--Mild Seven Cambodia--改头换面--

Mild Seven (Japanese: マイルドセブン Mairudo Sebun) is a brand of cigarettes produced by Japan Tobacco.

~

Mild Seven cigarettes are in fact reputedly the third widest smoked cigarette in the world (behind Marlboro and Camel). Manufactured originally in Tokyo, by Japanese Tobacco Inc. as a variant of the popular Seven Stars brand, Mild Seven has been a top seller since its launch in 1977 and enjoys leading positions in Asian markets including South Korea and China. They are now also manufactured under license in Switzerland for the growing European Market. The brand is the second largest cigarette brand in the world. Mild Seven is a premium brand and distributed in over 40 countries.Discount prices out of the competition are available for: Mild Seven Original Filter Cigarettes, Mild Seven Lights Cigarettes, and Mild Seven Super Lights Cigarettes.

~

~http://www.jti.com/

~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mild_Seven

~

~http://www.smokin4free.com/mildseven.html

~

~

--German Development Cooperation with Cambodia--

Cambodia is a priority partner country for German Development Cooperation. Since 1994, GTZ has been active there on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
~
Currently ranking 130th on the Human Development Index, 34 percent of the population live below the poverty line and the per capita income stands at US$ 259 (2001).
~
The Cambodian Government has the ambitious goal of leading the country out of the post-conflict and transitional phase into a modern democracy, in which its population of 13.5 million can enjoy the attendant social, cultural and economic developments in peace, safety and under the rule of law. The priority areas are the elimination of poverty by strengthening the rural sector, improvement of infrastructure, development of the private sector and specialised training of the people.
~
GTZ projects support national policies in strategically important areas. They contribute actively to the implementation of Cambodia’s national poverty reduction strategy (PRSP). Their influence and degree of effectiveness are increased by alliances with other organisations and an efficient tying-together of the various levels of experience.
~
In close cooperation with the projects of other donors, German Technical Cooperation is focused on the following priority areas.
~

• rural development
• health, family planning and HIV/AIDS
• economic reform and development of the market system.

~As a cross-cutting theme in all projects and through additional projects (promotion of women's rights, decentralisation), the promotion of democracy, civil society and the rule of law holds a place of prominence in Cambodian-German cooperation.

~
Furthermore GTZ is also implementing a project on behalf of the European Commission in support of Cambodia's accession to the WTO.

~
GTZ has maintained an office in Phnom Penh since 2001.

~http://www.gtz.de/en/weltweit/asien-pazifik/609.htm

~http://www.gdc-cambodia.org/aboutus.html

--UEFA Champions League 2008–09--

The UEFA Champions League 2008–09 is the 54th edition of Europe's premier club football tournament and the 17th edition under the current UEFA Champions League format. The final will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 27 May 2009. It is the eighth time the European Cup final has been held in Italy and the fourth time it has been held at the Stadio Olimpico. Manchester United are the defending champions.
~
The UEFA Champions League is UEFA's most prestigious club competition. It was originally created as the European Champion Clubs' Cup for the 1955/56 season, before its format and name were changed in 1992. A group phase, in addition to the traditional knock-out elements, was officially inaugurated after a pilot group stage during the previous season. The popularity of the group phase has witnessed the competition grow from eight to 32 teams with matches taking place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays across Europe.
~
Real Madrid CF have been the most successful side in the UEFA Champions League, winning the competition three times. They are also the most successful side overall with nine triumphs, followed by six for AC Milan and five for 2005 champions Liverpool FC.
~
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League_2008-2009
~
~http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/index.html
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League
~
~http://www.eurovision.net/sport/championsleague.php

