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Police: Man robs GameStop during Black Friday sale

HOUSTON -- A man accused of robbing a GameStop during a Black Friday door-buster sale in North Houston has been arrested, police said.
The robbery happened around 3 a.m. at the GameStop located in the 5500 block of the North Freeway near Tidwell.
Police said the man took cash from the register and fled, but was later caught.
No injuries were reported. 
08:09 | Category: , , | 0 comments

What the 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' trailer tells us about the galaxy's future
When Lucasfilm announced it was killing theStar Wars Expanded Universe, I was heartbroken. The galaxy George Lucas had dreamed up took form in the original movies, but it was populated and fully realized by the authors, artists, and video game developers that helped build Star Wars' back stories. Now, like a blaster taken to my childhood memories, that Expanded Universe was gone. I thought the damage would be permanent.
But I've just seen the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. I've seen it, and I want to go back to the galaxy far, far away right now. I don't mind that Luke won't ever meet Mara, I don't mind that the Yuuzhan Vong are scrubbed from existence. I don't even care that this is now a universe that will potentially never feature cybernetically advanced Ewok pilot Lieutenant Kettch. The trailer shows that the new movie still has the symbols of the soul ofStar Wars — X-Wings and TIE fighters and the Millennium Falcon thrown into frenetic aerial dog fights.
With The Force Awakens, Star Wars has something new for a galaxy that was all but mapped out across 35 years of filler material — it has mystery again.
Warning: I'll be talking at length about the Expanded Universe lore and various film rumors, which might be considered spoilers.

A new hope

Who is John Boyega's unnamed character, springing from out of shot at the beginning of the 88-second teaser, and why is he wearing stormtrooper armor? Is he an Imperial deserter? Or has he pulled a Han Solo and borrowed a set of the iconic white coverings to pass as a member of the military? Script leaks have suggested the former, but that raises the question of his birth. Republic troops in Star Wars Episodes II and III were clones, fighting in the titular clone wars, but old Ben Kenobi's reference to the conflict in Episode IV suggests that practice has changed, and new troopers are recruited from the populace. In the Expanded Universe, many of these recruits were trained on the high-gravity world of Carida, a planet destroyed some 11 years after the battle of Yavin by moody teenage jedi Kyp Durron. If Boyega's character is one of these recruits, how did he end up on this desert planet that's probably Tatooine? Are the troopers in the shuttle shown in the next shot chasing him?
But more importantly, how do stormtroopers still exist? The end of Return of the Jedishows — in addition to the bangingest Ewok dance party Endor's ever seen — a montage of celebratory shots signaling the apparent end of the Empire. After the emperor's death at the robot hands of angry daddy Darth Vader, are stormtroopers still Imperialstormtroopers? Have they been co-opted into a new government's military structure? If so, why did they not change their super-evil hats? You'd think those would be the first things to go with a regime change. Perhaps some remnant of the Empire clings on, and that the Rebel Alliance's victory in the Endor system was not as absolute as Wicket W. Warrick's wild gyrations would have had us believe.
This question is compounded by the Rebel logo still plastered on the X-Wing pilots' helmets. This could show that the Rebel Alliance is still a concern some 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, with battles to fight that require the deployment of starfighters — starfighters, it should be noted, that are three decades old. In the Expanded Universe, X-Wing manufacturer Incom planned to replace the venerable snubfighter with a new, more nimble E-Wing some six years after Endor. Why is the organization that unseated the Empire flying around in aging tin cans? And why can't its pilots afford new helmets?

A clumsy weapon

The 30-year gap between Episode VI and VII has at least advanced droid tech to the point that the newest astromech droids can roll around like cute little soccer balls (I'm placing a 10 dollar bet now that someone kicks one and it squawks like R2-D2), but the landspeeder shown some 38 seconds into the teaser looks decidedly low-tech. The speeder, driven byThe Force Awakens star Daisy Ridley, looks closer in appearance to a GNK "Gonk" power droid than Luke's sleek X-34 model. According to rumors reported by SlashFilm, Ridley's playing a Skywalker-esque figure called Kira, trapped on a desert planet and yearning for excitement and adventure.
As for the gravelly voiceover that scores both Boyega and Ridley's travels: I think it's a safe bet that the owner is a Sith. Star Wars has conflicting ideas about the Sith — sometimes there can only be two at a time, sometimes entire communities of self-identified Sith wielding dark force powers, sometimes the word is used to refer to a race of red-faced humanoids that influenced the development of the dark side. But they share one characteristic: all Sith are considered to be Star Wars' de facto baddies: corrupting and evil influences that the good guys need to redeem, or if that fails, kill.That's presumably a Sith wielding a distinctive (and already much-mocked) lightsaber. The black robes and red saber color give the game away, but note also the length of the hilt. It's long enough for the wielder to grip with two hands, giving them the powerful swinging style used by noted dark siders Darth Vader and Desann, the dinosaur-ish final boss of Jedi Knight II. Also consider the length of the man carrying it — the long limbs and notable stoop could show that this is actor Adam Driver, tipped to play the movie's main villain. For now, the trailer Sith's motives aren't clear, but if he's anything like every other Sith in (fake) history, he'll either want to kill the movie's heroes or turn them to the dark side.

