Monday, January 12, 2026
Newsletter
Home Blog Page 1001

Recipe: Salad and garlic toasts

Kathryn R. Bown
-
0
Recipe: Salad and garlic toasts

Salad and garlic toasts

INGREDIENTS

• 1 French stick

• 300 ml (½ pt) good rapeseed oil

• 2 tsp dried Herbes de Provence (from supermarkets)

• Maldon sea salt, for seasoning

• 1 tsp sugar

• 50 ml (2 fl oz) white wine vinegar

• 3 cloves of garlic, halved

• 8-10 tomatoes of various colors

• 1 bunch of mint, chopped

• 200 g (7 oz) good quality goat’s cheese

Salad and garlic toasts
Salad and garlic toasts

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Thinly slice the bread, drizzle with a little of the oil, dust with the herbs and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until crispy. For the dressing, mix the sugar, vinegar and the rest of the oil together and whisk. When the bread comes out of the oven, rub with the garlic and leave to cool. Slice the tomatoes, mix on a plate and allow to stand at room temperature for a few minutes. Season. Add the mint to the dressing, pour over the tomatoes and crumble the goat’s cheese on top. Serve with the garlic toasts.

 

Amplats fires 12,000 striking South African miners

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Amplats fires 12,000 striking South African miners

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), the world’s biggest platinum producer, has fired 12,000 striking South African miners after a protracted strike over wages.

Amplats said three weeks of illegal strikes by 28,000 workers in Rustenburg had cost it 39,000 ounces in output – or 700 million rand ($82.3 million) in revenue.

South African mining has been hit by a wave of wildcat strikes, in which miners and officials have been killed.

Thirty-four platinum miners were shot dead by police on 16 August.

A separate strike is continuing at another mining firm, GoldFields, which is the world’s fourth-largest gold miner.

On Tuesday, GoldFields evicted 5,000 striking employees from company dormitories, saying they were intimidating fellow workers.

In all, about 75,000 miners are currently on strike in the gold and platinum sectors, most of them illegally, analysts say.

With unemployment in South Africa already at 25%, the mass dismissal will deal a blow both to the country’s weak economic growth and to President Jacob Zuma’s reputation as leader.

His governing ANC party is holding a leadership contest in December, and some members are already calling for Jacob Zuma to be replaced by his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe.

Explaining its decision on Friday, Amplats said the miners had failed to attend disciplinary hearings and had therefore been dismissed.

Attendance levels of less than 20% meant four of the company’s mining operations in Rustenburg could not operate properly.

Employees would learn the outcome of disciplinary hearings later on Friday, and would have three days to appeal over their outcome, said the company.

“Approximately 12,000 striking employees chose not to make representations, nor attend the hearings, and have therefore been dismissed in their absence,” it added.

Amplats’ chief executive Chris Griffith said the company was still committed to participating in centralized engagement structures driven by the chamber of mines, “as well as exploring the possibility of bringing forward wage negotiations within our current agreements”.

The ANC Youth League said it was “deeply disturbed and angered by the irrational and illogical firing”.

“This action demonstrates the insensibility and insensitivity of the company… which has made astronomical profits on the blood, sweat and tears of the very same workers that today the company can just fire with impunity,” said the league, which this week said it was backing Kgalema Motlanthe against President Zuma in the ANC contest.

“Amplats is a disgrace and a disappointment to the country at large, a representation of white monopoly capital out of touch and uncaring of the plight of the poor.

The league pledged solidarity with the dismissed workers and called upon “all progressive forces” to support the call for their immediate return.

Earlier, officials denied strikers’ accusations that a protester had been shot dead by the police during unrest at an Amplats mine.

Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said the death had nothing to with the police action to disperse about 200 protesters near Rustenburg, 100 km (60 miles) north-west of Johannesburg.

The body had been recovered and an investigation started, he told AFP.

The hill where the clashes occurred is littered with empty tear gas canisters and shell casings, which the workers said had contained rubber bullets fired by police, Reuters news agency reported.

The workers at the Marikana platinum mine where 34 people were shot dead returned to work last month after receiving pay rises far higher than the rate of inflation.

A commission of inquiry into the deaths of the 34 and 10, including two police officers, previously killed during the unrest began earlier this week.

 

Adele’s James Bond theme tops iTunes chart

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Adele’s James Bond theme tops iTunes chart

Skyfall, the new James Bond theme sung by Adele, has topped the iTunes chart after being released online in the early hours of Friday morning.

It was number one within 10 hours of being released, overtaking last week’s official UK number one Gangnam Style.

The full single was released at 00:07 BST, after a 90 second clip was apparently leaked online this week.

The 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall – Daniel Craig’s third outing as 007 – is released in UK cinemas on 26 October.

Adele ended months of speculation over her involvement on Monday, when she posted a picture on Twitter, featuring the cover page of the sheet music for the Skyfall theme, bearing her name alongside that of longtime producer and co-writer Paul Epworth.

The “dark and moody” theme was intended to echo the narrative of the film.

Skyfall was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, and features a 77-piece orchestra.

Adele broke her silence on the track in an official message on the James Bond website on Monday: “When we recorded the strings, it was one of the proudest moments of my life.

“I’ll be back-combing my hair when I’m 60, telling people I was a Bond girl back in the day, I’m sure!”

Adele admitted she was a “little hesitant” about accepting the challenge because of the “instant spotlight and pressure” that came with a Bond song.

But, she said it ended up being a “no-brainer” after she fell in love with the script.

[youtube 7HKoqNJtMTQ]

World of Warcraft sparks political row

Nancy Clayson
-
0
World of Warcraft sparks political row

The gaming hobby of political candidate Colleen Lachowicz has become an issue in a state senate race in New England, US.

Maine Republicans have created a webpage revealing that Democrat candidate Colleen Lachowicz plays an orc rogue in World of Warcraft (WoW).

Colleen Lachowicz’s liking for back-stabbing and poison in WoW raise questions about her “fitness for office”, they claim.

She has hit back saying the attack showed the Republicans were “out of touch”.

The state senate seat known as District 25 in Maine, is currently being contested by Colleen Lachowicz and incumbent Republican Tom Martin. Voting takes place on 6 November.

