Suri Cruise Enrolled In Exclusive Private School In Chelsea: REPORT

Come September, the students of Avenues are going to have a very famous classmate.

Though earlier reports claimed Katie Holmes had enrolled Suri Cruise in the prestigious all-girls Catholic school Convent of the Sacred Heart, Life & Stylemagazine reports that Suri will actually be a student at Avenues, an exclusive new private school, which is set to open this fall in Chelsea.

Suri had previously been home-schooled, but the 6-year-old is "really excited" about starting her new school, especially after her mother told her all about the school's lunchrooms, basketball courts and various activities, a source told the magazine.

It's easy to understand why the school would appeal to Holmes, as it's just a 10-minute walk from their Chelsea apartment, overlooks the High Line, boasts a rooftop playground and has a gym with full-size basketball and volleyball courts.

Tuition to the ultra-fancy school costs nearly $40,000 a year -- which is average for most New York City private schools, according to the New York Times.

Manhattan's newest private school will teach students from preschool through 12th grade, and stresses a bilingual education, so Suri may learn Spanish or Mandarin along with the basics: reading, writing, math, science and music, reports Life & Style.

The school encourages parents to think of Avenues as one international school with 20 or more campuses around the globe. According to the school's website, "It will not be a collection of 20 different schools all pursuing different educational strategies, but rather one highly-integrated 'learning community,' connected and supported by a common vision, a shared curriculum, collective professional development of its faculty, the wonders of modern technology and a highly-talented headquarters team located here in New York City."

The idea is that by middle school or high school, students will spend a number of six-to-eight-week periods studying at campuses in Buenos Aires, Paris, Delhi and Cairo.

Like the majority of private schools, Avenues requires students to wear uniforms, which will be a big change for Hollywood's best-dressed child. Suri will be required to wear a white polo shirt, blouse or turtleneck, along with gray or black pants, skirts, jumpers or shorts. While students may not wear any logos other than the school's own, they are permitted to wear any color accessories, including socks, tights, belts, ties and hairbands.

Original source here

Education dept ordered to fill vacant EC teaching posts, South Africa

The Cape High Court has ordered the department of basic education to fill vacant posts in Eastern Cape public schools by November.

Justice Clive Plasket from the Cape High Court in Grahamstown on Friday ordered the department to permanently appoint teachers to all the available posts by November 2 2012.

The Mail & Guardian reported in June tens of thousands of teaching posts in the Eastern Cape had been left vacant.

Non-profit organisation, the Legal Resources Centre, which took the department to court over the posts and represented school governing bodies and schools from the Eastern Cape, welcomed the ruling.

"This judgment deals decisively with the responsibilities of the minister of basic edducation [Angie Motshekga] ... and provincial minister [Mandla Makupula] in terms of their obligations to declare and implement educator and non-educator post establishments. That the DBE has not done so is in flagrant breach of their constitutional obligations," said regional director of the LRC Sarah Sephton.

The judge added the department must appoint educators to all vacant posts on a temporary basis by September 2 2012 pending permanent appointments.

The department was also told that by August 17 it must have paid the salaries of all educators whose appointments had been approved on a temporary basis.

"The decision to order the DBE to appoint temporary educators and to pay temporary educators who have taught in vacant substantive posts for the entire year in some cases without payment or with the SGBs of better off schools funding these posts will be a huge relief to SGBs, teachers and learners throughout the province," Sephton said.

Original source here

Universities accused of socially engineering intakes

A string of leading universities have been plunged into a row over claims that they are socially engineering their intake.

Edinburgh, Leeds, Bristol and Birmingham universities have drawn up points systems which effectively boost the exam grades of children from poorer homes, to give them a better chance of winning a place.

As a consequence, middle class children face losing out to children with lower grades.

The Government has repeatedly urged universities to do more to attract a wider mix of students. Ministers have backed the use of information about applicants’ backgrounds - referred to as “contextual data” - without specifying how it should be used.

Many institutions say they consider such data when choosing between applicants on a case-by-case basis.

However, systems which allocate a numerical score to each applicant based in part on their social background - revealed for the first time today - will be regarded as highly controversial.

Examples seen by The Sunday Telegraph include:

- At Edinburgh, all undergraduate applications have been given a numerical score for the last two years. The points awarded for attending a very low-performing school boost the score of a pupil with three Bs beyond that of one with three A*s.

- In Leeds, students applying to read medicine could be given so many points for coming from a low-income area and a poor school that three B grades would effectively become three A*s.

- Bristol is implementing a points system across its courses where pupils from poor schools “will be given an automatic weighting to their total academic score”, while Birmingham has drawn up a similar policy but is not yet using it.

Critics last night said the points systems, revealed under the Freedom of Information Act, amounted to “generic discrimination” against middle-class families, and warned that tutors were being stripped of the discretion to select those students they think will benefit most from their course.

At Edinburgh, all applications are now scored. In science and engineering, for instance, candidates get 16 points for each A* or A grade at A-level, while a string of A* GCSEs is worth eight points.

Added to this, applicants who attended the lowest performing schools get an additional 18 points.

A sixth former scoring maximum “contextual data” points, but with three B grades, could effectively have their total boosted beyond another candidate with three A*s.

At Leeds, candidates to read medicine - a subject which receives 16 applications for every place - have been sifted in recent years using a system which combines points for exam performance and achievements such as Duke of Edinburgh awards with extra points based on social factors.

Up to six points are available for predicted or actual A-level grades, plus up to eight points for GCSE results.

In addition, a candidate can obtain up to four points for attending a poorly-performing school, judged by its GCSE results; two points for coming from a postcode where few young people go to university; and two points if they have spent time in care - making a maximum of eight “contextual” points.

