Deadly attack at Nigerian college

At  least six people have been killed in a gun and bomb attack at a university in Nigeria's northern city of Kano, witnesses and police said.

A bomb squad and military units are searching for the gunmen who mounted the attack at Bayero University.

Reports suggest the violence may have targeted Christian students who were holding a religious service in one of the lecture theatres.

An army spokesman said several wounded people had been taken to hospital.

"The attack took place in one of the lecture theatres used as a place of worship by Christians," said Lt Iweha Ikedichi.

"There were casualties, but I don't have exact figures. Some have been rushed to local hospitals."

He said soldiers and police had surrounded the university and were searching for the gunmen.

Fukushima cucumbers relabeled and sold in Tokyo

TOKYO — A fruit and vegetable wholesaler has been repackaging and relabeling cucumbers grown in Fukushima to disguise their origin, authorities said Saturday.

Wholesaler Daikanebunki allegedly repackaged and sold 358 boxes of cucumbers grown in Fukushima. The cucumbers were labeled as having been grown in Yamagata and Iwate prefectures, NTV reported.

Authorities on Friday ordered the wholesaler to abide by Japanese law when labeling goods and products in the future. They also claim that this is the first reported case of Fukushima goods being relabeled and sold in the capital.

Japan Today

10 Companies Control Enormous Number Of Consumer Brands

A ginormous number of brands are controlled by just 10 multinationals, according to this amazing infographic from French blog Convergence Alimentaire. Now we can see just how many products are owned by Kraft, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Kellogg's, Mars, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, P&G and Nestlé.

(Disclaimer: We are not sure how up-to-date the graphic is. For example, it has not been updated to reflect P&G's sale of Pringles to Kellogg's in February.)

It's not just the consumer goods industry that's become so consolidated. Ninety percent of the media is now controlled by just six companies, down from 50 in 1983, according to a Frugal Dad infographic from last year. Likewise, 37 banks merged to become JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and CitiGroup in a little over two decades, as seen in this 2010 graphic from Mother Jones.  (Huffingtonpost.com)

Mare's milk to soothe TB sufferers

Kazakhstan intends to develop a series of products based on mare's milk, a traditional alcoholic drink in the Central Asian state, to help soothe people suffering with tuberculosis.

Professor Yuri Sinyasky from the Kazakh National Nutrition Academy said that mare's milk contains important nutrients that can also help cancer sufferers recover from a dose of chemotherapy. "Mare's milk has high stimulating properties and increases immunity, so it can be used as a base for these products," he told the Tengrinews website.

Horses play a central role in the national culture of Kazakhstan and its traditionally nomadic neighbours; Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Turkmenistan. Kumis, fermented mares' milk, is a popular traditional drink and horse meat is widely eaten.Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, is named after the churn used to stir vats of Kumis and the yurt, a felt tent carried by nomads on their horses, is a national symbol for both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Many scientists have said that mare's milk can be compared to milk from a woman in many nutritional aspects and that it may be better for human nourishment than milk from a cow.Professor Sinyasky said a recipe for paste and liquid products based on milk from mares and goats would be developed by the end of 2012 and that production for the new products would start within three years.

"These special products will be used to support the main medical therapy used on patients," he said.

Quick fix for Hotmail password bug

Microsoft has rushed out a fix for a serious bug in its Hotmail webmail services. The bug allowed a hacker to reset the password for a Hotmail account, locking out its owner and giving the attacker access to the inbox. The fix was put together because the bug was starting to be actively exploited online.

One security news site reported that some hackers were offering to hack Hotmail accounts for $20 (£12). Computer security researchers discovered the vulnerability in early April and told Microsoft about it soon afterwards.

The bug revolved around the way Hotmail handles the data that must pass back and forth when a user wants to reset their password. Details of the bug leaked out and led to attackers trying to find a way round it. Using add-on tools for the Firefox browser, hackers realised they could tamper with the data passing between a user and Hotmail servers in a way that handed them control over an account they targeted. As knowledge of the bug spread, some started offering to hack accounts for cash and others posted YouTube videos of Hotmail accounts being taken over in real time.

It is not clear how many Hotmail accounts have been hacked by attackers exploiting the bug. Those who have fallen victim will know because they will find they are locked out of their Hotmail account. With the bug being "actively exploited", Microsoft found a way to fix it and updated Hotmail to close the loophole a day or so later. Now Hotmail servers return an error when attackers try to manipulate data exchanges. Microsoft issued a short statement about the fix and said no further action was needed by customers. Hotmail is the world's largest web-based email service and Microsoft claims that it has about 350 million users.

