Thursday, August 2, 2012
Weightlifter Sa Jae-hyouk suffers gruesome injury [Video]
Apple seeks $2.5 billion from Samsung
A letter addressed to judge Lucy Koh, who is overseeing the high-profile case, explains why Samsung chose to leak the excluded documents to specific media outlets. Filed by John B. Quinn of Samsung's law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan yesterday, Apple's legal team found its explanation to be unsatisfactory.
In response, Lee wrote:
"Mr. Quinn's declaration does not adress two of the Court's questions: who drafted the statement and who released it. Samsung's multiple references to the jury in its statement make plain its intent that the jurors in our case learn of arguments the Court has excluded through the press."He continued:
"This deliberate attempt to influence the trial with inadmissible evidence is both improper and unethical."That, naturally, is not the end of the matter. Apple is planning to file "emergency motion for sanctions" as well as "other relief that may be appropriate." In other words, the technology giant doesn't plan to let Samsung get away with it.
The evidence in question? In addition to internal emails that suggested Apple's iPhone designs were based on ideas gleaned from Sony products, the South Korean company wanted to submit data on its F700 smartphone design, which predates the iPhone. In a statement released to CNET, Samsung stated that "excluded evidence would have established beyond doubt that Samsung did not copy the iPhone design."
After being excluded, the company took the issue into its own hands, releasing the evidence with an accompanying statement to the press.
Now the jury has been chosen and evidence has been debated and on occasion excluded, the trial will resume on Friday with the continued testimony of Apple SVP Phil Schiller. The patent infringement battle between the companies is based on both accusing the other of violating design and technology patents.
Apple is seeking $2.5 billion in financial damages.
Obama signed a secret order supporting Syria's rebels
Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorising US support
for rebels seeking to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his
government, sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters.
Obama's
order, approved earlier this year and known as an intelligence finding
broadly permits the CIA and other US agencies to provide support that
could help the rebels oust Assad.
This and other developments
signal a shift toward growing, albeit still circumscribed, support for
Assad's armed opponents – a shift that intensified following last
month's failure of the UN security council to agree on tougher sanctions
against the Damascus government.
The White House is for now apparently stopping short of giving the rebels lethal weapons, even as some US allies do just that.
But
US and European officials have said that there have been noticeable
improvements in the coherence and effectiveness of Syrian rebel groups
in the past few weeks. That represents a significant change in
assessments of the rebels by western officials, who previously
characterised Assad's opponents as a disorganised, almost chaotic,
rabble.
Precisely when Obama signed the secret intelligence authorisation, an action not previously reported, could not be determined.
The full extent of clandestine support that agencies like the CIA might be providing also is unclear.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to comment.
A US government source acknowledged that under provisions of the presidential finding, the United States was collaborating with a secret command centre operated by Turkey and its allies.
Last
week, Reuters reported that, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Turkey
had established a secret base near the Syrian border to help direct
vital military and communications support to Assad's opponents.
This
"nerve centre" is in Adana, a city in southern Turkey about 60 miles
(100 km) from the Syrian border, which is also home to Incirlik, a US
air base where US military and intelligence agencies maintain a
substantial presence.
Turkey's moderate Islamist government has
been demanding Assad's departure with growing vehemence. Turkish
authorities are said by current and former US government officials to be
increasingly involved in providing Syrian rebels with training and
possibly equipment.
European government sources said wealthy
families in Saudi Arabia and Qatar were providing significant financing
to the rebels. Senior officials of the Saudi and Qatari governments have
publicly called for Assad's departure.
On Tuesday, NBC News
reported that the Free Syrian Army had obtained nearly two dozen
surface-to-air missiles, weapons that could be used against Assad's
helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Syrian government armed forces have
employed such air power more extensively in recent days.
NBC said the shoulder-fired missiles, also known as Manpads, had been delivered to the rebels via Turkey.
On
Wednesday, however, Bassam al-Dada, a political adviser to the Free
Syrian Army, denied the NBC report, telling the Arabic-language TV
network Al-Arabiya that the group had "not obtained any such weapons at
all." US government sources said they could not confirm the Manpads
deliveries, but could not rule them out either.
Current and former
US and European officials previously said that weapons supplies, which
were being organised and financed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, were
largely limited to guns and a limited number of anti-tank weapons, such
as bazookas.
Indications are that US agencies have not been
involved in providing weapons to Assad's opponents. In order to do so,
Obama would have to approve a supplement, known as a memorandum of
notification, to his initial broad intelligence finding.
