Covering The Multicultural Asian American Community in Georgia
www.gasiantimes.com June 1-15, 2013 Vol 10 No 11
‘Obamacare’ improves Medicare funding outlook
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2013
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GAT Calendar of Events (For latest & updated events, visit www.gasiantimes.com)
Publisher: Li Wong Account Manager: Adrian West Contributors: Andrian Putra, May Lee, Mark Ho Photography: Ben Hioe
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GAT welcome submission of announcement pertaining to community related events. Please email event, date, venue, and time to gat@gasiantimes.com. GAT does not guarantee insertion of event announcement and has the right to deny any posting. All Rights Reserved: including those to reproduce this printing or parts thereof in any form without permission in writing from Georgia Asian Times. Established in 2004, the Georgia Asian Times is published by Asiamax Inc. All facts, opinions, and statements appearing within this publication are those of writers and editors themseleves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions, endorsements by Georgia Asian Times or its officers. Georgia Asian Times assumes no responsibility for damages from the use of information contained in this publication or the reply to any advertisement. The Publisher will not be liable for any error in advertising to greater extent than the cost of space occupied by the error and will only be made for a single publication date. The Publisher reserves the right to reject any ad or articles submitted for publication that may not be in good taste for a free publication.
CIA: The Challenges in Middle Management Presented by NAAAP Atlanta
18th Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival
Date: Thursday, June 6 Time: 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm Venue: ATT Campus (Lenox Rd-Buckhead)
Date: Saturday Sept 14, 2013 Time: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm Venue: Clarks Bridge, Lake Lanier Olympic Rowing Facility For more info: www.dragonboatatlanta.com
Laotian American Society (LAS) 8th Annual Fundraiser Ball Date: Saturday, June 8 Time: 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm Venue: 5th Avenue, 2720 Mall of Georgia Admission: $50.00 per ticket
Peachtree City Dragon Boat Festival Date: Sept 28, 2013 Time: 8:00 am Venue: Peachtree City For more info: ptcdragonboats@ gmail.com
Kalayaan 2013 - 115th Philippines Independence Day Date: Wednesday, June 12 Venue: Georgia International Convention Center, College Park For more info: eleanorpascual@ gmail.com 18th Annual Savannah Asian Festival Date: Saturday, June 22, 2013 Time: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Venue: Savannah Civic Center MLK Arena For more info: www.savannahga. gov
GAT 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia - Awards Dinner Date: Thursday, July 18, 2013 Time: 6:30 pm Venue: Happy Valley Restaurant For sponsorship and reservation: contact GAT 678-971-9388
9th Atlanta Asian Film Festival Date: Oct 12-25, 2013 Venues: Cinefest-GSU, GPC Dunwoody, University of West Georgia 9th AAFF Premiere Night Gala Date: Friday Oct 11, 2013 Venue: Plaza Theatre, Ponce De Leon Avenue, Atlanta For more info: www.atlaff.org
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
METRO ASIAN NEWS
June 7 Road Closing to convert Pleasant Hill Road Bridge to Diverging Diamond Interchange Duluth, May 22, 2013 — The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District and members of the Georgia Transportation Department hosted a press briefing on the upcoming closure of I-85 bridge at Pleasant Hill Road for the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) crossover. The bridge closing is scheduled for 9:00 pm on Friday, June 7, and it reopens to traffic by 5:00 am on Monday, June 10. The closing of the bridge will allow construction crews to shift traffic flows to the opposite side of the bridge, which will make the left turns on the interstate easier and improve the flow of traffic across the bridge. Drivers and pedestrians are advised to take the detour route: Pleasant Hill Road to Satellite Boulevard to Steve Reynolds Boulevard to Shackelford Road to Pleasant Hill Road and the reverse. Construction will continue on the center median and pedestrian facilities
after the June 10 crossover. Interchange lighting, pavement markings, and signal along with landscaping are expected to complete in September. The $4.2 million project is paid for by funds by Gwinnett SPLOST tax receipts, the State Road and Tollway Authority and Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District. “The Diverging Diamond Interchange will serve three important purpose: to improve the traffic mobility, to improve road safety, and to improve overall infrastructure of the area,” explains Joe Allen, Executive Director of Gwinnett Place CID. “The redesigned bridge is a signature piece of infrastructure in Gwinnett. The end result of the investment will bring more energy, excitement, and business to the area,” adds Allen with smile.
Fire Destroyed Korean Community HQ Duluth, May 21, 2013 — A fire broke out in the headquarter building of Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta at 6930 Buford Highway around 9:40 pm on Tuesday evening. The building housed a senior center, a school, and chamber of commerce activities for the metro Atlanta Korean community. An electric short circuit was the speculative cause of the fire. The official cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to a Gwinnett Fire Department spokesperson.
“The damage is very severe and we are exploring our options going forward. We may rebuild on the existing site or move to another location,” said Travis Kim, President of Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta (KAAGA). Limited services are expected to resume by early next week at temporary office spaces offered by members of KAAGA. “An emergency community meeting will be held later this evening to discuss plans going forward,” said Kim.
Georgia Asian Times
June 1-15, 2013
NEWS
Biological clock scientists share Asian prize HONG KONG, May 28, 2013 (AFP) - Three scientists whose groundbreaking studies using fruit flies helped to uncover the workings of the human biological clock were Tuesday named the winners of the $1 million Shaw Prize. US scientists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young received the award “for their discovery of molecular mechanisms underlying circadian rhythms”, the prize organizers said in a statement. Biological rhythms govern behavior in plants, animals and humans, from flowers opening during the day and closing at night, to sleep patterns and the effect of jet lag. The three scientists, who will share the $1 million life science and medicine award, conducted a series of landmark studies on mutant fruit flies, discovering the fundamental mechanism that controls these rhythms -- a gene with a 24-hour cyclical feedback loop. Their work later shed light on further genes involved in the clock mechanism and how they controlled daily rhythms.
The prize, now in its tenth year, also recognizes achievements in the categories of astronomy and mathematical science, with $1 million going to each. The astronomy prize went jointly to Steven Balbus of Oxford University and John Hawley of the University of Virginia for their discoveries in “accretion”, a phenomenon in astrophysics which plays a key role in star formation and the growth of supermassive black holes. The prize for mathematical science went to David Donoho of Stanford University for his “profound contributions” in developing new mathematical and statistical tools. The Shaw Prize is funded by Hong Kong film producer and philanthropist Run Run Shaw. It honors exceptional contributions to “furthering societal progress, enhancing quality of life, and enriching humanity’s spiritual civilization”. The presentation ceremony is scheduled for September 23.
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
FEATURE
‘Obamacare’ improves Medicare funding outlook
WASHINGTON, May 31, 2013 (AFP) – Funding for Medicare health insurance has improved due to health care reforms, but the US Social Security trust fund was still expected to run out in 2033, the government reported Friday. Medicare, the public health-insurance program for seniors, will deplete its main trust fund in 2026, two years later than projected last year, thanks to President Barack Obama’s new health-care law, said Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew. But the trust fund for the Social Security program, which provides
retirement and disability benefits, was projected to be exhausted in 2033, the same estimate as last year, according to the annual financial review of the programs. The review came as fresh budget negotiations loom for the White House and Congress, with the long-term challenges to funding retirement and other entitlement programs in focus. Republicans are seeking to force the Obama administration to dramatically reform entitlement benefits like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, the health care
program for the poor, in order to pare long-term deficits and government borrowing.
tion and a flashpoint for opposition Republican critics, began to roll out in 2012 and will take effect in 2014.
