Syria: Airport road reopens but Internet still cut

In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 photo, night falls on a Syrian rebel-controlled area as destroyed buildings, including Dar Al-Shifa hospital, are seen on Sa'ar street after airstrikes targeted the area last week, killing dozens in Aleppo, Syria. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)

In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 photo, night falls on a Syrian rebel-controlled area as destroyed buildings, including Dar Al-Shifa hospital, are seen on Sa'ar street after airstrikes targeted the area last week, killing dozens in Aleppo, Syria. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)

In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 photo, night falls on a Syrian rebel-controlled area as damaged buildings are seen on Sa'ar street after airstrikes argeted the area last week, killing dozens in Aleppo, Syria. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)

In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 photo, a destroyed building is seen in Aleppo, Syria, after airstrikes targeted the area. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)

In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 photo, destroyed buildings, including Dar Al-Shifa hospital, are seen on Sa'ar street after airstrikes targeted the area in Aleppo, Syria. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)

In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 photo, destroyed buildings, including Dar Al-Shifa hospital, bottom, are seen after airstrikes targeted the area last week in Aleppo, Syria. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels battled regime troops south of the capital Friday and Internet and telephone lines were cut for a second day, but the government reopened the road to Damascus' airport in a sign that the fighting could be calming, activists said.

President Bashar Assad's regime and opposition activists blamed each other for the blackout, which is the first to hit the whole country since Syria's 20-month-old uprising began.

Syrian authorities previously have cut Internet and telephones in areas ahead of military operations.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the main road to Damascus' airport reopened early Friday afternoon. There were intense clashes after midnight in villages and towns near the airport but the area was calm by the late morning, the group said. It said rebels were able to destroy several army vehicles near the airport.

The Observatory, which has a network of activists around Syria, reported fighting in other southern neighborhoods of Damascus, including Qaboun and Hajar Aswad. The Observatory said it was able to contact its sources who used satellite telephones.

Activists say Assad's regime pulled the plug on the Internet on Thursday, perhaps in preparation for a major offensive. Cellphone service also went out in Damascus and parts of central Syria, they said. The government blamed rebel fighters for the outages.

Thursday's violence appeared to be focused on southern suburbs near the airport, forcing the military to shut the road to the facility. The surrounding districts have been strongholds of rebel support since the uprising began.

With pressure building against the regime on several fronts and government forces on their heels in the battle for the northern commercial hub of Aleppo, rebels have recently begun pushing back into Damascus after largely being driven out of the capital following a July offensive. One Damascus resident reported seeing rebel forces near a suburb of the city previously deemed to be safe from fighting.

The Internet outage, confirmed by two U.S.-based companies that monitor online connectivity, is unprecedented in Syria's uprising against Assad, which activists say has killed more than 40,000 people since the revolt began in March 2011.

Regime forces have suffered a string of tactical defeats in recent weeks, losing air bases and other strategic facilities. The government may be trying to blunt additional rebel offensives by hampering communications.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday condemned what she called the regime's "assault" on Syrians' ability to communicate with each other and express themselves. She said the move spoke to a desperate attempt by Assad to cling to power.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-11-30-Syria/id-f62f4e763d08419bb234fd1d5e42fe0d

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Opportunities to share from your abundance or your need ? The ...

By Tanya Connor

?Dear Papa Noel, you never pass to our house. You don?t even give us a cloth doll. ? Our parents are not working. They have no money to feed us, even less to buy a doll, balloon and sparkler. ? Come Papa Noel, please, bring us at least some joy. ? My clothes are in rags. I need a little dress and a pair of shoes ? to wear for the New Year.?
Sister Marie-Judith Dupuy says she and her siblings sang this song by Yole Derose in Creole when they were growing up in Haiti. But the Sister of St. Anne who now directs the Worcester Diocese?s Haitian Apostolate didn?t see its reality until her novitiate.
Her mother, a business school teacher, gave her and her siblings big Christmas gifts when they were children, but explained that not every child in Haiti received such things, she recalls.
She says she didn?t meet such children, however, until she was sent to be principal of Ecole St. Anne in Chardonnieres, which more recently twinned with Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Webster. One of her ?foolish decisions? was sending home students who came to school without socks and shoes, she says. When she learned their parents couldn?t afford such things, she paid for them with school funds.
She?s still doing that ? with your money now. She?s planning her annual Christmas party for students in the Les Cayes Diocese whom people here sponsor. So far about half of the sponsors have responded to her letter requesting money for shoes and/or a coloring book and crayons for their child. Some have delivered other gifts to her office in the Chancery.
One sponsor called her student ?my daughter,? pronouncing her name with a French accent, Sister Judith says.
?That?s all I want it to be ? a loving connection,? she explains. ?The child is not a number, but has a name.?
She says $25 will buy a pair of shoes, the gift students are anticipating.
She is asking sponsors and others to send checks made out to the Haitian Apostolate to 49 Elm St., Worcester MA 01609 by St. Nicholas? Day ? Dec. 6. Extra donations can help defray the party?s cost and buy gifts for children who come uninvited. The deadline for bringing Sister Judith non-monetary donations is 4 p.m. today.
Pressing needs abound. Sister Judith says Hurricane Sandy destroyed gardens, houses and three chapels (also used for schools) of St. Joseph Parish in Damassin, which twins with St. Aloysius-St. Jude Parish in Leicester. She wonders how to help.
Meanwhile she?s responding to a Christmas song?s requests.
?The dresses I received from St. Columba?s will be given for Christmas,? she says, rejoicing in handmade donations from a group at the Paxton parish. ?Remember the song??