The scores are used to decide which candidates to interview. Successful candidates are typically offered a place which is conditional on achieving three A grades at A-level. Applicants, their families and their schools were not told that information about their social background would be used in this way.

A Leeds spokesman said the system had been used for three years, but was suspended in 2012 and would not be used next year. The university could not say why.

Some 40 per cent of courses at Bristol used a scoring system which took into account contextual data this year, and all applicants will be scored by the start of the 2012/13 admission round. The university would not say how the points are allocated.

Birmingham last year granted admission tutors permission to allocate undergraduate places using a scoring system which includes points for contextual data, if certain courses are oversubscribed in future years.

The system allocates up to 11 points for background factors including the uptake of free school meals at the pupil’s school, which is an indicator of poverty.

The university said the points given for exam performance would depend on the course. It said none of its departments were currently using the points system to allocate places.

Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, suggested in May that universities should take “into account the impact of background in assessing university applications” to create a “fair race” for degree places.

Professor Les Ebdon, the new director of the Government’s Office for Fair Access, has warned that he will fine universities that do not to enough to attract a better social mix.

However, senior figures in higher education have cast doubt on the fairness of using the data. Mary Curnock Cook, the chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has said that she had “real concerns about whether the contextual data is sophisticated enough” to be reliable.

Sir David Bell, the vice-chancellor of Reading University, and the former permanent secretary at the Department for Education, has warned that giving places to working-class students with lower A-level grades than their middle-class counterparts was “patronising” and could be seen as a “back door route in”.

Scoring systems which attribute a specific weight to contextual data could also be seen as “positive discrimination” and open universities up to legal challenge, according to lawyers.

Tim Hands, the headmaster of Magdalen College School, Oxford, and chair of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference universities committee, said admissions which scored contextual data could be “bordering on generic discrimination”.

“The potentially sinister thing about this is that institutions are not being transparent about scoring systems,” he said.

“When someone as well placed as the chief executive of UCAS warns that the current contextual data may not be robust, universities who use it risk losing their reputation for academic scrupulousness.”

"Students deserve transparency and accuracy not hasty measures which risk appearing subservient demonstrations of political correctness."

Mark Steed, the principal at Berkhamsted School, an independent in Hertfordshire, said: “I don’t have a problem with a weighting system. The key thing that is missing is transparency.

“The issue is not choosing between two candidates with top A-levels, one from a tough background and one with the advantages of a private education, it is three A* pupils who are not getting places and places going to people with three Bs.”

Professor Alan Smithers, the director of education and employment research at Buckingham University, said: “This kind of system is grossly unfair and it is not in the best interest of the university. They should be selecting on the basis of the candidate’s capacity to benefit from the course and the best indicator of that is what students achieve at school.

“The achievement of some children can be affected by factors outside their control but that should be dealt with on an individual basis, not by giving a point score for disadvantage. An admission tutor should make decisions based on all the available information; if a student gets and A and two Bs because they have spent time in hospital or because they have been affected by time in care for instance. But blanket systems, such as scoring, should not apply.”

But Rebecca Gaukroger, the head of admissions at Edinburgh, said: “We don’t accept that the scoring of academic grades or contextual data undermines the holistic assessment of applications.

"A score on its own is never enough to either secure or prevent an offer from Edinburgh being made, and all aspects of the UCAS application will be considered before we reach a decision on an application.

"We believe the use of a scoring system that is flexible enough to take account of the wide variety of educational and life experiences of our applicants is an important part of our commitment to fair admissions.

“Our use of contextual data alongside other information contained within the UCAS application has enabled us to identify those students who best demonstrate the academic ability, resilience and commitment to succeed at Edinburgh.”

She also pointed out that since contextual data had been used, the university had seen improvements in the performance and retention of students.

"This reinforces our firm belief that our use of contextual data alongside other information in the UCAS application has enabled us to identify those students who best demonstrate the academic ability, resilience and commitment to succeed at Edinburgh," she added.

A spokesman for Birmingham University said: “We do not currently score applications. Using contextual data is something we have considered and we have the outline of a possible system, which we would only use after extensive verification of its fitness for purpose.”

Angela Milln, Bristol University director of student recruitment, access and admissions, said: 'We are considered in our use of contextual data and only include it within a selection process where we have strong and robust research evidence to indicate that the approach is appropriate.”

Original source here

Target Launches Initiative to Help Raise $1 Billion For Education

Target Launches 'Give With Target' Initiative To Help Raise $1 Billion For Education

There is definitely more to love about Target beyond their amazing designer collaborations. Case in point, the mega store has announced a new initiative called "Give With Target" to help raise a whopping $1 Billion for schools nationwide by 2015.

And raising money for schools has never been easier-- aka no purchase necessary.

Using a personal Facebook account, students can vote once per week for the K-12 school of their choice--schools will receive one $25 Target gift card for every 25 votes, with a maximum payout of $10,000 per school. Kids can literally become digital cheerleaders for their schools.

But that's not all--Target is set to donate up to $5 million to schools across the country. Of that lump sum, $2.5 million has been earmarked for a number of $25,000 grants that will be presented to 100 in-need schools.

Barack Obama is also getting into the back-to-school spirit. At the Urban League's annual conference last week, the President outlined a new program called the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans--aiming to create a range of education programs for black students via several federal agencies.

We look forward to seeing how Obama's new program plays out. In the meantime, voting for the "Give With Target" initiative only runs until September 8--so start clicking!

Check out Target's new back-to-school commercial--a compilation of home videos showing the super psyched reaction of high-schoolers finding out they have been accepted into college.

