Acer elects founder as new chairman in management shake-up [ BeritaTerkini ]

<p><cite class="byline vcard">By <span class="fn">Michael Gold</span> | <span class="provider org">Reuters</span> – </cite></p> <div class="yom-mod yom-art-content" id="mediaarticlebody"> <div class="bd"> <p class="first">By Michael Gold</p> <p>TAIPEI (Reuters) – Ailing Taiwanese computer maker Acer Inc announced Thursday that it has elected founder Stan Shih as its new chairman after the company announced a restructuring plan earlier this month following several quarters of disappointing earnings.</p> <p>The company said in a statement on Thursday that Shih will take over as chairman and interim corporate president with immediate effect. Current corporate president Jim Wong will step down.</p> <p>The company has been struggling to revamp in the face of sluggish growth in the PC market, in which it was once the world’s No.2 vendor, and has failed to make meaningful inroads into the higher-growth mobile market.</p> <p>Worldwide PC shipments have seen negative growth every quarter for the past year, including a nearly 10 percent year-on-year growth decline in the third quarter of 2013, according to research firm IDC.</p> <p>The company had said two weeks ago that Wong would succeed J.T. Wang as chief executive while Wang would stay on as chairman until June. The role of CEO will be abolished with its duties transferred to the company chairman or president, the company said.</p> <p>“Both J.T. Wang and Jim Wong have committed to remain with Acer as advisors to ensure a smooth transition and transfer of the management team and to help the company back to stability,” the statement said, also noting that Shih will not take any salary for his new role.</p> <p>Earlier this month the company reported a worse-than-expected quarterly loss of T$ 13.12 billion ($ 446 million) for the June-September period, which prompted then-CEO Wang to resign and the company to announce a 7 percent reduction in its workforce.</p> <p>The company has reported losses or meagre profit at best every quarter since the beginning of 2011.</p> <p>Vincent Chen, an analyst with Yuanta Securities in Taipei, said that Stan Shih’s return as chairman and the abolishment of the CEO position is a positive development that signifies a hands-on role for the 69-year-old founder.</p> <p>“This suggests that Stan (Shih) will really make changes,” Chen said.</p> <p>(Reporting by Michael Gold; Editing by Matt Driskill)</p> <p></p> </div> </div> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

Acer elects founder as new chairman in management shake-up [ BeritaTerkini ]

By Michael Gold | Reuters  –  By Michael Gold TAIPEI (Reuters) – Ailing Taiwanese computer maker Acer Inc announced Thursday that i...

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Winamp Media Player Shutting Down After 15 Years

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><img src="http://www5.pcmag.com/media/images/408404-winamp.jpg?thumb=y" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>After 15 years on the Internet, the once-ubiquitous digital audio player Winamp will soon be just a memory.</p><br /><p>According to a brief note on the Winamp website, the formerly uber-popular media player will no longer be available for download after Dec. 20, 2013. This includes Winamp.com and associated Web services.</p><br /><p>You probably remember Winamp from the late 90s and early 2000's when it was one of the most widely used Internet services for listening to music and radio streams. Winamp eventually lost popularity as services like iTunes and Windows Media Player hit the Web, but it'll always hold a special place in the hearts of many.</p><br /><p>Developed by former University of Utah college students Justin Frankel and Dmitry Boldyrev, Winamp launched in 1997, and quickly gained popularity alongside the rise of MP3 file sharing. AOL eventually acquired Winamp in 1999 when it picked up Frankel's company Nullsoft for $80 million in stock.</p><br /><p>By the time Winamp released its 10th Anniversary edition back in 2007, most people had already moved on to more modern digital music services.</p><br /><p>'Most of the people I spoke with were genuinely shocked to discover that not only is Winamp still kicking on their 10th anniversary, the app is seeing the release of a new version this week,' PCMag said at the time.</p><br /><p>PCMag last reviewed Winamp in 2009, giving version 5.55 an 'excellent' rating, including high marks for its sleek interface, built-in artist bio information, and enhanced audio/video playback support. Take a look at our review for a trip down memory lane.</p><br /></div>

Technology Winamp Media Player Shutting Down After 15 Years

After 15 years on the Internet, the once-ubiquitous digital audio player Winamp will soon be just a memory. According to a brief note on th...

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Should Walmart Pay Its Workers More?

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://b-i.forbesimg.com/modeledbehavior/files/2013/11/6016203824_335af11d31_m.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>The recent story about Walmart employees putting on a food drive for other Walmart employees has raised a lot of complaints about Walmart's pay. The first most obvious point is that this is further proof of economic hardships that the working poor can face in this economy. Though I don't think this is evidence that Walmart workers are starving. One account from the Cleveland Plain Dealer's reporting certainly makes it seem like this is a story about temporary economic hardship:</p><br /><p>Erica Reed, an associate at the Canton store, agrees. She said food drives have been going on at the store for a few years, so she questions why they are becoming an issue now. Reed said past food drives helped her cope with her own problems, not caused by low wages but because of losing $500 a month in child support when the father of her four children went to jail. She declined to give her salary.</p><br /><p>The source of the hardship aside, there are a couple of things worth considering here that people often miss.</p><br /><p>First, is that if you ask firms to pay above market wages do you have any way of knowing whether they will do this via lower employment? It's true that there is no rule that a company must abide by the profit maximizing labor demand curve. In a competitive industry firms can choose a non-profit maximizing Q as well as a non-profit maximizing P if it is paid for out of: lower shareholder returns, lower managerial pay, or higher consumer willingness to pay. These can be motivated by the desire to work or shop at places that pay high wages, and so also be fully efficient in the neoclassical sense.</p><br /><p>But this is more likely to happen in closely held firms, like a small sole proprietorship in the form of local coffee shop. In large, dispersed, corporation like Walmart this is going to be extremely difficult. Do advocates truly expect to change the hearts of Walmart's managers, shareholders, or low-income consumers? Where did all the liberal cynicism about corporate behavior go? A more likely result is they will change their behavior in ways that minimizes the social stigma.</p><br /><p>Importantly this will be difficult for advocates to monitor. While you can complain about and find out average wages, how will deviations from optimal quantity of employment be measured? Even if such deviations could be measured, how credible are threats to complain about less hiring? Note that while Costco does pay more than Walmart, they also have half as many employees per square foot and I have never seen anyone complain about this. No, I don't think Walmart would find any such headlines very costly to ignore.</p><br /><p>Finally, some might claim Walmart simply can't hire less workers, but even if you hold the Costco example aside, isn't one of the most common liberal complaints about Walmart that when they come to a town they lower retail worker employment? Most firms have some margins of adjustment when it comes to higher labor costs, and those that don't tend to see higher wages translate into less employment via lower output, e.g. locations going out of business. That is to say, if Walmart doesn't decrease employment perhaps their market share will be eroded by someone who will.</p><br /><p>A second point I hear is, wouldn't I praise it if Walmart just announced, without pressure, to pay it's workers on it's own? But Walmart giving raises because this is the profit maximizing labor market outcome is different than Walmart giving raises because of a bad PR campaign. In the former case you have wages driven up either by improving productivity at Walmart or at other buyers of low-skilled labor. This suggests the higher wages are not coming at the expense of less employment. In the latter case, as I described above, this is not true.</p><br /><p>Some may point to lower turnover as a source of cost savings from higher wages, but remember this story began with tales of unforseen economic hardship. The ease of quickly finding a job is an important in these circumstances, and the economy is already suffering from what looks like too low of labor market churn.</p><br /><p>Overall, a social stigma against hiring low-productivity workers and paying them their market wage is not the same thing as higher productivity. High wages are good when they don't come by mechanisms that risk labor surpluses.</p><br /><p>It's important to highlight the plight of the working poor. At a time when food stamps are being cut and some on the right attempt to argue against the basic idea of a safety net it is useful to show what actual need looks like in this country, and that many who work hard still encounter real economic hardship. So by all means, lets talk about increasing the EITC, making a better and more robust safety net, and ways to improve the welfare of low-income people in this country. But let's not pretend that a huge percentage of the context in which this story is being discussed isn't that it is Walmart's duty to raise the wages above the current market level. I'm happy to talk about economic hardship and things to do about it, but let's not ignore the conversation most people are actually having and the bad ideas actually being proposed.</p><br /></div>

Business Should Walmart Pay Its Workers More?

The recent story about Walmart employees putting on a food drive for other Walmart employees has raised a lot of complaints about Walmart...

