""
Jumat, 30 Agustus 2013
Saturn Moon Titan Sports Thick Icy Shell & Bizarre Interior
" The tough icy shell of Saturn's largest moon Titan is apparently far stronger than previously thought, researchers say.
These surprising new findings add to hints Titan possesses an extraordinarily bizarre interior, scientists added.
Past research suggested Titan has an ocean hidden under its outer icy shell 30 to 120 miles (50 to 200 kilometers) thick. Investigators aim to explore this underground ocean in the hopes of finding alien life on Titan, since virtually wherever there is water on Earth, there is life. [See more photos of Titan, Saturn's largest moon]
To learn more about Titan's icy shell, planetary scientist Doug Hemingway at the University of California, Santa Cruz, analyzed the Cassini probe's scans of Titan's gravity field. The strength of the gravitational pull any point on a surface exerts depends on the amount of mass underneath it. The stronger the pull, the more the mass.
The researchers then compared these gravity results with the structure of Titan's surface. They expected that regions of high elevation would have the strongest gravitational pull, since one might suppose they had extra matter underneath them. Conversely, they expected regions of low elevation would have the weakest gravitational pull.
What the investigators discovered shocked them. The regions of high elevation on Titan had the weakest gravitational pull.
"It was very surprising to see that," Hemingway told SPACE.com. "We assumed at first that we got things wrong, that we were seeing the data backwards, but after we ran out of options to make that finding go away, we came up with a model that explains these observations."
To explain these gravity anomalies, Hemingway said to imagine mountains on Titan having roots. "It's like how most of an iceberg actually lies submerged underwater," he said. "If that root is really big, bigger than normal, it would displace water underneath it."
Ice has a lower density than water — a chunk of ice weighs less than a similar volume of water. These high-elevation areas on Titan apparently have roots large enough to displace a lot of water under them, meaning they exert a weaker gravitational pull.
Ice is buoyant in water. "In order to essentially hold these big icebergs down and keep them from bobbing up, that means Titan's shell has to be extremely rigid," Hemingway said.
It remains uncertain what makes Titan's shell this rigid. The ice might possess cage-like molecules known as clathrates that could make it stiffer. Also, "if the ocean underneath the shell is colder than before thought, that could make the ice shell thicker and thus more rigid," Hemingway said.
This rigidity could mean Titan's shell is less geologically active than once thought. "If at least the top 40 kilometers (25 miles) is very stiff and cold and dead, if you want something like cryovolcanoes that erupt water instead of lava on Titan's surface, you have to be more creative about how that might happen," Hemingway said.
Their model also suggests Titan's shell has seen an extensive amount of erosion, with features carved more than 650 feet (200 meters) deep on it surface. "We now need different groups of people to figure out how so much material could get broken up and transported long distances across Titan's surface," Hemingway said.
One implication of these new findings relates to whether or not Titan's interior is separated into distinct layers. If researchers have underestimated Titan's gravity field, one might suspect its core is a giant blob of matter that is not made up of distinct layers as one would expect from such a large body. For instance, Earth is separated into a crust, mantle and core, and even large asteroids such as Vesta seem to have interiors divided into several layers.
"Maybe Titan is a mixture of ice and rock from the core nearly all the way out, and it's only in the last part near its surface that it's differentiated into ice and water," Hemingway said. "But we could be wrong there."
To help solve this mystery, "what we need is a Titan orbiter," Hemingway said. "That way we can have much better readings of Titan and learn more about its ice shell and its interior."
The scientists detailed their findings in the Aug. 29 issue of the journal Nature.
Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on SPACE.com."
These surprising new findings add to hints Titan possesses an extraordinarily bizarre interior, scientists added.
Past research suggested Titan has an ocean hidden under its outer icy shell 30 to 120 miles (50 to 200 kilometers) thick. Investigators aim to explore this underground ocean in the hopes of finding alien life on Titan, since virtually wherever there is water on Earth, there is life. [See more photos of Titan, Saturn's largest moon]
To learn more about Titan's icy shell, planetary scientist Doug Hemingway at the University of California, Santa Cruz, analyzed the Cassini probe's scans of Titan's gravity field. The strength of the gravitational pull any point on a surface exerts depends on the amount of mass underneath it. The stronger the pull, the more the mass.
The researchers then compared these gravity results with the structure of Titan's surface. They expected that regions of high elevation would have the strongest gravitational pull, since one might suppose they had extra matter underneath them. Conversely, they expected regions of low elevation would have the weakest gravitational pull.
What the investigators discovered shocked them. The regions of high elevation on Titan had the weakest gravitational pull.
"It was very surprising to see that," Hemingway told SPACE.com. "We assumed at first that we got things wrong, that we were seeing the data backwards, but after we ran out of options to make that finding go away, we came up with a model that explains these observations."
To explain these gravity anomalies, Hemingway said to imagine mountains on Titan having roots. "It's like how most of an iceberg actually lies submerged underwater," he said. "If that root is really big, bigger than normal, it would displace water underneath it."
Ice has a lower density than water — a chunk of ice weighs less than a similar volume of water. These high-elevation areas on Titan apparently have roots large enough to displace a lot of water under them, meaning they exert a weaker gravitational pull.
Ice is buoyant in water. "In order to essentially hold these big icebergs down and keep them from bobbing up, that means Titan's shell has to be extremely rigid," Hemingway said.
It remains uncertain what makes Titan's shell this rigid. The ice might possess cage-like molecules known as clathrates that could make it stiffer. Also, "if the ocean underneath the shell is colder than before thought, that could make the ice shell thicker and thus more rigid," Hemingway said.
This rigidity could mean Titan's shell is less geologically active than once thought. "If at least the top 40 kilometers (25 miles) is very stiff and cold and dead, if you want something like cryovolcanoes that erupt water instead of lava on Titan's surface, you have to be more creative about how that might happen," Hemingway said.
Their model also suggests Titan's shell has seen an extensive amount of erosion, with features carved more than 650 feet (200 meters) deep on it surface. "We now need different groups of people to figure out how so much material could get broken up and transported long distances across Titan's surface," Hemingway said.
One implication of these new findings relates to whether or not Titan's interior is separated into distinct layers. If researchers have underestimated Titan's gravity field, one might suspect its core is a giant blob of matter that is not made up of distinct layers as one would expect from such a large body. For instance, Earth is separated into a crust, mantle and core, and even large asteroids such as Vesta seem to have interiors divided into several layers.
"Maybe Titan is a mixture of ice and rock from the core nearly all the way out, and it's only in the last part near its surface that it's differentiated into ice and water," Hemingway said. "But we could be wrong there."
To help solve this mystery, "what we need is a Titan orbiter," Hemingway said. "That way we can have much better readings of Titan and learn more about its ice shell and its interior."
The scientists detailed their findings in the Aug. 29 issue of the journal Nature.
Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on SPACE.com."
Leaked iPad 5 front panel examined in high-quality photos
"With Apple's iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C unveiling scheduled to take place in less than two weeks, attention has definitely turned to the company's next-generation smartphones as photos, videos and details continue to leak. Let's not forget, however, that Apple also reportedly has an updated iPad mini with a Retina display and a completely redesigned full-size iPad in the works. The latter has leaked a few times already, but a new gallery of high-quality photos was published on Wednesday by Sonny Dickson, who has become known for leaking images of components from purported unreleased Apple devices.
