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Transsexual Miss World contest aims to boost awareness AFP - Monday, November 2 PATTAYA, Thailand (AFP) - – Shimmering in a tight gold evening gown, a Japanese television host wept and called for greater tolerance as she was crowned the world's most beautiful transsexual at a pageant in Thailand. Haruna Ai, 37, beat off stiff competition from 20 other glamorous contestants at the Miss International Queen 2009 who came to the Thai beach resort of Pattaya from as far as Brazil and the United States. "I am very, very, very happy," a tearful Ai told AFP minutes after the previous title holder carefully placed a faux-diamond tiara on her head. "I want contests like this to show everyone that they should love each other and live freely. The way of life in Japan is more traditional and transsexuals cannot live freely, but in Thailand they can do what they want," she said. The contest, which was called off last year because of political turmoil in Thailand, is taken just as seriously as more traditional pageants in a nation famed for its sexual tolerance. Millions of Thais watched live on television late Saturday as the statuesque beauties -- all of them born men -- strutted their stuff at Tiffany's Show Pattaya, billed as the world's largest transsexual cabaret. The first round saw them in kitschy national dress, with a US contestant resplendent in a feathered native American costume and a British entrant donning a Beefeater outfit with black satin leggings and Busby hat. The lights then sank low as the contestants paraded elegant evening gowns and later modelled pink swimsuits, while giant fluorescent kites soared over the stage. Japan's Ai won 10,000 dollars, a year's stay at a Pattaya hotel and a 500-dollar surgical voucher after judges picked her over runners-up Karngsadal Wongdusadeekul from Thailand and Daniela Marques of Brazil. While the audience may have whooped and cheered raucously, contestants and organisers said there was a serious side to the pageant -- boosting public awareness of transgender issues. "An event like this for us is something I can only hope for in the United States," said US contestant Sunny Dee-Lite, 32, a party promoter from New York City who won the best evening gown gong. Many participants had stories of discrimination. Maggie Gao, from China, earlier this year won Miss World Shenzhen, a women's beauty pageant in the southern Chinese city -- but it then emerged that she was a man and the organisers withdrew her title. "So I am very glad that Miss International Queen has given me the chance to take part," the 27-year-old ballet dancer from Shanghai told AFP backstage before the contest. Camilia Dzelma, 22, from Singapore, said her Muslim family had accepted her as she is and called for more transgender beauty pageants. "I am here to open up things and show the world that I am not a freak," said Dzelma, a children's dance instructor at a government-run school. "These competitions reduce discrimination. My family is Muslim but they do not care about what my identity is as long as they know that I am happy. My mum just called me and wished me good luck," she said. Thailand's laws have failed to keep up with the country's tolerant reputation. Transsexuals in Thailand complain that they are legally discriminated against because they cannot change their gender on their ID cards, while new rules on waiting periods have been imposed for sex-change operations. "In Thailand, after they operate they are physically a woman but legally a man. In the US and Britain and other countries they can change their passport so they are a woman," said Alisa Phanthusak, one of the contest organisers. Thai contestant Sorawee Nattee, who won the domestic version of the pageant in May, said that she had been drafted for military service despite having had a sex-change. "But when I went to the drafting centre looking like this, like a girl, with b00bs, they told me to go away," the 21-year-old said.

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US rebounds from Recession AFP - Friday, October 30 WASHINGTON (AFP) - – The United States rebounded from recession in the third quarter, posting its strongest economic growth in two years as government stimulus spurred consumer spending, official data showed Thursday. After four negative quarters, the world's largest economy grew at a seasonally adjusted 3.5 percent annual rate in the July-September period from the second quarter, the Commerce Department said. The increase was the first since the second quarter of 2008 and the strongest expansion since the 2007 third quarter, when a US subprime mortgage crisis triggered a global financial crisis that hammered the world economy. The expansion followed an unrevised 0.7 percent decline in the second quarter. The department's first estimate of third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP), a broad measure of the country's output of goods and services, was slightly higher than the 3.2 percent reading expected by most analysts. President Barack Obama welcomed the data as "an affirmation that this recession is abating and the steps weve taken have made a difference." But, he warned: "We have a long way to go to fully restore our economy, and recover from what has been the longest and deepest downturn since the Great Depression." "The benchmark I use to measure the strength of our economy is not just whether our GDP is growing, but whether we are creating jobs, whether families are having an easier time paying their bills, whether our businesses are hiring and doing well." While a recession is widely regarded as ended by one quarter of economic growth, in the United States the economy will not be officially out of recession until it has been declared by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Unemployment remains a key hurdle to sustained recovery. The jobless rate rose to a new 26-year high of 9.8 percent in September and is expected to hit double digits. Since the official start of recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed has climbed by 7.6 million to 15.1 million. The Labor Department reported Thursday that new weekly claims for unemployment benefits fell slightly. "The recession is over, but don't be fooled by today's number -- the underlying rate of recovery is weaker," said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Global Insight. Behravesh said that underlying growth was closer to 2.0 percent and predicted momentum would only pick up in the second half of next year as consumers and businesses grow more confident. After shrinking a sharp 6.4 percent in the first quarter, the world's largest economy has been on life support from the federal 787-billion-dollar emergency stimulus and other support measures. The third-quarter rebound was led by consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of US economic activity and added 2.36 percentage points to GDP growth. Consumer spending surged 3.4 percent after a 0.9 percent drop in the second quarter, a rise the department said "largely reflected" auto purchases under the government's popular "cash-for-clunkers" program in July and August. Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, noted that, excluding the auto sector, consumption grew at a 1.0 percent annual rate. "With disposable income falling due to continued job losses and declining hourly wages, and the reversal of the surge in car sales, consumption growth will almost certainly be negative in the fourth quarter," Baker said. Other leading drivers of third-quarter growth were business inventories and home building. The core inflation rate -- which strips out volatile food and energy prices -- fell to 1.4 percent from 2.0 percent, indicating inflationary pressures remain tame amid economic weakness. The Federal Reserve, which keeps a close eye on the reading, is widely expected to leave its key interest rate unchanged at nearly zero when policymakers meet on November 3-4. "If we do indeed get a second consecutive quarter of good growth, there will be a lot of pressure on the Fed to start raising rates," said Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors. "Indeed, I wouldnt be surprised if the markets start pricing that into bond yields during the rest of the year."