There are also people in need closer to home ? your home, if not theirs. Consider the following from the November 2012 Abby?s House newsletter Bright Spot.
?For many of us, the holidays remind us of where we belong.? ? After all, home is where the heart is, right? Imagine for a moment that such a place no longer exists. What would you do? How would you feel? For the women at Abby?s House, the idea of home is often a distant memory, or perhaps something they have never fully experienced.
?Because of the generosity of so many people, our women will have a warm place to live ? a child in our shelter will feel cared for, because of a toy received; residents and shelter guests will feel special, because of the gift bags we distribute each Christmas. These are not just gifts, but reminders that our residents belong somewhere; that they are part of a family.?
The newsletter requests flannel twin sheets, towels, scarves, gloves, travel mugs, car snow brushes, flashlights, and gift cards for pharmacies, grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and coffee shops.
Gifts for your loved ones, purchased through Amazon, can also benefit Abby?s House. See www.abbyshouse.org/holiday-shopping for details.
One gift idea is Annette Rafferty?s new memoir, ?Still Wearing Smooth the Path: 10 More Years at Abby?s House 2001-2011.? She has a book signing at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at Gale Free Library, 23 Highland St., Holden. Proceeds from the $25 book (shipping costs $3) support Abby?s House. See abbyshouse.org/bookorder or call Marj Ropp at 508-756-5486.

??The Diocesan Office for Vocations is seeking gift cards from Staples, Walmart, CVS and Best Buy for seminarians. Father James S. Mazzone, office director, said such gifts help the men with needs for their studies and ministries. He can be contacted at 508-340-5788 or email jmazzone@charter.net.

? Catholic Charities is seeking sweatshirts, sweaters, scarves, hats, gloves and mittens for children and adults, children?s books, non-perishable food, and gift cards for Walmart, Target, grocery stores and pharmacies. Contact Cynthia Taberner at ctaberner@ccworc.org or 508-860-2250.
Volunteers are needed at Catholic Charities at 10 Hammond St., Worcester, at 9:30 a.m. Christmas day to help deliver the Bishop?s Christmas Dinner to homes. Contact Bob Cronin at 508-860-2261.
The Guild of St. Agnes is seeking gifts for children from newborn to age 12, disposable diapers and related items, pajamas sizes 3-12 months, pants sizes 3T-5T, children?s hats, mittens and coats, and gift cards for discount stores, toy stores and grocery stores. The Guild also wants volunteers to read to children weekly for three months. Contact Sharon Woodbury at swood016@aol.com or 508-755-2238.

? Pernet Family Health Service is seeking children?s toys and clothes, books and videos, and gift cards for teenagers and families. Contact Michael Rezkalla at mrezkalla@pernetfamilyhealth.org or 508-755-1228, ext. 251.

? Gifts for children can be delivered, or money to buy them can be mailed, to Urban Missionaries of Our Lady of Hope, 242 Canterbury St., Worcester MA 01603. Online donations to the former Refugee Apostolate can be made at www.urbanmissionaries.com. Contact Deacon Walter and Kathy Doyle at 508-831-7455.

? Visitation House is seeking sleepwear, coats and umbrellas for women, water bottles, adult lunch boxes, scrapbooking and other craft supplies and gift cards to grocery stores, pharmacies and discount stores. Contact Sherry Robbins at Sherrymb38@gmail.com or 508-798-8002.

? Marie Anne Center at St. Bernard Church is seeking? winter hats and mittens for school-aged children. Contact Sister Michele Jacques, SSA, at 508-736-6986.

? Nativity School of Worcester is seeking art supplies, sports and music equipment, and clothes: khaki pants and white, button-down shirts, belts, and dress shoes in sizes from boy?s small to men?s medium. Contact Patrick Maloney at pmaloney@nativityworcester.org or 508-799-0100.

