Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Monarchs by the million flock to Mexico's drug country

ZITACUARO, Mexico (AP) ? He found the love of his life 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from home in a chance encounter that gave him butterflies, and she moved west to be with him. So of course, Jason Skipton told me, there could be no better place to propose marriage than in a swirl of orange and black butterflies that had migrated thousands of miles (kilometers) to mate.

Never mind that that the stunning monarch butterfly sanctuary was in an area of central Mexico contested by drug cartels. When Samantha Goldberger set up her camera and darted to Skipton's side for a Valentine's Day picture, he dropped to one knee and asked for her hand.

"This place is like a miracle. And it is a miraculous thing that took place with us," Skipton said. "No one knows why the monarchs travel so far, or come here to find each other. It is inexplicable."

Indeed, every year, millions of monarchs migrate from the eastern United States and Canada to central Mexico, a journey of 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) and more into a wooded land under attack by loggers in a region bloodied by drug traffickers. The tiger-striped butterflies arrive in late October and early November to hibernate in fir trees, clinging together like great clusters of fall leaves. Come February, they start to awaken in the warm sun, turn glittering somersaults in search of their mates, and begin to couple.

I had long wanted to see this magical sight, and to hear the delicate music the butterflies make with the fluttering of their wings. As I boarded the bus from Mexico City to Michoacan with my husband and a friend, I wondered what tourists we might encounter in a place both beautiful and beastly. Who had the appetite for travel to central Mexico after the U.S. government warned against non-essential travel to most of the state of Michoacan, where we were headed?

There didn't appear to be other foreigners making the bus trip, a two-hour ride out the Toluca highway and along winding country roads as a subtitled version of the movie "Abduction" aired on TV screens overhead. Our hosts and hoteliers, Pablo and Lisette Span, had told us to buy a ticket at the taxi stand in the Zitacuaro bus station for the 10-minute ride to their Rancho San Cayetano. We did, arriving safe and sound.

Friends told us San Cayetano was one of the nicest and most charming places to stay in butterfly country. It's also one of the priciest, but the manicured grounds are lush and the rooms are cozy, each with a fireplace and woodpile ready to light at night. Although there are individual dining tables, guests naturally mingle and chat so that dinners and breakfasts become rather communal affairs. Pablo Span ate with us the first night and, in his gentlemanly way, tried to set us straight on the violence in Michoacan.

"Around the world, Mexico is synonymous with violence. But the violence is between the cartels fighting each other over territory, or between the cartels and the police and military. It's not against us. Not a single national or foreign tourist has died in the violence," he said.

The U.S. travel advisory makes a similar point that "attacks on Mexican government officials, law enforcement and military personnel ... have occurred throughout Michoacan."

Added Span: "The reality is ? touch wood ? we live exactly as we always have."

Touch wood? Really, that's our security policy?

But like Skipton and Goldberger, the guests we met were not only unfazed by the warnings, they were utterly captivated by the landscape. Another visiting couple, Michael Marez and Grace Buckley of Denver, Colorado, own a vacation house in Mazatlan, have been travelling throughout Mexico for years, and see no reason to stop now. They appeared to subscribe to the idea that violence is relative, noting that more than 1,700 people had been shot to death in the United States since the Newtown school massacre.

"People in the United States are desensitized to what happens in the United States and think what happens in Mexico is so much worse," said Marez. "We hope to avoid being collateral damage anywhere."

"You pay attention," added Buckley. "Sure Mexico has problems. They're sad and awful. But it's a wonderful country."

Rounding out the foreign crowd was a group of Intel employees and their families up from Mexico City. So it seemed the tourist pool, in this corner of Michoacan at least, was made up of expats, old Mexico hands, and hardy adventurers who consider witnessing the miracle of the monarch butterfly migration essential travel. (Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, also made the pilgrimage to see butterflies that weekend, but to the Piedra Herrada sanctuary near Valle de Bravo, in the state of Mexico.)

We opted to go to the reserve closest to San Cayetano called El Capulin, which technically is across the border from Michoacan in the state of Mexico. It is about half an hour's car ride from the hotel to the stables, where we rented some pretty scrawny horses and hired guides for the 1 ? hour trek uphill to the reserve at a place called Cerro Pelon. It was a rocky, dusty trip and there apparently are easier trails to the Sierra Chincua and the larger El Rosario sanctuaries in Michoacan, but it was well worth the saddle pain.

For here in the forest, I learned the great mystery of the monarchs, which is this: Most monarchs live only four or five weeks, but the generations that make the long migratory journey to Mexico live four or five months. They breed, the females lay their eggs on the road north, and die along with the males. Then, a year and five butterfly generations later, their descendants rely on some kind of instinctive GPS system to migrate south again, returning to exactly the same forest in central Mexico.

How cool is that?

Experts say the numbers of monarchs have been dwindling in recent years thanks to logging, insecticide use and other environmental pressures. We encountered a team of scientists from the World Wildlife Fund of Mexico and the Universities of Georgia and Wisconsin testing butterflies for parasites that attach themselves to the wings like excess baggage and drag the insects down. They found the ophryocystis elektroscirrha parasites on about 10 percent of the butterflies, which only weigh about a half-gram to begin with.

And yet, there are millions of them, flying, diving, sucking nectar from yellow and purple wildflowers, and seeking, like Skipton and Goldberger, the mates of their lives.

Recalling his romantic proposal, Goldberger said she remembers running to Skipton for the picture when "all of the sudden he was down on one knee." It took her a moment to realize what was happening. "It was incredible," she said.

And what did she respond?

"Yes."

___

If You Go...

BUTTERFLY MIGRATION IN MICHOACAN, MEXICO: http://www.visitmexico.com/en_us/VisitMexico30/Michocans_Billion_Monarch_Butterfly_Migration. Butterfly reserves are open mid-November through March. UNESCO World Heritage site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1290. Reserves include El Capulin, over the border from the state of Michoacan to the state of Mexico. Entry fee at El Capulin, 35 pesos ($2.75). Horseback riding, 200 pesos ($16.50) and fee for guide, 200 pesos ($16.50) plus tip.

RANCHO SAN CAYETANO: Zitacuaro, Michoacan, http://ranchosancayetano.com/. Nightly rates, $130 plus 18 percent tax. Can be paid in dollars or pesos but quoted in dollars. Dinner at San Cayetano, 350 pesos ($27.45) plus 15 percent tip. Breakfast, 170 pesos ($13.30) plus 15 percent tip. They also will arrange box lunch tours to the sanctuaries.

GETTING THERE: Two-hour bus ride from Mexico City to Zitacuaro, Michoacan, on La Linea, 170 pesos ($13.30). Taxi from bus station to lodging, 35 pesos ($2.75).

