The Spanish basketball team pose for an advertisement. Photograph: Public domain
Spain's Olympic basketball teams have risked upsetting their Chinese hosts by posing for a pre-Games advert making slit-eyed gestures. The advert for a courier company, which is an official sponsor of the Spanish Basketball Federation, occupied a full page in the sports daily Marca, the country's best-selling newspaper.
The advert features two large photographs, one of the men's basketball team, above, and one of the women's team. Both squads pose in full Olympic kit on a basketball court decorated with a picture of a Chinese dragon. Every single player appears pulling back the skin on either side of their eyes. The advert carries the symbol of the sport's governing body.
No one involved in the advert appears to have considered it inappropriate nor contemplated the manner in which it could be interpreted in China and elsewhere. No offence was intended by the advert, but whether the Chinese see it that way is a different matter and it is likely to provoke more criticism at a delicate time for Spanish sport. The failure to recognise the potential consequences is striking in the light of the problems Spain has had with issues of race and the Spanish Olympic committee's continued desire to host the Games in Madrid in 2016 or 2020.
In the past the Spanish have been left in no doubt as to the sensitivity of racial issues internationally, especially since Spain's football manager, Luis Aragonés, made his infamous remark about Thierry Henry, monkey chants greeted England's football players in a friendly game in Madrid and the formula one driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to abuse in Barcelona.
A Wikipedia editor emailed Political Wire to point out some similarities between Sen. John McCain's speech today on the crisis in Georgia and the Wikipedia article on the country Georgia. Given the closeness of the words and sentence structure, most would consider parts of McCain's speech to be derived directly from Wikipedia.
First instance:
one of the first countries in the world to adopt Christianity as an official religion (Wikipedia)Second instance:
vs.
one of the world's first nations to adopt Christianity as an official religion (McCain)
After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Georgia had a brief period of independence as a Democratic Republic (1918-1921), which was terminated by the Red Army invasion of Georgia. Georgia became part of the Soviet Union in 1922 and regained its independence in 1991. Early post-Soviet years was marked by a civil unrest and economic crisis. (Wikipedia)Third instance:
vs.
After a brief period of independence following the Russian revolution, the Red Army forced Georgia to join the Soviet Union in 1922. As the Soviet Union crumbled at the end of the Cold War, Georgia regained its independence in 1991, but its early years were marked by instability, corruption, and economic crises. (McCain)
In 2003, Shevardnadze (who won reelection in 2000) was deposed by the Rose Revolution, after Georgian opposition and international monitors asserted that the 2 November parliamentary elections were marred by fraud. The revolution was led by Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze, former members and leaders of Shavarnadze's ruling party. Mikheil Saakashvili was elected as President of Georgia in 2004. Following the Rose Revolution, a series of reforms was launched to strengthen the country's military and economic capabilities. (Wikipedia)
vs.
Following fraudulent parliamentary elections in 2003, a peaceful, democratic revolution took place, led by the U.S.-educated lawyer Mikheil Saakashvili. The Rose Revolution changed things dramatically and, following his election, President Saakashvili embarked on a series of wide-ranging and successful reforms. (McCain)
Granted the third instance isn't as close as the first two, which seem quite obviously taken from Wikipedia.
It should be noted that Wikipedia material can be freely used but always requires attribution under its terms of use. Whether a presidential candidate should base policy speeches on material from Wikipedia is another question entirely.
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/politicalinsider/2008/08/did-mccain-plagarize-his-speec.html
Scientists have stopped the ageing process in an entire organ for the first time, a study released today says.
Published in today's online edition of Nature Medicine, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York City also say the older organs function as well as they did when the host animal was younger.
The researchers, led by Associate Professor Ana Maria Cuervo, blocked the ageing process in mice livers by stopping the build-up of harmful proteins inside the organ's cells.
As people age their cells become less efficient at getting rid of damaged protein resulting in a build-up of toxic material that is especially pronounced in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative disorders.
The researchers say the findings suggest that therapies for boosting protein clearance might help stave off some of the declines in function that accompanies old age.
In experiments, livers in genetically modified mice 22 to 26 months old, the equivalent of octogenarians in human years, cleaned blood as efficiently as those in animals a quarter their age.
By contrast, the livers of normal mice in a control group began to fail.
The benefits of restoring the cleaning mechanisms found inside all cells could extend far beyond a single organ, says Cuervo.
"Our findings are particularly relevant for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's," she says.
'Misbehaving proteins'
"Many of these diseases are due to 'misbehaving' or damaged proteins that accumulate in neurons. By preventing this decline in protein clearance, we may be able to keep these people free of symptoms for a longer time."