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Salary Secrets Your Employer Doesn't Want You to Know by Maria Hanson, LiveCareer In down economic times, companies seem to have carte blanche to limit salaries and make low-ball offers. But that shouldn't be the case. Below are the top salary secrets your employer doesn't want you to know. With this information in hand, you'll be in a better position to get the pay you deserve. Employers don't always offer a fair salary. Some employers think they're being fair, but they're not up-to-date with the latest salary information. Others may try to pay less than the market value because they're financially strapped. That's why it's important that you know exactly how much money you should be making. A free salary report can help you calculate how much you should be earning in any job. You can negotiate your salary in a tight job market. In a recession, many people would rather take a pay cut than lose their jobs. Raises are hard to come by and new hires may feel they have less negotiating power. But that doesn't mean it's impossible to bump up your salary; it's just a little more challenging. According to a recent survey from the Society for Human Resource Management, 80 percent of HR professionals say employers are willing to negotiate salaries. So, if you're looking for a raise at your current job, come armed with your marketplace worth and make your case. And, if you've been offered a job that pays less than you like, don't be afraid to name your realistic asking price. Keep in mind that, if you got the offer, you're clearly the best candidate for the job -- even in this highly competitive job market. New hires sometimes earn more than long-term employees. When there's a strong job market, organizations need to do whatever they can to attract top candidates. This often means that starting salaries may be higher for newbies than they are for long-term employees. Given the current economic conditions, that's less the norm these days, but it still happens in certain industries. If you suspect that a new hire with similar responsibilities is making more than you are, use current salary data to approach your manager with the request to bring your salary up to par. Your performance doesn't decide your pay. While your performance is one important factor in the salary equation, your pay is also a reflection of many other factors, including: * The job market -- lower pay is more acceptable in tighter job markets. * Location -- generally the higher the cost of living, the higher your salary. * Years of service -- in many cases, the longer you've been with a company, the higher your pay. * Organization size -- large organizations tend to pay more than small ones. * Education level -- in most cases, the more education you have, the higher your pay. Take a free education test to find out how going back to school can help you earn more. If you're a valued employee who isn't making the money you deserve, you do have options. Know your value and make your case with the help of your free salary report. And know too, that many employers -- particularly larger employers -- have a little more in the "raise kitty" than they let on.

