Saturday, December 29, 2012

The Scariest Shoes of All Time

By | How To – Tue, Oct 9, 2012 1:39 PM EDT
Yahoo! editors have selected this article as a favorite of 2012. It first ran on Yahoo! Shine in October 2012, and quickly garnered over 15,000 comments and became one of the 20 most-read articles from the Yahoo! Front Page this year. Readers were shocked and horrified by these treacherous backwards heels, calling them “Edward Scissorfeet” or likening them to Natalie Portman’s broken legs in “Black Swan.” Others appreciated the designer’s thought process, agreeing that lengths women will go to for vanity is, in fact, quite scary.
Scary Beautiful shoes by Leanie van der Vyver. Photo by Lyall CoburnWe've come across many ugly shoes in our day, but a pair dubbed "Scary Beautiful" is definitely the most treacherous footwear we've ever seen. The massive heels appear backwards on the foot, so the wearers feet point straight down the back, as if in ballet shoes, with their shin leaning against the front "heel" end of the design to balance. The shoes are a collaboration between artist Leanie van der Vyver and Dutch shoe designer René van den Berg, and serve as a commentary on today's impossible standards of beauty.

The ugliest shoes of all time

Van der Vyver is South African, and recently graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. We spotted "Scary Beautiful" on her website, cargocollective.com, and reached out to her for the inside scoop.

Imelda Marcos' prized shoe collection is ruined

"After working in fashion for seven years, and therefore being well aware of the manipulation images in fashion suffer for a perfect result, I still compare myself to them and other current beauty ideals," Van der Vyver told Yahoo! Shine exclusively. "My frustration with my own inability to overcome these feelings of inadequacy was what brought 'Scary Beautiful' into fruition. The shoes formed part of my graduation project that was a result of my thesis. The conclusion of my thesis investigation was that people are not satisfied with what they look like, and that perfection, according to the beauty and fashion standards, has reached a climax. Humans are playing God by physically and metaphorically perfecting themselves. Beauty is currently at an all time climax, allowing this project to explore what lies beyond perfection. Scary Beautiful challenges current beauty ideals by inflicting an unexpected new beauty standard."

A model wearing the Scary Beautiful shoes. Photo by Lyall CoburnUnsurprisingly, Van der Vyver's "Scary Beautiful" shoes were nominated for a design prize at Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Jury members Barbara Visser, visual artist and Xander Karskens, and curator of De Hallen had this to say about the shoes:

"The object created by Leanie expands the concept of a shoe into multiple new meanings. The beautifully made leather object is accompanied by a video registration of a girl wearing it. One observes the design forcing the wearer to develop a new way of walking, leaning forward while refining a painfully fragile balance. The jury applauds the way aesthetics, ergonomics and prosthesis merge into an awkward choreography. The craftsmanship and strong conceptual way of designing also show in another work, a ceramic tea set in which reference is made to a building in South Africa. Leanie succeeds in translating political consciousness into form and is considered by the jury to be a meaningful future designer."





Alexander McQueen's spring 2010 Armadillo heels. Photo by Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho/Getty Images We find the clip shocking but also oddly moving. The shoes are obviously not practical, but as art they're intriguing. We can't help but be reminded of Lady Gaga trying to steady herself in the now-famous Alexander McQueen "Armadillo" heels in her "Bad Romance" music video. Major models like Abbey Lee Kershaw, Natasha Poly, and Sasha Pivovarova reportedly refused to wear the 12-inch McQueen heels out of fear, and were cut from the designer's spring 2010 fashion show. In comparison, the "Scary Beautiful" shoes make the "Armadillo" heels look like sneakers, but we had a feeling the always-outdoing-herself Lady Gaga would give them a spin one day. Sure enough, Van der Vyver confirmed our suspicions.

"Yes, on request I did actually send them to Studio Formichetti for a Lady Gaga music video, but I could not get confirmation whether she actually used them," Van der Vyver told us. "I did not charge for her to possibly use them. I would love to sell them to a gallery."

We're holding out for the "Scary Beautiful" shoes to appear in an upcoming Lady Gaga music video, but until then Van der Vyver is back home in Cape Town starting her own studio where she'll continue investigating fashion and beauty. We're anticipating her next creation.


Check out a video below of a model walking verrry slowly in the "Scary Beautiful" shoes.


