วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 1 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2555

Many of the world’s most storied graveyards offer respite—and rewards—for the living too. Headstones, crypts, and landscapes divulge clues into the spirit of a place and its people. At these famous cemeteries, dig past the spooky surface to find a repository enlivened by the legends of the characters buried below.

Père-Lachaise, Paris, France
In the 20th arrondissement, this archetype for rural cemeteries opened in 1804. Parisians jog on winding paths, groupies crusade to Jim Morrison’s grave, and admirers leave lipstick kisses on Oscar Wilde’s tomb, which features an Egyptian-style depiction of a man in flight.
Merry Cemetery, Romania
Tucked behind Sapanta’s Church of the Assumption, ornately carved oak crosses mark each of the countryside plot’s 900-plus graves; art and poetry tell quirky tales of the dead. In an epitaph for a lifelong boozer, a posthumous request: “Leave a little wine.”
St. Louis No. 1, New Orleans, Louisiana
Near the French Quarter, a thousand aboveground vaults jam onto one square block, the 18th-century cemetery exploited in 1969’s Easy Rider. Interred here: architect turned pirate Barthelemy Lafon and—rumors say—voodoo priestess Marie Laveau.
Forest Lawn, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood Hills, overlooking top Tinseltown studios, serve as a resting place for its glitziest stars, from Bette Davis to Liberace. Many tombs are surprisingly staid (at nearby Glendale, Michael Jackson’s is hidden), but a Venetian glass mosaic ups the razzle-dazzle.
La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
At this exclusive graveyard, visitors beeline to Eva Perón’s tomb (under her maiden name, Duarte). Among large stone angels and carved mausoleums stands the heart-wrenching sculpture of a bride who died in an avalanche on her honeymoon.
1. Xoxocotlan, Oaxaca, Mexico
  Crowded around an ancient, crumbling chapel, the rickety headstones in this old graveyard outside of Oaxaca can be difficult to walk between—especially during Day of the Dead celebrations. Revelers begin with a vigil the night of October 31, when the departed are feted with altars, candles, and marigold petals. Six blocks away, a carnival-like atmosphere pervades the Panteon Nuevo, or new cemetery, with picnicking families, strolling musicians, and vendors selling pan de muerto (bread of the dead) from tents.
2. Mount Auburn, Cambridge, Massachusetts
  The roster of distinguished Americans interred here—Mary Baker Eddy, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Winslow Homer, to name a few—is impressive, but this tranquil swath of rolling hills, majestic maple and oak trees, and formal gardens outside of Boston remains true to its mission to be a place for the living. Founded in 1831, it was the first landscaped expanse open to the public, ultimately leading to the birth of the U.S. park system.
3. Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague, Czech Republic
  Some 12,000 tombstones, ranging from Gothic to rococo, are wedged into this city block–size graveyard that dates from the 15th century. Symbols adorn the graves, such as the lion etched on the tomb of Judah Loew Ben Bezalel, the chief rabbi of Prague in the 16th century who, according to legend, made a golem out of clay to protect the city’s Jewish community.
4. Lone Fir Cemetery in Portland, Oregon
  Roaming this natural landscape—one of the few cemeteries that allows the planting of a tree or garden to commemorate the dearly departed—is like the turning the pages of a Portland history book. You’ll find graves of pioneers; Block 14, a memorial in the works for the Chinese immigrants who helped build the city; and crypts of captains of industry, like the imposing Gothic-style MacLeay family mausoleum.
5. Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
  From Louis Comfort Tiffany to Jean-Michel Basquiat, many of the names etched into the tombstones, granite monuments, and brownstone mausoleums here read like Page Six of the New York Post. But the real attraction of this 478-acre oasis in Greenwood Heights is the park-like setting with glacial ponds, a Gothic Revival entrance gate circa 1861, and the Manhattan skyline peeking through the century-old trees.

