News,Entertainment,Sport

Barack Obama meets with Apple CEO Steve Jobs

2010-10-23T01:42:00.000+03:00

obamapacman.com

President Barack Obama met on Thursday afternoon in San Francisco with Apple Inc Chief Executive Steve Jobs, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

"They discussed American competitiveness and education, especially reforms such as the President's Race to the Top initiative," Gibbs said in a statement.

Obama and Jobs also talked about energy independence and ways to increase job creation, Gibbs added.(more at independent.co.uk)

Wayne Rooney signs new five-year contract at Manchester United

2010-10-23T01:33:00.001+03:00

foto news.bbc.co.uk

Wayne Rooney has agreed a new five-year contract with Manchester United.

The club confirmed the news this lunchtime, ending an amazing week, which included Rooney insisting the Old Trafford outfit no longer matched his ambitions.

Yet after a staggering 24-hour period, and demonstration by irate supporters at Rooney's house in Prestbury last night, Rooney is now set to stay at Old Trafford.

"Sometimes, when you're in a club, it can be hard to realise just how big it is and it takes something like the events of the last few days to make you understand," said Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I think Wayne now understands what a great club Manchester United is."

It barely seemed credible such a position could be arrived at so quickly.

But the conciliatory nature of a holding statement from United last night suggested rapprochement was in the offing.

And, after consultation with the owners, who allayed his fears about the future direction of United, Rooney agreed to extend his contract, which will now expire in 2015.

"It's been a difficult week, but the intensity of the coverage is what we expect at Manchester United," said Ferguson.

"I said to the boy that the door is always open and I am delighted Wayne has agreed to stay.

"I am pleased he has accepted the challenge to guide the younger players and establish himself as one of United's great players.

"It shows character and belief in what we stand for.(more at independent.co.uk)

French Unions Plan More Strikes

2010-10-22T11:58:00.000+03:00

www.foiralle.com

PARIS—French labor unions vowed to further challenge President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to increase the retirement age by organizing more nationwide marches, even after next week, when Parliament is expected to turn a pension bill into law.
A coalition of France's largest unions called Thursday for workers to hold at least two more days of nationwide demonstrations, on Oct. 28 and Nov. 6, as rolling strikes by refinery workers continued to cause widespread disruption to gasoline supply on the eve of autumn school holidays.
"We're determined to pursue protests," said Charles Foulard, a delegate with the Confédération Générale du Travail union.
Mr. Sarkozy has said he was equally determined to push through a pension overhaul aimed at cutting the fast-rising deficit of France's state-run retirement system.
The proposed pension overhaul is a major test of Mr. Sarkozy's capacity to govern France, less than two years before the next presidential elections.
On Thursday, the French government asked senators to speed up their examination of the pension bill, which was approved by the lower house last month. In an attempted filibuster to upset the bill's passage, opposition parties have submitted hundreds of amendments.(more at online.wjs.com)

Rival Tablets Not So 'Dead'

2010-10-22T11:15:00.000+03:00

foto online.wsj.com

CEO Steve Jobs declared the seven-inch tablet "dead on arrival" this week. But app developers, wireless operators and technology analysts aren't so sure.
"It's great that the iPad is doing so well, but it's not like little league baseball," said Darren Cross, head of business development for the movie ticketing service Fandango, which has developed a mobile application for iPads. "I'm not going to call it because it's the fifth inning."
The war of words between Mr. Jobs and his competitors comes as a raft of rivals prepare to launch a counter-attack against Apple and its popular iPad tablet, which sports a 9.7-inch screen.

This week, Verizon Wireless said on Nov. 11 it will start selling Samsung Electronics Co.'s Galaxy Tab—a 7-inch tablet that runs on Google Inc.'s Android software. Next year, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. plans to release its 7-inch PlayBook.

On an Apple conference call this week, Mr. Jobs said 7-inch devices were too small to create great tablet applications. "Their manufacturers will learn the painful lesson that their tablets are too small and increase the size next year, thereby abandoning both customers and developers who jumped on the seven-inch bandwagon with an orphan product," said Mr. Jobs.
So far, Apple's head start in the tablet market has given it a significant advantage with software developers. Apple's app store has over 250,000 applications, including 30,000 apps designed specifically for the iPad.
The current version of Google's Android operating system works on phones and tablets, but the next version will be better optimized for larger screen sizes.
Still, given the rapid growth of Android, many app developers say they plan to develop for both Google and Apple, just like they do for the smartphone market.
Cameron Clayton, senior vice president of mobile and digital applications for the Weather Channel, whose app is one of the ten most popular on all platforms, said it will develop an app for the Galaxy Tab and the PlayBook, as well as other seven-inch tablets that have yet to be announced.
"We're committed to all the major platforms and we'll continue to develop for them," he said. He thinks the Android tablets will be "very very successful." The seven-inch tablets will appeal to a consumer more interested in mobility and carrying a device that can fit easily into their pocket, he added.
Many analysts seem to agree. "It's a false statement to say developers are not interested in the Android platform," said Jeff Orr, an analyst for ABI Research.(more at online.wsj.com)

