Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be to have a photo taken with your lady bits hanging out? Or a picture of you tripping in your glamorous ball gown? Well, these Hollywood celebrities lived through that horrific experience on the red carpet right in front of awaiting photographers. Whoops! Let’s take a peek at ...
ROME (AP) ? An Italian prosecutor has formally requested a manslaughter indictment against the captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, which crashed into a reef off Tuscany last year, killing 32 people.
The prosecutors' office in Grosseto also wants Capt. Francesco Schettino to be tried for causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship while the frantic evacuation of passengers and crew was still being conducted. A judge must decide whether to order a trial for Schettino and five others named in the indictment request Monday.
Prosecutors also said Costa Crociere SpA, the Italian cruise company, has asked for a plea bargain agreement which, if it was accepted, could see Costa pay a ?1 million ($1.35 million) fine.
The ship went aground off the Italian island of Giglio during a publicity stunt.
Feb. 25, 2013 ? The world has suffered from severe regional weather extremes in recent years, such as the heat wave in the United States in 2011 or the one in Russia 2010 coinciding with the unprecedented Pakistan flood. Behind these devastating individual events there is a common physical cause, propose scientists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). The study will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and suggests that man-made climate change repeatedly disturbs the patterns of atmospheric flow around the globe's Northern hemisphere through a subtle resonance mechanism.
"An important part of the global air motion in the mid-latitudes of the Earth normally takes the form of waves wandering around the planet, oscillating between the tropical and the Arctic regions. So when they swing up, these waves suck warm air from the tropics to Europe, Russia, or the US, and when they swing down, they do the same thing with cold air from the Arctic," explains lead author Vladimir Petoukhov.
"What we found is that during several recent extreme weather events these planetary waves almost freeze in their tracks for weeks. So instead of bringing in cool air after having brought warm air in before, the heat just stays. In fact, we observe a strong amplification of the usually weak, slowly moving component of these waves," says Petoukhov. Time is critical here: two or three days of 30 degrees Celsius are no problem, but twenty or more days lead to extreme heat stress. Since many ecosystems and cities are not adapted to this, prolonged hot periods can result in a high death toll, forest fires, and dramatic harvest losses.
Anomalous surface temperatures are disturbing the air flows
Climate change caused by greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil-fuel burning does not mean uniform global warming -- in the Arctic, the relative increase of temperatures, amplified by the loss of snow and ice, is higher than on average. This in turn reduces the temperature difference between the Arctic and, for example, Europe, yet temperature differences are a main driver of air flow. Additionally, continents generally warm and cool more readily than the oceans. "These two factors are crucial for the mechanism we detected," says Petoukhov. "They result in an unnatural pattern of the mid-latitude air flow, so that for extended periods the slow synoptic waves get trapped."
The authors of the study developed equations that describe the wave motions in the extra-tropical atmosphere and show under what conditions those waves can grind to a halt and get amplified. They tested their assumptions using standard daily weather data from the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). During recent periods in which several major weather extremes occurred, the trapping and strong amplification of particular waves -- like "wave seven" (which has seven troughs and crests spanning the globe) -- was indeed observed. The data show an increase in the occurrence of these specific atmospheric patterns, which is statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level.
The probability of extremes increases -- but other factors come in as well
"Our dynamical analysis helps to explain the increasing number of novel weather extremes. It complements previous research that already linked such phenomena to climate change, but did not yet identify a mechanism behind it," says Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of PIK and co-author of the study. "This is quite a breakthrough, even though things are not at all simple -- the suggested physical process increases the probability of weather extremes, but additional factors certainly play a role as well, including natural variability." Also, the 32-year period studied in the project provides a good indication of the mechanism involved, yet is too short for definite conclusions.
Nevertheless, the study significantly advances the understanding of the relation between weather extremes and human-made climate change. Scientists were surprised by how far outside past experience some of the recent extremes have been. The new data show that the emergence of extraordinary weather is not just a linear response to the mean warming trend, and the proposed mechanism could explain that.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Petoukhov, V., Rahmstorf, S., Petri, S., Schellnhuber, H. J. Quasi-resonant amplification of planetary waves and recent Northern Hemisphere weather extremes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1222000110
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
On the internet Car or truck Online auctions As opposed to Reside Car or truck Auctions
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The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak came to Kuching on Friday and boasted about the Transparency International (TI) Election Integrity Pledge which he signed on Wednesdy and declared that Pakatan Rakyat leaders too should sign the pledge if they are committed in fighting corruption and abuse of power.
He said: ?They have been accusing Barisan Nasional of all kinds of things, yet we are willing to sign the pledge, so if they are truly committed they should also sign it.?
Najib has in fact beautifully given the reason why I, for instance, has reservations about signing TI?s Election Integrity Pledge after Najib had signed it!
There is no question about my commitment in fighting corruption and abuse of power for which I have dedicated nearly half a century of my life in Malaysian politics, but the question is whether my commitment to fighting corruption and abuse of power would become a joke and a mockery if I sign the Election Integrity Pledge after Najib had signed it!
Firstly, is Najib sincere and serious in signing the Election Integrity Pledge, which stipulates four principles for all signatories to observe when contesting in the 13th general elections, viz:
? Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability, including not accepting or giving bribes or being involved in corrupt practices in any way;
? Upholding and giving priority to the interests of the rakyat as a whole;
? Good governance and transparency; and
? Compliance with all the applicable laws and regulations of Malaysia.
Although the TI Election Integrity Pledge technically applies only to the future after the signing of the pledge, it is not possible for Malaysians to completely ignore the signatories? record on corruption, crime and abuses of power.
It is most appropriate, relevant and pertinent to ask whether Najib?s signing of the Election Integrity Pledge, especially in the presence of Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the bete? noire of international anti-corruption campaigns, has enhanced or undermined and even destroyed the credibility and legitimacy of TI?s Election Integrity Pledge.
