Concilium by Michelle K. Pickett

A tale of deadly creatures and forbidden romance...

Leslee hit a strange animal with her car. Now she’s marked for death.

It was a simple car accident – the animal didn’t even die – but it drew the attention of the Cruor Imbibo. Driven by their insatiable need to feed, the secret society of Imbibo has devoured the dregs of civilization for centuries. Afraid Leslee will expose them, and put an end to their meal ticket, the Imbibo want her dead.

The Concilium is Leslee's only protection. Guardian of the ancient secret and the protector of humans, the Concilium fights to control the Imbibo and end their feeding frenzy. Miller works for the Concilium. Keeping Leslee alive is his next assignment.

Now Leslee is on the run, and the only thing between her flesh and the snapping jaws of the Imbibo is Miller. He and Leslee quickly form a bond, but will falling in love make Miller’s job more difficult? Because if he fails, Leslee will be next on the Imbibo menu.

The Cruor Imbibo are coming, and they're coming for Leslee.

Taken 2 (2012)

Taken 2 is a 2012 action thriller film directed by Olivier Megaton and starring Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills - a retired Intelligence agent, Maggie Grace as Kim Mills - Bryan's daughter, Famke Janssen as Lenore - Bryan's ex-wife, Rade Šerbedžija as Murad Hoxha - Chief of the Albanian Mafia and Leland Orser as Sam. The sequel to the 2008 film Taken, it was released on October 5, 2012.

Synopsis: A year after the events in Paris in Taken, on a trip to Istanbul, Bryan Mills (Neeson) gets a surprise visit from his daughter, Kim (Grace), and his ex-wife, Lenore (Janssen). The happy reunion turns sour when Lenore is taken by people working for Murad Hoxha (Šerbedžija), the employer of the men working in the Paris building where Kim's friend, Amanda, was found dead and the father of Marko Hoxha, whom Bryan killed in the previous film. With Lenore held hostage and Kim on the run, Bryan must utilize all his lethal skills to rescue them and eliminate any who are seeking revenge against him.

Production: Filming took place throughout early 2012, with scenes depicting Neeson and Grace's characters in Los Angeles being shot in January.

Headline Oct6,2012 /

''HELL'' AND ''SATAN'' 

THROUGH THE HISTORY OF MICROPROCESSOR!

Nobody quiet knows which will reach the stores first this approaching Holiday season: the new warning labels designed to advise shoppers of how much violence and human degradation new computer games contain or the most-violent-and-degradation-rich wave of games in the history of the microprocessor.

The warning labels have been conceived by the software industry, primarily as a way to keep the US Senate off its back. Marketers can voluntarily complete a questionnaire about a game they want to sell. That is ''Does the Title depict blood and gore of sentient beings!'' and in return receive a little warning sticker to plaster on the package. If a game delivers noteworthy violence,for example, the sticker will show a lit cherry bomb alongside a thermometer depicting a number from one to four.A four denotes ''wanton or gratuitous violence, torture and rape.''

Say what you want about the effects of dramatized brutality and the outcry to label it, I suggest that society's inescapable parade of fun-house slaughter may be harmless to those of us who see irony in the phrase: ''Plus ca change, plus c,est le meme chose.''

Doom II: Hell on earth follows Doom, a graphically rich 3-D shooting gallery that attracted over 7 million players worldwide within a year of its release.In Doom, you fled through a Demon-infested Martian labyrinth, killing anyone that moved, including other players, who could be linked in through modem or network. Doom 11 delivers a similar structured bloodbath but shifts the scene to an Earth overrun by demons, such as the Revenant.

In Take-2 Interactive Software's more simply named Hell, ..you are placed in Washington D.C. in the year 2095, after the Government has convinced everyone that it controls the gates of Hell. Rather than cowering in your home, ignoring the society's problems, you for some reason resolve to rectify the situation by personally visiting the underworld. Merit Software's Harvester isn't explicitly about Hell but was promoted as a ''graphically violent experience in terror.'' It was the brainchild of Gilbert Austin, a Texas Game Designer with a cult like following who publicly decries efforts to label media violence.

In Harvester you come across a Skull and Spinal Chord neatly draped across the bedspread of your fiancee. Naturally, you investigate by entering the creepy local town lodge, descending into its squalid bowels to battle assortment of atrocious freaks.