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mexico-butterfly-country-monarchs-million-150254523.html

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USFS proposes new trails, comments requested

COTA has submitted the letter below to our local Forest Service to comment on their proposal for new trail connections around the future site of the Visitor Center on Cascade Lakes Highway near the junction with Deschutes River road, USFS Road 41.

COTA would like to encourage anyone with an interest in this project to submit their own comments. You can copy parts of the official COTA letter below, use the bullet points to write your own letter, or just send in your own thoughts about it. Note that COTA has designed and planned most of the proposed single-track trails. Comments are due by March 4.

Please visit the USFS website for the project here:

<http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=41207>

Click on the link for ?Welcome Station Trail Connections Scoping Letter Signed? for instructions on how to send in your comments. The email address to submit written comments to the USFS is:

<comments-pacificnorthwest-deschutes-bend-ftrock@fs.fed.us>

?

Central Oregon Trail Alliance

P.O. Box 555

Bend, OR

97701

http://cotamtb.com/

re: Comments for Welcome Station Trail Connections Project

February 24, 2013

Dear Ranger Larkin,

Please accept these official comments regarding the Scoping of the Welcome Station Trail Connections Project.

Bend has become a world-class destination for mountain biking, thanks to forward-thinking Forest Service leaders, recreation planners and COTA, and our mutual willingness to cooperate. This Trail Connections project presents an opportunity to address a few very important missing ingredients to this already outstanding trail system. With decades of combined trail management experience in this region and a shared long-term vision for preserving and enhancing this resource, COTA and the Forest Service can see clearly what is needed. COTA fully supports the stated Purpose and Need for this project, however with a couple minor adjustments we can address some very critical future trends and protect current conditions right now.

Specifically we would like to address the following points in the proposed action:

  1. We want to emphasize the new trail connection (2a) along Road 41 as an alternative to the Deschutes River Trail is extremely important.
  2. The mileage of proposed beginner trails is insufficient to meet anticipated future needs.
  3. Reduction of existing roads or implementing Road-to-Trail conversion is not planned and should be considered.
  4. There should be no new trail junctions, all new trails can be logically connected to existing trails at existing trail junctions.
  5. Access to ?most difficult? trails (specifically COD) should be minimized and clearly marked, as these types of trails need to be both preserved and enhanced.

Below is our rationale for the above points.

1. New Trail Segment (2a) ?Catch & Release Trail? is a top priority

COTA applauds the Forest Service for proposing the N-S connector trail (segment 2a ? unofficially named ?Catch & Release trail?) because COTA feels this is a very important trail to provide for the public. This trail will accomplish several very important goals at the same time, namely, 1. It provides a safe alternative to cycling on Road 41, 2. It is an important alternative to the Deschutes River trail, and 3. This trail will allow links for intermediate and beginner level mountain bikers to the rest of the Wanoga & Phil?s Trail Systems from the city of Bend, the community of Sunriver and the Seventh Mountain Resort.

It is important to note that this trail is intentionally planned in the current proposed location in order to mitigate several potential problems. It is planned within 150 feet of Rd. 41 for the majority of the distance to reduce impacts to wildlife, and for planning simplicity and it is on the West side of Rd 41 in order to avoid the Deschutes River Wild & Scenic Corridor. With only anecdotal data to support the opinion that trails negatively impact wildlife migration, COTA wishes to point out that a trail in close proximity to a major Forest highway that sees significant high speed vehicular traffic cannot possibly impact wildlife any further. Certainly the trail itself is a far lower cause for concern than the road itself, while construction of the trail will have a lower impact on wildlife than the proposed West Bend Vegetation management activities.

Also, COTA would like to ask that you please consider whether the issue of wildlife impact is of greater importance than providing an important trail connection. COTA is of the opinion that non-motorized trails typically have low to zero impact upon wildlife. In a 2010 study in Arizona (see link here: http://www.heberrvresort.com/images/stories/pdf/2010-Arizona-off-road-and-hiking-trail-guides-and-maps.pdf ) on page 121 the writers confirm this opinion, and further state:

  • ?In many cases, scientific knowledge alone can?t determine whether wildlife impacts are great enough to preclude a trail. The decision also should be based on community values, including the benefits the trail will offer the public.?

Trail Segment 2a ?Catch & Release Trail? should be constructed as described in the Proposed action.

Trail use in the Wanoga Area is only going to increase due to the strong demand for progressive style trails that this area does provide. This use is primarily shuttling up to Wanoga, and riding downhill. Without a trail to connect directly to the lower end of Wanoga trails (specifically Storm King and Tyler?s Traverse which is due for completion this Spring) mountain bikers have but a few options to continue to town or other trailheads to the East. One of these options is the Deschutes River Trail. By providing a new trail to effectively ?catch? all this new downhill bike use we feel potential conflicts can be avoided on the Deschutes River Trail and the increased mountain bike use of Wanoga trails will be channeled back to the Welcome Station or other primary mountain bike trail heads.

COTA wishes to commend USFS Recreation staff for planning construction of this trail after certain West Bend Vegetation Management activities have been implemented in Summer 2013, however the need for this trail is urgent. Once Vegetation management activities have been completed COTA volunteers would like to begin trail construction as quickly as possible. This trail is also a key volunteer match to the proposed RTP grant application for the paved trail (Segments 1a & 1b) for which COTA has already committed support. It is with the above considerations that we stress the importance of this trail.

2. Insufficient Proposed Beginner trails

Since the COTA Board of Directors first learned of the plans to create a new Welcome Station at the junction of FS Road 41 and Cascade Lakes Highway, we have argued strenuously for additional beginner-level trails in the vicinity. This opinion is based on the need to provide ?easiest? trail opportunities for the general public that will use the new Welcome Station as a day-use trail head or enter the trail systems from Resort areas nearby. A popular ?most difficult? trail called COD is very close to the planned Welcome Station and COTA has concerns for the public safety and the long-term viability of this trail if all trail users have easy access to it. For trail management purposes, COD should be considered ?expert only?. COTA Members prize this ?most difficult? trail opportunity and we feel we need to reserve COD as a true black diamond trail.

Since the Forest Service wishes to provide trail access from the Visitor Center to the rest of the trail system it is extremely important that this access be made available for the greatest number of potential trail users, so a beginner-level trail is absolutely necessary to connect to existing beginner-level trails. Also, since everyone prefers a mountain bike loop ride, the need to create complete, beginner-friendly loops from the Welcome station should be a top priority.

With this in mind COTA had assisted the Forest Service over the past year in planning and designing appropriate beginner trail opportunities in this area. Several objectives were considered when planning these beginner trails (Segments 3a, 3b, 3c & 3d), however some late changes have been proposed which may look OK on a proposed map, but will not function well on the ground. As a beginner mountain biker progresses in skill and fitness they will typically seek both longer and more difficult opportunities, but not necessarily at the same time. Options need to exist for beginners to have both longer beginner loops and incrementally more challenging trails. For the most part the West Bend trail system does meet these objectives therefore the proposed day-use trail activity originating at the Welcome Station needs more ?ground-truthing? to accomplish this objective.

