THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT !!!

[kueytoc]

HIV kills 25 million, infects 60 million: UNAIDS

AFP - Wednesday, November 25

GENEVA (AFP) - – Almost 60 million people have been infected by HIV and 25 million people killed by causes related to the virus since the epidemic started, according to new data published by UNAIDS on Tuesday.

While prevention programmes have helped to cut infection rates by 17 percent over the past eight years, the total number of people living with HIV continued to rise in 2008.

By the end of 2008, a total of 33.4 million people or 20 percent more people were living with the epidemic compared to in 2000. The UN figures

"The continuing rise in the population of people living with HIV reflects the combined effects of continued high rates of new HIV infections and the beneficial impact of antiretroviral therapy," said UNAIDS in its annual report.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region, as it is home to 67 percent -- 22.4 million -- of those currently living with the human immunodeficiency virus.

In South and South-east Asia, 3.8 million people are now living with the infection, added UNAIDS.

The comparative figure for Eastern Europe and Central Asia is 1.5 million.

UNAIDS observed that in these regions, the epidemic was "experiencing significant transitions."

While Asia's epidemic was once concentrated among risk groups such as sex worker, drug users and homosexuals, it is now "steadily expanding into low-risk populations to the sexual partners of those most at risk."

In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the epidemic was once characterized mainly by transmission through drug users, but it is now increasingly moving into "significant sexual transmission."

[kueytoc]

Thailand tightens SEX change laws

AFP - Wednesday, November 25

BANGKOK (AFP) - – Punlop Tongchai is awake for the entire two hours it takes to be turned into a woman on the operating table of a Bangkok sex change clinic, realising a childhood dream.

The 27-year-old Thai cabaret dancer chats to nurses throughout the ordeal under the surgeon's knife, numbed only by local anaesthetic.

Growing up in Thailand, a country with one of the largest transgender populations in the world and surgeons who have pioneered ever cheaper and quicker sex change techniques, Punlop's ambition was always within reach.

For as little as 2,000 dollars, he became a woman.

But the government is making it tougher for patients like Punlop to undergo the procedure, forcing them to prove they are psychologically fit to change sex.

From Wednesday, anyone wanting to swap gender in Thailand must live as a woman for at least a year, take a course of female hormones, and obtain the approval of two psychiatrists.

Punlop says it is too much to ask.

"It is not necessary. I really didn't want to go through that process, so I decided to have the operation... before the law is enforced," he told AFP before undergoing surgery earlier this month.

Sex changes are outlawed completely in Thailand before the age of 18, and for men aged 18-20 parental consent must be obtained.

Thai gay rights campaigner Nathee Teerarojanapong said the greater legal protections are necessary to guard against gender swaps that too often backfire on those who make an irreversible choice.

"I got so many calls where they said they are so sorry that they did a sex change," says Nathee. "They make a big mistake and they want to come back and be the same. But they cannot!"

As well as the psychological effects of a sex-change and the recovery from surgery, there are also side effects from the hormones that must be taken to hasten the transformation from male to female that can include hot flushes, tiredness, weight gain and loss of muscle and libido.

Days before the operation, Punlop said that as a child he always found dresses and housework preferable to traditional boyish pursuits and by the age of 19 was regularly taking female hormones in a bid to change body shape.

"I don't like this part of me because I don't use it," said Punlop, pointing between his legs. "I don't know why I have it. If I had a vagina, I would use it."

Punlop went to see Thep Vedusit, a Bangkok surgeon who prides himself on his ability to conduct speedy sex change operations without the use of general anaesthetic, and who believes the new rules are creating unnecessary hurdles.

Thep said he had carried out more than 500 sex change operations and was seeing two or three cases every week -- half of them foreigners who came to take advantage of Thai laws.

"I think a surgeon can make the decision who is a transsexual.... Each one (transsexual) has a very long determination to have a surgery and I don't think a psychiatrist gives them any benefits," said Thep.

On the day of the operation, Punlop strolls into the surgeon's glass-fronted clinic, set along a busy Bangkok street in the heart of the city's shopping district, after friends recommended Thep's "fully conscious" procedure.

Dressed in a sundress, tracksuit top and sandals with a face free of make-up, Punlop is escorted up three flights of steps to a small, dingy operating theatre, the walls plastered with newspaper cuttings of transsexual cabaret stars.

Thep takes an hour and three quarters to fashion a vagina using the skin of Punlop's male genitals. She is free to leave the same day and within four weeks had completed all the necessary check-ups.

"It doesn't hurt too much; I can handle it. How happy am I? Yes, I'm happy," said Punlop.

"For all of my life I've wanted to change. It's been my dream since I was little."

[kueytoc]

Adam Lambert makes a splash, but risks losing fans

Reuters - 2 hours 7 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - Adam Lambert's racy public outing as a solo artist at Sunday's American Music Awards has grabbed headlines and helped send downloads of his debut album soaring worldwide.

But while the "American Idol" runner-up won crucial publicity with his sexually-charged performance for his first CD "For Your Entertainment," he risked hurting his career by alienating fans and did little to show newcomers his biggest selling point -- his voice -- music industry watchers said.

"On a night when some of the biggest names in music performed -- Lady GaGa, Jennifer Lopez, Jay-Z -- the only person anyone is talking about is Adam Lambert," said Entertainment Weekly music reporter Michael Slezak.

"But for me, the real risk is that in his first appearance to the world, Adam runs the risk of being dismissed as a one note, shock-tactic artist, as opposed to being known for the music," Slezak told Reuters.

More than 14 million people watched the gay, glam rocker close the live AMA telecast on Sunday with a performance that included dancers in bondage, Lambert kissing a male keyboard player, and pushing the head of a male dancer into his crotch.

The telecast drew more than 1,500 complaints to ABC and caused the network to cancel Lambert's appearance on its news and chat show "Good Morning America," planned for Wednesday.

But the furor seems to have boosted early prospects for Lambert's album as he seeks to establish himself in an industry grappling with a 40 percent drop in album sales over the past 10 years.

Released Monday through Sony Music Entertainment, "For Your Entertainment" was No.4 on iTunes' U.S. album download chart by Tuesday night, No.1 in Finland and No.3 in New Zealand.

WIN-WIN?

"It seems like a win-win to me" said Steve Knopper, author of "Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age."

But Knopper added that Lambert still has much to prove "and in order to make money in today's music business, you have got to be a strong concert performer."

Lambert, 27, took a flair for showmanship, a penchant for eyeliner, powerful vocals and sexual ambivalence all the way to the finals of top-rated U.S. TV show "American Idol" in May.

But many of "Glambert's" fans were turned off by the sexually-aggressive singer they saw on Sunday at the AMAs.

"Adam can do whatever he wants with his private life, but please don't show it to me and the young children watching. I'm so disappointed I'm going to send his CD back as soon as I receive it," wrote Joyce, a self-described grandmother and "Idol" fan, in a post on Reuters entertainment blog Fan Fare.

Slezak noted that while Madonna has thrived on stunts, she had several hits before bringing shock tactics to the stage.

Entertainment Weekly gave "For Your Entertainment" a solid B-plus review. But if AMA viewers had been listening to Lambert's music on Sunday, they may not have been impressed. Lambert even admitted he was uncharacteristically off-key.

Whether to put vocals before spectacle in a competitive market "is a larger question that the record-buying public, record company executives and artists themselves are really grappling with right now," said Slezak.

Knopper said it was too early to tell whether Lambert's AMA tactics would bring success in the long term.

"If in a year from now we are not talking about him, it won't be because of his performance at the AMAs or his vocal performance, but because he can't hack it in the business."

[kueytoc]

AVA bid to improve pet shop standards via compulsory pet care course

Channel NewsAsia - Monday, November 30

SINGAPORE: From next year, pet buyers can expect better service when they go to pet shops. And instead of just getting help to choose a pet, customers can turn to pet sellers for continued guidance on animal care and ownership.

This will be possible when a bid to raise standards in the industry takes effect in January.

Unlike now, all pet shop operators will be equipped henceforth with certifiable skill sets, through a compulsory pet care course taught by Temasek Polytechnic and supported by the Pet Enterprises and Traders Association and the Workforce Development Agency.

Shop owners and staff who have worked for more than six months will bone up on regulatory requirements, animal care and business ethics, among other topics, Parliamentary Secretary (National Development) Mohamad Maliki Osman announced on Sunday.

The Agri—food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) expects about 120 pet shops and farms selling small mammals such as dogs, cats, rabbits and hamsters — out of the 277 in total — to sign up in the first half of next year. All operators should eventually do so when they renew their annual licences.

