Wednesday, October 17, 2007

First Sino-European satellite completes mission



One of the two satellites of the Double Star mission was decommissioned on 14 October after its designed orbit lifetime came to an end.

TC-1 - along with its twin TC-2 - was the first satellite built and operated by the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). Over the past four years, the Double Star mission has studied the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and solar winds.

After TC-1, which stands for Chinese 'Tan Che' meaning 'explorer', was launched into an equatorial orbit on 29 December 2003, it played a crucial role in various discoveries. For instance Double Star, together with the four satellites of ESA's Cluster mission, revealed that bubbles of superheated gas are constantly growing and popping where the magnetosphere is hit by the constant stream of gas from the sun.

Furthermore, TC-1 helped find that chorus emissions - waves naturally generated in space close to the magnetic equator - are created further away from Earth during high geomagnetic activity. Chorus emissions are involved in creating killer electrons that can damage solar panels and the electronic equipment of satellites, and are also a danger for astronauts. The information provided by the satellites was a step in the direction of being able to predict the waves' impact.

Data collected by TC-1 also shed light on the effects of space weather on the Earth's magnetic field, when TC-1 and the Cluster satellites were suddenly engulfed by oscillating waves of electrical and magnetic energy. TC-1 has 'brought in new perspectives concerning the boundaries of the magnetosphere and the fundamental processes that are playing a role in the transport of mass, momentum and energy into the magnetosphere', ESA states. 'Its data is essential to understand how the sun activity influences the near-Earth space and induces changes in the 'space weather' through magnetic storms and streams of high-energy particles.'

Initially, the mission was only intended to last one year. However, ESA and CNSA extended it twice until the end of September 2007. 'Double Star has demonstrated mutual benefit and fostered scientific cooperation in space research between China and Europe,' says Phillippe Escoubet from ESA. 'We expect even more results when the final archive of high resolution data will be made available to the worldwide scientific community.'

Galileo should be financed through EU budget, says Commission



The European Commission has recommended that the European Community take complete responsibility for funding the deployment of Galileo, Europe's satellite navigation system, warning of the consequences of shelving the project.

Galileo is a joint EU-European Space Agency (ESA) initiative, and was to be financed through a public-private partnership. It will see a network of 30 Galileo satellites beaming radio signals to receivers on the ground, enabling users to pinpoint exact locations.

Unfortunately the companies within the Galileo consortium were unable to agree on how to share the financial risks involved in the project and so this method of financing the deployment phase was abandoned. Since the early summer, the Commission has been looking into alternative funding scenarios, which it presents in the communication 'Progressing Galileo: re-profiling the European GNSS [Global Navigation Satellite System] programmes'.

The Commission, Parliament and Council have rejected the occasional call for the project to be written off on account of its inherent costs.

'Failing to take the appropriate decisions on a European GNSS programme, Europe would decide to rely for the mid to long term on foreign GNSS signals with little to no control over quality, availability or price of the latter. In addition, the ensuing loss of resident European expertise on GNSS would be coupled with a major loss of macro-economic opportunities for European manufacturing and service companies,' reads the Commission communication.

Jacques Barrot, European Commission Vice President, reinforced this view as he presented the communication. 'I am still convinced that Europe needs Galileo,' he said.

The Commission suggests that the €3.4 billion that is needed to get Galileo up and running could come from Community funds, ESA, or the EU Member States. The first option is favoured by the Commission.

ESA is already financing half of the development phase of Galileo. This model could in theory be extended to the deployment phase, but the Commission finds three problems with this scenario:
- not all of the EU Member States are members of ESA, and vice versa. This raises the issue of material and immaterial property rights in relation to Galileo;
- ESA financing would conflict with the Community character of the programme as the Budgetary Authority exercises no control over the part financed directly by ESA member countries;
- co-financing has an impact on the public governance of the programme.

The funding could also come in the form of direct contributions from the EU Member States. These contributions could not be received in the form of loans however, as the European Community is not allowed to borrow. 'The possibility of setting up such contributions needs to be studied in much detail as no easy transferable precedent exists,' says the Commission.

The document goes on to state that 'for legal, institutional and programmatic reasons, the Commission considers that only the European Union, as owner of the system, should provide the additional financial resources'.

If these additional resources are however to come from the Community budget, the multiannual financial framework must first be revised. A proposal on how this should be done therefore accompanies the Galileo communication.

The inter-institutional agreement on budgetary discipline is designed so that additional money can be sought when 'unforeseen circumstances' arise. The failure of the negotiations on the concession contract within the private consortium constitutes such unforeseen circumstances.

The two proposals, on the financing of Galileo and the renegotiation of the multi-annual financial framework, will now be passed to the European Parliament and ministers, who should reach a decision on funding before the end of 2007.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

World oil prices spike

WORLD oil prices surged overnight close to recent record heights after news that American crude oil stockpiles fell heavily last week, traders said.

The price of London's Brent North Sea crude for November delivery soared $US1.88 to $US80.48 per barrel.

New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in November, jumped $US2.05 to $US83.35 per barrel.

Last month, the price of Brent oil hit a record high $US81.05 per barrel, while New York crude struck an all-time peak of $US84.10 largely owing to tight energy supplies.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) said overnight that American crude oil reserves slumped by 1.7 million barrels in the week ending October 5.

That confounded analysts' consensus forecasts for a gain of 1.0 million barrels.

US distillates, which include heating fuel, slid by 600,000 barrels, which was broadly in line with market expectations for a 775,000-barrel drop.

Petrol reserves gained 1.7 million barrels last week but remain at historically low levels, analysts said.

"Looking at the bigger picture they (the US figures) do raise a lot of concerns about what's happening with the overall market," said Alaron Trading analyst Phil Flynn.

He said: "Gasoline (petrol) inventories are near historic lows, heating oil supplies are well below normal and crude supplies are dwindling."

The weekly DoE inventory report was delayed by one day owing to Tuesday's Columbus Day holiday in the United States.

