Playstation Network suspended 'for day or two'

Shear English - Millions of gamers are unable to play online as the Playstation Network remains unavailable. Users are seeing error messages stating the network is "undergoing maintenance" or is "suspended". In a blog post, makers Sony thanked users for their patience but warned the downtime - which has so far lasted more than 20 hours - could continue for "a day or two". In recent weeks, Playstation has been targeted by hackers group Anonymous.

The group appeared to deny being responsible for the attack, releasing a message stating "for once we didn't do it". The network has more than 70 million users worldwide, but Sony were unable to clarify how many players had been affected. However, Twitter messages and blog posts have been posted from all over the world.

The problems have also affected other services running on the network. Film rental site LoveFilm confirmed to the BBC that their customers are currently unable to stream films when using the Playstation service. This outage is the latest in a series of problems for the network which has suffered extended periods of downtime over the past few weeks. 

In response, angry gamers have flooded blogs, forums and Twitter with complaints. "A full day and you guys still have no clue what is causing this," wrote user Slickshoes in response to the company's blog post.

Read more »

UK : Young Men Watch TWO HOURS of Porn Online Each Week

Shear English - Young men spend an average of two hours a week viewing pornography on the internet, a survey found. One in four men fear that they are watching too much X-rated content online. In contrast young women, aged between 18 and 24 watched an average of just 15 minutes of adult material each week. One in three light users, who spent less than an hour a week viewing porn, said they had missed a deadline or appointment as a result.

But this figure rose to four out of five among the 4 per cent who were heavy users watching more than 10 hours a week - which is regarded as 'problematic and potentially compulsive' by doctors. The poll of more than 1,000 people aged 18 to 24 by BBC Radio One Newsbeat found that one in four men feared they were watching too much. It also showed that one in four men was concerned about the type of images they were viewing.

One in three young adults who were light users felt their use of pornography had upset a partner or caused relationship problems, rising to seven out of 10 of those who watched more than 10 hours. And one in four said viewing pornography made them less interested in sex with a partner, rising to three out of five heavy for users.

Read more »

SBY Thanks Brunei Sultan for Patrol Vessels

Shear English - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed gratitude to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam who has provided the Indonesian navy with two fast patrol vessels. At a meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at the Presidential Palace here on Thursday, President Yudhoyono said the Indonesian Navy would use the two light warships to help ensure maritime security.

"The President expressed gratitude (to Sultan Bolkiah) for the Waspada class patrol vessels. He believes Brunei has granted them with the aim of enhancing bilateral cooperation," presidential spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said.

The two light warships renamed KRI Salawaku 642 and KRI Badau 643 have arrived in Indonesia. The warships are currently stationed at the navy port in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The British-made warships equipped with guided missiles will be joining the Western Indonesian Fleet Command to conduct patrols in the western Indonesian territory. Although they are more than 30 years old they are expected to be in service until in the next 10 to 15 years.

At the 30-minute meeting, the President was also thankful to the people and government of Brunei Darussalam that had treated well around 70 thousand Indonesian migrant workers employed in the tiny oil rich country, Faiza said. Faiza said President Yudhoyono and Sultan Bolkiah during the meeting also discussed cooperation in food and energy fields.

Read more »

Canada : School Secretary Outed as Porn Star Strips off Again

Shear English - A porn star school secretary who promised to give up her seedy secret double life has stripped off again after being sacked from her day job. Julie Gagnon, who goes by the stage name Samantha Ardente, made headlines around the world after being outed by a 14-year-old pupil from her school who recognised her in a porn film. The young mother was finally sacked from her job at Etchemins High School near Quebec City last week after news of her starring role in the film Serial Abusers 2 reached school management.

Miss Gagnon, who has starred in five adult movies, had agreed to stop making them in a desperate bid to keep her job, but the school board claimed her film career 'was not compatible' with her position. Despite being hopeful of regaining her school job after launching legal action against her sacking, Miss Gagnon has bared all in a five-page spread in the erotic magazine Summum.