This is after taking into consideration that Malaysia, under Najib?s four-year premiership, is most corrupt when compared to anyone of the previous five Prime Ministers in the 56-year history of the nation ? according to the annual TI Corruption Perception Index (CPl).
In fact, in the 15-day Chinese New Year of the Snake, Najib has violated the Election Integrity Pledge at least five times viz:
1. Yesterday in Kuala Terengganu, for the first time in his four-year premiership, Najib openly betrayed 1Malaysia principles and pandered to religious incitements, declaring that ?a vote for PAS would lead to discord among the Muslims and a vote for DAP is a vote for the oppression of Muslims?.
Najib?s line of falsehood that PAS is a stooge of DAP is totally contradictory to the lies spouted by MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek to Chinese voters that DAP is ?just a political eunuch in PAS? shadow?.
Such dishonesty, hypocrisy and unprincipled opportunism is a violation of the TI Election Integrity Pledge to uphold the principle of ?Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability?.
2. Najib?s racist and divisive directive on Monday to exclusively screen the May 13 film, Tanda Putera, to 3,000 Felda settlers although the Cabinet decided last November, as revealed by the Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, that the film was ?inappropriate? to be screened because of ?bias? in the portrayal of the May 13 riots in 1969.
This violates the TI Election Integrity Pledge of ?good governance and transparency?.
3. For 15 days since Feb. 9 campaigning every day for himself and Umno/Barisan Nasional, Najib could not spare time to visit Lahad Datu in Sabah to get first-hand information about the fears and concerns of the local people over the 15-day government stand-off with 150-strong Sulu armed group, and to explain why there was such a serious security lapse and why it is the police and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and not the armed forces and the Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is tasked with dealing with the crisis of ?occupation? by the Sulu militants.
This is violation of the ?People First? principle of the Election Integrity Pledge to ?upholding and giving priority to the interests of the rakyat as a whole?.
4. The dishonest Bernama report three days ago plagiarising from a UMNO/BN cybertrooper website falsely claiming that the British think-tank Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) had dismissed Pakatan Rakyat as a serious challenge to Barisan Nasional in the 13th General Elections.
This violates the principle in the TI Election Integrity Pledge to uphold ?Truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability?.
5. The lavish expenditure spending RM3.5 million to invite Korean K-Pop superstar to Penang for BN Chinese New Year Open House on Feb. 11 to perform Gangnam Style and other unaccounted vast expenses (like putting up 10,000 1Malaysia flags all over the island in a matter of a few hours in the early hours of the first day of CNY ? and up to now nobody has owned up who is responsible for this project which could cost a quarter of a million ringgit) is proof of the bane of money politics in the run-up to the 13GE.
Is Najib unaware that in the TI Election Integrity Pledge, he has sworn not to be ?involved in corrupt practices in any way? as money politics during election time is the root cause of rampant corruption, cronyism and abuses of power in the country?
(Speech at the DAP Sarawak election workshop at DAP Kuching headquarters on Sunday, 24th February 2013 at 12 noon)
This entry was posted on Sunday, 24 February 2013, 3:47 pm and is filed under 1Malaysia, Corruption, Najib Razak. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. ?
What does it take for something to go viral? Have you ever written an article that got a ton of shares on social media sites? If you haven't, you're going to learn 10 tips for writing content that will increase the likelihood of your posts going viral on social media. If you have, you'll be able to review these ideas and potentially further improve your writing in order to provide yourself with even more exposure, visibility, and popularity around the subject and topics your're trying to introduce. By understanding the key concepts that will be listed below, you'll likely be a force to be reckoned with in social media! ?
1. Understand Market Trends in Social Media
You should always check out what topics are hot on social media. You might be writing an article about a product, service, fiction or nonfiction. Regardless of what it is, it will need to be relevant today, or on the verge of being important tomorrow. Most people do not want to read about something they already know about. Quite frankly, people try to avoid this type of content because they feel it is simply rehashed in order to tell them the same thing already done before to game some search engine traffic. There are excellent tools available like Twitter Trends and Google Trends that will help you understand market buzz, and by using these resources - you can try to write relevant information based on what is popular today, or likely to be tomorrow. Also learn when is the best time to publish a blog postbased on your target market. ?
2. Write Longer In-depth Content
In a study of the New York Times' most emailed list, data showed that longer content is more likely to get shared. This doesn't mean you need to stuff your content with filler, but obviously the more context provided by you, the more valuable the piece becomes to others. One of the most popular ways to write a long effective article that goes viral on social media is to write a story. In fact, if you can make it a long engaging story, or how-to guide providing educational value, these always turn out to be really well liked. People simply love when a person delivers them a story they are passionate about. People also like to be presented a series of content or chapters if you will. In other words, you should deliver a part of your story once a week, or once every two weeks. This will allow those that are interested to share this interest with their friends and guide them to your blog, forum, or posting network to find out more about what your tale is all about and build up more hype. You can use a tool like Storify to bring in rich content from your articles and other reactions across social media. ?
3. Choose an Effective Title and Keywords
Based on the information you've discovered in your market trends and tools like Google Keywords, you'll want to choose effective keywords that will help people find the articles you write. These keywords will guide targeted relevant traffic to those articles. By choosing the right type of keywords, you will effectively bring people to your articles that are willing to share them on their social networks. Also having a killer title?is important to bait users into clicking on your article. This is extremely effective if you are writing about social subjects which people simply love to search for and share. ?
4. Understand Keyword Density
Do not try to overcrowd your articles with keywords simply because you want to draw in traffic. If you practice this method, you may find out that you will have the reverse effect. Most search engines and people on social networks will do everything possible to avoid this type of content. Your content must read naturally, with feeling, and give the person reading it a reason to share it with their friends on their respective social media network (sort of taking ownership of your articles views publicly). ?
