Korean musicians leading a new wave

Harian Padang.com-Korean band Super Junior performs at Nanjing Olympic Stadium in China last December as part of its Asian concert tour. Around 10,000 people gathered for the concert. The popularity of the Korean wave is allowing Korean bands to create new markets for pop music. Provided by SM Entertainment

Impact Arena, a large 12,000-seat concert venue in Bangkok, was full on Nov. 13 for Mnet's Ultimate Live in Asia, a global concert series organized by Mnet Media.

Fans screamed as Korean pop groups such as the Wonder Girls, 2PM, Beast and Four Minute appeared on stage. The crowd of mostly Thai citizens cheered and sang along to the Korean songs.

Ticket sales for the event had soared to 1 billion won ($869,000), according to Mnet Media.

This scene was a repeat of a concert by K-pop group Super Junior last December, in which the stadium was packed with around 10,000 people. The concert, at Nanjing Olympic Stadium in China, was part of the same series.

Mnet Ultimate Live in Asia, which started in August in Taiwan, is a vehicle for concerts by major Korean groups. Each concert has had attendance of more than 10,000 and each has brought in sales of at least 600 million won.

The concert series, and the huge crowds it attracts, provides strong evidence of the growing popularity of Korean bands that are blazing trails into new music markets throughout Asia.

With the downturn in the domestic music industry, Korean entertainment management agencies are focusing on organizing concerts overseas. And their concerts are selling out in Asia and beyond.

This year, Super Junior held a total of eight concerts in China, Taiwan, the Philippines and Malaysia. The total attendance from these concerts is estimated at 100,000 and, with a ticket price of about 80,000 won each, sales from the concerts are estimated at approximately 8 billion won.

The Wonder Girls, which entered the U.S. market last year, held 27 concerts in North America this year. And Girls' Generation drew audiences of 20,000 at a showcase in Tokyo in August. The group formally entered the Japanese market in early October, hitting first place on the Oricon chart, the Japanese version of Billboard.

Choi Sung-wook, an administrative manager with Mnet Media, said that concerts in other countries provide new opportunities.

"Concerts held throughout Asia can be a new market for Korean musicians", he said.

Groups that have not yet made a formal entry into overseas markets are also doing well. SHINee has already sold out of tickets at a 24,000-seat venue in Tokyo for a concert on Dec. 26, even though they have yet to make a formal debut in that country.

This wave sweeping through Asia is not just for up-and-coming K-pop groups. Even veteran musicians have benefited from the popularity of Korean music overseas.

Lee Moon-sae, who started his career in 1978, held a solo concert in Orchard Hall in Tokyo, Japan, this September that attracted 2,000 people.

Shin Seung-hoon, who is celebrating his 20th anniversary in the music business this year, is targeting the U.S. and Australian markets, building on his previous success in Japan.

And it's not just the live shows that are reigniting interest in Korean music.

Mnet's Asian Music Awards, which were held in Macau on Sunday, were shown live in a four-hour telecast in 13 countries on stations like TDM in Macau, GMM in Thailand and SCTV in Vietnam.

The Golden Disc Awards, sponsored by local daily Ilgan Sports, will be streamed live on MSN in seven Asian countries on Dec. 9.

By Chung Kang-hyun

Chevrolet HHR Review

Harian Padang.com-HHR (Heritage High Roof) is a retro styled Sports Utility Vehicle manufactured by Chevrolet division of General Motors. This vehicle was first launched in 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model. This vehicle shares General Motors’s Delta Platform with Pontiac G5, Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Astra and Saturn Ion. Chevrolet HHR is manufactured in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico and this vehicle is available in North America and HHR is also exported to Japan. This vehicle is awarded with Best SUV for 2006 and 2007 from Golden Icon. National based pricing of 2010 Chevrolet HHR is around $ 18, 720 which excludes destination charges.

Trim Levels and Options:

2010 Chevrolet HHR is offered with for wheel drive option. This retro styled vehicle is available in two different body styles which include traditional four drive five passenger wagon and two seat panel van. Panel Van is offered with windowless rear cargo panel doors, cargo floor storage, windowless rear cargo panel and 40 amp power plug for electronic equipment. This vehicle is available in three levels of trims which include Chevrolet HHR LS, Chevrolet HHR LT and Chevrolet HHR SS.

Chevrolet HHR LS Base trim is installed with 16 inch steel wheel, cruise control, powerful Air Conditioner, Keyless entry, split foldable rear seat, ON-Star, audio system with six Speakers, CD/MP3 Player, AUX-IN pin and Satellite Radio, flat and foldable front passenger seat and full power accessories.

Mid Range Chevrolet HHR LT trim contains two sub trim levels which include 1LT and 2LT. 1LT sub trim is offered with power driver seat, remote ignition and 16 inch wheel. 2LT sub-trim level is offered with front fog lights, 17 inch alloy wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel with audio controls mounted, pioneer audio system with seven speakers and a Subwoofer, 17 inch chrome alloy wheel and color keyed running board.

Top trim Chevrolet HHR SS trim is offered with standard audio system with six speakers and also available with Pioneer audio system as optional feature, sports tuned suspension system, powerful turbo charged engine, unique exterior styling, 18 inch alloy wheel and two toned interior fabrics.

