Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Liverpool Vs. Hull: TV Channel Info, Live Stream Details And Injury News getdiscountz.blogspot.com

Written By Unknown; About: Liverpool Vs. Hull: TV Channel Info, Live Stream Details And Injury News getdiscountz.blogspot.com on Tuesday, December 31, 2013

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Liverpool Vs. Hull: TV Channel Info, Live Stream Details And Injury News

Brendan Rodgers is adamant that Liverpool will put right their poor performance in the 3-1 defeat to Hull City a month ago as the same opponents head to Anfield on New Year’s Day. Liverpool rebounded in fine fashion from that loss, winning four games in a row to move to the top of the Premier League table. However, back-to-back defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea have seen them drop out of the top four and Rodgers is determined to get back to winning ways.




"It's very simple -- we are at home and we expect to win,” he said, according to Liverpool’s official website.


"We were very disappointed in our performance level there [at the KC Stadium]. We were nowhere near the standard we would expect, but you have to give credit to Hull - they exposed that on the day. But we aim to make sure that no matter what squad or team we put out, we don't make the same mistakes again because home games are vitally important for us."


After an absence of more than three weeks, captain Steven Gerrard has resumed full training and is in contention to return to action against Hull. His availability comes at a particularly welcome time with Joe Allen, who has stepped into the side in Gerrard’s absence, set to miss several weeks with an abductor strain. Mamadou Sakho may also miss out with a hamstring strain. They join Daniel Sturridge, Jose Enrique and Jon Flanagan on the sidelines.


Liverpool can expect a tough encounter against a Hull side that recorded an extraordinary 6-0 victory over Fulham -- with all the goals coming in the second half. That win took them into 10th place in the Premier League and, with 23 points secured from the first half of the campaign, Hull have given themselves a good chance of ensuring that their stay in the top division extends beyond a single season.


Yet, midfielder Robert Koren, who scored twice against Fulham on Saturday, urged that there is no room for any complacency.


“We’re halfway through the season now and we’ve got points on the board. It’s been a really good start,” he said, according to Hull City’s official website. But this is the Premier League and we know we have to keep up our concentration in every game because we know that three points are available every time we play.


“From past experience, we know that this is a really tough league. You can go three or four games without getting a result and then there are problems. Hopefully we can keep going as we are with the good performances and getting points for those.”


Where to watch: The Barclays Premier League contest will kick off at 10 a.m. ET. Coverage will be provided by NBC’s Premier League Extra Time, with a live stream available on NBC Sports Live Extra.



Liverpool Vs. Hull: TV Channel Info, Live Stream Details And Injury News

Arsenal Vs. Cardiff: TV Channel, Live Stream Details And Preview getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Arsenal Vs. Cardiff: TV Channel, Live Stream Details And Preview

Arsene Wenger says that Arsenal’s superb 2013 should inspire belief that they can bring silverware back to the club as the new year begins with the visit of Cardiff City to the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal closed out the calendar year with victories over West Ham and Newcastle United to give them a win percentage of 64.8, the second highest in the club’s history. Now Wenger is targeting an even better 2014.




“It says a lot,” he told Arsenal’s website. “Unfortunately until now it has not been crowned by a trophy. But it is a basis to achieve a trophy and that long consistency must reinforce and strengthen our belief that we can deliver something special this season.


“That's what it can be used for but of course it is a remarkable achievement because Arsenal has an especially strong and long history. That tells you that these players are doing something special.”


After a first slight rocky spell of the season, Arsenal’s back-to-back wins in the past week have taken them back to the top of the Premier League at the halfway point of the campaign. But their hopes of staying there have been hit by a long list of fitness doubts heading into the clash with Cardiff.


Mesut Ozil (shoulder), Olivier Giroud (ankle), Aaron Ramsey (thigh) and Kieran Gibbs (calf) are all definitely ruled out, while Jack Wilshere (ankle), Theo Walcott (shoulder) and Tomas Rosicky (calf) all face fitness tests on their complaints. Wenger also confirmed that Nacho Monreal and Thomas Vermaelen were doubts having been suffering from illness.


The various ailments are likely to mean a first start since August for Lukas Podolski, who scored on his return to action against West Ham on Boxing Day.


In contrast to their opponents, Cardiff ended 2013 on a real low. The dismissal of manager Malky Mackay has led to much disruption off the pitch, while the team conceded two late goals to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory in the crucial match with relegation rivals Sunderland on Saturday.


Former assistant manager David Kerslake was in charge of the team for that disappointment and has admitted that he has no idea about how much longer he will hold the reins before a replacement is appointed. However, with Cardiff having picked up points from Manchester City and Manchester United already on their return to the Premier League, Kerslake claims the team is in confident mood heading to the Emirates.


"We've been competitive all season and we've had some great results against top sides," he said, according to BBC Sport. "They are a set of boys, very tight together, a real good team and they will go out and try and get a result in every game."


Where to watch: The Barclays Premier League match will kick off at 10 a.m. ET. Coverage will be provided by NBC’s Premier League Extra Time, with a live stream available on NBC Sports Live Extra.



Arsenal Vs. Cardiff: TV Channel, Live Stream Details And Preview

VIDEO 10 Best Goals Of 2013: Suarez, Ibrahimovic, Wilshere And Van Persie Strikes Among The Year’s Finest getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® VIDEO 10 Best Goals Of 2013: Suarez, Ibrahimovic, Wilshere And Van Persie Strikes Among The Year’s Finest

As the year comes to an end, there’s plenty to reflect on with pleasure. Bayern Munich have superbly taken the mantle as the world’s finest club team, while Cristiano Ronaldo was scintillating throughout and produced one of the all-time great individual performances in securing Portugal a spot in the World Cup in a playoff against Sweden. As ever, there were also an abundance of goals that will live long in the memory. Here are 10 that particularly standout.




Jack Wilshere (ARSENAL Vs. Norwich City)

While some prefer the long-range missile, there’s something about a great team goal that truly embodies the beautiful game at its finest. Few come better than this effort from Wilshere. The young England midfielder starts the move deep in his own half before ending it after a sensational series of one-touch passes and flicks involving Olivier Giroud.


Juan Manuel Olivera (NAUTICO Vs. Sport Recife)

The finish alone from the much-traveled Uruguayan striker is pretty impressive, but what elevates it to a goal-of-the-year contender is the quick-fire one-two that comes before it. The defender is completely befuddled as the ball is played back and forth around and over him before a stunning volley sails into the net.


Antonio di Natale (UDINESE Vs. Chievo)

The tremendously gifted Udinese forward has been defying both age and his tiny frame for several years now. Indeed, the 36-year-old has hit more than 20 goals in Serie A for the past four seasons -- winning the prestigious Capocannoniere scoring title in two of those campaigns. This strike against Chievo last season is a contender for the best of the lot. With the ball coming a long way across the field and from an increasingly ridiculous angle, the veteran front man strikes a perfect volley to find the far corner of the net. The work of an under-appreciated master.


Nemanja Matic (BENFICA Vs. Porto)

Matic has thrived since trading Chelsea for Benfica in 2011 and this was perhaps his finest moment. The strike itself was of breathtaking quality. There was little reaction time for the young Serbian and it is hard to overestimate the difficulty involved in striking a ball so cleanly that arrived at him near chest-height, never mind keeping it down and finding the top corner of the net. The fact that the goal came in a crucial match against Benfica’s title rivals, FC Porto, made it all the more impressive.


Daniel Luduena (PACHUCA Vs.Tigres)

The experienced Argentine-born midfielder only scored twice in his short stay at Pachuca, but that can hardly be held against him when one is as memorable as this effort. Looking up from inside his own half and seeing the Tigres goalkeeper off his line, Luduena tries a ridiculously ambitious effort from inside his own half, but gets it just about perfect to send it sailing into the net. Making the goal even better, was the little turn away from an opposition player to initially open up the space.


Everton Ribeiro (CRUZEIRO Vs. Flamengo)

This is a sublime strike from a man voted as the best player in this year’s Brasilerao. It is a goal reminiscent of Paul Gascoigne’s goal for England against Scotland in Euro ’96, but arguably tougher given the tighter space Ribeiro had to work in. After a lovely quick break down the right, the man now being linked with Manchester United lifts the ball over a helpless defender before meeting it flush on the volley and sending the ball careering into the roof of the net.