Original source here

Raising the Bar on Education in Nigeria

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Thursday bemoaned the current educational framework in the country.

Okonjo-Iweala, made this remark while delivering the 2012 Isaac Moghalu Foundation Leadership Lecture tagged: "Education and Development: Paradigm Shift," in Lagos.

According to her, the existing framework for the sector is unclear, saying that the roles of the various tiers of government in the system are not clearly laid out.

She also argued that the fact that education is on the Concurrent List of the 1999 Constitution makes its administration complex.

"The regulatory system in the sector is largely ineffective, and this reflects on the curriculum, especially in many private schools of foreign origin. Pupils in many of these schools are taught little or nothing in Nigeria.

"Take also the duplication we see in the administration of Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Why should there be two parallel examination bodies - the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) - conducting the same type of examinations for the same level of students within same academic session, making it difficult to maintain standards at the same level? Surely, there is need for a rethink here," the finance minister declared.

Okonjo-Iweala also pointed out that although government had made basic education through junior secondary school free and compulsory; the country was yet to record increase in enrolment rates found in many countries.

According to her, the national primary net enrolment rate which stood at 64 per cent in 1999 fell to 58 per cent in 2010.

"The quality of education and associated learning outcomes are poor. We see mass failures in SSCE conducted by WAEC and NECO year in year out. For instance, only 5.75 per cent of the 803,360 private candidates that sat the WASSCE exams in May/June 2010 received five credits and above (including English Language), while 10 per cent received five credits and above (including mathematics)

"Several universities are producing graduates that lack the right skills needed to perform tasks required in their chosen fields, making it difficult for them to get employment. If you look hard enough, you may even find graduates who have never used a computer before. Academic infrastructure in many of our premier institutions is dilapidated. Nigerian universities are no longer the citadels of learning we once knew them to be.

"They have lost their place in global rankings. Now in facts, Nigerian parents are sending their children to other African countries like Ghana and South Africa to study, spending hundreds of millions of dollars in tuition fees alone, not talk of those that send their wards to the United States or the United Kingdom, at significant costs. Imagine the benefits of investing these in our own university system," she said.

The minister called for a paradigm shift, saying there was need for quality education to drive the country's growth.

"That is what Korea did to transform their economy. Korea Developed a programme of 'education for economic growth' in 1948, focused on the supply of technical manpower as needed for economic development," she added.

In his remarks, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said: "We have societies where there is corruption, but they have leaders who are very competent. There is corruption in Asia. Now as we talk about merit, let's look at our constitution."

Our constitution says you must appoint a minister from every state of the federation, which is fine. But does it set the minimum qualification that is expected?

"As a country, do we ask the right question? In Malaysia, before you are presented to parliament to be considered for consideration, there is a screening process. So, we should never sacrifice merit on the altar of diversity," Sanusi added.

Earlier, the chairman of the event, Chief Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, stated that only an improved educational system will address the current challenges faced by the country.

Original source here

Businesses are right to be turning away from social media

In the same week Twitter has been forced to apologise for prioritising commercial gain over its users, a new study has found businesses are reducing their investment in social media marketing. It’s totally understandable says Emma Barnett.

Twitter has had a torrid week despite it playing such a major role in the Olympic Games and giving people unparalleled insights into the athletes’ village.

The American technology company was forced to apologise after it suspended the account of a British journalist, Guy Adams, who had criticised NBC’s coverage of the Games during the Opening Ceremony. Adams published the corporate email address of Gary Zenkel, the president of NBC Olympics in his tweet.

Adams argued that the email address was publicly available but Twitter seems to have taken the view that he had published private information, something the social network does not allow. Moreover, it was Twitter which first alerted NBC to Adams’ tweets, rather than the other way round. Given that Twitter is a commercial partner of NBC for the Olympics, many people who use the service have questioned the company’s motivation and were left confused by the decision – forcing the micro-blogging company to issue a rare apology for its actions.

Such are the growing pains of a company which has yet to crack its revenue model.

Twitter has annoyed both its users and a client by trying to keep both of them happy in the same space. This is a problem which is only going to get worse for Twitter as it tries to engage more companies to pay for adverts (known as promoted tweets) and content partnerships on the site. By its very nature, Twitter is an open forum where most remarks go uncensored. And with one billion tweets published every three days, many of these contain negative comments about brands.

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This is why it is understandable that some companies are beginning to withdraw their investment in promoting themselves on social media sites, especially when they are unsure of the benefits and leave themselves open to unfettered criticism.

A new study, shown exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph, has found that investment in social media marketing by financial services companies has declined sharply since the end of 2011.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, 22pc of businesses polled in the sector were investing in social media marketing. This figure fell to 8.5pc in the first quarter of 2012 and to 6pc by the second quarter. Pearlfinders, a major business research company, spoke to more than 5,000 marketeers around the world about their budgets.

“This represents an interesting about-turn. We saw investment in social media increase steadily throughout 2011, to reach the highest levels ever by the end of the year. However, as financial services brands embraced new methods for communicating with customers, they opened themselves up to criticism and negative sentiment,” said Anthony Cooper, Pearlfinders managing director.

“Banks, for instance, are becoming very wary of social channels and many are reconsidering whether they should invest in something that generates negative returns.“A number of recent high profile events have demonstrated how financial services companies, such as banks, are simply not comfortable with transparency and openness. With social media, everything is in the public domain, which is well outside of their comfort zones.

“When it comes to spending on social media, marketing budget-holders in this sector are left wondering about the benefits, and many are simply putting spending on hold until they have developed a clearer picture of how social media can be harnessed to improve their brands.”

