News Buzz

Virgin Galactic's Suborbital Spaceship First Solo Test Flight (Video)

2010-10-12T13:19:00.002+01:00

Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceship, Enterprise, has made its first solo test flight, in California.

The spaceship was carried to an altitude of 45,000ft (13,700m) by an aeroplane and then dropped to glide back to the Mojave Air and Space Port.

Enterprise will soon be taking people prepared to pay $200,000 (£126,000) on short hops above the atmosphere.

The British billionaire behind the project, Sir Richard Branson, was on hand to witness the drop test.

"This was one of the most exciting days in the whole history of Virgin," the entrepreneur said.

"For the first time since we seriously began the project in 2004, I watched the world's first manned commercial spaceship landing on the runway at Mojave Air and Space Port and it was a great moment."

Virgin Galactic is aiming to become the world's first commercial space line, and has already taken deposits from 370 customers who want to experience a few minutes of weightlessness on a suborbital flight.

A Closer Look at the Benefits of Robotic Surgery

2009-07-09T10:28:00.001+01:00

Quite simply, robotic surgery is the use of robots in performing surgical procedures. Today, doctors all over the world are starting to learn to use sophisticated robots to perform or aid in performing surgical procedures on patients because of better accuracy, miniaturization, and incisions. As a result, patients may benefit due to less pain, decreased blood loss and quicker healing time. The computer technology in robots can also facilitate doctors by allowing immediate research, necessary information gathering from its database, and video call to other doctors, if needed.

While robots have a natural advantage of better precision and data gathering, surgeons are still needed for their intelligence and ability to make complex decisions. Hence, surgeries cannot be done by a robot alone. There are three kinds of robotic surgery systems based on the robot's level of involvement; telesurgical systems, supervisory controlled systems, and shared control systems. On one end of the spectrum, robots perform surgical procedures and techniques without any direct involvement from the surgeon. On the other end, it is the surgeon who performs most of the surgical procedure with the assistance of a robot either physically or through the robot's computer system. Further, there are also three main steps that can be pointed out in a general robotic surgery intervention: data gathering and subsequent planning, intra-operative assistance, and post-operative patient control.

Data gathering and subsequent planning

Before the patient undergoes surgery, a series of tests will be performed. During this pre-operative phase, several medical imagery techniques such as MRI, Ultrasonics and scanners will be applied to the patient so that the robot may detect, locate and model the anatomical entities involved in the surgical procedure. At the same time, the robot will create a mechanical model in its computer system based on the gathered results from the medical tests. This will be used to describe and simulate the surgical procedure, as well as discuss potential problems that may occur during the intervention.

Intra-operative assistance

The results obtained and the mechanical model created in the previous phase will then be used as a guide during the operation itself. The surgeon, as a result, can calibrate his techniques and decisions in accordance with the robot's data. The robotic system is able to provide interactive assistance, as well as constrain the movements of the surgeon to allow better and more efficient precision during the surgery. In addition, supplementary 3D visuals of organs from tele-operated robots would allow speedier operations.

Post-operative patient control

The use of a robotic system allows complete recording of previous surgical procedures including crucial moments, for future reference. More importantly, the healing time of a patient that underwent surgery is significantly decreased when done or aided by a robotic system. For instance, in 2007, a surgical team led by Dr. Pier Giulianotti performed a liver resection, removing 60% of a patient's liver with the use of a fully automated robotic system. To the surprise of many, the patient left the hospital just two days after the operation, in very good condition. The patient also stated that due to the four puncture holes rather than a scar brought about by the surgery, he was able to heal quicker and with less pain. GP

About the Author:
Ruhfus are specialists in hydraulic cylinders and recommends Emics, a privately owned laboratory specialising in calibration services.

Pharmaceutical Companies Accused of Bioterrorism Plot For Profit

2009-07-07T14:02:00.001+01:00

Two pharmaceutical companies, Avir and Baxter, are been reported to the FBI for knowingly distributing vaccine material contaminated with the bird flu virus H5N1. They are also accused of bioengineering the current swine flu virus. This "swine virus" is a hybrid of part swine flu, part human flu and part bird flu, something that can only come from laboratories according to many experts.

The person making these criminal charges is an Austrian investigative journalist by the name of Jane Burgermeister. Ms Burgermeister alleges that Avir and Baxter produced and distributed the contaminated vaccine material and created the swine influenza virus for the purpose of creating a world swine influenza pandemic from which they would make billions of dollars in profits from their new vaccine which is due to be released in July.

That the vaccine material was contaminated was discovered by a member of staff at BioTest in the Czech Republic. When it was tested on ferrets the ferrets died.

There is an alternative explanation as to why the material contained the H5N1 virus. The contamination was accidental, caused by "human error". The vaccination material came from Baxter's lab in Austria which is known for being one of the worlds most secure biosecurity labs. However good security systems and procedures are, there is always the possibility of human error causing accidents in the vaccination production process. For example one of the best known cases of vaccine contamination is the Polio immunisation.

The Salk and Sabin Polio immunisation which was distributed between 1954 and 1963 was polluted with the Rhesus monkey simian virus, code name SV-40. What's so special about this? In 1959 a government researched named Bernice Eddy suggested that SV-40 may be causing cancers in humans. Much later two doctors Ben Sweet and M.R. Hilleman, at the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, confirmed that SV-40, from Rhesus monkey kidneys used in production of Polio immunisation, had the potential to trigger cancers.

We had to wait over twenty years for proof but now we know. During the 1990's various studies confirmed the presence of the Rhesus monkey simian virus in the tumours of many cancer victims. One such study conducted at the Loyola Medical Center in Chicago, showed that almost 4 out of 10 patients with bone cancer, almost 6 in every 10 mesothelioma cancer victims, plus many brain cancer victims had the SV-40 virus. It seems that SV-40 can interfere with a cell's ability to resist malignancy due to blocking a key protective protein.

There are now hundreds of millions of people around the world who are more susceptible to developing cancer.

The above is just one incident among many. Vaccinations are often withdrawn from use because of some fault in the production process or pollution with live viruses. In many cases the vaccination has been in use for some time before the problem is identified.

Are Avir and Baxter guilty? We will not know until the FBI conclude their investigation, that is if they take the allegations seriously. Whatever the outcome the story of two pharmaceutical companies plotting to start a world influenza pandemic in order to boost profits would make a good work of fiction. Ms Burgermeister should consider writing a book.

Vaccine Safety and Vaccination Information http://www.healthforyou.org

News Until You Puke

2009-06-28T12:03:00.001+01:00

I listen to way too much news. I feel if I don't, I'll miss the Second Coming, spreading Tsunami, in coming meteor, rising melt water from glaciers, a solar flare that might fry me, alien invasion or next terror attack that has been promised for the past four years. Since I don't want to miss these things, I listen to way too much news.

Beause I listen to way too much news, I know way too much about beheadinigs and bullet riddled bodies. I know way too much about car bombs and body parts lying around. A few days ago they found a few dozen heads in boxes in Iraq. This is no way to get ahead in war. I wish I didn't know about that, but I do. It makes me wonder where the rest of them went. I only know this stuff because I watch and listen to way too much news.

I know too many darn opinions about way too much stuff. I used to listen to Limbaugh, but I don't think he believes himself sometimes and O'Reilly is just way too angry, smart assed and repressed for my taste, but I know about these guys, because I listen to way too much news. I did hear a few things...in the news about their personal lives, and that was pretty cool to know they aren't as righteous as they would have me believe. I learned that on the the news. I listen to way too much you know. I listen to Air America. Now that's a pretty newsy bunch if ever there was one. I like them. They scare the hell out of me, but I like them. They say everything about government and this administration that all the other news I read about them makes me think. They make me feel that the thoughts I have about about all the other news I read about is at least normal. At least I don't feel so alone in my reaction to all the news I read way too much of.

I know way too much about Politicians, especially Republican ones that love Jesus so much, some of them seem to love making war more and more so he can return or something it seems. They make love too, but seem to often get caught doing it with the wrong people and even the wrong sex. Yikes, but honest, I read it in the news. I read Mrs. Bush moved out of the Whitehouse recently because Mr. President was goofin around with...well, others. Wow, that's pretty darn big news. Didn't see it on Fox or AOL though, so maybe it's not news, or maybe it is but not news for the masses, who knows? Some news tells me I won't see this news on the news because they won't make it news, so I guess we lose. Gosh, the news even tells me that this President might not even be the real President and that so many people had their vote thrown out, ok Democratic voters did. Now that would be depressing, but seems true to me. I hear it is true, from the news, twice!

Because of the news, I know way too much about CEO's who take way too much from everyone else to enrich themselves. I mean a LOT of them do. The news fills me in on how much Congressmen and Reps take from the public till, but CEO's are getting pretty darn good at it too. I see it in the news. Million dollar birthday parties, retirements that make God jealous since now he doesn't own all the cattle on a thousand hills after all. That former CEO does! Or at least he can. Smirking chimps all, because they always seem so sorry AFTER they get caught, and so shocked because they are soooooo innocent, but I just bet if no one noticed, they'd not be sorry a bit and take some more. But then at least later, we'd have more news. I read in the news where Enron just didn't hand out the power they said they didn't have, but did and got big bucks from old people in California trying to keep warm or cool...I forget which. Made me kinda mad. Those guys went to jail, but I hope we don't read in the news that their best friend, Mr. President, pardons them or something on his way out the door. I read in the news he can do that. It concerns me because I also read that when the President left Texas as Governor and was asked who would clean up after all the damage he did, he said it was not his problem. I hope I don't read he said that again when he leave office this time. I bet he does. I read in the news once that people don't change much in their lives and what they were they still are for the most part.