Pajtim Kasami (FULHAM Vs. Crystal Palace)

The Van-Basten-esque volley from a tight angle is something special in itself. What sets this strike from Fulham’s Swiss attacker apart, though, is the way he takes a chipped pass over his shoulder perfectly into his stride on his chest before unleashing the devastating finish.


Robin Van Persie (MANCHESTER UNITED Vs. Aston Villa)

There is so much to admire about this goal that completed Van Persie’s hat-trick in a match that confirmed Manchester United as Premier League champions. Wayne Rooney’s long pass was inch-perfect for Van Persie’s run and the Netherlands’ record goal-scorer met the ball over his shoulder first time to smash a volley into the net.


Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN Vs. Bastia)

There had to be at least one goal from Ibrahimovic in this list, indeed as there should be for any credible best-of selection. The question was which one. The pile-driver against Anderlecht deserves a very honorable mention, but this effort to against Bastia sums up the unique ability that the Swede possesses. His imposing physical stature enables him to hold off two defenders as a cross deflects toward him, but he then has the incredible invention and flexibility, honed by his black belt in taekwondo, to back-heel the ball above waste height into the corner of the net. An extraordinary footballer.


Luis Suarez (LIVERPOOL Vs. Norwich City)

There is an argument whether this was even the best goal by Suarez in this match, he scored four of them and each of them was superb. It is his hat-trick clinching strike, though, which gets the edge and warrants its place among the year’s finest. While perhaps not as spectacular as his earlier 40-yard effort in the massacre of Norwich, the technical skill of the Uruguayan to evade the challenges of defenders in such close confines, before producing an unstoppable effort into the corner of the net with almost no back list is awe-inspiring.



VIDEO 10 Best Goals Of 2013: Suarez, Ibrahimovic, Wilshere And Van Persie Strikes Among The Year’s Finest

Commercial DNA Tests Paint Confusing Health Picture For Consumers getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Commercial DNA Tests Paint Confusing Health Picture For Consumers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been casting a wary eye towards genetic test kits that tout their ability to dissect the risks you might carry for various diseases in your DNA. But are customers getting a fair portrait of their health?




After receiving a stern warning letter from the FDA, 23andMe – the testing service backed by Google – said in early December that it would discontinue its health screening service. (Users can still get “raw genetic data” and ancestry-related analyses, though.)


DNA-based health analyses like the kind (formerly) sold by 23andMe and other companies look for particular little markers in a person’s DNA called single nucleotide polymorphisms. These are places where a single letter in the genetic code is different. SNPs are everywhere in our genomes, often signifying nothing, but some certain variations have been linked to certain diseases.


The problem, critics say, is that commercial tests will look for just a few SNPs to determine disease risk, when there are many other factors that contribute to your chance of developing disease. For instance, 23andMe used to look for three particular SNPs in the breast cancer-related genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 to determine a customer’s breast cancer risk.


But “that's just such a limited view of breast cancer genetics," genetic counselor Amy Strum told LiveScience in November.


Other genes besides BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been linked to breast cancer, and it may take the combination of hundreds or even thousands of genetic markers to influence breast cancer risk, according to LiveScience.


Also, different genetic tests may give consumers different results. New York Times reporter Kira Peikoff recently decided to compare three genetic testing kits: a $99 saliva test from 23andMe (she got hers before the FDA hammer came down); a $285 blood test from Genetic Testing Laboratories; and a $399 kit from Pathway Genomics.


“I set out to test the tests,” Peikoff wrote. “Could three of them agree on me?”


Short answer: no. The 23andMe test showed that Peikoff’s most elevated health risks were for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, while Genetic Testing Laboratories found the exact opposite, saying her lowest risks were for those same two conditions. The various companies also use no standard language for conveying risk: a 10.3 percent risk for type 2 diabetes was deemed “medium” by G.T.L., while 23andMe dubs a 15.7 percent risk for the condition “decreased.”


Additionally, with some conditions like type 2 diabetes, genetics is only a small portion of the picture. Scientists know that family history, environment, and lifestyle choices matter in diabetes – factors that fall outside the realm of a home DNA spit test.


“What you look like is almost 100 percent genetic, but what you’re going to get isn’t,” University of Iowa geneticist Jeffrey Murray told the Washington Post this past April. “There are lots of other things — random chance, environmental exposure and all kinds of stuff that we can’t control.”



Commercial DNA Tests Paint Confusing Health Picture For Consumers

Saints - Eagles 2014: Betting Odds, Prediction And Preview For Saturday's Wild Card Playoff Game getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Saints - Eagles 2014: Betting Odds, Prediction And Preview For Saturday's Wild Card Playoff Game

Halfway through the 2013 NFL season, the New Orleans Saints appeared to be well on their way to winning the NFC South, and the Philadelphia Eagles seemed destined to miss the playoffs. A few months later, Chip Kelly’s team is set to host Sean Payton’s group in the first round of the postseason.




The Eagles ended the year as one of the hottest teams in football. After Week Eight, they won every game except for one, including their Week 17 contest with the Dallas Cowboys that gave them the NFC East title. Philadelphia was dominant for much of that stretch, winning by an average of 16 points.


Philadelphia’s turnaround can be traced back to when Nick Foles was inserted into the starting lineup. He took over for an injured Michael Vick and became one of the best signal callers in the league. Foles led the NFL with a 119.2 passer rating. In 13 games, he threw for 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions.


With New Orleans also sporting a top quarterback, this contest could turn into a shootout. Drew Brees had another great season, finishing No.2 in the NFL in completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns. Not only does he lead the second-ranked passing attack in football, but the Saints are also elite at stopping the pass. They give up just 194.1 yards per game through the air.


While the Saints may have the advantage in the passing game, no team has a better rushing attack than the Eagles. They are No.1 in rushing yards, led by LeSean McCoy and his 1,607 yards. He played especially well down the stretch averaging 130 yards per game in the last four games. McCoy will look to take advantage of a New Orleans defense that ranked 19th in run defense.


At most Las Vegas sportsbooks, the Saints are 2.5-point underdogs. New Orleans finished with a better record than Philadelphia and was favored 13 times in 2013. However, their record on the road gives the Eagles the advantage. At home, the Saints went undefeated, winning six games by at least three scores. Away from New Orleans, the team lost five times, and never won by more than one score.


New Orleans will travel to the Northeast, where cities are expected to experience freezing temperatures. Even though the Saints have trouble in the outdoors, Philadelphia’s head coach isn’t taking anything for granted. He’s well aware that traditional warm-weather teams have won in the postseason


“Tampa Bay didn't win a game in cold weather until they came in here and did it [in the 2002 NFC Championship],” Kelly said “so we are not going to get really caught up in that one, I can tell you that.”


Betting Odds: Philadelphia-2.5, 54


Prediction: Philadelphia 31, New Orleans 27



Saints - Eagles 2014: Betting Odds, Prediction And Preview For Saturday's Wild Card Playoff Game

Schumacher Slightly Better But Fragile: Doctors getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Schumacher Slightly Better But Fragile: Doctors

French doctors treating Michael Schumacher for brain injuries sustained in a ski fall said the seven-times Formula One world champion was in slightly better condition on Tuesday after an overnight operation, but that he remained fragile.




The 44-year-old German is battling for his life after slamming his head against a rock while skiing off-piste in the French resort of Meribel on Sunday, an accident which triggered an outpouring of concern among fans around the world.


Doctors treating him at a hospital in the eastern city of Grenoble said his condition had stabilized enough by late Monday to carry out a new operation to treat the effects of internal bleeding within Schumacher's skull.


"The situation is more under control than yesterday but we cannot say he is out of danger," Jean-Francois Payen, head anaesthetician, told a news conference at the CHU hospital in the eastern French city of Grenoble.


"We have won some time but we must continue an hour-by-hour surveillance... It is premature to speculate on his condition," he said, adding that Schumacher was still in a critical state and suffering from severe lesions and contusions.


Emmanuel Gay, head of the hospital's neurosurgery service, said the operation carried out around 10.00 pm (2100 GMT) on Monday had successfully removed a large hematoma - the medical term for a build-up of blood - from his brain.


"It was larger and more accessible (than others) ... We judged we could remove it without taking any risks," Gay said.


He said the operation was designed to reduce, within Schumacher's skull, the pressure on the brain.


Doctors said the fact that the retired motor racing champion was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident had at least enabled him to make it to the hospital alive.


Payen said the medical team in Grenoble had discussed the operation with Schumacher's family. He added that the condition of the motor racing great was still too fragile to consider transferring him to another hospital for the time being.