The challenges remained significant in the report.
Among its Medicare provisions, the act expands coverage for preventive services for less cost and offers a discount on certain brandname prescription drugs. Eligibility for Medicare benefits begins at age 65.
For Medicare, after 2026 the government projected that funding with payroll tax revenues would shrink “slowly” to 87 percent of needs in 2033 and about 70 percent in 2050, according to the review. When Social Security exhausts its full funding after 2033, payroll tax income was projected as enough to finance “more than three quarters” of scheduled benefits through 2087. Lew credited Obama’s health care reforms with the Medicare funding gains. “The Medicare report demonstrates, once again, the importance of the Affordable Care Act, which has strengthened Medicare’s finances by reining in health-care costs,” he told a news conference. The act, a centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s administra-
“Social Security and Medicare are meeting their commitments today, and they will continue to meet their commitments in the years ahead,” said Lew, acknowledging the programs face “long-term challenges.” “But more must be done. The president recognizes how essential reform is, and he is determined to work on a bipartisan basis to put Social Security and Medicare on a stronger footing,” the Treasury chief said.
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2013
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BUSINESS
China to ban non-French ‘champagne’ copycats BEIJING, May 28, 2013 (AFP) - China has agreed to limit the “champagne” label to only wines produced in the French region bearing that name, with a trade group welcoming the move as a boost for the beverage in a fast-growing market. Sales of the wine are accelerating in the world’s second largest economy, from 50,000 bottles in 2001 to one million in 2010 to two million last year, making it the fifth-largest market outside the European Union. But in a country famed for mass-producing fake goods, the “champagne” label has been applied widely, not only to Chinese-made sparkling wines but also goods ranging from candles to dog toys, said the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC). The new restriction will enable the organization to seek action against mislabelled products more effectively, it added. China had “achieved an optimal level of protection”, CIVC spokesman Thibaut Le Mailloux said Monday, welcoming the development. The country was “one of the biggest future markets for champagne”, he added. China’s national quality watchdog, the General Administration of Quality
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), said champagne had been given “geographic mark protection” within the country. The announcement on one of its websites specified the grape varieties to be used, locations in France where they had to be grown, where the wine should be made and the method of protection, among other factors. China has only recognized three other labels in the wine and spirits sector, including cognac, Scotch whisky and the American vineyard region of Napa Valley, said AQSIQ’s director-general Pei Xiaoying. Sparkling wine was first introduced to China during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1735-1796) and the Empress Dowager Cixi once broke a vase while uncorking a bottle, according to CIVC director-general Jean-Luc Barbier. The trade body is still lobbying the United States and Russia to recognise the champagne label and block local sparkling wine producers from using the name. “Chinese law gives us protection that Russia and the US do not,” said Le Mailloux, describing their approach as “anachronistic and without future”.
Japan’s Uniqlo ‘studying’ Bangladesh safety pact TOKYO, May 28, 2013 (AFP) - The operator of Japanese cheap-chic clothing chain Uniqlo said Tuesday it was pressing ahead with its own safety inspections in Bangladesh, while it considered joining a global pact on protecting workers. Fast Retailing, which operates the brand, said no decision had yet been made on the accord, which was promoted by international labour groups after a Bangladesh building collapse that killed 1,129 workers. “We are continuing to study whether to sign (the deal). We have not reached a conclusion at the moment,” said a company spokesman. Signing up to the pact would put Uniqlo in the same camp as big European retailers like Tesco and H&M, while staying away would align it with US giants Walmart and Gap, who have opted to stick with self-regulation. “While giving it serious consideration, we have started doing what we can do now,” the spokesman said, adding the firm had this week begun checks on fire prevention and other safety measures at its suppliers in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh deal binds retailers to having independent building and fire safety inspections -- in a country which has some 60 official inspectors
despite needing hundreds -- and to pay for repairs. Bangladesh is the world’s secondbiggest apparel maker and the $20 billion industry, which relies on women workers, accounts for up to 80 percent of exports. The industry was hit by the April 24 accident in which the nine-story Rana Plaza factory complex crumbled in one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. The Fast Retailing official said about 70 percent of the group’s supply comes from China with the rest provided mostly by Southeast Asian nations. He did not disclose how many Bangladesh factories it is using.
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
BUSINESS
IMF cuts 2013 China growth forecast to ‘around 7.75%’ BEIJING, May 29, 2013 (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund cut its 2013 growth forecast for China to “around 7.75 percent”, a top official said Wednesday, citing a sluggish global recovery which hurt exports. The organization had previously predicted growth of 8.0 percent in the world’s second-biggest economy this year. “The Chinese economy is expected to grow at around 7.75 percent this year and at about the same pace next year,” David Lipton, IMF first deputy managing director, told reporters in Beijing. China is seen as a potential driver of global recovery in the face of the eurozone’s ongoing debt crisis and unsteady growth elsewhere. But China’s economy grew 7.8 percent in 2012 -- its slowest pace in 13 years -- and registered a surprisingly weak 7.7 percent expansion in the first three months of this year, well below forecasts. The IMF’s World Economic Outlook report released last month had fore-
cast Chinese growth of 8.0 percent this year and 8.2 percent for 2014 -both of those predictions themselves reductions from previous ones made in January. Lipton said weakness in the global economy was a factor in slowing Chinese export growth. The lowered gross domestic product forecast “comes essentially from looking at the global economy and the pace of growth in the global economy and the demand that derives from that growth for Chinese exports”, he said. “Chinese export growth has been, after years and years of very rapid growth, very slow because of the state of the global economy and we now are taking our projections of the global economy into effect.” Lipton was speaking at the conclusion of regular IMF consultations with the Chinese government, which included meetings with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan. Alarm bells over prospects for China
were raised last week when a closely watched private survey of its manufacturing sector indicated contraction for the first time in seven months. The figure helped trigger a sell-off in Japan’s stock market that in turn pushed global bourses lower. British banking giant HSBC’s preliminary purchasing managers’ index fell to 49.6 this month from a final 50.4 in April, putting it below the 50 mark that indicates contraction. A reading above signals expansion.
Ren Xianfang, a Beijing-based economist with research firm IHS Global Insight, said that the change in rhetoric “may have played quite a big role in affecting expectations”. “There has been a significant change in the direction of the government’s macro policy making,” she said. “Maintaining the growth rate at above 7.8 percent or 8.0 percent may no longer be a must-do for the government.” Lipton described the lowering of the IMF forecast as “modest”.
The Chinese government announces its official PMI figure for May on Saturday, while HSBC’s final reading is due out Monday.
“Let’s not lose sight of the fact that China is still growing at a very fast rate,” he said, adding: “We’re projecting that growth will remain robust.”
The IMF forecast remains above China’s own central government growth target for 2013 of 7.5 percent, the same as last year’s.