If the body's ability to dispose of cell debris within the cell were enhanced across a wider range of tissues, she says, it could extend life as well.
In healthy organisms, a surveillance system inside cells called chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) locates, digests and destroys damaged proteins.
Specialised molecules, the "chaperones", ferry the harmful material to membrane-bound sacs of enzymes within the cells known as lysosomes.
Once the cargo has been "docked", a receptor molecule transfers the protein into the sac, where it is rapidly digested.
With age, these receptors stop working as well, resulting in a dangerous build-up of faulty proteins that has been linked, in the liver, to insulin resistance as well as the inability to metabolise sugar, fats or alcohol.
The same breakdown of the cell's cleaning machinery can also impair the liver's ability to remove the toxic build-up of drugs at a stage in life when medication is often part of daily diet.
In genetically modified mice, Cuervo compensated for the loss of the receptors in the animals by adding extra copies.
"That was enough to maintain a clean liver and to prove that if you keep your cells clean they work better," she says.
Settles debate
The study goes a long way towards settling a sharp debate in the field of ageing research.
Leading Australian ageing researcher David le Couteur, Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Sydney, says the paper is a major breakthrough.
"She has single-handedly shown that lysosome function is a crucial part of the ageing process," he says.
Cuervo has also shown, he says, the critical role the lysosomal receptor molecules play in keeping the liver clean of damaged proteins.
While her paper does not show increased survival rates among the mice, le Couteur, who has advised her recently on the research, says Cuervo does have data on improved survival rates which she intends to publish.
He also says she is now working with pharmaceutical companies to identify drugs that will turn the receptors on, or make them more active.
Cuervo believes maintaining efficient protein clearance may improve longevity and function in all the body's tissues.
It is also possible that the same kind of "cellular clearance" can be achieved through diet, she says.
Research over the past decade has shown that restricted calorie intake in animals, including mammals, significantly enhances longevity.
"My ideal intervention in the future would be a better diet rather than a pill," she says.
http://my.spill.com/profiles/blog/show?id=947994%3ABlogPost%3A480453
I can’t stop watching the red band trailer for Mirrors. That jaw-ripping thing is one of the most brutal things I’ve seen…and it’s JUST a trailer. I’m a little unhinged, I know, but watching that scene pleases me and scares the living daylights out of me at the same time. I might actually cave and see the movie just to see that scene on a giant screen. While slightly obsessing over it earlier today, I tried to think of movie moments that made me just plain uncomfortable and/or scared shitless. Being the horror film connoisseur I am, I was surprised to see the list I compiled was actually quite long. I’m warning you now: there is a crap-ton of spoilers in this post, so if you haven’t seen a lot of horror movies, stop now, rent some flicks and start scaring yourself! Tell me your favorite terrifying moments when you’re done reading mine!
20. Scanners
The ending scene was just so long and drawn out that it made me uncomfortable. Once Cameron’s veins started popping, I knew I was in for it, so the suspense of what was going to happen next totally took over my body. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed when he eventually caught on fire.
19. Saw
When Jigsaw gets up off the ground after Dr. Gordon “leaves” to get help, shuts off the lights, does his whole “Game over” bit and closes the door...pretty much made me say, “WHAAAAAT?!” out loud. It wasn’t scary, but it was pretty damn bizarre.
18. Maniac
I’m so upset more people don’t know about this movie because honestly, it’s pretty genius, especially the ending. The main character, Frank, is obsessed with girls…well, more so than most guys. He stalks the shit out of them and kills them, putting the victim-of-the-week’s hair on one of several mannequins in his apartment. In the end though, during his uber schizoid breakdown, the mannequins come to life and kill him. Totally creeptastic.
17. Suspiria
The opening scene has this girl freaking out, seeing eyeballs, getting attacked from something behind the window (I’m not telling you what it is) and in the end leads to one brutal stabbing/hanging. As if that’s not terrifying enough, her friend, who’s trying to help her the entire time, gets turned into sushi (aka hacked up) by the window the first girl falls through. In-friggin’-tense.
16. Misery
I literally just got pain in my ankles thinking about this movie. What a rough way to find out what “hobbling” means. I, along with half the planet, can no longer look at a sledgehammer the same way.
15. Cabin Fever
I’m sure part of it is because I’m female and have to shave my legs on weekly (sometimes daily) basis, but the leg shaving scene is by far the best thing Eli Roth has put on film. I still have to make sure my legs are flesh-eating-virus-free before shaving.
