Saturday, February 28, 2015

One billion young at risk of hearing loss from loud music: WHO


GENEVA - More than one billion young people risk damaging their hearing through listening to loud music, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

The WHO estimates that around half of those between the ages of 12 and 35 in middle- and high-income countries are at risk due to unsafe levels of sound on personal audio devices or smartphones.

Another 40 percent are at risk from damaging audio levels at concert venues and night clubs.

"More and more young people are exposed to unsafe levels of sounds. Young people should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won't come back," said Shelley Chadha, a WHO specialist on hearing impairment.

The UN health agency considers a volume above 85 decibels for eight hours or 100 decibels for 15 minutes as unsafe.

Exposure to traffic noise at peak hours can reach 85 decibels.

The vuvuzela, a popular wind instrument used in stadiums during the football World Cup in South Africa in 2010, has a sound intensity of 120 decibels and over nine seconds of exposure could result in irreversible hearing damage.

"It is something we can live without," Chadha said referring to the vuvuzela.

To counter the risks, the WHO recommends that personal audio devices should not be used for more than an hour a day, at reduced sound levels.

The use of ear plugs in loud conditions and regular check ups were part of the recommendations as well.

The WHO also wants governments to play a role by imposing strict regulations on noise in public places.

The UN agency estimates that 360 million people suffer from hearing loss worldwide. In addition to noise related causes and ageing, it is also brought on by infectious diseases, genetic conditions, complications at birth, and use of certain drugs.

source: interaksyon.com

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Lenovo website breached, hacker group Lizard Squad claims responsibility


Chinese computer and smartphone firm Lenovo Group Ltd said its website was hacked on Wednesday, its second security blemish days after the U.S. government advised consumers to remove software called “Superfish” pre-installed on its laptops.

Hacking group Lizard Squad claimed credit for the attacks on microblogging service Twitter. Lenovo said attackers breached the domain name system associated with Lenovo and redirected visitors to lenovo.com to another address, while also intercepting internal company emails.

Lizard Squad posted an email exchange between Lenovo employees discussing Superfish. The software was at the center of public uproar in the United States last week when security researchers said they found it allowed hackers to impersonate banking websites and steal users’ credit card information.

In a statement issued in the United States on Wednesday night, Lenovo, the world’s biggest maker of personal computers, said it had restored its site to normal operations after several hours.

“We regret any inconvenience that our users may have if they are not able to access parts of our site at this time,” the company said. “We are actively reviewing our network security and will take appropriate steps to bolster our site and to protect the integrity of our users’ information.”

Lizard Squad has taken credit for several high-profile outages, including attacks that took down Sony Corp’s PlayStation Network and Microsoft Corp’s Xbox Live network last month. Members of the group have not been identified.

Starting 4 p.m. ET (2100 GMT) on Wednesday, visitors to the Lenovo website saw a slideshow of young people looking into webcams and the song “Breaking Free” from the movie “High School Musical” playing in the background, according to technology publication The Verge, which first reported the breach.

Although consumer data was not likely compromised by the Lizard Squad attack, the breach was the second security-related black eye for Lenovo in a matter of days.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in an alert last Friday that the Superfish program, which came pre-installed on nearly a dozen Lenovo laptop models, makes users vulnerable to a type of cyberattack known as “SSL spoofing”, in which remote attackers can read encrypted Web traffic, redirect traffic from official websites to spoofs, and perform other attacks.

Lenovo has since released software to remove Superfish while pledging to never install it on future shipments.

source: interaksyon.com

Monday, February 23, 2015

US urges removing Superfish program from Lenovo laptops


BOSTON — The U.S. government on Friday advised Lenovo Group Ltd customers to remove “Superfish,” a program pre-installed on some Lenovo laptops, saying it makes users vulnerable to cyberattacks.

The Department of Homeland Security said in an alert that the program makes users vulnerable to a type of cyberattack known as SSL spoofing, in which remote attackers can read encrypted Web traffic, redirect traffic from official websites to spoofs, and perform other attacks.

“Systems that came with the software already installed will continue to be vulnerable until corrective actions have been taken,” the agency said.

Adi Pinhas, chief executive of Palo Alto, California-based Superfish, said in a statement that his company’s software helps users achieve more relevant search results based on images of products viewed. He said the vulnerability was “inadvertently” introduced by Israel-based Komodia, which built the application described in the government notice.

Komodia CEO Barak Weichselbaum declined comment on the vulnerability.

Lenovo apologized late on Friday in a statement for “causing these concerns among our users” and said that it was “exploring every action we can” to address the issues around Superfish, including offering tools to remove the software and certificate.

“We ordered Superfish pre-loads to stop and had server connections shut down in January based on user complaints about the experience. However, we did not know about this potential security vulnerability until yesterday (Thursday),” the Lenovo statement said.

“We recognise that this was our miss, and we will do better in the future. Now we are focused on fixing it,” the company said.

Komodia’s website says it produces a “hijacker” that allows users to view data encrypted with SSL technology.

“The hijacker uses Komodia’s redirector platform to allow you easy access to the data and the ability to modify, redirect, block, and record the data without triggering the target browser’s certification warning,” according to the site.

Marc Rogers, a researcher with CloudFlare, said that means companies which deploy Komodia technology can snoop on web traffic.

“These guys can do everything from just collect a little bit of marketing information, all the way to building a profile on you and spying on your banking connections,” he said. “It’s a very dangerous slope.”

Rogers said that use of Komodia’s technology in other products makes them vulnerable to the same types of attacks as Lenovo’s Superfish.

He said other vulnerable products include two parental filters: One from Komodia known as KeepMyFamilySecure and another from Qustodio.

Komodia’s Weichselbaum said his company was investigating reports of vulnerabilities in KeepMyFamilySecure.

Qustodio CEO Eduardo Cruz Chief Executive said his company’s Windows parental filter was vulnerable and he hoped to push out a fix within a few days.

Lenovo did not disclose how many machines were affected, but said that only machines shipped from September to December of last year had been pre-loaded with the vulnerable software.

Affected Lenovo products include laptops in its Yoga, Flex and MiiX lines as well as its E, G, U, Y and Z series, according to the company’s support website.

source: interaksyon.com

Inarritu’s ‘Birdman’ soars to Oscars glory


HOLLYWOOD | Dark comedy “Birdman” soared to Oscars glory on Sunday, taking four Academy Awards including best picture and best director honors on Hollywood’s biggest night.

The film, a satire about a washed-up superhero film actor battling to revive his career on Broadway, was a grand triumph for Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, who himself won three of the four golden statuettes.

Stylist crime caper “The Grand Budapest Hotel” also won four Oscars, several in technical categories, while jazz drumming drama “Whiplash” scored three, including best supporting actor for veteran actor J.K. Simmons.

Best actor went to Britain’s Eddie Redmayne as astrophysicist Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything,” while veteran Julianne Moore took best actress as a professor suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease in “Still Alice.”

Inarritu, the second Mexican in a row to take the best director Oscar after Alfonso Cuaron won last year for “Gravity,” dedicated his award to his fellow countrymen.

Talking about Mexican immigrants into the United States, he said: “I just pray that they can be treated with the same dignity and respect as the ones who came before and built this incredible immigrant nation.”

Coming-of-age drama “Boyhood,” which had been going head-to-head for the best picture race, perhaps suffered the biggest disappointment, with only one Oscar on six nominations — best supporting actress for Patricia Arquette.

Disney’s “Big Hero 6″ was named best animated feature, while Poland’s “Ida” took the best foreign language film prize.

Host Neil Patrick Harris launched the three-and-a-half hour show with a song and dance routine about the movie industry itself — including a joke about the lack of any non-white actors in the four acting categories.

“Tonight, we honor Hollywood’s best and whitest … sorry, brightest,” he said, earning laughs from the star-studded audience at the Dolby Theatre.

POLITICAL NOTE FROM ARQUETTE

Arquette hit a political note in accepting her prize, giving a shoutout to “every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation.

“We have fought for everybody’s equal rights. It is our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America,” she said.