The drop in stocks of distillates - refined from crude - was a concern for the oil market ahead of the peak demand season for heating fuel.

"The market's on edge," said Jason Feer, Asia Pacific vice-president of energy market analysts Argus Media.

"The only thing that can bail you out is a warm winter," he said.

Earlier overnight, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the developed world's energy watchdog, held steady its forecasts for oil demand for this year and next.

The IEA predicted average oil demand to be 85.9 million barrels per day in 2007 and 88 million bpd in 2008.

World oil supply increased by 415,000 bpd in September from August owing to higher output in North America, China and from OPEC members, averaging 85.1 million bpd, the watchdog said in its monthly report.

The IEA said that its forecasts for demand would be affected by assessments of the health of the global economy by the International Monetary Fund and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Recent turmoil in global financial markets and weakness in the US housing market has raised uncertainty about the outlook for growth.

Over the past year, the Brent price has surged by 30 per cent and New York crude has rocketed 40 per cent.

Dollar hits new 23-year high

THE dollar hit another 23-year high in overnight trade, briefly reaching 90.61 US cents at 2.57am AEST.

The dollar peaked at 90.61 US cents during the New York session, clearly breaching the high of 90.50 US cents set on June 12, 1984.

The highest New York close since the dollar was floated on December 8, 1983, was 96.68 US cents on March 14, 1984.

The local currency traded above 90.5 US cents for lengthy periods during the overnight session. It has since lost some steam, but it remains above the US 90 cents level.

At 6.34am, the dollar was at 90.07 US cents.

European exchanges advance

EUROPEAN stock markets posted solid gains overnight, powered by a record-setting run on Wall Street and positive economic data from the United States.

In London the FTSE 100 index rose 1.38 per cent to close at 6724.50 while in Paris the CAC 40 added 0.42 per cent to finish at 5862.83. In Frankfurt the Dax gained 0.59 per cent to reach 8033.69.

The Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading eurozone shares added 0.70 per cent to close at 4473.57.

On the currency market, the euro soared close to its record high against the dollar on speculation the European Central Bank might raise its benchmark interest one more time between now and the end of the year.

The single European currency at one point rose to $US1.4240, just shy of its record $US1.4283 on October 1 and against $US1.4145 yesterday in New York.

The euro was later trading at $US1.4227.

On Wall Street the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.74 per cent in mid-session deals to reach a record 14,185.26 points.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.77 per cent to 2833.21.

US stocks gained after Wal-Mart's chief financial officer, Tom Schoeve, said the giant retailer was raising its profit expectations for the third quarter.

Wal-Mart's finance chief said earnings per share were now likely to range between 66 and 69 cents compared with a prior forecast of $US62 to $US65.

"For the first two months of the quarter, we have seen improvement in initial margin and expense leverage at the Wal-Mart Stores division, which is driving this change," Mr Schoeve said.

The retailer's stock was trading up 3.0 per cent at $US46.99 amid the wider market gains.

In London, mining issues led the way on the back of fresh records in the prices of lead, gold and platinum.

BHP Billiton added 4.39 per cent to close at 1880 pence while Rio Tinto gained 3.52 per cent to reach 4563 pence.

Mortgage lender Northern Rock, after strong advances earlier in the week, was hit by profit-taking and lost 5.67 per cent to finish at 258 pence.

In Paris aerospace group EADS added 1.54 per cent to close at €23.15 on news that Spanish tour group Marsans had ordered 73 planes from aircraft manufacturer Airbus, a unit of EADS.

Bank Credit Agricole fell 0.82 per cent to €27.70 on comments from a young trader at its subsidiary Calyon who lost €250 million in New York.

He told the press that any suggestion that the trades had not been authorised was "absurd".

Food group Danone lost 1.16 per cent to close at €53.57 on news it would increase charges to its French distributors by an average of 10.48 per cent to take account of a sharp rise in basic dairy products in Europe and France.

In Frankfurt the day's big winner was Volkswagen, which rose 4.75 per cent to €183.57 after announcing an increase in sales in China and in its sales target on the Chinese market to 900,000 this year from 800,000.

Elsewhere there were gains of 0.27 per cent to 41,024 in Milan, 1.59 per cent to 15,100 in Madrid, 0.54 per cent to 4534.91 in Brussels, 0.39 per cent to 9218.28 on the Swiss Market Index and 0.62 per cent to 558.01 in Amsterdam.

Elsewhere overnight, Japanese share prices closed at a two-month high after Japan's central bank refrained from hiking interest rates and Sony Corp's newly listed financial arm made a solid debut, dealers said.

They said the market was also buoyed by a weaker yen and an upgrade to Japan's domestic debt rating by Moody's Investors Service.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange's benchmark Nikkei-225 index of leading shares gained 1.64 per cent to 17,458.98 points, the highest level since July 26.

Australian dollar touches US90c again

THE Australian dollar today closed higher and above US90c for the second time this week, after the domestic jobless rate fell to a fresh 33 year low.

The fall to 4.2 per cent in September - the lowest level since November 1974 - from 4.3 per cent in August, stoked speculation of another interest rate rise next month, pushing the unit higher.

At 5pm ( AEST), the Australian dollar was trading at US90.08c/US90.10c, up from yesterday's close of US89.87c/US89.92c.

During the day, it traded between a low of US8.966c and a high of US90.15c.

But Westpac chief currency strategist Robert Rennie said the initial market reaction to the jobless rate was limited because traders had anticipated that the data would reflect strong economic conditions.

"I think, for us to vault US90c and forge ahead at the pace we have become used to probably looks a bit less likely,'' he said.

"We would need to see a weakness in the US dollar and I think we have to see strong evidence that the Australian economy is accelerating.''

The domestic currency walked towards US90c late in the afternoon session, hours after the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the September labour force report.

Mr Rennie said traders were forming the view that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) would have to raise interest rates sooner rather than later.