--Kochi--India--

--Liverpool FC--Yossi Benayoun--

Yosef Shai "Yossi" Benayoun (Hebrew: יוסי בניון‎), born 5 May 1980 in Dimona) is an Israeli football player currently playing for Liverpool in the English Premier League. Benayoun plays as an attacking midfielder, occupying the space just behind the striker. In Israel he is nicknamed "The Kid", and he is the captain of the Israeli national football team.
~
Yossi Benayoun, born on May 5, 1980 in Dimona, Israel, is a footballer who plays as the midfielder in the team. Nicknamed “The Kid” and “The Diamond”, Yossi Benayoun lives with his family in his homeland, Israel.
~
Yossi Benayoun started his international career with the Israel Under-16 team, and his team finished third in the 1996 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) European Under-16 Championship.
~
He moved to the senior team making his debut against Portugal in November 1998. He became a crucial member of the Israeli national team at the 2006 World Cup qualifiers after their 2-1 victory over Cyprus at home and scoring twice against Switzerland. He was made as the captain of Israel national team before the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers. His two goals in eight appearances in the qualifiers gave a clear picture of the player’s dedication and motivation towards the Israel national team. He also played in the team’s line against the Croatia in the 2008 UEFA Euro qualifier.
~
Yossi Benayoun started playing football at an early age of 9, at Hapoel Be'er Sheva, an Israeli football club. Following his success in the home team, 15 year old Yossi Benayoun was picked by the Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Ajax). After he became the top scorer in the youth squad, the club offered him a four year contract, which he declined. At the age of 17, Yossi Benayoun moved on to the senior team of Hapoel Be’er Sheva. His season with Hapoel Be’er Sheva came to an end with his move to Maccabi Haifa.
~
During 2000-01, he also got the opportunity to lead Maccabi Haifa to its first championship and was honored as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of that season.
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yossi_Benayoun
~
~http://www.yossibenayoun.net/
~
~http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5020823000233501531

--Real Madrid vs Liverpool--

0'
Join us at 1945 GMT to see if Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez can overcome the critics and see off Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

~

0'
Good evening one and all and welcome to the latest installment in the Liverpool soap opera as Rafa Benitez takes the Reds back to his spritual home in Madrid to face Real. It should be a fascinating Champions League tie.

~

0'
If you've not heard the latest, the English bookies earlier stopped taking bets on Benitez to be the next Premier League manager to sling his hook, but they don't always get it right. The club then hit back by saying the speculation was ridiculous. They didn't go so far as to say his relationship with the club's hierarchy was hunky dory either though. Because it isn't. At all.

~

0'
The teams are out and the big news is that Gerrard is on the bench for Liverpool. Not a huge surprise after he only managed one training session prior to the game. Benayoun makes the cut and Alonso is back after being suspended at the weekend.

~

0'
Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Riera, Benayoun, Alonso, Mascherano, Torres and Kuyt. Subs from: Cavalieri, Dossena, Hyypia, Gerrard, Lucas, Babel and Ngog.

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0'
Real Madrid: Casillas, Ramos, Cannavaro, Pepe, Heinze, Robben, Diarra, Gago, Marcelo, Raul and Higuain. Subs from: Dudek, Saviola, Sneijder, Guti, Metzelder, Miguel Torres and Van der Vaart.

~

0'
So, how's this one going to go? My heart says a high-scoring thriller as Real throw caution to the wind. My head says Liverpool to first and foremost nullify Real's threat and grind out a low scoring draw in favour of doing the job at Anfield. You?

~

0'
The teams are out and we are ready to go. The Bernabeu looks sensational...

~

1'
We begin...

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2'
The game is only seconds old as Raul piles into Xabi Alonso and gets a ticking off from the ref. Spicy opening.

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3'
Alonso looks for Kuyt over the top but the Dutchman had strayed offside, then Torres trips Pepe and gets a howl of derision from his trouble. Exactly what he'd expect as a former Atletico player..

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4'
Raul gets his first opening as Robben played him in down the right channel but his shot from his weaker side didn't trouble Reina.

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5'
Two aimless balls from Liverpool hand possession straight back to Real. Poor from Arbeloa there.

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6'
Aurelio snaps straight in on Robben as Gago found him on the right. I can see that becoming a recurring theme of the evening I think...

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7'
The pattern is set; Real pressing, Liverpool soaking up and trying to hit on the break. What we need is an early goal..

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8'
Aurelio again piles in on Robben and this time wins a throw in. Robben looks disgusted, the Liverpool fans love it.

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9'
There's a cracking atmosphere in the stadium. Not always the noisiest is the Bernabeu, but their team is in good form and they're up for it this evening.