? Dismas House is seeking sheets, blankets, toiletries, pajamas, hats and gloves for male residents. Especially needed are grocery store gift cards and donations to the Father Brooks House winter heating fund. Volunteers are needed to bring or cook meals to share with residents. You can also support Dismas House by going Christmas shopping at www.dismashouse.org. Contact David McMahon at cmdismashouse@aol.com or 508-799-9389.

? Bibles and ?plastic and cord? black rosaries are needed for inmates at? Worcester County Jail and House of Correction. Contact Deacon Gary and Elizabeth Miller at dcnmiller@gmail.com.

? SS. Francis and Therese Catholic Worker House is seeking coats, waterproof mittens, bus passes and gift cards for restaurants and clothing stores. Contact Scott and Claire Schaeffer-Duffy at 508-753-3588.

? The Mustard Seed Catholic Worker is seeking clothing, sleeping bags, blankets ? and housing donated for shelter ? for adults sleeping outside. Call Donna Domiziano at 508-754-7098.

? Jeremiah?s Inn is seeking men?s hats, gloves, scarves and shirts. Especially requested is a size 7X shirt and pair of sweatpants, and a size 14 EEE wide pair of sneakers and socks to fit. Contact Denise Hurley at 508-755-6403.

? Worcester County Food Bank is seeking non-perishable food to be dropped off at 474 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. For more information see www.foodbank.org or call 508-842-3663.

Source: http://www.catholicfreepress.org/lead-story-1/2012/11/29/opportunities-to-share-from-your-abundance-or-your-need/

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Analysis: Crisis tests Egyptians' constitution

Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters

Members of Egypt's constituent assembly discuss during the last voting session on a new draft constitution at the Shoura Assembly in Cairo Nov. 29, 2012. An assembly drafting Egypt's new constitution voted on Thursday to keep the principles of Islamic law as the main source of legislation, unchanged from the previous constitution in force under former President Hosni Mubarak.

By Jim Maceda, NBC News
News analysis

CAIRO, EGYPT -- Constitutions are often messy affairs. Our own Constitutional Convention, in 1787, was convened secretly, behind guarded doors. Many delegates were suspicious it was all a ploy by George Washington to wrest power from personal freedoms.? Some delegates walked out before the hard work even began. And once the writing was finished, four of the 13 states?didn't?even ratify it.

But few constitutions have generated the road bumps -- or media coverage -- that Egypt?s new, post-Hosni Mubarak constitution has.?

---

There are several reasons why this particular document is getting so much attention. It?s not only because it would detail Egypt?s future government and the values upheld by it. All constitutions do that. What makes this constitutional process unusual is the way in which it?s been hijacked by the political crisis playing out in Egypt today -- a crisis that pits Islamists, led by Egypt?s President Mohamed Morsi, against their opponents, led primarily by Egypt?s judges.

Egypt?s constitution stymied by legal challenges?

When Egypt?s first 'Constitutional Assembly,' or CA, met to begin its work, the 100 delegates knew they were embarking on something historic ? for the first time in Egypt?s long history, they were tasked to produce a document that showcased and protected Egypt?s fledgling democracy.? But the euphoria didn't last long.? Within months,? Egypt?s Islamist-laden parliament ? the body that created the CA ? was dissolved by court order, driven by mostly Mubarak-appointed judges.

Shortly thereafter, a series of legal challenges threatened the constitution-writing panel itself. By this time it had become clear to non-Islamist delegates that the Islamists on the panel were determined to write a defense of Islamic aspirations. ?Over one-quarter of them ?? representing secular Egyptians,? liberals,? Christians and other minorities -- walked out.? It appeared the panel, by then entirely Islamist, would be dissolved by the judges.

It?s with this backdrop that Morsi made public his controversial decree last Thursday. In a sweeping retort to the judges, he declared that his every ruling, the remaining upper house of parliament, and the CA, all be above the law.? He gave the CA two more months to complete its work and offer up a final document for ratification. That, as we now know, triggered the turmoil in the streets which some are already calling Egypt's 'Second Revolution.' ?Two young Egyptians have been killed, and hundreds wounded in clashes between pro- and anti-Morsi protesters and riot police. ?But the international media still calls it a ?constitutional crisis.'

Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood colleagues then decided to go for broke, and gamble that a pro-Islamist constitution rammed through the CA would be ratified by the Egyptian people.

This is not a slam dunk. More than 200,000 opponents demonstrated in a massive show of support in Tahrir Square on Tuesday night, calling Morsi?s decree ? and the new constitution ? illegal.?

"This is nonsensical and one of the steps that shouldn't be taken, given the background of anger and resentment to the current constitutional assembly," opposition leader and former head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, told?Reuters.?

?You had your revolution. This one is ours?

Another large anti-Morsi protest is now scheduled for Friday. And the Muslim Brotherhood is organizing its own 'million man' march on Saturday, one it now says will not end at Tahrir Square to avoid any confrontation with protesters who have turned the Square into a ?Muslim Brotherhood Free Zone?. ?