NEXT DAYS CRUCIAL


Schumacher is under the care of Professor Gerard Saillant, a brain and spinal injury expert who is also president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Institute.


Saillant said it was still impossible to say how Schumacher's condition would progress in coming days.


"We are a little less worried than yesterday but I'm sure you understand that the situation could change this evening or tomorrow," he told the news conference.


Schumacher, who lives in Switzerland with his wife and two children, is the most successful Formula One driver of all times with a record 91 race victories in a career spanning more than two decades.


Schumacher left the sport last year after a less successful three-year comeback with Mercedes following an earlier retirement from Ferrari at the end of 2006.


French authorities have opened an investigation into the accident, which took place as Schumacher was out skiing with his teenage son.


Ferrari always used to have an annual January gathering with their drivers in the Dolomites and Schumacher, a fitness fanatic, impressed with his skiing ability.


German Chancellor Angela Merkel had been deeply shocked to learn of his accident, her spokesman said on Monday as expressions of concern poured in from fans, former team-mates and rivals.


Former British Formula One driver David Coulthard said he believed Schumacher had not won the full recognition he merited for taking his sport to new heights.


"I only hope Michael Schumacher pulls through so that he can see all the nice things people are saying about him," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.


(Additional reporting by Mark John and Natalie Huet in Paris and Alan Baldwin in London; Writing by Mark John and editing by Natalie Huet and Ed Osmond)



Schumacher Slightly Better But Fragile: Doctors

Baby Trafficking In China: Prominent Doctor On Trial For Selling Newborns Taken From Hospital getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Baby Trafficking In China: Prominent Doctor On Trial For Selling Newborns Taken From Hospital

A Chinese obstetrician is in deep legal trouble after police caught her stealing newborn babies from her patients and selling them off to child trafficking rings earlier this year. The doctor, Zhang Shuxia, from north central Shaanxi province, is facing charges of selling seven of her patients’ infants.




According to the local Weinan court’s verified social media account, Zhang allegedly sold the babies, including twins, to child traffickers between November 2011 and July 2013. The case came to the attention of authorities after two parents went to the police while suspecting their child had been abducted. Six of the children have been rescued from the trafficking ring, but one baby girl has since died.


Zhang’s position as an obstetrician at Shaanxi’s Fuping Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital allowed her access to children by gaining the trust of new parents. The most recent case involved a baby that was born on July 16, and was sold off by Zhang after she had told the newborn’s parents that their son had a serious congenital disease. Because of China’s population-control laws, the One Child policy only allows for the typical Chinese family to have a single offspring -- as such, having a healthy child becomes a priority to many parents (although that policy is set to be revised in 2014 by lawmakers to now allow for two children).


Moreover, Zhang was able to convince the parents to give up the child. Zhang eventually sold the boy to a buyer in neighboring Henan province. However, the parents weren’t convinced by Zhang’s diagnosis and suspected their child was being trafficked. The baby’s parents notified local authorities four days later, and a search began. Less than a month later, after a dramatic police rescue, the newborn was reunited with his parents. China’s state media agency Xinhua reported in August that the infant was sold for 21,600 yuan, roughly $3,500 to a middle man, who eventually sold the child to another buyer for 30,000 yuan, or $4,850.


However, Zhang, as well as two others who had a hand in what appears to be a child trafficking ring, were arrested. Defense lawyers for Zhang are claiming that the parents in the cases had all voluntarily given up their babies, and that their clients had not technically “abducted” them. Zhang is also a prominent doctor in the area, having received many awards in her role as an obstetrician.



Baby Trafficking In China: Prominent Doctor On Trial For Selling Newborns Taken From Hospital

Times Square Livestream: 360-Degree View Of New York City's Famed New Year's Eve Ball Drop From Rooftop Video Cam [PHOTO] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Times Square Livestream: 360-Degree View Of New York City's Famed New Year's Eve Ball Drop From Rooftop Video Cam [PHOTO]

More than a million people are expected to pack Times Square when for New Year’s Eve as revelers say goodbye to 2013 and user in 2014.




If crowds aren’t your thing or you won’t be in New York City for New Year’s Eve 2014, you can still catch a glimpse of the action via earthcam.com, which has this live webcam of Times Square. As of Tuesday afternoon, the live cam showed police setting up barriers in Times Square and the assembling of platforms and stages at the Crossroads of the World. The area was already bustling with packed crowds trying to get a front-row seat to the countdown to 2014.


Later on, be sure to check in at the live came via this link to watch the famous ball drop.


For those taking a live look at Times Square from the street, security will be tight. According to the Times Square Alliance, knapsacks and large bags won’t be allowed in the area on New Year’s Eve. There will also be plainclothes officers patrolling Times Square, who will be on the lookout for suspicious people and packages. Radiation detectors will also be deployed and anyone accessing the area will be searched with a hand-held wand. Alcohol and champagne is also prohibited for Times Square revelers.


That’s where viewers of the Times Square live cam have an advantage. So kick back, relax with some champagne and ring in the new year!



Times Square Livestream: 360-Degree View Of New York City's Famed New Year's Eve Ball Drop From Rooftop Video Cam [PHOTO]

Sochi 2014: Anti-Gay Laws, Terrorism And Financial Issues Plague Putin's Big Project getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Sochi 2014: Anti-Gay Laws, Terrorism And Financial Issues Plague Putin's Big Project

The 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, have already been shrouded in controversy and trivialized for possible doomsday sporting scenarios, ranging from widespread condemnation over anti-gay legislation and scares of possible terrorist attacks, to more mundane fears such as potentially insufficient amounts of snow in the subtropical Black Sea resort town.




For President Vladimir Putin, there is a great deal at stake in Russia hosting a successful and scandal-free sporting event. Many experts believe the Sochi Games represent a golden opportunity for the Premier to promote a more favorable world perception of Russia, as well as to showcase infrastructure that could attract increased domestic tourism.


After high-profile snubs from numerous world leaders in opposition to Russia’s human rights record, Putin has done a public-relations blitz in recent weeks to alleviate political tension by announcing that gay athletes and guests are welcome at the Games, granting amnesty to two members of the punk band Pussy Riot, and pardoning his Kremlin opponent Mikhail Khodorkovsky.


But there may not be much for Putin to do to deflect attention away from security issues. On Monday morning, a suicide bomber struck a bus killing at least 14 people in the city of Volgograd, which is located in between Moscow and Sochi.


On Tuesday, Putin vowed “total annihilation” of terrorists, a particularly bold response considering the numerous attacks on the city since the 1990’s. He also sent the head of the Federal Security Service to investigate the attacks, which may have been perpetrated by Chechen separatists who seek to ignite fears that Russia is incapable of guaranteeing safety during the Olympics.


A terrorist attack during the Olympics could overshadow the Games and it seems clear that Putin will do all he can to prevent such an occurrence. Reports from both Sochi and Moscow claim the cities have heightened security for several months.


“If things go poorly and the two recent terrorist events near Volgograd become part of a continued trend of violence, Putin will lose the sense that security is good in Russia and that he can be trusted to create safety and security,” said Tara Sonenshine, a former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.


“This is more than a game or a set of games—it is about prestige.”


The eyes of the world will be focused on Russia for most of February, and Putin has a lot to lose and a lot to gain -- politically and economically. Should the Games go smoothly, he could be remembered as the man who quelled some lingering Cold War sentiment with the West. Putin’s pet project is intended to be an image booster for Russia, as well as his own at home and abroad. The same may go for the FIFA World Cup, which will be staged in Russia in 2018.


RIA Novosti -- a state-run Russian media outlet willing to challenge the Kremlin replaced by Putin earlier this month for one that promotes Russia’s international image -- reported in April that 55 percent of Russians did not want Putin to run for president when his third term ends in 2018. A September poll showed that positive opinion of Putin had plummeted 33 percentage points in the past five years.


Sonenshine believes that Putin cares about his legacy and reputation, and that the Sochi Games offer a chance for Russia to feel national pride and show the world that they are very much “a player.” She cites how Russia hired a PR firm in 2006 to undo negative images, as well as the country’s hopes to play a larger role in diplomacy.


“Putin stands to gain a reputation as a strong leader able to bring together nations of the world if he can pull of a successful Olympics in a once neglected Soviet resort on the Black Sea. He can reduce the concerns about overseas investment in Russia and persuade others that the North Caucasus don’t pose a threat,” she added.