Rich get Richer

Sunday Times Rich List 2012 shows
The combined wealth of the 1,000 richest men and women in Britain has risen to record levels in the past year, despite the country’s continuing economic slump.

Their total fortune has risen by just under five per cent since 2011, to £414 billion, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.That exceeds the previous record of £412.8 billion set in 2008, which came just a few months before the financial crash from which the wider British economy has yet to recover.

Heading the list for the seventh year running is the steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, although his wealth has fallen £4,814m to £12,700m, placing him just £385m ahead of Alisher Usmanov, whose Metalloinvest is Russia’s biggest iron ore producer.


Usmanov’s fortune has also fallen, in his case by £85m in the past year, in part because of charitable donations of £91m.Third placed Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea FC has seen his wealth fall by £800m to £9,500m.


Liverpool-based Tom Morris and family, who own the Home Bargains stores, have seen their fortune leap from £160m to £620m. The B&M Retail discount chain, also based in the north west, has contributed to a £144m increase in the wealth of its owners, Simon, Robin and Bobby Arora, taking them to £487m and a place in the top 200.

Some of the biggest gains have been made by those who do not fall in the billionaire bracket, or even those with fortunes of over £750m.

The wealth of individuals with between £330m and £750m has gone up 7.8 per cent this year, with those worth £328m to £151m seeing their fortunes grow by 9 per cent. That compares to a rise of just 2.5 per cent in the wealth of the richest 100.

There has been a sharp rise in the wealth of British-born entrepreneurs, with Laurence Graff, the diamond retailer, seeing his fortune go up £1,300m to £3,300m.

The performance of the earth-moving machinery firm JCB saw the fortune of its owner Sir Anthony Bamford and family go up by £1,500m to £3,150m, while Sir James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, saw his fortune increase by £1,200m to £2,650m.

Topping the list of who, among Britain’s richest individuals, are also the most generous philanthropists is the artist David Hockney. He has given away more than twice his residual wealth of £34m by donating works valued at £76.5m, as well as £730,000 in cash, through the David Hockney Foundation.

Overall, donations or pledges from the top 100 philanthropists increased by £220m to £1.89 billion. That saw the amount of residual wealth donated by the top 100 richest people pass the milestone of at least one per cent for the first time in The Sunday Times Rich List’s 11-year history.

There have been notable changes in the fortunes of Britain’s richest artists, entertainers and celebrities.

Sir Paul McCartney, whose marriage to Nancy Shevell, the millionaire daughter of a US trucking magnate, has seen his estimated worth rocket from £495 to £665 million, making him the third-wealthiest man in British music. Ranked above him are Clive Calder, the music executive – with a £1,350m fortune – and Sir Cameron Mackintosh, whose wealth has grown by seven per cent to £725m.

JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, has seen her wealth grow by £30m to £560m, placing her 148th on the list.

Daniel Ek, the London-based owner of the music download site Spotify, makes his first appearance on the Rich List at 395, equalling the £190 million valuation of David and Victoria Beckham, who themselves added £25 million to their combined worth.

The Sunday Times Rich List Top 10

1. Lakshmi Mittal and family, steel: £12,700m
2. Alisher Usmanov, mining and investment: £12,315m
3. Roman Abramovich, oil and industry: £9,500m
4. Sri and Gopi Hinduja, industry and finance: £8,600m
5. Leonard Blavatnik, industry: £7,580m
6. Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli, pharmaceuticals: £7,400m
7. The Duke of Westminster, property: £7,350m
8. David and Simon Reuben, property and internet: £7,083m
9. John Fredriksen and family, shipping and oil services: £6,600m
10. Galen and George Weston and family: retailing: £5,900m

Honda profit recovers from floods

Honda was the worst hit of the major Japanese
 car makers from natural disasters in 2011 

Japan's Honda Motor has reported a 61% jump in first quarter profits, as car and motorcycle sales recovered from a year of disasters.

Net income for the January to March period was 71.5bn yen ($883m; £547m) up from 44.5bn yen for the same period a year earlier, the company said.

Japanese car makers suffered production disruptions after the tsunami in Japan and floods in Thailand in 2011.

The problems meant profits for the year to 31 March fell 60% to 211.4bn yen.

Records forecast
Analysts are expecting Honda's rivals - Toyota and Nissan - to see a similar recovery in the first quarter of the year.

