Nobel Peace Prize: Could a Russian win this year?

Several Russian contenders are among the favorites for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, to be awarded Friday. But a Russian winner could make for sour relations between Norway and Russia.

By Valeria Criscione,?Correspondent / October 9, 2012

Two years ago, the Nobel Peace Prize soured relations between Norway and China after the Norwegian Nobel Committee named a Chinese dissident the 2010 winner. And Norway could be set for a similar diplomatic tiff ? this time with Russia ? when the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded on Friday.

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Memorial, the Russian organization focusing on human rights, democracy, and reconciliation through historical documentation, is a top contender according to Kristian Berg Harpviken, director at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, and Norwegian Nobel historian Asle Sveen.

Memorial is also the sixth top pick according to online betting site Paddy Power, whose odds are often a gauge to the prize's frontrunners.

Mr. Harpviken says the prize could be shared with Memorial founding member Svetlana Gannushkina, whereas Mr. Sveen suggests it may also go to Belarus dissident Ales Bialiatski, who is currently in prison, and Russian human rights campaigner Lyudmila Alexejeva.

Stirring a backlash?

A Russian prize could lead to a political backlash similar to the uproar after the Norwegian Nobel Committee in 2010 gave the prize to imprisoned Chinese human rights dissident Liu Xiaobo.

Chinese officials rebuked Norway for challenging its justice system and retaliated with political snubs, most visibly through delays in bilateral free trade talks and canceled high-level meetings. There also were concerns that China?s new fish regulations were imposed to damper Norwegian seafood exports to China, which fell dramatically after the award.

A Russian winner could have similar results. ?This will provoke the [Russian] government,? says Sveen. ?Suddenly there will be something wrong with the fish.?

Russia is Norway?s second largest seafood market at 5 billion kr ($873 million), mostly trout, salmon, and herring exports. But Harpviken does not believe a Russian reaction would be as severe as the Chinese, both because of the ?different political cultures? and the fact that ?Russia has more to lose than the Chinese.? However, it could provoke an ?even harder clampdown? on civil society.

Their Russian and Belarus picks have been officially nominated as candidates by members of the Norwegian Parliament, another signal that speaks in their favor because of the historical precedence in candidates having a ?Norwegian connection,? either in the nomination process or a link to Norway, says Sveen.

It would also be a topical choice. The recent Belarus and Russian elections were both criticized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for voting irregularities, and three members of Russian punk-rock girl band Pussy Riot were imprisoned following their protest performance this year.

Still, an award critical of Russia?s human rights record could irk the Russians, particularly given Thorbj?rn Jagland?s dual role as chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and secretary general of the Council of Europe, of which Russia is a member. Critics have pointed to Mr. Jagland?s positions as a possible hindrance in the committee giving the award to Russian civil society activists. But Harpviken disagrees.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/NFLVWyqhrpk/Nobel-Peace-Prize-Could-a-Russian-win-this-year

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Algeria pays tribute to ex-president Bendjedid

ALGIERS: Algeria on Sunday paid tribute to former president Chadli Bendjedid, "father" of the country's multiparty system, who died of cancer 20 years after leaving office.

"Algeria has lost a mujahedeen (fighter) who was determined to rid the country of the ravages of colonialism and liberate his people from its injustices and recover the sovereignty of Algeria," President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said.

Algeria has declared eight days of mourning for Bendjedid, 83, president from 1979 to 1992, who died on Saturday.

His body was being kept at the People's Palace, an official residence in Algiers, to allow officials and members of the public to pay tribute to the former head of state before Monday's funeral.

A portrait of the former president was placed in the centre of a large hall of the former residence of Ottoman-era governors of Algiers.

Bendjedid's funeral is to held at the Martyrs' Square of El Alia cemetery in the capital where his predecessors Houari Boumedienne, Ahmed Ben Bella and Mohamed Boudiaf are buried.

The Algerian media have hailed the role of Bendjedid in introducing multiparty politics to Algeria, where the single-party rule of the National Liberation Front was ended in 1989.

"Algeria says goodbye to the man of reform," wrote Arabic daily El-Khabar, while the French newspaper L'Expression praised him as the "the pioneer of reform."

Bendjedid was one of Algeria's longest-serving presidents, holding office for 13 years until to 1992, when he was ousted from power as the army intervened to block Islamists from winning Algeria's first multiparty elections.

The military intervention sparked a civil war which left an estimated 200,000 people dead.

"Everyone thought Chadli was ousted by the military. I met him two months after his resignation, he told me that he had resigned on his own," Miloud Brahimi, a prominent human rights lawyer, said Sunday on the radio.

