Jeters illustrious career will end Sunday when the Yankees close out their 2014 season against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. While theres been some chatter as to whether Jeter will play this weekend in Boston, the Red Sox still are preparing a proper send-off for the longtime Yankees captain.

Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino said Thursday on WEEIs Dennis and Callahan that the club will honor Jeter with a one-day ceremony Sunday. Lucchino didnt reveal any exact details of the ceremony, but it sounds like the occasion will be marked with an appropriate not over the top celebration of the shortstops legendary career.

I would describe it as low-key, Lucchino said. Its more respect and admiration for him as a ballplayer. I dont think youll see too many talking heads. But there will be plenty of gestures of respect for him.

In terms of tangible gifts for him, were not giving him a red convertible or something like that. What he cares most about these days is his Turn 2 Foundation. And we intend to make a sizable contribution to that and to give a little piece of Fenway Park to take with him.

Jeter, who played his final game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, was a huge part of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. Its fitting that hell make one more stop in Boston before hanging up the spikes.

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Red Sox Planning Low-Key Fenway Celebration For Yankees Derek Jeter

It didnt take long for him to realize the star power of New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

When he walks into a room, theres a presence about him that you get a feel for and a sense of right away, Farrell said Thursday, one day before Jeter arrives in Boston for the final series of his storied career. Its certainly not a standoff type of presence, but he makes peoples heads turn when he walks into a room.

Thats what you felt when he walked into a clubhouse of All-Stars (in 2008). He stood out even among that group. I think thats just the way hes carried himself and the way hes gone about a career of just ultimate professionalism.

Jeter will hang up the spikes Sunday after a 20-year career with the Yankees in which he won five World Series titles, earned 14 All-Star selections and racked up more than 3,400 hits. Perhaps most importantly, however, Jeter will leave behind an unprecedented legacy centered on respect, class and passion. Even those in opposing dugouts cant help but marvel at Jeters resume.

I think anytime you see a player of that caliber one whos played 20 years in one uniform he checks off so many boxes that are a rarity, Farrell said. And thats the number of World Series wins or championships, the number of years in the same uniform. Hes in very select company as we know.

There will never be another Jeter. In fact, there might never be another player like Jeter given the direction professional sports are trending. But as teams search for potential franchise cornerstones, many evaluations likely will lead back to No. 2 and the feats he accomplished under the bright lights of New York.

I think youre always looking for leaders on your own team to set an example, whether its in the clubhouse or on the field the way they play the game, Farrell said. From across the field of not being with him day in and day out, he exemplifies it.

We look internally at our own guys, and you look at Dustin (Pedroia) and David (Ortiz) in some light what they mean to the Red Sox. Those types of players are invaluable and you hope you can have as many as possible. Even though theyre unique in their own way, you can never have enough players of that ilk.

MLB is losing a legend in Jeter. But the precedent he set as a leader and a role model will go down in sports history.

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Red Soxs John Farrell: Yankees Derek Jeter In Very Select Company

Derek Jeter, whose final game at Yankee Stadium ended perfectly, plans to serve as the New York Yankees designated hitter at some point this weekend against the Boston Red Sox. Jeters decision to play rather than end his career with Thursdays walk-off heroics was centered on his respect for the Red Sox organization and its fans, according to the longtime Yankees shortstop. Its clear the admiration goes both ways.

I think its perfect, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said before Fridays game of Jeter ending his career in Boston. This rivalry is a rivalry that, what can I tell you? The fans are involved in it, but its not like the fans personally hated him. It was like, This is my team, that is yours. But everybody has much respect for Jeter. Everybody knows hes the face of baseball. Everybody would love to watch him play.

Jeter, who broke into the majors in 1995, has spent his entire 20-year career in pinstripes, carving out a huge role in the storied Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. The future Hall of Famer earned five World Series rings, including four in his first five full seasons, and will hang up the cleats as one of the most respected players in Major League Baseball history.

He did whatever it took. Thats why he has so many World Series rings, said Ortiz, who has captured three titles with Boston since joining the club before the 2003 season. Youre talking about a player thats hard to find and you dont see many Derek Jeters out there.

There might never be another Jeter, and its largely because his contributions and his legacy extend well beyond the diamond. While his championship success, 14 All-Star selections and five Gold Glove Awards are impressive, his character and integrity are the real separators in todays world of professional sports.