Honda, the third largest car maker in Japan, was widely regarded to have been the worst hit of all the Japanese car makers.

It was the last to get its supply chains back in order after the huge earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011.

Its car plant in Thailand was only back in operation at the end of March 2012 - a six month disruption after the floods in October.

Finally, the strength of the yen has also worked against Honda and other Japanese exporters. A strong yen cuts into overseas earnings.

Friday's earnings put an end to five financial quarters of drops in operating profits.

Honda attributed the recovery to improved sales in Japan and North America. It saw an 8.7% jump in sales to 2.41tn yen.

It is forecasting record global vehicle sales in the next financial year with a jump of almost 30%.

Microsoft less enthusiastic about CISP

Microsoft seems to be backing away from CISP -a controversial cybersecurity bill that would allow Internet and telecommunications companies to divulge confidential customer information to the National Security Agency.

Microsoft, which has long been viewed as a supporter of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, now says that any law must allow "us to honor the privacy and security promises we make to our customers."

Microsoft added that it wants to "ensure the final legislation helps to tackle the real threat of cybercrime while protecting consumer privacy."

What makes CISPA so controversial is a section saying that, "notwithstanding any other provision of law," companies may share information with Homeland Security, the IRS, the NSA, or other agencies.

"We're excited to hear that Microsoft has acknowledged the serious privacy faults in CISPA," said Dan Auerbach, EFF staff technologist. "We hope that other companies will realize this is bad for users and also bad for companies who may be coerced into sharing information with the government."

Apple's iPad Smart Cover targeted in patent lawsuit

The design of Apple's Smart Cover accessory for its second- and third-generation iPads is not so original, according to a new lawsuit filed against the company this week.

In a complaint filed in Colorado yesterday, and picked up by PaidContent, local resident Jerald Bovino claims Apple is infringing on a patent he owns for a "portable computer case" with its Smart Cover accessory.

The complaint also sets sights on retailer Target for selling the case with Apple's iPad in its stores. In return, Bovino seeks damages from both companies and royalties from Apple.

Bovino filed for the patent in mid-2003, and was later issued it in December, 2005. According to its summary, the design in question is a ruggedized case to protect against wear and tear, but that also includes a strap for carrying:

The present invention is directed to a portable computer having an integral case that incorporates a resilient material to protect the portable computer from wear and tear encountered when transporting and/or using the portable computer. The integral case also includes a retractable strap means that can be utilized to facilitate the transporting of the portable computer. The integral case for the portable computer also includes an identification pocket on the exterior surface of the integral case for incorporating identification documents for the portable computer.

By comparison, Apple's Smart Cover is a single-sided cover that protects the front, but not the back of the iPad, and attaches with magnets.

The day before this particular complaint was filed, Apple was granted some 25 new patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including one for its Smart Cover. However unlike Bovino's, the one Apple was awarded is a design patent.

Source

How Dangerous Is a Cyberattack?

The House of Representatives passed the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA, on Thursday. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., said the bill would help protect the country from a “catastrophic cyberattack.” What’s the worst-case scenario for a cyberattack?

Nuclear winter, but don’t count on that happening. In a 2009 paper for the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, cybersecurity analyst Jason Fritz described how computer hackers could trigger a nuclear war. Hackers would infiltrate the detection systems of a nuclear state, he wrote, and fool its military into believing a nuclear strike was already underway. Officials would have 15 minutes, at most, to decide whether the alarm was genuine and how to respond. The hackers could create confusion during that brief period by shutting down communications systems with a denial-of-service attack—an event that would mimic the electrical disruptions that might occur if a nuclear weapon were to detonate in the atmosphere above the country. Ultimately, the panicked leaders might order a counterstrike, leading to an all-out nuclear war. Most cybersecurity experts regard this scenario as exceedingly far-fetched, though. There are too many encryption points, and too much human involvement, in nuclear launch systems for this to happen.

A hacker, or team of hackers, would have a better chance of infiltrating the military’s non-nuclear computer systems, but even that isn’t likely to produce any catastrophic results. Chinese hackers reportedly gained access to the nonclassified data on the defense secretary’s computer in 2007, but machines containing classified information are far more difficult to contact. Slightly more worrying was the infiltration of the control systems for the Joint Strike Fighter plane, made public in 2009, although the most highly classified and critical elements of the aircraft’s computer systems were insulated from the attack, according to military sources. Analysts say that any infiltration of the plane’s systems could, at worst, merely degrade its radar or targeting capabilities, reducing the number of enemies it could successfully engage at o'ne time.