He also said that the economy “should pick up moderately in the course of the second half of this year, as the recent credit expansion gains traction and in line with a mild pickup in the global economy”.
China’s new leaders are trying to retool the economy to emphasize consumer demand as the key growth driver, rather than the investment and exports that fueled sometimes doubledigit yearly rises in recent decades.
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2013
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EDUCATION Youth beats ‘German curse’ to win US spelling title NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland, May 30, 2013 (AFP) - The US-born son of immigrants from India overcame his dread of German-derived words Thursday to win the 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee. Confetti rained on a suddenly speechless Arvind Mahankali, 13, from New York City, after he correctly spelled knaidel, a type of dumpling perhaps better known as a matzah ball.
champion Kavya Shivashankar, fell in the fifth round after a strong and engaging performance. The National Spelling Bee has been an American institution for decades. This year, more than 11 million children took part in local qualifying competitions in the United States and abroad.
He becomes the sixth youth of south Asian heritage to win the coveted title in the last six years, and also the first male champion since 2008.
In a fresh twist, organizers announced -- seven weeks before the championships at the Gaylord resort outside Washington -- that contestants would for the first time be tested on vocabulary knowledge as well as spelling skills.
Mahankali, the eldest son of an IT consultant father and a physician mother, had placed ninth in 2010, then third in 2011 and 2012. More often than not, it was obscure English words of Germanic origin that denied him victory.
Doing so has reaffirmed the bee’s educational purpose, in a time when some harddriving parents have been using custommade software to turn their offspring into bee-winners through hours upon hours of rote memorization.
“The German curse has turned into a German blessing,” he quipped after besting eight other finalists in a nail-biting finale to nationally televised competition that kicked off Tuesday with 281 contestants from eight nations.
Mahankali’s father Srinivas Mahankali, who came to the United States from Hyderabad in southern Indian in the 1990s, said the family encouraged his interest in competitive spelling, but did not pressure him to win.
Earlier in the evening, Mahankali aced such words as tokonoma (an alcove in a Japanese living room), kaumographer (someone who prints a design onto cloth with a hot iron), and galere (a group of people who have something in common).
“It’s an unpredictable thing. You can get any word in the dictionary. It’s unfair to expect anything in this,” he said as his son fielded questions from reporters such as whether he’d ever eaten a knaidel. (He had not.)
The forward-looking youngster plans to save the $30,000 cash prize -- plus a $2,500 US savings bond -- for college, where he hopes to get a doctorate degree in physics by the time he’s 23 years old. “I hope to make some kind of major contribution” after university, he said. “I’ll see how it looks.”
Both father and son agreed that education is the reason why the children of immigrants have come to dominate spelling bees.
Second place went to Pranav Sivakumar, 13, from Illinois, while Sriram Hathwar, 13, from New York, came in third. Amber Born, 14, from Massachusetts, a crowd-pleaser with her tension-breaking jokes, finished forth. The youngest finalist, Vanya Shivashankar, 11, from Kansas, the sister of 2009
Arvind Mahankali of Bayside Hills, New York, holds his trophy after the finals of the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee, at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, on May 30, 2013. Mahankali won the championship of the annual spelling contest after correctly spelling the word “knaidel.”
“They want to prove that they can learn the English language,” said the younger Mahankali, who is fluent in English and Telugu, the family’s native tongue, and picking up Spanish in school. “At home, my dad use to chant Telugu poems from forwards to backwards and backwards to forwards,” added Mahankali senior. “We value language a lot... Wealth is fickle, but education is number one.”
Speller Pranav Sivakumar of Tower Lakes, Illinois, participates in the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, on May 30, 2013. Arvind Mahankali of Bayside Hills, New York, won the championship while Pranav Sivakumar took second place .
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
FOCUS Typewriter aficionados rewrite history, slowly LOS ANGELES, May 28, 2013 (AFP) - Ermanno Marzorati has rarely been so busy. He is currently fixing a 1930 Underwood typewriter for Tom Hanks. But there are plenty more ancient writing machines awaiting his tender care.
machines, typewriters and mechanical calculators. Occasionally Hanks tweets photos of the vintage typewriters that Marzorati restored in his own collection.
‘Writing on a computer is very distracting, you get stuck’
While the modern world taps away in an ever-increasing frenzy online, the Italian senses a new trend, from his calm Beverly Hills studio: the return of the art of slow writing.
But the obvious question is, why would someone in the 21st century want to type on a heavy and difficultto-use mechanical device, without the possibility of cutting, pasting, erasing or copying?
Marzorati has restored typewriters belonging to Ian Fleming, Tennessee Williams, Jack London, Ray Bradbury, Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles, as well as celebrities like Julie Andrews, Greta Garbo and John Lennon.
Marzorati said the advantages of computers are over-rated. “Writing on a computer is very distracting, because you get email coming in, you type a word, you delete it, you change it, you get stuck,” he said.
He proudly shows photos of some of his best work, including an orangecolored Underwood machine dating from 1926, on which Orson Welles wrote “Citizen Kane.” It was totally destroyed when he got it. “To me the typewriter is better than the computer, not because I’m old fashioned, but because it slows you down. You have to choose the words carefully because you cannot correct,” he said. “It takes a long time to press the key.” Collector Steve Soboroff says typewriters, unlike computer keyboards, have an intimate relationship with their owners. “I just love the idea of authors, famous people, would spend hours of their lives on these typewriters, so they are very personal. And there’s only one of them, is not like there are hundreds of them. “There’s only one for each,” added the biggest customer of Marzorati, whose studio is full of old printing
Marzorati has a shelf dedicated to his most famous client, and he currently holds 12 machines belonging to the “Forrest Gump” star. In all, the talkative Italian has some 60 machines waiting to be fixed -- an enormous numbers compared to a few years ago. “I’m booked up for six months,” said the 68-year-old, who started repairing typewriters in 2003.
His view is echoed by Christopher Lockett, who regularly takes his 1950 Hermes Baby typewriter with him to write in the open air in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, next to the hipster Los Feliz district. “There are no text windows in blue popping up, you can’t play music on it,” he said. “I shut off my iPhone, I take my typewriter and sit and I don’t worry about the typos, I keep moving forward, and I go dah dah dah dah ding!” He compares the experience of using a typewriter to riding a bicycle.
“Collectors are the exception. Most of the people I fix typewriters for are people who are going to use it,” said Marzorati, who was born in Italy in 1945 and moved to Los Angeles in 1969.
“It’s an alternative to the most efficient way of doing something, it’s about enjoying the ride, and nobody gets angry about the notion of a bicycle. But people are like ‘typewriters are impractical.’
“I feel people, honestly, are getting fed up because all these iPhones, all these electronics, they like to get back to the basics,” he said.
“Well, so is a bicycle and people are still making bicycles and it’s not an issue,” he said.