"I believe the new compulsory training programme will be well received by the pet retail industry, as well as by discerning customers who patronise shops that maintain a high standard of animal care," said Dr Maliki at the finale of a series of Responsible Pet Ownership roadshows.

The roadshows, organised by the AVA, come as the number of dog attacks have risen this year. The attacks, numbering 65 so far, have involved not just bigger dogs such as rottweilers and dobermans, but also smaller ones such as shih tzus and Jack Russell terriers.

Last week, a businessman was charged in court after his two rottweilers bit two people in the Toh Tuck Road area.

When asked how the new course will increase pet owner responsibility, Dr Maliki said that improved pet shop standards means that pet buyers get better "after—sales service".

"We want pet shops to have responsibility to ensure that pet owners understand what their roles are as far as pet ownershp is concerned, and therefore, create that awareness and ensure that skills to manage pets when they are at home (are passed down)," he said.

In an ongoing public consultation exercise, there have also been calls for dog owners to buy insurance and for dogs to be categorised according to their breeds, said Dr Maliki.

Mr Owen Sim, a master trainer of dogs and who breeds Siberian huskies in his Telok Kurau shop, welcomed the course, as there were pet shop operators who are like the "blind leading the blind".

He recalled a customer telling him that another pet shop owner had advised him to reach into his puppy’s mouth and pull its tongue if it was naughty and wanted to nibble him.

"I told him there was no logic behind it," said Mr Sim, who described some pet shop operators as "businessmen ... motivated by profits", not pet experts.

"Having the course would be a boost for the industry, but we need to know what will be taught and how the course will really benefit us."

The lessons, which can be done intensively or part time, include 16 hours of lectures and eight hours of workshops as part of TP’s veterinary technology diploma, covering areas of laws, animal health, occupational health and client education.

There will be a fee subsidy of up to 90 percent under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience.

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Singapore) education executive Selina Sebastian said: "We’re very heartened, and this is definitely a step in the right direction. Hopefully, the course will have a knock on effect on owners and owners—to—be."

She added that SPCA has received dogs dumped by owners who were frustrated because the pets were disobedient.

"In fact, the first thing you should do when you get a dog is to sign up for an obedience course," she said.

Dr Maliki also announced Sunday that as a result of risk management measures such as rabies vaccines, blood testing and microchip identification for animals, the AVA will waive quarantine requirements from January 1 for pets imported from countries with minimal rabies risk.

This means dogs and cats imported from places such as Japan, Hong Kong and Norway can enter Singapore without the need for quarantine.

Currently, pet dogs and cats imported from countries other than Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland are quarantined for 30 days.

TODAY/yb

[kueytoc]

Tsk Tsk !...the Big Fall from Grace...from 'TIGER' to 'LEOPARD' Wood.

Woods apologizes, says he let his family down

By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer - Thursday, December 3

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Tiger Woods said he let his family down with "transgressions" he regrets "with all of my heart," and that he will deal with his personal life behind closed doors. His statement Wednesday follows a cover story in Us Weekly magazine that reports a Los Angeles cocktail waitress claims she had a 31-month affair with the world's No. 1 golfer.

"I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves," Woods said on his Web site. "I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone."

Woods did not offer details of any alleged relationship.

"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart," he said.

"I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves," Woods said. "For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology."

The cocktail waitress, Jaimee Grubbs, told the magazine she met Woods at a Las Vegas nightclub the week after the 2007 Masters _ two months before Woods' wife, Elin, gave birth to their first child. Grubbs claims to have proof in 300 text messages.

About three hours before Woods' statement, the magazine published what it said was a voicemail _ provided by Grubbs _ that Woods left on her phone on Nov. 24, three days before his middle-of-the-night car crash outside his home in Florida.

Woods has been subjected to more media headlines during the last week than when he first won the Masters in 1997 and set off the first wave of Tigermania. He has spoken only three times through his Web site, although this was his longest posting.

"Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means," Woods said. "For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives."

And he continued to say accounts that physical violence played a role in his Friday morning car crash were "utterly false and malicious."

"Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect," he wrote.

His statement came one day after the Florida Highway Patrol closed its investigation into the accident _ without Woods ever speaking to state troopers. He was charged with careless driving, which carries a $164 fine and four points on his driving record.

The story soon shifted from a patrol investigation to sordid allegations into his personal life.

In the voicemail released by the magazine, a man says to Grubbs:

"Hey, it's, uh, it's Tiger. I need you to do me a huge favor. Um, can you please, uh, take your name off your phone. My wife went through my phone. And, uh, may be calling you. If you can, please take your name off that and, um, and what do you call it just have it as a number on the voicemail, just have it as your telephone number. That's it, OK. You gotta do this for me. Huge. Quickly. All right. Bye."

The Associated Press could not confirm Woods was the caller.

Stricker urges Woods to air more of his private turmoil

Reuters - 2 hours 10 minutes ago

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

THOUSAND OAKS, California - Steve Stricker expressed sympathy for fellow American and good friend Tiger Woods on Wednesday and hoped the game's leading player would share a little more of his private turmoil with the public.

Woods has been engulfed in speculation over his private life since mysteriously crashing his car and earlier on Wednesday he apologized for "transgressions" that apparently addressed allegations he had extra-marital relationships.

"I'd like to see him come on TV and just pour it out a little bit, show what's happened a little bit," world number three Stricker told reporters while preparing for this week's Chevron World Challenge.

"I don't know if that'll ever happen. But people forget and if he just does the right things from here on out, people will forgive him and move on.

"I think his image is going to take a little bit of a shot. I don't think there's any question that he will bounce back but it's going to be hard on him for a while."

Woods, who is renowned for carefully guarding his privacy, suffered ###### cuts and bruises after his car struck a fire hydrant and a neighbor's tree outside the driveway of his home last Friday.

His Swedish wife, Elin Nordegren, used a golf club to smash a window of his car to get him out but Woods' refusal to meet with police to answer questions about the accident triggered a storm of speculation.

EXTRA-MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS

Media outlets have reported that the 14-times major champion has had extra-marital relationships with at least three women.

"It's been hard just to see what's been going on to him the last few days," said Stricker.

"It was a shock to see that, first of all, he was in a car accident, and then all the developments after that obviously is a shock, too.

"We all want him here," Stricker added, referring to the elite charity event at Sherwood Country Club that has been hosted by Woods for the past nine years. "We all look up to the guy.

"I'm in no category like a Tiger Woods. I can't imagine what kind of microscope Tiger and other famous celebrities go under on a day-to-day basis. I don't think it's really any of our business to get inside his private life.

"I don't really want to know. But I respect what he's doing. You know, he's trying to make it as private as he can."

[TayHongSiang]

thats how she looks like...jaime...crouching tiger, hidden mistress...

[kueytoc]

S’pore may have most modern sanitation, but toilets not clean enough

Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, December 3

SINGAPORE : Singapore may have the most modern sanitation system, but its public toilets are not clean enough, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Lim Swee Say.

He called on Singaporeans to get their act together to make the toilets among the cleanest in the world. Mr Lim was speaking at the World Toilet Summit and Expo on Wednesday. The summit is back in Singapore for the second time in nine years.

Providing countries with basic toilet solutions is big business amounting to US$1 trillion, said participants at the World Toilet Summit.

But industry players said more needs to be done to reach out to the nearly 2.5 billion people who still do not have access to modern sanitation.

Dr Ke Seetharaman, director, Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said: "Unlike water which is needed for basic living and survival — people demand that — but in the case of sanitation, people just go and defecate in the open, they do not demand it from their policy makers to give them good sanitation."

So what is needed immediately is — sanitation facilities for 500 million households.

Mr Lim said: "This global sanitation challenge can only be overcome if the global community learns to put every dollar, every idea and every drop of water to good use. It will take a long time but it can be done if there is enough attention, effort and determination put into this.

"Here in Singapore, in the area of water management and sanitation development, we did put every dollar, every idea and every drop of water to good use over the years. Today, we are proud to have one of the most modern sanitation in the world, with 100 per cent coverage of households and public places."

But Singapore faces a different challenge.

Jack Sim, founder, World Toilet Organisation, said: "People have been asking me how come Singapore can host Formula One but can’t keep the coffee shop toilet clean. Once we have the focus on enforcement and encouragement and whatever policy that is needed, it will happen."

The World Toilet Summit and Expo is not just about the challenges that are being faced by the sanitation industry in countries. It is also about a clean environment and keeping cities clean.

