Uni students paid to go to Asia under new Federal Government program

THOUSANDS of Australian tertiary students will gain access to small study grants to travel to Asia from next year, the Federal Government will announce today.

The Gillard Government will commit $37 million over three years to a new Asia-Bound Grant program, with between $2000 and $5000 offered to young adults undertaking short work/study periods abroad in an Asian country.

The scheme aims to promote work in Asian countries to the benefit of both the students and the host organisation.

Flinders University will be among the institutions involved at the Australian end through its support of the Volunteer for Visayans Community Feeding Project in the Philippines.

Student placements will entail "planning, budgeting and support in the daily feeding of up to 35 pre-school children".

The new program is part of the Government's Asian Century White Paper process and is designed to foster stronger links, and to integrate Asian language and culture more fully into Australian post-school education.


Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans will announce details of the new scheme today in Canberra which will also feature $1000 grants for Asian language preparatory study and $1000 top-up grants for "intensive language training".

"Asia-Bound will support more than 10,000 Australian students to enjoy the experience of living and studying in an Asian country," he said.

He said the program had been designed to provide Australians with "the opportunity to build lifelong professional networks and friendships".

"In addition, all Australian students, across all disciplines, will have greater support to take up part of their study in Asia," he said.

"Through the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, we aim to have a larger number of Australian university students studying overseas and a greater proportion undertaking part of their degree in an Asian country by 2025."

Senator Evans said the next generation of Australian leaders "will need to be increasingly Asian-literate and these are skills best learnt by experiencing Asia first-hand".

"The updated scheme means low-cost, student-friendly loans to give more students assistance to take some of their study overseas."

- adelaidenow.com.au

The Loneliest Planet (2011)

The Loneliest Planet is a 2011 thriller film written and directed by Julia Loktev, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Hani Furstenberg, and first-time actor Bidzina Gujabidze. The plot centers around a local guide who takes a young couple through a twisted backpacking trip across the Georgian wilderness.

The film had its international premiere at the 2011 Locarno International Film Festival followed by its North American premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. It then went on to be featured during the New York Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival, and the 2011 AFI Fest in Los Angeles, where it won the Grand Jury Prize. On March 24, 2012, The Loneliest Planet was awarded the top prize of "Lady Harimaguada de Oro" (The Golden Lady) at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival, where actress Hani Furstenberg also won for Best Actress. On April 14, 2012 the film also won the Golden Tulip International Competition award at the 31st International Istanbul Film Festival.

On October 11, 2011, it was announced that Sundance Selects, a division of IFC Films, had acquired North American distribution rights. The film's theatrical release in the United States is scheduled to be October 26, 2012.

Storyline: Alex (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Nica (Hani Furstenberg) are young, in love and engaged to be married. The summer before their wedding, they are backpacking in the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia. The couple hire a local guide to lead them on a camping trek, and the three set off into a stunning wilderness, a landscape that is both overwhelmingly open and frighteningly closed. Walking for hours, they trade anecdotes, play games to pass the time of moving through space. And then, a momentary misstep, a gesture that takes only two or three seconds, a gesture that's over almost as soon as it begins. But once it is done, it can't be undone. Once it is done, it threatens to undo everything the couple believed about each other and about themselves.

R&B singer Natina Reed hit and killed by car in Georgia

(Reuters) - Natina Reed, a member of the R&B singing trio Blaque, was struck and killed by a car as she walked in a major roadway in Georgia, police said on Saturday.

Reed, who also appeared in the cheerleader movie "Bring It On" in 2000, would have turned 33 on Sunday.

She was struck by a car at about 10:30 p.m. Friday on a state highway just north of the Atlanta suburb of Lilburn, Gwinnett County Police Sergeant Rich Long said.

The car's driver called 911 and a passenger performed CPR but Reed was pronounced dead at an area medical center, police said. Authorities ruled the driver was not at fault and no charges were expected to be filed, Long said.

Investigators were trying to determine why Reed was in the road, Long said.

As part of Blaque, Reed performed the 1999 hits "Bring It All to Me" and "808" with fellow members Shamari Fears DeVoe and Brandi Williams.

Reed's fellow group members said in a statement on Saturday that Blaque had recently reunited and the group was working on an album and a reality show.