As part of its campaign efforts, the Republican party in the state created “Colleen’s World” – a website that compiles information about Colleen Lachowicz’s orc rogue Santiaga. An orc is a mythical human-like creature, generally described as fierce and combative.

In a statement that accompanies the webpage, Maine Republicans said playing the game led Colleen Lachowicz to live a “bizarre double life” that raised questions about her ability to represent the state.

The page also detailed some of the comments Colleen Lachowicz has made while talking about her orc rogue, in particular it highlights her affection for Santiaga’s ability to stab things and kill people without suffering a jail sentence.

“These are some very bizarre and offensive comments,” said Maine Republican Party spokesman David Sorensen in a statement.

“They certainly raise questions about Colleen Lachowicz’s maturity and her ability to make serious decisions for the people of Senate District 25.”

The site also lists many of the 400 comments she has posted to left wing political news and discussion site Daily Kos. Maine Republicans have also posted leaflets that reproduce the information on the website.

“I think it’s weird that I’m being targeted for playing online games,” said Colleen Lachowicz in a statement.

“Apparently I’m in good company since there are 183 million other Americans who also enjoy online games.

“Instead of talking about what they’re doing for Maine people, they’re making fun of me for playing video games,” said Colleen Lachowicz.

It is not clear what effect the Republican tactic will have on the state senate race in Maine. However, many messages of support have been left on Colleen Lachowicz’s own webpage with some pledging cash to her campaign.

Gaming researcher Ladan Cockshut said the row revealed how gaming can be seen as a bad thing to do.

“In my work, I’ve spoken with many people who in their regular lives have roles of significant responsibility (as doctors, managers, or educators) but who choose carefully with whom they disclose their gaming activity,” she said.

“And disclosing their gaming activity is often accompanied by a degree of apology or embarrassment.”

But, she added, having a gamer run for office was a “heartening” development.

“This would seem to run contrary to the other stereotypes that we love to assign to gamers: that they are lazy, antisocial people who don’t have a <<real life>>,” she said.

“Maybe this will trigger some dialogue about our perceptions of gamers and the role that games can and should play in modern society.”

 

Saudi anger at poultry price hike

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Saudi anger at poultry price hike

People in Saudi Arabia are using social media websites to protest against a sudden increase in the cost of chicken.

A Twitter campaign entitled Let it Rot is urging residents to punish traders, who it says have raised prices by as much as 40% in the past two weeks, by not eating chicken.

The government has imposed a chicken export ban in a bid to boost supplies.

However, there are fears that this could cause regional shortages as the Gulf Kingdom is a leading producer.

In July, the soaring price of chicken in Iran sparked a huge online debate and unprecedented protests in one provincial town.

A key factor in the poultry price hike was the imposition of Western sanctions on the country’s banking system – not something that has affected Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Agriculture Minister Fahd Balghunaim said that the rising cost of chicken was the result of a major shortfall in production, with local suppliers able to meet only 45% of the demand in the kingdom. He also blamed a 30-40% increase in the price of animal feed.

In an effort to increase supplies and reduce prices, the government has announced an export ban and added chicken to a list of commodities that must be available at a reasonable price, the Financial Times reports.

In the meantime, supporters of the Let it Rot campaign have posted pictures of what they say are piles of unsold chickens in supermarkets. They have also posted cartoons showing chickens reading newspapers because no-one was buying them.

“Wholesalers are sending chickens to other Gulf markets and ignoring our local markets,” Fahd from al-Khobar wrote on Twitter.

Hassan al-Sai asked: “Why people are left to face traders and are forced to boycott? Isn’t it the government’s role to protect consumers and stop speculators?”

Saudis regularly use social media to express their discontent in a country where political parties, unions and protests are banned.

Last year, the government forced the dairy group Almarai to cut dairy prices following a campaign on Twitter and YouTube calling for a boycott.

 

How to walk in heels. Course on women’s posture launched by orthotist Martin Bell.

Kathryn R. Bown
-
0
How to walk in heels. Course on women’s posture launched by orthotist Martin Bell.

British clinician Martin Bell is so fed up with treating women for joint pain because of their high heels he has devised a course – to teach them to walk properly.

Martin Bell, 40, has been inundated with women complaining of back and knee pain because of their “wonky” posture on high heels.

The clinical orthotist has already helped hundreds of women by teaching them to stand and use their leg muscles properly and “fight” what their body has become used to.

He said that unless women walk in high heels correctly they could end up with chronic joint problems which could take years to resolve.

Martin Bell said: “I got fed up with so many girls coming through my clinic with back pain and numb feet and who suffer from wonky standing.

“I have to say I have an agenda against the Great British wobbly bottom, it’s that which means girls are unable to walk in heels.

“This is my venture to try and access these girls before they start coming to my clinic. We can do something now to change this and improve their posture.

“When I see girls who wear heels one of the most frequent problems related to them are weak knees and back pain.

“I work with them to look at their physical strength and muscle tightness, our legs are shock absorbers so if we aren’t walking properly they are going to hurt.”

Martin Bell’s unique course – called Perfectly Poised – takes place in his offices in the posh suburb of Clifton, Bristol, UK.

Martin Bell's course Perfectly Poised takes place in his offices in the posh suburb of Clifton
Martin Bell’s course Perfectly Poised takes place in his offices in the posh suburb of Clifton

It involves filming his client walking in her heels and then playing back the footage to analyze her walk.

He examines the way in which each girl uses their legs and back when walking, picking out subtle hints with their posture that could help alleviate their pain.

Martin Bell then gives them exercises to help strengthen any weak muscles and improve their walk.

He said his main clients stem from those who have never trained to improve their muscle control.

“The difficulty is if a girl has never done any running or never ever been to the gym or trained to improve their muscle control and suddenly jumps into a pair of heels,” Martin Bell said.

“The body cannot understand what has just happened and she thinks she can walk like she does in a pair of flip flops or ugg boots.

“She then runs the risk of going head over heels like a new born calf.

“The girls can end up standing like stalks too, with their knees entirely flexed and thus they get a lot of lower back pain.

“My other clientele stem from those middle-aged successful business women who suddenly realize there is a young girl in their office who can strut around with no problem in heels.