[More from BGR: The Boy Genius Report: The Apple TV that no one understands and the reinvention of television]
An image of what was claimed to be the rear panel from Apple's fifth-generation iPad leaked back in January, revealing a big redesign that adopts the look of the iPad mini. These newly leaked photos of the iPad 5's front panel reaffirm that notion, thanks to the much thinner bezel around the display opening.
[More from BGR: Fear and loathing in Redmond: Ex-Microsoft manager describes effects of 'stack ranking']
Several images of the leaked iPad front panel follow below and the rest can be seen on Dickson's site, which is linked in our source section.
This article was originally published on BGR.com"
[More from BGR: The Boy Genius Report: The Apple TV that no one understands and the reinvention of television]
An image of what was claimed to be the rear panel from Apple's fifth-generation iPad leaked back in January, revealing a big redesign that adopts the look of the iPad mini. These newly leaked photos of the iPad 5's front panel reaffirm that notion, thanks to the much thinner bezel around the display opening.
[More from BGR: Fear and loathing in Redmond: Ex-Microsoft manager describes effects of 'stack ranking']
Several images of the leaked iPad front panel follow below and the rest can be seen on Dickson's site, which is linked in our source section.
This article was originally published on BGR.com"
Nintendo to launch the world’s ugliest portable console this fall
"Nintendo's newest portable gaming console may be ugly but at least it's cheap. The Japanese gaming company announced on Wednesday that it will start selling its new Nintendo 2DS portable console on October 12th for a rock-bottom price of just $129.99. Nintendo says the console will play all Nintendo 3DS games in 2D and that it has been "designed specifically for anyone looking for a more affordable entry point into the world of Nintendo hand-held video games." While releasing a cheaper portable console is certainly a smart move on Nintendo's part, the fact that the new console cannot be folded and is aesthetically rather unappetizing may make it a tough sell. Nintendo's full press release follows below.
[More from BGR: The Boy Genius Report: The Apple TV that no one understands and the reinvention of television]
Nintendo Offers Unrivaled Value and Variety This Holiday Season with Lower Wii U Price, Zelda Wii U Bundle and New Nintendo 2DS Portable
[More from BGR: Leaked iPad 5 front panel examined in high-quality photos]
Top Nintendo Video Games Get Launch Dates Through the End of 2013
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nintendo outlined a campaign that will offer consumers unprecedented levels of value and variety this holiday season. That proposition includes:
A $50 price drop for the Wii U Deluxe Set to a new suggested retail price of just $299.99, effective on Sept. 20.
A limited-edition Wii U bundle featuring The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD launching on Sept. 20.
The introduction of Nintendo 2DS, an entry-level dedicated portable gaming system that plays all Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS games in 2D. Nintendo 2DS launches Oct. 12, the same day as Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, at a suggested retail price of $129.99.
Dates for an outstanding lineup of Q4 video games for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
The announcements demonstrate Nintendo's aggressive approach to providing new games and experiences available only on Nintendo platforms for all types of people this holiday season. Nintendo announced these items at the GameStop Managers Show in Las Vegas.
"Nintendo has one of the strongest and most diverse video game lineups in our history," said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's president and COO. "Today we're making those unique Nintendo experiences more accessible and affordable. However you play and whatever you play, Nintendo has you covered."
Nintendo 2DS
The newest member of the Nintendo 3DS family is designed specifically for anyone looking for a more affordable entry point into the world of Nintendo hand-held video games. Nintendo 2DS will be available in Red or Blue on Oct. 12 at a suggested retail price of $129.99.
Nintendo 2DS plays the entire library of packaged and downloadable games for Nintendo 3DS only in 2D. The system features a distinctive fixed, slate-type form factor, and optional carrying cases will be available in Red or Blue at launch at a suggested retail price of $12.99. Nintendo 2DS maintains many of the same hardware features as Nintendo 3DS: dual screens, game-play controls and touch-screen features. The system also has backward compatibility with the existing library of more than 2,000 Nintendo DS games, as well as access to wireless connectivity features like multiplayer online game play, fun Nintendo Video content and great digitally delivered games in the Nintendo eShop. To view a video of Nintendo 2DS, visit http://youtu.be/sAExBTWIp3M.
People eager to test drive the new system will have the chance beginning in October, when Nintendo 2DS joins a sampling tour in conjunction with Simon Malls that visits several different markets before it wraps up on Nov. 3. For more information about the tour, visit http://www.nintendo.com.
This article was originally published on BGR.com"
[More from BGR: The Boy Genius Report: The Apple TV that no one understands and the reinvention of television]
Nintendo Offers Unrivaled Value and Variety This Holiday Season with Lower Wii U Price, Zelda Wii U Bundle and New Nintendo 2DS Portable
[More from BGR: Leaked iPad 5 front panel examined in high-quality photos]
Top Nintendo Video Games Get Launch Dates Through the End of 2013
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nintendo outlined a campaign that will offer consumers unprecedented levels of value and variety this holiday season. That proposition includes:
A $50 price drop for the Wii U Deluxe Set to a new suggested retail price of just $299.99, effective on Sept. 20.
A limited-edition Wii U bundle featuring The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD launching on Sept. 20.
The introduction of Nintendo 2DS, an entry-level dedicated portable gaming system that plays all Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS games in 2D. Nintendo 2DS launches Oct. 12, the same day as Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, at a suggested retail price of $129.99.
Dates for an outstanding lineup of Q4 video games for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
The announcements demonstrate Nintendo's aggressive approach to providing new games and experiences available only on Nintendo platforms for all types of people this holiday season. Nintendo announced these items at the GameStop Managers Show in Las Vegas.
"Nintendo has one of the strongest and most diverse video game lineups in our history," said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's president and COO. "Today we're making those unique Nintendo experiences more accessible and affordable. However you play and whatever you play, Nintendo has you covered."
Nintendo 2DS
The newest member of the Nintendo 3DS family is designed specifically for anyone looking for a more affordable entry point into the world of Nintendo hand-held video games. Nintendo 2DS will be available in Red or Blue on Oct. 12 at a suggested retail price of $129.99.
Nintendo 2DS plays the entire library of packaged and downloadable games for Nintendo 3DS only in 2D. The system features a distinctive fixed, slate-type form factor, and optional carrying cases will be available in Red or Blue at launch at a suggested retail price of $12.99. Nintendo 2DS maintains many of the same hardware features as Nintendo 3DS: dual screens, game-play controls and touch-screen features. The system also has backward compatibility with the existing library of more than 2,000 Nintendo DS games, as well as access to wireless connectivity features like multiplayer online game play, fun Nintendo Video content and great digitally delivered games in the Nintendo eShop. To view a video of Nintendo 2DS, visit http://youtu.be/sAExBTWIp3M.
People eager to test drive the new system will have the chance beginning in October, when Nintendo 2DS joins a sampling tour in conjunction with Simon Malls that visits several different markets before it wraps up on Nov. 3. For more information about the tour, visit http://www.nintendo.com.
This article was originally published on BGR.com"
Kamis, 29 Agustus 2013
Jessica Simpson Shows Off Son Ace Knute for the First Time
"Nearly two months after giving birth to son Ace Knute, Jessica Simpson is ready to share her baby boy with the world!
The 33-year-old, who welcomed the newest addition on June 30, is debuting her little one on the cover of Us Weekly, posing along with 15-month-old daughter Maxwell.
Jessica Simpson, Maxwell Johnson, and Ace Knute Johnson (UsWeekly)
The mommy-of-two, who has been engaged to fiancé Eric Johnson since November 2010, seems to be happier than ever, telling the mag, "With two kids, we have our hands full, but every day is a new adventure. … It's fun! I feel very at peace with being a mom."
