Can I install XP Professional & Windows 7 together in my PC

Rather than setting up a multi boot system, I'd recommend that you install windows 7 as the hist, then install a virtualization app such as virtualBox. You can run windows XP as a guest VM. This is a much simpler approach. You can run both OSs at the same time and when you are done with your VMs, its as simple as deleting the guest VM files.

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Oklahoma City Tornado: Do You Have Good ... - AOL Real Estate

As the massive tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore has shown, we're in the midst of tornado season. Dozens are dead after Monday's storm, and the death toll is expected to rise as rescue crews continue searching through the rubble for survivors, The Associated Press reported. In the town of Moore, Okla., an elementary school was demolished and scores of homes were flattened.

For those living in the swath of the Great Plains, Midwest and South known as "tornado alley" -- which covers a big part of Oklahoma -- this is a reminder of how devastating the storms there can be. And it also shows that, as homes can be completely destroyed in a heartbeat by powerful twisters, you need home insurance. At this time of year, home insurance is doubly important considering the huge tornado outbreaks that tend to occur in the spring. But what does home insurance cover? Here's our guide:

What's Covered in Home Insurance, Section I

Coverage A covers the house itself -- roof, walls, cabinets, plumbing and electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling system), etc. Most policies provide replacement cost coverage for the structure, provided that the property owner purchases sufficient insurance to cover 80 percent of the replacement cost. Failure to "insure to value" can result in a co-insurance penalty, that is, the insurance company pays only a percentage of the claim.

Coverage applies for "all risks." In other words, the coverage applies to a loss by any cause, except for those that are specifically excluded. Examples of excluded losses are earth movement (earthquake) and flood. Examples of covered losses include fire, theft and water that escapes from within an appliance. A windstorm is typically a covered peril, but there are areas of Florida in which private insurance companies will exclude them from policies. In these areas, property owners may purchase such an "x-wind" policy, and then purchase a separate windstorm-only policy from Citizens Property and Casualty. Citizens is the state-run insurer of last resort.

Coverage B covers "other structures" on the insured location that are separated from the primary structure by a clear space. This can include sheds, detached garages and the like.

Coverage C covers personal property. Under the base HO-3 policy, personal property is covered for "named perils." These are specified in the policy and include fire and lightning, theft, water that escapes from within a plumbing system or appliance, windstorm (again, the x-wind discussion above applies), rain (if wind damages the structure so that rain can enter), damage from vehicles or flying objects, etc. For an additional premium, many policies will provide "all risk" coverage, as for the structure.

Coverage D covers additional living expenses that are necessitated when a covered peril causes the structure to be unlivable.

What's Covered in Home Insurance, Section II

Section E covers liability. This is typically for property damage or personal injuries to third parties, due to the neglect of the insured. Examples would be injuries to a guest who slips and falls in the insured's home due to a hazard of which the insured person was aware and failed to correct. If the friend sues, the policy will provide a defense, but in most cases, the insurance company will attempt to negotiate a reasonable settlement based on the severity of the injuries and the degree of the insured's negligence.

Available coverage amounts vary, and the insurance agent should be able to recommend a level of coverage suitable for the individual's needs. Obviously, people with significant assets should carry higher limits of coverage. Consumers should be aware of the increasing use of exclusions. Specifically, insurance companies are excluding claims for animal liability (dog bites and the like), trampolines and swimming pool injuries, to name a few. Agents can explain the differences between policies and should always advise clients on the coverage that they require.

Section F provides medical payment coverages, which pay for medical bills incurred by persons injured on the insured property. The important distinction is that this coverage applies, regardless of the existence of negligence. Coverage amounts vary and can be increased by payment of an additional premium.

Finally, consumers like the Joneses should be 100 percent truthful with their agent when they're applying for coverage. If the applicant provides a false response to an underwriting question and the insurance company issues the policy, the insurance company may have the right to later deny a claim. The Joneses learned the hard way, finally coming to their senses and opting for another insurance company once they were dropped, but by then, the damage had been done and lots of money was lost. This list at the outset could have saved them a few headaches.

Differences Between Home insurance and Fire Insurance

Dwelling fire policies are less expensive, but coverages are more limited. The more-comprehensive dwelling form is the DP-3. Dwelling fire policies are most often used by landlords for rental properties, but they're sometimes purchased by owners who occupy the property.

The Form HO-3 is the most common type of homeowner's policy. It's generally the most comprehensive coverage and therefore the most expensive. The HO-3 policy is divided into two sections: Section I covers property, and Section II covers liability. Policies are typically divided into sections which identify what's covered, what it's covered against, what's not covered, and general terms and conditions.

See also:
Should You Buy a Standby Generator for Your Home?
How To Protect Your Home From Damage in a 'Perfect Storm'
Homeowners Insurance 101: What You Need to Know

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
Find homes for rent in your area.

Follow us on Twitter at @AOLRealEstate or connect with AOL Real Estate on Facebook.

Source: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/on/oklahoma-city-tornado-home-insurance/

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Scientists uncover how grapefruits provide a secret weapon in medical drug delivery

May 21, 2013 ? Lipids (right panel first three tubes) derived from grapefruit. GNVs can efficiently deliver a variety of therapeutic agents, including DNA, RNA (DIR-GNVs), proteins and anti-cancer drugs (GNVs-Drugs) as demonstrated in this study.

Grapefruits have long been known for their health benefits, and the subtropical fruit may revolutionize how medical therapies like anti-cancer drugs are delivered to specific tumor cells.

University of Louisville researchers have uncovered how to create nanoparticles using natural lipids derived from grapefruit, and have discovered how to use them as drug delivery vehicles. UofL scientists Huang-Ge Zhang, D.V.M., Ph.D., Qilong Wang, Ph.D., and their team today (May 21, 2013), published their findings in Nature Communications.

"These nanoparticles, which we've named grapefruit-derived nanovectors (GNVs), are derived from an edible plant, and we believe they are less toxic for patients, result in less biohazardous waste for the environment, and are much cheaper to produce at large scale than nanoparticles made from synthetic materials," Zhang said.

The researchers demonstrated that GNVs can transport various therapeutic agents, including anti-cancer drugs, DNA/RNA and proteins such as antibodies. Treatment of animals with GNVs seemed to cause less adverse effects than treatment with drugs encapsulated in synthetic lipids.

