Picture Girl beautiful

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Talk about a horrible sight you experienced

On the main roads of West Malaysia accidents occur almost every day. Most of them are caused by young drivers who are long of speed. The recklessness has caused the death of even careful drivers. What I am about to relate concerns the death of some young people, resulting from the reckless driving of a young man.

On the day in question, I was traveling with my brother to Ipoh. As my brother’s car was old, he had to drive slowly. We left Singapore, our hometown, very early in the morning, so that we could reach our destination before dark. The slow journey soon made me so tired that I fell asleep. However, we broke our Journey at Yong Peng, a small town in Johore, for some refreshment. When we resumed our journey, we saw a number of badly damaged vehicles in front of the Police Station of that town. My brother then began to talk about the various accidents that he had seen on that road. I began to grow uneasy about the rest of the journey. My brother had told me that most of the accidents occurred within a few miles of that town. I now began to fear for our own safety. Then, suddenly, a car, running at great speed, overtook our car. My brother then predicted that the car would be involved in an accident soon. After that my heart began to beat fast.

The car was soon out of sight. My brother, however, assured me that I would have an opportunity to see a very bad accident, and sure enough, we soon arrived at a distressing scene.

The car that had overtaken our car was in a ditch and four young girls were lying dead on the road-side. Their faces and clothes were covered with blood. Some people were trying to extricate the other occupants, including the young driver, who were still alive in the car. But all of a sudden, the car was on fire, and their efforts failed. Thus, the occupants in the car were burnt alive, and it is was indeed heart-rending to hear their last screams. Soon a fire engine and the police arrived with an ambulance, but it was too late.

This was indeed a horrible sight, and even today the mention of accidents reminds me of those piteous screams of the dying ones in that car.

Life In The City

Life in the city is full of activity. Early in the morning hundreds of people rush out of their homes in the manner ants do when their nest is broken. Soon the streets are full of traffic. Shops and offices open, students flock to their schools and the day’s work begins. The city now throb with activity, and it is full of noise. Hundreds of sight-seers, tourist and others visit many places of interest in the city while businessmen from various parts of the world arrives to transact business.

Then towards evening, the offices and day schools begin to close. Many of the shops too close. There is now a rush for buses and other means of transport. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to reach home. As a result of this rush, many accidents occur. One who has not been to the city before finds it hard to move about at this time. Soon, however, there is almost no activity in several parts of city. These parts are usually the business centres.

With the coming of night, another kind of activity begins. The streets are now full of colourful lights. The air is cooler and life becomes more leisurely. People now seek entertainment. Many visit the cinemas, parks and clubs, while others remain indoors to watch television or listen to the radio. Some visit friends and relatives and some spend their time reading books and magazines. Those who are interested in politics discuss the latest political developments. At the same time, hundreds of crimes are committed. Thieves and robbers who wait for the coming of night become active, and misfortune descends upon many. For the greed of a few, many are killed, and some live in constant fear. To bring criminals to justice, the officers of the law are always on the move.

Workers and others who seek advancement in their careers attend educational institutions which are open till late in the night. Hundreds of them sit for various examinations every year. The facilities and opportunities that the people in the city have to further their studies and uncrease their knowledge of human affairs are indeed many. As a result, the people in the city are usually better informed than those of the village, where even a newspaper is sometimes difficult to get.

The city could, therefore, be described as a place of ceaseless activity. Here, the drama of life is every day.

My Best Friend

Of all my friends, Lan is the best. She is also my classmate.

She is a beautiful girl with a slender build and a fair complexion. she has long black hair and attractive oval face with big brown eyes. At school she is very studious and good at very subject. She helps me a great deal with my studies. Her behaviour is also admirable. She is simple, friendly and kind to everybody. As an excellent student, she has got a scholarship from the school.

At home, she is also very dutiful. Sho obeys her parents and spends most of her spare time looking after her little brother and sisters. She always helps her mother with the housework such as washing and doing errands.

We all love and respest Lan. She is a brilliant example for us to follow.

My Family

          My family consists of 4 people. They are my parents, my sister and me. my father is an engineer working for a government office. My mother is a housewife. My sister is primaryschool teacher, and i am a high school student.

          We get up at 6 o'clock every morning. Affter breakfast, my father and my sister go to work, my mother does the housewife and i go to school. We have lunch at noon and dinner at 7 p.m. In the evening after dinner, we gather in the sitting-room talking or watching television for about an hour. Then my sister and i retreat to pur own rooms to prepare the lessons for the follwing days.

          My family is a very happy one. We love each other very much and expect to live together under the same roof forever.

