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ND Women’s Basketball: Irish trump Massachusets for big win

By Matthew Robison | Monday, November 19, 2012

Junior guard Kayla McBride led Notre Dame’s 94-50 rout of Massachusetts on Sunday at Purcell Pavilion with 18 points and five steals. Ten different Irish players scored in the blowout and No. 7 Notre Dame forced 34 turnovers with 21 steals.

“We’ve really been working hard at double-teaming, running at the ball and trying to make our defense get the offense to be really uncomfortable,” Irish coach Muffet McGraw said. “That’s kind of our goal.”

The Minutewomen (1-3) shot just 40 percent from the field, and Notre Dame’s pressure never allowed Massachusetts to get into an offensive rhythm.

Senior guard Skylar Diggins echoed her coach’s emphasis on the high-pressure defense.

“We try to get up and make the offense uncomfortable,” Diggins said. “It starts with the full-court pressure. I think that it’s my job to put pressure on the point guard and make her give it up. We were kind of making other people bring the ball up. That triggers our transition.”

Notre Dame (2-0) got production from all three of its post players in its home opener. Junior forward Natalie Achonwa had eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.

“[Achonwa] shot the ball well, she rebounded well,” McGraw said. “I thought she was a really big presence for us inside.”

Sophomore forward Markisha Wright was perfect from the field, shooting 4-for-4 with nine points and four assists.

“She’s still trying to find her opportunities,” McGraw said. “We’re trying to look for her a little bit more. I was really happy with her game.”

Junior forward Ariel Braker added seven points in just 13 minutes off the bench.

“Ariel Braker really gave us a shot of energy off the bench,” McGraw said. “I thought she worked really hard. She battled inside, got a couple of blocks and a couple of good passes too.”

After a 17-0 run in the first half, Notre Dame jumped out to a 33-9 lead and led 53-19 at the half.

Notre Dame effectively shut down Massachusetts’ best player, senior center Jasmine Watson, who averaged 18.5 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks per game coming into the game. Watson is a South Bend native and was a high school teammate of Diggins at Washington High School. The Irish held Watson to just eight points and eight rebounds. She fouled out with 7:25 remaining in the game, spoiling her homecoming. But Diggins said she was glad to be reunited with her former teammate.

“I hadn’t seen her in a while, so it was good seeing her,” Diggins said. “I’d never played against her before.”

Notre Dame shot 55 percent from the field, but the Irish struggled from behind the arc, shooting just 21 percent.

“I think we’re a really good shooting team and I expect us to shoot that well every game,” McGraw said. “I think we’re a much better 3-point shooting team today than we showed today.”

Diggins finished with 15 points and seven assists, freshman guard Jewell Loyd had 13 points and freshman guard Michaela Mabrey chipped in 10 points.

“Like last year’s team, we’ve got a lot of weapons, a lot of people who can score and that can shoot the ball,” Diggins said. “It’s just a matter of finding the open person. I think sometimes we overpass a little bit, try to think too much for each other. I like that we’re sharing the ball.”

The Irish donned the same golden uniforms with camouflage accents they wore for the Carrier Classic against Ohio State on Nov. 9 in Charleston, S.C. Notre Dame also honored veterans in attendance during a pregame ceremony and at halftime.

Sophomore guard Madison Cable did not play because of a sore foot.

The Irish will play Mercer on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Purcell Pavilion.

Contact Matthew Robison at mrobison@nd.edu


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Just Keep Studying

Allie Tollaksen | Wednesday, October 9, 2013

As this week progresses and quickly (too quickly, in my opinion) comes to a close, I realize have spent the last four days in a constant half-sprint, running from class to class, clutching onto my coffee cup so tightly it’s as if the cardboard Starbucks cup is not only a source of caffeine, but also the one and only thing holding me in a standing position for the time being. And I know I’m not alone: every friend I’ve run into on campus in the last few days has given off a ratio of panic and exhaustion only found at this time in the semester – midterms.
Unlike finals week, when classes are over, study days are handed to you like precious gems, you’ve already made impressions on your professors and you only have a grade hanging in the balance, midterms has none of these luxuries. Instead, midterms time is a chaotic mess of papers, projects, proposals and exams that test our minds and time management skills alike.
So, in order to cope with the madness that is the pre-Fall Break midterms, we lock ourselves in our favorite study spaces, throw our headphones on, crank up our favorite study playlist and get to work. It wasn’t until recently, when clicking around Spotify, that I realized how little consensus there is in what constitutes “study music.” As I shamelessly discovered my friends’ study playlists (I mean, they were public), I saw collections of soothing folk and guitar songs, classical concertos, Icelandic music medleys and everything else you can think of. Whatever floats your boat also scores your study session, I guess.
When it comes to my study playlists, I like to take the advice given to me in my Introduction to Psychology class freshman year and study to music without words. I’ve paired organic chemistry with electronica and calculus with movie scores. But one day, for some reason the “Pride and Prejudice” soundtrack was no longer doing the trick.
Naturally, my reaction to this predicament wasn’t to turn to 8tracks or Pandora and go back to my studies. No, that would be far too easy. Instead I decided to spend as much time away from my schoolwork as possible and create an entirely new, entirely lyric-less and entirely genre-confused playlist of study music from which to pick and choose for all of our study needs. I hope these suggestions bring everyone as much focus as they’ve taken away from me. With that, I wish you all good luck on your midterms.
Contact Allie Tollaksen at atollaks@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

1.) “A Walk” – Tycho
2.) “Blue In Green” – Miles Davis
3.) “So Far To Go” – J Dilla
4.) “Intro” – The xx
5.) “Blue Monk” – Thelonious Monk
6.) “Avril 14th” – Aphex Twin
7.) “Palmistry” – Tabla Beat Science
8.) “Thursday” – TakÃ©nobu
9.) “Tick Tock” – from “The Man with the Iron Fists” instrumental soundtrack
10.) “Montreal” – Kaki King
11.) “Happiness” – Riceboy Sleeps
12.) “Sparkplug Minuet” – Mark Mothersbaugh

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Tuesday, April 02, 2013

Paul Williams: 1948 - 2013

Paul Williams: 1948 - 2013
(Click photo to enlarge)

Paul Williams, the pioneering music journalist, has passed away.

Founder of the legendary and seminal Crawdaddy! magazine in 1966, Williams essentially launched pop music criticism as a legitimate and serious endeavor. And he was a huge Neil Young fan and author of a definitive biography Neil Young: Love to Burn : Thirty Years of Speaking Out, 1966-1996.

Mr. Williams once wrote:
“In writing about rock music, my intention was not to judge the records (like a critic) or report on the scene (like a journalist) but to explore, as an essayist, the experience of listening to certain records and feeling the whole world through them.

“My form has always been the essay, talking on paper,” he added. “My subject matter has always been transcendence.”
From correspondence with Williams on his book Neil Young: Love to Burn : Thirty Years of Speaking Out, 1966-1996.:
The intention of my book was to document the kind of very personal response that we listeners and fans have to Neil's extraordinary performances, and maybe to entertain readers like you who might wonder what somebody else would say about Ordinary People or Love and Only Love... I haven't had many letters from readers of this book (as compared to many from readers of my Dylan books), so it's good to get the feedback.

Don't be denied....
In 2009, we wrote that Paul Williams Needs Our Help due to serious illness and helped raised funds for his health care.

From Remembering Paul Williams, The First Rock Critic | Rolling Stone by David Fricke:
"He wrote with judgment but not superiority or lazy censure; he worked to find paths and connections, through committed, often repeated listening, and presented the results as if you were a fellow traveler, not just a reader.

He was the first of my breed, and he set fundamental standards for integrity and dedication. As a writer, Paul Williams never stopped listening. As a listener, he never stopped seeking. As a colleague, he expected the same."
In 1996, Williams called "The Complex Sessions: Neil Young & Crazy Horse", directed by Jonathan Demme, Neil Young's - and Rock n' Roll's - finest moment. Williams wrote:
"The Complex Sessions seems to me to represent a pivotal moment in rock history (as, say, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" did), not only because it's so good but also because it is a breakthrough in the creative use of a medium (the long-form rock video as a work of art) that has defeated most supplicants, including Neil as often as not.
As a fellow Neil Young fan and music blogger, we can say that Paul will truly be missed.

Don't be denied....

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At 4/02/2013 11:06:00 PM, Blogger Mr Henry said...

Very sad news...Paul Williams was a true pioneer and pathfinder. His work and philosophy of life is summarized perfectly when you quote him: “My subject matter has always been transcendence.” It was always a joy to read anything that he wrote, to listen to the music he listened to, to read the writers who he championed. I still remember discovering Phillip K. Dick after reading Paul's interview article in Rolling Stone. I'm sure the two of them are somewhere right now, having a great reunion, laughing and talking about faraway worlds and discoveries within.