A particular issue is with the proposed beginner trail Segment 3d as it meets existing trail ELV (?Elvin Magic?). ELV is rated ?intermediate? and the only other trail option at that particular junction is COD, rated ?most difficult?. COTA proposes retaining the section 5c to connect to proposed section 3b heading further West, and providing continuity on COD (section 4) heading South. This also eliminates the need for two additional junctions. (See #4 below for further rationale on this point)

Mountain bikers seek a trail opportunity primarily based upon its difficulty rating, while scenic or other values are secondary. It is not only important to provide ample opportunities for those seeking beginner type of experiences, but also to ensure they don?t get ?stuck? in an area where the only options are to turn and go back or proceed on a trail that is beyond their ability. Most cyclists are unlikely to ?go back?, preferring instead to keep going. It is for this reason beginner options are ideally designed in a ?stacked loop?, enabling riders to complete an entire loop within one difficulty level. Put another way, beginners have no business trying to ride an advanced trail such as COD. Effective planning and design must address this issue, and it is COTA?s opinion the scope of the current proposal is insufficient to meet this need.

COTA has proposed beginner trails connecting from the Welcome Station all the way to Ben?s trail to the North and to ELV to the East. Proposed Segment 3b following road 4604 within 150 feet is an adequate solution but it will necessitate a new junction, and it remains to be seen whether a complete ?beginner loop? can be achieved under this proposal.

Not only does COTA feel that the new Welcome Station will increase the number of beginner riders, but we also feel that the new tunnel under Cascade Lakes Highway immediately East of FS Road 41 is going to draw more trail users to this location. Event promoters especially will regard this as one less obstacle for planning a route since the tunnel allows crossing the highway without county mandated crossing guards during permitted events. The Forest Service has invested in this new tunnel, now is an opportunity to plan appropriate trails to accommodate this new facility. More use necessitates more trails, especially during events so that the general public is not displaced.

3. Consider Road to Trail conversion

COTA feels that there is opportunity to convert some existing closed and / or open roads to trails to satisfy the need for more beginner trail inventory. Also, some sections of existing ?most difficult? rated trail are actually ?easiest? compliant. Several sections of proposed trail 3c meet this criterion, and this will necessitate re-routing corresponding sections of COD to segregate these two trails. Again, COTA will work closely with FS Recreation staff to determine the best, most logical options on the ground, but we simply want to point out that there is a potential for road to trail conversion, and to include this in any Proposed Actions and future funding requests.

Reducing road inventory can have multiple benefits to wildlife, it aids in the prevention of the spread of invasive species and it reduces illegal (out of season) motorized use. Removing roads has benefits, but so too does creating trails. Healthful economic, social and volunteer stewardship benefits are very well documented.

4. Reducing the need for new trail Junctions

The trail systems West of Bend already have a plethora of trail junctions and the numbering system for these is working well although there are junctions numbering up to 60?s.? Damaged or inadequate junction post signage is becoming a maintenance issue, which COTA is challenged to address. On the Scoping letter map Inset page, the proposed new trails seem to indicate the need for two additional trail junctions (trails 3b & 4, and 3c & 3d). We have found that too many junctions, too close to each other can lead to confusion. Again we see the solution is with further ground-truthing and with changes to proposed trails designed, as described above in #2.

Whenever possible, future trails should tie in to existing trail junctions to reduce construction effort and expense. Changing the small placard signs on existing junction posts is a project COTA is already engaged in. This has the added benefit of ?more efficiency? and fewer signs in the forest. COTA prefers the aesthetic of less signage whenever possible.

5. Retain and improve the ?Most Difficult? trail options

A majority of COTA?s constituency and membership have requested more options for advanced riding opportunities. Since this proposal only creates new beginner trail opportunities it does nothing to address this need. It is important to COTA, our 500 members and thousands of constituents that ?advanced? riding options be preserved or enhanced. COD is one such opportunity. This is why we expressed alarm when the Welcome Station (and expected day-use from there) was proposed in April 2010. Retention of ?most difficult? riding is one of COTA?s top priorities.

This is a concern because, as we?ve seen over and over again, difficult obstacles are very often removed or skirted by trail users that cannot meet the challenge. This is extremely frustrating to those who have worked on these trails and are able to ride them. It?s best if clear alternative trails are provided and difficulty ratings are clearly marked so that these challenging trails are preserved. COTA is committed to preserving these ?most difficult? trail opportunities.

Fortunately, within this project proposal there are several ways to enhance advanced riding opportunities: 1. Reduce the possibility for beginner riders to enter advanced trails, 2. Enhance the COD trail itself for advanced riding and 3. Create re-routes to COD to provide a more consistently difficult trail. Of these options, number 1 is achievable with proper planning. COTA has identified several key areas on the existing COD trail both to the North East and West of the Welcome Station where we can increase the difficulty rating so that we can achieve a consistent ?most difficult? rating along the trail, meeting an indentified need. In implementing this project COTA cautions the Forest Service to consider the unintended consequences of linking beginner to advanced trails without beginner loop options.

Thank you for your consideration of these comments.

Woody Starr, Chairman for

Central Oregon Trail Alliance

P.O. Box 555

Bend, OR

97709

http://cotamtb.com/

Source: http://cotamtb.com/2013/usfs-proposes-new-trails-comments-requested/

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Say Goodbye To In-Person Consultations, Avvo Debuts ?Marketplace? To Let You Price Lawyer Fees Online

avvo marketplaceIt's a given that if you get yourself into a big mess -- say, a major accident or a big financial pickle -- you're probably going to hire a lawyer. But if you are going through something a bit more routine, such as a traffic ticket or a relatively peaceful divorce, you may hesitate to seek out legal advice, afraid that it will cost more than it's worth. After all, even seeking out the right lawyer for the job and finding out how much their services would cost could take up a lot of time; and we all know that time is money. Avvo, the Seattle-based company that brings legal reviews and Q&A online, has launched a new tool to make seeking out just that information much more accessible. It's called "Marketplace," and it essentially lets you research attorneys for your specific case and receive free proposals from potential legal representatives including details on price and approach. In the beginning, Marketplace, which launched this past week, is aimed initially only at the traffic ticket and divorce markets, with other segments to launch in the future.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/I8yyvWtjPQg/

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Monday, February 25, 2013

The Chromebook Pixel: A Beautiful Premium Laptop For Those Who Live In The Cloud (But Not For Anyone Else)

chromebook_pixelThe Chromebook Pixel is the best Chromebook ever made. As with all Chromebooks, that may mean nothing to you if you don't like ChromeOS, but there can be little doubt that the Pixel is a beautiful piece of precision engineering that feels like a premium laptop that wouldn't be out of place in any line-up of $1,000+ laptops. And that's before you even look at the 12.86" touchscreen with the unusual, but very useful, 3:2 aspect ration, which beats Apple's Retina displays in terms of pixel density.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/5CIhblXyF8E/

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Off-Shore Oil Rigs Have Been "Incapacitated" By Malware Thanks To Pirated Music and Porn

Hacks have been popping up all over the place recently. Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, various news organizations. And off-shore oil rigs aren't to be left out. According to the Houston Chronicle, more than one of the things have been "incapacitated" by malware that can be traced back to the Internet's most common vices: pirated music and porn. More »


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TCU rifle to return to NCAA Championships

TCU rifle has a shot at its third national championship title in four years, as the team was selected as one of the top eight teams to compete in the NCAA Championship.