Facebook

Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press, Via Associated Press

Updated: March 29, 2011
Facebook, the world's largest social network, announced in July 2010 that it had 500 million users around the world. The company has grown at a meteoric pace, doubling in size since 2009 and pushing international competitors aside. Its policies, more than those of any other company, are helping to define standards for privacy in the Internet age.
The company, founded in 2004 by a Harvard sophomore, Mark Zuckerberg, began life catering first to Harvard students and then to all high school and college students. It has since evolved into a broadly popular online destination used by both teenagers and adults of all ages. In country after country, Facebook is cementing itself as the leader and often displacing other social networks, much as it outflanked MySpace in the United States.
But it has also come to be seen as one of the new titans of the Internet, challenging even Google with a vision of a Web tied together through personal relationships and recommendations, rather than by search algorithms. In a major expansion, Facebook has spread itself across other Web sites by offering members the chance to "Like'' something — share it with their network — without leaving the Web page they're on.
In November 2010, Mr. Zuckerberg introduced Facebook Messages, a new unified messaging system that allows people to communicate with one another on the Web and on mobile phones regardless of whether they are using e-mail, text messages or online chat services.
The company raised $500 million from Goldman Sachs and a Russian investor in January 2011 in a deal that values the company at $50 billion — more than companies like eBay, Yahoo and Time Warner. The stake by Goldman Sachs, considered one of Wall Street’s savviest investors, signals the increasing might of Facebook, which has already been bearing down on giants like Google.
But in a surprise move, Goldman said in January that it was limiting its offer to foreign clients because of worries that the deal might run afoul of securities regulations. The decision was considered a serious embarrassment for the bank, which had marketed the investment to its wealthiest clients, including corporate magnates and directors of the nation’s largest companies.
While it has come under fire for a series of privacy stumbles, Facebook largely remains a darling of politicians. But the company has watched the missteps of Microsoft and Google in Washington, and knows that its current skirmishes are merely a prelude to looming clashes over its influence on the economic and social Web.
It is building a stalwart defense, moving at broadband speed from start-up to realpolitik strategist. One strategy has been to befriend Washington. Facebook has layered its executive, legal, policy and communications ranks with high-powered politicos from both parties, beefing up its firepower for future battles in Washington and beyond. In March 2011, the company was trying to lure Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s former White House press secretary, to its communications team.
Disputed Origins
The company's rise has been marked by strings of controversies. Three other Harvard students maintain that they came up with the original idea and that Mr. Zuckerberg, whom they had hired to write code for the site, stole the idea to create Facebook. Facebook has denied the allegations. A long-running lawsuit is pending. Another Harvard classmate, Aaron Greenspan, claims that he created the underlying architecture for both companies, but has declined to enter the legal battle.
A 2010 movie about Facebook’s tumultuous origins, "The Social Network," offered up what A.O. Scott called "a creation story for the digital age and something of a morality tale, one driven by desire, marked by triumph, tainted by betrayal and inspired by the new gospel: the geek shall inherit the earth."
Facebook has strenuously, and Mr. Zuckerberg more quietly, asserted that the portrayal of the company's founding is fiction. And Mr. Zuckerberg disputed the characterization of him in the film, though in a New Yorker magazine profile, he acknowledged having indulged in a bit of sophomoric arrogance.
Privacy Concerns
Like other social networks, Facebook allows its users to create a profile page and forge online links with friends and acquaintances. It has distinguished itself from rivals, partly by imposing a spartan design ethos and limiting how users can change the appearance of their profile pages. That has cut down on visual clutter and threats like spam, which plague rivals. It has decisively outstripped other networks that preceded it, like MySpace and Friendster, becoming what many analysts see as the "default platform'' of a new age of information organized around personal relationships.
The back and forth between Facebook and its users over privacy is gaining importance as the company's growth continues unabated. Facebook's policies, more than those of any other company, are helping to define standards for privacy in the Internet age.
Bowing to pressure over privacy concerns, the company in May 2010 unveiled a set of controls that he said would help people understand what they were sharing online, and with whom.
Facebook's biggest mistake, Mr. Zuckerman said, had been in failing to notice that as Facebook added new features and its privacy controls grew increasingly complicated, those controls became effectively unusable for many people.
In October 2010, Facebook acknowledged that some applications on its site, including the popular game FarmVille, had improperly shared identifying information about users, and in some cases their friends, with advertisers and Web tracking companies. The company said it was talking to application developers about how they handled personal information, and was looking at ways to prevent this from happening again.
The Goldman Deal
In January 2011, Facebook raised $500 million from Goldman Sachs and a Russian investor in a transaction that values the company at $50 billion. As part of the deal with Facebook, the bank could raise as much as $1.5 billion from investors for Facebook. The new money will give the company more firepower to steal away valuable employees, develop new products and possibly pursue acquisitions — all without being a publicly traded company. The investment may also allow earlier shareholders, including Facebook employees, to cash out at least some of their stakes.
The new investment came as the Securities and Exchange Commission has begun an inquiry into the increasingly hot private market for shares in Internet companies, including Facebook, Twitter, the gaming site Zynga and LinkedIn, an online professional networking site. Some experts suggest the inquiry is focused on whether certain companies are improperly using the private market to get around public disclosure requirements.
Also in January, catching many off guard, Goldman said that it would limit its Facebook offering to foreign investors, excluding clients in the United States because of worries that the deal could run afoul of securities.
The offering to high-net-worth clients was supposed to have been a triumph for the firm, not the serious embarrassment it became. Goldman has been trying to move past run-ins with regulators, including a $550 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2010 over a complex mortgage investment. The Facebook plan will likely raise new questions about whether Goldman tried to push regulatory boundaries once again.
Mr. Zuckerberg had sought to keep close control over the company, spurning a $1 billion offer from Yahoo in 2006 and playing down the idea of a stock offering. But in the wake of the Goldman investment, Facebook said that it will begin reporting its financial results by April 2012, setting the stage for a likely IPO.
The company, based in Palo Alto, Calif., earned $355 million on $1.2 billion in revenue during the first nine months of 2010, according to a document prepared by Goldman for potential investors. That is up from $220 million in earnings on $770 million in sales in 2009.

