17-Nov-2013 17:31

Obamas, Clintons to visit JFK gravesite Wednesday - WRCB-TV :: <a href="http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/23986804/obamas-clintons-to-visit-jfk-gravesite-wednesday">http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/23986804/obamas-clintons-to-visit-jfk-gravesite-wednesday</a><br /><br><br /><br>Drone hits Navy ship, 2 sailors hurt; officials seek cause - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drone-hits-navy-ship-2-sailors-hurt-officials-seek-cause-20131117,0,5467175.story">http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drone-hits-navy-ship-2-sailors-hurt-officials-seek-cause-20131117,0,5467175.story</a><br /><br><br /><br>White House Soul-Searches as Errors Mount - Wall Street Journal :: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303559504579200360435187816">http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303559504579200360435187816</a><br /><br><br /><br>JFK's limo an enduring symbol of dark day - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/jfks-limo-an-enduring-symbol-of-a-dark-day/3614865/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/jfks-limo-an-enduring-symbol-of-a-dark-day/3614865/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Relief Coming to Outlying Typhoon Survivors in Philippines - Voice of America :: <a href="http://www.voanews.com/content/relief-coming-to-outlying-typhoon-survivors-in-philippines/1791843.html">http://www.voanews.com/content/relief-coming-to-outlying-typhoon-survivors-in-philippines/1791843.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Midwest under high storm threat - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/11/17/midwest-under-high-storm-threat/">http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/11/17/midwest-under-high-storm-threat/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Boy found with dead chicken around neck; parents jailed - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/boy-found-dead-chicken/3618127/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/boy-found-dead-chicken/3618127/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Doris Lessing, Novelist Who Won 2007 Nobel, Is Dead at 94 - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/18/books/doris-lessing-novelist-who-won-2007-nobel-is-dead-at-94.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/18/books/doris-lessing-novelist-who-won-2007-nobel-is-dead-at-94.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Musharraf charges: Pakistan government requests treason trial - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24977818">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24977818</a><br /><br><br /><br>French President Vows Tough Iran Stance in Israel - ABC News :: <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/israeli-pm-iran-main-focus-french-visit-20914824">http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/israeli-pm-iran-main-focus-french-visit-20914824</a>

17-Nov-2013 17:31

Obamas, Clintons to visit JFK gravesite Wednesday - WRCB-TV :: http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/23986804/obamas-clintons-to-visit-jfk-gravesite-...

Read more »

Happy Thanksgiving! Tips For Caring For A Feathered Friend [ BeritaTerkini ]

<p>The two-legged species known as humans are the proud "parents" of all different types of animals: dogs, cats, turtles, lizards, hamsters, ferrets and even horses. So, why not birds? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you decided to raise and love a parakeet or a canary? Would it be strange to hear your parents tell you to "walk the bird"? What would you feed it? How long does it live? Is it friendly? Did you know birds are the third most popular choice of pets in America, after dogs and cats?</p> <p>Every year, the President of the United States pardons one very lucky turkey, allowing the relieved and grateful fellow to enjoy his holiday not on someone's dinner plate. Now, just because the Commander in Chief grants one lucky turkey his freedom, it doesn't mean the gobbler gets to spend the rest of his life in the White House. While birds make great pets, think long and hard before you decide to adopt an eagle or toucan.</p> <p>First of all, turkeys should be raised in farm areas, where they have plenty of room to exercise and move. Unless you have a large, fenced in backyard, it's probably not a good idea to let your gobbling companion run around Times Square or Hollywood Boulevard. However, that doesn't mean you have to go the rest of your life without hearing the sweet sounds of chirping and flapping wings. Many birds, such as Parakeets and Cockatoos make great pets. But pet parent beware: some birds have big personalities and attitudes, so be prepared to go through some "roommate bonding" first with your winged diva. It is also important to get along with your new feathered friend because you two will most likely grow old together. For example, Amazons can live up to 50 years while Cockatoos can enjoy middle age in their forties!</p> <p><img alt="3409725350_af153ec772_z" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-33884" height="220" src="http://animalfair.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/3409725350_af153ec772_z-261x220.jpg" width="261"></p> <p>Some birds, like Canaries and Finches, are seedeaters, which means that, well, they eat seeds. Aside from the obvious, these types of birds (Hard Bills), will eat certain types of plants and some insects. Other birds, like Parakeets and Cockatiels, are Hook Bills and generally feed on bark, plants and fruits. Almost all of your bird food needs can be found at your local pet store.</p> <p>After eating, comes an inevitable cleanup and birds definitely make you work. Make sure there is plenty of newspaper on the bottom of Polly's cage, so cleaning any waste or excess food is easy for you. Not only is it a quick tidy-up, but your bird gets to check out the Style section while he or she eats! Loving a bird isn't much different than loving a dog: instead of barking, they chirp, instead of wagging their tails, they flap their feathers! Now, while it may take a while to form a bond with your pet bird, you two will have a good 30 to 40 years to create memories and friendship. </p> <p><br><br></p><h3>Bark about it!</h3> <p> comments</p> <p class="tags">Tags: age, amazon, animal, animal fair, Animal Fair Magazine, animalfair.com, animals, beak, bill, bird, birds, canaries, canary, chirp, city, cockatiel, cockatoo, eagle, feathers, finch, finches, food, gobble, holiday, Holidays, hollywood boulevard, Humane Society, Humane Society of the United States, life, Lucky, lucky diamond, Parakeet, pardon, pet pourri, pets, president, thanksgiving, times square, toucan, turkey, wendy diamond, wings</p> jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();});<br><br>

Happy Thanksgiving! Tips For Caring For A Feathered Friend [ BeritaTerkini ]

The two-legged species known as humans are the proud "parents" of all different types of animals: dogs, cats, turtles, lizards, ha...

Read more »

Nobel prize

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20131117&t=2&i=812607444&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=580&pl=378&r=CBRE9AG17E300" width="600"/><br /><p>Credit: Reuters/Kieran Doherty/Files</p><br /><p>1 of 2. British novelist Doris Lessing is seen smiling on the doorstep of her house, after she had won the 2007 Nobel Prize for literature, in London in this October 11, 2007 file photograph. Lessing died on November 17, 2013, her publisher said on Sunday.</p><br /><p>Lessing tackled race, ideology, gender politics and the workings of the psyche in a prolific and often iconoclastic career, and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2007, only the 11th woman to do so.</p><br /><p>She died peacefully at her London home in the early hours of the morning, publisher HarperCollins said in a statement.</p><br /><p>'She was a wonderful writer with a fascinating and original mind; it was a privilege to work for her and we shall miss her immensely,' her agent Jonathan Clowes said.</p><br /><p>Born in what was then Persia, now Iran, on October 22, 1919, Lessing was raised in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and moved to Britain at the age of 30.</p><br /><p>(Reporting by William James; Editing by Kevin Liffey)</p><br /></div>

ENTERTAINMENT Nobel prize

Credit: Reuters/Kieran Doherty/Files 1 of 2. British novelist Doris Lessing is seen smiling on the doorstep of her house, after she had won ...

Read more »

Stenson cruises to Dubai title

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>The Sports Network<br /><p>Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SportsNetwork.com) - Henrik Stenson closed with his second 8-under 64 of the week on Sunday to cruise to a six-stroke win at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.</p><br /><p>Stenson finished with a tournament record score of 25-under-par 263. Lee Westwood set the old mark of 265 in 2009 and Rory McIlroy matched it last year.</p><br /><p>With his eighth European Tour title, Stenson became the first man to win the Race to Dubai and PGA Tour's FedExCup in the same season.</p><br /><p>'It has been an incredible summer for me, the fall in America was great and now this. It has been a dream season,' said Stenson. 'I played so well this week. I knew the guys would try to catch me, especially Ian (Poulter), who never gives up. I wanted to stay ahead of him and I managed to do that.'</p><br /><p>Poulter carded a 6-under 66 to grab second place at minus-19. Victor Dubuisson birdied the last for a 71. He took third at 17-under 271, while Joost Luiten fired a 66 on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates to grab fourth at 16- under 272.</p><br /><p>Luke Donald (67), McIlroy (67) and Westwood (68) shared fifth place at minus-15. They account for three of the last four Race to Dubai champions.</p><br /><p>Stenson got off to a quick start with birdies on the first and third. That helped him keep a one-shot lead over Dubuisson, who birdied the second and third. Dubuisson collected seven birdies on the second and third for the week.</p><br /><p>As Dubuisson parred three in a row from the fourth, Stenson birdied the fifth from three feet out to push his lead to two. Stenson two-putted for birdie on the par-5 seventh to remain two ahead as Dubuisson also birdied the seventh.</p><br /><p>Dubuisson stumbled to a bogey on the eighth to slip three behind. Around the turn, he wrapped bogeys at the 10th and 12th around a birdie on No. 11. Combine that with Stenson's tap-in birdie on the 12th and Dubuisson found himself five back.</p><br /><p>Stenson pushed his lead to six with a birdie on the par-5 14th. As he ran off three straight pars from the 15th, Poulter birdied the final two holes to briefly move within four.</p><br /><p>At the last, Stenson hit a remarkable shot to within a foot. He kicked that in for a closing eagle that gave him the event scoring record.</p><br /><p>'I had a great start and hit nice shots into one, three and five, then made a clutch putt on nine. Another clutch shot was the second at the 12th,' said Stenson.</p><br /><p>Poulter mixed seven birdies and a single bogey in his round of 66.</p><br /><p>'I have to take my hat off to him, unbelievable. I tried to run him down as hard as I could, but even with a sore wrist he has pressed on and I just could not get close enough,' Poulter stated. 'Henrik has not made a mistake all week and I just had to make sure of second place and some valuable Ryder Cup points.'</p><br /><p>NOTES: Stenson, who earned 985,476 euros for the win, missed just four greens in regulation and six fairways for the week ... The top five in bonus pool of the Race to Dubai were Stenson, Poulter, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson ... This was the final event of the 2012-13 European Tour season, but the 2013-14 season starts on Thursday in South Africa with the South African Open Championship, where Stenson won in 2012.</p><br /><p>Henrik Stenson won the season-ending World Tour Championship Sunday after shooting a final-round 8-under 64 for a 263 total.</p><br /><p>Wen-Chong Liang birdied the first playoff hole on Sunday to beat Prom Meesawat and win the Resorts World Manila Masters.</p><br /><p>The Asian Tour completed the inaugural Manila Masters on Sunday despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis in neighboring areas of the Philippines from Typhoon Haiyan.</p><br /><p><img src="http://media.miamiherald.com/static/images/teamfanshop/champs300x100.jpg" width="600"/> </p><br /></div>

SPORTS Stenson cruises to Dubai title

The Sports Network Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SportsNetwork.com) - Henrik Stenson closed with his second 8-under 64 of the week on Sunday ...