5. Make Your Content Interesting and Emotional
Always make your content unique to help draw more people. Speak to the audience not yourself. When writing for social media, you never want to write duplicate content that people can find somewhere else. This simply gives you a bad reputation, and people will not return to read anymore of your content. In fact, they will be less likely to share your content which is what's needed to go viral in the first place. Also think about creating and mixing in interesting new content like pictures, infographics, videos or other rich media people love to see on social media. Also one of the best ways of going viral is to tap into people's emotions triggered by high energy responses caused by feelings of awe, anger and anxiety. It's like with Howard Stern where the people that hated him listened to him longer than his fans, just to see what he'll say next. ?
6. Allow Your Content to be Easily Skimmed
According to Nielson, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average web page visit; where 20% is more likely. Use a thumb image at the top of your articles to make the opening passage easier to digest and encouraging your readers to continue reading further. ?
7. Don't Stuff Your Content With Keywords
Keyword stuffing and keyword density is almost considered the same thing. However, it's not. Keyword density is when the keyword is found too close to another. Keyword stuffing is when you have the same keyword mentioned over and over again in the same article. Most intelligent readers do not want to read articles that contain the same word over and over again. Pay attention to what you're writing so you can build interest which translates into your article going viral. Virality happens in an instant by sparking interest on social media, not from gaming search engines which lead to a slower accumulation of traffic anyways over a longer period of time. ?
8. Under Promise and Over Deliver on What You're Writing About
If you are writing about issues that plague the Third World, write about issues that plague the Third World. Do not begin writing about a particular subject and then do the switch and bait and begin writing about a product or service. Let your audience know what you're going to write about and then give them 10 times the information they planned on receiving. Make your first point as strong as your last. Under promise and over deliver and your articles will go viral on social media. People crave interesting and useful content. ?
9. Share That @#$&
Get your post out there to as many relevant social networks and communities as possible. Recently we took a look at creating multiple entry points into your content by sharing on the major social networks and importantly niche communities like Social Media Today?to help build buzz around your great content. You also need to make sure your articles have optimal sharing buttons and cool images attached making it easy for people to share your work. ?
10. Ask For Feedback
Lastly, you'll want to test your article to make sure it is worthy content. You can do this by sending your article to several individuals that you trust for a little constructive criticism. This helps to ensure that you aren't writing something that is completely boring for other people to read or with errors. Also ask your audience for feedback. One of the greatest ways to build traction and engagement with your content is to get your audience involved. You now have 10 tips to create articles that go viral on social media. By utilizing these strategies on a consistent basis, you will find that your content will not only go viral, but may even be picked up by some larger news outlets only adding fuel to your fire.
Based on rule #10, I have to end this with a question or I'd be breaking my own set of rules :) However, I'd be really interested to hear about what type of strategies you might be using to successfully go viral on social media?
This Oscar season has seen a bumpy ride for some of the early favorites. Back when the nominations were announced, many thought "Lincoln" had a lock on best picture, but "Argo" is riding a wave of controversy, thanks in part to Ben Affleck getting snubbed for a best director nomination.
Warner Bros., DreamWorks, Univer
"Argo," "Lincoln," "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Les Miserables" are among the Oscar contenders.
?
And best actress is a toss-up too -- with Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, and 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva all being touted by various awards observers. Best actor looks a little more solid, but really, who knows?
Who are your picks to win Sunday night? Vote and tell us.
THE M/V HIKAWA MARU was operated by the NYK Line (now Crystal Cruises). She was the only Japanese passenger vessel to survive WW 2. In her 30 years of service, the HIKAWA MARU crossed the pacific 254 times, carrying around 25,000 passengers and a great volume of cargo.
5 Stars Rating: Crystal Cruises maintains the great glamor,?first class standards and?excitement?of ocean travel. ? When getting there was half the fun. ?
Crystal Cruises Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of NYK Line,? currently has two large, luxury-class cruise ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity. These ships are highly regarded around the world, and the company has won the prestigious Travel & Leisure magazine?s World?s Best Large-Ship Cruise Line award for 16 consecutive years, an unprecedented achievement in the industry.? Cruising The Past awards the Crystal Cruises one of the best and most reliable cruises lines operating. Carrying on the great tradition of the NYK Line.
A brief history of NYK Line??
Michael L. Grace is an authority on the history of NYK Line and trans-Pacific passenger services.
Cruise Ship History: JAPAN?S Trans-Pacific Liners ? Were the fastest between the US and Japan prior to World War II.
In 1935, at the invitation of Waseda University, the Yale University Baseball Team came to Japan from New Haven, Connecticut on NYK?s Tatsuta Maru , and returned aboard Asama Maru.? The team is seen with the captain and a ship?s officer.? Six years Japan and the USA would be at war.
Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), which literally translates to the Japan Mail Steamship Company, was first created in 1885, the result of a sensible merger between two Japanese shipping companies, Yubin Kisen Mitsubishi Kaisha (The Mitsubishi Mail Steamship Company) and Kyodo Unyu Kaisha (The Union Transport Company). Two red stripes were adopted for the new company?s house flag, symbolizing the mutual goodwill of both companies and the hope that their combined fleets would one day serve the entire world.
In due course, NYK Line became Japan?s national shipping company. Their subsequent passenger ships were given government-authorized mail-carrying status and therefore the highest priorities. The affixation was similar to the designation R.M.S. (for Royal Mail Ship) used by the most prominent British liners.
Historically, NYK Line opened the first regular Japan to the USA service in 1896 (the first arrival was met at Seattle with a 21-gun salute). They grew quickly. In 1901, just sixteen years after their formation, they already ranked as the seventh-largest shipping company in the world. A decade later, in 1911, an NYK freighter delivered the first cargo of trans-Pacific cherry tree saplings, a gift from the City of Tokyo to Washington, D.C. These same cherry trees line the banks of the Potomac to this day.
(Left: First and Second Class Accommodations aboard NYK Liners.)
One of Japan?s proudest periods in passenger shipping was the 1929 building of two of the finest and most luxurious ships ever to sail the Pacific Ocean ? the Asama Maru and Tatsuta Maru.? They were Japanese-designed and built, coming from the renowned Mitsubishi shipyard. At some 17,000 tons, they were then-traditional class-divided ships, and had provision for cargo as well as the all-important mails.