Should this stuff be labeled? Probably. Labels now reveal a how much of what they contain. And then when you plan a gift,and if that happens to be a computer game that celebrates gruesome dismemberment....?
On the other hand, we all know that games don.t hurt anybody. Miserable, Criminal, Atrocious Freaks Do!

Many thanks to !WOW! 

Good Night and God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless

tourism industry in Russia

The data have also shown that nearly as many people are hired by the tourism industry when compared to the financial sector. These findings were revealed to the public through the research that was spearheaded by the WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council) and sponsored by TUI AG and American Express. The World Travel and Tourism Council is dedicated to the advancement of global travel and tourism industry research.

Oxford Economics conducted the research itself and data revealed that in 2011, the travel and tourism industry in Russia was actually able to contribute a whopping RUB3.4 trillion (US$ 106 billion) to the country's GDP. This accounted for almost 6% of the nation's total GDP. This figure was much greater than the individual contributions to the GDP by other sectors. The automotive manufacturing industry was able to contribute 4.8%, the chemical manufacturing industry was able to contribute 3.3%, while the communications services industry was able to contribute 2.9% to Russia's GDP in 2011.

More than 4 million people are supported by the travel and tourism industry in Russia. These people work either directly in the travel and tourism industry or indirectly through the other jobs generated by the industry. The travel and tourism industry has likewise exhibited the fastest growth rate. An average growth rate of 4% per annum is expected in the next ten years. This indicates that focusing and expanding on the country's tourism efforts would be greatly beneficial to Russia.

Armani gains direct control of UK sales business

MILAN (Reuters) - Fashion designer Giorgio Armani is taking direct control of his sales business in Britain to improve efficiency in the retail sector, which has become a revenue-spinner for luxury makers amid economic turmoil.

Armani said in a statement on Tuesday he had agreed to take control of his UK wholesale and retail business from long-term retail partner Club 21 after 23 years of cooperation.

The 1.8-billion-euro Armani empire is among top luxury makers that have moved to manage their businesses internally, reducing costs in the long term and boosting profitability.

Singapore-based Club 21, which manages brands such as Donna Karan, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana and Paul Smith, will retain distribution of the smaller Armani Exchange sporty line.

"It is now time that a global brand like Armani runs its own interests in a market as significant as this one," the designer said, ushering in a "new era" for his business in Britain.

Luxottica, the world's biggest maker of designer sunglasses for brands including Giorgio Armani, is to spend more than 200 million euros over three years to increase production and cut delivery times to keep up with fast-moving fashion trends.

From Prada to Salvatore Ferragamo, top luxury makers have invested heavily in the opening of their own stores, where they have direct control of their sales forces and brand image. Stores are a cash cow for brands if managed well.

The unlisted Armani empire reported a 13.6 percent rise in revenues last year, helped by a 45 percent boost in China, the fastest-growing retail market.

The hands-on designer, who has repeatedly said he has no intention to sell his business, said last month he aimed to grow further this year despite concerns about the euro zone crisis.

The Armani group has six clothing lines, including the top Giorgio Armani collections. It also makes sunglasses, fragrances and make-up.

(Editing by Leslie Adler)

Actress Daryl Hannah arrested in Keystone pipeline protest

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Actress Daryl Hannah was arrested in Texas on Thursday after she stood in front of an earth-moving machine clearing ground for the construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, her representative said.

The protest took place outside Winnsboro, Texas, about 80 miles east of Dallas, said Hannah's agent, Paul Bassis.

Hannah, 51, a longtime environmental activist, was arrested last year outside the White House in another protest against the pipeline. The Keystone XL pipeline, a project of TransCanada Corp, would ship more than half a million barrels a day of oil sands-derived crude to the Texas Gulf Coast from Canada.

On Thursday, Hannah stood in front of an excavator being used to clear trees and brush in order to build the pipeline, Bassis said. Joining her was the site's property owner, Eleanor Fairchild, 78, whose land was taken by eminent domain for the project, he said.

"Ms. Hannah and Ms. Fairchild were defending Ms. Fairchild's property from eminent domain abuse by TransCanada," Bassis said.

A spokeswoman for the Wood County Sheriff's Office said no officials were available to discuss the incident.