Ferguson expects United to bounce back AFP - Monday, October 26 LIVERPOOL (AFP) - – Sir Alex Ferguson warned Manchester United's Premier League rivals that his side's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool will only strengthen their determination to retain the title. United cut a strangely subdued look as second half goals from Fernando Torres and David Ngog at Anfield on Sunday condemned the champions to their first defeat in 12 matches. Ferguson was forced to admit United had been out-played and out-fought. But the United manager believes the frustration of a result which allowed Chelsea to move two points ahead of them at the top of the table is certain to prove the catalyst for a powerful winning run. While any defeat against the team United hate the most will always stick in Ferguson's throat, the Scot knows his side were beaten twice by Rafa Benitez's men last season and still ended the campaign as champions. They bounced back from a 4-1 defeat to the Reds at Old Trafford in March by surging to the finish line in the title race and Ferguson expects more of the same this time. "We will always react. That is the important thing about our club," Ferguson said. "They have always had to do that. It is not something unusual for us. At some points of your season you are going to have disappointments. "Last year we lost 4-1 at home to Liverpool, got hold of the bit again and went on to win the league and that is our challenge." After four successive defeats, Liverpool knew another loss would end their title hopes, so it was no surprise that Javier Mascherano, Fabio Aurelio and Lucas snapped into tackles with abandon. But United midfielders Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes were overwhelmed and Ferguson conceded they offered little in the way of a response to the physical challenge. Torres opened the scoring in the 65th minute when he got clear of Rio Ferdinand and lashed home a sublime finish. A bad day for United got even worse when Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic, already on a booking, was dismissed for a clear professional foul on Dirk Kuyt - his third successive red card against Liverpool. David Ngog added Liverpool's second goal in stoppage time and Gary Neville, an unused substitute, appeared to exchange words with home fans near the dug-out as United's frustration boiled over. "All in all Liverpool were the better team and created more chances," Ferguson said. "They deserved their victory. We created few chances. We have let ourselves down with our penetration. "I think we got caught up in the atmosphere and the wounded animal aspect of it. "Their fans were fanatical and every decision they put the referee under pressure all the time." Ferguson felt referee Andre Marriner had been unable to cope with the red-hot atmosphere and slammed the official for failing to award a first half penalty for Jamie Carragher's foul on Michael Carrick. Marriner, who did sent off Reds midfielder Javier Mascherano in stoppage time, also only showed a yellow card to Carragher when, with the score still just 1-0, he hauled down Michael Owen as the former Liverpool striker threatened an equaliser. "I felt Carrick in the first half was a penalty and of course the controversial one that everyone will be talking about was when Carragher brought Michael Owen down on the edge of the box," Ferguson said. "He is their most experienced and best defender and if he goes off at that stage it would have difficult for them. "When Vidic got his first booking he committed a foul but won the second ball and that's what the referee booked him for. The crowd got him booked. "On the second booking, I don't think it was a vicious foul, it was obstruction more than anything. The fact he has been booked puts the referee under pressure. "That atmosphere is hard to handle for the referee. Whether he had enough experience I don't know but he will certainly learn from it."

Fergie saviour Robins aiming for United knockout AFP - Tuesday, October 27 BARNSLEY, England (AFP) - – Nearly two decades after his FA Cup goal for Manchester United likely kept Alex Ferguson in a job at Old Trafford, Mark Robins will try to knock his old manager's side out of the League Cup. Robins's goal in a 1-0 third round win against Nottingham Forest back in January 1990 came when former Aberdeen manager Ferguson was under pressure after three three years without a trophy at Old Trafford. But United went on to win the FA Cup, the first of 25 major trophies Ferguson has brought to the club. They include last season's League Cup but the 39-year-old Robins, now the manager of Championship side Barnsley, will look to put one over his former boss at Oakwell on Tuesday. Now the thought of Ferguson being forced out of United, even though the champions lost on Sunday to arch-rivals Liverpool, seems fanciful. However, the Scot was not always so secure in his job as Robins recalled. "I had just broken into the first-team fold," he said. "The week before I had scored my first league goal against Wimbledon at Plough Lane. There was no alternative but to play me against Forest because there were a lot of injuries to senior players. "In the first half, I got a chance where the ball was played into my feet. I had my back to goal but I turned and hit it just past the post. "I got the hair-dryer treatment at half-time because I didn't lay it back to Brian McClair. "For the goal, I remember Lee Martin was tackled, the ball came to Mark Hughes and with the outside of his right foot he laid it into the penalty area, but it hit the ground as it came up to me and I needed to guide it back where it came from. "I got pushed in the back by one of their players but it went in the net and we won 1-0." Robins doesn't mind being known as the man who saved Ferguson's job even if his old manager has a slightly different take on the events of that key match. "It's nice that people think of the goal in that way and that I can have that claim, if you like," Robins said. "But Sir Alex wrote a book and, in it, he was asked the question did the goal save his job? He wrote that in training I would have missed it - but because I got a push in the back from Stuart Pearce it went in! "So did I save his job? Yes, I did."