The biggest standing ovation of the night honored “Selma,” about civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

The film, while nominated for best picture, controversially failed to secure nods for British actor David Oyelowo and director Ava DuVernay.

In the end, it won for best original song for the rousing “Glory” — and the A-list audience rose to their feet after John Legend and Common performed the song.

Oyelowo could be seen with tears pouring down his face,

“We live in the most incarcerated country in the world,” Legend said as he accepted his Oscar.

“There are more black men under correctional control today than there were under slavery in 1850.”

A star-studded cast of presenters took the stage on Sunday, including Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Eddie Murphy, Liam Neeson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey.

Among the funniest moments of the night was when Harris appeared on stage naked except for his underwear, at the end of a backstage skit mimicking a scene from “Birdman.”

John Travolta also got his come-uppance for flubbing singer Idina Menzel’s name at last year’s show as he introduced her to sing “Let It Go,” the Oscar-winning song from “Frozen”.

Harris took a dig at Travolta, joking that Benedict Cumberbatch is how the Pulp Fiction star would pronounce Ben Affleck. Menzel then introduced him as “Glom Gazingo”.

“I deserve that,” Travolta said.

Lady Gaga almost brought the house down with a soaring medley of songs from the classic “The Sound of Music” to mark its 50th anniversary — before welcoming actress Julie Andrews onto the stage.

source: interaksyon.com

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Kanye West finally hears Beck’s Grammy-winning album, likes it


NEW YORK | Almost two weeks after blasting Grammy winner Beck, rapper Kanye West said that he finally has heard his album — and liked it.

The outspoken rapper nearly rushed onto stage at the Grammys when Album of the Year went to Beck’s “Morning Phase” and afterward said that the alternative rock icon should “respect artistry” and give his prize to fellow nominee Beyonce.

Asked Friday about the criticism he faced over his behavior, West said: “I deserved it, man. I was completely hypocritical.”

West said that he was recently dining with Taylor Swift — another artist he had denounced in the past for winning an award — and the restaurant put on “Morning Phase.”

“Maybe they did it on purpose, so I could finally hear it. But I was like, man, this is kind of good. I ain’t gonna lie,” West told the New York hip-hop radio station Power 105.1 FM.

West said he would listen more thoroughly to “Morning Phase” and conceded: “Maybe it was, potentially, an Album of the Year.”

But West stood by his argument that the music industry’s biggest night should award superstars who generate money for the Grammys by bringing fans who watch on television.

West has won 21 Grammys in his career, making him one of the most awarded artists. He performed at the February 8 Grammys alongside Paul McCartney and Rihanna.

Beck, who is known for his eclectic mash-ups of genres, turned to a more introspective, acoustic sound with “Morning Phase.” The 44-year-old Los Angeles rocker has won critical acclaim over his two-decade career but his fan base is far more niche than those of West or Beyonce.

British soul singer Sam Smith, who rose to fame last year with the ballad “Stay With Me,” swept the other three of the most prestigious awards at the Grammys.

source: interaksyon.com

Friday, February 20, 2015

Carmudi raises $25-M for Asia and Latin America expansion


MANILA, Philippines — The online car classified ad platform Carmudi of the Rocket Internet group has raised $25 million in funding to strengthen its operations in Asia and Latin America.


“The funding will be crucial in boosting our operations in Asia and Latin America,” company co-founder and global managing director Stefan Haubold said in a statement. “Our goal is to be the number one car classified platform in all our markets. There are over 300 million active Internet users that we are aiming to tap into in these markets.”

Carmudi was launched in October 2013 and now has presence in 20 countries. In the Philippines, the platform officially started in January 2014.

At present, Carmudi said they have recorded listing of over 300,000 vehicles globally.

Recently, Carmudi expressed optimism on their growth prospects in the Philippines due to sustained expansion in automotive sales.

“We are excited for the local automotive industry as sales remain resilient and steady,” Subir Lohani, Carmudi Philippines managing director, said.

Last year, local automotive sales grew 30 percent last year to 234,747 from 2013.

“Thirty percent is a bigger number in terms of inclusive growth. One thing I can tell for sure is that the Philippines is a major key market for Carmudi’s growth,” Lohani said.

PLDT presently has a 6.1 stake in the Rocket Internet group.

InterAksyon.com is the online news arm of TV5, which is also part of the PLDT group.

source: interaksyon.com

Sony steps up in wearable space with SmartEyeglass


SAN FRANCISCO — Sony on Tuesday began taking orders for SmartEyeglass Internet-linked eyewear, moving ahead in the market as Google steps back to revise its Glass strategy.

The offering from the Japanese consumer electronics comes amid growing interest in wearable computing, but also questions about whether consumers will warm to connected eyewear.

SmartEyeglass connects with smartphones and then superimposes text, images or other information onto whatever real scene is in view.

A version of the eyewear tailored for software developers will be available in Japan, Germany, Britain, and the United States on March 10. The price in the US will be $840. In Europe it will be 670 plus applicable taxes.

SmartEyeglass for enterprises will also be available in March in France, Italy, Spain and elsewhere.

Along with the hardware, Sony will release an upgraded software development kit “to tap into the ingenuity of developers to improve upon the user experience that the SmartEyeglass provides.”

Sony is encouraging software makers to develop fun, hip, or functional applications for SmartEyeglass so people will be enticed to buy the eyewear on track for commercial release in 2016

Sony said that it “has its eyes set on the future of wearable devices and their diversifying use cases, and it hopes to tap into the ingenuity of developers to improve upon the user experience that the SmartEyeglass provides.”

Sony said it sees a wide range of uses for the eyewear, beyond the obvious display of information at eye level without having to turn attention to another device.

It sees “considerable implications for AR (augmented reality), which holds great potential in the domain of professional use as well, such as when giving instructions to workers at a manufacturing site or when transmitting visual information to security officers about a potential breach,” the Sony statement said.

Google Glass sidelined


Google in January halted sales of its Internet-linked eyewear Glass but insisted the technology would live on in a future consumer product.

The technology titan put brakes on an “explorer” program that let people interested in dabbling with Glass buy eyewear for $1,500 apiece.

Glass became available in the United States in early last year to anyone with the money and desire to become an “explorer.” The Glass test program was later expanded to Britain.

Instead of being part of the Google X lab working on innovations such as self-driving cars, the Glass team became a separate unit.

Microsoft last month introduced HoloLens eyewear that may hit a sweet spot between Google Glass and virtual reality headgear, immersing users in a mesmerizing world of augmented reality holograms.

Microsoft executives said the holographic capabilities built into Windows 10 operating software — to be released late this year — would open doors for developers to augment tasks from complex surgery to motorcycle design.

source: interaksyon.com

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Apple orders 5-6 million watches — WSJ


Apple Inc has asked its Asian suppliers to make 5-6 million units of its three Apple Watch models for the first-quarter, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Taiwan-based Quanta Computer Inc, the sole assembler of the Apple Watch, started mass production earlier this year to get ready for an April launch, the Journal said.

Thousands will work round the clock during the Chinese New Year holidays at Quanta’s factory in Changshu, China, the newspaper reported, quoting one person.

Apple said it does not comment on rumor or speculation. The iPhone maker’s shares rose as much as 1.9 percent to a record $129.45 on the Nasdaq on Tuesday morning.

The entry-level Apple Watch Sport model accounts for half the production order, while the mid-tiered Apple Watch will count for a third, one person told the WSJ.

The high-end Apple Watch Edition with 18-karat gold casing, is expected to have relatively small orders in the first quarter, but Apple plans to produce more than 1 million units per month in the second quarter, the Journal reported, citing the person.

The Apple Watch, starting at $349, can receive phone calls and messages, play music, serve as a digital wallet to pay for goods and monitor heart rates via special sensors.

source: interaksyon.com

Oil up from early sell-off as Brent sets 2015 high


NEW YORK - Oil closed up after a weak start on Tuesday, with Brent crude rising to a 2015 high of $63 a barrel as short-covering returned to a market depressed earlier by worries about euro zone stability.