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11'
Torres wins a flick on .... to nobody. Liverpool won't get anywhere with that tactic.

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13'
Back in Madrid Real swing a free-kick, then a corner into the box but Carragher is equal to both.

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17'
A nice turn from Higuain offers Robben a half chance but he is immediately crowded off the ball by a combination of Skrtel and Mascherano.

~19'
Pepe and Gago just stood there as the ball bounced from a Liverpool clearance into the path of Torres abd he nearly made them pay - Casillas with a great save to keep the scores level.

~

31'
Should anyone remotely care, Stewart Downing has just scored a belter of a free kick to put Middlesbrough one up against West Ham in their FA Cup replay.

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43'
Wow! Alonso nicks the ball off Gago and has a pop from all of 50 yards forcing Casillas to tip over!

~

45'
See you in 15 minutes...

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69'
Robben cuts along the edge of the penalty area but refuses to unload because he was on his weaker right foot. He then spreads it wide for Ramos but his cross is too deep and no-one can profit from it.

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71'
Robben cuts inside after Kuyt failed to get the foul he was looking for and unleashes a dipping, swerving shot that Reina does well to tip over.

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72'
Another poor corner and another Liverpool clearance.

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81'
Henize hauls Kuyt down for no reason at all and Liverpool have a free kick wide on the right. A crazy challenge.

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82'
GOAL! Benayoun!

~

82'
Well, that was all Heinze's fault. He had no need to give away a free kick but he did and Aurelio whips in a devillish ball which Benayoun flashes into the net from eight yards out.

~

85'
Well, Liverpool do it again. They sit back, invite pressure and nick a goal on their rare forrays upfield. Don't get me wrong though, they probably deserve it, but only because Madrid have been lamentable.

~

89'
Now it's Real pumping the ball upfield after having run out of ideas. I honestly reckon Newcastle would have given them a decent game tonight.

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90'
Well, unless they are transformed in the next two weeks Liverpool will breeze past this lot at Anfield, even in their patchy form of late.

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91'
Three minutes added as the first chorus of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' rings out. Looks like there's some bother in the crowd too.

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93'
The Bernabeu is emptying very quickly as Liverpool edge towards victory...

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94'
Well, an excellent night for Liverpool is complete and Rafa Benitez has a precious win at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid, it has to be said, were pathetic, but Liverpool put them away and are huge favourites to go through to the quarter finals. Thanks for your company. See you next time..

~

~

~http://soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com/gamecast?id=260515&league=UEFA.CHAMPIONS&cc=4716

--Human Understanding--

The Benefits of Understanding Human Behavior
Human behavior is absolutely fascinating. Observing people and trying to predict what they will do next can provide a real learning experience. Human behavior is quite predictable in many instances. Personalities can be extremely complex but there are areas that can be understood with a high degree of accuracy. That is part of the value in using validated personality assessments. It's a lot like on the job training in the human behavior department.
~
You are probably wondering how you would use that information.
If you are considering promoting an employee into a new position with higher levels of responsibility, wouldn't it be beneficial to know ahead of time how he would perform in the new job? You can also use this information and understanding when putting together a team to manage a new project. You will even know who should be assigned certain tasks in order to play to each members strengths instead of to their weaknesses.
~
All industries are having to handle technological change.
Which employees will be able to respond to those changes without difficulty? Which employees should be targeted for specialized or advanced training? Wouldn't it also be beneficial to know which employees would need supplemental or remedial training?
~
Another interesting fact about human beings is that they sometimes behave badly just because they don't know any other way to express themselves.
You can effectively spot those individuals and defuse potential problems before they ever get out of the box.
~
The more that you work with a personality assessment instrument, the more proficient you will become in understanding and reading people accurately.
This is an enormous help when interviewing and screening applicants or in conflict resolution. When you understand what is driving the behavior, you will be able to predict the outcome much more successfully. You will not become a guru overnight, but a little coaching can take you a long way very quickly.
~
~
~http://www.employment-testing.com/understanding_behavior.htm
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enquiry_Concerning_Human_Understanding
~
~http://www.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780195336122/?view=usa
~
~http://www.human-understanding.com/