“They feel heels give them power so they are desperate to use them, but end up with crippling pain.”

Martin Bell added that he understands the need to wear heels, but feels that if women want to they should be properly equipped with the right knowledge of how to use them.

He said: “I’m not saying they are not fabulous things, they are, unfortunately, a necessary evil in working life.

“From asking the girls they have all said that heels can give extra height and confidence. They said it is head turning, dynamic and more powerful.

“It is also, of course, that girls tend to feel sexier in heels because it instantly makes every girl’s legs longer.

“They just need to know how to walk in them properly.”

Women can chose to attend either a group programme, or a one-to-one session to improve their walk and posture.

They are advised to wear comfortable clothing which shows off their curves so a better assessment can be made of their posture.

 

Formula predicts woman’s chances of pregnancy

Kathryn R. Bown
-
0
Formula predicts woman’s chances of pregnancy

Scientists have devised a formula that predicts a woman’s chances of pregnancy.

The formula combines information about how fertility drops with age with the length of time a woman has been trying to start a family, to come up with their odds of conceiving.

For example, they have worked out that the average 25-year-old who has been trying to get pregnant for six months has a 15% chance of doing so in the following month.

By the age of 30, her odds are 13% and, at 35, they have dropped below 10%.

The speeding up of the biological clock mean the chances of pregnancy plummet after 35.

The average 40-year-old who has been trying for six months has just a 5% of getting pregnant in the next month – or odds of one in 20.

Scientists have devised a formula that predicts a woman’s chances of pregnancy
Scientists have devised a formula that predicts a woman’s chances of pregnancy

The calculations also show that when a woman is 25, it will take 13 months for her odds of conceiving quickly to fall below 10%.

But a 35-year-old woman has just six months before her chances are so slim.

The long-standing rule of thumb is that those trying for a family should wait a year before seeking help, although doctors are increasingly acknowledging the impact of age.

The researchers, from the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics in UK, say that more detailed information could make it easier for couples to discuss fertility issues with their GP.

Professor Geraldine Hartshorne said: “People feel embarrassed and upset and don’t want to go to the doctor. Men, in particular, can be a little bit reluctant.

“As time goes by and people have been trying for a while, they start to get stressed and upset and that can affect their chances of having sex and then becoming pregnant. Approaching a doctor about a personal matter is daunting, so knowing the right time to start investigations would be a useful step forward.”

Writing in the journal PLoS One, Prof. Geraldine Hartshorne also warns that taking too long to conceive could indicate that the resulting pregnancy might be risky.

The work could help doctors to decide whether to refer patients for costly and uncomfortable tests or advise them to keep trying for a baby a little longer.

The researchers have passed their work to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which formulates health guidelines. In future, it may be possible to create an online calculator that provides couples with a personalized prediction.

Prof. Geraldine Hartshorne added that factors such as smoking or being fat are “not the most important things” when it comes to conceiving. However, a healthy lifestyle will boost the odds of a healthy baby.

She said: “If your tubes are blocked, giving up smoking really isn’t going to make a difference, but things like smoking and obesity do have important effects when you do get pregnant and in that respect they should be addressed as soon as possible.”

 

Curiosity rover to scoop Martian soil

James J. Williams
-
0
Curiosity rover to scoop Martian soil

NASA’s Curiosity rover is preparing to scoop its first sample of Martian soil.

The vehicle, which landed on the Red Planet in August, has driven up to a pile of sandy material that mission scientists have dubbed “Rocknest”.

This weekend, the robot will dig into the ground with its clamshell-shaped trowel, with the aim first of cleaning the mechanism of earthly contamination.

Later, it will repeat the task and deliver an aspirin-sized measure of sand to onboard labs for analysis.

NASA engineers have cautioned that the whole process will be long and drawn out. The machinery involved is complex and the team says it needs time to learn how best to operate it.

Curiosity, also known as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), will very likely be stationary at Rocknest for a couple of weeks while the scoop tests are carried out.

And, as with some of the earlier science experiments conducted by the rover, the scoop results – when they come – are expected to be fairly mundane. The sand is very probably just the product of weathered basalt, the ubiquitous volcanic rock on Mars’ surface.

The team is more concerned about getting its sample handling procedures right than making significant new discoveries.

A key objective of the first excavations will be to thoroughly clean the internal mechanisms of the robotic arm tool that does the digging.

It is called Chimra, or Collection and Handling for Interior Martian Rock Analysis.

Although assembled in ultra-sterile conditions at NASA, this tool will still have acquired an oily film deposit in Earth air that would contaminate the rover’s lab analysis results if left in place. By running several scoops through the handling system, Curiosity can scrub the film from Chimra.

“We effectively use it to rinse our mouth three times and then spit out,” explained Daniel Limonadi, the Curiosity surface sampling phase lead at the US space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

“We will take a scoop bite, we will vibrate that sand on all the different surfaces inside Chimra to effectively sand blast those surfaces, and then we dump all that material out; and we rinse and repeat three times to finish cleaning everything out.”

Once this procedure is complete, a tiny sample will be delivered to the onboard labs, Sam and CheMin, to run chemical and mineralogical analyses.

The sand will be severely shaken and sieved to make sure only fine-grained material, less than the width of a human hair in diameter, reaches the instruments.

The team will be mindful of the extreme difficulty a previous Mars mission, the Phoenix probe of 2008, had in getting material to go through its sample handling system.

“Phoenix had a relatively uncontrolled drop off capability; they had just the one scoop and that scoop had to do everything,” said Daniel Limonadi.

“We use gravity and vibration to get things into little parts of Chimra that make very controlled volumes of portions for us to drop off.”

The rover has now driven at total of 484 m (of about 1,590 ft) since its 6 August landing on the floor of Gale Crater, a huge depression on Mars’ equator.

It still has about 176 m to travel to get to a location dubbed Glenelg, a place satellite images have indicated is a junction between three different geological terrains.

It is at Glenelg where Curiosity will really get down to the business of investigating past environments in Gale.

Last week, scientists announced the robot had taken pictures of rocks that were clearly deposited in fast running water. The theory is that the rover is sitting at the head of an ancient alluvial fan where a network of streams cut across the crater floor billions of years ago.