Lockett, a cameraman and documentary-maker, made a film on the subject last year called “The Typewriter in the 21st Century,” which is currently showing on the independent movie circuit in Los Angeles. “I thought: if the typewriter is going away, and is in part responsible for every great novel from the 20th century, they deserve a proper send-off,” he said. When he set about making the film he was surprised to find that, not only are typewriters not disappearing, but there is a surge of demand for old machines to be repaired and brought back to life. “Suddenly typewriters were all over the internet,” he said. Artist Tim Youd is staging a performance in New York this month in which he taps out a Henry Miller novel on the same model of typewriter used by the writer. Painter Louise Marler last year held a type-in event in Venice Beach. Young inventor Jack Zylkin meanwhile has created a “hack” that allows a mechanical typewriter to be connected to an iPad via a USB port. Lockett said the wave of interest in typewriters should not be misunderstood as a desire to return to the past, and abandon modern technology. “Nobody in the film is saying it is the only way to work. They’re making a case about something everyone is throwing away,” he said.
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2013
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EVENTS
Miss Fil-Am Pageant June 1, 2013
Vesak Day Celebration April 26, 2013
Giving alms to the monk is part of Buddhist tradition on Vesak Day - celebrated at Wat Buddha Bucha.
Raoul Donato, Hon. Consul of Philippines, Le Dam Doan, President of APAC Georgia, Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council (Dist 2).
Sarah Marie de Gracia Fisher is crowned the 2013 Miss Fil-Am Pageant.
Le Dam Doan, President of APAC Georgia, Mae Pascual, Didi O’Connor
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
LIFESTYLE
Little-known Slovak wines out sparkle global competitors BRATISLAVA, May 29, 2013 (AFP) - Deep shades of red and vermilion catch the light as connoisseurs raise their half-full glasses to examine the color of the wine before sinking their noses in to inhale enticing aromas. A sip, a swish and a spit is a winetasting ritual at prestigious competitions the world over. This May, it was performed on a grand scale in Central Europe for the first time as Slovakia played host to top-ranked wine competition, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB). Of late, little-known Slovak wines have been out sparkling even their venerable French cousins. “If Slovak wines were a woman they would look like Cameron Diaz -- very light, lively and they have a lot to give,” said French wine blogger Daniel Berger as he sampled Slovakia’s best.
Slovak wines at prestigious wine competitions,” Slovak oenologist and jury member Edita Durcova said. They performed even better at the world-renowned Vinalies Internationales competition in Paris in March, taking nine gold and 38 silver medals, and charming tasters to trump France and rivals from nearby Hungary, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. “When you think of Slovakia, you don’t think of wine,” said CMB jury member Luiz Alberto from Brazil, pointing instead to the better-known Moravian wines of its larger neighbor, the Czech Republic -- a traditional beer country. But Slovak winemakers beg to differ, insisting their homeland boasts a unique “terroir”.
“French wines are more like the Mona Lisa, mature and timeless, but even conservative French wine lovers are slowly opening up to foreign tastes,” he added. While Slovak wines scored sixth place overall in the CMB, they tied with France based on the percentage of medals awarded, taking into account the number of wines submitted. Out of 214 wines submitted for degustation by Slovakia, 60 stood out among 8,168 rivals from 50 countries. Three triumphed, winning the top CMB Grand Gold, 19 scored Gold and 38 took Silver medals. “It’s a huge success which echoes previous successful appearances of
border with Hungary, known for its Tokaj, a sweet, golden dessert wine.
and one silver medal at this year’s Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
“Slovakia is a traditional wine producer even though it’s one of the northernmost countries at the limit of economically sustainable viticulture,” said Edita Durcova.
During nearly fifty years of Communism, vineyards were nationalized as the state-owned beverage industry focused on mass production of lowquality wines.
Given its location and climate, Slovakia produces mostly white wine but also has a number of delicious reds.
The fall of the totalitarian regime in 1989 opened the borders for exports, but domestic producers couldn’t compete with inexpensive, good-quality foreign wines.
Opening up production post-Communism At the Elesko vineyard in Modra, about 30 kilometres north of Bratislava, general manager Roman Milata clambers up a hillside covered in vines to inspect the first delicate green shoots of spring. Borrowed from the French, the term describing soil quality refers to the unique set of characteristics determined by geography, geology and climate which give each wine its personality.
“While Slovakia may lack the sunshine essential for the ripening of red grape varieties, its climate suits white grapes perfectly, giving wines their attractive aromas and fresh fruitiness,” he explains.
Vivacious Slovak wines get theirs from the country’s varied terroir, which includes a small region of volcanic soil in its southeast, on the
This modern winery, which also boasts an art gallery which is home to Europe’s biggest private collection of Andy Warhol paintings, won one gold
Today Slovakia produces 340,000 hectolitres of wine annually. But with the average Slovak amateur drinking 15 litres of wine per year, an extra 400,000 hectolitres of foreign wines are still imported to accommodate demand, according to the Slovak Union of Grape and Wine Producers. Out of the 100,000 hectolitres in annual Slovak exports, 95 percent go to the Czech Republic and the rest to 30 other countries across the globe, including wine heavyweights France and Italy, Australia and South Africa. “Slovak winemakers focus on the
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2013
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SPORTS
All-conquering China win ninth Sudirman Cup Formula One: Fernandes admits he hampered Caterham MONTE CARLO, Monaco, May 25, 2013 - Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes conceded on Saturday that he had hampered the progress of the Caterham team by trying to do too much himself. But he rejected suggestions that he had diluted his effort to build up the former Lotus team by becoming involved in too many projects at once, including ownership of English football club Queens Park Rangers, who were relegated from the Premier League earlier this month. He is also involved heavily with his other businesses including AirAsia and Tune. Talking to reporters at the Monaco Grand Prix, he said: “I don’t think I spread myself too thinly, but I should have delegated more as I do in my other companies... I am not so involved in my other businesses as much and I should have been like that. “But this is the danger of passion conflicting with common sense. You get excited and carried away and throw away all the things you are good at, like planning and analyzing.”
KUALA LUMPUR, May 26, 2013 (AFP) - An imperious China won their fifth consecutive Sudirman Cup and ninth overall, crushing South Korea 3-0 on Sunday.
He rejected criticism, too, from football fans who hit out at his comments made earlier this year on Twitter when he suggested QPR fans needed to be patient because it had taken him three years to put Caterham right.
Despite some hiccups along the way -- the Chinese were stretched to the limit by Indonesia in the quarter-finals before winning 3-2 -- the Great Wall proved impenetrable and they look set to dominate the World Championships in Guangzhou from Aug 5-11.
Many observers pointed at the F1 team’s failure to score a point since 2010 - and asked what he believed was ‘right’?
They won all five world titles two years ago in Paris and all five Olympic gold medals in London last year.
He said: “Are we (Caterham) where we want to be now? No, we have a nice facility, we are beginning to make our own production and we are going in the right direction. “I am not saying we are going to be world champions, but I do believe that if we continue this way then we have a good chance.”
Sunday’s Sudirman Cup victory at the Putra Stadium was also the fifth straight final in the word mixed team championships that China have won without dropping a match. But Chinese coach Li Yongbo insisted it had been a tough tournament, with teams like Thailand showing progress by reaching their first ever semi-final. “I disagree with anyone who say we had it easy in this tournament. We had to fight all the way to win this title,” said Li. China’s mixed pair of Xu Chen and Ma Jin got the ball rolling by defeating Asian champions Ko Sung-Hyun and Kim Ha-Na 21-13, 21-15.