There are already some controversies Putin can’t repair, such as the hefty cost for the Games that reportedly have filled the pockets of his wealthy cronies. Companies owned by construction tycoon Arkady Rotenberg, a boyhood friend of Putin, reportedly were awarded contracts worth more than $7 billion, which is roughly the cost the Vancouver Games in 2010. Meanwhile, there have been reports of a large number of construction workers complaining about being underpaid or not paid at all.


The Sochi Games are expected to exceed a staggering $50 billion price tag, but the infrastructure in place could prove to be a profitable long-term investment for Russia. Much of the construction projects will outlast the Olympics, which include a transport link between Sochi and Caucasus Mountain ski resorts, a highway along the Black Sea coast, a Formula One track, and an 8,000-seat arena that will be turned into the largest trade and exhibition center in the south of Russia.


Tourism could also see a sustained spike following the Olympics, but there are other competitors and factors to take into account. Will more Russians choose to flock to Sochi over summer locations like the scenic Montenegrin coast, or winter locations like the slopes of Finland?


Sochi’s long-term appeal may depend on whether the region receives a gambling license. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev recently stated that there has been no proposal to turn Sochi into a gambling zone and that the idea was floated by banking community.


“If it merges the Las Vegas model with winter sports, it might remain busy 365 days a year,” Chris Weafer, a senior partner at macro investment firm Macro Advisory, told Bloomberg.com.


The heavy investment into Sochi might be particularly risky considering Russia’s economic forecast. In November, Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev announced that the nation’s economy would lag global growth in the next two decades, growing by just 2.5 percent.


Meanwhile, the Olympics may not necessarily be a good investment. A small number of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have proven profitable, making the rising cost of Sochi appear to be a serious gamble. Putin may have justifiable concerns that the more than $50 billion Sochi Games, the most expensive in history and five times more than originally estimated, may not be worth it.


The Nagano Games in 1998 went over budget, causing the city to fall into a recession. The Athens Games in 2004 vastly exceeded their budget, which many widely believe contributed to Greece’s financial crisis.



Sochi 2014: Anti-Gay Laws, Terrorism And Financial Issues Plague Putin's Big Project

Obama 'La Quenelle' Photo Ignites Furor, Though It's Really Nothing getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Obama 'La Quenelle' Photo Ignites Furor, Though It's Really Nothing

The ongoing controversy over French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala's "la quenelle" gesture, which has been described by Jewish advocacy groups as "anti-Semitic" and a “Nazi salute in reverse,” continues to rage, bringing President Barack Obama into the frenzy over the weekend in a development that generated attention on New Year's Eve in the American press and on social media sites.




The gesture, which involves pointing one straightened arm downward while touching that arm’s shoulder with the opposite hand, has gained popularity as fans of the comedian, who goes by just his first name on stage, have taken to adopting it to show solidarity with his offensive brand of comedy. It has been adopted by a number of anti-Semitic groups and individuals, some of whom have even posed photos of themselves performing it at the Auschwitz concentration camp and the Berlin Holocaust memorial.


Nicoloas Anelka, a soccer player for the English Premier League's West Brom team, attracted widespread criticism after he flashed the "la quenelle" salute after scoring a goal against West Ham over the weekend. In the days since then, he tried to downplay his decision to do so in face of condemnation by the EPL by denying it was anti-Semitic and tweeting that it was "was just a special dedication to my comedian friend Dieudonné." NBA player Tony Parker has also come under fire in recent days, as a photo has emerged of the San Antonio Spurs star doing the gesture alongside the comedian.


But the latest stateside controversy, which for some reason took a couple of days to erupt in the U.S., surrounds a photo Anelka tweeted on Saturday of President Barack Obama, Jay Z and Beyonce that he seemed to believe was of them doing the "la quenelle" salute. But anyone with even a modicum of pop-culture knowledge would immediately know that the powerful trio were actually just doing Jay Z's famous "brush your shoulder off" move, and an Atlanta Black Star news report that accompanied the photo in 2012 confirms that reading of the image. Besides, the arms are reversed in the Obama photo.


None of that seems to matter to conservatives and other folks who appear dead-set on linking the president to the offensive gesture, as was evident online Tuesday.


For instance, Twitter user @jdl_uk_official accused Obama of being a Nazi in the following tweet: "#France #US What is the #quenelle salute and why are Nazis Barack #Obama and Tony Parker using it?"


And tweeter @coondawg68 also appeared to be accepting the concept that the gesture is in fact a "la quenelle" salute at face value in the following tweet: "Barack Obama, JayZ, Beyonce perform anti-Semitic 'quenelle' salute."


And even some news sites have run the rumors without questioning them. In a story on the growing controversy, Sports news site IWorldCup.org wrote the following: "Anelka also posted a picture of President Obama along with rapper Jay Z and his singer wife Beyonce also performing a similar salute." But the site failed to include a clarifying sentence explaining that it was just a harmless gesture.


However, some clear-headed Twitter users appeared to understand that it is all a misunderstanding. Take @judeinlondon, who attempted to clear the air with this tweet: "That Obama/Beyonce/Jay-Z picture... People *know* that's a "dirt off your shoulder" reference & not la quenelle right? Right?"


The niche international appeal of the gesture has become a flashpoint in France as Jewish groups express outrage at Dieudonné over offensive remarks he has made, including ones describing Holocaust remembrance events as "memorial pornography" and suggesting Radio France personality Patrick Cohen -- who is Jewish -- should leave the country, the Guardian reported.


“It's the Nazi salute in reverse,” Roger Cukierman, head of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, or CRIF, said after a number of Jewish advocacy groups expressed outrage over Dieudonné to French President Francois Hollande last week. “Very clearly, Mr. Dieudonne is developing a nearly professional anti-Semitism under the cover of telling jokes.”


In response to the Jewish group's complaints to Hollande, France's Interior Minister Manuel Valls announced on Friday that the country's government is considering banning performances by Dieudonné, who is half-French and half-Cameroonian and ran for the European Parliament in 2009 as part of the far-right “Anti-Zionist List,” Reuters reported.


"Dieudonne M'bala M'bala doesn't seem to recognize any limits any more," Valls said in a statement quoted by the Guardian. "From one comment to the next, as he has shown in several television shows, he attacks the memory of Holocaust victims in an obvious and unbearable way.”


France has experienced rising levels of intimidation and violence against its Jewish population in recent years, hitting a low point in March 2012, when a rabbi and three students were killed at a Jewish school in Toulouse.



Obama 'La Quenelle' Photo Ignites Furor, Though It's Really Nothing

PlayStation Plus January Lineup: 'Bioshock Infinite,' 'Borderlands 2' Among Titles Offered For Free getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® PlayStation Plus January Lineup: 'Bioshock Infinite,' 'Borderlands 2' Among Titles Offered For Free

PlayStation Plus is offering “Don’t Starve,” a wilderness survival game developed by Kiel Entertainment as part of the Instant Game Collection for the PS4 during January. It will also be offering Irrational Games’ 2013 first-person shooter “Bioshock Infinite,” 505 Games’ adventure game “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons” and Ninja Theory’s action-adventure hack and slash title “DmC: Devil May Cry” for the PlayStation 3.


The handheld PS Vita will also receive two titles, including Team 17’s “Worms: Battle Island” and Climax Studios’ educational title “Smart A--"


Free games are only available to PlayStation Plus subscribers, which costs $49.99 annually, or $9.99 per individual month. European subscribers will be able to play the PS4’s “Don’t Starve,” while also gaining access to 2K Games’ “Borderlands 2” and “DmC: Devil May Cry.” European Vita owners will also receive Japan Studio’s action adventure “Soul Sacrifice” and Aksys Games’ 2D fighter “BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend.”


Are you a PlayStation Plus subscriber? Do you think the $50 price tag is too high, or do the benefits outweigh the cost? Leave a comment below.


Follow me on Twitter.


PlayStation Plus January Lineup: 'Bioshock Infinite,' 'Borderlands 2' Among Titles Offered For Free

Happy 2014th Birthday America (Or Earth)! Twitter Users Confused Over Age Of The World On New Year's getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Happy 2014th Birthday America (Or Earth)! Twitter Users Confused Over Age Of The World On New Year's

As some parts of the world welcome 2014 and others anticipate the celebration, there are some confused Twitter users out there who think the earth (or America) is 2014 years old. Here is a selection of tweets from these people:




And then there were others who wanted to show their sense of humor:


While there is no exact date of the age of the world, scientists estimate that Earth is 4.54 billion years old. That’s quite a few more years than 2,014.