But will the cute couple, who had back-to-back babies, add more to their beautiful brood anytime soon?
"Pregnancy is alot. It was hard to do two so close together," admits the fashion mogul mama. "I have this huge sense of accomplishment, and I feel in my heart that I'm done. But obviously, accidents do happen!"
Check out the video for details on Jessica's life as a mom, and be sure to tune in to "omg! Insider" on TV tonight for more on this story."
The 33-year-old, who welcomed the newest addition on June 30, is debuting her little one on the cover of Us Weekly, posing along with 15-month-old daughter Maxwell.
Jessica Simpson, Maxwell Johnson, and Ace Knute Johnson (UsWeekly)
The mommy-of-two, who has been engaged to fiancé Eric Johnson since November 2010, seems to be happier than ever, telling the mag, "With two kids, we have our hands full, but every day is a new adventure. … It's fun! I feel very at peace with being a mom."
But will the cute couple, who had back-to-back babies, add more to their beautiful brood anytime soon?
"Pregnancy is alot. It was hard to do two so close together," admits the fashion mogul mama. "I have this huge sense of accomplishment, and I feel in my heart that I'm done. But obviously, accidents do happen!"
Check out the video for details on Jessica's life as a mom, and be sure to tune in to "omg! Insider" on TV tonight for more on this story."
367 Pit Bulls Rescued in Multi-State Dog Fighting Bust
" A three-year investigation and multi-state dog fighting bust resulted in the rescue of 367 pit bull terriers in Alabama and Georgia, according to officials.
"The dogs, ranging in age from just several days to 10-12 years, had been left to suffer in extreme heat with no visible fresh water or food," the ASPCA said in a statement. "Many are emaciated with scars and wounds consistent with dog fighting, and some were tethered by chains and cables that were attached to cinder blocks and car tires."
The bust also included the arrest and indictment of 10 people from Alabama, Texas, Georgia and Mississippi for violating the federal dog fighting statute and the federal gambling statute, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alabama.
Authorities also seized guns, illegal narcotics, drugs used to treat and train dogs and $500,000 from the dog fighters involved in the organization.
The defendants were betting between $5,000 and $200,000 on each fight, according to U.S. Attorney George Beck, Jr.
"The number of dogs seized and the amount of money involved in this case shows how extensive this underworld of dog fighting is," Beck said in a statement. "These dog fighters abuse, starve and kill their dogs for the supposed 'fun' of watching and gambling on a dog fight. Their behavior is deplorable, will not be tolerated, and will be punished to the full extent of the law."
In addition to the ASPCA and the U.S. Attorney's Office, the operation included the Auburn Police, FBI and the Humane Society of the United States.
The dogs were taken to temporary emergency shelters in undisclosed locations where they are receiving treatment, according to the ASPCA.
"Today we ended the torture of hundreds of abused and neglected dogs," ASPCA president and CEO Matt Bershadker said in a statement. "Never again will these dogs be forced to fight, live in squalor, or be neglected and deprived of the bare necessities."
When asked about the possibility of adopting out the dogs, ASPCA spokeswoman Alison Jimenez told ABCNews.com in an email, "It's too early to determine placement for these dogs since evaluations have yet to be conducted. Additionally, this is an ongoing investigation and the animals are considered evidence until legally turned over to the ASPCA.""
"The dogs, ranging in age from just several days to 10-12 years, had been left to suffer in extreme heat with no visible fresh water or food," the ASPCA said in a statement. "Many are emaciated with scars and wounds consistent with dog fighting, and some were tethered by chains and cables that were attached to cinder blocks and car tires."
The bust also included the arrest and indictment of 10 people from Alabama, Texas, Georgia and Mississippi for violating the federal dog fighting statute and the federal gambling statute, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alabama.
Authorities also seized guns, illegal narcotics, drugs used to treat and train dogs and $500,000 from the dog fighters involved in the organization.
The defendants were betting between $5,000 and $200,000 on each fight, according to U.S. Attorney George Beck, Jr.
"The number of dogs seized and the amount of money involved in this case shows how extensive this underworld of dog fighting is," Beck said in a statement. "These dog fighters abuse, starve and kill their dogs for the supposed 'fun' of watching and gambling on a dog fight. Their behavior is deplorable, will not be tolerated, and will be punished to the full extent of the law."
In addition to the ASPCA and the U.S. Attorney's Office, the operation included the Auburn Police, FBI and the Humane Society of the United States.
The dogs were taken to temporary emergency shelters in undisclosed locations where they are receiving treatment, according to the ASPCA.
"Today we ended the torture of hundreds of abused and neglected dogs," ASPCA president and CEO Matt Bershadker said in a statement. "Never again will these dogs be forced to fight, live in squalor, or be neglected and deprived of the bare necessities."
When asked about the possibility of adopting out the dogs, ASPCA spokeswoman Alison Jimenez told ABCNews.com in an email, "It's too early to determine placement for these dogs since evaluations have yet to be conducted. Additionally, this is an ongoing investigation and the animals are considered evidence until legally turned over to the ASPCA.""
Hearing King's message when young helped shape these Americans' lives
"Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King's speech, Yahoo News asked Americans who remember Aug. 28, 1963, to share their recollections and what it meant to them. Here are excerpts from some selected submissions.
***
The day started with my family gathered around the old black-and-white television set. My father and uncle left for Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to attend the March on Washington.
I remember my aunts, uncles and neighbors meeting in our kitchen discussing how important this event would be and how it would change the future for black people all over the country. They were also very excited because Martin Luther King would be speaking. I knew how important he was to my family.
I asked, "Is he going to be president?"
My mother replied, "No honey, black people are not allowed to be president, but I believe if anyone can change that it would be Dr. King."
I thought, How would a march change our lives?
Many speakers addressed the humongous crowd and finally it was time for Dr. King to speak. I sat on the floor in front of our television set, hoping to catch a glimpse of my father and uncle. The living room went silent. Although his speech was only 16 minutes long, from a child's perspective it seemed to go on forever. However, his climactic ending is etched in my memory forever: "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we are free at last!"
My family wept.
Participants holding hands in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington. ©Le …
— Deb Martin-Webster was 11 in 1963.
***
The fact that, as African-Americans, my family and I didn't have the same privileges as others was just life as we knew it. For example, knowing that I couldn't even think about going downtown and sitting at the lunch counter in Woolworth's didn't really bother me. My mother and I were living in a public housing project, and spending money to eat out wasn't on our agenda.
The March on Washington and Dr. King's speech helped restore that diminished sense of self that segregation imposed on me as a child. As I watched on TV, I had a sense of pride that black people were doing something so grand and significant. Listening to Dr. King, I really began to believe that one day I would be judged not on the color of my skin, but on the content of my character.
The speech planted seeds of hope and confidence that helped me make it through the first non-segregated school I ever attended, the University of Tennessee. And they are still with me today.
— Ronald Franklin was 14 and living in Chattanooga, Tenn.
***
"We're all in this together," my mother would often tell me. They voted for President John F. Kennedy. They also respected Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
His "I Have a Dream" speech, given at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963, was eventually transcribed in the local paper. My parents read it over and over again and found meaning and comfort in Dr. King's words. They wanted me to read it too, but I didn't. I was 9 and was more interested in the comic page than reading words about civil rights.
Crowds line the Reflecting Pool to watch the 50th anniversary ceremony of the 1963 March on Washingt …
Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., five years after his famous speech. My mother cried. My father didn't want to talk about it.