The nation’s power grid would be a more viable target. In 2007, programmers hired by the Department of Homeland Security demonstrated how easy it was to overcome the grid’s antiquated software security systems and remotely take control of a generator. Once hackers had a line in, they might cause turbines to spin out of control until the generator had been reduced to a smoking, shaking, and, ultimately, broken-down pile of metal. The simulated attack very closely resembled the one used to damage centrifuges at Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex: The Stuxnet virus commanded those machines to spin beyond their tolerances.

The nightmare scenario of a cyberattack on the grid would be the destruction of so many generators that the entire country would lose power for months. That probably wouldn’t happen, though, because officials would shut the system down as soon as the first couple of generators went haywire. The result would likely be a two- or three-day regional blackout, akin to the 2003 loss of power in the Northeast or the successful 2005 cyberattack on the Brazilian power grid. Whether you consider that catastrophic depends on your interpretation of the word.


Read article at the original source here.

Bernie (2012)

Bernie is a 2012 comedic film directed by Richard Linklater, and written by Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth. The film stars Jack Black as Bernie Tiede, Shirley MacLaine as the elderly widow, Marjorie Nugent, and Matthew McConaughey as the local District Attorney. It made its world premiere as the opening night film of the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival. The film's distributor, Millennium Entertainment, plans to release the film on April 27, 2012.

Synopsis: Local mortician Bernie Tiede (Black) befriends a rich widow (MacLaine) in a small Texas town. He murders Nugent after growing weary of her persistent nagging and non-stop put downs, but no one misses her for months until the local district attorney (McConaughey) begins to investigate. In the meantime, many citizens of the small, East Texas town of Carthage rally to the murderer's defense, and demand that the authorities go easy on Tiede for the killing of the elderly Nugent.

Bernie is based on a 1998 Texas Monthly magazine article by Hollandsworth, "Midnight in the Garden of East Texas," that chronicles the 1996 murder of 81-year-old millionaire Marjorie Nugent in Carthage, Texas by her 39-year-old homosexual companion, Bernhardt "Bernie" Tiede. Nugent was shot in the back four times with a rifle by Tiede, who confessed to the 1996 murder. According to the Amarillo Globe-News, police searched Tiede's home and found videotapes showing Tiede "engaging in homosexual acts" with local married men. Tiede admitted the murder to police in August, 1997 and was sentenced to life in prison.

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner Altuzarra launches J.Crew capsule collection

Following his victory at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund gala last November, Joseph Altuzarra’s J.Crew collaboration launches globally on www.jcrew.com April 19, with the capsule line inspired by “French preppy style.”

The American-based French fashion designer is known for his tailored ready-to wear pieces, which saw him scoop first prize at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and gain the opportunity to launch this collection at J.Crew.

Collections from the runners up -- jewelry designer Pamela Love and Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters’s label Creatures of the Wind -- are also available for preorder, ahead of official launches on May 17 and June 14 respectively.

Organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Vogue magazine, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund helps rising fashion talents with the combination of a cash prize and mentoring.

Previous recipients include Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Derek Lam, and Thakoon.

This is the second time the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has partnered with J. Crew, with designs by honorees Billy Reid, Prabal Gurung, and Eddie Borgo hitting its stores last year.

Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs

Book Description:
It's the second-to-last day of archaeological field school - the students are working on a site of prehistoric graves on Dewees, a barrier island north of Charleston, South Carolina, when a much more recent burial is uncovered...The skeleton is articulated, the bone fresh and the vertebrae still connected by soft-tissue - it's a case forensic anthropologist, Temperance Brennan has to take. But her investigations soon have her in too deep, her entire view of humanity challenged, and the further she probes, the more she seems to be putting herself in danger...

Rebuilding Haiti’s Tourism Industry

Haiti is undeniably one of the most fascinating destinations in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, the country's tourism industry suffered immensely from the earthquake that has ravaged its islands back in 2010. The said earthquake had caused the loss of a large number of properties, and worse the lives of hundreds of Haiti nationals. The world became witness to the debilitating tragedy which then triggered various movements and cause-driven initiatives, all in support of the country's recovery.

Now a couple of years after the aforementioned natural calamity which had destroyed much of the country's capital's infrastructure and livelihood, things are finally looking hopeful for Haiti and its people. This is the result of sustained and united efforts from the government, non-profit organizations, various corporate entities, and worldwide community. Moreover, this revival is also vastly attributed to the sheer audacity inherent to the Haitian people who have already seen various atrocities - whether political or natural - in the past.