Basic trim level Chevrolet HHR LS model is offered with few optional features which include rooftop, rear spoilers and luggage rack. 1LT is added with chrome wheels, leather upholstery, sunroof, heated front seats, fog lights, USB and Bluetooth ports for external connectivity. Pioneer audio system is optional for both 1LT and SS trim. Additionally SS trim can be fitted with brembo front disc and limited slip differential.

Engine and Performance:

Chevrolet HHR buyers can choose from three different variants. The engine offered with LS, mid range 1LT trim includes 2.2 L capacity V4 engine and 2LT is offered with 2.4 L capacity engine which is capable of generating 172 HP of power and 167 lb-ft of torque and this power train is available as an option for 1LT trim. Both engine variants are offered with five speed manual transmission and four speed automatic transmission as an option.

Chevrolet HHR SS trim is offered with 2.0 L capacity engine with four cylinders which cranks out 260 HP of power and 260 lb-ft of torque when mated with five speed manual gear box and when this engine produces 250 HP of power and 222 lb-ft of torque when mated with optional four speed automatic gear transmission.

Specification:

• Base Number of Cylinders: 4
• Base Engine Size: 2.2 liters
• Base Engine Type: Inline 4
• Horsepower: 155 HP
• Max Horsepower: 6100 RPM
• Torque: 150 ft-pounds
• Max Torque: 4800 RPM
• Maximum Towing Capacity: 1000 Pounds
• Drive Type: FWD
• Turning Circle: 36 feet

Mileage:

• City: 22 MPG
• Highway: 32 MPG
• Combined: 26 MPG

Design and Special Features:

2010 Chevrolet HHR is offered with high scores for its attractive and quiet passenger cabinchesBoth front and rear passenger seats are offered with ample head and leg room. Interior is offered with standard cloth upholstery and interior is also available with optional leather materials. Front passenger seat is foldable which creates additional cargo space for flat loads. Dashboard is decorated with easy to read gauges, climate and stereo controls are spontaneous and outward visibility is very good on wagon model. Some of interior spaces are offered with relatively cheap plastic material.

Source: http://blog.itechtalk.com

Many cows still in danger zone around Mt. Merapi

Harian Padang.com-More than 55,000 cows have yet to be evacuated from 20-kilometer danger zone radius from the troubling Mt. Merapi, an official says.

Most of them are sprawled in farm areas, like Sleman, Klaten, Magelang and Boyolali.

Division head of Merapi victim identification Ida Tjahajati said that originally there were a total of 61,884 cows in the 20-kilometer radius.

“We have only evacuated 6,787 cows so far. There are still 55,097,” Ida was quoted by kompas.com.

Ida said that huge number of cows left in the danger zone was among reasons why many residents whose cows yet to be evacuated often ignore the government's warning and keep entering the zone to feed their cattle.

N.Korea 'giving nuclear material to Iran, Syria'

Harian Padang.com-North Korea is supplying banned nuclear and ballistic equipment to Iran, Syria and Myanmar using "surreptitious" means to avoid international sanctions, according to a UN report released Friday.

China had blocked publication of the report which has been ready for six months, diplomats said.

North Korea is involved with "the surreptitious transfer of nuclear-related and ballistic missile-related equipment, know-how and technology" to countries including Iran, Syria and Myanmar, said the report.

A UN sanctions committee panel of experts called for heightened vigilance to stop the nuclear trade and for more detailed investigation into the sophisticated means used by North Korea to circumvent sanctions.

North Korea, known officially as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, "employs a broad range of techniques to mask its transactions, including the use of overseas entities, shell companies, informal transfer mechanisms, cash couriers and barter arrangements," said the investigators.

Since the last sanctions were imposed in June 2009, four "non-compliance cases involving arms exports" had come to light, the report said.

It did not give details but said North Korea used "masking techniques" including mislabelling containers, falsifying ships' manifests and destination details "and use of multiple layers of intermediaries, shell companies, and financial institutions."

The North is increasingly using foreign-owned ships and modern air freight jets which can now easily get from North Korea's main airports to the Middle East without refuelling and so avoid checks.

The experts said the Security Council should consider ordering North Korea to declare all air cargos before countries give overflight clearance.

The experts "expressed concern that certain countries, such as the Syrian Arab Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Myanmar, continue to be associated with the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea in regard to proscribed activities and believes that special attention should be taken by all member states to inhibit such activities.

North Korea staged one nuclear test in 2006 and claims it set off another nuclear device in 2009, when the last sanctions were imposed. The UN Security Council has banned trade in nuclear and ballistic material.

The UN has named eight entities and five individuals for asset freezes and travel bans. The report said the number involved was much higher and called on countries to name other banks and other entitities that should be added to the list.

North Korea had been involved in nuclear talks with China, the United States, Russia, Japan and South Korea. But the last talks were in late 2008 and the isolated North pulled out of the negotiations the following year.

International Atomic Energy Agency director Yukiya Amano said this week that the stand-off with North Korea was now "very bad".

The UN report said there were no signs that North Korea "is ready to move forward on denuclearization or to step back from its other existing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile development programmes."

The North "has continued to engage in activities proscribed by the relevant Security Council resolutions and has continued to boycott the six-party talks. It continues to market and export its nuclear and ballistic technology to certain other states.

