SparkLabs Launches $30M Global Seed-Stage Fund With Ex-Facebooker Net Jacobsson And Former Horizons VC Frank Meehan

SparkLabs started with the mission of helping grow South Korea’s young startup industry. Now it wants to bring its impressive network of mentors to entrepreneurs in the rest of the world with a new $30 million seed-stage fund called SparkLabs Global. In addition to SparkLabs co-founder Bernard Moon, the new venture’s primary operating partners are former Facebook executive Net Jacobsson (left in the above photo) and Frank Meehan, previously of Horizons Ventures.

The fund will look in emerging startup ecosystems for early stage companies that want to rapidly scale into international markets. In South Korea, SparkLabs’ accelerator has already invested in 16 startups (ones that have been profiled on TechCrunch include WePlanet, the maker of Step Journal and adaptive learning platform KnowRe). SparkLabs Global’s team, which also includes founding partners Jimmy Kim, John Lee (right in photo) and Jay McCarthy, will set their sights on startups in China, Southeast Asia and Europe. Moon says that they are especially bullish on Indonesia because of its developer talent and population of over 240 million people, a third of whom are in their early 20s, as well as the thriving startup industries in Israel, Sweden, Berlin and parts of Eastern Europe. Key sectors the fund will invest in include finance, social, consumer wellness, e-commerce, gaming, education and wearable tech.

The idea for SparkLabs Global came when Kim, Lee, McCarthy and Moon began planning an angel fund that would cover Asia and the U.S. The opportunity came to partner with Jacobsson (a SparkLabs mentor) and Meehan, who left Horizons Ventures in June to start an early-stage fund since Horizons primarily focuses on Series B or later investments.

 

Frank Meehan

“Since Frank was Horizons’ person for Europe and Israel and Net is in Tel Aviv with a great network in China and the U.S. [thanks to his time at Facebook], the whole picture made complete sense and it was a quick decision for us to combine our efforts and create a truly global seed-stage fund,” says Moon.

Based on his experience with SparkLabs’ accelerator in Seoul, Moon believes one of the main advantages SparkLabs Global can offer entrepreneurs is access to its wide network of mentors, many of whom have founded successful startups in Silicon Valley. Most of the Korean companies in SparkLabs’ portfolio had already raised $500,000 or more, so they weren’t after the $25,000 investment the program offers, but advice and other non-financial support.

“With the global seed fund, we will be able to provide significant capital (filling the much needed pre-Series A gap) plus our mentoring,” says Moon, himself a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Vidquik. “I can say that our team’s network is pretty amazing and reaches into most major markets. Our partners have all built companies from the ground up in B2C, B2B, online gaming, edtech and other industries, which is a significant value to entrepreneurs.”

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Forget The Lottery; You Have Better Odds Of Winning This Picasso

Pablo Picasso drew L’Homme au Gibus, or Man With Opera Hat, in 1914.

(c) Succession Picasso 2013

Pablo Picasso drew L’Homme au Gibus, or Man With Opera Hat, in 1914.

(c) Succession Picasso 2013

Imagine buying a genuine Pablo Picasso painting valued at $1 million — and paying only $135.

That’s the prize if you win the “1 Picasso for 100 Euros” raffle Sotheby’s is currently putting on. It’s the first time a Picasso has been offered as a raffle prize, and while 100 euros (about $135) isn’t cheap for a raffle ticket, at one in about 50,000, your chances of winning are a lot better than the megalotteries a lot of people enter.

Peri Cochin, a journalist and television producer in Paris, explains that the idea for an online raffle came about when she was faced with attending yet another gala charity dinner. She and her mother, who is Lebanese, plan fundraising events for the International Association to Save Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city in Lebanon. Tyre’s monuments have suffered from Lebanon’s civil wars, and the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been damaged by urban blight. When Cochin’s mother suggested the charity gala, Cochin thought: Not again.

“All those gala dinners,” she says. “You go there, you sit and you are really bored very quickly, and you look to your watch and hope that 11 o’clock will arrive quickly and you can go home and be quiet and forget about that dinner.”

Cochin wanted to try something new. They came up with the idea for an online raffle that would intrigue people from all over the world, not just the usual suspects at a charity dinner. Cochin knows Olivier Picasso, grandson of Pablo Picasso, who is also a television producer in Paris. Together, they looked for a Picasso drawing, and found Man With Opera Hat. Olivier Picasso, who is writing a biography of his grandfather, says the painting is from 1914, “the peak of the cubism period of my grandfather. It’s the second part of the cubism history, when Pablo was more studying how to symbolize things than just to draw them. “

Cochin says many people think the raffle is a joke, but “it’s not a joke here,” she says. “We’re talking serious business.”

