Chinese Actress Claims To Be Super Gamer, Supposedly Plays 5 ...

Chinese actress Li Xiao Ran (????is known for many things in China; she's famous for her roles on both the big screen and the TV screen as well as her prowess as a dancer. The one thing that she really isn't known for is being a gamer, and now she's out to change that.

Best known for her roles in Hong Kong movies Dragon Tiger Gate and Wu Xia, Li made a recent appearance on the popular Chinese variety talk show "Day Day Up" (????). On the show, Li claimed that she was a gamer, and that her love of video games and gaming culture is so extreme that she could be classified as a video game "Kong" (???). The "Kong" suffix is basically Chinese for otaku (nerd), and Ms. Li says that she's a gaming otaku.

During her appearance on the show, Li was the mystery guest?the hint about her contained a tiny tidbit about how Li can play five different games on five different tablets at the same time. Li herself claimed on the show that whenever she has time she plays online games, saying "When I'm at home I can play on my computer while I'm eating."

Unfortunately there isn't a video or pictures of Li playing on five tablets at once, but many believe her. Chinese games are often designed to be played with one hand so that the player can smoke or eat while playing, so playing multiple one handed games isn't that hard. Li's also been known to play video games during the little off time she receives during film shoots, and other actors she's worked with have called her out on her gaming.

Li's status as a gamer isn't anything new?on another talk show last year, Li said that her ideal partner would have to be a gamer, someone she can play with. However, Li is probably one of the biggest mainland Chinese actors/actresses to be a gamer, Edison Chen aside of course (though he's also Canadian and in Hong Kong).

?????????????5???? [People's Daily]

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Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

Source: http://kotaku.com/5983281/chinese-actress-claims-to-be-super-gamer-supposedly-plays-5-different-games-simultaneously

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More coincidence than conspiracy at fashion week

NEW YORK (AP) ? During every season of designer previews at New York Fashion Week a few key, quirky items seem to pop up on different runways. They're not quite trends since one has to think they're partly for runway effect not retail orders, but they're part of the style zeitgeist nonetheless. So, how does the ball start rolling on items such as oversized fur mittens, harnesses or sleeveless coats?

It's safe to say designers don't take a meeting together to decide what direction to go in.

"The honest answer is some of it is plain and simple coincidence," said Cindi Leive, editor in chief of Glamour magazine. "These designers are creating hundreds of looks over the course of a season. It would be more unusual if there were no overlap."

Still, she said, there also are fashion cycles and sociological factors to consider as catwalk collections are prepared.

Take fur ? both real and fake. Leive said Sunday it has been on every runway so far on this fourth of eight days of fashion week.

After the recession, no one was touching fur, she said, but it has slowly made a comeback as people feel a little more comfortable about spending money. The interpretation this go-around has been impactful, with an emphasis on oversized unexpected fur touches such as hoods, handbags and boots, but they're not as expensive as a full-length coat.

It's important for fashion insiders to be aware of what's happening in other parts of culture, including politics and art, said Marie Claire executive editor Nina Garcia earlier in the week as she prepared to judge aspiring designers at "Project Runway."

"Successful designers soak it all in," she said.

Fashion week continues in New York through Thursday, when the influential Marc Jacobs closes out things. Runway previews then move on to London, Milan and Paris.

VICTORIA BECKHAM

The opening look at Victoria Beckham's show was a windowpane plaid coat. She also incorporated more sweaters and knits into her collection, with a nod to mod with some geometric, colorblocked shift dresses.

The most unexpected looks were the flashes of bright yellow, including a sleeveless trench; the techno shine she added to pleated skirts that the audience could only see as the models walked; and the long cape-style tuxedo coat.

One of the important evolutions for fall is the softer shoulder, which she used to tweak one of her popular zip-back, slim-fit dress silhouettes.

For shoes, she put models in lower kitten heels, made in collaboration with Manolo Blahnik, which was a bit of a surprise for a woman known for skyscraper stilettos.

"I'm always designing what I want to wear," she said.