Read more »

USC pulls stunning upset of No. 5 Stanford with 47

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>Andre Heidari, for the win.</p><br /><p>With 19 seconds to play, USC's Andre Heidari kicked a 47-yard field goal to secure the Trojans' huge upset over No. 5 Stanford on Saturday night in a victory that could help Ed Orgeron become a serious candidate to switch his interim label to permanent.</p><br /><img src="http://images.ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/usc4.gif" width="600"/><br /><p>The crowd obviously went wild and rushed the field.</p><br /><p>'I knew I was taking a chance,' Orgeron said after the game. 'But I looked in the eyes of those guys and I knew they wanted a chance to win the game. Obviously if we didn't make it, they could have gone down and kicked a field goal and won. I understood that. But I had a gut belief.'</p><br /><img src="http://images.ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/USP-NCAA-Football_-Stanford-at-Southern-California-1024x888.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>See the whole highlight reel here:</p><br />Top Stories <img src="http://images.ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/aubs-320x180.jpg" width="600"/><img src="http://images.ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ugacoach-320x180.jpg" width="600"/><img src="http://images.ftw.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/USP-MMA_-UFC-167-St-Pierre-vs-Hendricks_008-320x180.jpg" width="600"/></div>

SPORTS USC pulls stunning upset of No. 5 Stanford with 47

Andre Heidari, for the win. With 19 seconds to play, USC's Andre Heidari kicked a 47-yard field goal to secure the Trojans' huge ups...

Read more »

17-Nov-2013 16:30

Miami-Dade Police Say They Believe They Have Found Body of Florida Man ... - ABC News :: <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/miami-dade-police-found-body-florida-man-fell-20911611">http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/miami-dade-police-found-body-florida-man-fell-20911611</a><br /><br><br /><br>Ryan to Iowans: Next presidential race, 'Let's be a little more skeptical' - DesMoinesRegister.com :: <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20131117/NEWS09/311170064/Ryan-to-Iowans-Next-presidential-race-Let-s-be-a-little-more-skeptical-?News">http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20131117/NEWS09/311170064/Ryan-to-Iowans-Next-presidential-race-Let-s-be-a-little-more-skeptical-?News</a><br /><br><br /><br>Drone hits Navy ship, 2 sailors hurt; officials seek cause - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drone-hits-navy-ship-2-sailors-hurt-officials-seek-cause-20131117,0,5467175.story">http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-drone-hits-navy-ship-2-sailors-hurt-officials-seek-cause-20131117,0,5467175.story</a><br /><br><br /><br>Can ObamaCare be saved? - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/17/can-obamacare-be-saved/">http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/17/can-obamacare-be-saved/</a><br /><br><br /><br>France's Hollande assures Israel on Iran nuclear deal - Reuters :: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-israel-usa-kerry-idUSBRE9AG06720131117">http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-israel-usa-kerry-idUSBRE9AG06720131117</a><br /><br><br /><br>Witnesses to the JFK assassination: Three Dallas stories - Los Angeles Times :: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-jfk-anniversary-20131117-dto,0,7472345.htmlstory">http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-jfk-anniversary-20131117-dto,0,7472345.htmlstory</a><br /><br><br /><br>Official: Pakistan government to put ex-President Pervez Musharraf on trial for ... - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/official-pakistan-government-to-put-ex-president-pervez-musharraf-on-trial-for-treason/2013/11/17/c40c63a8-4f94-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/official-pakistan-government-to-put-ex-president-pervez-musharraf-on-trial-for-treason/2013/11/17/c40c63a8-4f94-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Severe thunderstorm, possible tornadoes to hit Chicago region - Chicago Sun-Times :: <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/23815561-418/story.html">http://www.suntimes.com/news/23815561-418/story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Dubai Air Show: Boeing leads order books race - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24978226">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24978226</a><br /><br><br /><br>Aid agencies say typhoon shows need for action on climate change - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24975106">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24975106</a>

17-Nov-2013 16:30

Miami-Dade Police Say They Believe They Have Found Body of Florida Man ... - ABC News :: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/miami-dade-poli...

Read more »

Doctor Who: Ten & Rose - Their Best Bits According To Us

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt644L7-7Dvz30oHSyI1UVkJQ7nGT4kcEkRDMAzpwEciGVtApQpuoYUHKvQPEU0cK9cm5I3x8XfKTkJjZUMhp4C9wyjDnW9K1pdB_L8IHC21As0hXUz7wDycFsd0ZCstw6f-vTcHggzVI/s1600/DRWHO6+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt644L7-7Dvz30oHSyI1UVkJQ7nGT4kcEkRDMAzpwEciGVtApQpuoYUHKvQPEU0cK9cm5I3x8XfKTkJjZUMhp4C9wyjDnW9K1pdB_L8IHC21As0hXUz7wDycFsd0ZCstw6f-vTcHggzVI/s640/DRWHO6+(1).jpg" width="520" /></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;">In just six days we will be reunited with David Tennant and Billie Piper in all their shiny hair and tight suited glory as the Tenth Doctor and his love lorn companion Rose. </span><br /><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Personally we can't wait and we got to thinking, reminiscing if you will, about the good old days. They had such good times.. we had such good times... </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's take a wander back in time and look at what we consider their best bits..</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qa3NM9Jhkn0?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />The regeneration scene, after their epic battle with the Daleks Rose began to panic as the Ninth Doctor told her he won't see her again, but wait, what's this? He's changing, and even better he's changing in to David Tennant! Result.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AhNSH-YARfQ?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />Queen Victoria may not have been amused but we were..ah the fun flirty days. The great banter, the jokey japes...who'd have realised what trauma awaited them..and us!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DEBX_BcWOXc?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />"<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;">If you get back in touch..if you talk to Rose..tell her, tell her I..oh she knows" </span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">Waaaaaahhhh! 'The feels' etc... </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qAm5YIOU05I?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We still remember the horror of watching the void scene in Doomsday for the first time...</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nooo! Does she die? Is she dead? Noo! It's worse than that she's had to leave the Doctor behind.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Massive kudos goes to Billie and David in this scene. Billie in particular just conveys the heart wrenching devastation of being parted from the Timelord she loves effortlessly. Though we do advise a trip to Boots for some waterproof mascara .. if they have a Boots on the parallel Earth that is..</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/D7rvcck4zmk?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then just when we thought we had nothing left to give, no more tears to cry...</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A text just wouldn't suffice, he only went and burnt up a sun just to say goodbye! But could he tell her what he really wanted to say? No. Well perhaps he is quite human after all...</span><br /><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;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qx0LSM_qy7s?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast forward a few years and whilst we and the Doctor had moved on with Martha and Donna, neither of us had ever forgotten Rose.. And then suddenly there she is, like a golden blonde angel with a mega watt smile, his face when he sees her is a picture of joy and then just as he runs to meet her.. he gets shot by a Dalek.... you've got to hate it when that happens...</span><br /><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;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/upZr7MLfieE?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then it got a bit weird. If we're entirely honest the cloned Doctor thing it doesn't really work for us. It's frankly a bit odd.. But still it rounded off the story of Rose and her Doctor and so here it is.</span><br /><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;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/B6ZAQUqSkkA?rel=0" width="640"></iframe></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then finally to finish things off in a very timey wimey manner here's the Tenth Doctor saying goodbye to Rose as he's about to regenerate into the Eleventh Doctor, before the Ninth Doctor had even met her...</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rose and Ten we salute you and we can't wait until Saturday to meet up you again!</span><br /><br />

Billie Piper David Tennant Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Rose Tyler Doctor Who: Ten & Rose - Their Best Bits According To Us

In just six days we will be reunited with David Tennant and Billie Piper in all their shiny hair and tight suited glory as the Tenth Doctor ...

Read more »

Inspirational Gala Saving Lives With Mayor Bloomberg! [ BeritaTerkini ]

<p><img alt="HSUS" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-33876" height="220" src="http://animalfair.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DSC_0092-e1384676873849-254x220.jpg" width="254"></p> <p>The Humane Society of the United States celebrated the life-saving work of its Animal Rescue Programs on Friday November 15th in NYC with its "To The Rescue!" Benefit.  The HSUS is responsible for saving and rehabilitating thousands of animals, and travels across the country to help animals in need from puppy mills, dog fighting, neglect and natural disasters.  Thanks to the generous donators and supporters of the evening, the HSUS will have the funds to work even more of their animal saving magic.</p> <p>As the nation's largest and most powerful animal protection organization, The HSUS has been saving thousands of animal lives every year since 1954.  They use equipment, expertise, and financial resources to assist law enforcement with investigations, evidence and animal seizure, as well as coordinate animal care, sheltering, and final relocation.  Cruelty is prevented with a multi-pronged approach, which includes advocacy, outreach, and policy reform.</p> <p>The night was supported by Friends of Finn, a committee founded by Amanda Hearst, who also served as the event co-chair with Georgina Bloomberg and Kimberly Ovitz, as well as HSUS president Wayne Pacelle.  Friends of Finn is made up of next-generation leaders and is dedicated to working with The HSUS to stop the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills.  They raise funds for educational and public awareness initiatives as well as rescue efforts.</p> <div id="attachment_33875" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img alt="Kimberly Ovitz, Georgina Bloomberg, Amanda Hearst" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-33875" height="220" src="http://animalfair.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DSC_00471-330x220.jpg" width="330"><p class="wp-caption-text">Kimberly Ovitz, Georgina Bloomberg, Amanda Hearst</p> </div> <p>Amanda Hearst was inspired to start Friends of Finn because with the help of the USUS she found out her dog, Finn, was from a puppy mill, and also for her general love of animals.  Amanda said that if Finn were a celeb, he would be Will Ferrell because he is really funny and has same hair color! Maybe Finn will get the chance to meet his hilarious human twin someday!</p> <p>Georgina Bloomberg, daughter of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, was honored to be involved with such a great cause.  She explained that a lot of people don't know about the majority of animal cruelty that goes on, so she feels educating people on not only spaying and neutering animals but also to not buy pets from pet stores is very important.  To be a true animal person, you have to be actively doing something to help them. Georgina has 5 rescue dogs and a smart and sweet rescue pig, Wilbur.  How oink-tastic is that!?</p> <p><img alt="colbie caillat" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33877" height="219" src="http://animalfair.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/colbie-Caillat-dog2.png" width="259"></p> <p>The evening included a special live performance by singer/songwriter and The HSUS' Stop Puppy Mills Campaign spokesperson, Colbie Caillat.  Colbie believes that the HUSU helps a gigantic cause.  They are there to help every kind of animal species and to inform people about the torture that is going on around the world to all of these gorgeous animals.  They also educate people on what changes we should make to help.  She has always been a supporter of dogs and cats, and stopped eating meat 3 ½ years ago.  She explained she can't even believe she ever ate meat before.  She comes to these events and learns about horse slaughter, elephants being killed for their ivory tusks, and shark finn soup (just to name a few) and many other things that people are not aware of.  She says people do not want to listen because they do not want to change their lifestyle.  Colbie slowly started changing her lifestyle, and so can you if you truly want to be an animal supporter and advocate!  This amazing animal rescue advocate (who adopted her own golden retriever from Taiwan) does the best she can to inform her family, friends, and anyone she can about these important causes.  Colbie auctioned off two of her precious guitars to help support the HSUS and their animal rescue missions!  How sweet is she?!</p> <p>Ali Wentworth was a flawless and hilarious host for the evening's festivities.  She believes if human beings treat animals better, they will ultimately treat  humans better.</p> <p>If you want to learn more about these issues, please visit <i>humanesociety.org<br></i></p> <p><img alt="HSUS" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-33823" height="220" src="http://animalfair.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/HSUS_1-230x220.jpg" width="230"></p> <p><i><em>For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and animal welfare has to offer follow Wendy Diamond on </em><strong><em>Facebook</em></strong><strong><em>, </em></strong><strong><em>Twitter</em></strong><strong><em>, </em></strong>and right here at <strong><em>AnimalFair.com</em></strong><strong><em>!</em></strong></i> </p> <p><br><br></p><h3>Bark about it!</h3> <p> comments</p> <p class="tags">Tags: Ali Wentworth, amanda hearst, animal advocate, animal fair, animals, cats, Colbie Caillat, dogs, Georgina Bloomberg, HSUS, Humane Society of the United States, Kimberly Ovitz, nyc</p> jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();});<br><br>