That leaves the short teaser to close with something more instantly recognizable. As the Millennium Falcon veers into stomach-churning turns to escape from TIE fighters over the surface of the desert planet, look closely at the topside of its hull. The Falcon's round radar dish, knocked off during the escape from the second Death Star, has been replaced by a rectangular model. A little nod to fans, no doubt, by a director who is certainly no stranger to fan service.
But this trailer also shows that Abrams is no stranger to Star Wars. Lucasfilm and Disney might have swept the old history away, sure, but in 88 short seconds, the director has injected excitement back into the void left by its removal. Star Wars is simple in tone, a Saturday matinee about titanic and easily sketched conflicts between light and dark. But it's also about filling out this conflict, fleshing it out with strange planets, weird aliens, and characters caught up in the struggle. After watching this trailer, for the first time since the universe was destroyed, I can't wait to get back to the galaxy far, far away.
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Best Buy Website Back After Crashing For Over An Hour On Black Friday

(CBS SF) — The Best Buy website is back up again after reportedly experiencing technical problems on Black Friday, one of the most busiest shopping days of the year.
Shoppers logging onto the website received this message: “We’re Sorry: BestBuy.com is currently unavailable. Check back soon.”
The website was first reported down at about 7:05 a.m. and was back online about an hour later.
A Best Buy spokesperson told KPIX 5 “a concentrated spike in mobile traffic triggered issues that led us to shut down BestBuy.com in order to take proactive measures to restore full performance.”


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Sardar Ali Takkar to perform at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony
PESHAWAR: 
We may have been cheering about the performance of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan at the Nobel Prize Ceremony but now the Pashto music legend Sardar Ali Takkar has also given us a reason to own the ceremony.
Takkar, who hails from the same province as Malala Yousafzai will be performing Ta Bibi Sheerina Ye on the first day of the ceremony, a song which he made as a tribute to Malala’s bravery after she was attacked by the Taliban.
On the second day, Takkar will perform the famous poem by Ghani Khan, A zama watan, in which Ghani Khan expressed his love for the country.
“This is the moment of pride and honour that a Pakistani and a Pashtun singer will perform at the Nobel Prize award ceremony,” Takkar told The Express Tribune.
“I will be performing Pashto songs for all the Pakistani girls, the language does not matter because the message is to get well educated and be a part of a larger movement towards peace,” said Takkar.
Takkar is one of the most popular names of Pashto music who is particularly known for converting many of Ghani Khan’s melodies into soothing musical compositions.
In the late 2000’s, he was amongst the likes of Harron Bacha, musicians who had to flee their country after receiving death threats from the Taliban.   These days Takkar is based in Washington DC and works as a music producer for Voice of America Radio Deewa.
The music composition of both songs he would performed there were also made by Takkar himself in his studio, he has made for himself in the USA.
Takkar had initially made Ta Bibi Sheerina Ye for a show of the same name that aired on Voice of America Radio Deewa . Initially the show was about Malala and her heroics but the later on both the show and the song became so popular that they shifted the focus of the show on girls’ education in general.
“Initially the song was only the title track of the show but later due to its universal message of spreading awareness about the importance of education, it became the song of every girl out there,” Behroz Khan, the lyricist of the song and producer of the show, told The Express Tribune.
Takkar has been allotted five minutes each on the two-day-long event and he is equally excited about performing both of the songs.
A zama watana is a famous poem by Ghani Khan which has sung by many popular singers like the legendary Gulzar Alam, Bakhtiar Khattak and relatively new faces like Humayun Khan. A Zama Watana so popular amongst the Pashtun population that many even consider it the anthem of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Both songs have been composed by Takkar.
“The song has been selected after consultation with the Nobel Peace Prize commetie,” Behroz told The Express Tribune.  “The song has been written for Malala, a girl who truly is the voice of all the Pashun women around the world and I am more excited to watch her receive the award rather than the performance itself”.
Takkar is equally overwhelmed by Malala’s achievement and considers it a moment of so much pride and honour that can’t be expressed in words.
“I am short of words, all I can is that he all the Pashtuns around the world are proud of her achievement,” said Takkar.
Translation of Ta Bibi Sheerina
Fulfilling the capacity of mother, wife, sister and daughter, you incarnate love by all,
O Pakhtun sweetheart, learning is your right.
You are the real Bibi Shirin
Allow her to learn and she will help your country thrive.
She will raze down the idols of ignorance
She is the origin of life and she is the sign of grace and respect
You can bring prosperity and peace, if your strengths are utilised
You are a burden only in the snare of others grip
Do not consider yourself inferior, you are second to none,
Your wisdom and physical strength is unrivalled,
Your pride is your reason and hard work
You may be heartbroken, but your aspirations speak of strong determination
You are the real Bibi Shirin.

