Murder trial of wife of Chinese politician begins

Police officers stand guard at the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court where the murder trial of Gu Kailai, wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, takes place Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 in Hefei, Anhui Province, China. Gu stood trial Thursday for the murder of a British former associate in a tightly orchestrated proceeding that marks a key step to resolving the messiest scandal the leadership has faced in two decades. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Police officers stand guard at the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court where the murder trial of Gu Kailai, wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, takes place Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 in Hefei, Anhui Province, China. Gu stood trial Thursday for the murder of a British former associate in a tightly orchestrated proceeding that marks a key step to resolving the messiest scandal the leadership has faced in two decades. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People walk out from the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court where the murder trial of Gu Kailai, wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, takes place Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 in Hefei, Anhui Province, China. Gu stood trial Thursday for the murder of a British former associate in a tightly orchestrated proceeding that marks a key step toward resolving the messiest scandal the leadership has faced in two decades.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Police officers stand guard at the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court where the murder trial of Gu Kailai, wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, takes place Thursday Aug. 9, 2012 in Hefei, Anhui Province, China. (Gu stood trial Thursday for the murder of a British former associate in a tightly orchestrated proceeding that marks a key step to resolving the messiest scandal the leadership has faced in two decades. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Police officers stand guard at the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court where the murder trial of Gu Kailai, wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, takes place Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 in Hefei, Anhui Province, China. Gu stood trial Thursday for the murder of a British former associate in a tightly orchestrated proceeding that marks a key step to resolving the messiest scandal the leadership has faced in two decades. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

(AP) ? The wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai stood trial Thursday for the murder of a British former associate in a tightly orchestrated proceeding that marks a key step toward resolving the messiest scandal the leadership has faced in two decades.

Gu Kailai and a household aide faced charges of murdering Neil Heywood, a British businessman who had close ties to the Bo family, in a trial at the Hefei Intermediate People's Court in eastern China. They were represented by government-appointed lawyers from Anhui province, of which Hefei is the capital city.

An official at the courthouse confirmed the trial had started after a convoy of black cars entered a side entrance into an underground parking lot. Like most Chinese officials, she refused to give her name. A British diplomat was seen entering the court, but did not comment.

Observers say the central leadership's main objectives in Gu's trial is to keep the focus tightly on the murder case and not on larger allegations of corruption that could further taint the communist regime. Beijing also will closely orchestrate publicity to try to convince the domestic audience that the trial has been fair and the international community that justice has been served in the slaying of a foreigner.

The morning of the trial began with a steady downpour. Security was tight around the courthouse, with roads around it blocked to car travel. Reporters were asked to present their IDs before being allowed to get close to the building, but police lines were pulled across the main entrance and guarded by police. Other entrances were similarly guarded. Dozens of plainclothes security officers loitered around the streets. Several special police vans were parked around the building.

Gu and the aide, Zhang Xiaojun, are likely to be found guilty of intentional homicide, which carries punishment ranging from more than 10 years in jail to a life sentence or the death penalty. In announcing the indictment about two weeks ago, the official Xinhua News Agency made clear the government considers the verdict a foregone conclusion. "The facts of the two defendants' crime are clear, and the evidence is irrefutable and substantial," it said.

It was not known how long the trial would last, but it was expected to be short.

Gu and Zhang are accused of poisoning Heywood in November in the southwestern mega-city of Chongqing, where Bo was party chief until his ouster this spring. According to Xinhua, Gu had a falling out with Heywood over money and worried that her son's safety was threatened.

In London, Heywood's mother accused the press of spreading lies about her son. "You've all behaved so appallingly," Ann Heywood said Wednesday outside her home.

British media have suggested Neil Heywood was involved in money laundering, worked for British intelligence or that he was Gu's lover. Ann Heywood claimed to know more about the case than was in the public domain, but she wasn't specific and said the truth would come out eventually.

The scandal has drawn attention to political infighting that China prefers to keep secret and comes at a time when the government is preparing for a once-a-decade political transition that will install a new generation of leaders. Bo was once a contender for a top job.

Before his ouster in the spring, Bo, also the son of a revolutionary veteran, was one of China's most powerful and charismatic politicians. But his overt maneuvering for a top political job, as well as high-profile campaigns to bust organized crime and promote communist culture ? while trampling over civil liberties and reviving memories of the chaotic Cultural Revolution in the process ? angered some leaders.

The infighting came to light in February with the sudden flight to the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu of longtime Bo aide and former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun. Apparently fearing for his safety if he remained in Chongqing, Wang told American diplomats about his suspicions that Heywood had been murdered and that Bo's family was involved.