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO

The "Project Runway" alum used the Russian opera as the inspiration for his fall runway show, using a book of Russian opera houses as reference.

The girl wearing this collection, he said, was on her way to see the Russian opera.

"I wanted it to be a story of what she wears during the day, what she'll wear for a cocktail dress, what she'll wear to the opera," he said.

His vintage-inspired day looks evoke many eras, from the 1940s to the 1960s, and were mostly separates of turtlenecks paired with loose leather trousers and faux fur vests in muted colors such as white, black and camel.

One ensemble included a pointed-toe flat in a penny loafer style, a surprise inclusion given fashion's love for the high heel. Siriano explained it as a way to ensure its wearability, and also because he "wanted it to be a bit more demure, a bit simple."

Other shoes in the collection included bootie heels and heeled penny loafers with gold trim, echoing the filigree that anchored many of the evening dresses that closed the show.

JOSEPH ALTUZARRA

Joseph Altuzarra's urban, confident, fashion-forward customer wears graphic black-and-white leather ? layers it on, in fact ? and then there's the fox or mink fur on top. She's not shy about drawing attention in fur mittens, shiny grommet embellishment and strategically placed zippers. She wears her high-waisted trousers with a low-slung belt.

His fall-winter collection also includes optic white pants and a khaki cotton sleeveless trench worn with a khaki four-button tailored skirt.

The silhouette he offers his customers is strong and slim, sometimes with a little bump at the hip.

"The design and construction emphasize the nip of the waist and exaggerate the hip, while shrunken proportions mixed with a bolder shoulder volume sharpen the classic silhouette," he says in describing the shape.

___

AP Writer Amanda Kwan contributed to this story.

___

Follow Samantha Critchell on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AP_Fashion

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/more-coincidence-conspiracy-fashion-week-183426501.html

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Rare Afghan fashion show seeks to empower women

An Afghan model wears a dress creation by Shahar Banoo Zeerak, during a fashion show in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Afghan models parade down a candle-lined catwalk as men and women watch from the audiencThe rare fashion show in this war-weary capital was a small production but a big idea ? part of an Afghan group's efforts to empower women by breaking down barriers in this highly conservative Muslim society. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

An Afghan model wears a dress creation by Shahar Banoo Zeerak, during a fashion show in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Afghan models parade down a candle-lined catwalk as men and women watch from the audiencThe rare fashion show in this war-weary capital was a small production but a big idea ? part of an Afghan group's efforts to empower women by breaking down barriers in this highly conservative Muslim society. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

Afghan model Farkhunda Taheri, 17, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press next to a painting of Bamiyan's statue after a fashion show in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. The rare fashion show in this war-weary capital was a small production but a big idea ? part of an Afghan group's efforts to empower women by breaking down barriers in this highly conservative Muslim society. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

An Afghan model applies makeup prior to a fashion show in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013.The rare fashion show in this war-weary capital was a small production but a big idea ? part of an Afghan group's efforts to empower women by breaking down barriers in this highly conservative Muslim society. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

An Afghan model walks wearing a dress creation by Shahar Banoo Zeerak, a dress designer, model and organizer of a fashion show in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Afghan models paraded down a candle-lined catwalk as men and women watch from the audience in a restaurant off a muddy street in Kabul. The rare fashion show in this war-weary capital was a small production but a big idea ? part of an Afghan group's efforts to empower women by breaking down barriers in this highly conservative Muslim society. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

Afghani models are seen backstage after presenting a fashion show in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. The rare fashion show in this war-weary capital was a small production but a big idea ? part of an Afghan group's efforts to empower women by breaking down barriers in this highly conservative Muslim society. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghan models paraded down a candle-lined catwalk Friday as men and women watched from the audience in a restaurant off a muddy street in Kabul.

The rare fashion show in this war-weary capital was a small production but a big idea ? part of an Afghan group's efforts to empower women by breaking down barriers in this highly conservative Muslim society.