Hes a professional a guy that has had a heck of a career, Ortiz said. Very special guy that through the years, he taught all of us how to do the right thing. Were going to miss him.

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia shares many qualities with Jeter. Hes passionate, hard-working and considered by most to be one of baseballs good guys. But even Pedroia cant help but marvel at Jeters career.

He competes. In big markets, there are things everybody gets caught up in. He cares about winning. Thats most important, Pedroia recently told WEEI.coms Rob Bradford. He puts the team in front of himself and tries to win games. It doesnt matter what numbers say or what anything says. Hes there for his teammates and trying to win games. Thats what I admire the most.

Red Sox manager John Farrell was on the American League All-Star Game coaching staff in 2008, one year after Boston defeated the Colorado Rockies for the franchises second World Series title in four years. Farrell, who was Bostons pitching coach under manager Terry Francona at the time, spent several days among some of baseballs brightest stars. One player stood out.

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David Ortiz, Red Sox Appreciative Of Derek Jeters Career With Yankees

We don't know for sure if Derek Jeter is going to play this weekend at Fenway Park to finish out his storied career, but we do know that the Red Sox plan to celebrate the Yankee captain's achievements on Sunday.

And we've got some details on one of the gifts the Yankee great will receive from his team's greatest rival that was made in a Brunswick, Maine clothing factory.

Jeter remained non-committal on his plans for the weekend following the Yankees 9-5 loss to the Orioles Wednesday night.

"We just lost, man," Jeter told reporters. "Respect the fact that we just lost, we are not going to the playoffs. I cant think about Boston right now. Right now I am disappointed, I cant tell you about Boston because I am not thinking about Boston."

Now that the Yankees have been eliminated from postseason play, New York manager Joe Girardi has hedged on his plan to pencil Jeter into the lineup for all remaining games.

"I will leave that up to [Jeter], very similar with what I did for Mo [Rivera]," Girardi said of Jeter's final days. "In my mind, I really thought Mo would want to play an inning in center field and it never happened. I will leave it up to Derek, I dont see why I would do it any different."

As far as honoring Jeter at Fenway this weekend, fans should expect the ceremony to be understated.

"It's going to be a one day ceremony, on Sunday," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show Thursday. "We hope he's going to play this weekend. I think it's likely that he will. I would describe it as low-key. It's more respect and admiration for him as a ballplayer. I don't think you'll see too many talking heads but there will be plenty of gestures of respect for him.

"In terms of tangible gifts for him, we're not giving him a red convertible or something like that. What he cares most about these days is his Turn 2 Foundation, and we intend to make a sizable contribution to that, and to give a little piece of Fenway Park to take with him along with some musical gestures."

One of the gifts the Red Sox will present to Jeter on Sunday will be a pair of Yankee-themed duck boots made by L.L. Bean. The boots are similar to those the Red Sox wore in the parade following their 2013 World Series win, except they are Yankee blue and the lining is made from a Yankee uniform.

Continued here:

Red Sox Ready to Give Derek Jeter the Boot ... and More

THE PARSON RED HEADS 7" (2014)
Coming soon... 7" Limited numbered edition (525 copies). A Side: Another Chance/Crying Days Are Over B Side: Banking On the Sun. Online Shop (coming soon):...

By: YAT Cosmos

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THE PARSON RED HEADS 7" (2014) - Video

But now Red Ed has gone one better and declared that if the electorate voted him in, we would be endorsing a two-term 10-year vision: "Britain 2025".

One inconvenient coincidence for Ed was that the first part of his speech was interrupted by broadcasters covering the verdict in the trial of DJ DLT and the final part was edged out by Barack Obama on the Isil threat. Hey-ho.

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After last year's barnstormer on the popular energy freeze, the Labour leader was always going to find it hard to top a speech that a year ago dominated the entire three-party conference season. Ed began slowly and quietly.

Moving from the monstrous extremists of Isil, through the Scottish referendum campaign -when he at last thanked Gordon Brown - to saving public services, it was all predictable stuff.

Platitudes flew; from praising our brilliant armed forces to breaking with the past and creating a different ethic for the 21st century. People's eyes began to close and heads to drop. But then, thankfully, the Labour chief moved out of first gear as, through anecdotes about ordinary folk from Josephine and Elizabeth to Gareth and Colin he alighted on old faithful: the NHS.

Declaring Labour's deep love for the NHS, cheers rang out as Red Ed said the party in government would repeal the Tory law on health care and set out an integrated health and social care plan for the 21st century.