My parents are gone now, but for years, they kept that copy of Dr. King's speech that was printed in the Vevay, Ind., newspaper. Now, I have it.
I think his dream was my parents' dream and in the summer of 1963, I wish I had been smart enough or old enough to realize that. Now their dream and Dr. King's dream is my dream, too.
— Larry Gross was 9 and living in Vevay, Ind.
***
On the day of the March on Washington, I joined other students in my dorm to watch the proceedings on TV. Like millions of people that day, I was awestruck by the words of the young clergyman from Georgia. This, I thought, is a defining moment for the civil rights movement, and the beginning of change.
I quickly learned that change comes in baby steps and not giant leaps. By the time I graduated in 1967, the restaurant that I had picketed and the movie theater I had boycotted remained whites-only. The road to equality, I came to realize, was long and winding.
There is no doubt we have made great strides since the March on Washington. But the journey to equality has been arduous and we are not there yet. Still, I am hopeful. After all, isn't what Dr. King wanted for his children 50 years ago — freedom from injustice, a better life, and a country united as one people — what we all want for our loved ones?
— Sharon Gloger Friedman was an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Florida.
For me, it was a turning point. The powerful words stirred me to the core, forging a lifelong disdain for injustice and oppression that has since shaped my world.
Even at that tender young age, I knew in my heart that I would take a stand against racism and inequality. Riding the wave of the times, while my peers were primping and planning parties and proms, Dr. King's eloquent and poignant words resonated in my soul. I became a teenage activist, embracing feminism and protesting the Vietnam War. I carried my zeal for justice with me to the University of Wisconsin, where I embraced Madison's tumultuous political climate and added my own fuel to the fires of change.
Today, my penchant for social justice continues to mold my life. My children have followed in my footsteps, becoming exceptions to the millennial generation's stereotypes of entitlement and self-absorption, and calling their peers to account through blogs and social media.
— Michelle Matte was 9 and living in Wausau, Wis.
***
I don't remember if I heard [the speech] that day or in the days following. What I do know is that when a child who is yet uncorrupted by the prejudices of the world hears the truth, he knows it when he hears it. That speech and the civil rights movement not only affected me, it profoundly affected an entire generation of people. To this day, when I hear the recordings of his speech, it brings me to tears.
I am white, and I not only heard the words he said, I also felt them to my core, and I still do. When he talked about being "judged by the content of one's character," I hoped he meant me, too. I think he did. Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law in 1964, which included women's civil liberties, but that battle, like the one on race, still is being waged. Without King's speech, that law may never have been passed. His very public struggle made that possible. "
***
The day started with my family gathered around the old black-and-white television set. My father and uncle left for Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to attend the March on Washington.
I remember my aunts, uncles and neighbors meeting in our kitchen discussing how important this event would be and how it would change the future for black people all over the country. They were also very excited because Martin Luther King would be speaking. I knew how important he was to my family.
I asked, "Is he going to be president?"
My mother replied, "No honey, black people are not allowed to be president, but I believe if anyone can change that it would be Dr. King."
I thought, How would a march change our lives?
Many speakers addressed the humongous crowd and finally it was time for Dr. King to speak. I sat on the floor in front of our television set, hoping to catch a glimpse of my father and uncle. The living room went silent. Although his speech was only 16 minutes long, from a child's perspective it seemed to go on forever. However, his climactic ending is etched in my memory forever: "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we are free at last!"
My family wept.
Participants holding hands in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington. ©Le …
— Deb Martin-Webster was 11 in 1963.
***
The fact that, as African-Americans, my family and I didn't have the same privileges as others was just life as we knew it. For example, knowing that I couldn't even think about going downtown and sitting at the lunch counter in Woolworth's didn't really bother me. My mother and I were living in a public housing project, and spending money to eat out wasn't on our agenda.
The March on Washington and Dr. King's speech helped restore that diminished sense of self that segregation imposed on me as a child. As I watched on TV, I had a sense of pride that black people were doing something so grand and significant. Listening to Dr. King, I really began to believe that one day I would be judged not on the color of my skin, but on the content of my character.
The speech planted seeds of hope and confidence that helped me make it through the first non-segregated school I ever attended, the University of Tennessee. And they are still with me today.
— Ronald Franklin was 14 and living in Chattanooga, Tenn.
***
"We're all in this together," my mother would often tell me. They voted for President John F. Kennedy. They also respected Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
His "I Have a Dream" speech, given at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963, was eventually transcribed in the local paper. My parents read it over and over again and found meaning and comfort in Dr. King's words. They wanted me to read it too, but I didn't. I was 9 and was more interested in the comic page than reading words about civil rights.
Crowds line the Reflecting Pool to watch the 50th anniversary ceremony of the 1963 March on Washingt …
Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., five years after his famous speech. My mother cried. My father didn't want to talk about it.
My parents are gone now, but for years, they kept that copy of Dr. King's speech that was printed in the Vevay, Ind., newspaper. Now, I have it.
I think his dream was my parents' dream and in the summer of 1963, I wish I had been smart enough or old enough to realize that. Now their dream and Dr. King's dream is my dream, too.
— Larry Gross was 9 and living in Vevay, Ind.
***
On the day of the March on Washington, I joined other students in my dorm to watch the proceedings on TV. Like millions of people that day, I was awestruck by the words of the young clergyman from Georgia. This, I thought, is a defining moment for the civil rights movement, and the beginning of change.
I quickly learned that change comes in baby steps and not giant leaps. By the time I graduated in 1967, the restaurant that I had picketed and the movie theater I had boycotted remained whites-only. The road to equality, I came to realize, was long and winding.
There is no doubt we have made great strides since the March on Washington. But the journey to equality has been arduous and we are not there yet. Still, I am hopeful. After all, isn't what Dr. King wanted for his children 50 years ago — freedom from injustice, a better life, and a country united as one people — what we all want for our loved ones?
— Sharon Gloger Friedman was an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Florida.
For me, it was a turning point. The powerful words stirred me to the core, forging a lifelong disdain for injustice and oppression that has since shaped my world.
Even at that tender young age, I knew in my heart that I would take a stand against racism and inequality. Riding the wave of the times, while my peers were primping and planning parties and proms, Dr. King's eloquent and poignant words resonated in my soul. I became a teenage activist, embracing feminism and protesting the Vietnam War. I carried my zeal for justice with me to the University of Wisconsin, where I embraced Madison's tumultuous political climate and added my own fuel to the fires of change.
Today, my penchant for social justice continues to mold my life. My children have followed in my footsteps, becoming exceptions to the millennial generation's stereotypes of entitlement and self-absorption, and calling their peers to account through blogs and social media.
— Michelle Matte was 9 and living in Wausau, Wis.
***
I don't remember if I heard [the speech] that day or in the days following. What I do know is that when a child who is yet uncorrupted by the prejudices of the world hears the truth, he knows it when he hears it. That speech and the civil rights movement not only affected me, it profoundly affected an entire generation of people. To this day, when I hear the recordings of his speech, it brings me to tears.
I am white, and I not only heard the words he said, I also felt them to my core, and I still do. When he talked about being "judged by the content of one's character," I hoped he meant me, too. I think he did. Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law in 1964, which included women's civil liberties, but that battle, like the one on race, still is being waged. Without King's speech, that law may never have been passed. His very public struggle made that possible. "
Rabu, 28 Agustus 2013
Dream for the 21st century: An America that is truly defined by equality
"For all the grainy black-and-white television replays and the smoothed-by-time recollections of the living participants, the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington has inevitably taken on a sepia glow.