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Premier League - Paper Round: Rio set for axe Eurosport - Tue, 27 Oct 08:50:00 2009 Alex Ferguson is set to drop underfire Rio Ferdinand for Manchester United's Premier League clash with Blackburn at the weekend. The England defender has struggled for form since returning from injury earlier this season and came in for a hail of criticism for his performance in the weekend's defeat to Liverpool. He was widely considered to be at fault for Fernando Torres's opener at Anfield and, considering it was not his first mistake of the season, Ferguson is now prepared to wield the axe. (The Sun) And it may fall as early as this weekend's game at Old Trafford, with Jonny Evans willing, able and expected to step in. That defeat to arch rivals Liverpool left Ferguson seething about referee Andre Mariner, albeit in a round-about way, considering the hot water the United boss is already in with the FA. So cleverly-worded was his rant-but-not-a-rant after the game, there will be no further action as Fergie's views were considered too vague. (The Independent) Speaking of the original episode that landed him in trouble - the 'fitness' jibe at Alan Wiley - the Daily Mail reports that Ferguson has now admitted he was wrong and has contacted the FA to admit their charge of improper conduct. Another United defender making the headlines today is Gary Neville, who was involved in a war of words with a Liverpool steward and a police officer during his post-match warm down. (The Sun) Neville did not play at Anfield, yet took to the pitch with fellow unused substitute Evans after full-time, only to be told to head back to the dressing rooms by the steward, who thought his presence might lead to problems with crowd control. Neville protested, natch, before the policeman waded in and told him in no uncertain terms to listen to the steward and clear off. Eventually he did. Back to our meat and drink now: transfer gossip. And grabbing today's headlines is Sergio Aguero, whose club Atletico Madrid have opened the door to a £42 million January move. (The Sun) Chelsea are likely to lead the way for the Argentina striker should they have their transfer ban suspended, although Manchester United have also expressed an interest and will surely challenge for his signature. Manchester City forward Robinho has made another bid to win a move to Barcelona, telling a Brazilian radio station he is "happy" about their interest and that he could become the best player in the world at the Nou Camp. (The Times) Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez has appeared on United's radar, with Ferguson looking for a long-term replacement for Edwin van der Sar whose name is not Ben Foster. The 27-year-old would set United back around £15m. (The Sun) Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is eyeing up a swoop for £16m-rated Brazil and Internacional star Sandro. (Daily Mirror) Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has joined the race to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Johnson. Sunderland and Everton are also keen. (The Sun) Steve Bruce wants Maynor Figueroa to join him at Sunderland and will make a £4m January bid to test Wigan's resolve. (Daily Mirror) Everton are keen on Argentina midfielder Fabian Rinaudo, who currently plays for Gimnasia de la Plata and is valued at £5m. (The Sun) New Birmingham owner Carson Yeung is bidding to block the near £1m pay-off former managing director Karen Brady is due should the club stay up this season. (Daily Mail) And finally, Paper Round reported last week that Fabio Capello threw a tray against a wall in a fit of anger when one of his players, later revealed to Emile Heskey, was caught using his mobile phone during a team dinner. The England manager has now revealed this not to be true, claiming that it was not just Heskey who broke his strict mobile rule, and that there was a second player who incurred his ire. Capello has also set the record straight on the flying tray incident: he did not hurl anything against the wall and it was a lid that was keeping his dinner warm that merely dropped to the table. Thanks for clearing that one up, Fabio. (The Sun) Eurosport Premier League - Ferguson admits FA charge Eurosport - Tue, 27 Oct 10:05:00 2009 Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has accepted a charge of improper conduct following his comments on the fitness of referee Alan Wiley. Ferguson, who criticised Wiley following his team's 2-2 draw with Sunderland at Old Trafford on October 3, has requested a personal hearing. The date for that has yet to be decided. The United boss, 67, has faced calls for him to be given a lengthy touchline ban by the referees' union Prospect as a consequence of the comments. Ferguson accused Wiley of not adding enough stoppage time, described his performance as "ridiculous" and said: "The pace of the game demanded a referee who was fit. He was not fit." Despite apologising to Wiley for causing him embarrassment, Ferguson did not retract his comments and claimed he was spotlighting "a serious and important issue in the game". The United boss is expected to escape a further FA charge despite launching a separate attack on referee Andre Marriner, who officiated Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. Ferguson accused Marriner of making several bad decisions, and questioned whether he had enough experience to take charge of such a big game. He said: "I think (the atmosphere) affected our players and it affected the referee. Whether he had enough experience, I don't know. He will certainly learn from it." However, the comments are likely to be deemed too vague to warrant official action. PA Sport

'Monster Shark' Chomps Into Great White 4 hours 45 mins ago © Sky News 2009 A giant shark that could be up to 20ft long has sent shockwaves across Australian beaches after a great white was nearly bitten in half. A stunning picture shows a 10ft predator thrashing about with two massive chunks missing on either side of its body, off the Queensland coast. Experts said its rival may be 20ft (about six metres) long, judging by the size of the huge bites. The great white was savaged after it got snared on a drum line - a baited hook attached to a buoy - near North Stradbroke Island, east of Brisbane. The wounded creature was still alive when a crew hauled it onto a boat, close to Deadman's Beach. "It certainly opened up my eyes. I mean the shark that was caught is a substantial shark in itself," Queensland Fisheries' Jeff Krause told Australia's Daily Telegraph. Swimmers have been warned to stay out of the water near the island. The attack also worried many at a nearby tourist Mecca - Surfers Paradise, south of Brisbane. Surfer Ashton Smith, 19, of the Gold Coast, told the Courier Mail: "I've heard about the big one lurking. Every surfer is always cautious over here." Drum lines and shark nets are used to defend swimmers from sea predators, but they have been criticised for occasionally trapping migrating whales. Fisheries minister Tim Mulherin told the Mail that the capture of the bitten shark - and the indication of a larger one feeding in the area - bolstered the decision to keep defences in place. He added there were no special plans to hunt the attacking shark but contractors had reset the drum lines.