"Our GNVs can be modified to target specific cells -- we can use them like missiles to carry a variety of therapeutic agents for the purpose of destroying diseased cells," he said. "Furthermore, we can do this at an affordable price."

The therapeutic potential of grapefruit derived nanoparticles was further validated through a Phase 1 clinical trial for treatment of colon cancer patients. So far, researchers have observed no toxicity in the patients who orally took the anti-inflammatory agent curcumin encapsulated in grapefruit nanoparticles.

The UofL scientists also plan to test whether this technology can be applied in the treatment of inflammation related autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

A Common Sense Approach

Zhang said he began this research by considering how our ancestors selected food to eat.

"The fruits and vegetables we buy from the grocery today were passed down from generation to generation as favorable and nutritious for the human body. On the flip side, outcomes were not favorable for our ancestors who ate poisonous mushrooms, for example," he said. "It made sense for us to consider eatable plants as a mechanism to create medical nanoparticles as a potential non-toxic therapeutic delivery vehicle."

In addition to grapefruit, Zhang and his team analyzed the nanoparticles from tomatoes and grapes. Grapefruits were chosen for further exploration because a larger quantity of lipids can be derived from this fruit.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/cX9NdHi9O30/130521132217.htm

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Senior Obama Aides Told of IRS Audit (WSJ)

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Whole neighborhoods razed by Oklahoma tornado that killed 24

By Carey Gillam and Ian Simpson

MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people.

The death toll was lower than initially feared, but nine children were among the dead, including seven who died at Plaza Towers Elementary School, which took a direct hit in the deadliest tornado to hit the United States in two years.

Emergency workers pulled more than 100 survivors from the rubble of homes, schools and a hospital, and around 237 people were injured. Cadaver dogs sniffed through the scattered planks and bricks of ruined homes on Tuesday.

The massive tornado ripped through Moore on the outskirts of Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon, trapping victims beneath the rubble and tossing vehicles about as if they were toys. On block after block of residential neighborhoods, there was nothing left but mangled debris, and the town's medical center was rubble.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said on Tuesday the death toll could rise. "There may have been bodies that may have been taken to local funeral homes," Fallin said.

The National Weather Service upgraded its calculation of the storm's strength on Tuesday, saying it was a rare EF5, the most powerful ranking on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with winds exceeding 200 miles per hour. Damage assessment teams determined it left a trail of destruction measuring about 17 miles by 1.3 miles wide.

The National Guard, firefighters from more than a dozen fire departments and rescuers from other states worked all night under bright spotlights trying to find survivors in the town of 55,000 people.

Plaza Towers Elementary School was one of five schools in the path of the tornado. "They literally were lifting walls up and kids were coming out," Oklahoma State Police Sergeant Jeremy Lewis said. "They pulled kids out from under cinder blocks without a scratch on them."

In the hours after the storm, many more people had been feared dead. At one point the Oklahoma state medical examiner's office said the death toll could rise as high as 91, but on Tuesday officials said 24 bodies had been recovered from the wreckage, down from a previous tally of 51.

The earlier numbers likely reflected some double-counted deaths, said Amy Elliott, chief administrative officer for the medical examiner.

"There was a lot of chaos," she said.

Thunderstorms and lightning slowed the rescue effort on Tuesday and made conditions tough for families left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Moore Fire Chief Gary Bird vowed at a news conference to search through every damaged building "at least three times," as authorities urged people to stay away from the area to allow rescue workers to complete the search.

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak said the damage to property was likely to exceed that caused by the 2011 twister in Joplin, Missouri, which killed 161 people.

'AS LONG AS IT TAKES'

President Barack Obama declared a major disaster area in Oklahoma, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local efforts in Moore after the deadliest U.S. tornado since the one that hit Joplin.

"The people of Moore should know that their country will remain on the ground, there for them, beside them, as long as it takes," Obama said at the White House.

Glenn Lewis, the mayor of Moore who was also mayor when a major tornado struck in 1999, said the whole town looked like a debris field and there was a danger of electrocution and fire from downed power lines and broken natural gas lines.

On Tuesday morning, a helicopter was circling overhead and thunder rumbled from a new storm as 35-year-old Moore resident Juan Dills and his family rummaged through the remains of what was once his mother's home. The foundation was laid bare, the roof ripped away and only one wall was still standing. They found a few family photo albums, but little else.

"We are still in shock," he said. "But we will come through. We're from Oklahoma."

Authorities warned the town 16 minutes before the tornado touched down just after 3 p.m., which is more than the average eight to 10 minutes of warning.

Shelters were opened for families who lost their homes and universities offered to house people. Albert Ashwood, director of Oklahoma's department of emergency management, said it was too early to say how many people were left homeless, but clearly it was thousands given the extent of the damage.

Diana Tinnin, 60, was at home with her brother when the storm hit. Her three-bedroom, ranch-style home had no basement, so they huddled in a bathtub. "I lost my house. Everything fell on top of us."

FIVE SCHOOLS HIT

U.S. Representative Tom Cole, who lives in Moore, said the Plaza Towers school was the most secure and structurally strong building in the area.

"And so people did the right thing, but if you're in front of an F4 or an F5 there is no good thing to do if you're above ground. It's just tragic," he said on MSNBC-TV.

Miguel Macias and his wife, Veronica, had two children at the Plaza Towers school and found 8-year-old Ruby first after rescue workers carried the girl from the destruction. But their son, 6-year-old Angel, was nowhere to be found, said Brenda Ramon, pastor of the Faith Latino Church where the family are members.

Ramon and several congregation members spent hours helping the family search for Angel and calling area hospitals. The boy was finally located at a medical center in Oklahoma City about five hours after the tornado hit.

"It was heart-breaking," Ramon said. "We couldn't find him for hours." The boy had wounds to his face and head, but was not badly hurt, Ramon said. "Their little bodies are so resilient."

Survivors of the storm suffered injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises to open wounds, impalements and open fractures, said Dr. Roxie M. Albrecht, the director of trauma and surgical critical care at the Oklahoma University Medical Center, which cared for 51 children and 35 adults.

Witnesses said Monday's tornado appeared more fierce than the giant twister that was among the dozens that tore up the area on May 3, 1999, killing more than 40 people and destroying thousands of homes. That tornado ranked as an EF5 tornado with wind speeds of more than 200 mph.