"The situation always gets tougher and tougher every day by day, but we should not back down. We are here to move on and move forward, so I think if women step up and they show up in this field, I think they will do a good job," said Shahar Banoo Zeerak, the designer whose clothes were featured in the show.

The idea of women on display remains mostly taboo in Afghanistan more than a decade after the 2001 U.S. assault that ousted the Taliban from power after a five-year reign of terror by the fundamentalist movement.

Some women still don't go outside without wearing blue burqas that cover them from head to toe. Violence against women is still common in Afghanistan, and there are reports of women being stoned, executed in public or imprisoned for having affairs with men. Women have even set themselves on fire to escape domestic violence.

Friday's fashion show was organized by Young Women for Change, an independent, nonprofit Afghan organization committed to empowering Afghan women and improving their lives.

Most of the 10 models, including three young men, who showed off 33 designs including colorful short-sleeved dresses, jeans, tunics and more traditional outfits ? were Afghan women who volunteer for the group.

One of them, 17-year-old Farkhonda Taheri, had never even seen a fashion show before. She said her father and other family members were supportive of her decision to participate, but her grandmother was not happy.

"The biggest challenge for us that we cannot do these things in Afghanistan because people do not like it," she said afterward. "I was excited because I felt I am going to bring a change."

She said it was important for Afghan youths to take risks to bring change as the country struggles to achieve a semblance of normalcy, with international combat forces preparing to withdraw by the end of 2014.

"Who will bring the peace? We are going to bring it. Afghans. The new generation," Taheri said.

There have been a few other fashion shows in Afghanistan, but most were geared toward an international audience and seldom featured Afghan women or a mixed Afghan audience. Reflecting the obstacles, the organizers did not permit local Afghan media to film the event to protect the women, who on occasion appeared without headscarves and in short skirts.

"It may not be perfect and professional but it's a beginning," said Salma Gul, the 26-year-old tailor who made the clothes.

Organizers said they had two reasons for staging the show despite fears of violence in a country that sees frequent bombings and suicide attacks, often against targets deemed un-Islamic by extremists. One was to raise money for the advocacy group and the other was to gradually change attitudes toward women.

A spokesman for the advocacy group, Mohammad Zafar Salehi, said they earned more than $1,000 from the show, which sold tickets and drew mostly group members and friends.

"We want to change the mindset of the people but at the same time I worry about the security of the girls," he said as the famous Afghan rock band Morchaha performed in another room. "I believe in a change that can be slow."

___

Online:

Advocacy group's site ? http://www.youngwomenforchange.org/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-08-Afghan-Fashion%20Show/id-869c9a1747384eea9692272c0d1e0fdf

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Debt BlogDebt Management Plans - Tips For Avoiding DMP Pitfalls

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Posted in Finance
February 9, 2013

Most people are involved in some type of financial transaction or decision every day. Sometimes they can get way behind in their debts and financial obligations with no clear way to pay them off. Some resort to debt management plans, which can help if you are careful in setting up the plan. Do you know how to avoid the pitfalls?

Credit and debt issues are critical life altering realities for almost everyone. The daily decisions we make in handling the balance between the two determines our credit worthiness in the eyes of financial institutions. As we all know, if you have a bad credit rating, then borrowing funds or purchasing many items will become difficult or impossible. But what happens when you get so far in debt that you have no clear way to pay it all off? Many people resort to a debt management plan (DMP). These are payment plans structured in a way so that the borrower is better able to pay off their debts, and is agreed to by the borrower and creditors. The benefits can include lower interest rates and fee waivers.