While banks and other major businesses, such as O2 whose customers suffered a major network outage last month, have been rightly criticised for not reacting in real time or providing enough information during crises, their withdrawal from marketing investment across these channels is understandable.

Pearlfinders also discovered that negative tweets about the six major high street banks in the UK (Lloyds TSB, Barclays, RBS, HSBC, Co-Operative and NatWest), over the last 30 days, were twice as common as positive ones.

All companies must retain a connection with Facebook and Twitter - but while the returns on investment are so hard to track and the conversations directly linking to brands near impossible to control, it is wise to exercise caution with the amount of investment put towards this marketing activity.

The study also noted that Twitter has overtaken Facebook as the marketing channel of choice – but only marginally.

Facebook, since its flotation, has come under huge pressure to prove how it will make money on mobile devices – as that it is how most of its users are accessing the social network.

Display adverts rarely work on the small mobile screen – so Facebook has its work cut out.

Brands love talking about how many followers they have on Twitter, and how many ‘likes’ their company page has on Facebook, but there is usually silence when it comes them explaining what they can do with this army of fans which actually translates into cash. Simply put, they don’t know.

While the return on investment on social media marketing remains opaque, I would apportion a conservative amount of spend to these channels and concentrate on improving and providing a customer service which reacts in the same time it takes for a disgruntled punter to post a negative tweet.

Denon unveils £1,000 headphones

Denon has unveiled its new flagship headphones: the £1,000 AH-D7100.

With real mahogany ear cups and 50mm "free edge nano fibre" drivers, the headphones are part of Denon's Music Maniac range. The company has even released a free smartphone app, Denon Audio, allowing owners to create custom audio settings to use with their headphones.

Between now and October, Denon will be releasing eight new headphone models, including the AH-D7100 and the AH-NCW500 noise-cancelling headphones. The latter set is wireless and comes with an integrated microphone and remote control functions for use with Bluetooth devices. The headphones will go on sale at £400.

The AH-NCW500s are part of Denon's Globe Cruiser range. Each of Denon's four lifestyle ranges comes with its own app. The Globe Cruiser range is designed for the Denon Travel app, the Denon Sport app features GPS tracked and is aimed at owners of headphones in the Exercise Freak range and the Denon Club app shares music with Facebook and Twitter followers and is aimed at Urban Raver owners.

All four apps are available for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch as well as for Android smartphones through the Google Play store.

Silver surfers lead to rise in online donations to charity

Technology-savvy pensioners have led a huge rise in online donations to good causes, new research suggests.

Web donations to religious groups have soared by 128% over the past five years, while online giving to culture and arts institutions has trebled, a study by the website Justgiving found.

A poll of more than 2,000 adults found over-60s were the most generous age group, donating three times as much online to religious organisations compared with five years ago.

Older people also made five times more donations via the internet to culture and arts groups over the same period.

Churches have now been urged to adapt to modern methods of giving charity to ensure they do not miss out on generous donations.

Retired bishop the Rt Rev Stephen Lowe said: "To keep up with their congregations, churches and faith groups need to catch up on modern methods of charitable giving beyond the plate and direct debit.

"People want the ability to respond immediately to need in a world which is increasingly cashless, which is why so many of them are now giving online."

The research conducted by ICM revealed the average amount of web donations each year was £135, while people aged 55 to 64 donated £157 and over-65s gave £182.

The increase in religious donations online was also boosted by the Islamic practice of Zakat – offering a compulsory proportion of a person's wealth to charity – which generated close to £1 million in 2010 and 2011, Justgiving said.

There was also a huge rise in donations to religious charities following the recent floods which devastated Pakistan, the company added.

Anne-Marie Huby, managing director of JustGiving, said: "As the huge rise in online religious giving shows, digital giving is now reaching older and more traditional segments of the giving public.

"It shows the nation is wising up to the power of technology to make giving easier and more tax efficient."

Headline August 6th, 2012 / The Collective Burden Of Guilt!

The Collective Burden Of Guilt! 

Some Shame!

The fact is that The Industrial Revolution is of 150 years ago. It was not designed and the world by and large was in a miserable state! And this revolution evolved over decades as Captains of Industry and their technologists learned how to overpower Nature and forge great machines to make standardized items of consumption.

'If you look at the first industrial revolution as a retroactive design assignment, it would be to design a system that puts billions of pounds of toxic waste into the air and water, deplete our soils and washes toxins into the ocean or into the air, produces endocrine disrupters to affect our hormonal systems, creates and distributes carcinogens, causes climate change, and dumps plastics in the Oceans. 

''If this was the design assignment, we're doing Great!'' And, and if this was not the design assignment, then what is or was?. And so instead of seeing what goes on today as inevitable, what we have to recognize that it is not possible any longer to say that it's not part of our plan, because it's part of our de fact plan. It's the thing that's happening because we have no other design. ''We need a new Industrial Revolution.'' 

And if these basic truths that I have stated above from McDonough, are accepted with an open mind, then the three principles of Cradle-to-Cradle, are really very simple, even if they do require a radical change in the way the world operates: 

1. Waste equals food.  So the point is to eliminate the concept of waste. 

2. Use current Solar income. So rely on natural energy flows - also geothermal and wind- Instead of unnatural energy flows. 

3. Celebrate diversity. Therefore, it is important to see as many manifestations within the protocol as possible to celebrate human culture -natural culture. 

We do want 400 kinds of French Cheese, but we don't want 400 kinds of French Plastic. So within Technology, we need and want coherency, within Biology we want Diversity! 'One of the things that is holding back the environmental movement and its proponents,' says McDonough, 'is the collective burden of guilt about the ills of our Society. 

