Internet Powers flip the Ipv6 swtich

The time for testing is over as Facebook, Cisco, Comcast, and others will soon permanently enable next-generation Internet technology with vastly more elbow room. What's it all mean?

What began as a 24-hour test a year ago will become business as usual on Wednesday as a range of big-name Internet companies permanently switch on the next-generation IPv6 networking technology.

And now there's no turning back.

"IPv6 is being enabled and kept on by more than 1,500 Web sites and ISPs in 22 countries," said Arbor Networks, a company that monitors global Internet traffic closely.

Internet Protocol version 6 has one big improvement over the prevailing IPv4 standard it's designed to supplant: room to grow. However, moving to IPv6 isn't simple, which is why many organizations on the Internet have banded together for Wednesday's World IPv6 Launch event overseen by a standards and advocacy group called the Internet Society.

In practice, IPv6 has been gradually arriving on the Net already, and there's a long way to go after the event. But the launch day is a real milestone. Here's a look at some of the issues involved.

Why all the IPvWhatever fuss? Read here

Two-year Graduation option for eligible high-school students

If we go by the current education system in Japan, high-school students face a long gap before entering universities, especially the overseas European and US schools where terms begin in autumn. This time-gap often works to the disadvantage of bright students and thus the education ministry has decided to introduce a system where ‘top-performing high school students’ can graduate in two years and apply to universities much earlier.

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry plan to encourage graduates who can perform well internationally. This new system will also act to the advantage of domestic students who face the time-gap issue. Although both foreign and national universities allow early admissions based on previous academic records, the final high school graduation certificates take time to be procured, thus upsetting the admission procedure.

The new system will benefit high school students whose academic marks are exceptional and according to the benchmark declared by the ministry. Only they will be able to avail this option. Eligible students can enroll to universities after graduating high school in a minimum of two years. Moreover students can enroll in autumn, should they decide to stay on for the two and a half year program.

More details are expected when the expert panels and the Central Council for Education meet and formulate their proposal, which will be reported to the National Policy Unit soon.    (http://japandailypress.com)

Canadian Grand Prix Organisers cancel open doors event in light of student protests

Canadian Grand Prix organisers have cancelled Thursday’s traditional "Open Doors" event for fans due to the ongoing student protests in Montreal.

Protests continued over the weekend after the Quebec government pulled out of talks with student leaders meant to end large-scale demonstrations that have dragged on for months.

The protests by Quebec students, who are outraged by the local government’s plans to raise university tuition, have seen violent clashes with the police and hundreds arrested in recent months.
Montreal has just been a venue of another rally, with 7.000 taking to the streets on June 3. More than 2,500 people have been arrested in total.


But with one student group threatening to disrupt proceedings, organisers released a statement saying that the event would not be going ahead.

Further protests are planned over the Grand Prix weekend.

Think tank urges clarity over green policies

Ministers must send clear signals that they believe in new forms of green technology if they want companies to invest in them, a think tank has said.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said the government had been blowing "hot and cold" on its commitment to cut carbon emissions.

That caution had made the energy sector jittery about investing, it concluded.

The government said its proposed Energy Bill would provide "certainty" for investors in the electricity market.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said last month climate change goals could be met by banishing coal and gas in the 2030s.

But launching the draft Energy Bill, the government said it wanted to retain flexibility on the target date.

It had previously indicated it could make energy clean within two decades.
Read complete news here

Do you think this woman is fat? Most did

STANDING a modest 163cm tall, model Melanie tips the scales at 70kg. Her body mass index makes her borderline overweight but she is the average Australian woman.

Yet when photos of her were shown to members of the public, most thought she was fat, Body and Soul reported.

The typical Australian woman now weighs 70.1kg, up from 67kg in 1995, while men are heavier too - 85.2kg compared with 82kg.

And this upward trend in size and weight does not augur well for our future health.

"One and a half million Australians are overweight so we're getting heavier," Kristen Hazelwood, head of education and prevention at the Australian Diabetes Council, said.

"Being overweight contributes to two major health issues - heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is also linked to cancer, depression and kidney disease."

Hazelwood warned our children may be the first generation who don't outlive their parents but the nation still doesn't get how grave the situation is.

"It's not the pear shape that's the problem, it's the apple shape," she said.

Carrying extra weight around the abdomen, as Melanie does, is a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes.

Melanie, who is a paid model, knew her image would be used in a weight debate.

A diet high in junk food and a sedentary lifestyle are usually to blame for weight gain.

But Hazelwood said there was another factor at play: we're unhappy.

"We've forgotten how to enjoy life," she said.

"We tend to work too hard and we don't make time to get out in the fresh air. We're eating in front of the TV and because of our stress levels we tend to go for comfort foods."     (adelaidenow.com.au)

Student, To Become Youngest M.D. In School's History

CHICAGO -- A 21-year-old Chicago man who began college at age 9 and medical school three years later is about to become the youngest student ever awarded an M.D. by the University of Chicago.
Sho Yano, who was reading at age 2, writing at 3 and composing music at 5, will graduate this week from the Pritzker School of Medicine, where he also received a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and cell biology.

"I never understood that," Yano said. "Why would being allowed to challenge yourself be considered more damaging that being totally bored?"

The University of Chicago admitted Yano in 2003

"I remember interviewing him ... this nice, polite, 11-year-old boy, dressed in a little suit," said Dr. Joel Scwab, a professor of pediatrics who was on the admissions committee. "He was never going to be among typical 11-year-olds, where his mother would drive him to Little League. He was going to be a doctor."

