Cross-dressing wins Eurovision

A bearded Austrian drag act who has been compared to Kim Kardashian, has won Europe's biggest song contest.

Conchita Wurst, whose real name is Tom Neuwirth, won the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday.

Wurst won easily, beating the Dutch and the Swedish entrants into second and third place, respectively, in the contest loved — and hated — in equal measure for its kitschy appeal.

Wurst, who was compared to Kardashian last year for copying her look when she appeared at a Vienna ball, said her victory was one for "respect and tolerance".

Conchita Wursts whose name is Tom Newirth won the Eurovision "festival", she represented Austria singing a song of respect and tolerance. She sang with beard and girl voice. This claim of tolerance in her song was reflected on the way she considers and wants for herself. Spain obtained the 10th place. This year the spectacle on the scenery was amazing, each show was fantastic, involving their plays with light effects.

That's fantastic, I didn't see the festival, but if she won is because she deserved it, undoubtedly. Her winning shows once more the open-minded ideology from European people. In my opinion, is fantastic that people support minority groups. In fact, there is an article from The Rights Declaration which says that everybody has the right of the free thought and he/she can't be judged for it. So I haven't anything to add, congratulations to Conchita and good luck. I'm glad of her bravery and people counsciousness. 

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Drag
Kitschy

Child soldiers

SIBUT, Central African Republic — Not long ago, Charly had all the money he needed. He had a rebel uniform that commanded fear in his hometown. He had an AK-47, and he wasn't afraid to use it.

He was still a boy, but he felt like a man.

Now he has returned to his old life. He is once again a helpless boy. The thought of it makes him sit rigid with anger, his eyes flashing.

"See the shoes I'm wearing," the teenager snapped, pointing at a pair of dusty blue flip-flops. The soles were so full of holes that he might as well have been barefoot.

With the rebels, he said, it was different: "I had boots, a uniform and a gun in my hand."

With the rebels, he had power.

The conflict tearing the Central African Republic apart has not only turned neighbor against neighbor. It has brought childhood to a halt.

Children have seen their parents hacked to pieces. They have watched as boys and girls just like them were shot or maimed. Some have been forced to make cold calculations far beyond their years, taking up arms with the same fighters who upended their lives or killed their relatives.

In Central African Republic, children were recruited as a soldier. This is an interview to a child who retoke his old life, but he isn't happy about it. He has poor resources they told that it was better the soldier life because he had footwear, a uniform and moreover a gun which is synonymous of power. He realize his extremely life conditions makes him yearn the power. When children return to their homes, they often have nightmares and sequels of the war. Moreover many girls get pregnant by the soldiers.

In my opinion, it's difficult to say my position. Of course I don't agree with what is happening. But I will probably describe an ideal world. Is logic there mustn't be any child soldier, even more there mustn't be any soldier nor any war. But there are wars, soldiers and child soldiers. There is a big work remaining in Africa and in some third world countries. There are hunger and extreme life conditions. Here, in Europe, child wishes are a new electronic gadget or some multi-functional stuff, while in Africa they wish footwear and something to eat. Something is not working. And the solution is not on my hands nor in my head, I'm just a teenager. But I'm sure all together we can change this. 

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First lady condemns abduction of nigerian schoolgirls

WASHINGTON — In a rare venture into foreign policy, Michelle Obama on Saturday condemned the abduction of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by terrorists and said that she and President Obama had been personally touched by what she called an “unconscionable” act.

“In these girls, Barack and I see our own daughters,” the first lady said in the weekly radio address that is normally delivered by her husband. “We see their hopes, their dreams — and we can only imagine the anguish their parents are feeling right now.”

Boko Haram, the Nigerian terrorist network, has claimed responsibility for abducting 276 girls from a school last month. The taking of the girls and concern about their fate has prompted nations around the world to offer help to the Nigerian government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Obama said last week that he had ordered a team of military intelligence specialists and hostage negotiators to Nigeria to help in the search.

Mrs. Michelle Obama appeared on TV the mother's day, asking for the liberation of more than 200 scholar Nigerian girls kidnapped by a terrorist group "Boko Aaram". The abductor threaten to sell the girls as slaves, they want private them of their education. Mr. Obama said that education is a birthright.