 

Thierry Gillier apologizes for Chinese tourist remark

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Thierry Gillier apologizes for Chinese tourist remark

French fashion designer Thierry Gillier has apologized for saying that Chinese holidaymakers will not be welcome at a luxury hotel he plans to open in Paris.

Thierry Gillier, founder of label Zadig and Voltaire, told the magazine Women’s Wear Daily that his hotel “won’t be open to Chinese tourists”.

The statement caused outrage in China where his comments went viral on social networking sites.

Thierry Gillier has said his comments were taken out of context.

“My remarks were doubtless clumsy… I understand they might have hurt my friends from China, France or elsewhere, and I am deeply sorry for that,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement added that Thierry Gillier wanted to underscore the exclusivity of the hotel and emphasize that it would not cater for the mass tourism market.

Thierry Gillier had urged the magazine to modify his quotation from “Chinese tourists” to “busloads of tourists”.

The Zadig hotel is due to open in 2014 on Paris’s chic Left Bank.

 

US jobless rate in surprise fall in September

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
US jobless rate in surprise fall in September

The US unemployment rate fell in September to its lowest rate since January 2009, figures from the Department of Labor have shown, surprising analysts who had been expecting a small rise.

September’s rate came in at 7.8%, down from 8.1% in August.

The latest data also showed that the US economy added a further 114,000 jobs in September, slightly more than markets had expected.

The US jobs market is a key issue in the presidential election race.

When the unemployment rate was last this low, President Barack Obama was about to take office.

However, economist Sean Incremona of New York-based company 4Cast said the latest data showed that the US economy remained subdued.

“Generally, we are still seeing a mixed underlying picture that is neither too impressive nor terrible,” he said.

Fellow economist, Omer Esiner, of Rhode Island-based Commonwealth Foreign Exchange, was more upbeat.

“The headline of the day is clearly the drop in the unemployment rate, which was a big surprise,” he said.

“There is something in these numbers for everyone. The rise in the participation rate shows somewhat of a real improvement in the labour market.”

The latest official data showed that the construction sector added 5,000 jobs last month, while the number of people working in government jobs rose by 10,000.

However, the biggest gain was record in the healthcare sector, which added 44,000 jobs in September.

The Labor Department also used the release of the September data to revise up how many new jobs were created in both July and August. It said that 86,000 more jobs than first calculated were added across the two months.

Separate official figures released at the end of last month revised down by how much the US economy had grown between April and June.

Gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter grew at an annualized rate of 1.3%, down from the previous estimate of 1.7%.

 

Hotel Transylvania Sweepstakes: Win a trip to Romania at Dracula’s Castle

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Hotel Transylvania Sweepstakes: Win a trip to Romania at Dracula’s Castle

Welcome to Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them.

On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of his best friends – Frankenstein and his wife, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, The Werewolf family, and more – to celebrate his beloved daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but everything could change for the overprotective dad when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

STA Travel proudly sponsors Sony Picture’s Hotel Transylvania by giving you a chance to win a trip for two to tour Transylvania. Experience the best of Romania’s culture, history and beauty during an eight-day, guided tour throughout Transylvania and the Romanian countryside. A tour of Dracula’s Castle in Bran is only part of this incredible adventure! You’ll stay in simple guesthouses, savor delicious local fare and embark on guided tours and hikes daily. By the end of your adventure, you’ll have a truly authentic insight into this exciting corner of Europe!

Hotel Transylvania opened nationwide in US on September 28.

Sweepstakes Prize(s): One (1) Grand Prize: A trip for two to Romania from 06/15/2013 – 06/22/2013 only, including two round-trip, economy class airline tickets from/to the nearest major international airport to winner’s residence in the 48 contiguous United States to Brasov, Romania, on an airline to be determined by the Sponsor (there may be plane changes and stops); 8-days/7-nights of double-occupancy hotel (standard room; room and room tax only) or simple guest house accommodation of Sponsor’s choosing; a tour of parts of Romania including ground transportation once the tour begins including the presence of a Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout the entire tour; seven breakfasts and three dinners each for winner and companion; a tour guide for all day hikes; entrance admission and tour of Bran’s (Dracula’s) Castle; International trip insurance for two and S1,000 “spending money.” ARV: $5,750

Sweepstakes Expires: October 12th, 2012

Sweepstakes Minimum Age: 18 years and older (19 or Older where state law requires)

Sweepstakes Open To: Legal residents of the 48 Contiguous United States and D.C. (Void in Alaska and Hawaii)

See Official Rules on movietickets.com

[youtube FYgzizpCTKU]

Skin stem cells become “grandparents”

Kathryn R. Bown
-
0
Skin stem cells become “grandparents”

Stem cells made from skin have become “grandparents” after generations of life were created in experiments by scientists in Japan.

The cells were used to create eggs, which were fertilized to produce baby mice. These later had their own babies.

If the technique could be adapted for people, it could help infertile couples have children and even allow women to overcome the menopause.

But experts say many scientific and ethical hurdles must be overcome.

Stem cells are able to become any other type of cell in the body from blood to bone, nerves to skin.

Last year the team at Kyoto University managed to make viable sperm from stem cells. Now they have performed a similar feat with eggs.

They used stem cells from two sources: those collected from an embryo and skin-like cells which were reprogrammed into becoming stem cells.

The first step, reported in the journal Science, was to turn the stem cells into early versions of eggs.

A “reconstituted ovary” was then built by surrounding the early eggs with other types of supporting cells which are normally found in an ovary. This was transplanted into female mice.

Surrounding the eggs in this environment helped them to mature.

IVF techniques were used to collect the eggs, fertilize them with sperm from a male mouse and implant the fertilized egg into a surrogate mother.

Dr. Katsuhiko Hayashi, from Kyoto University, said: “They develop to be healthy and fertile offspring.”

Those babies then had babies of their own, whose “grandmother” was a cell in a laboratory dish.

The ultimate aim of the research is to help infertile couples have children. If the same methods could be used in people then cells in skin could be turned into an egg. Any resulting child would be genetically related to the mother.

However, Dr. Katsuhiko Hayashi said that was still a distant prospect: “I must say that it is impossible to adapt immediately this system to human stem cells, due to a number of not only scientific reasons, but also ethical reasons.”