14. Tenebre
Definitely making the most of the whole loud-noise-then-action horror movie formula, the end of Tenebre is just shocking. It would be cruel for me to tell you exactly what happens without you seeing it, mostly because the reason why it’s so insane is because of the movie’s backstory. It was a shock not only because of what happened, but also because of who it happened to. Hitchcock homage, anyone?
13. Zombie
Here’s the deal: you KNOW it’s going to happen, but it takes so long to actually happen, the suspense almost kills you. At least that’s how it was for me. I didn’t breathe throughout the entire scene and I must say this is the first (and hopefully only) case when I’m glad someone’s eye got gouged out.
12. The Orphanage
One scene in this movie just made me want to vomit and perhaps may be the reason why I’m attracted to the Mirrors trailer so much. A mysterious woman, Benigna, comes to Laura’s house (she’s the main character). After a series of events, Benigna is hit by a car. When they show her TOTALLY FUCKING MUTILATED FACE I sobbed a little on the inside out of sheer terror.
11. Freaks
Being attacked and turned into a freak by other fellow freaks is not my idea of a good time. That bitch Cleopatra had it coming though. Either way though, watching those freaks eerily walk (or roll, in The Torso’s case) toward the girl actually made me feel bad for her for a split second. And I thought rednecks were bad…
10. The Thing
If aliens really look like the aliens in this movie, I’m checking out now. I mean, that poor dog! That fucking runaway head?! I still have a hard time sleeping at night after watching that and I’ve seen it a few dozen times. Yes, I’m aware I’m a masochist.
9. Oldboy
There are so many screwed up things that happen in this movie that it’s really hard to pick just one moment, but of course, the ending literally shocked the boots off everyone who’s seen it. Between cutting off his tongue and finding out he’s been banging his daughter (and maybe even knocking her up), this guy messed himself up BAD!
8. Tideland
Watching a little girl prepare AND inject her own dad with heroin was pretty hardcore, but when he dies, she uses him as a giant doll. HE’S FILLED WITH MAGGOTS AND GAS BECAUSE HE’S DECAYING AND SHE JUMPS ON HIS STOMACH, MAKING HIM FART AND SHE LAUGHS?! Jeebus fuckballs that’s so fucked…
7. Gozu
Between the tanned human skins and breast-feeding, I thought it couldn’t get any worse. That was until I saw a grown woman give birth to a grown man. I’m sure watching this movie at 3 a.m. didn’t make things easier, but come on, that’s just outright scarring.
6. Full Metal Jacket
It’s official: Vincent D’Onofrio is the most chilling fucker alive. DID YOU SEE THAT LOOK ON HIS FACE?! I was literally so uncomfortable when I saw it that I immediately started laughing. Private Pyle and his crazy talk totally scared the bejesus out of me.
5. The Exorcist
I had such horrible sympathy pains after watching that vagina-meets-crucifix scene that I got rid of my Ouija board, stopped going to church and remained a virgin until I was 18. Quite an impact, don’t you think?
4. Un Chien Andalou
Hands down, watching this movie was the weirdest 16 minutes of my life. I couldn’t believe I just saw a REAL EYE get cut open. Sure, it wasn’t a human eye, but that’s not the point. It’s close enough to cause projectile vomit, therefore it works for me.
3. Irreversible
I worked at a video store in college. A friend of mine, Mark, told me to watch this movie because it was one of his favorite movies and I’d totally love it. When I came into work the next day, I chucked the movie at his head and screamed as loud as I could, “WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” You want to know why? The 9-minute anal-raping scene. As if rape scenes aren’t horrible enough! It takes a lot (and I mean A LOT) to offend me, and this totally did. **NOTE: EVEN YOUTUBE DIDN'T HAVE A CLIP OF IT. THAT SAYS SOMETHING**
2. Cannibal Holocaust
This film is fucked up on epic proportions. He literally kills a handful of animals in this movie, but nothing worse than that helpless turtle. The poor thing was kicking (and I’m sure it would’ve screamed too if it could) even after it got its cute little head hacked off. That shit was brutal but not that good, brutal way (it’s a Metal thing, you wouldn’t understand).
1. Sleepaway Camp
I will NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER forgive my friends for making me watch this movie. EVER. The movie starts off being this totally harmless, typical psycho killer 80s horror flick then does a total 180 and travels to Crazyville. Nothing in my entire life has scared me more than the end of this movie. Not only does the look on Angela’s face scare the crap out of me…but that SOUND SHE MAKES?! It’s so ridiculously animalistic and savage that it just sent a chill down my spine. In fact, to this day I can’t watch it without feeling totally sick.
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