National And World News

Mike Tyson's love for pigeons recalls Brando's fictional boxer

2011-01-24T07:08:00.000-08:00

National And World News

Mike Tyson's love for pigeons recalls Brando's fictional boxer

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National And World News

Mike Tyson's love for pigeons recalls Brando's fictional boxer

Mike Tyson, the self-styled "baddest man on the planet", will emerge soon in a television show as a former boxer with uncanny similarities to the one played by Marlon Brando in 1954.

Tyson's fascination with pigeons, to be featured in a six-part series on the Animal Planet channel, will call to mind Terry Malloy, the character that earned Brando an Oscar in On The Waterfront.

Both found solace in the raising of birds from the rooftops of New Jersey. Like Brando's character, Tyson has long raised pigeons, starting where he grew up in a tough part of Brooklyn, New York. He now keeps his birds at another rooftop coop in New Jersey, next to the gym where he trained for fights.

The man who infamously bit off part of rival Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 fight still spends hours at a time watching his pets, and says they have given him comfort during his turbulent life. He has owned up to 350 of them at a time.

In the show, to be broadcast from March 6, Tyson will describe how he was bullied as a child and would miss school to be with his pigeons.

He threw his first punch at the age of 10 when a bully killed one of his birds.

He said: "The reason for the fight was because the guy ripped the head off my pigeon. This was the first thing I ever loved in my life, the pigeon. I don't know why, I feel ridiculous just trying to explain it. They're so much like people.

"This ain't no hobby, I've been dedicated to pigeons, even when I have been fighting or getting locked up. What I love about the pigeon is their loyalty."

Such is Tyson's interest that, during promotion for the programme, he expounded to journalists about the role of pigeons in delivering news from the Battle of Waterloo onwards. His series, Taking on Tyson, will follow the former boxer as he fulfils a dream to race his pigeons competitively for the first time.

Tyson, the former undisputed world heavyweight champion, got rather further in his fight career than Malloy, a boxer who famously "coulda been a contender" but who was forced under pressure to take a dive.

The new television programme has already faced criticism from animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It says racing pigeons can be "dangerous and traumatic" for the birds.

Tyson, 44, was convicted of rape in 1992 and served three years in prison. He declared bankruptcy in 2003 and retired from professional boxing in 2006. His new show follows a highly successful cameo role in the 2009 comedy movie The Hangover.

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Row over hike in university vice-chancellors' pay

2011-01-22T13:30:00.001-08:00

National And World News

Row over hike in university vice-chancellors' pay

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National And World News

Row over hike in university vice-chancellors' pay

The Pay Packets of Britain’s university heads rocketed by as much as a fifth last year, just as institutions lobbied for a huge hike in student tuition fees, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

More than 950 university staff, including all vice-chancellors, were paid more than the Prime Minister – an eight per cent increase on the year before.

One senior administrator at Oxford was given a salary of almost £600,000, thought to be the highest-paid university post in the country.

Last night, the disclosure prompted claims that universities were showing an “arrogant disregard” for public opinion.

It comes just weeks after ministers backed plans to triple the cap on student tuition fees from just over £3,000 to £9,000 a year, sparking riots in Westminster and prompting fears that some teenagers will be priced out of higher education.

The move also comes despite the biggest cuts to university budgets in a generation.

Higher education institutions have been hit harder than almost every other sector in the drive to cut public spending, with some £573m removed from budgets last March. Institutions have also been told to prepare for further reductions of £3billion by 2015.

Universities defended the rises, saying large pay packets were necessary to allow them to attract the best talent and compete with leading institutions overseas.

But Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, said: “It is disgusting that at a time when vice-chancellors have been pushing for the opportunity to take more money from students they are rewarding themselves with even more inflated salaries.

“It is this kind of arrogant disregard that also sees bankers paying themselves and the Government should be doing more to prevent it.”

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the Universities and Colleges Union, added: “Staff and the general public are tired of the hypocrisy from vice-chancellors and their lack of self-awareness when it comes to pay is insulting.”

The Telegraph analysed recently-published finances for 87 universities.