The cheers continued when he spoke about stinging the rich through a mansion tax and the tobacco giants with a windfall tax to plug the funding gap. This was red meat Labour and conference loved it.

The chief comrade was now moving through the gears as he touched on the solidarity of the Union of four nations, declaring: "We are not just better together, we're greater together."

Ed then metaphorically poked Dave in the eye by saying that the PM's emphasis on English votes for English laws, EVEL for short, showed how the Tory leader was more concerned about political divisions than bringing the country together.

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Red Ed outstripping Joe with a 10-year vision

The Red Sox fell off our collective radar about 15 minutes after news broke of the Jon Lester trade.

Rusney Castillo is just that - a ruse. His arrival was a nice deception to throw us off the scent. A scent that really stinks. Last year, the Red Sox magic number turned out to be 95 - as in those 95 years since they had won an World Series at Fenway Park.

This year, it's 70 - as in 70 wins. The benchmark has shifted from wiping out a century-long drought of home-won championships to barely squeaking past the futility of Bobby Valentine.

Whether the Red Sox win 68 or 72 games this season is just a numerical anomaly. The 2014 and 2012 seasons were completely different collapses. In 2012, things fell apart because the team stopped trying and the manager became disengaged.

This year, the failure of the Red Sox is much more concerning. And potentially, much more troublesome.

The Red Sox never stopped trying this year. They cycled in and out young players and newcomers, all of whom were presumably fighting for jobs and/or roster spots here or elsewhere. The 2012 Red Sox were full of underperforming and overpaid "superstars" who mailed it in. The 2014 Red Sox were full of underperforming mediocre players who continued to care long after the rest of us moved on to football season.

Valentine became the personification of the 2012 Red Sox. In 2014, meanwhile, the visage of John Farrell has faded from public view quicker than those "Call Me Maybe" college videos or the #BostonStrong hashtag. Farrell continues to bank on his straight-shooting "John Wayne" persona in the public eye. His body language remains stoic. He squeezes out the right words at each opportunity, maintaining his composure while those few remaining fans watching the games on TV or in person unload a fusilade of expletives and incentives after each tepid performance.

There has to be a place somewhere beneath the Red Sox clubhouse where Farrell goes and takes it all out on a game of "Whack-A-Mole" featuring pop-up heads of A.J. Pierzynski, Will Middlebrooks, Stephen Drew and Clay Buchholz.

Farrell stayed in the background as 2013's "Band of Bearded Brothers" pulled off a worst-to-first title run. In retrospect, that was a very wise move for the Duke. How can we "blame the manager" for the catastrophe that is 2014 when he avoided his share of the credit in 2013.

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John Farrell Enjoys Free Pass In Wake of Red Sox Woes

Red's back! Coming off of an explosive first season, NBC's The Blacklist returned on Monday, Sept. 22, and kicked off season 2 with a bang (or three).

After months away from the FBI searching for the mysterious Berlin, the world's biggest con artist managed to get himself picked up by child soldiers and taken to their leader in Cameron. In less than five minutes, Red (James Spader) pulls an "I'm the captain now" by dropping hellfire missiles on their camp and weasels the information he wants out of the leader. Who needs Olivia Pope? Red's got it handled.

PHOTOS: Sharp men in tuxes

He's now on the search for Lord Baltimore, the hustler Berlin has hired to find him at any cost. Enter Agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone), who now spends her days walking around in her undies and taping pictures of Red and her sociopath ex-hubby Tom to her ceiling not creepy at all.

She's still working with the FBI and follows Red's Lord Baltimore lead to a data engineer named Rowan (played by a surprisingly serious Krysten Ritter), who claims she was targeted by Lord Baltimore for her bank account info. Meanwhile someone with tortoiseshell rimmed glasses is trailing Agent Keen, and his name probably rhymes with "mom."

Red pays a visit to the injured Director Harold Cooper, who is unwilling to return to working the Blacklist cases, but Red can be rather persuasive.

PHOTOS: Celeb men in uniform

Just when it looks like Rowan's actually working with Lord Baltimore, she comes up with the theory that dun, dun, dun her twin sister Nora is still alive, working with Lord Baltimore, and plotting against her. This should be the part where everyone rolls their eyes and arrests her, but instead the camera keeps panning to random bushes and windows, hinting that the evil Nora is in our midst.