"The miracle is that the universe created a part of itself to study the rest of it, that this part, in studying itself, finds the rest of the universe in its own natural inner realities."
--Dr. John C. Lilly

At 4/03/2013 09:48:00 AM, Blogger Mr Henry said...

For Paul RIP

All things happen
On its balcony and are resumed within,
But the action is the cold, syrupy flow
Of a pageant. One feels too confined,
Sifting the April sunlight for clues,
In the mere stillness of the ease of its
Parameter. The hand holds no chalk
And each part of the whole falls off
And cannot know it knew, except
Here and there, in cold pockets
Of remembrance, whispers out of time.
--John Ashberry from Self-Portrait In A Convex Mirror

"This uniqueness and singleness which distinguishes each individual and gives a meaning to his existence has a bearing on creative work as much as it does on human love. When the impossibility of replacing a person is realized, it allows the responsibility which a man has for his existence and its continuance to appear in all its magnitude. A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life. He knows the "why" for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any "how".
--Viktor E. Frankl from Man's Search For Meaning

"We are all born with a high potential, and if we try hard we can all become superior human beings and acquire talent and ability. If you have really understood my message, you will not put if off until tomorrow, but will put it into action right now, today. And your life will become happier as a result. That this may become true for everyone is my heartfelt dream."
--Shinichi Suzuki from
Nurtured by Love: The Classic Approach to Talent Education

"All the reseach I had done fell away, as I improvised the words, driven by the deep personal struggle of the artist, who by the nature of his calling is obliged to manifest the spiritual as physical matter in the material world.

My daughter Jesse and son Jackson open the Neil Young song. I chose it to follow the dark apocalyptic vision of Constantine's Dream, as it offers a new beginning. Tony Shanahan recorded his young nephew Tadhg and friends singing the last refrain. Thus Banga closes with my son and daughter, and the sons and daughters of others - all our children, the hope of the world, embarking on adventures of their own."
--Patti Smith from Banga

May God's Blessing keep you always
May your wishes all come true
--Bob Dylan

You better take a chance
A chance on Love
--Neil Young

At 4/03/2013 10:05:00 AM, Blogger Thrasher Wheat said...

Thanks, as always, Mr H, for your thoughts and words.

It really is remarkable how these life events ricochet around... strange things happen when worlds collide.

Paul's partner is running a tribute to Paul on her FB page @ http://www.facebook.com/cindyleeberryhill

A nice look back on someone who once walked like a giant...

At 4/03/2013 12:48:00 PM, Blogger Mr Henry said...

Thanks very much T, you did a wonderful tribute to a remarkable person. Paul Williams and Ralph Gleason were the first music writers I loved and paid total attention to. As David Fricke wrote, it was more "Hey, you should really check this out!" whenever they wrote about the music and art they loved. Others have gotten my respect and full interest since (e.g. Bangs, Marcus, Christgau, Palmer et al), but those two were the first and the best of all. They were humble poets who walked like and with Giants. Don't think we'll see anyone quite like them again.

At 4/03/2013 03:18:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

@Mr. Henry - the 1st quote you cite is very sad especially considering who it is from...

At 4/04/2013 12:36:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just an old fashioned love song, commin down in three part harmony. RIP PW

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Proceeds from sales go to MusiCares,
which helps musicians in need of
financial and medical assistance.

Neil Young FAQ:
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"an indispensable reference"

Paul McCartney and Neil Young

"You can make a difference
If you really a try"

John Lennon and Neil Young

"hailed by fans as a wonderful read"

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young:
The Supergroup of the 20th Century

Director Jonathan Demme's Exquisite film "Heart of Gold"

eddie & neil
Eddie Vedder and Neil Young

Revisiting The Significance of
The Buffalo Springfield

"The revolution will not be televised"
... it will be blogged, streamed,
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The Embarrassment of Mainstream Media

Turn Off Your TV

2014 Neil Young Year in Review:
Yes, Only Love Can Break (& Fix) Your Heart

Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain and Neil Young

Neil Young's Feedback:
An Acquired Taste?

Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years
by Rustie Sharry "Keepin' Jive Alive in T.O." Wilson

"the definitive source of Neil Young's formative childhood years in Canada"

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Bob and Neil

So Who Really Was "The Godfather of Grunge"?

Four Dead in Ohio
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So What Really Happened at Kent State?

dissent is not treason
Dissent is the highest form of patriotism

Rockin' In The Free World

Sing Truth to Power

Emmylou Harris and Neil Young

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Neil Young Nation -
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What does the song mean?

Random Neil Young Link of the Moment
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They Started It and We'll Finish It...

A battle raged on the open page...
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Willie Nelson & Neil Young
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Love and Only Love

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"It's all illusion anyway."

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the truth will set you free
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Yes, There's Definitely A Hole in The Sky

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(Between the lines of age)

And in the end, the love you take
Is equal to the love you make

~~ John & Paul


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The time of the second Avengers movie is upon us. The first Avengers was an unprecedented film. It was historic in how it brought multiple movie franchises together in one team up film. And most importantly, it was a satisfying film that appeased almost every fan. Our excitement for the film inspired three blogs to join together (much like the Avengers) and do a countdown. Well, with the Age of Ultron almost here, the bloggers return for a new countdown.

I've blogged about this film before and we also released a podcast. But there's plenty to be said about this movie.

Iron Man Three was the first film of what Marvel dubbed "Phase 2." It's appropriate that he gets the first post-Avengers solo film and kicks off this phase since it was his character that started Phase 1. As it happens, Iron Man will also be in the first film of Phase 3, Captain America: Civil War. Now, coming off the high that was Avengers, it had to be a daunting task to come up with a movie that was appropriately raising the stakes, yet toning things down for a solo character film.

This movie has gotten a lot of grief from some fans. A good portion of it stems from the fact it follows Avengers. Some of it due to the fact that the plot is a combination of the plot from Incredibles and the previous Iron Man films. And most of it due to big-time Marvel fans being mad about how The Mandarin was handled. (This is somewhat resolved in a Marvel One-Shot bonus feature short. While I enjoyed the short, I don't believe it was necessary in the context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe [MCU].)

The major ties to films from before were the following:

  • Yinsen returns in a flashback cameo at the beginning of the film.
  • Tony suffers from PTSD after the "Battle of New York" and there are multiple references to that.
  • Rhodey references the "super friends" and indicates a style change for how he operates now.
  • Bruce Banner is at the very end of the movie in a quick cameo.
  • And finally, the "Ten Rings" graphic and Killian proclaiming he's the Mandarin, he was always the Mandarin, indicating he might have been behind events of the first movie.

As for what clues this movie gives to Tony's future in the MCU, the primary observation I have is Tony's intense desire to make things safe, particularly for Pepper. While things are never quite in his control, he wants to control things so that his world is the way he wants it. He's a mechanic, always fixing the world around him. Perhaps he eventually fixes something that wasn't really broken and that leads to Ultron's creation.

We do know that Paul Bettany, voice of JARVIS, will be playing the Vision in Avengers 2. We see the nascent version of that here in the form of 35 suits/robots controlled by this AI. It's easy to see how JARVIS will become JAR-VISION as an extension of that.

As a side note, this movie lands two actors who were previously up for super hero movie roles. Ben Kingley was cast as The Vulture in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4 before it died. And Guy Pearce has floated as a rumor for a couple different movies, most notably Daredevil that instead went to Ben Affleck. And awesome to see that William Sadler is the MCU U.S. President.

Thoughts from Robert at To The Escape Hatch...

"Looking back at my contribution to CT’s Iron Man review from our first Avengers Countdown (three years ago???), it’s funny how far my comic nerdery has progressed. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about some sort of Marvel or Avengers film, and I read a lot more comics these days.

But I won’t lie about Iron Man 3: it’s not my favorite Avengers film. Stark spends a big chunk of the film without his armor and there’s a kid sidekick of sorts, which is hardly ever a good thing. I do appreciate that RDJ and writer/director Shane Black were trying to do something a little different from the first two Iron Man flicks. Plus, that plane rescue scene is just awesome and Stark’s army of Iron Man suits is a joy to behold.

Iron Man 3 is notable in that it’s the first post-The Avengers film, which must have been daunting. The filmmakers really wanted to build on the success of The Avengers, however, so they boosted the Iron Man 3 budget considerably to try to accomplish this. I’d say it largely worked. It was also nice to see that the film contained callbacks to The Avengers (Stark suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the New York battle) and seemed to hint at Avengers relationships and films ahead with the revelation that Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk was visiting Stark (if not living with him in New York’s Stark/Avengers Tower) in the customary post credits scene. All in all, Iron Man 3 was an excellent addition to the Marvel universe."