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Jurassic World: watch the first full trailer


The trailer for the fourth Jurassic Park film, starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, has arrived three days early
After a decade of delays, the first trailer for Jurassic World has arrived three days early. A teaser trailer released for the film on Sunday explained that the official first trailer for Jurassic World would appear on Friday.
However, the first full trailer for the film has bucked its years of disastrous development by dropping three days early.
The sequel takes place 22 years after the events of the first Jurassic Park film, which was released in 1993. A dinosaur safari park, Jurassic World, has been built out of the ruins of the original Jurassic Park on Isla Nublar.
As the trailer shows, this Jurassic World includes opportunities to paddle down the river as giant herbivores graze and join the Mosasaurus - an enormous prehistoric crocodile - eat dead sharks in a situation reminiscent of Seaworld's Shamu enclosure. This was expected by eagle-eyed Jurassic Park fans after a Jurassic World brochure appeared online in July.
But then the genetically modified hybrids arrive: they're laying new dinosaurs. As Chris Pratt's character, Owen, says: "it's probably not a good idea."
The new dinosaur that was "cooked up in that lab" is capable of climbing 40 foot walls, is highly intelligent and out to kill anything that moves...
Written and directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film will star Guardians of the Galaxy star Pratt and The Help actress Bryce Dallas Howard.
Steven Spielberg, who directed the first two Jurassic Park films and acted as executive producer on the third, will executive produce this sequel too.
Jurassic World will be released on June 12 2015.

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Jurassic World: everything you need to know

It’s less than a year away
Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer
The official release date for Jurassic World is June 12 2015 – a spot that suggests the filmmakers are confident the movie will hold its place as one of next summer’s must-see blockbusters. June 12 is also a month and a half after Avengers: Age of Ultron opens, a month after Mad Max: Fury Road, and a good two weeks before Terminator: Genisys, ensuring that Universal’s dinosaurs won’t be facing too much competition during their opening week.
22 years on, Isla Nublar has an up and running theme park

Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer
The official plot summary for the film reads as follows:
“22 years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. This new park is owned by the Patel Corporation. Owen, a member of Jurassic World’s on-site staff, conducts behavioural research on the Velociraptors. After many years, Jurassic World’s attendance rates begin to decline and a new attraction, created to re-spark visitor interest, gravely backfires.”
The trailer makes it clear that the “new attraction” is some form of hybrid dinosaur, created by splicing the genes of two or more species (we’re pretty sure they won’t be friendly, herbivore types). Judging by the trailer’s shots of panicked, running crowds, it also seems evident that the hybrid dinos will escape during peak season, when the park is packed with tourists. Ever played the “Dinosaur Digs” version of Zoo Tycoon and accidentally-on-purpose set the T-Rex loose? Picture that, but with better graphics and louder screaming.
Star Lord is the Star

Chris Pratt in Jurassic World (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)
Guardians of the Galaxy star Pratt plays Oweb, the park’s Velociraptor handler. Judging by the trailer, he’s a practical, everyman type. Bryce Dallas Howard plays a scientist named Claire, who appears to be part of the team involved in creating the dinosaur hybrids: expect the “don’t mess with nature” message of the first film to be reinforced loud and clear.