Khaled Mahmoud, a 26-year-old volunteer medic who has set up a makeshift clinic for wounded protesters just off the Square, told NBC News he would tell Saturday?s would-be Muslim Brotherhood protesters, "Step back. You had your revolution. This one is ours."

But now ? in yet another morphing from its intended role - Egypt?s new constitution has become a pawn in Morsi?s exit from all the chaos. The Assembly, which, again, had two more months to work, is racing through its completion in just 48 hours.

As the CA put each article to a vote Thursday afternoon, liberal delegate Mohamed Mohyeldin objected.

?There is a rush in the voting, we should slow down the pace, so that we do not give the impression that we have a problem that we are afraid of and are running away from. We have two months.??

But on State TV the speaker, Hossam al Gheryani, said in reply, ?We are waiting for those who want to return?we would be happy for them to participate?[but] there are those who said they wanted nothing to do with this Constitutional Assembly.?

Bishop Paula was among the angry delegates who refused to return and vote Thursday.

"We know already the result of the vote because of the unbalanced [Islamist] formation of the Assembly. The result is settled whether we go or not," said the representative of the Orthodox Church on live TV.?

Egypt to vote on new constitution

And what about the constitution itself? As it rolls off a government website, it appears to be in every way the expression of a pro-Islamist society about half the nation hoped for, and the other half feared. It would not only make conservative Sharia law the law of the land, but expand that, constitutional experts here say, to "dangerous" levels. Besides Islam, only Christianity and Judaism ? fellow Abrahamic religions ? would be recognized.?

Ominously, its Article 11 reads: "The State and society shall be committed to safeguarding and protecting ethics and public morals.?? One expert on Egyptian TV warned that this would lay the groundwork for the appearance of "vice and virtue" ?(vigilante) squads.

Morsi?s speech to the nation Thursday night will explain the reasons behind his decree, and no doubt set the timeline for a national vote on the new, fast-tracked constitution. He has 30 days to conclude the ballot. If it passes ? and the Muslim Brotherhood has yet to lose a vote ? it will allow Morsi to remove a large monkey from his back. He could then transfer his legislative powers to a new (likely Islamist) parliament, elected within two months of ratifying the constitution.

So, in theory, the current ?constitutional crisis? could be over in three months. Or there could be a new, even more turbulent one, further splitting apart the nation.

Jim Maceda is an NBC News foreign correspondent based in London and currently on assignment in Cairo. He has covered the Middle East since the 1970s.

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/29/15545841-analysis-crisis-tests-egyptians-constitution?lite

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Canadian judge hears $19B Ecuador lawsuit case

TORONTO (AP) ? An attempt by Ecuadorian villagers to have a Canadian court enforce a $19 billion judgment awarded in their country against multinational oil giant Chevron Corp. faced a judge's skepticism Thursday.

Ontario Superior Court Justice David Brown heard arguments on Chevron's motions to challenge jurisdiction but wondered whether he could issue a ruling since an appeal is pending in Ecuador's constitutional court. He also said the case should be heard in the U.S., not Canada.

The award to the villagers was made in Ecuador for black sludge contamination of a rainforest between 1972 and 1990 by Texaco, which Chevron Corp. bought in 2001. U.S.-based Chevron Corp. maintains it won't pay because it says Texaco dealt with the problem before it was bought.

The villagers want the judgment enforced in Canada, arguing that Chevron Canada has billions of dollars' worth of assets.

After filing suit in Canada in May, the villagers launched similar legal actions in Argentina and Brazil. Earlier this month, a judge in Argentina froze Chevron's assets there until the $19 billion is collected.

Foreign judgments are enforceable in Canada as long as there is a "real and substantive connection" between the foreign jurisdiction and the subject matter of the claim, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled.

However, Chevron Corp. lawyer Alan Mark argued Thursday that the case had no cause against subsidiary Chevron Canada since the judgment was against the parent company, whose subsidiaries largely operate independently.

Fellow Chevron lawyer Clarke Hunter argued that the Canadian units operate with an independent board separated from the U.S.-based parent by several levels of ownership and that none of the boards or management related to the case is in Canada.

"There is no other connection to Ontario but for the claim that the assets of Chevron Canada Ltd. are the assets of Chevron Corp," Mark said.

The hearing resumes Friday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canadian-judge-hears-19b-ecuador-lawsuit-case-215604860--finance.html

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Irish charms keep U.S. giants sweet for now

DUBLIN (Reuters) - U.S. business chiefs gathered in the Irish capital on Thursday to give thanks for low taxes, a cool climate and the financial crisis - three factors that have helped produce a bumper year in their favorite corner of Europe.