This kind of terrorism shows the power and danger of some armed persons, and awakes the global people's civic sense. We have studied the human rights and this is an example of an extreme violation. This news also reflects the ideology of some radical groups which are against women education and equality. Nowadays, through the technology, we are able to know what is happening very far away from our houses and we have to approach it to report cases like that. I really hope international power or military can save these girls and prevent similar cases.

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Prompted

Marco Rubio says human activity isn't causing climate change

WASHINGTON — Senator Marco Rubio on Sunday said he was ready to be president, becoming the second potential Republican candidate recently to drop big hints about 2016 as he vies for early attention in a crowded field of maybes.

Mr. Rubio of Florida said on ABC’s “This Week” that while he was waiting until the end of the year to consider the decision, he thought he had a “vision” for the nation’s future and a strategy for achieving it, among other qualifications that he said he shared with other potential candidates.

“I do,” he said when asked whether he thought he was ready for the presidency. “I mean, but I think that’s true for multiple other people that would want to run.”

Marco Rubio, a politician of Florida presidential contender for 2016 does not believe human activity is causing the climate change. About two-thirds of American said that they believed there was "solid evidence the Earth is warming" according to a poll by the Pew Research Center. On the other side, democrats are convinced that we are the only guilt of the temperature rise of the planet. 

In my opinion, it's just political. Marco Rubio did this statement in order to gain votes. He was criticizing Obama's program to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, that it costs a lot of money. According to scientists the main cause of the global warming is the human activity. So I believe it might be true, and this politician must concentrate on his area and let the experts speak. Because a public figure like him that can influence a lot of people, can cause a catastrophic effect on the planet.

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Drop big hints

Michael Scumacher shows signs of improvement

Michael Schumacher's family are feeling "great happiness" at the way his condition is improving, according to ex-F1 star Jean Alesi.

The seven-time world champion has been in an induced coma in Grenoble hospital since Dec 29 after a skiing accident in the resort of Meribel.

And Alesi, who raced against Schumacher for a decade until his retirement in 2001, told motorsport magazine Speedweek that his former on-track rival does appear to be getting better, albeit a long way from recovering fully.

"During my last visit I noticed something had improved," he explained.

I felt a relief among his family, a great happiness at how things were developing. That is brilliant - even if the road back is still a long one."

It's the second positive piece of news about Schumacher in the last week after his manager, Sabine Kehm, said that the F1 star is showing "moments of consciousness and awakening".

She explained: “Michael is making progress on his way. He shows moments of consciousness and awakening.”

“We are on his side during his long and difficult fight, together with the team of the hospital in Grenoble and we keep remaining confident.”

It comes after current world champion Sebastian Vettel sent his best wishes for his compatriot ahead of last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, saying: "It is very good to hear it's going in the right direction."

F1 German legend Michael Schumacher had a ski accident. He was on holidays enjoying of his second favorite sport when he fell at a low velocity while he was skiing off-piste. Despite of being an expert his shock was critical, he lost the consciousness and he was transferred to the Grenoble hospital. The news affected all around the world. 

Nowadays, the brilliant pilot keeps without counsciousness but, how it says the news, he is improving. 

I'm a fan of F1, so it was very sad when I heard the news. He was very quick driving his car; he had a natural talent in front of the velocity. Who would it say? He didn't have any accident as serious as this one. I'm very happy to hear that he is improving, I hope he will awake shortly. But these kind of problems use to have negative effects on the brain and he probably won't return as good as before. 
Good luck Scumi!

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Former

Albeit

Human rights

First of all, we must establish the definition of “human rights” which is “The rights you have simply because you’re human”. There are thirty of them written in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948. It was created after the Second World War trying to avoid any similar situation and guarantee everybody’s rights. Since thousands years ago until nowadays, the society has suffered an evolution that has increased human recognitions.

I didn't know the 12th article (No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks). 

violation example

This week Zubizarreta (Barça directive) and Luis Enrique (next Barça's coach) have met in Gava to speak, allegedly, about the coach's contract. They met in Enrique's house and they were recorded for many TV programms. In my opinion, that's an article dumped out and this happens in every caountry and for any kind of famous. The only way to change this is not being much onlookers.