The school made some accommodations because of Yano's age. Unlike most students, who begin their Ph.D. training after their second year of medical school, Yano began his after his first year. That way, he was about 18 when he began his second year of studies toward his M.D., which includes interacting with and examining patients.

Yano, who is an accomplished pianist and has a black belt in tae kwon do, told the paper he hopes his graduation will silence those who questioned his developmental aptitude when he entered medical school.

He is currently preparing for his residency in pediatric neurology, which he became interested in pediatric neurology while doing a rotation at LaRabida Children's Hospital in Chicago.

"I really liked not just taking care of kids, but the way the whole team worked together," he said.  (Huffingtonpost.com)

Dead cat made into a helicopter

A Dutch artist has turned his dead cat Orville, named after the famous aviator Orville Wright, into a helicopter – dubbed the Orvillecopter.

Mr Jansen said after a period of mourning he decided to pay tribute to Orville with the art project.The Orvillecopter does not fly quite right, but Mr Jansen said he will receive more powerful engines and larger propellers for his birthday, allowing for a more "steady flight".

He said Orville will soon be "flying with the birds". 

"Oh how he loved birds," he said. "He will receive more powerful engines and larger props for his birthday. So this hopping will soon change into steady flight."

Orville Wright, one half of the American Wright brothers along with brother Wilbur, invented and built the world's first successful aeroplane and made the first sustained human flight in 1903.

Spain's jobless level falls back

The number of people looking for work in Spain fell for the second month in a row in May to 4.71 million.

In March, the number of jobseekers hit a record high of 4.75 million. On an annual basis, the number of people looking for work in May rose by 524,463, or 12.5%.

The unemployment rate in Spain is the highest in the eurozone at 24.3%, according to European Union figures released last week.

"We find ourselves in a second phase of recession, which, even if it is not as brutal and deep as the first, has had a negative impact on employment," said Engracia Hidalgo, the Spanish junior labour minister.

The Spanish government is implementing a number of labour market reforms to try to reduce unemployment, including cutting back on severance pay and restricting inflation-linked salary increases. These have proved very unpopular with unions and workers.

However, it has been forced to approve billions of euros of spending cuts and tax increases in an effort to reduce its debt levels, which have a negative impact on employment within the economy.

Google's fear: An Apple-Facebook love fest

Just one small mention from Apple CEO Tim Cook of "watch this space" on the subject of Apple's relationship with Facebook surely causes stomachs at Google to churn a little. What if Apple tries to buy Facebook?

Tim Cook at D10.

These are troubled times for technologically inclined.

Facebook's share price is swooning like a '40s actress. A departing Google employee suggests Google isn't Google any more because of Google+.

And, of all heresies, some are even contemplating that the iPhone isn't cool any more.

In times like these, when everyone seems plagued by insecurities, normal behavior is to huddle together for a little warmth, a heartfelt human hug.

So just a few words from Apple CEO Tim Cook -- speaking last week at the D10 Conference -- surely sent shivers into the skins of those who might be left alone.

For, when asked to comment on Apple's relationship with Facebook, he called Facebook "a great company." Then he added: "We have great respect for them. I think we can do more with them. Just stay tuned on this one."

There was also these words concerning Facebook's way of doing business: "Two people who have strong points of view appreciate each other even more and their relationship is much longer lasting."

How very seductive.

Can you feel those Apple arms reaching out to embrace its troubled, um, friend, Mark Zuckerberg? What could these clearly calculated words have possibly meant?

Some believed they indicated a simple update such as Facebook being bound up snugly with iOS 6.

But it took Business Insider's Owen Thomas to utter the words that had surely entered at least a couple of minds: what if Apple bought Facebook?

Indeed, Thomas speculated that, should Facebook's stock price continue upon its inebriated meander, Apple might step in and save Facebook's face. Well, and its fine trove of data, of course.

As with every fine episode of "Law and Order," there is excellent circumstantial evidence here. Facebook is supposedly trying work out mobile and build a phone. Oh, but how much easier life would be if that phone was, well, a nice, large-screened iPhone?

Apple, meanwhile, knows that this social thing has become pesky. Its Ping hasn't registered a ding on the bell curve of human interest.

By offering, say, $38 a share perhaps it might tempt all those clutching Facebook paper to cash in and disappear to the Bahamas -- or at least to the next money-making IPO? While Apple could look even more comfortably toward an enhanced kind of emotional world dominance.

Cook already told investors this year that Facebook is the company that is most like Apple.

If you asked Google's Larry Page which company is most like Google, would he really say "Motorola"?

The biggest difficulty, perhaps, of an Apple-Facebook marriage is that neither company has ever really worked out how to make money from ads. But perhaps Apple's fine success at simply, well, making money would make the ads thing seem a little less onerous.

Is it excessively fanciful to think that a few elevated people at Google listened to Cook's perhaps mischievous words and suddenly felt a little chill?

Source

Nintendo unveils new Wii U GamePad

Nintendo unveiled a new Wii U GamePad today that sports a near-field communications reader and that can be used as a TV remote.

The new game console tablet features a 6.2-inch touch-sensitive screen and a fully independent infrared TV remote, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata revealed during a streamed presentation (see below) in advance of this week's E3 game conference. Known mostly for use in electronic wallets, the NFC technology in the GamePad will be able to read and write data from cards and figures.

"Some people will wonder if Wii U is a simple evolution of Wii or something entirely different," Iwata said. "I think maybe the correct answer is both."

The GamePad also senses movement with motion and gyro sensors. By using more intuitive motions to control a game, players of all skill levels can better play together, he said.

The device also features two stick-type elements instead of the 3DS-like circle pads. Iwata called the circle pads more appropriate for portable devices where players need a low profile for the hardware.