"Certainly, today's data does add to the risk,'' he said.

"The strength of our domestic economy requires some further intervention from the RBA,'' he said.

The futures market has priced in a 70 per cent chance of an interest rate rise by the end of 2007.

The ABS also revealed that total employment in September rose by 13,000 to 10.528 million, seasonally adjusted.

Economists had expected total employment to rise by 20,000 jobs and a jobless rate of 4.3 per cent.

Full-time employment decreased by 17,200 to 7.522 million and part-time employment was up 30,100 to 3.005 million.

The participation rate in September was 65 per cent, compared with an unrevised 65.1 per cent in August.

Adding to speculation of a rate rise by the end of 2007 was the Melbourne Institute consumer inflationary expectations survey of 1200 consumers that found median inflationary expectations had jumped to 4.6 per cent in October, up from 3.1 per cent, to reach their highest level in two years.

The Australian dollar's overnight range is tipped to mirror today's pattern.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

House prices defy relentless interest rate rises

AUSTRALIANS love their patch of land and as money pours into the real-estate market, house prices are expected to keep on rising despite the relentless rise of interest rates.
A survey by NEWS.com.au and polling firm Coredata has found most Australians, or 54 per cent per cent, believe property prices will rise over the next three months.

Just one in six of the 1530 people surveyed in September – or 16 per cent –thought house prices would fall over the next quarter.

The expectation of price rises comes despite Australians having been hit with multiple interest rate rises, with the most recent rise in August. The official cash rate stands at 6.5 per cent and standard variable home loan rates at 8.32 per cent, both at an 11-year high.

Survey: Have you been stung by bank fees?

Westpac today predicted another rate hike in December to 6.75 per cent given strong economic growth and growing inflationary pressures.

"A December rate hike seems the most likely prospect although a delay to February next year cannot be ruled out," says Westpac's chief economist Bill Evans.

House prices rise despite rates

Louis Christopher, the head of research at Advisor Edge, says house prices are rising due to several factors, including strong employment boosting incomes, good population growth and limited growth in the supply of housing.

"In some cities, the supply of new housing has stalled, especially in Sydney, but also in Brisbane and Melbourne, while demand is still growing due to strong income growth and population growth. That is pushing up house prices," says Mr Christopher.

"We've also seen credit firms loosening right up, so people who would not normally have gotten home loans have been getting them, pushing up demand for housing.

"But eventually, if interest rates keep on rising, there will be a breaking point, and house price growth will fall," says Mr Christopher.

Housing affordability to worsen

The steady yet relentless rise in interest rates in Australia over recent years is a prime candidate to explain why housing has become less affordable, according to a Macquarie Bank report on housing.

Macquarie too expects the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to increase interest rates by a further 25 basis points, or possibly more.

"If growth remains strong and the RBA remains alert to potential inflationary pressures, interest rates could rise by another 75 basis points," say the report authors Brian Redican and Hayden Atkins.

"Should the RBA be compelled to tighten policy to address rising inflationary pressures, housing affordability would deteriorate significantly to the worst levels since in the early 1990s," Macquarie says.

On the less likely chance that rates were cut by 1.25 percentage points, due to slowing global growth, Macquarie predicts housing affordability would improve.

"If the RBA was forced to cut interest rates significantly … housing affordability would improve dramatically," the report said.

"Interest payments would decline to around 30 per cent of income which has been sufficient to kick-start activity in the past."

But for now, with house prices looking set to grow and interest rates remaining steady or going up, housing affordability could worsen.

"The most likely scenario – one of modest house price growth – would be sufficient to maintain affordability at current levels. But should house price growth beginning to accelerate back
towards its long-run average level, there will be a marked deterioration in affordability," says Macquarie.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Pacific Highway fully dual by 2016

THE Pacific Highway will be dual carriageway from start to finish by 2016 under a plan to be unveiled today by the Federal Government.

The highway, which stretches north from Sydney to Brisbane, has long been considered one of the country's most hazardous roads, with 25 people killed on it in 2006.

The commonwealth wants state governments to match its pledge of $2.4 billion to eliminate narrow and dangerous stretches of the highway, News Ltd and Fairfax newspapers report.

Regardless of state funding, the Federal Government will start work on stretches of the highway between Sydney and Woolgoolga, south of Coffs Harbour, and south from Brisbane to Ballina.

Prime Minister John Howard is expected to make the funding announcement at Grafton today.

The funding is expected to come during the 2009-2010 and 2013-2014 financial years.

The Government announced $22 billion for a national road building program in May's budget and at the time the Australian Automobile Association called for $25 billion to improve safety at major blackspots including the Pacific Highway.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Turks head to Shanghai to outdo disabilities

After being lit in Athens and traveling around the globe to more than 10 cities, the Flame of Hope is now in Shanghai to mark the beginning of the 2007 Special Olympics World Games, the sports competition in which athletes with mental retardation or developmental disabilities.

This year's Special Olympics will commence Oct. 2 with the participation of about 7,000 sports persons from over 150 countries competing in 20 categories. The 12th Special Olympics has another meaning for Turkey, as the country is sending its largest delegation yet with a squad of 62 athletes.

The Turkish squad, consisting squad chief and co-chief, 15 coaches and 7 staff members in addition to athletes, is now in its last days of training. The team is hopeful of its chances of coming back to the country with multiple medals in the eight branches it will compete in.


Hard to tell

It is hard to make estimations in intellectual disabilities' sports, as the daily factors such as motivation is crucial, says Gülay Taşpınar, general secretary of the Turkish Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (ZESFED). However, we believe that our team will come away with medals, especially in swimming, athletics and basketball.

The team has had some financial problems that were overcome with the help of the government and the sponsors saying, explained Taşpınar. The better the budget is, the better the opportunities for preparing and rehabilitating our children.