Why do I do this to myself...you know, reading and listening to all the news and opinions about the news and the people in the news who make the news and wish the news never found them? How many heads in boxes do I really want to know about or squashed humans in earthquakes? I have to say, I am worried that if I don't keep up with the news, I'll miss the really big one, whatever that might be. I tried once to not watch or listen to the news or the opinions the big boys have about it, but it didn't work. I got nervous not knowing what I was missing. I read in the news once where they want us to be nervous about the news because fear makes a good factor in controling us and changing all the rules so we don't have the same freedoms we had before they made us afraid. Gosh, I can't win with this news thing! Now I even read news about why the news is the way it is!
I read once where what I thought was news was really not. It was more like a government advertisement that was made to look like news. But they got caught. I saw that on the news.

Well, I guess it's news, news, news, until we puke or at least until Jesus comes back and shuts down the presses and makes us all go to the church of someone else's choice so we can be happy. I read where then we'd have to go by Bible rules and stone our rebellious kids and women who were naughty and tithe to the chosen leaders of God. It would be like Jesus Land but for our own good and gay people and whoremongers, but not WARmongers, (what's a monger?) would get slain and we could only watch stuff like Oklahoma and Nemo finds Noah...and and and..oh never mind, I read about the rapture in the news and I am hoping that at least that will get these people out of here so we can fix the stuff they broke. I'm scaring myself again with stuff I read in the news. I'm breathing hard again..I gotta take a walk. Gosh, I hope if I am blown up or gassed by some terrorist while out walking, they at least get my name right. I read on the news where they mixed up two accident victims...doh...see what I mean!

Michael Jackson Biography

2009-06-26T19:39:00.001+01:00

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958-June 25, 2009)[2]

Was an American Pop Icon known as the king of pop. He was born into the Jackson family as the 7th child of Joseph Jackson. When Michael Jackson was very young, 11 years old, he and 4 of his siblings began a band with their father Joseph Jackson as the manager. The band was called "the Jackson 5" and the group attained much commercial success. It was not until 1971 that Michael Jackson left the Jackson 5 and began his solo career. He went on to become one of the most famous recording artists of all time and eventually became the "king of pop" a title he bestowed upon himself. His solo albums hold many titles for their astounding number of sales. 5 of his albums hold records for number of sales.

His career really began to take off in the early 1980's. and he was one of the first and most popular black artists to gain a prominent following on MTV. This was due in large part to the huge budget and extravagant budgets of his music videos for his songs. Songs with record holding videos include: Beat it - Billie Jean - and Thriller. Some of these videos are so influential that they are credited with changing music videos from a recording of the song into mini movie works of art. This led further to Michael Jackson's popularization of amazing and complicated dance choreographing and musical numbers. This dancing featured prominently in his live shows. His record breaking live shows earned him enormous amounts of money.

Some of the dances moves popularized at these live shows include the robot and the moonwalk. Michael Jackson's musical influence stretched across many musical genre's including hip-hop, pop and R&B in part because of his eccentric and distinct style of vocals and music.

One thing that many do not know about Jackson is that he raised and donated MILLIONS of dollars to over 39 charities for a multitude of causes through his namesake foundation. This is often overlooked due to his appearance and increasingly bizarre and changing appearance. Not to mention a string of child molestation accusations...

For more information about Michael Jackson's Death go to http://www.michaeljackson-died.com

100 Facts of Life

2009-06-25T20:29:00.001+01:00

Here are 100 facts of life:

1. People who spend lots of time in other people's lives are avoiding dealing with their own
2. People who confess "I shouldn't tell you but....." will do the same thing to you as they do to everyone else
3. Speaking your truth is not telling other people that they are wrong and you are right
4. If you have to ask someone else if he/she is right for you then they probably aren't
5. Without the journey there is no point to the destination
6. People who stick their head in the sand will eventually get their butt's kicked
7. What you see on the surface is rarely what lies underneath
8. Courage is not to stand in the path of the lion but to seek to understand why it wishes to harm you in the first place
9. We are not born parents we have to learn how to be parents
10. Words only have as much power as you give them
11. Wise people sit in silence only then will the hear their own voice
12. Angels are not there to do the work for us but to show us the work to be done
13. There is no such thing as the perfect relationship
14. Never put the milk in before the hot water when making a cup of tea
15. We control nothing but our own thoughts and actions
16. No one can make you happy except yourself
17. It is only a mistake if you learn nothing from the experience
18. I don't know everything so teach me I can't hear everything so tell me I won't see everything so show me together we will grow
19. There is more to life than increasing its speed ~ Gandhi
20. Regrets are choices we failed to make
21. What you hold in your heart is what you will take into the next life
22. Just because you don't see the seed once you have planted it doesn't mean it isn't growing
23. It is only there because you believe it to be there if you had believed it was not there then it would not of existed
24. There is no ultimate truth because truth is merely perception combined with a judgment
25. Gender does not exist everyone has ying and yang traits
26. Your experiences are not who you are
27. Assumptions are those things we make when we are too lazy to check out the facts
28. No one is totally objective
29. Family is not always the one you were born into sometimes it can be an outstretched hand and a welcoming smile
30. You are not always going to be right
31. Humility is the ability to admit you were wrong
32. Character someone said was the thing you do when no one else is looking
33. The measure of a man is not what he carries in his wallet but how he carries himself
34. Speedos are not attractive no matter who is wearing them
35. If you give an inch chances are you will gain a mile
36. If you would not want it done to you then you shouldn't do it to others
37. If you are not dealing with reality than all you are doing is creating an illusion
38. Pride is a badge only a fool wears
39. The person who knows the most is usually the one who talks the least
40. Everyone deserves to be valued and to be loved
41. No one has your answers but you
42. You can only create with the tools you have so don't hesitate to add more to your toolbox
43. Some days are going to suck life is not perfect
44. You never get it wrong you only learn another way that doesn't work
45. It is people not things which give life meaning
46. You can't take it with you when you go no one has ever slipped a Mercedes past the pearly gates
47. The world will not fall apart if you are not there to hold it all together
48. Its okay to say no people do it all the time
49. There are some things you will never know the answer too
50. The future does not exist nor does the past you only have this moment
51. Relatives don't always know better
52. Skeletons in family closets will always be there to haunt you
53. Standing in your truth means respecting the right of others to theirs
54. You cannot hear anyone if you are talking
55. You don't have to live life with the hand you were dealt you can always shuffle the deck
56. Potatoes won't grow out of your ears if you fail to wash them
57. Adult eyes have a tendency to make the world small, yet are always looking for the big things, child eyes make the world big and yet are fascinated by the small things
58. We should try to see not how people with disadvantages are different from us but how they are the same
59. It is easy to be a big fish when you live in a small pond
60. Adults should not let children take responsibility for their life choices
61. No matter how shitty a job your parents did eventually you have to take responsibility for your own choices
62. Those who seek enlightenment will never find it
63. If you need to say it say it now if you need to do it do it now
64. The biggest regret of those whose time is cut short is all the things they never said and all the things they never did
65. We only have the moment we are in
66. You don't need an inner critic you need to be your own best friend
67. Change requires action
68. Misery likes company
69. We have to be careful that helping doesn't turn into enabling
70. Not everyone is going to like you and you are not going to like everyone
71. Stuff happens that's just life
72. Everyone should grow fairy wings and splash in the puddles occasionally
73. If you keep doing for people they will never learn to do it for themselves
74. Please and thank you are highly underrated
75. Nothing is more contagious than a smile
76. The best gift you give anyone is your time and patience
77. Patience is the ability to understand it is not always about you
78. There are many rivers which lead to the same ocean you just have to be willing to look for them
79. True beauty is not determined by a look but by a thought and a deed
80. Times stands still for those who are in the moment not rushing by it
81. Having knowledge does not make you wise this requires a knowing as well
82. Meditation does not require whale music and contortions just the ability to go to your happy place
83. You are not going to see the bigger picture until you have all of the pieces
84. No matter which way you plate tofu turkey is not turkey
85. It is wise to take a moment before you take a step that way you get a chance to see where your feet are going to land
86. You may have a seed of greatness within you but you still have to nurture it
87. Everyone has to find their own pathway
88. You are not limited to one act of greatness in your lifetime
89. The only way to stop an argument is to find a solution
90. Every thing you do or say will come back to you eventually it just may not be in a form you are expecting
91. Asking for help means you are smart enough to get the things you need to create the life you want
92. Just because one chapter in your life is closed doesn't mean you cannot write another one
93. People are not perfect and we all need a break every now and then
94. Never leave unsaid words in a room
95. Nothing is ever about what is we think it is about
96. Boundaries are the things adults use to make sure no one colors outside of the lines
97. Every one is more than they believe themselves to be
98. Every footprint counts no matter who made it
99. Love with always be the way
100. Lists fall under the category it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Robin is an Australian Psychic who took a leap of faith and landed in Alberta Canada. She is a life guide challenging people to think beyond their world as they know it and become Master of their own destiny. You can get her free ebooks, monthly newsletter and much more at http://robinsguidetolife.com

H1N1 - Swine Flu - The Inconvenient Truth

2009-06-25T10:02:00.001+01:00

The media blitz about swine flu is overwhelming. Every time you read or tune in to any kind of media be it print, online, radio or television we come to very quickly realize that a pathogen not visible to the naked eye has taken over our lives, like it or not. Not so long ago, we were concerned we would be hurt or destroyed by the sinister Osama bin Laden and his ominous cadre of destruction. Well it seems those in charge of our welfare were wrong again the massively greater threat was ignored to our mutual undoing. Swine Flu is the real "terrorist" because right now most of us are more scared of it than we were or could ever be, of Mr. Bin Laden. He never needed to bother with airplanes and "dirty bombs"; he could have saved a lot of money and just bought a "hog farm" and done a whole lot more damage. The H1N1 virus is doing what he never could, force people worldwide to live in fear. H1N1 virus and the pork industry with its corporate and government minions, without sending us a single threatening video tape, has done it, and the sad thing is we are paid them to do it! Now when we meet strangers it is in the back of all our minds "wonder if he/she has it or is a carrier?". With H1N1 virus there is no such thing as "safe sex", unlike its distant cousin the HIV virus, it kills quickly. We don't go to public events without at least privately wondering if the H1N1 virus, will it be there too. Every surface we touch away from home," Is it there?" We awake with a sore throat, a runny nose, a sneeze, a head cold, a pain, a back ache, or a cough and wonder, "do I have it?, Will I become a statistic? Well, maybe or maybe not, how can we tell, we most go on living and taking chances.