They were routed on NYK Line?s premier express service, regularly sailing from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kobe and Yokohama to Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Their passenger areas were of the highest quality, much of it in traditional European style. There were polished woods, stained glass skylights, fine dining rooms, lounges, library, gift shop, hair salon, comfortable cabins and a swimming pool on deck. This was luxury cruising at its finest.
The Asama Maru was the first to enter service in 1929 and she soon set the record for the fastest crossing of the Pacific on the Yokohama to San Francisco route. Her sister, the Tatsutu Maru entered service in 1930. In 1936 the Tatsutu Maru become the first merchant ship to pass under the new Bay Bridge linking San Francisco and Oakland.
They were routed on NYK?s premier express service, regularly sailing between Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kobe, Yokohama, Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Yokohama to San Francisco, for example, took 15 days. Fares by the late 1930s started from $190 in second class and from $315 in first class. Their passenger areas were of the highest quality, much of it in traditional European style. There were highly polished woods, stained glass skylights, fine dining rooms, lounges, a library, a gift shop, hair salon, comfortable cabins, and a swimming pool on deck. This was luxury cruising at its finest.
Their First Class accommodations were especially fine and attracted such notable passengers as Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin and his wife Paulette Goddard, Helen Keller and Efrem Zimbalist.
The Asama Maru was the first to enter service in 1929. She soon set record for fastest crossing of Pacific on Yokohama-San Francisco route.? The Tatsuta Maru entered service in 1930. One of the notable moments in her career was in 1936 when she became the first merchant ship to pass under the bridge (length of the main structure, 6.8 km; width, 19.8 m), linking San Francisco and Oakland.
Ceremonies of the opening were held at 11:10 a.m. on the 12th November 1936, on the Oakland side, and at 11:40 a.m. on the San Francisco side. Shortly after noon the Tatsuta Maru passed under the bridge in view of the many thousands of people who had gathered to witness the opening of the bridge for traffic from vantage points on the San Francisco side of the bay. Until the completion of the Seto-Ohashi in Shikoku, Japan, the Bay Bridge between San Francisco and Oakland had been the longest in the world.
In 1937 the Asama Maru suffered a mishap when she was driven aground in Kowloon Bay during the Great Hong Kong Typhoon.
After the outbreak of the Second World War both ships were requisitioned as troopships but unfortunately both were sunk and did not survive the war and it was left to the Hikawa Maru to re-establish the trans-pacific service.
The meat of HTC's new home screen experience in Sense 5 is the BlinkFeed -- a vertical-scrolling feed of news, social updates and other relevant info. This includes content from leading news organizations, and today the Financial Times has confirmed that it's onboard with BlinkFeed support on the recently-announced HTC One. As is the case when reading on the web, selected FT content will be available for free, but access to everything will require a subscription.
At Tuesday's press conference HTC boasted that it had more than 1,400 outlets supported within BlinkFeed, as part of the curated experience it's offering through the HTC One home screen. The presence of FT content is a plus for BlinkFeed, but that pesky paywall still stands in the way of full access to FT content.
For more on the Sense 5 home screen, BlinkFeed and the rest of the HTC One, check out our hands-on preview.
Biomedical Optics & Medical Imaging, Electronic Imaging & Signal Processing, Optics
Preferred Education:
4 Year Degree
Description: The Camera Hardware Engineering group is responsible for all research, design, development, test, and qualification of camera hardware for Apple products. This team is seeking exceptional Hardware Engineers to take leadership roles in development of very high performance compact camera modules. Engineers in this role must take leadership and ownership of camera HW projects in engagements with product and technology teams.
Core Responsibilities: - Definition and trade studies of camera optics, sensors, and packaging - Interaction with electrical and mechanical teams on integration of camera HW into products - Leadership of off-shore manufacturing partners on camera design evaluation, module prototype builds, and qualification - Leadership of camera testing in Apple labs and at manufacturing sites. This includes image quality, electrical, and mechanical testing. - Evaluation and debugging of camera HW at module and product levels - Documentation of camera-specific design, test, and manufacturing requirements This role requires the ability to learn quickly and become familiar with several different technology areas. Ability to lead teams and take responsibility for project success is a requirement. The ideal candidate will be an expert in at least 1-2 of the skill listed below, and have some familiarity with all of the skills listed.
NOTES:
Employer will assist with relocation costs
Qualifications: 3+ years relevant experience with BS/MS or 1+ years with PhD - Design and test of compact imaging optics - Image quality evaluation including test charts, algorithms, and lighting - Electronic circuit design and test. Digital experience with at least some power-supply analog. - Mechanical design and tolerance analysis of highly constrained, high-volume designs - Image sensor design and characterization - Manufacturing processes and testing of high-precision, high-volume modules - Data analysis and statistics using MATLAB or other mathematical software Travel is required to supplier facilities for product development and production bring-up. Education: BS/MS/PhD in relevant field (EE, ME, Optics, Physics)
The NFLPA just held a conference call with the national media, and while they lacked concrete news on issues such as HGH testing or what the salary cap will be for the coming year, the one thing that?s abundantly clear is the two sides still don?t trust each other any farther than they can throw each other.
NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth said on the topic of HGH testing that players were willing to ?expose themselves to an imperfect test,? but balked at the lack of an appeal in the current NFL proposal.
In response, league spokesman Greg Aiello just tweeted ?Not true+he knows it.?
The lack of trust was mentioned several times during nearly an hour-long call, specifically on the topic of HGH testing (which both sides agree to in theory, but can?t figure out how to implement).
Much of that lack of trust seems to stem directly from Commissioner Roger Goodell?s handling of the bounty case.
?If (players) don?t trust anyone on Park Avenue, it?s hard to get anything done,? Foxworth said. ?If I wanted to get them to trust Roger, I couldn?t.?
Much of this is simply the saber-rattling that happens when labor unions and employers discuss things. NFLPA assistant executive director of external affairs?George Atallah mentioned issues concerning equipment and training for youth football programs as examples of agreement between the sides.