Scary Beautiful (Leanie van der Vyver) from Lyall Coburn on Vimeo.
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Friday, December 28, 2012

Red meat shortens lifespan
2 of 22
We've heard many times before that too much red meat is bad for us, but this study of more than 100,000 people still got the nation's attention. For the first time, researchers estimated the effect of red meat on a person's lifespan—and the news wasn't good.
On average, each additional serving of saturated fat-filled red meat was associated with a 13% higher risk of dying during the 28-year study. Processed meat products such as hot dogs, bacon, and salami were especially hazardous. The antidote? Eating more fish, poultry, whole grains, and low-fat dairy may lower your risk of dying prematurely, the study found.
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

World's longest bullet train service launched in China

By Kelly Olsen | AFP News – 8 hours ago
China launched services Wednesday on the world's longest high-speed rail route, the latest milestone in the country's rapid and -- sometimes troubled -- super fast rail network.
The opening of the new 2,298-kilometre (1,425-mile) line between Beijing and Guangzhou means passengers will be whisked from the capital to the southern commercial hub in just eight hours, compared with the 22 hours previously required.
State broadcaster China Central Television showed the 9:00 am (0100 GMT) departure of the first train live from Beijing West Railway Station and its arrival later in Guangzhou at about 5:00 pm.
It also carried occasional live reports inside the train throughout the day, showing passengers toting cameras to apparently snap commemorative photos, as well as shots from outside as it sped through the countryside.
Another train departed Guangzhou for the capital at 10:00 am, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The train departing Beijing travelled at an average speed of 300 kilometres per hour and made stops in four cities -- Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, Wuhan on the Yangtze River and Changsha before arriving in Guangzhou.
State media have reported that December 26 was chosen to start passenger service on the Beijing-Guangzhou line to commemorate the birth in 1893 of revered Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
The Beijing-Guangzhou route was made possible with the completion of a line between Zhengzhou and Beijing. High-speed sections linking Zhengzhou and Wuhan and Wuhan and Guangzhou were already in service.
China's high-speed rail network was only established in 2007, but has fast become the world's largest. Xinhua said that China now operates 9,300 kilometres of high-speed railways.
The state-run China Daily newspaper reported Wednesday that the nation's high-speed rail network is set to jump to 50,000 kilometres by 2020, with four main lines running north and south and another four east and west.
China has relied on technology transfers from foreign companies, including France's Alstom, Germany's Siemens and Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries, to develop its high-speed rail network.
But the country is now seeking to capitalise on what it has learned and has been building high-speed rail networks in foreign countries such as Turkey and Venezuela, and has ambitions further afield.
The China News Service reported Wednesday that the major type of train running on the Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed rail route is produced by state-owned China CNR Corp., headquartered in Beijng and founded in June 2008.
China's domestic network, while a symbol of its emergence as the world's second-largest economy, has also been plagued by graft and safety scandals, such as a collision in July 2011 that killed 40 people.
The accident was China's worst rail disaster since 2008 and caused a torrent of public criticism aimed at the government amid accusations that authorities compromised safety in their rush to expand the network.
Authorities said they have taken steps ahead of the new line's opening to improve maintenance and inspection of infrastructure, and emergency response measures.
"The emergency rescue system and all kinds of emergency pre-plans are established to improve emergency response ability," according to a ministry booklet.
Still, safety concerns remain.
The Global Times newspaper, with close ties to China's ruling Communist Party, on Wednesday quoted a Ministry of Railways official acknowledging continuing problems despite intense efforts to solve them during trial runs.
"We can't make sure it's error-proof in the future, and we have been subject to a lot of pressure from the public," Zhao Chunlei, deputy chief of the ministry's transportation department, told the paper.
The train's opening means that it will be in service over China's Lunar New Year holiday period, which falls in mid-February next year.
Hundreds of millions of people travel across the country during that period to visit their ancestral hometowns in the world's largest annual migration.
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Philippines 17th most generous country in the world

GMA News Online – 16 hours ago
It would appear that Filipinos have taken to heart the words of that classic Christmas carol that goes, “at magmula ngayon, kahit hindi pasko ay magbigayan.”

According to the World Giving Index 2012 by British organization Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), the Philippines is the 17th most generous country out of 146 countries included in the study, with a world giving index score of 45 percent.

The World Giving Index ranked countries based on three "giving behaviors:" donating money to a charity, volunteering time for an organization, and helping strangers.

Related story: Pinoys among world's most positive people

The Philippines shared the ranking with Finland, who also had a score of 45 percent.

Meanwhile, Australia was ranked the most generous country with a score of 60 percent.

Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and the United States rounded out the top five most generous, all ranking high in terms of donating money.