Source : http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/facebook_inc/index.html

Juicy New Mass Effect 3 Details + One Massive Spoiler

Some new juicy Mass Effect 3 details have been unearthed including one huge spoiler in the highly anticipated BioWare-developed game.
The Official Xbox Magazine contained the following new details for Mass Effect 3 including a huge spoiler so beware:

• You can jump and roll, and blindfire has been introduced.
• As well as gaining civilisation’s alliegance, you can lose them to the Reapers if you don’t play right, similarly to losing squadmates in the suicide mission.
• Your weapons have three upgrade slots -scope barrel and grip, and you can change the colour and camoflage of weapons.
• Cerberus and husks will be main enemies, and cerberus is divided into three main types of troops – heavy bruisers, medium and light.
• You may be able to get an eyepiece, like Garrus’s, that will allow non-sniper weapons to scope in further, which also hints at armour having more of an effect on gameplay.
• Bioware are going to announce something big at E3 – a lot of the gameplay features and more squadmates.

Spoiler:

• The magazine suggests that Garrus is being built up to a dramatic death.

Source : http://vgn365.com/2011/05/09/juicy-new-mass-effect-3-details-one-massive-spoiler/

In Other News – May 9th, 2011

As far as Monday’s go, this one wasn’t half bad. The weekend left us feeling all nostalgic, and today saw (for the first time in a while (okay, it was only a week)) the entire Lazygamer gang back together again. Hooah!

Geoff had a great time getting back to his racing roots around the track, set some impressive lap times and came back with an awesome preview of the upcoming racer from Ubisoft, Driver: San Francisco. Gavin on the other hand came back with sand and a hangover. Jealous much?

Here’s the news Nick and I didn’t post to give Geoff and Gavin some alone time with the site.

Source: http://www.lazygamer.net/in-other-news-may-9th-2011/#ixzz1LvXcUjF0

HSBC disappoints as profits fall short

HSBC revenues were down 5% at $24.5 billion, but chief executive says lending volumes have increased by $39 billion.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• 10% fall in underlying pre-tax profits in the three months to end of March to $5.5B
• Bank reveals $400M impairment charge in U.S., $78M charge to fund US software problems

RELATED TOPICS

• HSBC Group

(FT) -- HSBC disappointed the markets on Monday with profits that fell short of expectations, as the bank reported a further hiccup in its troubled US consumer business.

Stuart Gulliver, chief executive, said overall profits overall had "held up extremely well" with "reasonably strong numbers". An acceleration in restructuring in some of its troubled operations was largely responsible for a 10 per cent fall in underlying pre-tax profits in the three months to end-March to $5.5bn, he said

But Mr Gulliver revealed a fresh $400m impairment charge in the US, as house prices there failed to recover as expected, and instead either stagnated or in some areas slipped further. There was also a $78m charge to fund US software problems.

The numbers were the first for which Mr Gulliver was responsible, after taking over as chief executive at the start of the year. He is on Wednesday due to present details of a strategic review of HSBC's global operations, which is expected to involve an overhaul of its US business, with the sale of certain units.

As part of the broader restructuring effort, the bank took a $68m charge relating to its Latin American operations in the first quarter.

Analysts have been particularly concerned about rising costs across the group. Mr Gulliver said the cost-income ratio had jumped in the first quarter to 61 per cent, from 55 per cent at the end of last year, although without one-off charges the number was flat.

Included in those one-offs was a $440m charge relating to mis-sold personal protection insurance, as Britain's banking sector opted not to appeal against a recent court ruling. The figure, which followed a £3.2bn charge taken by Lloyds last Thursday, was much lower than some analysts had expected but Mr Gulliver said the provision was a "reasonable stab" at what the affair would cost it.

"We stopped writing this stuff at the beginning of 2007," he said, while some competitors had continued selling PPI policies until last year.

Mr Gulliver said lending volumes had increased by $39bn, with much of that growth directed at Asia. However, he played down concerns about a credit bubble in Hong Kong and China. "Nothing gives me cause for concern that we're writing business into a bubble," he said.

Revenues were down 5 per cent at €17bn, but loan impairments plunged by 37 per cent to $2.4bn, the lowest since early 2006. Mr Gulliver was particularly pleased with growth in the equities unit of the investment bank, although overall investment banking revenues were down. Mr Gulliver was the former head of the investment bank.

Headline pre-tax profits for the quarter, which included the impact of revaluing the bank's own debt, were $4.9bn, down 14 per cent.

Mr Gulliver warned that it would be two or three years before the bank's cost-income ratio would reach the targeted 48-52 per cent range, and return on equity would rise to his goal of 12-15 per cent. He said he hoped this year's ROE would be better than last year's 9.5 per cent. In the first quarter of the year, the low effective tax rate inflated the number to 11.4 per cent.

HSBC's tax rate for the quarter fell to an exceptionally low 10 per cent, compared with a normal annual level of 19-22 per cent, thanks to one-off tax credits in the US. The bank took a $600m charge towards the UK balance sheet levy. HSBC has long been peeved that the tax applies to its global business, not just UK operations, and Mr Gulliver said two-thirds of the charge related to non-UK business.

The bank is due this year to conduct a scheduled triennial review of its domicile. But Mr Gulliver said that would not take place until the fourth quarter of the year, by which time the final report from the Independent Commission on Banking, appointed by the UK government, should be published. The ICB has recommended that banks' UK retail banking operations should be ringfenced to protect British taxpayers.

Shares in HSBC fell 1.5 per cent in early London trading to 642p.

Source : http://edition.cnn.com

Apple is world's most valuable brand

Apple CEO Steve Jobs with the iPhone, which has helped propel the company past Google as the world's most valuable brand.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Apple has overtaken Google to become the world's most valuable brand
• Apple now valued at $153bn, according to new rankings published on Monday

RELATED TOPICS

• Apple Inc.
• Google Inc.