But there was a hint of foreboding at the American Chamber of Commerce's annual Thanksgiving lunch in Dublin that Ireland's promise to maintain its low corporate tax rate, its crisis wage cuts and its perfect weather for high-tech data farms may not be enough to keep the relationship sweet.

A limited pool of skilled workers, the loss of lucrative pharmaceutical patents and the threat of a fresh European attack on its low company taxes mean Ireland will need to fight to keep the investment flowing.

For its part, the government is thankful that multinationals, many of them based in the United States, are still backing Ireland as it struggles to recover from economic crisis and an international bailout in 2010.

"I'd like to give thanks for the U.S. investment and the enormous job creation," Finance Minister Michael Noonan told the executives gathered for a traditional Thanksgiving feast of turkey and pumpkin pie, saying he expected another record year for investment this year.

"It's important that what is being offered in Ireland is as attractive as it ever was," he said, promising to maintain a package of incentives for companies and executives to face down growing competition from Britain, Israel and Singapore.

U.S. firms invested $30 billion into Ireland last year, more than in China and the rest of emerging Asia combined, according to the American Chamber of Commerce.

Ireland has long cultivated its ties with the huge Irish-American community, and the country is sometimes tongue-in-cheek called the 51st state of the union.

But sentimentality does not attract U.S. business projects. Thanks to the 12.5 percent company tax rate and transfer pricing - in which multinationals route profits from high tax to low tax countries - foreign firms can repatriate most of the money they pour into Ireland, bolstering their profits.

Ireland, lying on the western edge of Europe and relatively isolated from many of its major markets, jealously guards the competitive advantage brought by the low tax regime.

But European hostility over this has re-emerged, with German opposition leader Peer Steinbrueck, who hopes to oust Chancellor Angela Merkel in elections next year, criticizing it last month.

A storm over how multinationals cap their tax bills, brewing since a Reuters investigation into the issue, is likely to put Ireland in the spotlight, an editorial in The Irish Times noted on Thursday. "For the government, such developments are a major concern," the newspaper said.

At Thursday's lunch, Noonan reiterated that the corporate tax rate was "not negotiable".

FOREIGN ACCENTS

Multinationals have benefited from Ireland's economic crash as business costs have fallen back to 2003 levels, according to the IDA, the agency tasked with attracting foreign investment.

U.S. multinationals currently employ over 100,000 of Ireland's 1.8 million strong workforce and a host of companies, including PayPal and Apple , are expanding.

Dublin commercial property prices, once on a par with Manhattan and Moscow, have more than halved. Capitalising on this, Google spent 100 million euros last year on the tallest commercial office building in Dublin. The U.S. technology giant plans to kit it out with a swimming pool in the basement for its 2,000 plus staff.

But high-tech companies are struggling to find enough talent in Ireland, where graduates preferred to become architects or real estate agents during the property-fuelled boom years rather than software engineers or scientists.

Multinationals are fighting over recruits from overseas who have brought plethora of foreign accents to the coffee shops and sandwich bars of Dublin's trendy south docklands area, where Google and Facebook have large offices.

In September, a senior Facebook executive said the firm would continue investing in Ireland, where it already has over 400 staff, as long as it could find the right sort of employees.

Conscious of the problem, the government has introduced tax breaks for overseas workers who move to Ireland.

Peter O'Neill, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland, said Ireland can not rest on its laurels if it wants to attract the right worker and the right companies to Ireland.

"The bar is getting higher all the time," said O'Neill, who is chief of IBM Ireland. "Investment is mobile, people are mobile, you've got to have the right environment at all times."

PATENT CLIFF

A strategy to lure drugs companies, started in the 1960s, has made Ireland the largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in the world, according to Dublin-based industry group PharmaChemicalIreland. Products such as Viagra and Botox are manufactured in the country.

But this reliance on the life sciences sector, which employs over 47,000 people, has become a weakness as patents lapse on a host of drugs, allowing competitors to make cheap copies elsewhere. These include Pfizer's Lipitor and Enbrel, although Enbrel will go off patent later than originally scheduled.

Officials in Ireland say the "patent cliff" will be offset by new patented drugs and products coming into production but there will be a time lag, according to experts.

"The new products coming on-patent in the short-term will not be able to offset the fall in exports of these blockbuster drugs coming off-patent," said Chris Van Egeraat, lecturer at Maynooth University. "We are going to talk about billions in a reduction of exports".

The impact is already being felt; Irish exports fell sharply in September from record highs the previous month.

"You've two risks for Irish exports: you've the specific risk related to the patent cliff, and you have the risk related to the global environment," said KBC Ireland chief economist Austin Hughes, predicting a gentle slowdown. "But luckily a lot of the companies that are in Ireland are doing well."

CLOUD NINE

Irish officials can at least be thankful that the weather at least is here to stay.