Square lets iPads, iPhones, Androids read credit cards

2010-10-22T10:38:00.000+03:00

SAN FRANCISCO — The father of Twitter has hatched a start-up that he hopes does for financial transactions what Twitter did for communication.

Square, the venture from CEO Jack Dorsey, devised a tiny plug-in that turns digital devices into a credit card reader. Square opens its virtual doors for business Friday.

The Square, a free plastic device slightly smaller than a quarter, plugs into iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches and Androids. With a free downloaded application, it lets small businesses and consumers process credit card transactions. Merchants are charged 2.75% of the purchase price, plus 15 cents to swipe a credit card; no contract, set-up fee or monthly charge.

"In America, people do not leave their home without keys, their cellphone and their wallet, but they rarely carry cash. And debit cards can't be used everywhere," Dorsey says.

About 50,000 devices were shipped to small businesses and consumers nationwide — ranging from coffee shops and pizza deliverers to doctors and piano teachers — while the service was tested.(more at usa today.com)

Sex.com is sold for £8.2m

2010-10-22T01:49:00.000+03:00

foto forbes.com

Sex.com is sold for £8.2m at auction after firm that owned domain name goes bust

The internet web address sex.com has been sold for $13m (£8.2m).

The distinctive name was put up for auction in July 2010 when its former owner, Escom LLC, went bankrupt.

Clover Holdings, a company registered on the Caribbean island of St Vincent, put in the highest bid for the domain.

At least 12 companies were understood to be bidding for the name. The price is among the highest ever paid for a domain.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1322559/Sex-com-sold-8-2m-auction-firm-owned-domain-goes-bust.html#ixzz132JIJqfm

Nicolas Sarkozy in warning to pension reform protesters

2010-10-22T01:39:00.000+03:00

foto dailymail

French president says strikers have no right to take population hostage with demonstrations and warns rioters of punishment

Nicolas Sarkozy has sent a determined message to strikers attempting to paralyse France with protests over plans to raise the retirement age to 62.

The French president, who had been keeping a low profile as protesters blockaded oil refineries and threw transport into chaos, said the demonstrators "had no right taking the French people hostage".

He denounced clashes between schoolchildren and police in Lyon yesterday as "scandalous" and said rioters would be punished. "It's not the thugs who will have the last word in a democracy, in a republic," the president said. "They will be arrested, found and punished."

He added: "In our democracy there are many ways to express yourself, but the most cowardly, the most gratuitous violence is not acceptable."

Unions have put on a show of strength as the upper house of parliament finishes its debate on pension reforms. But if they had hoped for compromise from Sarkozy, they were to be disappointed.

On a visit to meet councillors in the central region of Eure-et-Loir, Sarkozy said the strikers had "no right to take hostage innocent people trying to go about their daily business" and criticised the opposition Socialist party for encouraging high-school pupils to join the protests.

"It's hardly reasonable when you realise that one in two will live to be 100. What they [the Socialists] are not telling the schoolchildren is that this reform is being done for them," the president said.(more at guardian.co.uk)

Pentagon warns Iraqis over expected WikiLeaks release

2010-10-22T01:30:00.000+03:00

The Pentagon is warning Iraqis who have co-operated with the United State military that their lives may be endangered by the expected release by the WikiLeaks website of secret documents.

Analysts have been combing through thousands of Iraq war documents that WikiLeaks has indicated it will release soon.

The Pentagon first set up an Information Review Task Force of 120 people to look at Afghanistan war documents published by WikiLeaks in July.

In recent weeks, the task force has been reviewing Iraq documents that the Pentagon believes were leaked by Private Bradley Manning, who has been charged with supplying WikiLeaks with a video of suspected Iraqi insurgents being killed by fire from a helicopter.(more at telegraph.co.uk)

Angry parents withdrew pupil prestigious Milan school teacher sexy :)

2010-10-22T01:23:00.000+03:00

foto dailymail.co.uk

But others - particularly fathers of students at the prestigious San Carlo Catholic High School - and the headteacher have stood by Miss Tacconelli.