He said that the level of understanding of human egg development was still too limited. There would also be questions about the long-term consequences on the health of any resulting child.

Prof. Robert Norman, from the University of Adelaide, said: “For many infertile couples, finding they have no sperm or eggs is a devastating blow.

“This paper offers light to those who want a child, who is genetically related to them, by using personalized stem cells to create eggs that can produce an offspring that appears to be healthy.

“It also offers the potential for women to have their own children well past menopause raising even more ethical issues.

“Application to humans is still a long way off, but for the first time the goal appears to be in sight.”

 

Blue honey sparks concern among beekeepers in France

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Blue honey sparks concern among beekeepers in France

Beekeepers in northeastern France have been alarmed to find their bees producing honey in unnatural shades of green and blue.

The beekeepers believe the source of the problem is a biogas plant close to Ribeauville in Alsace.

It is thought the bees have been eating the sugary waste from M&Ms, small chocolates in brightly-colored shells.

The plant operator said it regretted the situation and had put in place a procedure to stop it happening again.

“We discovered the problem at the same time [the beekeepers] did. We quickly put in place a procedure to stop it,” Philippe Meinrad, a spokesman from Agrivalor, the company operating the biogas plant, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The company, which deals with waste from a Mars chocolate factory, said it would clean out the containers, store all incoming waste in airtight containers and process it promptly, according to a company statement published in Le Monde newspaper.

Bee numbers have seen a rapid decline globally in recent years.

As for the blue honey, the beekeepers say it is unsellable.

 

Mitt Romney admits his remark that 47% of Americans are government dependent victims was wrong

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Mitt Romney admits his remark that 47% of Americans are government dependent victims was wrong

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has admitted his remark that 47% of Americans are government dependent victims was “completely wrong”.

Mitt Romney told Fox News he was committed to “helping the 100%”.

His comments, secretly filmed at a fundraiser in September, were possibly his most damaging campaign moment.

Polls suggest he is back on track after a debate with President Barack Obama this week. Barack Obama has urged him to reveal the true cost of his policies.

Observers say the president is seeking to portray his rival as dishonest about how middle class families will be taxed, while Mitt Romney wants to distance himself from his earlier gaffe.

After the video emerged from the private donors dinner in September, Mitt Romney said his remarks were “inelegantly stated” but did not retract them.

However, Mitt Romey went further in his interview with Fox on Thursday.

“Clearly in a campaign with hundreds if not thousands of speeches and question-and-answer sessions, now and then you are going to say something that doesn’t come out right,” he said.

“In this case I said something that’s just completely wrong. I absolutely believe, however, that my life has shown that I care about 100%… When I become president, it will be about helping the 100%.”

Most observers agree that Mitt Romney won the televised debate on Wednesday. A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Thursday suggested Mitt Romney had a net positive rating for the first time in the presidential campaign.

The poll said 51% of voters viewed him positively, with Barack Obama at 56%. The Republican moved ahead of his Democrat rival on which candidate voters trust to handle the economy, create jobs and manage the deficit.

Many of Barack Obama’s supporters are puzzled he chose not to bring up the 47% comments in the debate, although his campaign has used the remarks in a television advert.

At a rally in Denver on Thursday, Barack Obama urged his rival to tell the “truth” about his own policies.

“The real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy. The fellow on stage last night said he didn’t know anything about that,” he said.

At a campaign rally in Virginia, Mitt Romney did not respond directly to the president’s criticism.

But he did argue that Barack Obama had failed during the debate to make his case for another term.

During Wednesday night’s head-to-head Mitt Romney repeatedly denied the $5 trillion claim.

Fact-checkers have said that Mitt Romney’s proposal to lower taxes by 20%, abolish estate tax and the alternative minimum tax would reduce revenue by $5tn over a decade.

The Republican has said he would help offset that by eliminating tax loopholes; the non-partisan Tax Policy Center says the sums do not add up.

The candidates went head to head for 90 minutes on jobs, taxes and healthcare.

Opinion polls agreed that Mitt Romney had the upper hand in the debate – the first of three between the White House rivals.

Various surveys gave Mitt Romney a 46-67% margin, with Barack Obama trailing on 22-25%.

The president was criticized for appearing hesitant and subdued, while the former governor – who has been lagging in the race – seemed animated and assertive.

Vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will meet in Danville, Kentucky on 11 October, before the second presidential debate on 16 October.

[youtube kl4jcobNiEI]

How to get the perfect top knot

Lisa.Felice
-
0
How to get the perfect top knot

Topknots are the hair look of autumn.

Popular with Victoria Beckham and Katie Holmes, topknots pull the forehead taut giving wearers a “naturally” Botoxed appearance.

Here, celebrity hairdresser Amanda Clarke shows you how to the achieve the look.

Brush your hair back into a tight, high ponytail at the crown of your head and secure with a hairband. Spray hairspray on to your hand and smooth over your head.

Pull your ponytail upwards and plait it tightly to the end, securing it with another hairband. Spray a little hairspray on the plait to keep it sleek and together.

Pull the plait to the side and, holding the end and the base of it, wrap it around itself into a bun. Tuck the end into the centre of the bun so it’s hidden.

Spray the bun with hairspray and secure it tightly with pins. Smooth down any strands that may have escaped.

 

 

Chris Brown opens up about Rihanna romance

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Chris Brown opens up about Rihanna romance

Chris Brown has opened up about his romance with Rihanna in a candid new video.

Chris Brown posted the footage, which he entitled The Real Chris Brown, after confirming his split from girlfriend Karrueche Tran.

And in the video, Chris Brown reveals his anguish over “loving two people at the same time”.

The singer says: “I’m stressed out… when you share history with somebody, then you tend to fall in love with somebody else, it’s kinda difficult.

“Is there such thing as loving two people? I don’t know if that’s possible, but for me, I feel like that.”

But after Chris Brown made his video public, Karreuche Tran was less than impressed with his admission.

She tweeted: “Wtf is going on? All I’m saying is.. You don’t mess with people’s genuine feelings. You just don’t! Life moves on.. So let’s all.”