Ireland's temperate climate, often the bane of wind-swept tourists, is an asset for data center operators. Natural air can be used to cool the rows of giant servers that act as the world's online library without costly heavy air-conditioning.

Google recently opened a 75 million euro data center, housing computers that run cloud computing services, where users store data on secure external servers rather than their own network or computer. Microsoft also unveiled a $130 million expansion to its Dublin-based "mega" data center earlier this year.

Cheaper and better options exist in Europe, but Ireland is fast becoming a cloud hub for the region because the tech giants already installed in Ireland are opting to build out in a country which they know and like.

"Ireland will become an increasingly important attraction for the cloud market," said Rakesh Kumar, an analyst with Gartner, which advises companies such as Microsoft and Cisco.

"These companies... have got facilities, they're happy with them, they've got good skills and good languages... so when they have a choice to either expand and build out new sites in different regions, it makes a lot of sense to stick to what they have," he said.

(Writing by Lorraine Turner and Conor Humphries; Editing by Carmel Crimmins and David Stamp)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/irish-charms-keep-u-giants-sweet-now-180548418--finance.html

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Japanese prefer Korean smart televisions: part one of two

By Ken Y-N ( November 23, 2012 at 03:07) ? Filed under Entertainment, Hardware, Polls

[part one] [part two]

This recent survey from Interface In Design into smart television, where the respondents got to compare devices hands-on, produced the surprising result that one Korean model beat three Japanese models in almost every category.

Demographics

Between the 11th and 16th of October 2012 240 people were picked off the street to take part in a Central Location Test, where they could try all the devices under test hands-on. The sample was of people who watched television at home at least thrice a week, and there was a 50:50 split of the sexes in each of four age groups, with 25% in their twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties or older. The televisions under test were all 55 or 52 inch LCDs, Panasonic TH-L55ET5, Sony KDL-55HX850, Sharp LC-52L5 and LG 55LM7600.

Note that The Register has an interesting opinion piece on smart television?s software design.

Research results

Q1: Do you know what Smart Television is? (Sample size=240)

Have one at home	0.4%
Know something about it	8.3%
Just heard the term	57.9%
Don?t know anything about it	33.3%

Q2: What image do you have when you hear the term Smart Television? (Sample size=240, multiple answer)

As well as television viewing, can connect to the internet and do various things	67.1%
Can search for weather, news, etc like on a PC	62.1%
Can work along with a smartphone	56.3%
Can look up related information on the internet while watching programmes	46.3%
Can use Twitter, Facebook, etc	30.4%
Can play back photos, videos I shot myself	28.3%
Can watch from any room, when outside, etc	27,5%
Can use content providers like Tsutaya, Hulu	25.4%
Can watch in Full HD	25.0%
Can seamlessly choose from broadcast programmes, recorded TV, and internet delivery	24.6%
Can expand functions through downloaded apps	24.6%
Can download karaoke, shopping, etc apps	18.8%
Recording functions become more advanced	15.8%
Don?t really know, cannot imagine	10.0%

The following questions were asked after the respondents got a chance to use the various models.

Q3: What would you like to see from Smart Television? (Sample size=240, multiple answer)

Easy to use remote control	94.6%
Easy to understand, easy to search from home screen	85.4%
Quality images	80.0%
Good physical design	74.6%
Sufficient network functionality	69.6%

For this question, they were asked to rate overall satisfaction in one four categories ?Satisfied?, ?Somewhat satisfied?, ?Somewhat dissatisfied? and ?Dissatisfied?, and wanting to buy as ?Defintely?, ?Perhaps?, ?Perhaps not?, and ?Not at all?. The scores for the two positive answers for each device were added up and are reported below. The pattern was also repeated in many of the later questions.

Q4: How do you rate the devices in the following categories? (Sample size=240, multiple answer)

?	Panasonic	Sony	Sharp	LG
Overall satisfaction	63.5%	62.1%	52.5%	67.6%
Would want to buy	60.0%	54.3%	41.7%	64.6%

Q5: Which device had the easiest to use remote control? (Sample size=240)

Panasonic	20.0%
Sony	19.2%
Sharp	14.6%
LG	46.3%

Q6: How was the ease of use for each remote control? (Sample size=240, multiple answer)

Panasonic	61.0%
Sony	54.3%
Sharp	48.0%
LG	71.7%

[part one] [part two]

Read more on: interface in design,lg,panasonic,sharp,sony,television

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Japanese prefer Korean smart televisions: part two of two

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhatJapanThinks/~3/JfJZqCcZHMc/

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No To Gays And Lesbians | P.M. NEWS Nigeria

Published on November 19, 2012 by pmnews ????? No Comments

Just like the Senate had done, the House of Representatives throws its support behind the prohibition of homosexuality and lesbianism

?Same sex is alien to our society and culture and it must not be imported. Our religions abhor it and our culture has no place for it.? This was the conclusion of the House of Representatives, as it resolved to pass a bill that will outlaw same-sex relationships and further stiffen the penalties for default.