Kim was a bundle of nerves as she repeatedly either sent the shuttle into the net or wide of the mark to give the Chinese point after point. “I was thinking too much when I should have just played my game,” she admitted. The men’s singles was one-way traffic with world No. 2 Chen Long too good for Lee Dong-Keun, as the AllEngland champion wrapped up the tie 21-15, 21-10 in 47 minutes. With the Koreans facing a quick defeat, Ko Sung-Hyun and Lee Yong-Dae took on Liu Xiaolong and Qiu Zuhan in an exciting show of smashes and brilliant defensive play. But Liu and Qiu triumphed over two sets by narrow margins, sealing victory for China in a 21-19, 21-17 win. South Korea team manager Greg Kim said that the team’s hopes rested on pinching the first tie of the match, the mixed doubles. “As soon as we lost that, we knew we would face an uphill task.”
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
SPORTS Brazil to deploy drones over Confed stadiums RIO DE JANEIRO, May 28, 2013 (AFP) - Brazil will deploy two drones over the stadiums of Rio and Brasilia during the opening and closing of the Confederations Cup next month, the country’s Air Force said Tuesday.
Openly gay Rogers makes unforgettable MLS debut LOS ANGELES, May 27, 2013 (AFP) - Robbie Rogers first tried to play down the historic aspect of becoming the first openly gay man to play in a major North American team sports league, but the Los Angeles Galaxy winger finally gave in. “I won’t ever forget tonight,” Rogers tweeted after his substitute’s role in a 4-0 home victory Sunday over Seattle. The 26-year-old American walked onto the pitch and into the history books in the 77th minute to replace Juninho and found everything was “normal” despite admitting he was nervous for hours before the match. “I guess part of me was just afraid -not afraid, but a little nervous,” Rogers said after the match. “Historically this is a big thing, but for me, it’s just another soccer game... But I’m not naive. I know people are watching.” How spectators responded was something that had been pondered since Rogers, who declared his homosexuality and announced his retirement in February, decided to make a comeback and joined the Galaxy last Friday. A crowd of 24,811 applauded and loudly cheered Rogers’ name as he entered, receiving a hand slap and pat on the back from teammate Landon Donovan. “A huge smile of enjoyment,” Rogers said of that moment. “Very supportive. It was good to be back. I’m just excited to move on from here.”
Many fears Rogers had about revealing he was gay have so far been unfounded. “People are very supportive. It’s a great lesson I’ve learned -- it’s almost like I didn’t give people the opportunity to accept me,” Rogers said. “I’ve kind of been on this huge journey to kind of figure out my life and now I’m back here, I think kind of where I’m supposed to be.” The reception Rogers receives from players and fans will be watched as well, but all-time US scoring leader Donovan made it clear he supports Rogers. “It’s already a success,” Donovan said. “It’s already a big step in the right direction for our society as a whole. We can’t imagine what it’s been like for Robbie to go through what he has gone through.” “When all is said and done, we’ll probably look back and say it’s crazy that we even cared about that at the time, that it’s not a big deal. That’s the hope,” he said. Maybe not for everyone. San Jose’s Alan Gordon was suspended for three matches this season for making a homophobic slur to an MLS rival. The Galaxy’s Colin Clark was banned last year for a similar incident while with Houston. “You hope that people treat him like any other player,” Donovan said. “When people are nasty, that’s something no athlete likes, that no person would like.”
“We will use the drones for surveillance of the stadiums and without interfering with air traffic, which will be restricted” during the June 15-30 football tournament, Mario Luis da Silva Jordao, head of the Air Force’s Air Operations Center, told the G1 news website. The Air Force is planning to use two of its four Israeli-built, unmanned Elbit Hermes drones, which will fly at an altitude varying from 6,600 feet to 16,500 feet. The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are fitted with cameras, radars and sensors to monitor the targeted area and the movements of people and vehicles. Irishman Robbie Keane, the Galaxy’s captain, played most of his 14 European seasons in England and said he was sure there were gay players in England who were too frightened to come out publicly. “I think it’s maybe easier to cope with it in America than England, where they’re maybe a little bit behind over there,” Keane said. “I think maybe the fans are a bit more brutal than they would be here... Everyone should be equal. It’s 2013, for Christ’s sake.” Rogers played briefly for England’s Leeds United this past season but left after a loan deal to English League One side Stevenage expired in January. “I think the locker rooms in MLS are a little bit different from what I’ve experienced in Europe,” Rogers said. “That’s not to say that in England or Europe that they’re ready or not ready. I’m not sure.
“What we want is a good quality of pictures,” the official said. “The drone flights over the stadiums pose no risk to the spectators. And we will not always be positioned over the crowd, but will be in nearby areas where it is possible to watch the surroundings and obtain the pictures we are interested in,” said Colonel Donald Gramkow, commander of the Air Force’s Horus squadron that operates the aircraft. The drones were deployed last year to monitor the movements of dozens of heads of state during the UN Rio+20 summit on sustainable development. They will also be used from July 22 to 28 during the Catholic World Youth Day festival in Rio that will be attended by Pope Francis and mark his first foreign visit since his inauguration in March.
“The MLS is definitely ready and I think the United States is ready for more athletes to come out in other sports and I’m hoping from this experience and the experience of others, more athletes will feel comfortable with doing so.” Since Rogers’s decision to come out, basketball center Jason Collins has also told the world that he is gay. Collins, who has played for six NBA teams over the past 12 seasons, hasn’t played since his announcement but will be hoping to land with a team when free agents can be signed in July. “Our society is changing,” Rogers said. “I think it’s inevitable that in the future everyone will accept that this is just part of life.”
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2013
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HEALTH Japan hospital tests powerful breast cancer therapy TOKYO, May 22, 2013 (AFP) - A Japanese cancer specialist said Wednesday she has started the world’s first clinical trial of a powerful, non-surgical, short-term radiation therapy for breast cancer. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences has begun the trial using “heavy ion radiotherapy” which emits a pinpoint beam that can be accurately directed at malignant cells, said Kumiko Karasawa, radiation oncologist and breast cancer specialist. The study was launched amid renewed global interest in breast cancer and its treatment after Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie revealed she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy. Heavy ion radiotherapy has proved effective in combating other forms of cancer that have not spread, Karasawa said. “We are able to conduct this trial because we have greater understanding of what types of breast cancer can benefit from this pinpoint treatment,” said Karasawa. Development of medical apparatus that keeps soft breast tissue immobile for this treatment has also helped, she added. Japan is a leader in the technology used in the treatment, and is home to three of the world’s six medical centers that have the gigantic 10-billion-yen ($97.2 million) facilities, Karasawa said.
Confirmed cases of H7N9 bird flu drug resistance PARIS , France, May 28, 2013 - Laboratory tests have revealed resistance in some H7N9 bird flu patients to the only available treatment, said virologists who unveiled “concerning” study results on Tuesday. Three out of 14 patients monitored at a clinic in Shanghai had a geneticallymutated version of the virus that makes it drug resistant, a team of researchers in China wrote in the journal The Lancet. Of the three, one developed drug resistance only after being medicated, “probably as a result of treatment with Tamiflu” -- a widely-used antiviral drug, said a statement. This gave rise to fears that treatment might actually cause resistance to the only available drugs. “The apparent ease with which antiviral resistance emerges in A/H7N9 viruses is concerning,” wrote the study authors -- insisting that early treatment remained the best course of action. These are the first clinically confirmed cases of H7N9 resistance. On Monday, Chinese health authorities said no new human cases of the deadly H7N9 bird flu strain had been recorded for the second week in a row. A total of 130 people have been infected
PARIS, May 27, 2013 - Women who smoke and drink heavily are at a higher risk of early death than men who do the same, a study said Tuesday.