Bendjedid joined the underground for the duration of the war of liberation against colonial power France between November 1954 and 1962, when he was named military commander of the Oran region of western Algeria for 14 years.

He became a member of the Revolutionary Council, set up in June 1965 after the overthrow of the country's first president Ben Bella.

With the army's backing, he was elected president in January 1979 and his mandate was renewed in December 1988, two months after bloody unrest over price rises and demands for democracy.

Bendjedid kick-started the democratisation of government institutions in Algeria, notably by promulgating a pluralist constitution in February 1989.

But after the outbreak of civil war, he was placed under house arrest in Oran in January 1992 and not released until after Bouteflika rose to the presidency in 1999.

His memoirs are due to be published on November 1, the anniversary of the outbreak in 1954 of Algeria's war of independence.

Bendjedid was born on April 14, 1929 in Bouteldja, a village in eastern Algeria near the Tunisian border.

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2012/Oct-07/190479-algeria-pays-tribute-to-ex-president-bendjedid.ashx

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Crowd Patronage: Can A 400 Year Old Model Save The Music ...

From Hypebot:

By Bryan Kim (@freshbreakfast), Director of Business Development at Hipset from his personal blog.

?A lot of people in our industry haven?t had very diverse experiences. So they don?t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem. The broader one?s understanding of the

human experience, the better design we will have.? ? Steve Jobs
There are a few schools of thought when it comes to the future of the music industry. There are the Traditionalists, who still view file sharing as ?stealing? and hope that their preaching will swing the pendulum of teenage consumerism back toward charged content. There are the Incrementalists, who believe that paid downloads will continue to grow, and essentially replace the revenues of physical formats past. There are the Internet Apologists, who want to give music away as a loss leader to sell more concert tickets and merchandise, hoping that these gains will make up for the loss of content sales at the macro level. Finally, there are the Defeatists, who are resigned to a shrunken industry that supports fewer artists.

Personally, I reject all these notions. I believe it?s very possible to revitalize the music industry with free music, without relying on unrealistic growth in the existing concert and merch sector. This requires us to create an entirely new product offering to fans. And unlike recorded music, this product?s value must be in harmony with the realities of the internet. In this essay, I hope to outline the contours and justifications for the viability of a new model, which I?m going to label ?crowd patronage?.

This brings us back to Steve Jobs?s words above. He may have been talking about his tech industry, but Mr. Jobs? quote so elegantly sums up the past, present and future of the music business, that its very deconstruction unravels the entirety of the industry?s fate.

So let?s begin.

?They don?t have enough dots to connect?

Ever since the launch of the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1901, selling recorded music has come to define the music industry. That means every single living person in the world right now has only known this reality. Recorded music = music industry? these are the only dots we know.

And yet, we know that musicians existed before the advent of recorded formats. They must have survived one way or another, right? As it turns out, there were a variety of ?models? that have supported the creation of music throughout history.

Street performers, buskers, troubadours, gypsies, minstrels, vaudevillians? the number of synonyms alone signals the prevalence of an ancient breed of entertainers who performed in public for gratuities . Nearly every civilization in recorded history spawned a class of buskers, and by sheer numbers alone, it could very well be the ?model? most musicians made a living on.

On the opposite end of the ?social status? spectrum, some of the most epic and enduring compositions of our musical canon were commissioned by patronage. One of the very first disruptive information technologies ever, the printing press, coincided with the rise of the Renaissance, broadening the distribution of popular compositions and the fame of those that created it (and the royal class? incentive to take credit). Patronage funded the ensuing Baroque era, which birthed the first enduring titan of musical composition, Johann Sebastian Bach.

The Classical and Romantic eras maintained the tradition of patronage, contributing to the rent of geniuses like Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.

Skip forward a few centuries and across an ocean to the thriving Tin Pan Alley era. In the late 19th/early 20th century, a concentration of competing sheet music publishers on Manhattan?s West 32nd Avenue blossomed into a full blown, star-making industry. Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Fats Waller, Cole Porter? these artists propagated their music and growing celebrity through the pieces of paper that bore their names.

These are but a handful of pre-grammophone ?models? that have sustained centuries of musicians through the course of human history, some of whom we still canonize today. So at a minimum, we need to bust out of our historically narrow assumption that moving record units is the end all and be all of the music ?industry?.

