GOP hopeful: 'Rape thing' not cause for abortion

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) ? A Republican congressional candidate says abortion should not be legal, even when it involves "the rape thing," according to audio provided Wednesday to The Associated Press.

An activist working on behalf of liberal group FUSE Washington asked questions of Republican hopeful John Koster during a fundraiser Sunday. Koster said he does not oppose abortion when the life of the mother is in danger but then explains he would oppose it when it involves rape or incest.

Koster twice uses the phrase "the rape thing" when describing his views, first saying that he knows a woman who was raped and gave up the child for adoption without any regrets.

"But on the rape thing, it's like, how does putting more violence onto a woman's body and taking the life of an innocent child that's a consequence of this crime, how does that make it better?" Koster said in the exchange.

Koster's campaign manager, Larry Stickney, says the candidate has long been a proponent of dealing strongly with sex offenders. He noted that Koster worked in the state legislature on legislation to crack down on sex offenders and has daughters of his own.

"To imply that he's cavalier about the issue is preposterous," Stickney said.

Koster is locked in a competitive House race against Democrat Suzan DelBene.

Republicans have been beleaguered this year by comments about rape that some have deemed offensive. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., who is challenging Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, said women's bodies have ways of avoiding pregnancy in cases of "legitimate rape."

More recently, Indiana GOP candidate Richard Mourdock has been criticized for saying that pregnancy resulting from rape is God's will.

Collin Jergens, a spokesman at the advocacy group FUSE Washington, said one of the group's activists went to the fundraiser to ask Koster about the issue of abortion. Democrats have been trying to portray Koster as out of touch with the district, which stretches from areas east of Seattle to the border with Canada, and they have focused particularly on his stance on social issues.

Sara Kiesler, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest, said the Koster's remarks are proof that he shouldn't be involved in a woman's decision about her pregnancy.

"My gut reaction was that rape is violence, and that rape is a crime, and that his choice of words diminishes that violence," Kiesler said.

___

Mike Baker can be reached on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/HiPpEV

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-10-31-Congress-Rape%20Remarks/id-d04f644eb4c145218ec4dc64ab751e5a

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New Chief Financial Officer at Telenor Connexion | Telenor Connexion

Karin Bjernb?ck D?Hondt appointed as new CFO of the leading connected service enabler and M2M pioneer.

Telenor Connexion, a leading enabler of connected services, today announced the appointment of Karin Bjernb?ck D?Hondt as new Chief Financial Officer.

Karin Bjernb?ck D?Hondt has 10 years of experience in Finance and Business development within the Telecom industry. Previous experiences include management positions in companies such as Sting Networks (now part of Bahnhof). Karin Bjernb?ck D?Hondt joined Telenor Connexion in 2009. Prior to taking on the position as CFO she held the position Head of Business Control. Bjernb?ck D?Hondt holds Master degrees in Business Administration and Economics as well as in Computer and System Sciences.

?I am very pleased to appoint Karin Bjernb?ck D?Hondt to this important position. Her demonstrated track record and hands on business experience made her the perfect candidate to step into this important role on our management team. She will be invaluable as we pursue our strategic growth objectives in the future?, saysPer Simonsen, CEO of Telenor Connexion.

As CFO, Bjernb?ck D?Hondt will be responsible for managing the finance processes for Telenor Connexion, including budgeting, accounting, cash management, and financial planning and analysis. She will be part of Telenor Connexion?s executive management team and report to Simonsen.

?I?m excited to join the management team and look forward to ensuring that the future of the organization continues on a solid financial foundation. Telenor Connexion is constantly exploring new fields in this exciting and rapidly growing business,? says Bjernb?ck D?Hondt.

Telenor Connexion is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden with a technical centre in Karlskrona, Sweden and regional offices in UK, Germany, US and Japan. The company was established in 2008 and originates from the successful M2M business within Telenor Sweden. Telenor Connexion is wholly owned by Telenor Group, one of the world?s major mobile operators.

Source: http://www.telenorconnexion.com/news/new-chief-financial-officer-at-telenor-connexion

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Update re: spouse paying spouse rent... | Step Talk

Ok so after listening to much of what was said yesterday (re: spouse paying spouse rent). I've suggested to my BF that he can own a share of the future home from the date of marriage equal to what he can afford to contribute. Instead of owning our home as joint tenants with rights of survivorship as most married people do (essentially either party owns the entire property upon the death of the first spouse) we can own it as "tenants in common". I own my share he owns his definitely not a 50/50 split. He doesn't seem too happy with that as he said he'll have way less to contribute because he will always have more children, and more responsibilities than myself. Upon either death each spouses estate remains their separate estate to distribute as they see fit. I'll gladly leave him a life tenancy though I wouldn't foresee our future kids forcing their own father out of his home (though stranger things have happened) and would accept the same from him.?

I've given this much thought as to why this matters so much to me and the truth of it all is that my children and I will sacrifice much (I say this because 34% of dads income goes outside our home and therefore more of my income pays for our home to make up for that) due to BF paying his legally obligated child support for the next 18-20 years as SKIDS are 3 and 1 respectively. In NYS CS currently continues through the age of 21. I will for the better part of 20 years carry our household. The only reason that is not the case now is 1) I'm not having it being just a GF and 2) we live someplace where we can BOTH afford the rent. I would like my OWN children to benefit from my hard work the bulk of that will be in our home, If something were to happen to me I need to be sure that this is seen through. (he and I have already agreed that our savings and retirements including contributions made after marriage will be kept separate and he acknowledges due to his prior obligations that there will likely be a disparity in accumulations our home is just an extension of that) I've also considered that the house can be in our name but held in a trust that benefits the children born of our marriage irrevocable upon the first spouses passing. One never knows how soon or far that is. But I still worry about what would happen if God forbid we were to divorce what if a judge doesn't acknowledge that I contributed more to our life and divides things equally? Hence the reason for the insistence on a prenup. As OP stated in response in my last blog his track record of two kids not too far apart by two diff women gives me much concerns as he was in a very casual friends with benefits type relationship w/ BM 1 and a hit it and quit relationship with BM 2. Neither should have resulted in a child especially the child of BM 2. It leaves me to wonder, and yes worry about our future. There are also other practical things to worry about that were pointed out by other posters. If we were to sell our home and capital gains were made does he owe 17%x2 on his half of the home although he didn't actually contribute to "his half". If he were to fall behind and arrears accrued could a lien be attached on his portion of our home. Again would that be his undeserved half or his contributed to 20% what a difference that could and would make. The difference between his half or his 20% would be him bequeathing 50% of our home to 4 kids or his 20% to 4 kids. Why should he dilute my hard earnings to kids I didn't produce, and therefore am not responsible for?

Another posted stated that my hard financial stance would leave SAHM moms out. I should point out that I addressed that in a previous blog entitled and I will copy and post a portion:?"IMO when a man and woman determine he will work and she will stay home, and rear the children/run the house they have a division of labor that is understood to benefit all of them. Even though he makes the bacon and she fries it they both own it all 50/50. IMO opinion that's what divorce laws were REALLY meant to protect." HERE IMO IS AN IMPORTNAT DISTINCTION IN STEP/BLENDED FAMILIES AND WHAT I BASED THE PREMISE OF MY PREVIOUS POST ON SPOUSE PAYING SPOUSE RENT "Such is not true in step/blended families. He is obligated to provide part of that bacon to his previous children which does not benefit your family/household. And you staying home may not be 100% benefit to the family/household. Lets be real step mom staying home caring for children from a previous relationship isn't doing your new husband/family/household any favors. It benefits your previous family the way CS benefits his. On another note step mom isn't obligated to care for his previous children. Although he may expect you to do so as part of your contribution and SAHM/W duties."