--Tom And Jerry--

Tom and Jerry is a series of animated theatrical shorts created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that centered on a never-ending rivalry between a housecat (Tom) and a mouse (Jerry) whose chases and battles often involved comic violence. Hanna and Barbera ultimately wrote and directed one hundred and fourteen Tom and Jerry cartoons at the MGM cartoon studio in Hollywood, California between 1940 and 1957, when the animation unit was closed. The original series is notable for having won the Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Cartoons) seven times, tying it with Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies as the most-awarded theatrical animated series.
~
Beginning in 1960, in addition to the originals MGM had new shorts produced by Rembrandt Films, led by Gene Deitch in Eastern Europe. Production of Tom and Jerry shorts returned to Hollywood under Chuck Jones's Sib-Tower 12 Productions in 1963; this series lasted until 1967, making it a total of 161 shorts. The cat and mouse stars later resurfaced in television cartoons produced by Hanna-Barbera and Filmation Studios during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, a feature film, Tom and Jerry: The Movie, in 1992 and released domestically in 1993 and in 2000, their first TV special, Tom and Jerry in: The Mansion Cat for Cartoon Network.
~
Today, Time Warner (via its Turner Entertainment division) owns the rights to Tom and Jerry, and also produced the series, Tom and Jerry Tales for The CW's Saturday morning "The CW4Kids" lineup, as well as the recent Tom and Jerry short, The KarateGuard, in 2005 and a string of Tom and Jerry direct-to-video films.
~
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_and_Jerry_%28MGM%29

--Barack Obama--

Barack Hussein Obama II (pronounced /bəˈrɑːk hʊˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama was the junior United States Senator from Illinois from January 2005 until November 2008, when he resigned following his election to the presidency.
~
Obama is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review. He worked as a community organizer in Chicago prior to earning his law degree, and practiced as a civil rights attorney in Chicago before serving three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, Obama was elected to the United States Senate in November 2004. Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004.
~While serving as a Senator, he belonged to several committees, including the Foreign Relations, Environment and Public Works, Veterans' Affairs, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
After a particularly close campaign in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primary against rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, he won his party's nomination as a candidate for president, becoming the first major African American candidate for president. In the 2008 general election he defeated Republican candidate John McCain and was sworn in as president on January 20, 2009.
~
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

--Lord Baden-Powell (22 February 1857 - 8 January 1941)--

Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (pronounced /ˈbeɪdən ˈpoʊəl/) OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB (22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941), also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement.
~
After having been educated at Charterhouse School, Baden-Powell served in the British Army from 1876 until 1910 in India and Africa. In 1899, during the Second Boer War in South Africa, Baden-Powell successfully defended the city in the Siege of Mafeking. Several of his military books, written for military reconnaissance and scout training in his African years, were also read by boys. Based on those earlier books, he wrote Scouting for Boys, published in 1908 by Pearson, for youth readership. During writing, he tested his ideas through a camping trip on Brownsea Island that began on 1 August 1907, which is now seen as the beginning of Scouting.
~
After his marriage with Olave St Clair Soames, Baden-Powell, his sister Agnes Baden-Powell and notably his wife actively gave guidance to the Scouting Movement and the Girl Guides Movement. Baden-Powell lived his last years in Nyeri, Kenya, where he died in 1941.
~
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Baden-Powell%2C_1st_Baron_Baden-Powell
~
~http://www.msd.k12.ca.us/powell/powell.htm
~
~http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/baden-powell.html
~
~http://lbpuniv.org/

--Elizabeth Wong (Malaysia)--

Petaling Jaya, Feb 17 : Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong today offered to quit her state cabinet post and state assembly seat following controversy over a display of her nude photographs.
~
Talking to mediapersons at the PKR headquarters, Wong said she would discuss with Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim the handover of her responsibilities
Wong, 37, who described the incident as unfortunate, said it was an underhanded attempt by certain quarters to smear her reputation.
~
"My personal life and privacy have been violated. These people have conspired to undermine my credibility," NST quoted Wong, as saying.
~
She came to know about her nude photographs when journalists from an English tabloid said they had them in their possession.
~
Wong said their distribution and publication was a malicious attack on her and constituted a gross outrage of her modesty.
~
Wong said she would not speculate about who was responsible for this.
"I have received a lot of support from my supporters, friends, colleagues and constituents. My family members are standing by me," She added. (ANI)
~
FROM HER....