The 1999 tornado ranks as the third-costliest tornado in U.S. history, having caused more than $1 billion in damage at the time, or more than $1.3 billion in today's dollars. Only the devastating Joplin and Tuscaloosa tornadoes in 2011 were more costly. (Graphic http://link.reuters.com/gec38t)

Authorities urged people who want to help to donate cash to the Red Cross and other reputable charities rather than sending goods.

(Additional reporting by Alice Mannette, Lindsay Morris, Nick Carey, Brendan O'Brien and Greg McCune; Writing by Nick Carey, Jane Sutton and Claudia Parsons; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz, Grant McCool and Jim Loney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/monster-tornado-devastates-oklahoma-town-least-37-dead-010033332.html

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Olivia Newton-John Lists Florida Home for $6.2 ... - AOL Real Estate

By


Zillow
? | Posted May 21st 2013 4:30PM

Updated May 21st 2013 5:07PM

By Catherine Sherman

What do you get when you combine a four-time Grammy winner and the founder of Florida's Amazon Herb Company? Cypress tongue-and-groove vaulted ceilings, natural coral stone flooring, custom driftwood cabinetry, bean bag seating and a rainwater harvesting irrigation system.

Olivia Newton-John married John Easterling in 2008 and moved into the $4.1 million plantation-style pad a year later. Now the Florida couple is selling the place for $6.2 million, The Real Estalker reports.

Located in the affluent Jupiter Inlet Colony, the 5,500-square-foot home received several eco-luxury renovations totaling $2 million in 2010. The windows can now withstand hurricane impact, the kitchen is equipped with Sub-Zero stainless steal appliances, and the media room is decked out with a state-of-the-art sound, video, shade and lighting system.

And for those more interested in simple pleasures, a vine-draped lanai, lagoon pool and spa, beach access and dock are steps away. The third-of-an-acre property is situated on the Jupiter Sound Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County, ideal for snorkeling, boating or kayaking.

The "Grease" star decided to remarry at age 60, and her singing career spanning more than four decades is still going strong. This year, the native of England embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom. As a breast cancer survivor, she's also committed to educating and promoting women's health.

We'll see whether Newton-John and Easterling remain Florida beach-bound. Jo Ann Jacobson of Seawind Realty, LLC is the listing agent for the property.

See more on Zillow:
Stevie Nicks' Old Hollywood Home Asks $1.6 Million
Country Legend George Jones' $8 Million Estate
Ray Lewis Lists Florida Beach Property, Gets Ready for ESPN

Source: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2013/05/21/olivia-newton-john-florida-home/

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Google Translate for Android 2.7 adds PhraseBook, extends camera-input support

Google has released Google Translate for Android 2.7, a major update of its free translation app. There?s one new feature ? support for the website?s Phrasebook feature ? and an extension of the app?s camera-input feature to support an additional 16 languages.

The app is basically an extension of the Google Translate website, allowing users to translate both text and speech between more than 70 different languages.

Version 2.7 adds support for Google Translate?s Phrasebook feature.

Users wishing to take advantage of the camera-input feature should take a photo of the sign or text in question, then select the portion that requires translating using their finger. Google Translate for Android will then attempt to detect the text and translate it into the user?s native language. The 16 new languages supported in version 2.7 are primarily based in the Baltic, central and southern regions of Europe, but also include Icelandic and Indonesian.

The new Phrasebook feature basically gives Android users access to the Phrasebook already in use via the Google Translate website. This allows users to build a library of phrases they use regularly or wish to have easy access to while on the road, and utilises their Google Account to sync the Phrasebook across multiple devices. The Phrasebook replaces the old Favourites feature, with existing favourites added to the user?s Phrasebook.

Google Translate for Android 2.7 is available now as a free download for Android devices, while Google Translate 1.3.1 is also available for iPhone and iPad, albeit without support for camera input or Phrasebooks.

Source: http://www.softwarecrew.com/2013/05/google-translate-for-android-2-7-adds-phrasebook-extends-camera-input-support/

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US balks as Russia prepares to deliver missiles to Syria

The United States has appealed to Russia to stop the reported delivery of six batteries of advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to the Syrian government, warning that this type of weaponry threatens to "destabilize" the region.

According to media reports, the US was alerted this week by Israel that Russia is preparing to begin deliveries, perhaps as early as this summer, on a $900-million contract for six S-300 launchers with 144 of the long-range surface-to-air missiles. They are said to be the equivalent to the US Patriot system.

"We have consistently called on Russia not to provide a further supply of weapons to the Assad regime, including air defense systems that are particularly destabilizing to the region," White House press spokesman Jay Carney told journalists on Thursday.

RECOMMENDED: Do you know anything about Russia? A quiz.

"I think we have made it crystal clear that we would prefer that Russia is not supplying assistance," to Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry told journalists during a visit to Italy.

"We have previously stated that [these] missiles are potentially destabilizing with respect to the state of Israel," he said.

Israel has carried out two airstrikes on Syrian targets in the past week, dramatically raising the stakes in the Syrian civil war, which is now in its third year.

Introduction of the S-300 into Syria's air defense arsenal could sharply limit the future options not only for Israel but for the US as well, should it decide to intervene in the conflict.

The latest version of the S-300 reputedly has a range of 125 miles, can engage 12 targets simultaneously, and can strike missiles or aircraft at altitudes of up to 20 miles.

The US and Israel waged a long and ultimately successful diplomatic campaign to persuade Russia to renege on a contract it had signed many years ago to provide S-300 missiles to Iran.

But since agreeing in 2010 to cut off arms supplies to Iran, the Kremlin has dug in its heels and refused to sign on to any more sanctions against its dwindling number of client states.

Russia has an estimated $5 billion in outstanding arms contracts with Syria, mostly sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons, tactical surface-to-surface missiles, submarines, warships, and training aircraft.

Though Moscow has not yet commented on the allegation that it is preparing to deliver S-300s to Syria, Russian officials have repeatedly insisted that they are acting within the framework of international law in honoring arms contracts with a long-standing ally that is not subject to any United Nations-approved sanctions.

Moscow also complains that the US continues to sell huge amounts of modern arms to its Arab clients, such as Saudi Arabia, some of whom it says are surreptitiously arming the Syrian rebels.

The fresh accusations against Russia for supplying arms to Syria come just days after Mr. Kerry met with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin and agreed on the need for Russia and the US to combine efforts in a joint push to find a peaceful settlement to the spiraling Syrian conflict.