Legislating against same-sex relationships has been a delicate issue in many countries of the world, with the US, UK and human rights groups threatening to sanction countries that are determined to outlaw the practice, which they believe is a violation of fundamental rights. According to them, the new law will violate the freedoms of expression, association and assembly guaranteed by international law as well as by the African Charter on Human and Peoples? Rights.

Last Tuesday, the House unanimously passed the bill for second reading,? a sequel to what the Senate did about a year ago. In the bill passed by the Senate, same-sex marriage was completely banned while a penalty of 14 years imprisonment was prescribed for violators. The recent decision by the House is a step away from a final ratification and passage of the bill, following which a harmonised copy will be sent to President Goodluck Jonathan for assent before effectively coming into force. When finally passed into law, the bill will strengthen the existing legislation, which already outlaws same-sex relationships by making it criminal for anyone who witnesses or assists such marriages, or public displays of affection by people of same sex a culpable offence.

Under the new law, groups that support gay rights will also be banned. Same-sex marriage is a taboo in most African cultures. The extant penal code prohibit same-sex marriages or affairs. Homosexuality result in a jail term of up to 14 years in the southern part of the country and capital punishment for men in areas under Sharia Islamic Law.

In leading the debate, the House Leader, Mulikat Adeola-Akande, said: ?This practice has no place in our culture, religion or anywhere in Africa. It is immorality and debasement of our culture, we condemn it in totality.?? House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila contended that ?the bill represents a convergence of both law and morality.?

? This issue (same-sex marriage) is both illegal and immoral. In this marriage, the third party is affected. These people go ahead and adopt children, thereby affecting the child, and in the process, the child becomes dysfunctional,? he said.

Lending her voice, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje argued that the bill presents ?a competition between religious principles and international convention, which Nigeria is a signatory to?. Elendu-Ukeje maintained that marriage between persons of the same sex ?diminishes the symbol of what we are and procreation?.

The bill was the first non-executive bill to be discussed by the Senate. It was first read at the Senate on 13 July last year. According to the sponsor, Domingo Obende, there is a need to act fast to stop the trend from taking root in the country. ?The Muslim religion forbids it. Christianity forbids it and the African traditional religion forbids it. It should not be allowed because it will lead to a breakdown of the society,? he said.

In April, a lawyer, Robert Igbinedion, approached the Federal High Court in Lagos to challenge the Senate?s passage of the Same-Sex Prohibition Bill on behalf of the ?sexual minorities? and prayed for an order for the enforcement of fundamental rights to private and family life, freedom from discrimination and human dignity. The suit, which joined the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation as co-defendants, also sought to ensure that lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender, LGBT, are not penalised. ?All over Nigeria, the accepted norm now is as long as the majority is happy, the minority can go to hell? and that is the direction we are running into at jet speed. That is not a direction a government should go. The essence for which government is established is to protect the minority,? he told an online news portal.

Igbinedion vowed to take his case as far as the United Nations, UN. LGBTs elsewhere have already taken their case to the UN. According to a report by Empowered Newswire, the UN condemned the bill passed by the Nigerian Senate at a discussion held to commemorate its Human Rights Day last year.

According to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, whose message was read at the event by the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan ?imonovic, ?homophobic bullying of young people constitutes a grave violation of human rights,? adding that government would take the necessary measures to protect their citizens from violence and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. Ki-moon stated that there are currently 76 countries where individuals face criminal sanctions for engaging in private consensual sexual relations with another adult of the same sex. ?imonovic stated that the UN has been working to establish dialogue with these States to advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons and that while several countries have made remarkable progress, there is still much to be done. ?Gradually, states are coming to see that the commitments to eliminate discrimination enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in our core United Nations human rights treaties apply to everyone, not just heterosexuals but gays and lesbians and bisexual, transgender and intersex people too,? Empowered Newswire quoted ?imonovic as saying.

?Desmond Utomwen, Abuja/TheNEWS magazine

Posted by pmnews 5 hours, 3 minutes ago on November 19, 2012, 6:00 pm. Filed under National, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Source: http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/11/19/no-to-gays-and-lesbians/

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Helen Hunt to Receive Palm Springs Film Festival Spotlight Award

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Helen Hunt will receive the Spotlight Award at the upcoming Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Hunt, an Oscar-winner for "As Good As It Gets," is garnering strong reviews for her turn in "The Sessions" as a therapist helping a man in an iron lung lose his virginity. Many awards watchers are predicting that she has a good chance at earning her second Academy Award nomination for her work.