Dear friends,
I have departed today.
~
Despite having tendered my resignation from all posts, the media and websites continue to intrude into my private life and privacy. I have been informed by several media that they will continue to publish even more lewd graphical, sensational stories of my private life. I have also been told there will be a fresh assault, with more photographs and videos released and circulated in order to completely degrade and bury me.
~
This is the darkest episode in my life. I have never felt so alone, vulnerable and humiliated. I need to rest and to search for peace of mind to get away from the stormy events surrounding me.
~
I appreciate the overwhelming support from all quarters, especially my voters, women in particular and party comrades. Words cannot express my gratitude for your gentle kindness.
I have informed my party leaders that I am determined to relinquish all my positions, as a Selangor State Exco Member as well as the State Assemblywoman for Bukit Lanjan. I am thankful for the party leadership’s concern and encouragement. I seek their understanding for my predicament.
~
My commitment to the ideals of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat remains unwavering. I shall retain my party membership and continue to struggle for a just society with the party.
The nation is at a crisis facing a serious economic recession. Unemployment is rising, while corruption remains rampant. I wish public discussions would concentrate on these important issues rather than analysing my private life. My principle remains the same – I will not answer any questions pertaining to my private life. My private life is not for public scrutiny as I have not broken any law or caused harm to anyone.
~
I plead to the media as well as my supporters to allow me some peace of mind, and to give me space. I urge the media to leave my family, friends and I alone. Please do not continue to shame my family and I, so that we have a chance to lead a normal life as ordinary citizens.
~
Lastly, I wish to thank the support from the public that has been pouring in ceaselessly. I am very moved and eternally grateful to my friends and colleagues who stand by me. There is nothing in this world that can repay your kindness.
~
ELIZABETH WONG
~
~
~http://www.topnews.in/elizabeth-wong-offers-resign-over-nude-photographs-controversy-2126508
~
~http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=30096
~
~http://www.aliran.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=833:elizabeth-wong-and-our-hope-for-a-new-politics-in-malaysia&catid=55:2008&Itemid=40
~
~http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/17/nation/20090217113914&sec=nation
~
~http://www.elizabethwong.org/site/
~
~http://elizabethwong.wordpress.com/

--Tan Sri Dato' Seri Yeoh Tiong Lay--

Tan Sri Dato' Seri Yeoh Tiong Lay (simplified Chinese: 杨忠礼; traditional Chinese: 楊忠禮; pinyin: Yáng Zhōngli) is a Malaysian business tycoon and a prominent philanthropist. He founded YTL Corporation, one of Malaysia's biggest and most successful conglomerates with interests in construction, utilities, hotels, property development and technology. YTL is based primarily in Malaysia but has extensive operations in Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom, where it owns the utility Wessex Water.

~
Yeoh Tiong Lay completed his secondary school education at Chong Hwa Independent High School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is the father of Francis Yeoh, who is the eldest of his 7 children, all of whom are involved in the family business.

~
He is one of the richest individuals in Malaysia, his family is estimated to have a net worth of US$ 2.1 billion, and is ranked as the 573rd richest person on earth according to Forbes.

~
He was conferred the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon by the Emperor of Japan for his efforts in promoting bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan on the 19th of January 2008.

~

~

~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeoh_Tiong_Lay

~

~http://www.ytl.com.my/

~

~http://www.ytlesolutions.com/

~

~http://www.ytlcommunity.com/commnews/shownews.asp?newsid=10187

~

~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YTL_Corporation

--Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa gives drunken press conference at G7 meeting???--

Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said Tuesday he will step down after various budget bills are passed by the lower house of parliament.

~

Nakagawa said he was resigning his post following criticism of his behavior at a weekend press conference at the G7 meeting in Rome where he displayed slurred speech and a sleepy demeanor.

~

Nakagawa denied being drunk at a press conference and said he had mixed cold medicine and alcohol with unfortunate results. Speaking at a press conference Tuesday in Japan, Nakagawa said was resigning his post: "To take responsibility for the trouble I caused."