In the May edition of the French-language lads' mag, the former secretary disrobes in a series of provocative poses and explains how she imposed ‘no restrictions’ in her film scenes. She describes how she entertained three men at the same time and tells the publication she would have continued to make porn films had her secret life not be discovered.

Read more »

Apple iPhone Secretly Records Owners' Every Move

Shear English - Security researchers have discovered that Apple's iPhone keeps track of where you go - and saves every detail to a secret file on the device which is copied to the owner's computer when synchronised. The file contains the latitude and longitude of the phone's recorded coordinates along with a timestamp, meaning that anyone who stole the phone or the computer could discover details about the owner's movements using a simple program.

For some phones, there could be almost a year's worth of data stored, as the recording of data seems to have started with Apple's iOS 4 update to the phone's operating system, released in June 2010. Pete Warden, one of the researchers, said: "Apple has made it possible for almost anybody ... with access to your phone or computer to get detailed information about where you've been."

Only the iPhone records the user's location in this way, say Warden and Alasdair Allan, the data scientists who discovered the file and are presenting their findings at the Where 2.0 conference in San Francisco on Wednesday. "We haven't come across any instances of other phone manufacturers doing this," said Warden.

Read more »

Body of 'Dead Alien' Found in Frozen Wastes

Shear English - It just seems too strange to be true. But in the frozen wastes of Siberia two walkers claim to have found the body of an alien. On its side with its mouth slightly agape, the slender, badly-damage body lies half-buried in snow close to Irkutsk, Russia.

The area is a known UFO hotspot and video of the alien's corpse has become a massive worldwide hit with hundreds of thousands of followers after being posted on the internet. The corpse of the badly-damaged creature which resembles ET is 2ft-high. Part of the right leg is missing and there are deep holes for eyes and a mouth in a skull-like head.

UFO fans believe the body could have been left behind by ET visitors after an accident, or missed by Russian military alien experts clearing up after a crash. The area is a known UFO hotspot with dozens of sightings reported every year. It follows reports of a UFO hurtling towards Earth in the nearby Irkutsk region of Siberia one month ago.

Read more »

Subaru's New City SUV, the XV

Shear English - XV concept previews Japanese brand's latest soft-roader that's smaller than a Forester. Subaru will expand its range of SUVs with a city-sized soft-roader based on a new concept vehicle unveiled today at the 2011 Shanghai motor show. The XV concept is shorter and lower than the Japanese brand's most popular SUV, the Forester, and it will become its smallest SUV when it goes into production as expected.

As the baby SUV in the Subaru family, the all-wheel-drive XV is powered by a 2.0-litre version of the company's horizontally opposed 'boxer' engine rather than the 2.5-litre unit employed in the Forester. It is linked to a step-less continuously variable transmission that started life in Subaru's Liberty/Outback models and is gradually replacing outdated four-speed autos throughout the brand's range.

The stylish concept - which looks close to being production ready - suggests Subaru is set to respond to criticisms that its vehicle designs, such as the Impreza and Liberty, are too polarising. The XV features the hexagonal grille design that is central to Subaru's new family face and makes its production debut on the new Impreza also being revealed this week - at the New York motor show.

Read more »

Volkswagen Reinvent The Beetle

Shear English - Volkswagen has reinvented its cult Beetle for the third time in 73 years. The ergonomic new design, which will be offered initially to U.S. customers, gives the car a flatter roof, a less bulbous shape, narrowed windows and a sharp crease along the side. It is the first overhaul of the Bug since 1998, when Volkswagen came up with the New Beetle, a curvaceous front-wheel drive version of the classic car.

The new design is part of a drive by VW to increase sales Stateside. The car firm wants to triple U.S. sales of cars and trucks over the next decade. It said the changes to the Beetle - making it sportier and less 'cute' - will appeal to more buyers, and especially men. But there is speculation that VW's move could also anger devoted Beetle fans who love the four-seater for its curves and perky attitude.