Booking information from the Sheriff's Office said Hannah was held on charges of trespassing and resisting arrest.

A representative for TransCanada could not be reached for comment, but a company statement said the pipeline would be "safe and reliable."

The southern section of the pipeline - the project Hannah was protesting - will take oil from the glutted Cushing, Oklahoma, storage hub to refineries in Texas. President Barack Obama lent his support to the project, which is being built.

But the northern section of the $7.6 billion project, which would take crude across the Canadian border into the United States, was rejected by Obama last year on environmental and water supply grounds about its route through Nebraska.

TransCanada has reapplied to the State Department for approval of the full project. The State Department has jurisdiction because the line would cross a border.

Hannah played the mermaid in the 1984 film "Splash," and also had roles in films such as "Wall Street" and "Blade Runner."

The Payscale List

MAJOR ROI

There's a place to get to know exactly what majors will pay you back. Payscale, a salary website, recently compiled a list of the majors that pay you back. Engineering dominated the list with some bright spots for actuarial mathematics and statistics.

Dead stranded whale to be turned into biofuel

(UK) A young whale washed up on a remote beach is to be rendered down to produce around 2,000 litres of biofuel for cars and lorries.
The 10m fin whale, weighing six tons and 780kgs, died after being stranded on Sunday afternoon on the beach at Shingle Street near Woodbridge, Suffolk.
Suffolk Coastal District Council which was responsible for removing the carcass decided to do something 'useful' with the body instead of dumping it on a landfill site or towing it out to sea to rot.
The council arranged for the carcass to be taken off the beach on Thursday in a sealed container and taken away by local rendering frim Clarkes of Melton.
Clarkes of Melton owner Philip Clarke sent the whale to another specialist firm to have its tallow oil removed from its blubber.
He said: "It could well produce two tons of oil which will be enough for 2,000 litres of biofuel. It will be fuel for vehicles to drive thousands of miles.
"The bulk of the rest of the whale will be incinerated at a power station which uses animal remains as fuel to produce electricity. Nothing will go to waste."
Council spokesman Viv Hotten said: "It is sad that the whale died, but we are pleased that the carcass is going to be put to good use.
"It is much better that we do this rather than take up space on a landfill site or dump it at sea."
The Zoological Society of London was unable to determine how the whale died as it could not carry out a full post mortem on the beach which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

-  Telegraph.co.uk

Nigeria: 40m Illiterate in Post-Independence Nigeria 'Unfortunate' - Minister

Minister of State for Education Ezenwo Wike has described rate of adult illiteracy affecting 40 million Nigerians as "unfortunate", indicating the progress of literacy programmes in the country was slow.

Address a stakeholders meeting at the launch of the National Mass Literacy Campaign in Abuja, Wike said: "It is unfortunate that after fifty years of independence, Nigeria still has over forty million people who are illiterate."

The campaign--the first-ever launch in 20 years by the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC)--aims to teach at least 10 million adult Nigerians every year to read and write, using thousands of facilitators.

Wike called for support to enable the mass literacy programmes reach all states and local government areas nationwide, targeting an estimated 46% of Nigerians considered illiterate, more than half of them women and girls.

But recent data by NMEC have shown enrolment in mass literacy programmes is reducing, lamented the commission's executive secretary Jibril Paiko.

"We need to awaken Nigerians' interest in learning," he said, adding, "People are interested in the programme; it is the support we are looking for."

Strange honey produced by bees near biogas plant

Bees from a dozen apiaries in eastern France have been producing honey in mysterious shades of blue and green – after feasting on M&M's at a nearby biogas plant processing waste from a chocolate factory.

Beekepers around the town of Ribeauvillé in the Alsace region, better known for its white wines, launched an investigation over worries that their honey was unsellable because of the strange colours being produced.

They discovered that instead of pollinating flowers in local fields, their bees had been tempted over to the biogas plant -- more than 4km away -- for sugary snacks.

The plant processes waste for confectionary giant Mars, which makes M&M's, bite-sized chocolates covered in bright blue, green, yellow, red and brown sugar-based shells.

Mars made no comment when contacted by reporters, although Agrivalor, which runs the biogas site, said it was trying to address the problem.