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21-Nov-2013 10:59

State inspector general investigates why Deeds's son was released before attack - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/state-mental-hospital-in-staunton-had-room-for-deedss-son-on-monday/2013/11/20/5faeccaa-51fd-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/state-mental-hospital-in-staunton-had-room-for-deedss-son-on-monday/2013/11/20/5faeccaa-51fd-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Barack Obama, Bill Clinton pay tribute at JFK's grave - New York Daily News :: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barack-obama-bill-clinton-pay-tribute-jfk-grave-article-1.1524167">http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barack-obama-bill-clinton-pay-tribute-jfk-grave-article-1.1524167</a><br /><br><br /><br>Microsoft's Xbox One reviewed - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25010162">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25010162</a><br /><br><br /><br>California man pulled off plane in North Korea, detained, son says - CNN :: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/20/world/asia/north-korea-detained-american/">http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/20/world/asia/north-korea-detained-american/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Envoys Seek Iran Deal as US Vows Sanctions Enforcement - Bloomberg :: <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-21/envoys-seek-iran-deal-as-u-s-vows-sanctions-enforcement.html">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-21/envoys-seek-iran-deal-as-u-s-vows-sanctions-enforcement.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Karzai says doesn't trust US, but needs security pact - Reuters :: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/21/us-afghanistan-usa-trust-idUSBRE9AK0C920131121">http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/21/us-afghanistan-usa-trust-idUSBRE9AK0C920131121</a><br /><br><br /><br>Rep. Radel takes leave of absence after cocaine charge - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/20/trey-radel-cocaine-sting-congress/3649619/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/20/trey-radel-cocaine-sting-congress/3649619/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Drone attack kills 6 at Pakistan seminary - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-drone-pakistan-seminary-20131121,0,52940.story?track%3Drss">http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-drone-pakistan-seminary-20131121,0,52940.story?track%3Drss</a><br /><br><br /><br>Australia sites hacked amid spying row with Indonesia - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25029261">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25029261</a><br /><br><br /><br>French police name arrested Paris gun suspect - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25027595">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25027595</a>

21-Nov-2013 10:59

State inspector general investigates why Deeds's son was released before attack - Washington Post :: http://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...

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U.S. urges North Korea to resolve issue of detained Americans [ BeritaTerkini ]

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> <p><br></p> <div class="body-slot-container"> <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> </div> <p>BEIJING (Reuters) – A U.S. envoy urged North Korea on Thursday to resolve the issue of American citizens detained by the reclusive country, among them an 85-year-old Korean War veteran from California and Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American Christian missionary.</p> <p>U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies made the comments to reporters in Beijing.</p> <p>Merrill Newman, a retiree from Palo Alto, California, was taken away a day after he and his tour guide spoke with North Korean authorities during a meeting in which his military service in Korea was discussed, his son, Jeff Newman, said.</p> <p>(Reporting by Megha Rajagopalan, Writing by Sui-Lee Wee; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)</p> <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Politics & Government</li> <li>North Korea</li> <li>Kenneth Bae</li> </ul><p></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

U.S. urges North Korea to resolve issue of detained Americans [ BeritaTerkini ]

BEIJING (Reuters) – A U.S. envoy urged North Korea on Thursday to resolve the issue of American citizens detained ...

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It's Gonna Be Colder Than A Well Digger's Ass For A Few Days

It's not even Winter for another month and it's already starting.<br /><br />It was 29 degrees outside at 6:30 tonight and headed down.<br />No clouds so it is clear and cold.<br /><br />I like to keep a close eye on the weather forecast.......<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmjVEl3c6-DW4MTYVKIUpl-oqNlPmaLxcKnwj5ulEorP-QngGL28y_eFcrOUQL0THASCzDF-qu8eXjwy_4QkWluD2iX39YoOFzqppo5iKltHE7SiqCRB36l2nMC6tJBD30YhGKmwzO-ki/s1600/forcast-is-cold-o.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmjVEl3c6-DW4MTYVKIUpl-oqNlPmaLxcKnwj5ulEorP-QngGL28y_eFcrOUQL0THASCzDF-qu8eXjwy_4QkWluD2iX39YoOFzqppo5iKltHE7SiqCRB36l2nMC6tJBD30YhGKmwzO-ki/s640/forcast-is-cold-o.gif" /></a></div><br />Yep, gonna get cold alright.

It's Gonna Be Colder Than A Well Digger's Ass For A Few Days

It's not even Winter for another month and it's already starting. It was 29 degrees outside at 6:30 tonight and headed down. No clou...

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China hospital ship to set sail for Philippine typhoon zone [ BeritaTerkini ]

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> <p><br></p> <p>By Greg Torode</p> <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> <p>HONG KONG (Reuters) – China is sending a state-of-the-art hospital ship to the Philippines following foreign and domestic criticism that it was slow and less than generous in its response to one of the world’s biggest typhoons, which killed at least 4,000 people.</p> <p>The Foreign Ministry in Beijing confirmed on Tuesday the deployment of the 14,000-tonne “Peace Ark” as state television reported the arrival of the first batch of Chinese relief supplies in the Philippines.</p> <p>Exactly where the Ark will operate and when it will arrive have not yet been confirmed, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Ark would set sail as soon as possible.</p> <p>“China has always been concerned about the Philippines typhoon disaster,” he said. “In the spirit of helping the dying and healing the injured, we plan to send rescue workers to the disaster area.”</p> <p>Tension between China and the Philippines had risen in recent months over disputed claims in the South China Sea, with Manila taking Beijing to a United Nations court to challenge its historic claim to much of the strategic waterway.</p> <p>China’s usually hawkish Global Times, a tabloid owned by the government mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, last week urged the deployment of the Ark amid criticism of Beijing’s response by foreign commentators.</p> <p>China, the world’s second-largest economy, initially announced it was giving $ 200,000 and then bumped that up by $ 1.6 million. On Sunday, it said it was ready to send rescue and medical teams.</p> <p>In contrast, the United States has mobilized about 50 ships and aircraft in the disaster zone with helicopters delivering supplies from an aircraft carrier. It has announced more than $ 37 million in humanitarian aid.</p> <p>Armed forces and aid agencies are struggling to get help to devastated areas following the widespread destruction in the Philippines, which left more than four million people homeless.</p> <p>The Ark will join an international flotilla of naval ships now delivering food, water and medicine to victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which tore across the central Philippine on November 8, smashing just about everything in its path.</p> <p>The Ark, outfitted with 300 hospital beds and eight operating theatres and a medical staff numbering 100, recently returned to Shanghai after an unprecedented four-month deployment to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean where it made several goodwill stops, treating thousands of patients.</p> <p>A Chinese cargo plane carrying tents and blankets landed in the central Philippine city of Cebu on Tuesday, broadcaster CCTV said.</p> <p>“The Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development head has said the Chinese relief goods are very useful,” Chinese embassy official Wu Zhenping told the station.</p> <p>“They will distribute some goods to evacuated victims in Cebu and the rest to victims in the worst-hit area, Tacloban.”</p> <p>(Additional reporting by Alice Woodhouse and Sui-Lee Wee in Beijing; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)</p> <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Disasters & Accidents</li> <li>Society & Culture</li> <li>China</li> <li>Philippines</li> </ul><p></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

China hospital ship to set sail for Philippine typhoon zone [ BeritaTerkini ]

By Greg Torode HONG KONG (Reuters) – China is sending a state-of-the-art hospital ship to the Philippines following ...

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21-Nov-2013 09:58

Officials: 3 dead, 2 injured in northwest Harris County shooting - <a href="http://abc13.com">abc13.com</a> :: <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section%3Dnews/local%26id%3D9333424">http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section%3Dnews/local%26id%3D9333424</a><br /><br><br /><br>Jacqueline's legacy: Shaping JFK's - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette :: <a href="http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131121/FEAT/311219939/1011/FEAT">http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20131121/FEAT/311219939/1011/FEAT</a><br /><br><br /><br>Drone Strike Reported Outside Pakistan's Tribal Region - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/world/asia/drone-strike-reported-outside-pakistans-tribal-region.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/world/asia/drone-strike-reported-outside-pakistans-tribal-region.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Son says North Korea detains 85-year-old Korean War vet - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/20/north-korea-may-have-detained-elderly-american-source-says/">http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/20/north-korea-may-have-detained-elderly-american-source-says/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Afghanistan's Loya Jirga to debate future US security plans - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25027467">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25027467</a><br /><br><br /><br>Barack Obama, Bill Clinton pay tribute at JFK's grave - New York Daily News :: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barack-obama-bill-clinton-pay-tribute-jfk-grave-article-1.1524167">http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barack-obama-bill-clinton-pay-tribute-jfk-grave-article-1.1524167</a><br /><br><br /><br>Rep. Trey Radel to take leave of absence, enter drug treatment - CNN :: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/politics/congressman-cocaine-possession/">http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/politics/congressman-cocaine-possession/</a><br /><br><br /><br>French police name arrested Paris gun suspect - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25027595">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25027595</a><br /><br><br /><br>The Clueless actress died on December 20, 2009 and the Los Angeles County ... - Daily Mail :: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2510270/Brittany-Murphys-mother-law-calls-investigation-deaths-star-husband.html?ico%3Dushome%255Emostread">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2510270/Brittany-Murphys-mother-law-calls-investigation-deaths-star-husband.html?ico%3Dushome%255Emostread</a><br /><br><br /><br>Evangelist Billy Graham hospitalized again in NC - WGME :: <a href="http://www.wgme.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/2efbee30-www.wgme.com.shtml">http://www.wgme.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/2efbee30-www.wgme.com.shtml</a>

21-Nov-2013 09:58

Officials: 3 dead, 2 injured in northwest Harris County shooting - abc13.com :: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section%3Dnews/local%26i...