The 1998 incarnation of the Beetle - the first change since the car's design in 1938 - saw the engine moved to the front of the car and the luggage space moved to the back. A vase for a single flower was added in a move that clearly brought the car into the realm of the female motorist. Now though, the vase is gone, and an altogether more masculine image is being projected, with low-profile alloy wheels, LEDs, redesigned tail lights and even a turbo model on offer.

Read more »

Peugeot’s SXC Luxury SUV Concept Could Point to Next-Generation BMW Rival

Shear English - Peugeot’s SXC luxury SUV concept could point to next-generation BMW rival. In text-talk, “SXC” is “sexy”. In Peugeot parley, however, “SXC” stands for the “Shanghai Cross Concept”.

The French brand has unveiled its new SXC high-riding crossover model ahead of the Shanghai motor show this week, and it could be a big model for the company – in more ways than one.

The SXC points the way to a new range-topping SUV for the French brand, a production version of which could go up against competitors such as BMW’s X5 and Audi’s Q7.

The SXC soft-roader measures up about the same size as a BMW X5 for length at 4.87 metres (the X5 is 4.86m), but is noticeably more squat at 1.61m tall (the BMW is 1.78m). However, the SXC’s staggering 2.03m girth makes it broader-shouldered than its German competitor by a whopping 10cm.

It wears Peugeot’s increasingly familiar new family face, with a pair of slim headlights and oversized air intakes dominating the front-end of the car, while in profile the SXC’s 22-inch alloy wheels, high-walled doors, and floating-look roof-rails separate it from the crowd.

Read more »

Indonesia Receives Two Warships from Brunei ("KRI Salawaku 642" and "KRI Badau 643")

Shear English - Indonesia has received two warships, "KRI Salawaku 642" and "KRI Badau 643" from Brunei Darussalam under a grant, which will join the West Fleet Command (ARMABAR). Brunei government officially handed over the two warships on April 15, 2011, (Navy) Maj Komaruddin, the commander of KRI Badau said here on Monday.

Both ships were originally called "KDB (Kapal Perang Diraja Brunei) Waspada" and "KDB Pejuang" as part of the Royal Brunei Navy fleet, he said. In accordance with Decree of the Defense Forces (Military)Commander, "KDB Waspada" is now called "KRI Salawaku" with hull number 642 and "KDB Pejuang" is now "KRI Badau" with hull number 643.

"The two ships are part of the rapid ship missile (KCR)," Maj Komaruddin said, adding that the ships were designed in England and constructed in its plant in Singapore each with a cruising capacity of 28 knots.

Read more »

Balinese Dances to be Proposed as UNESCO's Best Practice

Shear English - Balinese dances and two other Indonesian cultural features have been proposed as UNESCO’s Best Practices in Indigenous Knowledge 2011 after Batik for that category in 2010. The proposal of Balinese dances, Papua’s Noken and the Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park (TMII) for inclusion in UNESCO’s Best Practices on Indigenous Knowledge 2011 was announced by TMII Director of Operation Ade Meliala during the Pesona Budaya Indonesia 2011 at TMII, East Jakarta, on Sunday.

The Pesona Budaya Indonesia (Indonesian Fascinating Culture) 2011 was attended by Badung Regent Anak Agung Gde Agung, Badung Regency Secretary Kompyang R. Swandika and some other officials and members of Badung Regional Legislative Assembly (DPRD). Some Indonesian representatives of UNCESO also attended the cultural event which highlighted some Balinese dances, such as Sekar Jepun, Oleg Tamulilingan and opera-like dance Jayantaka Pratidnya. 

Meliala said that the Indonesian cultural features, notably Balinese dances, deserve the appreciation from global communities for their excellence as indigenous cultural heritages. "Let the world know how TMII has been functioning as an institution to preserve the Indonesian culture," she said.

Read more »

Kate and William's First Baby Could be Queen

Shear English - Prince William and Kate Middleton's first child could take the throne regardless of their sex under changes being investigated by the Government. Nick Clegg is making inquiries into changing the rights of succession, which currently favour boys. The Deputy Prime Minister, who is responsible for constitutional reform, is looking into the possibility of removing 'male primogeniture'.