Threats to Middle East crude production and the falling U.S. oil rig count seemed to spur market bulls despite global inventory data suggesting an oversupply of up to 2 million barrels per day, analysts and traders said.

"We're in this mode where the market continues to discount bearish news," said Dominick Chirichella, senior partner at the Energy Management Institute in New York. "Certainly there is some positive news out there about Libya and rest of the Middle East, but I don't see anything that's overly bullish."

Options for the front-month March contract in U.S. crude oil also expired on Tuesday, possibly adding to the rebound, brokers said. A similar upward move was observed a month ago when options expired in the previous front-month contract for U.S. crude.

Brent oil's front-month contract for April delivery settled up $1.13 at $62.53 a barrel, rebounding from the day's low of $60.27. The session peak of $63 was the highest since Dec. 18.

U.S. crude futures for March CLc1 closed up 75 cents at $53.53, versus an intraday low at $50.81.

Oil prices slumped about 60 percent between June and January on fears of a supply glut. Since February began, they have rebounded more than 10 percent on short-covering spurred by speculation that the market had hit bottom and concerns about fighting in the Middle East.

Violence in Libya has shut all major ports and oil exports from the country have collapsed to just a trickle.

Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government has threatened to withhold oil exports if Baghdad failed to send its share of the budget.

The International Energy Agency's chief economist Fatih Birol said on Tuesday the rise of Islamic State presented a major challenge for the investment necessary to prevent an oil shortage in the next decade.

Market bears, meanwhile, point to a Reuters poll that shows U.S. commercial crude oil stockpiles likely rose again in the week ended Feb. 13 to record highs above 420 million barrels.

Oil was down earlier in the day after Greece rejected an international bailout plan. In east Ukraine, pro-Russian rebels and government forces fought street-to-street, further dampening hopes that a European-brokered peace deal will end the conflict.

source: interaksyon.com

Time running out for Pacquiao, Mayweather to book May megafight, says Roach; Floyd to announce decision on his birthday?


Time is running out for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather to book a May 2 showdown, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said Tuesday.

Amid a welter of reports in recent weeks that a deal for the much-anticipated bout was all but done, Roach warned that a decision would be needed soon if both fighters are to prepare adequately.

“We are getting really close,” Roach said of reaching a cut-off for declaring a May 2 fight a reality.

“I need eight weeks. That window is getting smaller and smaller.”

In fact, Roach said, he could make do with a slightly shorter training camp with Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion who said Monday in the Philippines that a deal was “near.”

On an eight-week schedule, the first fortnight would be core training and general conditioning, Roach said.

“The boxing would start six weeks out, because if you go more than six weeks with Manny you’ll burn him out because of his work ethic.”

Pacquiao is 57-5 with two draws and 38 knockouts, while Mayweather is 47-0 with 26 knockouts.

Fight fans around the world have clamored for years for a showdown between the boxers widely regarded as the best “pound-for-pound” fighters of their generation.

The Sunday Telegraph in Britain reported that the pair had agreed to a $250 million deal, although on Sunday night in New York, Mayweather said in a brief television interview during the NBA All-Star Game that nothing had been signed by either party.

Last year, Mayweather used the occasion of his 37th birthday on February 24 to announce his opponent for a May 3 bout — plumping for Argentina’s Marcos Maidana and snubbing England’s Amir Khan.

A similar birthday announcement by Mayweather would make for a nine-week lead time to a May 2 fight.

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum last month ignited buzz over the fight when he said negotiations had been “narrowed down to extraordinarily small points.”

On Tuesday, however, Arum took himself out of the prophecy business.

“I know nothing,” Arum said of the state of negotiations as he attended a public workout at Roach’s Wild Card gym for Chinese fighter Zou Shiming.

Roach, however, thinks the fight — which ran aground in 2009 — will happen.

“I think we’re close enough it will happen sometime in the near future,” Roach said. “Floyd says he wants to fight. Manny says he wants to fight. Fights get made like that.”

Pacquiao said this week he had agreed to the Mayweather camp’s demands regarding drug testing.

Pay-per-view bonanza

Published reports citing sources close to the Filipino ring icon have also said he has agreed to give Mayweather the lion’s share of what promises to be the biggest pay-day in boxing history.

“I think it would be the biggest fight of all time,” Roach said. “A lot of it has to do with the world we’re living in — you have pay-per-view almost everywhere.”

Those pay-per-view revenues have added another wrinkle to the negotiations, since the fighters are under contract to rival US telecasters, Showtime and HBO.

If fight fans do get the bout they’ve been waiting for on May 2, Roach has no doubt who will bring the fireworks, with Pacquiao ready to take some risks to make an exciting fight.

That’s not something he expects from Mayweather, a slick defender who Roach believes is reluctant to risk his unbeaten record.

“I don’t think he really cares about the fans,” Roach said of Mayweather. “I think he just wants to do enough to win. Manny’s not like that. That’s why Manny’s been knocked out a few times. That could happen again, but I’d rather see a fighter get knocked out trying to win than just trying to go the distance.”

source: interaksyon.com

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Anti-smoking drug helps reluctant quitters: study


A medication known as varenicline (Chantix) has been shown to help some smokers quit, even if they were not ready to give up cigarettes right away, international researchers said Tuesday.

The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) was funded by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which makes Chantix, but was led by doctors at the non-profit Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

More than 1,500 smokers enrolled. All said they were not ready to quit in the next 30 days, but did want to kick the habit within three months.

Researchers randomly assigned some to receive the drug for six months and others to receive a placebo.

After six months, those who received varenicline were more than four times more likely to quit than those who took a sugar pill -- 32.1 percent on the medication stopped smoking, compared to 6.9 percent of the placebo group.

After a year, those in the medication group were twice as likely to have quit than those in the placebo cohort. By that time, 27 percent on the medication had quit, versus 9.9 percent on the placebo.

The drug comes with side effects, ranging from nausea to thoughts of suicide, and did not help most of the smokers quit.

But researchers said their analysis showed it was more helpful than a placebo when it came to long-term habit changes.

"This study is important because this opens the door to treatment for approximately 14 million smokers who have no intention of quitting in the next 30 days but are willing to reduce their smoking rate while working toward a quit attempt," said lead author Jon Ebbert, associate director for research in the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center.

"Smokers should know that varenicline can help them quit smoking if they want to reduce their smoking prior to completely stopping," he added.

"It's an effective and safe way to increase long-term smoking cessation."

Co-authors on the study came from the University of Vermont, University of London and Nebraska Medical Center.

source: interaksyon.com

Monday, February 16, 2015

Cybercrime ring steals up to $1 billion from banks — Kaspersky


A multinational gang of cyber criminals has stolen as much as $1 billion from as many as 100 financial institutions around the world in about two years, Russian computer security company Kaspersky Lab said on Saturday.

The company said it was working with Interpol, Europol and authorities from different countries to try to uncover more details on what it being called an unprecedented robbery.

The gang, which Kaspersky dubbed Carbanak, takes the unusual approach of stealing directly from banks, rather than posing as customers to withdraw money from companies’ or individuals’ accounts. It said the gang included cyber criminals from Europe, including Russia and Ukraine, as well as China.

Carbanak used carefully crafted emails to trick pre-selected employees into opening malicious software files, a common technique known as spear phishing. They were then able to get into the internal network and track down administrators’ computers for video surveillance.

In this way, Kaspersky said, the criminals learned how the bank clerks worked and could mimic their activity when transferring the money.

In some cases, Carbanak inflated account balances before pocketing the extra funds through a fraudulent transaction. Because the legitimate funds were still there, the account holder would not suspect a problem.

Kaspersky said Carbanak also remotely seized control of ATMs and ordered them to dispense cash at a predetermined time, when a gang member would be waiting to collect the money.

“These attacks again underline the fact that criminals will exploit any vulnerability in any system,” Sanjay Virmani, director of Interpol Digital Crime Center, said in a statement prepared by Kaspersky. “It also highlights the fact that no sector can consider itself immune to attack and must constantly address their security procedures.”

source: interaksyon.com

Knicks part ways with former All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire after buyout agreement


The New York Knicks took another step in the deconstruction of the struggling team by agreeing to buy out six-time NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, according to multiple reports on Sunday.