Sporting superstitions

Legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff used to slap his goalkeeper in the stomach before each match. Tennis ace Serena Williams alwaysbounces her ball five times before her first serve. Jennifer Aniston, it is reported, touches the outside of any plane she flies in with her right foot before boarding. From touching wood for good luck, to walking around ladders to avoid bad luck, we all have little routines or superstitions, which make little sense when you stop to think about them. And they are not always done to bring us luck. I wait until just after the kettle has boiled to pour the water for a cup of tea, rather than pouring just before it boils. I do not know why I feel the need to do this, I am sure it cannot make a difference to the drink.

Some athletics have rituals while, before or after they play. This repetitive action or ritual is in our brains, we use to repeat an action which we know before has succeeded. Our brain prefers to repeat an action which is known to have good results rather than look for another new one. If we think about superstition we take notice that they are non-senses, but finally we repeat it to get luck.

In my opinion there isn't any reason to think that superstitions will help me, I think the opposite, if I forget to do something (superstition) I will have a bad sense and I won't feel comfortable. I'm going to explain what happened to me: The day of my TDR oral presentation I took a symbol (a blue glass stone with an eye in the middle) which my aunt gave me as a present after her journey to Greece. The symbol was supposed to bring good luck, but when I was putting it inside my pencil case it fell down and it broke in several pieces. I thought "Oh my God". But I went to my oral presentation quite calm and all ended well.

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Ears and noses from test tube

Researchers from Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London have become the first to turn stem cells from body fat in the abdomen of children into living cartilage, through tissue engineering.

This ground-breaking procedure could help young patients who are born with debilitating facial abnormalities, such as 'microtia’, where the outer ear is underdeveloped, or those who require reconstructive surgery after an accident.

Experts believe it could ultimately be utilised in many other types of transplant surgery, to help reduce the risk of the body rejecting a replacement organ.

Currently, when facial features of children with severe birth defects need to be rebuilt, surgeons have to take cartilage from other parts of the body, such as the ribs, which is an invasive and painful procedure.

British scientists have developed a great technique. They have developed a process to grow ears and noses. They take stem cells from the body's fat and in a laboratory through tissue engineering they turn into living cartilage. This technique benefits patients who had any abnormality when they were born or people who has suffered an accident.

In my opinion this is a fantastic development. Most of the patients will improve their lives' quality because we live in a world where the beauty is very important, we saw it last term. The members (noses and frame's ears) are achieved in a combination of natural and artificial materials.

Development is very important in our society and we see a lot of improvements. It's very different these kind of surgery than the other one which only searches  beauty, in these cases is a necessity for these persons. 

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Circulation degradation

Vehicles are ensnared at an intersection in Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi province, where according to wires reports the traffic signal failed. The city is often plagued by serpentine traffic jams, and heavy smog this winter has compounded those problems, reducing visibility for motorists. As BBC News reported, Chinese authorities are facing mounting pressure from citizens to regulate pollution-intensive industries and seek carbon-neutral forms of energy production and transport. (Photo: ChinaFotoPress/Getty)


In Xi'an, China, a traffic signal failed and lots of vehicles were ensnared at an intersection. The big amount of vehicles had produced an intensive air pollution which reduced the visibility for motorbike riders. This smog also is harmful for the health. Chinese authorities want to regulate pollution coming from industries and transport after the pressure done from citizens. 

In my opinion this article shows the big problem which is living China. The high level of toxic gases in the air produces an unbearable way to breath. The Government should take part in this problem but they probably crash against industries, which defend their benefits.

All together have to fight to protect the earth because all of us live in it.

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Roger Federer won Dubai's tournament

World number eight Roger Federer produced another impressive comeback to beat Tomas Berdych and win the Dubai Tennis Championships for a sixth time.

Federer fought back from a set down to beat Novak Djokovic for the first time in 18 months in Friday's semi-final.

The 32-year-old needed those powers of recovery again as he fought back from a set and a break down to beat Berdych.

A 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory secured the 78th tour-level title of the Swiss' career - and first for nine months.

Third seed Berdych, 28, had won his previous encounter with Federer, in the Dubai semi-finals last year, and the Czech looked on course for another victory when he took the first set.

Federer squandered an early break of serve lost four games in a row from 2-1 ahead and managed to get just 40% of his first serves in.

But after saving consecutive break points with aces in the fifth game of the second set, he stamped his authority on the match to secure the title.