Meanwhile Rihanna made a veiled reference to Chris Brown as she wrote on her Twitter: “Ain’t nobody bidness….. But mine and my baby!”

Chris Brown was yesterday seen jetting out of New York to Los Angeles following three consecutive nights of partying with Rihanna.

Revealing his split from Karreuche tran in a statement on Thursday, Chris Brown, whose assault of Rihanna in 2009 left her hospitalized, said: “I have decided to be single to focus on my career. I love Karrueche very much but I don’t want to see her hurt over my friendship with Rihanna.”

Chris Brown continued: “I’d rather be single allowing us to both be happy in our lives.”

Karrueche Tran then posted a tweet which read: “Bye baby.”

Chris Brown and Rihanna were spotted attending the Jay-Z concert at the Brooklyn Barclays Center on Wednesday, with a picture of the couple inside the event showing his with his arm around her as they sat in the VIP section watching the gig.

Prior to the concert, Rihanna was seen leaving the Gansevoort Park Hotel, followed just 10 minutes later by a slightly sheepish looking Chris Brown.

The concert date marked the third night Rihanna and Chris Brown have been seen out together in New York.

The pair was first seen together on Monday night, partying together at celebrity hotspot Griffin in New York’s Meatpacking district.

[youtube Gq8d_d4CcUI]

World Smile Day 2012

Nancy Clayson
-
0
World Smile Day 2012

As is well known by now throughout the world, Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts, created the smiley face in 1963.

That image went on to become the most recognizable symbol of good will and good cheer on the planet.

As the years passed Harvey Ball became concerned about the over-commercialization of his symbol, and how its original meaning and intent had become lost in the constant repetition of the marketplace. Out of that concern came his idea for World Smile Day®. He thought that we, all of us, should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the world. The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion. Harvey Ball’s idea was that for at least one day each year, neither should we. He declared that the first Friday in October each year would henceforth be World Smile Day®.

Ever since that first World Smile Day® held in 1999, it has continued every year in Smiley’s hometown of Worcester, MA, and around the world.

After Harvey Ball died in 2001, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was created to honour his name and memory. The Foundation continues as the official sponsor of World Smile Day® each year.

This website was created to provide information about World Smile Day®, Harvey Ball and Smiley.

Be sure to join the celebration this year on Friday, October 5th, and “Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile”!

 

Facebook admits it adds unclicked likes

Nancy Clayson
-
1
Facebook admits it adds unclicked likes

Facebook “likes” are being added to webpages even if a user has not clicked a like button, or even visited the page in question, the company has admitted.

A US security researcher found that simply sending a web address to a friend using Facebook’s private messaging function would add two likes to that page.

Leaving a comment on a story within Facebook also adds to the tally.

The site said no private information had been exposed.

The revelations coincided with the news that the network has surpassed one billion monthly active monthly users.

“Many websites that use Facebook’s <<like>> or <<recommend>> buttons also carry a counter next to them,” the site explained.

“This counter reflects the number of times people have clicked those buttons and also the number of times people have shared that page’s link on Facebook.

“When the count is increased via page shares, no user information is exchanged.

“We did recently find a bug with our social plug-ins where at times the count for the Share or Like goes up by two, and we are working on fix to solve the issue now.”

The site explained that the figure represented how many times an item was shared – not how often users had clicked “like” on the page.

However, the number appears next to the word “like” and the site’s distinctive thumbs up icon.

The system means that users who may be sharing pages to highlight negative content – such as campaigners – are inadvertently making the page appear more popular.

In documentation relating to the function of the like button, Facebook details four criteria which cause the likes number to increase – only one of which involves clicking the like button.

Facebook stressed that the added likes were anonymous, and would not appear on the user’s timeline.

The site also said that its figure of 1.13 trillion likes – which was publicised as part of its announcement of having one billion active users – was not affected.

But researcher Ashkan Soltani, writing in the Wall Street Journal, argued that inflating the numbers in this way raises the prospect of “like fraud”.

He quoted an online commenter who pointed out that “if [you’re] visiting an online store and you see a lot of likes under the product then this might cloud your judgement”.

 

How Edwin Velez lost 100 lbs in four months by cutting out white food

Diane A. Wade
-
0
How Edwin Velez lost 100 lbs in four months by cutting out white food

At five-foot-six, Edwin Velez weighed 300 pounds when he holidayed in the Bahamas last November.

When the 26-year-old from Albertville, Alabama, saw his holiday snaps, he said quickly realized his overweight body needed a drastic lifestyle change.

Making a vow that he would be in better shape for his next planned vacation the following March, Edwin Velez set himself the seemingly impossible task of losing 100 lbs in those four short months, a goal he not only reached, but exceeded.

“I woke up one morning and I was like: <<I’m going to do this. I’m going to do this now>>,” he told Good Morning America.

Cutting out white carbohydrates, Edwin Velez also changed his diet. He avoided sugar, anything carbonated, and all food which were colored white – including potatoes, white bread, pasta and rice; slowly introducing whole grain variations, instead.

“Being Hispanic made it extremely difficult because rice and beans and tortillas and breads and pastas are big part of our food,” he explained.

“Being the holidays, right around Christmas, I made my own meals and went and bought my own food, like grilled chicken and fish, so my family would have their food and I had my food.”

Of his rapid weight loss, he added that “drinking nothing but water was, like, the first 10 to 15 pounds and that came off probably within the first two to three weeks”.

“I would also go to the local track and start walking in the morning, and go that afternoon, every day,” he said.

“I went to the track because [I was too] self-conscious to go to the gym… so I just would go to the track by myself and I started there until I felt comfortable enough to go to the gym.”

Edwin Velez said he slowly began to jog as the pounds started dropping off and then, once was comfortable to enter the gym, added weightlifting to his workout.

“Adding the cardio to it – which, to me, unless you sweat, it’s not a workout – on a daily basis really helped with the weight loss, as well as watching what I ate.”

It has been six months since he reached his original goal, and now, Edwin Velez weighs 155 lbs, maintaining his healthy lifestyle.

“It’s not a diet, but it’s more of a lifestyle change,” he said.

“My body is used to eating healthy so I choose healthy choices.”