In April, Bo was stripped of his most powerful posts and Gu was named a suspect in Heywood's murder. That was followed by a report late last month about her indictment, which indicated that the leadership had closed ranks and reached a general agreement about the case and was ready to move forward with the trial.

Bo is the first Politburo member to be removed from office in five years and the scandal kicked up talk of a political struggle involving Bo supporters intent on derailing succession plans calling for Vice President Xi Jinping to lead the party for the next decade.

Bo is in the hands of the party's internal discipline and inspection commission, which is expected to issue a statement about his infractions. That would open the way for a court trial with charges possibly including obstructing police work and abuse of power. Thus far, Bo has been accused only of grievous but unspecified rules violations.

Chinese court cases often attract others who want to air grievances, and on Thursday a woman was taken away by plainclothes security forces after she dashed toward the court calling out for justice. It was not known what she was referring to.

Security forces used umbrellas to try to block journalists from taking photos of her.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-08-08-China-Political%20Scandal/id-ac8d1cfc5cd24c1987f15ec82485d18f

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The backlash against the rich has gone global ? F?hrenbergkreis ...

Date: 07-08-2012
Source: The Financial Times By Gideon Rachman

It is never a great sign when politicians start appealing to taxpayers? patriotism. Defending the French government?s recent decision to raise the top rate of income tax to 75 per cent, Pierre Moscovici, the country?s finance minister, told Le Monde: ?This is not a punitive measure, but a patriotic measure.? The rich, he explained, are being given an opportunity to make ?an exceptional contribution? to solving France?s financial problems. I am sure they are very grateful.

France is clearly taking a big risk by raising its tax rates so much higher than those of its neighbours. But it is a mistake to portray the Hollande administration as Socialist dinosaurs. The truth is that the new French government is at the extreme end of a new global trend: an international backlash against the wealthy that is reshaping politics from Europe to the US to China.

David Cameron, the British prime minister, has offered to roll out the red carpet for French tax exiles. But even in Britain, where the top tax rate is 45 per cent, there is a new mood of antagonism towards the rich. Even conservative politicians dare not defend bankers? pay.

In the US, meanwhile, Barack Obama is campaigning to increase taxes on ?millionaires and billionaires?. It is true that the tax rises that the US president wants would be laughably small by French standards. Mr Obama merely wants to raise the top rate from 35 per cent to 39.6 per cent, as well as increasing taxes on capital gains and dividends.

But some of the president?s rhetoric has distinct echoes of the successful Hollande campaign in France. The French socialists made great play of Nicolas Sarkozy?s allegedly ?bling? lifestyle and friendships with the super-rich. In similar vein, the Obama campaign has attacked Mitt Romney as a tax-dodging representative of ?the 1 per cent? ? and mocked his wife?s ownership of a dressage horse. These tactics sound risky because Americans are traditionally said to admire the wealthy, rather than to envy them. But the Obama camp can read polls. By a margin of 64 per cent to 33 per cent, Americans are in favour of higher taxes on those earning more than $250,000.

Political sensitivities about the gap between the wealthy and the rest are not confined to the west. The lifestyles of the rich and powerful is now the most sensitive and dangerous topic in Chinese politics. The website of Bloomberg News was recently shut down in China, apparently as punishment for the publication of an article on the family wealth of Xi Jinping, soon to be China?s new president.

In one incident a couple of weeks ago, riots over pollution in the city of Qindong took a nasty turn when demonstrators demanded to know what brand of clothing the local party secretary was wearing. The BBC reports: ?On discovering it was an expensive Italian brand, they are said to have stripped him to the waist.?

Why is all this happening? As Zanny Minton Beddoes of The Economist writes in a recent essay, ?a majority of the world?s citizens now live in countries where the gap between the rich and the rest is a lot bigger than it was a generation ago?. The trend has been most extreme in the west. As Ms Minton Beddoes points out, in the US ?the portion of national income going to the richest 1 per cent tripled from 8 per cent in the 1970s to 24 per cent in 2007?.

Eventually that kind of shift is liable to spark a political backlash. The trigger for that reaction has been the Great Recession, which has increased the pressure on the living standards of ordinary people, while exposing misbehaviour at the top. Western politicians, from Barack Obama to Fran?ois Hollande are seeking to capture and channel this new mood. In Asia, where the Great Recession has hit less hard, other factors may be at work. The internet and the rise of microblogging have made it easier to spread information and to whip up indignation about the gap between the hard-pressed worker and the super-rich.

If this new mood hardens, it could mark the end of an era of lower taxes, deregulation and rising inequality that began in the late 1970s, with the rise of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in the west and of Deng Xiaoping in China When Lady Thatcher came to office in 1979, Britain?s top tax rate was 83 per cent. She cut it, first to 60 per cent and then to 40 per cent ? where it stayed until the financial crisis. Reagan inherited a top income tax rate of 70 per cent and cut it to 50 per cent and finally to 28 per cent. In China, Deng Xiaoping captured the spirit of the times when he remarked: ?To get rich is glorious.?