Stoudemire had two months left on his contract, but had expressed hopes of landing with a team that had a shot at making the playoffs.

The Knicks would not confirm the buyout following the All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden, but Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony was already mourning the departure of his teammate.

“I’m losing a friend, a teammate, a guy who I wanted to come to the city and play with,” Anthony said after the West All-Stars took a 163-158 win over the East.

“I know what he wants, and you have to respect that as an athlete, as a competitor. You only want the best for your friends and your close ones. He wants to play for a championship…”

The Knicks, who had aspired to making the postseason under new president Phil Jackson, have the worst record in the NBA at 10-43, 26 games behind Atlantic Division-leading Toronto.

Last month, New York traded Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith for a minimal return as they began clearing the decks for a team makeover for next season.

Stoudemire, who was in the final season of a five-year, $99.7 million contract, came to the Knicks as a free agent in 2010 and helped energize the team, but has been limited in recent years due to injuries.

A 13-year veteran with a career scoring average of 20 points a game, Stoudemire is averaging 12 points this season.

source: interaksyon.com

Asia shares edge up, Greece uncertainty lingers


SYDNEY - Most Asian share markets were fractionally higher on Monday following a record close on Wall Street, with investors cautiously optimistic the European Union would make progress this week on a debt deal with Greece.

Oil prices extended their bounce as Brent topped $62 a barrel, while the major currencies stayed locked in recent tight ranges.

Data from Japan showed the economy emerged from recession in the final quarter of last year, though growth of 0.6 percent was short of market forecasts.

Investors still seemed encouraged and the Nikkei firmed 0.6 percent in early trade.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan recouped a small initial loss to inch ahead.

The index boasted its highest close since late October on Friday but is bumping up against a major band of chart resistance in the 484 to 486 area.

Australia's main index eased 0.2 percent, while South Korean shares rose by a matching amount.

Holidays will be a feature this week with the United States off on Monday and much of Asia celebrating the Lunar New Year. China's markets are off from Feb. 18 right through to the 24th.

The Eurogroup of finance ministers meets in Brussels later Monday to try to find common ground with Greece' new government, in talks that could drag on for some time.

Greece said on Sunday it was confident of reaching agreement in negotiations with its euro zone partners, but reiterated it would not accept harsh austerity strings in any debt pact.

Markets have generally assumed a compromise would eventually be found, given the alternative might be a disastrous Greek exit from the euro.

The S&P 500 ended at a record high on Friday, as energy shares gained with oil prices, while the Nasdaq hit a 15-year high helped by technology stocks.

The Dow gained 0.26 percent, while the S&P 500 added 0.41 percent and the Nasdaq 0.75 percent. The FTSEuroFirst index of 300 leading shares closed up 0.64 percent, helped by upbeat growth data from Germany.

Without a clear outcome on Greece, there is little conviction to buy or sell the euro. As a result, the common currency has been drifting in a slim $1.1262-1.1534 range in the last few weeks. It was last flat at $1.1400.

Against the yen, the euro was a touch softer at 135.00, off a three-week peak of 136.70 reached last Thursday. The dollar slipped to 118.59 yen, recoiling from a one-month high of 120.48 set last Wednesday.

The main mover on Monday was sterling, which scaled a six-week peak following recent hawkish-sounding comments from the Bank of England. The pound climbed as far as $1.5435 in early trade, from around $1.5407 late on Friday.

In commodities, oil was supported by signs that deeper industry spending cuts may curb excess supply. Brent crude rose 42 cents to $61.94 per barrel, while U.S. crude added 34 cents to $53.12 per barrel.

source: interaksyon.com

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Could ‘American Sniper’ sneak up in two-horse Oscar race?


LOS ANGELES | With only a week to go before the Oscars, the all-important Best Picture prize appears locked in a two-horse race between dark comedy “Birdman” and coming-of-age drama “Boyhood.”

But as Hollywood counts down the days to next Sunday’s show, some are suggesting that controversial blockbuster “American Sniper” could yet surprise, and best the two indie films.

“‘Boyhood’ and ‘Birdman’ are the frontrunners, and ‘American Sniper’ is the dark horse,” Matthew Belloni, executive editor of industry journal The Hollywood Reporter, told AFP.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if ‘American Sniper’ had a last-minute surge, because of how well it’s doing at the box office,” he added, referring to the movie’s $365 million-plus global box office haul so far.

The Academy Awards have traditionally favored more independent, art-house fare for Best Picture, handed out at the climax of Hollywood’s annual December-to-February awards season.

WASHED-UP SUPERHERO STAR

“Birdman” — about a washed-up superhero film star battling to revive his career on the stage — is definitely more along its usual lines, as is “Boyhood,” which took 12 years to make as the actors aged in real time.

Both have fared well in pre-Oscars shows, with “Boyhood” taking the Golden Globes’ best film, while “Birdman’ won a string of awards including top prizes at the Screen Actors Guild and Directors Guild of America.

But Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper” has unexpectedly stirred up the race, grabbing headlines both for its massive box office success and a row over its portrayal an Iraq war warrior.

Filmmaker Michael Moore claimed it hero-worships former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, while Tea Party firebrand and former vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin said leftists were “not fit to shine Chris Kyle’s combat boots.”

The question is, how many of the 6,000-odd voting members of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the industry’s elite body, will be swayed at this late stage?

They began casting ballots on February 6, and voting closes on Tuesday at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT Monday) — after which only two PriceWaterhouse Coopers staff will know the results before the envelopes are opened on stage next Sunday.

While the Best Picture race is too close to call, several of the other key categories are seen as much easier to predict.

Julianne Moore is almost universally expected to win best actress for playing a professor suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease in “Still Alice.”

Patricia Arquette is the favorite for best supporting actress as the mother in “Boyhood.”

Best actor is between “Birdman” star Michael Keaton and Britain’s Eddie Redmayne as astrophysicist Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything,” while J.K. Simmons is tipped for supporting actor for jazz drama “Whiplash.”

Belloni said his personal forecast for best director is Mexico’s Alejandro Inarritu for “Birdman” — with the best picture going to “Boyhood.”

“So the Academy will split… much like it did last year,” he said, referring to “12 Years a Slave” taking the best film prize in 2014, while “Gravity” helmer Alfonso Cuaron — also Mexican — took best director.

ALL-WHITE NOMINEES

Talking of “12 Years a Slave,” there was uproar last month when Oscar nominations were announced, over the fact that every single one of the 20 acting nominees are white.

While Martin Luther King Jr movie “Selma” is among the eight Best Picture nominees, eyebrows were raised that neither its British star David Oyelowo nor director Ava DuVernay were shortlisted individually.

“The real snub here is that David Oyelowo… I think a lot of people were surprised that he did not get a nomination for that,” said Belloni.

More broadly, he said, Academy members “feel bad” that only white actors were nominated this year, but added: “I think the problem goes deeper than that.

“The Academy nominates the films that are put up for contention, and other than ‘Selma’ there really weren’t films that featured minority actors in leading and hefty roles,” Belloni added.

“It goes to the kinds of movies that are getting green-lit in Hollywood, and the kinds of people who are making those decisions. Hollywood has made strides in recent years to rectify the diversity problem, but it still exists.”

source: interaksyon.com

Google, Mattel bring virtual reality to iconic toy


NEW YORK — Google and toy giant Mattel said Friday they were teaming up to revamp the classic View-Master device, injecting it with digital-age virtual reality.

The upgraded View-Master — a device unveiled in 1939 to allow people to view slides to simulate a three-dimensional experience — will become “an immersive digital experience for kids,” a statement from the two companies said.

The new device will be available later this year at a price of around $30 for US consumers.

A sample reel allows users to experience a journey into space with a tour inside a space shuttle, and a chance to explore destinations in 360 degrees. Additional reel packs will be sold separately.

The new View-Master will incorporate the Google Cardboard platform — an inexpensive system which uses a smartphone enveloped in the folds of cardboard for a simplified virtual reality experience.