But alas, Nora has been there all along, acting like Rowan in some bizarre trance that's only broken using an old record, like the old lady with Alzheimer's in The Notebook. It's called dissociative identity disorder, and it allows her to flip back and forth between being Rowan and Nora. She snaps back to her old, evil self and heads out to kill Red's long-lost wife (Mary-Louise Parker), who has made a new life for herself.

PHOTOS: Costars reunited

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The Blacklist Season 2 Premiere Recap: Red's Back, And So Is His Wife

By CAITLAN SUSSMAN

As the semester heads into full swing, and the days of wearing flip-flops to class and tanning on the Arts Quad give way to Ithacas notorious precipitation and less-than-warm weather, you may be tempted to sit in your room with the heat on, lamenting the black cloud of prelims that looms around the corner, or to curl into a ball on a comfy couch in Mann Library equipped with a onesie and a 20 oz. can of red bull. I am here to tell you that both of these are bad ideas.

This is not to say that studying is not important. We came to Cornell first and foremost to learn. But learning does not simply come from hours spent in a classroom or a library. Seeing academic accomplishments as the only goal of our time in college neglects the fact that we live on one of the most beautiful and exciting campuses in the world, located in a city that offers so many cultural, artistic and personal growth opportunities. So what better way to get the full Ithaca/Cornell experience than to cross items off the Big Red Ambition list?

For those of you unfamiliar with this staple of Cornell life, the Big Red Ambition is a compilation of 161 items that Cornellians should see or do in their four years here. Some are inappropriate (re: the infamous #1) and some are illegal (#123: pizza from a blue light phone, anyone?), but most will genuinely enrich your experience at Cornell and provide a welcome distraction from the monotony of your daily routine. This is not necessarily a list to be completed fully, but can be seen more as a set of guidelines to supplement your time at Cornell. But the more you complete, the more rewarding it will be for you.

This week, I am here to give you five reasons why you should complete the items on the Big Red Ambition list. Trust me: Ive done 87 of them.

[Disclaimer: I do not condone or support any activities on this list that may be unlawful or potentially disruptive to others.]

1. Work Towards New Goals

We set ourselves goals in college every day: Study for a certain number of hours, ace that History paper or get above the mean in that Bio prelim. However, setting your sights on purely academic goals can become stifling and overwhelming. The Big Red Ambition allows you to feel the same sense of achievement, but in a way that is not primarily competitive in nature and does not come at the expense of others. Whether its completing the Pinesburger Challenge (#99; quite the spectacle) or charging your Banfis meal to CornellCard (sorry, Mom and Dad!), youll feel great about yourself afterwards, and get a welcome break from school.

2. Get Outside Your Comfort Zone

It is far too easy to get stuck in the Cornell Bubble on the Hill. We are so immersed in our education that trying new things and having new experiences outside of academics get pushed to the sidelines. Everyone needs to take risks once in a while. The Big Red Ambition list lets us step outside of this comfortable place, without leaving upstate New York. Sledding down Libe Slope (#5), experiencing the Apple Festival in The Commons (#23; the homemade apple cider is delicious!) or seeing an opening at the Johnson Museum (#45), have the potential to greatly expand your horizons, both personally and intellectually. That, if nothing else, is why we are here at Cornell.

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BIG RED AMBITION | Five Reasons Why You Should Complete the Big Red Ambition

[red-hed] /rdhd/ IPA Syllables

British Dictionary definitions for red-heads Expand

a person with red hair

a diving duck, Aythya americana, of North America, the male of which has a grey-and-black body and a reddish-brown head

Word Origin and History for red-heads Expand

mid-13c., from red (adj.1) + head (n.). Red (adj.), of persons, "having red hair" is from late Old English.

Encyclopedia Article for red-heads Expand

(Aythya americana), North American diving duck (family Anatidae), a popular game bird. The redhead breeds in marshes from British Columbia to Wisconsin and winters as far south as the Yucatan Peninsula. Breeding males have a round, red-brown head, gray back, and dark breast and tail; females are uniformly brown. Both sexes have light gray bands visible on the rear of the wings when in flight. The population has declined in the east as a result of destruction of the brackish marshes that provide its preferred forage plants. Redheads nest in tall vegetation quite close to water, although some females parasitize the nests of other ducks. Not easily disturbed, the redhead benefits from the wariness of the American wigeon, with which it often feeds

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Red-heads | Define Red-heads at Dictionary.com

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Follow three WAGs as they undertake an afternoon of hair and make up, preparing for their big reveal on the Brownlow red carpet.