"My world as I know it has forever changed," DeVoe said on Twitter on Saturday. "Until we meet again, may you find comfort in the arms of an angel. I love you Natina."

African Travel introduces new brochure

African Travel, Inc. is delighted to announce the release of the 2013 brochure with an exciting array of new adventures to Africa. With a fresh new look and a new design, with more photos and much more information, travelers will find it easier than ever to create a personalized Africa dream vacation. As the longest established tour company focused exclusively on Africa, African Travel, Inc. is devoted to providing the very best in completely customized safaris. Whether you choose a Popular Journey, featuring world-renowned game parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, or an Extraordinary Experience for a more off-the-beaten-path adventure, every tour is designed just for you and for the dates you choose to travel.

According to Jim Holden, President of African Travel, Inc., “African Travel’s 2013 brochure continues from the rebranding done last year using the new logo and product positioning to demonstrate our new tag line, “We Know Africa.” The new look, feel and content of the brochure is based upon extensive research carried out with both consumers and agents to determine what is expected of a tour operator’s brochure dedicated to promoting safaris to Africa. The new brochure includes sample itineraries to use for planning tailor-made safaris and reintroduces small group journeys for those travelers who prefer to travel in the company of other travelers rather than on their own.”

Kim Severini, CTC, VP of Sales and Marketing for African Travel, Inc. adds, “We are very excited about the fresh new design of the brochure. We have added new layouts, including day-by-day itineraries and full pricing for each; new photography; new factoids that are fun and helpful to the reader; and overall, there are a lot more choices and much more information for planning a safari.”

With the concept of traveler’s choice in mind, African Travel, Inc. is also introducing Small Group Journeys with set departures to popular safari destinations in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. With a maximum group size of 12 guests, travelers will still enjoy the same personal service and quality accommodations with the added advantage of a dedicated guide and the camaraderie of traveling with others.

African Travel, Inc. is also introducing a new “family” itinerary for 2013. Jim Holden explains, “Africa is a perfect destination for families to reconnect and spend time together, while enjoying the thrill of a wildlife safari, encountering animals up-close at conservation centers, and getting to know the culture and traditions of local children and families. It’s an enriching experience for the whole family and a great way to celebrate such life milestones as anniversaries, birthdays and graduations.”

Britain's Debenhams, ASOS buck retail gloom

LONDON (Reuters) - British retailers Debenhams and ASOS laid out plans to deliver future growth overseas as their rising profits showed their resilience to weaker home market conditions.

Both Debenhams, Britain's No. 2 department store group, and ASOS, the fast-growing online fashion retailer, have bucked the gloomy trend in the sector, dogged by weak consumer confidence.

Shares in Debenhams, up 59 percent over the last year, rose 6 percent after it increased its target for online sales to 600 million pounds ($961.8 million) from 500 million through the next three to five years.

The group also upped its target for overseas franchise stores from 130 to 150, with a focus on new openings in the Middle East and Asia.

Debenhams currently trades from about 170 stores in Britain, Ireland and Denmark, and 71 overseas franchise stores.

The group, which ranks behind rival John Lewis in terms of annual sales, also posted a 4.2 percent increase in full-year pretax profit to 158.3 million pounds, against a forecast 157.5 million, driven by its breadth of products, appeal to a range of customers and multiple routes to market.

Yet the company did not see any general upturn in the sector, where Argos parent Home Retail for example has just posted an 18 percent drop in first-half underlying pretax profit and is closing stores.

"We've seen no significant change in consumer confidence in the last six to nine months and customers are acclimatizing to what life is like in these challenging economic times," said Chief Executive Michael Sharp.

FURTHER PROGRESS

Sharp expects the UK to be as competitive as last year in the run-up to Christmas, the main selling season for most retailers. He does not anticipate a significant improvement in the economic environment in 2013 but said he does expect Debenhams to make further progress.

ASOS posted an expected 40 percent rise in yearly profit as strong trading in overseas markets more than offset slower growth in the UK, and said it was positive on the outlook.

The retailer, which targets young women looking to emulate the designer looks of celebrities such as Nicole Scherzinger and Pixie Lott, made a proforma underlying pretax profit of 44.5 million pounds.

UK retail sales growth of 10 percent was dwarfed by international sales growth of 64 percent.