In the media however we are still agonizingly submerged in stories about were Swine Flu has struck and how many it has killed so far. Then the good news, if you want to call it that, the fact that things are not as bad now as they may become when Flu season finally kicks in, in the fall. Irrational fear no, just irrational inept negligent and down right criminal behavior from the pork industry and the governments involved. We have been told to wash our hands after touching things, to cook pork to 160 degrees, to stay away from live stock shows and locations if pigs are present, to stay away from school or work if there is an outbreak of Swine Flu. We have been told to sanitize surfaces pigs have come in contact with. We have been shown what the virus looks like under a microscope. We have been made aware the genetic characteristics of the H1N1virus. We have been told not to attend gatherings, not to go work or school if we suspect we have Swine Flu. We have been told do not plan trips to Swine Flu hotspots like Mexico.

"Savage asks "Could this be a terrorist attack through Mexico?" Michelle Malkin, Bill O' Reilly and Neil Boortz agree: "[W]hat better way to sneak a virus into this country than give it to Mexicans?" When in fact the transporters and the purveyors of Swine Flu are the corporations and governments we trust so unconditionally. Gregg Schmidt, president of international operations for Murphy-Brown LLC, Smithfield's hog production subsidiary, does not appear to be of Mexican ancestory.The trick that is being used in the media is to put terrorism and Immigration together with H1N1 virus to punish a minority group of color that is not responsible for H1N1 virus but merely has direct relation to the Mexicans in Mexico. The great majority of all Mexicans in Mexico are just victims of corporate and governmental neglect conspiracy and insatiable greed, just like us! The pig meat produced on those filthy hog farms in Mexico was meant for the table of the American consumer because money and plenty of it was and is involved. Most Mexicans were never asked if this is what they wanted and those that were asked didn't have many alternatives by which to earn a living so they accepted by default. Oh, I get it now; if one is poor it is easy to be demonized in the media by people who are not use to living with poverty. The pork industry and their puppets want to change the name of the Swine Flu to the "Mexican Flu", such a change would accomplish two things 1. To break the association between pork and the Swine Flu 2.to blame the victims for something they never had control of, however the change has not caught on because the American public is not as "stupid" as the pork industry had assumed.

Pork sales are down the American consumer is fighting back by voting with their wallets and choosing not to buy pork or buying a lot less. Never the less there is ample work to be done to totally sever the umbilical cords of pork industry propaganda and mental conditioning. Pig products and meat are certainly cheaper for people with limited financial means. The American consumer has been conditioned by the pork industry for many years to consume pigs based on taste. Of course the pig is often portrayed as being a cute cuddly and harmless icon of American life. The fact is we must all wake up from our conditioned slumber on this issue and realize no matter how many rerun episodes of "Green Acres" portray "Arnold" the pig as a benign lovable comic character, it will never expunge the fact that pork is infected with deadly dangerous pathogens, H1N1 virus is killing people. Bend the truth as they might, the pork industry has been and is involved in the obvious cover up of the fact that hogs have been infected with these pathogens for years and they did not stop selling the contaminated hog flesh to the uninformed unsuspecting consumer since at least 1930.If this were not so then why have they spent millions and millions on antibiotics and antiviral used in pig feed. The greatest threats originate from within and something must be done to correct this situation, late is better than never. The media for obvious reasons prefers to show pictures of the pig culls in Egypt and berate the Egyptians for their cruelty to animals, when we all know if given the choice between the lives and health of our own families or having "hog farms" there is no contest. Hogs, pigs, swine are not worth "one" human life not now not ever! Let's cut through media created hype and get to the point. We can never stop H1N1 virus with useless words and weak attempts at prevention when we have no resolve or intention to do the hard work of dismantling the pork industry which is harboring the toxic H1N1 virus.

Habib
Seattle, Washington, United States
An independent writer that seeks to bring to the forefront alternative and non staus quo ideas on dieting.he is committed to seek and pass on views on dieting that delve into the non conformist views while highlighting the human factors of individuality par circumstance.

Finding News on the Internet with News Blogs

2009-06-19T06:38:00.001+01:00

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With printed newspapers losing subscribers every day, people are finding other options to stay up to date with their news. Newspaper sales reached their peak in 1970 when approximately 62 million newspapers were sold in the country every day. However, with the population in the U.S. on the rise, newspapers sales are not keeping up. It is estimated that approximately 55 million newspapers are sold every day.

In the 1920's the average newspaper purchased per household peaked at 1.3. In the 1970's that figure started to dip to below 1 paper per house. By the year 2000, the number dropped to .53 newspapers per household.

One reason is that people just don't read as much as they used to. People seem to be busier then ever and just don't take the time to read any more.

Many are switching their news habits by watching the big three network news and cable news programs in place of the newspaper. With so many options on TV news, it seems that there is a news station for every taste.

While many "older" adults still prefer newspapers, "young" adults have seemed to prefer to get their news from the internet. TV news still is the most accessed news source, but the internet is quickly becoming the favorite source of news, especially in the form of news blogs, news portals and online newspapers.

Online news is gaining popularity every day. Virtually every major newspaper has a version of an online newspaper. Pioneers like Mike Drudge have been leading the way in independent news providers. And there are countless news blogs across the web.

Part of what makes news blogs so popular is that they can be used as an RSS feed. This allows the news feed to be used on other blogs across the web and also allows the news feed to be read by many more viewers. People also love news blogs because you can leave comments and this creates a dialogue on the story which is a great way to feel like you are a part of the story.

Although newspapers may be on the decline, it does not mean that people have stopped reading the news, only where they read their news from. So it seems that if you are not getting your news online, you may soon be in the minority.

Interested In Making Money On The Internet, Full Or Part Time, Easy Proven And Succesful Methods, http://www.keys2prosperity.net/

The Awful Truth About Television: Fake News and Other Reasons Not to Watch TV News

2009-06-18T13:02:00.001+01:00

DO touch that dial to avoid fake news

Government agencies, corporations, industry groups, and other large organizations contaminate the airwaves with fake news. These organizations produce pre-packaged news segments called VNRs, or Video News Releases. These segments look like real news. In fact, VNRs are little more that propaganda pieces for their producers. Stations have routinely used these fake news segments since at least the 1980s, usually without disclosing their source.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the government and other social actors creating interesting audio or video pieces to communicate with the public. The problem is that these propaganda pieces do not properly identify the source. They are made to look and feel like independent news casts with government actors pretending to be reporters.

Government attempts to regulate fake news

There have been a few efforts to control this phenomenon. The Government Accountability Office ruled in February 2005 that government-sponsored TV "news" reports are covert propaganda, unless their source is apparent to viewers. The Senate introduced the Truth in Broadcasting Act (S. 967) in 2005 into committee. This act would require all pre-packaged, government-produced audio and video news releases to include a clear disclaimer that the government was the original source. This act would not apply to VNRs produced by corporations, industry groups, or charitable foundations. As of this writing, the full Senate has yet to vote on the bill and the no one has introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives.

Media is controlled by only FIVE corporations

Looking at the amount of programming available, you might think that there is a wide variety of choice. There are literally hundreds of TV stations with options to choose from sports, news, cartoons, history, painting, and more. On the surface, the amount of options appears staggering. However, only five major corporations control the majority of the media. These five huge corporations—Disney, Time Warner, Bertelsmann of Germany, Murdoch's News Corporation, and Viacom (formerly CBS)—own not only most of the television stations, but now own most of the newspapers, magazines, books, and radio stations in the United States as well.

Television puts your logical brain to sleep

There is a reason people's eyes glaze over and they assume a zombie-like stare, when they are watching TV. Their brains are in a hynotic, alpha brainwave state.

In the Mulholland experiment, 10 children watched their favorite television program, while the researchers monitored their brainwave patterns. The researchers expected that the children would show a preponderance of beta waves. This would indicate that they were involved and responding to their favorite programs. Instead, they stayed in alpha. "They just sat back. They stayed almost the whole time in alpha. That meant that while they were watching they were not reacting, not orienting, not focusing, just spaced out," said Dr. Eric Peper.

Similarly, in the early 1980's, researchers in Australia found that the left-brain "sort of went to sleep" once TV was switched on, but the right brain was busy "storing information in its memory bank."

What these studies show is that the right side of the brain may be dutifully absorbing all the images from your television screen, but the left side is lulled into a stupor by the television's flicker. This makes analysis of the images difficult. It also makes it difficult to remember exactly what you have been watching. Furthermore, the research suggests that the left side of the brain may remain in a stupor even after you turn the TV off.

What is a concerned citizen to do? How to dig for real news

1) The first step is to start reading, instead of watching, your news. Television generally takes a lot of time to get across a little bit of information. With reading you can absorb information much faster. A five minute story on the news can be read online or in the newspaper generally in less than a minute. The spare time can be used to analyze the story.

2) The next step in developing a good picture of the world is to get several good news sources. Begin with a mainstream newspaper or website to simply get an idea of the basic issues that are at stake.

Then, select a couple of alternative news sources outside the mainstream. I am not going to recommend a particular source, because I do not wish to become engaged in liberal/conservative partisan discussions. These distinctions start to fall away once you start to analyze the news for yourself anyway.