Oops she did it again.

A decade to the daythat she first stopped theBrownlow crowd in its tracks,first AFL WAG-in-chief RebeccaJudd stole the show once again ina runway-worthy white couture frock by local designer J'Aton.

But not before Geoffrey Edelsten- the 71-year-old is making a habitof this making a habit of this - andpartner Gabi Grecko nearly stole itback, with the New York modelclad in a Lady Gagaesque blacksequin-lace-metal spike combowith a split fair up to her hip.

Grecko said she designed thegown based on a "Thierry Mulger"feel.

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The long metal dagger adorningher ring finger was inspired, sheclaimed, by French couturistGivenchy.

While Grecko was well preppedon her outfit, she was a little vagueon the details of AFL's night ofnights.

Gabi Grecko preparing for the 2014 Brownlow Medal: "Australia needs a Lady Gaga". Photo: Simon Schluter

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Brownlow red carpet 2014: Charlie's Angels

Catcher Christian Vazquez has been as advertised since earning his first major league call-up back on July 9. The Red Sox, who were forced to look for Jarrod Saltalamacchias replacement last offseason, will enter this winter knowing they have a backstop capable of being the Opening Day starter, which lightens the load for an organization that must make several key moves to return to contention in 2015.

I think hes ready and capable of handling that (starting) role, Red Sox manager John Farrell said before Fridays game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. I think what will be as important is who is paired up with him. Thats not to eliminate anyone thats here. Thats not to suggest who that might be.

Christian, I think, in short order, has gained a reputation around the league to be somewhat of a shutdown thrower with the aggressiveness of his picks, of his throws to bags. Like we said, hes a focal point for a team, when theyre on offense, to have to contend with behind the plate.

Vazquezs defensive prowess is well-documented. He turned heads in spring training in both 2013 and 2014 through his shutdown ability, showcasing an array of skills rocket arm, tremendous footwork and quick release that were enough for some to question whether signing veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski to a one-year contract in free agency was even necessary.

The question with Vazquez, of course, was whether hed produce enough offensively. While a catcher can succeed in the majors with a defensive-centric skill set, theres still a certain level of offensive production thats to be expected. Vazquez needed to prove he was up to the challenge before the Red Sox handed the keys to the former ninth-round pick from Puerto Rico.

Vazquez showed improvement in the minors first with Double-A Portland, then with Triple-A Pawtucket over the last two years to the point where Boston was comfortable cutting ties with Pierzynski, who simply didnt fit in on the field or off the field. The 24-year-old has endured some offensive struggles since joining the Red Sox hitting .211 (34-for-161) with a .272 on-base percentage in 49 games but he doesnt look overwhelmed, by any means.

Setting aside the batting average, theres the ability to handle a bat, Farrell said. He can execute the small game. He can hit to the situation. Hes a very good situational hitter, including being able to sacrifice with great consistency.

I would say hes one of the more complete hitters that has come to us, setting aside the batting average.

Of course, Vazquezs major league success will be predicated on controlling the running game, handling a pitching staff and making necessary in-game adjustments with whoever is toeing the rubber. He has excelled in all of those areas since joining the Red Sox a call-up that kick-started Bostons youth movement and his continued growth offensively has given the club reason to believe he could be the guy in 2015.

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Christian Vazquezs Emergence Lightens Red Soxs Full Offseason Plate

TAMPA The red tide bloom in the Gulf of Mexico that was threatening the tourist-soaked beaches of Pinellas County reversed its course last week and began ebbing from the coastline.

That was great news for the visitor-dependent beach communities hoping to be spared the coughing and wheezing brought on by red tide toxins and the stench of dead fish washing ashore.

Then, as quickly as scientists spotted the about-face, the red tide again switched courses and continued its march toward shore.

The red tide bloom off Pasco and Pinellas counties had been moving north-northwest for almost a week, said Jason Lenes, a researcher with the University of South Floridas Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.

Yesterday, the currents reversed again, he said Wednesday, and the forecast for the next three days is back to the south-southeast.

The wobble is not unusual this time of year, he said, as weather systems brushing over the state dictate the direction of the bloom.

The bloom was spotted about six weeks ago and stretched about 20 to 40 miles offshore between Dixie and Pasco counties. It was estimated to be some 90 miles long and 60 miles wide, the largest Gulf bloom since 2006.