My BF paying CS does not benefit his current family the way a SAHM/W staying home with another mans kids or me wanting to own my home independently of him doesn't benifited him. Plenty of things in step/ blended family aren't fair they just are and we learn to live with them.?

Another poster said since you own your home independently of your husband that doesn't benefit him just you- I suppose you'll never expect him to make repairs, or mow the lawn. My answer to that is do any of your husbands expect you to things for SKIDS that in no way befits SMOM? Cook, babysit, clean up... Oh ok then.?

Source: http://www.steptalk.org/node/84645

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John Sununu Comments Spark Controversy

John Sununu, a top surrogate for Mitt Romney, suggested on Thursday that Gen. Colin Powell?s endorsement of President Obama?s bid for reelection in 2008 and 2012 was motivated by race, CNN reported.

Sununu, a former New Hampshire governor known for his candid commentary, intimated on CNN?s Piers Morgan Tonight that Powell?s endorsement of the president was based on issues other than policy. When pressed, Sununu pointed to the fact that the two men share the same race.?

?When you take a look at Colin Powell, you have to look at whether that's an endorsement based on issues or he's got a slightly different reason for endorsing President Obama," Sununu said. "I think when you have somebody of your own race that you're proud of being President of the United States, I applaud Colin for standing with him."

A few hours later, however, Sununu issued a statement in which he seemed to walk back the comment, Politico reported.

"Colin Powell is a friend and I respect the endorsement decision he made and I do not doubt that it was based on anything but his support of the president?s policies," Sununu said in the statement. "Piers Morgan?s question was whether Colin Powell should leave the party, and I don?t think he should."

Powell, a self-proclaimed ?moderate Republican? who served as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, lent his endorsement to Obama?s reelection early on Thursday on CBS?s This Morning, citing the president?s leadership in troubled times and his efforts against terrorism. He added that he had concerns about Romney?s views on both economic and foreign policies. Powell also endorsed Obama in 2008.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/john-sununu-comments-spark-controversy-075958000--politics.html

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Making Your Ex Miss You - How It Is Done

What do you do when a relationship turns sour? You wish you could just turn back the clock and bring things back to the way they used to be. When you think of the time you first started dating, you can't help but smile. Those times are gone. Is it a lost hope to dream of getting them back?

Not if you know where to start. Relationships can't be all sunshine and rainbows 100% of the time - they simply don't work that way. Maintaining a relationship can mean a lot of hard work and although you were willing to put in the effort, it seems that your ex wasn't. They broke up with you instead. Instead of just wishing for another chance, make it happen. Be proactive and go for a plan that is so simple it's almost guaranteed to work - as long as you play your cards right and lead with your head, not your heart.

Make them Miss More than a Memory

While you can't plant pictures in your ex's mind that you want them to hold onto in your post-breakup reality, you can give them the seeds necessary to plant them on their own. Unfortunately, you can't reach into their mind and make them feel the same things you're feeling. You desperately want to reclaim your relationship, but at this moment your ex does not share the same sentiments.

Instead, they seem to be pulling away. You want to fight the process and cling to them for dear life, but that's not going to get you any closer to reconnecting. Instead, give them the impression that you're acquiescing to what they think they want. They don't really want you to disappear, although they might disagree right now. When you keep your distance, they'll realize that they don't just miss the way things were - they miss the person attached to those memories as well. Once this goal is accomplished, you need an extra push to get your plan off the ground and into motion.

Don't Just Focus on THE Past, Focus on Your Past as Well

While it may be easy to pick apart everything that your ex did wrong throughout the course of your relationship, it's harder to turn that critical eye inward. Humans are programed to find fault in others, and it's a natural thing to pick apart all of your ex's idiosyncrasies and bad habits. It's unlikely that you weathered the storm of the relationship (and its eventual end) without sustaining some damage along the way.

Since you're giving your ex some time away, you have some free time available to start focusing on what's truly important - you. Don't mold yourself into what you imagine an ex wants - you'll fall short of your own expectations. Faking it will only get you so far - and it's not nearly enough to bridge the gap between the relationship you want and the one that ended. Even the little things can make a big difference here. Remember the way your ex lit up every time you entered a room and focus on becoming that person again. Introduce yourself to the new and improved you by reconnecting with bits and pieces of the past that worked out in your favor.

Make the Best of Times a New Reality

If you want nothing more than to reinstate the initial stages of your former relationship, you're in luck. Not only is it possible, it's not as far off as you fear. You want the way your ex remembers you to focus on the good - and minimalize the bad in the process. Obviously some things need to change - but you can bring those changes about in a positive way by using the past for inspiration. Take it even further. Don't revert into a former self - make that person even better and make it something your ex will remember fondly.

There is too much at stake to simply cross your fingers and hope for the best. Having a plan is only the foundation. Any successful plan needs to be put into action and that means taking a positive role in its natural progression and pulling the strings to tilt the game in your favor. Go into this time with an underlying confidence and regain control of your fate. By taking it one step at a time and rebuilding your positive traits from the ground up, you have every opportunity to win your ex back - and making your renewed relationship healthier than ever.

What To Do Next

Being dumped is never a trivial thing, the pain is always real. People who say "just get over it" have either never been dumped or they are in denial. Knowledge is power, the more knowledge you gain about how to rectify your situation the better your chances of putting your relationship back on track will be.

Two key things that you should know about are break up mistakes and managing contact with your ex. If you are serious about getting your ex back into your life then you will have to gain the knowledge necessary to achieve your goal. With the right techniques you will save yourself a lot of heartache and frustration.

Source: http://www.streetarticles.com/reconnecting/making-your-ex-miss-you-how-it-is-done

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Alicia Keys Debuts New Kids? Storybook App

The singer and mom launches a new storybook app, The Journals of Mama Mae and LeeLee, inspired by her childhood.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/60M2doNum7Y/

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Confounded by Mars: Climate history thrown into doubt

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Amazon reports first quarterly net loss in years

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc reported its first quarterly net loss in more than five years on Thursday as the world's largest Internet retailer spent heavily and suffered from an economic slowdown in Europe.

Amazon shares slipped slightly to $220.75 in after-hours trading after the results.

The company said its third-quarter net loss was $274 million, or 60 cents a share, versus net income of $63 million, or 14 cents a share, in the third quarter of 2011. Part of the loss related to an impairment charge from Amazon's investment in daily deal company LivingSocial.

Third-quarter revenue was $13.81 billion, up 27 percent from a year earlier, Amazon also said.

Amazon was expected to lose 8 cents a share in the third quarter on revenue of $13.9 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The last time Amazon reported a quarterly net loss was in the third quarter of 2003, according to Thomson Reuters data.

For the crucial fourth-quarter holiday shopping period, Amazon forecast revenue that missed analysts' expectations. The company also gave a wide forecast for operating income in the period - and the mid-point of the range was lower than some analysts' estimates.