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Asia stocks sag to one

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20131120&t=2&i=813662742&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=580&pl=378&r=CBRE9A3085100" width="600"/><br /><p>Credit: Reuters/Toru Hanai</p><br /><p>1 of 8. A visitor walks past logos at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo June 13, 2013.</p><br /><p>Stocks dropped on talk of the Fed's stimulus withdrawal, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO both shedding about 0.3 percent.</p><br /><p>Federal Reserve officials indicated at the bank's October 29-30 policy meeting that they could decide to start scaling back the asset purchases at one of its next few meetings provided this was warranted by economic growth.</p><br /><p>'The headline that most participants saw tapering in the next couple of meetings cannot be much of surprise, since the alternative is a virtual indefinite postponement,' said Steven Englander, global head of G10 FX strategy at CitiFX.</p><br /><p>'That said, the 5 percent probability associated with a December tapering seemed too low so there may have been an unwinding of somewhat overly dovish expectations,' Englander wrote in a note to clients.</p><br /><p>The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of major currencies, last stood at 81.032 .DXY after climbed 0.4 percent on Wednesday in its biggest one-day gain in about two weeks.</p><br /><p>The euro was slightly lower at $1.3435, and was also buying 143.40 yen, well off a four-year high of 135.94 yen touched on Wednesday.</p><br /><p>The dollar was a touch firmer against its Japanese counterpart, buying 100.13 yen.</p><br /><p>The euro plunged on Wednesday after a Bloomberg report said the ECB was considering cutting its deposit rate, one of its two key interest rates, to below zero. An ECB spokesperson declined to comment on the report.</p><br /><p>Late on Thursday, the Bank of Japan will conclude a two-day policy meeting. The central bank is expected to maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy and debate how weak exports and swinging expectations about when the Fed will taper its stimulus may affect Japan's economic recovery.</p><br /><p>In commodities trading, Brent crude oil rose about 0.9 percent to $107.92. It surged by more than $1 a barrel on Wednesday after a U.S. official said it would be 'very hard' to get a nuclear agreement with Iran this week.</p><br /><p>U.S. oil futures for January delivery slipped about 0.1 percent to $93.78, after reversing gains on Wednesday following release of the Fed minutes.</p><br /><p>(Editing by Shri Navaratnam)</p><br /></div>

Business Asia stocks sag to one

Credit: Reuters/Toru Hanai 1 of 8. A visitor walks past logos at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo June 13, 2013. Stocks dropped on talk of ...

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FDA declines to approve new Forest, Richter drug [ BeritaTerkini ]

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> <p><br></p> <div class="body-slot-container"> <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> </div> <p>(Reuters) – U.S. health regulators have declined to approve a new antipsychotic drug from Forest Laboratories and Richter, citing the need for more information, including additional clinical trial data.</p> <p>The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) delivered its verdict on cariprazine for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in a so-called “complete response letter,” the type of letter issued by the agency to convey that it cannot approve a drug application in its current form.</p> <p>Cariprazine was discovered by Hungarian drugmaker Richter and licensed to Forest in the United States and Canada.</p> <p>Industry analysts have forecast North American sales of the drug of $ 250 million in 2017, according to consensus forecasts compiled by Thomson Reuters Pharma.</p> <p>In its letter, the FDA acknowledged that cariprazine demonstrated effectiveness but the two companies said on Thursday it appeared regulators wanted more tests on the optimal dose of the treatment to avoid potential side effects.</p> <p>(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by David Holmes)</p> <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Pharmaceuticals & Drug Trials</li> <li>Health</li> <li>Food and Drug Administration</li> <li>Forest Laboratories</li> <li>antipsychotic drug</li> </ul><p></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

FDA declines to approve new Forest, Richter drug [ BeritaTerkini ]

(Reuters) – U.S. health regulators have declined to approve a new antipsychotic drug from Forest Laboratories and ...

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21-Nov-2013 08:57

Michael Skakel Update: Kennedy cousin poised for freedom in 1975 killing - CBS News :: <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-skakel-update-kennedy-cousin-poised-for-freedom-in-1975-killing/">http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-skakel-update-kennedy-cousin-poised-for-freedom-in-1975-killing/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Report: US citizen detained in N. Korea - The State :: <a href="http://www.thestate.com/2013/11/21/3112082/report-us-citizen-detained-in.html">http://www.thestate.com/2013/11/21/3112082/report-us-citizen-detained-in.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>FSU's Winston Investigation: Accuser Warned About Pursuing Case - The Ledger :: <a href="http://www.theledger.com/article/20131120/SPORTS19/131129893">http://www.theledger.com/article/20131120/SPORTS19/131129893</a><br /><br><br /><br>Kerry, Karzai reach deal on US troop presence beyond 2014 - The Hindu :: <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/kerry-karzai-reach-deal-on-us-troop-presence-beyond-2014/article5374864.ece">http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/kerry-karzai-reach-deal-on-us-troop-presence-beyond-2014/article5374864.ece</a><br /><br><br /><br>Barack Obama, Bill Clinton pay tribute at JFK's grave - New York Daily News :: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barack-obama-bill-clinton-pay-tribute-jfk-grave-article-1.1524167">http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barack-obama-bill-clinton-pay-tribute-jfk-grave-article-1.1524167</a><br /><br><br /><br>Florida Congressman in Cocaine Case Will Take a Leave of Absence - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/us/congressman-pleads-guilty-to-cocaine-possession.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/us/congressman-pleads-guilty-to-cocaine-possession.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Is NYC For The Birds? Wild Turkeys Spur Tension - NPR :: <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId%3D246477338">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId%3D246477338</a><br /><br><br /><br>French police name arrested Paris gun suspect - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25027595">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25027595</a><br /><br><br /><br>18 die as cyclone hits Sardinia - The Times (subscription) :: <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article3926027.ece">http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article3926027.ece</a><br /><br><br /><br>Evangelist Billy Graham hospitalized again in NC - WGME :: <a href="http://www.wgme.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/2efbee30-www.wgme.com.shtml">http://www.wgme.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/2efbee30-www.wgme.com.shtml</a>

21-Nov-2013 08:57

Michael Skakel Update: Kennedy cousin poised for freedom in 1975 killing - CBS News :: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-skakel-update-ke...

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To iPad or not to iPad: A tablet buyer's guide