Unlike the quarter million justice-seeking Americans massed at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial on a warm August Wednesday in 1963, we know how the civil rights story of the 1960s played out. Both the legislative triumphs (public accommodations and voting rights) and the tears (assassination and riots) are etched in our collective memory.
But reading the contemporary newspaper coverage and the histories with half a century's hindsight reminds us how much has changed about America. A mid-August Gallup Poll in 1963 found that only 23 percent of those who were familiar with the upcoming march had a favorable opinion of this form of protest.
The fear was omnipresent, even among white liberals who supported the goals of civil rights. John Kennedy had tried in vain to persuade the organizers of the march not to come to Washington. On that festive Wednesday in August, the Pentagon had nearly 20,000 soldiers on standby duty. Jerry Bruno, the best advanceman from the 1960 JFK campaign, was deployed to the Lincoln Memorial with instructions to pull the plug on the sound system if any speech turned incendiary.
Instead, the only people arrested were four segregationist protesters. The police blotter was instead filled with stories of briefly lost children and a woman from Newark, N.J., who tumbled into the shallow reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial and was instantly rescued from its 30-inch depths.
Even without the "I have a dream" speech, the March on Washington would still be commemorated as an epic milestone in the still incomplete quest for racial justice. But Martin Luther King's oratory (the only King speech ever broadcast on television in its entirety in his lifetime) has made this 50th anniversary week an apt moment to gauge how far America has traveled toward fulfilling his dream.
Almost all questions about the arc of racial progress and social equity in the past half a century lend themselves to complicated answers that begin, "Yes, but on the other hand" and "The glass is half full." In many ways, the elimination of all legal barriers to African-American achievement would have been uplifting to the original marchers. But the economic problems still afflicting many black Americans would seem all too familiar to the 1963 civil rights crusaders.
At the 1963 March on Washington, Jackie Robinson spoke and the first black airline stewardess was introduced. Now the "firsts" extend to the Oval Office. And for the ultimate white establishment posts of secretary of state and national security adviser to the president, we have reached our "seconds" for African-Americans.
Another lasting achievement over the past 50 years has been the forging of a vibrant black upper middle class, even though these numbers still lag behind whites. More than 10 percent of African-American families earned more than $100,000 in 2011. Today, nearly 40 percent of all black men and women between the ages of 18 and 24 are pursuing higher education.
Social mores have dramatically changed. Overt bigotry is no longer tolerated in respectable settings. The racially tinged jokes that were a staple of white country club golf outings and blue-collar bowling leagues are fast vanishing. Every day another Archie Bunker dies and another white 18-year-old who has been schooled in tolerance since birth registers to vote.
Make no mistake — grave injustices still endure.
An African-American is three times more likely to live in poverty than his or her white counterpart. Segregated neighborhoods, failing inner city schools and a wildly disproportionate chance that a black male will wind up in prison all contribute to America's lingering racial divide. In addition, the collapse of housing prices in the Great Recession particularly devastated black families who tend to have few assets beyond the value of their homes.
The sad reality is that the political system provides scant hope that these problems will be solved or ameliorated through governmental action. No economic catastrophe or years of stagnation can shake Republican faith that the free market is the only solution for life's ills. And even the Democrats, since the early days of Bill Clinton, publicly obsess about the hard-working middle class — and not those mired in poverty.
Polling on racial issues is tricky since few white Americans are willing to admit their prejudices and small changes in question wording can yield far different answers. Still, according to a national survey this month by the Pew Research Center, it is telling that nearly 80 percent of white Americans admit that more has to be done to realize Dr. King's dream of racial equality. Of course, there is little political consensus on how to get there. But, at least, the poll reflects awareness of America's unfinished obligation to erase the lingering residues of segregation and slavery.
Fifty years ago, a primary goal of the March on Washington was safeguarding the voting rights of black Americans.
That is why one of the most heartening political statistics from the 2012 election is that, for the first time in history, African-Americans were more likely to cast a ballot than whites or Hispanics. That is also why one of the most depressing political stories of this year is that the Supreme Court in June eviscerated a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Equally worrisome is that in the past few years Republicans have been aggressive in imposing new barriers to voting, especially requiring photo identification. With scant evidence of fraud to justify these new state laws, the obvious consequence is to discourage impoverished voters (who tend to be disproportionately black) who lack middle-class ID documents such as driver's licenses and passports.
In the old days under Jim Crow in the South, blacks were prevented from exercising their right to vote under the Fifteenth Amendment because of the color of their skin. Today's voting gamesmanship is political rather than racial in origin. But for a black welfare mother turned away from the polls in Cleveland because she lacks a driver's license, it is a distinction without a difference.
One hundred fifty years ago in 1863, the Civil War was raging, the graves were newly dug at Gettysburg and the Emancipation Proclamation was less than a year old. One hundred years ago in 1913, liberal Democratic President Woodrow Wilson presided over the segregation of the federal workforce in Washington. And 50 years ago, clergymen, labor leaders, folk singers and citizens of good will — black and white — made history with what was then probably the largest peaceful demonstration in American history.
Since colonial history and the arrival of the first slave ships from Africa, America has been riven by race. Freedom and slavery were the questions that defined the 19th century, and civil rights became the great moral struggle of the 20th century. The dream of the 21st century is that America will finally become the colorblind society defined by the words "all men are created equal.""
Unlike the quarter million justice-seeking Americans massed at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial on a warm August Wednesday in 1963, we know how the civil rights story of the 1960s played out. Both the legislative triumphs (public accommodations and voting rights) and the tears (assassination and riots) are etched in our collective memory.
But reading the contemporary newspaper coverage and the histories with half a century's hindsight reminds us how much has changed about America. A mid-August Gallup Poll in 1963 found that only 23 percent of those who were familiar with the upcoming march had a favorable opinion of this form of protest.
The fear was omnipresent, even among white liberals who supported the goals of civil rights. John Kennedy had tried in vain to persuade the organizers of the march not to come to Washington. On that festive Wednesday in August, the Pentagon had nearly 20,000 soldiers on standby duty. Jerry Bruno, the best advanceman from the 1960 JFK campaign, was deployed to the Lincoln Memorial with instructions to pull the plug on the sound system if any speech turned incendiary.
Instead, the only people arrested were four segregationist protesters. The police blotter was instead filled with stories of briefly lost children and a woman from Newark, N.J., who tumbled into the shallow reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial and was instantly rescued from its 30-inch depths.
Even without the "I have a dream" speech, the March on Washington would still be commemorated as an epic milestone in the still incomplete quest for racial justice. But Martin Luther King's oratory (the only King speech ever broadcast on television in its entirety in his lifetime) has made this 50th anniversary week an apt moment to gauge how far America has traveled toward fulfilling his dream.
Almost all questions about the arc of racial progress and social equity in the past half a century lend themselves to complicated answers that begin, "Yes, but on the other hand" and "The glass is half full." In many ways, the elimination of all legal barriers to African-American achievement would have been uplifting to the original marchers. But the economic problems still afflicting many black Americans would seem all too familiar to the 1963 civil rights crusaders.
At the 1963 March on Washington, Jackie Robinson spoke and the first black airline stewardess was introduced. Now the "firsts" extend to the Oval Office. And for the ultimate white establishment posts of secretary of state and national security adviser to the president, we have reached our "seconds" for African-Americans.