3) The next step is simply to start critically viewing the material that you read. Does it make logical sense? Are there inconsistencies? Does the story change from one day to the next? Are there any patterns to events? Finally, the most important question to ask for any given situation is: who benefits? Rarely do events happen by chance in the world and asking that one, little question can lead to much greater understanding of any situation. Put that left brain into hyper-drive.

4) Finally, if there are inconsistencies or notable patterns, it is time to start researching. Whenever possible it is best to go to the source of an issue. For example, if the government passes a new law about security, don't waste time watching or reading the petty analyses of pundits. Find a copy of the law! Do not rely on someone else to give an interpretation. The internet makes it much easier to find source documents.

In short, the good news is that you do not need TV news to become informed about the world.

About 'The Awful Truth About Television' Series:

What happens when the average American spends 4 hours 32 minutes every day watching television? Trash Your TV's 'The Awful Truth About Television' Series explores the multifaceted problems with TV in eleven hard-hitting articles. Read the full series and you will never look at your television set the same way again.

Smashing the Myth of the Press Release

2009-03-12T09:46:00.001Z

A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class
songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to
tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He
gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and adored.

The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous
musician.

Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of
conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got
him the contract and made him famous.

You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if
a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a
friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.

Which brings us to the press release.

Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as
the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a
press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get
on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting
the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just
knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and
wait for Oprah to call.

It's a cruel joke.

Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to
your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was
to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs
sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world
wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you
don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly
worthless.

I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But
it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to
think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's
one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've
gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e-
mail or a phone call).

If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to
rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are
MORE important than a press release in generating publicity:

1. A newsworthy story. This is the equivalent of our musician's
talent. It's the very basis for your publicity efforts. Without
it, your press release means nothing. To learn about how to
develop a newsworthy story, take a look at
http://publicityinsider.com/questions.asp and scroll down to "Is
my company/website/life really newsworthy?"

2. Learning to think like an editor. Oh, what an edge you'll
have in scoring publicity over all those press release
worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an
editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and
you'll do great. I've got an entire article on the subject at
http://publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp Go there now and
absorb it all. Trust me, it will make a world of difference.

3. Relevance. Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a
trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all
means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just
your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of
oxygen.

4. Persistence. Sending out a press release and waiting for
results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your
story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media
outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the
editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one
editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back
at them with a different story angle.

Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a
press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as
our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be well on
your way to success.

Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as one of America's top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp :>http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp he's sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site: http://www.PublicityInsider.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Stoller

Don't Be Fooled by the Media

2009-03-11T20:51:00.001Z

I used to teach a couple of college level mass communication courses. On the first day of class I would explain that one of my goals was to help the students be better consumers of news.

The general population understands that the news media seems to be biased, but what people don't realize is how much information is skewed either conservatively or liberally.

Twenty years ago, we might say that a newspaper in Omaha, Nebraska, might be more conservative than a newspaper in Los Angeles. What was meant by that is the editorial pages usually show a particular political slant. But no matter what viewpoint was taken on the editorial pages, the rest of the newspaper should have articles written in the traditional journalism method-which is equally explaining both sides of a story and letting the reader determine his own opinion.

Today, we find even traditional hard news stories can have a slant and often both sides of the story are not explained. In some news publications and television news programs, they don't even try to be neutral but only give one side.

The traditional method of journalism that I was taught in the 1980s is where a reporter tries to remain as neutral as possible and tell the story from both sides. My editors would admonish me if it looked like the article was taking a particular view.

Today, there are few newspapers and even fewer, if any, television news programs that practice good journalism. Sensationalism and political favoritism is rampant, throwing consumers into two different types: those who are so disgusted they don't watch or read any news, or those who believe everything they read or watch.

What's a person to do? Here are some tips:

1. When watching a television news program, ask yourself these two questions: Is only one side explained and if it is, is it the conservative or liberal viewpoint? Fox News is an example of a very conservative newscast, while MSNBC is an example of a more liberal news show.

2. When reading your local newspaper, do you find even traditional news stories, which are those that discuss crime, government or the economy, giving one viewpoint. Typically, the editorial page of any newspaper will show one viewpoint-either conservative or liberal, but if the slant is creeping into the hard news articles, then cancel your subscription.

3. With the news media now owned by large business conglomerates, the focus is on making money, not delivering important fact-filled news. That's why stories about celebrities are featured news, and important news stories are relegated to the end of a broadcast, if at all.

4. Never believe everything you read in a newspaper or newsmagazine or watch on a television news program. Because so much of the news is slanted, one can never believe all of the so-called "facts." One needs to read different publications to get a good overall view of the topic. A good weekly newsmagazine is The Week, because it pulls out quotes from various newspapers and magazines-both conservative and liberal to show the points of view of an issue. The reader can decide which side he wants to take.

5. Television news programs never have time to fully develop a story unless they are doing a feature type article, such as a three-part series. Even then, the story can be one-sided. Determine whether the broadcast is conservative or liberal, then watch understanding the slant of the programming. One of the better newscasts is actually BBC America, as they deliver the news in a more traditional manner, stating both sides of an issue and allowing the viewer to decide. Yes, it's owned by the British government, yet it does a better job of reporting U.S. news than most of the U.S. television news outlets.

6. Understand who owns the media. Check out the following website (http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main) to discover the top six corporations that own the majority of the media in the U.S. Why is this important? Because these six companies control what we watch and read. That's why it is so important to search out independent media channels.

7. When checking out news sources on the Internet, always look at the "About us" or "About the company" link that is listed at the bottom of the home page. If a news site does not have a link so that you know who's behind the site, then move on. Do not believe anything you read on a site that will not disclose information about the company that owns the site. I have found more "news" sites that give "unbiased" information that are funded by organizations or individuals trying to push a particular point of view. They typically have the word "unbiased" somewhere on their home pages, trying to lure in unsuspecting consumers. Instead of being "unbiased," they are just the opposite. Beware of these sites.

8. Some straightforward news sites on the net include the International Herald Tribune, the Associated Press and the ProPublica, a non-partisan, non-profit newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism. The reporters for all three of these sites are some of the best in the business.

9. One can always learn what's going on from Comedy Central's The Daily Show. Although a comedy program, its stories are built around actual quotes that politicians make-one often discovers that the politician made the opposite remarks only a few months ago. They actually do more research for their comedy sketches than the regular news media. Fortunately, the mainstream media is taking a page from the show and doing more background research to see what a politician has done or said in the past and comparing that to today's news. Only in America could a comedian teach the mainstream media how to do its job.

10. Why is the media protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution? Because the press is suppose to be the watchdog over government first and foremost. Our founding fathers realized that there needed to be some entity that polices Congress and the White House. Ask tough questions; hold politicians accountable for how they spend taxpayer dollars and for the decisions they make that affects all U.S. citizens. So, when a politician complains bitterly about the big bad press, consumers should be thinking, "That's right! And I hope the press continues to be tough on you." When politicians complain about the press, that's usually a sign that the press is doing something right. The problem has been in the past decade the press hasn't asked the tough questions and has not stood up for the people's right to know. Consumers need to demand more hard-hitting news programs and news articles instead of complacently watching yet another story about a celebrity gone bad.

Charity Cicardo has been in the communications field for the past 20 years beginning her career as a newspaper reporter, then book and magazine editor. Currently she owns a social networking site devoted to RV and manufactured home owners and blogs about news and events. http://www.mymobilehomespace.com/Blog_Home2.html?cat2=100000007&member=guest

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charity_Cicardo

Forsyth hurt by 'Strictly' criticism

2008-12-29T08:58:00.003Z

Bruce Forsyth has admitted that he was hurt by criticism of his performance on Strictly Come Dancing this year.

The 80-year-old TV host confirmed that he is unsure about how long he will stick with the programme after struggling to keep up with the pace on the most recent series.

"When you're 80 you don't have many plans for the future. So we'll have to see what happens," he told the Daily Star Sunday.

"This series has been particularly hard, especially with all the criticism I've had to face. If I make a mistake I'm labelled as being doddery and not up to it.

"I had to pace myself. I had to rest a lot and made sure I lay in bed a long time. It was the only way I got through it. I spoke to my doctor as I got quite ill towards the end and he reckoned the reason I was still able to carry on was all to do with my adrenalin."

source digitalspy.co.uk

John Sergeantgate - John Sergeant & Kristina Rihanoff Did They Resign Or Were They Pushed Off Strictly Come Dancing

2008-11-20T09:39:00.002Z

Who amongst us doesn't like a good conspiracy theory , well it may not rank well amongst the 911 Kennedy or the Diana ones, and wont be of any interest to people outside the UK, but I think the majority of the people have missed a good one in the resignation of john sergeant from this years strictly come dancing (dancing with the stars everywhere else).

Political journalist John Sergeant was by far the peoples choice to win this dancing competition. They voted for him in their droves week after week. Despite being the professional dance judges bottom place selection, and much to those same judges annoyance. Yes in the British public collective consciousness, sense of mischief, love of the underdog, call it what you will, they kept this nice guy in the competition.

However the British public have been cheated of their Saturday night fun by John Sergeants shock resignation from the competition this week. He has given many press conferences, and appearances on TV explaining his decision, but here is where I think the public are missing a chance for a great conspiracy theory fest , or gate (gate being the prefix we add to all conspiracies). Yes in my opinion we are missing the John Sergeantgate story.

Here is the evidence, strictly come dancing or dancing with the stars, is one of the BBC's biggest money making shows, rightly or wrongly (wrongly in my opinion) the BBC thought that John Sergeant, a lesser dancer, was making a mockery of the format and possibly damaging a profitable cash cow, and whereas in recent years they just would have massaged the public vote to get rid of him, at the last minute, recent attention to this practice has made this impossible to achieve this year. So left with the only option available to them they pushed him into resigning, After all he does work for the BBC. Lets see how much work they push his way in the future, for following the party whip so to speak.