China has been the North's main ally on the international stage and it had blocked the report since it was prepared in May, diplomats said.

Big German protests pressure Merkel before CDU meet

Harian Padang.com-Tens of thousands of people marched in cities across Germany on Saturday to protest against government policies and social inequality, a day before a key meeting of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU).

German union umbrella group DGB, which organised the demonstrations, said nearly 100,000 people had marched in Stuttgart, Dortmund, Nuremberg and Erfurt, voicing their displeasure with Merkel's coalition for offloading the costs of the financial crisis.

"We don't want a republic in which powerful interest groups decide the guidelines of politics with their money, their power and their influence," Berthold Huber, head of IG Metall, Germany's largest trade union, told demonstrators in Stuttgart.

He demanded higher wages and the introduction of a mandatory minimum wage to give workers a share in Germany's economic upswing, which is outpacing those of its European partners.

Merkel's CDU hold their annual congress from November 14-16 in Karlsruhe, which will be watched closely for signs of nervousness in party ranks.

Merkel's centre-right coalition with the Free Democrats (FDP) has been dogged by infighting and made little progress on its campaign promises in its first year in power, leading to a slide in its popularity.

CDU delegates will vote to re-elect Merkel as the head of the party on Monday and while the result is not in doubt, a drop in support for her leadership would highlight the level of dissatisfaction with her in the party.

Merkel has been criticised by some CDU members for not being conservative enough. Her centre-right bloc now trails the centre-left grouping of Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens in opinion polls.

Merkel addressed that criticism in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper to be published on Sunday, saying: "Those with conservative values have always had a home in the (CDU/CSU conservative bloc) and they will always have it there but they also have to ask themselves about the incredible pace of change today."

Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that the party should consider holding a formal vote when choosing future candidates for chancellor in what could be seen as a challenge to Merkel.

Von der Leyen is a candidate to become deputy leader of the CDU and is seen as a possible successor to Merkel, whose term expires in 2013 but who could decide to run for a third term.

Germany suffered its biggest postwar recession in 2009 but has rebounded strongly this year on the back of robust exports.

She is under pressure from her coalition partners to press ahead with tax cuts promised during the election campaign but shelved as the government shifted its focus to budget consolidation.

Last week, tens of thousands protested against the extension of lifespans of Germany's 17 nuclear power stations, and a plan to build a multi-billion euro rail station in Stuttgart despite widespread opposition has also prompted protests.

(Editing by Noah Barkin)

Aung San Suu Kyi freed

Harian Padang.com-Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has finally walked to freedom amid massive cheers from elated supporters who flooded the streets outside her home in Burma.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has been detained for 15 of the past 21 years, was greeted by jubilant crowds who had gathered in Rangoon in anticipation of her release.

Prime Minister David Cameron and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown both welcomed the end to her detention.

Mr Cameron said: "This is long overdue. Aung San Suu Kyi is an inspiration for all of us who believe in freedom of speech, democracy and human rights," he said.

"Her detention was a travesty, designed only to silence the voice of the Burmese people. Freedom is Aung San Suu Kyi's right. The Burmese regime must now uphold it."

Mr Brown said: "There will be joy round the world at the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world's most renowned and courageous prisoner of conscience."

Ms Suu Kyi, whose latest period of detention spanned seven and a half years, smiled broadly as she appeared at the gate of her compound.

Supporters had been waiting most of the day to see the 65-year-old.

Her release comes a week after the country's first elections in 20 years, which handed victory to the pro-military party but were condemned as a sham by critics.

She had been due for release last year but was convicted for violating the terms of her previous detention by briefly sheltering an American man who swam uninvited across a lake to her home.

Ms Suu Kyi took up the democracy struggle in 1988 and was thrust into a leadership role primarily because she was the daughter of martyred independence leader General Aung San.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990, having been detained on national security charges and put under house arrest the previous year.

She was released in 1995 but has spent much of the time since then in detention, either in jail or under house arrest.

Student riot suspect bailed

Harian Padang.com-A 23-year-old man suspected of throwing a fire extinguisher at police from a roof during this week's student fees protest has been released on bail., Scotland Yard said.

The student at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, was arrested on Friday after police officers scoured footage of Wednesday's riot, which saw protesters storm Millbank Tower, which houses the Conservative Party headquarters.

The man, originally from Reading, Berkshire, was held on suspicion of violent disorder and questioned at Parkside police station in Cambridge before his release last night.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "He has been bailed to return to a London police station pending further inquiries."

Violence broke out during a protest against government plans to triple university tuition fees as part of a programme of deep spending cuts designed to pay-off Britain's record budget deficit.

Tens of thousands of students were peacefully demonstrating before things turned ugly. Rioters besieged the Conservative headquarters, smashing through the front windows, trashing the lobby and attacking the police.

Top Police Federation representatives have called for the person who flung the extinguisher to be charged with attempted murder after it narrowly missed riot squad officers. It did not cause any injuries.

Police, politicians and student leaders are still raking over the fall-out from the violence, which caught them by surprise and left 41 police officers hurt, seven of them requiring hospital treatment.

A total of 56 people have been arrested, 35 of them men and most of them students. Ten are aged under 18, one is in his early 30s and the remaining 45 are aged between 18 and 26.