Happy 2014th Birthday America (Or Earth)! Twitter Users Confused Over Age Of The World On New Year's

The World's 10 Biggest Vehicles getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® The World's 10 Biggest Vehicles

It’s more than 100 meters longer than the Empire State Building and when fully loaded will weigh around 600,000 tons. Shell’s 1,453 ft. long ship named Prelude is the biggest vessel to have ever gone to sea and has taken the evolution of transport to a whole new level.




From Russian aircraft with a 300ft wingspan to US aircraft carriers that can carry 6000 sailors, transport has produced many titans through the ages. Here’s a list of the ever titans of transport:


Ukrainian Antonov An-225 Mriya

Produced in 1988 to help transport the Soviet Union’s Space shuttle, the Soviet’s only ever built one of these colossal strategic lifters. It holds several world record for airlifted payload – 559,577 pounds being the biggest. However, after the cancellation of the space program in 1991 and the breakup of the Soviet Union, Ukraine was left with the aircraft which was entrusted in the hands of the manufacturer, Antonov Airlines. With its unique lifting abilities, the aircraft has been contracted by various militaries to help supply coalition forces in the Middle East. A second An-225 is currently in production but will cost upwards of $300 million.


American Nimitz class aircraft carrier

These 10 nuclear powered aircraft carriers were built over a period of 38 years, starting with the lead ship, the USS Nimitz, commissioned in 1975, and the most recent and last was the USS George H.W. Bush which was commissioned in 2009. Each one is 332.8 meters long with a beam of around 80 meters, yet it can hit speeds of 30+knots as it carries its crew of 3,200 ships company and 2,480 air wing on almost any trip it wants as it never needs to refuel.


Russian Mil V-12 Helicopter

With helicopter style rotor blades attached to the 219 ft. wings, this Russian built helicopter looks like a cross between a normal aircraft and a helicopter. However, due to design flaws with its lifting capabilities, only two were ever built.


American Saturn V

The heaviest, tallest and most powerful rocket to be successfully launched into space, it carried men to the moon in 1969 as part of the Apollo space programs. While just 138 ft. tall it could generate 7,648,000 pounds of force at takeoff and would travel at 2.58 kilometers a second for 263 seconds before dropping down speeds as it entered space.


France Char 2C Tank

This French built tank was 10 meters long and carried 12 crew, making it the biggest tank to ever see service in any conflict, but it was largely a failure given its slow speed and turned into nothing more than a propaganda tool for the French.


German Zeppelin Airship

The Zeppelin built Hindenburg was the largest airship to have ever been built and was one the most luxurious forms of transport in the early 1900s, but after the outbreak of the first world war the ship was primarily used for bombing raids. After the war the Zeppelin experienced a golden age and the Graf Zepplin was produced – a 235 meter long giant. Around this time the first transatlantic routes were opened up from Frankfurt to Recife in Brazil. Things were going well until the Nazis arrived in the early 1930s, in the full knowledge that Zepplins would be useless in combat. The business moved across to the United States to escape the Nazi regime, but was pretty much halted in its tracks after the Hindenburg disaster expelled any confidence people had in the aircraft.


Russian Zubr-Class Hovercraft.

This soviet creation still serves to today in the Russian, Greek and Ukrainian navies and is capable of carrying 500 troops or three tanks. With numbers in service decreasing, the Chinese recently ordered four at a cost of $315 million. The 57 meter long hovercraft can travel at speeds of 55 knots for over 300 miles making it a good landing craft for military operations on islands.


Belarussian BelAZ 75710 dump truck.

It weighs 360 tons and can carry 450 tons, is 20 meters longs, eight meters high and nearly 10 meters wide. It’s basically a huge truck.


Russian Typhoon-Class submarine

At 570 ft. long, this submarine is the biggest ever built and can dive to 1,300 ft. for up to 120 days. Despite being designed in the 1960s and built in the 1980s, this nuclear powered monster of the deep is still quieter and more maneuverable than its predecessors.



The World's 10 Biggest Vehicles

PS4 Problems: Users Reporting Two New Software Errors getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® PS4 Problems: Users Reporting Two New Software Errors

According to reports, an error window appears every time a user attempts to gain access to their online friends list. User Kieran0161 reported this bug on the blog, saying, “I keep getting this error and I’m not happy it cost me like £500 for ps4 then £40 to get online and I can’t even use it you take our money but don’t give use a service we pay for on ps3 it was free so can’t complain but now I pay for bout coz it don’t work you best give use free online for a year now.”


A second user stated that he received the PlayStation 4 error CE-34878, which happens as a result of users attempting to play EA's first-person shooter "Battlefield 4." Gamer SAUER_30-06 reported the glitch on Dec. 30, saying, “Yesterday I called Sony support about my PS4 that constantly gave me the 34878 error, despite total rebuilding the system, reinstalling certificates and reinstalling games. Sony support told me to get it replaced at the store I got it from, so I did. Got home and plugged it in and everything worked fine. I even played an whole hour of 'Battlefield 4' for the first time.” He also added that “if your console crashes constantly every 10 minutes, call support or your store. You´ll get a new one. The reason I never found an answer was because the problem is not very common.”


Some helpful users are offering advice on dealing with online error issues by posting threads with helpful tips. Some of the suggested methods are effective, so make sure to check online threads and forums if you’re experiencing issues with your PS4.


The PlayStation 4 launched on Nov. 15 in North America, selling 1 million units within 24 hours of its release. The next-gen console hit shelves on Nov. 29 in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Brazi. Despite its issues, over 2.1 million PlayStation 4 consoles have been sold as of Dec. 3.


Are you experiencing any user issues with your PlayStation 4? Did you reach out to Sony? Leave a comment below.


PS4 Problems: Users Reporting Two New Software Errors

Meet Brooke Graham: Utah Reporter Passes Out On Live TV, Still Finishes Interview, Explains Fainting Spells In Blog Post [VIDEO, PHOTO] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Meet Brooke Graham: Utah Reporter Passes Out On Live TV, Still Finishes Interview, Explains Fainting Spells In Blog Post [VIDEO, PHOTO]

A reporter in Utah passed out in the middle of an interview with a pair of cross-country skiers, only to regain consciousness and finish the segment.




Brooke Graham, a television reporter at KUTV in Salt Lake City, was in the middle of a live segment on cross-country skiing -- a popular pastime in the region -- when she seemed to lose her train of thought. Her voice trailed off as she fainted, falling backward into the snow.


The concerned interviewees scrambled to check on Graham, but she had already recovered from her fainting spell. She conducted the rest of her interview from a seated position, and the segment concluded without any further drama.


In a Monday blog post, Graham explained why she had passed during the interview. “I could feel myself getting light headed and tried to warn the producer that I was sick,” she wrote. “After I went down I sat up and had no idea how long I had been out but saw the camera pointed at my face and decided to keep talking!”


Graham also revealed that both she and her twin sister have a history of fainting spells, and that the condition is exacerbated by cold weather. “A lot of people have expressed concern and well wishes and I really appreciate it. However, this is not the first time I have passed out cold,” she wrote in the blog entry. “I am known to faint any time I am in high altitudes and get too cold. (so does my twin sister, Britt).”


“So this week I plan to go get checked out by a doctor and get to the bottom of it,” Graham continued. “In the meantime, we can all laugh at the craziness of the situation! I have laughed many times watching this video so don’t feel bad if it makes you giggle.”


The video of Graham’s interview has attracted a lot of attention, but the veteran reporter is taking the development in stride. “If you want your phone to be ringing straight for 72 hours just pass out on live TV,” she tweeted.


[h/t For The Win]



Meet Brooke Graham: Utah Reporter Passes Out On Live TV, Still Finishes Interview, Explains Fainting Spells In Blog Post [VIDEO, PHOTO]

'Grand Theft Auto V' Problems: Money Hack Affects Players, Rockstar Games Responds getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® 'Grand Theft Auto V' Problems: Money Hack Affects Players, Rockstar Games Responds

An increasing number of “Grand Theft Auto V” players are complaining to Rockstar Games about a money hack in “Grand Theft Auto Online.” Essentially, hackers are giving players large amounts of unwanted in-game cash, making recipients vulnerable to game bans. Rockstar responded to the complaints last week, saying that players have no need to worry.