Filipinos, meanwhile, got a relatively low score of only 32 percent when it came to money donations, but ranked fifth overall in terms of volunteering, with a score of 44 percent.

This score is the highest of any other country in Southeast Asia.

As for helping strangers, Filipinos got a score of 58 percent.

In other news: World Bank: PH among Asia's fastest growing economies

The CAF report said that the country's world giving score has exceeded its five-year average.

However, it also said that there was a general decline in charitable acts in recent years, noting a decrease in participation in all three giving behaviors all over the world.

"According to our report, hundreds of millions fewer people have helped others than was the case last year," said CAF Chief Executive John Low in the report's foreword.

"This has inevitably resulted in a dramatic reduction in charitable support for millions of vulnerable people the world over," he added.

Also read: PH rises in 'corruption perception' rankings

The World Giving Index 2012 was compiled using data collected throughout 2011 and surveyed over 155,000 people.

Countries featured in the World Giving Index in previous years that were not surveyed in 2011 do not feature in the 2012 Index.

Fieldwork was conducted by the market research firm, Gallup. This is the third edition of the World Giving Index. — DVM, GMA News
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Most anticipated tech products for 2013

By | Digital Crave – Fri, Dec 21, 2012
Xbox 720Right now you’re probably pretty happy with the available gadgets on the market. Phones can do almost anything, cars nearly drive themselves and video games have never looked more fantastic.
How much better can it get?
Well, that’s a matter of opinion. If you’re still writing letters on paper with a #2 pencil, you probably don’t care. (Also, you’re awesome if you still do that. It’s a dying art.) However, if you’ve found this story, chances are you want to know what cool things you might be playing with next year. Many of these are based purely on speculation, but that’s part of the fun.
And so begins your Christmas list for 2013:
1. Xbox 720
The latest tech reports on Microsoft’s next console – tentatively named the Xbox 720 or Xbox Loop  – state the chipset has already been in production and game developers are working hard on new titles. The machine should be on shelves in time for Christmas, 2013.
Rumors that the new Xbox will simply be an update to the existing 360 are bunk, same to the theory that it will run on Windows. What is likely is that the system will launch at a cheaper price point than the 360. This could mean a new Microsoft console for under $300. You can bet the new console will be smaller than its predecessor and that Microsoft will continue to push the Kinect peripheral. Despite the company’s interest in casual and motion-based games, expect the next Xbox to continue Microsoft’s appeal to hardcore gamers.
Playstation 42. PlayStation 4The history of video game consoles is marked by generations. As these things go, this has been a long generation. Nintendo got out ahead with this year’s release of the Wii U, but it’s still unclear how their machine will stack up against the next generation of consoles coming from Sony and Microsoft.
Sony is known for standing behind its consoles – you can still buy a Playstation 2 off the shelf today and that thing is over a decade old.
They’re not saying much about the next console, but speculation is understandably rampant. Industry analyst Michael Pachter said he doubts Sony wants to launch behind Microsoft again, which supports the theory of a 2013 launch for Sony’s next console. If the PlayStation 2 is any indication, the PlayStation 3 will likely remain a hit for the company for years after their new console is released.
Blackberry 103. Blackberry 10Much to the dismay of Blackberry fans, the promised 2012 release never happened. This earned them a place on our 2012 Technology Flops piece.
Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, plans to unveil the new BlackBerry 10 operating system in January. That is (hopefully) good news for a company that recently sacked hundreds of employees and lost contracts with the US government over security and reliability issues with RIM products.