According to Cochin, they had to work for almost two years to get official authorization. In France, raffles and lotteries are run by the state, so the French Finance Ministry will collect the money and supervise the raffle. The money will go to two projects of the International Association to Save Tyre, both focusing on Lebanese women in need. Cochin emphasizes that this raffle is not just for art aficionados or collectors.

“It’s mostly people that are dreaming of something that is not possible to get,” she says, “and, all of a sudden, yes, you can maybe have it.”

Picasso adds, “You know, there are more chance[s] to win than when you play at the New York Lottery.”

The raffle drawing is Dec. 18 at Sotheby’s in Paris. If they sell 50,000 tickets, they’ll make 5 million euros, or close to $7 million. Even if you take off $1 million for buying that Picasso, it’s a pretty good haul for a charity event.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NprProgramsATC/~3/R3AvqpH4vPs/forget-the-lottery-you-have-better-odds-of-winning-this-picasso
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Autopsy: 13-year-old with pellet gun shot 7 times

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — An autopsy report shows the 13-year-old boy who was killed by a Northern California sheriff’s deputy while holding a pellet gun was shot seven times.

The preliminary report from the Sonoma County coroner’s office says the two fatal wounds hit Andy Lopez in his right hip and the right side of his chest.

Investigators believe the deputies who encountered the boy Tuesday afternoon fired eight rounds. The timeline released by Santa Rosa police says those shots were fired within 10 seconds of the deputies’ first report of a suspicious person.

The deputies say the teen was carrying what looked like an assault rifle and had his back toward them at first. They ordered him to drop the weapon, but instead he turned toward them.

Only after the shooting did they realize that he was carrying a pellet gun that looked like an AK-47.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/autopsy-13-old-pellet-gun-shot-7-times-022307393.html
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Lester, Red Sox rout sloppy Cards in Series opener

Boston Red Sox’s Mike Napoli, right, celebrates with John Lackey, center, and teammates after Game 1 of baseball’s World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox won 8-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Boston Red Sox’s Mike Napoli, right, celebrates with John Lackey, center, and teammates after Game 1 of baseball’s World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox won 8-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright wipes his face as he pitches to Boston Red Sox’s Mike Napoli during the second inning of Game 1 of baseball’s World Series Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

St. Louis Cardinals’ Carlos Beltran leaps to catch a long fly ball hit by Boston Red Sox’s David Ortiz during the second inning of Game 1 of baseball’s World Series Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Boston Red Sox’s David Ortiz celebrates as he crosses home after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of Game 1 of baseball’s World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Boston. Dustin Pedroia (15) scored on the homer. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

St. Louis Cardinals’ Matt Holliday waits in the outfield during the seventh inning of Game 1 of baseball’s World Series against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON (AP) — An easy toss on a sure out that skittered away. A routine popup that somehow dropped between Gold Glovers. And something even more startling — umpires reversing a key call.

Most everything fell into place for the Boston Red Sox in the World Series opener.

Mike Napoli hit a three-run double right after a game-changing decision in the very first inning, Jon Lester made the early lead stand up and the Red Sox romped past the sloppy St. Louis Cardinals 8-1 Wednesday night for their ninth straight Series win.

A season before Major League Baseball is expected to expand instant replay, fans got to see a preview. The entire six-man crew huddled and flipped a ruling on a forceout at second base — without looking at any video.

“I think based on their group conversation, surprisingly, to a certain extent, they overturned it and I think got the call right,” Boston manager John Farrell said.

David Ortiz was robbed of a grand slam by Carlos Beltran — a catch that sent the star right fielder to a hospital with bruised ribs — but Big Papi later hit a two-run homer following third baseman David Freese’s bad throw.

The Red Sox also capitalized on two errors by shortstop Pete Kozma to extend a Series winning streak that began when they swept St. Louis in 2004. Boston never trailed at any point in those four games and coasted on this rollicking night at Fenway Park, thanks to a hideous display by the Cardinals,

It got so bad for St. Louis that the sellout crowd literally laughed when pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina, who’ve combined to win six Gold Gloves, let an easy popup drop untouched between them.

Serious-minded St. Louis manager Mike Matheny didn’t find anything funny, especially when the umpires changed a call by Dana DeMuth at second base.

“Basically, the explanation is that’s not a play I’ve ever seen before. And I’m pretty sure there were six umpires on the field that had never seen that play before, either,” Matheny said.