Another lasting achievement over the past 50 years has been the forging of a vibrant black upper middle class, even though these numbers still lag behind whites. More than 10 percent of African-American families earned more than $100,000 in 2011. Today, nearly 40 percent of all black men and women between the ages of 18 and 24 are pursuing higher education.
Social mores have dramatically changed. Overt bigotry is no longer tolerated in respectable settings. The racially tinged jokes that were a staple of white country club golf outings and blue-collar bowling leagues are fast vanishing. Every day another Archie Bunker dies and another white 18-year-old who has been schooled in tolerance since birth registers to vote.
Make no mistake — grave injustices still endure.
An African-American is three times more likely to live in poverty than his or her white counterpart. Segregated neighborhoods, failing inner city schools and a wildly disproportionate chance that a black male will wind up in prison all contribute to America's lingering racial divide. In addition, the collapse of housing prices in the Great Recession particularly devastated black families who tend to have few assets beyond the value of their homes.
The sad reality is that the political system provides scant hope that these problems will be solved or ameliorated through governmental action. No economic catastrophe or years of stagnation can shake Republican faith that the free market is the only solution for life's ills. And even the Democrats, since the early days of Bill Clinton, publicly obsess about the hard-working middle class — and not those mired in poverty.
Polling on racial issues is tricky since few white Americans are willing to admit their prejudices and small changes in question wording can yield far different answers. Still, according to a national survey this month by the Pew Research Center, it is telling that nearly 80 percent of white Americans admit that more has to be done to realize Dr. King's dream of racial equality. Of course, there is little political consensus on how to get there. But, at least, the poll reflects awareness of America's unfinished obligation to erase the lingering residues of segregation and slavery.
Fifty years ago, a primary goal of the March on Washington was safeguarding the voting rights of black Americans.
That is why one of the most heartening political statistics from the 2012 election is that, for the first time in history, African-Americans were more likely to cast a ballot than whites or Hispanics. That is also why one of the most depressing political stories of this year is that the Supreme Court in June eviscerated a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Equally worrisome is that in the past few years Republicans have been aggressive in imposing new barriers to voting, especially requiring photo identification. With scant evidence of fraud to justify these new state laws, the obvious consequence is to discourage impoverished voters (who tend to be disproportionately black) who lack middle-class ID documents such as driver's licenses and passports.
In the old days under Jim Crow in the South, blacks were prevented from exercising their right to vote under the Fifteenth Amendment because of the color of their skin. Today's voting gamesmanship is political rather than racial in origin. But for a black welfare mother turned away from the polls in Cleveland because she lacks a driver's license, it is a distinction without a difference.
One hundred fifty years ago in 1863, the Civil War was raging, the graves were newly dug at Gettysburg and the Emancipation Proclamation was less than a year old. One hundred years ago in 1913, liberal Democratic President Woodrow Wilson presided over the segregation of the federal workforce in Washington. And 50 years ago, clergymen, labor leaders, folk singers and citizens of good will — black and white — made history with what was then probably the largest peaceful demonstration in American history.
Since colonial history and the arrival of the first slave ships from Africa, America has been riven by race. Freedom and slavery were the questions that defined the 19th century, and civil rights became the great moral struggle of the 20th century. The dream of the 21st century is that America will finally become the colorblind society defined by the words "all men are created equal.""
iTunes Radio Prepares to 'Pounce' As Streaming 'Arms Race' Heats Up
"As Apple prepares iTunes Radio for a September launch, with top brands such as Pepsi, McDonald's and Nissan as advertisers, the long-suffering record industry is hoping for a new kind of boom. Competition for streaming-music customers is intensifying — Pandora announced last week it would no longer cap mobile listener hours as of September 1st, and Beats by Dre's Daisy service could arrive as soon as October. All of these developments are likely to hasten the industry's transformation from selling downloads to streaming songs.
Look Back at How Steve Jobs Turned the Music Biz Upside Down
"An arms race is afoot," says Tom Corson, president and chief operating officer of RCA Records, home of Justin Timberlake, Ke$ha and Pink, referring to the growth of music-streaming services from YouTube to Spotify. "Apple had a very nice business selling things, and it worked great for us, and it was growing and growing. [Apple] was waiting for a disruption to come into the market, and now they're prepared and ready to pounce."
Apple has, as usual, declined to release concrete details about iTunes Radio — the company announced in June it would be part of its fall iOS 7 software release, for iPhone, iPad and iTouch, and it would unite music and advertising. When Apple's top Internet executive, Eddy Cue, revealed iTunes Radio at the company's WWDC event, his description suggested it would be much like Pandora. One key difference: It will not just expose users to ads but steer them to iTunes "buy" buttons — which makes record executives happy.
"The 'Buy' button on Apple Radio is very prominent, so when you hear something and you like it, boom, you press the button," says Jim Urie, president of distribution for Universal Music, the world's biggest record label. "I think it's actually going to be a bright red button! Everybody agrees it's going to be good for the business."
Pandora executives have been careful since Apple's WWDC announcement not to seem overly cutthroat with regard to iTunes Radio, but its chief executive, Joe Kennedy, told AllThingsD, "We've now been around for eight years. We've seen competitors large and small enter the market and, in some cases, exit the market. I've never seen an analysis that identifies an effect from any competitor. . .we don't see the picture changing."
Still, Pandora's listener-hours have decreased in recent months — mostly due to the 40-hour cap, instituted earlier this year. Still, new services, from increasingly powerful music players such as Spotify to apps, have emerged as streaming rivals. "Competition's definitely increased for Pandora. There's more apps that don't have anything to do with music that are pulling people away from listening to music on their mobile devices," says Alex Luke, a former EMI digital executive who is working on a music startup. "As a consumer with an iPhone and an iPad and a laptop, I find more things tugging at me on all sides. The market's changed dramatically from even 12 or 18 months ago."
Many at record labels view streaming, if not as the future of the entire business, then an important revenue boost after a long period of slumping sales. Download sales have dropped in 2013 after years of growth — about 6 percent for albums and 3 percent for tracks, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Many experts say the proliferation of free streaming services allow consumers to spend money on music without buying it. But Pandora points to numbers from the NPD Group, which reported earlier this year that 41 percent of Pandora and other free-music-streaming consumers say owning music remains important to them.
"The move towards [free] access to music is so simple and ubiquitous that it's having a major impact on piracy," says Syd Schwartz, a former major-label digital-music executive who is now a consultant with Linchpin Digital. "But I don't know that I'd be whistling 'Happy Days Are Here Again' for the major [labels] anytime soon."
This article originally appeared on Rolling Stone: iTunes Radio Prepares to 'Pounce' As Streaming 'Arms Race' Heats Up"
Look Back at How Steve Jobs Turned the Music Biz Upside Down
"An arms race is afoot," says Tom Corson, president and chief operating officer of RCA Records, home of Justin Timberlake, Ke$ha and Pink, referring to the growth of music-streaming services from YouTube to Spotify. "Apple had a very nice business selling things, and it worked great for us, and it was growing and growing. [Apple] was waiting for a disruption to come into the market, and now they're prepared and ready to pounce."
Apple has, as usual, declined to release concrete details about iTunes Radio — the company announced in June it would be part of its fall iOS 7 software release, for iPhone, iPad and iTouch, and it would unite music and advertising. When Apple's top Internet executive, Eddy Cue, revealed iTunes Radio at the company's WWDC event, his description suggested it would be much like Pandora. One key difference: It will not just expose users to ads but steer them to iTunes "buy" buttons — which makes record executives happy.