RECOMMENDED: Do you know anything about Russia? A quiz.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-balks-russia-prepares-deliver-missiles-syria-142527320.html

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Senate begins amendment process on immigration bill (Washington Post)

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Jays' Happ hit in head by line drive, carted off

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ is taken off the field on a stretcher after being hit with a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay Rays' Desmond Jennings during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ is taken off the field on a stretcher after being hit with a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay Rays' Desmond Jennings during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ reacts after being hit in the head with a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay Rays' Desmond Jennings during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Tampa Bay Rays' Desmond Jennings reacts while medical personnel attend to Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ after during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Happ was hit by a line drive off of Jennings' bat. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) ? Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ has been hit in the head by a line drive and taken off the field on a stretcher during Toronto's game against Tampa Bay.

Desmond Jennings' second-inning liner caromed off the left side of Happ's head, and the ball went all the way into the right-field bullpen. Happ fell down at the front of the mound, holding his head with his glove and bare hand.

Jennings ended up on third base with a two-run triple. Team trainers, paramedics and medical officials rushed to Happ's aid as Tropicana Field fell into an eerie hush.

Jennings and players on both teams stood with their hands on their heads, visibly concerned about Happ. The left-hander was immobilized on a stretcher and waved with his right hand as he was wheeled off the field.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-05-07-BBA-Blue-Jays-Happ-Injured/id-09fae8c546ce4012976de3fe4fc94f30

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More Haitians using Puerto Rico as migrant route

In this May 4, 2013 photo, a boat maker sharpens his machete which he will use to build a sailboat in Leogane, Haiti. The 30-foot-long boats, whose frames resemble the rib cage of a small dinosaur, are purchased by smugglers for around $12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. One boat builder said he has four or five regular customers. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

In this May 4, 2013 photo, a boat maker sharpens his machete which he will use to build a sailboat in Leogane, Haiti. The 30-foot-long boats, whose frames resemble the rib cage of a small dinosaur, are purchased by smugglers for around $12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. One boat builder said he has four or five regular customers. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

In this May 4, 2013 photo, a man rides on his bicycle past the frame of a sailboat under construction in Leogane, Haiti. The 30-foot-long boats, whose frames resemble the rib cage of a small dinosaur, are purchased by smugglers for around $12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. In another major migration trend, Brazil also has become an increasingly common destination for Haitians since the 2010 earthquake. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

In this May 4, 2013 photo, workers build a sailboat on the beach of Leogane, Haiti. The 30-foot-long boats are purchased by smugglers for around $12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. There are no official statistics on how many Haitians have successfully made their way illegally to Puerto Rico, or how many have traveled on to the U.S. mainland. But the trend worries officials in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, with both countries reporting that arrests of Puerto Rico-bound Haitians have soared. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

In this May 4, 2013 photo, sailboat builder Audit Volmar, 55, looks at the camera as he hammers the frame of a sailboat as he works on the beach of Leogane, Haiti. The 30-foot-long boats are purchased by smugglers for around $12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. Haitians have fled their troubled country for years, attempting to reach the U.S. or other Caribbean islands by heading north across the open sea or trekking across the island of Hispaniola to scratch out a living in the Dominican Republic. But a newly popular route has caught officials in the Caribbean by surprise, one that is taking migrants to a piece of the U.S. much closer to home: Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

In this May 4, 2013 photo, boat builders saw a piece of wood as they build a sailboat on the beach of Leogane, Haiti. The 30-foot-long boats are purchased by smugglers for around $12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. Hundreds of Haitian migrants have made their way to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico in recent months, finding that if they can get to Puerto Rico without getting arrested, it?s relatively easy to fly on to U.S. cities such as Miami, Boston or New York without even having to show a passport. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) ? Haitians have been fleeing their troubled country for years, trying to reach the U.S. or other Caribbean islands by sea or by trekking across the island of Hispaniola to scratch out a living in the Dominican Republic.

But a newly popular route has caught officials in the Caribbean by surprise, taking migrants to a piece of the U.S. much closer to home.

Hundreds of Haitian migrants have made their way to Puerto Rico in recent months. They've found that if they can make it to the U.S. territory without getting arrested, they can fly on to U.S. cities such as Miami, Boston or New York without having to show a passport, although some kind of identification, such as a driver's license, is needed.

Immigration authorities checking travelers before they leave Puerto Rico for the U.S. mainland sometimes find them carrying fake driver's licenses or other identification, but counterfeit documents are not always detected.

"As soon as you're in Puerto Rico, it's like you're in the United States," said Lolo Sterne, coordinator for Haiti's Office of Migration.

There are no official statistics on how many Haitians have successfully made their way illegally to Puerto Rico, or how many have traveled on to the U.S. mainland. But the trend worries officials in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, with both countries reporting a jump in arrests of Puerto Rico-bound Haitians.

Migrants reportedly are paying smugglers $1,000-$1,500 for a trip to Puerto Rico, located less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. At the same time, Dominican officials have detained more than 400 Haitians bound for Puerto Rico in the past four months, compared with just a handful annually in previous years, said Victor Pilier, the Dominican Republic's director of naval intelligence.

"It's an excessive amount," said Pilier, who oversaw the capture of 78 Haitians headed to Puerto Rico in late April before sending them back home. "It's unusual."

U.S. officials in the past six months captured 352 Haitian migrants who were bound for Puerto Rico or were found on or near the island. Coast Guard statistics show that between October 2010 and September 2011, only 13 such migrants were found, and at most five Puerto Rico-bound Haitians were arrested in the two years before that.

"We're seeing another route they're trying to exploit," said Coast Guard Capt. Drew Pearson, who is based in Puerto Rico. "We hadn't seen these numbers of Haitians in my tenure here."

The odds of reaching the U.S. mainland directly from Haiti have dropped as the U.S. Coast Guard beefs up patrols by Hamilton class cutters, or what Haitian migrants simply refer to as "Amilton." Along with trying to sail directly to the U.S. mainland, Haitians in the past attempted to get to the United States through long-established smuggling networks on islands including the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.

"Miami is no longer easy to reach and that's why Haitians are looking for other places," said Walky Severian, a boat builder in western Haiti who himself has taken three voyages, including one in 2008 that ended up in Cuba because of stormy weather. He was deported.

Pilier, the Dominican naval officer, said migrant smuggling to the U.S. territory has also become common because Dominican authorities have a harder time patrolling the nation's southeast coast, which is closer to Puerto Rico.