But until the two sides can agree on something important at the adult level, it?s unclear if anything will ever be resolved.
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW) -- News 12 has learned that Gov. Nikki Haley is going to make an announcement on Wednesday morning about a new company coming to Aiken County.
News 12 is working to find out where it's going to be located and which company is opening up shop.
A source says the announcement will be significant with the promise of a lot of new jobs.
News 12 will be in Columbia on Wednesday morning for the news conference and will keep you updated.
Have information or an opinion about this story? Click here to contact the newsroom.
Copyright WRDW-TV News 12. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished without express written permission.
Aggrey Sam of Comcast Sports joins us to shed some light on the ?D-Rama? from last week?s Derrick Rose news. Hear Aggrey?s take on Rose?s status and whether he thinks the former MVP will return this season. Aggrey also discusses any potential plans of the front office with the trade deadline approaching, the team?s recent epidemic of injuries, and his expectations for the second half of the regular season (We do apologize for any issues with the sound quality due to technical difficulties).
Bulls Show 33: Comcast Sports Net Bulls Insider ? Aggrey Sam
The Mitch & Nillz Bulls Show is a Chicago Bulls Podcast for fans, by fans. We?re not experts, we?re not insiders... we?re just a couple of guys (sometimes irrationally) passionate about their team. Join us each week to talk all things Bulls and the rest of the NBA. Episodes can be found right here on ChiCitySports.com as well as on iTunes. Don't forget to follow us on twitter (@thebullsshow) and like us on Facebook.
An artist's conception visualizes the big bang at the universe's beginning ? or could it be the end?
By Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News
BOSTON ??If the "Higgs-like particle" discovered last year is really the long-sought Higgs boson, the bad news is that its mass suggests the universe will end in a fast-spreading bubble of doom. The good news? It'll probably be tens of billions of years before that particular doomsday arrives.
That's one of the weirder twists coming out of the continuing analysis of results from Europe's Large Hadron Collider, which produced the first solid evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson last year. Current theory holds that the Higgs boson plays a role in imparting mass to other fundamental particles. Confirming the discovery of the Higgs would fill in the last blank spot in that theory, known as the Standard Model.
Physicists discussed the state of the Higgs quest in Boston on Monday during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
So far, the particle that was found at the LHC fits all the requirements for the Higgs boson, but scientists aren't quite ready to confirm that the particle is really, truly the Higgs boson. It could be, say, just the first of multiple particles involved in the process. "The door is still very much open that there's [another] particle that has a role to play, or even more than that," said Christopher Hill, a physicist at Ohio State University who is also deputy physics coordinator for the LHC's Compact Muon Solenoid experiment.
The LHC has just started a two-year shutdown for equipment upgrades?? and Howard Gordon, deputy chair of the physics program at Brookhaven National Laboratory, said "it's going to take another few years" after the collider is restarted to confirm definitively that the newfound particle is the Higgs boson.
In the meantime, physicists have tightened their estimates of the particle's mass: Hill said the current estimate from the Compact Muon Solenoid is 125.8 billion electron volts, or 125.8 GeV, plus or minus 0.6 GeV. The figure from the LHC's other Higgs-boson detector, known as ATLAS, is 125.2 GeV, plus or minus 0.7 GeV.
Those figures can be factored into equations that point to the long-term fate of the universe, said Joseph Lykken, a theoretical physicist at Fermilab.
So what's the outlook?
"If you use all the physics that we know now, and we do what we think is a straightforward calculation, it's bad news," Lykken said. "It may be that the universe we live in is inherently unstable. At some point, billions of years from now, it's all going to be wiped out."
He said the parameters for our universe, including the Higgs mass value as well as the mass of another subatomic particle known as the top quark, suggest that we're just at the edge of stability, in a "metastable" state. Physicists have been contemplating such a possibility for more than 30 years. Back in 1982, physicists Michael Turner and Frank Wilczek wrote in Nature that "without warning, a bubble of true vacuum could nucleate somewhere in the universe and move outwards at the speed of light, and before we realized what swept by us our protons would decay away."
Lykken put it slightly differently: "The universe wants to be in a different state, so eventually to realize that, a little bubble of what you might think of as an alternate universe will appear somewhere, and it will spread out and destroy us."
That alternate universe would be "much more boring," Lykken said. Which led him to ask a philosophical question: "Why do we live in a universe that's just on the edge of stability?" He wondered whether a universe has to be near the danger zone to produce galaxies, stars, planets ... and life.
Even Hill found it interesting that the parameters of particle physics put our universe right along the critical line. "That's something new, which we didn't know before, and which leads some of us to that there's something else coming," Hill said.
When Hill referred to "something else," he was talking about new discoveries in physics?? not the end of the world. Lykken emphasized that it would be at least tens of billions of years before vacuum instability took hold.
"To get the exact number, we need more funding," he joked.
More about the fate of the universe:
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's?Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page?to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out?"The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
More than 100 guests representing a broad panorama of civic, community and religious groups filled the Alhambra Auditorium at the Center of?Scientology?in Tel Aviv-Jaffa December 20 for a forum held in observance of Human Rights Day.
The forum marked the 64th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of?Human Rights, a document of particular historical significance for Israel that applies all the more today. Eleanor Roosevelt, chair of the commission that drafted the document, stated on the occasion of its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly: ?Man's desire for peace lies behind this Declaration. The realization that the flagrant violation of human rights by Nazi and Fascist countries sowed the seeds of the last world war has supplied the impetus for the work which brings us to the moment of achievement here today.?
Sefi Fichler, Director of Public Affairs of the Center ofScientology?in Tel Aviv, hosted the forum. Speakers hailed from the broad cultural and religious tapestry of the country, including an advisor to the Prime Minister on Bedouin affairs; representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Israel Anti-Drug Authority, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Lions Club, leaders of the Druze Community and other human rights advocates. The wide variety of topics they discussed all contributed to the central theme: peace and cooperation among all people.