Matt Ringler from Schlock Treatment returns and the Nerds return to the scenario first executed in episode 129. CT takes on the persona of idiot Ned N. Lurch who is being fooled into thinking he's being given a chance to brainstorm a TV show project that will be pitched to Hollywood. Unfortunately for Ned, his powerful step-dad has partnered him with consultants tasked with pitching horrible ideas to him in an effort to creat the "WORST. TV SHOW. EVER."

Gary Spivey, from the Psychic Companions Network?

Dubba from On Second Scoop and Nosh Show fame returns to the Fourth Chair this week as the nerds don the Nerdstradamus turban to make their annual predictions. Listen and be amazed at the range of psychic insights about TV, fast food/junk food, and celebrity news for the year to come. Plus the guys play a game of Overs and Unders about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Nerd To Dos include the Houdini mini-series, the podcast We’re Alive, the podcast Dragonfly Ripple, and roller derby.

On tomorrow's new episode of the podcast, it will be mentioned that I have begun a new (yes, third if you count "Pod, James Pod") podcast. I will be joined by three cohosts. Frequent Fourth Chair guest Michael May and I will be discussing "bringing up the next generation of nerd" by inviting my daughter and his son to join us on the show. In the first episode, we talk about the 1980 Flash Gordon movie and Monty Python and the Holy Grail and find out what our children think about these longtime favorites of ours.

It's a fun discussion and I'm looking forward to seeing where this show goes. For regular updates, follow us at dragonflyripple.blogspot.com.


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Students at Virginia Tech's Unmanned Systems Laboratory are perfecting an autonomous helicopter they hope will never be used for its intended purpose. Roughly six feet long and weighing 200 pounds, the re-engineered aircraft is designed to fly into American cities blasted by a nuclear weapon or dirty bomb. Its main mission would be to assist military investigators in detecting radiation levels, mapping and photographing damage after such an attack.

The Virginia Tech team re-engineered a remote-controlled Yamaha-built Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) RMAX helicopter to fly in fully autonomous mode. They also created flight control software algorithms that will direct the helicopter to radioactive sources on its own accord and allow missions to be changed mid-flight.

As the vehicle’s weight capacity is limited the researchers outfitted the helicopter with various "plug-and-play payloads" to allow it to carry out a variety of missions. The payloads are easily loadable and unloadable boxes that fit snugly under the helicopter's main body, carrying devices that would detect radiation levels in the atmosphere and on the ground, and take video and still images of damage.

One of the payloads consists of a miniature tray-like robot on treads that can be launched via a tether wire from the helicopter to collect evidence. A student team is building this robot, which will boast not only "chunk" sampling capability, but also a miniature vacuum to suck up dust and dirt. The helicopter would hover over the robot, and pull it back via the wire.

The robot is expected to easily maneuver any terrain, including expected bomb craters, as part of its investigation, said Michael Rose, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, from Gilroy, Calif. The team plans to make the robot water proof, in the event that it comes across water – busted water mains, lakes, rain puddles, etc. "The electronics must be protected from the harmful elements," Rose said.

The group also designed a downward-looking stereo camera system mounted to the helicopter, to image affected areas. The cameras would allow for computerized 3-D terrain mapping of affected areas, an absolute necessity to understand the characteristics of the blast. It is expected that the helicopter will have night vision capabilities, and enhanced imaging technologies that improve vision through smoke and fog as the project progresses, said project leader Kevin Kochersberger, a research associate professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Virginia Tech Unmanned Systems Laboratory.

The project, already funded at US$735,000 with an additional US$650,000 allocated for 2010, is overseen by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency and spearheaded by the Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory.

Plans call for the helicopters to be mission-ready in three years and Department of Defense (DoD) personnel already have visited Blacksburg to watch a demonstration as the craft zeroed in on a small, planted radioactive source at Kentland Farm, several miles from the Virginia Tech campus - video of this test can be seen below More testing is underway, with another DoD demonstration planned for later this year in Savannah, Georgia.


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January 30, 2008 Almost thirty feet (9 metres) long, ten feet (3 metres) high and weighing as much as a school bus, the name emblazoned along the side of this menacing two-wheeled beast says it all - it's the "Monster Motorbike from Hell". Designed and built in Perth, Australia, by stunt driver Ray Baumann where it's been wowing fans with its car and caravan crushing capabilities, the Monster Motorbike is powered by a Detroit Diesel truck engine and six-speed Allison automatic and uses a two-speed Eaton differential from a road train to drive a massive chain on each side of the one-metre wide rear wheel.

Taken from a Caterpillar 80 tonne front end loader, the wheels and tyres alone are almost 10 feet (3 metres) high.

Weighing in at 13.6 tonnes (picture 10 family cars or a school bus), the Monster Motorbike is heading to Australia's east coast where it's sure to be a star attraction at the Melbourne Motor Show beginning in late February.

Baumann, a road train driver turned record setting stunt-jumper, spent three years developing the Monster with a small team of collaborators.

"We did stunt driving for quite a few years, broke a few records and broke my back a few times, so this is a way of taking a bit more care," he said.

"Now we crush things, which is definitely less risky than jumping them - we still do jump things, but not at the Melbourne Motor Show."

The 2008 Melbourne International Motor Show runs from 5pm on 29 February until 6pm on 10 March.

Via TheBikerGene.

View gallery - 5 images


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There’s a number of small portable solar chargers available which are designed to keep mobile gear such as MP3 players and mobile phones powered up when there’s no electrical outlet around. But with people cramming more and more devices on their person or in their cars when heading off the grid, we're seeing a growing number of larger and more powerful units designed for more power hungry devices. The latest is thid portable solar-powered generator from Wagan Tech which provides 1,500 watts of power for seven to eight hours.

Intended as the perfect accessory for campers, hunters and RVers, Wagan Tech’s generator is small enough to throw in the boot and has wheels to make it easy to transport from the car to the campsite – although you’ll probably want the campsite and the car in pretty close proximity. The unit comes fully assembled with one 12-volt battery – with the option of adding two more – and folds open to display five solar panels – again, with the option of adding two more.

Wagan Tech had a unit on display at CES 2011 and said, in its basic form – one 12-volt battery and five solar panels – it would supply 1,500 watts of power for seven to eight hours. A spokesman said the company was still tweaking the design, but was aiming for a Q2 2011 release date and a price of around US$1,100.

View gallery - 2 images


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LOOK: Victor Neri makes showbiz comeback

By Reyma Buan-Deveza, ABS-CBNnews.com

Posted at Jul 18 2014 04:48 PM | Updated as of Jul 19 2014 01:04 AM

MANILA - Victor Neri is making a showbiz comeback via ABS-CBN's upcoming series "Hawak Kamay" starring Piolo Pascual.

Neri took a break from show business in 2007 to pursue his dream of becoming a chef.

"I went around Asia and I became a chef. Studied about food all around Asia and cooked in different restaurants. Nagtrabaho naman talaga ako," Neri told ABS-CBNnews.com on the sidelines of the "Hawak Kamay" press conference on Friday.

Neri, who is part of Star Circle Batch 1, said he is really into cooking and he wanted to do it professionally.

"It's a different career that I can also call my own, my different side. That's me, parang 'yun ako," he said.

The actor said he is happy to be welcomed again by the industry, adding that he is excited to work with the big stars of ABS-CBN.

"Siyempre masaya ako na hindi nila nakalimutan 'yung effort that I put into my craft. Ganoon naman ako. Mas importante sa akin 'yung reaksyon ng direktor ng tao, kung masaya ba sila sa ginawa ko. I think it paid off na kahit wala na ako, pagbalik na pagbalik ko rito ay tinambakan ako ng script. So I'm very grateful for that.

"Even with ABS-CBN, when they found out I was here, I found I was going to tape for this show two days before the first taping," he said.

When asked how he is planning to juggle being a chef and an actor, Neri said: "The priority is 70% cooking and 30% acting. Fallback ko na lang kasi ito. If they want to call me and my schedule allows me at maganda ang bayad ay gagawin ko."

Aside from "Hawak Kamay", Neri is also part of "Ronda", the first indie film of comedienne Ai Ai delas Alas.


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Philippine ships, aircraft search for missing Malaysian plane

Posted at Mar 10 2014 09:13 PM | Updated as of Mar 11 2014 05:13 AM

MANILA - The Philippines continued its search operations for the missing Malaysian plane in the South China Sea, a military spokesperson said on Monday.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished after climbing to a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing in the early hours of Saturday (March 8). Search teams have not been able to make any confirmed discovery of wreckage in seas beneath the plane's flight path almost three days after it took off.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Ramon Zagala said they have sent a team to search for the missing plane.

"Out of solidarity, we dispatched three naval vessels and two aircraft to help in the search. We are in our third day of search and we are doing our best in order to find the missing aircraft," he said.

The Philippine military has been combing the South China Sea west of the Philippines in coordination with the Malaysian government, but so far no traces of the plane have been found, Zagala said.