Myanmar Air expands its fleet

Wednesday, 31 October 2012 13:41 Mizzima News

Myanmar Airways International (MAI) has received a leased Airbus A320-200 to expand its fleet of aircraft, in a lease arrangement with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc.

A MAI A320 aircraft at Rangoon Int'l Airport in 2010. Photo: MAI

It is the first commercial jet aircraft of its type to be provided on an operating lease to an airline in Burma by a global aircraft leasing company, according to reports.

“ILFC believes MAI will succeed on their plan to offer the region a preferred premium carrier. The A320 delivered to MAI will modernize and expand MAI's current A320 fleet and offer increased takeoff weight, greater range and improved fuel economy,” said ILFC's Head of Asia Pacific, David Nixon, in a statement.

Si Thu, the managing director and chief executive officer of Myanmar Airways International, said, “ILFC is the right partner for MAI, and the timing of this first ILFC A320 aircraft delivery to our airline will help us expand our fleet and extend our routes in this new era in Myanmar.”

In 2012, MAI will initiate flights to Cambodia and Hong Kong. MAI operates six Airbus A320s, and it is currently in discussion with airframe manufacturers to modernize its fleet with either A320NEOs or 737MAX.

The A320 single-aisle jetliner used in a full range of services from very short-haul airline routes to intercontinental segments. The aircraft is best known as the first airliner to introduce a fly-by-wire flight control system.

Launched in 1993, MAI is the first joint venture airline between the government and the private sector in Myanmar (20 per cent owned by the government through Myanmar Airways and 80 per cent by Kanbawza Group).

MAI is the international airline of Burma with regular flights between Rangoon, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Gaya and Guangzhou.

มาแล้ว! ฝูงนกนางนวลชุดแรก หนีหนาวมาบางปู

เรียบเรียงข้อมูลโดยกระปุกดอทคอม
ขอขอบคุณภาพประกอบจาก ครอบครัวข่าว 3
            สถานตากอากาศบางปู เชิญนักท่องเที่ยวชมฝูงนกนางนวลหนีหนาวตั้งแต่ช่วงปลายเดือนตุลาคมจนถึงเดือนพฤษภาคมปีหน้า

            วันนี้ (1 พฤศจิกายน) ผู้สื่อข่าวรายงานว่า พ.อ.ชนินทร์ โพธิ์พูนศักดิ์ ผู้อำนวยการกองอำนวยการ กองสถานพักผ่อน กรมพลาธิการทหารบก จังหวัดสมุทรปราการ หรือ สถานตากอากาศบางปู ได้เชิญชวนนักท่องเที่ยวมาเที่ยวชมและถ่ายภาพนกนางนวลซึ่งอพยพหนีอากาศหนาวมายังสถานตากอากาศบางปูแล้ว และยังมีนกชนิดอื่นที่หาดูได้ยากกว่า 160 สายพันธุ์ มาอาศัยอยู่ด้วยเช่นกัน

            โดย พ.อ.ชนินทร์ กล่าวว่า นกนางนวลที่เห็นชุดแรกนี้ เป็นฝูงนกนางนวลที่บินหนีหนาวจากแผ่นดินถิ่นเกิดตอนกลางของทวีปเอเชีย ได้แก่ มองโกเลีย, ที่ราบทุ่งใหญ่ทางตะวันตกของจีน และทิเบต และอีกส่วนหนึ่งคือ เขตไซบีเรีย ซึ่งเป็นเขตหนาวเหนือ อยู่ทางตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือของประเทศรัสเซีย เดินทางลงใต้มาใช้ชีวิตอยู่ในเขตอบอุ่นมากถึง 5,000-7,000 ตัว

ทั้งนี้ เจ้าหน้าที่ได้เตรียมอาหารไว้ให้บริการนักท่องเที่ยวสำหรับป้อนอาหารให้นก นางนวล เช่น กากหมู กากไก่ บนสะพานสุขตา เพื่อจะได้ชมเจ้านกนางนวลอย่างใกล้ชิด