(FT) -- Apple has overtaken Google to become the world's most valuable brand with an estimated brand value of more than $153bn, according to new rankings published on Monday.

For the last four years, Google has dominated the BrandZ Top100 ranking of the most valuable global brands, compiled by Millward Brown, a subsidiary of advertising company WPP. The ranking covers everything from cars to clothing and banks to telecoms providers.

Thanks to the success of the iPad tablet and iPhone mobile -- among both consumers and corporations -- Apple's brand value has surged in the last year to overtake that of the search engine company.

Apple has increased its brand value by $137bn, or 859 per cent, since 2006 when the BrandZ rankings were launched. The brand valuation compares with Apple's stock market capitalisation of $319.4bn, which is almost five times higher than in 2006. Google's market capitalisation is $172.4bn.

The BrandZ index calculates brand value on a number of factors, including an estimate of the brand's contribution to earnings, valuation of intangible assets, measures of customer perception and an estimate of growth potential.

Peter Walshe, global BrandZ director at Millward Brown, said Apple's success reflected the fact that its products were not only highly desired by consumers but also seen by companies as useful.

"The anecdotal evidence is that if employees are given the choice of two similar jobs they opt for the one with better technology for its employees -- for example an iPad," Mr Walshe said. Apple, he added, had also succeeded in emulating luxury goods brands, in that making its products more expensive had increased their desirability.

The brand rankings are dominated by technology companies, with six out of the top 10 places occupied by Apple, Google, IBM, Microsoft, AT&T and China Mobile.

Source : http://edition.cnn.com

Microsoft in talks to buy Skype

Sources say Microsoft is in advanced talks to purchase Skype, the internet telephone company.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Microsoft is in advanced discussions to buy Skype, the internet telephone company
• Would be one of Microsoft's largest deals as it seeks to revitalise its business

RELATED TOPICS

• Skype Ltd.
• Microsoft Corporation

(FT) -- Microsoft is in advanced discussions about purchasing Skype, the internet telephone company, a person close to the company said, in what would be one of the technology company's largest deals as it seeks to revitalise its business.

A deal between the two companies could be announced as early as Tuesday, according to the person familiar with the talks. While details were still hammered out on Monday night -- which could yet derail an announcement -- the person added that the deal could value Skype at about $8.5bn, including debt.

The deal would mark Microsoft's most aggressive move online so far, as the Seattle-based company seeks to respond to strategic challenges and shift away from its core Windows business into other areas, including the internet, communications and entertainment.

Microsoft's last substantial deal was the purchase of online advertising company Aquantive in 2007 for just over $6bn.

Microsoft declined to comment on the negotiations with Skype. But the internet telephone company, which is owned by a group of private investors led by Silver Lake Partners, could not be reached for comment on the deal, which was reported by the blog GigaOm and the Wall Street Journal.

A deal, if made for cash, would make little dent in Microsoft's cash reserves. The software company had cash and short-term investments of $50.2bn at the end of March, up from $13.4bn the year before.

However, the value put on Skype by the potential acquisition represents a big premium to what Wall Street had been expecting in an initial public offering.

The internet calling service reported a loss of $7m for 2010 on revenues of $860m. It has struggled to find add-ons for its free voice and video services that add revenue.

Skype boasts about 145m people who use its services each month, although less than 10m pay anything at all -- usually to make, or receive, phone calls on regular telephones rather than through a computer. Its average number of monthly users rose by nearly 40 per cent last year.

At $8.5bn, a deal would value Skype at about 32 times its adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation -- the measure by which analysts assess its performance.

The company last summer filed for an initial public offering through a Nasdaq listing. However, since then, takeover speculation has swirled around Skype, with Google and Facebook mentioned as possible suitors.

Microsoft may tread carefully in picking up Skype. Ebay purchased the company in 2005, but failed to deliver on its promise of profitably bringing together internet communication with online shopping. The company eventually wrote down its investment in Skype, selling the business to a group of private investors.

Source : http://edition.cnn.com

Man Utd 2 - 1 Chelsea

Nemanja Vidic (left) scored United's second after 23 minutes

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer at Old Trafford

Manchester United moved to within a point of a record 19th title after a deserved win against closest rivals Chelsea at an exultant Old Trafford.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insisted victory would effectively end Chelsea's reign as champions and return the Premier League crown to United, writing a fresh chapter in the club's glittering history.

And United wasted no time in exerting their authority on Chelsea as Javier Hernandez struck after only 36 seconds and captain Nemanja Vidic headed the second in a blistering opening spell that established the foundations for what is likely to prove a decisive victory.

Frank Lampard gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope with a scrappy strike midway through the second half - but it was United who still looked more likely to score, even in the anxious closing stages before Old Trafford erupted in celebration as Howard Webb blew the final whistle.

And as if to emphasise the significance of events, Ferguson was even moved to bow in front of the Stretford End as he marched triumphantly towards the dressing room.

Click to play

Poor first half cost Chelsea - Ancelotti

United now only need to avoid defeat in one of their final two games, away at Blackburn Rovers and at home to Blackpool, to complete the formalities and overhaul the record of 18 titles they share with arch-rivals Liverpool.

Ferguson will relish the moment after famously vowing to "knock Liverpool off their perch" when he came to Old Trafford from Aberdeen in 1986. The statistic will be a glittering reflection of the success of his mission.

For Chelsea and their manager Carlo Ancelotti the outlook is now uncertain as they end the season empty handed with an ageing squad and questions surrounding the future of the Italian.