"There's increased competition from mass merchants and big box retailers embedded in that guidance," said RJ Hottovy, an equity analyst at Morningstar. "There's a lot of competition this holiday, and it's not clear how this will play out, even for smart operators like Amazon."

Amazon is facing more competition this holiday season from big retailers such as Target Corp and Best Buy Co Inc, which are planning to match some of the company's prices online.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's largest retailer, is also testing same-day delivery in some cities this holiday, while Target is selling more exclusive products that cannot be bought at lower prices online.

Amazon is also spending heavily on new distribution warehouses and technology to support its cloud-computing businesses, Amazon Web Services. It is also investing hundreds of millions of dollars a year on digital content to sell through its Kindle tablets and e-readers.

Amazon Chief Financial Officer Tom Szkutak said the company will continue investing heavily in technology, infrastructure and digital content.

The company spent $1.51 billion on shipping and warehouses in the third quarter, up from $1.12 billion a year earlier. Technology and content spending reached $1.19 billion, up from $769 million in the same period last year.

The Kindle gadgets are being sold at cost, pressuring earnings in the short term. Amazon hopes to make money when customers use them to buy more physical and digital products from the company.

Amazon launched new Kindle Fire tablets in September and CFO Szkutak said demand has been "fantastic."

Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in a statement that the new $199 Kindle Fire HD, the new Kindle Paperwhite e-reader and the entry-level $69 Kindle e-reader are the top three best-selling products on Amazon, based on unit sales.

Szkutak said Kindle Fire tablet users are purchasing a lot more digital content through the devices, as well as watching free video content.

The introduction of new tablets and e-readers should be good for digital content sales going forward, he added.

Europe's sovereign debt crisis and recession is reducing consumer demand, sparking concern that even fast-growing Internet companies may be affected.

EBay Chief Financial Officer Bob Swan said last week that the company expected an "OK" holiday season, partly because of macro pressure in Europe.

Amazon said on Thursday that revenue from North America was $7.88 billion, up 33 percent from a year earlier. International sales, including Europe, totaled $5.92 billion, up 20 percent from the same period in 2011.

(Reporting By Alistair Barr; Editing by M.D. Golan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/amazon-reports-first-quarterly-net-loss-years-012656086--sector.html

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November 2012 Theater Calendar | Triangle Arts and Entertainment

NOTE: This is the Triangle Theater Review?s Master Calendar for shows announced for the entire month of October. If your productions are not listed in this calendar, please e-mail the SHOW TITLE(S), DATE(S), LOCATION(S), and PRESENTER?S NAME to RobertM748@aol.com, and be sure to e-mail all your news releases and publicity PHOTOS to that address. (Our ?snail mail? address is Triangle Theater Review, 1828 Honeysuckle Road #13, Raleigh, NC 27609-6220.)

Nov. 1-3: ?The Paper Hat Game,? created and directed by Torry Bend (Torry Bend at Manbites Dog Theater).

Nov. 1-4: ?Alfred Hitchcock?s The 39 Steps? (Temple Theatre).

Nov. 1-4, 6-11: Moli?re?s ?Imaginary Invalid,? world premiere of a new adaptation by David Ball (PlayMakers Repertory Company in the Paul Green Theatre).

Nov. 1-4, 8-11, 15-18: ?Shining City? (Burning Coal Theatre Company in Murphey School Auditorium).

Nov. 2-3: Meredith Monk & The House Foundation in ?Education of the Girlchild Revisited? (Duke Performances in the R.J. Reynolds Industries Theater).

Nov. 2-3: ?So Go the Ghosts of Mexico? (Theater Previews New Works Lab in East Duke 209).

Nov. 2-4: ?I Hate Hamlet? (North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre).

Nov. 2-4, 8-11, 15-18: ?The Best Christmas Pageant Ever? (Raleigh Little Theatre in its Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre).

Nov. 3-4, 8-11: ?The Leader,? a program of one-acts including ?The Leader? by Eugene Ionesco (Bare Theatre at the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh).

Nov. 3-4, 11-12: ?As You Like It? (Durham Family Theatre at the Hayti Heritage Center).

Nov. 6, 20: ?Being Thankful? (Carolina Puppet Theatre at the Holly Springs Cultural Center).

Nov. 6-11: ?Catch Me If You Can? (Broadway Series South and North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium).

Nov. 8-11, 15-18: ?Women Beware Women? (Duke Theater Studies in Sheafer Lab Theater).

Nov. 9: Jake Johannsen (The Carolina Theatre).

Nov. 9-10: ?Aladdin The Musical? (Stars Theater and Arts Center at the Holly Springs Cultural Center).

Nov. 9-13: ?The Rocky Horror Show? (Pauper Players at The ArtsCenter).

Nov. 10: ?The Men in Me: Our Fathers, Our Sons, and Our Brothers ? Weaving More Compassion and Power into Their Stories,? written and performed by Anita Woodley (Common Ground Theatre).

Nov. 16-17: ?Aladdin The Musical? (Stars Theater and Arts Center).

Nov. 16-18: ?[Title of Show]? (Company Carolina at Historic Playmakers Theatre).

Nov. 17: ?Eddie Miles: Christmas Show? (Garner Performing Arts Center).

Nov. 17: ?The Intergalactic Nemesis: A Live-Action Graphic Novel? (The Carolina Theatre).

Nov. 17: ?Alfred Hitchcock?s The 39 Steps? (Clayton Center Auditorium & Conference Center).

Nov. 24: No Shame Theatre (The ArtsCenter).

Nov. 27-Dec. 2: ?Shrek the Musical? (Broadway Series South and North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium).

Nov. 28-Dec. 2; Dec. 4-9, 11-16: ?It?s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play? (PlayMakers Repertory Company in the Paul Green Theatre).

Nov. 29-30: ?Antic Shakespeare? (Duke Theater Studies in Brody Theater).

Nov. 29-Dec. 2: ?Filthy Talk for Troubled Times (& Other Plays)? (Company Carolina at the Hanes Art Center).

Nov. 29-Dec. 2; Dec. 5-9: ?August: Osage County? (Hot Summer Nights | Theatre Raleigh in the K.D. & Sara Lynn Kennedy Theatre in A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater).

Nov. 29-Dec. 2; Dec. 5-9, 12-16: ?As You Like It? (Burning Coal Theatre Company in Murphey School Auditorium).

Nov. 29-Dec. 15: ?Seventy Scenes of Halloween? (Manbites Dog Theater).

Nov. 30: Kathleen Madigan (The Carolina Theatre).

Nov. 29-Dec. 16: ?As You Like It? (Burning Coal Theatre Company in the Murphey School Auditorium).

Nov. 30: Improv (Common Ground Theatre).

Nov. 30: ?Mannheim Steamroller Christmas? (Durham Performing Arts Center).

Nov. 30-Dec. 2: ?[Title of Show]? (Company Carolina at TBA).

Nov. 30-Dec. 2; Dec. 7-9, 14-16: ?Oliver Twist? (North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre).

Nov. 30-Dec. 3: ?A Christmas Story? (Cary Players at the Cary Arts Center).

EDITOR?S NOTE:

Robert W. McDowell is editor and publisher of Triangle Theater Review, a FREE weekly e-mail theatrical newsletter that provides more comprehensive, in-depth coverage of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill theater than all of the other news media combined. This calendar is reprinted with permission from Triangle Theater Review.

To start your FREE subscription to Triangle Theater Review, e-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TTR in the Subject: line.