Now a new global mood has taken hold. In China, political leaders have eschewed the frank celebration of wealth. In the western world, cash-strapped politicians are eager to raise taxes on the newly unpopular rich. The big question is whether this is still possible in a globalised world. As Mr Cameron?s tactless remarks about red carpets have underlined, any government that raises taxes too far and fast is in danger of sparking a flight of capital and business. The super-rich are mobile and well-advised.

The merely well-off, however, are likely to find it harder to evade a new push for higher taxes across the west. James Callaghan, the prime minister Mrs Thatcher defeated in 1979, remarked perceptively: ?There are times, perhaps once every 30 years, when there is a sea change in politics.? Roughly 30 years after the beginning of the Thatcher-Reagan era, another sea change is upon us.

Gef?llt mir:

Sei der Erste dem dies gef?llt.

Source: http://fbkfinanzwirtschaft.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/the-backlash-against-the-rich-has-gone-global/

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Deferred action program could legalize 1.8 million young immigrants

Obama announces his deferred action plan on June 15. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

As many as 1.76 million young illegal immigrants could qualify for temporary legal status under President Obama's deferred action program, says a new report from the Migration Policy Institute. That's more than double the Obama administration's initial estimate of 800,000 people who would benefit from the program.

The new number reflects the Obama administration's updated guidelines released last Friday depicting who qualifies for the temporary legal status. Initially, only young illegal immigrants under 30 who entered the country as children, graduated from high school and had no criminal record would make the cut. Now, young people who didn't graduate or receive their G.E.D. can still apply for the legal status as long as they re-enroll in high school by the time they apply.

The government will begin accepting applications online on August 15, and administration officials said the nearly $500 application fee will completely pay for the administrative costs of reviewing the applications. Those accepted will also get work permits, and will have to renew their legal status every two years.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/deferred-action-program-could-legalize-1-8-million-221839009.html

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Fred Meyer Friends & Family Monster Post of Ideas ? The Coupon ...

Late last Sunday, I shared with you that Fred Meyer would be bringing its Friends and Family discount back starting this Friday, August 10th and running through Wednesday, August 15th. This discount is AMAZING because you can 1) use it on top of other store and manufacturer coupons 2) use it as many times as you wish and 3) use it on hard-to-save on items and brands. You basically end up with the same discounts that store associates get! You will need to print out this pass to get the discounts (and this pass was emailed me by Fred Meyer Corporate ? so nothing hinky there!) Note that the discount will be applied after all other discounts.

As a reminder, here are the discounts you can receive via the pass:

  • 20% of Apparel, Accessories, Shoes
  • 15% Home Dept, including School Supplies, Toys, Auto, Garden, and Sporting Goods
  • 10% Home Electronics
  • 10% Nutrition Center
  • 10% Private Brand Products (Fred Meyer, Kroger, Mountain Dairy, and more)

Now I scoped out a local Fred Meyer store today and let me tell ya ? there are sooo many possibilities for this sale. SO. MANY. And somewhere between the lamps and rugs I hit a wall. So please, take this list as an idea of what you can find, but it?s by no means a comprehensive list. Second, I would LOVE it if you shared your scenarios and other ideas here ? just leave a comment.

Also note that these prices were noted today and may be subject to change. To play it safe, if you see a deal you like, plan on shopping Friday for best selection, Saturday for the last day of the ad cycle. This pass straddles their ad cycle of Sunday ? Saturday, so please, heads up!

Select Apparel, Accessories & Shoes?
Save an Extra 60% off Clearance!
You CAN use the 20% off Friends & Family Pass!!
Of particular note, summer clothing, swimwear, athletic wear, baby clothing, and shoes!

Nike
20% off
20% off Friends & Family Pass

Osh Kosh
40% off
20% off Friends & Family Pass

Dickies Men?s Apparel
50% off
15% off Extra Bonus Coupon (this week?s ad ? through 8/11)
20% off Friends & Family Pass

Carhartt
20% off
15% off Extra Bonus Coupon (this week?s ad ? through 8/11)
AND 20% off Friends & Family Pass

Mariners, Seahawks, and Collegiate Wear
20% off
20% off Friends & Family Pass

Blue Diamond Nut Thins $2
10% off Friends & Family
$0.75/2 coupon from 7/22 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.30 each

Organic Canola Oil Cooking Spray $1.50
10% off Friends & Family ? for Nutrition
10% off Friends & Family ? for Private Brand
Bottom line: $1.22
(Note I think since this ?doubles up? you?ll get both discounts ? I?ll check!)