Bryce Dallas Howard in Jurassic World (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)
Nick Robinson stars as Zach, Claire’s teenage nephew, while Ty Simpkins plays his younger brother Gray, ensuring that Jurassic World will fulfil irs “kids in danger of being eaten” quota. Meanwhile, Irrfan Khan plays Simon Masrani, head of the Patel corporation, and owner of Jurassic World.
Hammond will get his own statue
Back in August, Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow posted the below photo from the Jurassic World set. The Hammond statue will link the film with its predecessors, and provide a nice tribute to the late Richard Attenborough, the actor who played Jurassic Park founder John Hammond in the original Steven Spielberg film.

Picture: Colin Trevorrow, via Twitter
There will be Raptors
The fact that Owen “conducts behavioural research on the Velociraptors” suggests that the theropods, portrayed in the Jurassic Park films as fearsomely intelligent pack hunters, may be an integral part of the Jurassic World plot. Could the hybrid dinosaur referred to in the trailer contain Velociraptor DNA?
Along with lots of other lovely dinosaurs (plus an aquatic reptile)

The Mosasaurus (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)
The first full trailer for the film, released on November 25, features a number of dinosaurs, including Stegosaurus, a herd of benign sauropods (very probably Apatosaurus), a valley filled with running dinosaurs (most likely Gallimimus) and a scene in which a large, crocodile-like aquatic reptile leaps out of a pool and devours a shark – both a rather grim Sea World parody, and a cheeky nod to Spielberg’s Jaws.
Judging by a partial list of the park’s dinosaurs that leaked back in July, the aquatic reptile is most likely as Mosasaurus (not strictly a dinosaur, although also from the Mesozoic era).

Apatosaurus(?) and Stegosaurus (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)
The full list of “leaked” dinosaurs is below. (Warning – potential spoilers)
Ankylosaurus
Apatosaurus
Baryonyx
Dimorphodon – not strictly a dinosaur but a type of pterosaur (a flying reptile)
Edmontosaurus
Gallimimus
Metriacanthosaurus
Microceratus
Mosasaurus – an aquatic reptile
Pachycephalosaurus
Pteranodon – not strictly a dinosaur, but a type of pterosaur
Stegosaurus
Suchomimus
Triceratops
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Scientists will have issues with it
As with the earlier films – which supersized the Velociraptors, and changed the shape of the T-Rex’s teeth – there appear to be several flaws with the depiction of the dinosaurs and Mosasaur in the Jurassic World trailer. Frustrated enthusiasts have already taken to Twitter to voice their annoyance.
09:13 | Category: , , , , | 0 comments

Call to normalize trade ties between Pakistan, India

ISLAMABAD: Dr Vaqar Ahmed, the Deputy Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, has stressed the need for normalizing trade relations between Pakistan and India to benefit both the local manufacturers and consumers besides technology transfer and greater export surplus.
He was speaking at a two-day regional consultation on `Deepening Economic Cooperation in South Asia: Expectations from the 18th SAARC Summit' organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) in cooperation with SDPI in Kathmandu.
The programme was organized as a side-event to the 18th SAARC Summit to provide useful recommendations to deepen economic cooperation in South Asia.
"The Government of Pakistan must take a lead in expediting SAARC-level pending agreements on transport, energy, connectivity and dispute resolution," Dr Vaqar said, adding that the current free trade agreements in the region should be revised to include investment and technology clauses. He suggested that trade and investment barriers can be addressed only by increasing people to people interaction and moving towards a more open visa regime.
Earlier, In his inaugural remarks, Nepalese Foreign Affairs Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said that South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has long dreamed of deeper regional cooperation for economic growth and prosperity, and has undertaken initiatives to facilitate trade and investment, and improve regional connectivity. However, financial and investment-related constraints largely affect the efficient implementation of trade and transport facilitation measures.
He expressed the hope that SAARC would undertake necessary steps to promote intra-regional investments and attract foreign direct investments (FDIs).
Expressing dissatisfaction over most of the countries' failure in implementing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the region, he emphasized that the SAARC Development Goals should be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals in line with the post-2015 development agenda.
Further, he highlighted the necessity to take mitigation and adaptive measures to address the threat of climate change, which is going to impact, among others, food security of the region. Strengthening of regional cooperation on this front is essential, he added. He expressed hope that the 18th SAARC Summit would be able to send across a strong message that SAARC leaders are ready to revitalize and implement all past initiatives undertaken by SAARC to deepen regional integration.
Adil Khattak, CEO of Attock Oil Refineries, said as to how regional supply chains in energy sector could alleviate the various forms of power and gas deficits in Pakistan and South Asia. He said Pakistan had significant potential of trade in energy and petroleum products with South Asian countries, which should not go wasted due to the slow cooperation in SAARC region.
Former President of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries Zubair Ahmed provided an account of the barriers faced by the business community when conducting trade within South Asia, and stressed the need to go beyond trade in goods and also look at how to exploit the untapped potential of the services sector.
He called upon the Government of Pakistan to grant MFN status to India.
SAWTEE Executive Chairman Dr Posh Raj Pandey said that despite the existence of SAARC, progress in deepening regional integration has been frustratingly slow and gains have only been modest. "What is needed to move SAARC forward is political will and sincere commitments at the highest level," he suggested.
He further said that informal trade in the region being substantially higher than formal trade is testimony of policy-induced trade barriers, which need to be overcome to make SAARC a truly economically integrated region.
More than 60 participants, including researchers, policy makers, private sector representatives and media, among others, from different South Asian countries participated in the regional consultation.
They deliberated on issues such as trade and transport facilitation, and transit; non- tariff barriers; trade, gender and technology transfer; India-Pakistan trade relations; intra- regional investment cooperation; and regional cooperation for energy security.