Enabling the participation of the Turkish team is a joint effort of ZESFED and the Special Olympics in Turkey (SO Turkey). This cooperation starts with the selection of the players to the national team. Being educated in special schools, athletes with intellectual disabilities are scouted throughout the year. In addition to schools, SO Turkey and the federation's involvement in the selection process, rehabilitation centers, sports clubs and foundations also lend a helping hand.


From four to 15,000

Currently there are 15,000 licensed athletes in Turkey, a relatively low number considering the country's total population of intellectually disabled people is around two million. SO Turkey's sports expert, however, sees the glass as half full when seen in the context of how far the country has come. When it started in 1982, there were only four licensed (athletes), says Öncül. He adds that selecting 62 athletes from 40 cities for the Special Olympics is a feat not to be ignored, as even the basic task of selecting the branch in which an athlete will compete is difficult for the intellectually challenged.

Öncül adds that SO Turkey has greatly benefited from the Association for the Sports, Education and Rehabilitation for Special Athletes and its Honorary Chairwoman Dilek Sabancı.

Freed of monetary problems, the team is ready for the 11-day run in Shanghai. The squad has been in training camp since Sept. 21, reports Samet Öncül, the camp chief and football team coach, adding that the team's adaptation and cohesion is almost complete. Öncül believes that Turkish athletes have a serious chance of clinching medals, especially in individual categories as team sports are influenced by more varied factors.

This year is the first time in history that the Special Olympics head to Asia, and the distance may pose problems for the athletes, but Öncül is not losing any sleep over that matter. Turkish squads have traveled before, about 30 of the athletes have experienced competitions abroad and they can do it again, says the coach. This time the squad is bigger than ever, but this will not be a problem for the athletes, as many of them are familiar to each other from previous organizations.

When asked about the difficulties of working with intellectually disabled athletes, Öncül responds that he finds it more enjoyable. Obviously you need to make more repetitions when you show the moves, says Öncül. But if you are a volunteer, repetition does not bother you. Loving is enough, that is it.


The 40th anniversary

The Special Olympics World Games have grown to become one of the world's leading athletic events since the first competition was held in 1968 in the Mid-western United States' city of Chicago. The events are only a part of the Special Olympics concept, which was developed by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of the former United States President John F. Kennedy. Starting as a U.S.-only project, it is responsible for the education and training of 2.5 million intellectually disabled athletes from over 200 countries.

As the event has the purpose of spreading the sports for everyone concept, the Special Olympics World Games fully develops the Olympics spirit, which objects to claims that winning is everything. The World Games in Shanghai prove that for someone, just competing is what matters most.

Turkish coach Samet Öncül's words sums up the spirit: We are doing what we can. We are having a good time.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

1507 New MIDI Sound For Your Mobile Ringtones [Last Part]



1507 New MIDI Sound For Your Mobile Ringtones [Last Part]
Rar Size = 13 MB | After Extract = 77 MB

D O W N L O A D - http://anonymz.com/?http://rapidshare.com/files/55371554/1507MIDISound_www.softarchive.net.exe

Pass: softarchive.net/user/hankypanky

More Than 50 Games For K800i


13.6 MB More Than 50 Games For K800i

D O W N L O A D - http://anonymz.com/?http://rapidshare.com/files/55365162/K800IGames_www.softarchive.net.exe

Pass: softarchive.net/user/hankypanky

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Canadian Wins Audience Prize at Toronto

Canadian director David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" picked up the award for fan favorite during the Toronto International Film Festival's closing award ceremonies Saturday.

The tense and bloody Russian mob drama set in London took the People's Choice Award on the final day of the 10-day festival to cheers from the crowd gathered at a downtown Toronto hotel.

Cronenberg was not on hand to pick up the award. He was in New York promoting the film, which has received glowing reviews in the U.S. and is doing well at the box office.

The film, starring Naomi Watts and Viggo Mortensen, features a memorable steam-room fight scene in which a fully naked Mortensen fights off would-be killers.

"Juno," a coming-of-age movie about teenage pregnancy by Montreal-born filmmaker Jason Reitman, was first runner-up for the audience award, while "Body of War," a documentary by one-time talk-show host Phil Donahue, was the second runner-up.

The Toronto-City Award for the best Canadian feature film went to Guy Maddin for "My Winnipeg," his personal portrait of his hometown. Stephane Lafleur's "Continental, Un Film Sans Fusil" won the prize for the best debut feature film by a Canadian.

The Deisel Discovery Award, voted on by the festival press corps, went to the Mexican film "Cochochi," about the journeys of two brothers after they get lost on a trip across Mexico.

The Artistic Innovation Award went to "Encarnacion," from Argentinian filmmaker Anahi Berneri, and Rodrigo Pia's "La Zona," a Spanish-Mexican co-production, took the International Critics award. The latter prize honors a movie by an emerging filmmaker making its world premier at the festival.

Nominees Celebrate on Eve of Emmy Awards

In their last hours as neither winners nor losers, Emmy nominees gathered to celebrate being in contention for American television's highest honor _ and to get free stuff.

On Friday, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences hosted a party honoring nominees for Sunday's 59th Primetime Emmy Awards, which will air on Fox.

Denis Leary, who is up for lead actor in a drama series for "Rescue Me," said the select group of actors showed up to receive certification that they were nominees.

"But no, really, the reason everybody's here: You get a swag bag," he told The Associated Press, apparently only half-joking. "That's why I'm here ... There's enough stuff in there _ there's probably eight or nine things _ that my wife gets something, and then we have something that we spread around with the relatives. So everybody's happy at the end."

Leary said he's rooting for James Gandolfini, star of the "The Sopranos."

"They should give him an Emmy that's even bigger than him, a chocolate Emmy that he can eat," Leary said. "I just think he's the greatest character in the history of television."

The reception at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant in the Pacific Design Center also included supporting-actress nominees Sandra Oh ("Grey's Anatomy") and Holland Taylor ("Two and a Half Men"). Supporting-actor nominees T.R. Knight ("Grey's Anatomy"), Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother"), August Schellenberg ("Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee") and Jon Cryer ("Two and a Half Men") showed up, too.