Iwata also highlighted the features of "Miiverse" -- the Wii U's online social network, which allows players to create Mii avatars. While the screen will show the familiar lineup of games and applications, the TV screen will show a list of games and the Mii avatars playing those games at that moment. This creates a "Miiverse" for users, which is a combination of Mii and universe, he explained.

Communication between Miis can happen with simple text messages, but players can also write with their hands.

The company also introduced the Wii U Pro, a controller for those who prefer a more traditional experience. Shaped more like the Xbox 360 controller, the Pro sports Nintendo feature buttons and a pair of joysticks. It was showed off in black.

Expect Nintendo to reveal more details of the devices, such as pricing and availability, at the E3 conference later this week.

Source

Acer unveils bevy of Window 8 devices at Computex

The new Aspire all-in-one desktop.

With four months to go before the final version of Windows 8 is expected to land, the parade of devices putting its faith behind Microsoft's next operating system has officially begun.

Acer got the ball rolling Monday at the Computex 2012 trade conference in Taipei, unveiling a bevy of Window 8-enabled devices. The company unveiled a pair of ultrabooks running Windows 8 -- considered a key combination to sparking growth in the PC market.

The Aspire S7 series includes two touch screen models: a 13-incher as well as the company's first 11.6-inch Ultrabook. The company was light on specs but did reveal that both models have aluminum unibody construction and full HD screens that fold back 180 degrees.

The company introduced two all-in-one desktops with the new OS: the 27-inch Aspire 7600U and the 23-inch Aspire 5600U. The 7600U supports up to 64-point simultaneous touch from all angles, allowing multiple people to use the device simultaneously. Both devices are designed to be used placed on a desk or mounted on a wall, feature full HD visuals, and Dolby surround sound.

Acer also unveiled its first Windows 8 tablets: the Iconia W700 and Iconia W510. The W700 features 11.6-inch full HD touch screen and a cradle that allows for multiple viewing angles. The W700 also has three USB 3.0 ports for expansion.

Meanwhile, the W510 sports a smaller 10.1-inch touch screen and the ability to rotate the tablet 295 degrees, allowing to be used for making presentations, watching video, or browsing the Web. It also comes with a detachable keyboard dock that can be connected to the tablet.

Source

Headline June 5th, 2012 / "The Booty"

"The Booty"

What were the restrictions on executive compensation and bonuses demanded of the TARP recipients by Henry M Paulson Jr? Interestingly, A paltry few!! The bigger the TARP infusion, the more galling the lack of bonus restrictions. Take the Citigroup, so sodden with toxic securities that the Treasury's first 25 billion in TARP funds had to be followed in less than a month with another 15 billion, as well as a separate guarantee of 5billion: 45billion in all! In the meantime Merril like Citi and A.I.G had declined to fire its C.E.O for cause. Vikram S Pandit in his one year as the head of Citi chalked up more write downs -more than 30billion- and a net loss of 18.72 billion for 2008. Surely weighing on the issue of a bonus for Pandit after this performance were the terms of his triumphal arrival. Haha! And no one at Citi had forgotten the terms of that arrival. But the resident wise man at Citi, Robert Rubin, let it be known that he would forgo his 14million bonus for the second year in a row. Still, it was a piddling gesture. Rubin had pocketed an annual compensation package totalling 14million or more from 2000 to 06. One of the Wall Street's highest paid Directors. Finally, on Dec 31, Pandit coughed up the bilious words no bonus

for him or Chairman, 40 percent less for other top officers and a drastically reduced bonus pool for everyone else. But the truth is that no one can actually see how to separate the 45billion bailout the Citigroup got from one trader's 125million bonus. So, in no time truth and mystery merged. at the peak of the crises Hugh Son of Bloomberg News broke the astounding story. Despite the fact that A.I.G which was on the respirator was dispensing public money of the taxpayers of America. The same ones who were losing their jobs and homes and damned sure didn't have a bonus for Christmas. Here then is the bottom line on Wall Street bonuses, for 2008, according to New York State Comptroller's Office. They stayed on track to be 50/cent lower than 07. That's a sharp cut, except that it's still 16billion. Taxpayers may see that money as theirs. Bankers and Traders see it as pay for work done. ''There's no sympathy for us anywhere,'' says one trader. Just true! So readers don't miss the next post. Good night & God bless!

SAM Daily Times - The Voice Of The Voiceless

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China bans Tiananmen Square-related web search terms

Chinese authorities have blocked internet access to search terms related to the 23rd anniversary of the 1989 crackdown against protesters at Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

Terms such as "six four", "23", "candle" and "never forget", typed in Chinese search engines, do not return any information about the event.

Discussions of the unrest of 4 June 1989 remain taboo in the country.

But some users managed to upload a few pictures on to Twitter-like Sina Weibo.

In 1989, troops shot dead hundreds of pro-democracy protesters gathered in central Beijing.

The demonstrations have never been publicly marked in China, and the government has never said how many were killed.

But human rights groups' estimates range from several hundred to several thousand killed.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

For most Chinese the words 'Tiananmen square' don't bring to mind the same images and associations as in the West”

Duncan ClarkBDA China

Analysts say that censoring any online talk related to the event is especially important for Beijing this year, as the government gets ready for a leadership handover.

No candles

"Today's anniversary is one of those 'red line' topics that are always subject to a high degree of scrutiny," Duncan Clark of BDA China told the BBC.

"Typical search results for Chinese search engines of Tiananmen Square return bland descriptions of the square, photos of tourists or the main landmarks, and so on.