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IBSF World Championship: ‘Countries still reluctant to come to Pakistan’

KARACHI: Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association’s (PBSA) Alamgir Sheikh has said that European countries are reluctant to travel to Pakistan for next year’s World Championship.
PBSA is expected to host the championship, which includes 6-Red, ladies event, team championship, in August 2015 and Sheikh said that the association is working on getting rid of the feeling of fear among the delegates.
Sheikh is currently in India for the ongoing IBSF World Championship and is expecting a positive outcome after the executive meeting of snooker’s world body.
“My main purpose for traveling to India is to try and get the finalised dates for the World Championships,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune. “The month of August is final so the dates are the only issue. In addition, there are some reservations among the European countries regarding traveling to Pakistan next year as per their travel advisory. However, I’ve spoken on a one-to-one basis with various delegates as we want to host a successful and secure championship.”
The official hoped that this issue will be settled after IBSF’s executive body meeting.

Hamza moves into last-64
Hamza Akbar bagged his fourth victory in Group C after edging Scotland’s Michael Collumb 4-3, which sealed his progress into the last-64 phase.
The 21-year-old won with a scoreline of 25-61, 85-14, 81-42, 20-94(90), 60-46, 52-60 and 76-05(56).
Meanwhile, Muhammad Sajjad, who is already through to the knockout stages, beat Sweden’s Farhan Mirza in straight frames, conceding only 24 points across the four frames.
Sajjad, who was a losing semifinalists in last year’s world championship, triumphed by 67-07, 57-01, 66-09 and 50-07.
On the other hand, Muhammad Asif Toba also closed in on qualifying for the next stage after beating Iran’s Soheil Vahedi 4-1 with scores of 35-78(70), 66-56, 67-17, 54-13 and 67-60.
“Asif Toba was brilliant in a tough match against Vahedi and has played well so far,” said Sheikh. “But as far as Sajjad and Hamza are concerned, I believe they are yet to play to their best and hopefully they will improve their play as the event progresses.”


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Pakistan-India nuclear arms race unabated