That is where the whole range of cleaning industry products at the expo provides business opportunities for this sector — especially when the industry is a growing S$600 million sector — through best practices and automation.

CNA/ms

[kueytoc]

Tiger Watch: Who's Who?

by Mike Krumboltz

Call it the crash heard 'round the world. Tiger Woods' car accident has led to many stunning revelations and a lot of rumors that won't go away. The golf legend has made his mea culpa — for the rest of the story and gossip tidbits, people are looking online. Below, we take a look at some of the drama's key players in Yahoo! Search and their rumored roles.

Elin Nordegren

The wife of Tiger Woods has been thrust into the Search spotlight over the past week. While no stranger to gawkers (she was once a model, after all), this level of Search attention has elevated Ms. Nordegren to a whole new level of public scrutiny. Over the past week, Web lookups have soared an astounding 2,832%. Additionally, related Searches on "elin nordegren pictures" spiked to new heights. She has yet to release an official statement on the sordid affair.

Jaimee Grubbs

In Tiger's boilerplate apology statement, he mentions "transgressions" that have let his family down. Though Tiger hasn't named names, Jaimee Grubbs has more than volunteered to explain her part in the troublesome situation. A Los Angeles cocktail waitress and former participant on the VH1 reality show "Tool Academy," Ms. Grubbs claims to have had a lengthy affair with Woods. Additionally, she has gone on record as saying she has pictures, hundreds of risqué text messages, and even a "frantic voicemail" from the married golfer. Searches on "jaimee grubbs" and "jaimee grubbs photos" have both shot up from zip into the tens of thousands overnight. Last word: Claims to have had affair.

Rachel Uchitel

In contrast to Ms. Grubbs, Rachel Uchitel has strenuously denied the allegations that she and the world's best golfer have hooked up. Still, that hasn't stopped the Searches. Lookups on "rachel uchitel" and "who is rachel uchitel" have both rocked the Search box, as curious searchers seem unwilling to take her at her word. Time magazine has an interesting article on Ms. Uchitel. The 34-year-old nightclub promoter is reportedly "aggressive" when it comes to meeting celebrities (her mom claims she once dated Derek Jeter and A-Rod). However, in an exclusive interview with the New York Post, Uchitel has denied the allegations of a romance with Woods, even going so far as to offer to take a lie detector test. Last word: Denies affair.

Kalika Moquin

Lastly (or not?), there's Kalika Moquin. A relative newcomer to the Tiger watch, Ms. Moquin was named in Life & Style magazine as having romantic links to Tiger. As soon as that possible connection hit the Web, searches on Moquin roared into breakout status. Though her connection to Tiger is still just a rumor, folks clearly want to know more about her. Life & Style explains that she works as a marketing manager at a Las Vegas nightclub. According to the magazine, when Moquin was asked about an alleged affair, she neither confirmed not denied it, saying, "It's not appropriate for me to comment one way or the other." Last word: No comment.

[kueytoc]

Tiger’s imperfect world

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports

In a perfect world, the public wouldn’t be obsessed with celebrity gossip.

In a perfect world, a golfer wouldn’t make a billion dollars.

Tiger Woods’ Cocktail Waitresses Across America tour took a new turn Wednesday with the release of voicemails, emails, text messages and the like from women claiming affairs with him. It got to be so much, Woods released another statement. He started strong by acknowledging his failures.

“I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart,†he wrote. “I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves.â€

He should’ve quit right there.

With Woods, however, he can’t. He never can. It’s why all those boiler plate crisis management solutions were laughable when applied to Tiger. “Hold a press conference� Please, feeding him to the media would’ve been the dumbest move possible. This guy can’t stay on message in a statement on his own website.

He immediately launched into a four-paragraph lecture about the horrors of celebrity news coverage, the invasiveness of a media free-for-all and how unfair it is that the public has an unquenchable thirst for dirt on the people they’ve made rich and famous.

“Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means,†Tiger wrote. “For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives.â€

This rules out that Tiger was innocently going to 7-Eleven when he wrecked his Escalade at 2:23 a.m. last week. If tabloid scrutiny surprised him, he obviously hasn’t seen a checkout stand magazine rack in years.

His basic point is correct, of course. This is none of anyone’s business. He cheated on his wife, not on the golf course, not on his taxes, not while committing some other crime. The public is owed nothing.

In a perfect world, though, teachers and cops and construction workers wouldn’t have to pony up extra money to buy a shirt for their kid just because Tiger Woods’ name is on it.

In a perfect world, they wouldn’t have to break the bank for overpriced Nike shoes, with a hunk of it going to pay for Tiger Woods’ private plane.

In a perfect world, women in Asia wouldn’t be paid pennies an hour to stitch up his product.

In a perfect world, we wouldn’t be overwhelmed by rampant consumerism, false idol worship and mesmerizing advertisements – a trio of circumstances that Tiger Woods has played and profited from better than just about anyone.

So in a perfect world, yes, Tiger Woods cheating on his family would be a private issue. For many people, it still is. He’s a golfer and as long as he keeps entertaining them on Sunday afternoons in red, that’s enough.

As it should be.

Which is different than how it is. Celebrity gossip isn’t a new phenomenon. You might as well complain about death and taxes.

Tiger had the closest thing to a dream life anyone could imagine: untold wealth, a beautiful, healthy family, professional satisfaction and so on.

He got some of it from portraying himself as a model of clean-cut morality. Perfect shirt. Perfect smile. Perfect wife. Perfect life.

He was the family man, the teacher, the leader, the inspirer. “I am Tiger Woods,†children across the world repeated in one advertisement. In another, he starred with a talking stuffed animal/driver cover. He coveted the opportunity to be everyone’s role model, to speak to young people. He wasn’t Charles Barkley, smartly arguing against allowing kids to look up to him. He wasn’t Derek Jeter, happily living the bachelor life with every Hollywood starlet he could find. The public applauds those guys.

Tiger took every bit of the money his image delivered. And with great rewards come great responsibility. That’s the deal. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t have your image beamed relentlessly into everyone’s living room and then expect people not to be intrigued with your life.

You can’t release glowing pictures of your family and think the public isn’t going to seek information when it comes crumbling down.

It’s fine that he’s not perfect. It’s just that he had IMG sell him as such.

Tiger should’ve stopped after the contrite first paragraph. He should’ve hunkered down and tried to salvage what he can of his marriage. Maybe he still will.

The rest speaks to an athlete detached from reality, myopic in his view of the world which has surrounded him by yes men willing to do anything to keep Tiger the Brand believable.

The New York Post reported Wednesday that in 2007, the National Enquirer had a story of Woods straying from his marriage. According to a former executive at the magazine’s parent company, Woods’ marketing team worked a deal out that the Enquirer would squash the story in exchange for Tiger posing for the cover of sister-publication Men’s Fitness.

He did and they did.

In Tiger Woods’ perfect world, that’s how tabloids were dealt with, how trouble was escaped, how his privacy and marriage were saved. His fame and earning potential were always enough to bail him out.

Spare us the complaining, Tiger, now that it can’t.

[kueytoc]

Woods in marriage therapy after admitting 'sins'

AFP - Friday, December 4

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - – Tigers Woods was reportedly undergoing intense marriage counseling on Thursday, a day after the golf superstar admitted "transgressions" in his private life.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Woods was holed up at the family home in Florida with his wife Elin as the steady stream of tabloid revelations concerning his alleged affairs showed no sign of abating.

A lawyer for the first woman linked to Woods -- Rachel Uchitel -- canceled a Los Angeles press conference citing "unforeseen circumstances" as fresh allegations about the woman and the world number one emerged.

The TMZ.com entertainment news website reported that Uchitel, who has denied an affair, did have a fling with Woods and that the couple exchanged text messages shortly before his car accident last week.

Woods has yet to be seen in public since he crashed his car in strange circumstances in the early morning hours on Friday outside the mansion where he lives with his wife and their two children.

He apologized Wednesday for "transgressions" as a magazine posted what it said was evidence of an extra-marital affair between him and a second woman, cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs.

A third alleged mistress, Las Vegas night club manager Kalika Moquin, told celebrity magazine Us Weekly on Thursday that rumors of an affair between her and Woods were "completely untrue."

Uchitel was first linked to Woods in a National Enquirer article two days before the golf star's crash.

She initially dismissed reports of an affair, telling the New York Post: "It's the most ridiculous story. It's like they are asking me to comment if there are aliens on earth."

She also rubbished suggestions she had a secret rendezvous with Woods at a recent tournament in Australia, saying their presence in the country at the same time was a coincidence.