[youtube hEZ52NTzZ4A]

Royal Apothic: the hand cream Victoria Beckham is obsessed with

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Royal Apothic: the hand cream Victoria Beckham is obsessed with

Victoria Beckham regularly endorses her own merchandise, but yesterday she gave a little-known beauty brand her seal of approval.

She took to Twitter to tell friends and fans about her love for a hand cream she apparently picked up at Anthropologie.

Victoria Beckham posted a picture of the lotion, along with the caption: “Obsessed with this hand cream… Fragrance is amazing! X.”

The $20 beauty buy is manufactured by a Los Angeles-based fragrance company called Royal Apothic.

The website states that the cream is perfumed “to evoke one of your favorite urban courtyards”.

Victoria Beckham took to Twitter to tell friends and fans about her love for Royal Apothic hand cream she picked up at Anthropologie
Victoria Beckham took to Twitter to tell friends and fans about her love for Royal Apothic hand cream she picked up at Anthropologie

Although there are four different floral scents to choose from, Victoria Beckham appears to favor the Holland Park option.

Contained in a vintage-inspired tube the non-greasy lotion features notes of magnolia, jasmine and musk.

A spokesman for Anthroplogie, which stocks the product in the U.S. and the UK, said: “We’re thrilled that Victoria is a customer and extremely flattered that she would Tweet about one of our products!”

It isn’t the first time Victoria Beckham has endorsed a beauty product via Twitter.

Earlier this year she revealed Lancer Dermatology AM PM Nourishment Treatment as her favorite face cream, exclaiming: “Loving this face moisturizer!! Also mixes well with make up.”

 

Daryl Hannah arrested at Keystone XL pipeline protest

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Daryl Hannah arrested at Keystone XL pipeline protest

Daryl Hannah was arrested in northeast Texas on Thursday, along with a 78-year-old landowner as the pair protested an oil pipeline designed to bring crude from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

Daryl Hannah and landowner Eleanor Fairchild were standing in front of heavy equipment in an attempt to halt construction of the Keystone XL pipeline on Fairchild’s farm in Winnsboro, a town about 100 miles east of Dallas.

They were arrested for criminal trespassing and taken to the Wood County Jail, said Paul Bassis, Daryl Hannah’s manager.

“They’ve arrested Daryl Hannah and a rural Texas great-grandmother,” he added.

Daryl Hannah has long opposed TransCanada’s construction of the $7 billion pipeline, which is designed to transport heavy tar-sands crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to Texas’ Gulf Coast refineries.

“It is unfortunate Ms. Hannah and other out-of-state activists have chosen to break the law by illegally trespassing on private property,” David Dodson, a spokesman for TransCanada, said in an email. He also said protesters were “putting their own safety and the safety of others at risk”.

Paul Bassis said he spoke to the actress on Thursday evening and that there was ‘a strong indication’ that both women would be kept overnight at the local jail.

“The streets of Winnsboro will be much safer tonight now that they’ve gotten that 78-year-old great grandmother off the streets,” Paul Bassis said.

Daryl Hannah – who has starred in dozens of movies, including Kill Bill, Thelma and Louise and Splash – also was arrested in August 2011 while protesting the pipeline in Washington. She was one of several hundred prominent scientists and activists arrested that month.

They argue the pipeline would be unsafe because it would be carrying heavy, acidic crude oil that could more easily corrode a metal pipe, which would lead to a spill. They also say refining the oil would further contaminate the air in a region that has long struggled with pollution.

TransCanada says its pipeline would be the safest ever built, and that the crude is no dirtier than oil currently arriving from Venezuela or parts of California.

The issue became politically charged when congressional Republicans gave President Barack Obama 60 days to decide whether TransCanada should be granted the necessary permit for the pipeline to cross an international border before snaking its way 1,700 miles south to the Texas coast.

Barack Obama, saying his administration did not have enough time to study the potential environmental impacts, denied the permit in January.

However, he encouraged TransCanada to reroute the northern portion of the pipeline to avoid an environmentally sensitive area of Nebraska. He also promised to expedite permitting of a southern portion of the pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma, to the Gulf Coast to relieve a bottleneck at the Cushing refinery.

TransCanada began construction of that portion of the pipeline this summer after receiving the necessary permits. Some Texas landowners, joined by activists from outside the state, have tried through various protests to stop or slow down construction.

 

Australia unveils ASKAP telescope

James J. Williams
-
0
Australia unveils ASKAP telescope

Australia has launched one of the world’s fastest telescopes tasked with surveying outer space and probing the origins of stars and galaxies.

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) in Western Australia’s outback has 36 antennas with a diametre of 12 m (40 ft) each.

The A$152 million ($155 million) telescope is expected to capture radio images, starting from Friday.

ASKAP forms part of the world’s biggest radio telescope project.

The telescope is located at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, 315 km (196 miles) north-east of Geraldton in the Western Australian desert.

Dr. John O’Sullivan, from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, says that while the telescope is not very big, “it is still a very, very powerful survey instrument to start to get a look [at] the origins of galaxies”.

“It is the beginning of a great new period, I think,” he said.

The ASKAP is part of the bigger Square Kilometre Array (SKA) that is set to begin construction in 2016.

SKA, set to become the world’s biggest radio telescope project based in both South Africa and Australia, aims to answer key questions about the Universe.

 

Recipe: Spicy tofu with ginger and peppers

Kathryn R. Bown
-
0
Recipe: Spicy tofu with ginger and peppers

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 tbsp sesame or sunflower oil

• 350 g (12 oz) pack firm tofu, cubed

• 4 tbsp light soy sauce

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 250 g (9 oz) basmati rice

• 1 tsp wasabi (from supermarkets)

• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 2 cm (¾ in) piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

• 100 g (3½oz) sugar snaps, cut into matchsticks

• 1 red or yellow pepper, finely sliced

• 4 spring onions, sliced

• 200 g (7 oz) soya beans, defrosted if frozen

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

• A few sprigs of coriander

Spicy tofu with ginger and peppers
Spicy tofu with ginger and peppers

METHOD

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the tofu and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden. Add the soy sauce and reduce, turning the tofu until browned.

Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce, again turning the tofu to coat. Remove to a plate.