Further
such memoranda would have to be signed by Obama to authorise other
specific clandestine operations to support Syrian rebels.
Reuters
first reported last week that the White House had crafted a directive
authorising greater US covert assistance to Syrian rebels. It was
unclear at that time whether Obama had signed it.
Separately from the president's secret order, the Obama administration has stated publicly that it is providing some backing for Assad's opponents.
The
State Department said on Wednesday the US government had set aside a
total of $25m (£16m) for "non-lethal" assistance to the Syrian
opposition. A US official said that was mostly for communications
equipment, including encrypted radios.
The State Department also
says the United States has set aside $64m in humanitarian assistance for
the Syrian people, including contributions to the World Food Program,
the International Committee of the Red Cross and other aid agencies.
Also
on Wednesday, the US treasury confirmed it had granted authorisation to
the Syrian Support Group, Washington representative of one of the most
active rebel factions, the Free Syrian Army, to conduct financial
transactions on the rebel group's behalf. The authorisation was first
reported on Friday by Al-Monitor, a Middle East news and commentary
website.
Last year, when rebels began organising themselves to
challenge the rule of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Obama also signed
an initial "finding" broadly authorising secret US backing for them. But
the president moved cautiously in authorising specific measures to
support them.
Some US lawmakers, such as Republican Senators John
McCain and Lindsey Graham, have criticised Obama for moving too slowly
to assist the rebels and have suggested the US government become
directly involved in arming Assad's opponents.
Other lawmakers have suggested caution, saying too little is known about the many rebel groups.
Recent
news reports from the region have suggested that the influence and
numbers of Islamist militants, some of them connected to al-Qaida or its
affiliates, have been growing among Assad's opponents.
US and
European officials say that, so far, intelligence agencies do not
believe the militants' role in the anti-Assad opposition is dominant.
While
US and allied government experts believe that the Syrian rebels have
been making some progress against Assad's forces lately, most believe
the conflict is nowhere near resolution, and could go on for years. The Guardian
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Chinese Gymnastics Kids: Training with Tears, Sweat, & Dreams
One movement repeated so many times, even hundreds of times. One set of movements practiced for five years. Every year, more than 30 children join the gymnastics team, but very few are able to stick with it. “Every year there are so many talented children who give up on training, which is so saddening,” says the coach. Photographed by Zhang Yuan. [click to enlarge]
The little kids practice using their tender hands to stand upside-down. Coach Xia repeats over and over again the essential elements, correcting the kids’ posture one by one. “Those who do it well can come down earlier, otherwise they have to keep standing upside-down.”. Upside-down undershorts have become a characteristic sight in the gymnasium.
Chain reaction: If one child utters a cry, it will prompt the entire group of children to cry, and the more they cry, the louder it gets. At this time Coach Xia will “tempt” them with snacks.
Four lively “little bats” hanging there resting.
“Look at my hands, this is called ‘magnesium powder’, which Coach Xia says can prevent slipping”, Man Ni says while raising up both of her hands.
In order to do toe point, the children must endure walking several laps with their toes bent under every day.
Curled toes cramping, the pain of stretching muscles causes the child to cry loudly. Coach Xia says this is what a gymnast trainer must endure.
Because 6-year-old Xuan Xuan comes from Gansu province, she can’t bear the hot humid climate of the south and has heat rashes all over her body that are both painful and itchy. Applying some floral water, the pain causes Xuan Xuan to cry out, as her mother hurries to help by blowing on her skin. Heartbroken over the suffering of her child, but wishing a bright future for her child even more, she can’t give up half way because of a moment’s weakness, especially when her child herself likes the sport and has talent. Xuan Xuan’s mother can only watch and bury her own hurt in her heart.
In her determined expression is also a kind of numbness, having become accustomed to training like this every day, as well as screaming from pain daily, persisting on.
When break time comes, the children’s innate natures burst forth, playing games, running around chasing each other, where everything in a room with only exercise everything can be a toy, even a ray of sunlight. Two children compete to see whose eagle can fly higher.
After doing a set routine, one also has to repeat a movement many times, even hundreds of times. Just one routine needs five years of practice.
Pain is present every day, but the children persevere, for their own dreams of becoming champions.
“Abs that one can brag about in front of their classmates are developed like this.” Boys don’t complain so much. Whatever the coach says to do, they do, and can complete their tasks very quickly.
Boys are more mischievous, always liking to show off whenever they see the camera.
The children’s innate natures can be seen after training.
The children’s innate natures can be seen after training.
The children’s innate natures can be seen after training.