This week, the bloom remained between 5 and 35 miles offshore in Taylor and Levy counties and 10 to 20 miles offshore from Levy south to Pasco County.

Over the Labor Day weekend, dead fish began washing up on Honeymoon Island in north Pinellas County. They likely were killed by red tide farther offshore and to the north, scientists said, though there was some evidence of red tide close to shore. Scientists two weeks ago said the bloom had drifted to within 5 miles of the coastline.

Lenes said that along the coastline, the currents mainly are controlled by the direction and intensity of the winds.

See the article here:

Red tide nears Pinellas beaches after brief retreat

Costly "compassion training" doesn't seem to be working on the infamous eviction crew, who are seen to have little regard for people or possessions.

The Red Ants evict residents of Castle Blaney, near Hillbrow in the Johannesburg central business district, on a cold Monday morning. (Oupa Nkosi, M&G)

Four trucks full of Red Ants so named because of their red overalls are parked outside the Hillbrow magistrates court. I asked them where they were going, but they couldnt, or wouldnt tell me.

The trucks set off and I follow them on foot, easily keeping pace. They pull up outside a block of flats Castle Blaney, just next to Park Station and the Red Ants jump out, forming a line outside the nine-storey building.

Its still early, and a cold morning. The residents are gripped with panic. They begin throwing their possessions: furniture, televisions, beds, mattresses, kettles and microwaves from the windows on to Leyds Street below.

Others throw black plastic bags of clothes from the balconies, which quickly pile up. There are loud whistles, and pedestrians scatter as possessions rain down. One man drops two bottles of whisky from his fourth-floor window; they land on a mattress.

From the fourth floor a burly man slowly opens his worn curtain. He looks down on the street, littered with belongings. The guards shout: Phuma wena! Phuma wena! [Move out!]

The man lets the curtain fall and moves away from the window.

Wall of Ants The Red Ants, armed with crowbars, wooden sticks and rifles, form a wall in front of the entrance. They appear to be giving the residents a chance to gather their possessions before they enter the building.

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Jo'burg residents battle Red Ant evictions

A bear hug, a riverfront stroll and a swing-set session helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi win more than $53 billion in loans and investment pledges from China and Japan this month. Hell need to make progress on cutting Indias red tape to turn those promises into reality.

Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday in New Delhi pledged $20 billion in investment for Modi over the next five years to narrow Indias largest trade deficit with any single country. That adds to the $33 billion in loans and investment Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised on Sept. 1.

Modis ability to draw funds from Asias two biggest economies is crucial to meeting his $1 trillion investment target by 2017 to revive Indian growth lingering near a decade low. Doing so will require him to streamline a bureaucracy that held up more than $350 billion in projects under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who lost power to Modi in May.

Its very difficult to pinpoint a number which these countries can reach because of the economic climate, Siddhartha Sanyal, chief India economist at Barclays Plc, said by phone from Mumbai. India needs to prioritize removing of the bottlenecks so that it can compete.

During a 2010 visit to India, former Chinese premier Wen Jiabao signed pacts valued at $16 billion, including $10 billion in equipment sales from Shanghai Electric Group Co Ltd. for three Reliance Power Ltd. power plants. Since then, units of one plant have been commissioned while the others are stalled due to lack of fuel and land permits.

Japanese and Chinese foreign direct investment to India has totaled $17.5 billion since April 2000, with just $410 million of this from China. More than doubling that in the next five years will require a complete overhaul of Indias investment climate, said C. Uday Bhaskar, a distinguished fellow with the Delhi-based Society for Policy Studies.

Indias capacity for being able to ingest and take in this kind of investment is limited, Bhaskar said by phone from Delhi. India needs to acquire that capacity and do so in a speedy manner. They have not demonstrated that ability yet and remain mired in red tape and procedural delays.

Singh formed a committee in June 2013 to clear 463 blocked investments worth 22 trillion rupees ($362 billion). While 176 proposals worth 6.48 trillion rupees have been approved so far, only 60 have begun construction, said Anil Swarup, who heads the committee, known as the Project Monitoring Group.

The pace at which things are happening is faster than what we saw in the past, Swarup said in a Sept. 3 interview. In the previous government, our job was just to see that the clearances would happen and we would assume that it was translating to work on the ground. The present government has asked us to do the leg-work and make sure that it is.