"The 'Buy' button on Apple Radio is very prominent, so when you hear something and you like it, boom, you press the button," says Jim Urie, president of distribution for Universal Music, the world's biggest record label. "I think it's actually going to be a bright red button! Everybody agrees it's going to be good for the business."
Pandora executives have been careful since Apple's WWDC announcement not to seem overly cutthroat with regard to iTunes Radio, but its chief executive, Joe Kennedy, told AllThingsD, "We've now been around for eight years. We've seen competitors large and small enter the market and, in some cases, exit the market. I've never seen an analysis that identifies an effect from any competitor. . .we don't see the picture changing."
Still, Pandora's listener-hours have decreased in recent months — mostly due to the 40-hour cap, instituted earlier this year. Still, new services, from increasingly powerful music players such as Spotify to apps, have emerged as streaming rivals. "Competition's definitely increased for Pandora. There's more apps that don't have anything to do with music that are pulling people away from listening to music on their mobile devices," says Alex Luke, a former EMI digital executive who is working on a music startup. "As a consumer with an iPhone and an iPad and a laptop, I find more things tugging at me on all sides. The market's changed dramatically from even 12 or 18 months ago."
Many at record labels view streaming, if not as the future of the entire business, then an important revenue boost after a long period of slumping sales. Download sales have dropped in 2013 after years of growth — about 6 percent for albums and 3 percent for tracks, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Many experts say the proliferation of free streaming services allow consumers to spend money on music without buying it. But Pandora points to numbers from the NPD Group, which reported earlier this year that 41 percent of Pandora and other free-music-streaming consumers say owning music remains important to them.
"The move towards [free] access to music is so simple and ubiquitous that it's having a major impact on piracy," says Syd Schwartz, a former major-label digital-music executive who is now a consultant with Linchpin Digital. "But I don't know that I'd be whistling 'Happy Days Are Here Again' for the major [labels] anytime soon."
This article originally appeared on Rolling Stone: iTunes Radio Prepares to 'Pounce' As Streaming 'Arms Race' Heats Up"
Minggu, 25 Agustus 2013
India finance minister seeks relief for rupee
"India's finance minister P. Chidambaram met with top bankers Saturday to discuss ways to boost the weak rupee and bring in more foreign capital to bridge a trade gap that has put pressure on the currency.
Chidambaram was accompanied by top officials at the meeting in India's financial hub of Mumbai with representatives of leading private and public sector banks.
As the US economy picks up, the Federal Reserve is expected to start winding down its bond-buying stimulus scheme which has helped fuel an investment splurge in Asia's emerging markets.
"The meeting was mainly to seek ideas and suggestions on what can be done about capital inflows. It was a very good and positive meeting," ICICI Bank's chief executive Chanda Kochhar told reporters.
India's large current account deficit -- the broadest measure of trade -- must be funded with foreign capital, and the country is seen as one of the most vulnerable among emerging market nations whose currencies are under pressure globally.
India's rupee recovered from historic lows against the dollar Friday, marking its biggest single-day gain in nearly a year, but analysts warned the currency's overall trend was still bearish.
The rupee, one of Asia's worst performing currencies, bounced back 2.09 percent -- its biggest one-day gain since September 2012 -- to end trade at 63.20 Friday, up from its record closing low of 64.55 the previous day.
The Indian unit, which had hit a new lifetime intraday low of 65.56 Thursday, was boosted Friday by comments by Chidambaram and the Reserve Bank of India.
Chidambaram said the currency panic was "unwarranted" and the rupee had "overshot" its "appropriate level".
He added there was no plan to impose more capital controls on top of ones announced this month, and that reviving growth, which hit a decade low of five percent last year, would be the government's focus.
The central bank governor Duvvuri Subbarao, meanwhile, dismissed investor fears India is hurtling towards a balance of payments crisis similar to one in 1991.
Ten-year government bonds also posted their biggest weekly gain in four-and-a-half-years, of 62 paise ($0.01) to 8.26 percent, while shares rebounded by 1.13 percent to 18,519.44 points.
But analysts said the relief might be only temporary and the rupee could soften further, with Deutsche Bank suggesting it could fall to 70 to the dollar.
"There is a slight change in sentiment after the finance minister's statements but the overall trend is still bearish," said Param Sarma, chief executive at consultancy NSP Forex."
Chidambaram was accompanied by top officials at the meeting in India's financial hub of Mumbai with representatives of leading private and public sector banks.
As the US economy picks up, the Federal Reserve is expected to start winding down its bond-buying stimulus scheme which has helped fuel an investment splurge in Asia's emerging markets.
"The meeting was mainly to seek ideas and suggestions on what can be done about capital inflows. It was a very good and positive meeting," ICICI Bank's chief executive Chanda Kochhar told reporters.
India's large current account deficit -- the broadest measure of trade -- must be funded with foreign capital, and the country is seen as one of the most vulnerable among emerging market nations whose currencies are under pressure globally.
India's rupee recovered from historic lows against the dollar Friday, marking its biggest single-day gain in nearly a year, but analysts warned the currency's overall trend was still bearish.
The rupee, one of Asia's worst performing currencies, bounced back 2.09 percent -- its biggest one-day gain since September 2012 -- to end trade at 63.20 Friday, up from its record closing low of 64.55 the previous day.
The Indian unit, which had hit a new lifetime intraday low of 65.56 Thursday, was boosted Friday by comments by Chidambaram and the Reserve Bank of India.
Chidambaram said the currency panic was "unwarranted" and the rupee had "overshot" its "appropriate level".
He added there was no plan to impose more capital controls on top of ones announced this month, and that reviving growth, which hit a decade low of five percent last year, would be the government's focus.
The central bank governor Duvvuri Subbarao, meanwhile, dismissed investor fears India is hurtling towards a balance of payments crisis similar to one in 1991.
Ten-year government bonds also posted their biggest weekly gain in four-and-a-half-years, of 62 paise ($0.01) to 8.26 percent, while shares rebounded by 1.13 percent to 18,519.44 points.
But analysts said the relief might be only temporary and the rupee could soften further, with Deutsche Bank suggesting it could fall to 70 to the dollar.
"There is a slight change in sentiment after the finance minister's statements but the overall trend is still bearish," said Param Sarma, chief executive at consultancy NSP Forex."
Jumat, 23 Agustus 2013
Exclusive ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ Clip and Concept Art Beam In Digital Release
"One of the summer's biggest hits is coming home a little early as "Star Trek Into Darkness" has been released for your downloading pleasure on digital platforms today, three weeks before the film hits Blu-ray and DVD on September 10. Get ready to beam aboard the Enterprise from the comfort of your own personal digital platforms with our exclusive clip above, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the opening scene featuring Kirk (Chris Pine) and Bones (Karl Urban) running from the natives of the planet Nibiru. What's most remarkable about the clip is it showcases the practical effects utilized in bringing the location to life — not only was a set built in favor of a CGI landscape, the environment was actually outdoors as well."