The British public should feel cheated (I know I do), by John Sergeantgate. and if the BBC don't want to play by their own rules they should get rid of the public vote entirely, and if not we (the public) should stop voting.

The people should not let the BBC and powers that be get away with removing John Sergeant, People say no to John Sargeantgate and vote with your feet (or fingers in this case), and stop calling in to vote in these reality shows. If they don't want to play nice we should say in the words of Eric Cartman in south park, screw you guys we're going home.

Google CEO: Internet search is actually benefiting from recession

2008-10-29T16:14:00.004Z

Google announced a 26 percent rise in third quarter profits on, while also dropping strong hints that even the phenomenally successful search engine giant has concerns about how to keep thriving during the tougher economic times ahead.

"Thanks to everybody's hard work. Google had a good quarter. Traffic and revenue were both solid and we kept tight control on costs," summed up Google CEO Eric Schmidt, during a conference call with analysts today.

Google wasn't the only technology company to show good profits during the economic slowdown between July of September of this year. But in a way, Google actually benefited from the slowdown, Schmidt suggested. "Year-on-year, for example, search query traffic is growing in almost every vertical," according to the CEO.

"We believe that these results reflect the fact that as marketing budgets are squeezed, targeted, measurable ads are becoming more valuable to advertisers. As consumer budgets are squeezed, people use the web for comparison shopping to hunt for bargains online and in stores."

Nonetheless, Schmidt also acknowledged during today's call that achieving profitability over upcoming quarters might well be harder.

"I think everybody on the call and listening understands that it is pretty clear the economic situation today globally is worse than people were predicting just a month ago," he told analysts.

Aside from a 26 percent increase in year-over-year third quarter profits, Google this week announced quarterly revenues of $5.54 billion, representing a 31 percent gain over the third quarter of 2007 but only a 3 percent increase over the second quarter of 2008.

How will Google manage in upcoming financial quarters? Google, Schmidt said, will continue to funnel most of its investments into its core business of search -- the same area he pointed to as showing itself rather recession-proof during the third quarter.

"Our user experience is getting much better. Index size is getting much larger, greater personalization for better results globally for every user, lots and lots of language support, more highly relevant ads against as many queries as possible and using more sophisticated tools for advanced bidding and measurement and optimization," according to Schmidt.

"Advertisers, who understand that advertising is directly correlated with revenue, can use those tools to maximize revenue based on the terms that they set and based on the budgets, which is what they care about."

Learn How Anyone Can Survive In An Economic Recession

Japan police fooled by life-sized doll

2008-09-02T16:59:00.003+01:00

TOKYO - Police were trying to determine Tuesday whether they were the victim of a hoax after the body they thought they found at a seaside resort was actually a life-sized doll.

Investigators found what seemed like a body wrapped in a sleeping bag in a forest in Izu City, a seaside resort in central Japan, after an anonymous caller reported seeing it, a Shizuoka prefecture spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

Investigators never actually looked inside the sleeping bag and brought it back to the city police station for a post-mortem examination, the spokeswoman said. Apparently no one doubted a human body was inside until a medical examiner unwrapped it and found the doll, she said.

The Asahi newspaper said the doll was sophisticated and life-sized and wore a brown wig, a blouse and a skirt.

Thought control: it's the computer world's latest game plan

2008-07-25T19:20:00.001+01:00

First came the joystick. Then came the motion-sensing Wii remote. Now get ready for another radical and rather unsettling leap in video games technology: thought control.

Satoru Iwata, the president and chief executive of Nintendo - which is expected to sell about 25million units of its successful Wii video games console this financial year - has no doubts about the next gaming boom. “As soon as we think something in our brain, it will appear within a video game,” he told The Times in an exclusive interview.

“You'll probably need to wear some kind of hat or helmet or something.”

As far-fetched as it sounds, Mr Iwata's claim - which brings to mind the plot of Craig Thomas's bestselling 1977 novel Firefox, about a mind-reading Soviet fighter aircraft - is already coming true: the world's first thought-controlled game is expected to be launched by the Sydney company Emotiv by the end of this year.

Co-founded by Allan Snyder, a neuroscientist and former University of Cambridge research fellow, Emotiv says its EPOC headset features 16 sensors that push against the player's scalp to measure electrical activity in the brain - a process known as electro-encephalography. In theory, this allows the player to spin, push, pull, and lift objects on a computer monitor, simply by thinking.

Despite widespread scepticism, pre-release tests have suggested that the technology works. “This is the tip of the iceberg for what is possible,” said Tan Le, another of Emotiv's co-founders, during a recent press demonstration. “There will be a convergence of gesture-based technology and the brain as a new interface - the Holy Grail is the mind.”

Mr Iwata, in Los Angeles for the video games industry's annual E3 conference, is credited with a revolution of the video games industry with his Wii remote, many of which have been hurled at television screens or living-room walls after overenthusiastic players lost their grip amid virtual tennis tournaments or boxing rounds. He did not comment on Emotiv's headset but said he believed that fully thought-controlled games were still years away: “We don't have that kind of technology right now, but when we're talking about a 20-year time period, anything's possible.

“If you look back 20 years from today, things that were thought impossible are now the reality - for example, it was a distant dream that we would construct a 3D world with computer graphics.”

The US military has been working on thought-control technology for years. Most of the projects that it has made public, however, have focused on thought-reading systems rather than, say, thought-guided missiles.

Last month the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), an arm of the US Defence Department, said it had awarded a $6.7 million contract to Northrop Grumman to develop “brainwave binoculars”. The binoculars use scalp-mounted sensors to detect objects the user might have seen but not noticed - in other words, the computer is used as a kind of brain-aid, giving the user superhuman vision.

source http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article4354041.ece

Charlton Heston A Tribute To A Hollywood Legend

2008-04-06T07:41:00.001+01:00

Charlton Heston, who won a best actor Oscar for his starring role in the epic Ben Hur has died, a spokesman for the star's family has said.

Heston died on Saturday 6th April at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia, whom he married in 1944, at his side.

Whether starring as Judah Ben Hur, Michelangelo or Moses, Charlton Heston personified the larger-than-life heroes of the Hollywood epic.

Charlton Heston's life story reads like a film script. From the backwoods of Michigan, he became one of the world's most famous faces, a high-profile campaigner for Civil Rights and an unapologetic president of America's National Rifle Association.

He was born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Illinois.

By his own admission "shy, skinny, short and pimply", he studied acting before serving for three years in the US Air Force.

In 1952, after working on Broadway, Heston starred as the ringmaster in the movie, The Greatest Show on Earth. Four years later, he appeared as Moses in The Ten Commandments, the role which would define his career.

Physically imposing at six foot four, with granite-hewn features and a deep, sonorous voice, he radiated screen presence.

No role was too big for Heston. In The Greatest Story Ever Told, he was John the Baptist; he played El Cid, along with Michelangelo in The Agony and the Ecstasy and General Gordon in Khartoum.

And, in 1959, he won an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Ben Hur.

The science fiction film, Planet of the Apes, proved a big commercial success in the late 1960s, and Heston almost became a fixture in 1970s disaster movies like Earthquake and Skyjacked.

And his big-screen performance in the environmentally-tinged sci-fi thriller, Soylent Green, brought him cult status among a younger audience.

The 1980s saw a rare foray onto television, as Jason Colby in The Colbys.

But, later in his career, Heston turned increasingly back to the stage

On 9 August 2002, he issued a statement, announcing that his doctors had diagnosed "a neurological disorder whose symptoms are consistent with Alzheimer's disease".

Charlton Heston, along with many critics, felt his best film performance was as the shy, awkward ranch hand in Will Penny.

And while Charlton Heston will always be identified with heroes who lived before the birth of his country, it was perhaps the American pioneer who was closest to his heart.

A passing of a true Hollywood legend, Charlton Heston will be sadly missed.

How is the Olympic flame kept alight?

2008-04-04T17:46:00.003+01:00

Visiting 135 cities in 21 countries, covering 137,000 kms in 130 days. How does the Olympic flame remain burning, even on a plane?

When the Olympic torch is paraded through London on Sunday, all eyes will be on stars like Dame Kelly Holmes and cricketer Kevin Pietersen.

According to the strict traditions of the Olympic movement, and to mark the ancient rituals of the Games, the flame must be kept alive until the closing ceremony of the Games in Beijing in August.

That's all very well when the cameras are rolling and the torch is in the safe hands of a double gold medallist or a world-class cricketer.

But what about the more mundane parts of the journey?

A team of about 10 "flame attendants" is responsible for the 24-hour, safe passage of the flame, which has been ignited by the sun's rays on the ancient site of Olympia in Greece.

The torch, which is fuelled by propane, is used to carry the flame during each day's relays, when runners in the relay city carry it, mostly on foot.

But there are several lanterns which are lit from the same source and they keep the flame alive at night or on aircraft when the torch is extinguished.

For air travel, where open flames are not allowed, the flame burns in the enclosed lanterns, which act like miner's lamps.

The torch, the lanterns and the team of attendants, plus other security, fly in a specially-chartered Air China plane bearing an Olympic flame design.

'Always burning'

The lanterns spend each night in a single hotel room with three guards - one of which must be awake at any time.

"Security people try their best to keep the flame safe," says a spokeswoman for the Beijing Organising Committee.

"The flame is always burning, whether on the plane or during the relay or overnight. It's kept in the hotel where the core operation team is staying."

The convoy accompanying the torch while it makes its way through city streets has more than 20 vehicles provided by the relay city and they escort the torch in a set order (a section of which is pictured above).

Most of this journey is on foot, but other modes of transport over the years have included dog sled, horse, canoe and camel.

In London, it will be carried on two boats, a bike, a bus and the Docklands Light Railway.