United swarmed all over Chelsea from the first whistle, fired up to extend an advantage that had been reduced to only three points in recent weeks, adding to the pressure of this high-octane Premier League occasion.

Ferguson was not short of heroes, but it was the unsung Park Ji-sung who set the tone with his tireless efforts as he refused to give Chelsea a moment's peace in midfield, making players of the calibre of Lampard and Michael Essien look laboured and pedestrian in the process.

PHIL MCNULTY'S BLOG For the man who famously made it his stated intention to "knock Liverpool off their perch", the latest chapter in his Old Trafford story will move him even close to mission accomplished

The United manager has also uncovered a potent and beautifully balanced strike partnership in the poacher Hernandez and creator Wayne Rooney, who made it a harrowing experience for Chelsea's £25m defender David Luiz, who was put out of his misery after only 45 minutes.

All that remains is for United to officially claim the crown, but as Sir Bobby Charlton raised his hands in elation at the final whistle, Old Trafford celebrated as if the job was done.

United were missing Patrice Evra because of a thigh strain, but Ferguson was able to wheel out the big guns once more after resting many of his front-line stars in the Champions League semi-final victory against Schalke.

Ancelotti, as expected, opted for Didier Drogba ahead of Fernando Torres in attack as Chelsea attempted to fashion the victory that would have seen them leapfrog United at the top of the table.

The first meaningful blow was always going to be of huge importance, even more so when United were able to deliver it inside the first minute to give Ferguson the dream start.

Ryan Giggs fed Park and the Korean's pass cut out Luiz enabling Hernandez to demonstrate the composure and cutting edge that have become his hallmark in an outstanding first season. The Mexican raced clear and slipped a cool finish past Chelsea keeper Petr Cech for his 20th goal of the campaign.

Chelsea were in serious danger of being overrun in the one-sided opening exchanges, with Rooney bringing a flying save from Cech and also shooting narrowly wide as United laid siege to the goal.

Click to play

One point still needed - Phelan

Hernandez was inches away from connecting for his second while the industrious Park also tested the overworked Cech at his near post with an angled effort with Chelsea unable to impose any sort of influence on proceedings.

United's supremacy deserved further reward and it duly came after 23 minutes when Giggs evaded Salomon Kalou after working a short corner and the towering figure of Vidic threw himself forward eight yards out to head past Cech.

Vidic's goal came just as Chelsea were settling, but their attempts to work their way back into contention were thwarted by United keeper Edwin van der Sar, who saved twice from Kalou and also from Drogba.

FOOTBALL TACTICS BLOG Although it might appear that Rooney was the only one playing in the space between Chelsea's defence and midfield the truth was that there were actually three of them: Rooney, Park and Giggs

Tensions and emotions were running high, which was only to expected given the prize at stake, and Rooney was heavily involved. Branislav Ivanovic was booked for a foul on the striker, who then picked up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Luiz.

Ivanovic was relieved to go unpunished by referee Webb following another clash which left Rooney writhing in agony. Chelsea's fans clearly felt he was making the most of the incident in an attempt to get Ivanovic sent off and Rooney gestured angrily in their direction as he tried to complete his recovery.

Luiz had suffered a nightmare first-half and paid the price when he was replaced by Alex at the interval, with Ramires also coming on for John Obi Mikel.

United had vehement appeals for a penalty waved away by Webb after 52 minutes when Lampard handled Antonio Valencia's cross and with no sign of a shift in momentum Ancelotti gave Torres the last 25 minutes at the expense of Kalou.

He was not involved as Chelsea gave themselves a lifeline two minutes later, Lampard scrambling home from close range after Ivanovic knocked down Ramires' cross.

It then took a miraculous goal-line clearance from Alex to stop United restoring their two-goal lead almost immediately, throwing himself in front an open goal to stop Rooney turning in Hernandez's cross.

Rooney had presented a menacing figure throughout and as the game entered the final 10 minutes he again posed a threat to the visitors. He was driven away from danger by Cech as he burst into the area and then saw a shot deflected over the top.

Hernandez has proved the arch-predator for United this season, so it was a surprise to see him head Valencia's cross over the top from only six yards after Cech was left exposed by the quality of the cross and the wonderful natural movement of the striker.

The uncharacteristic miss did not prove expensive - and the joyous scenes that swept around Old Trafford at the end signalled that a record-breaking title is almost won. 

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk

Fulham 2 - 5 Liverpool

Rodriguez has scored seven goals in his last three games

By Sam Sheringham

Maxi Rodriguez scored his second hat-trick in three games as a rampant Liverpool crushed Fulham to boost their hopes of reaching the Europa League.

Rodriguez put Liverpool ahead after 32 seconds, and volleyed a second before Dirk Kuyt made it 3-0 on 16 minutes.

Moussa Dembele gave Fulham hope with a crisp finish from Bobby Zamora's pass.

Rodriguez smashed a spectacular third from 25 yards and Luis Suarez rounded Mark Schwarzer to make it 5-1 before Steve Sidwell fired a late consolation.

It was a sensational display from Liverpool, who have now scored 13 goals in their last three games and have climbed from 12th to fifth in the table since Kenny Dalglish took over from Roy Hodgson in January.

The Reds are two points clear of Tottenham, who play Manchester City on Tuesday and travel to Anfield on Sunday for a game that is effectively a play-off for the Europa League spot.

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Dalglish proud of Liverpool players

Whether participating in that competition would be a blessing or a curse for either club is a moot point but the Reds certainly set off like a team determined to secure another season of European football.

Suarez broke clear down the left and advanced into the penalty box before trying to pick out Kuyt.