Inspirational Gala Saving Lives With Mayor Bloomberg! [ BeritaTerkini ]

The Humane Society of the United States celebrated the life-saving work of its Animal Rescue Programs on Friday November 15th in NYC with ...

Read more »

German art hoarder denies paintings stolen, wants them back

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20131117&t=2&i=812599879&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBRE9A918B500" width="600"/><br /><p>Credit: Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay/Files</p><br /><p>File photo of a print of the painting 'Lion-Tamer' by artist Max Beckmann is displayed in a book about the German expressionist at Lempertz auction house in Cologne November 4, 2013.</p><br /><p>In an interview with Der Spiegel, his first substantive comments since the mysterious trove was revealed two weeks ago, 80-year-old Cornelius Gurlitt recalled helping his father save some of the works from wartime Dresden and said the state had no right to impound treasures he called the love of his life.</p><br /><p>Compared to the deaths of his father Hildebrand, his mother or his sister, 'parting with my pictures was the most painful of all', Gurlitt told the magazine. 'I haven't loved anything more than my pictures in my life ... But hopefully it will all be cleared up soon and I will finally get my pictures back.'</p><br /><p>Dismissing suggestions he might return some of the 1,406 paintings and drawings to survivors of Nazi persecution, the frail-looking Gurlitt insisted he inherited them legally and sold only an occasional masterpiece from his Munich apartment to cover medical and living expenses, as he claimed no pension.</p><br /><p>'I'm giving nothing back willingly,' he said.</p><br /><p>Customs officers found him crossing the Swiss border by train in 2010 with a large sum in cash, eventually prompting a raid on his apartment early last year. Prosecutors confiscated works by Renaissance and Modernist masters, some long thought lost in the war, others hitherto undocumented.</p><br /><p>The authorities valued at 1 billion euros ($1.35 billion) a collection that includes works by Picasso, Otto Dix, Matisse, Chagall and German expressionists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.</p><br /><p>But Gurlitt, who kept out of sight after the story broke, said he could not understand what all the fuss was about.</p><br /><p>'I'm not Boris Becker,' he said of the former tennis star who fell foul of the tax authorities in Munich a decade ago. Complaining of journalists ringing his doorbell while he hid inside, he added: 'What do these people want from me?'</p><br /><p>'I am really very quiet,' he said of a lonely life without employment and overshadowed by the legacy of a dominant father.</p><br /><p>'All I wanted was to live with my pictures.'</p><br /><p>GOVERNMENT EMBARRASSED</p><br /><p>Since another German magazine broke the story of the find, the Berlin government has faced sharp criticism at home and abroad for keeping it secret for nearly two years.</p><br /><p>Having initially declined to give full details, the government has now begun posting more online to help people hunting works stolen by the Nazis, or bought under duress, from Jews fleeing persecution before and during the Holocaust.</p><br /><p>But the legal status of the hoard is unclear. Lawyers working on reclaiming property for heirs to Jewish collectors say Gurlitt may get to keep at least some.</p><br /><p>Some works may have been acquired when the Nazis ordered German curators to strip from their galleries the 'degenerate art' that Hitler, a former student of painting, disliked.</p><br /><p>Gurlitt said his father, an art historian hired to sell such works to raise funds for the Nazis and also to found a 'Fuehrermuseum' near Hitler's birthplace, would not have stolen from Jews or taken advantage of those forced into selling.</p><br /><p>'It could be that my father was offered things privately but he certainly wouldn't have taken it,' Gurlitt told Der Spiegel. 'He would have considered that wrong.'</p><br /><p>Hildebrand Gurlitt used his own partly Jewish origins, which had cost him his job in the 1930s, to avoid prison as a Nazi official after the war. After he died in car accident in 1956, his widow told officials his collection was destroyed along with the family home in the Allied bombing of Dresden.</p><br /><p>CHAGALL ON THE SHELF</p><br /><p>Cornelius said he himself had had 'nothing to do with acquiring the pictures, only with saving them'. He spoke of helping his father load them onto a truck as Soviet troops approached Dresden and of moving them first to a nearby farm, then to the castle of an aristocrat in southern Germany.</p><br /><p>While his father, a scion of a celebrated cultural dynasty, rubbed shoulders with the avant-garde artists and writers of his day, the son dropped out of art history studies and remained dependent on his parents and younger sister.</p><br /><p>Yet he went on to outlive them all, alone in his flat with a Kirchner over his bed and a Chagall on a shelf.</p><br /><p>Speaking to the interviewer during what he called a regular trip to see a heart specialist in another city, Gurlitt said he had no lawyer to represent him as state prosecutors decide what to do with the artworks: 'Because I never needed one,' he said.</p><br /><p>Pictured on the cover of Der Spiegel over the headline 'Conversations with a Phantom', the white-haired Gurlitt smiled nervously, sitting aboard a train in an overcoat and scarf.</p><br /><p>At times, he seemed to contradict himself.</p><br /><p>'I've never committed a crime,' he said. 'And if I have, it would have already expired,' he added, referring to the statute of limitations on offences. While probing the provenance of the artworks, prosecutors have laid no charges, though officials say they are looking into possible tax and customs duty fraud.</p><br /><p>Gurlitt said the last painting he sold was Max Beckmann's 'The Lion Tamer', from 1930, trough a German auction house in 2011. He said he shared the 725,000 euros proceeds with people who he said claimed to be the rightful owners, using his share to finance his upkeep and his medical bills - he needed money, he said, because he had not claimed his state pension.</p><br /><p>'I am not as brave as my father. He lived for his art and fought for it,' said Gurlitt. 'Now the pictures are in a cellar somewhere and I'm all alone. Why couldn't they just leave the pictures and only take the ones they wanted to check? Then everything wouldn't be so empty.'</p><br /><p>'They could have waited for the pictures until I am dead.'</p><br /><p>(Editing by Alastair Macdonald)</p><br /></div>

ENTERTAINMENT German art hoarder denies paintings stolen, wants them back

Credit: Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay/Files File photo of a print of the painting 'Lion-Tamer' by artist Max Beckmann is displayed in a bo...

Read more »

17-Nov-2013 15:29

'Draft Tory' movement aims to get popular Toronto host — who hasn't declared ... - National Post :: <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/15/draft-tory-movement-aims-to-get-popular-toronto-host-who-hasnt-declared-his-candidacy-elected-in-2014/">http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/15/draft-tory-movement-aims-to-get-popular-toronto-host-who-hasnt-declared-his-candidacy-elected-in-2014/</a><br /><br><br /><br>China says 11 people killed in assault on police station in volatile Xinjiang region - The Republic :: <a href="http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/cfed007ba74e48fbb6a88fbf299c33b3/AS-China-Xinjiang">http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/cfed007ba74e48fbb6a88fbf299c33b3/AS-China-Xinjiang</a><br /><br><br /><br>Foster parents 'handcuffed child to porch and tied a dead chicken around his neck' - Daily Mail :: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2508632/Foster-mother-works-Child-Protective-Services-partner-arrested-child-handcuffed-porch-dead-chicken-neck.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2508632/Foster-mother-works-Child-Protective-Services-partner-arrested-child-handcuffed-porch-dead-chicken-neck.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>PennLive retraction of 1863 Gettysburg Address review spoofed on 'Saturday ... - PennLive.com :: <a href="http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/11/pennlive_retraction_of_1863_ge.html">http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/11/pennlive_retraction_of_1863_ge.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>JFK's limo an enduring symbol of dark day - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/jfks-limo-an-enduring-symbol-of-a-dark-day/3614865/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/jfks-limo-an-enduring-symbol-of-a-dark-day/3614865/</a><br /><br><br /><br>France's Hollande assures Israel on Iran nuclear deal - Reuters :: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-israel-usa-kerry-idUSBRE9AG06720131117">http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-israel-usa-kerry-idUSBRE9AG06720131117</a><br /><br><br /><br>Philippine president to camp in storm-ravaged Tacloban - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/17/philippine-president-tacloban-typhoon-haiyan/3617959/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/17/philippine-president-tacloban-typhoon-haiyan/3617959/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Midwest at risk of severe storms, twisters - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2013/11/17/midwest-storm-threat-twisters/3618023/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2013/11/17/midwest-storm-threat-twisters/3618023/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Commonwealth leaders ending difficult Sri Lanka summit - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24977597">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24977597</a><br /><br><br /><br>Duck Dynasty's Willie Robertson endorses 'good buddy' in La. House race - Washington Times :: <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/14/willie-robertson-duck-dynasty-louisiana-congress-e/">http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/14/willie-robertson-duck-dynasty-louisiana-congress-e/</a>

17-Nov-2013 15:29

'Draft Tory' movement aims to get popular Toronto host — who hasn't declared ... - National Post :: http://news.nationalpost.co...