As well as the UK, the company has websites in the United States, Australia, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. "On a daily basis on the planet we are the most visited fashion website for 15 to 34 year olds," CEO Nick Robertson told Reuters.

He said that by this time next year the group will have set up local language websites in both China and Russia.

"These are just two more markets which we will start small and gradually build," he said.

Prior to Thursday's update, ASOS shares had risen 90 percent so far this year, hitting a record 2,571 pence last week. But the stock was down 8 percent at 2,302p at 0951 GMT (0551 EDT), after Robertson played down recent re-heated speculation of a possible bid from Amazon.Com Inc .

"What I can categorically say is I have haven't spoken to (Amazon CEO) Jeff Bezos for three years," he said.

(Editing by Kate Holton and David Holmes)

Windows 8 phones out to stand apart from rivals

SAN FRANCISCO —

Microsoft set out to win over iPhone and Android gadget devotees with Windows 8 smartphones, new devices that emphasize individualism and unify digital lives in the Internet cloud. The global rollout of Windows 8 phones, set to begin in Europe this weekend, is the final piece in a Microsoft operating system transformation aimed at harmonizing the technology titan’s software and hardware for mobile lifestyles.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said, It has been for us an exciting and energizing few days, while unveiling the slick new smartphones at a media event in San Francisco. Windows PCs really are the best PCs ever and today we are bringing phones into the Windows family with Windows 8.

Microsoft launched its latest generation Windows operating system, hit the market with Surface tablet computers and opened scores of temporary pop-up stores that have drawn crowds interested in Windows 8 devices. Windows Phone 8 is the final component in Microsoft’s new equation and shares a user interfaced based on tiles that can be personalized with people’s pictures, applications, games, music and more.

Microsoft corporate vice president Joe Belfiore said that Microsoft was out to re-invent a smartphone experience that has for years basically consisted of a locked screen that opens to rows of icons. We decided not use that tired old metaphor and came up with our own way that puts people at the center of the experience.

Microsoft’s online shop is stocked with more than 120,000 applications tailored for Windows 8 phones and the number is growing. Analysts have long contended that hip, fun, or functional apps are crucial to the success of smartphones.

Microsoft partnered with Facebook to optimize a Windows 8 version of the leading social network’s application that includes serving up slide shows of personal pictures to handset lock-screens. A live apps feature allows for sports scores, messages, images or other data to be streamed to an ever-changing lock-page on phones, a demonstration showed. A Twitter application was also tailored with Windows 8, and a specially designed Skype app is in the works, 

Ballmer touted the ability to personalize Windows 8 phone screens with apps, images and data to make devices “uniquely yours” by “pinning” tiles. He also highlighted how people Microsoft’s Internet “cloud” storage service SkyDrive could be used to synch everything from Word documents to music across phones, personal computers, and Xbox 360 videogame consoles.

Ballmer also provided glimpses at “killer hardware” that included Nokia, Samsung and HTC handsets with big screens and sleek lines.

Windows 8 smartphones will roll out around the world in November and December.

Head of iPhone software out in Apple shakeup

SAN FRANCISCO —

Apple  announced that the executive in charge of Maps, Siri and other software in its culture-changing iPhones is leaving as part of a shakeup in the upper ranks of the company.

Apple chief Tim Cook said the departure of Scott Forstall and enhanced roles of Jon Ive, Bob Mansfield, Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi were part of a move to better integrate hardware, software, and services. Cook also said, We are in one of the most prolific periods of innovation and new products in Apple’s history.

Launches in the past two months of iPhone 5, the mobile operating system iOS 6, iPad mini, iPad, iMac, MacBook Pro, iPod touch, iPod nano along with applications result from relentless focus on tightly integrating world-class hardware, software and services. Analysts credit the Apple ecosystem of coveted apps, beautiful gadgets, and carefully curated services such as iTunes with making the company a dominant player in modern mobile Internet lifestyles.

Forstall had been billed as one of the Apple executives with the potential to be a captivating pitchman for the company’s products, helping to fill the shoes of late co-founder Steve Jobs at launch events. Forstall will leave Apple next year and serve as an advisor to Cook until his departure. Siri virtual personal assistant and Maps software will be added to Cue’s online services group, which includes iTunes and the App Store.