Cryer revealed that he and fellow nominee Felicity Huffman (lead actress in a comedy series, "Desperate Housewives") would be participating in a 22.5-mile triathlon Sunday before walking down the red carpet at the Shrine Auditorium. He expected endorphins to help keep him calm on Emmy night.

Last year, Cryer said he was nervous as a first-time nominee.

"I didn't know how I was supposed to act," he said. "I would just sort of sit around, going, 'Am I supposed to be sitting here? What's going on? Is there something we're supposed to be doing now?'"

Oscar winner Anna Paquin ("The Piano") said she was just too busy to fret about her Emmy nod as supporting actress in "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."

"I'm about to start shooting a new series for HBO," Paquin said. "So that's really distracting me from feeling nervous about Sunday night."

Last year's lead-actress drama winner Mariska Hargitay ("SVU") said her previous Emmy and a new baby helped keep the event in perspective. After a baby "decisions come so much easier," she said.

"This year, it was so easy," she said. "I tried on this dress. It was the first dress I tried on, and, I said, 'I'm done.'"

Finding red-carpet couture wasn't quite as easy for Conchata Ferrell (supporting actress, "Two and Half Men").

"Particularly for a woman my size, it's really very difficult to find anything," she said. "There's no designer knocking on my door, going, 'Oh, here. Wear this,' she said. Ferrell eventually went to the set's costume designer, Mary T. Quigley, who came up with a silver sparkling number.

For Masi Oka (supporting actor, "Heroes") clothes weren't the problem for Emmy night. Finding a date was.

Even his own mother turned him down, choosing to stay home in Japan.

"My mom is actually very superstitious," he said. "She tells me every time she's in Japan, she gets good news, like 'I got nominated for a Golden Globe,' or 'I got nominated for an Emmy.'

"Anytime she's in the states, she gets bad news, like, 'I want to be an actor.'"

Friday, September 14, 2007

SoCal College Offers YouTube Class

Here's a dream-come-true for Web addicts: college credit for watching YouTube.

Pitzer College this fall began offering what may be the first course about the video-sharing site. About 35 students meet in a classroom but work mostly online, where they view YouTube content and post their comments.

Class lessons also are posted and students are encouraged to post videos. One class member, for instance, posted a 1:36-minute video of himself juggling.

Alexandra Juhasz, a media studies professor at the liberal arts college, said she was "underwhelmed" by the content on YouTube but set up the course, "Learning from YouTube," to explore the role of the popular site.

Class members control most of the class content and YouTube watchers from around the world are encouraged to comment, Juhasz said.

She hopes the course will raise serious issues about YouTube, such as the role of "corporate-sponsored democratic media expression."

YouTube is "a phenomenon that should be studied," student Darren Grose said. "You can learn a lot about American culture and just Internet culture in general."

Friday, September 7, 2007

7 U.S. troops killed in 2 Iraq attacks

BAGHDAD -- Four U.S. Marines were killed in fighting in Anbar province, and three soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in northern Iraq, the military said Friday.

Britain's Defense Ministry announced Friday the death of British soldier killed two days earlier. It gave no details on where or how the soldier died.

The four Marines assigned to Multi National Force -- West were killed Thursday in combat in Anbar, a predominantly Sunni province west of Baghdad that has seen a recent drop in violence, according to a statement.

Three Task Force Lightning soldiers also were killed Thursday when a bomb exploded near their vehicle in the northern Ninevah province, the military said separately.

The deaths raised to at least 3,760 members of the U.S. military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

The British soldier killed was a member of the Parachute Regiment, the Ministry of Defense said. News of the death had been kept secret for more than two days for security reasons, the ministry said.

A total of 169 British armed forces personnel or civilian employees of the military have died in Iraq during the war, according to the ministry.

About 100 miles west of Anbar's capital city of Ramadi, insurgents blew up two suspension bridges on roads leading to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, a police intelligence officer said on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

A roadside bomb struck an Iraqi army patrol near Baqouba, killing one soldier and wounding two, while another roadside bomb killed one civilian and wounded four others southeast of Baghdad, police officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

Gunmen also opened fire on Sunni worshippers in a drive-by shooting following evening prayers late Thursday in the northern city of Kirkuk, killing at least three people and wounding four, police Col. Anwar Qadir said.

In operations Thursday and Friday, U.S. forces killed three al-Qaida in Iraq suspects and detained 18 others, the military said.

The three men were killed in an operation Friday morning targeting a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader north of Baghdad. Four other suspects were detained in that raid and ground forces destroyed four vehicles, the U.S. military said in a statement.

Anbar, where the Marines were killed, is a vast desert province that stretches west from Baghdad to the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. It has been a Sunni insurgent stronghold but attacks against U.S. forces and Iraqis have tapered off since many Sunni tribal leaders joined forces with the United States against al-Qaida in Iraq.

The Iraqi government announced Thursday it was adding millions of dollars to the budget of the western province of Anbar to help rebuild the region.

The step came days after a surprise visit to the province by President Bush to Anbar where he met top Iraqi officials as well as tribal leaders.

During a conference held Thursday in the provincial capital of Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, the government allocated additional $70 million to the Anbar budget, Interior Ministry official Col. Tariq Mohammed Youssef said. He added that 6,000 jobs will be created for Anbar residents, although he did not give more specifics.

Another $50 million was allocated to compensate citizens who suffered from military operations.

Among those at the conference was Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, and Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.

Top tribal leaders from Anbar were also present, including Abdul-Sattar al-Rishawi, head of the Anbar Salvation Council that spearheaded the fight against al-Qaida.

U.S. and Iraqi officials have touted Anbar as a success story in Iraq even as criticism mounts over the Iraqi government's efforts to achieve political reconciliation on other fronts.

A series of recent reports have offered a grim assessment of Iraq's political climate and the performance of its security forces as the U.S. ambassador and the top commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus prepare for congressional hearings beginning Monday.