The row erupted after one mother complained to the headteacher Father Aldo Geranzani claiming she was 'too attractive and a distraction'.

Video of her acting in a comic sketch dressed in tight fitting hot pants and a bra then surfaced on the internet, as well as photographs of her posing in an American police uniform.

The former Miss Abruzzo - a beauty contest for a region of central Italy - was entered into the national contest but failed to win and went on to gain her teaching qualifications at unive

A former beauty queen has sparked fury among parents at an Italian school who claims she is too attractive to be a teacher.

Ileana Tacconelli, 28, who has three degrees, has caused a storm after it emerged she was a former model and racy photographs and video footage of her were posted on the internet.

As a result, one set of angry parents withdrew their daughter from the Catholic School in Milan.

But others - particularly fathers of students at the prestigious San Carlo Catholic High School - and the headteacher have stood by Miss Tacconelli.

The row erupted after one mother complained to the headteacher Father Aldo Geranzani claiming she was 'too attractive and a distraction'.

Video of her acting in a comic sketch dressed in tight fitting hot pants and a bra then surfaced on the internet, as well as photographs of her posing in an American police uniform.

The former Miss Abruzzo - a beauty contest for a region of central Italy - was entered into the national contest but failed to win and went on to gain her teaching qualifications at university.

The story made the front page of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's family-owned newspaper, complete with an editorial explaining that the footage of her was more slapstick than soft porn as had been claimed.

But others - particularly fathers of students at the prestigious San Carlo Catholic High School - and the headteacher have stood by Miss Tacconelli.
The row erupted after one mother complained to the headteacher Father Aldo Geranzani claiming she was 'too attractive and a distraction'.
Video of her acting in a comic sketch dressed in tight fitting hot pants and a bra then surfaced on the internet, as well as photographs of her posing in an American police uniform.
The former Miss Abruzzo - a beauty contest for a region of central Italy - was entered into the national contest but failed to win and went on to gain her teaching qualifications at university.
The story made the front page of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's family-owned newspaper, complete with an editorial explaining that the footage of her was more slapstick than soft porn as had been claimed.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322497/Angry-parents-withdrew-pupil-prestigious-Milan-school-teacher-sexy.html#ixzz132BXAVnX

Murray displays mastery by routing Federer again

2010-10-22T01:13:00.000+03:00

nbcsports.msnbc.com

Andy Murray romped to victory in the Shanghai Masters final against Roger Federer yesterday, recording an eighth win in 13 meetings against the former world No 1, and there was nothing unlucky about the Swiss's defeat.

Scotland's 23-year-old world No 4 took just 85 minutes to take the sixth Masters title of his career, the 6-3, 6-2 scoreline a fair reflection of a superb attacking display that put pressure on Federer from the start.

Murray broke Federer's serve four times, including in the first game of the match to set the tone, while remaining unbroken himself, crediting his improved second serve for that.

Murray's long-standing winning record against Federer – who has 16 Grand Slam titles to Murray's none – has never compensated for the gulf in their achievements, particularly at majors. But having lost his first three tour finals against Federer, including the 2008 US Open final and the 2010 Australian Open final, Murray has now beaten Federer in two tour finals on the bounce. Murray also beat Federer in the Toronto Masters in August.

"I don't find it easy at all, it's incredibly difficult every time," Murray said afterwards of playing Federer. "But I love the challenge of playing against him. I don't fear playing him.

"Every time I go on, I know I need to play great tennis to win against him. I don't know if my game matches up well against his or not. But I've played some of my best tennis against Roger."(more at the independent.co.uk)

Wayne Rooney: I am too good for Manchester United

2010-10-22T01:00:00.000+03:00

Wayne Rooney turned his back on Manchester United for good on Wednesday night after telling Sir Alex Ferguson his team is no longer good enough to satisfy his personal ambitions.

As the public relations war over Rooney's decision to quit Old Trafford took another dramatic turn, the 24-year-old revealed that he is leaving because he feels United are not prepared to invest serious money in new players.

Rooney's remarks will cut to the heart of the debate over how the club is being run under the Glazer family's debt-ridden ownership.

But they will also cause ructions in the United dressing-room and it would appear unlikely he will ever pull on a red shirt again.

Last night Ferguson hit back, saying after his team's 1-0 Champions League win over Bursaspor at Old Trafford that Rooney will not find a better club.

Ferguson also revealed that the Glazers had been consulted about the issue before kick-off and that the club would decide on a definite plan of action after a 10am meeting between himself and chief executive David Gill today.

The United manager would not comment on suggestions that Rooney may never play for him again but it seems inconceivable that he will be at the club beyond the January transfer window