They say they want durable products that last a long long time. Like a 25 year Car. So I'll tell you why that's not good. That car will still be made with toxins in the adhesives, compound epoxies. O.K. it amortizes its damage over a longer period of time, but it's still a car that is damaging. 

You also lose jobs, because people don't buy enough cars. You are using outdated Technology on the roads for a longer time!'' This amazing post continues in the service of Mankind! Share and pass it on! And by the way, all those who learnt from this brilliant work include among others, Google, G.E. BP. Nike, Gap, CISCO, many many Chinese Municipalities and All of You!

And before adieu, I address the Great Students and Heroes of Philippines! We at our end have compressed time, and are visualizing the honour of ''Handing Over The Torch and Sam Daily Times to you!'' Please compose your Team, get ready to get started! Lead the way!

Good night & God bless!

SAM Daily Times - The Voice of the Voiceless

Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, #3) by Larissa Ione

They're here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride...

LETHAL RIDER

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Cooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

Exam (2009)

Exam is a 2009 thriller film written by Simon Garrity and Stuart Hazeldine, directed by Stuart Hazeldine and starring Colin Salmon, Jimi Mistry, Luke Mably, Chuk Iwuji, and Nathalie Cox.


Plot: The film is set in present-time United Kingdom in an alternate history, where a disease called The Virus has made a large part of the population dependent on medication that must be taken every few hours to prevent falling into a coma followed by death. Most of the film takes place in a single room, where eight candidates take an exam for an important job as the Personal Assistant to the CEO of a mysterious bio-tech company that is said to work on a cure for The Virus.
The Invigilator, a representative of the company, explains that the exam takes 80 minutes and consists of one question only, and that there are three rules: do not talk to the Invigilator or the armed guard at the door, do not spoil the paper, and do not leave the room. Not obeying the rules will result in disqualification. After the clock starts, it turns out that the question papers are blank. One candidate is removed from the room for spoiling her paper by writing on it. The seven remaining candidates realize they can talk to each other and work together, and give each other nicknames: Black, White, Brown, Blonde, Brunette, and Dark, referring to their skin and hair colors, and Deaf for one candidate who does not pay attention to the others. The candidates use the lights and fire sprinklers to try to reveal a hidden question on the paper, with no luck. White takes control of the group but really works against them, engineering the disqualifications of Brunette and Deaf. White then taunts the others, saying he knows the question but will not tell the rest.
Black subdues White and ties him to a chair, calling him a distraction to the group. White says he is infected with The Virus and needs his medication, but the others do not believe him. Dark suggests White is actually a plant from the company, and demonstrates much knowledge about the internal workings of the company. This leads Brown to accuse her of being a plant, and tortures her into revealing that she works for the company, but is still applying for the job like everyone else. Just then White goes into convulsions, proving he has the disease. Dark asks the unseen invigilator for help and is disqualified. Blonde finds that Brown was hiding the medication, and gives it to White. The others release White and want to know the question, but he says the only explanation is that there is no question; the company is going to hire the last remaining candidate. White attacks the others and grabs a gun from the guard, who still does nothing. White forces Brown to leave the room. Blonde is next, but she suddenly douses the lights, allowing Black to attack White. When the lights are turned on Black is dead from a gunshot, and Blonde has only partially left the room, still in the game. The clock then expires. White addresses the Invigilator to say he is best candidate, but is disqualified; it is revealed Deaf had earlier set the countdown forward by a few minutes.

Hugo Boss presents new Boss Black line

High-end brand Hugo Boss has revealed its new BOSS Black line with an ad campaign shot by Mario Sorrenti in Napa Valley (California).

Swedish model Alex Lundqvist and American model Hilary Rhonda were selected by Hugo Boss to be the faces of this Fall/Winter 2012 collection, featuring graphic prints on shirts and ties in a dark color palette of purple, grey and brown hues.

Boss Black. Menswear (1970), womenswear (2000). Is a modern classic clothing which is more widely distributed than other lines, and has the broadest product range.

Hugo Boss is a German fashion and style house based in Metzingen, Germany. It is named after its founder, Hugo Boss (1885–1948). It currently has at least 6,102 points of sale in 110 countries. Hugo Boss AG directly owns over 364 retail stores with over 1,000 stores and shops owned by franchisees. There are two core brands, BOSS and HUGO. Products are manufactured in a variety of locations, including the company's own production sites in Izmir, Turkey, Radom, Poland; Morrovalle, Germany during the war; Cleveland, USA; and Metzingen, Germany.

Hugo Boss has licensing agreements with various companies to produce Hugo Boss branded products. These include agreements with Samsung to produce cell phones; C.W.F. Children Worldwide Fashion SAS to produce children's clothing; Procter & Gamble Prestige to produce fragrances & skincare; Movado to produce watches; and Safilo to produce sunglasses and eyewear.

Olympics football: Brazil overcome stubborn Honduras

Leandro Damiao helped Brazil to a 3-2 win over nine-man Honduras that set up a semi-final with South Korea.

Honduras led twice through Mario Martinez and Roger Espinoza but Damiao produced one equaliser and after Neymar scored another, Internacional striker Damiao grabbed the winner.

Japan recorded a 3-0 victory against Egypt at Old Trafford to progress.

They will face a Mexico team that reached the last four after a 4-2 extra-time win over Senegal.

Honduras took a surprise lead at the Sports Direct Arena, when Martinez volleyed in following a fine move but, after Wilmer Crisanto was sent off for two bookable offences, Damiao touched in after Honduras failed to clear Hulk's cross.

Espinoza cut in from the right to curl home but Neymar scored with a penalty after Damaio had been fouled by Jose Velasquez.

Damiao then scored a third with a powerful finish before Espinoza was sent off.