Once you and the creditors have accepted the DMP, it is important to:

* make regular and timely payments

* always read your monthly statements to make sure your creditors are getting paid according to your plan

* contact the organization responsible for your DMP if you will be unable to make a scheduled payment, or if you discover that creditors are not being paid

If the payments are not made to your DMP and creditors on time, you could lose the progress you've made on paying down your debt, or the benefits of being in a DMP, including lower interest rates and fee waivers. The creditors may not forgive any more late payments and you will incur more 'late' marks on your credit report as well as more late fees, increased debt and a longer pay off period. So, once you are on a debt management plan, make sure that you are never late on any payments. DMPs are not for everyone. You should agree on a DMP only after a certified credit counselor has spent time thoroughly reviewing your financial situation, and has offered you specific advice on managing your money. You may be able to work out a payment plan directly with your creditors. But if you decide that you need to work with a credit counselor and get additional advice and assistance, ask questions like these to help you find the best counselor for your situation and make sure you get full and complete anwsers.

Some Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a Credit Counselor to Handle your DMP:

1. What services do you offer? Look for an organization that offers a range of services, including budget counseling, savings and debt management classes, and counselors who are trained and certified in consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors should discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems now and avoid others in the future.

2. Are you licensed to offer your services in my state? Many states require that an organization register or obtain a license before offering credit counseling and debt management plans.

3. Do you offer free information?

4. Will I have a formal written agreement or contract with you?

5. What are the qualifications of your counselors? Are they accredited or certified by an outside organization? If so, which one? If not, how are they trained? Try to use an organization whose counselors are trained by an outside organization that is not affiliated with creditors.

6. Have other consumers been satisfied with the service that they received? Once you've identified credit counseling organizations that suit your needs, check them out with your local consumer protection agency, and Better Business Bureau.

7. What are your fees? Are there set-up and/or monthly fees? Get a detailed price quote in writing, and specifically ask whether all the fees are covered in the quote.

8. How are your employees paid? Ask them to disclose what compensation it receives from creditors, and how they are compensated.

9. What do you do to keep my personal information confidential and secure? They should have safeguards in place to protect your privacy.

Get the information you need to make an informed decision.

About the author: Greg Smith publishes information on Debt Help issues at http://www.debt-help-i.com/. Visit the web site for the latest on debt and credit issues and solutions. This article may be freely reprinted as long as the author's information and URL links remain intact.

Author: Greg Smith

Source: http://www.caishi.net/307725-Debt-Management-Plans-Tips-For-Avoiding-DMP-Pitfalls.html

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Yen gains after comments from Japan official - Currencies ...

By William L. Watts and Myra P. Saefong, MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) ? The yen climbed sharply versus the dollar and euro Friday after Japan?s finance minister said the currency?s fall had caught the government by surprise ? a remark the ministry later described as a misstatement.

The dollar /quotes/zigman/4868099/sampled USDJPY -0.9939% traded at 92.75 yen in recent action, down from ?93.41 in North American trade late Thursday. The dollar had bought as much as ?93.70 early Friday. For the week, the greenback is little changed versus the yen.

The euro /quotes/zigman/4868097/sampled EURJPY -1.2492% fetched ?123.93, down from around ?125.32. For the week, the euro has lost more than 2% versus the yen.

Week ahead: Currency wars at G-20

Currency wars are likely to dominate the G-20 meeting in Moscow even if most countries will try not to make any explicit accusations. .

On Friday, during a parliamentary session, Japan Financial Minister Taro Aso said the dollar had ?abruptly risen to the ?90 level from the previous ?78-?79 level in a manner we didn?t anticipate.?

Later, however, a finance ministry official said Aso had meant to say the yen?s drop had been ?fast paced? rather than unexpected. See: Japan: Aso meant to say yen's fall 'fast-paced' .

Combined with indications Japanese exporters are starting to re-emerge as yen sellers, Aso?s comments were ?sufficient to drive a stop run down to a low of ?92.17 before a partial retracement,? said Adam Cole, currency strategist at RBC Capital in London.

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Aso?s remarks certainly don?t imply the yen?s fall is unwelcome, ?but does call into question the ?95-100 range [versus the dollar] that many were beginning to talk of? as a government objective, Cole said.

Taking a look at the bigger picture, seasonals are ?in favor of yen strength,? with March representing the end of Japan?s fiscal year, and the yen typically strengthening from mid-February through late-April,? said Christopher Vecchio, currency analyst at DailyFX, in an emailed note.