"And some are tweeting that the characters for 'today' are today banned."

China's main microblogging platform, Sina Weibo, has deactivated the candle emoticon, commonly adopted on the web to mourn deaths.

After users responded by trying to replace the banned candle emoticon with the Olympic flame symbol, the website deactivated it too.

When trying to search for the unrest, users have been coming across a message explaining that search results could not be displayed "due to relevant laws, regulations and policies".

Throughout the years, the government's methods have been very effective in making people avoid any discussions of the crackdown, added Mr Clark.

"For most Chinese the words 'Tiananmen Square' don't bring to mind the same images and associations as in the West, it's more like Trafalgar Square to Brits.

"This speaks to the efficacy of government controls - many born in that year or after have never heard of what happened, even well-educated university graduates."

'Sensitive' terms

The US government has urged China to free all those still in prison after the crackdown.

The US State Department message also called on China to "provide a full public accounting of those killed, detained or missing".

Besides the 1989 unrest at Tiananmen Square, the Chinese authorities censor search terms on the internet that relate to the independence movement in Taiwan, or sensitive postings relating to Tibet, Xinjiang or Communist Party rule.

Although Google search is not banned in China, people using it are routed to the engine's servers based in Hong Kong.

Google in Hong Kong has recently added a new feature indicating to users as they type, in real time, which words are "sensitive".

Samsung Galaxy S III hits Sprint, T-Mobile on June 21

Details emerge on when you can get your hands on Samsung's latest flagship smartphone.

Samsung Electronics' latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III, will arrive at Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA on June 21.

At Sprint, the highly anticipated smartphone will cost $199.99 for the 16 gigabyte version, and $249.99 for the 32GB version. T-Mobile also confirmed it would arrive on the same day, but didn't provide pricing information.

U.S. Cellular will also get the phone, but it doesn't launch with the regional carrier until July.

Samsung is preparing for a major launch of the Galaxy S III, with Verizon Wireless and AT&T also committing to selling the phone this summer. Over the past two years, Samsung has worked to build up the Galaxy S brand. It now stands as the second most line of smartphones behind Apple's iPhone.

That Samsung is selling the phone in the U.S. speaks to the strength of the Galaxy S name. When the phones first emerged here, the carriers insisted upon slight tweaks and variations to the device, allowing each carrier to stand apart. Even the second generation got slight tweaks, including a different name at Sprint, with Verizon opting to skip the phone entirely.

Like the iPhone, the Galaxy S III is consistent across carriers.

The Galaxy S III will come with a dual-core Snapdragon processor optimized for 4G LTE network, a slight change from the quad-core processor that the international version uses. That's because there currently aren't any quad-core processors that play well with cellular radios, similar to the situation with the HTC One X.

The Galaxy S III is a slim handset with a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display. It supports 4G LTE and HSPA+ 42 speeds, has an 8-megapixel camera (hands on) with 1080p HD video capture and playback, and a bevy of software features to complement and enhance Android's Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

Samsung has also given the Galaxy S III 2GB of RAM and a very large, removable 2100mAh battery. There will be support for 16GB or 32GB of expandable memory, depending on the carrier, it seems.

Another nice touch, the Galaxy S III is topped with Gorilla Glass 2.0, a stronger, thinner type of the premium glass brand that Corning, Gorilla Glass' maker, unveiled this past January atCES. (CNET)

Facebook 'may soon allow' under-13s to join the site

Facebook may soon allow children younger than 13 years old to access the site under parental supervision, reports say.

The social networking giant is developing technology to link children's accounts to those of their parents, says the Wall Street Journal.

The publication also claims parents could be allowed to control whom their children add as friends.

At the moment, Facebook bans under-13s from joining the site.

The social network currently has more than 900 million users, and opening it up to under-13s could significantly boost the numbers.

Although when approached by the BBC, Facebook's spokeswoman refused to either confirm or deny the reports, she did say that the company was constantly testing new technologies.

She also added that children's safety had always been of paramount importance.

"Many recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to enforce age restrictions on the internet, especially when parents want their children to access online content and services," Facebook said in a statement to the BBC.

"We are in continuous dialogue with stakeholders, regulators and other policymakers about how best to help parents keep their kids safe in an evolving online environment."

Lying about age

Among the main reasons of banning under-13s from accessing Facebook are cyber-bullying, child pornography and trolling.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

We'd take a lot of precautions to make sure that the under-13s are safe”

Mark ZuckerbergFacebook

But many analysts wonder whether simply stating that young children are not allowed to join is really solving the problem.

According to surveys, many under-13s get on Facebook anyway, by lying about their age while completing the application form.

And it seems that often, parents are in the loop.

A recent study by researchers from Harvard, University of California, Northwestern University and Microsoft Research found that 72% of parents who had reported that their child was on Facebook knew that that the child joined the social network before age 13.

In May 2011, Consumer Reports found that "of the 20 million minors who actively use Facebook", 7.5 million were younger than 13 and more than five million were younger than 10.

McAfee conducted a study in 2010 which said that 37% of 10 to 12-year-olds were on the social network.

The social network is aware that under-13s do manage to join, and has a page offering advice to parents to help them educate their children about potential issues in the online world.

Children's safety

In May, the Sunday Times quoted Facebook's head of policy in the UK, Simon Milner, as saying that the social network was getting ready to change its policy with regard to allowing younger users join the site.

"A lot of parents are happy their kids are on Facebook," he was quoted as saying.

"We would like to hear from people what the answer might be."

But Facebook's spokeswoman told the BBC that Mr Milner was misquoted, and that it was not correct to conclude from the interview he gave to the Sunday Times that the network was considering to open up to under-13s.