Read more »

Google Pushes Android KitKat To Nexus Tablets

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/news.png" width="600"/><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/zeman-iwk-125x125.jpg" width="600"/><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/editor-RSS.png" width="600"/><img src="http://img.deusm.com/informationweek/editor-email.png" width="600"/><img src="http://static.1.rp-api.com/buttons/repostus_bttn_shrt_embed.png" width="600"/><br /><p>Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets will be upgraded to Android 4.4 KitKat in the coming days.</p><br /><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/1034/1_Offline_Map_tn.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>(click image for larger view)</p><br /><p>Google announced that it has begun pushing Android 4.4 KitKat to the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets. The operating system is first being made available to WiFi-only models in the US, with other models and locations to follow later.</p><br /><p>According to Google, one of the biggest changes in Android 4.4 KitKat is streamlined code. Google cut down the complexity of the operating system so that it could be used on a broader range of hardware. The company said devices with as little as 512 MB of RAM will be able to run KitKat with most features intact. In other words, Google wants KitKat to work on entry-level devices better. That's a good thing.</p><br /><strong>[ Will KitKat work on Google Glass? Read Google Glass Update Precedes New Hardware. ]</strong><br /><p>This means the new operating system should run quite smoothly on Nexus tablets. The Nexus 7 has a quad-core, 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2 GB of RAM. The Nexus 10 has a Samsung Exynos 5 Dual processor with 2 GB of RAM. They have more than enough juice to get KitKat flowing.</p><br /><p>Most of the other improvements are under the hood and meant for developers. They will be able to add printing functions to their apps and advantage of new animations, transitions, graphics acceleration, accessibility APIs, screen recording, and bezel-to-bezel apps. KitKat supports more Bluetooth profiles and bakes in support for IR blasters for controlling home theater equipment. The KitKat SDK is already available for download.</p><br /><p>User-facing improvements in the OS include better notifications, a revised launcher, a new phone dialer app, improved device-wide search, and baked-in support for Google Now across the platform. There are plenty of changes to the home screen behaviors, as well as the main app menu, which has been dramatically simplified. For example, lumping together some of the controls for customizing the home screen panels makes them a bit easier to use. Google also made the icons a lot bigger, so they are easier to see.</p><br /><p>The 2012 and 2013 versions of the Nexus 7 will receive the new operating system. In addition to the tablets, Android 4.4 KitKat will also be available on the Nexus 4, the Samsung Galaxy S4, and HTC One Google Play edition mobile devices in the coming weeks. (The Play Edition devices are flagship-grade hardware with stock Android on board, instead of the manufacturer's user interface). KitKit is preinstalled on the Nexus 5 smartphone.</p><br />Battle lines are forming behind hardware-centric and virtual approaches to software-defined networking. We size up strengths and weaknesses. Also in the SDN Skirmish issue of InformationWeek: Anonymity has a role in business communities (free registration required).<br /><p>One of the main benefits of owning a Nexus-branded device is having first access to the latest system updates from Google. This is a prime example of that benefit at work.</p><br /></div>

Technology Google Pushes Android KitKat To Nexus Tablets

Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets will be upgraded to Android 4.4 KitKat in the coming days. (click image for larger view) Google announced that ...

Read more »

Webicina.Com • Medicine in Social Media

Selected social media resources in your condition.<br /><br><br /><br>Choose a topic!<br /><br><br /><br>Webicina accurately selects the most relevant, quality and reliable medical social media resources from blogs and Facebook groups to Twitter users and Youtube channels in order to create a curated segment of the world wide web full of verified medical resources.<br /><br><br /><br><a href="http://www.webicina.com/?select=patient">http://www.webicina.com/?select=patient</a>

Webicina.Com • Medicine in Social Media

Selected social media resources in your condition. Choose a topic! Webicina accurately selects the most relevant, quality and reliable medic...

Read more »

Poll Lookahead: With Stanford out, which one

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>Stanford has a problem. Beating teams like Oregon, Arizona State or UCLA? Not a problem. It's the winnable road games that give Stanford trouble, whether at Washington, Utah or USC - the Cardinal's last three Pac-12 losses, all three on the road, all three to unranked teams.</p><br /><p>It's a steep slide from the top of the Rose Bowl chase to outside the Bowl Championship Series picture; that's where Stanford stands today, after a second loss again gave Oregon control of the Pac-12 North Division. When it comes to the new USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, set to be released midday Sunday, the second loss should send Stanford tumbling outside the top 10.</p><br />RANKINGS: Coaches Poll entering Week 12<br /><p>And with the top four teams staying the course, the main intrigue in this week's poll comes from the competition to replace Stanford as the top-ranked team with a single loss. There are five teams with a very strong case for slotting in at No. 5, right behind the four unbeatens: Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State and Baylor.</p><br /><p>One is Oregon, which lost at Stanford, 26-21, on Nov. 7. A second is Clemson, which has found easy sledding after a 51-14 loss to Florida State on Oct. 19. Also in the hunt are Missouri, which was idle Saturday, and Oklahoma State, which moved to 9-1 by beating Texas on the road.</p><br /><p>But it's hard to ignore what Auburn has achieved in coach Gus Malzahn's first season. After going 3-9 last season, losing all eight games in the SEC, the Tigers are 10-1 heading into the annual Iron Bowl against Alabama on Nov. 30. Saturday's memorable 43-38 win against Georgia leaves Auburn at 6-1 in the SEC, one win away from securing the West Division title.</p><br /><p>One thing is sure: Both Alabama and Auburn will have one or fewer loss and be ranked inside the top 10 - two firsts in the rivalry since 1994.</p><br /><p>While in no danger of losing its No. 1 ranking, Alabama could lose another handful of first-place votes to Florida State. The Crimson Tide were far from perfect Saturday in a 20-7 win against Mississippi State. FSU did what it has done all season, ripping apart an overmatched conference foe in Syracuse by 56 points. But it's clear that Alabama would have to lose a game to drop out of the top spot.</p><br /><p>Stanford's slide could only be to No. 10, just behind those one-loss teams. But the Cardinal could very well slip lower, due to the two losses to unranked teams, and be slotted behind fellow two-loss teams like Texas A&M and South Carolina. USC, meanwhile, should move back into the Coaches Poll for the first time under interim coach Ed Orgeron.</p><br />Teams moving up in the poll:<br /><p>USC will be one new face in the new poll. There are should be at least one other; Miami (Fla.) and Texas lost, so this week's poll should have two or more new teams. One team with a very strong case for joining USC is Duke, which handed Miami a 48-30 loss to take control of the ACC Coastal Division.</p><br /><p>1. Mississippi. The Rebels continue to get shockingly little respect in the poll despite netting wins against Vanderbilt, Texas and LSU.</p><br /><p>2. Louisiana-Lafayette. The wins are rarely pretty, but the Ragin' Cajuns continue to charge toward a 10-win regular season.</p><br /><p>3. Michigan State. Mark Dantonio and Pat Narduzzi can't love Saturday's performance on defense, but the Spartans are 9-1 and eyeballing the Rose Bowl.</p><br /><img src="http://moc-assets-prod.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/b2e9b23cd767d8a10443c055f0220c24d0200e88/r=266x400/local/-/media/USATODAY/test/2013/11/17/1384672596000-USATSI-7508672.jpg" width="600"/> Teams moving down in the poll:<br /><p><img src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/5e7566e7c793c369876df8aaed081316a1b1debf/c=0-377-2640-2362&r=x383&c=540x380/local/-/media/USATODAY/test/2013/11/17//1384672596000-USATSI-7508672.jpg" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>Louisiana Lafayette quarterback Terrance Broadway (8) looks to pass against Arkansas State in a 23-7 victory on Oct. 22.(Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports)</p><br /><p>1. Virginia Tech. One week after dominating Miami, the Hokies played listless, sloppy, boring football in losing to Maryland in overtime.</p><br /><p>2. Washington. The Huskies could have moved back into the Coaches Poll by beating UCLA; the Bruins won 41-31.</p><br /><p>3. Minnesota. Despite being idle, Minnesota could be penalized for Nebraska's loss to Michigan State - since the Gophers' most impressive win of 2013 came against the Cornhuskers.</p><br />HOW THE TOP 25 FARED IN WEEK 12<br /><p><i>Paul Myerberg, a national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @PaulMyerberg</i>.</p><br /></div>

SPORTS Poll Lookahead: With Stanford out, which one

Stanford has a problem. Beating teams like Oregon, Arizona State or UCLA? Not a problem. It's the winnable road games that give Stanford...

Read more »

China reform winners consumer, healthcare stocks; losers, big banks [ BeritaTerkini ]