“It’s a pretty tough time to debut that overruled call in the World Series. Now, I get that they’re trying to get the right call, I get that. Tough one to swallow,” he said.

DeMuth said he never actually saw Kozma drop the ball.

“My vision was on the foot. And when I was coming up, all I could see was a hand coming out and the ball on the ground. All right? So I was assuming,” DeMuth told a pool reporter.

There was no dispute, however, that the umpires properly ruled Kozma had not caught a soft toss from second baseman Matt Carpenter on a potential forceout. That’s what crew chief John Hirschbeck told Matheny.

“I just explained to him … that five of us were 100 percent sure,” Hirschbeck said. “Our job is to get the play right. And that’s what we did.”

“I said, ‘I know you are not happy with it, that it went against you, but you have to understand that the play is correct,'” he said.

The normally slick-fielding Cardinals looked sloppy at every turn. Wainwright bounced a pickoff throw, Molina let a pitch trickle off his mitt, center fielder Shane Robinson bobbled the carom on Napoli’s double and there was a wild pitch.

The Cardinal Way? More like, no way.

“We had a wakeup call. That is not the kind of team that we’ve been all season,” Matheny said. “And they’re frustrated. I’m sure embarrassed to a point.”

Game 2 is Thursday night, with 22-year-old rookie sensation Michael Wacha starting for St. Louis against John Lackey. Wacha is 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA this postseason.

Beltran is day to day after X-rays were negative.

Lester blanked the Cardinals on five hits over 7 2-3 innings and struck out eight for his third win this postseason.

“We wanted to set the tone and get them swinging,” he said.

Ryan Dempster gave up Matt Holliday’s leadoff home run in the ninth.

Boston brought the beards and made it a most hairy night for St. Louis. The Cardinals wrecked themselves with just their second three-error game of the season.

The umpires made a mistake, too, but at least they got to fix it in a hurry.

After the control-conscious Wainwright walked leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia singled him to second with one out.

Ortiz then hit a slow grounder to Carpenter, and it didn’t appear the Cardinals could turn a double play. Hurrying, Kozma let the backhanded flip glance off his glove.

DeMuth instantly called Pedroia out, indicating that Kozma dropped the ball while trying to transfer it to his throwing hand. Farrell quickly popped out of the dugout to argue while Pedroia went to the bench.

Farrell argued with every umpire he could and must’ve made a persuasive case. As the fans hollered louder and louder as they studied TV replays, all the umpires gathered on the dirt near shortstop and conferred and decided there was no catch at all.

“You rarely see that, especially on a stage like this,” Napoli said. “But I think that was good for the game.”

Pedroia came bounding from the dugout and suddenly, the bases were loaded in the first. Napoli unloaded them with a double that rolled to the Green Monster in left-center.

Napoli, with maybe the bushiest beard of all, certainly picked up where he left off the last time he saw the Cardinals in October. In the 2011 Series, he hit .350 with two home runs and 10 RBIs as Texas lost in seven games to St. Louis.

The Red Sox added to their 3-0 lead with two more runs in the second. A fielding error by Kozma set up Pedroia’s RBI single.

The whole inning got going when Stephen Drew’s popup in front of the mound landed at Wainwright’s feet, a step or two from Molina. The ace pitcher and the star catcher both hung their heads.

“I called it. I waited for someone else to take charge. That’s not the way to play baseball. It was totally my error,” Wainwright said.

Ortiz, who hit a tying grand slam at Fenway in the AL championship series win over Detroit, sent a long drive to right-center. Beltran, playing in his first World Series, braced himself with one hand on the low wall in front of the bullpen and reached over with his glove to make the catch.

“At least I got an RBI and we were up four and got the momentum,” Ortiz said.

Beltran hurt himself on the play and left in the third inning.

Ortiz homered in the seventh and the Red Sox got another run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by 21-year-old rookie Xander Bogaerts.

The Red Sox almost made a terrific play to finish the game. With two outs in the ninth, Freese hit a sharp single and right fielder Shane Victorino nearly threw him out at first base.

NOTES: Lester has pitched 13 1-3 scoreless innings in two Series starts. He closed out a 2007 sweep over Colorado. … The Red Sox won their fifth straight World Series opener since losing Game 1 to St. Louis in 1967. … Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski threw out the first ball. … The team that won the Series opener has taken the title in 14 of the past 16 years.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-10-24-World%20Series/id-e3280216cc5446aca634f4d5a4a3ff08
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Tim Burton Is Reportedly Directing A Sequel To ‘Beetlejuice’

Good News ……. ?