Mrs. Meyer?s HandSoap $4.99
$1/1 Fred Meyer e-coupon
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $3.59

Silk Singles $1
$1/4 coupon from 7/15 SmartSource (exp 8/15)
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.67 each

So Delicious Coconut Milk, Shelf Stable $2
$1/1 coupon from 7/8 SmartSource
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.90

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, Shelf Stable $2.29
$1/2 coupon from 7/22 SmartSource
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.61 each

Kashi Snack Bars $3
$1/3 printable coupon (Direct link ? Coupons.com)
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $2.40 each

Mom?s Best Natural Cereals $2
$0.75/2 printable coupon (registration required)
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.46 each

MetRX Bars $2.19
$2/2 coupon from 8/5 Red Plum
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.05 each

Zone Bars $1.09
$0.55/1 coupon from ?8/5 Red Plum
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.49

Daiya Cheese Shreds $4.39
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $3.95

Brown Cow Yogurts $0.79
$0.50/2 printable coupon (registration required)
And you?ll have access to several other coupons once you register, too
10% off Friends & Family pass
Bottom line: $0.49
(Great price for this brand!)

Zevia 6 pack $4.49
$3/1 coupon from 7/22 SmartSource
10% off Friend & Family
Bottom line: $1.34

Silk Fruit & Protein $1.99
$1/1 coupon from 7/15 SmartSource (exp 8/15!)
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.89

Blue Diamond 1/2 Gallon Refrigerated $2.69
$0.55/1 coupon from 7/22 SmartSource (limit 1)
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.93

So Delicious Creamer $2.29
$1/1 coupon from 7/8 SmartSource
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: ?$1.16

So Delicious 1/2 Gallon $2.89
$1/1coupon from 7/8 SmartSource
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.70

So Delicious Yogurt $1.79
$1/1 coupon from 7/8 SmartSource
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.71

Other ideas for Nutrition?. gluten-free products, Bob?s Red Mill, BULK food items, fair-trade coffee, frozen.

Fred Meyer Milk or Orange Juice
$1 each with in-ad coupon (limit 10 ? through 8/11)
Stack with 10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.90

Fred Meyer Canned Vegetables
$0.50 each with in-ad coupon (limit 8 through 8/11)
Stack with 10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.45

Spring Bottled Water, 24-ct $2.99
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $2.69

Yogurt Cups $0.40?
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.36

Fruit Snacks $0.99
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.89

Salt, 16 oz $0.49
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.45

Oatmeal, Instant 10-ct $1.74
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.57

Powdered Creamer, 16 oz $1.97
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.77

Sugar, 10 lbs $6.29
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $5.66

Tomato Soup $0.59
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.54

Cream Soups $0.65
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.59
(Not a bad price for this time of year)

Canned Spaghetti, Spaghetti Rings $0.59
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.54

Refried Beans $0.73
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.64

Taco Shells $1
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.90

Home Sense Food Storage Containers $1.88
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.71

Barbecue Sauce $0.89
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $0.81

Bleach $1.59
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $1.45

Home Sense 20 ct Dish Packs ? these are great! ? $2.99
10% off Friends & Family
Bottom line: $2.69

This is where the savings start to get WACKY. There are a few extra bonus coupons in this week?s ad, PLUS I found several in-store coupons, PLUS of course the Friends & Family. Pretty much if you need ANYTHING in the way of towels, window hangings, decor, etc, you need to visit Fred Meyer this week.

School Supplies?
15% with Home Friends & Family Pass
DOES NOT EXCLUDE PRICE BLASTER!!
(See this week?s list of Fred Meyer school supplies)

Canning Supplies
20% off
10% off Home Extra Bonus coupon (in this week?s ad ? through 8/11)
AND 15% off Home Friends & Family

Bath Towels
20% off Home Decor store coupon (in-ad through 8/11)
AND 10% off Home Extra Bonus coupon (in-ad, through 8/11)
AND 15% Home Friends & Family
(see why this is crazy yet???)

Kids Bedding
On sale for 10% off
20% off Home Decor coupon (in-ad, through 8/11)
AND 10% off Home Extra Bonus coupon (in-ad, through 8/11)
AND 15% Home Friends & Family
(I found Hello Kitty, Princesses, Transformers, and Star Wars)

Seasonal Summer Toys (think water guns, jump ropes, frisbees, etc)
40% off
10% off Home Extra Bonus Coupon (in-ad, through 8/11)
AND 15% off Home Friends & Family

This might be a good opportunity if you?ve been looking to save on an appliance such as a vacuum, Kitchenaid or Espresso maker! One deal:

Mr. Coffee Single Serve $79.99
10% off Home Extra Bonus Coupon (in-ad, through 8/11)
AND 15% off Home Friends & Family
Bottom line: $61.19!
(See my review on this item)?