“To keep the gameplay environment as fair as possible for legitimate players, we routinely do sweeps to separate out cheaters and modders, and to reverse any illegitimate transactions,” the game developer stated on their support page. “These sweeps are based on in-game automated detection, examination of suspicious gameplay statistics, and also manually-reviewed evidence submitted by the Community. If you were not engaged in any willful cheating or exploiting yourself, you do not need to worry about getting caught up in our work to separate out cheaters from the rest of the population.”


The hack is allegedly performed using a console that has been modded to access homebrew software. As a result, hackers can simply edit the amount of in-game money accumulated through performing tasks like robberies in the multiplayer mode of “GTA 5.” The same perpetrators are spreading more wealth to the rest of the online community.


Rockstar Games has not announced a remedy for the hack, but we will post updates as more announcements are made.


Do you play "Grand Theft Auto Online?" Have you been a victim of the money hack? Leave a comment below.



'Grand Theft Auto V' Problems: Money Hack Affects Players, Rockstar Games Responds

Palomar College Lockdown: California School Closed After Man Claims To Have Gun On San Marcos Campus getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Palomar College Lockdown: California School Closed After Man Claims To Have Gun On San Marcos Campus

Palomar College in California is under lockdown early Tuesday morning amid reports of a man on campus who claims to have an Ak-47.




The college, located in San Marcos, Calif., near San Diego, went into lockdown following the 6:32 a.m. call from a man who claimed to have a gun, according to 10News.com.


The man also claimed to have shot someone at a home in Escondido, but police checked out the location and determined nobody was shot, the station reported, citing sheriff’s deputies.


Palomar College is currently on winter break, but deputies with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department closed all entrances to the San Marcos school.



Palomar College Lockdown: California School Closed After Man Claims To Have Gun On San Marcos Campus

Stores Open On New Year’s Day 2014: Walmart, Target And Other Holiday Store Hours [LIST] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Stores Open On New Year’s Day 2014: Walmart, Target And Other Holiday Store Hours [LIST]

New Year's Day may be a nationally observed holiday in the U.S. with many closures and abbreviated hours, but for shopaholics, it’s a time to get out there as soon as the new year begins and grab some deals.




Many national retailers will open their doors to shoppers on Jan. 1, including Best Buy (NYSE:BBY), Target (NYSE:TGT) and Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), which will all have modified store hours. And because it’s New Year’s Day, there will be sales galore.


Most malls, grocery stores and retail stores will also be open during their regular business hours on Jan. 1, but verify with the business to be sure.


City, county, state and federal government offices, schools, financial markets and post offices will be closed on Jan. 1, 2014. The stock markets will also close for the holiday. Public transportation in major cities will run on holiday schedules.


Stores, offices and transportation systems will resume normal hours on Thursday, Jan. 2, the first official business day of the new year.


Although banks and some small business will be closed on Wednesday, several stores will keep normal business hours on New Year's Day. Here's a list of some stores that will be open on Jan. 1. Be sure to check ahead to confirm the hours.


STORES


Barnes & Noble: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with some locations open even later. [Store Locator]


Bed Bath and Beyond: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. but some locations open even earlier. [Store Locator]


Belk: Stores will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Stores close at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. [Store Locator]


Best Buy: Some stores will open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. or even as late as 9 p.m. in some locations on Jan. 1, 2014. Most stores close by 7 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2013. [Store Locator]


Big Lots: Stores open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2014. [Store Locator]


Costco: Stores will be closed on New Year's Day. Most stores will be open until 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. [Store Locator]


Dick’s Sporting Goods: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. [Store Locator]


Hobby Lobby: Stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. [Store Locator]


IKEA: Stores will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. [Store Locator]


Kmart: Stores will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. during regular business hours. [Store Locator]


Macy's: Most stores will remain open during regular business hours on Jan. 1. [Store Locator]


Sports Authority: 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. New Year’s Day and even earlier in some locations. [Store Locator]


Target: Stores will be open during regular business hours on New Year's Day but close early on New Year’s Eye at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. depending on location. [Store Locator]


Toys R Us: Stores will be closed on New Year's Day and have limited hours on New Year’s Eve. [Store Locator]


Walgreens: 24-hour stores will operate on normal business hours. [Store Locator]


Walmart: Store hours vary by location, but many branches will stay open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2013, or as late as 10 p.m. and reopen as early as 6 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2014, in some locations. The 24-hour locations will remain open during normal hours. [Store Locator]



Stores Open On New Year’s Day 2014: Walmart, Target And Other Holiday Store Hours [LIST]

China State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Lead In Market Capitalization Loss In 2013; Bad Year For Banking, Coal And Beverage getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® China State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Lead In Market Capitalization Loss In 2013; Bad Year For Banking, Coal And Beverage

China’s dysfunctional stock market, one of the world’s worst performers for years despite the economy’s comparatively good growth, is about to hand in yet another disappointing report card. And state-owned enterprises are among the biggest losers of the year.




Of the 100 listed companies that have seen the steepest share price declines in Chinese mainland capital markets this year, 80 are SOEs, the Investor Journal Weekly newspaper reported (in Chinese), citing data from financial data provider Wind Information Co.


Among the SOEs that “made the cut,” 38 are run directly by the central government, while 42 are run by local governments. These companies lost a combined 1.3 trillion yuan ($210 billion) and 741 billion yuan in market cap, respectively.


This year’s worst-performing company is PetroChina Company Limited (SHA:601857), which saw its market cap decline by 220.2 billion yuan, or 600 million yuan every day, to stand at 1.24 trillion yuan by year-end. Other big losers include China Shenhua Energy Company Limited (SHA:601088), Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (SHA:601398) and China Life Insurance Company Limited (SHA:601628) -- each saw their market value tumble by more than 100 billion yuan, Wind data showed.


“The obvious decline in market value for the SOEs was mainly because these companies were listed during 2007, when the capital markets rose to a record high," Li Daxiao, director of research at Yingda Securities Co, told the Global Times Monday.


The banking industry, which in aggregate shrunk by 425 billion yuan in market cap, was the hardest hit in terms of absolute value this year.


Nine banks are among the 100 worst-performers of the year list. They include: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (SHA:601398), Agricultural Bank of China Ltd (SHA:601288), Bank of China Limited (SHA:601988), Bank of Communications Co Ltd (SHA:601328), China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd (SHA:600036), Bank of Beijing Co., Ltd. (SHA:601169), China CITIC Bank Corporation Limited (SHA:601998), China Everbright Bank Co., Ltd (SHA:601818) and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co. Ltd (SHA:600000).


The banking industry is followed by coal and beverage, with losses of 389 billion yuan and 262 billion yuan in market cap, respectively.


The market cap of coal companies listed on A-share markets fell by 40 percent, driven by a fall in coal prices this year, according to the report. Analysts were cited by the newspaper as saying that reform of tax collection in the coal sector will lead to a rise in costs and a further decline in profits in the coal sector.


Three liquor firms -- Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery JSC Ltd. (SHE:002304), Jiugui Liquor Co., Ltd. (SHE:000799) and Shanxi Xinghuacun Fen Wine Factory Co. (SHA:600809) – saw their market value halved, mainly due to the central government’s crackdown on extravagant consumption by officials, the report said.


China said Sunday it will evaluate the performance of its SOEs in 2014 and “severely deal with” companies that perform poorly, are continuously loss-making or do not meet safety standards.


Helped by small-and-medium-sized enterprises, market cap of both the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange rose from 22.94 trillion yuan at the start of the year to 23.39 trillion, according to Wind. Specifically, 1,652 companies saw their value rise and 811 witnessed a fall in value.



China State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Lead In Market Capitalization Loss In 2013; Bad Year For Banking, Coal And Beverage

Beijing School Takes Classes Online When Air Pollution Keeps Kids Indoors [PHOTOS] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Beijing School Takes Classes Online When Air Pollution Keeps Kids Indoors [PHOTOS]

Schools in China are struggling to adjust to the increasing amounts of toxic air blanketing cities across the rapidly industrializing country. While children in other parts of the world enjoy snow days, China's severe levels of air pollution bring bad air days, when local governments cancel classes to keep children remain indoors.


Beijing School Takes Classes Online When Air Pollution Keeps Kids Indoors [PHOTOS]

Climate Change Forces Mangrove Forests To Expand Northward Along Florida’s Coast Line: Study getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Climate Change Forces Mangrove Forests To Expand Northward Along Florida’s Coast Line: Study

Over the last few decades, mangrove forests have been expanding northward along Florida's Atlantic coast as cold snaps in the state, in the southeastern part of the U.S., have decreased significantly in frequency, a new study reveals, raising concerns about the speed and scale at which climate change has affected crucial ecosystems.