~

~http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/japans-finance-minister-nakagawa-step/

--Pol Pot-Saloth Sar (Cambodia)--

Saloth Sar (May 19, 1925 – April 15, 1998), widely known as Pol Pot, was the leader of the Cambodian communist movement known as the Khmer Rouge and was Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976–1979.
~
Pol Pot became the de facto leader of Cambodia in mid-1975.[citation needed] During his time in power, Pol Pot imposed a version of agrarian collectivization, forcing city dwellers to relocate to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labour projects, toward a goal of "restarting civilization" in "Year Zero". The combined effects of slave labour, malnutrition, poor medical care, and executions resulted in the deaths of an estimated 750,000 to 1.7 million people, approximately 26% of the Cambodian population.
~
In 1979, after the invasion of Cambodia by neighboring Vietnam in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War, Pol Pot fled into the jungles of southwest Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge government collapsed. From 1979 – 1997 he and a remnant of the old Khmer Rouge operated from the border region of Cambodia and Thailand, where they clung to power and United Nations recognition as the rightful government of Cambodia.
~
Pol Pot died in 1998 while held under house arrest by the Ta Mok faction of the Khmer Rouge. Since his death, rumours that he was poisoned have persisted.
~
~
~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_Pot
~
~http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/pot.html

--Happy Birthday KOSOVO--

Kosovo (Albanian: Kosova, Kosovë; Serbian: Косово or Косово и Метохија, Kosovo or Kosovo i Metohija) is a disputed region in the Balkans. Its majority is governed by the partially-recognised Republic of Kosovo (Albanian: Republika e Kosovës), which claims all the territory of Yugoslavia’s 1974–1990 Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo of SR Serbia.

~

The modern Republic of Serbia does not recognise the secession of the province and considers Kosovo a United Nations-governed entity within its sovereign territory, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (Serbian: Аутономна Покрајина Косово и Метохија, Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo i Metohija) re-created by the Serbian constitutional reforms of the Slobodan Milošević government.[6]

~
Landlocked Kosovo is bordered by Central Serbia to the north and east, the Republic of Macedonia to the south, Albania to the west, and Montenegro to the northwest. The largest city and the capital of Kosovo is Pristina (alternatively spelled Prishtina or Priština), while other cities include Peć (Peja), Prizren, and Mitrovica (Kosovska Mitrovica).

~
Kosovo was a part of the lands of Thraco-Illyrian tribes, then of the Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Ottoman empires.

~

In the 20th century it shared between Kingdom of Montenegro and Kingdom of Serbia, and their successor state, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After the Kosovo War and 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia the territory came under the interim administration of the United Nations (UNMIK). In February 2008, the Assembly of Kosovo declared Kosovo's independence as the Republic of Kosovo.

~

As of 16 January 2009, its independence is recognised by 55 UN member states and the Republic of China (Taiwan). On October 8, 2008, the majority of the UN states backed a Serbian judicial initiative on Kosovo aimed at determining whether the secession was legal.

~

~

~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo

--Al Pacino--

Alfredo James “Al” Pacino (born April 25, 1940) is an American film stage actor and director, widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his time.

~
He is well known for his roles as Michael Corleone in the The Godfather trilogy, Sonny Wortzik in Dog Day Afternoon, Tony Montana in Scarface, Carlito Brigante in the 1993 film Carlito's Way, Frank Serpico in Serpico, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman, and Roy Cohn in Angels in America.

~

He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1992 for his role in Scent of a Woman after being nominated 7 times beforehand for various roles.

~

~

~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Pacino

~

~http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000199/bio

--Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa @ G7 meeting--

Nakagawa has said he did not drink alcohol before the meeting. Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told reporters that Nakagawa was in a drunken state because of　cold medicine, not liquor:

~

“Finance Minister Nakagawa’s appearance at the press conference was not caused by alcohol,” Kawamura told reporters in Tokyo. “I asked him to take better care of himself.”