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"><center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"> </div> <p></p> </center></div> <p> <br></p><p>By Clement Tan</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's mass consumer, healthcare and non-banking financial counters may well be the early winners in the country's stock markets this week after Beijing promised the most sweeping economic and social reforms in nearly three decades.</p> <p> Equity market investors are likely to cheer a plan to increase private ownership in state-owned enterprises, but the longer-term prognosis will likely vary across sectors.</p> <p> The big losers could well be the "big four" state banks, ICBC , China Construction Bank , Agricultural Bank of China and Bank Of China , which dominate formal lending. They are already feeling the pinch of interest rate liberalization and China's leaders have promised to accelerate financial sector reform.</p> <p> "In the near term, we believe market sentiment should be lifted by the detailed announcement of the Third Plenum released Friday night," Goldman Sachs China equity strategists said in a client note referring to a four-day conclave of Communist Party leaders that set the reform agenda, promising "decisive" results by 2020.</p> <p> The 60-point plan included land and residency reform to make it easier for rural Chinese to migrate to urban areas, a relaxation of the country's one-child policy and allowing markets to play a greater role in the economy.</p> <p> Stock markets in Hong Kong and China had rallied on Friday after an apparent leak of part of the plan circulated on social media. The China Enterprises Index of the top offshore Chinese listings in Hong Kong jumped 3 percent for its biggest percentage gain in three months. </p> <p> This could continue since investors are underinvested in Chinese equities, analysts said. A Bank of America-Merrill Lynch survey showed that just 11 percent of emerging market funds had an "overweight" position on Chinese equities in November ahead of the Communist Party meeting, down 45 percentage points from October. Since the reforms announced on Friday have helped dispel doubts about the reform credentials of President Xi Jinping, some of the funds could upgrade their view of the markets and filter money back in.</p> <p> Investment into China-focused equity funds has been choppy in the last month, but data from global funds tracker EFPR showed there were net inflows in the week to November 13, despite market losses after the initial communiqué on the reforms released late on Tuesday had disappointed.</p> <p> FOLLOW THROUGH KEY</p> <p> Still, much will depend on how the relevant ministries and government agencies follow through on executing the reform blueprint. That will provide clues on the urgency and priorities of the reform program, Goldman Sachs said.</p> <p> China's health ministry tempered expectations on Saturday that the relaxation of China's one-child policy may eventually see restrictions lifted entirely, suggesting provinces may vary how quickly they implement the latest change. The reform plan increases the number of couples who can have a second child. </p> <p> That uncertainty may temper gains for the Chinese dairy and baby goods sectors, whose sales could benefit from an increase in China's birth rate. But for the economy as a whole, some scholars and analysts say the change in the one-child policy is unlikely to do enough to reverse China's shrinking labor pool or convince many women to have more children as living costs rise.</p> <p> Still, other consumer names, such as white goods retailers and food and beverage producers, will likely be lifted by plans to ease restrictions currently limiting the pace of rural-to-urban migration. Policymakers want to speed up the migration to bolster consumption and services, which they see as the future of the economy after years of investment- and export-led growth.</p> <p> Limits on migration to China's biggest cities largely remain, suggesting policymakers are eager to spur growth to second-tier cities, especially as rising property prices in first-tier cities are a major concern for the central government.</p> <p> The reforms pointed to an acceleration of property taxes at "the appropriate time", but did not explicitly mention crimping property demand as a policy priority.</p> <p> The lingering policy uncertainty could trigger a rotation out of outperformers in the Chinese property sector such as Country Garden and Shimao Property into larger rivals, whose share prices have lagged this year, such as China Overseas Land and China Resources Land .</p> <p> Still, Beijing's move to make its urbanization policy more equitable for rural land owners will lead to an acceleration of farmland transfers in 2014 as smallholdings are consolidated, Jefferies analysts Jack Lu and Laban Yu said in a client note.</p> <p> They said this should benefit agricultural machinery and high-tech farming sectors in the months ahead, such as First Tractor , Gansu Dunhuang Seed and Jiangsu Yangnong Chemical .</p> <p> A plan to increase the dividends that state-owned enterprises pay to the state will likely be channeled to pay for the expansion of the social security system, analysts said. That could give a further boost to the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. China's healthcare sub-index has already risen 20 percent this year.</p> <p> For state-owned enterprises, which dominate many economic sectors, the impact of the reforms were not clear, analysts said.</p> <p> Fuel price reforms would encourage small competitors to loosen the state's grip on the energy sector, but giving markets more influence to price energy could mean rising prices, boosting earnings of the likes of state-owned Sinopec Corp and Petrochina .</p> <p> Petrochina has already reported a 20 percent rise in third-quarter profit after Beijing hiked gas prices and allowed petrol and diesel pump prices to track international crude costs more closely.</p> <p> BIG BANKS</p> <p> Interest rate liberalization has already narrowed net interest margins for the "big four" state banks and the squeeze looks set to tighten further. China's central bank governor pledged soon after the reforms were announced to "pull out all stops" to deepen financial sector reforms.</p> <p> The introduction of private banks will increase competition for cash deposits and loan demand. A sub index of offshore Chinese financial listings in Hong Kong is down 4.5 percent so far this year, compared with a 1.4 percent loss for the MSCI China .</p> <p> The banking sector is also vulnerable in the short term to a sharp rise in onshore money market rates amid a tightening of money supply. The central bank signaled earlier this month that it would rein in money supply growth.</p> <p> On the other hand, non-banking financials, such as brokerages and insurers, will stand to gain from moves to deepen China's capital markets. The reforms included making it easier for firms to launch initial public offerings, which have been suspended in mainland markets for more than a year.</p> <p> (Editing by Neil Fullick)</p> <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Finance</li> <li>Investment & Company Information</li> <li>China</li> <li>Bank Of China</li> <li>China Construction Bank</li> <li>Agricultural Bank of China</li> </ul><p></p> jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();});<br><br>

China reform winners consumer, healthcare stocks; losers, big banks [ BeritaTerkini ]

By Clement Tan HONG KONG (Reuters) – China's mass consumer, healthcare and non-banking financial counters ...

Read more »

POLL: What's Your Favourite Doctor Who, Tenth Doctor Special?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsM8cmhJhF_wwnBqkKYmmkgIFm9wfOGPjERu0zlVaHi4i3A_dwhIeVd5LBAZasdBlKpsOKMS34Eqoe2e6Gzur5drtxgEq8sYkF8tClvW5dSCrZSLsYqJz7BIhyN9CIqwsPzelFaAdato/s1600/VOYAGE1_(10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsM8cmhJhF_wwnBqkKYmmkgIFm9wfOGPjERu0zlVaHi4i3A_dwhIeVd5LBAZasdBlKpsOKMS34Eqoe2e6Gzur5drtxgEq8sYkF8tClvW5dSCrZSLsYqJz7BIhyN9CIqwsPzelFaAdato/s640/VOYAGE1_(10).jpg" width="442" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: #fafafa; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: #fafafa; clear: both; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: #fafafa; clear: both; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">As we celebrate the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary year celebrations we would like to know what your favourite Tenth Doctor Special is..<br />You can vote below and also leave your comments on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/davidtennantcom" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s; display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s;" target="_blank">Facebook page here.</a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: justify;"></span><span style="text-align: justify;">We will be finding out what your favourites from all the series and specials are and then pitting them against each other to find your ultimate David Tennant episode of the show.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: justify;"></span><span style="text-align: justify;">You only have until Midday (12pm GMT) on Monday 18th November to cast your vote so be quick!</span></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><style>#qp_main44080 .qp_btna:hover input {background: rgb(183,222,237)!important;background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(183,222,237,1) 0%, rgba(113,206,239,1) 50%, rgba(33,180,226,1) 51%, rgba(183,222,237,1) 100%)!important;background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(183,222,237,1)), color-stop(50%,rgba(113,206,239,1)), color-stop(51%,rgba(33,180,226,1)), color-stop(100%,rgba(183,222,237,1)))!important;background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(183,222,237,1) 0%,rgba(113,206,239,1) 50%,rgba(33,180,226,1) 51%,rgba(183,222,237,1) 100%)!important;background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(183,222,237,1) 0%,rgba(113,206,239,1) 50%,rgba(33,180,226,1) 51%,rgba(183,222,237,1) 100%)!important;background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgba(183,222,237,1) 0%,rgba(113,206,239,1) 50%,rgba(33,180,226,1) 51%,rgba(183,222,237,1) 100%)!important;background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(183,222,237,1) 0%,rgba(113,206,239,1) 50%,rgba(33,180,226,1) 51%,rgba(183,222,237,1) 100%)!important;filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#b7deed', endColorstr='#b7deed',GradientType=0)!important}</style><br /><div id="qp_main44080" style="background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%, rgba(201,219,229,1) 19%, rgba(216,225,231,1) 58%, rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(201,219,229,1) 19%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 58%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(201,219,229,1) 19%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 58%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(242,246,248,1)), color-stop(19%,rgba(201,219,229,1)), color-stop(58%,rgba(216,225,231,1)), color-stop(100%,rgba(224,239,249,1))); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(201,219,229,1) 19%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 58%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(201,219,229,1) 19%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 58%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: rgb(201,219,229); border-radius: 6px; border: 1px solid rgb(150,163,170); filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr='#F2F6F8', endColorstr='#C9DBE5', GradientType=0); margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding: 10px; zoom: 1;"><div style="background-color: #596166; background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(85,102,111,1) 0%, rgba(79,91,99,1) 18%, rgba(69,80,87,1) 57%, rgba(73,98,115,1) 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgba(85,102,111,1) 0%,rgba(79,91,99,1) 18%,rgba(69,80,87,1) 57%,rgba(73,98,115,1) 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(85,102,111,1) 0%,rgba(79,91,99,1) 18%,rgba(69,80,87,1) 57%,rgba(73,98,115,1) 100%); background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(85,102,111,1)), color-stop(18%,rgba(79,91,99,1)), color-stop(57%,rgba(69,80,87,1)), color-stop(100%,rgba(73,98,115,1))); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(85,102,111,1) 0%,rgba(79,91,99,1) 18%,rgba(69,80,87,1) 57%,rgba(73,98,115,1) 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(85,102,111,1) 0%,rgba(79,91,99,1) 18%,rgba(69,80,87,1) 57%,rgba(73,98,115,1) 100%); background: rgb(85,102,111); border-radius: 6px; border: 1px solid rgb(241,245,248); color: white; filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#55666f', endColorstr='#496273',GradientType=0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 10px; zoom: 1;"><div style="padding: 10px;">What is your favourite Tenth Doctor special?</div></div><form action="http://www.poll-maker.com/results44080xefc28b90-3" id="qp_form44080" method="post" style="display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank"><div style="border-radius: 6px;"><div style="clear: both; color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v44080" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px; width: 25px;" type="radio" value="1" />The Christmas Invasion</span></div><div style="clear: both; color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v44080" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px; width: 25px;" type="radio" value="2" />The Runaway Bride</span></div><div style="clear: both; color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v44080" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px; width: 25px;" type="radio" value="3" />The Voyage Of The Damned</span></div><div style="clear: both; color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v44080" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px; width: 25px;" type="radio" value="4" />The Next Doctor</span></div><div style="clear: both; color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v44080" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px; width: 25px;" type="radio" value="5" />Planet Of The Dead</span></div><div style="clear: both; color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v44080" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px; width: 25px;" type="radio" value="6" />The Waters Of Mars</span></div><div style="clear: both; color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v44080" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -1px; padding: 0px; width: 25px;" type="radio" value="7" />The End Of Time (Parts 1 & 2)</span></div></div><div style="clear: both; padding-top: 10px;"><a class="qp_btna" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=400753648428227326#"><input name="qp_b44080" style="background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%, rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%, rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%, rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(242,246,248,1)), color-stop(50%,rgba(216,225,231,1)), color-stop(51%,rgba(181,198,208,1)), color-stop(100%,rgba(224,239,249,1))); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: rgb(242,246,248); border-radius: 10px; border: 1px solid rgb(150,163,170); color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; height: 30px; margin-right: 5px; width: 80px; zoom: 1;" type="submit" value="Vote" /></a><a class="qp_btna" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=400753648428227326#"><input name="qp_b44080" style="background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%, rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%, rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%, rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(242,246,248,1)), color-stop(50%,rgba(216,225,231,1)), color-stop(51%,rgba(181,198,208,1)), color-stop(100%,rgba(224,239,249,1))); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(242,246,248,1) 0%,rgba(216,225,231,1) 50%,rgba(181,198,208,1) 51%,rgba(224,239,249,1) 100%); background: rgb(242,246,248); border-radius: 10px; border: 1px solid rgb(150,163,170); color: black; cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; height: 30px; margin-right: 5px; width: 80px; zoom: 1;" type="submit" value="Results" /></a></div><a href="http://www.poll-maker.com/" id="qp_a44080" style="color: black; float: right; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; margin-right: -5px; margin-top: -12px; text-decoration: none;">Poll Maker</a></form></div><script language="javascript" src="http://scripts.poll-maker.com/3012/scpolls.js"></script>

David Tennant Doctor Who Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Poll POLL: What's Your Favourite Doctor Who, Tenth Doctor Special?