To read all of Robert W. McDowell?s Triangle Theater Review previews and reviews online at Triangle Arts & Entertainment, click http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/author/robert-w-mcdowell/.

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Tagged as: November 2012 Theater Calendar, November Theater Calendar, theater calendar

Source: http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2012/10/november-2012-theater-calendar/

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Nexus 10 manual shots reveal a curvy Samsung-made tablet

The Nexus 10 tablet reports have been gaining momentum over the past couple of weeks, though we've yet to see any actual pictures of the rumored 10-inch tablet. Today we have the next best thing, though, as the manual for the device has surfaced on Korean site Seeko.co.kr, clearly showing the Nexus 10 branding and a curvaceous tablet design.

The Nexus 10, shown in drawings above, seems to draw inspiration from the Galaxy Nexus and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 line. Front-facing stereo speakers can clearly be seen, and a GNex-style notification LED can be seen near the bottom of the tablet. Interestingly, the tablet is also labeled as having microHDMI-out and a rear-facing camera, unlike the Nexus 7. There also appear to be separate charging and microUSB slots -- possibly because the tablet might require more juice than microUSB alone can deliver.

Around the back there's Nexus and Samsung branding, leaving little doubt as to what this is and who's behind it.

Sources familiar with the device tell Android Central that this is indeed an accurate representation of the upcoming Nexus tablet.

The Nexus 10 is reported to be powered by a next-gen Samsung Exynos 5 chip, with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean running on a iPad-beating 10-inch, 2560x1600 display. We'll likely learn much more about this new flagship tablet at Google's "Playground" event next Monday.

More pics after the break.

Source: Seeko, via: The Verge

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/EL3XxlFnOFU/story01.htm

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Stocks to Watch: Facebook, Netflix, Tempur-Pedic

By Anna Prior

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday?s session are Facebook Inc. (FB), Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and Tempur-Pedic International Inc. (TPX).

Facebook posted a quarterly loss Tuesday as costs mounted, but the social site also issued some encouraging data on its progress in making money from mobile phone use. The company said that 14% of its advertising sales in the period came from mobile devices. Shares rose 20% premarket to $23.57.

Netflix reported an 88% decline in third-quarter net income and signaled the expense of its international expansion would weigh on profits as the year closes out. The company said it expected overseas markets to report as much as a $119 million loss in the fourth quarter, effectively wiping out the gains it will pull in from its U.S. streaming customers. Shares slumped 17% to $57 premarket.

Tempur-Pedic swung to a loss in the third quarter as increased competition continued to take a toll on the mattress maker, pushing sales below expectations. Shares plunged 19% to $25.99 premarket as the company also cut its outlook for the year.

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/10/24/stocks-to-watch-facebook-netflix-tempur-pedic/?mod=WSJBlog

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Need a Hug? Baxter the Human-Friendly Robot Debuts at M.I.T.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.?Baxter stayed behind in the lobby of the M.I.T. Media Lab, diligently picking up miniature boxes of Junior Mints and teacup candles and putting them in a pumpkin-shaped plastic bucket, as most attendees of Technology Review?s Emerging Technologies (EmTech) conference here filed into the main auditorium on Wednesday morning.

Don?t feel bad for Baxter, though, it was simply performing the picking and placing operations it had been programmed to do. The crimson-sleeved robot had no idea that its maker, Rethink Robotics founder Rodney Brooks, would shortly take the stage to tout Baxter as a technology for fundamentally transforming the manufacturing industry.

Rethink Robotics introduced Baxter last month, but EmTech marked its coming out party, one of its first public appearances. Baxter isn?t the biggest, strongest or most mobile robot. Instead, Baxter?s specialty is to collaborate closely with humans on the factory floor. ?You can hug Baxter,? Brooks said. Indeed, the robot is designed to be safer to work with, easier to program and, at $22,000, much less expensive to own and operate than its industrial ancestors.

Baxter?s cost is perhaps Rethink?s biggest breakthrough, but another key feature is that workers train the robot hands-on. Literally. To start Baxter on a basic pick-and-place job, users can just grab its arms and take it through the motions. The robot?s camera and a variety of other sensors observe this training so that it can repeat the task. Facial expressions on Baxter?s head-mounted display screen allow workers to determine the robot?s condition. If the bot is easily picking and packing, its digital eyes adopt a nonchalant look. Block an item that Baxter is trying to pick up or confuse the robot in some other way and the display presents a puzzled expression indicating a human may have to step in and assist.

Manufacturers have relied on robots for decades, largely to perform repetitive tasks that are easily automated. The reality, however, is humans actually perform many manufacturing processes because the tasks are too complicated for robots. So much for lights-out, fully automated manufacturing. It?s still simpler and cheaper to employ a person to assemble a smart phone (or even screw in a single bolt) than it is to design, build and program a robot to do it.

Industrial robots?70 percent of which work in factories assembling and painting automobiles?typically are not safe for people to work around and are largely sequestered in cages, Brooks said Wednesday at EmTech. It?s been this way for the past 50 years?robots haven?t followed in the footsteps of the information technology (IT) revolution that saw computers shrink from the size of an entire room to fit in the palm of one?s hand.

Baxter can?t walk?it?s mounted on a pedestal?but it?s trying to mimic IT?s path nonetheless. In terms of user friendliness, ?it?s more like an iPhone to use than a traditional industrial robot,? Brooks said.

Brooks hopes this will appeal to the 300,000 small- and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers (those with fewer than 500 employees) whose operations haven?t been robust enough so far to justify the cost of robots. Another target audience for Baxter is academia. Rethink is hoping that university robotics labs will welcome Baxter and push the technology further.

Baxter?s future will owe a lot to the ambitions of its users, given the robot?s limited capabilities. Rethink will make a software development kit for Baxter available early?next year, a crucial step to opening up the bot to the programmers, robot enthusiasts and hackers who can expand the technology?s repertoire beyond basic custodial duties.

Image courtesy of Larry Greenemeier/Scientific American

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=1708243126a14826b4b744ad5c7f8122

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ON Semiconductor to Spotlight Innovative Energy Efficient Solutions at Electronica 2012

Highly efficient solutions for automotive, industrial, LED lighting, communications, white goods, health care and smart grid applications to be demonstrated

MUNICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ONNN), a premier supplier of high performance silicon solutions for energy efficient electronics, will have an expanded presence at the Electronica 2012 tradeshow in Munich this November. Live on-site demonstrations and technical briefings will spotlight the company's latest product innovations ? specifically designed to efficiently power customers' next generation electronics solutions for automotive, industrial, LED lighting, communications, consumer white goods, health care and smart grid applications.

The automotive area of ON Semiconductor's stand will address the company's latest solutions for LED vehicle lighting (front, rear and interior), park assist, power management and conversion, power-train and engine management, as well as infotainment power delivery and connectivity. The company will demonstrate new solutions for pixel front lighting, infotainment power delivery and ignition.

The white goods area of the stand will focus on energy management for smart appliances, including discrete IGBTs for induction cooking, Integrated Power Modules for motor drivers and low stand-by power supply. The company's robust touch sensor solution will also be on display, with technical experts available to discuss applications.

In the industrial and healthcare area of the stand, ON Semiconductor will demonstrate smart motor driver solutions for energy efficient automation. Medical solutions on display will include precision mixed-signal microcontrollers and advanced image sensors. Technical experts will be available to discuss customer requirements for digital and mixed-signal ASICs.