Currently the first-born boy in a family takes precedence, even if he has an elder sister. Mr Clegg said today:'I think most people in this day and age would think it's worth considering whether we change the rules so that baby girl could become the future monarch.

'I think that would be in keeping with the changes that are happening with society as a whole.'

However, Mr Clegg warned the move would not be 'straightforward' because all the Commonwealth countries would have to be consulted. 'My own personal view is that in this day and age the idea that only a man should ascend to the throne I think would strike most people as a little old fashioned,' he added.

'If Prince William and Catherine Middleton were to have a baby daughter as their first child, I think most people would think it is perfectly fair and normal that she would eventually become Queen of our country.

Read more »

Hopes Rise of New XR8

Shear English - Ford's hairy-chested XR8 Falcon is not dead yet, the company says. The model has been in limbo since last June, when production ceased after its 5.4-litre V8 fell victim to tougher emissions laws. But it could return early next year in more than one guise, aimed at swinging V8 voters who have switched allegiance to Holden. At the moment, Ford's performance arm, FPV, has the mortgage on V8 Falcons with its 5.0-litre supercharged GS, GT and GT-P sedans, which start from $56,990 plus on-road and dealer costs.

But that leaves Holden's V8 SS Commodore unchallenged as the cheap entry point to a local V8 muscle car. It sells from $47,790. Ford Australia vice-president of marketing, sales and service, Beth Donovan, is adamant the project to revive the XR8 nameplate won't go ahead unless the car is 'more than competitive'. The car was originally scheduled to make a return before the end of this year but that looks unlikely.

Donovan's comments are in line with those from recently replaced Ford Australia president Marin Burela, who last year said there was something 'exciting' in line for a new-generation Falcon XR8 and that 'we are going to be bringing to the table more than we ever have'.

Read more »

Bali Just Can't be Beaten (Fijis Beaches are Arguably Cleaner Than Balis, but the Indonesian Island Remains More Popular)

Shear English - No matter how hard it tries, Fiji can't overtake Bali as a destination for Australian holidaymakers. Fiji is cheaper than Bali - especially since Jetstar and Virgin's Pacific Blue started flying to Nadi in the past few years - and hours closer to Australia's big east-coast cities than its Indonesian rival but attracts only half the number of Australians to its shores.

Fiji's beaches are arguably cleaner than Bali's and there are more surf breaks in more places but the bustle of the south of Bali island has proved a perennial magnet of greater overall appeal. The terrorist attacks of 2002 and 2005 aimed at foreigners in Bali fade in the memory as a record number of Australians head for the island.

More than 600,000 of the 2.53 million travellers - about a quarter of all visitors - who landed in Bali last year were Australian, the biggest foreign contingent, overtaking the Japanese. But Fiji has been breaking records, too. Its overall number of visitors last year was 631,868 people, eclipsing the 542,186 in 2009. Not surprisingly, Australia supplied 318,185, 50.4 per cent of Fiji's total international arrivals for last year and an increase of 28 per cent in the number of Australians who visited in 2009.

Read more »

Indonesia Cancels : As Indonesian Elite Force Apparoaches Somalia

Shear English - Indonesia has dispatched an elite military force to Somalia to rescue 20 Indonesian sailors who were hijacked by Somalian pirates together with their ship a month ago. Despite a media blitz in Jakarta, the Indonesian government had actually to cancel the hard option as the Kopassus and the Korp Marinir units were en route to the site where MV Sinar Kudus was held by Somali pirates.

The force dispatched numbers to 401 personnel consisting of a combined unit of Kopassus and Korps Marinir (Marine Corps). The media had apparently been taken by surprise by what had been disclosed by Air Marshall (Rtd.) Djoko Suyanto, the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security. 

This story has not been made public by the government until Friday. There are two considerations that may have become the underlying reasons for Djoko Suyanto, former Indonesian Defense Force (TNI) Commander, to open the fact to public through media.

First, public opinion has cornered the government in the people’s eyes as being weak and slow-moving. Second, the 3.5 million US dollars ransom money has actually been in the process of delivery to the pirates as the condition for the release of the sailors.

Read more »