Conventional radiotherapy uses X-rays and gamma rays that are most potent at the surface of the body, but weaken as they travel deeper into the tissue.
Data taken from a Europe-wide survey of some 380,000 people aged 40 and older, revealed that women faced a disproportional risk from the already well-known ill effects of heavy alcohol and tobacco use.
In the trial, Karasawa will treat a total of 20 patients aged at least 60 and with small tumors that have not spread. The patients will go through an hour of therapy per day for four days, much shorter than conventional radiation therapy that may last for months, Karasawa said.
The virus is believed to spread to humans from birds, but fears were that it would mutate into a form transmissible from human to human. The results of a lab study published in the US journal Science last month showed the H7N9 strain can spread among mammals, specifically ferrets, and would do the same between humans under certain conditions. For the new study, researchers followed 14 H7N9 patients admitted to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre between April 4 and 20. All had been given antiviral treatment, either oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or peramivir, which caused virus levels in 11 patients to drop. Tamiflu and peramivir belong to a class of antiviral drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors -- the only known treatment for H7N9. Three patients, however, had a “persistently high viral load” in spite of treatment and had to be placed on oxygenation life support machines, wrote the authors. Two of them died. The authors said that apart from throat
swabs, they also found virus traces in the blood, faeces and urine of some patients, and urged further studies to determine whether it could spread in ways other than coughing or sneezing. They also noted that two of the drug resistant patients had also been treated with corticosteroids, a drug that is also widely used in flu treatment. The team said there should be further studies to determine whether corticosteroids may aid drug resistance to develop. H7N9 causes severe pneumonia with a fever, cough and shortness of breath and is deadlier than the common, seasonal flu. The World Health Organization (WHO) had earlier said that the H7N9 virus would likely react to existing antivirals like Tamiflu. The agency said work on a vaccine, which must be strain specific, had started -- but observers have said it would probably be too late in case of an epidemic. Last week, the WHO’s deputy head Keiji Fukuda said the world was not ready to deal with a major flu pandemic. H7 influenza viruses comprise a group that normally circulate among birds, of which H7N9 forms a subgroup that had never been found in humans until the Chinese outbreak.
Women more at risk than men of smoking, drinking: study
The therapy has proved its worth on other forms of cancer, including prostate and lung, Kyodo News said, but has never before been used on breast cancer.
Heavy ion particle beams maintain their strength to a much greater depth.
and 37 died since the outbreak started in China in February.
Of the group, followed over an average period of 12 years, 26,411 died during the study period, said a report by French researchers published in the journal Bulletin epidemiologique hebdomadaire (BEH). On a risk scale that places never-
smokers on level “1”, the death risk rose to 1.38 for men who smoked one to 15 cigarettes per day, 1.86 for those who smoked 16 to 26, and 2.44 for those who smoked more.
For women the risk rose to a massive 3.88.
For women, the equivalent risks were similar: 1.32, 2,04 and 2.44 respectively, said the study.
“Women who consume excessive amounts of alcohol have a significantly higher risk from tobacco use than those who consume little or no alcohol,” the study authors wrote.
But the picture changed drastically when alcohol was thrown into the mix.
They did not elaborate on the possible reasons for the stark difference.
For men who smoked more than 26 cigarettes and drank the equivalent of more than 30 grams of alcohol per day, the death risk on a separate scale was 2.38 compared to men who never smoked and drank up to a maximum of five grams of alcohol.
The study also confirmed earlier findings that current smokers have mortality rates around 1.5 to three times higher than people who never smoked.
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
Misc Asia Outspoken Japan mayor cancels US trip TOKYO, May 28, 2013 - The outspoken mayor of Japan’s Osaka city said Tuesday he had cancelled a trip to the United States after sparking a furore by saying “comfort women” played a “necessary” wartime role.
South Korean cram schools probed over US test scandal SEOUL, May 27, 2013 - South Korean officials on Monday launched an investigation into cram schools after a cheating scandal that led to the nationwide cancellation of US college entrance exams earlier this month.
According to the Institute of International Education, South Korea sent 72,295 students to study in the US in the 2011-12 school year -- the third largest provider of foreign students to US colleges after China and India.
The education office in the capital Seoul started the special probe into a number of private academies suspected of illegally obtaining questions for the SAT test and offering them to pupils, said a spokesman.
Cram schools for global tests -- not to mention domestic college exams -- are a lucrative industry in educationobsessed South Korea, where qualifications from top colleges are crucial for careers and even marriage prospects.
The administrator of the SAT -- the most widely used test for applying to US colleges -- scrapped the scheduled May 4 exams after discovering questions were already circulating among some test-prep schools.
For nearly all their school lives, South Korean students study late into the night -- often at costly, private cram schools -- to stay ahead in the race for admission to top universities.
The College Board also cancelled subject tests in biology scheduled for next month. “The moral hazard prevalent among some SAT prep schools has reached a serious level,” the Seoul education office said in a statement, criticizing school operators for “tarnishing the national reputation and harming innocent applicants”. Those cram schools discovered to have leaked questions will face closure as well as special tax audits, with the owners banned from opening new schools for a certain period, it added.
The entire nation holds its breath on the day of the domestic college entrance exam in November, when military training is suspended and flights rescheduled to ensure the test is conducted quietly and smoothly. The cancellation of the SAT exam at the beginning of May prompted a flood of soul-searching editorials in the national press. “This incident reveals the dark side of our education culture that has no qualms about cheating even at an international level,” said the Kookmin daily, which called the scandal a “national shame.”
Toru Hashimoto, the joint leader of the national Japan Restoration Party, had been set to visit San Francisco and New York to meet local politicians and businessmen starting from June 10. But on Tuesday he told reporters the trip was off. “Travelling to the United States under the present circumstances will not bring any merit and will cause difficulties for local people,” he said. Hashimoto prompted outrage at home and abroad by suggesting battlestressed soldiers needed the services of up to 200,000 sex slaves from Korea, China, the Philippines and elsewhere who were forcibly drafted into Japanese brothels during World War II. The US denounced his remarks as “outrageous and offensive”, while
The JoongAng Ilbo said such incidents were bound to be repeated given the number of students and parents “apparently willing to sell their souls if they can boost test scores”. The crushing pressure on students is blamed for dozens of suicides every year, and the latest scandal is not the first to involve the SAT exam. In 2007 some 900 South Korean students had their SAT scores annulled after it emerged that a number had seen the questions in advance. In 2010 a teacher at a Seoul cram school was arrested for smuggling SAT questionnaires out of a test held in Thailand, and sending them to his
countries across Asia responded similarly and many at home sought to distance themselves from the comments. Seeking to contain the fallout from his remarks, the lawyer-turnedpolitician said Monday Tokyo should apologise to former comfort women for past wrongdoing. But he still insisted that Japan’s wartime soldiers were not unique in brutalising women. He also retracted advice he gave to US military commanders in Japan, urging them to allow their troops to use the country’s licensed sex businesses as part of what he called a crime reduction strategy.
pupils who were scheduled to take the same exam hours afterwards. A Seoul law school student was also charged in May with helping applicants cheat on the TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication), using high-tech gear including micro cameras and earpieces. The student hired an English teacher to take the test and send him answers via a tiny online-connected camera. He then re-transmitted the answers to earpieces worn by his clients taking the exam.