RIM has fallen from one of the largest smartphone makers in the world to trailing behind Apple and Android products. The Blackberry 10 is a make or break product for the company. So far, early reports are positive. The new browser is allegedly faster than anything on the market and a QWERTY keyboard version is said to be available soon after the touch screen version is launched.
Microsoft Surface Pro4. Microsoft Surface ProThe Surface RT is already for sale as a tablet/notebook, but the Surface Pro will have a full version of Windows 8 and will support any Windows 7 apps. It will be packed with an Intel Core 15 processor and a display that supports 10-point multi-touch and stylus input.
The result could be a terrific laptop and tablet all in one package that could be powerful enough to warrant the $900 price point.
Expect to see these roll out in January.
Ipad 45. iPad 5
You don’t think Apple is done building their Death Star, do you?
In another move sure to separate consumers from their cash, the iPad 5 will likely be ready for Christmas, 2013 at the latest. Expect it to share some touch screen technology from the iPad Mini to make it lighter and slimmer.
While the iPad Mini is selling well and it feels like the iPad 4 was released 10 minutes ago, it is likely that Apple will look to solidify their reign of the tablet market in the face of Microsoft’s Surface by pushing the iPad 5. Meanwhile, an iPhone 5S is probably in the works, if not a full-blown iPhone 6.
Amazon6. Amazon PhoneAmazon answered the tablet call with its fleet of Kindles, now it’s looking to the smartphone world.
In line with their Kindle philosophy, Amazon’s phone will likely be heavy on software integration and light on bleeding edge hardware. Amazon users will want to stay in their ecosystem of Amazon’s Appstore, Amazon MP3, Amazon Cloud Player and Kindle books.
This phone will do all of those things; likely for a low price since the company will offset hardware costs with the money consumers will spend on their stuff. Amazon will leverage its octopus-like reach into every area of entertainment to make this phone a logical choice for people caught in their tentacles.
You could see these by summer, 2013.
Augmented reality glasses7. Augmented reality glassesThese sci-fi specs are finally getting closer to reality; as close as mid-2013, according to some tech experts. Google and Vuzix are working on models that are similar to headsets, projecting an image in front of the wearer’s eye.
Not surprisingly, the unit will connect to your phone via Bluetooth, displaying e-mail, texts, directions, stock quotes or anything else you can’t seem to live without for 10 seconds.
Lifebook8. Fujitsu Lifebook 2013The Fujitsu Lifebook 2013 is a concept device designed by Prashant Chandra. It’s the result of a competition the company ran in 2011. The Transformer of tech gadgets, the Lifebook 2013 features a digital camera, smart-phone and a tablet – all of which can be detached and used individually. Each component has its own CPU and could run on the same operating system. No one is sure if Fujitsu will make these in 2013, but a lot of people are hoping so.
Folding car9. MIT’s folding car – The HirokoThe Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT) is expected to release the Hiroko in Europe and select American markets in 2013. The car is able to “fold up,” which allows three of them to occupy a typical parking space.
The Hiroko’s front windshield is also the car door, which lets you park the car facing the sidewalk and step right into the pedestrian space. Its “robot wheels” allow the Hiroko to turn on a dime and its steering wheel is a wide screen LCD panel.
The Hiroko currently has a 75-mile range and seems destined to be put into service in ZipCar-themed programs given the crowded nature of European streets.
Samsung bendy phones10. Smartphones that bendWhen fashion and technology meet, good things can happen. Sometimes.
This might be the case with bendy screen smartphones. Samsung has already shown its OLED display technology, which means this tech could be in our hands – or wrapped around our wrists – in 2013. It’s likely to be called the Galaxy Skin and will feature everything you expect in a smartphone – camera, high-res screen and a decent processor.
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Friday, December 21, 2012