"We have a stronger presence in the north," he said. "The east is more vulnerable."

On top of that, a thriving underground economy in Puerto Rico that has long offered employment to Dominicans is now attracting Haitians.

For Haitians hoping to get to the U.S. mainland, the island of 3.7 million people has a black market that supplies fake passports, driver's licenses and stolen Social Security numbers. In addition, the island's governor in early March endorsed a proposal to allow immigrants living illegally in the U.S. territory to apply for a provisional driver's license. Pilier said that proposal has in fact drawn many migrants to Puerto Rico.

In March, U.S. federal officials rescued 71 Haitian migrants stranded on a cluster of islands just west of Puerto Rico, dehydrated and with bruises and scratches. The rescue came a week after 67 migrants from Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic were found in the same cluster of islands, including a Haitian woman who died.

On the black-sand beach in the fishing village of Leogane west of the Haitian capital, groups of men build wooden migrant boats, sawing and hacking away with machetes and picks. The 30-foot-long boats, whose frames resemble the rib cage of a small dinosaur, are purchased by smugglers for around $12,000 and then taken to northern Haiti to find passengers. One boat builder said he has four or five regular customers who buy the crafts.

Many Haitian farmers lost their crops during last year's hurricane season, causing food supplies to drop and prices to rise in a country of 10 million people that is still recovering from a devastating 2010 earthquake.

The number of Haitians who don't have enough to eat to maintain a healthy diet has grown from 1.9 million at the end of 2009 to 6.7 million today, said Myrta Kaulard, the country's director for the United Nations' World Food Program.

"Migration is a very important coping mechanism," she said.

Nasere Severian, a 48-year-old boat builder, himself took three unsuccessful trips to Miami in the 1990s when political instability in Haiti drove out-migration to a peak of 37,618 in 1992, according to U.S. Coast Guard data.

"Sometimes we build two or three boats a year," Severian said. "At the same time we can go a year without getting a customer."

Then Severian offered this: "If it were easier to reach Miami I would try to go there every day ? even if that means I die."

In another major migration trend, Brazil also has become an increasingly common destination for Haitians since the 2010 quake. The South American nation initially opened its doors to Haitians seeking asylum, then later said it would issue 1,200 visas annually to allow them to work there for a five-year period. More than 4,000 Haitians have moved to Brazil, both legally and illegally, since the disaster.

Etienne Brutus, a 26-year-old unemployed father of three, was among the 78 Haitian migrants caught leaving the Dominican Republic last month, en route to Puerto Rico.

He spoke in Spanish to The Associated Press by telephone while sitting on a bus full of migrants traveling from the Dominican Republic's southeast coast to the capital of Santo Domingo for processing before being driven back to Haiti. Dominican authorities provided an AP reporter with the cell number of a naval officer, who then passed the phone to Brutus. But the signal was weak, making it impossible to obtain more than a few details about his situation.

Brutus said that when he approached smugglers about leaving Haiti, they told him they weren't traveling north, and that their only destination was east to Puerto Rico. He agreed to make the trip, and crossed into the Dominican Republic for the sea voyage.

"I don't have work, I don't have a room, I'm hungry," he said of his life in Haiti. "If I can get to Puerto Rico, amen. If I can get a room, a job and papers, I'm leaving."

___

Associated Press writer Danica Coto reported this story in San Juan and Trenton Daniel reported from Port-au-Prince and Leogane, Haiti.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-05-06-CB-Puerto-Rico-Haiti-Migrant-Smuggling/id-0bcd9b6b5208482fb28fa8aefe6928bf

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TRAVEL AND LEISURE: Macau Wonders!

It's May!And it's just a matter of time before packing my things and go elsewhere to start a new career and new life which I hope will be fulfilling this time :-D Kinda excited at the same time anxious, hoping for the best to come in the coming months :-)

This June 1, 2013 I'll be traveling to Hongkong and since this is really one of the highlights of my travel adventure in life, I am making sure no time will be wasted. Almost everyone who travels to Hongkong will take a side trip to Macau, another special administrative region of China, which can be reached by a turbo jet or a Cotai jet.

Macau

I made some research about this wonderful Chinese region which had been colonized by Portugal in the 17th or 18th century until 1999. It is popularly known today as the gambling capital of Asia due to numerous casinos that have sprouted along the Cotai Strip--a strip of land from Taipa and Coloane islands of Macau. The currency is Macanese Pataca but Hongkong Dollars are accepted here.

I had been pondering lately (oppsss sounds very serious duh? :-D) how to make the most of our time visiting Macau for one day at a very low cost.?

So I made this itinerary to fit everything and to enjoy the trip:

• From our hotel in Kowloon, we will be traveling by bus or MTR, whichever is convenient, all the way to Hongkong China Ferry Terminal just on the east side of Nathan road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
• Travel time should be at 7:00 in the morning because the first trip of Cotai Jet leaves at 8:00.?
• Choose Cotai Jet instead of Turbo Jet, both have the same ticket price anyway. Cotai Jet is more advantage because it will be docking at Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal which is just few minutes from the Cotai Strip where the casinos with free shuttle buses are located. Through this process we can avoid criss-crossing Macau wasting our precious time.
• Choose a round-trip ticket, it saves a lot than having a one-way ticket.
• Take a free shuttle bus going to Galaxy Macau because it is nearer from the Ferry Terminal than Venetian Macau.?
• Galaxy, Venetian and City of Dreams are located in the same area.
• Travel to Macau Peninsula where other attractions are located. I'd read that the Venetian shuttle bus travels to Senado Square so this is a wonderful opportunity to reach Macau city proper without spending on transportation.
• St. Dominic Church and the ruins of St. Paul Cathedral are just within the Senado Square.
• The rest of the day will be spent leisurely at various destinations around Macau Peninsula.

COTAI STRIP

Definitely the most interesting place around the special administrative regions of China, Cotai Strip consists of world-class casinos and luxurious hotels.

The Cotai Strip project is funded by the Las Vegas Sands, the second largest casino operator in the world which also owns Venetian Macau, Cotai Jet and the Sands Cotai Central.

The most imposing structure around Cotai is the Venetian Macau. It is a 40-story building with 3,000 suites, 3,400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables. With its gorgeous architectural structure, state of the art facilities and posh accommodations, Venetian no doubt is one of the most stunning landmarks to visit.?