An independent panel led by retired Marine Gen. James Jones recommended that the Iraqis assume more control of their nation's security and that U.S. forces, seen as an occupying and permanent force, should step back. Its report, presented to Congress on Thursday, contended that "significant reductions, consolidations and realignments would appear to be possible and prudent."

The Jones panel also found that Iraq's security forces would be unable to take control in the next 12 months to 18 months and recommended that its national police force be scrapped and entirely rebuilt because of corruption and sectarianism.

The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, reported Tuesday that Iraq has failed to meet 11 of its 18 political and security goals.

U.S. troop levels -- currently at a record 168,000 -- are expected to hit a high of 172,000 in the coming weeks, the Pentagon said Thursday.

Briton Freed From Pakistan Re-Arrested

LONDON (AP) - A Briton released by Pakistan after more than a year in custody was arrested shortly after his plane landed Friday at London's Heathrow Airport, police said.

A handcuffed Rangzieb Ahmed was pulled off the plane by armed police who boarded it as soon as its doors opened.

Manchester police, who made the arrest, said Ahmed was being held under Britain's terrorism laws.

Ahmed was arrested Aug. 25, 2006, in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province for alleged links with al-Qaida. A U.S. human rights group said he had been tortured in custody.

Pakistani officials did not charge him, and a review board headed by Supreme Court Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar ordered his release Aug. 31, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said.

"The fact is that during one year of detention, the Pakistanis, the British and the U.S. have been unable to unearth a shred of evidence against this person," said Ali Dayan Hasan, South Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch.

Ahmed said he was interrogated several times by U.S. law enforcement personnel from unidentified agencies and by British security services, but he denied wrongdoing and involvement with al-Qaida, Human Rights Watch said.

Ali said he did not know why Ahmed had been detained. Pakistan held Ahmed under its security powers and was not obliged to specify on what charges he was held, Ali said.

Manchester police said Ahmed was 32, while Pakistani officials said he was 30.

Ahmed, who was born in the northern England city of Manchester, traveled to Pakistan last year to visit relatives, said his brother, Mohammed Pervaiz.

Pervaiz said Ahmed was tortured in Pakistani custody and was told by a prosecutor in court that the government had "secret evidence" against him. British officials were not allowed to see Ahmed because Pakistan claimed he held joint Pakistani citizenship, he said.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

We need more off welfare into work: Hockey

MORE than two million working-age Australians receive welfare payments and do not work despite a national skills shortage, the Federal Government says.

Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey announced the figure today and said the Federal Government was committed to getting more Australians into work.

"We are not having enough children despite the baby bonus and we are running out of workers," Mr Hockey said.

"We can massively increase immigration, which Australians would not accept, or get people back to work.

"Through welfare to work laws, when a parent's youngest child reaches 15 they must go back to work, which has got 237,000 Australians into employment and helps keep the economy strong.

"We have not seen one Labor policy on this."

Labor workforce participation spokeswoman Penny Wong denied this and said the Government's mutual obligation policies were punitive and did not help people become more employable.

Ms Wong cited a 2007 Australian Council of Social Service study showing 60 per cent of single parents receiving welfare only had Year 10 school qualifications or less.

"The Howard Government's recent changes actually make it harder for people to get the training and education they need to get a job," she said.

"Under Labor, single parents and people with a disability who have part-time participation requirements would be able to fulfil those requirements through education or real training that leads to a job."

Mr Hockey earlier told a Human Resources Week business luncheon that a strong economy guaranteed protection of workers' rights more than laws.

"No laws can inoculate you against economic downturn but a strong economy can," Mr Hockey said.

Bush takes Rice as his date to PM's

GEORGE W. Bush's first dinner in Sydney kicked off with warm welcomes from Australia's leading men, a stand-in date for the US President and a request by him to see photos of Prime Minister John Howard's grandson.

Two New South Wales Police helicopters and at least 10 police and maritime boats were called into action to escort the leader of the free world to his evening engagements with Mr Howard and Governor-General Michael Jeffery.

Greetings and the exchange of pleasantries included a gesture by Mr Bush to invite US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to be his dinner date.

The President's evening itinerary started around 5pm (AEST) when he boarded a luxury cruiser for a short voyage across Sydney Harbour for a brief gathering with Maj Gen Jeffery and his wife Marlena at Admiralty House, followed by dinner next door at Kirribilli House hosted by Mr Howard and his wife Janette.

Mr Bush's motorcade swept down from his hotel to the Sydney Opera House, where he boarded the white cruiser, which earlier today took him to lunch at the Garden Island naval base.

Surrounded by police inflatables and under the cover of police helicopters, the boat set off across the harbour for Kirribilli.

Upon his arrival at the Admiralty House jetty, Mr Bush and Dr Rice were greeted by Major General and Mrs Jeffery.

The group then ascended the steps from the foreshore to the rear lawn of the residence where they posed for photos before going inside.

Mr Bush added his name to the visitor's book, with Maj Gen Jeffery remarking: "Glad to have you here in our Sydney residence."

After 30 minutes at Admiralty House, the group made the 30m walk to Kirribilli House for dinner with the Prime Minister and Mrs Howard.

The Howards greeted Mr Bush and Dr Rice at the front door, where Mr Howard said: "Welcome to Kirribilli House."

The President politely responded, "thanks for your hospitality".

Mr Bush also said he was "looking forward to seeing the pictures of the grandkid".

Mrs Howard replied "oh good, I'll have to find one".

During the exchange, and while cameras were firing away, Dr Rice slightly distanced herself from the heads of state which was met by a comment and gesture from Mr Bush, who is travelling without his wife Laura Bush.

He outstretched his arm across her shoulders and said "you can be my date".

The group then moved inside Kirribilli House where champagne was being served prior to dinner.