A construction development is now underway in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Amidst the rubbles, the Occidental Luxury Hotel has recently been completed. This hotel serves as a testament to Haiti's unwavering initiatives to rekindle its previous glory. The Occidental Luxury Hotel is replete with all the essentials for a five-star accommodation: comfortable rooms, lifestyle amenities, and even an infinity pool strategically situated on the building's rooftop. The Marriot is also set to be launched sometime in 2014.

Aside from the Occidental Luxury Hotel and The Marriot, other infrastructures are also in their conceptual phase. For instance, the worldwide organization, The Red Cross, is bent on emulating the project enacted by the Kenya Red Cross Society which had established the four-star accommodation The Red Court Hotel in Kenya. Haiti's Red Cross organization is planning to erect a hotel near the national airport. This prospect, as viewed by the organization, poses a lot of benefits both to tourists and Haitian residents.

Other tourism efforts are also being polished such as the so called Cruise with a Cause. This is said to be Port-au-Prince's first ever cruise vessel after more than two decades of cruise inactivity in the capital. According to several meetings and discussions, this project is set to "sail" in the year 2013.

In order to further reinforce the country's tourism revival, its major airports are also being rehabilitated. The Port-au-Prince International Airport is currently under reconstruction. This project is costing the country of Haiti millions upon millions of dollars, but the authorities believe that this expense is a rather practical investment. Another airport, Cap-Haitien International Airport, is also scheduled to be launched in 2013.

These rebuilding efforts will draw funds from the so called "tourist card" which will be mandated to all non-Haitian vacationers and tourists. This approach will incorporate tax levies on various tourism prerequisites such as plane ticket prices. Of course this would mean that tourists who wish to visit the country are expected to spend more than the usual, but the government and other tourism experts are convinced that this will eventually prove beneficial to all individuals and groups involved, especially for the people of Haiti.

Student Loan Interest Rate Bill That Cuts Health Care Program Passes House

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives advanced a bill Friday that funds cheaper student loans by cutting a preventive health care program -- sparking a heated battle in which House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) accused Democrats of manufacturing a war on women.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 215 to 195, with 30 Republicans bucking their party to oppose the bill, and 13 Democrats voting in favor. Democrats might have blocked the measure if they had stayed together. The interest rate for federally subsidized student loans is scheduled to jump from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent for some 7.4 million students on July 1 if Congress does not act.

Republicans had voted earlier in the week for a budget that allowed the rate to go up, but under public pressure offered a plan Wednesday to preserve the rate by cutting the Prevention and Public Health Fund created in President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Republicans say the move would save $6 billion.

Calling the health program -- which aims to lower health care costs by encouraging prevention -- a "slush fund," Boehner said its funding should be used to help students instead. The White House threatened to veto the bill Friday, and House Democrats objected as well, arguing that the $11.9 billion program (already cut from $16 billion) funds things like cancer screening, child immunizations and programs designed to help people quit smoking and eat right.

Read More

Justin Bieber Unveils 'Believe' Album Cover!

Judging by the cover art for Justin Bieber's Believe album, the 18-year-old pop star is well aware of one of his best assets: his boyish good looks. The cover, which Bieber tweeted on Friday evening (April 27), is simply a black-and-white close-up of his face with the word "BELIEVE" stamped in a yellow caution-tape font underneath.

"Here is the #BELIEVEalbumCover standard version," he tweeted, followed by a second tweet that included a sepia-toned version of the same image: "and this is the DELUXE #BELIEVEalbumCover - #52DAYS - excited? expect the unexpected."

After posting the Believe album cover on Friday, Bieber retweeted one fan's over-the-top reaction to the artwork: "That awkward moment when I almost ran over a lady and hit the car in front of me cuz I saw the #BELIEVEAlbumCover lololol," @julieannxoxo wrote.

Bieber just revealed the June 19 Believe release date last week on "The Voice," also bringing along a teaser from his yet-unreleased "Boyfriend" video. Even after revealing that sneak peek, Bieber was spotted shooting new scenes for the highly anticipated video, kissing a mystery brunette (hey, that's not Selena!) on set.

"The concept of this video, I mean, it's not like a steady concept," Bieber told MTV News while shooting the video back in March. "It's not like 'Justin follows this girl to this spot.' No, it's a bunch of amazing scenes: like a fire scene, we have an ice scene.