The plant’s managers said they had cleaned their containers and that in the future all incoming waste M&M's would be kept in a covered hall.

For honey producers, having bees addicted to junk food is a serious issue.

With bee populations in rapid decline around the world, the 2,400 beekeepers in Alsace, who struggle to produce some 1,000 tonnes of honey per year, cannot afford to offer honey that isn’t fit for market.

André Frieh, head of the local beekeepers’ association, said that while the blue and green produce tasted like honey, that was where the comparison ended.

“For me, it's not honey,” he told Reuters. “It's not sellable.”

(FRANCE 24.com)

Strike at China Apple manufacturer: rights group

AFP - Thousands of workers have gone on strike at a Foxconn plant in China making components for Apple's iPhone 5, a labour rights group said on Saturday.

It is the latest unrest to hit the Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant, whose factories in China have been beset by a string of worker suicides in recent years, and follows a massive brawl at one facility last month.

The stoppage at the plant in Zhengzhou, in central China, happened on Friday after the company increased product quality levels and demanded workers work through a national holiday, New York-based China Labour Watch said.

"This strike is a result of the fact that these workers just have too much pressure," China Labour Watch director Li Qiang said in a statement.

"According to workers, multiple iPhone 5 production lines from various factory buildings were in a state of paralysis for the entire day," the statement said.

Between 3,000 and 4,000 employees participated in the strike, it said. It was not immediately clear how many people work at the plant.

Officials at the factory were not immediately available for comment, nor were spokesmen for Foxconn's Taiwanese parent company Hon Hai or Apple's China-based public relations officials.

Foxconn is the world's largest maker of computer components and assembles products for Apple, Sony, Intel and Nokia, among others.

Its vast plants in China employ up to 1.1 million workers, with nearly half of them at a sprawling complex in Shenzhen, in the south of the country.

Last month, around 5,000 police were deployed to control a huge brawl among workers at a Foxconn plant in the northern city of Taiyuan, where 79,000 people make items including electronic components for automobiles and consumer products.

In 2010, at least 13 Foxconn employees in China died in apparent suicides, which activists blamed on tough working conditions, prompting calls for better treatment of staff.

Facebook tops one billion monthly users

Social media company Facebook Inc. announced on Thursday it had reached the 1 billion active monthly users threshold last month, and is up by 45 million users since June.

Facebook has faced a rough debut since its May initial public offering. Investors and analysts have fretted about a sharp slowdown in its revenue growth. Shares of Facebook remain well below the $38 debut price.

Facebook, based in Menlo Park, California, hit the 1 billion milestone on Sept. 14 at 12:45 p.m. Pacific time, the company said on its website. It added that it had 600 million mobile users, according to a fact sheet posted on its website.

In an interview on NBC’s “Today” show broadcast on Thursday, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg was asked by co-anchor Matt Lauer about how, with 1 billion users, the company wasn’t “killing it,” making money.

“I think it depends on your definition of ‘killing it.’ I mean we are making billions of dollars,” Zuckerberg said. Facebook reported that revenue increased by 32 percent to $1.18 billion in the second quarter.

The 28-year-old CEO talked about the growth potential from mobile users. “There’s 5 billion people in the world who have phones, so we should be able to serve many more people and grow the user base there,” he said.

The 1 billion user count is up from the end of June, when it had 955 million active monthly users.

The company also said it has seen 1.13 trillion “likes,” or endorsements by users, since the company launched the feature in February 2009. Many advertising campaigns that companies conduct on Facebook are designed to garner “likes.”

It said 219 billion photos were uploaded as of September. Excluding deleted photos, about 265 billion photos have been uploaded since 2005.

About 17 billion location-tagged posts were made on the website, Facebook said, and 62.6 million songs have been played 22 billion times since September 2011.

The median age of a Facebook user was 22, it said, and the top five user countries were Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States.

The new data came a day after the company said it was letting U.S. users pay a fee to boost the visibility of their postings - its latest effort to look beyond advertising for revenue.

Advertising accounted for roughly 84 percent of the total revenue in the second quarter.

With Facebook’s revenue growth rate slowing sharply in recent quarters, analysts and investors believe it needs to find new ways to make money.

Shares of Facebook rose 1.8 percent to $22.23 in premarket trading on Thursday.

(REUTERS)