Brazil now face South Korea, who beat Team GB on penalties, at Wembley on Tuesday.

Japan coasted to victory against Egypt with Kensuke Nagai, captain Maya Yoshida and Yuki Otsu scoring the goals.

Jorge Enriquez and Javier Aquino put Mexico ahead but Moussa Konate and Ibrahima Balde forced extra-time before Giovani dos Santos and substitute Hector Herrera sent Mexico through.

They earn a meeting with Japan at Old Trafford on Tuesday.   (BBC.co.uk)

Usain Bolt eases to victory to reach Olympic 100m semi-finals

Defending Olympic champion Usain Bolt eased through to the semi-finals of the men's 100m in a time of 10.09 seconds.

He recovered from a slow start to progress, while world champion Yohan Blake ran 10.00 in his heat to also book his place in the semis.

American Ryan Bailey posted the fastest time, a blistering 9.88secs.


British teenager Adam Gemili (10.11) finished second behind Asafa Powell, with Dwain Chambers posting 10.02, one of his fastest times.

Team-mate James Desaolu also qualified, as the top three from each of the seven heats progressed automatically, as well as the two fastest losers, for Sunday's semis.

Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin also looked impressive, Gay winning his heat in 10.08 and Gatlin posting 9.97.
Bolt looked in good shape to defend his title, and he was pleased to recover from a stumble at the start of his race.
"I expected the reception in London and I was looking forward to it," he told BBC Sport. "I stumbled at the start but I'm glad it happened now and not in the final."

Gemili, who has only recently switched to sprinting from football, said after posting 10.11: "To come to the Olympics and to walk inside the stadium with the cheer is unbelievable for me.

"Things are happening quickly this year, but I have worked hard. I only started in athletics in January and the results are showing now.  (BBC.co.uk)

Mo Farah wins Olympic 10,000m gold for Great Britain

Mo Farah stormed to Olympic 10,000m gold to seal an extraordinary night for British athletics in the Olympic stadium.

In the same hour that Jessica Ennis won heptathlon gold and Greg Rutherford snatched long jump victory, Farah buried his illustrious rivals with a blistering final lap.


The 29-year-old world 5,000m champion ran a near-perfect race to cross the line in 27 minutes 30.42 seconds, with his training partner Galen Rupp in silver and Ethiopia's Tariku Bekele in bronze.

Farah's triumph ended a run of four successive Ethiopian wins and stopped Kenenisa Bekele from winning a third consecutive title.

Four years ago in Beijing, Farah failed to qualify for the 5,000m final, and in that moment of defeat vowed to give everything he had to become the best in the world.

On Saturday that undertaking came to glorious fruition as he was roared to unforgettable victory by 80,000 ecstatic supporters.

Farah, who was joined on his lap of honour by wife Tania and daughter Rihanna, said afterwards: "I just can't believe it, the crowd got so much behind me and was getting louder and louder.

"I've never experienced anything like this - it will never get any better than this, this is the best moment of my life.

"It doesn't come round often and to have it right on the doorstep and the amount of people supporting you and shouting out your name."

Mike McLeod was the last Briton to win a 10,000m medal with silver in 1984, but no British male has ever before won a global title at this distance.


At 5,000m Farah was comfortably set in a large pack going round at a tough but not brutal pace, the leaders going through in 14 mins 39.5secs.

Tadese went to the front with 11 laps to go before Kenya's Moses Masai picked it up 400m later and tried to stretch the field out with a lap of 63.8secs.

Kenenisa Bekele and Rupp followed on Masai's heels.

Wilson Kiprop had already dropped out injured, and Farah stayed on Bekele until, with five laps to go, he made his first move and eased up to third.

To an enormous roar from the crowd Farah then accelerated again at 8,800m and followed as the younger Bekele brother Tariku went to the front.

Farah looked effortless, poised, and with 800m to go held his position in the front two.

At the bell he made his big move, bursting into a lead of a metre on the straight and then kicking again with 90m left to go away clear.

It was an almost unreal end to the most astonishing of nights - and Farah still has the 5,000m to come.

Medieval silver treasure found on Gotland

A silver treasure from the 12th century has been found on the Baltic island Gotland, where over 600 pieces of silver coins have been unearthed, according to reports in local media.

“This is an amazing find. It’s unbelievable that treasures of this scale exist here on Gotland,” Marie Louise Hellquist of Gotland’s County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen) told local newspaper Hela Gotland.

The medieval treasure was uncovered last Monday, as the landowner was moving soil. Some 500 pieces of coin were discovered in the field, and following further searches conducted once archaeologists arrived on Wednesday, that figure has swollen considerably.

“In total we’ve reached 650 pieces, so far,” Hellquist said.

Silver coins were not the only items discovered, as both jewellery and a raw silver artefact, which archaeologists believe to be part of an ancient axe, have been found at the site.

All the items are believed to be from the 12th century.

“We’ve found coins dated 1130,” Hellquist said.

It’s still too soon to say what the treasure may be worth, she pointed out.

“First the coin specialists have to go through the coins and see how unusual they are,” she said to Hela Gotland, noting that she hoped the find will remain on the island, in Gotland’s museum.

Original source here

Oscar Pistorius' Olympic Debut Spurs Discussion On Sports And Technology

South Africa's Oscar Pistorius competes during the
 400m men's event at the KBC Night of Athletics in
Heusden, Belgium on July 7, 2012.

While the character and work ethic of South African track star Oscar Pistorius are widely hailed there are mixed opinions about whether he should have been cleared to participate in the London Olympics.