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams%5C2012/February/120214%5C29738-wilson-rothman-mugshot_2010_sm.blocks_desktop_avatar.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>6 minutes ago</p><br /><img src="http://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams/2013/November/131121/2D9748467-nokia.blocks_desktop_medium.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>At first, there was only the iPad. Then came Android tablets - overpriced, oversized and app-less. Eventually, the table(t)s turned: Prices for Android tablets dropped while quality improved. Now, Android makes up the majority of tablet shipments in the market. Deciding on a tablet has gotten trickier.</p><br /><p>For this roundup, I gathered the tablets that cover 95 percent of what shoppers care about: Both new Apple iPads ($399 and $499), Google's Nexus 7 ($229), both new Amazon Kindle Fire HDX tablets ($229 and $379), and the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 ($549). The dark horse Windows tablet in my lineup wasn't the uninspiring Microsoft Surface 2. Instead, I checked out Nokia's candy-apple red, exceptionally sleek Lumia 2520 ($499) - and was glad I did.</p><br /><p>In fact, all turned out to be impressive in some ways, so instead of picking an overall winner, I looked at various aspects that will matter to you, and declared winners and losers for each.</p><br /><p><strong>Screen size</strong>There are basically two tablet categories: The 7- to 8-inchers, and the 9- to 10-inchers. These might sound similar in size, but because screens are measured diagonally, a 7-inch tablet can be half the size of a 10-inch tablet. So think of the two categories as small and large. (Panasonic's now selling a 20-inch tablet for $6,000 but we won't go there.)</p><br /><p>Your choice between small and large depends mostly on what you're going to do with it - and where: Are you reading books, watching TV and checking email? Or are you editing photos, recording music and working on spreadsheets? Will you be lying in bed, holding the tablet aloft in one hand? Or will it be propped up in front of you in conference rooms and airplane seats?</p><br /><p>I personally find the smaller size most appealing, but that's because I still also carry a laptop everywhere. I consider the tablet to be my 'low blood pressure' device - less work, more play. If you are trying to streamline your work setup, though, the larger size makes way more sense.</p><br /><img src="http://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams/2013/November/131121/2D9748469-ipad.blocks_desktop_small.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p><strong>Pixel density</strong> The iPad Air is supposed to have a 'Retina' screen - with pixels so small you can't seem them - but in fact, at 264 pixels per inch, the screen is actually less dense than much of the competition's. It looks better than the screen on the older (now cheaper) iPad Mini and the iPad 2, but sharp eyes will definitely spot some dots.</p><br /><p>The new iPad Mini has a real Retina screen, with over 300 pixels per inch, and so does the Nexus 7, the Galaxy Note 10.1 and both Kindle Fire HDX tablets. If you spend a lot of time staring at text on a tablet, you should care about this.</p><br /><p><strong>Viewing angle</strong> Though important, pixel density isn't the only factor in a good screen. Viewing angle, another key indicator, can be tested by looking at the picture from any angle but head on. Suppose you and a loved one want to sit together and enjoy the same movie on a tablet - if the display doesn't have a wide enough viewing angle, you'll both experience bleached colors and limited contrast.</p><br /><img src="http://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams/2013/November/131121/2D9744992-nexus.blocks_desktop_small.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p><strong>Brightness and outdoor visibility</strong> Tablets are famously hard to read outdoors, especially when the sun is shining. Finally, some manufacturers are changing that with bright and innovative screens. This is the first year that I've seen screens I'd recommend to be used outside, especially those on the Nexus 7 and the Nokia Lumia 2520.</p><br /><p>Unfortunately for Apple aficionados, the iPads are not so hot in the sun. (Neither is the Galaxy Note 10.1.) I will say this, though: Because the iPads have such comparatively low brightness, they're useful for reading in pitch-dark environments. As someone who reads at night, I like the fact that iPads get really dim. I just never realized until now that the benefit comes at the cost of outdoor visibility.</p><br /><p><strong>Battery life</strong> For now, iPads consistently have the best battery life - I got over 10 hours of streamed video over Wi-Fi with medium brightness. That said, if you are looking elsewhere and concerned about battery life, the largest tablets tested, the Galaxy Note 10.1 and the Nokia Lumia 2520, did run for upwards of 9 hours. The smaller Android tablets, the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HDX tablets couldn't quite hit 8 hours.</p><br /><p><strong>Camera</strong> I won't judge you if you like to take pictures with a tablet. Just don't do it in front of me at a concert that I paid $50 to attend. Also, be aware that even the best tablet cameras are just OK compared with smartphones. They're getting better, though, and the winners below could deliver medium- to low-light indoor shots suitable for most uses.</p><br /><strong>Winners:</strong> The iPads, Galaxy Note 10.1, Kindle Fire HDX 8.9-inch <strong>Losers:</strong> Nokia Lumia 2520 (surprising, given the fact that Nokia has the best camera-phone on the market), Nexus 7 <strong>Non-compete:</strong> The 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX has no back-facing camera, so it's not in this race at all.<br /><p><strong>Availability of content</strong> Lately, the availability of content for Android has gone through the roof. For video, you can find Netflix and Hulu, plus a growing lineup of pay TV or ad-supported services such as Watch TBS, HBO Go, FoxNow, Crackle and Xfinity (which is for cable subscribers of Comcast, NBC's corporate parent).</p><br /><p>The iPad nevertheless leads, because it's the crossroads for every video platform: Not only does it support everything I mentioned above plus Apple's own massive iTunes video catalog, you can even stream Google Play content, or Amazon video on demand. No other tablet gives you all that leeway.</p><br /><p>The same is true for other content types: You'll find reader apps and music apps of all stripes now on Android tablets - plenty enough to keep you satisfied. Still, if for some (bizarre) reason you buy books from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Google Play and Apple ... the iPad would be the only way to keep them all in one place.</p><br /><p>The final frontier for tablet content is gaming, and here Apple is still well ahead of everyone else. Sure, Electronic Arts has released 35 titles for Android, but that's for both phones and tablets. Meanwhile, the games publisher has 54 titles optimized specifically for the iPad. There's a similar imbalance with Activision and other publishers, though things even out more when it comes to viral casual gaming like Angry Birds.</p><br /><p>If you're looking to buy an Android tablet and want to make sure it will support all of your specific content needs, just go to the Google Play store and check out the apps.</p><br /><p>You can check app availability for the Kindle Fire HDX, too, but if you are interested in buying one of those you're either heavily invested in Amazon content or committed to putting Amazon in charge of your content needs. (And why not? Amazon has some of the better pricing for video and music, and I find its video streams and downloads to be reliable.)</p><br /><img src="http://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams/2013/November/131121/2D9748468-amazon.blocks_desktop_small.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p><strong>Child's play</strong> If you have kids and let them use tablets, there's another set of content choices to be made: Do you want the best and freshest kids apps? Do you want a tailored, controlled experience for them?</p><br /><p>Apple still gets the best kids' apps first - I'm talking about the ones that aren't shady or thrown together, real high-production-value stuff that costs between $2 and $8 a pop. And the iOS does let you control children's access to the iPad. If you go into Settings, you can hit restrictions, pick a PIN, then block all kinds of content and activities. No buying stuff on iTunes or surfing the Web. No rated-R movies and 17+ rated apps and games. You can also shut down advertising, social media and other services that you may find inappropriate for young ones.</p><br /><p>Still, on an iPad, there's no way to put the kids in a customized sandbox of their very own apps, shows and games. That's what you can do with the Kindle Fire HDX, which lets you create multiple accounts on your device for each child. Best of all, you can set the timing parameters for each media type, so it'll let the kids read books indefinitely, while putting time limits on TV and games.</p><br /><p><strong>Some more stuff to think about</strong> The tablet business really isn't a three-way battle - I looked at the Nokia because it's fresh and frankly quite stunning, but I still don't recommend its operating system, Windows 8.1 RT, to folks who don't already know what that is. Microsoft's fraction of the tablet business is still tiny but, unlike Microsoft's lackluster Surface 2, that Nokia will certainly turn heads.</p><br /><img src="http://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams/2013/November/131121/2D9748498-samsung.blocks_desktop_small.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>The other tablet I can't recommend wholeheartedly is the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, and not just because it had the worst screen in my tests. Samsung has been actively covering up all that's good about Android with gaudy, noisy, unintuitive interface components that don't cohere well and interfere all too often. On top of the software mess, the company adds features - stylus tools, gesture sensing and Samsung-to-Samsung device interactions - that often don't work as billed, and tend to take away the promise of harmony among Android devices. Samsung doesn't want you on Android ... it only wants you on Samsung.</p><br /><p>Regardless of which tablet you choose, you'll invariably have the option to add 4G cellular data capability for a premium cost. I find that to be excessive: Wi-Fi-only tablets are fine, and I can deal with the rare occasions where I don't have Wi-Fi access. There are now plenty of ways to download video and other content for trips, and many phones can become Wi-Fi hotspots in a pinch.</p><br /><p>That said, if you do opt for a 4G wireless tablet, carriers tend not to require you to sign a 2-year contract, and you can shove the hardware onto your existing plan for a nominal monthly fee (and take them off of your plan almost as easily).</p><br /><p>This brings me to pricing. Now that so many tablets are worthwhile, price may be the most important factor of the tablet buying decision. The newest iPads scored pretty highly in most of my tests here, but they cost a lot. If you have $229 in your pocket, you could do far worse than to buy the Nexus 7 or the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX. In fact, if you only have $300 to spend, I recommend that over buying the last-generation iPad Mini, especially if you plan to do a lot of reading.</p><br /><p>If you are an Amazon Prime customer or spend a lot on Kindle and Amazon Instant Video, then the Kindle Fire HDX is almost a no-brainer buy, even if you are an otherwise Apple-friendly family.</p><br /><p>And if you are a PC household that has happily made the jump to Windows 8, and you have an Xbox 360 (or are about to score an Xbox One), then you should really check out that Nokia. It was the surprise of the lineup, a genuinely pleasant device to test, even if its mobile Windows platform isn't yet ready for all audiences.</p><br />Wilson Rothman is the Technology & Science editor at NBC News Digital. Catch up with him on Twitter at @wjrothman, and join our conversation on Facebook.</div>

Technology To iPad or not to iPad: A tablet buyer's guide

6 minutes ago At first, there was only the iPad. Then came Android tablets - overpriced, oversized and app-less. Eventually, the table(t)s t...