"It's kind of like bouncing back and forth," he said. "And then there's scenes of me and just a bunch of girl dancers, and just some great shots, great artistic shots, great shots of me smiling. It's fun."

Ministers lift cap on number of top students universities can enrol

Universities face a fresh bidding war for students next year, after ministers unveiled plans aimed at allowing more bright youngsters to gain their first choice place. Under reforms revealed on Friday, institutions will be able to recruit as many teenagers as they want with at least an A and two B grades at A-level in 2013.

It is likely to mean that universities are competing for around 120,000 students – one in three of the places available. This year, institutions were allowed to recruit as many students as they wanted with two As and a B, around 85,000 people in total.

The expansion means it is expected that a further 35,000 youngsters will now join this pool of unrestricted students that institutions can recruit from. The move comes despite pleas from university leaders, who have warned ministers against moving too fast with the scheme.

Read More

Fewer than half of state school teachers encourage Oxbridge applications

Fewer than half of state school teachers would advise bright pupils to apply to the UK's top universities, and the numbers are falling, research suggests. The Sutton Trust, which commissioned the study, said it was deeply concerning that the majority of teachers would not encourage gifted students to apply to Oxford and Cambridge. It said more needed to be done in schools to "dispel the myths" about the two elite institutions and other leading universities.

The study, which questioned 730 state secondary school teachers as part of the Teacher Voice Omnibus which regularly surveys teachers' views, found that just 44% would encourage their gifted students to consider Oxford or Cambridge, down from 50% five years ago.

A breakdown of the findings shows that 16% of teachers always encourage their academically gifted pupils to apply to Oxbridge, while 28% say they usually do. The survey also reveals that many state school teachers underestimate the proportion of pupils from state schools that study at Oxford or Cambridge.

Of the 86% that gave an answer, more than half (55%) said it was less than 30%, while just 7% said over half of the UK students at Oxbridge were from the state sector. Around 14% said they did not know. In reality, 57% of students admitted to Oxbridge are from state schools, the Sutton Trust said.

The trust's chairman, Sir Peter Lampl, said: "It is deeply concerning that the majority of state school teachers are not encouraging their brightest children to apply to Oxford and Cambridge.

Read more on guardian.co.uk

Micro-blog 'rumor' cancels student results

The test results of four students were canceled as they were assumed to have spread rumorson micro blogs declaring disorder in the exam room in South China's Guangdong province,China Youth Daily reported on Saturday.

The four students recently attended an English speaking and listening test, an advance part ofthe national college entrance examination in Guangdong. They claimed on their micro blogsafter finishing the test that the exam room where they took the test was disorderly, undisciplinedand invigilators even handed answers over to some students.

After learning the information, The Education Examination Authority of Guangdong provincelaunched an investigation and concluded that what the students alleged was fabricated. "Thefour students wanted to vent their discontent via the Internet because they did not get goodresults," said an official from the authority.

The authority defended the decision to cancel the four students' test results by claiming thatthey disturbed the examination given that the exam was still going on when they published theso-called rumors on micro blogs, and their posts also defamed the invigilators.

However, some netizens and education experts thought that canceling the test results was anover-severe punishment.

source:chinadaily.com.cn

College Graduates Goal Will Fall Short By 24 Million Degrees In 2025

Despite persistent appeals from policymakers and politicians to increase the number of college graduates in the United States, a new report projects a shortfall of nearly 24 million degree-holders by 2025. The cost to the U.S. economy in lost wages and income taxes? About $600 billion a year.

They're the most dramatic figures yet in the ongoing debate about the need to improve the rates at which Americans successfully complete a higher education.

In order to reach the goal of having 60 percent of adults with college degrees by the year 2025, the United States would have to confer an additional 24 million degrees beyond what it is already producing--but it is projected to award only 278,500 more degrees, the Center for Law and Social Policy and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems reported Thursday.


"These increases can't be put off for another five or 10 years if we want a strong economic future for America," said Vickie Choitz, a senior policy analyst at the law and social-policy center. The three countries with the highest college-attainment rates--Canada, Japan and South Korea--are all expected to reach the 60 percent target by 2020.

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce previously projected that there will be a need for 22 million new college-educated workers by 2018, but that the nation will fall short of that number by at least three million.

The center estimates that, by 2018, more than two-thirds of the 47 million expected job openings in the United States will require some level of postsecondary education or training.