Georgia Asian Times June 1-15, 2013
Misc Asia
Words of Wisdom
Biological clock scientists share Asian prize HONG KONG, May 28, 2013 - Three scientists whose groundbreaking studies using fruit flies helped to uncover the workings of the human biological clock were Tuesday named the winners of the $1 million Shaw Prize.
The prize, now in its tenth year, also recognizes achievements in the categories of astronomy and mathematical science, with $1 million going to each.
US scientists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young received the award “for their discovery of molecular mechanisms underlying circadian rhythms”, the prize organizers said in a statement.
The astronomy prize went jointly to Steven Balbus of Oxford University and John Hawley of the University of Virginia for their discoveries in “accretion”, a phenomenon in astrophysics which plays a key role in star formation and the growth of supermassive black holes.
Biological rhythms govern behavior in plants, animals and humans, from flowers opening during the day and closing at night, to sleep patterns and the effect of jet lag.
The prize for mathematical science went to David Donoho of Stanford University for his “profound contributions” in developing new mathematical and statistical tools.
The three scientists, who will share the $1 million life science and medicine award, conducted a series of landmark studies on mutant fruit flies, discovering the fundamental mechanism that controls these rhythms -- a gene with a 24-hour cyclical feedback loop.
The Shaw Prize is funded by Hong Kong film producer and philanthropist Run Run Shaw.
Their work later shed light on further genes involved in the clock mechanism and how they controlled daily rhythms.
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It honors exceptional contributions to “furthering societal progress, enhancing quality of life, and enriching humanity’s spiritual civilization”. The presentation ceremony is scheduled for September 23.
Worthless people blame their karma. Burmese Proverb A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers. Chinese Proverb
An elephant got a heart and so does a germ. Malay Proverb The mouth differs from the heart. Malay Proverb
A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers. Chinese Proverb
Rich is he who has no debts, fortunate he who lives without handicap. Mongolian Proverb
Nobody who spits upward does not spit on his face. Filipino Proverb
Eating potato but boasting to be eating sweets. Nepalese Proverb
Anything that is heavy can be light if we put our resources together. Filipino Proverb
Though an army be numerous, it is nothing without a head. Pakistan Proverb
He who eats moderately will never need doctors. Japanese Proverb
Don’t buy the cattle at ploughing season. Thai Proverb
Fish likes water so much, because the water is being good to the fish. Japanese Proverb
You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs. Thai Proverb
One will get caught if one’s tail is too long. Korean Proverb
Catch the bear before you sell his skin. Vietnamese Proverb
The matchmaker gets three cups of wine when he succeeds and three slaps on the cheek when he fails. Korean Proverb
Better a meal with vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred. Vietnamese Proverb
Zhang Daqian’s ‘Lotus’ fetches $10.4 mn in Hong Kong HONG KONG, China, May 28, 2013 - A work by Chinese master Zhang Daqian, dubbed the “Picasso of the East”, fetched more than $10 million at a Hong Kong sale Tuesday, auction house Christie’s said. A set of four large hanging scrolls entitled “Lotus” sold for $10.4 million at the auction house’s fine Chinese modern paintings sale, beating pre-sale estimates by more than HK$65 million. Each scroll is over five feet tall and the painting, which was completed in
1947, depicts multiple blooming lotus flowers drawn in ink and color on paper, Christie’s said in a statement.
Sotheby’s had previously fetched HK$680 million from a Zhang Daqian sale in 2011.
Twenty-four works by Zhang fetched HK$330 million at a Sotheby’s sale on Monday after “intense” bidding, which was almost 90 percent above the auction house’s estimates, Sotheby’s said.
The late Chinese artist in 2011 was the best-selling artist at auction, topping Spanish great Pablo Picasso and American pop art master Andy Warhol.
The top lot, “Daoist Goddess Playing Panpipe”, fetched HK$74 million while the rest of the works from the sale, “A Master’s Secrets Unveiled”, were sold within an hour and a half.
Hong Kong has emerged as one of the world’s major auction hubs in art and wine thanks to cash-rich mainland Chinese buyers who have a growing appetite for luxury items amid the country’s economic boom.
A rare red “lotus bowl” from the Chinese emperor Kangxi period of 16621722 was sold for an eye-popping $9.5 million at a sale in the city last month, Sotheby’s said.
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
TECH New Xbox One unveiled as home entertainment hub REDMOND, Washington, May 21, 2013 (AFP) - Microsoft on Tuesday staked a claim to the Internet Age living room with an eagerly awaited new generation Xbox One console touted as a home entertainment hub that goes far beyond games. “Today, we put you at the center of a new generation in the living room,” said Don Mattrick, head of Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business, unveiling the new version of the popular game console. The beefed-up hardware is powered by software that allows for instant switching between games, television, and Internet browsing. Microsoftowned Skype was also integrated for online group video calls. Kinect motion and sound sensing accessories accompanying the consoles recognize users; respond instantly to commands spoken in natural language, and even detect a person’s pulse. “This is the beginning of a new generation of games and entertainment and a new generation of smart TV,” said Microsoft entertainment unit executive Yusuf Mehdi. Microsoft played to longtime Xbox fans with glimpses of blockbuster games including “Call of Duty Ghosts” and “FIFA” football being tailored for the new consoles. A beloved ‘Halo’ science fiction shooter franchise was used to showcase the merging of television and video game play in Xbox One. Famed filmmaker Steven Spielberg signed on to produce a live-action ‘Halo’ television series in partnership with game maker 343 Studio. “For me, the ‘Halo’ universe is an amazing opportunity to be at the intersection where technology and
myth-making meet to create something really exciting,” Spielberg said in a video snippet played during the press event at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington. Xbox One consoles will be released later this year, according to Mattrick, who did not disclose pricing details. Microsoft has sold some 77 million Xbox 360 consoles since they hit the market in late 2005. Console rival Sony has sold about the same number of PlayStation 3 consoles, which was introduced a year later. Meanwhile, Nintendo sold nearly 100 million Wii consoles, which became hits due to innovative motionsensing controls after their debut in 2006. However, demand for Nintendo’s recently released Wii U consoles have been disappointing. Sony announced a new generation PlayStation 4 system in February but spoke ambiguously about the device, leaving much to the imagination. The PS4 is to hit the market by the end of this year.
said Gartner analyst Brian Blau.
“Microsoft wins the next-gen game console launch wars,” said Forrester analyst James McQuivey.
Microsoft sidestepped whether Xbox One would recognize secondhand disks and require activation fees to play, pumping revenue from used games.