High peaks and wildlife put Tanzania on the tourist map

By Catriona Davies, for CNN

October 30, 2012 -- Updated 1630 GMT (0030 HKT)

Zanzibar: A place of cultural fusion

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Tanzania has Africa's highest mountain, 500 miles of coastline and 15 National Parks
The country was formed by the union of Tanganyia and the islands of Zanzibar
Serengeti National Park is famous for its annual migration of two million wilderbeest, gazelles, zebras

Each week, Inside Africa takes its viewers on a journey, exploring the diversity of different cultures, countries and regions. Follow the team on Twitter

(CNN) -- Home to Africa's highest mountain and one of its most famous wildlife parks, Serengeti, Tanzania is one of the continent's most popular tourist destinations.

It was recently listed by the New York Times as its number one place to go in Africa, with 783,000 visitors in 2010, according to a World Bank report published in 2012.

It is the largest country in East Africa, has abundant wildlife, 500 miles of coastline and 15 National Parks.

The United Republic of Tanzania was formed in April 1964 by the union of mainland Tanganyika and the Zanzibar archipelago. The archipelago consists of two large islands -- Zanzibar and Pemba -- and numerous smaller ones.

Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa at 5,895m, is one of seven Tanzanian sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Another is Serengeti National Park, known for its annual migration of two million wildebeests and hundreds of thousands of gazelles and zebras - followed by their predators. The migration is described by UNESCO as "one of the most impressive nature spectacles in the world."

Read related: Safari in Tanzania

The spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest caldera, is part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO heritage site listed for its natural and cultural significance.

Musical icon still sings in her 90s

Fishing in Zanzibar's archipelago

Other UNESCO sites are Selous Game Reserve, listed for its natural beauty; Kondoa Rock-Art Sites, the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara and Stone Town of Zanzibar, all listed for their cultural significance.

The annual migration of two million wildebeests is one of the most impressive nature spectacles in the world.
UNESCO

Of these, the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara, the remains of two great ports booming between the 13th and 16th centuries, located on islands off the coast of Tanzania, is listed as a site in danger.

Alongside the natural attractions, Tanzania has a rich culture, both traditional and modern.

Watch Zanzibar music legend Bi Kidude still singing into her 90s

Zanzibar International Film Festival, also known as the Festival of the Dhow Countries, is East Africa's largest arts, design, music and film festival, with most events in Zanzibar's historic Stone Town.

Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895m, is the higest mountain in Africa.

Mount Kilimanjaro

HIDE CAPTION

Take a walk on the wild side in Tanzania

Last year the festival attracted 150,000 visitors, including 7,000 from abroad, and included a race of traditional dhow sailing boats.

For a more traditional cultural celebration, MaKuYa Festival in the Mtwara region has been held every year since 2008, bringing together hundreds of traditional dancers and cultural events.

One of the country's longest-running festivals is the Bagamoyo Festival, held each year since 1982 by TaSUBa, formerly the Bagamoyo College of Arts. The TaSUBa Theatre, where it is held, is the largest performing arts venue in East Africa, and attracts musicians performing African music from reggae to roots to jazz.

An annual charity Goat Race held each year in Dar Es Salaam is based on a concept from Uganda and has raised more than 500 million Tanzanian shillings ($320,000) for charity over the past 11 years.

Tanganyika and Zanzibar had gained independence from Britain in 1961 and 1963 respectively.

Julius Nyerere, a key figure in the fight for independence, became the first president of Tanganyika in 1962 and remained head of Tanzania until 1985.

All of us have come together to say it's high time Zanzibar should be able once again be able to be in charge of own destiny and plan its own future.
Ismail Jassu, Zanzibar politician

His successor, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, started a gradual process of economic liberalization and democratic reform and in 1992 the constitution was changed to allow for multiparty competition, according to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The current president President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has been in power since 2005 and was elected for a second term in 2010.

Today, although Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, it has its own parliament and president and a growing movement for full independence.

Ismail Jussa, a local politician, said: "Right now there's a grand movement, not just both political parties of Zanzibar, religious groups, civil society organizations, members of academia, student organizations, all of us have come together to say it's high time Zanzibar sovereignty is restored and Zanzibar should be able once again to be in charge of its own destiny and plan its own future."

The Tanzanian people are split roughly equally in their beliefs, between 30% Christians, 35% Muslim and 35% with traditional beliefs, according to the CIA World Factbook. In Zanzibar, the population is more than 99% Muslim.

Most of the country's population is Bantu, consisting of more than 120 tribes, including Sukuma, Nyamwezi, Chagga, Masai, Haya and Gogo.

The commercial center is Dar Es Salaam, with a population of 3.6 million in 2011, according to the United Nations Population Division.

The agency said that currently 12 million of Tanzania's 45 million population live in cities, and 33 million in rural areas.

However, it predicted that both the rural and urban populations will have grown to 69 million by 2050.

Despite its growing tourist industry, Tanzania is one of the world's poorest countries, with an economy that relies heavily on agriculture and employs 80% of the population, according to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The average life expectancy is just over 53 years, with the world's fourth highest death rate from HIV/AIDS, the CIA World Factbook said.

Hong Kong woman dies after cancer 'beauty' treatment

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN

October 11, 2012 -- Updated 0313 GMT (1113 HKT)

One of the stores operated by DR, a Hong Kong chain of beauty clinics that claims to serve 1,000 clients a day, is pictured.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Woman, 46, dies at a local hospital one week after receiving DC-CIK therapy
She was one of four women being treated for septic shock after receiving the treatment
DC-CIK therapy normally only offered to cancer patients, experts say
Hong Kong police are investigating beauty clinic attended by the women

Hong Kong (CNN) -- One of four Hong Kong women struck down with septic shock after receiving a "beauty" treatment normally given to cancer patients has died.

The 46-year-old died Wednesday morning at a local hospital one week after receiving DC-CIK therapy through the DR beauty center, local authorities said.

According to the Hong Kong Health Department, the DC-CIK procedure involves the "concentration and processing of blood taken from the person, and subsequent infusion of the mixture back into the patient."

It's not clear whether any of the women who received the treatment had been diagnosed with cancer, though the Hong Kong Health Department said in an earlier statement that the 46-year-old had been in "good past health."

The woman, who has only been identified by authorities by her surname "Chan," was admitted to hospital last Thursday suffering fever and diarrhea, hours after receiving the treatment.

She was diagnosed with septic shock, and on Sunday authorities announced her blood samples had grown the bacterium Mycobacterium abscessus.

Dr. Ho Pak-leung, President of the University of Hong Kong's Center for Infection told CNN that, under normal circumstances, M. abscessus did not pose a threat to healthy people.

I have serious doubts about the medical and scientific basis of the treatment.
Dr. Ho Pak-leung, University of Hong Kong

"It's common, it's widespread. It can be found in dust and soil and water. People often come into contact with a small number of this bacteria and it's of no harm at all unless you have a wound," Dr. Ho said.

However, he said it appeared as though the bacteria had entered the woman's blood.

"For blood infection involving internal organs, it's very difficult. It has to involve multiple drugs given at the same time and there are uncertainties about the effectiveness of the treatment," he told CNN on Monday.

Three other women remain in hospital after having the treatment, health authorities said Wednesday. A 60-year-old is in critical condition, a 56-year-old woman is in serious condition, while another, 59, is stable.

Dr. Ho said the use of the DC-CIK treatment for cosmetic purposes was not something he'd ever heard of before.

"I have serious doubts about the medical and scientific basis of the treatment," he said.

Professor KY Yuen, Chair of Infectious Diseases at the University of Hong Kong's Department of Microbiology, said the procedure was "only indicated for patients with metastatic cancer and often as salvage therapy when there are no other feasible options."

The Hong Kong Health Department and police are investigating the matter but, as of Wednesday morning, police said no arrests had been made. Health authorities have instructed the DR beauty clinic to halt the procedure.

Over the weekend, the founder of DR, Dr. Stephen Chow Heung-wing, told local media that his staff referred clients to an independent doctor who administered the therapy.

He denied suggestions that it was offered as a medical treatment.

The clinic has yet to respond to CNN requests for reaction to Wednesday's death.

"I didn't say that it can cure any diseases. Remember that we are a beauty clinic. We refer clients to doctor(s), and we have had the clients to sign a liability-free form, which states that it is not for medical use," he said.

A statement on the beauty clinic's website says that the treatment "was conducted by an independent doctor at a medical clinic, and the doctor is not hired by our beauty store."

The statement also said it was up to the independent doctor to decide whether the client is suitable for treatment before he or she receives it. It added: "We will assist related government departments to find out the causation of this particular incident."

According to its website, the DR group of clinics was established in 1995 and provides services for more than 1,000 clients each day.

The 'Wild West' of medicine

Pregnancy rumors envelop North Korea

By Paula Hancocks, CNN

November 1, 2012 -- Updated 0057 GMT (0857 HKT)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, are pictured at a party in July.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Rumors are swirling whether the first lady of North Korea is pregnant
Ri Sol Ju, wife of Kim Jong Un, reappeared in public after a two-month absence
Photo appeared in state media showing her wearing a long coat, sparking speculation
Analyst: Rumors first started from North Korean officials who attended the same event

Seoul (CNN) -- Is she or isn't she? Pregnancy rumors and speculation are swirling around the world but the lady in question is saying nothing.

This could easily be about a Hollywood star but this time, we're talking about the world's most reclusive nation, North Korea, and its first lady.

Ri Sol Ju, the wife of young leader Kim Jong Un, has not been seen in public for around two months, according to North Korea watchers. A photo released by the state-run news agency KCNA shows her back in public and wearing a long coat that could be hiding a bump. Ri watched a football match and attended a musical concert with her husband Monday to mark the 60th anniversary of the Kim Il Sung Military University.

Kim Jong Un marries mystery woman

Sushi chef's North Korean drama

South Korean media has kicked into overdrive to speculate on whether she is pregnant or whether she was kept out of the public eye as a disciplinary measure for a perceived slight. Local media has claimed she may have fallen out of favor for not wearing a lapel pin of the former leaders, a requirement for adult North Koreans.

"Rumors first came out from officials who attended the same event," said Kim Yong-hoon, head of the North Korean desk at Daily NK, an online newspaper based in Seoul that focuses on North Korea. "They started questioning and speculating if she was pregnant and it has spread throughout the country and that's how we heard about the rumors."

Kim says the interest in whether Ri is pregnant is far higher outside of North Korea than it is inside, according to his sources inside the isolated nation.

John Delury, assistant professor at Yonsei University says this global interest speaks volumes about the way any news about North Korea is handled.

"Do we track the last time Michelle Obama showed up?" Delury says. "Our minds are so trained to do this with North Korea that we miss the bigger picture which is there is something new --and by almost international standards we could say more normal -- about the way she appears in public."

By announcing Ri Sol Ju as his wife and having her accompany him on many public engagements, Kim Jong Un has shown a personality very different to his late father, Kim Jong Il.

While producing a son and heir for a dynastic regime is considered very important, Delury points out "that's also true for the families of the 'chaebol' or business conglomerates of South Korea, for Hyundai and Samsung," he says. "Even in the U.S. and UK, powerful families are concerned about producing the next generation."

Journalist Jungeun Kim contributed to this report

Can coaching kick-start your career?

By Susanne Gargiulo, for CNN

October 31, 2012 -- Updated 0652 GMT (1452 HKT)

Even the best need some advice now and then.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Coaching of managers and executives becoming more common
Recession has not diminished the popularity of coaching to companies
Seen as a benefit to both businesses and individuals

(CNN) -- Bill Clinton had a coach, Oprah Winfrey used one to help her get to the top of her career and, of course, top sports stars have them.

But the chances are you might have one, too, as according to a recent study by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), coaches in the office are becoming almost common place.

In the survey of 250 UK companies, 80% said they were using or had used coaching, and another 9% were planning to do so.

"We were surprised that it was so widespread," says David Pardey, of ILM, "particularly because we did the survey in the middle of a recession."

If you train people, it will pay off year after year, and then you have people working continuously to help others perform better.

David Pardey

A 2009 study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development confirmed that even during the economic downturn coaching remained buoyant; 7 out 10 companies surveyed reported increasing or maintaining their commitment to coaching.

According to Pardey, coaching is a tool that enables people to perform to their full capability.

"It's the difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it in practice," he says.

"So from an organizational point of view it can maximize your potential and take you from average to excellent. If everyone in the company were performing as the best person, the difference would be extraordinary."

For individuals like David Fitzgerald, executive vice president and partner at CB Richard Ellis New England, coaching elevates his game.

"I like to win, and coaching helps me to win even more," he says.

Coaching has been finding favor among companies for over a decade, according to Ginger Jenks, an executive coach who works with the International Coach Federation.

"Five years ago, coaching was in about 75 countries, now it is in about 110," she says.

I was a leader's secret weapon. Now, a coach is accepted as a must-have for people in the top of their field.
Ginger Jenks, executive coach

The reason for its growing popularity could be its win-win effect. The ILM study found that 95% of companies who used coaching said it has benefited the individual as well as the organization.

Jenks believes that coaching is going where music and sports have always been.

"If you want to get to the top, you need a coach. In the past, I was a leader's secret weapon. Now, a coach is accepted as a must-have for people in the top of their field," says Jenks, who is also President of Magellan Enterprises in Colorado.

There are a couple of hitches, however. One is assuring that a coach is fully qualified and a current lack of standardization means anyone can call themselves a coach. The second is cost. Coaching is not inexpensive, but that is a fact experts believe is pushing another growing trend in the industry; companies training and keeping their own coaches on staff.

"This is where we are seeing the real growth happening in terms of business coaching," says Suzanna Prout, managing director of Xenonex Limited, an executive coaching and leadership development company.

Pardey agrees: "If you train people, it will pay off year after year, and then you have people working continuously to help others perform better. It will be a significant feature of successful organizations."

That is what happened at Doncaster College in the UK, where principal and CEO George Trow, says coaching and management development has transformed the school from a poorly functioning one to a success story.

"When I came here, the college had had seven principals in five years," says Trow, adding that both the student and financial performance of the school were inadequate.

To turn things around, Trow put 70 managers through a coaching program and trained ten internal managers as coaches. He wanted to install a coaching culture and this made the program financially sustainable.

Almost three years after the introduction of the coaching program, Trow says the student success rate has increased dramatically and the school is in a healthy financial state.

"What has happened is that we are seeing a more effective performance from people, better conflict resolution, better communication, and we have been able to deal with a lot of thorny issues that had been parked for a while," he says.

According to Prout, what coaching does is help show "an organization's blind spots."

"It is about having that discipline to be asking yourself the tough, challenging and open questions that people often have a tough time asking themselves," she says.

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 1 พฤศจิกายน พ.ศ. 2555

Père-Lachaise, Paris, France

Merry Cemetery, Romania

St. Louis No. 1, New Orleans, Louisiana

Forest Lawn, Los Angeles, California

La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Xoxocotlan, Oaxaca, Mexico

Mount Auburn, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague, Czech Republic

Lone Fir Cemetery in Portland, Oregon

Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York

Myanmar Air expands its fleet

มาแล้ว! ฝูงนกนางนวลชุดแรก หนีหนาวมาบางปู