But TMZ.com reported late Thursday that a close business associate of Woods had paid for Uchitel's trip to Australia and had traveled to Melbourne with her for the tournament.

Woods ended five days of silence on Wednesday after Us Weekly quoted Grubbs as saying she had secretly dated him for 31 months and met him for sexxx 20 times.

The magazine posted an online recording purported to be Woods leaving a voicemail for Grubbs urging her not to identify herself when calling him because he worried his wife was becoming suspicious.

"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart," Woods said on his website, but added he did not want to elaborate on his shortcomings in public.

"Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions," he said, attempting to draw a line under a scandal that has dented his squeaky clean image.

Meanwhile, the golfer's neighbors told police in subsequent interviews that Woods was "unconscious and snoring" immediately after last week's accident.

The neighbor, Jarius Lavar Adams, said he found Woods's wife standing over her husband outside begging for help.

"She said, 'Can you please help me? Can you please help me?'" Adams said, according to a transcript of the interview published by the Orlando Sentinel.

The interview revealed that Woods's mother and his mother-in-law were on the scene soon after the accident.

Woods has pulled out of the Chevron World Challenge outside Los Angeles, an 18-star golf event to benefit his charity foundation.

Fans at the tournament voiced support for Woods on Thursday as the tournament teed off.

"I'm sorry it's so public," Cynthia Camp said. "Everyone's talking about it of course, but all of my friends are very supportive of Tiger... All around the world there's chaos going on, and all we hear about is poor Tiger."

Yet the golfing legend's personal transgressions were too much to take for one of his most devout followers.

John Ziegler, pastor of the "First Church of Tiger Woods," announced in a statement on the blog tigerwoodsisgod.com that the organization is being dissolved because of the golfer's "personal sins."

"Tiger is clearly no longer deserving of being seen as a role model or a hero and he has needlessly squandered his unique potential to be a positive force in our country and the world," Ziegler opined.

[kueytoc]

Plastics component affects intestine: study

AFP - Tuesday, December 15

PARIS (AFP) - – The chemical Bisphenol A used in plastic containers and drinks cans has been shown for the first time to affect the functioning of the intestines, according to a French study published Monday.

National Institute of Agronomic Research researchers in Toulouse found the digestive tract of rats react negatively to even low doses of the chemical also called BPA, the Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences journal reported.

Their research, also conducted on human intestine cells, found that the chemical lowered the permeability of the intestines and the immune system's response to digestive inflammation, it said.

BPA is used in the production of polycarbonated plastics and epoxy resins found in baby bottles, plastic containers, the lining of cans used for food and beverages, and in dental sealants.

Over 130 studies over the past decade have linked even low levels of BPA, which can leach from plastics, to serious health problems, breast cancer, obesity and the early onset of puberty, among other disorders.

The French study focuses on the first organ to come in contact with the substance, the intestine.

The researchers orally administered doses of BPA to the rats that were equivalent to about 10 times less than the daily amount considered safe for humans, a statement from the Toulouse institute said.

They saw that BPA reduced the permeability of the intestinal lining through which water and essential minerals enter the body, it said.

They also found that newborn rats exposed to BPA in the uterus and during feeding have a higher risk of developing severe intestinal inflammation in adulthood.

The study "shows the very high sensitivity on the intestine of Bisphenol A and opens news avenues for research" including to define new acceptable thresholds of the substance for humans, the institute said.

In May this year, the six major baby bottle makers in the United States agreed to stop using the chemical.

[kueytoc]

Don't Dream It's Over !!!

Tiger's wife Elin seeking divorce: reports

AFP - Thursday, December 17

NEW YORK (AFP) - – Tiger Woods's wife will divorce the disgraced billionaire golf star and plans to spend Christmas apart after the sex scandal that has halted his career, according to media reports.

ABC News, NBC News and People magazine, all citing unnamed sources close to Nordegren, said Elin Nordegren, 29, will split with Woods after he admitted infidelity amid reports that he had affairs with at least 14 women.

"Divorce is 100 percent on," ABC News's website reported a source saying. "She's not rushing to divorce, however. She's going to take her sweet time. She wants all the dirty laundry to be out on the table before she signs anything."

The former Swedish model and mother of Tiger's children -- two-year-old daughter Sam and 10-month-old son Charlie -- has met lawyers to renegotiate her prenuptial agreement with Woods, People magazine reported.

"She plans to leave Tiger," one source was quoted as saying. "She has made up her mind. There's nothing to think about: he's never going to change," another source reportedly said.

People also reported on its website that Nordegren was taking the children to Sweden for Christmas without Woods.

"Elin is going to Sweden soon," the source said. "Two stewardesses and one pilot are in Sweden with the plane now getting it ready to come pick them up."

But the same source cautioned that it was not a permanent move back to her homeland, as she planned to split her time between the two countries.

NBC News reported that Nordegren's recent trips to a gas station and Thai restaurant without her wedding ring were meant to signal her future plans.

"She and Tiger are living separately now, but she'll be making this split very open and official right after Christmas," NBC reported one source as saying.

"Elin is not going to be one of these 'stand by her man' women," another source told NBC. "This is beyond embarrassing, and she has a daughter and son she has to think about, who will know about this one day.

"Forgiveness isn't exactly around the corner."

Nordegren has bought a beachfront estate on an island near Stockholm and several websites reported she had talked with movers at the mansion she shared with Woods near Orlando.

Entertainment gossip website TMZ reported Wednesday that Nordegren is also near a marketing deal with Puma, a rival of Nike, which is the foremost sponsor to announce it will support Woods, after others cut their ties.

Woods has put his career on indefinite hold "to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person," but US magazine reported he has remained in contact with Rachel Uchitel, whose tabloid-exposed fling three weeks ago began the firestorm.

"They are not over," a source told US, adding Woods paid her three million dollars to stay silent about their relationship but continues to send her text messages.

Woods and Uchitel are both reportedly in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Uchitel has family and Woods has a 22-million-dollar yacht named "Privacy".

Amid the shattering of his squeaky clean reputation, there was some support for Woods on Wednesday.

He was named Athlete of the Decade in a vote by member editors of the Associated Press, more than half of his 56 votes returned to the US-based news agency after the November 27 car crash that began his downfall.

And National Basketball Association standout Ron Artest sent him an open letter of support, calling the embattled golf star "the perfect role model for me and my sons."

The Los Angeles Lakers forward, who once went into the stands after being struck by a cup -- touching off an infamous 2004 NBA brawl -- posted the letter on his website, calling Woods a "stand-up guy."

Artest said he had a child with another woman after having two children with the girlfriend he would later marry.

"I have made the same mistakes," Artest said. "My wife is a much better wife than I am a husband. We still argue and disagree after being together 16 years."

Meanwhile, the construction firm building "Tiger Woods Dubai", a golf course and housing development, said it is committed to finishing the project.

[kueytoc]

New rules for fixed line, mobile, broadband contracts from March 2010

Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, December 16

SINGAPORE: Consumers who apply for or renew contract for fixed line, mobile or broadband service cannot be locked into the contract for more than 24 months.

And consumers who sign on to contracts longer than three months and who terminate their contracts before the end of their contract period will no longer have to pay fixed early termination charges. Instead, they will see these charges decrease over time on a month—by—month basis as they serve out their contract.

These are part of the new guidelines rolled out by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, or IDA, which seek to ensure that industry practices will be more reasonable and fair.

Under the new guidelines, operators offering telco services must also ensure that early termination charges do not include costs which they can avoid when the consumer terminates his service.

Such costs could include back—end administrative and operational costs that the operator would not have to incur once the customer terminates the service.

The new guidelines were prompted by consumers’ concerns that contract periods might be becoming unduly long, and early termination charges excessively high, which together hinder them from terminating the service and switching between operators.

CNA/ir

[kueytoc]

No big deal: Ong Ai Leng isn't fussed about endorsing bust-enhancement

Xin.sg - Friday, December 18

Ong Ai Leng's career got a lift recently. It has nothing to do with TV, though. The 31-year-old is one of the two celebrity spokespersons (the other being fellow actress Priscelia Chan) for a beauty salon chain's bust enhancement treatment.

Though she hasn't appeared on TV much lately (her last drama was the Singapore-Malaysian co-production Romantic Delicacies, which aired here in August) and her newest drama The Best Things in Life will debut only in March next year, the Malaysian-born lass says she already "gets recognized more often [here] nowadays. Maybe it has something to with this ad campaign."