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Dealing with injuries, Pats' defense faces Manning

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=bOWKXixwP8W1i4SrDVMQjw5CdkrOuIPEHPNacBAFM5XTPo_3kYrXUhDV8X1y8XVLo4hTYX_KbqLvXWbB4AWgnosRCF_yL6lCWBUcuy8HCXPaRleF8ErKK4tKBqL05tLHtxkUTn692QP_fTfLrgdUGDLrsRHr23jX_L5FNkH0LYA50ay_ebhTCIAf6XFasOYQjdF_WdTjdkfLSEGtWiTfYwE1NcRptPp8GdKnX6Rplaqh0NUd5MXV2IKWxGMuQkaIdCQBXWFu2lymFdg_WrNEXpFwsxCfxwY328oanllRxw6Gfd8ebr2L3Omv_RJVKM_oHxY9qwtYCPOzP_i2gU_UGGftp1H_26ivdXijpgRMXis7LMmaqXhvidExaO2YUWg46km8tryPLFkUPDyGC52HpMbtjjbnbZRRKjqXxrdetdNZZvXdesCIsHcX1%24CJ1wVA" width="600"/> <img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=x18KLAimqJhWEfJxVqNTH8%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYvopb3OJx28Np9kJuEBYiXfWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/><br /><p>New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib (31) runs during a stretching and drills session before practice begins at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. The Patriots will play the Denver Broncos Sunday night in Foxborough. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)</p><br /><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=5oXSaIVsMMF%24dXSczlZ1Ks%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYu1p0_ihu2n0GqPzPk35JBZWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/><br /><p>New England Patriots linebacker Pepper Johnson, left, defensive end Chandler Jones (95) and defensive lineman Marcus Forston (98) run during a stretching and drills session before practice begins at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. The Patriots will play the Denver Broncos Sunday night in Foxborough. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)</p><br /><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=1qdEcLei%24OmsoLNEkk9xZs%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYvxl_9Yw6vQwxaeuRwgd5ALWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/><br /><p>Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) catches a pass as New England Patriots' Aqib Talib (31) defends during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)</p><br /><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=lkL0McZ_nswchsj6o0sr28%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYuyljwC0sWTidGMWugBO3YYWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/><br /><p>New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick a listens to reporter's question during a media availability at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. The Patriots will play the Denver Broncos Sunday night in Foxborough. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)</p><br /><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=qwlcR3poFouOBQx7qqWN18%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYttyIcX7nXE8NxoBTdR9AikWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/><br /><p>New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib (31) runs during a stretching and drills session before practice begins at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. The Patriots will play the Denver Broncos Sunday night in Foxborough. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)</p><br /><p>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - A healthy defense would have trouble against Peyton Manning.</p><br /><p>So when six starters are sidelined, the task becomes much tougher.</p><br /><p>The New England Patriots might find themselves in that predicament Sunday night when Manning leads the Denver Broncos and their NFL-best offense into Gillette Stadium.</p><br /><p>'It's definitely a high-potent offense that we'll be facing this week,' starting safety Steve Gregory said yesterday. 'We are battling having a lot of guys that are hurt and banged-up, but it's that time of the season where those type of things happen.'</p><br /><p>Gregory is one of those guys.</p><br /><p>A broken right thumb kept him out of the 24-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Monday night and his status for the Denver game is unknown. Starting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard also was sidelined with a knee injury, and is expected to miss Sunday night's game.</p><br /><p>Aqib Talib, the other starting cornerback, returned against the Panthers after missing three games with a hip injury, but couldn't finish the game.</p><br /><p>'I tried to go through it as much as I can,' he said, 'but if I could have been out there, I'd have been out there.'</p><br /><p>The Patriots (7-3) also have three of their best defenders on season-ending injured reserve: defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly and linebacker Jerod Mayo.</p><br /><p>So they started rookie free agents Chris Jones and Joe Vellano at defensive tackle and third-round draft pick Duron Harmon at safety against Carolina.</p><br /><p>But the Patriots emphasize creating depth, so the injuries in the secondary might not keep them from playing with similar alignments than they would use if the regulars were healthy.</p><br /><p>'We'll do what we think is best for the game, regardless,' Coach Bill Belichick said.</p><br /><p>Against the Panthers, backup cornerback Kyle Arrington let Ted Ginn Jr. get free for the game-deciding 25-yard touchdown pass with 59 seconds left.</p><br /><p>The tall, speedy Talib was having an outstanding season with four interceptions before being hurt. He's already played well against Vincent Jackson of Tampa Bay, Julio Jones of Atlanta, A.J. Green of Cincinnati and Jimmy Graham of New Orleans.</p><br /><p>He struggled against Steve Smith of Carolina, but wasn't at full strength.</p><br /><p>If Talib plays against Denver (9-1), he'd have to cover Demaryius Thomas or Eric Decker.</p><br /><p>'He's an excellent cover corner and he did an excellent job on Julio Jones,' Manning said. 'That shows you the confidence they have in him. He is just a top-notch cover corner, great speed and great size.'</p><br /><p>When the Patriots acquired Talib from Tampa Bay last season, they were able to move Devin McCourty to safety where he has been outstanding. Now McCourty is the only one of their top five defensive backs who was not limited in practice yesterday.</p><br /><p>That gave backups more plays during the workout.</p><br /><p>'They've had some injuries, yet (with) kind of the next-man-up philosophy that you hear a lot of teams use, I'm not sure anybody does it better than them,' Manning said. 'Somebody else pops in there and everybody else seems to kind of raise their level of play.'</p><br /><p>They haven't been doing that lately.</p><br /><p>In the last three games, the Patriots have allowed nine touchdown passes: two by Miami's Ryan Tannehill, four by Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger and three by Carolina's Cam Newton. New England won two of those games.</p><br /><p>Now the Patriots must face Manning, whose 34 scoring passes are eight more than any other quarterback.</p><br /><p>'He does a phenomenal job of getting the ball out quick,' defensive end Rob Ninkovich said. 'He knows every single route, what's going on. He's changing the play at the line of scrimmage, trying to give their offense the best play against the defense. He's been doing it a long time now, so we just have to make sure you don't show anything early and just be smart.'</p><br /><p>No matter how many defensive players are sidelined or slowed by injuries.</p><br /><p>'You always want to be playing at 100 percent,' Gregory said. 'You never like to deal with bumps and bruises, but it's something that we have to deal with every day, trying to get better and trying to heal up.'</p><br /><p><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=KRCi3GtmYT_E0WHRG1NHsc%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYuL8JL9Cgu04DO1eJHrAJZWWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - There are some things in life that just get better with age. Love letters. Fine wine. The rapport between a receiver and his quarterback. Yet, Wes Welker hasn't wasted any time becoming Peyton Manning's top target, just as he quickly became Tom Brady's bull's-eye in New England. Welker set a franchise record with 112 catches his first ...</p><br /><p><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/ConcordMonitor/assets/img/sportsblog.png" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>From the Monitor sports staff, the Sports Blog brings you sports news from the Capital Region to Durham to Boston to anywhere our teams or interest travel.</p><br /><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=bOWKXixwP8W1i4SrDVMQjw5CdkrOuIPEHPNacBAFM5XTPo_3kYrXUhDV8X1y8XVLo4hTYX_KbqLvXWbB4AWgnosRCF_yL6lCWBUcuy8HCXPaRleF8ErKK4tKBqL05tLHtxkUTn692QP_fTfLrgdUGDLrsRHr23jX_L5FNkH0LYA50ay_ebhTCIAf6XFasOYQjdF_WdTjdkfLSEGtWiTfYwE1NcRptPp8GdKnX6Rplaqh0NUd5MXV2IKWxGMuQkaIdCQBXWFu2lymFdg_WrNEXpFwsxCfxwY328oanllRxw6Gfd8ebr2L3Omv_RJVKM_oHxY9qwtYCPOzP_i2gU_UGGftp1H_26ivdXijpgRMXis7LMmaqXhvidExaO2YUWg46km8tryPLFkUPDyGC52HpMbtjjbnbZRRKjqXxrdetdNZZvXdesCIsHcX1%24CJ1wVA" width="600"/><br /><p><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=zopklujs3lPg730ODidC88%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYuP4uRrcSFK1_OYgP8Rnaw2WCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - A healthy defense would have trouble against Peyton Manning. So when six starters are sidelined, the task becomes much tougher. The New England Patriots might ...</p><br /><p><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=KRCi3GtmYT_E0WHRG1NHsc%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYuL8JL9Cgu04DO1eJHrAJZWWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - There are some things in life that just get better with age. Love letters. Fine wine. The rapport between a receiver and his quarterback. Yet, ...</p><br /><p><img src="http://www.concordmonitor.com/csp/mediapool/sites/dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls?STREAMOID=rjJwtZfPQJBtsMKQBnUPpM%24daE2N3K4ZzOUsqbU5sYu8fQ6tEJlta70Von3SORjEWCsjLu883Ygn4B49Lvm9bPe2QeMKQdVeZmXF%249l%244uCZ8QDXhaHEp3rvzXRJFdy0KqPHLoMevcTLo3h8xh70Y6N_U_CryOsw6FTOdKL_jpQ-&CONTENTTYPE=image/jpeg" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - His arms finally free, Rob Gronkowski clapped when he saw the yellow flag in the end zone. The Patriots would have one more chance to ...</p><br /></div>

SPORTS Dealing with injuries, Pats' defense faces Manning

New England Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib (31) runs during a stretching and drills session before practice begins at the NFL football team...