WASHINGTON - Nuclear and missile arms race between India and Pakistan is showing no sign of abating even though atomic arsenals are shrinking in the rest of the world, a New American think-tank report
“Although both States claim to seek only a credible minimum deterrent, regional dynamics have driven them to pursue a range of nuclear and missile capabilities.” according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) report, entitled “Strategic Stability in the Second Nuclear Age”. 
“While Pakistan is focused predominantly on the threat posed by India, it is reportedly also concerned by the potential for the United States to launch a military operation to seize or disarm Pakistani nuclear weapons,” the report says. 
“This concern is based in part on reported contingency planning by the US military to prevent Pakistani nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists. Pakistan’s sensitivity to such a disarming operation was heightened by the 2011 Abbottabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden because it revealed Pakistani vulnerabilities and highlighted the willingness of the United States to take unilateral military action on Pakistani soil,” CFR said
 It says the “size and composition of Pakistan’s nuclear forces appear increasingly dictated by India’s growing conventional military capabilities.” 
The report’s author Gregory Koblentz said India and Pakistan face more security challenges among nuclear powers due to a variety of factors including the decades-old Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which has existential implications for both South Asian nations. 
“India and Pakistan face more severe security challenges than those of the other nuclear weapon states due to their history of high-intensity and low-intensity conflicts, higher levels of domestic instability, geographic proximity, the dispute over Kashmir that has existential implications for both countries, and the history of cross-border terrorism.”
“The next crisis between India and Pakistan could be sparked by a cross-border military incursion, a mass-casualty terrorist attack or a high-profile assassination.
Koblentz also notes that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who entered office in May 2014, has pledged to review India’s nuclear doctrine. Since its first nuclear test in 1974, India has publicly adhered to a no-first-use policy.  
According to its 2003 nuclear doctrine, India seeks a “credible minimum deterrent” to deter nuclear attacks on its territory and armed forces and vows that its response to a first strike would be “massive and designed to inflict unacceptable damage.” 
In addition, this doctrine qualified India’s NFU policy to allow for the use of nuclear weapons in response to a major chemical or biological attack.
At the same time, CFR said Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear weapons programme in the world and by 2020 it could have enough fissile material to produce more than 200 nuclear devices.
“Though many states are downsising their stockpiles, Asia is witnessing a buildup. Pakistan has the fastest-growing nuclear programme in the world. By 2020, it could have a stockpile of fissile material that, if weaponised, could produce as many as 200 nuclear devices.
The report has identified South Asia as the region “most at risk of a breakdown in strategic stability due to an explosive mixture of unresolved territorial disputes, cross-border terrorism, and growing nuclear arsenals.”
Pakistan, the report said, has deployed or is developing 11 delivery systems for its nuclear warheads, including aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
“Pakistan has not formally declared the conditions under which it would use nuclear weapons but has indicated that it seeks primarily to deter India from threatening its territorial integrity or the ability of its military to defend its territory,” the report said.
CFR said India is estimated to possess enough fissile material for between 90 and 110 nuclear weapons and is expanding its fissile material production capacity.
China, it said, is estimated to have 250 nuclear weapons for delivery by a mix of medium, intermediate, and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles and bombers.
The growth of nuclear and missile capabilities on the subcontinent since 1998 has increased the risk that such a crisis could escalate in unforeseen and dangerous ways,” the report said.
Since the conventional military imbalance between India and Pakistan is expected to grow thanks to India’s larger economy and higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, Pakistan’s reliance on nuclear weapons to compensate for its conventional inferiority will likely be an enduring feature of the nuclear balance in South Asia, it said.
Another American think-tank report suggested that the US and Europe should work more closely to make Pakistan’s nuclear weapons a greater international priority as their proliferation pose a major risk to global security. 
“The United States and Europe should work more closely together to make Pakistan’s nuclear development? specifically, its development of tactical nuclear weapons? a greater international priority,” says the report, ‘A Transatlantic Pakistan Policy’.
“The proliferation of these weapons presents a significant risk to international security simply by the increased possibility of their loss, theft, sale, sabotage, or accidental use,” says the report — a collaboration between German Marshall Fund and Swedish Defence Research Agency(FOI).
The report, to be released, has been authored by Dhruva Jaishankar, Andrew Small and Daniel Twining from German Marshall Fund, US, and John Rydqvist at FOI.
It provides recommendations to US and European officials to improve cooperation on policy towards Pakistan.
The report suggests the US and Europe need to clearly divide labour on counterterrorism issues, including a clear role for the EU.
A better understanding of the implications of Pakistan’s continued support for militant proxies is needed, as well as efforts to deepen Afghan-Pak cooperation.
The transatlantic partners, additionally, can help to increase civilian role in law-enforcement in Pakistan through training programmes and development assistance, which should be directed to resource-starved police, rather than military.On civil-military relations and governance, the report notes that the US and Europe can focus their efforts on specific governance issues - such as energy and education.
“Western support could involve initiatives to empower Parliamentary standing committees and the judiciary. Better efforts can be made to shape popular narratives by supporting and educating members of the media and reforming school curricula,” it said.
The report recommends that the Pakistan government should be held accountable for human rights abuses by security forces or State-supported militias against religious and ethnic minorities, women, and other marginalised groups.
The US and Europe — the largest providers of development assistance and export destinations — have a role to play in transforming the Pakistani economy, the report said.
This would involve embracing and cooperating with a new wave of regional infrastructure initiatives and economic institutions, often driven by Gulf States and China, it said.
“The US and Europe can also use their bilateral and multilateral economic leverage to advance efforts at regional integration and connectivity. And they can use the military withdrawal from Afghanistan to reorient the relationship around economics and investment, in order to help Pakistan realise its potential as an emerging market,” the report said.
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SNL’s Obama Shoves The Schoolhouse Rock Bill Down The Capitol Steps
       Finally, the first biting political spoof from Saturday Night Live in a while: the Bill from Schoolhouse Rockexplains to a student how he becomes a law, only to be violently beat up by Barack Obama and his new best friend, “Executive Order.”
Even then, the poor Executive Order still thinks he’s used for simple things, like declaring holidays and creating national parks, until Obama informs him that he’s going to be used to grant amnesty to 5 million undocumented immigrants. His reaction: “Whoa.”