The fire extinguisher incident was one of the defining moments in the four-hour stand-off, the first violent protests since the budget cuts were unveiled last month.

Repairing the destruction caused as demonstrators ran amok could cost tens of thousands of pounds (dollars, euros)

Lloyds sheds 420 personal finance jobs

Harian Padang.com-The latest round of redundancies come as Lloyds, 41 percent government-owned after accepting taxpayer-funded support during the financial crisis, closes personal loans unit Black Horse Personal Finance to new business, the bank said on Tuesday.

Lloyds, Europe's fourth-biggest bank, has been cutting jobs as part of its effort to integrate ailing mortgage lender HBOS, which it acquired in a government-brokered takeover in 2008.

Lloyds' Black Horse motor finance unit remains open for business, and existing Black Horse Personal Finance customers will be unaffected, the bank said.

(Reporting by Myles Neligan; Editing by Golnar Motevalli)

Volkswagen eyes rehaul of trucking: report

Harian Padang.com-Volkswagen wants to rehaul its trucking activities by boosting its interest in Sweden's Scania while transferring its share in German truck firm MAN to its Nordic rival, the weekly Spiegel reported.

Company name	Last price	Percentage change

In its edition to appear Monday, Spiegel said Volkswagen's plans would see the German auto giant boosting its share in Scania to between 75 to 80 percent -- compared with the current 46 percent -- and transferring its 30 percent stake in MAN to Scania.

Scania would then make an offer to MAN shareholders to be the main owner and ultimately merge with MAN, Spiegel reported.

MAN currently holds a 13.4 percent stake in Scania, which it once tried to take over.

Volkswagen could not be immediately reached for comment.

Last July Scania said it was studying a collaboration with MAN to manufacture spare parts.

Facebook to revamp messaging service - source

Harian Padang.com-Facebook will unveil changes to its messaging system at a press event on Monday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Skip related content

The changes to the messaging service will be "across the board," the person said, a move that could further escalate the competition between the world's No. 1 Internet social networking site and Google Inc.

Google, which controls roughly two-thirds of the global search market, offers the third-most popular Web email service, behind Microsoft Corp and Yahoo Inc, according to Web analytics firm comScore. Last week, Google began blocking Facebook from importing user contact data from its Gmail email service.

A report on the technology-focussed blog TechCrunch on Friday said that Facebook, whose social networking service has more than 500 million users, will introduce a full-fledged Web-based email product on Monday along with providing users @facebook.com email addresses.

A Facebook representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier this week, Facebook emailed reporters an invitation to a "special event" in San Francisco on Monday, November 15, which the company said was being held in advance of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's talk at the Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco the following day.

While the invitation did not offer any details about what will be discussed at the event, the design of the invitation featured a checkered blue-and-red border similar to classic air mail envelopes, sparking speculation on many technology-focussed blogs.

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing by Gary Hill)

Golfer Greg Norman marries birdie No. 3 in Caribbean ceremony

Harian Padang.com-Golfer Greg Norman and his fiancée Kirsten Kutner have married barefoot and wearing white on a private island in the Caribbean.

Father of two Greg, known as the Great White Shark, and Kirsten, a Sydney-born interior designer and a mother of two, wed last week.

Australian Greg, 55, has revealed that only the couple's immediate family were there.

Newlyweds: Greg Norman and Kirsten Kutner, pictured here in June, have married in the Caribbean

Ex: Norman with his second wife, tennis star Chris Evert

He told Australia's New Idea magazine: 'Kirsten walked down the aisle on her own - we were all waiting for her.

'To me, she is the most beautiful woman in the world. She looked stunning.'

Kirsten, 41, said it was a small but memorable celebration.

'We wanted something very intimate with just us and the family. It was very relaxed - a beautiful family reunion.'

Greg divorced his first wife, Laura Andrassy, in 2006 after 25 years together.

He married tennis star Chris Evert in the Bahamas in 2008, but the marriage only lasted 18 months.

He revealed his new relationship with Kirsten less than six months after divorcing Chris.

Lorraine Kelly battles the elements as she kicks off digital crossover countdown in a very windy Scotland

Harian Padang.com-This weekend's persistent rain and heavy winds have not exactly provided the best weather conditions for some outdoor promotional work.

Something that Lorraine Kelly found out yesterday when she found herself battling the elements in front of the cameras in a very breezy Scotland.

The TV presenter was caught in a very strong gust of wind as she started the country's digital countdown.

Breezy: Lorraine Kelly laughs as she caught up in a strong gust of wind as she launches Scotland's month countdown to its digital switchover

Thigh's the limit: The wind gets the better of Lorraine Kelly yesterday

She was posing with a cardboard cut out of a television screen when her tartan dress was whipped up by the weather.

Thankfully for Lorraine, 51, her blushes were spared as the sudden gust only flashed her knee-high boot clad slender legs.

The chat show host was in Edinburgh to begin the six month countdown until Scotland becomes a fully digital country.

Thar she blows: Lorraine hold tightly onto her cardboard TV screen as she fights the wind

Ever the professional: Lorraine regains control of her prop and smiles broadly for the cameras

She joined Digital UK's national manager Paul Hughes and the company's mascot Digit Al in the city's Festival Square for the countdown.