Roger Federer after nine months has won an ATP tennis tournament. He is currently in the eight position of the world’s ranking. Roger eliminated tennis players like Novak Djokovic (2) or Berdych (6), a good week for the Swiss’ player

Roger Federer, he doesn’t need any explanation… He is a legend. Roger has won many tournaments but this one is not like all the other ones. Why? Because Federer is thirty two years old and he keeps staying in the tennis world’s top.  Nowadays he is not wining as he used to, it’s completely normal, and I suppose that are difficult times for a big player like him. So I was glad to know about his  championship victory in Dubai.

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Mobile World Congress

The annual Mobile World Congress highlights the latest trends in mobile technology and services. It runs from 24 – 27 February in Barcelona, this year, and is organized by the GSMA (GSM Association). The congress brings together mobile operators, equipment vendors as well as industry figures.

Every year there is global meeting where the most important companies take out their new products and they expose their best qualities. The mobile world congress always attracts a lot of people so it’s so good for the city where it takes place, in this case, Barcelona. Many people come here from all around the world, especially sector employers to discover all the updates. It brings a lot of money to the city so it’s an honor to receive it. This year the most shocking new product was the Samsung V which was very expected.

I’m a fan of new technologies but I’ve never been in a world congress. I don’t know if I can go to one of them but probably isn’t open to everybody.  

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practicing any skill for 10,000 hours is sufficient to make you an expert?

A much-touted theory suggests that practicing any skill for 10,000 hours is sufficient to make you an expert. No innate talent? Not a problem. You just practice. But is it true?

One man who decided to test it is Dan McLaughlin, 34, a former commercial photographer from Portland, Oregon.

"The idea came in 2009. I was visiting my brother and we decided to play a par three, nine-hole course," he says. "I had never really been on a golf course and went out and shot a 57, which is horrible. It's 30 over par on an easy nine-hole course."

Far from being discouraged by his apparent lack of any natural talent for golf, Dan and his brother started talking about what it would take to become a professional golfer. Dan soon decided he wanted to try.

Many experts suggest that there is a specific number of hours to learn a sport. In this case a photographer, who didn’t played before golf tried to become a professional golfer, finally he achieve it approximately after 10.000 playing golf. Once a musician made an experiment, he observed two little children with the same age (5). Both without any apparent talent to play the violin, at the age of eighteen, one had practiced 10.000 hours and he played as an expert but the other one, with just 4.000 hours practiced didn’t play as good as the other one, but there was a big difference between them. The big musician concluded that in a certain number of hours we make a big change for the better.

 In my opinion it can be true but I think that they have to make clear which kind of training is useful because training without an expert supervision can cause injuries and bad habits in the sport technique.

LINK

Much-touted

Marriages

So your first marriage did not work out. But now you’ve found another special someone. Maybe you have kids from your previous marriage. Maybe your new partner does. Maybe you are dreaming about the bucolic life you will all live together once your families are joined through marriage – happily, peacefully, without conflict.

Time to snap out of it. Even if everyone gets along fabulously and your child-rearing philosophies are similar, it might not be so rosy. For one thing, divorce rates are higher in remarriages, reports US site SmartStepFamilies.com. Financially, blended or stepfamily dynamics are tricky: his money, her money, ex-spouses, past financial obligations and future ones, to o. All in all, combining families takes a little more financial – and life – planning.

Of course, you won’t be alone on this road. About four out of 10 US marriages include at least one step-relative, according to a Pew Research Center survey. In the UK, 10% of all families are stepfamilies, according to UK charity One Plus One. In Japan, one out of four marriages is a remarriage for one or both spouses. That figure rises to one out of three marriages in New Zealand, according to The International Handbook of Stepfamilies.

Here are some tips for swimming in the blended family waters, financially and otherwise.

What it will take: Honesty. Before you become a stepfamily, sit down with your partner and discuss everything — the good, the bad, and the financial.

I can't speak about the perspective of a stepfamily because in my particular case my parents are together for 19 years, but I think that discussing different viewpoints, benefits to the couple. To take part in quotidian conversations is positive, always dialoguing ang keeping the respect. I supose that living together is not easy (problems in the work (if you have), children's education (if you have), tiredness...) but I think that is important to be patient and comprehensive. Some days are bad for one and some for the other one. 

To initiate a new relationship perhaps is not difficult but to keep it with the ties of the past is different (how the article shows). Each member will have more affinity or love to its own children although one make an effort in order not to do differences. So how it says the article "sit down with your partner and discuss everything."