Branson to be AirAsia stewardess after losing Grand Prix bet

AFP Relax – 3 hours ago
Virgin boss Richard Branson (AFP Photo)



British billionaire Richard Branson will finally wear a red skirt and serve as a stewardess on Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia in May after losing a Grand Prix bet with the founder of the airline.

Virgin boss Branson and AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes had agreed in 2010 that whichever of their teams (then Virgin and Lotus) finished lower in the constructors' championship in their debut season, the losing owner would serve on the other's airline.

Branson lost as Lotus finished 10th and Virgin 12th, but the trip was postponed in early 2011 after he injured himself while skiing.

Fernandes said Branson had contacted him to honour his bet.

"He will be an Airasia stewardess in May on Airasia. 2 years late but main point he hasn't forgotten," Fernandes tweeted.

Fernandes had previously said that Branson would strut down the aisle to offer coffee, tea or other food and beverages to guests on a special 13-hour Kuala Lumpur to London flight.

The tickets for the flight would be auctioned off for charity.
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Thursday, December 20, 2012

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO for sale at $41 million makes bid for world’s most expensive car

By | Motoramic – 14 hours ago
Just six months ago, a green 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO built for Sir Stirling Moss traded hands for $35 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold. That record may not stand another month if an anonymous American seller gets his asking price of $41 million for his 250 GTO — a sign that the market for Enzo Ferrari's most famous race cars may soon overheat.
Offered for sale by a London broker, there's little public detail about which one of the 39 known GTOs has been put on the market. It's one of 29 Series I GTOs, and one of 22 left-hand-drive versions, and the broker claims it has "great provenence and a very well cared for history by past and current owners," which only means it likely hasn't been burned in a wreck on the track.
When Ferrari built the V-12, 170-mph GTOs to race, with wins at Le Mans and around the world, there was never a thought that the cars would someday turn into near-venerated objects. Even a decade after their heyday, GTOs were often considered worn-out sports cars by collectors. Only in recent years, as the world's wealthy have begun to see collector cars as pieces of art, profit and coolness combined have their prices risen to stratospheric heights. By comparison, the most expensive new car for sale in the world — the Bugatti Veyron, starting at $2 million — seems a downright bargain.
The world of people who keep track of GTOs and their owners will know if and when a buyer puts down the $41 million. If no one bites, the collector car world will know that there's at least a temporary ceiling to demand for the right cars. If someone does pay for it, the question then becomes where the top really is, and who else might be willing to pay tomorrow's price for a 50-year-old Ferrari today.
Photo: Lamboshane via Flickr
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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The World’s Best Places To Live

By Rajeshni Naidu-Ghelani | CNBC – 14 hours ago
Can there be a city that is crime and pollution free, with excellent public transport and great schools to boast?

Human resources consulting firm Mercer has put together a list of cities that come closest to offering you all that. In its 2012 Quality of Living report it looks at living conditions in 221 cities worldwide and ranks them against New York as a base city in 10 categories - economy, socio-cultural environment, politics, education, and healthcare.







Cities in some of the world's biggest economies like the U.S. and Japan don't make the cut. So, which are the world's best places to live in? Read ahead to find out.

1. Vienna, Austria
Austria's most populous city – Vienna – has won the title of the world's best city for quality of life since 2009. It is also one of eight European cities to make the top 10 list, showing the region's dominance in the survey.

Vienna is the cultural, economic, and political center of the country. It has the highest per capita GDP among all Austrian cities at over $55,000. Vienna's ability to transform old infrastructure into modern dwellings won the city the 2010 United Nations urban planning award for improving the living conditions of its residents. Under a multimillion-dollar program, the city refurbished more than 5,000 buildings with nearly 250,000 apartments. Vienna is also the world's No. 1 destination for conferences, drawing five million tourists a year — equivalent to three tourists for every resident.

The country's economy has, however, not been immune to the crisis plaguing Europe, and shrunk 0.1 percent in the third quarter of the year, as the European Union entered its second recession since 2009.

2. Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, keeps the number two spot from last year after holding the title of the city with the best quality of life in the world previously. It is also one of three Swiss cities to make the top 10 rankings – tying with Germany for the most number of cities on the list.

Known as a global financial center, one out of every nine jobs in Switzerland is based in Zurich. Its low tax rates attract overseas companies and the assets of the 82 banks based there are equivalent to more than 85 percent of the total value of assets held in Switzerland. The city is also the country's biggest tourist destination, famous for its lakeside location and chain of hills that run from north to south, providing an extensive range of leisure activities.

The cost of living in Zurich is the sixth highest in the world, according to Mercer. Both Zurich and Geneva make Switzerland the most expensive country to live in in Western Europe. The city also attracts people to buy luxury properties here, because of its low taxes, safety record and good education system, according to real estate firm Knight Frank.

3. Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand's largest and most populous city, Auckland, offers the best quality of life in the Asia-Pacific region, now for the second year in a row. It has been consistently placed within the top five best places to live in for the past six years.

Auckland is uniquely set between two harbors, with 11 extinct volcanoes and numerous islands making it the city with the world's largest boat ownership per person. Auckland is New Zealand's economic powerhouse - its 1.4 million people account for more than 30 percent of the country's population and contribute 35 percent to the country's GDP. Auckland is also home to the most educated people in the country, with nearly 37 percent of its working population holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

In March, the city launched a 30-year initiative called "The Auckland Plan" to make it the world's most livable city. The plan aims to tackle challenges in transport, housing, job creation and environment protection. However, the city has been impacted by the global economic slowdown. In the third quarter New Zealand's unemployment rate hit a 13-year high of 7.3 percent.

4. Munich, Germany
Munich is Germany's third largest city and one of the country's key economic centers. It is also one of three German cities to dominate the top 10 rankings for the best quality of life.

Holding on its fourth spot from last year, Munich is home to some of Germany's most notable businesses, including engineering firm Siemens and insurer Allianz. The city generates nearly 30 percent of the gross domestic product of the State of Bavaria. Munich's per capita purchasing power was more than $33,700 in 2011, the highest among all German cities and 30 percent above the national average. Drawing immigrants to its industries from all over the world, more than a fifth of the city's residents are foreigners.