Venetian and City of Dreams in the background

Venetian has an Italian concept with a Gondola ride around the San Luca Canal, so if you are dreaming to ride in a Gondola but cannot go to Venice Italy, then a quick trip to Macau is a great option. At Venetian Macau, travelers can embark into a Gondola ride for HK$118.00. I am still contemplating if I will take this ride or just put it off until my next visit in the future hehehe!

MGM Grand

House of Dancing Water show at City of Dreams

Not far from Venetian is City of Dreams where the House of Dancing Water and Bubble Show can be witnessed. It consists of three hotel properties, the Grand Hyatt, Crown Towers and Hard Rock. The Dragon Treasure show is a lot cheaper which all budget travelers can afford, it only costs HK$ 30.00

Galaxy Macau is another exciting landmark at Cotai Strip. It is a luxurious casino resort with so many attractions to behold. The wavepool, artificial beach, Galaxy Laserama, Fortune Diamond and Wishing Crystals.?

With all these excitements and great anticipations surrounding this first foreign trip, I am uncertain if I can really visit all these fantastic landmarks in Macau :-D

Source: http://traveladventurejl.blogspot.com/2013/05/macau-wonders.html

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Iran presidency candidates to step forward, finally

By Marcus George and Yeganeh Torbati

DUBAI (Reuters) - Few Iranian presidential elections have been so unpredictable but the next few days will at least narrow down who will stand in the ballot on June 14, for which candidate registration starts on Tuesday and ends on Saturday.

What is certain is that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has held ultimate power as Supreme Leader for 24 years, wants to avoid both the mass protests by reformists that greeted the disputed re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009, and also more of the public feuding between the outgoing president's allies and fellow hardliners which has marked Ahmadinejad's second term.

"The Iranian leadership is so nervous, even if it doesn't need to be. The 2009 election was an enormous loss of face for the establishment and they're very concerned about a repetition," said a Western diplomat based in Tehran.

"Instead of trusting the people, they have put their trust in all sorts of security measures.

Some hopefuls have already declared they will register to run in the first round in six weeks. But many with the strongest chances have been hanging back, weighing their prospects until the last minute, with an eye not only to public opinion but to the Guardian Council of clerics and jurists which can reject any candidacy until a final roster is published around May 23.

With reformist groups largely suppressed over the past four years, the election campaign may reflect little of the debates among Iranians - on how to shore up an economy sagging under Western sanctions, or on foreign policy and the nuclear program that has provoked international concern.

"There is an absence of political discussion, a lack of talk about taxation, the economy or relations with neighboring countries," the Tehran-based diplomat said.

AHMADINEJAD CAMP

Ahmadinejad, who cannot seek a third mandate, secured an outright win with 62 percent in the four-man first round in 2009, provoking claims of fraud and the biggest protests since the revolution that deposed the Shah in 1979. If no candidate secures more than 50 percent, the runoff will be a week later.

Although Ahmadinejad, 56, is barred by law from running again, his rivals among fellow hardliners committed to resisting a dilution of the state's Islamist founding principles fear the confrontational incumbent will back a candidate - possibly his close aide Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei - to preserve his influence, even in the face of disapproval from the 73-year-old Khamenei.

"Unlike the first generation of revolutionary elite who played by the rules, Ahmadinejad's group has consistently pushed against regime red lines and at times even challenged the authority of the Supreme Leader," said Yasmin Alem, a U.S.-based expert on Iran's electoral system.

"For them, ambition trumps allegiance to the regime's principles."

For his part, Khamenei is turning to a loyal alliance which includes his adviser Ali Akbar Velayati, another ally Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel and charismatic Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, in the hope of securing a quick and painless election win, say analysts and diplomats.

But that informal coalition's final candidate has yet to be declared - a sign they are still sizing up the competition.

FORMER PRESIDENTS

Even less clear are the intentions of former presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami, whose moderate candidacies would radically alter the contest. Both appear reluctant to stand unless given the nod from Khamenei but neither have ruled themselves out.

"I will not enter the field without his consent," Rafsanjani said this week, according to the Mehr news agency. "If circumstances are such that there will be conflicts and disputes between me and the leader, we will all lose."

He was president from 1989 to 1997. Khatami, a reformist who succeeded Rafsanjani until 2005, retains much popularity, especially among secular middle classes, youth and women voters.

"Khatami is definitely the most loved," said a social media consultant in Tehran working for a reformist campaign. "Everyone is waiting for his response. The Qalibaf and Velayati staff are calling his office constantly to see if he will run."

Both Rafsanjani and Khatami have been sidelined since 2009 and their association with reformist leaders Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi - losing candidates to Ahmadinejad in 2009 and under house arrest for more than two years - has attracted sharp criticism from hardliners.

Mainstream contenders are not the only ones facing pressure from the authorities. Hooshang Amirahmadi, an academic living in the United States, intends to take part in the election to call for economic reform and ending confrontation with Washington but said that officials have tried to discourage him from standing.

"I was in Tehran two weeks ago and they told me to stay away," he told Reuters from New Jersey, where he is a professor of planning and public policy at Rutgers University.

"They said that my safety is in danger. They are really nervous and that surprises me."

(Editing by William Maclean and Alastair Macdonald)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-presidency-candidates-step-forward-finally-180019273.html

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Internet Marketing Strategy

So what is the secret to internet marketing? Or to ANY online business success?

It?s actually being stated clearly to us ? MARKETING. The truth is, it?s about having a powerful marketing strategy for your internet business. If you?re confused of what I mean, my apology on that ? so let me explain:

You see, these ?Gurus? talk about their blogging software, keyword software, traffic software or Facebook software, or any of those ?push button? software that SUPPOSEDLY generate income for you? they?ll sell to you those shinning objects that promise to make $14,321 in 5 days or something.

Truth is, they don?t use those ?push button? software to make hundreds of thousands or a million? they?re using the ?REAL STUFF? ? which is none other than effective marketing strategy.

Even if those ?push button? stuff work, they?re required to be ?combined? with a marketing strategy.

Look at all of the great businesses today ? they have a particular strategy that makes them so successful today.

On the large scale examples, let?s look at:

Microsoft. Bill Gates understand the strategy of LEVERAGE and ?joint venture?. He ride on IBM by ?incorporating? Windows into computers.

Facebook. Targeting University students when it was first launched. Novelty. ?Exclusivity?. Niche selection.

