Friday, May 25, 2012

'Dark Knight Rises' TV Spots: A Lighter Side Of Batman -

 

As the "Dark Knight" prepares to rise, two new TV spots that hit the Web on Thursday (May 24) let us in on the lighter side of the series closer, which, until now, has been deathly serious. Christopher Nolan's Batman films have never been all doom and gloom. Though they are known for their gritty tone and dark aesthetic, Nolan has never been afraid to throw in some humor (albeit dark humor) to lighten the mood. The first two TV spots for "The Dark Knight Rises" pack in a few of those familiar moments, including one of Catwoman doing what she does best: burgling. The first 30-second commercial focuses primarily on Bruce Wayne's return. After going on the run because of the events surrounding Harvey Dent's death, Wayne needs to resurrect the Batman, and he reaches out to the man who made all his bat-gadgetry possible, Lucius Fox, with Morgan Freeman making a welcome return. Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman), portrayed by Anne Hathaway, holds the spotlight in the second spot, which plays up the teasing dynamic between the famous cat burglar and the Batman. Having talked and danced briefly at the masquerade ball we've already seen in a few trailers, Bruce goes to fetch his Lamborghini from the valet. Unfortunately, Wayne's "wife" got to it first. Additionally, a handful of hi-res stills from the film have appeared over at Batman-News.com, featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake and an interesting look at Batman, Catwoman and Bane in an industrial complex, presumably before a fight seen in the trailer. With a little less than two months to go until the film's release, "The Dark Knight Rises" is shaping up to be a movie not only worthy of its series, but one that deserves a fever pitch of anticipation. Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises."

Thursday, May 24, 2012

memorial day, fantasia, neil diamond,etan patz,fleet week,sixers,gi joe retaliation,jillian michaels,facebook stock 15, chernobyl diaries 16

 

6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 6. memorial day 7. fantasia 8. neil diamond 9. etan patz 10. fleet week 11. sixers 12. gi joe retaliation 13. jillian michaels 14. facebook stock 15. chernobyl diaries 16. bethenny frankel 17. udonis haslem 18. bill clinton 19. revenge 20. bodega 

Warren gets frustrated with press asking her to prove heritage

 

One thing is clear: embattled Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren isn’t happy that she is still being asked about her claimed Native American heritage. It’s the fourth week in a row that the press in Boston has been pressing Warren for answers. In a video captured by Fox 25 on Thursday, Warren appeared frustrated that reporters in Brookline asked her for proof of her minority claims. It was her first public appearance in more than a week. She tried dodging the questions at first. Asked to put the Native American heritage questions to rest, Warren responded: “Middle class families are getting hammered.” But when pressed about why she once claimed minority status but doesn’t identify that way anymore, she responded: “I have answered these questions. I am going to talk about what’s happening to America’s families.” “Scott Brown has hammered on my family, at the same time that… middle class families are also getting hammered,” she said. Warren has struggled to prove her claims of American Indian ancestry, other than saying she knows of it through family lore. Critics have accused her of claiming minority status in the past to gain an unfair advantage when applying for jobs.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Happiest Countries in the World - Yahoo! Finance

 