It will be paired with a smartphone and app to provide “an imaginative and interactive learning environment,” the statement said.

“The View-Master was first introduced at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, giving consumers access to spectacular 3D worlds by simply selecting a reel and looking through a device,” said Mattel vice president Doug Wadleigh.

“By working with Google’s Cardboard platform, we are now able to take that experience even further, bringing the discovery and immersive viewing experience of the View-Master to the digital age.”

Mike Jazayeri, product director for Google Cardboard, said, “Many of us on the Google Cardboard team grew up playing with View-Master, so we were excited to collaborate with Mattel and to see the viewer evolve and work with Google Cardboard.”

source: interaksyon.com

Friday, February 13, 2015

Thousands of San Francisco commuters possibly exposed to measles on train


SAN FRANCISCO - Tens of thousands of commuters on San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit system may have been exposed to measles after an infectious Bay Area resident rode a train to and from work for three days last week, public health officials said on Wednesday.

The rider represents the first case of measles confirmed by Contra Costa County health officials during an outbreak of the disease that began in late December. The infected person also spent time at a San Francisco restaurant and bar on the evening of Feb. 4.

"Although the risk of contracting measles by being exposed on BART is low, Bay Area residents should be aware of the situation," the county public health department said in a statement.

The California Department of Public Health said on Wednesday that 110 cases of measles had been confirmed in California, many of them linked to the outbreak that authorities believe began when an infected person from out of the country visited Disneyland in late December.

More than three dozen more cases have been documented in other U.S. states and in Mexico. Most people recover from measles within a few weeks, although it can be fatal in some cases.

In the Bay Area case, the infected person was known to have traveled between the Lafayette station in the East Bay and the Montgomery station in San Francisco during the morning and evening rush-hour commutes on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week, BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said.

That ride is 35 minutes long, but health officials said the highly infectious, airborne virus could have remained in the air for up to two hours. Because BART cars circulate throughout the Bay area, tens of thousands of people could have potentially been exposed, Trost said.

The infected rider, who was not identified by name, age or gender, also spent time at the E&O Kitchen and Bar in San Francisco on Wednesday evening, potentially exposing others who were in the restaurant between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., health officials said.

Public health officials said they were tracing the movements of the person, who is recovering and not hospitalized, and notifying others known to have had close contact.

Authorities sought to downplay the risk to commuters or diners, however, saying that most people had been inoculated for the disease, but urged anyone who had not to get vaccinated.

"We do know that measles has been circulating through the Bay Area. This person doesn't know where they were exposed," said Erika Jenssen, Contra Costa County's communicable disease programs chief.

Among the more than three dozen cases reported outside of California are 10 in Cook County, Illinois, nine of them associated with a daycare center in the city of Palatine.

The measles outbreak has renewed a debate over the so-called anti-vaccination movement, in which fears about potential side effects of vaccines, fueled by now-debunked research suggesting a link to autism, have prompted a small minority of parents to refuse inoculations for their children.

Some parents also opt not to have their children vaccinated for religious or other reasons.

Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 after decades of intensive childhood vaccine efforts. But in 2014 the country had its highest number of measles cases in 20 years. (Additional reporting by Noel Randewich in San Francisco and Steve Gorman and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles)

source: interaksyon.com

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Jon Stewart to leave 'The Daily Show' later this year


LOS ANGELES - Host Jon Stewart will leave the satirical and pioneering "The Daily Show" later this year, his bosses at Comedy Central said Tuesday, calling him a "comic genius."

The 52-year-old, who took time off in 2013 to direct a film based on an Iranian-Canadian journalist's nightmare in a Tehran jail, has worked for Comedy Central for the better part of two decades.

"His comedic brilliance is second to none," said a statement on the channel's Twitter feed.

The Daily Show, which airs four nights a week in the United States, offers Stewart's trademark sideways take on the news. The show has been running to acclaim since 1999.

"Jon has been at the heart of Comedy Central, championing and nurturing the best talent in the industry, in front of, and behind the camera," said the channel.

It added: "Through his unique voice and vision, The Daily Show has become a cultural touchstone for millions of fans and an unparalleled platform for political comedy that will endure for years to come.

"Jon will remain at the helm of The Daily Show until later this year. He is a comic genius, generous with his time and talent, and will always be a part of the Comedy Central family."

The statement gave no indication of what Stewart plans to do after leaving the show.

source: interaksyon.com

Caribbean reports record number of tourists, spending in '14


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A record 26.3 million people traveled to the Caribbean last year and spent an unprecedented amount of money in what is considered the world's most tourism-dependent region, officials said Tuesday.

It is the fifth consecutive year that the Caribbean has reported an increase in tourists following an economic crisis that forced resorts to shut down and caused a drop in visitors and spending.

Hugh Riley, the Caribbean Tourism Organization's secretary general, said Caribbean tourism rose by 5.3 percent, while the worldwide tourism growth rate was 4.7 percent.

Officials attributed the increase in part to improvements at airports around the region, the opening of new hotel chains and an increase in direct flights and airline seat capacity.

The Dutch Caribbean saw the most growth, with Aruba for the first time reporting more than 1 million visitors. The Dominican Republic, Cuba and Jamaica also saw an unprecedented number of visitors. Smaller destinations including Haiti, St. Lucia and Belize reported a record number of stay-over arrivals.

A surge in visitors from Canada, the U.S. and Europe helped set those records.


"It tells us that stability is returning to the market," said Richard Sealy, chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Tourists overall spent more than $29 billion in the Caribbean last year, an increase of more than $1 billion over the previous year.

The region also welcomed nearly 24 million cruise ship passengers last year, an 8 percent increase, though Winfield Griffith, the organization's research director, said he expected "another shift away from the Caribbean as the cruise lines try to diversity their product" in 2015.

Tourism officials also are keeping an eye on Cuba, with the island expected to attract far more tourists this year as relations between the U.S. and Cuba begin to thaw.

Riley said the organization plans to promote multi-destination travel to ease the potential impact on other islands.

source: philstar.com

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

In Japan, happiness is… wearable sensors?


TOKYO, Japan — It is a problem that has defeated generations of philosophers, poets and painters, but one Japanese company thinks it has come up with a way of knowing for sure if people are happy.

Hitachi High Technologies, a subsidiary of ovens-to-trains conglomerate Hitachi, says its new happiness measuring device will let bosses know if they run a happy office — or if their employees are secretly bored at work.

The company has developed a credit-card size wearable device loaded with sensors that determine where the wearer is and whether he or she is sitting, standing, typing or nodding.

It also records who is talking to whom and for how long, among other activities.

The data is then sent back to a base unit, which calculates the happiness of the group as a whole by comparing the patterns of activity with pre-determined patterns from groups who report being… well, happy.

Hitachi says the idea behind the system is to help employers find ways that can increase the group’s happiness, thereby improving their productivity.

The system, which cannot be used to measure an individual’s state of mind, will go on sale in Japan in April, with each measuring tag costing 100,000 yen ($840) a year.

source: interaksyon.com

Monday, February 9, 2015

Eminem wins record sixth Best Rap Album Grammy


LOS ANGELES | Eminem won the Grammy Sunday for Best Rap Album for “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” beating out newcomers to cement his role as the most awarded and top-selling rapper ever.

With the win, Eminem has won a record six Grammys for Best Rap Album.

“The Marshall Mathers LP 2″ was his eighth studio album, and was considered a sequel to his largely autobiographical “The Marshall Mathers LP” from 2000, which remains the fastest-selling album by a solo artist in the United States.

The now 42-year-old Eminem beat out a field that included Iggy Azalea, who would have been the first solo woman to win in the category. Eminem raised controversy with a recent song in which the rapper — or, he says, a character he is playing — threatens to rape Azalea.

Azalea hit back by charging that Eminem was old and could not think of anything new other than to threaten a young woman.

Eminem did not appear to accept the award, presented at a ceremony ahead of the main televised Grammy gala that features major pop performers.

On “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” Eminem teamed up with veteran producer Rick Rubin, who brought in hard rock elements, as well as his veteran mentor Dr. Dre. The album features the hit “The Monster,” in which Eminem again collaborated with singer Rihanna.