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Distrust stops students from seeking help Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, October 15 SINGAPORE: On Monday, a Primary 5 boy revealed to a school counsellor that he had not only picked up smoking, but also sniffed glue on two occasions. "I felt I needed to tell the authorities, especially (regarding) the glue sniffing," said the counsellor, who spoke to MediaCorp on condition of anonymity. The boy however protested this, saying he had offered the information in confidence. "This becomes tricky," said the retired teacher, who took up her role as school counsellor after 40 years of teaching. "Because of confidentiality, I could not divulge." Worries about privacy weigh on the minds of students who appear to have little confidence in school counselling, according to a study conducted on 578 students from six secondary schools. The study, supported by the National Youth Council through its Youth Research Fund, was published in the latest edition of its publication YouthSCOPE. The students completed written surveys, and subsequent 15—minute presentations to try to boost their confidence in the counselling process failed. Among the responses from students: "Counsellors are helping the school to dig out information" and information is passed onto teachers. One female student even remarked five times that "all this talk about confidentiality is all lies". "This poses a difficult problem for the school counsellors. Simply selling the idea of counselling and promising confidentiality is not going to be the answer," said lead researcher Ms Elizabeth Lau Xinyin. The Ministry of Education (MOE) introduced in 2005 full—time school counsellors; previously, teachers took on this task on top of their classroom duties. An MOE spokesperson told MediaCorp that the deployment of one full—time counsellor per school was completed last year, with some schools having more depending on need. "As such, it is too early to measure the effectiveness of the scheme. However, schools have indicated that they find their school counsellors a valuable support to teachers and students, in working with parents and connecting with the appropriate community resources to meet the needs of the students," she said. ’THEY THINK YOU’RE A MENTAL CASE’ But from the students’ point of view, there is a stigma attached. A 15—year—old sought help after falling out with her friends but was ridiculed after being seen entering the counselling room. "They think you are a mental case and start passing rumours around," she said. Lum Yi Shang, 16, who is appearing for her O—level exams this year, relies on family and friends for support. Asked if she would ever approach school counsellors, she said: "I don’t even know them." One avenue that more youths are turning to, however, are helplines. The Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) hotline received almost twice the number of calls last year than a year ago. Relationship, social and psychological problems were the top three concerns for those aged between 10 and 19. "Callers have control as they can end calls anytime. They don’t have to reveal their identities and feel more secure talking to a stranger," said SOS deputy director Tan Yoke Yin. The Singapore Children’s Society, which runs the Tinkle Friend Helpline for primary school children, received 4,662 calls last year, the most in four years. Boredom and school—related issues such as exam stress, poor performance and too much homework, are common complaints. MOE TO MONITOR SCHEME While students may perceive school counselling negatively, school counsellors say more are nonetheless stepping forward to seek help. And their problems are more complicated — not just friendship or peer issues, like in the past, but also relationship issues with teachers and family. MOE says it will monitor the progress of the school counsellor scheme and make improvements where needed. And while the counsellors do their best to win students’ trust, it is clear that specific conditions do warrant that confidentiality rules be broken — such as where there is a serious threat to harm someone, or serious thoughts about suicide or inflicting self—hurt. For the 10—year—old smoker and his school counsellor, they have devised a plan that just may work — the boy will first cut down on his cigarettes, then kick the habit and stay clear of glue—sniffing. "If he continues to endanger his health, I will tell (on him)," said the counsellor. TODAY

Boss aggrieved 25/10/2009 17:29, Report by Nick Coppack Sir Alex left Anfield frustrated by refereeing decisions but admitted Liverpool deserved all three points on Sunday. “It was a disappointing performance and Liverpool were better,†the boss told MUTV. “We never got any luck in terms of refereeing decisions, but we have to hold our hands up: we weren’t good enough.†The manager was particularly riled by two decisions involving Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher. For the first, Carragher escaped punishment from referee Andre Marriner when he lunged in on Michael Carrick inside the penalty area. For the second, he was shown only a yellow card when he hauled back Michael Owen as the striker looked to break clear of the opposition defence. “The laws of the game were altered to prevent professional fouls of that nature,†Sir Alex said of the second decision. “If Carragher goes off – their best player, their captain – then it’s a different game and Liverpool would have been under pressure. “And as far as I’m concerned, Michael Carrick should have had a clear penalty kick. Jamie Carragher’s gone over the top of the ball. If it’s outside the box it’s a free-kick and maybe even a yellow card but it was inside the box and nothing was given. “I’m not trying to take anything away from Liverpool – they were the better team – but there were so many controversial things that happened out there and we feel a bit aggrieved.†Both teams ended the game with 10 men after referee Marriner issued red cards to Nemanja Vidic and Javier Mascherano. Now Sir Alex is tasked with the challenge of orchestrating a recovery. United face Barnsley in the League Cup on Tuesday and are back in league action next weekend when Blackburn Rovers come to Old Trafford. “Part of the challenge at this club is how you react to disappointment. We lost 4-1 to Liverpool at home last season, which was a travesty at the time. But the players buckled down and we went on to win the league. â€