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The Ian Fleming Classic Bond Collection Part Two Released Today

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlDaknOZKRQBknYNBm_JFobLGFYKsV0SMr-7yypkszDsbA66-8cOfGzSg_6VxAQWponRBmE0YbTW-cW9nloPZMZksrKqQBS2NmgCs4MEpNyrqKeiY2iYEPZdoIuhDYgL_NnUgATPJ7YE/s640/bond.jpg" /></div><br /><br /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Tennant's reading of the classic James Bond novel <i>On Her Majesty's Secret Service</i> is included in a second collection of Ian Fleming novels released today.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><b>007 Reloaded - The Ian Fleming Classic Bond Collection Part Two</b> includes unabridged readings of James Bond novels by some of the UK's greatest acting talent. In addition to David's audiobook, the set also includes Kenneth Branagh reading <i>The Man With The Golden Gun</i>, Martin Jarvis reading <i>You Only Live Twice</i> and Rosamund Pike's <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>.</span><br style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">Part One of the collection, including readings by Bill Nighy, Rory Kinnear and Hugh Bonneville, was released last year.</span><br style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1471357554?ie=UTF8&camp=3194&creative=21330&creativeASIN=1471357554&linkCode=shr&tag=dtennant-21&=books&qid=1374851451&sr=1-10&keywords=david+tennant" target="_blank">Click here to purchase online.</a></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>

audio Audio Book David Tennant Ian Fleming James Bond On Her Majesty's Secret Service The Ian Fleming Classic Bond Collection Part Two Released Today

David Tennant's reading of the classic James Bond novel  On Her Majesty's Secret Service  is included in a second collection of Ian ...

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Apple Agrees To Pay More City Taxes Under New Mothership Deal

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif" width="600"/><img src="http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/apple_spaceship_campus_5.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Apple and the city of Cupertino have reached an agreement that will see the tech giant paying more taxes to the city as part of the deal for its new Apple Campus 2 project.</p><br /><p>The new deal is up to receive final approval Tuesday night. If approved, Apple's tax increase will actually come from a reduction in the percentage of the tax rebate the city gives Apple each year, according to a report from the LA Times.</p><br /><p>Under its current deal with the Apple, the city of Cupertino gives back about 50% of the sales taxes it receives from Apple-related purchases. From now on that number will only be about 35% of sales taxes.</p><br /><p>Here's what Cupertino Mayor Orrin Mahoney had to say about the new tax agreement:</p><br /><p>'This item was one of many negotiated between Apple and the city of Cupertino as part of the development agreement. The Apple 2 campus is expected to have long-term impacts on the city with respect to traffic and other issues and Apple agreed to a financial offset for some of those impacts.'</p><br /><p>The city originally agreed to the tax rebate back in 1997 - when Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy - in exchange for Apple moving more sales within the city. Its hard to forecast how much the tax deal will cost Apple going forward, however if you look to 2012 the company generated $12.7 million in sales tax but the city of Cupertino gave $6.2 million of it back.</p><br /><p>Under the new agreement the city would have kept $1.8million more, which is a nice pay bump for a city with only $51.4 million in projected general fund revenues.</p><br /><p>Apple plans to finish its campus by 2016, however its questionable whether they'll meet that deadline. Over 20 buildings still have to be demolished off the property. Apple also plans to turn the area that is currently 80% concrete to 20% grass into 80% grass and 20% concrete with orchards of new trees and vegetation throughout the campus.</p><br /><img src="http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/themes/com2012/i/a/buster_heine.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p><strong>Buster Heine</strong> is Cult of Mac's Social Media Editor. Hailing from Roswell, New Mexico, but now spending his days in Phoenix, Arizona, he wastes most of his time eating burritos and reading Spanish romance novels. Twitter: @bst3r.</p><br /><p>(sorry, you need Javascript to see this e-mail address)| Read more posts by Buster Heine.</p><br /></div>

Technology Apple Agrees To Pay More City Taxes Under New Mothership Deal

Apple and the city of Cupertino have reached an agreement that will see the tech giant paying more taxes to the city as part of the deal for...

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Austin Hatch keeps faith after plane crashes

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/be0941039259d7f9f1306335f99f861d2d7b221c/c=114-0-2435-1746&r=490x368/local/-/media/USATODAY/test/2013/11/20//1384998789000-hatch-team.jpg" width="600"/>Austin Hatch stands between his uncle, Michael Hatch, left, and his Loyola High School basketball coach, Jamal Adams. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports<br /><p>LOS ANGELES -- Tragedy will never be fully behind Austin Hatch. But he showed again Wednesday that he has not lost hope -- whether or not he ever becomes a high level basketball player again.</p><br /><p>'I feel like God has his hand on me,' Hatch told a gathering of Los Angeles news media, at a surreal, uplifting news conference. 'I feel like there's a plan for my life.'</p><br /><p>Surviving two plane crashes will make one feel like that.</p><br /><p>In June 2011 Hatch was a passenger in a small plane, piloted by his father, that crashed. His father and stepmother were killed.</p><br /><p>Hatch survived -- although he had a traumatic brain injury, a broken collarbone and a punctured lung -- after being placed in a medically induced coma for eight weeks.</p><br /><p>Incredibly, it was the second time Hatch had survived a crash. Eight years earlier, his father was the pilot in another crash. Hatch's mother and two siblings were killed in that one.</p><br /><p>When Hatch awoke from his coma after the second crash it took him a while to process that he had lost his family.</p><br /><p>'I was dealing with the loss of my best friend, my coach, my teacher, my mentor and my No. 1 fan -- that same man was also my father, Dr. Stephen Hatch,' he said.</p><br /><p>'He taught me everything -- the work necessary to succeed, faith, determination and courage in the midst of hardship. Those traits I acquired from him are what saved my life.'</p><br /><p>The second crash came two weeks after Hatch, a 6-6 wing man at Fort Wayne (Ind.) Canterbury High School, had verbally committed to play basketball at Michigan. He has not played in a competitive basketball game since the crash.</p><br /><p>His recovery, physically, emotionally and mentally has been slow but steady. He spoke Wednesday calmly, confidently and articulately but said he is not where he once was in terms of cognitive ability.</p><br /><p>'A lot of people have said my recovery is kind of a miracle,' he said. 'But you have to remember the significance of what I've been through. I had a traumatic brain injury.'</p><br /><p>Hatch moved this summer from Indiana to Pasadena, Calif., to live with an uncle's family and attend a senior year of high school at Loyola, a tony Catholic private school in the shadow of downtown Los Angeles. He is practicing with the team and hopes to play, but a date for his return is unclear.</p><br /><p>Despite that, when Michigan coach John Beilein announced his 2014 recruiting class last week, Hatch was included.</p><br /><p>Hatch said that even if his game does not return to the point where he can play Division I basketball, he will still be a member of the Michigan basketball family.</p><br /><p>Beilein 'told me that he wouldn't offer me a scholarship if he didn't think I had a role on the team that would help them win,' he said. 'He said, 'Austin, whatever you are able to do, whether it be a manager or a practice player or whatever, you're on scholarship no matter what.'</p><br /><p>Hatch said that it has been difficult to find someone who can completely relate to his situation: 'It would be interesting to talk to someone who has been through something similar. But I haven't found him yet. I'm not sure anyone -- I don't know for sure -- I'm not sure anyone has been in two plane crashes.'</p><br /><p>Read the original story: Austin Hatch keeps faith after plane crashes</p><br /></div>

SPORTS Austin Hatch keeps faith after plane crashes

Austin Hatch stands between his uncle, Michael Hatch, left, and his Loyola High School basketball coach, Jamal Adams. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea, U...

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Listen To Who Is The Doctor? On BBC Radio 2 Tonight

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdfc9Bo1XEwKMNEy25wF8BCl22I11vvB94Voi3bfKr5EK9Q4bC6OHr4bHNh2XKsqwazj50sGF12pql7GTLI344_57EwIDuDvzo2yaCEFekA_rSECxTRTwcBxoPYHSazX5LTzMzytI4Oc/s1600/doctor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdfc9Bo1XEwKMNEy25wF8BCl22I11vvB94Voi3bfKr5EK9Q4bC6OHr4bHNh2XKsqwazj50sGF12pql7GTLI344_57EwIDuDvzo2yaCEFekA_rSECxTRTwcBxoPYHSazX5LTzMzytI4Oc/s640/doctor.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Saturday 23 November 23 1963, BBC TV broadcast the very first episode of Doctor Who. Fifty years later, the series is the most successful drama on television. In this special documentary, Radio 2 examines the reasons for its longevity and popularity.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Featuring new interviews with the cast and crew of the series, the programme looks at the lasting appeal of Doctor Who and asks how much of its continued success can be attributed to its basic formula.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With archive clips and the music of Doctor Who composer Murray Gold, Who Is The Doctor? considers the character of the Time Lord across all of his regenerations and revisits the origins of the series with Waris Hussein, director of the debut Doctor Who story, An Unearthly Child.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The programme also examines how the franchise survived when the show was off TV, considers the impact of the revival in 2005 and assesses the value of the series to the BBC.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Presenter/ Russell Tovey, Producer/ Malcolm Prince for the BBC</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tune in tonight at 10.30pm on BBC Radio 2</span></b><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Listen worldwide at www.bbc.co.uk/radio2</span><br /><br /><br />

audio BBC Radio 2 Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Listen To Who Is The Doctor? On BBC Radio 2 Tonight

On Saturday 23 November 23 1963, BBC TV broadcast the very first episode of Doctor Who. Fifty years later, the series is the most successful...