India ranked 134 of 189 economies in the World Banks Ease of Doing Business 2013 index, with China at 96. Since he came to power, Modi raised foreign investment ownership caps in defense and railways, and pledged to revive Indias manufacturing to reduce its reliance on imports.

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Modis $53 Billion Xi-Abe Windfall Hinges on Red Tape War

TAMPA The red tide bloom in the Gulf of Mexico that was threatening the tourist-soaked beaches of Pinellas County reversed its course last week and began ebbing from the coastline.

That was great news for the visitor-dependent beach communities hoping to be spared the coughing and wheezing brought on by red tide toxins and the stench of dead fish washing ashore.

Then, as quickly as scientists spotted the about-face, the red tide again switched courses and continued its march toward shore.

The red tide bloom off Pasco and Pinellas counties had been moving north-northwest for almost a week, said Jason Lenes, a researcher with the University of South Floridas Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.

Yesterday, the currents reversed again, he said Wednesday, and the forecast for the next three days is back to the south-southeast.

The wobble is not unusual this time of year, he said, as weather systems brushing over the state dictate the direction of the bloom.

The bloom was spotted about six weeks ago and stretched about 20 to 40 miles offshore between Dixie and Pasco counties. It was estimated to be some 90 miles long and 60 miles wide, the largest Gulf bloom since 2006.

This week, the bloom remained between 5 and 35 miles offshore in Taylor and Levy counties and 10 to 20 miles offshore from Levy south to Pasco County.

Over the Labor Day weekend, dead fish began washing up on Honeymoon Island in north Pinellas County. They likely were killed by red tide farther offshore and to the north, scientists said, though there was some evidence of red tide close to shore. Scientists two weeks ago said the bloom had drifted to within 5 miles of the coastline.

Lenes said that along the coastline, the currents mainly are controlled by the direction and intensity of the winds.

Continue reading here:

Red tide nears Bay area after brief retreat

PITTSBURGH (AP) Rusney Castillo's long journey to the major leagues is over.

The Boston Red Sox rookie outfielder will make his debut on Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 27-year-old Castillo will play center field and bat seventh, ending a three-week sprint through Boston's minor league system for the former Cuban star.

Now comes the fun part: trying to deliver on the hype surrounding the seven-year, $72.5 million deal he signed last month, the largest ever given to a Cuban-born player. Castillo insists he feels no pressure to produce the kind of immediate impact in the majors provided by fellow countrymen like Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig and Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu.

"It's not going to affect the way I'm going to approach the game," Castillo said through a translator. "You obviously admire those guys and you respect the success that they've had here and you hope for that to happen. I'm not going to use them as a barometer of how I measure my success."

Castillo defected to the U.S. last winter after a stellar international career playing for his homeland. He spent months going through a lengthy legal process before looking for a job. The defending World Series champion Red Sox saw enough speed and power to outbid all other suitors.

Though Castillo played in just 10 games during brief stints at three different minor league levels, manager John Farrell is encouraged the leap to the majors won't be a difficult one.

"The 40 ABs he's gained so far are consistent with the skills he showed while playing internationally," Farrell said. "At the same time this is the beginning of it and we'll let it unfold."

Castillo arrived in Pittsburgh early Wednesday after going 6 for 22 during with Triple-A Pawtucket. He met with Farrell, who called the last 11 games of the season a "teaching opportunity" and a chance to provide a jumping off point for 2015. Farrell declined to elaborate on how much playing time Castillo will see, saying simply "he's in the lineup tonight."

Farrell's biggest problem might be holding Castillo back. The two went over the expectations during their chat and while Farrell allowed it's been well over a year since Castillo played in anything comparable to what he'll see in the majors, there's no reason to believe Castillo will be rusty.

That doesn't mean the Red Sox are waiting for Castillo to be the second coming of Puig the moment he steps into the batter's box. Regardless of how well or poorly the next 10 days go, Castillo is a part of the long-term plans. There's no reason to draw conclusions based on what amounts to a brief cameo.

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Rookie CF Rusney Castillo to debut for Red Sox

Red Band Society

For the hospital kids ofRed Band Society, death may be around the corner, but life is just beginning.

Set in the children's ward of a Los Angeles hospital,Red Band Society(premieresWednesday, 9/8c, Fox)is about an unlikely group of friends who've come together some begrudgingly to face their life-threatening sicknesses.Zoe Levin,Charlie Rowe, Brian "Astro" Bradley,Ciara BravoandNolan Sotillomake up theBreakfast Club-like gang, while Griffin Gluckstars as a coma patient from whose perspective and narrative the story is told.