It emerged that three-quarters of university heads saw pay packages, including salary, pensions and other benefits, increase during the year to August 2010.

Eleven vice-chancellors saw their total pay rise by more than 10 per cent, including the heads of Oxford, Birmingham and Plymouth.

Executive salaries did fall at a handful of institutions, however, including University College London, whose vice-chancellor, Malcolm Grant, took a 10 per cent cut.

The increased pay packets come despite the Government’s call last May for vice-chancellors to apply “restraint to all aspects of pay and bonuses”.

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, told The Daily Telegraph at the time that university leaders needed to show “realism and self-sacrifice” and that their pay bore “no relation to the underlying economics of the country”.

Yet the average pay packet was £254,000, more than five times the average academic salary of almost £47,000.

David Eastwood, the Birmingham vice-chancellor, was paid £392,000 last year, including pension contributions – a rise of 11 per cent on the combined pay of Prof Eastwood and his predecessor the year before.

Last year, the academic sat on an expert panel, alongside Lord Browne, the former BP boss, that recommended a sharp increase in tuition fees.

Of those universities publishing accounts so far, his pay package was larger than any other vice-chancellor.

The university said Prof Eastwood was the head of a “complex and successful organisation” contributing more than £780m to the local region, adding: “His remuneration needs to match his challenging and wide-ranging responsibilities and reflect the social and economic contribution that the university makes locally, nationally and internationally."

Figures show Andrew Hamilton, Oxford’s vice-chancellor, enjoys an annual package worth £382,000 in salary, pensions and other benefits – a 17 per cent rise on his predecessor. He was paid a slightly lower figure last year as he joined two months into the financial year.

The university is budgeting for teaching cuts of £45m a year for the foreseeable future and faces “significant” financial challenges, according to finances published last week.

It said that Prof Hamilton’s pay package was justified because the university topped the league tables last year.

A spokesman for the university said: "Oxford is one of the great universities of the world and makes a major contribution to the economic prosperity of the UK and the UK’s position in the world, as well as to tackling global challenges through its research.

“It must remain globally competitive and its vice-chancellor’s remuneration needs to reflect that.

“It is not, however, the highest vice-chancellor remuneration in the UK, despite the fact that according to every national league table in 2010, Oxford was the number one university in the country.”

Oxford also employs the country’s highest-paid university administrator.

Sandra Robertson, its endowment manager, was paid £580,000 to £590,000 last year. A spokeswoman pointed out that she is paid by a wholly-owned subsidiary company not directly by the university and that the returns on the fund she invests easily cover her salary.

The biggest salary increase was at Plymouth, which had to cut 220 staff in autumn 2008 in a bid to reduce overspending.

Its vice-chancellor, Wendy Purcell, was awarded a 20 per cent raise less than a year later, and is now paid £283,000.

The university said that Prof Purcell’s salary rose because it performed well financially and developed both its teaching and research activities.

Patricia Broadfoot, who took early retirement as vice-chancellor of Gloucestershire University last year, was given a £265,000 payoff on top of her £229,000 overall remuneration.

A spokeswoman said only that these payments were “in accordance with her contractual rights”.

The top five vice-chancellors’ raises

1. Wendy Purcell, Plymouth – 20% (£283,504)

2. Chris Jenks, Brunel – 18% (£280,000)

3. Andrew Hamilton, Oxford – 17% (£382,000)

4. Shirley Pearce, Loughborough – 15% (£275,365)

5. Noel Lloyd, Aberystwyth – 13% (£208,000)

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Related : Row over hike in university vice-chancellors' pay By Tom Rowley and Graeme Paton, National And World News

Children given 'chemical cosh' drugs for shyness

2011-01-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

National And World News

Children given 'chemical cosh' drugs for shyness

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Children given 'chemical cosh' drugs for shyness

Children are being prescribed mind-altering “chemical cosh” drugs for conditions such as shyness and mild social anxiety, behaviour experts have warned.

Young people are routinely being given medication to treat normal childhood conditions, it was claimed, despite fears over their long-term health.