Biblical scholar Dr. Rimon Kasher, a guest speaker at the Center?s grand opening in August 2012, spoke of the heritage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, giving specific examples of the human rights mandated by biblical commandments and laws.
Druze leader Sheikh Abu-Rukun praised Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard whose legacy has brought together so many different groups and faiths in the name of peace.
Scientology supports United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights. Scientologists on five continents engage in collaborative efforts with government agencies and nongovernmental organizations to bring about broad-scale awareness and implementation of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the world?s premier human rights document.
The Church of Scientology International has published a new brochure, Scientology: How We Help?United for Human Rights: Making Human Rights a Global Reality, to meet requests for more information about the human rights education and awareness initiative it supports. To learn more, visit?http://www.Scientology.org/humanrights.
Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, ?Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,? and the Scientology religion is based on the principles of human rights. The Code of a Scientologist calls on all members of the religion to dedicate themselves ?to support true humanitarian endeavors in the fields of human rights.?
Press Contact: Karin Pouw?Tel: (323) 960-3500?eMail: MediaRelations(at)ChurchofScientology(dot)net
February 19, 2013 / February 20, 2013 / February 21, 2013 / February 22, 2013 / February 23, 2013 / February 26, 2013 / February 27, 2013 / February 28, 2013 / March 1, 2013 / March 2, 2013 / March 5, 2013 / March 6, 2013 / March 7, 2013 / March 8, 2013 / March 9, 2013 / March 12, 2013 / March 13, 2013 / March 14, 2013 / March 15, 2013, 10:00 am?6:00 pm
??????????? Roger Ailes, the head of Fox News Channel, is a very smart man. And he knows how to count, a skill that has apparently eluded many of his fellow conservatives.
??????????? Moreover, he runs a business and wants to make a profit. He reports to a boss, Rupert Murdoch, who did not become the 106th-richest person in the world by ignoring the bottom line. Neither Ailes nor Murdoch can afford to substitute ideology for reality.
??????????? This helps explain the "course correction," in Ailes' words, that's been taking place at Fox News in recent months. The cable channel has jettisoned some of its most incendiary personalities - Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Dick Morris - while reaching out to a rising tide of Hispanic voters and potential customers. "The contributions being made by Latinos are extraordinary," Ailes recently told Eliza Gray of The New Republic, "and we need to talk to them."
??????????? Just as Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana warned fellow Republicans not to be the "stupid party," Ailes doesn't want Fox to be the stupid network. Stupid doesn't sell.
??????????? When Murdoch hired Ailes to start Fox News in 1996, they were building on the work of another brilliant media strategist, Newt Gingrich. We can debate endlessly whether the mainstream media - the big papers and big networks - are endemically liberal. But there's no doubt that conservatives believe they are, and that gave Gingrich his opening.
??????????? While he was still a backbencher in the 1980s, representing a congressional district in Georgia, Gingrich carved out new channels of communication that could be used to reach and recruit conservative cadres. Utilizing the technology of that pre-Internet era, Gingrich would make cassette tapes, expounding the gospel according to Newt, and send them to like-minded activists.
??????????? He'd gather those same activists in Holiday Inn conference rooms on Saturday mornings and address them by satellite hookup. And he and his young allies would make speeches on the House floor after the regular sessions had concluded. No one was there, but that didn't matter. The speeches were carried on C-SPAN, and any audience was better than none.
??????????? Above all, Gingrich saw how talk radio could emerge as the bully pulpit of the conservative movement, and he became a fixture on shows run by the likes of Rush Limbaugh. When Republicans finally captured the House of Representatives in 1994 and Gingrich became the first GOP speaker in 40 years, talk radio hosts were honored guests at his swearing-in ceremony.
??????????? Ailes and Murdoch followed the same formula of appealing to disgruntled conservatives when they created Fox News a year later. They knew what they were doing. Fox has been by far the most popular cable network for the last decade. But lately, ratings have slipped, and so has the network's credibility. According to a recent survey by Public Policy Polling, the number of viewers who said they trusted Fox dropped from 50 percent to 40 percent.
??????????? One of the problems is demographics. If the Republicans cannot build a party for the future based on grumpy old white men, Fox cannot build a network on that same foundation. That's why Ailes is making such a big effort to target Hispanics. As he told The New Republic, they constitute a "tremendous business opportunity."
??????????? Ailes is right when he says that "the Latino audience is an essentially traditional audience" that is open to appeals based on "traditional American values." Many are small-business owners and entrepreneurs who like the conservative message of lower taxes and less regulation. But they won't even listen if the pitch comes from a party or a network that is wrong on immigration. That's why Fox hosts such as Sean Hannity have shifted sides and endorsed measures that eventually would provide citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Even Ailes says, "I don't have a problem with a path to citizenship."
??????????? Immigration is only part of Fox's problem. During the election, the network became a sealed echo chamber for Republican views, shutting out voices and evidence that pointed to a GOP defeat. On the eve of the election, Morris predicted a landslide victory for Mitt Romney. And on election night, analyst Karl Rove refused to accept the clear signs that Ohio - and the country - were going for Barack Obama. At that point, Fox looked like the stupid network.
??????????? For Ailes and Murdoch, who crave credibility, that had to be a mortifying moment. They've always been able to count - votes, audiences, profits. That's why they're correcting their course, and why the Republican Party can learn a lot from them.
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??????????? Steve and Cokie Roberts can be contacted by email at stevecokie@gmail.com.
FRIDAY Feb. 15, 2013 -- Men with prostate cancer taking the drug finasteride (Proscar) don't survive longer than similar men not taking the drug, a new study finds.
Although Proscar is touted to reduce the odds of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, once diagnosed, men do not appear to gain a benefit from the drug, researchers say.
However, they don't face lowered survival from the drug, a researcher added.
"There is no evidence that finasteride is worse than placebo, in terms of overall survival," said lead author Phyllis Goodman, a biostatistician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in Seattle.