One in five Scottish households have already switched to digital and next summer, analogue terrestrial TV services for four million viewers across the country will start being turned off, as the switchover reaches it's final stages.

And Lorraine said it was an exciting change and reassured people not to worry about making the change.

Digital buddies: Lorraine poses with Digital UK's mascot, Digit Al

She said: 'For everybody on TV the switch over means that your programme is going to be seen by everybody.

'I don't think it's a sad thing to be turning off the analogue terrestrial TV because I do think that digital is an improvement and we all have to move with the times.

'I think people are a wee bit anxious about moving to digital but they shouldn't be. They don't have to go out and buy a big shiny new TV.'

Reassurance: Lorraine and Digital UK national manager Paul Hughes said people shouldn't be worried about switching to digital TV

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1329372/Lorraine-Kelly-kicks-digital-crossover-countdown-windy-Scotland.html#ixzz15BlX6DQ6

Two of Kate Gosselin's sextuplets 'expelled' from school for 'bad behaviour'

Harian Padang.com--Home trouble: Kate Gosselin's children Alexis and Collin are allegedly being home schooled after being expelled

It seems the falling ratings for her reality show are not the only thing causing Kate Gosselin concern these days.

According to reports, two of her six-year-old sextuplets Collin and Alexis, have been expelled from their private school - allegedly for bad behaviour.

'They've fought with their peers, called them nasty names and made fun of other kids,' a source close to the family told In Touch magazine.

'The things they are saying are not words they should know.

'They are learning them somewhere - but Jon [Gosselin, their dad] doesn't know where.'

The source also claimed that some of Kate's eight children have been having 'rage issues' - one of the girls was previously suspended for two weeks after hitting a classmate.

A source told The New York Post that Kate's 'number one concern is protecting her children and is keeping this personal situation as a private matter that she works out with her kids.'

Big brood: Kate took her eight children back to school shopping near their Pennsylvania home in August

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1329249/Two-Kate-Gosselins-sextuplets-expelled-school-bad-behaviour.html#ixzz15BkN4mzv

Japanese 3D singing hologram Hatsune Miku becomes nation's strangest pop star

Harian Padang.com-She is cute, stylish and has had a number one chart-topping single.

But Japan’s newest and biggest pop star differs from most of her peers in one crucial aspect: she is a hologram.

Hatsune Miku has taken the music scene by storm in her native Japan where her concerts are always sold out and are full of screaming, adoring fans.

Now, like something out of a science fiction film, videos have emerged which show Miku on tour in Japan, singing a selection of hits.

Scroll down to watch Hatsune Miku perform 'live' in concert

Holographic singing idol Hatsune Miku has taken Japan by storm - and plays to sold out crowds

Miku is a digital avatar created by Japanese technology firm Crypton Future Media that customers can purchase and then program to perform any song on their computer.

She is supposed to be 16 years old and five foot two inches tall but her makers have given little away about her personality.

Crypton uses voices recorded by actors and then puts them through Yamaha’s Vocaloid software to create its characters.

Miku’s voice was created by taking vocal samples from the voice actress Saki Fujita. All of the samples contained a single Japanese sound which when strung together would create full words and phrases.

Her music and image have proved so popular that she has now gone on a sell-out tour where thousands of fans wave light sticks and scream as if she is a real-life pop star.

Thousands of fans wave glow sticks as Miku performs on stage with a live backing band

Miku has already had a number one single and is now on tour

It is the first time a hologram has been used on stage in this way, moving and strutting just like a real pop star.

Gorillaz, the band fronted by Damon Albarn, used projected holograms at the MTV music awards in 2005 and 2006 but these were projected onto a back screen, rather than in full three dimensions.

Miku has become such a star that she already has a fan club, Facebook page and has set up ‘her’ own record label. She has also appeared in a number of episodes of popular Japanese anime TV programs.

She performed her first ‘live’ concert in 2009 and has also travelled to Singapore on tour.

In March 2010 three metal plates with Hatsune Miku’s image etched on them were placed on board Japanese spacecraft Akatsuki and sent into space after a nationwide petition with more than 14,000 signatures demanded she be included.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1329040/Japanese-3D-singing-hologram-Hatsune-Miku-nations-biggest-pop-star.html#ixzz15BfIMSm3

Embezzlement, Peculation, and Connotation

by Maeve Maddox
Harian Padang.com-In a previous DWT post Michael argues that there’s no such thing as a true synonym because a word’s connotation always colors its denotation.

Commenting on the article, a reader refuted Michael’s argument with the words peculation and embezzlement:

I have found one [an exception], and i dont know why it exists. Peculation; definition is “embezzlement” in other words peculation means embezzle embezzlement etc..so thus embezzlement and peculation are of identical meanings. Which makes no sense to me.

Technically, the words do mean the same thing: “taking money that belongs to someone else.” However, there is a useful distinction that many writers observe.

Embezzlement is used for the sneaky crime of a private citizen, while peculation applies to the act of misappropriation of money and contracts by persons in high places. Embezzlement is a crime against an employer; peculation is a betrayal of the public trust.

Ex-Macon teller pleads guilty in embezzlement

2 ex-Fort Peck employees guilty of embezzlement

every one of [the government] ministers has helped in tile work and is guilty of peculation on a gigantic scale…

The second governorship of Clive was marked by … the enforcement of stringent regulations against the besetting sin of peculation.