Apple apologized last month for its glitch-ridden maps application in the new operating system used by the iPhone 5 and urged customers to use rival programs while improvements are made.

Apple said, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

Apple developed its own mapping program included in its new mobile iOS 6 operating system, and in doing so booted off Google Maps, which had been the default program for Apple devices. But the new Apple program immediately drew scorn for omitting key landmarks and cities, failing to identify correct locations and distorting views from its images.

It was not clear whether the Maps debacle was a factor in Forstall’s departure. Federighi will head the teams behind the operating software for Apple mobile devices and Macintosh computers.

Microsoft-Apple redux: the empire strikes back

NEW YORK —

It used to be that Microsoft was the evil empire, and Apple the scrappy underdog. Now the roles are reversed, and Microsoft is challenging a dominant Apple, which has staked its claim as the leader of the sizzling mobile sector for tablets and smartphones, as well as the biggest seller of digital music.

Microsoft, still the biggest force in the PC market with its Windows operating system, is making a new, belated effort on Apple’s turf. The Redmond, Washington-based giant has launched its own branded Surface tablet with prices and specifications similar to those of the iPad, and a new Windows 8 operating system designed for tablets.

Microsoft also is making an aggressive push in mobile phones with its Windows Phone 8 platform being used by Nokia, Samsung, HTC and others. And it has created its own music service as an alternative to Apple’s iTunes, with 30 million songs and additional features offered by Internet radio operators.

Microsoft is the challenger now, and it is taking a lot of pages from Apple’s playbook, Microsoft is learning from Apple about the advantages of  having control of the integrated stack,  meaning software and hardware, along with other services to keep users within the company’s ecosystem.

Kash Rangan, analyst at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, said Microsoft appropriately priced the new tablet starting at $499, the same as the entry-level iPad. This will avoid cannibalization of products which impact the Windows franchise. And because Microsoft will include its Office software in the tablets, they appear less pricey to users relative to iPads.

In music, Microsoft is making a new offensive with its Xbox music service more than a year after it pulled the plug on its Zune digital media player, a would-be rival to Apple’s iPod. With the various initiatives, Microsoft is seeking to build an ecosystem like Apple, which can deliver the devices and services to remain connected to consumers.

By 2016, we believe that Microsoft will have about 27 percent of tablet unit sales, but only about 14 percent of smartphone sales and some of us are very skeptical they’ll even get to 14 percent.

Google unveils large tablet, revamped Nexus lineup

NEW YORK —

Google unveiled a large-format tablet computer to compete against the original iPad as part of a revamped line of its Nexus devices, and touted a new music service for Europe. Google said on its blog that its Nexus 10, a rival to the market-leading iPad, would be the highest resolution tablet on the planet and would offer settings for multiple user accounts.

The Nexus 10 appeared to be the firm’s entry into the 10-inch screen tablet market pioneered by Apple, which last week unveiled a smaller seven-inch iPad mini to be sold alongside its 10-inch original iPad. Google also said it would be selling its Nexus 7, which has a seven-inch screen, with mobile access for GSM networks worldwide. And Google unveiled its Nexus 4, a smartphone with a 4.7-inch screen manufactured with South Korea’s LG.

Google said the music offerings on Google Play, the firm’s online store, would be launched in Europe on Nov 13, with a new feature to allow music in a customer’s online collection to be automatically uploaded to the cloud. It will be offered in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Google also said, We’ll scan user music collection and any song we match against the Google Play catalog will be automatically added to user online library without needing to upload it, saving you time. This will be available in Europe at launch on Nov 13 and is coming to the US soon after. This will all be for free, free storage of user music, free matching, free syncing across user devices and free listening.

Google had scheduled a news conference in New York for the announcement but canceled the event due to Hurricane Sandy. The entry-level Nexus 10 will be sold at $399, or about $100 less than the least expensive iPad, starting Nov 13 in the U.S., Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan.

Nexus 7, which was launched earlier this year, is available in the same countries, and the version with mobile data will go on sale Nov 13 in those countries except for Japan. Nexus 4 will be offered in the U.S. through T-Mobile and unlocked in Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada.