Among the dinner guests were Federal Government frontbenchers Treasurer Peter Costello, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Chinese leader honours former Labor PMs

CHINA'S President Hu Jintao has singled out three former Australian Labor prime ministers for particular praise at a Sydney dinner marking 35 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and China.

New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma was hosting the formal state dinner at the Chinese delegation's APEC base, the five-star Sofitel Wentworth Hotel in Sydney's city centre.

But Mr Iemma was overshadowed at the dinner by the trio of Labor elders attending, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

Indeed, Mr Whitlam and Mr Hawke drew additional, unscripted praise from members of an Aboriginal dance group who used their microphones to laud the men during their performance.

But it was the 65-year-old leader of 1.3bn people who gave the final bow to the former prime ministers – Liberal Party figures were hard to find at the dinner.

"I want to thank in particular Mr Whitlam, Mr Hawke and Mr Keating for attending tonight's dinner," Mr Hu told the audience.

"I admire and highly appreciate your contribution to the establishment and the development of China-Australia relations."

Financial ratings wrap-up: MetroPCS, Motorola, Aruba Networks and more

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.

Carrier

--R.W. Baird adjusted its third- and fourth-quarter estimates on MetroPCS Communications Inc. to reflect a delay in the launch of the company’s Los Angeles market. New estimates are 49 cents rather than 45 cents for the third quarter and 40 cents rather than 46 cents for the fourth quarter.

Handset and infrastructure vendors

--Lehman Brothers upgraded Motorola Inc. to overweight from equal weight and increased its price target to $20 from $18.50, saying the company is showing signs of a recovery in its handset business. RBC Capital Markets raised its price target on the company to $20 from $19.

--Lehman Brothers lowered its price target on Research In Motion Ltd. to $84 from $250 and also lowered its earnings estimates on the company to reflect the company’s 3 for 1 stock split.

--Goldman Sachs raised its price target on Aruba Networks Inc. to $20 from $18 after the company reported solid fourth quarter results. Lehman Brothers raised its estimates on the company for fiscal 2007 to a loss of 3 cents rather than a loss of 7 cents and to a return of 21 cents rather than 20 cents for 2008.

Other

--Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services assigned a BB+ rating to American Tower Corp.’s $500 million senior term loan facility. Proceeds are expected to be used for refinancing debt, working capital and general corporate purposes.

--R.W. Baird raised its price target on OmniVision Technologies Inc. to $14 from $12, saying the company has rebounded strongly since last year’s fourth quarter. Baird, however, noted the company’s outlook is unstable

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Doctor Who fans face two-year time warp in between

Doctor Who fans will have to endure a two-year time warp in between the next two series of the hit TV show.

The BBC has announced plans to make a fifth series of the time lord's adventures, but it won't hit TV screens in Britain until 2010, with Australian fans possibly facing an even longer wait.

A fourth series has recently finished being filmed and is due to be screened early next year in Britain.

But instead of the fifth series going to air in 2009, fans will have to make do with a series of three Doctor Who specials starring the current doctor, David Tennant.



Christmas specials will also be screened this year and next.

The delay in between the fourth and fifth series is believed to be linked to Tennant's desire to play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company between July and November next year.

However, it is unknown whether the Scottish actor will return to star as the popular time-travelling timelord for the fifth series.

Tennant took over the role from Christopher Eccleston, who quit after the much acclaimed first series of the revived show began in 2005.

Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue has recently finished filming this year's Doctor Who Christmas special with Tennant in Wales.

She stars as a waitress aboard the ill-fated Titanic.

Meanwhile, Freema Agyeman, who played the doctor's assistant Martha Jones in series three, will return mid-way through series four.

Monday, September 3, 2007

A to Z: Bestival 2007 released today


'A to Z: Bestival 2007' compiled by Rob da Bank will be released on Monday 3rd September. It brings together the cream of the crop from the Bestival 2007 line up over 2 CDs. Including The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, The Go! Team, Gregory Isaacs, The Orb, Bonde do Role, Horace Andy, Mr Scruff, Seasick Steve, Kitty Daisy & Lewis and many more. Pre-order your copy now to be in with a chance of
finding a pair of golden tickets to Bestival 2008!

The A to Z is the mother of all compilation series, devised by Sunday Best's own Rob da Bank, giving artists free reign over 26 tracks (or 28 in this case!) as long as the artists names run from A to Z. Couldn't be simpler.

Following on from the sterling A to Z series debut, put together by The Cuban Brothers, and then the stunning follow up by Radio 1 star Annie Mac, Rob da Bank decided to give it a go himself, putting together a fitting tribute to this year's Bestival. This album demonstrates the wonderful world of Bestival - in glorious stereo sound!

Whether you've had the pleasure of a fun-filled weekend at Bestival or are just curious how this A to Z thingy works (you can see we still haven't quite got the hang of it as we've taken the artistic license of using more than one band for some letters!), we hope you enjoy the selection.

For some lucky people that pick up a copy of this album, they will be in with a chance of finding a pair of golden tickets to Bestival 2008. Yes that's right folks, there are 5 pairs of golden tickets to be found. These will only be found within the first 5,000 albums to be released. Life really is like a box of chocolates!

Pre-order your album now to have the best chance of winning a pair of golden tickets... and so it arrives on your doorstep on the 3rd September in time for your journey to Bestival!

Oasis called to break record

Organisers of a world record attempt are hoping rock star brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher will join them in Ireland this week as their ancestral clan unites for a
colossal get-together.

More than 10,000 emails and letters have been sent around the world inviting Gallaghers to Co Donegal on Saturday for the latest international same-surname gathering.

The Oasis duo have been asked to attend but the man behind the massive family do is remaining tight lipped about the rock stars.

"We've invited a couple of boys from Manchester, and that's all I'm saying," organiser Adrian Gallagher said.

The aim of the Gallagher Global Gathering is to beat the record set by the Welsh last year when 1,224 Joneses turned up to an event in Cardiff.

"It's not a matter of keeping up with the Joneses, it's a question of beating them," Mr Gallagher said.