The disclosure came as it emerged that the number of eight- to 13-year-olds on drugs such as Ritalin has soared seven-fold since 1997.

In many cases, pupils are being put on medication in an attempt to manage serious behaviour problems.

But Dave Traxson, a senior educational psychologist who works in schools in the West Midlands, warned that children were increasingly prescribed drugs for “normal” conditions.

“I feel very strongly that the time is right to challenge the growing practice of medicating our children for displaying behaviours and thought processes that until recently would have fallen within the normal range,” he said.

“In my region, there has been a huge growth of children being diagnosed with bipolar disorders, and a growth in the numbers given strong drugs.

“Doctors seem to be trying to shift more and more children into clinical treatment and this is very dangerous.”

Speaking to the Times Educational Supplement, Mr Traxson there was growing use of drugs to treat conditions such as shyness.

According to latest figures from the NHS, some 650,000 children aged eight to 13 are now on drugs such as Ritalin, which is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It represents a seven-fold increase on the 92,700 pupils put on drugs in 1997 and it compared with just 9,000 children given prescriptions in 1990.

But Mr Traxson claimed that medication was only helpful in around one-in-five cases.

He called for a urgent review into the use of drugs to treat medical condition.

Speaking after a British Psychological Society conference, he said teachers were often not consulted before doctors prescribed drugs.

The Government accused Labour of failing to promote alternatives to medication, which often contains amphetamines.

Paul Burstow, the Care Services Minister, said: “Medication has an important role to play in tackling mental health problems, but the last Labour government took far too long to make psychological therapies available, which are more effective than medication.”

Lucie Russell, director of campaigns at YoungMinds, the mental health charity, said: “Despite guidelines which say prescription drugs should not be the first line of treatment and should only be rarely used, we see a lot of children being given them because they have difficulty accessing therapeutic talking services.”

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Digital music revenue growth falls to lowest level in 2010

2011-01-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

National And World News

Digital music revenue growth falls to lowest level in 2010

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Digital music revenue growth falls to lowest level in 2010

The growth of the Digital Music market has fallen to its lowest level, with download revenues only rising by six per cent during 2010, despite in excess of 400 global online licensed services, according to a report.

The IFPI’s annual digital music report has revealed that digital music revenues only increased by six per cent during 2010, compared to a growth of nine per cent in 2009 and 30 per cent in 2008.

Thomas Hesse, president of Global Digital Business for Sony Music, said that the growth drop was a sign of the digital music market and its most popular services, such as iTunes, “maturing”, but was also a reflection of the negative effects of digital piracy continuing to pose huge challenges to the industry.

The report said that global digital music revenues, which came in at $4.6 billion, accounted for 29 per cent of the record labels’ total trade revenues during 2010, which were overall down by nine per cent on the year, due to the decline of physical CD sales and internet piracy.

The report warned that unless governments around the world took legal action to prevent people from persistently using illegal downloading services, such as Limewire, it would result in major job losses across the industry.

The Digital Economy Act’s anti-piracy measures, which will see repeat offenders’ internet connections temporarily suspended after a series of warning letters, has yet to come into action as it goes through its necessary review procedures.

Max Hole, Universal Music Group International’s chief operating officer, said: “The ISPs [Internet Service Providers] have been getting fat while the creative industries have been suffering at the hands of piracy services…There has to be a partnership between the Government, ISPs and all of the creative industries for us to make progress… but I am hopeful as the ball has finally started rolling in the right direction.”

Despite the record labels’ insistence that one of the best ways to crack down on digital music piracy is to offer compelling legal digital services, ISPs have struggled to sign licensing deals with the labels to offer such services. Sky Songs, a monthly streaming service, shut down at the end of last year, after only 12 months of existence, due to lack of customer uptake. While Universal, some three years on, is the only major label having signed up to Virgin Media’s Unlimited monthly subscription service, leading to Virgin having talks with Spotify about a joint partnership in the meantime.

Hesse said: “We have signed many partnerships around the world with ISPs and are hopeful we can do the same in the UK. But the service has to be right and that is difficult to achieve…it’s not just a matter of licensing, it’s also a matter of execution and getting great services out there.”