"It is believed that there is a possibility that from Kuala Lumpur, as upon takeoff, it has veered into our side of the South China Sea, so this is very far from the Philippines, although we have the necessary aircraft that can fly towards that direction," he said.

Zagala said they have additional resources ready to provide humanitarian aid.

"We have other assets on standby should the airliner be found, and that can easily be focused into the area. What's important right now is really the search," he said.

The Philippines is among the countries taking part in an international effort to locate the missing aircraft, which was carrying 239 passengers onboard.

The airline has said 14 nationalities were among the passengers, including at least 152 Chinese, 38 Malaysians, seven Indonesians, six Australians, five Indians, four French and three Americans.


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Lakers' Nash shut down for season - report

Posted at Mar 14 2014 04:59 PM | Updated as of Mar 15 2014 12:59 AM

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash has been officially ruled out for the rest of the season, according to a report on the National Basketball Association's website on Thursday.

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player played in 10 of the struggling Lakers' 64 games this season because of a nerve problem in his back.

Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni closed the door on any chance of the 40-year-old Canadian returning for the last 18 games of what has been a disappointing season for the storied franchise.

"He's not going to play," said D'Antoni, whose Lakers are in second-last place in the 15-team Western Conference with a 22-42 record.

Nash's last game was in early February when he played nearly 17 minutes against the Utah Jazz before sitting out the second half. He had two points and two assists in the game.

The point guard joined the Lakers ahead of the 2012-13 NBA season, part of a core group that was being counted on to return the franchise to its previous glory.

The news comes one day after the Lakers said hobbled five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant was being shut down for the season.


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Russian Cancels Syria Meeting as France Demands Assad Be ‘Smashed’

UN Diplomats Say NATO Would've Spurned Meeting Anyhow

by Jason Ditz, August 17, 2012

Just one day after they announced it, Russian officials have canceled a high profile meeting to negotiate a settlement on Syria. Details were scarce, but UN diplomats say that only Russia and China were planning to attend in the first place, so the meeting became pointless.

NATO in particularly is clearly not keen on the whole “negotiations” thing with respect to Syria, with France in particular pushing heavily for a war, saying today that they want Assad to be “smashed fast” and that he “doesn’t deserve to be on this earth.”

US officials haven’t talked about the Russian meeting at all, but recent US comments related to Syria appear entirely military related, with yesterday’s reports that the US believes it would need to send 50,000-plus ground troops to Syria to capture their chemical weapons.

Russia and China have been the lone voices on the Security Council opposing a NATO-imposed regime change, with Russia repeatedly and loudly rejecting the idea of a no-fly zone because NATO used this exact same strategy to insinuate itself into Libya’s Civil War.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz


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Wenger: Sitting in the stands is better from a tactical perspective

Arsene Wenger admits that sitting in the stands affords him a better tactical overview of Arsenal’s matches even if he misses the ‘physical closeness’ of being pitchside.

The boss is currently serving a four-game touchline ban for pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor in the dying moments of the win over Burnley and will watch this evening’s clash with Watford from the Directors’ box at the Emirates.

Reflecting on his current predicament, experienced for the first time this season at Saint Mary’s on Saturday, Wenger played up the importance of being able to communicate with his assistants during the game and with his players before and during half time.

“It was a bit frustrating, physically to be separated from the action [at St Mary’s] – you feel more powerless than usual,” he told Arsenal.com.

“But overall I can trust my assistant, Steve Bould, who was with Neil [Banfield] on the bench and we could communicate, so overall it went well.

“The most important thing is that the team won the game and I think when you can be in the dressing room before the game and at half-time, it helps.

“You see better [from the stands] the way your team is positioned on the field globally – you have a better vision of the compactness of the team and of the problems that you could have tactically.

“What is for sure is that the tactical aspect is clearer, the clarity is stronger but you miss a little bit the physical closeness to the team.”

No doubt, the fact the boss doesn’t mind being confined to the stands will miff those who already think he’s been dealt with leniently. And quite frankly, that’s fantastic.

  1. 4 match touchline ban is the right punishment for the offence he has made. It was not as aggressive as news report say. Video proof says for it.

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  2. If being in the stands gives him better tactical clarity and us a 5-0 win, I’m all the heck for it for the rest of the season!! Lol

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    • With his new found use for being higher up maybe he can be given a chair like the umpires have in tennis? I don’t know about you lot but I think it would look ace. Even more so if he could move around by joystick.

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  3. George Graham as Arsenal manager would very often spend the first half of matches sitting up in the stand , go down to the dressing room for the half time team talk and spend the second half sitting on the bench. He would do this from choice stating that it gave him a better tactical view as Arsene is saying. Maybe the way forward for us. Thank you FA. 😉

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  4. I did think when he got the ban that it wouldn’t actually hurt the team so much, Wenger is a relatively hands off manager during game play and likes to let players make their own decisions (for better or worse). My only worry is that he’ll start to enjoy sitting in the stands and this might convince him retirement isn’t such a scary option after all…

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  5. There’s a reason rugby coaches sit in the stands, and that is for the tactical overview. Wenger’s not kidding and the different perspective could be of benefit for the setup rest of the season. Silver lining.

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    • The NFL is the same way. You have assistant coaches perched way up high in a booth in the stadium with radios giving intel to the head coach on the sideline, maybe directly to the QB too who also wears a radio. It’s freakin’ WWW III. When I used to watch the games I’d half expect artillery to start raining down any second.

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      • Being a guy from the US, I do wonder why teams don’t perch an assistant up high and then relay pertinent info from above. American Football is obsessed with the concept.

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  6. I don’t see what the team gain from “closeness” that being on the bench affords. It may “feel” nicer, but the manager can do a better job from the stands, relaying his instructions to an able assistant, such as Bouldy.

    It wouldn’t work for managers who micromanage players/games with lots of arm waving and pointing. But AW isn’t that type.

    Wenger should stay up in the stands.

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    • I don’t get the whole ‘closeness’ thing either – surprised all managers in all leagues don’t watch from the stands (unless they flap their arms and point of course), very obvious stuff.

      In fact, Wenger should do what I do and manage the team from his couch and on message boards – even a greater tactical advantage with access to the internet. I would have won way more trophies for Arsenal than Wenger ever has..all he does is play with his zipper.

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      • I agree, PB70. This closeness lark is heavily overrated.

        Maybe like JB said, Wenger can stay up in the stands. He can then have a camera stationed there, and relay instructions to the team over a giant screen..

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  7. That Wenger is a jammy cunt, only three games banned, and a £2.50 fine!!

    That’s disgusting!!! He should have been banned for life, or longer if it was anything to do with me. He should have to referee Sunday league. In Siberia. In his VEST AND PANTS!!!! He should have had to go and clean up all the little bits of mud in the changing rooms WITH HIS TONGUE!!!

    Bloody FA are Arsene lovers, that lovely Mr Mourinho would never be treated so leniently………

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  8. yeah, the funny thing about being sent to the stands and allowed to communicate and see the players before the game and at half time means they’ve basically turned him into an aussie rules coach

    (they have coaches boxes mid-high in the stands, fully kitted out with whiteboards and iPads and all that stuff, and relay messages over phone to the interchange bench down at pitch level. obviously the interchange concept is still pretty different but you get the idea)

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  9. It’s not the first time Wenger has said this. In fact, he’s on record as saying the ideal place to watch a game is from high up behind the goal, because you can see pretty much the whole pitch at the same time. When we used to play reserve games at Barnet Wenger could often be seen sat on his own behind one of the goals and he’s been known to say that he goes to the odd European game in disguise and sits with the fans behind the goal. I’m sure he’s considered a lot whether to sit in the stands routinely and I suspect he considers he has more psychological influence on the team from being close by.

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  10. Wenger does tactics now? What an exciting modern age we live in!
    Or is this just a ploy to sell more tickets in the rafters of the emirates?

    Thumb up 0 Thumb down 18

  11. He can always use an ipad to see the match from the cameras’ view. I thought this should have been happening already, only if “tactics” are a priority.

    Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4

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BBC News
watch One-Minute World News
Last Updated: Tuesday, 16 December, 2003, 08:55 GMT
WTO talks progress 'in New Year'

Andrew Walker
BBC World Service economics correspondent in Geneva

Perez del Castillo
Perez del Castillo: Believes sense of urgency is needed

The diplomat given the job of getting World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations back in gear is not convinced they can be completed on time.

Carlos Perez del Castillo, Chairman of the WTO's General Council, said in a BBC interview: "Personally I have my doubts that it can all be done by 2004 to be very honest."

He was speaking after the first day of a meeting that was supposed to do what is necessary to ensure the negotiations are finished successfully and on time.

Mr Perez del Castillo says the members are still talking about the original target date for completion. But most trade analysts do not think it can be done.