The smart buildings and LED lighting area of the stand will focus on energy management for home and buildings, including ground fault protection, light sensors and efficient power supply for LED lighting. The company's innovative semiconductor solutions for KNX and MBUS communication standards will also be on display, with technical experts available to discuss applications.

The smart grid and renewable energies area of the stand will focus on the rapid market growth areas of E-metering and clean energy. Energy efficient concepts for implementation in solar generators?and windmills will be discussed. Solutions for dedicated communications systems and smart meters (water and heat) to connect with power networks and the smart grid will also be demonstrated.

In the communications area, ON Semiconductor will demonstrate its support of networking applications via its efficient power and thermal management solutions, and its clock generation and distribution blocks. For portable communications ? where low power, efficiency and size are required aspects of customers' new product designs ? the company will exhibit a selection of its fully integrated, high efficiency, small form factor devices, including EMC suppressors, lens drivers, image stabilizers and protection sensors, as well as battery/wireless charging and audio DSPs; all of which support user interface, audio and power management in the rapidly transforming portable electronics sector. Demonstrations will include noise reduction for voice capture devices, haptic feedback and proximity sensors.

Evolution Continues

To positively impact the lives of every person on the planet, ON Semiconductor continues to deliver the innovative, energy saving, technology necessary to ensure that tomorrow's electronics operate with remarkably improved efficiency.

Sustainability is a driving force behind ON Semiconductor's ongoing transformation into the industry's innovator of energy efficient electronics solutions. Conceiving and producing new technologies that improve how electronics consume electricity is at the core of the company's business. By working closely with our customers to offer the targeted products and design solutions that significantly reduce the amount of power needed to run the electronics used every day by millions and millions of people across the globe, ON Semiconductor is making a difference. From automobiles and air conditioners to laptop computers and LED lights, and from smart phones and televisions to industrial automation equipment to washing machines, ON Semiconductor's innovative products improve energy use.

With more than 42,000 products offered in more than 300 different packages, the company's product portfolio ranges from custom Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) to standard components, offering customers a full suite of technologies, capabilities and solutions. ON Semiconductor's products help manage power, extend battery life, protect sensitive circuits from harmful electromagnetic and electrostatic discharge, and assist in converting and regulating power within products used at home, at work and in everyday life. Strategically located global Solutions Engineering Centers (SECs) ? including its European Automotive SEC ? help customers improve time-to-market for advanced electronics systems.

Since the last Electronica conference held in 2010, ON Semiconductor has completed the acquisition of SANYO Semiconductor, and strategically expanded its market reach into Japan and its product offering with additional solutions for automotive and consumer products. Today the company is a top 20 supplier of semiconductor globally.

Schedule a Meeting:

ON Semiconductor management and product solutions experts plan to meet with customers, the media and industry analysts at Electronica 2012 to discuss how the company can best support design, energy efficiency and production needs.?To schedule a meeting, please send an email request to electronica2012@onsemi.com.

Presentations

In addition to meeting with ON Semiconductor's technical and applications experts at the company's stand at Electronica, visitors are invited to attend forum presentations by ON Semiconductor's technical staff. These include:

Exhibitor Forum

• LED Pixel Light Solution for Automotive Advanced Front Lighting Systems
  Presented by Paul Decloedt & Leo Aichriedler
  November 14, 2012: 16:00 ? 16:30
• IMST Enable Realization of High Density Integrated Power Solutions for Increasingly Challenging Automotive & Industrial Applications
  Presented by Leo Aichriedler
  November 15, 2012: 13:30 ? 14:00

Wireless Congress

• Designing a Low Power Wireless Network
  Presented by Brian Buchanan
  November 15, 2012, 13:15 - 14:15

For more information, please visit http://www.onsemi.com or ON Semiconductor's Electronica EVENTS page.

Follow us on Twitter: @onsemi

About ON Semiconductor

ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ONNN) is a premier supplier of high performance silicon solutions?for energy efficient electronics. The company's broad portfolio?of power and signal management, logic, discrete and custom devices helps customers?efficiently solve their?design challenges?in automotive, communications, computing, consumer, industrial, LED lighting, medical, military/aerospace and power applications.?ON Semiconductor operates a?world-class, value-added supply chain and a network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and design centers in key markets throughout North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific regions. For more information, visit http://www.onsemi.com.

ON Semiconductor and the ON Semiconductor logo are registered trademarks of Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC. All other brand and product names appearing in this document are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. Although the company references its Web site in this news release, such information on the Web site is not to be incorporated herein.

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Joby GripTight Micro Stand Review: This Little Smartphone Tripod Is (Almost) Perfect

Smartphone cameras aren't designed for fine photography. But you still need a tripod now and then, to hold a phone for a family photo or keep a shot steady in the dark. Here's a nifty solution from Joby, maker of the mighty GorrillaPod flexible tripods. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vMabsUBBpJE/joby-griptight-micro-stand-review-this-little-smartphone-tripod-is-almost-perfect

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WTS - Travel, Casino, Insurance and Auto text link ads - Traffic Planet

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://trafficplanet.com/topic/4678-wts-travel-casino-insurance-and-auto-text-link-ads/

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Stockholm subway thief sentenced to prison

STOCKHOLM (AP) ? A 28-year-old Tunisian caught on CCTV footage stealing valuables from a man who had fallen onto the tracks at a Stockholm subway station was sentenced to 1 ? years in prison for theft.

The Sodertorn court on Tuesday also ordered Nadar Khiari to pay $1,800 in damages to his victim. He will be deported after serving his sentence.

The September incident stirred outrage in Sweden after the CCTV footage was broadcast on TV.

The video shows the intoxicated victim falling from a subway platform. Khiari jumps down on the tracks, steals his belongings, and leaves him there. The victim was hit by a train and lost a foot but survived.

Khiari confessed to the theft and apologized for not alerting subway staff that there was a man on the tracks.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-10-23-Sweden-Left%20On%20Tracks/id-61de7277866d4140a9829039b61c0303

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Mac Mini updated in two new flavors, at $599 for i5 dual-core and $999 for i7 quad-core server model

Apple's smallest desktop, the Mac Mini, is getting a spec update just one year after its last refresh. Apple's rolling out two new Mac Minis with varying storage and processing capabilities -- first a $599 model with a 2.5GHz dual-core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, 4GB of RAM and 500GB HDD, and second a $999 server model with a 2.3GHz quad-core i7 Ivy Bridge, 4GB of RAM and dual 1TB HDDs. You can of course kit that out to 16GB of RAM, and you could always add a 256GB SDD should you not get down with spinning discs these days. Graphics are handled by the (rather paltry) Intel HD 4000 GPU, and Bluetooth 4.0 is handling wireless devices. When it comes to ports, four USB 3.0 slots come built-in, as well as an SD card reader and HDMI out. We didn't catch a mention of Thunderbolt ports, but we'd be surprised if they went missing. We'll have more as soon as Apple puts out official word on the device, but it should pop up in the Apple Store when it returns following today's event.

Update: Apple says the new Mac Mini will indeed feature a Thunderbolt port, as well as SDXC, Gigabit Ethernet, and FireWire 800 ports. Shipping models come with OS X Mountain Lion pre-installed. Head past the break for Apple's official wording.

For more from this event, follow along in our liveblog!

Gallery: Mac mini (2013)

Continue reading Mac Mini updated in two new flavors, at $599 for i5 dual-core and $999 for i7 quad-core server model

Filed under: Apple

Mac Mini updated in two new flavors, at $599 for i5 dual-core and $999 for i7 quad-core server model originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/23/apple-mac-mini-refresh-fall-2012/

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Bestselling books the week of 10/25/12, according to IndieBound*

1. The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling, Little Brown
?2. Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, Crown
?3. The Twelve, by Justin Cronin, Ballantine
?4. Winter of the World, by Ken Follett, Dutton
?5. This Is How You Lose Her, by Junot D?az, Riverhead
?6. The Round House, by Louise Erdrich, Harper
?7. The Panther, by Nelson DeMille, Grand Central
?8. Telegraph Avenue, by Michael Chabon, Harper
?9. A Thousand Mornings, by Mary Oliver, Penguin Press
?10. The Bone Bed, by Patricia Cornwell, Putnam Adult
?11. Phantom, by Jo Nesb?, Knopf
?12. Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel, Holt
?13. The Secret Keeper, by Kate Morton, Atria
?14. Live By Night, by Dennis Lehane, Morrow
?15. In Sunlight and in Shadow, by Mark Helprin, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

*Published Thursday, October 25, 2012 (for the sales week ended Sunday, October 21,? 2012). Based on reporting from many hundreds of independent bookstores across the United States. For information on more titles, please visit IndieBound.org

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/KoXxE0NEI0c/Bestselling-books-the-week-of-10-25-12-according-to-IndieBound

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Ephrata Review ? Mary Hollinger, 83, of Hollinger's Farm Market

Mary Z. Hollinger

Mary Z. Hollinger, 83, entered into her eternal rest at Landis Homes Retirement Community Friday, Oct. 19, 2012.

She was the beloved wife of the late Warren Hollinger, the loving and devoted mother of seven children, 21 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Mary was born on March 7, 1929. She was the daughter of David Musser and Lena Zimmerman Musser.

She grew up on the family farm with her brother, Paul Musser. Mary was an avid quilter for her family and for MCC PA Relief Sale. She lovingly gave of her time to family dedicating many hours to her grandchildren, especially her special needs grandson, Philip. She partnered with Warren in their business, Hollinger?s Farm Market, Ephrata, serving for many years as the gift shop manager. Mary and Warren served as house parents in Alva Scotland through Dove Westgate Church, where she met her dear friend of many years, Nan Nyguist, and later at Turning Point, Lititz. She was a member of Indiantown Mennonite Church and then at Dove Westgate Church.

Mary is survived by brother: Paul Z. Musser; and children: Mary Ann, wife of Nelson Bowman, of Ephrata; David, husband of Deborah Replogle Hollinger, of Denver; Marian, wife of Philip Rutt, of Akron; Danny Hollinger, husband of Dawn Martin, currently of Abu Dhabi, UAE; Julia Hollinger Wray, wife of John Keating, of Annandale, Va.; Joyce, wife of Richard Haller, of Leola; and Jerry Hollinger of Bethesda, Md.,; 21 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.

Memorial services were held Oct. 23 at Dove Westgate Church, Ephrata, with Pastor Deryl Hurst officiating. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.

The family wishes to thank Landis Homes staff for the loving care given to Mary over the last two years and to Hospice of Lancaster County for offering support and comfort during her last days.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are made in memory of Mary Hollinger to Landis Homes Retirement Community at 1001 E. Oregon Road, Lititz, PA 17543.

Arrangements were made by Stradling Funeral Homes Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com. More HOLLINGER, page A6

Source: http://ephratareview.com/2012/10/mary-hollinger-83-of-hollingers-farm-market/

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Charity celebrates five years of work in Africa

Released: Monday 22nd October 2012 at 16:53

A North East charity is celebrating its fifth anniversary as it continues to help educate people of all ages in Africa.

Since 2007, Book Aid for Africa has sent more than 200,000 books for people of all stages of reading, making a substantial contribution in raising the quality of educational provision. The books have been sent to numerous countries across Africa. ?

The brainchild of Dr Elewechi Okike, a senior lecturer at the University of Sunderland, the charity has developed and even included backing from the TV presenter Gok Wan in the past. Books are now being sent on a daily basis to help educate people from some of the world?s most deprived communities.

The Principal Lecturer in Accounting, originally hails from Nigeria and wanted to do something when she went back to her home country and was left shocked by what she saw.

Having left the country in 1989 after teaching at one of the country?s leading Universities in Lagos, Dr Okike returned to visit in 2000 and was left appalled by the state of the libraries. Her aim is now to fill the empty library shelves even in the remotest parts of Africa with good quality books.

The Deputy Mayor of Sunderland, Councillor Robert Heron and the Deputy Mayoress, Mrs Juliana Heron, are attending the celebration on Saturday (October 27) at CitySpace at 2:30pm. A number of councillors and MPs have also confirmed their attendance. The celebrations will also include an awards ceremony to recognise the efforts of volunteers from over the past five years and thank those involved.

Dr Okike, said: ?The pleasure of children smiling when they see these books and the atmosphere of how they approach life, changes instantly. I can?t even explain in words the feeling I get when I see their faces and the difference it has made, it does make and will continue to make, it is so rewarding.?

The charity?s aim is to provide good quality books to under-resourced libraries in the remotest parts of Africa. It won funding from Vodafone?s World of Difference campaign to encourage volunteering.

However, the charity does rely on people donating money to make a difference in the second biggest continent and if you would like to make a donation, please visit www.bookaidforafrica.com. If you would like to attend please e-mail enquiries@bookaidforafrica.com

Source: http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/newsevents/news/news/index.php?nid=1865

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PFT: Bears shut down Megatron in impressive win

Getty Images

The Pro Bowl remains on the endangered species list.

In what hardly will classify as the most dramatic revelation of the year, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday at a town hall meeting sponsored by SiriusXM radio that the Pro Bowl could be abandoned, eventually.

?It?s really tough to force competition and after a long season to ask those guys to go out and play at the same level that they play is pretty tough,? Goodell said.? ?And I made it very clear last year because I really thought the quality of the game last year was way below standards and if we?re going to play like that we should just eliminate the game.?

He?s right.? No player who has made it through a long season of games that count healthy enough to play another game has interest in playing hard in a game that doesn?t count.

So get rid of it.? Be done with it.? Yes, it will result in a lost opportunity to hit the cash register, given that plenty of folks will watch bad football involving good players.? But if it doesn?t do justice to the shield, then it should be abandoned, permanently.

The problem is that the players still want to play the game ? since it entails a free week in Hawaii and, in its current form, a game of two-hand touch in full pads.? And as long as people keep watching it, it will be hard to stop playing it.

?I was leaning that way,? Goodell said.? ?The players asked if they could take another crack at it and they wanted to try to work to make the game more competitive.? Obviously, I support that but if we can?t accomplish that kind of a standard I?m inclined not to play it any longer.?

Thus, this year?s edition could go a long way toward determining the future of the game.? Which means that even more of us will tune in to see just how much better than really bad it will be.

Which will make it even harder to pull the plug, now matter how badly it needs to be pulled.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/22/charles-tillman-and-bears-d-shut-down-calvin-johnson-and-detroit/related

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2 - MBA Portal: MBA Jobs, MBA Admissions, GMAT, MBA Forum, CAT, XAT ...

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Source: www.india-topsites.com --- Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Features free resume posting, Jobs search, information about companies, MBA institutes, on-line tests,... ...

Source: http://www.india-topsites.com/india/index.php?a=out&u=circuit73&go=1

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Land battles surface in Myanmar as reforms unfold

MINGALADON, Myanmar (AP) ? The landscape of Mingaladon township on the northern outskirts of Myanmar's main city tells a story of economic upheaval. Skeletons of factories for a new industrial zone rise from thick green rice paddies local farmers say were seized by one of Myanmar's most powerful companies.

The fight over land in Mingaladon is one of many such battles in Myanmar. Human rights groups say land battles are intensifying because companies tied to the military and business elite are rushing to grab land as the country emerges from five decades of isolation and opens its economy. Not only that. The political change sweeping through Myanmar means farmers and others are challenging land confiscations in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

One Sunday in July, some 200 farmers took to the streets of Yangon, the main city, to protest the Mingaladon land acquisition by the Zaykabar Company. It was the first legal protest to be held in Myanmar since a 1988 uprising against military rule was crushed and came just days after parliament passed a new law allowing peaceful demonstrations. In the past, protesters have been arrested or shot.

Two months after the July protest, dozens of farmers crowded into the shabby, two-story home of a protest leader to sign and thumbprint petitions asking Zaykabar for more money.

"The farmers know their rights and dare to demand their rights," said Htet Htet Oo Wai, a former political prisoner who has joined the fight over Mingaladon. "They didn't dare do that kind of thing two years ago," she said.

One of those farmers, Myint Thein, 56, pointed to a metal shed going up on the 15 acres his family used to tend. He said he got no money for the land back in 1997 when the Zaykabar Company began work on a 5,000-acre township, with a large industrial zone, office towers, a mall, some 4,000 residential bungalows and a 21-hole golf course.

Farmers such as Myint Thein couldn't fight back then. They weren't only ranged against Zaykabar. The company had the backing of the state and was developing the area through a joint venture with the government. Zaykabar paid the government around 14 billion kyat for the land ? about $50 million then ? and farmers say they saw none of it.

"At the time, you couldn't say anything," Myint Thein said. "We'd been farming for our whole life," he said. "It was like our hands were broken."

Before Myanmar's political reforms began, its military junta exercised unfettered power and in the state-dominated economy the ruling generals had the last word on who owned what. The new government still owns all farmland and while it has made efforts to clarify land use rights it might also have reinforced avenues for small landholders to be dispossessed by the well-connected and powerful.

Myanmar passed two new land laws this year, which have been sharply criticized by human rights groups for the broad power they grant the government to requisition land in the national interest. The Asian Human Rights Commission told the United Nations that Myanmar was at risk of a "land-grabbing epidemic" if the laws aren't changed.

Other countries in Southeast Asia also grapple with land disputes. Cambodia and Vietnam have been plagued by a land-grabbing scourge linked to the powerful. In Vietnam, land seizures are the most common source of conflict between the ruling Communist Party and the Vietnamese people.

Zaykabar got more land for its Mingaladon project in 2010 from farmers who said the acquisition was illegal because the government hadn't authorized it and that they were coerced into accepting too little money for their fields. The company said the allegations aren't true. A Ministry of Construction official backed part of the farmers' account, saying a contract to develop the area has yet to be signed, but the government has given no indication it intends to intervene.

Some 86 farmers who handed over their land in 2010 have joined forces with over 150 of those who say they lost their land in 1997 to fight Zaykabar, in street marches and the media, through petitions to a new land dispute committee, and in court, if necessary.

For now, only a few buildings break Mingaladon's green fields. Boys fish in muddy ditches as workers lay the bricks of high new walls. But Myanmar's rising-star status with international investors has given Zaykabar's slow-burning project new urgency.

The U.S and Europe have lifted most sanctions against Myanmar in response to reformist President Thein Sein's drive to transform the country from a vilified dictatorship to a free-market democracy. Political prisoners have been released and media censorship eased. Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was elected to Parliament, and the government is appealing to foreign investors for capital and expertise.

All that makes the land in Mingaladon more attractive to investors. Zaykabar, a subsidiary of the National Development Company Group, said after upgrading the industrial zone with electricity, water and roads, it has been selling the land for 20 million to 40 million kyat ($23,500 to $47,000) per acre. The highest prices it fetched are more than 130 times the payments that farmers got for an acre of land in 2010.

Zaykabar and its chairman, Khin Shwe, who is also a member of Parliament for the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party, are both still subject to individual U.S. sanctions for alleged links to the old military junta. U.S. citizens are barred from doing business with them.

Zaykabar has filed a defamation lawsuit against the self-appointed leader of the farmers, Nay Myo Wai, a round-faced 40-year-old who made his living as an engineer and kerosene smuggler before refashioning himself a politician. His right forearm bears a tattoo of a dragon, etched in ink laced with snake venom when he was a child in the belief it would render him immune to snake bites.

"Whether you sign or not, they will take the land," Nay Myo Wai said. "Farmers felt they couldn't say no."

Zay Thiha, who is Khin Shwe's son and serves as Zaykabar's vice chairman, said the company paid the Ministry of Construction's Department of Human Settlements and Housing Development 3.5 million kyat per acre for land acquired in 1997 and agreed to pay 4.4 million kyat per acre for land acquired in 2010.

An official at the Department of Human Settlements, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak with the media, said the department had not yet taken any money for the 2010 land nor signed a contract for the acquisition.

"The company hasn't got the permission to transform farming land," he said.

The official confirmed that Zaykabar paid the government 3.5 million kyat per acre in 1997.

He declined to say whether the government had paid farmers for their land in 1997. Under the country's old land laws, farmers were entitled to little or no compensation for their land, all of which belonged to the government, he said.

Zay Thiha said the government has agreed in principle to the 2010 arrangement and that it is the department's responsibility ? not the company's ? to get final approval for using the farmland for the industrial zone.

He said his father Khin Shwe, wise to the shifting political winds in Myanmar, went out of this way to help the farmers in 2010, in the run-up to Myanmar's first parliamentary elections in 20 years.

"He was competing in the election, so he didn't want to get a bad name," Zay Thiha said.

Khin Shwe met with around 60 farmers in May 2010, which was six months before the election and Khin Shwe's first bid for public office, and agreed to give them money. Because Zaykabar cannot legally acquire land directly from the farmers, according to Zay Thiha, the company made a "donation" of 300,000 kyat per acre, according to Zay Thiha. He said some farmers were given an additional 300,000 kyat per acre for the rice crop in their fields.

"He didn't want to see farmers lose their land without getting any money, so that's why he gave these charity fees," said Zay Thiha. He said the compensation was above market rates at the time and provided ample capital to buy other farmland.

As evidence that no one was coerced he gave the example of 12 people who he said still haven't agreed to hand over around 100 acres. "We say 'Please' and are very gentle," he said.

Zay Thiha predicts, ambitiously, that the 2,500-acre industrial zone alone could create 1.5 million stable jobs in Southeast Asia's poorest country, but few farmers see a place for themselves or their children in that bright, industrial future.

Kyaw Sein, 62, is the son of farmers and his sons are farmers.