Cook the rice according to packet instructions then drain. Mix the wasabi with a little rice wine vinegar and stir through the cooked rice.

Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the ginger and garlic. Add the carrot, sugar snaps, peppers and spring onions and stir-fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the soya beans and a splash of soy if you like. Stir the veg through the rice and top with the tofu.

Scatter over the sesame seeds and coriander and serve with pickled ginger and wasabi, if liked.

 

Chris Brown dumps girlfriend Karrueche Tran after being pictured with Rihanna for the third night in a row

Lisa.Felice
-
0

Chris Brown has publicly announced he has dumped his girlfriend Karrueche Tran after being pictured with ex Rihanna for the third night in a row.

Chris Brown, 23, admitted his close bond with Rihanna was the reason for the split, but stopped short of saying the exes had reconciled.

He said in a statement: “I have decided to be single to focus on my career. I love Karrueche very much but I don’t want to see her hurt over my friendship with Rihanna.”

The singer continued: “I’d rather be single allowing us to both be happy in our lives.”

Karrueche Tran, a 23-year-old model who has been dating the singer since earlier last year, posted a tweet last night which read: “Bye baby.”

Chris Brown and Rihanna were spotted attending the Jay-Z concert at the Brooklyn Barclays Center on Wednesday, with a picture of the couple inside the event showing his with his arm around her as they sat in the VIP section watching the gig.

Prior to the concert, Rihanna was seen leaving the Gansevoort Park Hotel, followed just 10 minutes later by a slightly sheepish looking Chris Brown.

Rihanna, 24, wore a sheer black blouse, Chanel belt and mini skirt that showed off her toned legs, while Chris Brown kept it casual in jeans and a printed T-shirt for the evening out.

The concert date marked the third night Rihanna and Chris Brown have been seen out together in New York.

The pair was first seen together on Monday night, partying together at celebrity hotspot Griffin in New York’s Meatpacking district.

An eyewitness said the two were “hugging and kissing, and they went to the back of the club alone together”.

Rihanna allegedly arrived just five minutes after Chris Brown and sat down two tables away from him.

Chris Brown is then alleged to have taken off his shirt and began “dancing on the table for Rihanna”, according to Celebuzz and continued “dancing together and being very smitten”.

After dancing and kissing, Rihanna and Chris Brown then went into a bathroom together, according to the New York Post.

When Rihanna emerged, a source told the paper: “She seemed a little ruffled.”

And on Tuesday night, Rihanna was seen leaving her hotel and heading to the recording studio after reportedly spending time with Chris Brown inside.

They were also seen planting a kiss on the lips and embracing inside the Staples Center at MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles last month.

Rihanna and Chris Brown’s recent racy antics come after Rihanna admitted to Oprah Winfrey that she still considers Chris to be the “love of her life”.

This is despite the fact Rihanna took a restraining order out against Chris Brown after he was charged with assault after hitting her at a pre-Grammy party in 2009.

 

Barack Obama accuses Mitt Romney of being dishonest after Denver debate

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Barack Obama accuses Mitt Romney of being dishonest after Denver debate

President Barack Obama has accused Mitt Romney of being dishonest, after a televised debate that most observers agreed his Republican rival won.

Speaking in Denver, Colorado, Barack Obama urged his rival to tell the “truth” about his own policies.

An estimated 40 million people watched Wednesday’s debate, according to the Nielsen TV ratings service.

The Obama campaign has said there will be some “adjustments” in strategy before the election on 6 November.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Thursday suggested Mitt Romney had a net positive rating for the first time in the presidential campaign.

The poll said 51% of voters viewed him positively, with Barack Obama at 56%. The Republican moved ahead of the president on which candidate voters trust to handle the economy, create jobs and manage the deficit.

Barack Obama told a rally of some 12,000 supporters on Thursday: “When I got on to the stage, I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney.

“But it couldn’t have been Mitt Romney, because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy. The fellow on stage last night said he didn’t know anything about that.”

Mitt Romney repeatedly denied the $5tn claim during Wednesday night’s head-to-head.

Fact-checkers have said that Mitt Romney’s proposal to lower taxes by 20%, abolish estate tax and the alternative minimum tax would reduce revenue by $5 trillion over a decade.

The Republican has said he would help offset that by eliminating tax loopholes; the non-partisan Tax Policy Center says the sums do not add up.

Barack Obama told Thursday’s rally: “So Governor Romney may dance around his positions. But if you want to be president, you owe the American people the truth.

“So here is the truth. Governor Romney cannot pay for his $5 trillion tax plan without blowing up the deficit or sticking it to the middle class. That’s the math. We can’t afford to go down that road again.”

The Democratic president also mocked Mitt Romney’s plan to cut government subsidies for the PBS television channel that produces Sesame Street.

Mitt Romney said during the debate: “I love Big Bird”, adding that would not stop him axing federal funding to the public broadcaster.

“Thank goodness somebody is finally getting tough on Big Bird,” Barack Obama told Thursday’s rally.

“It is about time. We didn’t know that Big Bird was driving the federal deficit.”

Mitt Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams dismissed the president’s attack.

“In full damage-control mode, President Obama today offered no defence of his record and no vision for the future,” he said.

Barack Obama strategist David Axelrod told reporters on a conference call that the campaign would now rethink its strategy.

“We are going to take a hard look at this,” he said.

“I’m sure we will make adjustments as to where to draw the line in these debates and how to use our time.”

Mitt Romney is also back on the campaign trail, appearing at a conservative fundraiser in Colorado on Thursday morning.

Amid sustained cheers, the Republican hopeful told supporters they would have to “go out and knock on doors, and get people who voted for President Barack Obama to see the light and come join our team”.

The candidates went head to head on Wednesday for 90 minutes on jobs, taxes and healthcare.

Opinion polls agreed that Mitt Romney had the upper hand in the debate – the first of three between the White House rivals.

Various surveys gave Mitt Romney a 46-67% margin, with Barack Obama trailing on 22-25%.

The president was criticized for appearing hesitant and subdued, while the former governor – who has been lagging in the race – seemed animated and assertive.

Vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will meet in Danville, Kentucky on 11 October, before the second presidential debate on 16 October.

 

1...1,0001,0011,002...1,228Page 1,001 of 1,228