“I’m inspired by [Oscar]," said Tim Reynolds during a discussion Friday with HuffPost Live. "But… I don’t necessarily believe that he should be allowed to compete in the regular Olympics because there is a subdivision of the Olympics games for people with disabilities."

The 25-year-old middle distance runner is set to compete in the men's 400-meter race as well as the 4x400-meter relay. Pistorius is not among the medal favorites but he will surely be among the most discussed Olympians in London. Dubbed the "Blade Runner," Pistorius is a double-amputee who uses prosthetic legs to compete. His career occurs at the intersection of technology and talent.  (Huffingtonpost.com)

Machine tells donors where their charitable money goes

Turkish donators throw money into a box at the capital city
of Ankara’s Kocatepe Mosque. An ATM-like machine may
 replace such boxes for collecting donations soon. AA phot

(TURKEY) Ankara-based Sera Reklamcılık has developed an ATM-like device for making donations to associations, aid organizations and mosques, claiming the machine will enable better documentation of this large field of economic activity.

The major motivation behind the attempt was public concern about whether donations reach the correct recipients, according to Ahmet Öz, a coordinator at the company.

“The Turkish people are philanthropists. But in recent years everyone has begun to ask themselves if their donations are going to the right places. So we started working on the issue, and [came up with]
a machine totally developed by Turkish engineers, including its software,” Öz said.

Three years of research and development work went into the project, he told daily Radikal.

Directorate of Religious Affairs contacts the firm

Organizations that have contacted the company so far include the Directorate of Religious Affairs. The directorate, which is in ongoing talks with Sera, plans to place the machines at mosques and some other points, Öz said.

The talks with the directorate , aid organizations and other institutions will be finalized in the upcomig days, he added.

Donation boxes placed in mosque courtyards are quite common in Turkey, especially after Friday prayers, and provide significant income for many religious facilities across the country. Sera’s machine may put an end to this practice, offering a sounder method.

The product is registered under the name “Electronic money-box” at the Turkish Patent Institute.
During the development of the teller machine, a former Sera employee stole a trial version of the machine and placed it at Ankara’s Kocatepe Mosque, saying it was his own project.

Some 24,000 Turkish Liras were collected at the court of the mosque in just one day.

Hearing about this, the company removed the machine from the mosque, and has taken legal action against the former employee, Ahmmet Öz said.

The machine accepts both Turkish Lira and foreign banknotes, as well as coins and credit cards. Donors can take a receipt. The machine also identifies fake banknotes.

The software technology utilized in the machines allows aid associations to follow up how much money is deposited in each of the machines that will be set up in the country.

Fukushima trio complete Paris-Tokyo run to thank world for support

TOKYO —Three Japanese men, including a 71-year-old, jogged into central Tokyo to finish a year-long run through Europe and Asia to thank the world for supporting the disaster-struck nation.

The trio, led by septuagenarian Kenichi Hatori who is the head of one of Japan’s biggest used-car dealerships, arrived at a conference hall in the nation’s capital, completing a run of more than 13,000 kilometers.

The disaster left more than 19,000 dead or missing and crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, setting off the worst atomic crisis in a generation.

The trio ran roughly 13,350 kilometers through 14 countries in their journey, crossing Europe and Asia, and arriving in Beijing earlier this month.

The trio were accompanied by a support van carrying a banner which read in English and French: 

“Many thanks for your kindness to Japan.”

Snow-caped peak of Kilimanjaro

Snow-caped peak of Kilimanjaro is seen on the border between Kenya and Tanzania on August 3, 2012.
(Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres or 19,341 feet above sea level (the Uhuru Peak/Kibo Peak).

Surveys show education matters in boosting economic status

BEIJING, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Recent surveys show that the starting salaries of China's college graduates are not as bad as those of migrant workers, despite a report that claimed they were so.

According to a survey conducted by the China Data Center at Tsinghua University, the average monthly salaries of 2011 graduates amounted to 2,719 yuan (426.5 U.S. dollars), 26 percent greater than those of the previous year.

"The statistics show that the starting salaries of college students are greater than what the media has claimed," said Professor Li Hongbin, executive associate director of the center and one of the report's five authors.

A recent report claimed that 69 percent of graduating college students' starting salaries are below those of migrant workers, stirring debate over the true value of a college education in China.

According to official statistics, migrant workers earned a monthly average of 2,049 yuan in 2011, about 100 U.S. dollars less than that earned by the average college grad that year.

Li said employment for new graduates has become a hot topic, as spiking enrollment numbers at Chinese universities have created intense competition among fresh job-seekers.

The center and the Research Institute of Higher Education have conducted annual surveys of graduates since 2010 in order to obtain information for policymaking and academic studies.

Li said the fact that 72 percent of grads have been able to find jobs indicates success, as many graduates spend more time searching for jobs due to heightened expectations.

Another survey conducted by Mycos, a leading data and consulting organization that focuses on Chinese higher education, reached a similar conclusion through different methods.

Guo Jiao, executive president of Mycos, said the group surveyed more than 250,000 grads from over 200 universities, discovering that 70 percent of respondents had nailed down post-graduation jobs in July and August, just below the China Data Center's figure of 72 percent.   (CCTV)

New picture proves Loch Ness Monster exists?

George Edwards' photo

(Scotland) The Loch Ness Monster has been finally captured on camera, a Nessie-hunting sailor claims. The photograph was snapped by a sailor who hunted the mysterious creature for twenty-six years.
George Edwards spent 60 hours a week on his boat Nessie Hunter IV looking for the legendary beast. His efforts have finally paid off, he claims.

“I’m convinced I was seeing Nessie as I believe in these creatures. Far too many people have being seeing them for far too long,” Edwards said, adding that the first recorded sighting took place in 565AD. Since then, there have been a number of eyewitness reports from people claiming to have seen the Loch Ness Monster.