As we celebrate the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary year celebrations we would like to know what your favourite Tenth Doctor Special is.. You ca...

Read more »

Batkid picks up some celeb fans.

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><img src="http://a57.foxnews.com/global.fncstatic.com/static/managed/img/Entertainment/660/371/miles%20scott%20key%20reuters.jpg?ve=1" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>November 15, 2013. Five-year-old leukemia survivor Miles Scott, dressed as Batkid receives a key to the city declaring him Junior Mayor from San Francisco from Mayor Ed Lee (L) during a ceremony as part of a day arranged by the Make- A - Wish Foundation in San Francisco, California. The young cancer survivor was treated to various super hero scenarios including receiving a commendation at San Francisco City Hall.Reuters</p><br /><p>Batkid has won the hearts of millions including a few who have played the Caped Crusader on the big screen.</p><br /><p>The pint sized super hero, Miles Scott, a 5-year-old in remission after being diagnosed with leukemia at 18 months had his dream come true when the Make-A-Wish Foundation transformed San Francisco into Gotham City for a day.</p><br /><p>A former Dark Knight, Christian Bale, told New York Magazine that he thought it was 'fantastic.' The British actor heard about Miles while flying into Los Angeles for a press junket and said, 'I saw this headline and thought, 'What's that?' I looked on the news and I saw all the pictures of him running around and saving people. It's so touching.'</p><br /><p>'This little kid - what a wonderful day for the little fella!' he marveled. 'It's just fantastic seeing all those people who were out there to support it.'</p><br /><p>Bale wasn't the only Batman impressed by Miles. Others cheered on the littlest super hero. Ben Affleck who has just been signed to play the World's Greatest Detective in the Man of Steel sequel tweeted that Batkid is 'the best Batman ever.'</p><br /><p>Adam West who portrayed the Masked super hero on the small screen also tweeted his admiration, 'What a wonderful thing. Relieved that Gotham is safe again thanks to Miles.'</p><br /><p>And Michael Keaton who played Batman in 1989 told TMZ that, 'it was the cutest thing in the world.'</p><br /><p>To read more about it go to</p><br />http://www.vulture.com/2013/11/christian-bale-on-batkid-its-so-touching.html</div>

ENTERTAINMENT Batkid picks up some celeb fans.

November 15, 2013. Five-year-old leukemia survivor Miles Scott, dressed as Batkid receives a key to the city declaring him Junior Mayor fro...

Read more »

From the PS4 vs Xbox One back to Nintendo vs Sega: Great console battles ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://cdn.itproportal.com/photos/console-wars-header-640x480_contentfullwidth.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>With the UK release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 now just one and two weeks away respectively, the video game console wars are poised to rage anew. The past generation of consoles has lasted a relatively long eight years, so it's been a while since gamers practiced the time-honoured tradition of defending their new console of choice to the death.</p><br /><p>Controversies have been erupting over everything from the Xbox One's slightly lower resolution on some games to the PS4's slightly reduced media capabilities, and everyone seems to be arguing over which big black box is better. So we thought it might be an interesting idea to take a look back at the console wars of generations past.</p><br />Peacetime (1977 - 1981, 1983 - 1988)<br /><p>As video game consoles came into their own during the late 70s and early 80s, hardware was basically dominated by a single superpower at a time. The Atari 2600 flourished earlier on - though it did get some competition in the form of Mattel's Intellivision, with its odd flat controller that featured a number keypad and disc, and looked more like it was something you could use to phone ET's home world rather than control a game with.</p><br /><img src="http://cdn.itproportal.com/photos/406719-atari-2600_fullwidth.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Then the industry crashed in 1982, and Nintendo came in with the NES to pick up the pieces. Sure, there were other consoles around in this period, like the fledgling Sega Master System, but none could even come close to breaking Nintendo's stranglehold on the market. With only one console worth buying, there really couldn't be any console wars.</p><br />Sega does what Nintendon't (1989 - 1994)<br /><p>Determined to make a name for itself in the 16-bit era, Sega went on the offensive, starting the next-generation early with its second and most popular console, the Sega Mega Drive (or Genesis as it was known in the US). This console war, filled with attacking ads, catchy slogans, and made-up features like 'blast processing,' is still the war by which all others are judged. Schoolyards became battlefields of Sega kids arguing with Nintendo kids over who'd win in a fight: Mario or Sonic. And off to the side there was a TurboGrafx (also known as the PC Engine) kid hyping up Bonk.</p><br /><p>The infamous 'Genesis does what Nintendon't' campaign over in the States came about when the Genesis/Mega Drive was still going up against the outdated NES.</p><br /><p>With the launch of the more technically capable Super Nintendo, Sega played up how hip and edgy its console was. Its mascot was faster and cooler, its sports games were better, and its version of Mortal Kombat still had blood.</p><br /><p>While it never became more than the number two company, it was the number two company that never missed a chance to take potshots at number one. It was the Pepsi to Nintendo's Coke, or to use a contemporary analogy, the Samsung to Nintendo's Apple.</p><br />A new challenger (1995 - 1999)<br /><p>The coming of 3D allowed a new challenger to enter and shake up the status quo. After being burned by Nintendo during a failed deal for a SNES CD-Rom add-on, Japanese tech giant Sony decided to go ahead and create a new console of its own: The PlayStation.</p><br /><p>With its polygonal graphics and then-revolutionary disc-based format, the PlayStation became the first console to sell more than 100 million units. Sony ended these console wars before they even got started. Like Sega, it promoted the coolness of its console, but in a more mature way. With a PlayStation, it was okay to game even if you weren't a kid. Meanwhile, the Sega Saturn's failure marked the beginning of the end for the company, and even though some of the most influential and beloved games of all time are on the Nintendo 64, even it couldn't halt Sony's rise to the top.</p><br /><img src="http://cdn.itproportal.com/photos/406718-xbox-ps2-gamecube_contenthalfwidth.jpg" width="600"/>Microsoft makes its move (2000 - 2004)<br /><p>Sony once again swept a generation with the even more successful PS2 launching right in the middle of the DVD boom. The GameCube offered the Nintendo faithful some great titles but ultimately fared worse than its predecessors. The final Sega console, the Dreamcast, would eventually find a devoted audience, but only after its life was cut short.</p><br /><p>However, this generation saw a new fighter step into the ring: Microsoft's Xbox. Initially short for DirectX Box, the Xbox sought to combine the PC power Microsoft was known for with the simplicity of a video game console. While the first Xbox did only slightly better than the GameCube, it gave Microsoft a foothold in the industry, and it was a beachhead that Remond would soon make greater use of.</p><br />Red waters and blue oceans (2005 - 2012)<br /><p>Riding high on the success of its first two consoles, Sony had plans for the PS3 that were arguably a little arrogant. Even its pioneering use of Blu-ray couldn't make up for the console's high asking price, complicated processor infrastructure, and bafflingly condescending quotes from executives telling cash-strapped consumers to work a second job.</p><br /><p><img src="http://cdn.itproportal.com/photos/406716-nintendo-wii_contenthalfwidth.jpg" width="600"/>Sensing weakness, Microsoft became the next company to take a page from Sega's book and jumpstarted the next generation early with the Xbox 360, just four years after the Xbox. During this war fiery debates focused less on games and franchises - since most were on both platforms - and more on the technical aspects of the machines themselves. Was the PS3 really more powerful? Was the 360 really easier to develop for? Was the PlayStation Network really that much worse than Xbox Live? Did 360s really break down all the time?</p><br /><p>While Sony and Microsoft battled in the red waters of competition, Nintendo chose a new path: A blue ocean strategy for its next console. Although the Wii was dismissed by hardcore gamers due to its motion controls, underpowered non-HD graphics, and more casual appeal, it was a massive success, joining the PlayStation in the 100 million-units-sold club. The PS3 and Xbox 360 were ultimately both pretty big successes in their own right, but it's hard to argue that Nintendo didn't reclaim its crown in this generation.</p><br />The frontline (2013 - Present)<br /><p>All that brings us back to the present and the frontline of a new console war which is anyone's game. The Wii U has struggled for half the success that the Wii enjoyed, but will its price cut and steadily expanding library of quality games put it back in the race?</p><br /><p><img src="http://cdn.itproportal.com/photos/xbox-one-vs-ps4-header-640x480_contenthalfwidth.jpg" width="600"/>The PS4 gained a lot of goodwill at this year's E3, and Sony even brought back ads that attack competitors almost by name, but will players turn on it when the console is released? The Xbox One took a lot of flak for its stance on used games and always-online play, but now most of those issues have been cleared up will its tarnished image improve?</p><br /><p>Or maybe other devices like smartphones, tablets, Android consoles, and Steam Machines will disrupt everything and eat everyone's lunch.</p><br /><p>Meanwhile, above it all, PC gamers and their pricey, high-powered machines are just laughing.</p><br /></div>

Technology From the PS4 vs Xbox One back to Nintendo vs Sega: Great console battles ...

With the UK release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 now just one and two weeks away respectively, the video game console wars are poised t...