Continue reading the rest of the story on Hypebot

Source: http://www.thatericalper.com/2012/10/08/crowd-patronage-can-a-400-year-old-model-save-the-music-industry/

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AffiliateNicheSolutions ? The Truth About Working Online

p>Difficult times abound for everyone, and to many, the Net is a gigantic land of opportunity where anybody can make money online. Sadly, millions apparently think the internet is a cyber field literally full of gold nuggets available for the picking by anyone who chucks up an internet site and wants to work at home with their Internet business. Like the gold miners of the Klondike, they flood the Internet business world in search of gold and instant wealth.

There are many people sadly, that are willing to promote this absurd idea feeding on man?s gluttony and naivety. Overnite riches with a new Internet business start up is simply a foolhardy clutch at straws and that?s it. ?If it sounds too good to be true it most likely is? Here are a number of insights the new work at home Internet business entrepreneur should be aware of.

While any business start up will require money an Internet business start up is no exception. If you do not have a budget to work with, you are kidding yourself. It costs a hundred dollars to start up your Internet business but research and efficiency tools as well as trustworthy marketing for your Internet business will cost you. So be aware that you must be ready to commit at least $200 a month for these costs as they pop up. These costs can change naturally, but entering into an Internet business start up thinking you can do it all for free is preposterous and unreal.

Never expect a full time revenue from your work at home efforts for one or two years. Most viable Internet business sites that are earning the owners a fulltime income have been around for years. These sites didn?t appear overnite even though it can almost seem that way occasionally. You? More than likely are building your work at home Internet business from nothing. Free marketing will serve you very well and is also very effective but page ranking and site authority are largely a game of numbers of relevance and you may be unable to get anywhere in search engine listings by doing everything manually. So be prepared to purchase good quality essential tools. Good tools can cost hundreds of dollars.

The work at home Internet business Start up is not a game. It is a long process, but should you be tenacious, content to learn and apply what you have learned to your Internet business,in time you will see rocketing levels of success. It won?t be free, it will not be overnite but if you approach the task seriously and rationally with a budget you are able to afford then over a period you can make money online and perhaps kiss your employer goodbye.

This writer has worked online and as a teacher in entrepreneurship success and failure rates. Sharing data with work at home internet business start up and how to make money online that is realistic and sustainable.

Source: http://affiliatenichesolutions.com/the-truth-about-working-online/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-truth-about-working-online

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Decade after Bali, Indonesian terror aims at gov't

BALI, Indonesia (AP) ? Ten years after terrorist attacks at two Bali nightclubs killed more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists, Indonesia has won praise for its counterterrorism efforts. Militant organizations have been fractured and many of their charismatic leaders have been killed or jailed.

But an Associated Press analysis shows the number of strikes within the country has actually gone up, especially since 2010, when radical imams called on their followers to focus on domestic targets rather than Westerners. The more recent attacks have been conducted with less expertise.

Since Oct. 12, 2002, when the Bali attacks killed 202 people, there have been four major terror strikes targeting Westerners in Indonesia.

That compares to 15 attacks against security forces, local authorities, Christians and some moderate Muslims in just the past two years.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/decade-bali-indonesian-terror-aims-govt-093824075.html

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Terps Football Team Looks for Fresh Start in ACC Opener

By Connor Letourneau

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- A.J. Francis has never been shy.

The Maryland Terrapins defensive end performed in plays starting in elementary school. He created the "Fear the Turtle" remix the women's lacrosse team uses during warm ups. And the loquacious tweeter even earned the distinction of being the only amateur athlete featured on Sports Illustrated's Top 100 Twitter Accounts list this year.

So when the topic turned to Saturday's conference opener against Wake Forest, the senior wasted little time explaining the game's significance.

"At the end of the day," Francis said Tuesday, "our goal is to win the ACC championship."

Forget that the Terps narrowly escaped William & Mary in their season opener. Forget that they allowed 16 sacks through their first four contests, second worst in the nation. And forget that they rank 113th out of 120 FBS programs in rushing yardage.

For Francis and others, the past is the past. They see start of ACC play represents a fresh start, a chance to take four games worth of growth and learning into a slate filled with familiar foes.

"It's a big one," Francis said of Saturday's matchup. "You could lose all your other games and win the ACC. I hate to say it doesn't matter what you do before ACC play, but it really doesn't matter."

Francis' logic is sound. The non-conference schedule was simply an appetizer for an entree comprised of the likes of No. 3 Florida State and No. 15 Clemson. The Terps could still earn a bowl bid with a winning record in the ACC.

Of course, the Terps will get a bit of a respite from top-20 competition. After testing No. 8 West Virginia two weeks ago, they should have a manageable October. This month, Edsall's squad will face Wake Forest (3-2), Virginia (2-3), N.C. State (3-2) and Boston College (1-3) - four teams either at or near the bottom of the ACC standings.