According to the findings, published in the Dec. 30 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the size of mangrove forests in places like Palm Coast in Flagler County have doubled in the last three decades. The researchers arrived at their conclusion by analyzing satellite imagery and by measuring the coastal area that is currently occupied by mangroves.


“Before this work there had been some scattered anecdotal accounts and observations of mangroves appearing in areas where people had not seen them, but they were very local,” Kyle Cavanaugh, a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University in Providence, R.I., and the study’s lead author, said in a statement. “One unique aspect of this work is that we were able to use this incredible time series of large scale satellite imagery to show that this expansion is a regional phenomenon. It's a very large scale change.”


Cavanaugh and his team of researchers tested various hypotheses by correlating the satellite observations with reams of other data. What emerged from their tests was a decline in the frequency of days where the temperature dipped below minus 4 degrees Celsius, or 25 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the limit for mangroves to survive.


In their analysis, the researchers ruled out increases in mean temperatures -- the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures -- as well as changes in rainfall and nearby urban and agricultural land-cover, and sea-level rise as a possible explanation for the activity.


“Instead seemingly subtle differences from 1984 through 2011 of just 1.4 fewer days a year below 25 degrees in Daytona Beach or 1.2 days a year in Titusville appear to explain as much as a doubling of mangrove habitat in those areas,” the researchers said in the statement.


According to the researchers, the northward expansion of mangroves is a consequence of climate change, and is not good for other species.


“The expansion isn't happening in a vacuum,” Cavanaugh said. “The mangroves are expanding into and invading salt marsh, which also provides an important habitat for a variety of species.”



Climate Change Forces Mangrove Forests To Expand Northward Along Florida’s Coast Line: Study

Monday, December 30, 2013

Carly Rae Jepsen Lands 'Cinderella' For Broadway Debut; When Will She Start? getdiscountz.blogspot.com

Written By Unknown; About: Carly Rae Jepsen Lands 'Cinderella' For Broadway Debut; When Will She Start? getdiscountz.blogspot.com on Monday, December 30, 2013

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Carly Rae Jepsen Lands 'Cinderella' For Broadway Debut; When Will She Start?

Cinderella must have a cell phone these days, because “Call Me Maybe” singer Carly Rae Jepsen will make her Broadway debut in “Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella,” The Hollywood Reporter reported Monday. Jepsen is slated to begin in the Broadway show on Feb. 4.




The 28-year-old singer will perform on Broadway for 12 weeks in what she calls a dream come true. Jepsen told THR she used to perform theater in high school.


"Broadway has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl, and I look forward to working with this incredibly talented cast to tell this classic tale," she said.


But it’s going to be more than just a fantasy for the Grammy-nominated singer. She has some big glass slippers to fill. Jepsen will be replacing Laura Osnes, who played Cinderella for a year and got a Tony nomination in 2013. Oscar-winner Julie Andrews starred in the original 1957 TV musical.


Jepsen will be joined on the Broadway stage by another star. “The Nanny” Fran Drescher will play Cinderella’s stepmother, Madame.


“Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella” has been on Broadway since January 2013. Attendance slumped a bit in the summer, but picked back up. The show grossed $44.3 million through the week that ended Dec. 22, THR reported.


Jepsen is currently working on a new album, which is slated for a 2014 release, and also just finished her first headlining tour in the U.S. She earned two Grammy nominations for “Call Me Maybe.”


Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella



Carly Rae Jepsen Lands 'Cinderella' For Broadway Debut; When Will She Start?

Tony Parker Nazi Salute? Spurs Star Apologizes After Using 'Quenelle,' Alleged Anti-Semitic Gesture, In Photo With French Celebrity Dieudonné getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Tony Parker Nazi Salute? Spurs Star Apologizes After Using 'Quenelle,' Alleged Anti-Semitic Gesture, In Photo With French Celebrity Dieudonné

San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker has apologized after a photo of him performing a “quenelle” hand gesture went viral.




Several French news outlets posted a photo of Parker demonstrating the quenelle—a gesture described as a “Nazi salute in reverse”—alongside comedian Dieudonné, the man who purportedly created the gesture, the New York Daily News reports. As the photo went viral, prominent Jewish organizations, including the French affiliate of the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center, called on Parker to apologize for his actions.


“It’s the Nazi salute in reverse,” Roger Cukierman, a leading member of the French affiliate of the World Jewish Congress, told Reuters. Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center echoed Cukierman’s admonition, asking Parker to “apologize for his past use of the quenelle ‘Nazi’ salute,” The Algemeiner, a New York-based newspaper, reports.


“As a leading sports figure on both sides of the Atlantic, Parker has a special moral obligation to disassociate himself from a gesture that the government of France has identified as anti-Semetic,” Cooper told the newspaper, according to the New York Daily News.


Dieudonné, a French celebrity whose full name is Dieudonné M’bala M’bala, has referred to the quenelle gesture as a symbol of defiance, as anti-Semitic actions are illegal under French law, ESPN reports. He has been convicted of anti-Semitic speech in the past.


On Monday morning, Parker released a statement in which he apologized for taking the photo, claiming that he was unaware of the gesture’s meaning when posed with Dieudonné three years ago. It’s unclear if Parker will face disciplinary action from the NBA.


"While this gesture has been part of French culture for many years, it was not until recently that I learned of the very negative concerns associated with it. When l was photographed making that gesture three years ago, I thought it was part of a comedy act and did not know that it could be in any way offensive or harmful,” Parker said in the statement.


“Since I have been made aware of the seriousness of this gesture, I will certainly never repeat the gesture and sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding or harm relating to my actions,” he continued. “Hopefully this incident will serve to educate others that we need to be more aware that things that may seem innocuous can actually have a history of hate and hurt."


Parker isn’t the first professional athlete to be scrutinized for performing the quenelle. On Saturday, French soccer player Nicolas Anelka drew criticism after he used the gesture while celebrating a goal. Anelka will be suspended for at least five games over the incident, the Daily Mail reported.



Tony Parker Nazi Salute? Spurs Star Apologizes After Using 'Quenelle,' Alleged Anti-Semitic Gesture, In Photo With French Celebrity Dieudonné

Nazi-Looted Art Hidden In Plain Sight: Two Stolen Paintings Found In German Parliament: Report getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Nazi-Looted Art Hidden In Plain Sight: Two Stolen Paintings Found In German Parliament: Report

A report from a German newspaper claims two works of art stolen by the Nazis were found in the German parliament’s art collection. The Bundestag has issued a statement in response to the Bild’s article, denying the accusations.




The Bild reports the Nazi-looted art consisted of two paintings, "Chancellor Bülow Speaks In The Reichstag" by Georg Waltenberger and “A Street In Konigsberg” by Lovis Corinth. An art historian is currently investigating the provenance of 108 pieces of art in the German parliament’s collection, reports Reuters. The Bundestag has approximately 4,000 pieces of art and previously returned Nazi-looted art, a portrait of German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, in 2009.


Based on the report, the Central Council of Jews in Germany called for a list of the Bundestag’s art collection to be released to the public, notes Reuters. The Bundestag has released a statement categorically denying the claims made in the Bild and listing several “false allegations” made in the report.


According to the German parliament, a spokesperson for the Bundestag president did not state its investigation had found Nazi-looted art. The Bundestag did confirm it was investing “two suspected cases” but have yet to reach a conclusion and will publicly announce its findings, along with the investigation of the 108 pieces of art with unknown provenance, to the public. Rather than preventing the return of Nazi-looted art to its original owners, argues the Bundestag, the German parliament is open to any investigation of findings that could lead to restitution.


The allegation comes just one month after the discovery of a treasure trove of Nazi-looted art, valued at over $1 billion. The German magazine Focus revealed the discovery of 1,400 pieces of art which included works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse. The collection belonged to Cornelius Gurlitt and the art was seized in 2011. Gurlitt is the son of Hildebrand Gurlitt, a German art dealer who was commissioned by the Nazis to buy “degenerate art.” Instead of selling the art, Gurlitt kept it hidden and the works were found in his son’s apartment among garbage and rotting food.


The Focus’ report led to plenty of outrage as German officials had remained silent about the investigation, notes Reuters. One of the alleged pieces of Nazi-looted art is said to have once belonged to Gurlitt.