To snap out

Child rearing

Blended

Tricky

Glasgow helicopter crash: Four victims named by police

Four of the eight people who died when a police helicopter crashed into a busy Glasgow pub on Friday have been named.

Police Scotland confirmed the three helicopter crew were among the dead. They were pilot David Traill, 51, and Police Constables Kirsty Nelis, 36, and 43-year-old Tony Collins.

Gary Arthur, 48, from the Paisley area, has been named as among five people who died in The Clutha bar.

Police said they cannot rule out the possibility of more bodies being found.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said the force's helicopter crashed into the pub as it was returning from an earlier operation at about 22:25 on Friday.

This helicopter crash ended with 8 lives in Glasgow. In the accident four men were identified as middle aged between 36 and 51. It's a shame, some of them (the crew of the helicopter returned from work) and the other ones were having fun in a pub. Cruelty of life took people at random to die. This accident could have produced more dead people because the pub was too concurred. Four more bodies without life have to be identified, this is very hard for all families waiting for these awful news.

Once more the accident could answer to a human error or perhaps to a mecanical problem, anyway for people who have died it doesn't matter, they are no more staying among us.

Crew

Playstation 4

Sony's PlayStation 4 was launched in the UK at midnight and is already "starting to sell out".

Fans camped overnight for a chance to get their hands on one of the consoles.

The first-come first-served launch was considered one of the only ways for people to get hold of a console before Christmas.

Amazon said customers who had not pre-ordered before 13 November would not receive a console in time for Christmas.

The UK launch comes two weeks after the PS4 was launched in the US and a week after Microsoft's Xbox One was launched worldwide. Both consoles sold over a million in the first 24 hours.

In a statement to the BBC a Sony spokesman said: "We are starting to sell out - very rapidly but [we] will continue to work with all parts of the supply chain including our partners at retail to get more, as and when we can."

The company said it was facing "unprecedented" demand and it would be setting up a stock-tracker website to help customers find "those elusive units".

The launches are seen as a fight for dominance in the key Christmas season says the BBC's technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones.

Imran Choudhary was the first in the queue outside the venue in Covent Garden, London.

"It was always my goal to try and be one of the first people in the country to get hold of a PS4," he said.

First of all, I must admit that I'm a big fan of Playstation, I have two of them (2 and 3). I won't have the new one because I don't play with my PS3, I don't have enough time and nowadays I spend more hours chatting or playing in my mobile. The price is quite high, about five hundred Euros, but they used to get lower with time. I hope that one of my friends will buy it to play with them on my free time, probably on Christmas or in summer. It isn't recommended to buy the first PS4 type, because they use to improve it.

If anyone how is reading this post and wants to buy PS4 I don't recommend it because I have heard that some consoles don't open correctly. 

The competency of the Sony's company is Xbox consoles, they are a bit more expensive ones but they offer different functions. 

Camped overnight

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R.I.P Paul Walker

Fans, friends and fellow stars have been paying tribute to US actor Paul Walker, who has died in a car crash.

Walker was best-known for playing Brian O'Conner in the Fast & Furious films.

The 40-year-old died on Saturday when a Porsche being driven by a friend, who also died, crashed near Los Angeles.

Walker's co-star Jordana Brewster said: "Paul was pure light. I cannot believe he is gone." Fellow Fast & Furious actor Vin Diesel wrote that "heaven has gained a new angel".

"Brother, I will miss you very much," Diesel said on Twitter.

In a second message, he said: "My heart is hurting so sad. Paul Walker was a good man. RIP my friend... Sorry to the Walker family."

Walker starred in five of the six movies in the popular Fast & Furious franchise and had started filming the seventh.

The accident happened while Walker was attending an event for his charity Reach Out Worldwide.

Paul Walker's death is very sad news. This young actor was just 40 years old. His life was stolen by an accident. He was beside a driver friend who also died in this tragic accident. The Porsche driven by his friend finalized unrecognizable. Sometimes, we feel a kind of jealousy seeing the richness's life of this actors, milionaire houses, exceptional cars but death doesn't make differences.

Paul Walker died while was going to attend to a charity event, it shows which kind of heart he had. At the moment he was starring in a film called "Top Gun 7". It is shocking to lose such an actor in these circumstances, going to do a good act and being not guilty. 

Starred: http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=starred

Paying tribute: http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=paying%20tribute

Franchise: http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=franchise