Although the connotations of many words are the same for large numbers of readers, personal associations can color the way a listener or reader reacts to a given word. For example, for most people the word mother probably carries positive connotations of warmth and nurturing. For the child of an abusive or mentally-ill woman, however, the feelings stirred by the word mother might be negative. Apart from such personal associations, words acquire connotations for us as we encounter them in our reading.

Vocabulary acquired from wide reading brings connotation along with denotation.

denotation: The meaning or signification of a term.

connotation: That which is implied in a word in addition to its essential or primary meaning.

A failing of present day education is the practice of teaching vocabulary chiefly by means of word lists or “vocabulary books.” Vocabulary lists should be used for review; children can best acquire a lasting vocabulary by reading books like Treasure Island and A Tale of Two Cities. A sense of the connotation of words is developed by reading the words in a variety of contexts.

source: http://www.dailywritingtips.com

England 35 Australia 18: Johnno's all greys ooze class and confidence

Harian Padang.com-England may have been dressed in grey but their performance was anything but as Martin Johnson's men stormed to a sensational victory over Australia.

Chris Ashton scored twice and Toby Flood produced a faultless kicking display as England sealed back-to-back victories over the Wallabies for the first time since the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.

Australia had no answer to England's dynamism as Martin Johnson's men roared into a 26-6 lead before Kurtley Beale struck back with two tries for the Wallabies.

Too fast: Chris Ashton skips away from Australia's Drew Mitchell to score his second try

But Flood rounded off the victory with two more penalties which carried him and England, who had not beaten a Tri-Nations team at home in four years, into record territory.

Flood's 25 points was the highest individual score in the history of Tests between the two sides.

England had never before scored more than 32 points against the Wallabies and this equalled their largest margin of victory against Australia.

The Rugby Football Union had taken the controversial decision to dress England in a colour officially described as anthracite.

It was a blatant marketing ploy but Johnson will be happy for his men to wear it every week if the charcoal grey ignites a performance like England produced today.

Lift off: England's Chris Ashton jumps to score a try

Twickenham was illuminated by the livewire scrum-half Ben Youngs, who was named man of the match, by the powerful ball-carrying of Nick Easter and Tom Palmer and by Ashton's try-scoring.

As ever, the build-up had been dominated by the anticipated culture clash between England's powerful pack and Australia's lethal back division.

But Johnson had said in the week that the age of winning Tests by "sticking it up your jumper" had passed and England proved today there is more to their game.

There were signs of it in a rousing second-half performance against the All Blacks last weekend but they came too late. Today England tore into the Wallabies from the outset.

Despite their early ambition, which saw breaks from Flood and Mike Tindall, England were fortunate not to fall 6-0 down as O'Connor missed two shots at goal when the Wallabies had barely touched the ball.

Full force: England's Chris Ashton barges through the Australia defence to score

But England remained composed, winning a vital lineout in their own 22 and Palmer then put in a huge tackle in midfield to win a turnover.

Youngs combined with Flood and Tindall to launch England upfield. When Tindall eventually was hauled down, Australia conceded the penalty and Flood slotted the points.

England were making yards with every carry, with Easter and Palmer to the fore. And when Beale sliced a clearance into touch, England won clean lineout ball and pounced.

Shontayne Hape crashed across the gainline. Tindall and Mark Cueto carried it on. Tom Croft collected the popped pass and off-loaded to Ashton, who held off two Australian defenders to score.

O'Connor struck the post with his third shot at goal but he was soon given another chance after England were penalised at the scrum, much to Dan Cole's bemusement.

This time O'Connor, whose last-gasp conversion seal the Wallabies' victory over New Zealand in Hong Kong a fortnight ago, found his radar and Australia were on the board.

But England had their tails up. When Matt Giteau was penalised for holding on, Youngs took a quick tap to launch another counter-attack from inside his own half.

Youngs swapped passes with Flood and then poked a grubber kick through. O'Connor collected but he was immediately swallowed by England defenders who snatched the turnover five metres out.

Big hit: Toby Flood, left, is tackled by Australia's James O'Connor

With Twickenham roaring him on, Croft drove for the line. The England flanker was stopped short but a try was there for taking and Giteau knew it.

The Australian centre stuck a boot in to prevent Youngs from swinging the ball wide. Giteau was sin-binned and Flood accepted the shot at goal, which he landed.

Flood cancelled out O'Connor's second penalty shortly after the restart before Australia mounted their first real assault on the red rose line.

But when Will Genia darted himself he was swallowed up by a combination of Flood, Tindall and Palmer, England snatched the turnover and scored one of the great Twickenham tries.

Youngs spotted the opening and sent Courtney Lawes away down the blindside. The dextrous lock then slipped the pass to Ashton who roared clear to score from 85 metres and send Twickenham into ecstasy.

On the charge: Mark Cueto breaks free from the tackle of Adam Ashley-Cooper and James O Connor

Ashton still had to beat Drew Mitchell but he stepped inside and out-stripped the Wallaby winger to score under the posts, leaving Flood a simple conversion, and England led 26-6.

Australia found a toe-hold in the game when Beale scored a brilliant individual try, breaking England's line and then chipping over Foden before touching down.