How to Monitor Your Teen’s Online and Texting Activity to Keep Them Safe

It's tricky being a parent these days, especially when technology is involved. On one hand, parents want to give  kids the independence to make decisions on their own, learn from those actions, and mature accordingly. On the other hand, they're still consider as a baby no matter what the age  and parents want to protect them as best parents can.

Today’s teens spend an average of 7.5 hours a day connected to some type of electronic device, and most know a lot more about the Internet and technology than their parents. From online solicitations, to sexting, to befriending some less-than-desirable characters, many parents have no idea what their children are doing on the phone, online, or in the real world. This can lead to mistakes caused by youthful inexperience, which can haunt a child and parent forever. 

While some adults believe that parental control settings on Internet browsers offer protection, the average desktop browser can’t filter everything, and these safeguards can be easily bypassed by a savvy computer user; and, if a young person is motivated enough, they can be very savvy. “Friending” your child on Facebook is also not a solution since most kids know how to configure their privacy settings to show parents only the things they want you to see. It's the same with cell phones, because there's really no way to track someone's texting and call activity. Or is there?

A new online service called TeenSafe is making it easy for parents to keep their children safer, while offering young people the freedom they need and want to grow independently.

Some of the things TeenSafe lets you view include:

• All of your child's mobile phone text messages  including deleted messages
• A real-time and historical map tagged with your child's phone location so you know where they're at
• Your child's Facebook activity, including feeds, photos, private messages, and friend interactions
• All of your child's phone contacts, call history, and much more

The program is available on all Android phones  is extremely simple to use, and comes with step-by-step instructions; user can even add multiple children at no additional cost. The reporting dashboard parents easily view all the info at a glance, and parents can do it without being a nag or disrupting your child's life. Just log in from any computer and you're good to go.

If you do discover problems and need information on how to best approach it, or if you want to speak with a professional for assistance, TeenSafe can facilitate that as well. The site offers parents the ability to chat in real time with licensed family counselors who can help.

So whether you're giving your child a cell phone for the first time and want to insure it's being used wisely, or have an older teen needing a parent's guidance TeenSafe is the smartest option for protecting your child anonymously and with confidence.

Best of all, TeenSafe is currently offering their service free for 7 days. Just sign up and see what a powerful tool it is before deciding if it's right for your family. If you end up liking TeenSafe, they'll simply charge your credit card the subscription rate of only $9.99 a month.

NASA's new spaceship comes together for 2014 test launch

The pieces are coming together for NASA's newest spaceship Orion, with its first unmanned launch test scheduled for September 2014. The Orion space capsule is designed to carry humans farther into the solar system than they've ever been by taking trips to the moon, asteroids and Mars.

It will be the first new spaceship built by NASA since the space shuttle was developed in the 1970s. The space agency is planning to outsource travel to low-Earth orbit, including the International Space Station, to the private space sector, allowing NASA itself to focus on traveling beyond.

Orion was originally conceived as a next-generation spacecraft, called the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, under NASA's now-defunct Constellation program. When that program was cancelled by the Obama administration, the Orion design was carried forward as the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. The engineering team behind the capsule has weathered political ups and downs, but say they are glad to be approaching flight time for the craft.

Orion first test flight will be called the Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT 1), and will include a test of more than half the systems that will appear in the ultimate finished Orion. These include its heat shield, which is a totally novel design made of a special composite material and an ablative coating deigned to burn off as the capsule re-enters Earth's searing atmosphere for the trip home. EFT 1 will also test the capsule's primary structure design and put its avionics and computer systems through their paces.

On the surface, Orion looks like a modernized Apollo capsule. Both vehicles are cone-shaped and launch vertically atop heavy-lift rockets. However, the similarities are only skin deep.

Where Apollo could carry three astronauts to the moon, Orion is bigger and can take four. The 1960s-era Apollo capsule featured computer technology inferior to that of a smart phone, while Orion is controlled by state-of-the-art technology. Its heat shield is composed of entirely new materials, and many other features are wholly novel.

Between now and EFT 1, the NASA teams are working with the capsule's prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, to finish construction of Orion's systems and assemble them together. The primary body for that test vehicle is finished, while the heat shield still needs about six months more. Its avionics computers are undergoing testing now. Eventually, the whole vehicle will be put together in Florida at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.