You may have seen the print as well as TV commercials featuring the two ladies dressed in fuss-free outfits but with one consistent, outstanding detail - an unadorned, plunging neckline. "I felt comfortable throughout the whole campaign process, doing it with Priscelia. It was kinda funny shooting the commercial, like having two women showing off their chests!"

Her hearty guffaws and toothsome smiles weren't the overt embarrassment or annoying enthusiasm one would have expected when questioned about the whole bosom beautifying thing. "I didn't mind trying this [treatment] out. It didn't require surgery," she quips noncommittally.

Her take on the matter is, er, firm. "I feel that breast enhancement is something you should do for yourself. It's not to impress other people. And I think it's important for women to take care of their ######, like wearing the right bra size, making sure they don't lose their shape and firmness." she added.

Coming from a family where "my sisters are unbelievably big [at the chest]," the self-confessed late-bloomer, who "used to be teased for being a fei ji chang," (literally 'airport' in Mandarin, referring to a flat chest) must have experienced some kind of ######-envy. Apparently not. The former model "never had an issue with my chest. I never thought that they were too small or I'm not satisfied with them."

Rather, her love for bikinis may have had a part to play in inking the deal. "When you see girls who are well-endowed wearing bikinis, you naturally imagine what it'll be like if your chest was like that (laughs)."

Her bra size has since increased from its previous B-cup after a few months' worth of treatment (which included massage and essential oils). In fact, she says it's "doubled to a D-cup. Which came as a bit of a shock, because you'd imagine the most they'll increase would be by one cup size. But that was a nice surprise!" she beams. "I texted my sister later that day, saying 'Eh, D-cup leh!' Haha!"

She won't be getting a brand new wardrobe to show off her fuller chest, though. "For the ads, the clothes were selected such the results are really noticeable. But in real life, I won't deliberately wear something revealing. Unless the occasion calls for it, I'm dressed casually like this (points to her striped tee-shirt)."

Clearly this is one gal who's comfortable with her body, which she describes as "proportionate". And, as we found out, the body part she likes most still aren't her twin peaks, instead it belongs to the lower section-her legs.

We couldn't agree more. Sporting denim shorts during our interview, the statuesque one (she's 1.7m tall) has such shapely pair of gams that seem to go on forever, we think a beauty deal for those lean, long limbs is only fair. Any takers for shaving or depilatory cream ?

[kueytoc]

Watchmaker 'stands with Tiger' amid new cheating reports

AFP - Wednesday, December 23

PALM BEACH, Florida (AFP) - – Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer showed support for embattled Tiger Woods on its website even as a new report emerged that Woods and Rachel Uchitel have resumed their relationship.

Four days after Tag Heuer announced it was pulling images of Woods from US advertising in the wake of the sex scandal that has swirled around him, the watchmaker appears to have decided the time was right to back Woods.

Tag Heuer's website home page has a huge photograph of Woods with the words "Tag Heuer stands with Tiger Woods" and a link to a news release from last week saying the ad pullback was a supportive move since Woods has announced an indefinite hiatus from golf to work on his personal issues.

The move mirrors one made earlier by razor manufacturer Gillette but falls short of the full sponsorship cut made by consulting giant Accenture.

Woods has admitted cheating on wife Elin while at least 14 women have claimed to have had affairs with him.

Elin has reportedly hired a Hollywood divorce attorney with possible losses for Woods, a 14-time major champion, in a divorce deal including estimates of more than 300 million dollars.

His estranged wife is also seeking custody of their children, two-year-old daughter Sam and 10-month-old son Charlie.

In Touch magazine reported on its website Tuesday that Woods, who turns 34 next week, has been seeing Uchitel, 34, in Florida near where his yacht "Privacy" is docked.

The magazine, quoting an unnamed friend of Uchitel, reported Woods is still involved in a sexual relationship with Uchitel, a New York showclub host who was in the same Australia hotel as Woods when he was there for an event last month.

"They have been sleeping together the entire time since the scandal broke," the source told In Touch. "They hooked up in a condo she has been staying at in Palm Beach."

"She's madly in love with him and she believes that he loves her as well," the source told In Touch.

It was a tabloid report about Uchitel's relationship with Woods two days before the crash that set the stage for the firestorm which has followed.

Uchitel had called a news conference earlier this month but canceled, reportedly after being paid more than one million dollars by Woods for her silence.

[kueytoc]

Simon Cowell will leave "American Idol": report

Reuters - Wednesday, December 23

LOS ANGELES - "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell has decided to quit the top-rated TV talent show when his contract ends in 2010, according to a report in British tabloid The Sun, which would deal a blow to the Fox network.

Cowell, 50, has been with the TV juggernaut since the start of "American Idol" in 2002 but his contract expires after the end of Season 9, which starts in January and ends in May 2010, and in the past he has hinted at being bored with his role.

His insults to tone-deaf singers are a key factor in luring viewers to the competition that over the past three years has seen its ratings slip, and this season already sees the departure of another original judge, popular Paula Abdul.

Cowell's brother Tony, who hosts a weekly radio podcast called "The Cowell Factor", said in a broadcast on Tuesday that Simon was preparing for his last season of "Idol".

"A press statement is being prepared which will confirm what everyone expected -- Simon will leave 'Idol' at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the American version of 'The X Factor' to US TV in 2011," Tony Cowell claimed, according to Britain's Sun newspaper.

The Sun, like Fox television, is part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp media empire. The podcast could not be found later on Tuesday. The Sun report said Tony Cowell had "blurted out the claim" and that the podcast had since been removed.

Cowell's publicist and the Fox network in Los Angeles, where "Idol" is produced, both said they had no comment on the reports. Cowell, who has his own record label and produces three other TV talent shows, hinted repeatedly earlier this year that he was growing bored with his stint on "Idol".

Abdul quit earlier this year, and she will be replaced on the upcoming season by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

While still America's most-watched TV show, "Idol" audiences slipped in 2009 to an average 26.3 million per twice weekly episode from a high of about 30.8 million in 2006.

Cowell, one of the biggest earners on U.S. television, spoke in a British magazine interview earlier this month of his plans to bring his own "The X Factor" British talent show to Las Vegas in a global pay-per-view Internet venture.

[kueytoc]

Sylvia Ratonel: I want to go further than this

Xin.sg - Thursday, December 31

As one of the final two Singapore Idol Season Three finalists, Sylvia Ratonel sang her heart out last night at the Singapore Indoor Stadium to a crowd of 8,000 people. She opened the night's performance with a bang and delivered 'Mercy' with a groovy sexy punch before crooning to Coldplay's 'Yellow', giving the mellow tune a little twist of its own - but nothing could beat her final performance - a heartfelt and emotional rendition of 'Touched By An Angel', composed and written by Ken Lim.

Despite losing out to Sezairi Sezali, Sylvia stood tall and proud, appearing every bit a winner in her own right. With no regrets, she earnestly shared that she is "satisfied with what she has accomplished thus far."

"I did my best and gave it my all. Singapore has voted and I respect that. I am happy to have come this far. I did the best I could, perhaps it is just fate. Perhaps, I have a different path to take."

Apart from gaining the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of performing at the Indoor Stadium, Singapore Idol also mended the broken bridges between Sylvia and her father. "It really made my relationship with my family much closer. My father was very supportive and told me this before I came to the indoor stadium, 'You are already a winner.'"

Honoured to be the first Singapore Idol female finalist, Sylvia believed that her gender was not the main reason behind her loss and said, "We do have equal chances at winning and I have received a lot of motivation from being the first female idol finalist."

We referred to Ken's comparison made on both finalists when he said that "Sezairi was musically better than Sylvia" and asked her if she would be doing anything to further enhance her 'musician capabilities'. The 21-year-old eagerly enthused, "I really want to learn how to play the piano badly. I'm sure it'll help me in my performances."

"Perhaps, I'll be the first Alicia Keys wannabe in Singapore! " she jested before sincerely adding, "I really hope to carve out a singing career in the industry."

She profusely thanked fans for their continuous and ardent support throughout her six-month long idol journey and said with tears glistening in her eyes, "I am very touched. If it's not for you guys, I wouldn't have performed this far. I am also very thankful to my colleagues at Conrad who have been very supportive all these while.

Summarizing her long idol journey as "wonderful" and "tiring", she said, "It feels so fulfilling and it still feels like a dream. I'm just really glad to touch people and their lives."

[kueytoc]

Report: Tiger Woods's wife Elin boasts of £185m divorce

Eurosport - Sun, 03 Jan 08:29:00 2010

Tiger Woods's estranged wife Elin has told friends that she has agreed a £185 million divorce settlement, according to a newspaper report.