Low-key discussions

The negotiation - the Round as it's known in WTO-speak - was launched two years ago at a ministers' meeting in Doha in Qatar.

The subsequent ministerial conference in Cancun in Mexico was intended to be a mid-term review.

In fact it ended in failure. Mr Perez del Castillo has been trying to repair the damage.

He cancelled formal negotiating groups and held low-key discussions to find a way forward. Now he says there has been progress.

Protest banner at the Cancun WTO meeting
Divisions wrecked the last ministerial summit in Cancun

Member countries told him they want to finish the round on time and are committed to the WTO as a way of moving ahead with freer trade.

Mr Perez del Castillo seems to believe them. He says the problems in the negotiations and ways of solving them are now clearer.

And he plans to restart the negotiating groups in the New Year - probably in February.

But he says the governments have not shown enough flexibility. There is a lack of the political will to make compromises.

He says the sense of urgency that was present after Cancun seems to have been diluted.

Unless that sense of urgency returns, he says "we are likely to unravel the good work that has been done so far".

US elections

One thing that seems to be a little clearer than immediately after Cancun is the fate of two new issues that were very contentious - whether there should new rules on how governments treat foreign investors and on competition policy.

The European Union, Japan and South Korea wanted new rules. The developing countries did not.

Mr Perez del Castillo said these will not be part of the Round as such - although they could re-appear in some other context.

The difficulty for finishing the talks next year is aggravated by elections.

Politicians are more reluctant to make concessions that might alienate support at home if an election looms, as it does in the United States and some other countries.

A missed deadline would be a setback. But then again in trade talks it would hardly be the first time.

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BBC News
watch One-Minute World News
Last Updated: Monday, 8 September, 2003, 14:49 GMT 15:49 UK
Scandal threatens EU commissioners
An investigation into the European Commission's statistical bureau - Eurostat - could lead to high-level resignations in the next few weeks, reports the BBC's Tim Franks in Brussels.

Dorte Schmidt-Brown is 37 years old and on indefinite sick leave.

She had a nervous breakdown making complaints about life inside Eurostat.

You are treated a little bit like an outcast - it's not popular to complain about things
Dorte Schmidt-Brown
As she explained to the BBC, in her first radio interview, this was something which people were not encouraged to do.

"When you stand out from the horde, if you want to say it like that, you are of course going to run into things that is not very nice.

"And also you are a little bit treated like an outcast. It's not popular to complain about things of course. "

Ms Schmidt-Brown is very reluctant to speak about the affair. The rules say that even after staff have left the commission they are not supposed to talk to the press.

But her European representative, Danish MEP Freddie Blak, is under no such constraints.

"A lot of people say she was paranoid and she was sick and everything," he says.

"But Dorte had rights, there was something bad, and it was a really bad management system, and after the case is coming up we can see there is a lot of irregularity and perhaps also fraud."

'Commissioners to blame'

What Dorte Schmidt-Brown saw three years ago appears to be one small part of it.

They have ignored all the warning signs, and I think that's almost being complicit in a cover up
Chris Heaton Harris
Conservative MEP
The allegations are that Eurostat bosses channelled hundred of thousands of euros into unofficial bank accounts, away from budgetary controls. And also that former colleagues, even family members, set up companies that were then given fat contracts from Eurostat.

Concerns were sounded years ago by internal auditors, but it was only in May of this year that the Eurostat bosses were suspended from duty. Two months later, an urgent task force of inquiry was set up.

The UK Conservative MEP, Chris Heaton Harris, says that European Commissioners are culpable.

"I believe they have either been completely ignorant of the situation, which I think is terrible, which means a complete breakdown of communications within the commission," he says.

"Or they have ignored all the warning signs, and I think that's almost being complicit in a cover up."

Looking tough

Mr Blak says the problem goes further, and that this is about the whole culture of the commission.

Pedro Solbes
Pedro Solbes is the commissioner responsible for Eurostat
"It's people who are working, not for the European taxpayer, but working for themselves," he says.

"People say if you don't say anything about me I will not say anything about you. And if we don't change the system, the commission will kill themselves."

There is anger right across the European Parliament with the behaviour of the commission. Some sceptical observers here in Brussels are saying that MEPs are puffing out their chests because they face elections next year and there is nothing better than stamping your foot and looking tough.

Whatever the motives, the MEPs are scowling at one commissioner in particular.

He is Pedro Solbes, the man with direct responsibility for Eurostat, and more to the point, say some MEPs, the man who is most closely identified with the euro's much vilified stability and growth pact.

Mr Solbes and the rest of the commissioners began their term of office in 1999 after charges of nepotism and financial mismanagement forced the resignation of their predecessors.

When they took charge they each signed a letter addressed to the president of the commission, Romano Prodi, promising that if he asked them to resign, they would.

Sense of responsibility

So if it comes to it, will they?

You can have as good rules as you want, but if nobody is using them then they are worth nothing
Dorte Schmidt-Brown
"There is no shadow of a doubt in my mind, or in anyone else's mind, that if it ever were to come to that, everybody would honour their pledges," says Mr Prodi's spokesman, Reijo Kemppinen.

And that sense of responsibility is something which Dorte Schmidt Brown, the Eurostat employee now on indefinite sick leave, hopes will pervade the whole workings of the commission.

"That's my hope, that I can help the people that run into problems, that they will get an easier situation than the one I have gone through," she says.

"That is my biggest aim in this case because you can have as good rules as you want, [but] if nobody is using them then they are worth nothing."

On 25 September Romano Prodi will face members of the European Parliament to answer questions about the Eurostat affair.

Those MEPs are already warning that it will be a deeply uncomfortable experience.

Cresson faces fraud inquiry
15 Feb 00  |  Europe
Prodi unveils EU reforms
27 Jan 00  |  Europe

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text:
Audio Slideshow: The jazz age hits Main Street

It was a time of prohibition, black migration, and new "talkie" movies.

The 1920s and 1930s may have brought liberal freedoms for some Americans - but in the conservative rural heartlands many others were determined to resist change.

Through this collection of archive photographs, Professor David Reynolds, presenter of Radio 4's landmark series America, Empire of Liberty looks at what happened when the jazz age hit Main Street.

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Warning: Slideshow contains graphic images.

Click 'show captions' for photograph information. Music: Louisiana Stomp / Prohibition Blues, performed by the Missourians / One of these days, performed by Louis Armstrong / Swampland Blues, composed by Steffan Grossman. Photographs courtesy Getty Images / AFP.

Slideshow by Paul Kerley. Publication date 20 February 2009.

Professor David Reynolds presents America, Empire of Liberty- a landmark series on the history of the United States. This slideshow features extracts from the episode The Jazz Age Hits Main Street, which broadcasts on Friday 20 February at 1545 GMT on BBC Radio 4.

You can also listen to the series on the programme website, or the BBC iPlayer.

David Reynolds is Professor of International History at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Christ's College. His accompanying book 'America, Empire of Liberty' is available now.

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BBC News
watch One-Minute World News
Last Updated: Friday, 23 June 2006, 11:28 GMT 12:28 UK
Wartime diary to hit small screen
Nella Last and her son Cliff
Nella Last began her diary in 1939
The diary of a Cumbrian housewife written during World War II is to be made into a major ITV television drama.

Comedienne Victoria Wood, 53, is to write and star in Housewife, 49 - based on the diary of Nella Last.

It follows Nella, of Barrow-in-Furness, as she struggles to come to terms with her difficult marriage and her sons growing up and no longer needing her.

Wood, who wrote Dinnerladies and Acorn Antiques, said Nella's writing was a "fantastic story."

It will be Wood's first television drama for ITV in 25 years - the last was Nearly A Happy Ending in 1981.

She said: "This is not the war of the newsreels - it's about tiny domestic difficulties, chilly church halls, lumpy custard.

"And Nella is fighting her own war, one that she hopes will end in liberation. I was given Nella's diary many years ago, and had always thought it was a fantastic story - with a load of great parts for middle-aged women."

The drama, which begins in the first weeks of the war, will also feature Shameless star David Threlfall.

Victoria Wood
Comedienne Victoria Wood will write and star in Housewife, 49

Nella was a housewife, married to a shop-fitter and joiner. She began her diary in September 1939 as a volunteer for the Mass Observation Archive.

This was set up to record the views of ordinary British people and recruited volunteers to observe British life, and diarists to record day-to-day account of their lives.

Nella's eldest son, Arthur, was a tax inspector and exempt from conscription and her youngest son, Cliff, was in the Army.

On Thursday 8 August 1940 she wrote: "If I could choose, I'd like to be a man when I 'come again'. Men do seem to get the best out of life. All the responsibility and effort, all the colour and romance."