Headline Nov1,2012/

''INTELLIGENCE IS NOT TO REASON BUT TO SEE!''

12. A study conducted at the University of Melbourne's Center for Eye Research concluded a relationship between intelligence and short-sightedness.

13. Breathe in. To appear more confident you should ''take a deep breathe to send more oxygen to the brain,'' suggests body language expert Peta Fletcher.

14. Be confident. ''People trust a confident person because they seem more assured,'' says behaviour analyst Leah Butler Smith.

15. Fix your posture. The majority of social communication is body language. ''If you have a tendency to slouch, people will think of you as lazy, shy or stupid,'' says life coach Rebekah Fensome.

16. Broaden your mind. ''Intelligence involves openness to a variety of views,'' says Dr Keith Frankish of the Open University. ''Do not just listen to people you agree with, read varied subject matter and select books you would not normally choose.''

17. Talk about yourself in the third person. ''People do not realise the power that comes with it.'' insists stand-up comedian Mike Birbiglia. ''It turns whatever you say into fact.''

18. Confuse your audience with double negative.''Whether you are enlightening them or not, they will not dare question you and you would not sound intelligent in any situation,'' says comedy coach Steve North.

19. Say you are smart. ''If you tell people you are intelligent they will start to think of you that way. It's called the self-fulfilling prophecy,'' says psychologist Rose Aghdami.

20. Fade to grey. Everybody knows grey hair equates intelligence, so ditch the dye.

21. Stop swearing. ''People have a tendency to find conversation peppered with bad language less valuable,'' says psychologist Roberta Galluccio Richardson, which is obviously a Royal pain! Hahaha!

Many thanks to !WOW! and with special dedication to all Professors of the world!

Good Night & God Bless.

Erin Gallagher, Irish Teen, Commits Suicide After Battle With 'Vicious' Cyberbullying

A 13-year-old girl took her own life over the weekend after enduring "vicious online bullying," reports say.

According to the Irish Independent, Erin Gallagher of Ballybofey was reportedly found dead by relatives on Saturday night. The teenager had allegedly "warned her tormentors" that she was intending to commit suicide only 24 hours before.

"U prob think it was funny when [I] f**in put a rope round my neck cause of yous [sic]," she wrote on Friday in a post on ask.fm, a popular social networking site. Her comment had reportedly been directed at an anonymous person who had been bullying her.

Among other things, the young girl had allegedly been taunted about "her weight and looks." The Sun reports that Gallagher had once said getting bullied was her greatest fear.

Gallagher's death is the "third high-profile apparent suicide linked to cyberbullying in a matter of weeks," the Irish Examiner writes.

Earlier this month, Canadian teen Amanda Todd committed suicide after enduring years of being bullied online and offline. In a YouTube video posted in September, Todd described being blackmailed, taunted and assaulted by online acquaintances and schoolmates alike.

Just six weeks ago, another Irish teen, 15-year-old Ciara Pugsley, took her own life after "being bombarded with hate messages" on ask.fm.

Pugsley's father, Jonathan, told the Irish Independent that he was "completely devastated" that another young cyberbullying victim had committed suicide.

"It is outrageous that this is happening to another young teenager. I'm devastated for that family and heartbroken again," he said.

In the wake of Gallagher's death, a Facebook tribute page honoring the life and mourning the loss of the young girl was set up by the teen's friends and family.

Almost 5,000 people have already offered their support, with some calling for a charity run in Gallagher's name and the banning of ask.fm.

- Huffingtonpost.com

Hurricane Sandy Gives Cable TV Ratings Spike

Hurricane Sandy brought strong winds, heavy rains, and a ton of viewers stranded at home watching the news.

By Monday morning, the storm pushed other news stories aside and dominated broadcast and cable news channels throughout the day and evening. Hurricane Sandy brought a ratings spike to cable news channels, with Fox News bringing in the most total viewers and CNN winning in the coveted A25-54 demographic in both total day and primetime programming.

Throughout its daylong programming (6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.) Fox News brought in a total of 2.28 million total viewers, with 528,000 viewers in the demo. CNN won the demo, bringing in 546,000 viewers and a total of 1.4 million total viewers.