It did nothing to dampen England's confidence. Cueto surged through two tackles straight from the restart and when Nathan Sharpe was penalised for holding on Flood slotted another penalty.

Australia struck again when Hartley missed his jumpers on halfway and Genia's replacement Luke Burgess snatched possession and raced clear before off-loading to prop James Slipper.

Moody hauled the replacement prop down but Australia recycled the ball quickly and Beale crashed over.

But still England tore into the Wallabies, with Cueto scything through their defence, and Flood sealed a famous victory with two more penalties.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-1329428/England-35-Australia-18-Johnnos-greys-ooze-class-confidence.html#ixzz15BbyGl1X

Boy, 3, died from meningitis 'three days after doctors refused to give him urgent appointment'

Harian Padang.com-A family claim their sick three-year-old son died three days after he was turned away from a medical centre without being seen by doctors.

Obed-Edom Bans was simply offered Calpol - even though he had an emergency card as a sickle-cell sufferer.

He became seriously ill and three days later he was rushed to hospital, where he died from meningitis.

Obed-Edom's parents took the shivering youngster to a medical centre, but said they were not seen and were given a appointment for a week's time

Now health officials in Croydon, South London have launched an inquiry into the death of Obed - who had been due to celebrate his fourth birthday with his twin brother Benjamin this month.

A spokesman for NHS Croydon said: 'We are treating this case as a serious untoward incident.'

The boy's grieving family took Obed to Fieldway Medical Centre in New Addington on October 19 after his temperature rose and he began shivering. But staff could not make him an appointment for seven days.

His mother Akua, 45, said: 'It was obvious something was wrong, but they would not see him - even though I was showing his emergency card.

'If he was checked that day, they could have saved him, but he died before the appointment they gave him.'

She added that a nurse phoned later to say they could issue a Calpol prescription, but they 'still would not see him,' Mrs Bans said.

Three days later, Obed was found unconscious at his New Addington home.
He was rushed by ambulance to St George's Hospital in Tooting, but died there on October 23. A post mortem found he died from meningitis.

A spokesman for Battersea Coroner's Court said: 'This child died at St George's Hospital on October 23. There is not going to be an inquest.'

Dr Richard Bamgboye from Fieldway Medical Centre said: 'We have been advised by the NHS not to comment on this case.'

Amelia Lyons, a spokeswoman for NHS Croydon, said: 'NHS Croydon wishes to extend their deepest sympathy to the family of three-year-old Obed-Edom Bans following his sudden death last month.

'NHS Croydon is treating this case as a serious untoward incident and a thorough investigation is currently underway.

'It would therefore be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1329122/Boy-died-meningitis-3-days-doctors-refused-urgent-appointment.html#ixzz15BYUoLz5

I'm A Celebrity 2010: Sheryl Gascoigne only agreed to join jungle camp for a £95,000 fee

Harian Padang.com-She was asked earlier in the year to be a contestant on this series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here but turned the offer down.

But it would seem all it took to persuade Sheryl Gascoigne to reconsider was a bit more money - £95,000 to be precise.

The ex-wife of England and Tottenham Hotspur star Paul is this year's highest paid contestant after being offered four times the £25,000 originally offered.

Surf's up: Sheryl catches the sun before heading into the jungle

Beach babe: Sheryl poses in a flattering black one-piece on the beach in Queensland

Speaking today, she admitted that the money was the reason she decided to jet out to Australia and join the jungle camp.

She said: 'If I'm brutally honest, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

More...

• Let the bikini wars begin! Stacey Solomon and Sheryl Gascoigne have a swimwear face-off as they get ready to head into camp

'I said no earlier in the year and then they came back to me and said, "Somebody is jittery, will you come in and we will give you X amount?" When I picked myself up from the floor I was like "Yep, OK". The financial pull has been big.'

I'm A Celebrity bosses are said to be hoping that the big fee will be enough to get her to talk about her life with Paul, who she divorced in 1998 after accusing him of domestic violence.

Offer she couldn't refuse: Sheryl Gascoigne only agreed to take part in this year's I'm A Celebrity for a £95,000 fee

Sheryl also admitted that she is embarrassed about being asked as she doesn't consider herself a celebrity.

But she said she hopes the show will give her the chance to turn around public opinion about her, after the fallen star branded her a 'wicked vulture' for making a documentary about him.

She said: 'I'm sure there are a lot of long hours in there to fill and we'll all get talking. I hope that people will see the real me.'

Surf's up: Sheryl enjoys a day on the Gold Coast before she heads into the jungle

Sheryl and Paul married in 1996, and he adopted her two children - Bianca and Mason - from her first marriage, and had a son of their own, Regan.

And she said her children are really excited that she's on the show and have jetted out to Australia with her and will be waiting when she comes out of the jungle.

Sheryl said: 'The hardest thing for me is definitely being away from the children, particularly my youngest son Regan

“Regan and I are very close and being away is going to be really tough.'

Mother's love: Sheryl's son Regan and daughter Bianca - seen here with her in her 2009 documentary - have flown to Australia with her

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1329368/Im-A-Celebrity-2010-Sheryl-Gascoigne-agreed-join-jungle-95k-fee.html#ixzz15BXcFNBz

Hunt for fire extinguisher thrower continues

A man was arrested and then released on police bail in Cambridgeshire yesterday by officers hunting for the protester who threw a fire extinguisher from a roof at Wednesday's anti-tuition fees demonstration.