~

~http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=8832

--Friends and Mahjong--

Mahjong (also called mah-jongg by the American association, Traditional Chinese: 麻將; Simplified Chinese: 麻将; Pinyin: májiàng) is a game for four players that originated in China. Mahjong involves skill, strategy, and calculation, as well as a certain degree of chance. Depending on the variation which is played, luck can be anything from a minor to a dominant factor in success. In Asia, mahjong is also popularly played as a gambling game.

~

In the game, each player is dealt either thirteen or sixteen tiles in a hand (depending on the variation being played). On their turn, players draw a tile and discard one, with the goal of making four or five melds (also depending on the variation) and one pair, or "head". Winning comes "on the draw", by drawing a new or discarded tile that completes the hand. Thus a winning hand actually contains fourteen (or seventeen) tiles.

~

~

~

~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong

--Golden Retriever--

The Golden Retriever is a breed of dog, historically developed as a gundog to retrieve shot waterfowl and upland game during hunting. As such they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and an instinctive love of water. Their intelligence and versatility sees them employed in a variety of roles including illegal drug detection, search and rescue, as hunting dogs and as guide dogs. Its friendly, eager-to-please and patient demeanor has also made it one of the most popular family dogs (by registration) in the world today.
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British type
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5 months old Golden Retriever
Some variations do exist between the British type Golden Retrievers prevalent throughout Europe and Australia, and those of American lines and these differences are reflected in the breed standards. This type is bigger-boned, shorter, with a more square head and or muzzle and are generally slightly heavier. Males should be between 56–61 cm (22–24 inch) at the withers and females slightly shorter at between 51–56 cm (20–22 inch). Their weight, however, is not specified in the UK standard. The KC standard calls for a level topline and straight hindquarters without the slight rear angulation found in American lines.
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The eyes of American line dogs tend to be set further apart than those of British lines and can appear to be slanted and triangular in shape by comparison. A Golden Retriever of British breeding can have a coat color of any shade of gold or cream,(jack doggie) however, red or mahogany are not permissible colors. Originally cream was not an acceptable color in the UK standard, however, by 1936 the standard was revised to include cream. It was felt this exclusion was a mistake as the original "yellow" retrievers of the 19th century were lighter in color than the then current standard permitted. As with America lines white is an unacceptable colour in the show ring. The British KC standard is used in all countries with the exceptions of the US and Canada. Some breeders of this type in America may import their dogs to improve bloodlines. The incidence of Cancer among English bloodlines is significantly less than is seen in the American lines.
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American type
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An American Golden is less stocky and lankier than a British Type. A male should stand from 22–24 inch (58–61 cm) in height at the shoulders, and females should be 21.5–22.5 inch (55–57 cm) at the shoulders. The males weigh 65–75 lb and the females weigh 55–65 lb. The Golden Retriever is a dog with a variety of colors for the coats. The coat is dense and water repellent, in various shades of lustrous gold, with moderate feathering. The gait should be free, smooth, powerful, and well-coordinated. They originated in Scotland during the late nineteenth century and were a mix of the Tweed Water Spaniel, which is now extinct, the red setter and the Wavy-Coated Retriever.
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Canadian type
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The Canadian golden retriever is a newer type of golden. Appearance is meant to be similar to the American in height and weight, with a light coat color. Color is described as not as light as a British type, and not as dark as an American type.
Field line Golden Retrievers tend to be smaller and have a less dense coat than their conformation line counterparts. And usually, they are darker in color.
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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Retriever

--A Symphony for YouTube--EROICA--

Play your part in music history.

We called for professionals and amateur musicians of all ages, locations and instruments to audition for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra by submitting a video performance of a new piece written for the occasion by the renowned Chinese composer Tan Dun.

Finalists are selected by a judging panel comprised of the world's most renowned orchestras. Vote for your favorite instrumentalists on YouTube from February 14-22.

Winners are announced on March 2nd and will be invited to travel to New York in April 2009, to participate in the YouTube Symphony Orchestra summit, and play at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.All the Tan Dun submissions will be compiled into a mashup video which will be premiered on this channel on April 15th.

~http://www.youtube.com/user/symphony?gl=AU&hl=en-GB

--Valentine 2009--

(Saint) Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The day was originally a pagan festival that was renamed after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
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The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.
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The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.
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The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend in average twice as much money as women.
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~http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentines_day