The IFPI report stressed that government anti piracy measures already in place in South Korea, France and Ireland, were having the desired effect on reducing piracy levels. In South Korea, the government has already suspended 11 repeat illegal donwloaders’ internet connections as deterrent measure.

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LeBron James plans animated series aimed at kids

2011-01-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

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LeBron James plans animated series aimed at kids

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LeBron James plans animated series aimed at kids

LeBron James is going back to cartoons.

The NBA’s two-time reigning MVP and Spring Hill Productions formally announced plans Tuesday for a 10-episode digital series to be distributed online and slated to launch early this year.

The idea for the show is based somewhat on a recent series of Nike television commercials that showed James, a forward for the Miami Heat, as several different animated characters.

In a statement, James says the show "is a great way to show youths of all ages how to be a good person."

Episodes will be hosted on YouTube.

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Oprah's favorite things 2010

2010-11-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

Oprah's favorite things 2010

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Oprah's favorite things 2010

Oprah's favorite things 2010 Parts 1

Here are some of Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things 2010

1, A weight loss book - A Course in Wight Loss written by New York Times best-selling author Marianne Williamson. It costs $24.95.

Comment: An alternative weight loss approach is eating a plant-based diet for sustainable weight loss. Three things you need to know. First you need to eat enough to please your appetite, second, you should not eat more than you need and third, eat a nutritionally balanced diet. The balance can be found in a plant-diet full of grain products and vegetables, according to Dr. Colin T. Campbell, a Cornell University nutrition
professor.

2, Andre Walker Hair Care Products. One of Oprah's favorite things 2010 is a gift set including keratin shampoo, keratin conditioner, shine-enhancing Q-oil and root-covering hair makeup. It costs you $65.

Comment: Readers should check and see if there is unfriendly ingredients like titanium oxide, chemicals whose names end with eth, artificial colors etc. Those who do not like to use animal derivatives should know that keratin comes more than likely from animals.

3, Baker's Edge Baking Pans and Ghirardelli Brownie Mix, including Baker's Edge Brownie Pan, which costs $35.95, Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix, which costs $4.50, Baker's Edge Lasagna Pan, which costs $49.95.

Comment: Food consumers should check and see if baking powder is used in the products. Many baking mixes reportedly contain a nasty type of salt. Baking powder may contain aluminum salt, which is associated with elevated dementia risk. It is rumored that baking soda on the other hand does not contain aluminum salt. Other sources of aluminum salt are salt and colorants used in processed food.

4, Beecher's "World's Best" Mac 'N' Cheese. It would cost you $29.00.

Comment: Cheese tastes great and after you eat it, your system digests the food into some addictive peptides, which make you feel good. But don't eat too much. Cheese contain high milk fat. Milk is one of the foods that can be tainted with environmental pollutants.

As the holiday season is nearing, Oprah is telling her audience what Oprah's ultimate favorite things 2010 are.

We posted 4 of 23 items Oprah really loves earlier and here is the second part of Oprah's Favorite Things 2010.

5, Breville Panini Press, this is not a publishing company. It is a small grilling machine that food consumers may use to prepare up to 4 sandwishes at once. The cooker costs $99.00 from Williams-Sonoma.com.

6, Decoded by Jay-Z. This is a book covering a collection of lyrics and their meanings as well as moving essays. Oprah says anyone who loves hip-hip would love this book. It costs you $35 per copy from Randomhouse.com.

7. Elfa Customizable Closet System from the Container Store. Okay, this one is a bit costly, but not for Oprah. It is sold for $1,000 from containerstore.com.

8, Five-Year Netflix Membership. Amazingly enough, Oprah does not say anything about this item from her prospective. The description says "Netflix is the easiest and most convenient way to watch more than 20,000 TV shows and movies instantly, streaming over the Internet and right to your TV or computer." But there is no mentioning of how much it would cost to become a member.