The top eight teams were announced Wednesday evening. The competitors are TCU, West Virginia, Kentucky, Alaska-Fairbanks, Jacksonville State, Army, Nebraska and Air Force.

Team qualifiers were determined by combining the team's top three scores in both smallbore and air rifle for the 2012-2013 season, adding the team's score from their qualifier this past weekend and averaging the four scores.

The event will mark the seventh straight year that the Horned Frogs qualified for the NCAA Championship.?The Frogs were national air rifle champions in 2010 and 2012, finished third in 2008 and 2011, and finished fifth in 2007 and 2009.?

Senior Sarah Scherer was the individual smallbore national champion in 2010 and 2012.

The team shot over the 4,700 point-mark three times this season including a school-record of 4,718 against Kentucky on Nov. 17.

Scherer broke the NCAA record in smallbore with an individual 597 score and set the NCAA record for an aggregate score when combined with her 598 score in air rifle.

Team members include Sarah Beard, Catherine Green, Megan Lee and Scherer.

The rifle team went undefeated in the 2012-2013 regular season and are riding a 23-match win streak. The team has only lost two matches since the start of the 2009-2010 season.

The 2013 NCAA Championship takes place at the Ohio State University March 8 and 9.

Source: http://www.tcu360.com/sports/2013/02/17142.tcu-rifle-return-ncaa-championships

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WTS: New release Apple Iphone 5 and Apple Ipad 4 @ Affordable price

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SKorea's new leader faces NKorea nuke crisis

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? Even before she takes office Monday as South Korea's first female president, Park Geun-hye's campaign vow to soften Seoul's current hard-line approach to rival North Korea is being tested by Pyongyang's recent underground nuclear detonation.

Pyongyang, Washington, Beijing and Tokyo are all watching to see if Park, the daughter of a staunchly anti-communist dictator, pursues an ambitious engagement policy meant to ease five years of animosity on the divided peninsula or if she sticks with the tough stance of her fellow conservative predecessor, Lee Myung-bak.

Park's decision is important because it will likely set the tone of the larger diplomatic approach that Washington and others take in stalled efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions.

It will also be complicated by North Korea's warning of unspecified "second and third measures of greater intensity," a threat that comes as Washington and others push for tightened U.N. sanctions as punishment for the Feb. 12 atomic test, the North's third since 2006.

That test is seen as another step toward North Korea's goal of building a bomb small enough to be mounted on a missile that can hit the United States. The explosion, which Pyongyang called a response to U.S. hostility, triggered global outrage.

Park has said she won't yet change her policy, which was built with the high probability of provocations from Pyongyang in mind. But some aren't sure if engagement can work, given North Korea's choice of "bombs over electricity," as American scientist Siegfried Hecker puts it.

"Normalization of relations, a peace treaty, access to energy and economic opportunities ? those things that come from choosing electricity over bombs and have the potential of lifting the North Korean people out of poverty and hardship ? will be made much more difficult, if not impossible, for at least the next five years," Hecker, a regular visitor to North Korea, said in a posting on the website of Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation.

As she takes office, however, Park will be mindful that many South Koreans are frustrated at the state of inter-Korean relations after the Lee government's five-year rule, which saw two nuclear tests, three long-range rocket launches and attacks blamed on North Korea that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.

Park's policy calls for strong defense but also for efforts to build trust through aid shipments, reconciliation talks and the resumption of some large-scale economic initiatives as progress occurs on the nuclear issue. Park has also held out the possibility of a summit with new North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Much is riding on Park's conclusion.

"The overall policy direction on North Korea among the U.S., Japan and South Korea will be hers to decide," said Victor Cha, a former senior Asia adviser to President George W. Bush. "If Park Geun-hye wants to contain, the U.S. will support that. But if Park Geun-hye, months down the road, wants to engage, then the U.S. will go along with that too. "

Engagement by Park would provide a sharp contrast with the rule of her father, Park Chung-hee, whose antipathy toward Pyongyang during his 18-year rule in the 1960s and '70s prompted a failed attack on the Blue House by 31 North Korean commandos in 1968. In 1974, Park's wife was shot and killed by a Japan-born Korean claiming he was acting on assassination orders by North Korea founder and then leader Kim Il Sung.

Critics say Park Geun-hye's North Korea policy lacks specifics. They also question how far she can go given her conservative base's strong anti-Pyongyang sentiments.

But Park has previously confounded ideological expectations. She travelled to Pyongyang in 2002 and held private talks with the late Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un, and her gifts to Kim Jong Il are showcased in a museum of gifts to the North Korean leaders. During the often contentious presidential campaign, she responded to liberal criticism by reaching out to the families of victims of her father's dictatorship.

She said in her 2007 autobiography that she visited Pyongyang because she thought her painful experiences with the North made her "the one who could resolve South-North relations better than anyone else." She also wrote that Kim Jong Il apologized for the 1968 attack.

"I don't think this latest spike in the cycle of provocation and response undermines her whole platform of seeking to somehow re-engage the North," said John Delury, an analyst at Seoul's Yonsei University. North Korea wants a return of large-scale aid and investment from South Korea.

Before the election, Pyongyang's state media repeatedly questioned the sincerity of Park's engagement overture. Since the election, however, although regular criticism of Lee as "human scum" continues, the North's official Korean Central News Agency hasn't mentioned Park by name, though her political party is still condemned.

Pyongyang sees the nuclear crisis as a U.S.-North Korea issue, Delury said. "From a North Korean mindset, ramping up the tension and hostility with the U.S. does not equal jettisoning relations with the South."

Park may take a wait-and-see stance in coming months.

A possible positive turning point could come if North Korea resists tests or launches during April, when it celebrates two state anniversaries ? Kim Il Sung's birthday and the army's founding anniversary ? according to analyst Hong Hyun-ik at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea. Pyongyang conducted a failed long-range rocket launch during last year's celebrations.

Hong predicts that the United States will seek nuclear talks with North Korea in a few months, something that could help Park's efforts to engage North Korea.