"Few can claim the artistic distinctions of Helen Hunt," Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement. "A consummate actress, director, producer and screenwriter, Hunt's talents are myriad."

The awards gala will take place on Saturday, January 5 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs from January 3 to January 14.

Past recipients of the Spotlight Award include Amy Adams and Jessica Chastain. In addition to "The Sessions," Hunt won Emmys for her work on NBC's "Mad About You" and appeared in the hit films "What Women Want" and "Castaway."

Hunt, an Oscar-winner for "As Good As It Gets," is garnering strong reviews for her turn in "The Sessions" as a therapist helping a man in an iron lung lose his virginity. Many awards watchers are predicting that she has a good chance at earning her second Academy Award nomination for her work.

"Few can claim the artistic distinctions of Helen Hunt," Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement. "A consummate actress, director, producer and screenwriter, Hunt's talents are myriad."

The awards gala will take place on Saturday, January 5 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs from January 3 to January 14.

Past recipients of the Spotlight Award include Amy Adams and Jessica Chastain. In addition to "The Sessions," Hunt won Emmys for her work on NBC's "Mad About You" and appeared in the hit films "What Women Want" and "Castaway."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/helen-hunt-receive-palm-springs-film-festival-spotlight-125817571.html

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The 6 Most Bizarre Freakouts Over Obama's Re-Election

The re-election of President Obama last week was just too much for some conservatives to handle. Although the doomsday pronouncements of the past four years have yet to materialize, some Americans couldn't help themselves from freaking out over the news that the president will be here for one more term.

TPM has compiled the six most bizarre reactions to Obama's victory.

1. Obama's Hired, But You're Fired

Some of the nation's CEOs took their frustration out on their employees. Robert Murray, CEO of the coal company Murray Energy, responded to the election by reading a prayer to his employees and then laying off 50 of them. Papa John's pizza CEO John Schnatter, a donor to Republican loser Mitt Romney, announced that franchise owners will likely have to cut hours for employees in order to pay for the president's health care law. And Zane Tankel, a New York-based Applebee's franchisee, said he would halt plans to expand his 40-restaurant empire because the health care law would cost him too much.

2. Burying Gold On The Ranch

Over the weekend, Reuters reported on an emerging job description for a number of financial advisers throughout the country: talking their wealthiest clients off the ledge in the wake of Obama's win. John Burke, a New Jersey-based financial strategist, described some of the small business owners he works with as "inconsolable." Houston-based adviser Scott Tiras said a client wanted to turn his assets into gold before the election and bury it in multiple places on his ranch. Tiras managed to talk him out of it, but after the election the client was evidently "too upset to talk about it."

3. Riots And Racial Slurs

Election Day turned ugly by nightfall at a pair of southern universities. Hundreds of students gathered at the University of Mississippi to riot after the race was called for Obama. Some students hurled racial slurs and burned Obama campaign signs. Eventually local police got involved. There was a similar scene at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia where threats of violence and epithets from about 40 students followed Obama's win. The chancellor at Ole Miss promised a full investigation, and the next day the more dovish segment of its student body staged a candlelight vigil in response to the election night protestors.

4. Four More Years: S.O.S

A Florida man (pictured above) said he started to display the American flag upside down the day after the election because he believes "this country is in distress." Meanwhile, a man in Texas did the same. Both are veterans, but people in their towns have responded to the gestures with anger. The presentation is never permitted under U.S. Flag Code "except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

5. Are You There, God? It's WND.

A post-election screed from attorney Larry Klayman was deep in the fringe, even by conservative website WorldNetDaily's standards. Under the blaring headline "GOD HAS A BIGGER PLAN!," Klayman searched for divine interpretation of a second Obama term. A Romney victory, he wrote, would have deceptively led the Republican Party to the conclusion that "a Moses had appeared to deliver us out of the Egyptian-like bondage we find ourselves in - thanks to our 'Mullah in Chief' and his growing voter hoards of socialists, communists, anti-Semites, anti-Christians, atheists, radical gays and lesbians, feminists, illegal immigrants, Muslims, anti-Anglo whites and others who last Tuesday cemented his destructive hold on the White House and our country."

6. Lamest Secession Attempt Ever

A GOP official in Texas last week called on his state to separate from the rest of the country and the "maggots" who helped secure a second term for Obama. Meanwhile, semi-anonymous petitions began circulating online for 19 red states to secede. But two prominent conservatives, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) and RedState founder Erick Erickson, called on the wannabe secessionists to end their struggle. "We here at RedState are American citizens. We have no plans to secede from the union," Erickson wrote on the website. "If you do, good luck with that, but this is not the place for you."

Ed. note: TPM decided not to include incidents where mental illness may have been a factor.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/6-most-bizarre-freakouts-over-obamas-election-172956141--politics.html

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