"If you are inclined to give finasteride to prevent cancer, survival shouldn't be a reason not to do it," she said. "You may not be improving survival in the long run, but you are avoiding having to deal with a diagnosis of prostate cancer."
Based on the new finding, one expert doesn't recommend men take Proscar.
"This lessens the importance of finasteride, because if you wanted to use it as a preventive measure you hope the death rate would go down," said Dr. Anthony D'Amico, chief of genitourinary radiation oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.
One problem with the study is that it deals with overall deaths -- not deaths specifically caused by prostate cancer. So it's hard to tell how effective Proscar really is, D'Amico said.
"Without a survival improvement it's hard to justify using the drug," he said. "Let me see what the cancer-specific survival looks like and then we can decide if it's appropriate at all."
The results of the study were presented Thursday at the annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in Orlando, Fla. The data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
For the U.S. National Cancer Institute-funded study, researchers collected data on deaths of men taking Proscar or an inactive placebo who were located in a Social Security database of deaths.
The investigators found that among 18,000 men who had been taking Proscar for seven years, there were more than 5,000 deaths. Of these, 2,584 deaths were among men taking Proscar and 2,544 deaths were among men taking placebo.
Over 15 years of follow-up, the survival rate was 78 percent for men in both groups, the study found.
Although men suffering from the most aggressive prostate cancers saw no benefit from Proscar, men with less aggressive cancer taking the drug did have a significant survival advantage, compared to men receiving placebo, the researchers found.
In 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration placed a black-box warning on Proscar for a slight but statistically significant risk that its use could cause aggressive prostate cancer. The drug has several side effects including impotence and loss of interest in sex.
In the new study, the bottom line for the researchers is that "finasteride administration for seven years does not appear to affect mortality but significantly reduces the risk of a prostate cancer diagnosis."
Another expert gave his perspective on the drug.
"At this point, I think that the data is showing that the drug may not be of any significance to patients," said Dr. Louis Kavoussi, chairman of urology at North Shore-LIJ Arthur Smith Institute for Urology in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
However, Proscar may slow the progression of prostate cancer, he said.
"There are individuals who may benefit from being put on this drug and may rest a little bit easier at night knowing that it may not have a negative outcome on their long-term survival," Kavoussi said.
More information
To learn more about prostate cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ? The Kenyan government is being sued for police brutality in the violence following the 2007 election.
The lawsuit comes as Kenya prepares for a new election on March 4 amid warnings from international human rights groups that the police are not ready to prevent electoral violence while refraining from human rights violations.
The families of seven people shot dead five years ago and eight wounded survivors this week filed a lawsuit to sue the Kenyan government claiming the shots were fired by police during a dispute over who won Kenya's 2007 presidential election.
Four human rights groups are also part of the suit against the government.
Government records show police shot dead 405 of the more than 1,100 people who died in the post-election violence following a dispute in the presidential race in 2007 general elections. Many of them were shot in the back, according to documents filed by law firm Nderitu Partners and Advocates on behalf of the group late Wednesday.
According to the suit unlawful orders were given to policemen and the government failed to train the officers on lawful methods of how to deal with civil unrest. And the government did not investigate the abuses.
Those suing the government are from western Kenya. In the 2007 elections, the majority of the people in western Kenya supported the main presidential challenger Raila Odinga ? who polls had consistently put as the front runner ? and took to the streets in violent protests after the electoral authority announced President Mwai Kibaki had been re-elected.
International observers said the presidential vote was flawed.
The violence ended after former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan brokered a peace deal in which Odinga became prime minister in a coalition government. As part of the peace arrangement the coalition government promised to adopt a new constitution, reform the judiciary and police force.
A 2008 government investigation into what caused the violence found that mistrust of the judiciary, which was tainted by allegations of corruption, fueled the violence as politicians chose to protest instead of going to the courts to seek justice. The police force was seen to have taken sides in the chaos fuelling the conflict, the report said.
Efforts to improve the police system have been criticized as ineffectual but ongoing reforms on the judiciary have received praise and have led to recommendations that the government should fire 13 out of the country's 53 high court judges.
For decades Kenya's police have been criticized by advocacy groups for ineffectiveness, endemic corruption, human rights violations and impunity.
A bribe-taking culture exists in the force and officers live in deplorable conditions, are poorly paid, under-equipped and understaffed, outgoing police spokesman Eric Kiraithe admitted last year. "Corruption in the police force is deep and wide," he said.
Human Rights Watch, in a report titled "High Stakes: Political Violence and the 2013 Elections in Kenya," released earlier this month, says police shortcomings are highlighted by the continuing rural violence that in 2012 and early 2013 that has claimed more than 477 lives and displaced about 118,000 people.
"Many of these incidents have been linked to pre-election maneuvering as local politicians mobilize support. The police and other authorities have repeatedly failed to prevent the violence or hold those responsible to account," the rights groups said.
During violent clashes in 2012 and early 2013 the police frequently failed to intervene and when they did, they often used excessive and indiscriminate force, Human Rights Watch said.
Amnesty International at the end of January criticized the pace of reforms in the police force and cast doubt on its preparedness to handle possible violence during the or after the elections.
"The laws guiding the police reform have not been put into practice in time for the general elections. As a result, the very same policing structures blamed by many for serious human rights violations during the 2007-2008 post-election violence remain in place for the 2013 elections," Amnesty International said in the report titled "Police Reform in Kenya: A Drop in the Ocean."
The National Police Service Inspector General David Kimaiyo said Wednesday that the police are ready to tackle any challenges that may be presented by the elections.