Obama does not favor changing pot laws … 'at this point'
"What are you smoking? President Barack Obama doesn't think cracking down on individual pot smokers is a good use of federal dollars, but he also doesn't think it's time to loosen the country's marijuana laws … at least "at this point." That's the message from White House spokesman Josh Earnest, who told reporters at the daily press briefing that Obama's views have been "clear and consistent for some time now." "The priority in terms of the dedication of law-enforcement resources should be targeted towards drug kingpins, drug traffickers and others who perpetrate violence in the conduct of the drug trade," and not individual users, Earnest said. But "the president does not, at this point, advocate a change in the law." Currently, the federal government lists marijuana — or, as this helpful Drug Enforcement Agency handout suggests, "Aunt Mary, BC Bud, Blunts, Boom, Chronic, Dope, Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Hydro, Indo, Joint, Kif, Mary Jane, Mota, Pot, Reefer, Sinsemila, Skunk, Smoke, Weed, and Yerba" — as a "Schedule 1" drug, alongside heroin, LSD, ecstasy, methaqualone and peyote. Those are "drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence," the DEA says. The DEA also says marijuana has "no currently accepted medical use in the United States." That puts "The Man" at odds with quite a few states and Washington, D.C. — the "laboratories of democracy." "There are 20 states that have med marijuana laws, there are 16 states that have decriminalized possession and then two states — Colorado and Washington — have legalized it," Allen St. Pierre, the executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said. "The president has clearly evolved regarding a couple of different subject matters over the course of his presidency," St. Pierre told Yahoo News by telephone. That was an obvious reference to Obama's embrace of gay marriage. "We suspect that this former marijuana aficionado will, too, evolve on this subject matter as the American public has. That's what politicians do," he added. States that have taken steps to permit marijuana use and possession are "clearly putting upward political pressure on the federal government to end cannabis prohibition," St. Pierre said."
Obama does not favor changing pot laws … 'at this point'
"What are you smoking? President Barack Obama doesn't think cracking down on individual pot smokers is a good use of federal dollars, but he also doesn't think it's time to loosen the country's marijuana laws … at least "at this point." That's the message from White House spokesman Josh Earnest, who told reporters at the daily press briefing that Obama's views have been "clear and consistent for some time now." "The priority in terms of the dedication of law-enforcement resources should be targeted towards drug kingpins, drug traffickers and others who perpetrate violence in the conduct of the drug trade," and not individual users, Earnest said. But "the president does not, at this point, advocate a change in the law." Currently, the federal government lists marijuana — or, as this helpful Drug Enforcement Agency handout suggests, "Aunt Mary, BC Bud, Blunts, Boom, Chronic, Dope, Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Hydro, Indo, Joint, Kif, Mary Jane, Mota, Pot, Reefer, Sinsemila, Skunk, Smoke, Weed, and Yerba" — as a "Schedule 1" drug, alongside heroin, LSD, ecstasy, methaqualone and peyote. Those are "drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence," the DEA says. The DEA also says marijuana has "no currently accepted medical use in the United States." That puts "The Man" at odds with quite a few states and Washington, D.C. — the "laboratories of democracy." "There are 20 states that have med marijuana laws, there are 16 states that have decriminalized possession and then two states — Colorado and Washington — have legalized it," Allen St. Pierre, the executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said. "The president has clearly evolved regarding a couple of different subject matters over the course of his presidency," St. Pierre told Yahoo News by telephone. That was an obvious reference to Obama's embrace of gay marriage. "We suspect that this former marijuana aficionado will, too, evolve on this subject matter as the American public has. That's what politicians do," he added. States that have taken steps to permit marijuana use and possession are "clearly putting upward political pressure on the federal government to end cannabis prohibition," St. Pierre said."
Rabu, 21 Agustus 2013
Jennifer Lopez deal with 'Idol' imminent
" NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with negotiations to bring Jennifer Lopez back as an "American Idol" judge says her return will be announced this week. The person said Monday that a deal is close to being signed with Lopez, who was an "Idol" judge for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The person wasn't authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The person says Lopez decided to rejoin the show because its production schedule will allow her to spend more time with her children, 5-year-old twins Emme and Max. Lopez will join returning judge Keith Urban and a third person who hasn't been announced. Fox has declined to comment on whether Lopez is joining "American Idol" and did not immediately respond to another request for comment Monday. Lopez's agent did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. ___ AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report. "
Jennifer Lopez deal with 'Idol' imminent
" NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with negotiations to bring Jennifer Lopez back as an "American Idol" judge says her return will be announced this week. The person said Monday that a deal is close to being signed with Lopez, who was an "Idol" judge for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The person wasn't authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The person says Lopez decided to rejoin the show because its production schedule will allow her to spend more time with her children, 5-year-old twins Emme and Max. Lopez will join returning judge Keith Urban and a third person who hasn't been announced. Fox has declined to comment on whether Lopez is joining "American Idol" and did not immediately respond to another request for comment Monday. Lopez's agent did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. ___ AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report. "
Jennifer Lopez deal with 'Idol' imminent
" NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with negotiations to bring Jennifer Lopez back as an "American Idol" judge says her return will be announced this week. The person said Monday that a deal is close to being signed with Lopez, who was an "Idol" judge for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The person wasn't authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The person says Lopez decided to rejoin the show because its production schedule will allow her to spend more time with her children, 5-year-old twins Emme and Max. Lopez will join returning judge Keith Urban and a third person who hasn't been announced. Fox has declined to comment on whether Lopez is joining "American Idol" and did not immediately respond to another request for comment Monday. Lopez's agent did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. ___ AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report. "
Jennifer Lopez deal with 'Idol' imminent
" NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with negotiations to bring Jennifer Lopez back as an "American Idol" judge says her return will be announced this week. The person said Monday that a deal is close to being signed with Lopez, who was an "Idol" judge for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The person wasn't authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The person says Lopez decided to rejoin the show because its production schedule will allow her to spend more time with her children, 5-year-old twins Emme and Max. Lopez will join returning judge Keith Urban and a third person who hasn't been announced. Fox has declined to comment on whether Lopez is joining "American Idol" and did not immediately respond to another request for comment Monday. Lopez's agent did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. ___ AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report. "
Jennifer Lopez deal with 'Idol' imminent
" NEW YORK (AP) — A person familiar with negotiations to bring Jennifer Lopez back as an "American Idol" judge says her return will be announced this week. The person said Monday that a deal is close to being signed with Lopez, who was an "Idol" judge for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The person wasn't authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The person says Lopez decided to rejoin the show because its production schedule will allow her to spend more time with her children, 5-year-old twins Emme and Max. Lopez will join returning judge Keith Urban and a third person who hasn't been announced. Fox has declined to comment on whether Lopez is joining "American Idol" and did not immediately respond to another request for comment Monday. Lopez's agent did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. ___ AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report. "
‘Glow-in-the-dark’ Lamborghini seized by London police
"If you're 24 years old and a member of Qatar's ruling family, what car would you drive around town? A 'glow-in-the-dark' Lamborghini Aventador, worth around $500,000, of course. But if you forget your driver's license and the proper insurance documents while navigating the streets of London, don't for one minute think the local police might offer you a royal pardon. Instead, they'll give you a ticket. And tow your one-of-a-kind supercar like it's a rusted '94 Honda Accord. This particularly insane Lamborghini, which is rumored to glow-in-the-dark according to its creator, is thought to be owned by Nasser Al-Thani, a mere 24 year old with Qatari parents so wealthy they presumably own such things as floating skyscrapers, fur coats made from wooly mammoths, and an entire mansion filled with nothing but jelly beans. The incident reportedly began by police noticing the attention-grabbing supercar had no front license plate. After stopping the car and quizzing the driver, the space-aged Lamborghini was taken aboard a flatbed truck to the impound lot. I doubt Nasser Al-Thani struggled for a ride home, however. This car is one of many oddly painted, ludicrously expensive sports cars the young man owns. Or perhaps this time he took the chromed helicopter, returning to his house full of Haribo."
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