Fall TV's stars to watch

Of course, the kids aren't in this battle alone.Dave Annable,Rebecca Rittenhouse,Wilson Cruzand Oscar winnerOctavia Spencerplay the doctors and nurses who mentor them, often with dark humor, through the ups and downs of growing up.

Get to know the ensemble cast of characters that make up the coming-of-age drama.

THE KIDS

Kara Souders (Zoe Levin) Ailment:Needs a heart transplant What you need to know:As the resident "Queen Bitch," Kara's biggest challenge this season will be breaking down her tough exterior to let people in and earn a heart literally and figuratively. "Her [story] is aboutproving herself and hopefully bettering herself," Levin tells us. "She's going to get completely rocked because her walls have never come down, she's very guarded, so this is the first time she's going to be vulnerable." Adds executive producerMargaret Nagle:"She's going to fall in love, but he's not going to love her back, which will be hard for her. We'll also meet Kara's many moms. Her mom left her dad for another woman so she's got three moms, but no one knows how to be her mom and her mom had kids, stepmom and dad had kids she's the leftover. So she'll find her 'mother' at the hospital."

Leo Roth (Charlie Rowe) Ailment:Osteosarcoma in his right leg What you need to know:The leader of the group, Leo has been a mainstay at the hospital. "He's in this weird limbo period in the sense that no one knows what's coming next and if he'll survive, if he'll get worse [or if] he'll get a new leg," he says. "He's just waiting, so he takes this leading role amongst his pals [because] he needs something to cling onto and help him through." Rowe was also inspired by the creator of the original series on whichRed Bandis based,Polseres vermelles. "When speaking to Alberto [Espinosa], he was just cracking jokes about his leg," Rowe says. "He drew a cowboy hat on his stump and sent it to us like, 'My stump is wishing you luck!' He's taken the situation and had a great time."

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Meet the Teens and Docs of Fox's Red Band Society

Ahmedabad, Sep 17 (IANS): Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives here Wednesday afternoon on the first leg of his three-day India visit during which trade and investment are expected to top the agenda of talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides other bilateral and regional issues.

Xi is arriving in Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of Gujarat state, at the head of a high-powered delegation.

In a first, Modi will receive the Chinese president in Ahmedabad after which the two sides are to ink some agreements related to the region.

The city has decked up to receive the Chinese leader.

A red carpet welcome and Gujarati culture and cuisine await Xi during his six-hour visit to the state.

Modi, who arrived in Ahmedabd Tuesday, said visiting heads of states should travel beyond New Delhi and see smaller towns to understand the country's diversity better.

This was Modi's first visit to Gujarat after becoming prime minister.

While in Ahmedabad, Xi is to visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram and spend some time there along with Modi, who is to host a private dinner for the Chinese president at the Sabarmati Riverfront Park.

The day also marks Modi's 64th birthday.

The Sabarmati riverfront is a pet project of Modi, who as Gujarat chief minister developed it on the line of the Thames river of London.

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Red carpet welcome, Gujarati culture and cuisine await Xi

Ocoee could become the second city in Central Florida to change its use of red-light cameras.

A week after Clermont City Council decided to drop its red-light camera program, Ocoee commissioners may tell police to stop using the traffic devices to ticket drivers who don't stop at red lights before turning right.

Commissioners were narrowly in favor of that change last month, voting 3-2 to discuss the issue with Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions, the camera vendor for Ocoee, Orlando and Clermont and other Florida communities.

A formal vote comes Tuesday night.

But the city would be making a mistake to exclude all right-turn violations, said police Lt. Brad Dreasher, who heads the Ocoee Intersection Safety Program.

"People who don't even slow down that's who's getting tickets from us," Dreasher said. "That's a safety issue."

From Oct. 1 through Aug. 21, four of every five tickets generated by red-light cameras in Ocoee were issued to drivers who did not stop while making a right turn.

ATS's cameras snapped photos of 85,100 red-light runners in Ocoee over that span, including 67,391 who turned right without stopping.

Most violations were nixed by police, who review camera company's video and have the final say on issuing a ticket.

Police tossed out 70,254 of those cases, including 55,394 instances in which the driver had failed to stop at a traffic signal before turning right.

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Ocoee may stop ticketing drivers for red-light turns