Many items in Home Decor make for great options!
Candles, Frames, Lamps, Silk Plants?
20% off Home Decor Store Coupon (in-ad, through 8/11)
AND 10% off Home Extra Bonus Coupon
AND 15% off Home Friends & Family

PHEW. phew.

Unfortunately, the pass will NOT work on a few, usual suspects: Wii, IPad, Kindle, or Nook. But it doesn?t seem to prohibit this sweet deal?..

XBox 360 4GB Kinect Bundle $299.99 (through 8/11 only!)
10% off Electronics Friends & Family
Pay at register: $269.10
AND receive a $50 Fred Meyer Gift Card with in-store coupon (limit 1)!
Bottom line: $219.10

OR THIS?.

Nintendo D3 $169.99 (through 8/11 only!)
10% off Electronics Friends & Family
Pay at register: $152.10
AND receive a $25 Fred Meyer Gift Card with in-store coupon (limit 1)
Bottom line: $127.10

There are also several Video games priced from $39.99 ? $59.99 (through 8/11 only!)
That will give you a $10 Fred Meyer Gift card ? and don?t forget to use the Friends & Family pass!

OK guys, I?m out. There are sooo many more deals I *could* share, but I think I?ve fried my brain on this list! Again, please do leave a comment with other ideas and any questions you have.

If you are planning a trip for Friday or Saturday, please do check out what else is on sale this week.

Source: http://thecouponproject.com/2012/08/fred-meyer-friends-family-monster-post-of-ideas.html

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Oscar-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch dies at 68

Marvin Hamlisch, who composed or arranged the scores for dozens of movies including "The Sting" and the Broadway smash "A Chorus Line," has died in Los Angeles. He was 68.

Hamlisch collapsed and died Monday after a brief illness, his publicist Ken Sunshine said, citing the family. Other details were not released.

Hamlisch's career included composing, conducting and arranging music from Broadway to Hollywood, from symphonies to R&B hits. He won every major award in his career, including three Academy Awards, four Emmys, four Grammys, a Tony and three Golden Globes.

The one-time child prodigy's music colored some of Hollywood and Broadway's most important works.

Hamlisch composed more than 40 film scores, including "Sophie's Choice," ''Ordinary People," ''The Way We Were" and "Take the Money and Run." He won his third Oscar for his adaptation of Scott Joplin's music for "The Sting." His latest work came for Steven Soderbergh's "The Informant!"

On Broadway, Hamlisch received both a Tony and the Pulitzer Prize in 1976 for the long-running favorite "A Chorus Line" and wrote the music for "The Goodbye Girl" and "Sweet Smell of Success." He was scheduled to fly to Nashville, Tenn., this week to see a production of his musical "The Nutty Professor," Sunshine said.

Hamlisch even reached into the pop world, writing the No. 1 R&B hit "Break It to Me Gently" with Carole Bayer Sager for Aretha Franklin. He won the 1974 Grammys for best new artist and song of the year, "The Way We Were," performed by Barbra Streisand.

"He was classic and one of a kind," Franklin said Tuesday after learning of his death, calling him one of the "all time great" arrangers and producers. "Who will ever forget 'The Way We Were'?"

Hamlisch's interest in music started early. At the age of 7 he entered the Juilliard School of Music, stunning the admissions committee with his renditions of "Goodnight Irene" in any key they desired.

In his autobiography, "The Way I Was," Hamlisch admitted that he lived in fear of not meeting his father's expectations. "By the time Gershwin was your age, he was dead," the Viennese-born musician would tell his son. "And he'd written a concerto. Where's your concerto, Marvin?"

In his teens, he switched from piano recitals to songwriting. Show music held a special fascination for him. Hamlisch's first important job in the theater was as rehearsal pianist for the Broadway production of "Funny Girl" with Streisand in 1964. He graduated to other shows like "Fade Out-Fade In," ''Golden Rainbow" and "Henry, Sweet Henry," and other jobs like arranging dance and vocal music.

"Maybe I'm old-fashioned," he told The Associated Press in 1986. "But I remember the beauty and thrill of being moved by Broadway musicals ? particularly the endings of shows. The end of 'West Side Story,' where audiences cried their eyes out. The last few chords of 'My Fair Lady.' Just great."

Although he was one of the youngest students ever at Juilliard, he never studied conducting. "I remember somebody told me, 'Earn while you learn,'" he told The AP in 1996.