The News of the World claims the 30-year-old Swede told friends about the settlement, reportedly laughing as she described it as a "$300 million Christmas present" from the superstar golfer.

Since news of Woods's serial philandering broke late last year, the world number one has been at the centre of a media storm that has seen 18 women claim to have had relationships with him.

Rumours of a possible divorce have been circulating ever since, and the News of the World's source claimed that Elin Woods is determined to split up with her husband for good: "She's more focused than ever about moving on with her life," the source was quoted as saying.

The source also added that Elin has begged the world number one to seek professional help over his fragile mental state, and refused to let him see his children over Christmas as he was "not stable enough".

Tiger has also reportedly stopped communicating with several of his closest aides, and is apparently considering extending his break from the game until 2012.

Eurosport

AT&T drops sponsorship deal with Tiger Woods

AFP - Thu, 31 Dec 17:40:00 2009

US telecoms giant AT&T announced that it was hanging up its sponsorship deal with disgraced golfing star Tiger Woods who has been embroiled in a sensational sex scandal.

"We are ending our sponsorship agreement with Tiger Woods and wish him well in the future," the company, which backs the US PGA Tour event operated by the golfer's foundation, said in a terse, one-line statement.

It was the latest blow for Woods since he inexplicably crashed his car into a tree and fire hydrant outside his Florida home in the early hours of November 27, unleashing a storm of revelations about his personal life.

The crash came just days after a US tabloid had reported that he was having an affair and thrust Woods and his wife, Elin, and two young children into the center of a media storm.

As the revelations grew, Woods was linked to at least 14 other women, forcing the golf superstar to admit in a statement on his website that he had been unfaithful. He also said he was taking an indefinite break from golf to focus on rebuilding his marriage.

In one of the most stunning falls from grace ever seen, Woods's squeaky-clean marketing juggernaut image was destroyed.

Woods has not been seen in public since the November crash which Florida police said left him with a "fat lip" but no other visible fac-ial injuries.

While Woods went undercover, sponsors began pulling his once-omnipresent image from advertisements which have helped turn him into a billionaire.

Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer and razor-blade giant Gillette have stopped using his image, and Dublin-based technology, management and outsourcing consultancy Accenture has already pulled the plug on its sponsorship deal.

Nike, which pays Woods an estimated $40 million a year, however issued unqualified support in Woods's darkest hour.

Since his fall, there has been an insatiable appetite for Woods-related revelations, with the latest news being that Elin had hired a Hollywood celebrity divorce lawyer and taken her children -- 10-month-old son Charlie and two-year-old daughter Sam -- to an island home she bought in Sweden for Christmas.

Woods was said to be hitting golf balls alone at night to cope with the firestorm. Other reports said he had rekindled a relationship with Rachel Uchitel, the New York show club hostess who was the first mistress revealed.

Uchitel was visiting the same Australian hotel as Woods when he was playing an event Down Under, and claimed she was visiting her parents over the holidays when she showed up in Palm Beach, Florida, close to where Woods has his 20 million-dollar luxury yacht "Privacy" docked.

As 2010 loomed, so did a US PGA Tour season without Woods, whose absence cuts attendance at tournaments and television viewership by 50 percent, adding stress to a sponsor list already weakened by the struggling economy.

And it raises the question of when, if ever, Woods will return to his quest of breaking the record 18 major titles held by Jack Nicklaus.

AFP

[kueytoc]

Google Phone vs. iPhone: Head to Head

by Diana Ransom

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

provided by SmartMoney.com

Will the company that revolutionized Internet search send the Apple (AAPL) iPhone looking for answers?

At a press gathering on Tuesday, Google (GOOG) unveiled the Nexus One, a Google-branded smartphone that will run on the search giant's Android operating system. Some analysts say Google's new device, which is being built by HTC of Taiwan based on Google's specifications, will deal a stiff blow to Apple's hegemony in the smartphone arena.

Where could Google succeed where other competitors have failed? The Nexus One boasts speed improvements and enhanced camera capabilities, and the device will be sold unlocked. So rather than being forced to sign a contract with AT&T (T), a service provider that has been criticized for network mishaps and poor customer service ratings in the last year, buyers may purchase service plans separately from the device.

The Nexus One is also nice to look at, says Michael Gartenberg, the vice president of strategy and analysis for Interpret, a market researcher in Los Angeles. "Google's Nexus One is a beautifully designed device," he says. "It looks like Google looked at the iPhone and said we can do better."

For now, the iPhone is the dominant device in the sector. And critics of Google's device say the company's design improvements offer only slight advantages over existing devices and won't necessarily shake iPhone from its perch yet.

SmartMoney took a closer look at how Apple's iPhone and Google's new Nexus One match up:

Price

The unlocked version of the Nexus One, which will be sold directly to consumers via a new web store hosted by Google, will cost $529. A locked version of the phone, which will be sold initially by T-Mobile, will cost $179 with a two-year contract that will cost roughly $80 a month.

Apple's iPhone 3GS now costs $199 with a two-year contract with AT&T.

Advantage: Nexus One

Network

For iPhone users, the only service provider is AT&T. AT&T says it has the fastest 3G network -- a claim backed by organizations like the industry testing firm Global Wireless Solutions and Piper Jaffray. Still, the telecom giant's struggles with outages and slowdowns have been widely reported and culminated in a recent suspension of iPhone sales in New York and San Francisco. AT&T says that switching its "distribution channels" was the reason for the service halt. "While there's always more to be done -- particularly in markets like Manhattan and San Francisco -- we have a high sense of urgency and we're on the right track," says Fletcher Cook, a spokesman for AT&T.

Like the iPhone, the Nexus One is also built for the GSM network. And while T-Mobile is currently the Nexus One's only so-called subsidized provider, the device can also operate on AT&T's network. However, because the device operates at frequencies unique to T-Mobile, "it won't be able to achieve 3G speeds on AT&T," says Jay Nakahara, a technology sector specialist at ICAP in New York. "If it is true that the Nexus One only runs at 2G speeds on AT&T, I find it hard to believe that there will be a lot of demand to buy an unlocked version."

Nexus One may have other suitors in the future. Verizon Wireless (VZ) in the U.S. and Vodafone in Europe plan to eventually sell the Nexus One, according to Google.

Advantage: Nexus One

Applications

Apple's app store offers more than 100,000 applications. Google's Android Market offers between 15,000 and 20,000 apps. "You're talking about a [tenfold] difference," says Gartenberg. Although he says the quality of Apple's apps may be vary widely, the momentum and attention among developers certainly favor Apple. "This is where Apple has had a real significant lead over Google's Android," he says.

Some analysts say that may change. The fact that Google's Android is an open-source platform is attractive to developers, says Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, a San Jose, Calif.-based technology research firm. An Android app developer can create an app and see it instantly available. However, Apple app developers need to get approval first -- a process that takes roughly 15 days, he says. And Apple can be picky. "People are really having trouble with the approval process," Enderle says.

In addition, "if you're writing an app, you'll write one for the biggest platform," says Nakahara. "It's in Google's best interest for its operating system to be as pervasive as possible," he says. Google's Nexus One will run the Android platform, but so will other devices from HTC, the Motorola Droid and possibly some handsets from Samsung and LG Electronics of Korea, he says.

And Google may soon launch an Android Cloud Service so that users can run on demand apps rather than download them to a handset, says Trip Chowdhry, an analyst at Global Equities Research in San Francisco. Nexus One users will also get access to Google Voice, the company's call forwarding application, which was blocked for the iPhone by Apple.

Advantage: iPhone

Hardware

The Nexus One boasts a five-megapixel camera with a built-in flash and autofocus, while the iPhone 3.2-megapixel camera lacks a flash, says Chowdhry. "This is critical because there is a completely new category of apps called augmented reality, which require high resolution and autofocus to work well," he says.

However, when it comes to usability, the iPhone has the advantage. Unlike the Nexus One, the iPhone has multitouch capabilities that allow users to rotate, pinch and zoom or un-zoom the display with their hands.

Although the iPhone may get a speed boost when Apple comes out with another version in June, at this point, the Nexus One will be faster in general, says Chowdhry. Because the Nexus One will house Qualcomm's (QCOM) latest SnapDragon processor, it will run at about 1 GHz. The iPhone now runs at a slower speed -- about 600 MHz, he says.

The Nexus One also offers a removable battery. Unlike the iPhone battery, which is sealed inside the device, the Nexus One battery can be replaced by the user.