Posted by: Trent on October 22, 2013|

Back in the early days of Tim Burton‘s directing career, he was truly one of my favorite movie-makers in Hollywood. His attention to macabre detail in his dark movies really appealed to me as a young movie fan. In recent years, I haven’t been much of a fan of his work … particularly his work with Johnny Depp (which, I will admit, is Hit or Miss … mostly miss in the past 10 years). Today we learn that Burton has reportedly signed on to make a sequel to his brilliant 1988 film Beetlejuice. Nothing has been officially confirmed but there has been talk around town of a Beetlejuice sequel for years. If this new rumor turns out to be true, then we might actually get a new film from Tim Burton that will remind us all of how amazing he is as a film director.

A sequel to Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice has been in development for awhile. The script for the movie was written by Seth Grahame-Smith, author of the book Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and the screenplay for Dark Shadows. The last we heard, the project was a top priority for Warner Bros. and Burton. Michael Keaton was even excited about reprising his role! Now according to a source at Schmoes Know, Keaton will return as Beetlejuice and Burton is looking to direct it, which has kind of been the case all along. I always assumed Burton would direct the sequel anyway, and apparently he was even thinking about dropping out of his Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children project set up at 20th Century Fox to do it. He shifted his schedule around, though, and is going to end up making both films. I guess the biggest news here is that the movie is still moving forward with the two major players we want involved with the film. I loved Keaton as Beetlejuice, and it will be amazing to see him back in the role! I’m also happy to hear that Burton was willing to make any schedule adjustments he could to bring us this long-awaited sequel.

To be honest, the ONLY way I would be on board for a Beetlejuice sequel would be if both Tim Burton came back as director and Michael Keaton came back as Beetlejuice … and it sounds like this is what may happen. It probably wouldn’t be smart to get too excited until this news is officially confirmed but I’m hopeful that this turns out to be true. I rewatched Beetlejuice recently and was reminded how much I like that movie. With all the new tech available at Burton‘s disposal these days, I can only imagine how amazing a sequel film might turn out. I’ll keep an eye on this bit of goss … I’d love for it to turn out to be true.

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Foot and mouth disease in sub-Saharan Africa moves over short distances, wild buffalo are a problem

Foot and mouth disease in sub-Saharan Africa moves over short distances, wild buffalo are a problem

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

22-Oct-2013

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Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

New research shows that in sub-Saharan Africa the virus responsible for foot and mouth disease (FMD) moves over relatively short distances and the African buffalo are important natural reservoirs for the infection. The study, published in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, sheds light on how the type of FMD virus called SAT 2 emerged in sub-Saharan Africa and identifies patterns of spread in countries where SAT 2 is endemic.

“The data suggest that the common ancestor of all SAT 2 was in [African] buffalo. It’s very clear that historically infections have moved from buffalo to cattle,” says corresponding author Matthew Hall of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is devastating to livestock all over the world, but it’s a particular problem in Africa, where wildlife that harbor the virus are thought to pass it on to their domesticated cousins.

FMD strikes cloven-hoofed animals, presenting as a high fever, blistering in the mouth and feet, decline in milk production in females, and weight loss. Although most animals recover over the course of months, some die of complications from the disease. In wild buffalo, the disease is very rarely symptomatic and animals can be persistently infected for a period of several years. The SAT 2 serotype of the virus is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, but it has crossed the Sahara and caused outbreaks in North Africa and the Middle East between 1990 and 2012.

In the hopes they could eventually predict future outbreaks, Hall and his colleagues wanted a better picture of the diversity of SAT 2 viruses in sub-Saharan Africa and how they move around from one location to another. They used 250 genetic sequences of the VP1 section of the genome from SAT 2 isolates taken from all over sub-Saharan Africa and tracked the appearance of the various unique ‘topotypes’ over the region.

Hall says the patterns in which the topotypes appear in different places gives strong support to the idea that the virus is spread by infected hosts in land movements over relatively short distances. What’s more, African buffalo are an important “maintenance host”, meaning they maintain a reservoir of the virus that can re-infect domesticated animals after time and culling has ended an outbreak among livestock. The relationships between the 250 sequences also indicate that it’s possible the original source of the SAT 2 viruses that are now found in wild and domesticated animals was African buffalo.

To Hall, these results indicate that genetic tracking of viruses has a lot of potential for making inferences about viral spread and heading off future outbreaks.

“We showed that we can demonstrate [virus movement] using genetic data. It’s a tool that can be used for that kind of inference. In cases where less is known, this is a valid way of going about answering the questions,” says Hall.