For a trip across the Great Barrier Reef before the 2000 Olympic Games, a special torch was designed to burn underwater.

The flame made its first trip in a plane in 1952 and has also travelled on Concorde. The torch, but not the flame, has twice been into space.

The torch itself has been produced to withstand winds of up to 65 kilometres per hour and to stay alight in rain up to 50mm an hour. But should it go out, it is lit from one of the lanterns.

This was needed in 2004 when the flame went out in the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens at the start of the torch relay.

It also went out in 1976 after the Montreal Olympics had started and an official mistakenly relit it using a cigarette lighter. That was doused and it was relit again using the special lantern flame.

Keeping the flame alive is a tradition that began in Olympia in Greece, where the Ancient Olympic Games took place. Fire had divine associations because it was believed Prometheus had stolen it from the Gods.

A flame burned throughout the Games on the altar of the goddess Hestia, situated in the Prytaneum, the building used for the post-Games banquets.

This fire was lit by the sun's rays and it was used to light other fires of the sanctuary, such as the altars of Zeus - the Games were held in his honour - and Hera.

To honour this, the present Olympic torch relay begins at the Temple of Hera several months before the Games, where it is lit by a woman in ceremonial robes using a mirror and the sun.

This gives the flame a purity that is maintained until it enters the Olympics stadium for the opening ceremony.

The final torchbearer, whose identity is kept secret until the last moment, lights the monumental Olympic cauldron in the stadium, which is kept alight until the closing ceremony.

The Olympic flame was reintroduced to the modern Olympics in Amsterdam in 1928 and the first torch relay was held eight years later in Berlin.

This became a global event for the Athens Games in 2004, which meant that honouring the tradition of keeping the flame going became more difficult.

source : BBC

Writer Arthur C Clarke dies at 90

2008-03-19T08:17:00.002Z

British science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke has died in Sri Lanka at the age of 90.

The Somerset-born author came to fame in 1968 when short story The Sentinel was made into the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by director Stanley Kubrick.

Sir Arthur's vision of future space travel and computing captured the popular imagination.

An aide said he died at 0130 local time in what had been his homeland since 1956 after a cardio-respiratory attack.

Vivid descriptions

A farmer's son, Sir Arthur was educated at Huish's Grammar School in Taunton before joining the civil service.

During World War II, he volunteered for the Royal Air Force, where he worked in the then highly-secretive development of radar, and foresaw the concept of communication satellites.

Sir Arthur's vivid and detailed descriptions of space shuttles, super-computers and rapid communications systems were enjoyed by millions of readers around the world.

In the 1940s, he maintained man would reach the moon by the year 2000, an idea dismissed at the time.

He was the author of more than 100 fiction and non-fiction books, and his writings are credited by many observers with giving science fiction a human and practical face. He collaborated on the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey with Kubrick.

'Great prophet'

British astronomer Sir Patrick Moore had known Sir Arthur since they met as teenagers at the British Interplanetary Society.

Sir Patrick paid tribute to his friend, remembering him as "a very sincere person" with "a strong sense of humour".

Tributes have also come from George Whitesides, the executive director of the National Space Society, with which Sir Arthur served on the board of governors, and fellow science fiction writer Terry Pratchett.

In 1956, after a failed marriage, Sir Arthur moved to Sri Lanka - then called Ceylon - where he lived with a business partner and his family, and pursued his interest in scuba-diving.

His status as the grand old man of science fiction was threatened in 1998 by allegations of child abuse.

He strenuously denied them and was later cleared by an investigation, but the claims caused the confirmation of a knighthood to be delayed.

Since 1995, the author had been largely confined to a wheelchair by post-polio syndrome.

Source BBC News

Airbus A380 to make UK commercial debut

2008-03-18T08:08:00.002Z

The Airbus A380 "super-jumbo" is due to make its European commercial debut when a flight from Singapore lands at London's Heathrow airport.
Singapore Airlines is the first carrier to operate the new double-decker aircraft on revenue-earning services.

Flight SQ308 is due to arrive at Heathrow at 1505 GMT today 18th march.

British Airways has ordered 12 of the airliners, due to be delivered from 2012, while Virgin Atlantic has ordered six, to arrive from 2013.

The Singapore Airlines flight is expected to have up to 470 passengers on board, each of whom will receive a personalised certificate to commemorate the historic first flight to the UK.

The carrier has three A380s in service, with 16 more on order, and has been using them on flights between Singapore and Sydney, Australia, since October 2007.

Environmental claims

The A380 made its Heathrow debut in May 2006, when a pre-production aircraft arrived to test facilities.

Heathrow's owner BAA has constructed a special pier at Terminal 3 to accommodate A380s, which will also be flown to the airport by Dubai-based Emirates.

Pier 6, as it is known, was completed in 2006 at a cost of £105m and provides space for four of the double-deck airliners.

Other works, costing more than £340m, had to be carried out on the airfield to allow for operations by the world's largest commercial airliner.

Runways had to be resurfaced, lighting upgraded and taxiways changed in preparation for the A380.

Terminal 5, which was opened by the Queen last Friday, will also be able to handle the airliner when it enters service with British Airways.

Airbus is making bold claims for the A380's impact on the environment, saying the aircraft burns 17% less fuel per seat than the current largest airliner.

The company argues that equates to the airliner producing 75g of CO2 per passenger and per kilometre.

Inaugural flight

Friends of the Earth is not convinced by that argument, saying that while cleaner aircraft are required, it expects any benefits to be undermined by the forecast rapid growth in demand for air travel.

Singapore Airlines say the start of commercial A380 services to London will be a "proud moment" for the UK aviation sector.

The airliner's wings are made at Broughton in north Wales and at Filton in Bristol. The Rolls-Royce engines that power Singapore's fleet are built at Derby.

Among those on board the inaugural flight will be Mark Wright from Northamptonshire.

He is a member of the enthusiasts' group First to Fly - who have been onboard a number of inaugural flights.

"I have long been an aviation enthusiast and was really keen on Concorde although I was never fortunate to fly on it," he said.

"I saw the A380 when it came to Farnborough in 2006 and thought it looked terrific. I was particularly impressed with the wings. They were amazing."

source BBC News

New York to Send Construction Crane Remains for Forensics Tests

2008-03-17T11:22:00.004Z

March 17 (Bloomberg) -- New York City workers will dismantle the remnants of a construction crane that collapsed and killed at least four people and send them to a forensics laboratory for testing, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

The collapse on Saturday of the 200-foot crane at 303 East 51st St., between First and Second Avenues, destroyed adjacent buildings, killed four construction workers and injured two dozen people. Rescue workers were awaiting the removal of the remaining pieces of the crane before searching the rubble with hand tools and sounding devices for additional victims, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said.

The city's Department of Buildings had looked at the crane the day before the accident, Bloomberg said. The inspectors had visited because high winds were forecast and they were checking on debris. The forensics test will try to determine whether the crane experienced a mechanical failure, he said. About 250 construction cranes are in use around the city.

``We are not going to shut down all construction,'' Bloomberg said.

Residents in the area were concerned that the construction site was unsafe, said U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat. Over the past 27 months, 38 complaints were answered, and 14 violations cited at the project, a planned 43- story apartment building, said Building Commissioner Patricia Lancaster. None of the violations concerned the crane.

`Breakneck Speed'

``Everyone in the neighborhood I know who lives or works there said this was an accident waiting to happen,'' said Michael Lucas, who lives at 301 East 52nd Street, and has an art gallery, the Phyllis Lucas Gallery, on 52nd Street. ``They were erecting that building at breakneck speed.''

Bruce Silberblatt could see the 200-foot crane towering over the construction site from the window of his apartment in the United Nations Plaza Tower at 48th Street and First Avenue. Silberblatt, 80, was president of S.S. Silberblatt Inc. a building contractor that constructed many of the city's public housing high-rises, he said. He retired in 1980.

``When you install a tower crane like this one, you try to locate it as close as possible to the building you're putting up,'' he said in a phone interview. ``But this particular crane was apart from the building. It was about 12 to 13 feet away as best as I was able to judge.''

On the afternoon of March 4, Silberblatt called the city Building Department to complain.

The department sent inspectors, and they found the crane to be in compliance with building codes.

``They weren't violating the code, but they were violating the laws of nature,'' he said. ``I don't make complaints idly.''

Cascading Metal

A metal collar meant to brace the crane instead fell into the ninth-floor brace, which then cascaded down to the third- floor brace, Lancaster, the city building commissioner, said at a press conference yesterday. A counterbalance caused the crane to pull away from the building, she said, sending it crashing south across 51st Street all the way to 50th street, damaging and destroying buildings as it fell.

``Construction costs go up 1 percent every month, we do have to build fast,'' said Manhattan Borough President Scott Springer. ``But we need safety protocols.''

Calls to Manhattan-based principal developer Kennelly Development Co. LLC, and construction manager Reliance Construction Group of Montreal weren't returned. Nor was a call to New York Crane & Equipment Corp, which owned the crane.

``We think our procedures are adequate,'' Bloomberg said at the news conference yesterday, held at a pizza restaurant that was temporarily closed because of its proximity to the accident.

Bloomberg is the founder and principal owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent of Bloomberg News.

Cranes Dot Skyline

Cranes dot the Manhattan skyline, where spending on construction climbed 7 percent last year to $26.2 billion, according to the New York Building Congress, a trade organization.

On the Upper West Side of Manhattan, two cranes stand above Broadway near West 118th Street, where new buildings are being added to Columbia University's campus.

Neil Fitzgerald, 39, was running yesterday past the cranes, as he does regularly. Though the sidewalk, designated a hardhat area with signs, is blocked off, forcing pedestrians into the street, the cranes still hover over where people walk.