Advantage: Nexus One

Email

The Nexus One's default email account may be through Google's Gmail, but that won't stop users from checking other email accounts, says Nakahara. In checking corporate accounts, though, iPhone and Nexus One users will likely run into similar difficulties, he says.

The Nexus One boasts a larger screen than the iPhone, which may be a benefit for picture taking and overall usability. However, neither the iPhone nor the Nexus One has an actual keyboard, which has upset some users.

Advantage: Tie

Copyrighted, SmartMoney.com. All Rights Reserved.

[kueytoc]

Six Reasons to Not Like Google's Nexus One

David Coursey David Coursey – Wed Jan 6, 11:50 am ET

Google's new Nexus One smartphone is not an iPhone killer. It may not even be a Droid killer, but it may be Google's first serious and most public misstep. Basically, the Nexus One is a somewhat faster Droid with a somewhat better screen.

Here are six things the Nexus One has going against it:

1. This is a great phone if you use Google apps, but not so good at synchronizing with a desktop or laptop computer. If you are into the whole Google "cloud" thing, this is your phone. If not, well...

2. I have to wonder how much Google engineers had to do with the hardware. A nearly useless, tiny, sometimes glowing trackball? Sure, that came from the Googleplex. If Google is going to put its name on hardware, it should be hardware that makes sense.

3. The Nexus One puts Google into competition with its "partners." One reason Microsoft hasn't done more in smartphones is handset makers' fears they would eventually be marginalized, as Microsoft has done to PC hardware companies. It may be inevitable, but Google is certainly making Android and its own applications at least as important as the handsets they run on. Unless Google thinks the Nexus One will be a big win--its own iPhone--and is willing to relegate other companies' Android handsets to perpetual "also ran" status, this is a bad deal.

4. It's bad for Android. At least the Android that everyone besides Google uses. The Nexus One will give handset makers even more incentive to take open source Android into quasi-proprietary user interfaces and applications.

5. It's on T-Mobile (in the U.S.). If there is a carrier that is less well-liked than AT&T, it's T-Mobile. Or at least it would be if they had even nearly as many customers as AT&T. (T-Mobile is the #4 U.S. carrier). This is the company that, with Microsoft's help, suffered a huge data loss late last year. Some people like T-Mobile, but I mostly hear people complaining about coverage issues.

Yes, Google said the Nexus one will end up on Verizon's network, too. Until that happens, the phone--here in the U.S.--is linked to a decidedly second-tier carrier.

6. Google isn't a smartphone ecosystem company. The main reason for the iPhone's huge success is that Apple controls virtually every part of the customer experience and manages it quite well. Especially important are the Apps Store and iTunes, both as an application for managing the handset and as the world's largest music retailer.

Google has treated Android apps and sales with a sort of benign neglect that is not a recipe for huge success. Google either needs to get into the apps and content sales business or accept that Android will not be an iPhone killer until those markets change. I'd like to see a Google version of iTunes, too.

Google doesn't need the risk that the Nexus One presents. I see lots of risk and no reward in Google's getting into the handset business. Google must think it alone can do something that call the other handset companies in the world--combined--cannot do. .

But, if it can't, the Nexus One will be a very public and embarassing come-uppance for the Googlers. Simply put: The Nexus One isnt a really great start.

Friends who have tried both the Nexus One and the iPhone tell me they are keeping their iPhones. It is hard to tell why Google feels the need to do its own handset, though it presumably is to bring applications to users more quickly. Still, I am stuck with the feeling that by getting into hardware to such a degree that Google is a tad beyond its considerable depth.

Overall, I think Google would be better off concentrating on the Android ecosystem and letting the hardware manufacturers design the hardware, with ample help from the Googleplex, of course.

David Coursey has been writing about technology products and companies for more than 25 years. He tweets as @techinciter and may be contacted via his Web site

[kueytoc]

Google unveils new smartphone

AFP - Wednesday, January 6

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (AFP) - – Google unveiled its new Nexus One smartphone Tuesday in a direct challenge to heavyweight Apple's iPhone handsets.

The touch-screen device was billed by Google as a "superphone" and the next step in the evolution of its Android software.

The Internet giant worked with Taiwanese electronics titan HTC to make the Nexus One.

"I think you will see it pushes the limits of what's possible on a smart phone," HTC chief executive Peter Chou said as the smartphone debuted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California.

"It is very thin and feels good in your hand," he added.

Nexus One handsets are no thicker than pencils and no heavier than keychain Swiss Army knives, Google engineer Erick Tseng said while demonstrating one of the smartphones.

"It is a great marriage of form and function," Tseng said. "It is really light."

Nexus One smartphones are built on the same Android 2.1 software that runs Droid smartphones that recently hit the market but feature innovations including 3D graphics, according to Tseng.

The handsets feature new speech command capabilities that allow users to speak emails, text messages, or Internet search queries.

Nexus One devices can provide turn-by-turn spoken driving directions from a Google mapping program.

Google also launched its own online store at google.com/phone at which the Nexus One will be sold.

Nexus One smartphones will be sold at the Google-hosted Web store for 529 dollars (US) "unlocked," without ties to a telecom carrier.

Nexus One handsets will be offered at prices starting at 179 dollars (US) if paired with T-Mobile service contracts in the United States.

Google has made "strategic partnerships" with telecom firm Verizon in the United States and Vodafone in Europe.

Nexus One devices linked to service from Verizon in the US and Vodafone in Europe should be available by mid-year, according to Google.

Google said it will ship Nexus One devices to buyers in the Singapore, Hong Kong, Britain, and the United States.

Nexus One smartphones are designed to work with a variety of telecom carrier networks.

"You can take out your SIM card from any provider and put it in the phone," said Google vice president of product management Mario Queiroz.

The Internet search and advertising giant has already gained a foothold in the market with its Android mobile operating system, featured in more than 20 phones since starting with T-Mobile's G1 in October 2008.

Nexus One represents a significant departure in that Google is selling the Google-branded phone directly to consumers who will not be tied to any one telecom carrier.

Apple's popular iPhone, for example, is available exclusively in the United States through AT&T.

Analysts have expressed concern that Google's move could irk partners backing handsets based on the Internet firm's open-source Android software.

"I don't see it as a threat," said Sanjay Jha, chief of mobile devices at handset titan Motorola, which recently brought to market a Droid smartphone based on Android software.

"I think the Nexus One is a good phone. I think we will upgrade Droid to the software available on Nexus One."

Chou and Jha took part in the Google press conference, saying they supported the Internet firm's new phone and Web store as a "healthy" expansion of the mobile phone ecosystem.

Google executives sidestepped questions about whether the Nexus One is intended as an "iPhone killer," but did say that it should prove to be a powerful competitor.

Like iPhones, Nexus One devices feature "accelerometer" capabilities allowing images or games on handsets to be controlled with twists or turns.

"The message isn't to the iPhone specifically, it is to consumers," said Google vice president of engineering Andy Rubin. "Choice is a good thing."

Google has an online Android Marketplace stocked with about 20,000 fun, functional or hip applications for smartphones running the software.

Apple's online App Store with a far greater stockpile of applications has been cited as among the reasons iPhones have become globally coveted devices.

Apple on Tuesday announced that more than three billion mini-applications for iPhone and iPod Touch devices have been downloaded from the App Store.

"Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months; this is like nothing we've ever seen before," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said in a release.

"We see no signs of the competition catching up any time soon."

[kueytoc]

Top 10 cities in China with the most beautiful women: Agree or not ?

China has a tremendous resource pool of 1.2 billion people. With more than half of these being women, it's not surprising that it has some of the world's most beautiful women.

STOMPer Cassonova received these photos and write-ups via email which re-affirms the point above. They are a tantalising survey of Chinese beauty.

He travels quite frequently to China and says he agrees with the selection, although his No.1 city would be Changsha. But then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, one man's beauty may be another man's personification of ugly.

Says Cassonova: "The real test is to go to the smaller cities and not the big capitals because the creme de la crme of Chinese beauties flock to the big cities to make their fortunes."

Similarly, the ones that populate Singapore's KTV joints can't be used as satisfactory gauges because the top of the pops come here, he adds.

Which is your choice, he asks the experienced "hands" and the well-travelled amongst Stompers?

Check out the ranking of the Chinese cities with the most beautiful women.

1. Dalian | 大连

Bold but graceful

Score: 95

Girls from northeast of China always have the reputation of being light skinned and tall. Dalian girls are undoubtedly the cream of the crop among girls in the northeast of China. Compare with women in southern China, Dalian girls might not be as graceful, but they are more bold and prideful; Compare with women in other northeast China and other inland cities, Dalian women added more elegance. For example actress Dong Jie (è‘£æ´) is a typical representative of the girls in Dalian.