Eminem – who is sober after a long history of substance use – on the album reflected at length on his trajectory into superstardom from his troubled youth in Detroit, where he grew up as Marshall Bruce Mathers III in a largely African American community.

But Eminem also encountered further controversy on the album by using anti-gay slurs. Eminem had for years tried to battle accusations of homophobia, going so far as to perform at the 2001 Grammys in a duet with Elton John, who is gay.

Eminem argued that he supports gay rights but that he uses the slur as a narrative device.

On “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” Eminem also patches up with his mother after a notoriously difficult relationship, including past lyrics in which he hinted at violence against the “selfish bitch.”

source: interaksyon.com

Sunday, February 8, 2015

ISIS, Charlie Hebdo, Moro conflict: Are we at the edge of a religious, cultural war? Part 2 of 2


(Editor’s note: Cesar Polvorosa Jr. is a business school professor of economics, world geography, and international business management in Canada. He is also a published writer in economics, business, and literature.)

Successful management and resolution of sources of conflicts enable a society to move forward. But why have these rifts reappeared and widened in recent years? Here are six factors, and a possible way to reverse the slide of civilization into religious and cultural wars.Â

1. Lack of inclusive growth and development

Economic growth of the past few decades particularly under the auspices of ieoliberalism had been characterized by greater inequalities that festered in the immigrant communities of Europe, the slums of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and in many other Third World countries including the Philippines.

The more recent, prolonged economic slump especially in Europe exacerbated the ethnic and religious tensions as the economic pie, already unequally divided became even smaller slices for marginalized groups such as immigrants from North Africa.

Assertive nationalism had been on the rise in Europe and other places even before the recent economic crisis.

Ironically, globalization and the EU had been characterized by greater economic integration and interdependence but are also accompanied by political fragmentation.

However, as extremist politics in Europe gains headway such as in restrictive immigration policies, it will likewise eventually threaten free trade and market economies.

The powers-that-be including despots and elites partly based also on religious and ethnic lines controlled the resources of their societies and in many countries curtailed the freedoms of the population and implemented discriminatory practices.

Furthermore, there is rapid population growth associated with underdevelopment in many countries that created a massive pool of angry, jobless, and disillusioned young men - this was the combustible demographic dynamic that fueled the Arab Spring.

2. Divergent worldviews

While there had been commentaries about the possible incompatibilities of say, Islam with Western values, the vast majority of Muslim immigrants living in the West are peaceful citizens and active participants in the progress of their societies while retaining their cultural identities.

Many would argue that Europe is now a post-religious society as many of its inhabitants no longer identify with any religion.

Europeans built grand cathedrals but these are now almost empty which sharpens the contrast with the religious fervor and jam-packed houses of worship not only in say, MENA and Asia, but in their immigrant communities as well in the West.

Thus, to the secular European mindset, nothing is sacred and freedom of expression is everything. This stance is anathema and incomprehensible to many believers though the condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo murders is almost universal.

3. Colonial legacy, imperialism, and foreign intervention
The European powers in their conquest of territories divided and fixed the political boundaries among themselves without regard for ethnic and religious territorial concerns and/or favored one subject ethnic group over another.

Combined with the colonial exploitation that impoverished the subject countries, the artificial boundaries and discriminatory practices thus set the stage for internecine warfare and civil wars in the independence period especially true for Africa (e.g. Rwanda) and MENA such as Lebanon and now in Iraq.

The prior centuries of Ottoman rule over much of the Middle East also made it problematic to define some nation states in the region.

America’s wars in the Middle East and the accompanying hubris and ineptitude of the occupation have alienated multitudes of Arabs.

4. New meaning of ‘radical’ and the primacy of free will

The changing times are also reflected in the evolving conventional wisdom of the concept of “radicalization.” Decades ago when one says that angry young men and women became “radicalized” it invariably meant that they have become “communist.” Now, “radicalization” translates to religious fundamentalism, specifically Islamic fundamentalism.

Hundreds of young men going over to fight as “foreign fighters” under the banner of ISIS echoed the 1930s when European Communists formed the “International Brigade” in Spain to defend the Republican forces against the Nationalists of General Franco, who was supported by Mussolini and Hitler.

Be that as it may, people still exercise free will or agency in the face of the oppressive structures or adverse developments in society as influenced by their individual character and personal circumstances.

Thus, we have extraordinary individuals whose response to perceived injustices covered the full spectrum from the bloody revolution of Lenin to the civil rights movement of Martin Luther King.

The same oppressive conditions in the Philippines in the late 19th century produced a reformer such as national hero Jose Rizal but also a revolutionary like Andres Bonifacio.

5. In Asia and Africa, historical rivalries and polarization


In the Islamic world there is the traditional rivalry between the Sunnis and Shias especially in the Middle East particularly in the Gulf region. Deepening rifts marked this new era of conflict, which in recent years, has also increasingly pitted moderates against the radicals.

One has to consider the casualties from ISIS advances in northern Iraq and Syria, the bombings in Pakistan, the abductions and massacres of Boko Haram in Nigeria to get a sense of the significant magnitude of this recent round of violence of moderates against radicals and among different ethnic groups of the same country.

Even among the radicals there is also a contest for leadership. It was usually thought that Al Qaeda already represented the extreme radical organization. Then came the meteoric rise of ISIS with even more extreme methods, overt territorial ambitions, and outright large scale military operations that eclipsed Al Qaeda.

6. In the West, resurgence of radical political parties?


Within the West the jagged fault lines had also been the moderates and mainstream political supporters against the anti-immigrant and anti-foreign lobby of extremist political organizations.

As in previous episodes of protracted economic dislocations such as the 1930s’ Great Depression, growing numbers of people in the wake of the Great Recession of the past few years become disenchanted with the ineffectiveness of mainstream policies to bring jobs and prosperity and are consequently seduced by extremist ideology.

Thus, the stunning electoral victory of the far left party Syriza in Greece on January 25 articulated the anger and disillusion of the Greeks with the severe EU austerity policies.

On the other hand, there is also the emergence in Germany of Pegida, which explicitly opposes what it considers as the “Islamization” of the West and has spread as well to Denmark.

The far right gained substantial ground in France with electoral victories by the anti-immigrant National Front that is similarly mirrored in Austria.

The impending peril is that the triumph of extremist political parties and ideologues would see the adoption of hard-line policies and set up the stage for confrontation with other ethnicities and religions seen as a threat to the Western way of life.

Flashpoints and Philippine updates


There are numerous flashpoints in the world due to nationalist and religious divergences: Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Niger, Yemen, Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Pakistan, Kashmir, Xinjiang, Tibet, and the West Philippine Sea.

Note that critical flashpoints include those in the Fertile Crescent - the crossroads of civilizations where various peoples have invaded and settled. The battle lines are being drawn.

The massacre of 44 commandos of the Philippine police Special Action Force (SAF) in Maguindanao last January 25 underscored the fragility of the relations between Christians and Muslims in Mindanao.

Reportedly, the PNP did not coordinate when they executed their special operation that in turn arose from their lack of trust of their MILF counterparts.

The situation remains very fluid though there is official commitment to continue the peace process.

Last year it was reported that the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Abu Sayyaf rebels pledged support to ISIS while rejecting peace talks with the Philippine government. The main Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebel group signed a peace agreement with President Benigno Aquino III’s government last March and thus highlighted the split within the rebel ranks of moderates vs. radical or extremist wings.

What can be done to prevent the onset of a devastating religious and cultural war? Such a widespread conflict will be prolonged and calamitous for humanity and possibly usher in a new Dark Age.

At the present time, the Allies are heavily invested in an air campaign against ISIS. There had been already tangible results such as the ISIS withdrawal from the strategic town of Kobani in the face of relentless aerial bombing.

However, history suggests especially to the Americans that an air campaign is never enough - from the pounding of German cities in World War 2, the carpet bombing of Hanoi in the Vietnam War, and as recent as the Gulf War a powerful air force helps but does not determine the outcome of the war.