Read more »

17-Nov-2013 14:28

The 'Obamacare' crisis in 75 seconds - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24951631">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24951631</a><br /><br><br /><br>Miami-Dade Police Say They Believe They Have Found Body of Florida Man ... - ABC News :: <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/miami-dade-police-found-body-florida-man-fell-20911611">http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/miami-dade-police-found-body-florida-man-fell-20911611</a><br /><br><br /><br>Toronto mayor in crisis; some backers stay loyal - Businessweek :: <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-11-16/toronto-mayor-in-crisis-some-backers-stay-loyal">http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-11-16/toronto-mayor-in-crisis-some-backers-stay-loyal</a><br /><br><br /><br>Axe, knife attack on China police station kills 11 - AFP :: <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iB-G0Ns2z6FN0fieFtZ7pkncgOFA?docId%3Dd2fda10b-7247-452e-904a-485d0174529a">http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iB-G0Ns2z6FN0fieFtZ7pkncgOFA?docId%3Dd2fda10b-7247-452e-904a-485d0174529a</a><br /><br><br /><br>Dallas man sentenced to death for killing teen baby sitter who planned to testify ... - Florida Times-Union :: <a href="http://members.jacksonville.com/news/2013-11-17/story/dallas-man-sentenced-death-killing-teen-baby-sitter-who-planned-testify-he">http://members.jacksonville.com/news/2013-11-17/story/dallas-man-sentenced-death-killing-teen-baby-sitter-who-planned-testify-he</a><br /><br><br /><br>Tiniest Typhoon Haiyan victims are the most vulnerable - CBS News :: <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57612701/tiniest-typhoon-haiyan-victims-are-the-most-vulnerable/">http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57612701/tiniest-typhoon-haiyan-victims-are-the-most-vulnerable/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Boy Chained Up With Dead Chicken Around Neck - Sky News :: <a href="http://news.sky.com/story/1169806/boy-chained-up-with-dead-chicken-around-neck">http://news.sky.com/story/1169806/boy-chained-up-with-dead-chicken-around-neck</a><br /><br><br /><br>Netanyahu to lobby world powers against Iran nuclear deal - Reuters :: <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-israel-usa-kerry-idUSBRE9AG06720131117">http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/17/us-israel-usa-kerry-idUSBRE9AG06720131117</a><br /><br><br /><br>David Cameron pushes Sri Lanka on rights probe - The Australian :: <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/david-cameron-pushes-sri-lanka-on-rights-probe/story-e6frg6ux-1226762093615">http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/david-cameron-pushes-sri-lanka-on-rights-probe/story-e6frg6ux-1226762093615</a><br /><br><br /><br>JFK's death: People recall where they heard the fateful news - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/jfk-assassination-dallas-remember-memories-50/3574847/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/17/jfk-assassination-dallas-remember-memories-50/3574847/</a>

17-Nov-2013 14:28

The 'Obamacare' crisis in 75 seconds - BBC News :: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24951631 Miami-Dade Police Say They Be...

Read more »

Weekend in Valencia: a complete itinerary [ BeritaTerkini ]

<p>Valencia might just be the perfect weekend destination: historic centre; a unique arts and science complex; sandy beach; lots of green space; fantastic food; and a great climate. Spain’s third city was established by the Romans, occupied by Muslims, and won back by Spain in 1238, when its influence grew until it was one of the most important Mediterranean cities of the 15th century. These days, it attracts nearly 2 million international visitors per year (about 80,000 from the UK). Many come for the extraordinary Las Fallas in March, a wild five-day fiesta in honour of San José, when hundreds of giant puppets are paraded and set on fire. But it is a party town all-year round – and if you miss Las Fallas, you can always visit the Museo Fallero to see the <em>ninots</em> (figurines) that have survived the flames.</p> <p><span class="inline embed embed-media"><br><br><small>View Valencia in a weekend – mapped in a larger map</small><br><span class="caption"><br> All the places numbered in the article can be found on this Google map of the city<br></span><br></span><br><br></p> <hr><strong>FRIDAY</strong><br><br><h2>9.30pm<br> </h2> <p>Head out to bar-hop and eat tapas in the Ciutat Vella (old town). Calle de Caballeros is thronged with bars and restaurants, as are the streets and squares north, into Barrio del Carmen, and south, into the Centro Histórico. The city’s La Tassa district is particularly well-served by tapas restaurants. One, <strong>La Taberna de Marisa</strong> (latabernademarisa.com), <strong>1</strong>, is known for its <em>morcilla de Burgos</em> – rounds of rice-heavy black pudding, crispy without, soft within – but its salted anchovies and <em>croquetas</em> are equally delicious. Try <em>agua de Valencia</em> at one of the bars on Plaza del Negrito: it is a more lethal version of buck’s fizz (cava, orange juice, sugar and spirits), invented in the 1920s and still widely drunk. Restaurants stay open until at least midnight at the weekends and most bars until about 2am, but if you want to stay out later, try <strong>Radio City</strong> (radiocityvalencia.es), <strong>2</strong>, a club with flamenco nights and other events.</p> <hr><strong>SATURDAY</strong><br><br><h2>10am</h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Valencia market, Spain" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2008/03/12/Valencia4.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Valencia’s brilliant Mercado Central, one of the best and biggest food markets in Europe<br></span><br></span></p> <p>Spend the morning exploring the old town, where all the sights are within walking distance. Valencia has three main squares: Plaza de la Virgen, Plaza de la Reina and Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Start the day with a coffee at one of the outdoor tables in the atmospheric Plaza de la Virgen.</p> <p>From here, head to the vast <strong>13th-century cathedral</strong> (catedraldevalencia.es), <strong>3</strong>, a hotchpotch of Roman, gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture on the site of the old mosque. Inside, have a look at San Vincente’s withered left arm, a relic that has terrified generations of Valencian schoolchildren; the “Holy Grail”, a chalice dating to at least Christ’s time; two Goya paintings, one of which depicts a fantastically horrifying exorcism; and the windows – they are made from fine alabaster, because Valencia’s light is too dazzling for glass. Climb the 207 steps of the Miguelete tower for the best views of the city.</p> <p>Next go to <strong>La Lonja de la Seda</strong> (whc.unesco.org), <strong>4</strong>, a gothic chamber of commerce built to impress visiting merchants in the 16th century and to symbolise the city’s wealth and power. It is now a world heritage site and beautiful in its own right, but also fascinating as a secular building designed with the splendour usually reserved for religion.</p> <h2>Midday<br> </h2> <p>On the other side of the Plaza del Mercado is the biggest fresh-produce market in Europe, built in the <em>modernismo</em> style (the Spanish variant of art nouveau). <strong>Mercado Central</strong> (mercadocentralvalencia.es), <strong>5</strong>, is still the place where most Valencians buy their groceries and is a great, light-filled place to wander around and haggle for ham. Stop at La Huertana, a little stand-up cafe inside the market, for the archetypical Valencian snack: <em>horchata</em> and <em>fartons</em>. Similar to <em>churros con chocolate</em>, this is a milky drink and a pastry, but the Valencian version is served cold. Horchata, made from tiger nuts, is creamy, slightly grainy and incredibly sweet. Fartons are light, finger-shaped buns, thickly dusted with sugar. Dangerously moreish.</p> <p>While you’re in the old town, squeeze in a quick visit to the <strong>National Ceramics Museum</strong> (mnceramica.mcu.es), <strong>6</strong>, housed in a rococo palace said to be Valencia’s Versailles in (extreme) miniature. At the very least, take a look at its brilliantly over-the-top facade: the doorway is flanked by two muscular figures, with a statue of the virgin – who can be seen all over the city – above. Decorative ceramic tiles are also ubiquitous – to buy ceramic souvenirs, try <strong>Artesania Yuste</strong> (Plaça Miracle del Mocadoret), <strong>7</strong>.</p> <h2>2pm<br> </h2> <p>Take a tram to the beach for lunch. Restaurants and bars line the seafront, but the quality is variable so get off the tram a couple of stops early (Grau is closest) and head to the old fishermen’s quarter. Calle José Benlliure (and surrounding streets) is full of bars and tapas restaurants, including <strong>Casa Montana</strong> (emilianobodega.com), <strong>8</strong>, one of the oldest restaurants in Valencia. You can eat in the busy front bar, lined with wine barrels, or in the more spacious back room, but the best table is squeezed into a space between the two. You have to duck under the bar to get to it, next to the kitchen and the jamón-carving station. Don’t miss the fat <em>boquerónes fritas</em> (fried anchovies), meaty brown broad beans stewed with chorizo, roasted piquillo peppers stuffed with béchamel and tuna, and, of course, the translucent slivers of jamón ibérico.</p> <h2>4.30pm<br> </h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="Destino 56 " height="279" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/gallery/2013/11/15/1384535253693/Destino-56--001.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> Destino 56<br></span><br></span></p> <p>Follow a long lunch with a siesta on the beach (Las Arenas or Las Malvarrosa), a 10-minute walk away. Valencia has three kilometres of long, sandy beaches and more than 300 sunny days a year – it can be warm enough to swim and sunbathe into November. Have an early-evening pick-me-up at a bar on Paseo Neptuno, the palm tree-lined beach promenade. Valencians have embraced “gin tonic”: <strong>Destino 56</strong> (destino56.es), <strong>9</strong>, for example, has 15 craft gins and three premium tonics – measures are huge and served in a proper balloon glass with lots of ice.</p> <h2>9pm<br> </h2> <p>Choose between upmarket or hip Valencia. L’Eixample is a wealthy district just south of the centre, with wide boulevards and grand art nouveau buildings. Its boutiques and delis include <strong>Espacio 1880</strong> (turron1880.com), <strong>10</strong>, which specialises in all kinds of turrón, and <strong>Torreblanca</strong> (torreblanca.net), <strong>11</strong>, which made Prince Felipe’s wedding cake. <strong>Mercado Colón</strong> (mercadocolon.es), <strong>12</strong>, a gorgeous example of modernismo, is now full of cafes and bars, though it still has a gourmet food market downstairs.</p> <p>For dinner, the city has four Michelin-starred restaurants. One of them, <strong>Vertical</strong> (restaurantevertical.com), <strong>13</strong>, is on the ninth floor of a hotel east of L’Eixample, with incredible night-time views of the City of Arts and Sciences. (The entrance is quite confusing – go to Hotel Confortel Aqua 4 and take the lift.) There is no choice, only a daily changing, multi-course set menu. Dishes might include a ruffled egg yolk, beef with foie gras, and deconstructed fudge cake.</p> <p>Alternatively, head further south to Ruzafa, which has overtaken Carmen as the city’s hippest area. It is a working-class, ethnically diverse quarter that is being colonised by young creatives – Valencia’s version of Brixton in London. It is full of vintage clothes shops (eg Kauf Vintage), bike shops, and homeware stores such as <strong>Gnomo</strong> (gnomo.eu), <strong>14</strong>, which sells work by contemporary Valencian artist Paula Bonet and displays a mural by Vinz, Ruzafa’s answer to Banksy. <strong>Espacio 40</strong> (c/Puerto Rico), <strong>15</strong>, is an art gallery/wine shop run by a Valencian woman and her Chilean husband. The <strong>covered market</strong> (c/Padre Perera), <strong>16</strong>, gives a taste of pre-gentrified Ruzafa – its one bar caters to older locals. Younger drinkers head for three “bookshop bars” – <strong>Cosecha Roja</strong>, <strong>Slaughterhouse</strong> and <strong>Ubik Cafe</strong>, <strong>17</strong> – a Parisian theatre bar (Café Tocado), or “The Corner”, a crossroads with a bar on each corner. Restaurants range from traditional tapas and <em>bocadillos</em> (El Rus) to oysters (De Claire), South American restaurants, and fusion (El Rodamón). It’s a small district, so wander around and you won’t go far wrong.</p> <hr><strong>SUNDAY</strong><br><br><h2>10am<br> </h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="View of the Palace of Arts and Sciences and The Hemispheric in Valencia" height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2007/02/02/valencia.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> The iconic City of Arts and Sciences. Photograph: Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images<br></span><br></span></p> <p>Most cities have riverbanks to stroll along; Valencia has a whole river. The Jardín del Túria is a unique, 9km-long swathe of greenery through the city. When the river Túria flooded – again – in 1957, it was diverted south. The former riverbed is now a landscaped parkland walk with trees, sculptures and water features, crisscrossed by 18 bridges – some designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. The gardens connect the <strong>Bioparc</strong> in the west and the <strong>City of Arts and Sciences</strong> (CAC) in the east. The zoo (bioparcvalencia.es), <strong>18</strong>, is a modern, immersive animal park that recreates natural habitats, but in a weekend you’ll probably only have time for CAC (cac.es), <strong>19</strong>. You can walk there along the gardens in about 45 minutes. The futuristic complex was mainly designed by Calatrava and includes an opera house, science museum and planetarium. Oceanogràfic is best: more than 45,000 specimens swimming around Europe’s biggest aquarium. Look out for the spooky sandfish, awe-inspiring white whales and shoals of leaping dolphins.</p> <h2>2pm<br> </h2> <p>Stroll back towards town and stop for lunch at <strong>Les Graelles</strong> (grupo-jbl.com), <strong>20</strong>, a traditional restaurant with arched stone ceilings, dark-wood furniture and crisp white tablecloths. Paella was invented in Valencia and this is the place to try an authentic version – which, surprisingly, doesn’t contain seafood and is only eaten at lunchtime. Saffron-flavoured rice is served with hunks of rabbit and chicken and a handful of snails, plus some vegetables – perhaps green and broad beans and artichokes. Everyone around the table digs in to the communal pan with their own wooden serving spoon, and washes it down with rioja. (Locals often head to L’Albufera, a nature reserve about 30km along the coast, for their Sunday paella lunch.)</p> <h2>3.30pm<br> </h2> <p>From here, it’s a short walk to the <strong>Museo de Bellas Artes</strong> (museobellasartesvalencia.gva.es), <strong>21</strong>, Spain’s second-biggest art collection, housed in a beautiful 17th-century convent. It has paintings by Spanish greats such as Velázquez (including a masterful self-portrait), El Greco and Goya, plus Valencian artists Pinazo, Benlliure and Sorolla. If admiring modern works of art is more to your taste, <strong>IVAM</strong> (Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno, ivam.es), <strong>22</strong>, was the first contemporary art gallery in Spain – you’ll need to catch the Metro or take a cab, though, as the museum’s back in El Carmen.</p> <hr><strong>LOCALS TIPS</strong><br><br><h2>Paula Sancho Torregrosa, web editor</h2> <p>By the <strong>Flowers bridge</strong>, <strong>23</strong>, there is a statue of King Jaime I, where children can learn something of our history in a show about him until 24 November (eltorneodelrey.com). <strong>Gulliver Park</strong>, <strong>24</strong>, also in the river gardens, is a great play area. <strong>Canguro Verde</strong> (facebook.com/canguroverde) <strong>25</strong>, is a coffee shop in Ruzafa where kids are welcome.</p> <h2>Alejandro García Llinares, restaurant manager,<br> </h2> <p><span class="inline wide"><br><img alt="El Mercado de la Tapinería, a concept market" height="341" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/gallery/2013/11/15/1384535912214/El-Mercado-de-la-Tapiner--001.jpg" width="460"><span class="caption"><br> El Mercado de la Tapinería<br></span><br></span></p> <p>Semana Santa Marinera, maritime holy week, in El Cabanyal, the fishermen’s area is an interesting experience. And <strong>El Mercado de la Tapinería</strong> (mercadodetapineria.com), <strong>26</strong>, is a concept market in a downtown square. <strong>El Jardín de Monforte</strong>, <strong>27</strong>, is a quiet and relaxing garden in the centre.</p> <h2>Carla Carrión Palanca, blogger</h2> <p>Few tourists go to <strong>Calle Alta</strong> and <strong>Calle Baja</strong> but these two streets in El Carmen (or El Carmé in Valencian), <strong>28</strong>, are popular with locals for their charming bars and shops. Jazz lovers might like to try the Jimmy Glass Bar (Calle Baja 28, jimmyglassjazz.net). Or, if a bar crawl is what you’re after, look no further than Calle Alta’s drinking dens.</p> <h2>Where to stay</h2> <p>Accommodation was provided by <strong>Hotel Caro</strong> (doubles from €137, +34 963 059 000, carohotel.com), <strong>29</strong>, a former palace, 200m from the cathedral, which opened in 2012 after seven years of refurbishment. It is one of the oldest buildings in Valencia, with astonishing Roman, Arabic and gothic remains on display alongside sleek, modern furnishings: lots of glossy black and moody lighting. You can eat breakfast – a spread of meats and cheese, bread and fruit, plus unlimited cava – next to the old city walls, or sink into a sunken bath under an ancient beamed ceiling. There are 26 rooms – the three in the attic are especially romantic.</p> <h2>Way to go</h2> <p><strong><em>Getting there</em></strong> <em>EasyJet (</em><em>easyjet.com</em><em>) flies from Gatwick to Valencia; Ryanair (</em><em>ryanair.com</em><em>) flies from Stansted, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and East Midlands</em></p> <p><strong><em>Getting around</em></strong> <em>Valencia has an easy-to-use metro and bus system. Metro lines 3 and 5 take you from the airport to the city centre in about 20 minutes. The Valencia tourist card gives you unlimited travel on public transport, plus discounts at shops, restaurants and museums (€13.50 for 24 hours, €18.00 for 48 hours or €22.50 for 72 hours,</em> <em>valenciatouristcard.com</em><em>). Valencia is very flat, so cycling is a good way to explore: BEbike has five rental outlets around the city (€2 for 1 hour, €8 for 4 hours, €10 for 24 hours,</em> <em>bebike.es</em><em>)</em></p> <p><strong><em>For further information</em></strong> <em>on Valencia, go to</em> <em>visitvalencia.com</em></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