Going forward, Hall says he plans to apply a similar approach to studying serotype O FMD viruses in Africa, Asia, and South America to identify links between different animal populations. “It’s good to know the reason it spreads,” says Hall. “It could be quite a contribution to eradication or control efforts.”

###

mBio is an open access online journal published by the American Society for Microbiology to make microbiology research broadly accessible. The focus of the journal is on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. It can be found online at http://mbio.asm.org.

The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM’s mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.

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Foot and mouth disease in sub-Saharan Africa moves over short distances, wild buffalo are a problem

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

22-Oct-2013

[

| E-mail

]

Share

Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

New research shows that in sub-Saharan Africa the virus responsible for foot and mouth disease (FMD) moves over relatively short distances and the African buffalo are important natural reservoirs for the infection. The study, published in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, sheds light on how the type of FMD virus called SAT 2 emerged in sub-Saharan Africa and identifies patterns of spread in countries where SAT 2 is endemic.

“The data suggest that the common ancestor of all SAT 2 was in [African] buffalo. It’s very clear that historically infections have moved from buffalo to cattle,” says corresponding author Matthew Hall of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is devastating to livestock all over the world, but it’s a particular problem in Africa, where wildlife that harbor the virus are thought to pass it on to their domesticated cousins.

FMD strikes cloven-hoofed animals, presenting as a high fever, blistering in the mouth and feet, decline in milk production in females, and weight loss. Although most animals recover over the course of months, some die of complications from the disease. In wild buffalo, the disease is very rarely symptomatic and animals can be persistently infected for a period of several years. The SAT 2 serotype of the virus is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, but it has crossed the Sahara and caused outbreaks in North Africa and the Middle East between 1990 and 2012.

In the hopes they could eventually predict future outbreaks, Hall and his colleagues wanted a better picture of the diversity of SAT 2 viruses in sub-Saharan Africa and how they move around from one location to another. They used 250 genetic sequences of the VP1 section of the genome from SAT 2 isolates taken from all over sub-Saharan Africa and tracked the appearance of the various unique ‘topotypes’ over the region.

Hall says the patterns in which the topotypes appear in different places gives strong support to the idea that the virus is spread by infected hosts in land movements over relatively short distances. What’s more, African buffalo are an important “maintenance host”, meaning they maintain a reservoir of the virus that can re-infect domesticated animals after time and culling has ended an outbreak among livestock. The relationships between the 250 sequences also indicate that it’s possible the original source of the SAT 2 viruses that are now found in wild and domesticated animals was African buffalo.

To Hall, these results indicate that genetic tracking of viruses has a lot of potential for making inferences about viral spread and heading off future outbreaks.

“We showed that we can demonstrate [virus movement] using genetic data. It’s a tool that can be used for that kind of inference. In cases where less is known, this is a valid way of going about answering the questions,” says Hall.

Going forward, Hall says he plans to apply a similar approach to studying serotype O FMD viruses in Africa, Asia, and South America to identify links between different animal populations. “It’s good to know the reason it spreads,” says Hall. “It could be quite a contribution to eradication or control efforts.”

###

mBio is an open access online journal published by the American Society for Microbiology to make microbiology research broadly accessible. The focus of the journal is on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. It can be found online at http://mbio.asm.org.

The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM’s mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/asfm-fam101813.php
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Group makes 3D backups of world landmarks

LONDON (AP) — We all know to back up our files and photos, but what about our castles and churches?

A nonprofit named CyArk has created digital copies of more than 100 of the world’s best-known monuments, mapping Roman ruins, ancient statues, and even an entire island. Now it plans 400 more, with the goal of preserving the world’s most important sites against war, wear, and the impact of climate change.

“There is never going to be enough time or money to preserve everything,” CyArk co-founder Barbara Kacyra said Monday at a launch event at the Tower of London.

“If you can’t physically save something, your next best thing is to digitally preserve it.”

Oakland, California-based CyArk works by using 3D laser scanners, radar, and a host of other technologies to create detailed maps of famous monuments — from Mt. Rushmore to the Leaning Tower of Pisa — measuring nooks and nicks with millimeter precision.

Not only do the lasers capture minute damage invisible to most cameras, the 3D data can be used to create hyper-realistic models and flyover programs used by tourists and educators.

Master copies of the measurements are kept by Iron Mountain Inc., which stores some 2 petabytes’ worth of data on magnetic tape in its secure underground archive at the bottom of a former limestone mine in Pennsylvania.