The 60-year-old Nessie hunter claims he had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to observe the elusive creature for up to ten minutes, after which it “slowly sank below the surface and never resurfaced.”

The sailor waited for nearly nine months to release the photo, taken on a Samsung digital camera. During that time, he sent the picture to US for analysis to make sure the image he captured really was the legendary Nessie.  (rt.com)

Southwest Airlines offers half off, then double charges

AN AIRLINE'S attempt to thank its online friends with a half-price ticket sale has backfired with customers inadvertently being billed multiple times.

Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Ashley Dillon blamed a "technology glitch" for the duplicate billings to debit and credit cards.

She said the US discount airline didn't yet know how many took advantage of their "luv2like" promotion that gave customers who booked flights on Friday a 50 per cent discount on certain fares.

She said officials at the airline were working to refund erroneous charges.

Frustrated customers have reported waiting hours to speak to customer service reps. Ms Dillon apologised.

The promotion was to celebrate the airlines' three million Facebook fans milestone.

'Glee' going high fashion with Anna Wintour

By Saeeda Zaib
Trends Correspondent, SAM Daily Times

American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour will be lending her fashion credentials to US television show Glee, with the program's co-creator Ryan Murphy taking to Twitter to reveal Wintour's role for the upcoming season four.

It was recently reported by Access Hollywood that Sarah Jessica Parker is set to play the online editor of US Vogue in the forthcoming series -- which debuts on US screens in September.

Now, Murphy has revealed Parker's good friend Wintour will be getting involved too, by lending her styling expertise.

"Guess who's helping us with Sarah Jessica Parker's costumes on GLEE? The amazing Anna Wintour!" he tweeted.

Wintour and Parker are regularly seen on the front row together during fashion week season, and have also worked together a great deal as keen supporters of US President Barack Obama's ongoing re-election campaign.

With Wintour having the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta and Marc Jacobs on speed dial, fashion fans now have the perfect excuse to tune into the high school glee club-based show which famously launched the careers of stars including Dianna Agron and Lea Michele.

Student Loan Interest Eliminated In Prince Edward Island

(from left) Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Alan McIsaac, UPEI Student Union President Kate VanGerven, Premier Robert Ghiz and Advanced Learning Minister Allen Roach at the Interest-Free Student Loans announcement at Holland College.

CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Island students will be able to access interest-free provincial student loans this fall.

Premier Robert Ghiz announced Friday that a zero per cent interest rate on the provincial student loan program will be implemented Oct. 1.

The program will apply to loans issued after Jan. 1, 2001.

A news release from the province says there are about 2,600 loans currently in repayment.

The government says the savings on the average loan in the first year of repayment will be about $1,000.

It says the initiative will cost the provincial government about $500,000 annually.

Victoria Beckham turns guest editor for Glamour

By Saeeda Zaib
Trends Correspondent, SAM Daily Times

Singer-turned-designer Victoria Beckham can now add fashion journalist to her list of credentials, as she has become US Glamour's first-ever guest editor for its September issue.

The British celebrity appears on the September 2012 cover wearing a tiara in a bubble bath, and in the accompanying interview she talks about her work, marriage and experience of guest editing -- notably coming up with her ‘fashion don'ts' for the publication.

"It's been exciting for me to see my ideas come to life, from type colors to photo selection to casting," explained the star.

"I even made my own list of Glamour fashion Don'ts to keep out of the issue: boat shoes (unless of course you're designer Alber Elbaz or on a boat!), Bermuda shorts, nose rings, Crocs, and American tan tights  (that's nude pantyhose to you)."

The star also discusses her famous pout, arguing that her signature look has developed in correlation with the rise of her eponymous clothing line.

"I actually used to smile a lot in pictures. I think I only stopped smiling when I got into fashion. [Laughs.] Fashion stole my smile! I've created this person. And I'm not saying that's not me, but I wouldn't say that's the whole me.... It's an armor that goes up," she mused.

Known as the most significant edition of any fashion magazine, publications regularly look to put the biggest stars on the covers of their September issue -- with other already revealed covers for September 2012 including Karlie Kloss on the covers of both Vogue Japan and British Vogue, and Keira Knightley for the September issue of Harper's Bazaar UK.

Scientists invent paper LEDs

Linköping University researchers have invented
 a method to apply LED lighting to paper. 

Scientists have discovered how LED lighting can be printed onto paper using nanotechnology, making futuristic novelties such as glowing wallpaper and luminescent curtains possible, Sweden’s Linköping University says.

Dr. Gul Amin and his research assistant Naved ul Hassan Alvimade made the breakthrough, which has a patent pending. The university announced the research late last month, which happened to be Amin’s doctoral thesis.

“This is the first time anyone has been able to build electronic and photonic inorganic semiconducting components directly on paper using chemical methods,” lead researcher professor Magnus Willander, said in a prepared statement.

The process is made possible by using nano-crystals of zinc oxide, an inexpensive material that is found in sunscreens. The material is stable, and would not require the protective coverings that are found on OLEDs (organic light-emitting diode), veteran journalist Alfred Poor noted in a blog post.

OLEDS are another flexible material that’s used for displays in some devices, but are remain fairly costly. I recall writing about the potential for OLED televisions to take the market by storm - 11 years ago. That clearly has not happened yet, so I am cautious predicting sweeping technology trends.

However, Poor already sees some interesting applications for “paper” LEDS. “The same technology could also be used to create sensors or photovoltaic solar cells. It is possible that this technology could both light your office and generate the electricity to power that lighting,” he wrote.   (smartplanet.com)