Weekend in Valencia: a complete itinerary [ BeritaTerkini ]

Valencia might just be the perfect weekend destination: historic centre; a unique arts and science complex; sandy beach; lots of green space...

Read more »

8 Years Later, Google's Book Scanning Crusade Ruled 'Fair Use'

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>Eight years after a group of authors and publishers sued Google for scanning more than 20 million library books without the permission of rights holders, a federal judge has ruled that the web giant's sweeping book project stayed within the bounds of U.S. copyright law.</p><br /><p>On Thursday morning, U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin dismissed a lawsuit from the Author Guild, ruling that Google's book scans constituted fair use under the law. Though Google scanned those 20 million books in full and built a web service, Google Books, that lets anyone search the digital texts, users can only view 'snippets' of a book if the right holder hasn't given approval.</p><br /><p>'In my view, Google Books provides significant public benefits,' the ruling reads. 'It advances the progress of the arts and sciences, while maintaining respectful consideration for the rights of authors and other creative individuals, and without adversely impacting the rights of copyright holders.'</p><br /><p>In a statement sent to WIRED, a Google spokesperson said the company was 'absolutely delighted' with the ruling. 'As we have long said, Google Books is in compliance with copyright law and acts like a card catalog for the digital age giving users the ability to find books to buy or borrow.'</p><br /><p>Michael Boni, a partner with Boni & Zack, the law firm representing the Authors Guild, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment. Nor did the Author's Guild. But the Guild has told other news outlets it will appeal the decision.</p><br /><p>'We disagree with and are disappointed by the court's decision today. This case presents a fundamental challenge to copyright that merits review by a higher court,' reads a statement sent to . 'Google made unauthorized digital editions of nearly all of the world's valuable copyright-protected literature and profits from displaying those works. In our view, such mass digitization and exploitation far exceeds the bounds of the fair use defense.'</p><br /><p>The ruling comes two years after Judge Chin rejected a $125 million settlement between Google, the Author's Guild, and the Association of American Publishers, which was also part of the original lawsuit against the web giant. After complaints over the settlement from outside organizations such as the Internet Archive and Google rivals such as Microsoft, Chin ruled the deal would give Google a de facto monopoly over so-called 'orphan books,' scanned texts whose rights holders had not come forward to claim their share of the revenues Google would make from its book scanning endeavor.</p><br /><p>A year after this ruling, the publishers agreed to another settlement with Google, and this one was not subject to approval from the court. But Chin allowed the case to continue as a class action, but an appeals court reversed this decision and told Chin to rule on the copyright issue.</p><br /><p>Though Google limits how much book text you can view online - and though it doesn't display ads on pages describing books it does not have rights to, the company, as the court explained, can still use its service to draw people to its websites and make money in other ways. But this commercial gain doesn't necessarily mean copy infringement. Google Books, the judge ruled, doesn't 'negatively impact the market for books.'</p><br /><p>On the contrary, Chin said, Google Books feeds the market for books. 'A reasonable factfinder could only find that Google Books enhances the sales of books to the benefit of copyright holders,' the ruling reads. 'Google Books provides a way for authors' works to become noticed, much like traditional in-store book displays.'</p><br /><img src="http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/af7781f21afbb766f2f66dbaa3f3d920?s=50" width="600"/><br /><p>Cade Metz is the editor of Wired Enterprise. Got a NEWS TIP related to this story -- or to anything else in the world of big tech? Please e-mail him: cade_metz at wired.com.</p><br />Read more by Cade Metz<br /><p>Follow @cademetz on Twitter.</p><br /></div>

Technology 8 Years Later, Google's Book Scanning Crusade Ruled 'Fair Use'

Eight years after a group of authors and publishers sued Google for scanning more than 20 million library books without the permission of ri...

Read more »