Kacyra said the project was born out of the heartbreak of seeing the Taliban pulverize the Afghan Buddha statues in 2001, but Gustavo Araoz, a senior preservationist who’s helping CyArk draw up a list of its next 400 sites, says similar destruction is playing out in slow motion across the globe.

“This happens every day at a smaller and much less dramatic scale,” he said.

There’s already some evidence that the preservation project is paying dividends. Ugandan diplomat Sam Muhwezi told The Associated Press that the 3D model drawn up by CyArk was being used to help restore a fire-damaged tomb complex in his country.

“It’s the perfect example of why this kind of project is important,” he said.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-10-21-Britain-3D%20Backups/id-9d432f5b9b3a4e7a997ef35b0d06fadf
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Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood facing wave of trials

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood faces a wave of trials unlike any it has seen in its history, threatening to put a large number of its senior leadership behind bars for years, even life, as military-backed authorities determined to cripple the group prepare prosecutions on charges including inciting violence and terrorism.

The prosecutions are the next phase in the wide-scale crackdown on the Brotherhood following the military’s July ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, who goes on trial next month.

Morsi’s trial, the most high-profile case, is setting the pattern for the others, aiming to show the Brotherhood leadership as directing a campaign of violence. Morsi is charged with inciting murder in connection to a protest during his year in office in which his supporters attacked protesters outside his palace.

But leaders may also be charged with fomenting violence in post-coup protests by Morsi’s Islamist supporters demanding his reinstatement. Security forces have cracked down heavily on the protests, claiming some participants were armed, and have killed hundreds of Morsi backers. With each new round of protests and violence, prosecutors consider new charges that include incitement and arming supporters, Brotherhood lawyers say.

From nine to more than a dozen cases so far are being put together, each with multiple defendants, according to a prosecution official and Brotherhood lawyers. So far four cases, including Morsi’s, have been referred to trial with a total of at least 34 defendants, though a few are being tried in absentia. Ahmed Seif, a human rights lawyer following the investigations, predicted around 200 Brotherhood leaders and senior officials could eventually end up in court.

Brotherhood lawyer Mohammed Gharib denounced the cases as simply “a fig leaf by authorities to cover over their scandal” — to justify the coup and the crackdown, pointing out that no police have been investigated for killing protesters. “They are going after their main political opponent,” he told The Associated Press earlier this week.

On Friday, the Brotherhood legal team said Gharib, who was tried under previous Egyptian administrations, left the country for security reasons and has been replaced by another lawyer. Dozens of Brotherhood lawyers have already been detained. Gharib represented the Brotherhood’s jailed top leader Mohammed Badie and other senior members.

Some 2,000 high- and middle-ranking Brotherhood figures have been detained, and Gharib estimated another 6,000 rank-and-file members and supporters are also in custody, questioned for material to use against the leadership. Among the biggest figures in custody are Morsi, Badie and his deputy Khairat el-Shater, and almost half the group’s main leadership council and many of its former parliament members. Rights lawyers say they are struggling to keep track, amid the high numbers jailed and prosecutors who are keeping a tight lid on information.

Even rights lawyers who see a strong basis for prosecuting Brotherhood figures over violence and abuses of power expressed concern over the scope of the projected trials. Rights advocates have called for a thorough program of transitional justice to address abuses from the time of autocrat Hosni Mubarak and through the past 2 ½ years of Egypt’s turmoil since his ouster — which would also mean trying police and military officials for killing protesters and other rights violations.

Instead, they fear unfair trials with shoddy evidence will be used for the political aim of undermining the Brotherhood.

“They want revenge,” Amr Imam, a rights lawyer with the Hesham Mubarak Legal Center, said of the current authorities. “The rights of not only the Brotherhood, but many other Egyptians, will be lost because of arbitrary procedures.”

The Brotherhood, which grew underground to become Egypt’s best organized political group, leaped to power in elections after Mubarak’s 2011 ouster. The presidency of Morsi, a Brotherhood member who became Egypt’s first freely elected leader, prompted a massive backlash from many in the public who saw the group as trying to monopolize power and impose its vision on the country.

The military removed Morsi on July 3 after protests by millions against him. The group says the military has crushed the country’s fledgling democracy and will bring back Mubarak-style rule.

During its 85-year history, the Muslim Brotherhood has seen frequent waves of arrests. But this time is different.

Under Mubarak, Brotherhood leaders at times were jailed under emergency laws on accusations of belonging to a banned group, but were only occasionally brought to trial. Instead, their detentions and releases were part of a political game, used by the regime to wrest concessions from the group, particularly ahead of elections.