During primetime, Fox News brought in a total of 3.5 million viewers, with 875,000 viewers in the demographic. CNN won the demo by bringing in more than 1 million viewer, and a total of 3.4 million viewers. MSNBC came in third place, with a total of 1.4 million viewers, and 477,000 in the demo.

Students at Cava mela turning trash into art

MYSORE: The students of Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (Cava) are making the best use of trash to turn them into pieces of art. Such works are being displayed at two-day Cava mela that began on Tuesday.

BFA II student Kishore has created birds using corks, while MFA student Nagendra has made a camel using pipes. Shylesh has made a modern charkha using discarded cycling gym equipment, while another student has made a spider web using used tyres.

Cava dean V S Deshpande said that their students have created works using waste and resources available in the college.

This is the eighth year of Cava festival, and students have come out with innovative works. Deshpande said that Nagendra, I year student of Master of Fine Arts, has designed a camel using pipe and discarded materials.

Cava Mela has been a platform to learners to explore their creativity. This is unique because it attracts alumni every year. Yogananda, an alumnus said that students have come out with works based on issues like Cauvery river water dispute and price rise of essential commodities. A student is also creating awareness about the impact of male chauvinism.

Gautham, Srikrishna and Yashwanth have created a mock "final procession" of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on the lines of the one they saw at a recent agitation in Mandya. Poornima and her classmates have highlighted the sufferings of common man due to price rise through their work. Bhavanishankar and Kishore have depicted the suicide of mother and her girl child by jumping into a well. Kishore explains the work, saying that the mother has taken the drastic step following harassment by her husband and in-laws for not delivering a boy.

Nagaprasad has made a pen stand using waste papers. The shapes of Buddha, folk art and tribal faces created on soaps by Shrithin are on sale.

Shylesh, the creator of a modern charaka, said that he was given cotton to create an art work during a national art festival. The same inspired to come out with a charaka at Cava festival.

Manju of photo journalism department has made an image of a gorilla to use it as background to take pictures of visitors wanting to pose with the large African ape. The students have also created an image of an elephant and a ship in front of the college.

- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Eating More Meals Linked to Less Student Overweight

TUESDAY, Oct. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking soda, watching TV and playing video/computer games increased the risk that students would gain weight or remain overweight, while eating more meals each day and playing school sports reduced the risk, according to new research.

The 18-month study looked at the impact of the Healthy, Energetic, Ready, Outstanding, Enthusiastic Schools (HEROES) program implemented by schools in southern Indiana, northwestern Kentucky and southeastern Illinois.

The program is meant to improve students' health through changes in physical education, nutrition, health promotion efforts for school staff and students' families, and community involvement.

The study included more than 5,300 students at 11 schools. The findings confirm the connection between higher levels of soda consumption and childhood obesity, and support the recent New York City ban on sales of supersized sodas and other sweetened beverages, said study author Dong-Chul Seo, an associate professor in the School of Public Health at Indiana University.

The finding about the association between the number of meals students eat daily and their weight has not been widely studied, the researchers say.

"Thus, encouraging students to maintain a regular meal pattern with at least three meals a day appears to be a good strategy to help students achieve healthy weight," Seo said in a university news release.

The study is scheduled to be presented Tuesday at the American Public Health Association annual meeting in San Francisco.

The Welborn Baptist Foundation, located in Evansville, Ind., funded the program. The goal is to turn around the high rates of childhood obesity in the 14 counties they serve, Seo said.

The study also found a school's socioeconomic states had an impact on students' weight. Those at poorer schools were more likely to be overweight or to gain weight. This could be because richer schools offer more nutritious foods and physical activity, or it could be due to peer influence, Seo suggested.

By focusing on the modifiable risk factors identified in this study, schools and families may be able to help children achieve and maintain a healthy weight, he said.

Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines how parents can help their children maintain a healthy weight.

- HealthDay.

Afghanistan hosts first professional boxing match

A sell-out crowd is expected to watch the
"Fight 4 Peace" 

Afghanistan is hosting its first professional men's boxing match amid tight security in the capital Kabul.

The 12-round bout is for the vacant World Boxing Organisation Intercontinental middleweight belt.

German-born Afghan boxer Hamid Rahimi is taking on Tanzanian Said Mbelwa for the title.

The match is being broadcast live, with millions of Afghans across the country expected to watch.