“Where first Nintendo offered us a tablet to accompany the millions we had already bought and Sony then offered us a box that we couldn’t even see, Microsoft has trumped them both by delivering the Xbox One.” Microsoft has apparently put its hardware and software mastery to effective use, bringing game controllers, tablets, smart phones, voice, and gesture together in the Xbox One. “I think Microsoft stands a good chance at being dominant in the living room, but they still have some way to go before we can call them the king,”
In a move that might irk gamers, Xbox One will not be compatible with titles designed for play on its predecessor.
“We haven’t gotten into the details of how we will enable those capabilities,” said Mehdi. “We want to make it easy for you to enjoy your games with your friends and make it easy to buy and sell used games.” Pricing was expected to prove pivotal for console owners deciding whether to upgrade to Xbox One. New video game consoles have traditionally debuted in the $300 to $500 range. “The hardcore gamer will buy it
because that is what they do,” said National Alliance analyst Mike Hickey. “Is there enough for the average consumer to go out and buy an expensive new console? That is debatable.” Mehdi maintained that a strong selling point is that Kinect devices, which were sold as Xbox 360 accessories, will be included with Xbox One consoles. He was not worried about the booming popularity of play on smart phones and tablet computers, saying that it has increased the appetite for interactive entertainment in what has grown to a $65 billion industry. “Gaming is on the rise,” Mehdi said. “Every generation of console gaming has grown and we think it will grow even more with this generation.”
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June 1-15, 2013 Georgia Asian Times
June Horoscope Snake (2013 2001 1989 1977 1965 1953 1941 1929 1917 1905) Compassion is a virtue, but not when it prevents you from dealing with recent rather stunning opportunities. It may be true that others are struggling with sudden and often unfair developments or dismissal. If you cannot ignore their dramas, do what you can, but do the minimum. Your own obstacles are just as challenging and you need to focus on re-strategizing existing financial arrangements and rethinking plans for the future. Under normal circumstances, one should always have a plan B. Horse (2002 1990 1978 1966 1954 1942 1930 1918 1906) Recent changes are making you wonder whether it would not be easier just to keep things as they are. However, not only are changes inevitable, the process of exploring your options is in itself informative. The resulting intuition will influence your thinking about the present and immediate future. Do not let the facts since you have reached a hitch in the process of organizing an important arrangement worry you. What you learn when dealing with this could not just be informative; the issues you spot and deal with means they should not pop up later, when they could be more difficult to resolve. Sheep (2003 1991 1979 1967 1955 1943 1931 1919 1907) You generally ignore well-meaning souls who insist that planning ahead is perhaps wise. However living for the moment is an art. One that is vital if you are to make the best of frequent shake-ups in existing circumstances and others’ objectives. Ironically, the resulting disruption forces a timely review of once non-negotiable goals. You realize they must change and big time. Act promptly but in a more positive considerate manner. You may discover there are several answers but undecided, which may be the most ideal one to choose. Trust your instincts in such situations. Monkey (2004 1992 1980 1968 1956 1944 1932 1920 1908) Tedious as having to review issues you have recently discussed at length is not only wise, doing so is absolutely vital. The circumstances in question have changed. Only once you are actually talking them over will you realize just how extensive those changes are. There are those whom you trust, no matter what, but there are others who are as intelligent, but whose values you question. Ordinarily that would be no problem. However because crucial plans have drawn you together, you will have to learn how to address those issues.
Pig (2007 1995 1983 1971 1959 1947 1935 1923 1911) You have faced numerous challenging situations and dealt with them most brilliantly. However, it has been tough and you will be tempted to spend time trying to figure out where things have gone wrong. It will be in vain and may not necessarily obtain the reason or reasons. Hence it is advisable not to spend too much time searching. Just be aware of the changes in circumstances ahead and eventually the facts will surface. In the meantime, focus on other less stressful and more productive pursuits. All is not lost provided you keep your head up, eyes opened and ears alert. You will be amazed with what you discover and changes in your life style. Rat (2008 1996 1984 1972 1960 1948 1936 1924 1912) Dealing with recent unsettling financial issues involving those responsible for what has left you wondering whether certain individuals are trustworthy. You may have overestimated their capability or reliability and high expectation. It is still not too late to take corrective measures to turn things around under such circumstances. No doubt you may suffer minimal financial losses or creditability with certain groups or traders; however all is not lost when you manage to recuperate from the limited liability. Treat the loss as an investment and avoid repeating similar mistakes. Ox (2009 1997 1985 1973 1961 1949 1937 1925 1913) Every once in a while, the tide turns. During this period, it is taking place in your life and affects you in several ways. You may already be aware of some; however, it is those that are subtler and therefore less easily spotted that could lead to the most powerful visions and ultimately changes. Knowing that, you should resist the temptation to rush things and let each day’s experiences contribute to reshaping the decisions you make next. It is only through experience gained in life that you avoid falling prey to other’s scams. Tiger (2010 1998 1986 1974 1962 1950 1938 1926 1914) You can justify certain decisions by citing the facts and truth. Those based on your experiences are not as easy to explain, but you have in the past. At the moment, however you are better off doing what you think is best without explaining those decisions in any manner. No doubt, certain individuals could take offense. Still, say the least or nothing. Soon the success of your actions will speak more eloquently of the wisdom of your decisions than any words ever could.
Rooster (2005 1993 1981 1969 1957 1945 1933 1921 1909) Usually dull practical matters have never excited you, yet several tasks that involve such matters have accumulated. And now, you discover that if you do not deal with them soon, you will regret it. This alone should be enough to motivate you. If not, the pressing events that arise this month will. The adage that goes “never say never” is about to become your personal motto. Certain activities you have always regarded as uninteresting or simply not your kind of thing are about to become part of your life. No doubt, you might struggle initially, but once involved, to your surprise, you will actually enjoy them.
Rabbit (2011 1999 1987 1975 1963 1951 1939 1927 1915 1903) This is one of those rare periods when out of chaos, something glorious emerge. There is no question about the nature of the chaos. You have been coping with it for quite some time, but you may not have sensed what is promising. If you have not, you will need to be patient for a few weeks more. Just hang on to the situation and gradually turn it around to your advantage. However do not expect an easy ride with the obstacles.
Dog (2006 1994 1982 1970 1958 1946 1934 1922 1910) Feeling frustrated with certain plans, business partner venture or projects and unsure what alternative options are available. Perhaps the secret to these and all other such tricky situations is to approach them with a measured pace. This may not be exciting and requires patience. Still you will soon begin to recognize movement and reorganization. It will subtle at first but then gradually gain momentum. Better yet, you will also realize you are feeling less stressed about these and other such frustrating situations. So much so you might adopt that measured pace for good.
Dragon (2012 2000 1988 1976 1964 1952 1940 1928 1916 1904) It may never be clear whether you were genuinely misunderstood or one particular individual decided to depart from the facts. What is certain is that you should now clarify what happened, what was said and done. Do not waste time on tactfully encouraging others to do this. No matter how pressing certain matters seem or how much in a hurry others are, try to balance your personal interests with those of a more worthy nature. Not only will those you care about appreciate being kept informed, time spent with them will clear your mind.