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Mandela Tribute Art Rebuked, Gehry's Latest Design Complete, and More

— Mandela Tribute Art Rebuked: Last Thursday, a giant pair of stainless steel Ray Bans by artist Michael Elion made their debut on Cape Town’s Sea Point promenade. Titled “Perceiving Freedom,” the statue is noted on its plaque as a tribute to Nelson Mandela — because, in the words of the artist, the lenses “symbolize the invisible barriers and prejudices that exist in our perceptions and shape the way we view the world.” This week, however, a slew of critical articles have emerged, decrying the apparent disingenuousness of this “corporate advertising masquerading as public art,” in the words of Daily Maverick reporter Rebecca Hodges. [CityLab, Daily Maverick, Rand Daily Mail]
— Gehry’s Latest Design Complete: The University of Technology Sydney laid down $180 million for a building by Frank Gehry — the architect’s first in Australia — which is now all set to open in February 2015. “As with most Frank-designed buildings, there is a degree of trepidation when one goes into these projects as to how they can be built,” said UTS deputy vice-chancellor Patrick Woods, likely referring to the intermittently rippling facade rendered in five types of custom-designed brick, 320,000 of which were laid by hand. [Guardian, Vogue]
— Palestine Biennial Opens: Palestine’s biennial festival, Qalandiya International, went up as planned, despite the military activity in the region. “It is a celebration of continuity, of life, of steadfastness and, if I may, resistance. There was no doubt we should go on,” said Jack Persekian, director of the Palestinian Museum. Still, the festivities were not immune to intermittent intervention by plainclothes police: “Sometimes art is more political than politics itself. In a way it became part of the show,” explained Palestinian artist and organizer Khaled Hourani. [NYT]
— Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize Awarded: Britain’s National Portrait Gallery has recognized photographer David Titlow with the £12,000 Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize for an image of his infant son among friends at a midsummer party in Sweden: “Everyone was a bit hazy from the previous day’s excess. My girlfriend passed our son to the subdued revelers on the sofa — the composition and back light was so perfect I had to capture the moment,” Titlow said of his winning photograph. [Guardian]
— Meet Chris Marinello, Nazi-Looted Art Expert: One of the lawyers involved in the Gurlitt trove legislation, Marinello has recovered approximately $350 million of stolen art in his 20-year career. [Vocativ]
— 650 Museums, 17 Years, One Book: A new volume by Guido Guerzoni, project manager on the M9 museum currently under construction in Venice, breaks down the pertinent statistics of the 650-plus institutions that have opened worldwide in the past 17 years — e.g., 76 percent of designers were chosen by some sort of competition. [TAN]
— Here’s a peek at 29 works to look forward to in upcoming auctions at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips. [ARTnews]
— The San Francisco theater scene hosted its first local award ceremony with the Theatre Bay Area Awards. [SF Chronicle]
— Inspired by Sicilian nun Sister Cristina Scuccia, who recently recorded a cover of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” the BBC compiled this list of “rebel nuns” — including ’60s Pop artist Sister Corita Kent. [BBC]


09:10 | Category: , , , , | 0 comments

The Science of a Sexy Face: Why Chris Hemsworth Is People's 'Sexiest Man Alive'

Even though we’ve mentally evolved past falling for the hunkiest caveman in the tribe, it turns out that part of our brain hasn't. (Photo courtesy of People).

Given the fact that he is a Norse god, it’s no surprise that Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, best known for his role asThor, has been named People magazine’s 2014 “Sexiest Man Alive” (sorry, Adam Levine—it was a good run).

Even if Hemsworth isn’t your cup of tea, it’s hard to deny that he is traditionally handsome. The facial features of Hemsworth and other celebs like him—think Daniel Craigand David Beckham—possess the smoldering masculine attributes that humans have evolved to find attractive and sexy.

“It’s that rugged handsomeness,” social and consumer psychologist Debbie Then, PhD., told Yahoo Health. “They’re men’s men, and they’re strong—there’s that protection factor.”