"The Way We Were" exemplified Hamlisch's old-fashioned appeal ? it was a big, sentimental movie ballad that brought huge success in the rock era. He was extremely versatile, able to write for stage and screen, for soundtracks ranging from Woody Allen comedies to a somber drama like "Ordinary People."

He was perhaps even better known for his work adapting Joplin on "The Sting." In the mid-'70s, it seemed everybody with a piano had the sheet music to "The Entertainer," the movie's theme song. To this day, it's blasted by ice cream trucks.

Hamlisch's place in popular culture reached beyond his music. Known for his nerdy look, complete with thick eyeglasses, that image was sealed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" during Gilda Radner's "Nerd" sketches. Radner, playing Lisa Loopner, would swoon over Hamlisch.

Hamlisch was principal pops conductor for symphony orchestras in Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Dallas, Pasadena, Seattle and San Diego at the time of his death. He was to be announced to the same position with the Philadelphia Orchestra and also was due to lead the New York Philharmonic during its upcoming New Year's Eve concert.

He was working on a new musical, "Gotta Dance," at the time of his death and was scheduled to write the score for a new film on Liberace, "Behind the Candelabra."

He leaves behind a legacy in film and music that transcended notes on the page. As illustrative as the scenes playing out in front of the music, his scores helped define some of Hollywood's most iconic works.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Terre.

___

AP Drama Writer Mark Kennedy contributed from New York and AP Writer Jeff Wilson contributed from Los Angeles.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oscar-winning-composer-marvin-hamlisch-dies-68-150321924.html

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Olympics Sponsors, Branding & Google Doodles | Business 2 ...

I love seeing businesses and brands recognize what?s going on outside of their own daily goings on, to incorporate what is capturing the attention and imagination of the world, or even of your neighborhood and group of customers. Integrations of popular memes like Angry Birds, Summer 2012 Olympics and even Toronto?s annual Zombie Walk. When businesses allow themselves (owners, staff & vendors) to show their personalities, share what excites them and integrate the cultural events that bring people together into storefronts, marketing communications and special promotions to drive retail traffic, it helps remind your customers and potential customers that you are human, and that you have things in common with them, that you understand them, not only when it means more money for you.

Olympics are especially sensitive with strict IOC regulations around using any Olympic branding including ?Summer Games?, ?London 2012? and even ?twenty twelve? or 2012. This article from a UK based IP firm talks about the costs of staging the games and the IOC need to strictly enforce businesses who haven?t paid marketing or sponsorship fees from claiming to be involved with the games.

Official Olympics Sponsors
I found this Olympics Sponsors Wiki, but I?m not sure if it?s comprehensive, and I wonder when I see brands like Yasso Greek frozen yogurt completely transforming their Facebook branding to integrate Olympics if they?re doing so with the blessings of the IOC (did they purchase the rights?).

Google & daily ?Google Doodles?
If you logged onto Google search any day from Friday July 27, 2012, the day of the Opening Ceremonies, you were treated to neat new daily Google logo interpretations about the Olympics Summer Games in London.

July 27 ? Opening Ceremonies

July 28 ? Archery

July 29 ? Diving

July 30 ? Fencing

July 31 ? Artistic Gymnastics Men?s Rings

Advance Sneak Preview of Tomorrow?
I found this site called Doodle Collect that has the dates of the Google Doodles advanced by 1 day, and they are showing today?s Google Doodle as on for Artistic Gymnastics Men?s Rings. Maybe it is tomorrow where they are already?. But I LOVE it! I was very impressed on Saturday to watch the?qualifying?rounds for this event. These men, and all Olympic athletes, seem almost super-human!


August 1 ? Field Hockey

August 2 ? Table Tennis / Ping Pong

August 3 ? Shot Put

London 2012 shot put doodle a first -?The sport of shot put involves ?throwing? or ?putting? (throwing in a pushing motion) a heavy metal ball (the shot) as far as possible. It is common to use the term ?shot put? to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting (throwing) action.

The first evidence for stone or weight throwing events date back more than 2000 years in the Scottish Highlands. In the 16th century King Henry VIII was noted for his prowess in court competitions of weight and hammer throwing.

In modern-day open competitions the men?s shot weighs 7.260 kilograms, and the women?s shot weighs 4 kilograms.

August 4 ? High Jump

a.k.a. Pole Vault

August 5 ? Synchronized Swimming

London 2012 synchronized swimming: 2nd Google doodle of its kind -?The first synchronized swimming related Google doodle was posted during the 2004 Olympics held at Athens. The doodle depicted two female swimmers raising their hands to form the two Os in Google?s logo.

summer2004_synchro_swim.gifSynchronized swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held in the Olympic Aquatic Centre where 104 competitors challenged for 2 gold medals in the duet and team events. Each event was made up of a technical and free routine with the points added together to determine the medalists.