The low cross was deflected towards goal by Carlos Salcido and although Schwarzer stopped it creeping in at the far post, Rodriguez was on hand to lash into the opposite corner.

Six minutes later, Glen Johnson found space behind Salcido and crossed to the far post, where Rodriguez volleyed low past Schwarzer.

There was a moment of controversy on 14 minutes when a long ball found Suarez bearing down on goal. The irrepressible Uruguayan took a tumble after an apparent push from Brede Hangeland but the officials rejected the visitors' penalty appeals.

Any sense of grievance on Liverpool's part was short-lived as Kuyt received the ball in space on the right and drilled a speculative effort towards the near post, which Schwarzer inexplicably allowed to slip through his fingers to gift the Dutchman a ninth goal in his last eight league games.

Suarez and Rodriguez both missed presentable chances before Clint Dempsey had Fulham's first opportunity of the game just after the half-hour mark - but his low volley from a corner was cleared off the line by Johnson.

Fulham boss Mark Hughes brought on Zamora for Simon Davies at half-time and the change paid dividends as the home side began the second period in the ascendancy.

First Zamora had a goal-bound header blocked and then Dempsey fired narrowly over the bar from the edge of the area.

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Hughes admits to 'key errors'

The goal, after 57 minutes, was nothing less than Fulham deserved as Zamora's lay-off teed up Dembele for a powerful side-footed finish into the bottom corner.

Fulham briefly threatened a comeback but Rodriguez's superb drive from outside the area guaranteed Liverpool the points and allowed the Argentine to depart to a standing ovation.

Five minutes later, substitute Jonjo Shelvey threaded a pinpoint pass through to Suarez, who coolly took the ball around the goalkeeper and tapped in.

Despite being on the receiving end of a fearful hammering, Fulham refused to throw in the towel and Sidwell's superb chest down and half-volley from the edge of the box would have graced any fixture.

As it was, the goal merely reduced the deficit to three and there was still time for Suarez, Shelvey and Kuyt to go close to adding a sixth.

That would simply have added further gloss to a superb display in a game in which captain Jamie Carragher made his 666th appearance to go second behind Ian Callaghan (857) in the Reds' all-time list. 

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Snooki's diet plan: More gym, less clubbing

The 4'9" reality TV star has been working hard to tone up and lose a few unwanted pounds.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• "I was 100 lbs. and really happy with myself," Snooki said
• "I definitely want to get in shape and be healthy again," she said
• "[I have] egg whites in the morning and chicken and salads," Snooki said

RELATED TOPICS

• Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
• Working Out
• Reality Shows
• Jersey Shore (TV Show)
• Healthy Eating
• Health and Fitness
• Exercise and Fitness
• Diet and Nutrition
• Culture and Lifestyle
• Celebrity News

(PEOPLE.com) -- These days, fans would be more likely to catch a glimpse of Jersey Shore star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi working up a sweat at the gym than throwing back drinks at her favorite bars.

"As everyone's planning their night at the club," she recently Tweeted, "I'm wondering when Gold's [Gym] closes."

In fact, for the past few months, the 4'9" reality TV star has been working hard to tone up and lose a few unwanted pounds.

"Two months before season 1 started, I was 100 lbs. and really happy with myself," she told PEOPLE in January. "Then I went on the show and it was like, 'Oh man. We're partying all the time, and who wants to go to the gym when you're on vacation?' "

At that point, Polizzi told PEOPLE she was working with a trainer and trying to eat healthy foods. She has also been experimenting with Zumba, a dance class, and even showed off her gymnastics skills at WWE Raw.

"I definitely want to get in shape and be healthy again," the reality star, 23, said. "But it's really hard to eat good when you're traveling because you see fast food -- and you want to go to this restaurant and that restaurant."

Healthy Living

Still, "[I have] egg whites in the morning and chicken and salads," she said. "And if you do drink, it's gotta be clear liquors."

Now, instead of throwing back Long Island Iced Teas or margaritas ("Which are, like, a million calories," she notes), Snooki's new drink of choice is a lighter option: vodka with seltzer water.

But with her trip to Italy looming (the cast will head overseas soon to film season 4), she knows the temptation to cheat on her fitness regimen will be huge.

"All we're gonna eat is pasta," she said. "I'm very, very scared -- drinking wine and having spaghetti all day [would] throw me off course."

Source : http://edition.cnn.com

Obsessions: Getting our fill of food TV

Laurine Wickett, a one-time contestant on "Top Chef," a leading food show favorite among viewers, attends to a presentation.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Food-related programming increases this year with two new food-based shows
• ABC is launching a daytime food talk show, while VH1 unveils a celebrity food show
• TV fans say the programming is becoming less creative
• But the desire to watch food TV is still there as long as it's quality programming

RELATED TOPICS

• Television
• Culture and Lifestyle
• Reality Shows
• Food and Cooking

(CNN) -- Food has been a part of our TV lineup even before Julia Child's classic show "The French Chef" took off in 1963, but since then, it's become an increasingly inescapable mainstay.

Between the Food Network and Cooking Channel, the "Top Chef" franchise on Bravo, the Travel Channel's "No Reservations," "Man v. Food" and "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, plus "Hell's Kitchen," "MasterChef" and "America's Next Great Restaurant" on broadcast networks, we're tuning in for a lot of eating and cooking.

It's not hard to understand the popularity: Production values of these shows may vary, but if they're not entertaining us with standard reality-TV shenanigans, they're exploring a topic we can all dig into. Food TV has an obvious appeal for those who want to learn more about cooking and cuisine, but it's also an easy way to chill out even if you don't.