For the second year in a row, 24/7 Wall St. examined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s report on life satisfaction in the developed world. Economic prosperity, health and a strong social support network continue to correspond highly with happiness. Once again, the United States fails to make the top 10 happiest nations in the world, while countries like Australia, Israel and all of the Scandinavian nations do. The OECD measured more than 30 sets of data in 11 different categories, including education, health and employment. The study also asked residents of each country to rank, on a scale of 1 to 10, their general satisfaction with their lives. 24/7 Wall St. examined the 10 countries with the highest life satisfaction scores to find the strongest factors related to happiness. [More from 24/7 Wall St.: The 10 Most Educated Countries in the World] Economic prosperity appears to be one of the strongest factors that relates to overall life satisfaction. Of the 10 countries with the highest levels of happiness, nine have personal incomes that are higher than the OECD average. Eight of them have among the highest disposable incomes among developed nations. In addition, the overall regional economies of these 10 nations appear to be doing exceptionally well. Government debt as a percentage of gross domestic product in these countries is either among the smallest in the developed world, or these nations are actually running a surplus. Norway, which has the second-highest satisfaction score, has a government surplus of 162.5% of its GDP. Employment is one of the most obvious causes of satisfaction, according to Matthias Rumpf, OECD’s chief media officer, especially long-term employment and job stability. Of the 10 countries with the highest job satisfaction rates, nine are among the 15 with the lowest long-term unemployment rates — the percentage of the population that has been unemployed for more than a year. “Those who are unemployed are generally not very happy,” Rumpf says. And long-term unemployment is even worse, he explains. While being between jobs can affect a person, “the longer you are unemployed, the worse it gets.” [Related: 7 Guaranteed Ways to Be Happier Right Now] After economic stability, physical and social well-being are the largest determinants for happiness. When it comes to self-reported health, eight of the 10 countries have a higher rate of citizens reporting good health than the OECD average of 70%. All but one have a higher life expectancy than the OECD average of 79.8 years. When it comes to having a strong social support network, seven of the countries have among the largest percentage of residents reporting having a friend or relative they could rely on in a case of need. Not surprisingly, having enough leisure time affects a person’s mental health and strongly impacts happiness. According to the report, while data is incomplete, the majority of the countries with a strong sense of well-being have more leisure time each day than the OECD average of 14.76 hours (this includes sleep). The citizens of Denmark, the happiest country, have the most leisure time available per day, at 16.06 hours. The U.S. ranks 11th in life satisfaction, just missing the top 10. This suggests that while some of these categories may impact happiness, they do not guarantee it. Despite its above-average score, the U.S. has the highest rate of disposable income in the OECD and an extremely high rate of self-reported good health. Meanwhile, the U.S. has a particularly low life expectancy for developed nations, which at 78.7 years is worse than 26 other developed nations. The U.S. also has a low job security rate and a relatively high long-term unemployment rate. [More from 24/7 Wall St.: America’s Most Miserable States] Examining 34 separate member nations, a number of emerging economies, and two additional participating countries — Brazil and Russia — the OECD’s 2012 Better Life Index report measured more than 30 indices in 11 separate categories: housing, income, jobs, community, education, the environment, civic engagement, health, life satisfaction, safety and work-life balance. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 10 countries in which residents reported personal well-being at an average of 7.2 out of 10 or better. These are the happiest countries in the world. 1. Denmark > Life satisfaction score: 7.8 > Employment rate: 73% (6th highest) > Self-reported good health: 71% (17th highest) > Employees working long hours: 1.92% (4th lowest) > Disposable income: $23,213 (15th lowest) > Educational attainment: 76% (18th lowest) > Life expectancy: 79.3 (11th lowest) Denmark tops the OECD ranking as the country with the most satisfied citizens among the countries studied by the OECD. At first glance, the reason is not obvious. Denmark ranks no higher than fourth in any of the categories that appear to correlate strongly with overall satisfaction. Yet, in addition to the OECD, organizations such as the World Map of Happiness and the World Database of Happiness have consistently put Denmark at the top of their list of the world’s happiest countries. A high employment rate of 73% and a low percentage of 1.92% of employees working long hours contribute to high satisfaction levels. But overall, it is hard to pin down why those Danes are so darn happy. [Related: The Happiest Companies for Young Professionals] 2. Norway > Life satisfaction score: 7.6 > Employment rate: 75% (4th highest) > Self-reported good health: 80% (8th highest) > Employees working long hours: 2.66% (5th lowest) > Disposable income: $30,465 (3rd highest) > Educational attainment: 81% (tied - 15th highest) > Life expectancy:81.2 (10th highest) Of all the nations examined in the OECD’s report, Norway is among the most financially secure. Of working-age adults, 75% are employed — the fourth-best rate. Also, the average household disposable income is $30,645, the third highest among OECD nations. Norway also significantly outspends almost all other surveyed nations on health care, allocating $5,003 per person per year. This is well above the average for OECD nations of $3,060 per person per year. Norway also has one of the healthiest populations, with a life expectancy of 81.2 years and 80% claiming to be in “good” or “very good” health. Showcasing its economic strength, Norway is able to provide quality public health and education services while maintaining a budget surplus of 162.5% of GDP and an AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s Rating Services. 3. Netherlands > Life satisfaction score: 7.5 > Employment rate: 75% (tied - 3rd highest) > Self-reported good health: 77% (11th highest) > Employees working long hours: 0.68% (2nd lowest) > Disposable income: $25,740 (13th highest) > Educational attainment: 73% (15th lowest) > Life expectancy: 80.8 (14th highest) The Dutch government is heavily involved in internal economic affairs, playing a “significant role … pertaining to almost every aspect of economic activity,” according to the U.S. Department of State. Judging by Netherlands’ 75% employment rate — the third highest among those surveyed — this regulated, monitored economy has thrived in recent years. Of those employed, only 0.68% work longer than 50 hours a week — the second-lowest percentage among those surveyed. By contrast, 10.86% of U.S. workers eclipse the 50 hour mark. The Dutch also rank among the top 15 in self-reported good health, life expectancy and disposable income.

Syria says sanctions have cost country $4 billion - Yahoo! News

 

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's oil minister blamed international sanctions Wednesday for shortages of cooking gas and other basic goods, saying the measures have bled $4 billion from the nation's ailing economy. President Bashar Assad's regime must strike a delicate balance toward the U.S. and EU sanctions as it confronts a 15-month-old uprising against its rule, acknowledging their heavy toll while denying the regime's grip on power is in any way shaken. Sufian Allaw said the punitive measures were to blame for the shortages that have left Syrians across the country standing in long lines to pay inflated prices for cooking gas, fuel, sugar and other staples. The U.S. ambassador to Damascus denied that the international sanctions are to blame for the shortages facing Syrians. "Our sanctions purposefully do not target oil and diesel imports, because we know that the Syrian people need both for their day-to-day lives," Ambassador Robert Ford wrote on the embassy's Facebook page. Ford said the government is using fuel imports for its tanks. "If the Assad regime decided to cut its military expenditures, more diesel and oil would be available for the Syrian people to use," he said. Before the Syrian uprising began in March 2011, the oil sector was a pillar of Syria's economy, with oil exports — mostly to Europe — bringing in $7-8 million per day. This income was key to maintaining the $17 billion in foreign reserves that the government had at the start of the uprising. Speaking to reporters in Damascus Wednesday, Allaw said sanctions had cost Syria's oil sector about $4 billion. Prices for a tank of cooking gas have spiraled to some $25 as shortages have spread across the country. Allaw said Syria's gas production covers only half of the country's needs. Officials are seeking imports from countries not party to the sanctions. A Venezuelan tanker carrying 35,000 tons of fuel docked in Syria on Tuesday, Allaw said. Another is supposed to follow. He said officials were seeking to arrange further gas imports from Algeria and Iran. Syria's uprising began with mostly peaceful calls for reform, but the government's brutal crackdown on dissent led many in the opposition to take up arms. The U.N. estimates more than 9,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians. Violence in Syria also has spilled over into Lebanon, and Russia warned on Wednesday that greater violence in Syria's neighbor to the west was "a tangible threat" that "could end very badly." Syria and Lebanon share a complex web of political and sectarian ties and rivalries, often causing events on one side of the border to echo on the other. The arrest earlier this month of an outspoken Lebanese critic of Syria led to gunbattles in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli that killed at least eight people and wounded many more. And Syria's state news agency said armed gunmen had kidnapped 11 Lebanese Shiite pilgrims in Syria on Tuesday, setting off protests in Beirut's Shiite-dominated southern suburbs where residents burned tires and blocked roads. Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri told reporters in Beirut on Wednesday that the captives "will be with their families today or tomorrow." He gave no further information on where they are or who is holding them. Syria's state news agency blamed rebels for the kidnapping. It said the Lebanese group was on its way home from a religious pilgrimage in Iran when rebels intercepted their vehicles and abducted the 11 men and their Syrian driver. Lebanese security officials confirmed the kidnapping. World powers have pinned their hopes for an end to the Syrian crisis on a peace plan brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan that calls for a cease-fire by all sides to allow for dialogue on a political solution. But that plan is under strain. A cease-fire between government troops and rebels that was supposed to start last month has never really taken hold. A bomb planted under a military bus exploded Wednesday near the Damascus airport, killing one soldier and wounding 23 others, a military official at the site said on condition of anonymity under army rules. Anti-regime activist reported government rocket attacks on parts of the central city of Homs and clashes between rebels and government troops in the central town of Rastan, outside of Damascus and elsewhere. The prospects for talks between the regime and those seeking to topple it appear as distant as ever. Assad's government dismisses the opposition as "armed terrorists." For their part, opposition leaders say the regime has killed too many civilians to play a role in the conflict's solution. An Arab League official said that Arab Foreign Ministers will hold an emergency meeting at the Arab League's Cairo headquarters on June 2 to discuss Syria. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to brief the media, said ministers will discuss Annan's peace mission. ___ Hubbard reported from Beirut.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Google News: Greece swears in unity cabinet and PM Lucas Papademos

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BBC News - ‎23 minutes ago‎
Greece's new coalition cabinet and PM Lucas Papademos have been sworn in after a week of political turmoil. The new government's most pressing task is to approve Greece's recent EU bailout package and avoid bankruptcy.
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Google News: Will Windows Phone Woo Developers?

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New York Times (blog) - ‎2 hours ago‎
Microsoft and Nokia have their eyes set on a luminous prize - competing with Apple and Android to become one of the top smartphone sellers in the world.
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