"The nuclear test sets back and complicates but does not necessarily doom her engagement efforts over the long term," said Ralph Cossa, president of Pacific Forum CSIS, a Hawaii-based think tank.

Park warned after the test that North Korea faces international isolation, economic difficulties and, eventually, a collapse if it continues to build its atomic program. She also pressed Pyongyang to respond to her overtures.

"We can't achieve trust with only one side's efforts. Isn't there a saying that 'We need both hands to make a clapping sound?'" she said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/skoreas-leader-faces-nkorea-nuke-crisis-050243531.html

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Yemen security chief escapes gunmen as three die in south

ADEN (Reuters) - A Yemeni security chief survived an assassination attempt on Saturday in the south of the country, where three people were killed in clashes between his forces and separatists.

The Defence Ministry said Abdulwahab al-Wali, head of the central security forces, escaped the attack by unknown gunmen in the town of Mukalla, but two of his bodyguards were wounded.

Southern Yemen, which was an independent state until 1990, is troubled by both separatist unrest and an insurgency led by Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda, a source of concern to Gulf states and the West.

Wali survived a previous assassination attempt last year, one of a string of attacks on military, political and militia leaders and officials. Many have been blamed on the Islamists, but the authorities did not say whether any group was suspected of Saturday's shooting.

In other developments, medical and security sources said three people were killed and 14 wounded in clashes between Yemeni security forces and separatists in the south.

Separatist leaders had called for a day of civil disobedience in major southern towns and cities after the deaths of six people in protests on Thursday.

The resurgent movement for a south Yemen state has aggravated political instability in the Arabian Peninsula country, where Washington fears political chaos is giving al Qaeda space to operate.

Shops, bakeries and schools were closed in many southern cities and transport was paralyzed after roads were blocked with stones and burning tyres, witnesses said. Many government employees did not turn up for work.

PARTY HQ ON FIRE

In Aden, capital of the former South Yemen, one person was killed and nine were wounded in clashes on Saturday, medical sources said. Witnesses said armored vehicles patrolled the streets.

One person was killed in Mukalla and another in Ghayl ba Wazir district in eastern Yemen, while five were wounded, the sources said. The Islah party, one of the most powerful in Yemen, said separatists had set fire to its headquarters in Mukalla.

North and south Yemen were unified in 1990 after the Communist-led southern government collapsed. Northern forces won a brief civil war four years later after the south tried to secede from the union.

The secessionist movement gained strength during mass, nationwide street protests against former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2011, which forced the veteran strongman from office a year ago.

Southern Yemenis complain of discrimination by the government in the north. Yemen, which borders the world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, is also facing a northern rebellion by Shi'ite Muslims.

(Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ten-wounded-clashes-between-yemen-government-separatists-091353940.html

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Ex-Canada ambassador slighted by Affleck's "Argo"

TORONTO (AP) ? The former Canadian ambassador to Iran who protected Americans at great personal risk during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis says it will reflect poorly on Ben Affleck if he doesn't say a few words about Canada's role should the director's film "Argo" win the Oscar for best picture Sunday.

But Ken Taylor ? who said he feels slighted by the movie because it makes Canada look like a meek observer to CIA heroics in the rescue of six U.S. Embassy staff members caught in the crisis ? is not expecting it.

"I would hope he would. If he doesn't then it's a further reflection," Taylor said. "But given the events of the last while I'm not necessarily anticipating anything."

Taylor kept the Americans hidden at his residence and the home of his deputy, John Sheardown, in Tehran and facilitated their escape by arranging plane tickets and persuading the Ottawa government to issue fake passports. He also agreed to go along with the CIA's film production cover story to get the Americans out of Iran.

Taylor became a hero in Canada and the United States afterward. He felt the role that he and other Canadians played in helping the Americans to freedom was minimized in the film.

"In general it makes it seem like the Canadians were just along for the ride. The Canadians were brave. Period," Taylor said.

Affleck's thriller is widely expected to win the best-picture trophy. Two other high-profile best-picture nominees this year, Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" and Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," have also been criticized for their portrayal of some factual issues.

Affleck said in a statement Friday night that he thought his issue with Taylor had been resolved.

"I admire Ken very much for his role in rescuing the six houseguests. I consider him a hero.?In light of my many conversations as well as a change to an end card that Ken requested I am surprised that Ken continues to take issue with the film," Affleck said in the statement. "I spoke to him recently when he asked me to narrate a documentary he is prominently featured in and yet he didn't mention any lingering concerns.?I agreed to do it and I look forward to seeing Ken at the recording."

Taylor noted that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter appeared on CNN on Thursday night and said "90 percent of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian," but the film "gives almost full credit to the American CIA."

Carter also called "Argo" a complete distortion of what happened when he accepted an honorary degree from Queen's University in Canada in November.

"I saw the movie Argo recently and I was taken aback by its distortion of what happened because almost everything that was heroic, or courageous or innovative was done by Canada and not the United States," Carter said.

Taylor said there would be no movie without the Canadians.

"We took the six in without being asked so it starts there," Taylor said. "And the fact that we got them out with some help from the CIA then that's where the story loses itself. I think Jimmy Carter has it about right, it was 90 percent Canada, 10 percent the CIA."

He said CIA agent Tony Mendez, played by Affleck in the film, was only in Iran for a day and a half.

The movie also makes no mention of Sheardown, the First Secretary at the embassy. He said it was Sheardown who took the first call and agreed right away to take the Americans in. Sheardown died on Dec. 30, and his wife, Zena, called the movie disappointing.

Friends of Taylor were outraged last September when "Argo" debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. The original postscript of the movie said that Taylor received 112 citations and awards for his work in freeing the hostages and suggested Taylor didn't deserve them because the movie ends with the CIA deciding to let Canada have the credit for helping the Americans escape.

Taylor called the postscript lines "disgraceful and insulting" and said it would have caused outrage in Canada if the lines were not changed. Affleck flew Taylor to Los Angeles after the Toronto debut and allowed him to insert a postscript that gave Canada some credit.

Taylor called it a good movie and said he's not rooting against it, but said it is far from accurate.

"He's a good director. It's got momentum. There's nothing much right from Day 1 I could do about the movie. I changed a line at the end because the caption at the end was disgraceful. It's like Tiananmen Square, you are sitting in front of a big tank," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-canada-ambassador-slighted-afflecks-argo-060757916.html

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Saturday, February 23, 2013

Egypt's Morsi calls parliament elections in April

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi has issued a presidential decree calling for staggered parliamentary elections, starting April 27 and ending in June.

The decree, announced late Thursday, says the vote will take place in four stages and the new parliament will convene on July 6.

Since the ouster of longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising in 2011, Egyptians have gone through a series of referendums, presidential and parliamentary elections. The first elected parliament was disbanded by a court order last June.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood has emerged as the country's dominant political group.