Google. Way too many strategies to list here but one that is paramount would probably be focusing on giving good stuff away for free.

If you?re doing internet marketing, the #1 strategy you must use is ?information marketing?. Reason is, you can use valuable information to powerfully generate leads, use them as bonuses to your physical or other information products, build credibility, sell them separately and so on.

The biggest question would probably be this ? how do I learn marketing strategies?

Of course the simplest one is to learn from a mentor. But this opportunity doesn?t always exist so here are others?.

1. Look at how big companies are launching their ?products?. Try to decode what the marketing strategy that they?re applying is, then see how that can be applied into your own business. I thought of the strategy of giving away products for free by simply based on what I?ve observed from Google. I?m not a genius, I?m just good at observing.

2. Look at how your competitors are doing it. If you?re in the information business, the best place to find them is at Clickbank.com. Read their salesletters. Watch their video salesletters. You?ll learn how they sell.

3. Create your own ?mastermind? group. This way, whenever you have thought of a marketing strategy, you can bounce your idea with them ? to see if they like it or not.

Here?s what I think would be the greatest ?marketing strategy? of all time:

?Choose your market wisely; choose the market that will be responsive towards your message and focus on building relationship with them. The goal is not trying to sell your product, but positioning yourself as the person who will help them to solve their problems. This way, they would appreciate your product/service because you?re adding value to them.?

If you feel like sharing your marketing strategy, feel free to leave your comment. Or just leave anyway if you like what you?ve read today.

By the way, if you?re a Malaysian or coming to Malaysia in June, check this out.

?

Install this web app on your Android: Tap menu, more options, and then Add Shortcut To Homescreen.

Source: http://patricchan.com/268/the-secret-to-internet-marketing/

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Iterations: A Youthful Rebellion Against The Permanence Of Facebook's Walled Garden

Facebook?s mission is to make the world more open and connected. Indeed, great things can come from this, and for many of its one billion users, Facebook isn?t just on the web -- it is the web. It is where images, biographical data, and every speck of a connection to a person, place, or thing lives, both the dream of a doting family spread miles apart and a marketer close by. It is a place where generations of people now reside, hang out, fawn over public statuses and peek into the lives of others. Ironically, while Facebook?s aim is to make the world more open, they themselves are building a new web within their own closed garden, inaccessible and (mostly) unexportable to all. As the saying states, ?what goes on the Internet is written in ink,? so what goes onto Facebook is etched in stone walls.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/oxG3Whw73uM/

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World Photo Caption Contest: Giant Rubber Duck In Hong Kong

A giant Rubber Duck created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is towed along Hong Kong's Victoria Habour Thursday, May 2, 2013. Since 2007 the 16.5-meter (54-foot)-tall Rubber Duck has traveled to various cites including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

The 16.5-metre-tall inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013. The inflatable duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will be on display in the former British colony until June 9. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

The 16.5-metre-tall inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013. The inflatable duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will be on display in the former British colony until June 9. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

The 16.5-metre-tall inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013. The inflatable duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will be on display in the former British colony until June 9. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

The 16.5-metre-tall inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013. The inflatable duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will be on display in the former British colony until June 9. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

The 16.5-metre-tall inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013. The inflatable duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will be on display in the former British colony until June 9. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

The 16.5-metre-tall inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013. The inflatable duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will be on display in the former British colony until June 9. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

A giant Rubber Duck created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is towed along Hong Kong's Victoria Habour Thursday, May 2, 2013. Since 2007 the 16.5-meter (54 feet)-tall Rubber Duck has traveled to various cites including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

The 16.5-metre-tall inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013. The inflatable duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman will be on display in the former British colony until June 9. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

A giant Rubber Duck created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is towed along Hong Kong's Victoria Habour Thursday, May 2, 2013. Since 2007 the 16.5-meter (54 feet)-tall Rubber Duck has traveled to various cites including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A 16.5-meter(650-inch)-high giant Rubber Duck created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is towed along Hong Kong's Victoria Habour Thursday, May 2, 2013. Since 2007 the Rubber Duck has traveled to various cites including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A giant Rubber Duck created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is towed along Hong Kong's Victoria Habour Thursday, May 2, 2013. Since 2007 the 16.5-meter (54-feet)-tall Rubber Duck has traveled to various cites including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A giant Rubber Duck created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is towed along Hong Kong's Victoria Habour Thursday, May 2, 2013. Since 2007 the 16.5-meter (54-f44t)-tall Rubber Duck has traveled to various cites including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Florentijn Hofman

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman poses with his creation, a giant Rubber Duck in Hong Kong Thursday, May 2, 2013. Since 2007 the 16.5-meter (54-feet)-tall Rubber Duck has traveled to various cites including Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's giant Rubber Duck enters Cockle Bay Wharf on opening day of the Sydney Festival January 5, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. Sydney festival opening, previously 'Sydney Festival First Night', was scaled back from previous years, when crowds reached as many as 60,000 for the launch. (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's giant Rubber Duck enters Cockle Bay Wharf on opening day of the Sydney Festival January 5, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. Sydney festival opening, previously 'Sydney Festival First Night', was scaled back from previous years, when crowds reached as many as 60,000 for the launch. (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's giant Rubber Duck enters Cockle Bay Wharf on opening day of the Sydney Festival January 5, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. Sydney festival opening, previously 'Sydney Festival First Night', was scaled back from previous years, when crowds reached as many as 60,000 for the launch. (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's giant Rubber Duck enters Cockle Bay Wharf on opening day of the Sydney Festival January 5, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. Sydney festival opening, previously 'Sydney Festival First Night', was scaled back from previous years, when crowds reached as many as 60,000 for the launch. (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

A giant 50 foot rubber duck floats down the Thames to celebrate the launch of Jackpotjoy.com's new Facebook Fundation, a bursary granting funds and rewards for daft ideas to encourage Brits to have more fun.

A giant 50 foot rubber duck floats down the Thames to celebrate the launch of Jackpotjoy.com's new Facebook Fundation, a bursary granting funds and rewards for daft ideas to encourage Brits to have more fun.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/05/world-photo-caption-contest-giant-rubber-duck-in-hong-kong_n_3219959.html

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Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/303576758?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Disney pulls out of Bangladesh in wake of factory tragedy

The Walt Disney Co. is pulling out of Bangladesh and several other developing countries, in part because of fatal accidents in factories that produced branded merchandise for Western firms.

Announcement of the move follows last week?s collapse of a Bangladesh garment factory building, a tragedy that may be the worst such accident in world history. The official death toll is now more that 500 and keeps climbing as rescue workers continue the slow process of working through building rubble.

Disney officials said their pull-out decision was actually made in March, after a fire in a Bangladesh factory last November that killed more than 100. The company has told licensees that it wants to phase out production of Disney-brand items made in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Belarus, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

RECOMMENDED: Think you know Asia? Take our geography quiz.

Disney said it relied on World Bank Governing Indicators, which measure rule of law, corruption, and other national characteristics, to help make its decision.

?After much thought and discussion we felt this was the most responsible way to manage the challenges associated with our supply chain,? said Bob Chapek, president of Disney Consumer Products, according to a CNN report.

Are Western firms such as Disney, the Gap, and Benetton in part responsible for the conditions that lead to these tragedies in low-wage nations? Disney?s move shows that some feel their reputations are at risk, at the least, if they are tied too closely to foreign workplace tragedies.

Want your top political issues explained? Get customized DC Decoder updates.

Customers may avoid brands they suspect of abetting worker abuse. And a number of international nongovernment organizations today stand ready to publicize poor conditions found in factories linked to major nation retail brands.

But these NGOs don?t necessarily want their pressure to result in pull-outs. They want corporations to use their economic muscle to improve conditions.

The Washington-based Workers Rights Consortium, for instance, says it works with big companies and their foreign licenses to try to remedy problems before issuing public reports.

?The WRC views ?cutting and running? from a factory as a serious abrogation of a licensee?s responsibilities,? says the group in a statement.

Worker groups often want foreign firms to stay to preserve jobs and economic development. Some experts say the blame for tragedies such as the Bangladesh building collapse should be directed at local and national authorities who have the responsibility to protect their workers.

?By misassigning the responsibility for the recent tragedies to global retailers, western media and consumer movements allow the real culprits to get away scot-free and further diminish the likelihood of governance reform in poor countries,? wrote Jagdish Bhagwati, senior fellow for international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Amrita Narlikar, director of the Center for Rising Powers at the University of Cambridge, last month in the British magazine Prospect.

Other experts put the problem in a larger political frame. The real problem in Bangladesh has been the complex trade apparatus erected by the US, which consumes most of the cheap clothing produced in developing nations, wrote Mallika Shakya, an assistant professor of sociology at South Asian University in Delhi, in the Indian newspaper The Hindu.

Between 1974 and 2004, the US Multi-Fiber Arrangement virtually dictated, item by item, the amount of clothing that third-world countries could export to the US, according to Ms. Shakya. Potential rivals to America such as China got small quotas, while Bangladesh and other unprepared nations got large ones.

The result was that Bangladeshi authorities could not keep up with the explosive growth of their country's garment industry.

?That is a reason why most factory buildings are found to be built haphazardly, without acquiring the necessary clearance from state agencies,? wrote Ms. Shakya.

RECOMMENDED: Think you know Asia? Take our geography quiz.

Related stories

Read this story at csmonitor.com

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/disney-pulls-bangladesh-workers-safer-152340191.html

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What Is the Prettiest Gadget You Own?

Even the prettiest gadgets can still suck. But that said, there's something to be said for devices that are just easy on the eyes, and if they're good too, that's a bonus. Show us the prettiest gadget you've got hanging around. Or, if you're living in a trash-heap or something, what's the prettiest one you aspire to someday own?

Source: http://gizmodo.com/what-is-the-prettiest-gadget-you-own-491022320

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Gadget Lab Show: Kobo Ups Its E-Reader Game and Vine Goes Full Frontal

On the latest episode of the show, staff writers Christina Bonnington and Roberto Baldwin stare at the screen of the new Kobo Aura HD e-reader and the front-camera support update of the Vine app.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/W6wwPDHHF5I/

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Jury in Philadelphia abortion doctor case deliberates for fourth day

By Dave Warner

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A Philadelphia jury began a fourth day of deliberations on Friday in the murder trial of a doctor accused of killing babies and a patient during late-term abortions at a clinic serving low-income women.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, who ran the now-shuttered Women's Medical Society Clinic, could face the death penalty if convicted by the jury, in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia.

The case focuses on whether the infants were born alive and then killed.

The seven-woman, five-man jury heard five weeks of testimony before starting the deliberation process on Tuesday.

Gosnell is charged with four counts of first-degree murder for delivering live babies during late-term abortions and then deliberately severing their spinal cords, prosecutors said.

The charges have fueled the debate in the United States about late-term abortions.

It is legal in Pennsylvania to abort a fetus up to 24 weeks into a pregnancy. Gosnell also faces charges that he performed 24 abortions beyond 24 weeks.

Nine states ban abortions after 20 weeks, according to the abortion rights group NARAL. Other states recently put new restrictions on abortions, with Arkansas banning them at 12 weeks and North Dakota at six weeks.

Most abortions, 92 percent, are performed before 14 weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 1.3 percent are performed beyond 20 weeks.

Judge Jeffrey Minehart told the jury that state law defines a live baby as one that is fully expelled from the mother and showing signs of life such as breathing, heart beat or movement.

If a baby shows those signs, he said, "That baby is a human being."

Gosnell's defense contends there is no evidence the babies were alive after they were aborted. In his closing argument, defense lawyer Jack McMahon cited the medical examiner's testimony that none of the 47 fetuses tested randomly from the clinic had been born alive.

Assistant District Attorney Edward Cameron said in his closing argument that witnesses testified that one of the aborted babies was breathing before its neck was cut, another made a whining sound and another moved its arms and legs.

Testimony depicted a filthy clinic serving mostly low-income women in a largely black community. McMahon said Gosnell wanted to help the under-privileged community.

Gosnell is also charged with murdering Karnamaya Mongar, 41, of Virginia, who died from a drug overdose after going to him for an abortion, prosecutors said.

Gosnell, who has been in jail since his January 2011 arrest, is on trial with Eileen O'Neill, a medical school graduate accused of billing patients and insurance companies for clinic services as if she were a licensed doctor.

Eight other defendants have pleaded guilty to a variety of charges and are awaiting sentencing. They include Gosnell's wife, Pearl, a cosmetologist who helped perform abortions.

(Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jury-philadelphia-abortion-doctor-case-deliberates-fourth-day-135932811.html

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