Wood and Walters get comedy award
08 Dec 05 |  Entertainment
Faces of the week
19 Aug 05 |  Magazine
Comic Wood voted 'funniest woman'
18 Aug 05 |  Entertainment

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Royal Caribbean Orders Third Oasis-Class Vessel

MIAMI, Florida -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL) announced that it has executed a contract with STX France to construct a third Oasis-class vessel for delivery in mid-2016.  This order is consistent with the plan announced by the company in October to build a sister-ship to the very successful Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas .

"The Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have fundamentally transformed the cruise experience for our guests," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.  "These ships have consistently generated outstanding guest satisfaction ratings and continue to produce superior financial results.  We are thrilled to be adding a sister to this extraordinary class of vessels at a compelling price.  Being back building in France just adds to the pleasure."

"STX France is proud to partner with Royal Caribbean again and continue our decades-long relationship by building the third Oasis-class ship," said Laurent Castaing, chief executive officer of STX France. "Royal Caribbean has always been an important part of our shipyard's success, and we are delighted to add this highly innovative and spectacular ship to the list of vessels we have built together."

The newbuild contract includes the transfer of Pullmantur's Atlantic Star as part of the consideration.  Additionally, the contract is subject to satisfaction of financing and other conditions.  STX France has also provided the company with a one-year option for the mid-year 2018 delivery of a fourth Oasis-class vessel at similar pricing.

Including today's contract and existing ship orders, projected capital expenditures for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 are $1.3 billion, $700 million, $1.2 billion, $1.2 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively.  The company's annualized capacity growth rate from 2012 to 2016 remains at a historically low rate of 3.5%.

Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are the largest and most revolutionary cruise ships in the world.  Architectural marvels at sea, they span 16 decks, encompass 225,282 gross registered tons, carrying 5,400 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,700 staterooms.  The ships sail weekly from their home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas debuted in November 2009 and November 2010 respectively, introducing a range of unique industry "firsts" and engineering marvels including a neighborhood concept – seven themed areas providing guests with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences based on their personal style, preference or mood.

Within these seven neighborhoods – Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone – are extraordinary elements such as the first park at sea, a thrilling zip line that races diagonally nine-decks above an open-air atrium, an original handcrafted carousel, 28 multilevel urban-style loft suites boasting floor-to-ceiling windows, an aquatic amphitheater – called the AquaTheater that serves as a pool by day and a dazzling ocean front theater by night; and an array of epicurean innovations that allow for new culinary experiences each day of a guest's cruise vacation.

"As the cruise line that revolutionized the industry with the FlowRider surf simulator, ice-skating rinks, cantilevered whirlpools and rock climbing walls, we are eager to add this third award winning Oasis-class ship to our brand portfolio.  This addition will allow us to showcase our legacy of innovation and imagination to even more guests around the world," said Adam Goldstein, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International.

With the success of the Oasis-class ships, Royal Caribbean International is currently undergoing a fleetwide revitalization program to bring the latest innovations and the highest guest-rated programs from Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas to the cruise line's ships across the fleet.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE,OSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France, as well as TUI Cruises through a 50 percent joint venture.  Together, these six brands operate a combined total of 41 ships with four under construction.  They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 460 destinations on all seven continents.

SOURCE Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.


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Breaking News: Irrational Games Folds-Up Shop
BioShock Infinite

In a bit of surprising news, co-founder of Irrational Games Ken Levine announced today that they would be “winding down” the company as we know it, in light of a new venture.

Levine revealed that after seventeen years, it’s time that he turned his energy toward making a different type of game. After initially planning to set out on his own for this next-chapter, it was those at Take-Two who ultimately swayed him to stay with their organization for his future projects. “When I first contemplated what I wanted to do, it became very clear to me that we were going to need a long period of design. Initially, I thought the only way to build this venture was with a classical startup model, a risk I was prepared to take. But when I talked to Take-Two about the idea, they convinced me that there was no better place to pursue this new chapter than within their walls. After all, they’re the ones who believed in and supported BioShock in the first place.” He explained.

Unfortunately, as this will indicate a new beginning for the BioShock creator, it will mean the end for many of those at Irrational Games. Levine states that only 15 teams members will be joining him at Take-Two, but they will allow those facing lay-offs to stay on for an extended period of time to get their portfolios together and meet with other developers about potential opportunities (possibly elsewhere within Take-Two itself).

As for the future of the BioShock series, 2K will be handed the reins from here on out (with DLC for the latest BioShock Infinite still on the way).

To read Ken Levine’s full post, visit

Jason Messer
Jason Messer

Editor-in-Chief / Video Content Director
Date: 02/19/2014

02/19/2014 12:47AM

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Furman dedicates Trone Student Center

President Carl Kohrt '65 presents keys to the building to donors Robert '83 and Margaret Hill (left) and David '77 and June Trone.
President Carl Kohrt ’65 presents keys to the building to donors Robert ’83 and Margaret Hill (left) and David ’77 and June Trone.

See photographer Jeremy Fleming’s images of the event

Furman University celebrated the completion of the newly expanded and renovated Trone Student Center with a dedication ceremony Thursday, Sept. 19.

More than 100 people attended the ceremony, which took place outside in the Hill Courtyard of the Trone Student Center.  The facility has undergone a $7.75 million expansion and renovation during the last 18 months in an effort to make it a more central part of student life.

The dedication included remarks by Furman interim president Carl Kohrt and trustees David Trone ’77 and Robert Hill ’83.  The Trone Student Center is named for Trone and his wife, June, in honor of their $3.5 million naming gift.

The redesigned building includes new spaces for student clubs and organizations, as well as expanded social and dining areas for students.  A new full-service restaurant, The Paddock, has both indoor and outdoor seating.  In addition to the Hill Courtyard, the outside area features a fire pit and a new promenade along the Furman Lake that includes shaded pavilions for dining.

The offices of the Rinker Center for Study Away and International Education, Cothran Center for Vocational Reflection, and Johnson Center for Engaged Learning moved into the Trone Center moved as part of the redesign.  The building also houses the offices of Career Services and the Shucker Center for Leadership Development.

David Trone is owner and president of Total Wine & More, a company he started with his brother, Robert, in 1991. The company operates 95 Wine superstores in 15 states, and is the largest independent retailer of wine in the country.

After graduating from Furman, Trone earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to serving as a member of Furman’s Board of Trustees, he serves on the Wharton Entrepreneurial Advisory Board and on The Bullis School Board of Trustees in Potomac, Md.

June Trone earned a degree in engineering from Stony Brook University and worked at Scott Paper Company for five years as both a process engineer and industrial engineer.  She earned an M.B.A. degree from the Wharton School in 1985.

The Trones have four children, and reside in Potomac, Md.

For more information, contact Furman’s News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107.

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Greenville takes the spotlight in "Country Living" magazine and makes another "must see destination" list.

Mayor Knox White to speak on campus Feb. 22

City of Greenville mayor since 1995, White will speak about "Reimagining Greenville." His talk is presented by Furman's Community Engagement Initiative.


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July 2009 Archives

MCCI_Day.jpgToday's private seminar at Expo Comm Wireless Japan 2009, "MCCI Day," featured opening remarks by MCPC Secretary General Masahiro Hataguchi and presentations by MCCI CEO Terry Moore, Synopsys' Takahiro Tomonaga (not pictured), Gemalto's Takayuki Fujimori, and Renesas' Jun Ieta. Expert simultaneous translations were provided by Comfort, Inc. Speaking to a packed audience, the presenters guided participants through the intracacies of USB 3.0, USB UICC, WUSB, MBN, Hand-over Drivers, and general USB networking.  Read posted presentations here.
37,000 registered visitors to Expo Comm Wireless Japan 2009 are converging on the Tokyo Big Sight today through Thursday in what is known worldwide as the premier event specializing in Wireless & Mobile networks, Personal Area Networks, Internet ITS, Home networks, and other wireless technologies. At the MCCI booth, staff are set up to give product demos for USB UICC and Win 7 MBN Drivers to the existing and potential customers who stop in.
On August 3, MCCI CEO Terry Moore,  together with NEC's Mr. Yoshiyuki Tomoda, and LeCroy's Mr. Chris Busso, David Li, and Roy Chestnut will speak at a LeCroy-sponsored seminar in Taipei, Taiwan. Speakers will focus on integrating, qualifying, and testing components in the development of SuperSpeed USB solutions. The role of 5Gbps signaling and power management will be discussed, as will backwards compatibility with USB 2.0 environments.  Attendees will learn about the latest tools and techniques to help accelerate their USB 3.0 integration and test challenges. For details and registration information, please visit the organizer's site.

MCCI has made the Experimental Network Control Model (ENCM) Class Specification publicly available via locked PDF. As network speeds increase and  tolerance for delays decreases, developers are embracing ENCM as the preferred solution for transporting Ethernet frames across USB.


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'I was really talking about Mr. Harper': Justin Trudeau tries to explain anti-Alberta interview, Tories want him fired

Under pressure: Justin Trudeau speaks to reporters in Vancouver Friday after he apologized for anti-Alberta comments made in a 2010 interview.