Given that, ?we very-well may be on the verge of the next bout of risk-aversion if political concerns stemming from Italy and Spain boil over,? he said. ?A drop back to ?120 in EURJPY can?t be ruled out at [the] present time.?

Euro falls vs. dollar

The euro, meanwhile, moved lower against the dollar.

European leaders reached an agreement Friday on a seven-year budget plan for the European Union, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy announced on Twitter without providing details after a final set of negotiations that stretched to around 24 hours. See: European leaders agree on 7-year EU budget deal.

?The EU budget deal, which confirms the EU?s appetite for austerity, provides continued support for the euro bears to bet against the euro based on a weak growth outlook,? said Richard Hastings, a macro strategist at Global Hunter Securities. ?But the market already understands this, so it looks like the budget conversation is a small catalyst in the same general direction.?

The euro had taken a tumble Thursday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said policy makers would watch the currency?s appreciation for any sign it is affecting the euro-zone inflation outlook. Draghi also said the euro?s recent rise is a sign of confidence in the shared currency.

He emphasized repeatedly that the ECB was maintaining an ?accommodative? monetary policy. Read Draghi: Euro reflects confidence, but eyeing rise.

The euro /quotes/zigman/4867933/sampled EURUSD -0.2687% , which pushed above $1.37 earlier this week, changed hands at $1.3365 in recent trade, down from $1.3392 in late North American action Thursday. For the week, its down about 2%.

Although down about 2% just this week, the currency is still up nearly 4.9% against the greenback compared with three months ago.

ECB's Draghi knocks euro back a bit

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi helped the euro to reverse some of its recent gains with slightly more dovish comments at his monthly news conference.

?What we note is that the latest data shows the euro-zone is stabilizing. More work is needed, however,? said Evan Lucas, a market strategist at IG Markets.

?Mario Draghi?s ?whatever it takes? comments that came [at midyear] last year was the flash point for the current rally and he is holding true to his word, meaning Europe is going to be a distraction, not a disaster,? Lucas said.

The ICE dollar index /quotes/zigman/1652083 DXY -0.02% , which measures the greenback against a basket of six major global currencies, rose to 80.234 from around 79.721 late in New York on Thursday. The index was about 1.4% higher for the week.

The WSJ dollar index /quotes/zigman/9625991 XX:BUXX -0.21% , a gauge that measures the greenback?s moves against a slightly wider basket of currencies, slipped to 71.53 from 71.66 Thursday.

Among other major currency pairs, the British pound /quotes/zigman/4867886/sampled GBPUSD +0.5417% climbed to $1.5794 from $1.5696, while the Australian dollar /quotes/zigman/4867876/sampled AUDUSD +0.3414% fetched $1.0317, compared with $1.0284.

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William L. Watts is MarketWatch's European bureau chief, based in Frankfurt. Follow him on Twitter @wlwatts. Myra Saefong is a MarketWatch reporter based in San Francisco. Follow her on Twitter @MktwSaefong. V. Phani Kumar contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/euro-inches-up-versus-us-dollar-after-tumble-2013-02-08

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AOL?s Hyperlocal Effort Patch Misses $40M-50M Sales Target, Partly Because Of Sandy, Still Aiming For Profitability In 2013

AOL's Q4 earnings today saw that company (which owns TechCrunch) finally make a turnaround, after 8 years of decline, into revenue growth, with overall sales of $599.5 million. But there are still a lot of areas that are seeing flat or declining revenues, and some that are loss-making: among those is AOL's hyperlocal effort Patch. On the investor call today, CEO Tim Armstrong admitted that the division had not reached its revenue target of $40 million-$50 million, and that it was still unprofitable (specific losses not released), but that the aim was for it to reach profitability by Q4 of this year.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/xC8ZWsSn48g/

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Green Blog: In the Rockies, Growing Support for Renewables

A new poll tracking the conservation attitudes of residents of the six Rocky Mountain States shows that support is strong for greater protection of public lands and investment in renewable energy. It also offers some clues to why public policy does not dovetail with public opinion in those areas.

