consumindo crack. "A OAB está estudando a aplicação ou não de uma medida preventiva para a suspensão dele até que os processos sejam julgados. A turma do Tribunal de Ética vai julgar se é o caso ou não de suspensão", disse hoje o presidente da entidade, Luís Cláudio da Silva Chaves, ao alegar que a medida busca "preservar os clientes" do advogado. "A gente lamenta, uma droga grave dessas."

A OAB, disse Chaves, pretende realizar um rito célere depois que o defensor de Bruno for notificado. Hoje, a reportagem procurou Quaresma, mas a informação em seu escritório era que ele estava em viagem. Na semana passada, durante audiência de instrução com depoimentos dos réus, o advogado disse a interlocutores que já esperava pela divulgação do vídeo. A gravação estaria sendo oferecida a emissoras de TV e jornais.

Prisão

No ano passado, Quaresma chegou a ser preso com pedras de crack escondidas na boca em uma favela de Belo Horizonte. Na entrevista à emissora mineira, ele contou que há um ano e meio buscou ajuda profissional especializada para se livrar do vício, mas nesse período teve três recaídas.

Ex-policial na década de 1980, o advogado de 46 anos chegou a concorrer como candidato ao governo de Minas Gerais em 1994 e gosta de contar que trabalhou em outros casos de repercussão nacional - o assassinato da missionária norte-americana Dorothy Stang e massacre de 19 sem-terra em Eldorado dos Carajás, ambos no Pará.

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#Lula ironiza quem perde bilhões sem gerar empregos

17 de novembro de 2010 | 19h 25

FABIO GRANER E FERNANDO NAKAGAWA - Agencia Estado

BRASÍLIA - O presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ironizou hoje, sem citar nomes, grandes empresários que têm de ser socorridos por conta de perdas bilionárias. No evento sobre inclusão financeira promovido pelo Banco Central, em Brasília, Lula também brincou com o baixo rendimento das reservas internacionais brasileiras.

Em seu discurso, o presidente enfatizou a importância de se emprestar recursos para os mais pobres, salientando a avaliação de que poucos recursos nas mãos de muitas pessoas geram distribuição de renda e mais desenvolvimento, enquanto muito dinheiro na mão de poucas pessoas gera concentração de renda. "Quer que o País cresça, se desenvolva, consuma e não fique atrofiado como EUA e Europa, dê prata na mão dos pequenos", disse o presidente. "Quantas pessoas precisam apenas, quem sabe, de R$ 50, de R$ 100, ou de R$ 150 para dar o primeiro passo? Quantas? E quantas vezes a gente vê nos jornais pessoas que tiveram acesso a bilhões e bilhões e bilhões, que não geraram quase emprego, e quebraram. E que nós somos obrigados a ir atrás do prejuízo. Quantas?", acrescentou.

Lula disse que o crédito no Brasil era reduzido e destinado a um número muito restrito de pessoas, antes de seu governo. "Precisou eu, um torneiro mecânico, que não entendia nada de economia, entender que um país capitalista tinha que ter capital", disse, mencionado que o Banco do Brasil sozinho hoje dá mais crédito que todo o sistema financeiro em 2002.

Ao mencionar os diversos números mostrando o forte crescimento do mercado de crédito no Brasil, especialmente para a população mais pobre, Lula disse que a soma dos bilhões já emprestados davam um volume maior do que as reservas internacionais brasileiras, que estão acima de US$ 280 bilhões. E emendou em direção ao presidente do BC, Henrique Meirelles: "Aliás, Meirelles, as reservas estão rendendo pouco, com essa política americana. Vamos emprestar para cooperativa que rende mais."

No pronunciamento, Lula voltou a dizer que os pobres têm maior comprometimento em pagar suas dívidas, porque o nome é o seu maior patrimônio. E, em outra brincadeira, disse que ninguém no alto mundo das finanças, na Basileia (Suíça), acreditaria que o BC brasileiro está promovendo um seminário sobre inclusão financeira.

Aproveitando a fase de transição para o próximo governo, Lula recomendou que os setores ligados ao microcrédito se mobilizem para reivindicar a continuidade dos avanços nessa área.

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