Justin Trudeau tries to explain anti-Alberta interview, Tories want him fired

Justin Trudeau apologized Friday for a controversial television interview in which he blamed the country’s problems on Albertans controlling the “socio-democratic” agenda, but he continued to suggest his comments have been misinterpreted.

Several senior Conservative MPs seized on the interview, with Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose calling on Trudeau to resign or be fired as the Liberal Party critic for post-secondary education, youth and amateur sport.

The interview, broadcast in 2010 on the French-language television station Tele-Quebec, was resurrected a day earlier in news reports and immediately seized upon by the Conservatives.

Trudeau apologized during a stop in Vancouver, insisting he was really just making a clumsy attack on Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who rose to power as an MP from Calgary.

“I was wrong to relate the area of the country that Mr. Harper is from … with the policies that he has that don’t represent the values of most Canadians,” Trudeau told a gathering of reporters.

Kelly McParland: McGuinty and Trudeau give Albertans new cause to be wary of Liberals pitching woo

In ancient times, when Liberals ruled the land, they could always count on the rival Conservatives to help them out in a pinch. Late in a close election, with a riding – or the country – on the line, some slow-witted right-winger could always be relied on to open his yap and fire a verbal cannonball straight at the party’s hopes. Sometimes it was even on tape.

Now Stephen Harper’s middle-ground Tory troopers have reversed even that role. First David McGuinty denounces Alberta MPs as small-minded lackies of Big Oil who should stick to running local councils and school boards. Then the dauphin himself, Justin Trudeau, worsens the situation on a video that conveniently appears as he and other party worthies are doing their best to steal a seat, and a lot of Tory thunder, in Calgary, heart of the Harper heartland.

Continue reading…

“It was wrong to use a shorthand to say Alberta when I was really talking about Mr. Harper’s government, and I’m sorry I did that.”

The Conservatives have used the interview as fodder to attack Trudeau and his party, particularly in Calgary, where a federal byelection scheduled for next week has become more competitive than expected.

When asked how the controversy might affect his party’s byelection chances, Trudeau largely ignored the question, instead accusing the Conservatives of resorting to attacks in a moment of panic over the prospect of losing in the Calgary-Centre byelection.

In a 2010 appearance on the program Les francs-tireurs, Trudeau said: “Canada isn’t doing well right now because it’s Albertans who control our community and socio-democratic agenda. It doesn’t work.”

He also said Canada would be better served if there were more Quebecers than Albertans in charge, arguing “the great prime ministers of the 20th Century” have come from Quebec.

On Friday, Trudeau said his comments about the lack of Quebecers — and the abundance of Albertans — in power was an attempt to urge voters in Quebec to vote for a national party capable of forming government.

“The interview I gave was very much focused on telling Quebecers how very important it was to stop voting for the Bloc Quebecois and to start engaging once again with the national discourse in Canada,” he said.

Screengrab from Tele-Quebec

The Conservatives resumed their attacks Friday, with MPs in Parliament taking turns assailing Trudeau and the Liberals.

The Tories were eager to link the Trudeau interview with comments from David McGuinty, an Ontario MP who resigned as the Liberal party’s natural resources critic earlier this week after accusing Conservative MPs from Alberta of being “shills” for the oil industry. McGuinty said those MPs should “go back” to Alberta.

“We knew, of course, that this anti-Alberta attitude was deeply held in the Liberal party but we did not know how close to the surface it was,” Ambrose, who represents the Alberta riding of Edmonton-Spruce Grove, told Parliament.

This isn’t the first time Trudeau has found himself on the defensive over comments about Quebec.

In a French-language interview in February, Trudeau took issue with the social conservative policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government and indicated he would be in favour of Quebec separating if they continued.

“I always say that if, some time, I believed that Canada was really the Canada of Stephen Harper, and it was going against abortion, and it was going against same-sex marriage, and that it was moving backwards in 10,000 different ways, maybe I would think about making Quebec a country,” said the Montreal-area MP in the weekend interview with Radio-Canada.

“Oh yes. Absolutely. If I no longer recognize Canada. For me, my values, I know them very well. But I believe profoundly in Canada and I know that Quebec within Canada can (restore all this).”

Trudeau, whose father was well known for battling against Quebec independence and opposing many demands for the province to have more power in the federation, also said he was sad to see Quebecers losing their influence in federal government decisions.

“When Quebec is not involved in the governance of this country, this country moves too much toward the right,” he said in the radio interview. “It’s not necessarily that Canadians don’t have the same values as us Quebecers. It’s that there’s a way of seeing social responsibility, openness toward others, a cultural pride here in Quebec that’s necessary for Canada and it saddens me a great deal (to see what’s happening now).”

Trudeau later sought to defend himself in a bizarre press conference in which he spoke in the third-person.

“The question is not why does Justin Trudeau suddenly not love this country because the question is ridiculous,” Trudeau said. “I live this country in my bones in every breath I take, and I’m not going to stand here and somehow defend that I actually do love Canada because we know I love Canada.”

Trudeau also found himself in trouble after swearing at Environment Minister Peter Kent in the House of Commons last December.

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By Staff Reporter : PNG Today

Ramu NiCo expects production improvement in 2017

THE Ramu Nickel/Cobalt project in Madang expects better process stability, productivity and Mixed Hydroxide Product (MHP) quality following huge improvement on technical modification efficiency, technical plan and processes achieved last year.

Following strict requirements from MCC-Group due to high operational costs and low world nickel price resulting in huge financial deficit,RamuNiCo management strived to improve the project production and witnessed a series of technical modification and bottlenecking projects that ultimately overcame process constraints and improved production quality.

President of RamuNiCo Management (MCC) Ltd, GaoYongxue announced this on Tuesday January 24, during the Company 2017 Annual Work Conference via video conferencing, attended by company employees and management from KBK Mine, Basamuk Refinery, Madang Base and Beijing.

“The year 2016 has witnessed a series of technical modification and debottlenecking projects officially launched to overcome process constraints for improved production quality,”
“This has settled the conditions for better process stability, productivity and MHP quality in the future,”Mr.Gao said.
Mr.Gao said technical breakthrough has been made in hydraulic sluicing in KBK Mine that reduced production costs with a stable nickelsupply over 20 ton per day currently.
Modular and precision management skills were applied to nickel grade control in KBKMine forquality slurry supply, assuring for high-load and stableproduction in Basamuk Refinery that has seen ore throughput at Basamuk Refinery exceeding 10,000 ton (dry base) per day, much higher than the design, according to the Company management.

“At Basamuk Refinery, continuous improvements have been done in process parameter control including the thickeners resulting in improved underflow density over 35%, stabalized nickel recovery rate of 95% and minimized acid consumption,”
“Stable operation of thickeners plus adjustment of crystal seed ratio and nickel precipitation rate have contributed to improved MHP quality with a nickel content over 37% and the moisture rate below 62%,”Mr.Gao said.

The Company President said consumption of all raw materials and energy has been decreased while the sulphur melting capacity of the acid system has reached 1,300 ton per day meeting the full day acid demand after more efforts been put into managing process technical indexes.
“The permanent change to crystal seed conversion process has effectively  bottlenecked problems for the downstream process and the production reached above 100% design capacity towards the end of 2016 will be maintained if the trend continuous,”Mr.Gao said.

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Drowning victims were Shoreline students

Two young men who drowned late Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, at Green Lake in Seattle have been identified by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office as Euel Desta, 21, of Shoreline, and Abenezer Getachew, 23, of Snohomish County.

Abenezer Getachew

Abenezer Getachew

Euel Desta

Euel Desta

Both Desta and Getachew were students at Shoreline Community College and had been attending classes during summer quarter. According to media reports, both were unresponsive when pulled from the water and later died at Harborview Medical Center.

“Euel was just such an inspirational young man,” said Mariko Kakiuchi, Assistant Director of Career Education Options (CEO), a support program that assisted Desta. “He was making such great progress.” While not officially participating with CEO, others said that Getachew was regularly there because the two were such good friends and always together.

Yvonne Terrell-Powell, Director of Equity, Engagement & Counseling Services and High School Programs said counseling services would be available on campus through her office. For information, call 206-546-4509 or e-mail at yterrell@shoreline.edu.

Friends have opened a fundraising effort for funeral expenses for Desta at www.gofundme.com/cui2w4.

1 Comment

  1. Deven says:

    What a tragic accident. Hope their families find comfort in this time of grieving. May they find peace where ever they are now.

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Governments Exist to Further the Interests of Favored Groups

We the People are Never the Favored Group – Published on Global (first on, by Prof. John Kozy, July 13, 2012.

Governments have never existed to solve problems domestic or international. Governments and their institutions exist merely to further and secure the interests of favored groups, but We the People are never the favored group.