The next decision point will come if the Allies realize that their boots on the ground are necessary when local forces will prove to be insufficient to bring a decisive victory.

Even then, a military solution often does not bring lasting peace especially in the present context. The structural reasons for the widening cleavage in society need to be addressed which is an arduous, long-term task.

The triumphant groups whether the moderates or radicals in the West or in the Islamic world will control the historical and political narrative and the future trajectory of relations among different cultures and religions.

A radical victory will determine that the outcome will be exclusionary policies and repression at the least - which will ultimately lead to war.

On the other hand, a victory for moderates will mean the likely pursuance of peaceful coexistence through dialogue, fruitful interaction, and accommodation.

Dialogue among civilizations and the message of Pope Francis

It may be time to revive the “Dialogue Among Civilizations” initiative of former Iranian President Khatami - which was in response to the “Clash of Civilizations” thesis of Huntington as well as the “Dialogue Among Cultures” undertaking of UNESCO.

Essentially under the auspices of the United Nations, the objective is to conduct dialogue among civilizations to achieve mutual understanding, tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and international cooperation and security through promotion and facilitation of the peaceful resolution of conflicts and/disputes among cultures, countries, and religions.

With such noble and lofty goals, the main difference is that these initiatives need to be undertaken on a much larger scale and a great sense of urgency.

Pope Francis was quoted while on his way to his recent four-day momentous visit to the Philippines that while condemning the Charlie Hebdo massacre he also observed that “one cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith.”

He explained thus, “that is, there is a limit. Every religion has its dignity.” Already, these comments have drawn a favorable feedback from some religious groups. Perhaps, this is the way forward.

Humanity is at a critical crossroad. Historians of the future may look back at this time of the 21st century as the beginning of the slide of civilization into turmoil due to religious and cultural wars.

However, the descent into madness can still be averted by the timely and concerted actions of governments, organizations, and individuals.

Humanity can yet succeed in bridging the chasm that divides the diverse peoples of the world and bring about reconciliation and harmony. The stakes are enormous as the looming clash on the horizon over culture and religion will be the battle for the heart and soul of civilization.

source: interaksyon.com

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Canada court rules doctors can help ill patients die


TORONTO — Canada's highest court unanimously struck down a ban on doctor-assisted suicide for mentally competent patients with terminal illnesses, declaring on Friday that "an individual's response to a grievous and irremediable medical condition is a matter critical to their dignity and autonomy."

The Supreme Court's decision reverses its own decision two decades ago and gives Parliament a year to draft new legislation that recognizes the right of consenting adults who are enduring intolerable suffering to seek medical help ending their lives. The current ban on doctor-assisted suicide stands until then.

The judgment said the ban infringes on the life, liberty and security of individuals under Canada's constitution. It had been illegal in Canada to counsel, aid or abet a suicide, an offense carrying a maximum prison sentence of 14 years

"The law allows people in this situation to request palliative sedation, refuse artificial nutrition and hydration, or request the removal of life-sustaining medical equipment, but denies the right to request a physician's assistance in dying," the ruling noted.

Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, Germany, Albania, Colombia, Japan and in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico and Montana. Euthanasia is currently legal in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Friday's decision reverses a Canadian Supreme Court ruling in 1993. At the time, the justices were primarily concerned that vulnerable people could not be properly protected under physician-assisted suicide.

"For seriously and incurably ill Canadians, the brave people who worked side by side with us for so many years on this case — this decision will mean everything to them," said a visibly overjoyed Grace Pastine, the litigation director for the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association.

The pressure will now be on Parliament to act in an election year, as the court says no exemptions may be granted for those seeking to end their lives during the 12-month suspension of the judgment.

Friday's decision was spurred by the families of two now-dead British Columbia women, supported by Pastine's organization.

Gloria Taylor was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, a degenerative neurological illness. Kay Carter was diagnosed with a degenerative spinal cord condition. At age 89, Carter travelled to Switzerland, where assisted suicide is allowed.

Taylor had won a constitutional exemption at a lower court for a medically assisted death in 2012, but that decision was overturned in subsequent appeals. She died of an infection later the same year.

It has been more than 20 years since the case of another patient with Lou Gehrig's disease, Sue Rodriguez, gripped Canada as she fought for the right to assisted suicide. She lost her appeal but took her own life with the help of an anonymous doctor in 1994, at the age of 44.

source: philstar.com


Meet Sports Illustrated's first plus-size model


MANILA, Philippines – For the first time in history, Sports Illustrated is featuring a plus size model in an “editorial spread.”

Robyn Lawley, an Australian Native is gracing the issue's "Rookies" section, wearing a scanty tangerine and snake skin-inspired bikini that showcases her bodacious curves.

In the US, size 12 Lawley is technically considered a plus-size although an average American woman is size 14. She was considered as one of the first plus-size women in the modeling industry and has been very vocal about her advocacy to stop the plus-size stigma.

“I don’t know if I consider myself as a plus-size model or not. I just consider myself a model because I’m trying to help women in general accept their bodies,” Lawley told TIME.

Lawley shared her scorching hot photos on her Instagram account:




Aside from Lawley, size 16 model Ashley Graham  also made buzz for starring in the first ever ad to feature a plus-size model in the pages of the magazine's annual swimsuit issue.

This year's coveted swimsuit issue features Hannah Davis, a 24-year old model hailing from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

source:  philstar.com

Friday, February 6, 2015

Display makers look to next-generation cars to drive growth


SEOUL — First there were TVs, then smartphones, but as those two markets mature the world’s top screen makers are looking to the auto sector to drive future growth, with car display volumes expected to almost triple by 2018.

Manufacturers like South Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd and Samsung Display are eager to boost their exposure to the sector, which promises bigger and more stable margins than their mainstay mobile and TV businesses.

“Previously, display makers saw little merit in auto displays because of their small volumes and slim margins … but they are now revising their strategy as the market is growing,” said Lee Byeong-hoon, a principal engineer at the South Korean unit of German auto parts giant Continental, the biggest buyer of automotive displays.

Luxury cars already carry two or three displays and could have as many as nine in the near future, as safety and convenience features proliferate. Kia Motors’ K9 sedan, for example, has five displays – an instrument panel, a centre information screen, two backseat displays and a “head-up” display projecting information onto the windshield.

Future cars could add transparent side-window displays and replace rear view mirrors and side mirrors with screens, according to LG Display, the biggest liquid crystal display (LCD) maker.

Looking further ahead, self-driving vehicles in development by Google Inc and others will free up passengers to watch movies, play video games or check emails, meaning even more in-car screens, analysts said.

Samsung Display, a subsidiary of smartphone giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, is testing its organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays with BMW and Continental in hopes of gaining a foothold in the sector, two sources familiar with the experiments said.

LG Display, which supplies smartphone screens to Apple Inc, intends to become the top auto display maker next year, leapfrogging Japan Display Inc, Sharp Corp, LG Display Vice President James Shin said.

“Auto displays have a very bright future,” Shin told Reuters.

Competition is heating up with LCD automotive display shipments forecast to almost triple to 174 million from 2013 to 2018, according to data from research firm IHS.

Auto display revenue will grow from $4.6 billion (3 billion pounds) to $8.3 billion over the same period, it says. Even so, the sector is small by mobile standards, with global handset screen revenue estimated at $28.9 billion in 2013, according to DisplaySearch.

But auto displays promise better returns than smartphones. They need to be more durable and carry longer warranties, so they are more expensive. Margins can reach 30 percent compared with as little as 5 percent for consumer electronics displays, IHS analyst Stacy Wu said.

Average smartphone display prices slumped almost 14 percent last year and another double-digit fall is likely in 2015, according to IHS Technology.

OLED edge


Late last year, BMW executives visited South Korea for demonstrations of display products by Samsung and LG, one source said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. All three companies declined to comment.

“It may take a couple of years or three to four years, but Samsung thinks it needs to enter the market, whether it is OLED or LCDs,” a person with direct knowledge of Samsung’s thinking said, asking not to be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly.