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Utah’s top 10 national and state parks [ BeritaTerkini ]

<p>Utah is a place for all seasons, except summer. From June through August, Utah’s famous canyon country is hot and crowded, but visit in the autumn, winter or spring and you’ll find pockets of desert solitude among the sunny yellow cottonwoods, snow-covered red rocks and colourful spring wildflowers.</p> <h2>Zion national park</h2> <p>In a state that has more parks than it does major cities, Zion stands above the rest as Utah’s first national park and its most visited. The valley floor can get crowded with people, but private cars are restricted in favour of free shuttles, which helps quiet the chaos.</p> <p>Only a fraction of the park can be seen from the road. This is a place for explorers: more than 100 miles of trails lead from the valley into the narrow river canyons to the north and up the towering red and tan walls of Navajo sandstone to the east and west. A paradise for canyoneers and rock climbers, Zion boasts rock formations spanning more than 150 million years of geologic history.</p> <p>The park has three developed campgrounds and offers backcountry camping permits to backpackers. Or you can stay at the Zion Lodge (reservations recommended) or in nearby Springdale and around St George.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> The hike up Angels Landing is not for the faint of heart, but it’s worth every vertiginous step. The trail follows a set of chains up a narrow ridge of sandstone to a spectacular summit that looks straight down through the heart of Zion. This route is best attempted in the spring or fall, when it’s likely to be free of summer hoards, or winter snow and ice.</p> <h2>Canyonlands national park</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Canyonlands national park, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384969872703/Canyonlands-national-park-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Green River Overlook, Canyonlands national park. Photograph: Mark C Stevens/Getty Images/Flickr RF<br></span><br></span></p> <p>The south-west desert is known for out-of-this-world landscapes – some places look like the moon, others like Mars – but Utah’s Canyonlands is an otherworldly place like no other. Here countless canyons, buttes and mesas are carved into a topography so intricate that you find yourself wandering through places with names such as the Maze, the Needles and Island in the Sky.</p> <p>Canyonlands is Utah’s largest park. You could spend a lifetime exploring the land between the Colorado and the Green rivers and still not reach all the way into the park’s red depths. Tour companies based in Moab offer Jeep tours, hiking, rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, canyoneering, mountain biking, BASE jumping, skydiving, hang gliding, extreme rope swings … you name it, Canyonlands has it.</p> <p>No matter what kind of adventure you tackle, be sure to stay overnight and catch sunset, the stars and sunrise over the vast maze of red rocks. The park has two developed campgrounds and free dispersed camping can be found nearby. For hotels and hostels, stay in Moab or Blanding.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> Visit a geologic mystery at Upheaval Dome. This massive, almost perfectly round rock formation is either an impact crater from a meteor or an uplifted, eroded salt dome. Either way, it’s a fantastic place for a hike in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands.</p> <h2>Capitol Reef national park</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="The Castle, Capitol Reef national park, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384969705553/The-Castle-Capitol-Reef-n-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> The Castle, Capitol Reef national park. Photograph: Christian Heinrich/Getty Images/Imagebroker RF<br></span><br></span></p> <p>Capitol Reef is a narrow park, less than 20 miles wide, but over 100 miles long, which protects the Waterpocket Fold, an awesome S-shaped warp in the Earth’s crust that was created over 65 million years ago by the same forces that built the Rocky Mountains. It’s the longest exposed “monocline” in the world, but you don’t have to be a geologist to appreciate Capitol Reef’s amazing rocks.</p> <p>The park is named after its series of domes and cliffs, eroded into white Navajo sandstone, which somewhat resemble the US Capitol building in Washington DC. The reef part of the name is a throwback to pioneer days, when settlers were forced to detour all the way around the Waterpocket Fold, which remains all but impassible even today.</p> <p>A few four-wheel drive roads run into the park, but this place is best seen on foot. Start at the visitor centre (open year-round) and head either north to Cathedral Valley or south into the Waterpocket Fold area. The park has a campground and rooms can be found in nearby Torrey and along highway 12, towards Boulder.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> The Upper Muley Twist Canyon cuts lengthwise along the tilted spine of the Waterpocket Fold, making for a rugged but stunning 15-mile overnight loop hike. Free backcountry camping permits are available in the visitor centre.</p> <h2>Dead Horse Point state park</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Sunset at Dead Horse Point, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384969792477/Sunset-at-Dead-Horse-Poin-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Sunset at Dead Horse Point. Photograph: Matthew Crowley Photography/Getty Images/Flickr RF<br></span><br></span></p> <p>Most people flock to the Moab area to visit Arches national park, but this morbidly named gem of a state park is much quieter and possibly even more scenic. Located south and west of Arches, Dead Horse Point is a narrow 2,000-ft high promontory that overlooks the northern reaches of Canyonlands national park.</p> <p>Back in the 19th century, cowboys used the point as a natural corral, where they could herd mustangs out to the tip and build a fence across the bottleneck of the point. Then they could pick and choose the best horses from the bunch and let the others go. As the story goes, on one occasion the cowboys forgot to open the gate and the remaining horses all died of thirst out on the point, within view of the Colorado river below but trapped by precipitous cliffs.</p> <p>Tents and motorhomes are allowed at the Dead Horse Point campground and dispersed sites can be found outside the park. Hotel rooms and hostel beds can be found 30 miles away in Moab.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> You can drive all the way out to the edge of Dead Horse Point, but why drive when the walk is among the most spectacular in the south-west? The three-mile Rim Trail starts at the visitor centre and skirts the edge of the point, overlooking the meandering Colorado river, Canyonlands, La Sal mountains and, on a clear day, most of south-east Utah.</p> <h2>Kodachrome Basin state park</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Kodachrome Basin, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384969449634/Kodachrome-Basin-Utah-004.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Kodachrome Basin. Photograph: Michael Busselle/Getty Images<br></span><br></span></p> <p>With a name like Kodachrome, you know this is a place that begs to be photographed. Named by the members of a National Geographic expedition in 1949, Kodachrome Basin looks a bit what Yellowstone national park might look like if all its thermal water features dried up. Here, ancient hot springs and geysers have solidified into an array of beautiful and bizarre rock features called sand pipes.</p> <p>Located just east of the more famous (and often overcrowded) Bryce Canyon, Kodachrome offers a quieter alternative. Due to its remote location and low light pollution, the night sky here is known for being one of the best in the west and the area’s high elevation often means cooler temperatures here than elsewhere in Utah, making this park a good choice for summer trips.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> Just down the road from Kodachrome Basin is the Grosvenor Arch, an unusual double arch high up on a colourful canyon wall that serves as a symbolic gateway to Grand Staircase Escalante national monument (see below).</p> <h2>Natural Bridges national monument</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="White Canyon, Natural Bridges national monument, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384969219982/White-Canyon-Natural-Brid-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> White Canyon, Natural Bridges national monument. Photograph: Pritz Pritz/Getty Images/F1online RM<br></span><br></span></p> <p>In geologic terms, the difference between an arch and a natural bridge is water. The former is carved by wind and ice, while the latter is sculpted by a waterway. Three of the most spectacular examples of natural bridges can be found in south-east Utah, just west of Blanding at Natural Bridges national monument.</p> <p>Here, three majestic bridges, named Kachina, Owachomo and Sipapu, span the White and Anderson canyons. Sipapu, a Hopi name that celebrates the traditional portal through which the First People emerged into the present world, is the largest of the three and one of the longest natural bridges in the world. Evidence for at least two collapsed bridges are found within the park.</p> <p>All three spans can be viewed from overlooks, with trails leading down to each bridge. The trail to Owachomo is an easy half-mile round trip, while the climb down to Sipapu is considerably steeper and negotiates stairs and three ladders. Camping is available inside the park.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> All three bridges can be linked by a 8½-mile loop that runs through the bottom of the White and Armstrong canyons, making for a nice all-day trek.</p> <h2>Edge of the Cedars state park</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Ruins of an Anasazi pueblo Edge of the Cedars state park, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384971520866/Ruins-of-an-Anasazi-puebl-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Ruins of an Anasazi pueblo Cedars state park, Utah Photograph: Alamy<br></span><br></span></p> <p>Utah has a long, colourful history of human habitation, as evidenced by ruins, petroglyphs and relics left behind by the Ancestral Puebloan, Hopi, Ute and Navajo people. Edge of the Cedars state park in Blanding has a museum featuring the an impressive archaeological repository, plus the ruins of a Puebloan village.</p> <p>The name Edge of the Cedars come from the park’s location between the densely forested Manti-La Sal national forest and the treeless desert to the east, a prime habitat for early human settlement. The Bears Ears area, situated around two rounded humps of rock shaped like a bear’s ears, inspires many mysteries and local legends.</p> <p>Blanding is also home to the Blanding Dinosaur Museum, which features rotating exhibits on Utah’s rich Mesozoic history, including fossilised eggs and baby dinosaurs. As the largest town in south-east Utah, Blanding makes for a good base for exploring the region.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> Be sure to check the Edge of the Cedars museum website for lectures, festivals and other events.</p> <h2>Goblin Valley state park</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Goblin Valley, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384968984020/Goblin-Valley-Utah-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Goblin Valley. Photograph: Dibrova/Getty Images/Flickr RF<br></span><br></span></p> <p>In a state rife with geologic oddities, Goblin Valley state park, near Hanksville, sets a high bar for bizarre rock formations. Here thousands of mushroom-shaped hoodoos sit clustered in a secluded valley on the edge of the spectacular San Rafael Swell. The strangely shaped rocks are eroded out of entrada sandstone, a reddish rock that dates to the time of the dinosaurs and underlies much of south-east Utah.</p> <p>Goblin Valley boasts a campground with hot showers, a rarity in this dry desert state. Campsites tend to fill up fast on weekends, so reservations are recommended. Campground full? Stay outside the park at one of many free campsites, along the swell.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> Three marked hiking trails wind through Goblin Valley, but this is a place for wandering. Keep your bearings – the visitor centre is easy to spot from any vantage – and let yourself get lost between the hoodoos.</p> <h2>Goosenecks state park and Valley of the Gods</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Goosenecks state park, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384969104970/Goosenecks-state-park-Uta-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Goosenecks state park. Photograph: Panoramic Images/Getty Images/Panoramic Images<br></span><br></span></p> <p>South-east Utah is canyon country, with the Green, Colorado and San Juan rivers cutting sinuous and spectacular routes down through red, white and orange bedrock. Goosenecks state park, near Mexican Hat, boasts one of the best overlooks showcasing the power of rivers over rock. Here the entrenched curves of the San Juan river nearly double back on themselves, exposing millions of layers of geologic history.</p> <p>To the east lies the Valley of the Gods, a pocket of spectacular scenery featuring mesas and buttes reminiscent of the more famous Monument Valley, to the south. A 17-mile road, bumpy but passable to most vehicles when dry, loops through the area, between highways 261 and 163.</p> <p>As far as state parks go, Goosenecks is pretty primitive, but the scenery makes up for the lack of amenities, including no running water. More developed accommodation can be found in the nearby towns of Bluff and Blanding.</p> <p><strong>Top tip:</strong> Seeking solitude? Park at the main overlook at Goosenecks and hike south and west along the old, increasingly rutted road for about a mile out to the tip of the mesa.</p> <h2>Flaming Gorge national recreation area</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Cart Creek Bridge at Flaming Gorge, Utah" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2013/11/20/1384969152119/Cart-Creek-Bridge-at-Flam-008.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Cart Creek Bridge at Flaming Gorge. Photograph: Jodi Jacobson/Getty Images<br></span><br></span></p> <p>In the sweltering summer months, head to the Flaming Gorge, north of Vernal, on the Wyoming border. Here the Flaming Gorge dam holds back the Green river, creating a massive cool, blue reservoir surrounded by towering red walls. Fishing, boating, swimming and water sports are popular year-round, and five marinas rent kayaks, canoes and rafts.</p> <p>The Flaming Gorge is also know for its endless backpacking options. Treks ranging from easy overnights to multi-week adventures can be found in the nearby Uinta mountains, Ashley and Wasatch-Cache national forests, including 13,528-ft Kings Peak, the highest mountain in Utah.</p> <p>Camping opportunities abound, ranging from all-inclusive RV resorts to rustic cabins and remote tent sites. Hotel rooms and other accommodations can be found in Vernal, home to the Utah Field House of Natural History and close to Dinosaur National Monument, another gem for dinosaur-lovers.</p> <p><strong>Top tip</strong> The waters of the Flaming Gorge reservoir are famous for growing massive trophy trout, some as big as 13kg! Tie a fly on yourself or book a local guide.</p> <p><strong>Mary Caperton Morton</strong> <strong>is a freelance writer and photographer who makes her home on the back roads of North America, living and working out of a tiny solar-powered camper</strong></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