Russia won the gold in both duet and team events. Japan took both the silvers, while United States continued the trend by bagging two bronze medals.

August 6 ? Javelin

London 2012 Javelin Facts-

  • The world record for the women?s javelin competition is currently standing on 72.28 meters, and the Olympic Record at 71.53. The world record is held by Spotakova Barbora Czech Republic and the Olympic Record by MENENDEZ Osleidys from Cuba.
  • Both world records for men and women currently belong to Czech Republic athletes.
  • The world record for men belongs to Czech Republic Zelezny Jan at 98.48 meters and the Olympic Record to Thorkildsen Andreas at 90.57 meters. There is a good chance that we will see the record being broken at the London 2012 javelin event.

I?ll update this post daily to share the new Google doodle.

What do you think?

Source: http://www.business2community.com/branding/olympics-sponsors-branding-google-doodles-0243014

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NEBOSH General Certificate: A Safe Workplace Is Good For Your ...

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Starting your very own company can be quite a daunting and difficult experience. There are so many licenses you need to get, not to mention all sorts of laws that you should follow. Aside from all that, you need to ensure that your workers are trained really well and have the ideal skills for the job.

Occupational hazards present one of the biggest health risks to employees. As such, one of the main concerns of business owners and many new entrepreneurs are making sure that security in the office environment. Appointing managers and executives who have obtained certification on health and safety training is one method to guarantee that your business will be properly handled. However, you may also take advantage of training courses for your employees. There are several certifications that your staff can have, and the NEBOSH General Certificate is one.

NEBOSH, or the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, is an independent research board based in the United Kingdom that gives occupation training in wellness, safety, environment, and risk control. There are three special types of NEBOSH certification, including honors, certificates, and degrees.

Acquiring an award means that the person has some critical apprehension of the subject discussed. This honor can also be used to introduce the person the next level NEBOSH qualifications. Certificate degree qualifications, however, are awarded to individuals with intensive training, thus giving them diverse understanding of the topic discussed. This could also be employed as an introduction to higher-level programs. The diploma is the highest degree of qualification and is given to those with expert knowledge of the subject covered.

The best NEBOSH certification for new managers and supervisors is the NEBOSH National General Certificate. The training program to get this certificate covers all the essential subjects that your employees need to know for safe and secure control of the office. This consists of the major legal obligations in health and safety, and the right identification and routine control standards for work hazards. Aside from the subjects taught, course delegates are also instructed and assessed about the practical application of danger control principles. There is no required level of ability prior to enrolment in this program; nonetheless, participants must write a short report after training.

The qualification is further split into 3 units: Management of Wellness and Security, Controlling Workplace Hazards, and Safety and health Application. Course delegates follow assessment for every unit separately.

With all the safety as well as health-related expertise that proper training can impart, hiring managers with a NEBOSH General Certificate can be a great decision for your business. This guarantees that your workers are under efficient management, making a safe and secure environment in which everyone could totally focus on their work.

There are numerous accreditations that your staff could get, and the NEBOSH General Certificate is one of them.

Source: http://blog-millionaire-articles.com/nebosh-general-certificate-a-safe-workplace-is-good-for-your-business/

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Macaulay Culkin attends Natalie Portman's wedding in Big Sur after reports that he 'is hooked on heroin'

By Jade Watkins

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Reclusive actor Macauley Culkin attended the wedding of Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied in Los Angeles on the weekend, it has been claimed.

The 31-year-old was allegedly present at the pair's starlight ceremony, days after sensational reports emerged from the National Enquirer that the Home Alone star was a drug addict and 'hooked on hillbilly heroin.'

Out of hiding: Macaulay Culkin attended the wedding of Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepeid last night

Out of hiding: Macaulay Culkin attended the wedding of Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied last night

Macauley saw the Oscar winner wed the father of her son Aleph in the grounds of a private home in the dramatic cliff-side California coastal town of Big Sur.

The two exchanged vows in a Jewish ceremony under a chuppah at 8pm.

According to Us Weekly, Natalie and Culkin have been 'friends for years.'

Natalie also co-starred in Black Swan with his former girlfriend Mila Kunis.

Macaulay's trip to the coastal town comes as representatives were forced to issue a fiercely-worded denial over claims the Home Alone star has a $6,000-a-month drug habit this week.

Nuptials: The 31-year-old actor was there when the Oscar winner wed the father of her child Aleph in the grounds of a private home in the dramatic cliff-side California coastal town of Big Sur

Nuptials: The 31-year-old actor was there when the Oscar winner wed the father of her child Aleph in the grounds of a private home in the dramatic cliff-side California coastal town of Big Sur

A spokeswoman for the 31-year-old actor branded the claims published in the National Enquirer as 'ridiculously fictitious' and 'insulting'.