Nazi-Looted Art Hidden In Plain Sight: Two Stolen Paintings Found In German Parliament: Report

Cybersecurity For Africa: As Internet Penetration Grows, AU Seeks To Corral Online Crime getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Cybersecurity For Africa: As Internet Penetration Grows, AU Seeks To Corral Online Crime

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – The African Union is gearing up to discuss a brand new security initiative for the continent, one that has the potential to improve safety for hundreds of millions. But this decision has nothing to do with the violence and turmoil currently upending countries like South Sudan, the Central African Republic or the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- its focus is on internet crime.




This is an issue that barely registers for most on the continent, where only about 16 percent of people – and just 6.7 percent of households – have internet access, according to data from the International Telecommunication Union, or ITU. A 2013 report from the organization ranked countries around the world in terms of internet accessibility and affordability, and all 22 of the worst-ranking countries were African. For a continent plagued by food insecurity, conflict and poverty, telecommunications issues are often a low priority – which could be why the latest draft of the “African Union Convention on the Confidence and Security in Cyberspace” has been in the works for four years.


The new regulatory framework is scheduled for a vote at the next AU summit here in Ethiopia's capital city of Addis Ababa in late January. Its supporters argue that cybercrime is a growing scourge across the continent, due in part to rising internet usage, a lack of regulation and limited opportunities to make money, which spurs some to turn to criminal activities – like advance-fee scams and phishing schemes – in order to get ahead. “Cyberspace has become the centre of gravity as far as national security is concerned,” said Tim Akano, CEO of the IT company New Horizon Nigeria to SciDev.Net. “A country without cyber warriors, without a national cybersecurity center, is like a nation in the 1940s in Europe without national soldiers. The funding has not been felt.”


The continent's largest economy, South Africa, has already seen 70 percent of its internet users affected by cybercrime, according to a report this year from Symantec (NASDAQ:SYMC). The second-largest economy, Nigeria, is infamous for its so-called 411 scams wherein criminals pose as wealthy account-holders who need help transferring funds. Internet usage may be low overall, but setting up a framework early could be a smart move considering Africa's youth bulge, especially since this year's ITU report found that young people on the continent are about 2.3 times as likely to use the internet as the overall population, a ratio higher in Africa than in any other region on earth.


The new framework aims to “protect institutions against the threats and attacks capable of endangering their survival and efficacy [and protect] the rights of persons during data gathering and processing against the threats and attacks capable of compromising such rights.” That involves laying out some key principles for the continent to use in pursuing cybersecurity, setting up an institutional framework for regulating electronic transactions, encouraging IT education to put more of a focus on cybersecurity, and laying a foundation for penal practices.


But not everyone is thrilled about the draft. Corporations have reason to worry; the regulation would impose restrictions on their ability to advertise, sell goods without stating a clear price upfront, or pursue direct marketing. Private individuals might also object to some articles allowing the processing of personal data by the state for security purposes, or even the “compilation of personal data directly or indirectly portraying racial, ethnic or regional origin, parentage affiliation, political, philosophical or religious persuasions or labor union membership of persons, or data relating to health or sex life.”


Then there are procedural difficulties. Despite the rise of IT professionals across the continent, experts say the number of people well-versed in cybersecurity remains low. Furthermore, an AU framework will mean nothing without the political will in individual countries to hold users and companies responsible for upholding its mandates.


But assuming other big issues don't push cybersecurity off the agenda at this January's AU summit, Africa could be on its way to setting up a historic new framework for its burgeoning IT industry. For some, it couldn't come soon enough. “The leaders seem not to appreciate the fact that there has been a paradigm shift in national security in the new world of globalization,” said Akano to SciDev.Net. “Our leaders need a reorientation, not tomorrow but today.”



Cybersecurity For Africa: As Internet Penetration Grows, AU Seeks To Corral Online Crime

Josh Hutcherson Dating Emma Watson? ‘Hunger Games’ Star Reveals Crush On ‘Harry Potter’ Actress getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Josh Hutcherson Dating Emma Watson? ‘Hunger Games’ Star Reveals Crush On ‘Harry Potter’ Actress

Star of “The Hunger Games” films, actor Josh Hutcherson, recently revealed his longtime crush on former “Harry Potter” actress Emma Watson this week. According to the 21-year-old actor, the native British beauty is his dream girl. “I love Emma Watson. I’m dying to meet her,” Hutcherson told MTV UK Sunday.


While the duo isn’t an item (yet!), Hutcherson did reveal that he has made attempts to kindle a potential romantic relationship with the 23-year-old film star. “I tried to get my manager to call, like, ‘Er, could you like call Emma’s manager and see if we could, like, meet or something?’” said Hutcherson, who confirmed the duo has yet to cross paths. “It hasn’t happened yet. One day, finger’s crossed!” he added.


Despite Hutcherson’s romantic plea, he is still reportedly attached to his “Paradise Lost” co-star, actress Claudia Traisac, and good thing too, because Watson has been linked to her boyfriend Will Adamowicz since 2011. According to a report from Star magazine in July, the duo is even considering taking the next plunge: marriage. “Emma feels ready to take the next step,” said a source, who claimed the actress had already started searching for the perfect engagement ring.


While the duo is allegedly planning to tie the knot, Hutcherson does have an edge if Watson ever decides to split from her college sweetheart. Watson previously revealed during an interview on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in 2012 despite growing up in the United Kingdom, dating American men is a strong possibility for her future.




  • “English guys are very well put together. They dress really well and they are very well mannered. But they are also very restrained,” said Watson, who said she enjoyed men’s abrasive after transferring to America to attend Brown University in 2009. “They're very like open and very straight-forward - but they wear flip-flops and I don't know if I like that,” she said.


    This isn’t the first time Hutcherson has hinted at the possibility of dating another famous face. The Kentucky-based actor previously made headlines for commenting on his feelings for his “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” co-star Jennifer Lawrence. “I’d say there’s a natural stirring that happens in your body,” said Hutcherson when discussing kissing the Oscar-winner on screen. “If you’re in the moment and you’re in the scene, then whatever naturally happens is what’s supposed to happen.”




Josh Hutcherson Dating Emma Watson? ‘Hunger Games’ Star Reveals Crush On ‘Harry Potter’ Actress

Ted Cruz To Canada: Sorry! But I’m Renouncing My Citizenship getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Ted Cruz To Canada: Sorry! But I’m Renouncing My Citizenship

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, began the process of renouncing his Canadian citizenship, a move some experts take as an indication that Cruz will make a 2016 presidential run. By renouncing it, Cruz may be trying to get ahead of any fallout that could come with having dual citizenship.




In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, the freshman Republican senator announced on Saturday that he has hired a legal team to get the renunciation process started.


“I have retained counsel that is preparing the paperwork to renounce the citizenship,” Cruz told the paper. The process is expected to wrap up next year.


Cruz might have learned that he was in fact Canadian when he released his birth certificate to the Dallas paper in August. The senator said his mother told him when he was younger that he could choose to claim Canadian citizenship if he ever wanted to. However, Cruz said he never took affirmative steps to claim Canadian citizenship, and the Tea Party Republican promised he would renounce his Canadian citizenship altogether.


Cruz, 43, was born in Calgary, Canada, to an American mother. He told the Dallas Morning News that he doesn’t dispute having both nationalities. “Not at this point.”


The United States Constitution doesn't prevent someone with dual citizenship from running for president. What it does say is: “No person except a natural-born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.”


America’s supreme legal document doesn’t define what it means to be “natural born.”


Cruz is rumored to be a presidential candidate in 2016, although he told the paper, “My political perspective is focused on representing the state of Texas.”


Republican Strategist Ron Bonjean said a move like this from Cruz shows he is getting ready to run for president.


“He wants to make sure that this issue does not come up during a presidential primary where his loyalty to the United States could be question,” Bonjean said. “He doesn’t want to be subject to attacks about where he was actually born or comes from. Frankly, [it’s] a wise idea to get ahead of it if it’s going to likely be an issue.”


The paper said the issue of Cruz’s citizenship came up last month when he met real estate tycoon and “birther” drum-beater Donald Trump, who has championed the theory that President Barack Obama wasn’t born in America. In fact, Obama was born in Hawaii.


“It is going to likely to be an issue in the next Republican primary unless [Cruz] takes care of it now or gets ahead,” Bonjean said. “It might be brought up, but he’ll have something to say about it.”



Ted Cruz To Canada: Sorry! But I’m Renouncing My Citizenship