Yesterday's accident ``just made me think, has somebody looked into these closely,'' he said. ``I guess you get two thoughts with regard to this. These look very solid, but they also look very heavy. They could be dangerous.''

source www.bloomberg.com

Neverland Is to Remain Jackson's Property

2008-03-15T09:09:00.003Z

Michael Jackson has worked out a confidential agreement with Fortress Investment Group to retain ownership of his 2,500-acre Neverland ranch in Los Olivos, Calif., northwest of Santa Barbara, The Associated Press reported his lawyer as saying. Because Mr. Jackson owed $24.5 million on the property, it had been scheduled for auction on Wednesday. Mr. Jackson has not lived on the ranch since his acquittal on child molestation charges in 2005. A close associate of Mr. Jackson’s, who requested anonymity because of the difficult nature of the matter, said it was not clear whether Mr. Jackson would keep Neverland.

Neverland Valley Ranch is a developed property in Santa Barbara County, California, owned by American pop musician Michael Jackson. It operated as his private amusement park and home when the facility opened in 1988, but is no longer in operation. The property was purchased from golf course entrepreneur William Bone. The property is over 2,800 acres (11 km²) in size; it contains, among other things, a zoo and a theme park, with a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, zipper, spider, sea dragon, wave swinger, super slide, dragon wagon kiddie roller coaster and bumper cars. It is named after Neverland, the fantastical island in the story of Peter Pan, where children never grow up.

The ranch is located at 5225 Figueroa Mountain Rd, Los Olivos, CA 93441,about 5 miles (8 km) north of unincorporated Los Olivos (about eight miles (13 km) north of the town of Santa Ynez), in the Santa Ynez Valley. The area surrounding Neverland previously consisted of working ranches; today, the area is made up of vineyards. A small prep school, the Midland School, is located across the road from the ranch.

British businessmen Liam Collins and David Bone were set to launch a joint £15 million bid to buy Michael Jackson’s ranch, Neverland, in an attempt to alleviate the singer’s financial crisis.

Entrepreneurs Collins and Bone, who are based in Newcastle, are huge fans of Jackson, and told the Daily Star that they began earning their own fortunes by busking in London, copying his dance routines.

“We really want to see Jacko back on his feet,” Bone said. Collins added: “If it wasn’t for Michael’s music and his fantastic dance routines, it is possible that we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Aggressive marketing is expected to pay off for Fox's animated film

2008-03-14T21:14:00.002Z

Even if nobody goes to see it at all, a movie is a movie no matter how small.

Of course, that won't be an issue for 20th Century Fox's "Horton Hears a Who!" the latest big-budget comedy based on the classic children's stories of Dr. Seuss. The G-rated animated film, whose voice cast includes Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett and Seth Rogen, opens today with an elephant-size weekend in store.

"Horton," which goes ultra-wide at 3,954 theaters riding respectable reviews, is expected to easily be No. 1 and could haul in ticket sales of $55 million or more.

Doomsday" and "Never Back Down" -- neither of which is a political documentary about Eliot Spitzer -- also open today across the U.S. and Canada, but both action dramas appear headed for grosses in the mid- to high-single digits.

"Horton," computer animated by Fox's Blue Sky Studios team, cost about $90 million to make, not counting the tens of millions in prints and advertising, so it represents a hefty gamble. Fortunately for Fox, its aggressive marketing campaign appears to be paying off.

Thursday's consumer tracking surveys show that among people who say they are definitely heading to a multiplex this weekend, 35% call "Horton" their first choice. That's on par with March 2006's "Ice Age: The Meltdown," which opened at $68 million.

Wary of losing the ever-dangerous expectations game, however, Fox executives are forecasting an opening weekend of $35 million. Last weekend's top movie, Warner Bros.' prehistoric epic "10,000 B.C.," was deemed only moderately mammoth by certain cynical media types after it opened at $36 million.

In its marketing, Fox has played up "Horton's" high-profile voice cast and the record of Blue Sky, maker of the two "Ice Age" pictures and "Robots." Fox has been successful with animated movies in recent years, so "Horton" could add to that momentum if it clicks with family audiences.

The studio marketed and distributed last summer's "The Simpsons Movie," made by James L. Brooks' Gracie Films, and December's partly animated kiddie hit "Alvin and the Chipmunks." And its Blue Sky team is at work on a third "Ice Age" picture for summer 2009. The first "Ice Age" movie opened on the same mid-March weekend in 2002, launching a successful franchise.

Carrey, who plays the gentle but plucky pachyderm in "Horton," and his costars have been working the TV talk show circuit all week.

Carrey also just happened to be in the audience Wednesday night on Fox's "American Idol" wearing an elephant suit. When host Ryan Seacrest asked about the shameless tie-in, Carrey said, "You like to point out the elephant in the room, don'tcha?"

In a colorful cross-promotion, the IHOP restaurant chain is offering, for a limited time, Seussian specials such as odd-shaped, lollipop-topped "Who cakes" and a green-eggs-and-ham scramble. (This is where a snarkier Projector might make a cheap joke about IHOP's regular menu.)

For Fox, the biggest challenge could be drumming up business overseas. Animated productions often generate 60% of their ticket sales outside the U.S., but Seuss has been more of an American phenomenon, at least on the big screen.

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas," which also starred Carrey, grossed $345 million worldwide in 2000, but 75% of that business was domestic. "The Cat in the Hat," starring Mike Myers, was far less successful in 2003, but it too snagged three-quarters of its theatrical revenue from the U.S. and Canada. Both were live action, however.

"Doomsday," from Universal's genre arm Rogue Pictures, and "Never Back Down," from upstart studio Summit Entertainment, will duke it out for the action audience. But their distributors are focusing on different segments of it and hope the two movies don't hurt each other too much.

Produced for $19 million, "Doomsday" is a hard-edged, apocalyptic thriller aimed at fans of such movies as "Land of the Dead" and "28 Days." It has a low-profile cast and carries an R for "strong bloody violence," as the ratings board put it, as well as language and sexual content.

"Never Back Down," produced for about $20 million, is a PG-13 movie about a rebellious teenager (Sean Faris) who learns mixed martial arts from a wise, veteran mentor (Djimon Hounsou). In other words, it's an inspirational action tale in the "Karate Kid" tradition.

Or at least that's the intention: Early reviews have been mixed.

Both "Never Back Down" and "Doomsday" are tracking well with males younger than 25. But its less restrictive rating should give "Never Back Down" the edge.

Although it is a tad mellower than "Doomsday," those sticklers at the Motion Picture Assn. of America found plenty to warn parents about with "Never Back Down," including "partying."

But if the film beats expectations by getting significantly more than $10 million this weekend, the real party will probably be at the company's Santa Monica offices.

source

latimes.com

Britons conned in US share scam

2008-03-14T08:33:00.006Z

A father and daughter have been accused of tricking 15,000 mostly elderly British citizens out of more than $70m (£34m) by selling worthless shares.

Investigators allege Paul Gunter, 58, and daughter Zibiah, 25, from Florida, sold fake shares in 50 dormant firms.

The pair have been charged with money laundering, mail fraud and securities fraud, US officials said.

If found guilty, they could face up to 25 years in prison and a fine. They are due to appear in a Florida court later.

The BBC's Andy Gallacher, in Miami, says it is thought the Gunters hijacked the identities of the dormant, publicly traded companies and used high-pressure sales techniques to sell worthless shares to British investors.

They are believed to have started the alleged scam in early 2005, US investigators said.

Deputy chief inspector Robert Wishart, head of the money laundering unit at City of London

Police, said the arrests were part of an ongoing investigation into a "mass-marketing crime scam known as boiler room fraud".

In a statement released by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, he added: "Thousands of British people have fallen victim to this crime - in this inquiry alone, we estimate that around 15,000 mostly elderly people have lost money."

He said the arrests demonstrated the power of international collaboration to bring to justice those suspected of crimes, even if based overseas.

Source BBC News

Discworld Author Terry Pratchett funds Alzheimer's study

2008-03-13T09:45:00.002Z

Best-selling fantasy author Terry Pratchett is to donate $1m for research into Alzheimer's disease.

The creator of the Discworld series was diagnosed with a rare early-onset form of the disease in December.

Pratchett, 59, will announce the pledge of about £494,000 at the Alzheimer's Research Trust annual conference.

Telling leading dementia specialists of his determination to find a cure, he will say: "I intend to scream and harangue while there is time."

There are 15,000 people in the UK with early-onset dementia, which strikes under the age of 65 years.

Pratchett has a rare form of the disease called posterior cortical atrophy, in which areas at the back of the brain begin to shrink and shrivel.

The author will tell the conference he is prepared to go to extreme lengths in order to beat the disease.

He will say: "Personally, I'd eat the arse out of a dead mole if it offered a fighting chance.
"I am, along with many others, scrabbling to stay ahead long enough to be there when the cure comes along.

"Say it will be soon - there's nearly as many of us as there are cancer sufferers, and it looks as if the number of people with dementia will double within a generation.

"In most cases, alongside the sufferer you will find a spouse suffering as much.

"It is a shock to find out that funding for Alzheimer's research is just 3% of that to find cancer cures."

Lack of funds

In total, an estimated 700,000 people in the UK have Alzheimer's disease.

However, the Alzheimer's Research Trust estimates that just £11 per patient is spent annually on research into the disease - compared with £289 for each cancer patient.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said the trust currently had to turn down two out of every three research projects due to lack of funds.

She said: "Whilst we were deeply saddened to learn of Mr Pratchett's diagnosis, we are delighted that he has chosen to speak out about his experiences with Alzheimer's disease, to raise awareness about its impact and the desperate need for more research.

"Research is the only way to beat this disease and help people like Terry - to prevent them losing their thinking skills and keep them doing the things they love."