“We used to play chess with the previous regime,” said Gharib. “Now it is straight out crushing.”

Gharib also noted another difference — in the past 30 years under Mubarak, there was no attempt to associate the group with violence.

The major exception was one of the few major trials against the Brotherhood under Mubarak, in 2008, when 25 members, including senior leaders and financiers, were sentenced to up to 10 years for money laundering and terrorism. The case was initiated after masked Brotherhood students held a militia-style demonstration in Cairo, raising an investigation into whether the Brotherhood had resurrected its military wing.

A prosecution official said nine or 10 cases are so far being prepared on incitement charges. Investigators are citing recordings of conversations among leaders plotting violence, testimonies by victims of violence and weapons seized at two pro-Morsi protest camps, according to the official, who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the press.

Morsi’s trial begins on Nov. 4, with 14 other Brotherhood figures as co-defendants. Their case is rooted in an attack by Brotherhood supporters on an anti-Morsi protest camp outside his palace in December, during his presidency, which sparked clashes that left 10 dead. Morsi is accused of inciting his followers to attack the protesters, a charge that could carry the death penalty.

Morsi has been held in a secret military detention with no access to his lawyers and has refused to cooperate with investigators. In leaked reports of his interrogations, Morsi insisted he is the legitimate leader of the country. His family called the trial and accusations “laughable.”

The trial of Brotherhood leader Badie began in August. He, his predecessor Mahdi Akef and senior deputies are charged with incitement in connection to an incident days before Morsi’s ouster, when Brotherhood members opened fire on anti-Morsi protesters outside the Brotherhood’s Cairo headquarters, allegedly intent on storming it. At least eight people were killed.

In interrogation transcripts leaked to the press, the 85-year-old Akef is questioned about testimony by a journalist at the clashes who claimed to have overheard a Brotherhood member talking to Akef on the phone, asking for more weapons.

“These are lies,” Akef replied, saying the investigators should be tried for putting together “baseless” accusations, according to the Al-Fagr newspaper.

Badie is also being investigated in a separate case. A few days after Morsi’s ouster, his supporters rallied outside a Republican Guard facility where they believed he was detained. Authorities say they tried to break in after Badie and a prominent pro-Brotherhood preacher Safwat Hegazy urged protesters in public speeches to free the ousted president. In the ensuing violence, security forces killed 51 protesters, and a military officer and two policemen were allegedly killed by armed protesters. Hegazy is also jailed now under investigation in the case — and on trial in a separate one.

Another Brotherhood lawyer, Osamal el-Helw, said with each new instance of violence around ongoing protests, Brotherhood leaders are added to new investigations, presumably on incitement charges. He said Badie, who has been interrogated in over a dozen cases, will likely face more trials.

The question of how intensely authorities will carry out prosecution and trials is tied up in political considerations, rights lawyers say.

Seif, who represented Brotherhood members in past cases, said he believes the aim is to win criminal sentences that would prevent Brotherhood figures from running in any parliament or presidential elections next year.

Imam believes the flurry of investigations is a pressure tactic to force the Brotherhood to rein in more extremist allies, who have carried out attacks on churches, state facilities and troops in Sinai.

“It is not the Brotherhood that are carrying the weapons,” he said. “They are part of an alliance of radical groups who are, and the Brotherhood speaks for them now.”

• Society & Culture
• Politics & Government
• Muslim Brotherhood
• Mohammed Morsi

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-muslim-brotherhood-facing-wave-trials-064934422.html
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Lady Gaga Is Teaming Up With The Muppets For A Holiday Special

ABC has announced that popstar Lady Gaga will be teaming up with The Muppets for a holiday special that will air on their network on Thanksgiving night. Titled Lady Gaga & the Muppets’ Holiday Spectacular, the show will feature not only Gaga but other celebs as well dueting with various Muppets on popular songs. This isn’t the first time that Gaga has worked with the Muppets … a few years ago, she famously wore an outfit made out of dead Kermit the Frogs but clearly, that incident appears to be water under the bridge. Click below to see a promo photo released for the special and find out which celebs will be appearing on the small screen with Gaga and the Muppets.