After losing to each of those programs by at least 11 points last season, all four games suddenly seem winnable. The Terps, who were picked to finish last in the Atlantic Division in August, have a legitimate chance of finishing above .500 in the ACC this year.

It's simply a byproduct of circumstance. The Terps have outpaced expectations largely because freshmen have thrived in key roles.

Other than the Seminoles and Tigers, the rest of ACC has been largely disappointing.

The Terps could even beat Georgia Tech and North Carolina, the other two ACC teams they play in November.

As the Terps prepare for Saturday's conference opener, few can blame them for dreaming big. After all, this is hardly the same group that lost six of their seven conference games last year by double digits.

This Terps team features the nation's eighth-ranked defense. This Terps team has do-everything freshman wide receiver Stefon Diggs. And perhaps most importantly, this Terps team is unified.

Gone are the defeatist attitudes. This team believes it can win on any given Saturday.

"If we do what we need to do on a day-to-day basis," Edsall said earlier this year, "we know we can compete with any team in the country."

An upset or two and the Terps could be in the picture come late November. At this point of the season, anything is possible.

*A version of this story originally appeared in The Diamondback.

Source: http://somd.com/news/headlines/2012/16037.shtml

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Calif. gas prices hit record high 2nd straight day

Costco members fill up with discounted gasoline at a Costco gas station in Van Nuys, Calif., Friday, Oct. 5, 2012. Californians woke up to a shock Friday as overnight gasoline prices jumped by as much as 20 cents a gallon in some areas, ending a week of soaring costs that saw some stations close and others charge record prices. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Costco members fill up with discounted gasoline at a Costco gas station in Van Nuys, Calif., Friday, Oct. 5, 2012. Californians woke up to a shock Friday as overnight gasoline prices jumped by as much as 20 cents a gallon in some areas, ending a week of soaring costs that saw some stations close and others charge record prices. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Gasoline prices higher than $5 per gallon are posted at a Menlo Park, Calif., Chevron station on Friday, Oct. 5, 2012. Californians woke up to a shock Friday as overnight gasoline prices jumped by as much as 20 cents a gallon in some areas, ending a week of soaring costs that saw some stations close and others charge record prices. The average price of regular gas across the state was nearly $4.49 a gallon, the highest in the nation, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge report. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Lorena Delara takes a picture of the total she paid after filling up her tank with gasoline at a gas station Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, in San Diego. Delara paid $81.27 for a little over 15 gallons of gas. A 20-cent jump overnight in California gas prices has put the state ahead of Hawaii for the nation's most expensive gas. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Rudy Rocha delivers gas to a Costco gas station in Tustin, Calif., Friday, Oct. 5, 2012. A 20-cent jump overnight in California gas prices has put the state ahead of Hawaii for the nation's most expensive gas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Lorena Delara fills up her tank with gasoline at a gas station Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, in San Diego. A 20-cent jump overnight in California gas prices has put the state ahead of Hawaii for the nation's most expensive gas. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? California motorists faced another day of record-breaking gasoline prices Sunday, though relief appeared to be on the way.

In its latest update early Sunday, AAA reported that the statewide average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $4.655. Saturday's average of $4.6140 was the highest since June 19, 2008, when it was $4.6096.

The four-penny-per-gallon jump Sunday was less than Saturday's increase, which was 12 cents.

Sunday's price, like Saturday's, was the highest in the nation, with the Golden State overtaking Hawaii as the state with the most expensive fuel due to a temporary reduction in supply.

Gov. Jerry Brown ordered state smog regulators Sunday to allow winter-blend gasoline to be sold in California earlier than usual to help drive prices down. Winter-blend gas typically isn't sold until after October 31. Few refineries outside the state are currently making summer-blend gas, putting the pressure on already-taxed California manufacturers.

In some locations, fuming motorists paid $5 or more per gallon while station owners had to shut down pumps in others.

A station in Long Beach had California's priciest gas at $6.65 for a gallon of regular, according to GasBuddy.com. Meanwhile customers at an outlet in San Pablo paid just $3.49, the lowest price in the state.

The average for a gallon of regular was $4.69 in Los Angeles, $4.71 in San Diego and San Francisco, $4.55 in Sacramento and $4.90 in Santa Barbara, according to GasBuddy.com.

The dramatic surge came after a power outage Monday at a Southern California refinery that reduced supply in an already fragile and volatile market, analysts said. The refinery came back online Friday and prices were expected to stabilize in the coming days.

Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, predicted the average price could peak as high as $4.85 before coming back down.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-07-California%20Gasoline%20Prices/id-2fb8356ab88b47ec8b143e9145eeecfb

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