Coach Xia says there aren’t many people learning gymnastics these days, that parents who don’t see achievements after one to two years of training will abandon it. “Every year there are many talented kids who give up training, which is really disappointing.”
A giant “gold” character is hung on the wall, bright red and hot, always searing itself into the young hearts and minds of the children. “Children with this kind of dream and who can stick [with the training] are few and far between. Most parents will feel for their children, and end up burying a good seedling [wasting a child with good potential],” says Coach Xia regrettably. “A child who can successfully take this path, most should thank their parents for persevering.”
Here, childhood is spent on balance beams, parallel bars and vaults, because in here lie their dreams. Three and a half year old Man Ni doesn’t know what this is all about, only aware that she likes walking on a balance beam, swinging on the uneven bars. Her childhood, just like that of other kids, belongs to sweat and tears.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Would you pay $2,300 for a hot dog?
A fancy rooftop bar in New York City, 230 Fifth, has created a “haute” dog with a price tag of $2,300.
What goes into such a wiener? More than mustard, we can tell you courtesy of Zagat’s:- Marbled Wagyu beef, dry aged and laced with black truffles
- Brioche bun smeared with white truffle butter
- Fancy saffron-infused catsup and French mustard
- Onions caramelized in Dom Perignon champagne and 100-year-old balsamic vinegar that costs $389 a bottle (the vinegar is pricier than the champagne, folks)
- Sauerkraut with platinum osetra caviar
- Relish made with $10 pickles
- Edible gold leaf
This dog has been created for a good cause: City Harvest, a charity group dedicated to feeding underprivileged men, women and children in the New York City area, according to msnbc.com.
To put this charity event into perspective, just one hot dog sold will help feed a whopping 9,200 people.
The haute dog will be available next week, when a photo of it will also be available, according to spokeswoman Shelley Clark. If you’re in Manhattan next week and want to order one, call 212-725-4300 and give them 48 hours notice. Or email info@230-fifth.com with “Hot Dog” in the subject line.
Houston is the ‘coolest’ city in America, according to Forbes
Move over Austin, L.A. and the Big Apple.Forget Dallas and San Antonio.
Stuffy old Houston is now the “coolest” big city in America, according to Forbes.
The business website used seven “data points” in ranking 65 of the largest metro areas in the U.S.
Those criteria include entertainment, arts and culture, restaurants and bars, median age and employment stats.
The Bayou City’s growing job market and a younger median age of 33 helped make it No. 1, beating out D.C., Los Angeles, Dallas and Seattle in the top five. No. 9 San Francisco edges out New York, followed by San Antonio as the 11th coolest city.
Austin ranks No. 19, sandwiched between Minneapolis and No. 20 Denver. The only other Texas winner in the Top 20 was Fort Worth, at 13th.
See the Top 20 list here, with photos.
Moon flags likely lost their stripes
Despite harsh conditions and the ravages of time, the U.S. flags planted on the moon in the past 43 years are still standing and casting shadows at all but one of the landing sites. This remarkable fact comes to us via images made recently by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, a robotic spacecraft orbiting the moon on a 3-D mapping mission.Scientists have long speculated that all the flags except for one planted during the Apollo missions were still there, based on their shadows, reports rawstory.com.
But the flags are probably not red, white and blue anymore, as Paul D. Spudis pointed out for symbolism in his airspacemag.com blog post about the end of the shuttle era a year ago:
Over the course of the Apollo program, our astronauts deployed six American flags on the Moon. For forty-odd years, the flags have been exposed to the full fury of the Moon’s environment – alternating 14 days of searing sunlight and 100° C heat with 14 days of numbing-cold -150° C darkness. But even more damaging is the intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the pure unfiltered sunlight on the cloth (modal) from which the Apollo flags were made. Even on Earth, the colors of a cloth flag flown in bright sunlight for many years will eventually fade and need to be replaced. So it is likely that these symbols of American achievement have been rendered blank, bleached white by the UV radiation of unfiltered sunlight on the lunar surface. Some of them may even have begun to physically disintegrate under the intense flux.
America is left with no discernible space program while the Moon above us no longer flies a visible U.S. flag. How ironic.
The only Apollo landing site with no standing flag is the first one, Apollo 11′s. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin reported that the flag was blown over by the exhaust from the ascent engine during liftoff.
In this April 1972 photo, astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, salutes the U.S. flag at the Descartes landing site during an extravehicular activity. The Lunar Module ‘Orion’ is on the left with the Lunar Roving Vehicle parked beside. (NASA / AFP PHOTO / HANDOUT)[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dtcdmjOaE?feature=player_embedded]
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