The call for the balloting comes as Egypt is in deep turmoil, bitterly divided between the fundamentalist Brotherhood and their backers on one side, and secular liberal political parties and youth groups on the other.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-morsi-calls-parliament-elections-april-064321594.html

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Young Americans erasing debt fast, study says


	In this Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012, photo, Honda Pilots are seen outside of a Honda car dealership in Des Plaines, Ill. The U.S. auto industry ended 2012 on a high note, with December sales the strongest they have been since before the recession. Analysts predict an even bigger year in 2013, as a stronger economy, low-interest rates, aging cars on the road and competitive new products continue to draw buyers to dealerships.?

Nam Y. Huh/AP

Household debt for homes headed by people under the age of 35 plummeted by 29% from 2007 to 2010. One big reason is the millennials are getting by without buying houses and cars, a report by the Pew Research Center found.?

The millennial generation seems to have figured out the formula to avoiding racking up debt: buy less stuff.

The median debt of American households headed by young adults has plummeted over the course of the great recession, a new study by the Pew Research Center has found.

In all, debt in households headed by people under the age of 35 fell by a whopping 29% between 2007 and 2010, the study said.

RELATED: MONEY PROS: TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH DEBT

By comparison, households headed by adults over the age of 35, debt fell by just 8%.

More good news for millennials was found in an analysis of their credit card debt. While 48% of adults over the age of 35 carried a credit card balance in 2007, just 39% did in 2010.

According to Pew, the sudden frugal streak was best illustrated in two main areas where Americans have routinely found themselves piling on debt: homes and cars.

RELATED: DELAYED INSURANCE CHECKS FOR SANDY VICTIMS COULD SLOW RECOVERY

The share of younger households owning their primary residence fell sharply from 40% in 2007 to 34% in 2011, the study stated.

Whether they couldn?t afford to buy one, or identified automobiles as another source of debt, just 66% of millennial households owned a car in 2011, down seven percentage points from 2007.

While remaining more or less flat for American households lead by adults over the age of 35, the big drops in the percentage of debt for millennials may signify a cultural sea change.

?These shifts in the debt profile of younger adults reflect a broader societal shift toward delayed marriage and household formation that has been under way for decades,? the Pew report stated.

Though student loan debt has continued to edge up over the past 12 years, a record high 22% of younger households reported having no debt whatsoever, which Pew noted was the largest number since the federal government began gathering the data in 1983. ?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nydnrss/life-style/~3/klppOB9BH3Y/story01.htm

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Friday, February 22, 2013

Flu Shot Doing Poor Job of Protecting Older People This Year

New submitter Gunilla sends this news from an AP report:
"It turns out this year's flu shot is doing a startlingly dismal job of protecting older people, the most vulnerable age group. The vaccine is proving only 9 percent effective in those 65 and older against the harsh strain of the flu that is predominant this season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Health officials are baffled as to why this is so. But the findings help explain why so many older people have been hospitalized with the flu this year. Despite the findings, the CDC stood by its recommendation that everyone over 6 months get flu shots, the elderly included, because some protection is better than none, and because those who are vaccinated and still get sick may suffer less severe symptoms." An anonymous reader adds information about a new drug that treats influenza by hijacking its own infection mechanism. The compound "binds to an enzyme on the surface of the flu virus called neuraminidase. This enzyme is responsible for severing the connection between the flu virus and human cell so it can move on and infect other cells. The new class of drugs ? DFSAs ? permanently bind to the enzyme, blocking its action and stopping it from spreading further, the journal Science reported (abstract). Currently available antivirals also work by attaching to this enzyme. But DFSAs do so in such a way that the flu virus cannot evolve to be resistant to the drug without rendering itself useless."

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/j9toK8wSW54/story01.htm

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?In the Studio,? Hyperink?s Kevin Gao Has A Plan To Organize The Web?s Blog Content

hyperink"In the Studio" rolls on this week by hosting an ex-management consultant who grew tired of that career path, wrote a book about how to prepare for and perform well during case-style interviews, self-published the work and started to make money from those sales proceeds, and eventually ended up in YC to help build out his new content-publishing business, Hyperink.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/e65wryIn_PY/

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

What's behind Mexico's silence on immigration debate?

Mexico has a lot at stake, but its government says it does?not want to interfere in the domestic decisions of the US.

By Lauren Villagran,?Correspondent / January 31, 2013

The days when a Mexican president would raise the battle cry for US immigration reform are long past.

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Since a bipartisan group of US senators unveiled their proposal this week to resolve the status of millions of undocumented workers in the United States, and President Obama outlined a set of principles for reform, the Mexican government has stayed quietly out of the fray ??sparking questions here about what, if any, role?Mexico?should play.

Mexico has more at stake than many other nations whose people leave for US shores: Fully 10 percent of the Mexican population resides in the US. Sixty percent of the 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants living and working in the US are Mexican, according to Pew Hispanic Center.

?The current Mexican government of Enrique Pe?a Nieto has been very careful to say that they are not going to interfere in the domestic decisions of the US,? says Jesus Velasco, a political science professor at Tarleton State University in Texas. ?It?s silly. The American political system permits that the interests of foreign countries should be represented here.?

Mr. Velasco cited the effective lobbying by the Mexican government on NAFTA in the 1990s. But immigration has been a stickier issue.

Immigration was once the central theme of the bilateral relationship. A decade ago, former Mexican President Vicente Fox met with President George W. Bush five times in nine months to discuss the issue and in an address to Congress boldly requested action before the end of the year. That was in 2001, just days before the Sept. 11 attacks. The agenda quickly fell apart.

Former President Felipe Calder?n wiped immigration off the slate in 2006 and retrained the focus of the US-Mexico relationship on security. Today, six years later, Mr. Pe?a Nieto appears poised to do the same.

So far the only public comment on the proposals has come from the Mexican ministry of foreign affairs, which said in a brief statement that it ?recognizes the commitment demonstrated by an ever larger number of parties? on the issue but noted that reform is an ?internal matter? for the US federal government.

Work to do at home

Mexico?s real work today ??given that net emigration from Mexico to the US fell to zero in the past year ??lies not in promoting reform in the US but in ensuring economic opportunity for people here, says Antonio de la Cuesta, a senior political analyst with Mexico City-based think tank CIDAC.

?The focus has been wrong,? he says. ?Mexico waits for the US to do everything. It?s about both countries [taking action].?

Roughly half of Mexicans live below the poverty line, according to the United Nations. Last year, Mexico?s social development agency reported the number of Mexicans living in extreme poverty at 13 million.

Mexican immigration to the US may have slowed because of the recession in the US and increased enforcement at the border, but the conditions that have historically driven people north haven?t yet changed. For many Mexicans, a daily wage here amounts to less than the hourly wage in the US.