Lady Gaga is collaborating with a few new artists — and it’s not whom you might think. The “Applause” singer will appear on a 90-minute special with the Muppets, her second one, ABC announced today. “Lady Gaga & the Muppets’ Holiday Spectacular” will air on Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving) from 9:30-11 p.m. ET. “I was so excited when ABC called me about doing a holiday special this year,” Lady Gaga said. “I knew it just wouldn’t be a complete night of laughter and memories without the Muppets!” “Can’t wait to see the gang again, and I hope Miss Piggy’s still not mad about Kermit,” she continued. “We’re just friends!” Not only will Gaga perform songs from her new album (she’ll sing “Applause” with several of the Muppets and have a duet with Kermit the Frog), but Sir Elton John, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and RuPaul will have duets with Muppets as well. Adding to the star-studded program is Kristen Bell, who will star in a sketch alongside Gaga and the Muppets. “What an incredible opportunity!” Kermit the Frog gushed. “We have a long history with Ms. Gaga, so we jumped at the chance to do a holiday special with her. We won’t even mind if she mistakes some of the Muppets for pieces of her wardrobe — again.”

While I’m not crazy about the Lady Gaga part, I am looking forward to the appearance by the other celebs. I cannot WAIT to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt and RuPaul singing with the Muppets. Their performances are going to be amazing, I can just feel it! I’m not sure what my Thanksgiving night will look like just yet but this is a special that I plan to DVR (so I can skip to the parts that I want to see). Does this sound like a fun special to you? Will you tune in to watch?

[Source]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pinkisthenewblog/~3/F597mbNNY6w/lady-gaga-is-teaming-up-with-the-muppets-for-a-holiday-special
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A Peek Into The Private Lives Of ‘Burton And Taylor’

Dominic West and Helena Bonham Carter star as Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in Burton and Taylor, a new made-for-TV movie from BBC America.

BBC America

Dominic West and Helena Bonham Carter star as Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in Burton and Taylor, a new made-for-TV movie from BBC America.

BBC America

You have to be of a certain age to remember firsthand the tornado of publicity that erupted when Liz Taylor, the former child star turned screen vamp, first met British stage star Richard Burton on the set of the 1963 movie Cleopatra. But it’s still one of Hollywood’s most famous and inescapable love stories.

He played Mark Antony, she played the Queen of the Nile, and just like their onscreen characters, they fell in love. Though Liz and Dick were married to others at the time, they began a torrid affair, the coverage of which spread outside the gossip columns. Eventually, they divorced their spouses and got married. After 10 years and many films together, they divorced — then, after a while, married each other a second time, then got divorced again. That all happened by 1976.

In the early ’80s, Liz and Dick decided to reunite once again — but this time, only professionally, as the stars of a limited-run Broadway revival of the Noel Coward comedy Private Lives. The play was about a long-divorced couple who meet while on honeymoons with new spouses — but whose love for one another is rekindled during the chance encounter.

Liz, who was popping pills and drinking at the time, may have wished for life to imitate art. Dick, newly sober, considered Liz one more compelling addiction it was wiser for him to avoid. And it’s this period of their lives that screenwriter William Ivory examines in the new BBC America telemovie import, Burton and Taylor.

It’s a highly entertaining study, for two reasons. One is the decision to peek at the private lives of these very public figures through such a tiny, fixed peephole. It’s much more satisfying than watching a boring by-the-numbers re-creation of career highlights, like last year’s horrible Lifetime telemovie, Liz & Dick, starring Lindsay Lohan. That was more focused on getting the costumes and makeup right than caring about the performances or character insights. Burton and Taylor, though, stays in one place long enough to make us feel their emotions — and, because of the excellent performances, believe them.

The performances are the other reason this drama works. The stars of Burton and Taylor sound like unlikely choices, but they mesh perfectly. Helena Bonham Carter, who has spent much of the past decade playing cartoonish characters for Tim Burton and others, plays Liz with a fire, and a vulnerability, that quickly make the impersonation succeed. And as Richard Burton, one of the most commanding and forceful actors of his generation, the movie casts Dominic West, whom fans of The Wire know well as Detective McNulty.

Here, the native British actor gets to drop the accent he used for that HBO series and approximate Richard Burton’s gravelly, velvety tones. West does it so well that he, too, quickly makes you forget about the performer and get drawn into the often intimate action.

Burton and Taylor is as serious as last year’s Liz & Dick telemovie was campy. For writer Ivory and director Richard Laxton, it’s easily a career best. For the stars, it’s one more triumph to add to their already impressive resumes. And for other TV writers and producers looking to dramatize the lives of famous figures, Burton and Taylor — like Steven Spielberg’s narrowly focused movie biography of Lincoln — serves as a very clear lesson. Sometimes, when deciding how much of a life to examine, less very definitely is more.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/10/16/235350255/a-peek-into-the-private-lives-of-burton-and-taylor?ft=1&f=13
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