In early January, two polling companies questioned 2,400 registered voters across Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Brendan Boepple, program coordinator for Colorado College?s State of the Rockies Project, said the results highlighted ?the disparity between the reality and the rhetoric among Western voters.?

In a region where fossil fuel extraction has long been an economic linchpin, wind and solar ranked first in most states when voters were asked what two energy sources they wanted to see more money spent on.

In Arizona, for example, greater investment in solar energy was supported by 74 percent of those polled, and wind, by 43 percent. Support for more oil drilling and coal extraction registered at just 8 percent and 6 percent, respectively. (Support for solar power was far lower in Montana and Wyoming, however.)

?Overwhelmingly, they?re pointing to renewables,? said Lori Weigel, a partner with Public Opinion Strategies, which regularly conducts polling for the Republican Party. The other polling firm, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates, is associated with the Democratic Party.

A majority of respondents said that while some public lands should be drilled, environmentally sensitive places should be off limits forever. Ms. Weigel said the poll indicates that Rocky Mountain residents want a better balance.

?They don?t want to shut the door on development, but it?s pretty clear they want to see more protection,? she said. ?They want to make sure that their clean water, clean air, wildlife and places to recreate are protected.?

The poll was released on Thursday, a day after the Obama administration announced the nomination of Sally Jewell as the new secretary of the interior. Ms. Jewell?s blend of oil expertise, enthusiasm for the outdoors and conservation advocacy is viewed by some as emblematic of the evolving land ethic across the Rocky Mountain states.

The survey results also come on the heels of a speech in Washington in which Bruce Babbitt, a former interior secretary, admonished the Obama administration for opening public lands to drilling without making commensurate conservation efforts.

Nine in ten people polled said that national parks, forests, monuments and wildlife preserves are essential to the economy. Three in four said that those lands furnish good jobs, and more than seven in 10 said that no public lands should be sold to private corporations.

Three in five said that drilling should not be allowed in ?critical locations? near recreation areas, water sources or wildlife. Only 35 percent said that more public lands should be opened to ?responsible energy development.?

To reflect the region?s changing demographics, the poll was also conducted in Spanish. Sixty-four percent of Latino respondents described themselves as pro-conservationist, virtually mirroring the result for the Rocky Mountain states as a whole.

While support for more conservation has remained constant during the three years since the poll began, David Metz, who works for the Democratic-leaning polling company Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates, said he set out this year to understand why western politics and policy depart in some ways from public opinion.

He learned that 54 percent of Rocky Mountain residents are unaware of how their leaders have voted with regard to protecting land, air and water. ?People don?t have a clear idea of what their elected officials are doing,? Mr. Metz said.

For example, more than two-thirds of people interviewed either said that no drilling was taking place on public lands or that they didn?t have enough information to answer whether it was or not. In reality, 38 million public acres across the United States, including land in 42 national park units are leased for oil and gas drilling, something that most western lawmakers support.

?There?s a mismatch,? Mr. Metz said. ?One of our goals with this poll is to show a common scientific set of data to better connect where public officials are and where the public is.?

The poll suggested that voters would have a ?more favorable? impression of any candidate who voiced support for public land protection. But the degree varied depending on the candidate?s party affiliation.

The results suggest that Republican candidates stand to gain the most by championing land conservation; a Republican candidate who took that stance would draw support from more Democratic voters than a Democratic candidate would from Republicans.

Walt Hecox, faculty director for the State of the Rockies Project, argues that politicians should pay close attention to the study. ?Westerners see the permanent protection of their public lands as an economic imperative and essential to their quality of life,? he said in a statement. ?Decision-makers would do well to take notice.?

The poll also showed that while 85 percent of Rocky Mountain residents engage in at least one outdoor recreational activity, 83 percent of parents worry that children don?t spend enough time outside.

Source: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/in-the-rockies-growing-support-for-renewables/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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