"All he said was that children's safety is extremely important to us, and he did not say anything new," said the spokesperson.

Last year, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg also mentioned safety.

"My philosophy is that for education, you need to start at a really, really young age," he said, as quoted by Fortune.

"We'd take a lot of precautions to make sure that the under-13s are safe."

Québec City’s hottest restaurants

Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. It can be tough to leave the fairy-tale world of Old Québec, a perfectly preserved colonial town neatly packaged inside 400yr-old fortified walls. The World Heritage site pleases the eye at every turn, from the fanciful turrets of Le Chateau Frontenac to Lower Town’s ultra-luxe boutique hotels to the vast army of historical, religious, and politically weighty edifices that have stood sentinel for centuries.

• Related article: The North Atlantic coast for foodies

However, Old Québec, a neighbourhood located along the eastern edge of Québec City, has been plagued for decades by overzealous tourism, resulting in a brazen contingent of overpriced and underwhelming restaurants on the main streets. For a more authentic Québec City eating experience, scale those ubiquitous walls, hit reset and follow the locals to less-touristy neighbourhoods, home to some of the city’s hottest restaurants.

You can spend whole days absorbing the laid-back, pleasure-heavy lifestyle for which French culture is renowned. The neighbourhood of Faubourg Saint-Jean, just minutes on foot from Old Québec, is the most accessible. Further afield is Avenue Cartier, where a cosmopolitan mixture of restaurants and cafés attracts a younger crowd. Discerning Québécois stick to artsy Nuovo St-Roch, where bistros are taking a modern approach to traditional French favourites.

Faubourg Saint-Jean
If you have only got time for one meal in Québec City, make sure it is at Le Billig (526 Rue St-Jean; 418-524-8341), a crêperie like none other. Taking buckwheat as a canvas, the popular Roscoff dish unites ham, asparagus, Swiss cheese, apple and béchamel sauce in a culinary masterpiece. Locals and savvy tourists alike appreciate the ever-fresh, high-quality ingredients, such as duck confit and onion marmalade, or perfect sweet marriages like Chantilly cream and salty butter-caramel sauce.

Sophisticated brunch is done right at the cavern-like neighbourhood institution, Le Hobbit, which in its nearly 170 years of existence has housed a pharmacy, a boutique, a hardware store, and a theatre. From the simple multigrain toast slathered in pâté, to the more substantial omelet stuffed with shredded duck and apple, to the decadent Eggs Benedict L’Authentique loaded with Québec cheese and ham and slathered in their much-acclaimed house béarnaise sauce, every meal comes with a requisite dose of caffeine: either an espresso allongé or café au lait.

Avenue Cartier
Follow Rue St-Jean south from Faubourg Saint-Jean to hit colourful Avenue Cartier, where specialty grocery stores and boutiques shoulder ethnic restaurants, modern eateries and European cafés -- all with attractive facades and patios that spill over into the street.

The mantra at Sushi Taxi, the rapidly expanding, Québécois chain of hip sushi spots, is mange-moi cru (eat me raw), which is good advice: the most popular dish, Guac-Amore, takes raw salmon and bathes it in a tasty concoction of salsa, yoghurt and guacamole. Their “cleverly twisted nigiris” are unique interpretations that take raw fish and rest it atop something crispy, like a frittata or an almond crust, as opposed to the traditional Japanese fish-and-rice combination. It is weird, fun and beloved by locals in the know.

The city is abuzz with brand-new Bistro B, a showpiece of local and innovative culinary trends. Wine lists come via iPads, and the menu, which changes daily to incorporate seasonal and regional ingredients, is scrawled on chalkboards in French. Come here for locally sourced specialties like red-deer tartare and foie gras prepared au torchon(wrapped in a cloth, then boiled, drained and sliced, delicately seasoned and served cold.)

Nuovo St-Roch
No longer plain-old “St-Roch”, with its working-class roots and formerly decrepit appearance, this neighbourhood -- greatly gentrified thanks to a 380-million-Canadian dollar renovation of the main drag, St-Joseph Street – has now earned the moniker Nuovo St-Roch and has evolved into a gathering place for artists, designers and other creative types.

It is only a 15-minute walk here from Old Québec or Faubourg Saint-Jean. The jumble of one-way streets can confuse even the most seasoned navigator, and a wander through the side streets -- particularly Rues d’Aiguillon, Richelieu and St-Olivier -- affords a rare opportunity to view the neighbourhood’s cluttered, characteristically French row houses crowned with colourful mansard roofs. (BBC)

Universities Give Discounts on Tuition Fees Paid up front

It means an individual can save more than £1,000 over the length of a course, if they can afford to pay at the outset rather than take out a Government-subsided loan. While the drive to collect fees early will help to fill university coffers, the discounts have been criticised by some academics for benefiting only better-off families.


Most undergraduates starting university this year will take out a state-backed loan to pay for tuition costs of up to £9,000 a year. In these cases, the money is paid to universities by the Treasury in instalments, while the students pay off their debts gradually after they complete their courses.


However, all universities have a mechanism by which students are allowed to pay their fees directly to the institution instead of taking out a loan. Many allow payment in instalments by direct debit. Most do not publicise the schemes in case it gives the impression that undergraduates must settle the bill before they start their degree.

Now, a series of universities have introduced discounts of between 2 and 5 per cent for families who pay before the start of term. They include Portsmouth, Gloucestershire, Swansea and Southampton Solent.