2. Chongqing | é‡åº†

Warm like fire

Score: 94

Maybe it’s because Chongqing is a city in the mountains, Chongqing girls are climbing the hills ever since they were young their long legs are therefore beautiful and sexy. Girls at Chongqing are full of personality, full of charm and warm hearted like fire. Recently red hot actresses Jiang Qinqin (蒋勤勤), Yu Na (于娜) and Singer Chen Lin (陈ç³) are all products of Chongqing.

3. Chengdu | æˆéƒ½

Pure as the eye solution

Score: 93

Because of the moist and nutritious soil of Dujiangyan (都江堰), City of Chengdu appeared in this small plain, a gentle and rich, prosperous land. Chengdu girls are particularly good looking. Chengdu girls have delicate and white skin and they do not seem to like the heavy make-up. Whether she is a working class, or a school girl, they are mostly light on the make-ups, but the natural beauty is truly amazing. Chengdu girls are like the city, vaguely reveals a faint, lazy, leisure scent. Their beauty is like a soft kitten. Maybe the only drawback of Chengdu girls is that they are not very tall. But it can also be a good thing if you appreciate the petite style. Therefore, if you want to have a romantic story, it is best to find a girlfriend in Chengdu. No wonder that foreign men in Chengdu all have the same sigh “Married too earlyâ€. In picture: Actress Xie Na (谢娜)

4. Suzhou & Hangzhou | è‹æ­

Pretty girl of humble birth

Score: 92

Suzhou is the most girly city in China. Some say more than half of the beauties of southern China are in Suzhou. They all have admirable pretty hands. Needless to say, Suzhou girls are most suitable to be kind, considerate and desirable lovers. Suzhou and Hangzhou are known to produce beauties, is indeed well-deserved reputation. In picture: Han Xue (韩雪)

5. Changsha | é•¿æ²™

Beauty of blandness

Score: 91

Changsha girls have both the body frame of northern China girl and the face of southern China girl. Famous actress Qu Ying (瞿颖) and host Li Xiang (æŽæ¹˜) are the representatives of Changsha. Qu Ying has been voted for “Changsha’s city flowerâ€.

6. Nanjing | å—京

Delicate, free and natural

Score: 90

Being the ancient capital for six dynasties, Nanjing-born pretty girls naturally formed their Delicate and unconventional graceful beauty. Nanjing actress Mei Ting (梅婷) gives the feeling of gentle and quiet. she is always simply dressed, with simple languages but leaves a very deep impression.

7. Shanghai | 上海

Fashionable and exquisite

Score: 89

Almost all Shanghai women think they are the women of women. They love fashion, perfumes, cosmetics… just like they love their own bodies. Shanghai is a stylish city, destined to create a different temperament of beauties. Actress Betty Sun is such a representative. With a pure and beautiful appearance, we are all attracted by her petite body with a pair of big beautiful eyes. Her extraordinary refined temperament is unforgettable.

8. Beijing | 北京

Aristocrat of the century

Score: 88

Ubiquitous opportunity for profound historical and cultural heritage, Beijing girls grew very fast, they are capable, smart, intelligent and savvy. They make themselves more beautiful through many ways. Grew up in Beijing, Xu Jinglei (å¾é™è•¾) was an actress first then became a director. She not only showed people Beijing girls’ beauty also demonstrated their “aristocratic temperamentâ€.

9. Hong Kong | 香港

Fashion Pioneers

Score: 87

Hong Kong has been leading the main stream fashion of China and East Asia. Despite Hong Kong girls maybe not be outstanding looking but their fashion sense is no match for the other cities. Michelle Reis (æŽå˜‰æ¬£) and Maggie Cheung (张曼玉) are the representatives of the city.

10. Guangzhou | 广州

Soft inside and hard outside

Score: 86

Someone once said Guangzhou has no pretty girls, and it is hard to find real beauty that is actually from the city. However there are still a lot of beauties in Guangdong province. For example, Athena Chu (朱茵) and Chen Hui-Shan (陈惠姗) are beauties of Guangdong province.

[kueytoc]

Romanian Prosecutor’s Office to investigate hit—and—run case

Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, January 6

SINGAPORE: Romania’s Foreign Ministry has asked its country’s Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the Bukit Panjang hit—and—run accident, which has alleged links to Dr Silviu Ionescu, the charge d’affaires of its embassy in Singapore. It has also recalled the Romanian diplomat from his post.

A statement posted on the ministry’s website on Wednesday said this is to allow for a "full and fair investigation of the case". The ministry added it has roped in its Prosecutor’s Office following an "internal investigation".

The investigation led to the conclusion that "from the point of view of legal procedures and international regulations, the MFA has neither the competences nor the means to identify the author, the cause and the circumstances of the accident, all such aspects pertaining to penal procedure".

It added the ministry has also provided the Prosecutor’s Office with all the information gathered on the case.

"The MFA is committed to a rapid clarification of, and gives its entire support to, solving this case, keeping a permanent contact with the Romanian Prosecutor’s Office and the authorities of Singapore," the statement said.

Both Romania and Singapore are parties of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.

The Convention states that "a diplomatic agent shall enjoy immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving state... the immunity of a diplomatic agent from the jurisdiction of the receiving state does not exempt him from the jurisdiction of the sending state".

This means the penal investigation of a case in which a diplomat is involved in the receiving state, takes place in the state where he holds citizenship.

On December 15, a car belonging to the Romanian embassy in Singapore — a black Audi A6 — hit three pedestrians at about 3.10am.

One victim, 30—year—old Tong Kok Wai, suffered brain damage and died on Christmas Day. The other two suffered injuries.

Dr Ionescu, who is currently in Romania, had reported to the police that his vehicle was stolen.

-CNA/so

[kueytoc]

Indian national gets 17 years, 12 strokes of cane for killing prostitute

Channel NewsAsia - Friday, January 15

SINGAPORE: An Indian national was sentenced to 17 years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane for killing a prostitute.

Madhuri Jaya Chandra Reddy had strangled a pregnant prostitute in September last year, took her possessions, hid her body under a bed and took another prostitute to the same bed for a round of sex.

His mitigation plea on Wednesday failed to mention or explain his post—killing actions.

Instead, Reddy claimed that the victim, a 21—year—old Sri Lanka national, had "guided and lured" him into procuring her for sex over the phone.

The pair met and checked into Diamond Hotel at Geylang.

Mr Low Cheong Yeow, Reddy’s lawyer, argued the 21—year—old accused was "neither the initiator nor aggressor" in the altercation, which aroused over a dispute involving another round of sex.

Reddy claimed that the victim had attempted to assault him by moving towards him with a clenched fist.

But Deputy Public Prosecutor Gillian Koh—Tan argued that Reddy had overreacted and had other recourse when compared to the "defenceless woman" who was in the seventh month of her pregnancy.

Reddy, who pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, claimed he was unaware the woman was pregnant.

Judicial Commissioner Chong agreed with the prosecution that Reddy’s cold blooded and callous actions were aggravating factors.

Not only did Reddy misappropriate the victim’s items, the judge noted he brought another prostitute to the same room for another round of sexual intercourse.

Judicial Commissioner Ching said this showed an utter lack of remorse.

He also noted the killing was "clearly far disproportionate" to the threat Reddy faced and that the accused was fully conscious of his actions.

Reddy could have been sentenced to a maximum of life imprisonment.

TODAY/938LIVE/vm

[kueytoc]

Rise of STIs "especially alarming", says Health Minister

Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, January 14

SINGAPORE: Since 2000, the rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among those under age 20 has been "especially alarming", in the words of Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan — doubling from 61 cases per 100,000 in that age group, to 133 in 2008.

Among those in their 20s and 30s, the rate jumped by two—thirds from 270 to 451 per 100,000.

Giving a written reply to MP Ellen Lee’s request for an update, Mr Khaw said that notifications of STIs other than HIV in the past three years have grown from about 11,000 in 2006 to 12,300 in 2008.

Singapore citizens accounted for about 62 per cent of the cases.

And 7 in 10 cases involved young adults: Among those under age 20, two—thirds were female, while the opposite was true for those over 20.

Mr Khaw said that his ministry has worked with several organisations on programmes to address the rising trend of STIs among youths.

For instance, the topic is on schools’ science syllabus and sexual education is mandatory.

The three main STIs are gonorrhoea, non—gonococcal urethritis and syphilis.

TODAY/sc