Who among us hasn't made snarky comments through an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," or thought about taking up a 9-to-5 at a place akin to the bakery on "DC Cupcakes"?

On occasion, you may even be inspired to consider cooking something that requires more prep work than opening a can. And if not, repeats of "Iron Chef" -- the original preferably -- still make for surprisingly easy entertainment. And of course, if a predominant theme is even vaguely successful, you're going to see a lot more of it.

ABC unveiled a food-based program of its own at the time it announced the cancellation of long-running soaps "All My Children" and "One Life to Live." The network has tapped "Top Chef" fan favorite Carla Hall, chefs and TV personalities Michael Symon and Mario Batali, nutrition expert Daphne Oz and "What Not to Wear's" Clinton Kelly for an hourlong show called "The Chew."

The premise, as the network said, is to examine food "as a source of joy, health, family ritual, friendship, breaking news, dating, fitness, weight loss, travel adventures and life's moments." The show is expected to debut in September.

As if the news about the canceled soaps wasn't bad enough, fans griped, they had to go and replace one of them with another about food.

"Can't they take a poll or something? ... It's so sad. We don't need another food show PLEASE!" begged one, while another cryptically warned, "Pretty soon the only channels that WON'T have a show on every time spot about health, fitness, cooking, and fashion will be the Playboy Channel!"

That commenter might be on to something: About a week later, VH1 announced it was getting into the reality TV restaurant business with "Famous Food."

The idea is to drop reality TV stars Heidi Montag, Jake Pavelka and Danielle Staub along with rappers Juicy "J" and DJ Paul of Three Six Mafia, Vincent Pastore from "The Sopranos" and we're-not-sure-why-she's-still-famous Ashley Dupre into a new restaurant called "Famous Food." The competition consists of seeing who can turn the restaurant launch into a success, and the winner of this little experiment would become a stakeholder.

The question is: Why focus on a restaurant? Why not go old school and leave the cast stranded somewhere desolate, or, you know, just make them live in a house together and watch what happens? (With a mix that includes Danielle Staub from "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" and a former "Bachelor," something would happen.)

As Diane Gordon, editor-in-chief of TV site The Surf Report, puts it, "Once you're drafting someone like Heidi Montag to be on a food show, you're running out of ideas."

There are only so many TV viewing hours that one should have within a day, and your typical fan can't possibly eat up all of this food programming. Especially if it devolves into variations of the same thing.

It's not that we've had our fill of the genre quite yet, Gordon says, but rather that "it's getting harder for the producers to be creative."

"There are still shows that are enormously successful like 'Top Chef 'and 'Hell's Kitchen,' and those can't be overlooked," she says. "Part of it is aspiration; it inspires you to cook or go have a really good meal. ...It makes you want to eat better (and) it's been an education of sorts for a lot of Americans." The key, she says, is to get "people who have a different take on food that's fresh."

That might be easier said than done. Scripps Networks' three aforementioned channels (the Food Network, Cooking Channel and Travel Channel) virtually have the market cornered, not to mention the other cable channels that have beefed up as well. Between all the reality competitions, cook-off challenges and shows about eating or baking or restaurants, it doesn't always feel like there's new ground to cover. But just as important as innovation? Quality programming.

There's a reason why Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and "Top Chef" are frequently repeated when discussing the cream of the food-show crop. The former offers informative storytelling with just enough fire to keep it interesting, while the latter has the drama, but only as a side dish to the main event of expertise.

Those qualities are essential, especially in competition or reality shows, says Noel Kirkpatrick, co-founder of the TV blog Monsters of Television.

"When it comes to the competition programs like 'Top Chef 'or 'Iron Chef America,' I enjoy the fact that unlike other reality programs, these shows don't rely too heavily on personality conflicts (though 'Top Chef' certainly has that) and instead is more concerned with skill and talent, which is significantly more interesting to watch," says Kirkpatrick, who's also working on a master's degree in moving image studies at Georgia State University.

So while the content has become repetitive -- Kirkpatrick questions how many "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" variations the Food Network could create, and for that matter, how many versions of "Top Chef" Bravo execs could dream up -- the desire to watch thoughtful, entertaining and informative food TV still exists. And there just might be an upside.

On the one hand, "the chef's job is glamorous and starry, and that couldn't be (further) from the truth," says Paolo Lucchesi, the Inside Scoop columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's a really hard, demanding job and people who do it are in the kitchen all day and not traipsing about on reality shows."

But on the other hand, this deluge of food programming has helped people to appreciate food a bit more, he says.

Food TV is "getting a little forced and tired sometimes," Lucchesi adds, but "it's hard to knock it because I think people have a better understanding about eating well. ... There's always room for innovation and education."

Source : http://edition.cnn.com

Plants that heal

Cải cúc (edible chrysanthemum) makes a good herbal remedy for coughs, persistent headache, sore throat, indigestion and fever, herbalist Hoai Vu says.