Munich ties fellow German city Frankfurt for having the second best infrastructure in the world, according to Mercer. In total, four German cities including Dusseldorf and Hamburg dominate the top 10 infrastructure rankings highlighting the country's first-class airports and high standard of public services.

5. Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver is the only Canadian and North American city to make the top 10 list this year, similar to 2011.

Vancouver has made it to a number of rankings on the world's most livable cities over the past decade and has been among the top five in the Mercer quality of living survey for the past six years. Home to one of the mildest climates in Canada, Vancouver is also its greenest city with the smallest carbon footprint of any major city in North America. Surrounded by water and snowy mountains, Vancouver's government constantly promotes green building, planning, and technology with the ambition of becoming the world's greenest city by 2020.

In terms of infrastructure, Vancouver also tops the rankings for North America at ninth with Montreal and Atlanta landing in 13th place. Overall, Canadian cities still dominate the top of the rankings for North America despite only Vancouver making it into the global top 10. Ottawa comes in at 14, Toronto at 15 and Montreal at 23, while it's closet U.S. competitor is Honolulu at 28 globally.


See the full list: The World's Best Places to Live
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Sunday, December 9, 2012

American Killed in Raid to Free Doctor From Taliban

abc dilip joseph rescued lt 121209 wblog American Killed in Raid to Free Doctor From Taliban
(ABC)
One of the Special Operations troops involved in the raid to free an American doctor from the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan died of his wounds today.
“I was deeply saddened to learn that a U.S. service member was killed in the operation, and I also want to extend my condolences to his family, teammates and friends,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement released today. “The special operators who conducted this raid knew they were putting their lives on the line to free a fellow American from the enemy’s grip. They put the safety of another American ahead of their own, as so many of our brave warriors do every day and every night. In this fallen hero, and all of our special operators, Americans see the highest ideals of citizenship, sacrifice and service upheld. The torch of freedom burns brighter because of them.”
President Obama also praised the Special Operations force for their bravery.
“Yesterday, our special operators in Afghanistan rescued an American citizen in a mission that was characteristic of the extraordinary courage, skill and patriotism that our troops show every day,” he said today.
“Tragically, we lost one of our special operators in this effort,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, just as we must always honor our troops and military families. He gave his life for his fellow Americans, and he and his teammates remind us once more of the selfless service that allows our nation to stay strong, safe and free.”
Dr. Dilip Joseph and two colleagues were kidnapped Dec. 5 by a group of armed men while returning from a visit to a rural medical clinic in eastern Kabul Province, according to a statement from their employer, Colorado Springs-based Morning Star Development. The statement said the three were eventually taken to a mountainous area about 50 miles from the border with Pakistan.
Morning Star’s crisis management team in Colorado Springs was in contact with the hostages and their captors almost immediately, the statement said.
On Saturday evening in Afghanistan, two of the three hostages were released. Morning Star did not release their names in order to protect their identities. Dr. Joseph remained in captivity.
Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, ordered the mission to rescue Joseph when “intelligence showed that Joseph was in imminent danger of injury or death”, according to a military press release.
Morning Star said Joseph was in good condition and will probably return home to Colorado Springs in the next few days.
A Defense Department official told ABC that Joseph can walk, but was beaten up by his captors.
Joseph has worked for Morning Star Development for three years, the organization said, and travels frequently to Afghanistan.
“Morning Star Development does state categorically that we paid no ransom, money or other consideration to the captors or anyone else to secure the release of these hostages,” the organization said.
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Friday, December 7, 2012

Radio Pranksters Who Posed as Queen Pulled Off Air After Nurse's Death

By CHRISTINA NG | Good Morning America – 4 hours ago
The two Australian radio hosts who prank called the hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated have been pulled off the air "until further notice" after the hoaxed nurse was found dead today.
"Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world," the radio station said in a statement posted on their Facebook page.
The station's chief executive spoke with the DJs, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, and "they are both deeply shocked," the statement said. The parties agreed that the hosts would not comment on the situation.
"SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy," the statement said.
In the Tuesday morning prank call, information about the duchess' condition was released by a nurse to Greig and Christian when they pretended to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles looking to speak to Middleton, who was being treated at the hospital for acute nausea related to her pregnancy.
When the royal impersonators called the hospital, Saldanha put through to a second nurse who told the royal impersonators that Kate was "quite stable" and hadn't "had any retching."
"It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff," the hospital said in a statement released today.
"We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital," the statement said. "The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."
The hospital said that Saldanha worked at the hospital for more than four years. They called her a "first-class nurse" and "a well-respected and popular member of the staff."
The hospital extended their "deepest sympathies" to family and friends, saying that "everyone is shocked" at this "tragic event."
"She will be greatly missed," the hospital said.
"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha," a spokesman from St. James Palace said in a statement.
"Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time," the statement said.
Police were called to an address near the hospital at about 9:35 a.m. GT today to "reports of a woman found unconscious," according to a statement from Scotland Yard.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. "Inquiries continue to establish the circumstances of the incident. Next of kin have been informed," the statement said.
Circumstances of the death being investigated, but are not suspicious at this stage, according to police.
The duchess spent three days at the hospital undergoing treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum, severe or debilitating nausea and vomiting. She was released from the hospital on Thursday morning.