25/10/2009 17:39, Report by Adam Bostock "Normally when United play we create at least five or six clear chances but we only had one. "It’s not enough if you want to win against Liverpool." - Patrice Evra Evra: We didn't do enough Patrice Evra says the United players are in pain after a disappointing performance and result against arch-rivals Liverpool. The French full-back was clearly frustrated when he spoke to MUTV at Anfield, and moreso at his own side than at referee Andre Marriner who booked Evra and Dimitar Berbatov and sent off Nemanja Vidic. "The advice was to play our football but we didn’t do that and I don’t know why. Liverpool were aggressive but we didn’t play and that’s why it’s so frustrating to lose," said Evra. Patrice dismissed the intense atmosphere as a possible reason for the defeat - "I'm always happy to play here, I’m not scared." And although he was less than impressed by the referee - "I don’t understand why Carragher only got a yellow card for fouling Owen when I think he was the last man" - the focus of the full-back's angst was very close to home. "I look more at the display of Manchester United and the display was poor today. Normally when United play we create at least five or six clear chances but we only had the one when Valencia hit the crossbar. It’s not enough if you want to win against Liverpool. "(Losing to Liverpool) is the most pain you can have when you play for United. There was a big silence in the dressing room afterwards and we will need a few days to recover from this big disappointment for us, for the staff, for the fans. Now I think we need to do what we did last year – win the league after losing to Liverpool. We also need to make sure we show the real United team at Old Trafford."

WE SHALL BE BACK....!!! Liverpool 2 Torres (65), Ngog (96) Man United 0 Anfield, 25 October 2009 44,188 25/10/2009 14:21, Report by Nick Coppack Sir Alex’s message prior to Sunday’s clash with Liverpool was simple: form counts for nothing in these matches. Unfortunately, he was right. At Anfield, the team in the midst of their worst run of results in 22 years beat the side who hadn’t tasted defeat in 11 games. Goals from Fernando Torres and David Ngog – the second in the sixth minute of injury time as the Reds threw men forward in search of an equaliser – gave Liverpool all three points in a game United never looked like winning. To make matters worse, Nemanja Vidic was given his marching orders after picking up a second yellow card in the 89th minute. It’s the third time in a row he’s been sent off in this fixture. In isolation, defeat isn’t disastrous: the Reds lose top spot but it’s only October and a trip to Stamford Bridge – an opportunity, in all probability, to wrestle back the lead – beckons in a fortnight. No, it’s more a matter of pride and a blow to the momentum Sir Alex’s men had built up over the last two months. Heading into Sunday’s clash, the boss made four changes to the side that won in Moscow in midweek. John O’Shea and Patrice Evra slotted back into the defensive line and Ryan Giggs took up a position on the left wing. But the pre-match discussion on the terraces and in pubs up and down the country centred on Wayne Rooney’s return. Out of action since the international break with a calf injury, the boyhood Everton fan came through Saturday’s training session unscathed and took his place in Sir Alex’s starting XI. Rooney looked sharp and had the ball in the net after just three minutes, but the England striker was flagged offside as he collected Berbatov’s pass. It was an early warning for the home side, though, who seemed to take heed: United’s next chance didn’t arrive until 21 minutes, when, after a flowing one-touch move, Rooney’s header drew only a routine save from Pepe Reina. By then, Edwin van der Sar had twice been called into action. The Dutchman did tremendously to claw out Fabio Aurelio’s free-kick after Patrice Evra had upended Fernando Torres just outside the penalty area. When the ball dropped to Dirk Kuyt, van der Sar spread himself well to save with his legs. Kuyt wasted another chance two minutes later. A poor touch from Paul Scholes allowed Lucas to nip in and win possession. Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder then drove forward, drew Nemanja Vidic and fed Kuyt on his outside. Kuyt dragged his shot wide of the far post and scores remained level. United’s front two found life difficult in the early stages. With the midfield dropping deep to add protection at the back, Rooney and Berbatov were often isolated and outnumbered. When the Reds did press forward in numbers it was down the flanks, with Valencia and Giggs looking to whip over early crosses and catch Liverpool’s centre backs off guard. The Reds enjoyed a decent spell of territory and possession just after the half-hour mark, but it was Liverpool who carved out the next best chance. Yossi Benayoun sat up a cross from the right wing for left-back Fabio Aurelio to run onto. The Brazilian met the ball eight yards from goal and did well to direct his header downwards. Van der Sar was equal to the task, saving smartly down to his right. With scores locked at 0-0 at half-time, Rafa Benitez appeared the happier manager. And it was Liverpool who began the second period brightest. In fact, but for Dirk Kuyt’s decision to cross when he perhaps should have shot himself, the home side might have taken the lead on 50 minutes. United then fashioned two chances in front of the travelling fans. Michael Carrick met Ryan Giggs’ curling free-kick but headed straight against Glen Johnson. From the resulting corner, Liverpool half cleared before Giggs almost stole in to volley home at the back post. But just as Sir Alex’s men appeared to be edging into the game, Fernando Torres struck the hammer blow. Benayoun’s probing pass sent the Spaniard into the penalty area and from there Torres did well to fend off Rio Ferdinand and fire past van der Sar from the corner of the six-yard box. It was a clinical finish from the striker, who’s now hit the net nine times this season. The goal prompted Sir Alex to send Michael Owen down the touchline to warm up and the former Liverpool hero was introduced on 74 minutes. To say his return to Anfield was unpopular with the home fans would be gross understatement. It was fellow substitute Nani – on for Paul Scholes – however, who made the quicker impact. The ball fell to the Portuguese winger inside the penalty area just three minutes after his arrival, but his side-footed effort flew straight at Pepe Reina. Owen was hauled back by Jamie Carragher when it looked like he might surge clear and Antonio Valencia almost salvaged a point in the 84th minute when his close-range drive rattled the crossbar. But in truth United hadn't done enough to take anything from this match, despite a late period of pressure. Of course, the more men United threw forward in search of that elusive equaliser the more holes appeared at the back. So it was hardly surprising when Liverpool substitute David Ngog found himself clean through on goal deep into injury time. The youngster kept his composure to slide the ball past van der Sar and make sure of all three points. The last-gasp goal capped a miserable day for United's travelling fans, who'd begun the day blowing up beach balls; they left Anfield more than a little deflated.