Facebook and Vine were just the beginning -- you should have known that. Especially once the biggest social network in the world started dipping its toes in the VoIP pool. Skype isn't about to let others encroach on its hard won territory without a fight. The Microsoft-owned messaging platform has started testing what amounts to a video voicemail feature on OS X, Android and iOS, something that had already been hinted at in its updated TOS. Why those operating systems at first, without any word about Windows or Windows Phone, we're unsure. But it's a safe bet Redmond's own platforms will get the feature sooner rather than later. Currently users in the US and UK should be seeing the option, just dig a bit as it might be hidden behind a more actions or overflow icon, as it is on Android. Customers are getting 20 free video messages to start, though we weren't able to wrangle any further details out of the company regarding pricing. (Update: While we still have some unanswered questions regarding pricing, Skype did say that unlimited voice messaging will be included as part of a premium subscription.)
Oscar Pistorius, center, is taken from a police station to court Friday to face a charge that he murdered his girlfriend.
By Cecile Antonie, Rohit Kachroo and Ian Johnston, NBC News
Olympic and Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius sobbed as he appeared in a South African court Friday and was accused of the "premeditated" murder of his girlfriend.
The sprinter -- who is nicknamed "Blade Runner" because he races wearing carbon-fiber prosthetic blades after he was born without a fibula in both legs ? is accused of?killing model Reeva Steenkamp at his home in a Pretoria suburb early Thursday.
South African police said Thursday that Pistorius and Steenkamp, 30, were the only people in the house at the time of the shooting.
Oscar Pistorius, the superstar athlete who became the first double amputee sprinter to compete in the Olympics, is the sole suspect in the murder of law school graduate and famous South African model Reeva Steenkamp. NBC's Rehema Ellis reports.
Pistorius, 26, arrived at the court about two hours before the hearing that began at about 4:30 a.m. ET Friday.
Several of Pistorius? family members were in the courtroom and appeared emotional; one seemed distraught and others wept.
Pistorius was formally charged with one count of murder after the hearing began.
Prosecutors alleged the sports star had committed "premeditated murder."
Pistorius kept his head down as he cried and held his hands to his face. He was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing next week.
An application by the media for the proceedings to be televised was rejected at the start of the hearing.
Several South African media outlets reported Friday that Pistorius shot his girlfriend four times through a bathroom door, according to Reuters. NBC News could not independently verify the reports.
Numerous media outlets reported Thursday that Pistorius may have mistaken the woman for an intruder, but police said neighbors had heard noises before the shots and that there had been previous "domestic" incidents at the house.
The athlete who rose to fame in London last summer as the first amputee runner in the Olympics has reportedly been arrested by South African police after his girlfriend was shot and killed in his home. NBC's Rohit Kachroo reports and NBC sports analyst Ato Boldon talks about the case, calling it an "absolute shock."
'Charming, great guy' The couple had been dating for several months, and??seemed happy,? Steenkamp?s publicist Sarit Tomlinson told TODAY on Thursday. There was no sign of discord between the two, she said.
Tomlinson said that Pistorius was a ?charming, great guy.?
Read more on this story from NBC Sports
According to her Facebook page, Steenkamp was born in Capetown, South Africa, and raised in Port Elizabeth.
She?earned a law degree at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University before moving to Johannesburg and earning a job as the South African face of cosmetics maker Avon.
Greg Stokell, headmaster of St. Dominic?s Priory school in Port Elizabeth, told South Africa's The Times newspaper that Steenkamp was ?a vibrant, friendly, diligent, and motivated student who was popular with and respected by staff and peers alike.?
From an early age, "Reeva had the full support of her parents who encouraged her to maximize her strengths and abilities to achieve her dreams,? Stokell told the paper. ?She set high goals for herself in everything she did and she consistently converted opportunities into success.?
Phill Magakoe / Pretoria News via AP
A police officer holds a gun that was allegedly used in the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend.
Steenkamp was featured in men?s magazine FHM in December 2011, and named one of the publication?s 100 Sexiest Women in the World for two years in a row.
Pistorius battled for years to be allowed to compete against able-bodied athletes and was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics.
He qualified for the 400-meter semi-finals and 4 x 400-meter final at the London 2012 Summer Games.
His website highlighted that Pistorius ran in 11 races during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralymics and returned home with "two Paralympic gold medals, Paralympic silver, two world records, a Paralympic record, an Olympic individual semi-final and an Olympic final."
NBC's John Newland, Jason Cumming and Matthew DeLuca, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pistorius, a double amputee born without fibulas in his legs, has trained hard to participate in the Olympics despite having to wear prosthetic legs. NBC's Mary Carillo reports.
Related:
Sporting world shocked by charges against inspirational athlete Oscar Pistorius
Pistorius lived out dream by running at Olympics
Twitter reacts to Pistorius murder charge
This story was originally published on Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:30 AM EST
Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be to have a photo taken with your lady bits hanging out? Or a picture of you tripping in your glamorous ball gown? Well, these Hollywood celebrities lived through that horrific experience on the red carpet right in front of awaiting photographers. Whoops! Let’s take a peek at ...
What does it take for something to go viral? Have you ever written an article that got a ton of shares on social media sites? If you haven't, you're going to learn 10 tips for writing content that will increase the likelihood of your posts going viral on social media. If you have, you'll be able to review these ideas and potentially further improve your writing in order to provide yourself with even more exposure, visibility, and popularity around the subject and topics your're trying to introduce. By understanding the key concepts that will be listed below, you'll likely be a force to be reckoned with in social media! ?
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Crystal Cruises Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of NYK Line,? currently has two large, luxury-class cruise ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity. These ships are highly regarded around the world, and the company has won the prestigious Travel & Leisure magazine?s World?s Best Large-Ship Cruise Line award for 16 consecutive years, an unprecedented achievement in the industry.? Cruising The Past awards the Crystal Cruises one of the best and most reliable cruises lines operating. Carrying on the great tradition of the NYK Line.
Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), which literally translates to the Japan Mail Steamship Company, was first created in 1885, the result of a sensible merger between two Japanese shipping companies, Yubin Kisen Mitsubishi Kaisha (The Mitsubishi Mail Steamship Company) and Kyodo Unyu Kaisha (The Union Transport Company). Two red stripes were adopted for the new company?s house flag, symbolizing the mutual goodwill of both companies and the hope that their combined fleets would one day serve the entire world.