OLED screens, offering more vivid colours and greater flexibility than LCDs, could be a key differentiator for LG Display and Samsung Display, the only firms currently capable of mass producing them.

LG’s Shin said he expected OLED screens to be available in mass-produced cars by the end of the decade.

“The year 2020 is not in the distant future from the automakers’ perspective,” he said.

source: interaksyon.com

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Iggy Azalea rise tests music industry on race, gender


LOS ANGELES | Iggy Azalea has soared to stardom as a rare white woman in hip-hop, but her meteoric rise has triggered a backlash that reveals much about the music business’s fault-lines on race and gender.

The 24-year-old Australian, who released her first full album just nine months ago, is up for four Grammy awards on Sunday, including the prestigious Record of the Year for her smash hit “Fancy.”

But even as Azalea wins plaudits from the industry and packs arenas, detractors see her as uncanny or even offensive — a white, blonde woman who raps in an accent that is identifiably African American.

Her most vociferous critic has been fellow rapper Azealia Banks, a black woman who has accused Azalea of mocking African Americans.

Banks, who has never been nominated for a Grammy, charged that Azalea — whom she taunted as “Igloo Australia” — shied away from issues important to the black community such as police brutality.

“When they give these Grammys out, all it says to white kids is, ‘Oh yeah, you’re great, you’re amazing, you can do whatever you put your mind to.’

“And it says to black kids, ‘You don’t have shit — you don’t own shit, not even the shit you created for yourself,’” Banks said in a radio interview.

Azalea — who moved to the United States as a teenager to pursue her hip-hop dreams and has been romantically linked to African American men — has denounced Banks as a “bigot.”

“There are many black artists succeeding in all genres. The reason you haven’t is because of your piss poor attitude,” Azalea wrote on Twitter.

HIP-HOP NOW GLOBAL

Hip-hop has gone global since its birth in New York in the 1970s — and Azalea is hardly a trailblazer as a white rapper.

The all-time best-selling rapper — Eminem — is white, as are Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the duo who won four Grammys last year.

But a more unique factor is Azalea’s gender. No women, black or white, have come close to achieving the sales of hip-hop’s leading men, some of whom are notorious for misogynistic lyrics.

James Braxton Peterson, a scholar of hip-hop at Lehigh University, said that the music’s US audience was now predominantly white — but also male — meaning that Azalea was able to connect with a ready audience of white girls and women.

“Hip-hop culture is a black American art form that, much like jazz and the blues and other art forms before it, has transcended the origins of its emergence,” Peterson said.

Peterson said it was unrealistic to stop the globalization of hip-hop, which has become a potent political force in parts of the world as diverse as France, Ghana and the Gaza Strip.

Yet hip-hop, by its very nature, draws more questions about artists’ identities, he said.

“In most other musical forms, if somebody else writes your lyrics, that’s fine, that’s pretty normal. But in hip-hop, if someone else is writing your lyrics, it calls into question all sorts of questions of authenticity,” he said.

Azalea has been dogged by accusations of using ghostwriters. Nicki Minaj — one of the most acclaimed female rappers — was widely seen as criticizing Azalea last year when she said that the world should know, “When you hear Nicki Minaj spit, Nicki Minaj wrote it.”

The Trinidad-born Minaj later accused the media of putting words in her mouth and has congratulated Azalea on her success.

WHAT IS GENUINE?

It will never be known if Azalea would have achieved similar success if she rapped in Australian brogue. British hip-hop artists such as The Streets and London Posse kept their accents and enjoyed success, although not on the massive scale experienced by Azalea.

Despite the charges of inauthenticity, Azalea — like many rappers — has injected herself into the music. In “Work,” one of her first songs, she raps of her struggles to start in hip-hop and declares: “People got a lot to say / But don’t know shit ’bout where I was made.”

But her lyrics have also faced close scrutiny. She apologized for another song in which she described herself as a “runaway slave master” — a phrase she insisted was metaphorical and not racist.

Azalea, a prolific user of Twitter, recently wrote she was annoyed by strangers trying to “set the guidelines for how I should act or what’s genuine for me.”

“I’m myself, as strange as I may be, daily,” she wrote.

source: interaksyon.com

At least 22 dead as Taiwan plane plunges into river


TAIPEI, Taiwan - At least 22 people were killed Wednesday when a turboprop passenger plane operated by TransAsia Airways clipped an overpass and plunged into a river in Taiwan, in the airline's second crash in just seven months.

Desperate crew shouted "Mayday! Mayday! Engine flameout!" according to a recording thought to be the final message from the cockpit to the control tower played on local television.

A "flameout" is when the flame that normally burns in the engine goes out, causing engine failure. Twin-engined planes are usually able to fly on one engine.

Aviation officials said they had not released the cockpit recording, suggesting that it may have come from amateurs monitoring the radio.

Dramatic amateur video footage showed the TransAsia ATR 72-600 hit an elevated road as it banked side-long towards the water, leaving a trail of debris including a smashed taxi.

"I saw a taxi, probably just metres ahead of me, being hit by one wing of the plane. The plane was huge and really close to me. I'm still trembling," one witness told TVBS news channel.

Rescue officials said that 15 survivors had been pulled out of the wreckage, but that 22 people were believed dead and 21 were still missing. Many of those on board were Chinese tourists.

It was the second serious incident involving a TransAsia Airways plane in a few months after another flight operated by the domestic airline crashed in July during a storm, killing 48 people.

 Racing against time

Wednesday's accident happened just before 11:00 am (0300 GMT), shortly after Flight GE235 left Songshan airport in northern Taipei en route to the island of Kinmen with 58 people on board, including five crew members.

Six airline officials including chief executive Peter Chen bowed in apology at a televised press conference.

"We would like to convey our apologies to the families (of the victims) and we'd also like to voice huge thanks to rescuers who have been racing against time," said Chen, confirming that 13 people had been killed.

Lin Kuan-cheng from the National Fire Agency later said that 13 people were dead and nine showing "no signs of life" -- the term used before death is officially confirmed.

Those missing are thought to be trapped inside the submerged front section of the plane.

"The focus of our work is to try to use cranes to lift the front part of the wreckage, which is submerged under the water and is where most of the other passengers are feared trapped," a senior rescue official told reporters at the scene.

There has been no official comment on the cause of the crash, but the black boxes have been retrieved.

Several former pilots told local media that the plane's sideways flip while in the air could have been caused by the failure of one of the engines.

Desperate rescue


As time ticked away for those inside the fuselage, rescue boats surrounded the wreckage which remains in the middle of the river, with 400 soldiers drafted in to help.

Emergency crews standing on sections of wreckage tried to pull passengers out of the plane with ropes. Those who were rescued were put in dinghies and taken to the shore.

As night fell, lighting equipment was brought in and a floating bridge would be put up, officials said.

China's Xiamen Daily said on its social media account that the 31 mainlanders on board were part of two tour groups from the eastern Chinese city.

Xiamen is in Fujian province, which lies across the Taiwan Strait from the island.

An employee of one of the tour agencies, surnamed Wen, told AFP that it had 15 clients onboard, including three children under 10 and a tour leader.

"It's an emergency," she said. "We're working with different work teams. We're trying to arrange for the relatives to go to Taiwan."

TransAsia's Chen said that of the 31 passengers from the mainland, three were children.

The rest of the passengers and crew were Taiwanese, according to the airline.

Aviation officials said the plane crashed minutes after taking off Songshan airport, after losing contact with the control tower.

Lin Chih-ming, head of Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration, said the ATR 72-600 was less than a year old and was last serviced just over a week ago.

The pilot had 14,000 flying hours and the co-pilot 4,000 hours, Lin said.

The airline said they had received the plane in April last year and it was the newest model of the ATR.

In last July's crash, the 48 people were killed when another domestic TransAsia flight crashed onto houses during a storm on the Taiwanese island of Penghu.

The ATR 72-500 turboprop plane deviated off course before plunging into the houses after an aborted landing during thunder and heavy rain as Typhoon Matmo pounded Taiwan at the time.

NEWS VIDEO OF THE PLANE CRASH RECORDED BY A DASH CAM

source: interaksyon.com