C ả i cúc (edible chrysanthemum) is grown everywhere in Vietnam. It is bitter sweet, cool, and richer in protein than other vegetables. It makes a good herbal remedy for coughs, persistent headache, sore throat, indigestion and fever.
Here are some simple and effective cải cúc remedies from herbalist Hoai Vu:
- To ease a child’s cough, wash and chop up 20g of cải cúc leaves, mix the leaves. In a ceramic bowl, mix the leaves with a spoonful of honey. Place the bowl in a saucepan with some water and steam the leaves for 15 minutes. Sip the warm brew several times a day.
- To treat a persistent cough in adults, wash and chop 150g of cải cúc and 200g of pig’s lung and place them in a pot. Cover with enough water and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and season to taste with sugar and salt. This concoction should be taken for three days.
- To beat a persistent headache, wash and slice 50g of cải cúc, boil with 100ml of water for 10 minutes. Drink 30g of the broth every day. The leftover leaves can be rinsed, drained, and dried over a gentle flame then placed on top of the head and on the temples before sleeping or whenever you have a headache.
- For a chill-induced sore throat, cough or fever, wash and slice 100g of cải cúc and mix with hot porridge. Leave for 10 minutes, and mix the leaves with the porridge for eating.
- To stop vomiting up blood, wash and chop 200g cải cúc, then pound using a mortar and pestle. Boil the ground cải cúc in enough water, then let stand until cool. Drink the broth three times a day.
- For peace of mind, to recover from exhaustion, or to stimulate the appetite, wash and slice 200g of cải cúc, blanch in boiling water then eat them.
- To warm the body, you require 500g of cải cúc, one head of cá mè (bighead carp, or hypophthalmichthys), ginger and rice wine. Rinse the fish head and fry in a pan until it becomes yellow and fragrant. Add sliced ginger and stir well. Pour a small glass of rice wine and just enough water to stew the fish. Finally, add cải cúc, turn up the heat until the water boils away. Season the fish with sugar and salt, and serve hot. This dish can also be used to treat coughing, headache, dizziness, nausea, indigestion, and even depression.


Source : http://www.thanhniennews.com

Hanoi lake giant turtle may be a new species

The giant turtle is a resident of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake.

A giant soft-shell turtle rescued from Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi earlier this month may belong to a hitherto unknown species, scientist Ha Dinh Duc told Thanh Nien.
At a press conference last Saturday in Hanoi, researchers said DNA tests confirmed suspicions that the turtle belongs to a species other than Rafetus swinhoei, as had long been believed.
Hanoi authorities have sent the turtle’s DNA sample to a Swiss DNA Bank for further tests.
“If the results coincide with our tests, Vietnam can declare the Hoan Kiem turtle a new species and name it Rafetus Vietnamensis,” scientist Le Tran Binh told Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper.
On April 3, the 169-kilogram female turtle was finally caught so veterinarians could examine skin lesions on the animal's legs and head.
It took at least 50 people two hours to net the turtle and transfer it to a small island in the lake in a rescue coordinated by the Asian Turtle Program.
A steering committee has been set up to make decisions about the turtle, believed to be more than a hundred years old.
Hundreds of spectators watched and cheered as the giant turtle was rescued. Many Vietnamese consider the animal to be a deity.
The Hoan Kiem Lake turtles were traditionally believed to be manifestations of the Golden Turtle God, or Kim Qui.
Over the last two millennia, the deity is said to have helped design fortifications, thwart enemy armies and produce a number of enchanted weapons.

Source : http://www.thanhniennews.com

No personal income tax breaks this year: house budget committee

Income tax payers in Vietnam will receive no tax breaks this year as the current law won’t be adjusted until next year, a member of the National Assembly's Financial and Budgetary Committee said Friday.

“The agenda of the National Assembly’s meeting this year won’t include any proposal on adjustments to the personal income tax law,” Cao Ngoc Xuyen, deputy chief of the committee, said after a meeting with the Ministry of Finance.

The ministry had proposed increasing the taxable income threshold from VND4 million (US$194) a month to VND5 million ($240), with VND1.6 million ($77.68) deductions for each dependent.

The proposal was made as many analysts and taxpayers urged the government to make amendments to the law, which was approved in late 2007 and came into effect in January 2009, considering the hardship caused to many tax payers by rising consumer prices.

They proposed higher taxable income levels and deductions for dependents. Some said even the finance ministry’s proposed threshold wasn’t high enough to ease taxpayers’ financial burdens.

Inflation surged 17.51 percent in April over a year earlier, according to the General Statistics Office.

Source: Lao Dong 

Industrial park neighbours battle pollution

HCM CITY – Residents who have not moved from two industrial parks in Binh Dinh Province because of compensation disputes are suffering serious smoke and dust pollution, local authorities say.

When the site was cleared for two industrial parks – Phu Tai and Long My – in the central province's Qui Nhon City, about 30 per cent of the households had refused to accept the compensation offered, said Nguyen Ngoc Toan, deputy head of Binh Dinh's Economic Zones Management Department.

The Sai Gon Tiep Thi (Sai Gon Marketing) newspaper last Monday cited Toan as saying unfeasible site clearance policies had held back progress in site clearance work at both parks.

Provincial authorities, therefore, decided to postpone site clearance work in some residential areas where they were still negotiating compensation with residents, Toan said.

He said the 30 per cent of households who stayed back should move because pollution in provincial IPs in general and Phu Tai and Long My in particular had become more critical.

Thousands of households live on one side of National Road 1A, facing hundreds of factories on the other side that process wood, stone, agricultural products and building materials, emitting thick smoke and dust into the air everyday.

Worst till, 10 per cent of the agricultural land in the area has been inundated with waste and rubbish discharged by manufacturers in the industrial parks for the last seven years, local officials say.

According to Dang Thuc, a Party cell secretary in Bui Thi Xuan ward, many factories in industrial parks do not have waste treatment systems and discharge all their untreated waste into the public sewer system, seriously choking it.

The 348ha Phu Tai industrial park and 210ha Long My industrial park are located in Bui Thi Xuan and Tran Quang Dieu wards, respectively. — VNS

Source : http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn