UK government opposes Virunga oil exploration ? SOCO must take note

28 September 2012

In an important development this week, the British foreign office announced: ?The UK opposes oil exploration within Virunga National Park, a World Heritage site listed by UNESCO as being ?in danger?.? This comes after London-based oil company SOCO International has been granted permission to conduct aerial surveys for oil exploration in Virunga, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The foreign office statement goes on: ?We have informed SOCO and urge the Government of DR Congo to fully respect the international conventions to which it is a signatory.?

?We remain committed to supporting UK companies in DRC and throughout the world. Foreign investment in sectors such as hydrocarbons and the extractive industries can play a vital role in boosting the development of DRC, lifting people out of poverty. Such investment needs to be done responsibly and sustainably, in compliance with local law and conforming to international standards.?

This statement follows the announcement at the weekend by the DRC Minister of Hydrocarbon, Crispin Atama Tabe that: "The DRC has the right to know what resources it has under the earth, even if it's in the park or the forest, anywhere."

It is currently against Congolese law to prospect or exploit minerals inside the country's national parks, but Atama Tabe said the legislation could be reviewed. As he explained:

"We're going to evaluate the quantity of the deposit. If it's very significant we'll compare the value of the park with the oil... We'll see whether we'll respect the park or not. It's up to us," he said - adding that exploration could take up to three years.

?Block 5?, which is 85% owned by SOCO, is part of the Albertine Graben, an area which has already attracted oil major Total in ?Block 3? in the north of the park.

Responding to the foreign office announcement, Dr Susanne Schmitt, head of our ?Green Heart of Africa? programme, says: ?WWF-UK welcomes the statement by the British government opposing SOCO International?s exploration for oil in Virunga National Park. Virunga is the jewel in the crown of Africa?s national parks and the home of the iconic mountain gorilla.

?No oil or mining development is allowed under the international World Heritage Convention. The DRC government must respect this convention, which is enshrined in its national laws. Moreover, the DRC government must put all oil development on halt, including any exploration activity by SOCO, until the EU-funded Strategic Environmental Assessment results are fully known.?

Not only is Virunga uniquely rich in wildlife, it?s also an important source of local livelihoods - 30,000 local people depend directly on the fish stocks of Lake Edward, which will be a drilling site for SOCO.

In a meeting of local community civil society organisations in North Kivu this week, their views were strongly expressed : "We are very concerned about the potential negative impact of oil development on our Lake Edward. We are depending on fish and the fresh water that this Lake gives us. We are depending on the unique ecosystem of the Lake. Oil development can lead to pollution, which would destroy its productivity."

World Heritage sites only cover 1% of the world?s surface area and should receive the highest form of protection. The world must speak out against the efforts by the DRC government and others around the world to undermine the status of these unique places.

Let?s be clear - if anybody would even consider demolishing the Acropolis in Greece there would be a global outcry. Isn?t it time we value our natural World Heritage just as much?

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Source: http://www.wwf.org.uk/news_feed.cfm?uNewsID=6223

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Trying to install Windows 7 using bootcamp, Having issues

I'm trying to Install Windows 7 to my Mac using Bootcamp.

I click choose my partioning, and gives me a status bar, then it says this.... (picture)

I did research. I went in to Disk utiliy, checked my harddrive, its clean. I clicked Repair Disk, but nothing was wrong with it.

Does anyone know what I should do?

__________________
13" Aluminum Macbook Pro. 2.7ghz 8GB Ram.
iPhone 4S Black 16GB

Source: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1458399&goto=newpost

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'Jesus is a monkey' daubed on Israel monastery wall

Menahem Kahana / AFP - Getty Images

A Trappist monk stands between graffiti reading in Hebrew, "Jesus is a monkey" (L) and "mutual guarantee, Ramat Migron and Maoz Ester" (West Bank settlements) (R), which was sprayed on the wall of the Latrun Monastery between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Tuesday after unknown people set the monastery's door ablaze.