Paul Krugman recently wrote that

  • the fact is that the Fed, like the European Central Bank, like the U.S. Congress, like the government of Germany, has decided that avoiding economic disaster is somebody else’s responsibility.
  • None of this should be happening. As in 1931, Western nations have the resources they need to avoid catastrophe, and indeed to restore prosperity — and we have the added advantage of knowing much more than our great-grandparents did about how depressions happen and how to end them. But knowledge and resources do no good if those who possess them refuse to use them.
  • And that’s what seems to be happening. The fundamentals of the world economy aren’t, in themselves, all that scary; it’s the almost universal abdication of responsibility that fills me, and many other economists, with a growing sense of dread.

Krugman and most other Americans are fond of blaming social problems on the personal failings of individuals rather than on the systemic failings of institutions. It is people borrowing more than they can afford rather than banks lending too loosely or consumers saving too little rather than businesses paying too little to enable consumers to save that causes all of the problems. But borrowing and lending and saving and income are not independent variables. People are persons with personal failures but banks are institutions with systemic failures, and the systemic failures can entice people to engage in activities that may look like personal failures but are not. Krugman and many others assume that governments and their institutions exist to solve the problems peoples face. When the problems persist, these people again assume that it is because those in government just aren’t doing their jobs. But there is very little historical evidence to support this view … //

… During an interview on Internet radio, I was once asked, being a veteran, why soldiers fight. The host, I am certain, expected some profound response such as for God and country, for human dignity, for the rights and freedoms our people enjoy. But I merely answered, because they’re there!

When we take perfectly normal young Americans off the street and send them into battle, we do not presume that they are inherently killers. After all, killers are bad people. Yet we send these good young men and women off to kill and they do. When they return, we again do not assume they are killers. We expect them to return to being perfectly normal young men and women. So do bankers do what they do because they’re bad people or because they’re bankers and banking requires it? Are politicians corrupt because they are bad people or are they corrupt because politics requires it?

People, ask yourselves this question. Do our institutions make us what we are? If our institutions promote greed, will we be greedy, if our institutions promote killing will we be killers, if our institutions promote bribery, will we be bribed, if our institutions promote corruption, will we be corrupt? What will we be when our institutions promote goodness and how can we build such institutions?

The Romans had an expression—cui prodest?—meaning “who stands to gain?” Who advocates a specific view isn’t important; what is important is who stands to gain from it. Only then can who the view favors be known. But in today’s world, cui prodest? is too general a question. It is too easy to conjure up arguments that purport to show that many or even all gain. That everyone gains from tax cuts for the rich can be argued ad infinitum.

But who stands to gain the most financially can’t. It always has a specific answer, and if you want to know who the government’s favored group is at any time, that is the question that must be answered. When the answer is some group other than the common people, the view must be rejected; otherwise, the human condition is mired in the mud of hate and will never improve, conflict will persist, and the human race will very likely exterminate itself and perhaps life itself.

Jefferson knew that merchants had no country. And that the business of America is business has often been voiced by the established elite and endorsed by the Republican party. The Congress is in gridlock because the Republicans do not care what happens to America or the American people, just so long as their favored constituents’ interests are preserved. That is what Paul Krugman and others like him fail to understand. That is why the models of economists, even if any turn out to work, are of no consequence. The only models that matter are those that advance and secure the interests of the favored group. Can the problem of unemployment be solved? Nobody in power really cares! Can the problem of world-wide poverty be solved? Nobody in power really cares! Can peace ever prevail between human beings? Nobody in power really cares! The dead require no benefits, and a very small government will suffice.

Since drafting this piece, I have discovered that three political scientists, Nolan McCarty, Keith Poole, and Howard Rosenthal, have provided empirical evidence for my thesis in Polarized America: The Dance of Ideology and Unequal Riches. Their views are summarized in a piece by Daniel Little:

“What is really interesting about this analysis is that it implies that the sizzling rhetoric coming from the right — personal attacks on the President, anti-gay rants, renewed heat around abortion and contraception — is just window dressing. By the evidence of voting records, what the right really cares about is economic issues favoring the affluent — tax cuts, reduced social spending, reduced regulation of business activity, and estate taxes. This isn’t to say that the enraged cultural commentators aren’t sincere about their personal belief — who knows? But the policies of their party are very consistent, in the analysis offered here. Maybe the best way of understanding the extremist pundits is as a class of well-paid entertainers, riffing on themes of hatred and cultural fundamentalism that have nothing to do with the real goals of their party.”

There you have it. The people are viewed by the establishment as chickens to be broiled for lunch.
(full text).

(John Kozy is a retired professor of philosophy and logic who writes on social, political, and economic issues. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he spent 20 years as a university professor and another 20 years working as a writer. He has published a textbook in formal logic commercially, in academic journals and a small number of commercial magazines, and has written a number of guest editorials for newspapers. His on-line pieces can be found on and he can be emailed from that site’s homepage).

Link: The Collapsing US Economy and the End of the World, on Global, by Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, July 9, 2012.

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Friday, February 24, 2017
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SKorea ups alert ahead of North missile launch

/ 11:11 AM April 10, 2013

In this Feb. 7, 2013 file photo, an unidentified U.S. Marine from 3-Marine Expeditionary Force 1st Battalion from Kaneho Bay, Hawaii, aims his gun during a joint military winter exercise with their South Korean counterparts in Pyeongchang, east of Seoul, South Korea. As tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, one thing remains certain: All sides have good reason to avoid an all-out war. The last one, six decades ago, killed an estimated 4 million people. AP FILE PHOTO/Lee Jin-man

SEOUL — South Korea raised its military watch alert to “vital threat” Wednesday ahead of an expected North Korean missile launch, as UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned the Korean peninsula may be slipping out of control.

South Korean intelligence says the North had prepared two mid-range missiles for imminent launch from its east coast, despite warnings from ally China to avoid provocative moves at a time of soaring military tensions.

Last week, North Korea told foreign diplomats in Pyongyang they had until April 10 to consider evacuation, fuelling speculation that a launch was planned between Wednesday and the April 15 birthday celebrations for founding leader Kim Il-Sung.

On Tuesday, the North reiterated a warning that the Korean peninsula was headed for “thermo-nuclear” war and advised foreigners to consider leaving South Korea.

In a further sign of the rising nuclear tensions, a key border crossing between North Korea and China has been closed to tourist groups, a Chinese official said Wednesday.

The South Korea-US Combined Forces Command raised its “Watchcon” status from 3 to 2 reflecting indications of a “vital threat”, Yonhap news agency said, citing a senior military official.

Watchcon 4 is in effect during normal peacetime, while Watchcon 3 reflects indications of an important threat. Watchcon 1 is used in wartime.

In a separate report, Yonhap quoted a government source as saying Pyongyang might be preparing “multiple” launches, after other launch vehicles were reportedly detected carrying shorter-range SCUD and Rodong missiles.

Although the North’s warnings to embassies in Pyongyang and foreigners in the South were both largely shrugged off, there is growing global concern that sky-high tensions might trigger an incident that could swiftly escalate.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said during a visit to Rome that he had spoken to the Chinese leadership to try to calm tensions, and would discuss the issue with US President Barack Obama on Thursday.

“The current level of tension is very dangerous, a small incident caused by miscalculation or misjudgement may create an uncontrollable situation,” Ban said.

White House spokesman Jay Carney, meanwhile, criticized Pyongyang for more “unhelpful rhetoric” that only served to create more uncertainty.

North Korea has wielded the “thermo-nuclear war” threat several times in recent months – most recently on March 7 – despite expert opinion that it is nowhere near developing such an advanced nuclear device.

The current crisis on the Korean peninsula has been intensifying almost daily since the North’s third nuclear test in February, which drew toughened UN sanctions.

Incensed by ongoing South Korean-US military exercises, Pyongyang has accused Washington and Seoul of preparing an invasion and threatened dire military actions from artillery barrages to nuclear strikes.

The mid-range missiles mobilised by the North are reported to be untested Musudan models with an estimated range of anywhere up to 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles).

That would cover any target in South Korea and Japan, and possibly even US military bases on the Pacific island of Guam.

Japan, where the armed forces have been authorised to shoot down any North Korean missile headed towards its territory, said Tuesday it had deployed Patriot missiles in its capital as a pre-emptive defense measure.

A top US military commander said Tuesday that he favoured shooting down a North Korean missile only if it threatened the United States or Washington’s allies in the region.

On Tuesday, North Korea withdrew its 53,000 workers from the Kaesong joint industrial zone with South Korea, signalling the possible demise of the sole surviving symbol of cross-border reconciliation.

Established in 2004, Kaesong has never closed before. Pyongyang’s move reflects the depth of the current crisis, which has otherwise been notable more for fiery rhetoric than action.

TAGS: alert level, Korean conflict, Military, missile test, North korea, South korea, US
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