The Tuesday morning prank call came from Australian DJ's Mel Greig and Michael Christian. They impersonated the royals, complete with exaggerated accents. They even enlisted two co-workers to bark like the queen's pet corgis.
The Sydney radio station, 2DayFM, could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Twitter accounts of both radio personalities have been deactivated, but it is unknown when the accounts were shut down. The DJ's are being heavily criticized on Twitter, with many people calling for them to resign or be fired.
"I'm just after my granddaughter, Kate. I want to see how her little tummy bug is going," the radio host said in the prank call, suppressing laughter.
"She's sleeping at the moment, and she has had an uneventful night and sleep is good for her," the nurse said. "She's been getting some fluids to rehydrate her because she was quite dehydrated when she came in, but she's stable at the moment."
The fake royals went on to ask when would be a good time to visit and were told that "anytime after 9 o'clock would be suitable."
"She's quite stable at the moment. She hasn't had any retching ... since I've been on duty. And she has been sleeping on and off. I think it's difficult sleeping in a strange bed as well," the nurse said.
The hospital apologized for the mistake.
"The call was transferred through to a ward, and a short conversation was held with one of the nursing staff," the hospital said in a statement. "King Edward VII's Hospital deeply regrets this incident."
"This was a foolish prank call that we all deplore," John Lofthouse, the hospital's chief executive, said in the statement. "We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously, and we are now reviewing our telephone protocols."
The radio station also apologized for the prank call.
"2Day FM sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the inquiry to Kate's hospital. The radio segment was done with lighthearted intentions," the station said in a statement.
"We were very surprised that our call was put through. We thought we'd be hung up on as soon as they heard our terrible accents," the radio hosts said in the statement. "We're very sorry if we've caused any issues, and we're glad to hear that Kate is doing well. We wish Kate and her family all the best."
ABC News' Bruno Roeber contributed to this report.
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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Raphael drawing fetches $47.8 million in auction

Major drawing by Raphael fetches $47.8 million at auction in London, smashing estimates

Associated Press – 11 hrs ago

LONDON (AP) -- One of the most significant drawings by Italian master Raphael in private hands sold for 29.7 million pounds ($47.8 million) in London Wednesday, smashing pre-sale estimates for the black chalk work.
"Head of an Apostle" was expected to fetch between 10 million pounds and 15 million pounds, and Sotheby's auction house said the sale set a record for any work on paper sold at auction.
Sotheby's said the winning bid was placed over the phone following an intense battle among four bidders.
"Head of an Apostle" was created in preparation for Raphael's Biblical painting "The Transfiguration," which hangs in the Vatican Museum in Rome.
"If you are lucky, at some point in your career a work like this comes along," said Gregory Rubinstein, worldwide head of Old Master drawings at Sotheby's.
He called Raphael — who died in 1520 — a genius.
The piece had been part of a collection at the Duke of Devonshire's Chatsworth House home in Derbyshire since the 1700s.
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Chemical scare is a cloak for intervention, says Syria

By Erika Solomon | Reuters – 39 mins ago
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Western powers are whipping up fear of chemical weapons as a pretext to intervene in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad's government said on Thursday, after several Western countries said they feared Assad might use poison gas.
"Syria stresses again, for the tenth, the hundredth time, that if we had such weapons, they would not be used against its people. We would not commit suicide," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al Maqdad told Lebanon's Al Manar television, the voice of the pro-Assad Hezbollah movement.
"We fear there is a conspiracy to provide a pretext for any subsequent interventions in Syria by these countries that are increasing pressure on Syria."
As darkness fell in the embattled capital, the highway to Damascus international airport was closed by fighting, witnesses said. Rebels said they would not storm the airport but would encircle it to stop flights supplying the army.
Fighting in Syria's 20-month civil war has intensified around the capital in the past week, prompting Western commentators to speak of an "end-game" that could soon see Assad toppled soon.
Several Western countries have issued coordinated warnings this week to Assad's government not to use chemical weapons, many citing secret intelligence that U.S. officials said showed the Assad government might be preparing to use poison gas.
Syria has not signed the international chemical weapons treaty that bans the use and storage of poison gas, but has repeatedly said it would never use such arms on its own people.
NATO also decided this week to send U.S., German and Dutch batteries of Patriot anti-aircraft missiles to Turkey's border with Syria, meaning hundreds of American and European troops deploying to the frontier for the first time.
Western countries have so far resisted conducting the sort of intervention in Syria's civil war that saw NATO air strikes help topple Libya's Muammar Gaddafi last year.
Germany approved the Patriot missile mission on Thursday. NATO says it is a defensive step to prevent cross border missile strikes on alliance member Turkey, but Syria fears it could be a prelude to imposing a no-fly zone over its territory.
With conditions worsening on the ground, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Syria mediator Lakhdar Brahimi were in Dublin on Thursday to try to put get a U.N. peace process on track.
Russia, backed by China, has so far blocked U.N. resolutions against Assad in a war that has killed more than 40,000 people. But there are signs that Moscow's patience with its ally may be wearing thing.
A Russian lawmaker and ally of President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said "time has shown" that Syria's government has lost the strength to function as it should.
AIRPORT BLOCKADE
Rebel spokesman Abu Nidal said the army was pinned down along the airport highway by nightfall on Thursday by rebel fighters maneuvering to mount a blockade. The airport is not closed but commercial traffic has almost ceased.
"We know that arms have been going to the regime through the civilian airport," he said. A blockade would be "a good tool to put more pressure on the regime, which is part of strategy of trying to drain their strength".
Western powers have shown no enthusiasm for armed intervention in Syria, preferring economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure and limited aid to rebel forces, who get most of their guns and ammunition paid for by sympathetic Arab powers.
Britain said on Thursday it will increase practical support for the rebels to include training and equipment such as body armor and night-vision goggles. But they will not get the anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles they are crying out for.
Exactly what Syria's army has done with suspected chemical weapons to prompt a surge of Western warnings over the past two days is not clear. Reports citing Western intelligence and defense sources are vague and inconsistent.
Clinton said on Wednesday Washington was concerned both about the possible use of chemical arms by "an increasingly desperate" Assad, and about the government losing control of such weapons to extremist armed groups.
While Western countries support the rebel aim of toppling Assad, they are also uncomfortable with some rebel groups, which espouse radical Sunni Islamist views. The prospect of some rebels obtaining chemical weapons could be more frightening to Western policymakers than Assad.
U.S. officials said the Obama administration was considering blacklisting Jabhat al-Nusra, an influential rebel group accused by other rebels of indiscriminate tactics that has advocated an Islamic state in Syria and is suspected of ties to al Qaeda.
An explosion at the Damascus headquarters of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent killed at least one person on Thursday, Syrian state television said. It blamed "terrorists from al Qaeda" - a term the government often employs to refer to rebel forces.
Opposition activists said army artillery pummeled several eastern suburbs of Damascus, where the rebels are dominant. Suburbs have been cut off for weeks from water and electricity, rebels say, accusing the government of collective punishment.
Residents of the cosmopolitan capital - until now largely spared the ravages of a war concentrated in the provinces and other cities - speak of a city under siege.
"I wanted to run a simple errand, to pay my cell phone. It should have taken 7 minutes but it took 25 because they've blocked the main road and the detour road," said one woman. "So we took a route all the way round the city that was very crowded with the traffic of everyone trying to get home. People are very resentful - and the VIPs must be very scared."
Rebels say they have also surrounded an air base 4 km (2-1/2 miles) from the centre of Damascus, a fresh sign the battle is closing in on the Syrian capital.
Maqdad denied that. "What is sad is that foreign countries believe these repeated rumors," he said.
Rebel and state claims about the military situation cannot be verified independently. But residents in the capital say the sound of shelling on the outskirts has become a constant backdrop and many fear the fight will soon come to Damascus.
Fighting was reported on Thursday in the rural outskirts of Damascus and in many parts of the country. A crucial supply line for the army, the Damascus-Aleppo road, was hit by clashes.
(Additional reporting by Steve Gutterman and Gabriela Baczynska in Moscow, Andrew Quinn and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Writing by Douglas Hamilton; Editing by Peter Graff)
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