By NBC News' Alastair Jamieson and wire reports

Hebrew graffiti, including the phrase "Jesus is a monkey," was daubed on the walls of a monastery near Jerusalem early Tuesday in what police suspect was a so-called 'Price Tag' attack by right-wing, pro-settler extremists, according to reports.

Vandals torched the wooden door of the Latrun Monastery and spray-painted the graffiti on the holy site's stone walls, Israeli police said.

PhotoBlog:?Jewish settlers voluntarily evacuate West Bank enclave

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"Police have opened a special investigation into the incident," Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Israeli security officials had expressed concern about possible acts of retribution by a suspected settler vigilante campaign known as 'Price Tag' for Sunday's court-ordered eviction of 50 families from Migron, a settler site near the West Bank city of Ramallah.?Police believe the incident was part of the campaign, the Times of Israel and the Jerusalem Post reported.

Rosenfeld said "Migron" and the words "Jesus is a monkey" were among the phrases scrawled at the monastery, which is located inside Israel but not far from the occupied West Bank.

'Price Tag' incidents are so-called because the extremists believe their attacks are extracting a price from Palestinians for their action in evicting settlers.

Jerusalem Post reporter Melanie Lidman posted?pictures of the graffiti on Twitter.

She reported that, following the evacuation of Migron on Sunday, Judea and Samaria District police commander Amos Yaakov said: "I assume that there will be an increase in 'Price Tag' incidents, and we have carried out preparations for this."

The attack happened at around 3:30 a.m. local time Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET Monday) and was quickly discovered by monks, who notified police, she reported.

PhotoBlog: A ballet class in Gaza

The report added that the monastery was a way station for pilgrims on their way from Jaffa to Jerusalem in the 19th century, and that the current building was built in 1890.

Reuters contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/04/13651687-jesus-is-a-monkey-daubed-on-jerusalem-monastery-wall?lite

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Product Reviews Canada: Ever noticed how University and College ...

Seriously.

Ever noticed how University and College apparel is overpriced?

Let me give an example... I went to York University in Toronto, Canada... for 5 years.

And I don't have a single piece of university apparel. Or a school ring either. I admit, I loved the university too. Loved the teachers. Loved the classes. Loved the campus. Heck, I even grew to love the concrete architecture and bizarre sculptures.

York University even had its own shopping mall on the campus known as York Lanes... and within York Lanes was the official university apparel store... where the prices of t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, hats, scarves, etc were jacked up so high as to make it ridiculous. I am talking like $60 for a simple t-shirt.

Part of this problem I think was because York had somehow privatized its line of apparel and the private company running it, in order to make a profit, had jacked up the prices. Furthermore the private company had to pay to rent the space in the York Lanes mall, and since it wasn't exactly booming in terms of sales they had jacked up the prices more so.

What they should have done is have a tiny basement office in a corner of a rarely used building (like in the basement of the Behavioral Sciences building)... someplace where the rent was cheap and it would really just a storage room (similar to the Lost and Found office) monitored by 1 person.

Now I must admit York University isn't alone in this. A LOT of universities and colleges have jacked up prices for their apparel (and vigilantly guard against "copyright thieves" making knock-off versions).

SIDE NOTE: Since then I think the ownership has changed and York apparel is now sold via the York U bookstore (also in York Lanes)... so presumably prices have probably dropped. Finally. 9 years after I graduated.

But not all places of higher learning do this. Let say for example you attended the University of Alabama... and you wanted some University of Alabama shirts... Well then you just visit their website, browse the prices, and order whatever it is that you actually want.

Easy. And the prices are fair. Not cheap, but fair. Comparable to what you might pay in Old Navy, American Apparel or H&M.

That is the way it SHOULD be done.

Some of them will even have a broad selection of products, like the "Alabama Houndstooth Fedora Hat"... which is *cough* actually not a Fedora. Its a Hamburg hat. Fedoras are broad brimmed. Hamburgs are short brimmed. Sheesh, seriously people, stop calling Hamburgs by the wrong name.

Same goes with Swiss hats. If it looks like a Hamburg but has a feather in the side, it is called a Swiss.

I swear... It is just like idiots in Hollywood (and video game designers) who keep using Egyptian khopesh swords BACKWARDS and having people committing suicide by slicing their wrists sideways (the proper way is to cut lengthwise along the vein).

And this is what you get for attending university for three to five years... You become educated to the point that:

1. You can recognize historical inaccuracies in TV shows and movies.

2. You *should* be able to spot the difference between different pieces of clothing and their proper names. (Like the difference between "leggings" and "stretch pants".)

3. You can do math and you know when something is overpriced and ripping you off.

4. You can recognize when a company is giving you a fair deal (and when their stuff is made by sweatshops in South East Asia) because you know how to read the label.

5. You can use your brain enough to go to a custom T-shirt place with a logo and have a new shirt made for $30 instead of paying $60 for the official university shirt which is grossly overpriced. (Better yet, you can pick colours and designs nobody else has, thus ensuring you have a shirt that other alumni will be jealous of.)

Oh, and assuming you are also potty trained, you should also be able to dress yourself.

Now go join the workforce of brainless zombies who sit at computers and press buttons, doing what you are told by the uncaring bosses with their big salaries... and ignore the fact that you were told for years that people value creativity and individual thinking.

Pfffff!

Source: http://productreviewscanada.blogspot.com/2012/08/ever-noticed-how-university-and-college.html

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No. 2 Radwanska tops Jankovic in US Open 3rd round

NEW YORK (AP) ? Agnieszka Radwanska, in her own words, survived her third-round match at the U.S. Open.

On a steamy Saturday at Flushing Meadows, the second-seeded Pole was relieved to beat Jelena Jankovic in straight sets ? and even that 6-3, 7-5 victory took 1 hour, 38 minutes.

"I was feeling like I was melting there," Radwanska said. "I survived the match. In the second set, I was just better for a couple of points."

Fourth-seeded Serena Williams also needed a while to win in straight sets, beating Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 6-0 in 1 hour, 21 minutes. Makarova upset the 14-time Grand Slam champ at this year's Australian Open.

Radwanska was broken four times, but she converted six of seven break-point chances against the 30th-seeded Serb.

While Radwanska is ranked a career-high No. 2 and coming off her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, Jankovic has fallen far from her No. 1 ranking in 2008 and hasn't been back to a title match at a major tournament since the U.S. Open that year. With confidence on her side, Radwanska knew patience would pay off.

"Especially with the hot conditions, you really have to fight more yourself than against the opponent," she said.

Jankovic had 37 unforced errors to 15 for Radwanska, who reached the fourth round at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2008. She has never been to the quarterfinals here.

"I think everything could happen today," Radwanska said. "So what I was trying to do, just fight 'til the end. Was a lot of the games that was like 30-all, 30-love, and then suddenly I was winning the games. It was a lot of weird points."

And a lot of long rallies, which both players tend to produce. On Saturday, they had six of at least 20 shots.

"We always have to run a lot in our matches, for sure," Radwanska said.

Her next opponent is 20th-seeded Roberta Vinci, who beat No. 13 seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 7-5.

Nicolas Almagro, seeded 11th on the men's side, beat American teenager Jack Sock 7-6 (3), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-1 to reach the round of 16 at Flushing Meadows for the first time.

Other top players on court Saturday include Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Americans Sloane Stephens, Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey are also scheduled to play.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-2-radwanska-tops-jankovic-us-open-3rd-170819039--spt.html

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Ladies: Checkout Top 5 Dating Mistakes Women Make After Break ...

posted September 1, 2012 / OMG! Ghana

black relationship

Dating too soon after the divorce:
I learned this lesson early. I only dated because my ex had a girlfriend, and it was my way to personally retaliate. Who did it hurt? Me! I was a dating disaster since I wasn?t truly ready. Starting to date again can be an overwhelming experience. My self-esteem was damaged and I felt stuck. I needed to work through my personal issues before I could be successful in dating.

Fortunately, I had the help of a wonderful professional counselor who helped me move forward. Many women go straight to their girlfriends for advice on dating and relationships when a professional source is needed. An unbiased professional ? someone who sees issues objectively ? is a better choice. A coach will tell you the truth about your readiness to date. A well-meaning friend may not be so honest. My advice is, before you join the dating boomers, seek out professional help from a trained counselor or coach like myself. In this case, you need a coach more than you need to eat another chocolate bar with a girlfriend!

Being afraid to go solo:?
Solo is the way to go when you are looking to meet someone to date. Although we love being with our girlfriends, constantly traveling with a group of gal pals is a recipe for disaster. I know it takes time to feel comfortable traveling alone, so you need to practice. I suggest taking a class, going to a show, concert, movie or opera alone. Take yourself out for dinner and sit near the bar area. If you?re feeling confident, have dinner at the bar. If you spot someone of interest, catch his eye for a few seconds and smile. Perhaps he will come over and introduce himself. If he doesn?t, count it as practice. A woman alone is approachable, confident and mysterious. The more you practice going out alone, the easier it is. I tell clients, if you want to meet an interesting man, be an interesting woman. Remember, men are attracted to women who are independent and fun ? women who have interesting lives of their own.

Being someone other than your ?genuine self? on a first date:
Talking about work may feel safe, but it?s not a good first date conversation. If you had a bad day, stay home unless you can bring a positive, approachable attitude along. Before going out, I put on some upbeat or romantic music, dance by myself in my home and think happy thoughts. I leave my past in the past. If you don?t have time to go home prior, dress for work in something ?dateable? like a wrap dress, a pencil skirt, or a fabulous sweater or satin blouse that makes you feel pretty. Focus on a positive mood, be aware of your posture and stand tall. Add your favorite perfume, freshen your makeup and hair and smile. Your smile is always your most important beauty accessory and a welcoming appearance enhancer.

Breaking plans to date:
It?s a mistake to break plans with girlfriends or alter your schedule if dating conflicts occur. Men don?t change their schedules and you shouldn?t either. Do keep doing what you enjoy and incorporate new experiences into a broadening social scene. I attend movie classes alone and add new classes each year to my schedule, no matter what is going on in my life. Men are attracted to women who have a vibrant life and who take care of themselves outside and inside. They will only like you more. Always nurture your spirit and do things that give yourself pleasure.

Burning bridges if you don?t feel ?sparks?:
Chemistry is elusive as you date. Be patient. Recently I went on a date and had a great evening, but there were no sparks. So what? I decided to accept a second date because we had fun together. Unfortunately, there is still no chemistry. My advice to my ?dating self? was to make my date into my friend. The suggestion may offend some men, but take the opportunity to be good company. I know from experience that some men are happy with this idea. Men enjoy the companionship of a woman. There is no pressure; just friendship. Try it. You may be surprised with the results. What can start out as a friendship may even turn into romance. Sparks can disappear, but friendship is forever.

OMGGHANA.COM | Your #1 source for Ghana and world news,entertainment, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest happenings around the globe. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Source: http://omgghana.com/ladies-checkout-top-5-dating-mistakes-women-make-after-break-up/

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LaunchPort releasing AP.3 sleeve for juicing your new iPad the inductive way

LaunchPort is finally releasing a sleeve for the new iPad, which makes it compatible with the company's inductive charging gear. It goes on sale in September for a hefty $149, and of course, you'll also need at least one $199 tabletop or wall mount to connect it to. The sleeve also works with the iPad 2, and if you're thinking about getting one, be quick -- it's only a matter of time before resonance charging renders inductive juicing a little passé.

Continue reading LaunchPort releasing AP.3 sleeve for juicing your new iPad the inductive way

Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets

LaunchPort releasing AP.3 sleeve for juicing your new iPad the inductive way originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/launchport-releasing-ap-3-sleeve-for-new-ipad/

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