"We can't do anything except farm," he said. He said he agreed to accept 300,000 kyat per acre from Zaykabar in 2010 because he saw what happened to his neighbors in 1997.

"They lost their farms totally and didn't get anything," he said. "Anything is better than nothing."

___

Associated Press writer Yadana Htun in Yangon contributed to this report.

___

Follow Erika Kinetz on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ekinetz

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/land-battles-surface-myanmar-reforms-unfold-082715424--finance.html

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South Koreans unhappy that Japan doesn?t adore ?Gangnam Style?

Apparently, not everyone is in love with South Korean singer Psy?s internet smash hit ?Gangnam Style?. While the song has reached epic proportions worldwide, particularly in the US, UK and other parts of Asia, Japan has not embraced the phenomenon and some South Koreans are not too happy about this ?snub?.

It?s not like the Japanese don?t like Korean music. In fact, K-pop is one of the most popular genres in Japan. But the Gangnam fever that has swept through the world (it?s currently No 2 in the Billboard US charts and has topped the UK charts as well) has barely made an impact in Japan. It barely made the Top 30 of the Japanese iTunes chart.

But more than indifference, some Japanese have even treated it with disdain. Some claim that the 530 million YouTube views (and counting) of Psy?s horse-galloping musical romp is actually generated by bots or automated viewing programmes. It has been playfully called ?F5 Style?, in reference to the refresh button on the keyboard.

The Koreans are hitting back though. The Korean Wave Research Institute (KWRI) whose mission is to ?aggressively? promote Korean popular culture worldwide has denounced the ?conspiracy theories? going around. Its president Han Koo-Hyun said they are ?tantamount to doubting a world record in an Olympics marathon?.

There are many theories as to why Gangnam Style hasn?t been well received in Japan. One is that Psy didn?t release a Japanese-language version of the song, which is what K-pop artists usually do to make it big in Japan. For the more political theory, some assume it?s a result of the ongoing territorial dispute between Japan and South Korea over the Takeshima/Dokdo Islands. Well, if it?s the latter, surely there must be bigger problems than a chart-topping dance craze right?

[ via Menafn.com ]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/JapanDailyPress/~3/s0m_27yIW7k/south-koreans-unhappy-that-japan-doesnt-adore-gangnam-style-2317100

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EM ASIA FX-Currencies mixed on inflow hopes, poor earnings

* Won dips, but exporters limit downside

* Taiwan c.bank wants traders not to short US dlr - dealers

* Sing dlr edges up; intervention talk caps gain

(Adds text, updates prices)

By Jongwoo Cheon

SINGAPORE, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Emerging Asian currencies were

mixed on Monday, as some optimism about regional inflows and

Spain was countered by poor U.S. corporate earnings that pushed

down most Asian stock markets.

The South Korean won slid as foreign investors

sold local stocks and treasury bond futures, but

recovered most of the loss on exporters' demand for settlements.

The Singapore dollar rose slightly as investors

bought in before it reached a chart support level, while

exporters lifted the Taiwan dollar.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's election victory in

his home region of Galicia on Sunday was seen as removing a

hurdle for Madrid to apply for international aid, in turn

helping the euro rebound.

"With the euro situation looking more stable, investors are

bringing their focus back to yield and growth opportunity, so we

think Asia currencies will remain firm for a while," said Adam

Gilmour, head of FX & derivatives sales at Citigroup in

Singapore.

Gilmour said he prefers the won, the Indian rupee,

the Malaysia ringgit and the Philippine peso

.

Last week, most emerging Asian currencies rose amid signs

that the global economy was stabilising, although some of the

gains were pared by profit-taking on Friday.

On Monday, investors booked more profits from regional

currencies, which tracking stock which weakened on lacklustre

earnings from major U.S. companies.

Players also remained cautious over possible intervention by

Asian central banks to stem appreciation of their currencies.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority stepped into the currency

market on Saturday for the first time since December 2009 as

capital inflows strengthened the Hong Kong dollar,

causing it to hit the top end of its trading range.

Thailand is pushing ahead with measures to liberalise

capital investments, such as allowing Thais to invest more

easily in foreign securities, the central bank said on Monday.

The country has been relaxing rules on outward capital

investment for some years, one aim being to take upward pressure

off the baht.

Last week, other authorities including central banks of

Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines were spotted buying

dollars to slow strength in their currencies, dealers said.

WON

The won eased on weaker Seoul shares and amid political

tensions in the Korean peninsula.

But the South Korean currency recovered most of initial

losses on exporters' demand for settlements and as police banned

activists from sending propaganda leaflets across the heavily

militarised border into North Korea.

On Friday, the North said it would attack if Seoul allowed

activists to drop anti-northern leaflets on its territory, in

its most strident warning against its long-time foe for months.

South Korea's defence minister told parliament its military

would retaliate in the event of an attack.

SINGAPORE DOLLAR

The Singapore edged higher with a chart support at 1.2235 to

the greenback, the tenkan line on the daily Ichimoku chart.

The city-state's currency has been closing stronger than the

tenkan line since Oct. 11.

Still, some investors sold the local unit on rallies amid

market talk that the central bank was spotted buying greenbacks

below 1.2200, dealers said.

TAIWAN DOLLAR

The Taiwan dollar rose slightly on exporters' demand for

settlements, especially around 29.250 to the U.S. dollar and

29.270.

But traders hesitated to chase the island's unit on

heightened caution over possible intervention by the central

bank to stem the currency's strength and on weaker domestic

stocks.

Last week, the central bank called on banks to refrain from

shorting U.S. dollar, indicating authorities are getting more

serious about keeping the Taiwan dollar's appreciation in check,

dealers said.

Still, it has not spotted buying U.S. dollar yet, they

added.

BAHT

The baht edged down in a tight range as gold prices fell to

their lowest in more than a month.

Gold is popular among Thai investors, and rises in gold

prices have a tendency to spur dollar-selling and vice versa for

falls, traders said.

A Bangkok-based dealer said the Thai currency was finding

resistance at 30.76 per dollar, its weakest level on Oct. 15.

If the resistance line is breached, the local unit may head

to 30.80, said the dealer, who added that he expects gold prices

to fall further.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0640 GMT

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 79.63 79.32 -0.39

Sing dlr 1.2210 1.2218 +0.07

Taiwan dlr 29.243 29.286 +0.15

Korean won 1103.95 1103.30 -0.06

Baht 30.72 30.70 -0.07

Peso 41.41 41.39 -0.04

Rupiah 9595.00 9590.00 -0.05

Rupee 53.66 53.84 +0.34

Ringgit 3.0500 3.0505 +0.02

Yuan 6.2539 6.2538 -0.00

Change so far in 2012

Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move

Japan yen 79.63 76.92 -3.40

Sing dlr 1.2210 1.2969 +6.22

Taiwan dlr 29.243 30.290 +3.58

Korean won 1103.95 1151.80 +4.33

Baht 30.72 31.55 +2.70

Peso 41.41 43.84 +5.88

Rupiah 9595.00 9060.00 -5.58

Rupee 53.66 53.08 -1.08

Ringgit 3.0500 3.1685 +3.89

Yuan 6.2539 6.2940 +0.64

(Additional reporting by Miao-jung Lin in TAIPEI and IFR

Markets' Catherine Tan; Editing by Richard Borsuk)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/em-asia-fx-currencies-mixed-inflow-hopes-poor-075100892--finance.html

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