Utah’s top 10 national and state parks [ BeritaTerkini ]

Utah is a place for all seasons, except summer. From June through August, Utah’s famous canyon country is hot and crowded, but visit in the ...

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Listen To The Blagger's Guide To Doctor Who On BBC Radio 2 Tonight

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcbsXz9Ho6TC02h7XH_g92JJQbFFw-8vA9p-eptWgIouB5KJhGWXZtWoXCa5sRbxdR7YXNU_pl6dG6s1Bw2mghqTCQQ7rGFaZSzO1otcDxuU4BQJTqC-65d1crNeoJUVBJEucgQJ_ZR8/s1600/50AN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcbsXz9Ho6TC02h7XH_g92JJQbFFw-8vA9p-eptWgIouB5KJhGWXZtWoXCa5sRbxdR7YXNU_pl6dG6s1Bw2mghqTCQQ7rGFaZSzO1otcDxuU4BQJTqC-65d1crNeoJUVBJEucgQJ_ZR8/s640/50AN.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Quantick takes a look back over 50 years of science fiction at its British best with a quick fire look at all things Doctor Who.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He'll be lifting the lid on some industry secrets and exterminating any myths listeners might have heard about the long-running series, such as: why was William Hartnell replaced as the first Doctor? What was it about the Daleks that drove Jon Pertwee mad? And why was the show cancelled for 16 very bleak years?</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All this and plenty more, all in true off-the-wall Blagger's style.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tune in to BBC Radio 2 at 10pm GMT tonight</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Listen online at www.bbc.co.uk/radio2</span>

audio BBC Radio 2 Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Listen To The Blagger's Guide To Doctor Who On BBC Radio 2 Tonight

David Quantick takes a look back over 50 years of science fiction at its British best with a quick fire look at all things Doctor Who. He...

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21-Nov-2013 07:56

US, Afghanistan agree on language for security pact - CBS News :: <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57613257/u.s-afghanistan-agree-on-language-for-security-pact/">http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57613257/u.s-afghanistan-agree-on-language-for-security-pact/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Suspect in Paris newspaper shooting, other attacks arrested - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/suspect-in-paris-newspaper-shooting-other-attacks-arrested/2013/11/20/d2ad3ccc-524e-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/suspect-in-paris-newspaper-shooting-other-attacks-arrested/2013/11/20/d2ad3ccc-524e-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Elderly American Detained in North Korea - Voice of America :: <a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/elderly-american-detained-in-north-korea/1794563.html">http://www.voanews.com/content/elderly-american-detained-in-north-korea/1794563.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Illinois joins list of states to legalize gay marriage - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/politics/illinois-joins-list-of-states-to-legalize-gay-marriage/2013/11/20/267c5ffc-524c-11e3-a7f0-b790929232e1_video.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/politics/illinois-joins-list-of-states-to-legalize-gay-marriage/2013/11/20/267c5ffc-524c-11e3-a7f0-b790929232e1_video.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>TSA Officer Died Within Minutes of Attack - Post-Periodical :: <a href="http://www.postperiodical.com/tsa-officer-died-within-minutes-of-attack/">http://www.postperiodical.com/tsa-officer-died-within-minutes-of-attack/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Bill Clinton Receives Nation's Highest Civilian Honor - Wall Street Journal :: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304337404579210612302566626.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304337404579210612302566626.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Secret deal was made to allow NSA store personal data on Britons - Irish Times :: <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/secret-deal-was-made-to-allow-nsa-store-personal-data-on-britons-1.1601760">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/secret-deal-was-made-to-allow-nsa-store-personal-data-on-britons-1.1601760</a><br /><br><br /><br>Rep. Trey Radel of Florida to take leave of absence after guilty plea to cocaine ... - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/rep-trey-radel-expected-to-face-judge-on-charges-of-cocaine-possession/2013/11/20/b029caba-51ce-11e3-a7f0-b790929232e1_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/rep-trey-radel-expected-to-face-judge-on-charges-of-cocaine-possession/2013/11/20/b029caba-51ce-11e3-a7f0-b790929232e1_story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Tensions high as Iran nuclear talks set to resume - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/21/tensions-high-as-iran-nuclear-talks-set-to-resume/">http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/21/tensions-high-as-iran-nuclear-talks-set-to-resume/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Suspected US drone kills five in Pakistan - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25029514">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25029514</a>

21-Nov-2013 07:56

US, Afghanistan agree on language for security pact - CBS News :: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57613257/u.s-afghanistan-agree-on-l...

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