Chairman of the gathering, Donegal priest Father Sean O'Gallachoir, joked when told of the current record: "I could get that in the parish."

Over the last two and a half years, emails have been sent to Irish groups in Canada, Australia and the US, more than 8,500 letters have been sent to the UK and 2,000 around Ireland.

The Gallagher quest also reached international airwaves including an interview on Japanese radio while American broadcasters ABC are planning to film the event.

"The Japanese like the idea of family and culture because some people over there think they are beginning to loose the connected part of their culture," Mr Gallagher said. Gallagher, originally a name associated with the north-west of Ireland, has spread around the world and the clan can trace its roots back to the legendary Irish king Niall Of The Nine Hostages.

Led Zeppelin eye comeback gig


Legendary rockers Led Zeppelin are to reform for a one off show in the U.K. later this
year, according to reports.

The group, who disbanded in 1980 after drummer John Bonham died, are reportedly in talks with the owners of the O2 Arena in London, reports newspaper The Daily Telegraph.

It has long been rumoured the surviving members Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones would reform for a concert to honour the memory of late Island Records boss Ahmet Ertegun.

The trio have only performed twice since 1980 - a Live Aid performance in 1985 and at their 1995 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Amy Winehouse fans stay true


Pleas by the father-in-law of British soul singer Amy Winehouse to stop buying her music as a way of helping her stop abusing drugs seem to have been ignored by her
fans as her album moved up the charts on Sunday.

"Back to Black" moved up one place to second spot after 44 weeks in the charts.

It was not enough though to dislodge singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner's album "Hand Built by Robots" from top spot.

Another Winehouse album "Frank" also moved up, from 32 to 29 after 87 weeks in the charts.

Last week, Giles Fielder-Civil urged Winehouse's fans to "send a message that her addiction and her behaviour is not acceptable".

He told BBC Radio 5: "Perhaps it's time to stop buying records."

Her single "Tears Dry on Their Own" did slip from 17 to 22 in the charts, according to The Official UK Charts Company.

It was all change at the top of the singles chart, with reggae-rap artist Sean Kingston finally grabbing number one with "Beautiful Girls" from rapper Kanye West's "Stronger" which weakened to second.

U.S. band Plain White T's reversed last week's fall by moving up from sixth to third with "Hey There Delilah".

Swedish singer Robyn fell one place to fourth with "With Every Heartbeat" while Rihanna shot up 11 places to fifth.

American producer and rapper Timbaland's collaboration with U.S. singer Keri Hilson "The Way I Are" continued its slow slide from fourth to sixth.

American hip hop group Gym Class Heroes fell from fifth to seventh, while U.S. singer Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" is on the verge of dropping out of the top 10, falling one place to eighth.

Two new entries fill the last two top 10 places -- Freaks at ninth with "The Creeps (Get on the Dancefloor)" and British singer-songwriter James Blunt at tenth with "1973".

Elvis Presley lives on with the release of his 1956 number one single "Hound Dog", which entered the charts at number 14.

Jon Bon Jovi lets rip


Singer Jon Bon Jovi has launched a scathing attack at Oasis and pop star Robbie
Williams - insisting their music is so bad they "couldn't fill a bar".

The Livin' On A Prayer hitmaker also hits out at troubled Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty and pokes fun at football ace David Beckham in the new issue of Glamour magazine.

He says of Williams, "That guy? He couldn't fill a bar. He couldn't even sell 500 tickets.

"(Oasis) couldn't fill a bar, either - and they're full of themselves.

He adds of Doherty, "We're not familiar of anything other than his antics and the fact that he's always in trouble - I've never heard a single one of his songs."

But Bon Jovi's most bitter comments were reserved for LA Galaxy's Beckham, who he ridiculed by asking, "Is he past his prime?"

Voxtrot to support Monkeys

OXTROT have been invited to support ARCTIC MONKEYS on their forthcoming
extensive USA tour.

A dynamite indie coupling and great news for all Stateside who get to witness what will be the tour of 2007. Unfortunately, in order to take full advantage of this great opportunity, VOXTROT have had to postpone their forthcoming August/September UK shows.

Fear not, the Arctic Monkeys tour will see VOXTROT as tight and primed as ever for world domination, ready and eager to honor their hotly anticipated UK shows later in the year.

In the meantime, VOXTROT's eponymous debut album is released on Monday 10th September, with single 'Firecracker' out today.

Check them out live at Webster Hall, NYC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNKjvSCcXXk

SEPTEMBER

Wed 5 - New York, NY @ Central Park Summerstage AA ? SOLD OUT
Thu 6 - Providence, RI @ Lupos Heartbreak Hotel AA ?
Tue 11 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall AA ?
Wed 12 - Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom AA ?
Thu 13 - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theatre AA ?
Sun 16 - Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom AA ?
Mon 17 - Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Theatre AA ??
Tue 18 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues 18+ ?
Fri 21 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre AA ?
Sat 22 - Tuscon, AZ @ Rialto Theatre AA ?
Sun 23 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Street Scene Festival AA ?
Tue 25 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium AA ?
Thu 27 - San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium AA ?
Fri 28 - Eugene, OR @ Mcdonald Theatre AA ?
Sat 29 - Seattle, WA @ Wamu Theatre AA ?
Sun 30 - PNE Forum @ Vancouver, BC AA ?

OCTOBER

Wed 3 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club 18+ %
Thu 4 - Chicago, IL @ Metro 18+ %
Fri 5 - Athens, OH @ Baker Theater AA %
Sat 6 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat AA %?
Sun 7 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church AA %*
Tue 9 - Toronto, ON @ Mod Club AA %*
Wed 10 - Ottawa, ON @ Zaphod Beeblebrox 19+ %*
Thu 11 - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa AA %*
Fri 12 - Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street AA %*
Sat 13 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs 18+ %*
Sun 14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 16+ %
Mon 15 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 21+ *