There are only TWO splendid pieces, 1L & 1M size....GRAB before the GEMs are Gone !!!

Recession or not? US economy likely to be in limbo AFP - Sunday, October 25 WASHINGTON (AFP) - – The US economy is poised to show growth in the third quarter, rebounding from its worst slump in decades, but whether the recession is over is a more complex question. The first official estimate due Thursday on gross domestic product (GDP), or output of goods and services, is expected to show expansion of between 3.0 and 4.0 percent in the July-September period after four negative quarters in a row. Yet the economy may linger for months in a "no-man's land" in which GDP is expanding but no one is sure if the recession is "officially" ended, because of the way business cycles are defined in the United States. For decades, the US government and economic community have recognized a panel of academicians with the private National Bureau of Economic Research as the official arbiter of business cycles. The NBER panel does not use the definition employed in many countries of recession as two consecutive quarters of declining GDP. NBER says a recession is "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales." Moreover, the NBER generally waits months before its pronouncement, leaving the question of recession or not in limbo. Complicating the issue is the sharp rise in unemployment, which has hit a 26-year high of 9.8 percent, making it still feel like recession for many. "The average American doesn't think you have recovery until the unemployment rate comes down, and it won't come down until you have a sustained rate of 3.0 percent," says Cary Leahey, senior economist at Decision Economics, a research firm. "This is not really a meaningful recovery." Leahey expects the economy to show growth of roughly 3.9 percent in the third quarter, but sees a slowdown to around 2.0 percent in the fourth quarter as the expansion stalls. Moreover, analysts point out that much of the growth will be the result of businesses rebuilding inventories following sharp production cuts, and from government stimulus efforts that may not be sustained. Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at the research and consulting firm IHS Global Insight, said he believes the recession ended in June or July and that NBER should provide at least a preliminary pronouncement of the fact. "I'm sure the recession is over, the only question is the strength of the recovery," he said. "NBER could provide a preliminary reading, they could say, 'This is our best estimate,' instead of leaving everybody guessing." Behravesh said it may be as long as a year before NBER decides and that the state of uncertainty "is not helpful for businesses." Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said last month the recession is likely over "from a technical perspective" but that the economy will struggle due to difficult credit conditions and high unemployment. "It's still going to feel like a very weak economy for some time as many people will still find that their job security and their employment status is not what they wish it was," the Fed chief said. The NBER declared the current recession on December 1, 2008, a full year after the downturn began. That was made despite data showing modest growth in the fourth quarter of 2007 and second quarter of 2008. NBER declared an end to the 2001 recession only in July 2003, even though revised data showed there were not two consecutive negative quarters for GDP. Roger Farmer, chairman of the economics department at the University of California at Los Angeles, said he believes NBER will eventually declare the recession ended in May 2009. But Farmer said many Americans still will be feeling economic pain and that the NBER should consider other factors such as long-term unemployment. "I think the economy is fragile, and the recovery could easily fizzle out," he said. Even if the recession were declared over, "until the unemployment rate comes down, the US economy is going to be in trouble," he said. "Only when we start spending again, and confidence returns to the private economy will the recession be over."