There are consequences for Mexico, too, in whatever the US decides, says Mr. De la Cuesta. For example, he asks, would Mexicans living in the US bring additional family members north, and stop sending the remittances that rank among the country?s top three income sources?

Mexico needs a ?complementary? proposal, he says: solutions for poverty.

?Mexico has a lot to say in this respect,? he says, ?and no reason to interfere.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/4MKqEFMNdH0/What-s-behind-Mexico-s-silence-on-immigration-debate

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Visualized: HTC folding and 'double-dip' colored cases for the One

Visualized HTC folding and 'doubledip' colored cases for the One

If you're looking to prop up that incoming HTC One for extended viewing or simply protect it from pavements and other hard surfaces, the company is demoing two different series of cases alongside its new phone. First up, a leather-finish foldable cover will protect corners and edges, with the back folding out to create a horizontal stand for the One. The second option takes a page from the style guide of HTC's Windows Phone 8X with a two-tone plastic cover. Both end pieces (which are a different color to the main part) are removable and exchangeable, adding another color option to the white and black base units. We've also been told that an in-car mount will also be available, but HTC didn't have pricing on any of the new additions just yet. Some older add-ons were on display as well, including a 6,000mAh Battery Bar, Car Stereo Clip and HDMI kit. Check 'em all out in the gallery below.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/xGmsUK89Yf4/

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Logitech BH940 Wireless Mono DECT Headset,Microsoft Lync Comparable for $39.99

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    Apple Releases iOS 6.1.2 Update

    iPhone Battery

    We have a small little update for you guys today. Though the small update could make for a rather big praise that is if it fixes the issues that users have been asking to be fixed for quite some time now. One of the biggest concerns with the previous update was the drastic change in the battery, we?ve noticed that the batteries on the iPhone were being drained rather quickly though with this update, we may not have a fully working battery.

    The Apple iPhone is a big hit but there?s a ton of stuff that can go wrong during updates. With each update, there?s bound to be a bug or two some that are hardly noticeable if actually caught while others can lead to a pretty big concern. Though the latest iPhone update is looking to solve users concerns with the battery. If you have an iPhone and was using the iOS 6.1 update, you may have noticed that the battery was draining pretty quick though Apple has today released a new iOS 6.1.2 update.

    Apple has said that this update will solve the battery draining issue that most users were experiencing but they have failed to say if this update will also fix the screen lock issues. The screen lock for iOS 6.1 would allow users to easily check voice mail and contact information. Only time will tell if this update from Apple is a success.

    Source: The Next Web

    Source: http://www.akascope.com/2013/02/20/apple-releases-ios-6-1-2-update/

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    Wednesday, February 20, 2013

    Sony slashes PS Vita pricing in Japan ahead of PlayStation 4 unveiling

    As Sony?s (SNE) struggles continue in the portable gaming market, the consumer electronics giant announced on Monday that it will slash the price of its PlayStation Vita console in Japan. Beginning late next week, both the Wi-Fi-only and 3G-connected versions of the Vita will drop to?19,980 yen including taxes, or $215.42 USD at Monday?s exchange rate. The Wi-Fi model currently costs?24,980 yen ($269.33 USD) and the 3G model is priced at?29,980 yen ($323.24 USD) until February 28th when the price drops take effect. Sony hasn?t said anything about cutting the cost of the portable console outside of Japan, but it may make some announcements during its PlayStation 4 event on Wednesday. The company?s full press release follows below.

    PlayStation ? Vita price revision
    February 28, 2013 (Thursday) retail price of 19,980 yen (tax included)

    February 28, 2013 (Thursday), ? 29,980 traditional Sony Computer Entertainment Japan ? 1 (SCEJ) is, 3G/Wi-Fi model (including tax, the retail price of the PlayStation ? Vita (PS Vita below) to 19,980 yen including tax) (, Wi-Fi model will be revised (including tax) from 19,980 yen (including tax) from 24,980 yen).

    By addition to the GPU and the CPU, high-performance display and a beautiful that, with such dual analog stick and the multi-touch pad on the rear panel, PS Vita, which was launched in December 2011, to deliver an immersive experience of the ultimate I will continue to provide the gaming experience. In addition to the expansion of an attractive color variations such as sapphire Cosmic Red and Blue, by the system of free software updates, such as service response to PlayStation ? Plus ? 2 software and standard flat-rate ?PlayStation? first, PS Vita users meet the needs of everyone in, I?m constantly evolving. In addition to the methods existing Wi-Fi, by which supports access to the 3G network a new, PS Vita has realized the connection of new and everyone other users in everyday life. To enjoy the PS Vita to everyone more users, we will begin offering at a price of ? 19,980 revision both models. As a result, the user?s everyone, you can feel free to choose the model that is appropriate for the game play style of your choice is available.

    In addition, we received strong support from companies like software maker, dedicated software is PS Vita PS Vita interactive content that can be enjoyed by more than 100, you can download from the PlayStation ? Store has reached more than 1,500 ? 3 at the end of January 2013 You had to. Our company and our future than software manufacturers, ?Den ??? (SEGA) ?Phantasy Star Online 2?, ?SOUL SACRIFICE (Soul Sacrifice)? (TECMO KOEI GAMES CO., LTD.) Sony Corporation (- from hunting action game to enjoy cooperative play, such as Computer Entertainment), the player taking the communication meeting, ?Kagura ?? SHINOVI VERSUS ? proof of the girls? ? ?Oboro Muramasa?, Marvelous AQL), ???Tales Inc. ( Obuhatsu Pirate Musou 2 R ?,? One Piece Baseball Spirits 2013 ?(NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.)? ?to work, such as the long-awaited game fans (Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.), is expected to be released one after another title is scheduled.

    (Thursday), the set body and PS Vita special edition with the motif of the peripherals, the same title, and a variety of breaking down the common sense of the multi-Hunting Action ?(Soul Sacrifice) SOUL SACRIFICE? March 7, 2013 change (including tax) 24,980 yen, will be released in limited quantities from (tax included) for a suggested retail price of 29,980 yen originally planned, did the ?PlayStation ? Vita SOUL SACRIFICE PREMIUM EDITION?.

    We will carry out a variety of campaigns to suit this price revision, to everyone in the user?s enjoy PS Vita. Please refer to the following for the campaign details.

    So that you can enjoy the world of entertainment unique PS Vita to more customers in the future, SCEJ will continue to strongly promote and expand further spread of the PS Vita platform.

    Source: http://bgr.com/2013/02/18/ps-vita-sale-price-cut-japan-330158/

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    Reeling Florida Panthers seek consistency

    In the span of five games, the Panthers have been the most inconsistent team in the NHL.

    In two of those five games, the Panthers scored 10 goals. In the other three, zilch.