Source:Huffington Post

Woz: Microsoft might have reincarnated Steve Jobs

Today's philosophical discussion is on the subject of beauty and reincarnation. Specifically, beauty as it is beheld by those who adore their smartphones and reincarnation as it involves Steve Jobs.

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, has pronounced that Android's operating system is uglier than Shrek from behind.

No, he didn't quite say that. However, The Verge tells that Woz declared in an interview with Dan Patterson and the co-author of his autobiography, Gina Smith, that Windows Phone is like being "with a friend, not a tool."

Some of my tools can be remarkable friends at times -- and vice versa. However, what Woz appears to be getting at is that he finds Windows Phone's interface to offer considerable aesthetic pleasure. And he believes that someone hired away from Apple must have been a part of this design.

Oh, and he also thinks that Microsoft must have reincarnated Steve Jobs. No, really.

He contrasted Windows Phone's attractiveness to that of Android in fairly stark terms. He said that there is "no contest" between Windows Phones and Androids when it comes to the sheer, you know, experience. He described Androids as "more awkward."

Woz does like to say nice things about life, the world, and several different phones. However, after the interview was over, he did post a comment to the A New Domain site to clarify and perhaps temper his apparent enthusiasm for Windows Phone.

"iPhone is my favorite phone. I did give my opinion that the Windows 7P phone had superior visual appearance and operation cues that were also more attractive. In my opinion, it sets the mark for user interface," he said.

He believes, though, that Apple must be behind Windows Phone's prettiness.

He said : "I would recommend it (WP) over my Android phones.... I surmise that Microsoft hired someone from Apple and put money into having a role in the UI and appearance of some key apps."

You must still think I was kidding about the reincarnation of Steve Jobs.

But, no. For here is the last element of his comment: "I also surmised that Steve Jobs might have been reincarnated at MS due to a lot of what I see and feel with this phone making me think of a lot of great Apple things."

There is surely no higher praise than that. Someone at Microsoft must be glowing today -- and then practicing how to shout at people to get even better.

Source

The 11-inch gaming laptop lives, with the new Origin Eon 11-S

The 11-inch gaming laptop is the textbook definition of a niche product. In fact, up until now, there's really only been one serious entry in that category, Dell's Alienware M11x. Origin (coincidentally co-founded by some former Alienware employees) is now getting into the game, with the Eon 11-S, which the company calls a "compact high-performance laptop."

Interestingly, this new model won't actually double the number of 11-inch gaming laptops available, as the Alienware model is being quietly discontinued. That's a shame, as we liked the M11x, even if it wasn't the most practical for either serious PC gamers, or portability obsessed travellers.

Taking a bit of a shot at the current trend for slim ultrabook-style laptops, Origin CEO and co-founder Kevin Wasielewski says, "Everyone dreams of a laptop that is smaller, lighter, has a longer battery life and has the ability to play all of the latest PC games well. The EON11-S makes that dream a reality and without making any 'ultra-sacrifices.'"

The new Origin Eon 11-S will debut with Intel's new third-generation Core i-series processors and Nvidia's GT 650M graphics, which sounds like a basis for a good gaming rig. The company claims 6.5 hours of battery life (with Nvidia's Optimus technology switching the GPU off as needed), and a weight under four pounds. Like the recent Eon 17-S update, the 11-inch version will also include Origin's new finned (and frankly, a bit Alienware-like) back lid design.

The highly customizable Origin Eon 11-S is available to order now, and starts at $999.

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Apple v. Samsung: 50 suits, 10 countries -- and counting

With patent litigation fast turning into the tech industry's favorite pastime, the yearlong legal battle between Apple and Samsung that began last April now extends to more than 10 countries around the world and at least 50 initial filings. Incredible.

Patent expert Florian Mueller, who, thankfully, tracks this stuff closely so the rest of us don't have to risk having our brains explode, has done his usual first-rate job compiling a list sorting out the venues of this "massively escalated, planet-spanning dispute." Amazingly, he noted, the number of legal filings might even climb higher. As Mueller notes in his latest post:

After an initial filing, lawsuits can be consolidated (which effectively happened to the first two lawsuits the parties filed against each other in California) or, which happened far more frequently, split up into multiple lawsuits by the courts. For example, German courts usually look at only one patent per litigation, and sometimes assign more than one case number per patent if there's a delay with serving the complaint on one of two or more defendants. Also, these parties tend to appeal each and every decision, and the list below doesn't contain cases before appeals courts.