Portsmouth University gives a 2 per cent discount if the yearly bill is settled, as does Swansea. Gloucestershire gives a £200 discount on its standard fee of £8,250 a year. At Southampton Solent, which is charging £7,800 a year, 5 per cent will be taken off the bill, amounting to savings of £1,170 on a three-year degree.

Sally Hunt, the general secretary of the University and Colleges Union, said: “These discounts are likely to mean students leaning once again on the bank of mum and dad, and will inevitably benefit those with the deepest pockets. What a mess the Government has created for both students and universities.”

The task force on student finance, headed by Martin Lewis, the financial expert, and made up representatives from Universities UK and the National Union of Students, cautioned against paying fees up front. It said parents could be wasting their money if their child becomes a low paid artist or full-time parent and never has a job which pays more than £21,000 a year – the level at which loan repayments are triggered.

“Unless they are guaranteed a lifetime of high pay, it makes financial sense to put the cash in a high paying ISA or savings account during studies and take the loan out,” the task force said. “Afterwards if it looks like the loan will have to be repaid, clear the debt then. Or, alternatively, it may simply be better used towards lowering a mortgage or car loan, which are worse and costlier forms of debt.”

The Government recently dropped plans to levy a charge on students who have taken out loans and want to repay early. Figures published this week show university applications have fallen by 50,000 this year as growing numbers of students are put off by the rise in tuition fees.

Original source here.

Wofford Students Embark for Summer India Internships

Christopher Novak and Erin Morgan

While most of their classmates spend the summer working or playing in their hometowns, two Wofford students are spending their time doing internships for a firm in India.

Mungo Center for Professional Excellence Christopher Novak and Erin Morgan will spend June and July working as interns for The Manipal Group, a conglomerate of financial and industrial companies headquartered in Manipal, India, and with corporate offices in Bangalore.

Morgan, a junior economics and French major from Jonesboro, Tenn., and Novak, a Weatherby, Texas, native and a sophomore majoring in finance, are the fourth set of students to hold the internships, which are offered every year via a partnership between Wofford College and The Manipal Group. They will work in the strategy, accounting and finance divisions of the company.

The internships are unpaid, and the students’ travel and living expenses will be covered jointly by the college’s Mungo Center for Professional Excellence and by the John M. Rampey Scholarship Fund.

While they won’t come home with cash in their pockets, both students hope that putting a summer’s worth of work experience in India on their resumes will make them more competitive when applying for post-graduation jobs.

“This is a fantastic opportunity” Morgan says. “India is so important in the business world. I hope to one day work as a consultant for a large company with international clients and having this first-hand experience in India will set me apart from other applicants.”

Part of their first-hand experience of the country includes arriving during India’s monsoon season, which typically runs from June to August and can see accumulated rainfall amounts of up to 31 inches. They’ll also experience living conditions considered spartan by U.S. standards, and a work week that runs from Monday to Saturday.

“We prep them for the experience by explaining some of the differences in expectations and living conditions,” says Scott Cochran, dean of the Mungo Center for Professional Excellence. Cochran has extensive international experience as a former executive of UPS Capital. “I like to tell them the first two weeks will be the worst in their lives, but after that, it gets easier. I’ve had a student or two call me in near tears because it can be really tough to acclimate, but by the time they leave, India is in their blood and they love it.”

“I’m just really excited to have the new cultural experience, and I can’t imagine any other conditions under which this would happen” Novak says. “India is growing so much, and if we can understand them culturally and from a business perspective, it will help us stay competitive with them.”

Wofford’s Mungo Center for Professional Excellence was established in 2010 to train students in leadership, entrepreneurship, consulting, and project management, as well as to provide them with career search assistance. It is named for Steven and Stewart Mungo, principals in The Mungo Companies, named one of America’s Best Builders by Builder Magazine for 2012. The brothers are longtime supporters of the college through the Mungo Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Mungo Endowed Professorship, and the M. Stewart and Steven W. Mungo Endowed Scholarship Fund. Stewart Mungo is a 1975 graduate of the college and a member of Wofford’s Board of Trustees. Steven Mungo is a 1981 Wofford graduate and a member of the President’s Advisory Board.

The John M. Rampey Endowed Scholarship Fund was established by friends of John M. Rampey, a 1958 Wofford graduate, shortly after his death in November 1993. Rampey was an executive with Milliken & Co. and was an ardent supporter of education at all levels. Awards from this fund are made to students studying the liberal arts who demonstrate high standards of ethical conduct, excellent interpersonal skills, and promise for success in applying their education in practical business-related affairs. These scholarships are used to give students opportunities in training, internships, and other projects, courses, and activities which should enable the students to gain leadership experiences.

Original source here.

Grinnell College: Who is a Superhero?

"Who is a superhero?" President Raynard S. Kington asks a capacity crowd of several hundred youth at TEDx Youth Des Moines, a locally-organized event focused on young people in the region.

With examples from Batman and Wonder Woman to real-life heroes James Kofi Annan and Septima Clark, Kington explores what makes a hero. "Real world heroes might seem superhuman, but in reality they're really ordinary people like you and me," he told them. "The passion can turn any one of us from ordinary Clark Kents into Superman or Superwoman," he adds.

Brandy Agerbeck '96, a graphic facilitator from Chicago, illustrated Kington's talk as he spoke. Her final illustration is a snapshot of the speech.

For those unfamiliar with the TED talks, TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, it has grown to support independently-organized TEDx events around the world. Speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall and Isabel Allende, among many others.

University Press Release here. 

'Snow White' takes bite out of N. America box office

LOS ANGELES: "Snow White and the Huntsman" was the fairest of them all at the North American box office over the weekend with a $56.3 million debut, industry estimates showed Sunday.