The most attractive characteristics of Hemsworth’s face and how humans subconsciously read them.(Photo by Getty Images)
But beyond that, masculine facial features like Hemsworth’s—the chiseled jaw, broad chin, and prominent brow bone—are classic hallmarks of testosterone. These features are designed to push certain evolutionary buttons, subconsciously advertising virility and good health.

In other words, Hemsworth would likely make a solid mate choice—or at least be perfect for a short-term fling (though he’s already spoken for).
Several studies have shown that, in general, women are more attracted to masculine men during ovulation, when they’re at their most fertile. It makes sense because these particular men would have been smart choices for our female ancestors, potentially improving an offspring’s chances of survival.
Even though we’ve mentally evolved past falling for the hunkiest caveman in the tribe, it turns out that part of our brain hasn’t. Women still scan men’s facial traits because they help reveal information about the men’s testosterone levels and even how strong their immune systems are — crucial information to know about a mate, especially before modern medicine.
Related: The Astounding Amount of Bacteria Passed in a Kiss
A 2011 study in the journal Nature Communications had women look at photographs of men and rank them according to attractiveness. The men who were rated the most attractive turned out to have both high levels of testosterone and strong immune systems. The female study participants subconsciously picked up on those evolutionary cues just by looking at a photograph.
Other research has shown that women are drawn to men who, like Hemsworth, possess prominent cheekbones and a strong chin, which are seen as signs of male physical maturity and strength. Hemsworth’s clear, bright eyes and blemish-free skin? Also indicators of mate-worthy good health.
Another factor in Hemsworth’s favor: His face is symmetrical, meaning that if you drew a vertical line down his face, both sides would appear identical—though no one’s face is perfectly symmetrical. Facial symmetry is considered the epitome of beauty, but not just because it’s pleasant to look at—symmetry also indicates healthy development and, you guessed it, good genes.
So for those who do harbor a crush on Hemsworth, now you know why.

09:02 | Category: , , | 0 comments

FIFA Turns Over Report on World Cup Bidding to Swiss
Days after declaring that its investigation into the bidding for soccer’s 2018 and 2022 World Cups had not found any evidence pointing to a corruption of that process, FIFA announced on Tuesday that it was turning over the report from the inquiry to the Swiss authorities because it suspected that its investigators had uncovered criminal activity.
In an interview with FIFA’s website, Hans-Joachim Eckert, the German judge who reviewed the report submitted by the ethics committee’s lead investigator, said he had urged FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter, to file the criminal complaint with Switzerland’s attorney general because, while he had not found enough evidence in the report to call into question the entire bidding process, he had determined that there was “suspected unlawful activity in connection with Switzerland” committed by unidentified people related to the vote.

A FIFA statement said that “in isolated cases, international transfers of assets with connections to Switzerland took place.”
Neither Eckert nor Blatter, who also gave a short interview to FIFA’s website, offered details about what laws might have been broken or how many people were involved. Despite his concerns about criminal activity, Eckert maintained again that “there is insufficient incriminating evidence” to merit a revote or a re-examination of the circumstances that led to the FIFA executive committee’s awarding the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. Eckert added, however, that “there are indications of potential illegal or irregular conduct in certain areas.”
An intriguing byproduct of Blatter’s decision to follow Eckert’s advice and file the criminal complaint is that it will almost surely increase the number of people with access to the lengthy report submitted by the lead investigator, Michael J. Garcia. Garcia, a former United States attorney who leads the investigatory arm of the ethics committee, worked with his deputy to produce a report that ran more than 400 pages and included some 200,000 pages of evidence.
There have been widespread calls from members of the soccer community, including members of FIFA’s governing executive committee, to make the entire report public. Garcia has said repeatedly that he supports releasing his report as long as redactions are made to protect the identities of key witnesses.
Eckert, on the other hand, has been steadfast in his belief that the report cannot be released publicly because of privacy concerns. In spurning calls for the report’s publication, FIFA said that only four people had seen it in full: Garcia and his deputy, who compiled it, as well as Eckert and his deputy, who reviewed it. Blatter, in his interview on Tuesday, restated his claim that he had not read the report.
Blatter, who has been criticized over the years for the closed nature of FIFA’s dealings, said he viewed cooperation with the Swiss authorities as an example of the organization’s desire for transparency.
“If we had anything to hide, we would hardly be taking this matter to the office of the attorney general,” he said.
It should be noted, though, that Blatter also reaffirmed his belief regarding FIFA’s decision to keep the report hidden from public consumption.
“If FIFA were to publish the report, we would be violating our own association law as well as state law,” Blatter said.



03:01 | Category: , , , , | 0 comments