9, Judith Ripka Eclipse Earrings. Oprah says she has worn many Judith Ripka jewelry. So she assumes you should too. The product is sold for $525 directly from judithripka.com ~ Oprah's Favorite Things 2010.

NCAA Football: Purdue vs Michigan State Live Score and Coverage on Big Ten

2010-11-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

NCAA Football: Purdue vs Michigan State Live Score and Coverage on Big Ten

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Purdue vs Michiga State

Purdue vs Michigan State

Purdue vs Michigan State 2010 College Football Parts 1

Meanwhile, the Michigan State Spartans are involved in a tight race, which will likely go down to the wire. MSU currently sits at 5-1 within the conference and the team bounced back from a loss at Iowa with a 31-8 triumph of Minnesota last time out on November 6th.

“What we can control is we can be at the very minimum co-Big Ten champions. I know we can control that,” Dantonio said. “We’ll need a little help to be outright (champions), to go to the Rose Bowl. The main thing to me is be a champion. That’s what we’ll try to do, strive to do.”

The Spartans have been solid on the defensive side of the ball this season, keeping opponents to 18.8 ppg and 327.9 total ypg. The unit has been especially strong against the run, allowing 119.0 ypg, while slowing down opposing pass attacks with 14 INTs.

On the other hand, the Purdue, is on a downward spiral following four consecutive losses. The Boilermakers were defeated 27-16 by Michigan last weekend, leaving them at 4-6 and in need of consecutive victories to have a shot at the postseason.

The Boilermakers hope to have Henry against the Spartans, otherwise they’ll have to give freshman Sean Robinson a fourth straight start. In the first three, Robinson was 38 of 81 for 271 yards with five interceptions and two touchdowns.

Furthermore, the Boilermakers used three different QBs last weekend, but the move didn’t really pay off considering the offense failed to score a TD and managed just 256 total yards in a loss to Michigan. Purdue actually had two QBs in the game at all times, as Rob Henry also saw time at TB. Henry even led the team with in rushing with 75 yards, but passed for only 54 on 5-of-9 attempts.

The matchup will be having a live telecast on Big Ten Network. Better be updated and prepared for the live action airing of Purdue vs Michigan State. Witness this exciting match at the NCAA College Football 2010. More updates to come with regards to the game score and results so better standby here ~ Purdue vs Michigan State.

Purdue vs Michigan State 2010 College Football Picks & Betting Odds

Purdue vs Michigan State 2010 College Football Picks & College Football Betting Odds - Michigan State tries to keep its Big Ten title hopes alive when it hosts Purdue. College Football Odds makers have listed Michigan State -20 favorites.

The Boilermakers should be no problem for the 9-1 Spartans, who continue to cling to hopes of winning the Big 10 outright. Mark Dantonio is 10-2 ATS after failing to cover in 2 of last 3 College Football Picks games as MSU coach.

The Boilermakers have lost four straight NCAAF Picks games, but the final margin is slowly thinning out (49,34, 21, 11). Purdue has turned the ball over 14 times during its losing skid. The Spartans simply have too much riding to allow this one to slip away. 2010 College Football Predictions Michigan State in a blow out. ~ Purdue vs Michigan State.

Troy University: South Carolina Gamecocks Demolishing Trojans After First Half

2010-11-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

Troy University: South Carolina Gamecocks Demolishing Trojans After First Half

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Troy University

Troy University Parts 1

Troy University has a daunting task ahead of them as the South Carolina Gamecocks have taken a 56-7 lead after one half of play.

Marcus Lattimore, running back for South Carolina, rumbled into the end zone three times. Lattimore carried the ball seven times for 107 yards rushing.

Quarterback Stephen Garcia completed 9-of-12 passes for 198 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also ran in for a score.

The Gamecocks defense has stuffed the Trojans running game as they have limited them to several plays with negative yardage and a net gain of zero yards on the ground.

The Trojans are also 3-for-11 on third down opportunities and failed to convert on both of their fourth down attempts.

South Carolina is the No. 17 ranked team on the BCS standings with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-3 SEC record.

Troy University has a 5-4 overall record and are 4-2 in the Sun Belt Conference ~ Troy University.