Source BBC Health News

Cheltenham races off amid storms

2008-03-12T09:05:00.003Z

Cheltenham races off amid storms The second day of the Cheltenham Festivalhas been cancelled because of the stormy weather at the racecourse.

Strong winds had made the marquees in the tented hospitality area unsafe andorganisers were forced to call off the day's racing on safety grounds.

About 55,000 people had been due to attend the prestigious meeting at PrestburyPark on Wednesday.

Cheltenham management say that Wednesday's card will now be run across Thursdayand Friday's meeting.

Managing director Edward Gillespie explained: "On Tuesday night we had aforecast indicating wind speeds with gusts of over 50mph up to and includingWednesday afternoon.

"That means that many of the temporary facilities might not be safe. It's awest wind, which would take any debris onto the racecourse.

"We have had one structure blow over this morning at 0700 while at the momentthe tented village is not a safe site.

"However, the good news is we can race all the races over the next two days.It's very sad. It's the last thing we expected in the build-up to thismeeting."

Wednesday's feature race was due to be the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Source BBC Sport

European space agency launches Orbital Cargo Ship

2008-03-09T10:08:00.000Z

The European space agency has successfully launched it's new 'space truck' automated transfer vehicle (ATV), from French Guiana, the orbital cargo ship is on a mission to re supply the international space station (ISS).

It is the largest and most complex spacecraft Europe has ever built. It weighs 20 tonnes and is unmanned. It was launched at 0430 GMT on the 9th of march attached to a ariane 5 rocket from the Kourou spaceport. The night time launch lighting up the south American jungle.

The ATV has been dubbed "Jules Verne" for its maiden flight and is even carrying a first-edition hardback of the 19th-Century French author's book From the Earth to the Moon. It will return on a space shuttle at a later date.

After a successful separation from the rocket 66 minutes into its flight, the launch was declared a resounding success. The ATV will continue into orbit where it will park until the space shuttle Endeavour has completed its forthcoming mission to the ISS, before moving in to make a docking

The ship's own computers will be in charge of the approach, employing an advanced form of GPS and, in the latter stages, optical sensors to guide itself into the correct position on the end of the Russian Zvezda module.

The ATV has bee 11 years in development and with its successful completion, Europe can claim to be a fully paid up member of the international space station project.

Former UK Prime Minister To Teach Faith In USA

2008-03-07T22:02:00.002Z

Since leaving office in 2007 former prime minister Tony Blair has come out of the religious closet, so to speak, left the Anglican Church and adopted the catholic faith.

Unlike the USA, where strong religious views are seen as a positive advantage in public office, strong religious views in the UK are treated with a certain mistrust, and can damage a politicians public life.

No wonder then that Mr Blair kept his strong faith under wraps until he 'retired'. Mr Blair now looking for further gainful employment seems to have moved his focus to the USA

News released today that as of next year Tony Blair is to teach students at Yale University, when he leads a seminar on faith and globalisation. The former prime minister has today been appointed as a fellow at Yale.

A statement said: "Yale University is pleased to announce the appointment of [former] Prime Minister Tony Blair as the Howland Distinguished Fellow for the next academic year. Mr Blair has demonstrated outstanding leadership in these areas and is especially qualified to bring his
perspective to bear.

I don't think Mr Blair will be short of cash any time soon, as since he left office his income has only grown, with other appointments including Middle East envoy, and an adviser to investment bank JP Morgan.

Whoopi Goldberg pays tribute to Patrick Swayze

2008-03-07T15:44:00.000Z

Actress Whoopi Goldberg has paid tribute to Patrick Swayze for his contribution and help she says he gave to her in winning her best supporting actress Oscar .

Goldberg won the award in 1990 for her role of psychic medium Oda Mae Brown, in the hit film Ghost, in which she co-starred with Swayze - who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer

Goldburg was speaking on the US talk show The View. which she has co hosted since last year, she added Swayze, 55, told director Jerry Zucker: "I'm not making this movie unless you put Whoopi in there."

Goldberg said she had not spoken to Swayze about his health, but added: "We want you to feel better - we'll talk soon, I hope."

Swayze is said to be responding well to treatment, and has a very limited amount of disease. Earlier media reports that he may only have five weeks to live, have been branded totally untrue by his physician Dr George Fisher.

'Forbes': Facebook CEO is youngest self-made billionaire

2008-03-06T20:55:00.003Z

Billionaires are getting younger. Forbes magazine released its list of the world's mega-rich Wednesday and said Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 23, became the youngest ever self-made billionaire. Zuckerberg, born during the Ronald Reagan presidency, is worth $1.5 billion four years after launching the social-networking site and the third-youngest to crack the billionaire list since Forbes began tracking ages a decade ago. The other two inherited their money. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment.

The Forbes list often reflects the times. Bill Gates was once himself like Zuckerberg and dropped out of Harvard to launch a technology upstart. Gates is now 52 and slipped from first place in the rankings after being the richest person in the world for 13 straight years. In 1995, Gates replaced Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, a Japanese real estate investor who subsequently fell on hard times and was removed from the Forbes list in 2007.

Gates is worth $58 billion, $2 billion more than last year, but he is now third on the list. He was dislodged by Warren Buffett ($62 billion) and Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helu ($60 billion). Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway stock climbed $10 billion; Slim's fortune rose $11 billion.

Buffett is 77 and Slim is 68, but there are now 50 billionaires younger than 40, and 34 of them are self-made. The average age of all billionaires has dropped to 61 from 64 in 2004, partly because of the growth of young, self-made Russian and Chinese billionaires. Mainland China's richest person is 26-year-old real estate heiress Yang Huiyan (No. 125), worth $7.4 billion.
Forbes says that billionaires sometimes slip beneath its radar, but it now counts 1,125 worldwide, worth $4.4 trillion. That's an increase of 179 billionaires from a year ago. Two-thirds of the 1,125 are self-made.

Of the 1,125 billionaires, 469 (42%) are from the USA. But the average U.S. billionaire is worth $3.4 billion vs. $4.3 billion for the average foreign billionaire. The biggest gainer over the last year is 48-year-old Indian businessman Anil Ambani. His wealth jumped $24 billion, or nearly $3 million an hour.

There have been two billionaires who made the Forbes list at a younger age than Zuckerberg. One was Albert II, prince of Thurn and Taxis, who is a German heir of postmasters dating to the Holy Roman Empire. He inherited his wealth at age 7, when his father died in 1990, although he did not gain access to his fortune until he turned 18.

The other was Hind Hariri, youngest of the Lebanese heirs of a banking, real estate, oil and telecommunications fortune that she inherited at 22

http://www.usatoday.com/money/2008-03-05-forbes-billionaires_N.htm

1888 Photo Depicts Helen Keller, Teacher

2008-03-06T15:39:00.000Z

By MELISSA TRUJILLO

BOSTON (AP) — Researchers have uncovered a rare photograph of a young Helen Keller with her teacher Anne Sullivan, nearly 120 years after it was taken on Cape Cod. The photograph, shot in July 1888 in Brewster, shows an 8-year-old Helen sitting outside in a light-colored dress, holding Sullivan's hand and cradling one of her beloved dolls.

Experts on Keller's life believe it could be the earliest photo of the two women together and the only one showing the blind and deaf child with a doll — the first word Sullivan spelled for Keller after they met in 1887 — according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which now has the photo.

"It's really one of the best images I've seen in a long, long time," said Helen Selsdon, an archivist at the American Foundation for the Blind, where Keller worked for more than 40 years. "This is just a huge visual addition to the history of Helen and Annie."

For more than a century, the photograph has belonged to the family of Thaxter Spencer, an 87-year-old man in Waltham.

Spencer's mother, Hope Thaxter Parks, often stayed at the Elijah Cobb House on Cape Cod during the summer as a child. In July 1888, she played with Keller, whose family had traveled from Tuscumbia, Ala., to vacation in Massachusetts.

Spencer, who doesn't know which of his relatives took the picture, told the society that his mother, four years younger than Helen, remembered Helen exploring her face with her hands.

In June, Spencer donated a large collection of photo albums, letters, diaries and other heirlooms to the genealogical society, which preserves artifacts from New England families for future research.

"I never thought much about it," Spencer said in a statement released by the society. "It just seemed like something no one would find very interesting." Spencer has recently been hospitalized and could not be reached for comment.

It wasn't until recently that staff at the society realized the photograph's significance. Advocates for the blind say they had never heard of it, though after they announced its discovery Wednesday they learned it had published in 1987 in a magazine on Cape Cod and a half-century earlier in The Boston Globe. It is unclear whether there was more than one copy of the photograph.

D. Brenton Simons, the society's president and CEO, said the photograph offers a glimpse of what was a very important time in Keller's life.

Sullivan was hired in 1887 to teach Keller, who had been left blind and deaf after an illness at the age of 1 1/2. With her new teacher, Keller learned language from words spelled manually into her hand. Not quite 7, the girl went from an angry, frustrated child without a way to communicate to an eager scholar.

While "doll" was the first word spelled into her hand, Helen finally comprehended the meaning of language a few weeks later with the word "water," as famously depicted in the film "The Miracle Worker." Sullivan stayed at her side until her death in 1936, and Keller became a world-famous author and humanitarian. She died in 1968.

Jan Seymour-Ford, a research librarian at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, which both Sullivan and Keller attended, said she was moved to see how deeply connected the women were, even in 1888.

"The way Anne is gazing so intently at Helen, I think it's a beautiful portrait of the devotion that lasted between these two women all of Anne's life," Seymour-Ford said.

Selsdon said the photograph is valuable because it shows many elements of Keller's childhood: that devotion, Sullivan's push to teach Helen outdoors and Helen's attachment to her baby dolls, one of which was given to her upon Sullivan's arrival as her teacher.

"It's a beautiful composition," she said. "It's not even the individual elements. It's the fact that it has all of the components."

source :- ap.google.com