Ooops !...not really 'reef-safe' mate...keep a look out.

AH HAAAA !...so U are the ONE who bought this special Wrassey GEM. Nice catch dude.

PBT, YT no more liao. Wrasseys too 'sleek' & 'clever' to stay clear of my fish trap. So no choice but to forgo the sale...Sorry. Now left moi Hybrid Blackie...only for the ultimate Tangs Connoisseurs, not for the faint-hearted !

Certainly !!!...Oooops !...Shhh

U.S. cuts pay at bailed out firms, BofA hits back Reuters - Friday, October 23 By Karey Wutkowski and David Lawder WASHINGTON - The U.S. pay czar on Thursday slashed compensation for top earners at seven bailed-out companies for the final two months of the year, and was immediately slammed by the country's largest bank which claimed the cuts could send talent fleeing. Many of the firms, which have together received more than $300 billion in taxpayer aid, issued conciliatory statements, but Bank of America said the ruling would put it at a disadvantage in competing with companies not under the pay czar's thumb. "People want to work here, but they want to be paid fairly," said BofA spokesman Scott Silvestri. Pay czar Kenneth Feinberg said competitive concerns and public outrage both played a role in how he reworked pay contracts for the 25 highest-paid employees at the five financial firms and two automakers who are the biggest recipients of government aid. He said their cash compensation rates for the remainder of 2009 would drop 90 percent compared to 2008. Their overall compensation rates for those two months would on average be cut in half. But he added he will not claw back payments already made. "I'm not going to go back and ask everybody to repay what they've already earned," Feinberg said. The companies affected are American International Group Inc, Bank of America Corp, Citigroup Inc, General Motors Co, Chrysler, GMAC and Chrysler Financial. U.S. officials have said Wall Street pay practices must be reformed to rein the excessive risk-taking that fueled the crisis that pushed the financial system to the brink of collapse last year. Huge pay packages for banks and other financial firms have ignited public anger at a time the U.S. unemployment rate is at a 26-year high and seen climbing. President Barack Obama said Feinberg's actions would help curb risk-taking, while still allowing the firms to prosper. "We don't disparage wealth, we don't begrudge anybody for doing well, we believe in success," Obama said. "But it does offend our values when executives of big financial firms -- firms that are struggling -- pay themselves huge bonuses even as they continue to rely on taxpayer assistance to stay afloat." Feinberg hinted the bailed-out firms did not seem to get the message adding that without exception, all of the pay plans that they submitted were inconsistent with the public interest. "Some of the negotiations were very intense," he said. His rulings cut salaries across the board and shifted much of the base salary to stock that can only be sold in one-third installments, beginning in two years. Bonuses can also only be paid in long-term restricted stock and are contingent upon performance and repayments of bailout funds. BANKERS' PAY DRAWS PUBLIC IRE "Corporate America, I hope, will be looking at this," Feinberg said. He said the cuts that applied to November and December could impact which employees will be the top 25 earners at these firms in 2010. Those top earners are the only ones for whom he can alter pay contracts. Feinberg said his office will start work on pay contracts for 2010 at the beginning of the year and will use the 2009 rulings as a baseline. The rulings on next year's pay would likely come in the first quarter, he said. AIG's Chief Executive Robert Benmosche moved to quell concern among the insurer's employees on the potential impact of Feinberg's actions. "It is important that all of you know that the Special Master's jurisdiction is quite limited, and we expect Feinberg's ... decisions on compensation to cover only the top 25 employees at AIG," Benmosche said in an internal memo obtained by Reuters. While Feinberg's powers only extend to the seven bailed-out companies, the government on Thursday unveiled a broader initiative to have the Federal Reserve closely police pay across financial firms. The Fed issued guidelines to tie compensation at the banks it regulates more closely to the risks these firms take. The Fed oversees more than 5,000 bank holding companies and over 800 smaller state-chartered banks. "Banking organizations too often rewarded employees for increasing the firm's revenue or short-term profit without adequate recognition of the risks the employees' activities posed to the firm," the U.S. central bank said. Public anger boiled over in March when insurer AIG handed out fat bonuses just months after accepting tens of billions of dollars in government aid. Recent news that Goldman Sachs Group Inc had set aside $16.8 billion for compensation, so soon after repaying $10 billion in taxpayer money, fueled concerns that Wall Street was already returning to the lavish pay practices that were commonplace before the financial crisis struck.