The American tabloid reported that Culkin regularly shoots up heroin and the highly addictive painkiller oxycodone - dubbed hillbilly heroin.

Allegations: The National Enquirer reported that Culkin regularly shoots up heroin and the highly addictive painkiller oxycodone

Allegations: The National Enquirer reported that Culkin regularly shoots up heroin and the highly addictive painkiller oxycodone

The article went on to say the former child star turned his Manhattan apartment into a drug den where he gets high either by himself or with friends.

Responding to the allegations, Culkin's publicist Michelle Bega told MailOnline: 'The report in the National Enquirer that Macaulay Culkin is addicted to heroin and assorted hallucinogenics is not only categorically without merit, but it is also impossibly and ridiculously fictitious.'

Ms Bega added that the story was 'destructive and insulting,' to her client.

The Enquirer claims Culkin's drug use intensified 18 months ago - around the time he split from long-term girlfriend Kunis, who is now dating Ashton Kutcher.

A source told the publication: 'Macaulay Culkin is hooked on drugs and it's killing him.

'He's been hooked for a year and a half, and his drug of choice is either heroin or oxycodone.

'Mac is surrounding himself with junkies and lowlifes. It's a real tragedy.'

Happy family: Natalie and Ben have a young son Aleph together

Happy family: Natalie and Ben have a young son Aleph together

The source - described by the Enquirer as a 'close friend' - also claimed Culkin has had a close brush with death in the past year and almost overdosed.

'Mac suffered a near overdose, and needed help,' the insider said.

'Fortunately he didn't need to call 911 and the near-OD was kept quiet among his pals. But Mac got very sick.'

Culkin's half sister Jennifer Adamson died of a drug overdose in 2000.

Following Culkin's denial, the National Enquirer issued a statement to say that they were firmly standing by their story. The Enquirer's statement also refers to Rosello.

In the article, the magazine alleged Culkin and Rosello used to do drugs together which is reiterated in the statement.

Challenge: Following Culkin's denial, the National Enquirer posted a statement on its website, urging the former Home Alone star to seek urgent professional help - and challenged him to take a blood test

Challenge: Following Culkin's denial, the National Enquirer posted a statement on its website, urging the former Home Alone star to seek urgent professional help - and challenged him to take a blood test

It went on: 'We believe that the former child star should be doing everything he can to get the treatment he so desperately needs ? and which could have saved the life of his friend Elijah Rosello.

'Her family confirmed to The ENQUIRER that she did drugs with Macaulay before her drug-related death in March.'

The US tabloid posted a statement on its website, urging the former Home Alone star to seek urgent professional help - and challenged him to take a blood test.

'Should Macaulay?s representatives continue to deny The ENQUIRER?s accurate and detailed report, we are ready to offer him the opportunity to take a blood test administered by an independent medical lab,' challenged the magazine.

Healthier looking: The actor's drug addiction is said to have intensified after his split from long-term girlfriend Mila Kunis, around 18 months ago, pictured in 2005

Healthier looking: The actor's drug addiction is said to have intensified after his split from long-term girlfriend Mila Kunis, around 18 months ago, pictured in 2005

Child star: Macaulay is best know for his roles as cheeky Kevin McCallister in the 1990 film Home Alone and the 1992 sequel, Home Alone: Lost In New York

Child star: Macaulay is best know for his roles as cheeky Kevin McCallister in the 1990 film Home Alone and the 1992 sequel, Home Alone: Lost In New York

It adds: 'Our advice to Macaulay is to seek professional help to avoid the? same tragic fate of other beloved celebrities, including? Whitney Houston who died earlier this year.'

In February, pictures of of Culkin looking emaciated and shockingly thin made headlines.

At the time his representatives strenuously denied the actor was addicted to prescription drugs or heroin amid reports the 5-foot-7 star's weight had dropped to 104lbs.

Macaulay is best know for his roles as cheeky Kevin McCallister in the 1990 film Home Alone and the 1992 sequel, Home Alone: Lost In New York.

He also starred in the likes of Uncle Buck, My Girl and Richie Rich.

But his adult career has failed to match the blockbuster success of his childhood days.

In 2003 he played a drug-addled club hopper alongside Seth Green in Party Monster, while his last film role was in 2007 in the Indie flick Sex And Breakfast.

These days he earns a living DJ-ing at clubs around New York.

Showbiz Roundup! K-Stew's "excuses", Madge and Elton feud + Hot lady fashion in London!

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2184244/Macaulay-Culkin-attends-Natalie-Portmans-wedding-Big-Sur-reports-hooked-heroin.html?ITO=1490

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