The film starring Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart of "Twilight" fame, which offers a new twist on the classic fairy tale, knocked the sci-fi comedy sequel "Men in Black 3" off the top of the charts.

The reunion of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as secret agents battling aliens living on Earth, which topped the box office charts last weekend, took second place with $29.3 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.

"Men in Black 3" has total takings of $112.3 million so far.

In third place was comic book superhero blockbuster "The Avengers," pocketing $20.3 million. It has so far taken in $552.7 million in North America.

The film has become the highest-grossing movie in Walt Disney Studios' history with global earnings so far of almost $1.4 billion, the third-highest total of all time.

"The Avengers" maintained its lead over the big-budget but critically panned "Battleship," which dropped to the number four spot in its third weekend with $4.8 million in box office receipts.

In fifth was comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Dictator," at $4.7 million.

"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," a comedic drama about British retirees in India, took in $4.6 million for sixth place.

Keeping its seventh place was romantic comedy "What to Expect When You're Expecting," about five interconnected couples sharing the experience of having a baby, with $4.4 million.

Next was Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows" reboot starring Johnny Depp, in eighth place with $3.9 million.

Ninth place went to horror flick "Chernobyl Diaries." The tale of a group of tourists taking a disastrous tour of the ghost town of Pripyat in Ukraine, abandoned after the 1980s nuclear disaster, made $3 million.

Rounding out the top 10 was "For Greater Glory," a chronicle of the Cristero War of 1926-29, an uprising against the Mexican government also known as the Cristiada. It took in $1.8 million on its debut weekend.

Final figures were due out on Monday.

Ursinus College: Interdisciplinary Science Center Launches through Competitive Grant

Ursinus College will establish a Center for Science and the Common Good, connecting science and civic engagement, with an $800,000 grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).

HHMI announced the selection of 47 small U.S. colleges and universities which will work together to create more engaging science education, bring more research experiences to students, and increase the diversity of students who study science. The awardees were selected from 182 proposals.

The Center “not only reflects Ursinus College’s rich legacy in the sciences, but connects it to our values of civic engagement and working across the disciplines,” said President Bobby Fong. “We hope it will enhance the breadth of the liberal arts education we offer while also providing experiences that will lead to post-college success.”

The Center for Science and the Common Good will serve as a resource for all students who want to learn about the impact of science on society, according to Biology Professor Rebecca Kohn. It will provide opportunities for science students who want to pursue careers in civic leadership and will encourage underrepresented minority students who are interested in studying science. Fellows of the Center will prepare for careers in science and civic leadership through courses and internships, with
opportunities to explore their interests off campus in the U.S. or abroad.

“Students who are members of underrepresented minority groups will be encouraged to pursue careers in science through early immersion in scientific research in the Fellowships in the Ursinus Transition to the Undergraduate Research Experience (FUTURE) program,” Kohn said. These students will work closely with faculty and undergraduate student mentors developing and pursuing a research project.

Additionally, the Center will reflect the values emphasized in the distinctive Ursinus first-year course, the Common Intellectual Experience (CIE).

“The Center for Science and the Common Good is designed to advance inquiry into the profoundly significant questions about human good raised in our first-year program, The Common Intellectual Experience,” said Professor of Politics Paul Stern. “It expresses our view that an Ursinus education should prepare our students to engage thoughtfully with the world. Because modern science decisively shapes that world, such engagement must involve consideration of the ethical and political implications of science. This applies as much to students who will be citizens and leaders in our communities as it does for those who will become trail-blazing researchers. The Center provides all Ursinus students a venue for sustained reflection on such questions as, “What should the goals of science be? What role should science play in a thriving society?”

The generous grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute funds a seminar series featuring leaders in relevant fields, the appointment of a science writer-in-residence, the development of specially-designed courses, and a program of discussions organized and run by student Fellows of the Center. “All of these promise to engender the kind of vibrant and informative intellectual exchange that fulfills Ursinus’ promise to provide its students with a genuine liberal education,” Stern said.

The Center for Science and the Common Good will open in the fall, and the FUTURE program will begin the summer of 2013. The College plans to house the Fellows and FUTURE students together in campus housing.

According to Sean B. Carroll, vice president of science education at HHMI, the schools selected to receive grants have shown “they are superb incubators of new ideas and models that might be replicated by other institutions to improve how science is taught in college. We know that these schools have engaged faculty. They care deeply about teaching and how effectively their students are learning about science.”

The initiative is designed to encourage long-term collaboration among schools working on a similar issues, and grouped around strategic themes. Ursinus is in the category of “Defining and Assessing Scientific Literacy,” with Bard College, Hunter College and San Francisco State University.

Of 215 schools invited by HHMI to apply for the grants, 187 schools submitted 182 proposals. After two rounds of peer review, a panel of 23 leading scientists assessed 84 final proposals, and recommended awards to 47 schools including is among a group of national liberal arts colleges that includes Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Smith, Carleton, Grinnel, Oberlin, Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg.

HHMI’s grants to small colleges and universities—the Institute’s longest running science education program—have had an important impact on undergraduate science education in the United States, including enabling of hands-on research, infusion of teaching talent, new courses and curricula.

Original source here.

Student, 20, plays the cello, crowned Miss USA

MISS Rhode Island Olivia Culpo will be the face - and body - of America at the Miss Universe competition after taking out the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas.

The 20-year-old from Cranston, Rhode Island, currently a sophomore at Boston University, beat out Miss Maryland Nana Meriwether in front of a large crowd at Planet Hollywood's Theater for the Performing Arts.