    ?It seems that if we don?t score in the first period, we don?t have a very good game,? Tomas Fleischmann said. ?We need to find goals, period. You can see in the games we score that we?re comfortable and do the right things. But then we go away from that.?

    The only consistent things about those games have been the results, however, as the Panthers haven?t won any of them.

    And to end this five-game slide, Florida needs to find some sort of happy medium.

    ?You could talk about this all day because it is really frustrating to score all those goals in two games and then be shut out in the others,? Shawn Matthias said.

    ?We have to look at what we?ve done in the games we were scoring. We need to get back to the basics, throw pucks at the net. Find a way. It doesn?t always have to be pretty. Ugly goals count just like the pretty ones do. You don?t have to get highlight-reel goals.?

    Florida is in the midst of its second five-game slide in this month-old season ? a trend that doesn?t bode well for any postseason hopes.

    ?This is our season, right here,? Fleischmann said. ?We need to figure it out.?

    For a team that is desperate to find its winning touch, things aren?t going to come any easier.

    Four of the losses came during a homestand in which Florida had hoped to pad its point total. After all, only Toronto came into South Florida riding any kind of a winning streak.

    Washington and Tampa Bay, which both rallied from 5-3 deficits to beat the Panthers 6-5 in overtime, ended losing streaks against Florida. Montreal had lost three of four before blanking the Panthers 1-0.

    ?It?s not for lack of effort,? coach Kevin Dineen said, ?but there is a confidence issue there. When adversity happens, you sometimes shake it off. We?ve been down in some games and been able to come back. That?s a nice character trait to have.

    ?Right now, our feeling is we need a complete game. It?s impossible to be perfect; this is a game of mistakes.?

    In the five-game winless streak, Florida has gone 0-2-3, getting just three of the available 10 points. The Panthers came into Tuesday ranked 13th in the Eastern Conference, five points out of a playoff spot.

    ?Things have been up and down and on both ends of the scale,? said Dineen, whose team has been outscored 21-10 during the winless streak.

    ?There?s a level of consistency that has to be the standard for our game. There?s swings in different areas, scoring production and defense.?

    With the homestand behind them, the Panthers now look ahead to a quick trip through Pennsylvania with games in Philadelphia (Thursday) and Pittsburgh (Friday).

    The Panthers? previous win came in Philadelphia on Feb. 7 with Florida coming back from a 2-1 deficit in the third period to win 3-2 in a shootout.

    That is not only Florida?s last win to date, but its only overtime victory of the season. The Panthers have lost three in overtime since.

    ?It doesn?t mean anything,? Fleischmann said of Florida?s return to Philadelphia. ?We beat them in a shootout after being down in the third. This is going to be tough, tougher than before. We have to be ready mentally for this one.?

    ??Dineen said both Kris Versteeg (upper body) and Scottie Upshall (ankle) skated before Tuesday?s practice, but he didn?t have a timetable for their return.

    Versteeg has been out since being hurt Feb. 12 against the Capitals; Upshall has been out since Jan.?31. Defenseman Ed Jovanovski is expected to be out until the end of the month.

    ?All the guys who aren?t here are non-factors right now,? Dineen said.

    Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/19/3242854/reeling-florida-panthers-seek.html

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    Tuesday, February 19, 2013

    HK Disney turns first profit since 2005 opening

    FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2011 file photo, workers walk past Toy Story character Woody at the construction site of the new attraction area Toy Story Land in Hong Kong Disneyland. Disneyland in the southern Chinese city of Hong Kong has turned a profit for the first time since it opened in 2005. The park said Monday, Feb. 18, 2013, it earned 109 million Hong Kong dollars ($14 million) in 2012. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

    FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2011 file photo, workers walk past Toy Story character Woody at the construction site of the new attraction area Toy Story Land in Hong Kong Disneyland. Disneyland in the southern Chinese city of Hong Kong has turned a profit for the first time since it opened in 2005. The park said Monday, Feb. 18, 2013, it earned 109 million Hong Kong dollars ($14 million) in 2012. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

    FILE - In this Jan. 15, 2008 file photo, Mickey mouse and other cartoon characters pose during a parade as celebrating the Chinese New Year with the year of the Ox in Hong Kong Disneyland. Disneyland in the southern Chinese city of Hong Kong has turned a profit for the first time since it opened in 2005. The park said Monday, Feb. 18, 2013, it earned 109 million Hong Kong dollars ($14 million) in 2012. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

    (AP) ? Disneyland in the southern Chinese city of Hong Kong has turned a profit for the first time since it opened in 2005, as new attractions helped push visitor numbers to a record, theme park officials said Monday.?

    The park earned 109 million Hong Kong dollars ($14 million) in the year that ended Sept. 29 and its revenue jumped 18 percent to HK$4.27 billion ($550 million). The park drew 6.73 million visitors, 13 percent more than the previous year, with guests spending 6 percent more than a year earlier.

    The struggling park's losses had steadily narrowed from HK$1.6 billion in 2008, the year it started disclosing financial figures, to HK$237 million in 2011. ?

    Legislators and analysts have blamed the park's poor performance on its small size.?It's the smallest of Burbank, California-based Disney's parks worldwide. But the 311-acre (126-hectare) park, set on?reclaimed land on Lantau island,?will be a quarter bigger once an expansion is completed later this year.

    Hong Kong Disneyland's managing director, Andrew Kam, called the park's swing into profit a "significant milestone."

    "The business has turned a corner," said Kam. He said the park expansion was "the most critical success factor that contributed to our result this year."

    The $465 million expansion adds three new attractions that Kam said allowed the park to draw more visitors. Two have already opened, including one based on the "Toy Story" series of movies and another with a Wild West theme called "Grizzly Gulch," which Kam said has become the park's most popular draw. The final phase, "Mystic Point," which has a supernatural theme and is set in a rain forest, is scheduled to open by the middle of the year.?

    Visits by local residents, who accounted for a third of total visitors, rose 21 percent, while those by mainland Chinese, who make up nearly half of the total, climbed 13 percent.?

    Hong Kong Disneyland opened to great fanfare in 2005, only to miss its attendance targets in the first two years.

    The occupancy rate at the resort's two hotels, which have 1,000 rooms in total, edged up by 1 percentage point to 92 percent. Kam said the park was looking at the feasibility of expanding its hotels.?

    Kam shrugged off fears that a Disney theme park under construction in Shanghai will result in increased competition for Hong Kong, saying that new theme parks would only help promote the industry in Asia.

    Hong Kong's government has a 52 percent stake in the park. The Walt Disney Co. owns the remaining 48 percent.?

    ___

    Online:?

    Hong Kong Disney: http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com

    ___

    Follow Kelvin Chan at twitter.com/chanman

    Associated Press

    Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-02-18-Hong%20Kong-Disneyland/id-3ae6f002f3c7486abb470ce3335ac322

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