The fire extinguisher was thrown after protesters swarmed into Millbank Tower, the Westminster building that houses the Conservative party's headquarters. The incident, which police say could have led to the death of an officer, was caught on video.

The man, 23, understood to be from Reading and studying at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, was arrested by Cambridgeshire police at the request of the Metropolitan police. He was held at Parkside police station in Cambridge, the police said.

In a statement, the Met said: "Police in Cambridgeshire, on behalf of the Metropolitan police service, arrested a 23-year-old man on suspicion of violent disorder. This arrest follows an investigation into public disorder on Wednesday 10 November where a fire extinguisher was thrown from the roof of Millbank Tower."

Last night Scotland Yard said another teenager had been arrested in Folkestone, Kent, in connection with the disturbances. He is not suspected of being involved in throwing the fire extinguisher. The student, thought to attend university locally, was the 56th person to be arrested.

Yesterday a man claiming to be a territorial support group officer told the BBC how the metal object narrowly missed him: "It landed right behind me – literally no more than six inches," he said.

"I think somebody would have been visiting my wife and children and saying I was either dead or very seriously injured, the height that it was dropped from."

After seeing the extinguisher land, the crowd turned against those on the roof, shouting: "Stop throwing shit".

Chris Allison, Met police assistant commissioner, said: "Clearly that is a very serious offence and we are attempting to bring the person who did that to justice."

Paul McKeever, the chairman of the Police Federation, said that whoever threw the fire extinguisher should be charged with attempted murder.

Yesterday the Met revealed that 10 of the 56 people arrested during the disorder were under 18 and most of the others were students aged between 18 and 26.

An Anglia Ruskin spokesman said: "We understand that one of our students was arrested earlier today in connection with the incident at Millbank Tower. We are co-operating fully with the police in their inquiries."

Activist websites have published instructions for those worried they may be identified and arrested in the aftermath of the violence.

Suu Kyi tastes freedom

YANGON - Myanmar’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi walked free today from the lakeside home that has been her prison for most of the past two decades, to the delight of huge crowds of waiting supporters.

Waving and smiling, the petite but indomitable Nobel Peace Prize winner appeared outside the crumbling mansion where she had been locked up by the military junta for 15 of the past 21 years.

Loud cheers and clapping erupted from the thousands of people who had gathered outside her house under the tropical sun for a glimpse of the 65-year-old dissident, known to her supporters simply as “The Lady”.

Someone threw her a flower which she put in her hair. Earlier people had surged forward towards her home as police removed barricades blocking the way.

Although she has been sidelined and silenced by the junta — occasionally released briefly only to be put back in confinement — for many in the impoverished nation she still embodies hope of a better future.

“I think of her as my mother and also my sister and grandmother because she’s the daughter of our independence leader General Aung San,” said 45-year-old Naing Naing Win.

“She has her father’s blood.” Despite the risks of opposing the military regime in a country with more than 2,200 political prisoners, many supporters wore T-shirts bearing her image and the words: “We stand with Aung San Suu Kyi.” Undercover police were photographing and filming the crowds.

Myanmar’s most famous dissident has been under house arrest since 2003 — just one of several stretches of detention at the hands of the ruling generals.

Her sentence was extended last year over a bizarre incident in which an American swam uninvited to her lakeside home, sparking international condemnation and keeping her off the scene for the first election in 20 years.

The democracy icon swept her party to victory in elections two decades ago, but it was never allowed to take power.

Suu Kyi’s party boycotted Sunday’s vote, which was widely decried in the West as a sham.

When last released in 2002 she drew huge crowds wherever she went — a reminder that years of detention had not dimmed her immense popularity.

Some fear that junta chief Than Shwe will continue to put restrictions on the freedom of his number one enemy.

But her lawyer Nyan Win has suggested she would refuse to accept any conditions on her release, as in the past when she tried in vain to leave Yangon in defiance of the regime’s orders.

Her struggle for her country has come at a high personal cost: her husband, British academic Michael Aris, died in 1999, and in the final stages of his battle with cancer the junta refused him a visa to see his wife.

She has not seen her two sons for about a decade and has never met her grandchildren.

Her youngest son Kim Aris, 33, arrived in Bangkok ahead of her release but it was unclear whether he would be allowed to visit his mother.

Suu Kyi’s freedom is seen by observers as an effort by the regime to tame international criticism of Sunday’s election, the first since the 1990 vote.

Western nations and pro-democracy activists have blasted the poll as anything but free and fair following widespread reports of intimidation and fraud.

The NLD’s decision not to participate in the election deeply split Myanmar’s opposition and Suu Kyi’s party has been disbanded, leaving her future role uncertain.

Little is known about her plans although her lawyer says she has expressed a
desire to join Twitter to reach out to the Internet generation.

Few expect her to give up her long struggle for freedom from repression and attention is now on whether she can reunite the splintered opposition and bring about the democratic change that has eluded Myanmar for so long. - AFP

Read more: Suu Kyi tastes freedom http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/SuuKyiappearsoutsidehouse_AFP/Article/#ixzz15B1WlKkH