Rounding out the top five were Miss Ohio Audrey Bolte, Miss Nevada Jade Kelsall - the hometown favorite - and Miss Georgia Jazz Wilkins.

The finalists were whittled down from a field of 51 competitors.

Culpo, who will represent the US at the Miss Universe finals in December, has a musical background and began studying the cello in second grade.

She also took part in two foreign language exchange programs in Italy during high school, according to her website.

Other awards handed out Sunday night included Miss Congeniality, which went to Miss Iowa Rebecca Hodge, and Miss Photogenic, which went to Miss Oregon Alaina Bergsma.

Mexico end Brazil's 10-match unbeaten run with 2-0 win

First half goals by Giovani dos Santos and Javier Hernandez gave Mexico a 2-0 win over Brazil in a friendly in Dallas on Sunday.

Mexico, preparing for next weekend's start to the third phase of Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, made it three wins out of three in warm-up matches in the United States having also beaten Wales and Bosnia.

The defeat was Brazil's first in 11 matches after they won their two previous friendlies on tour against Denmark and the U.S.

Dos Santos put the Mexicans in front in the 22nd minute at Cowboys Stadium with a looping shot from the left that surprised goalkeeper Rafael and went in the top far corner.

"Chicharito" Hernandez increased their lead with a penalty just past the half hour after Juan brought down Dos Santos.

Brazil, whose striker Leandro Damiao had a early goal disallowed in a controversial offside decision, had the lion's share of possession but Mexico the better finishing.

"It was a good victory and now comes the best which is the qualifiers," Mexico midfielder Andres Guardado told broadcasters Televisa.

Mexico meet Guyana on Friday and El Salvador four days later in the third phase qualifiers that end in October.

Brazil, who will host the 2014 finals, meet arch-rivals Argentina in a friendly in New Jersey on Saturday.

Argentina went top of the South American qualifying group on Saturday with a 4-0 victory over Ecuador in Buenos Aires and have a bye next weekend.     (Reuters)

AFRIDI ALL-ROUND BLITZ HELPS PAKISTAN LEVEL SERIES

An all-round performance from Shahid Afridi helped Pakistan to level the 2-match T20 series 1-1, following victory in the second T20, played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota, on June 3, 2012.

The Men in Green were in all sorts of trouble when Afridi came to the crease at the fall of skipper Mohammad Hafeez’s wicket in the 11th over. However, his partnership with another former leader Shoaib Malik, which yielded 68, proved pivotal in another low scoring game – allowing the team to post 122.

His endeavours with the ball were as decisive as his game changing knock of 52. He cleaned up Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chamara Kapugedera to squeeze the Lankans in the middle-overs, before ending the game on a fitting note by claiming the catch of last man Angelo Mathews – halting the hosts on 99.

With roles reversed, Pakistan decided to bat first but stuttered in the first half of their innings. Ahmed Shehzad, Khalid Latif and Umar Akmal all perished on single figure scores, leaving Hafeez to score the bulk of runs early on. The skipper made a cautious 24 off 34 and when he fell; his team was again in dire straits at 41 for 4.

 Afridi rescued the innings with a fluent half-century, which included 5 boundaries and a six off Thisara Perera. Malik gave him ample support with an almost run-a-ball 27.

Perera intervened to dismiss Malik but their partnership had given the score some respectability. Afridi remained unbeaten till the end, despite struggling to add quick runs in the final over bowled by Nuwan Kulasekara. Apart from Sachithra Senanayake, all other bowlers were effective – either in restricting the flow of runs or providing the side with timely breakthroughs.

The Lankan experienced a similar run chase hiccups their opponents had faced in the first T20. Their collapse however, started a little late. With Mahela Jayawardene rested, Kumar Sangakkara opened the innings with Dilshan. Both had added 19 before Yasir Arafat accounted for the veteran left-hander in an over where he further dismissed Kulasekara, who was promoted up the order.

Boom Boom then delivered in the middle-overs – bowling some quick leg breaks which hardly turned - after which Sohail Tanvir, who was later presented with the Player of the Series trophy, cut short Dinesh Chandimal’s stay by bowling him around his stumps.  Mohammad Sami proved his worth with a fiery spell to get rid of three Lankan players, including the prized scalp of Perera – the Player of the Match from the previous clash.

Saeed Ajmal got his name on the wicket board before Arafat returned to dismiss stand in skipper Mathews to help Pakistan square the series. Afridi was deservedly awarded with the Player for the Match trophy.(Bettor.com)

Ferdinand fumes over snub as Cahill sidelined

Rio Ferdinand revealed the full extent of his anger at his continued exile from the England squad with his representative accusing manager Roy Hodgson of a “total lack of respect”.

Jamie Moralee, the managing director of New Era Global Sports Management, which represents the defender, and his brother Anton, said: “Lampard, Terry, Barry, Gerrard: all ageing but they [were picked to] go to the tournament. Why is Rio different? To treat a player that has captained and served his country 81 times (in this manner) is nothing short of disgraceful. Total lack of respect from Hodgson and the FA as far as I am concerned.”
Ferdinand was snubbed again by Hodgson on Sunday after Gary Cahill was ruled out of the squad for the Euro 2012 finals having suffered a double fracture to his jaw. As expected, Hodgson called up Liverpool’s Martin Kelly to replace Cahill, who was injured when he was pushed into goalkeeper Joe Hart by Belgium’s Dries Mertens during Saturday’s final warm-up match at Wembley.
Ferdinand did not expect to be called up, and indeed flew out to Cyprus on a family holiday on Sunday from Manchester Airport, but took to the social networking site Twitter soon after the announcement was made by the F A to post the cryptic message: “What reasons?????!!!”