Of course, there's always the possibility that these two might be able to work out a deal. During a conference call last week to discuss the company's quarterly earnings, Apple CEO Tim Cook offered a general statement of his desire to end the litigation that has engulfed much of the wireless industry, without mentioning Samsung specifically.

"I would highly prefer to settle than to battle," he said. "But it's important that Apple not become the developer for the world. We need people to invent their own stuff."

Both Cook and his opposite number at Samsung, along with their top lawyers, are supposed to give settlement talks a shot in front of a judge in San Francisco on May 21 and 22.

This long-running legal confrontation began in April 2011 when Apple filed a lawsuit in California accusing Samsung of copying "the look and feel" of its iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone. "Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smartphone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface, and innovative style in these infringing products," Apple complained.

Samsung quickly responded with a countersuit against Apple, taking the fight overseas to South Korea, Japan, and Germany.

Ever since, it's been a veritable full-time employment act for the lawyers.

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YouTube For Google TV Gets Recommendations

Google TV, the company’s first serious foray into the living room, hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. That doesn’t mean Google has given up, though. Far from it. While there hasn’t been much news about Google TV itself lately, the YouTube app for Google TV is getting an update today. Google says that its developers have “been working like it’s a 24/7 hackathon over here to bring all of YouTube to your Google TV.” With this update, the developers have added recommendations, a Google+ button and the ability to search for channels. The new version now also handles suddenly drops in bandwidth more gracefully.

For users who previously had to suffer from constantly buffering video, this update should be a welcome relief. YouTube for Google TV now automatically detects when there is suddenly less bandwidth available for it and switched to a lower resolution instead of rebuffing.

Given that Google is building Google+ into each one of its products, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this app is getting some Google+ love, too. You can now +1 videos from the app, though it doesn’t look like you can actually share videos from the app (+1′s appear on your profile and in search results, but not in your main Google+ stream).

Adding recommendations and channel search to the app is a logical next step for Google. YouTube put a very strong emphasis on channels in the latest version of its desktop service, so making these channels easier to find on the TV makes sense.

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Redknapp unsure over Modric

Harry Redknapp has revealed he is unsure whether Luka Modric will still be at Tottenham Hotspur next season, but does not expect Gareth Bale to leave.

Modric was a target for Chelsea throughout last summer and Spurs rejected three bids from their London rivals for the Croatiainternational.

A new contract for the midfielder has yet to be agreed and speculation has resurfaced that the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City will bid for Modric again at the end of the season.

Team-mate Bale's future has also come in for scrutiny after the winger suggested he would hold talks with Spurs if the club failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Redknapp is confident that the Wales international, and reported Barcelona target, will not be moving on, but is less certain about the future of Modric.
"Last summer it was vital that we kept hold of Luka," Redknapp said.
"I don't think we will have to do it with people like Gareth Bale this summer.
"Luka, it's different with him. I don't know what he would do. I would be lying if I said I was sure that he would stay. You don't know.
"But certainly I wouldn't see Gareth Bale wanting to leave here.
"At the moment he is happy here, a big fish here. He is still learning the game, a young boy, and this is where he needs to be.
"You would like to think Luka would still be here, but you never know."

Roberto Mancini tells players they have 'one chance' to make history

Roberto Mancini will tell his Manchester City players to seize their “one chance” to end the club’s 44-year league title drought by beating rivals United on Monday night.

On the eve of what the Italian hailed as the biggest Manchester derby in half a century, Mancini said he will use his pre-match team talk to warn his players not to pass up the chance make history.
He said: “We have only one chance, because they [United] lost points against Everton. One chance. After 50 years, Manchester United and Manchester City are playing for the title.”
Although both sides will have two further Premier League fixtures to play, Sir Alex Ferguson said who whoever wins at the Etihad Stadium will go on to win the league.
Ferguson said: “If City win, I think they probably will win it from there, yes. Even though they still have to go to Newcastle. I think they’d have a great chance, but if we win on Monday, we’d be strong favourites.
“A draw and we’d be favourites too, no doubt about that, with two games to go. We’d have to be happy with that, but we won’t be talking about going there not to lose.”

Mancini insisted United remain strong favourites to retain their title, and will be so even if City overtake them at the top of the table with a win on Monday.
He said: “My opinion is always the same — I think they have more chance than us. We’re playing Newcastle. This is very, very difficult. Then we’re playing against QPR, and QPR will probably need to win their game. I think [even] if we win this game, they are favourites.”