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International participants showcase different industry cultures at 2008 Taipei Game Show

Friday, January 25, 2008

B2B Trade Area of Taipei Game Show, criticized by trade buyers last year, but accompanied with 2008 Taiwan Digital Content Forum, moved to the second floor at Taipei World Trade Center for world-wide participants with a better exchange atmosphere this year.

Not only local OBMs (Softstar Entertainment, Soft-World International Corp., International Games System Corp., …, etc.) but also companies from New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea showcased different specialists with multiple styles. Especially on South Korea, participated members from G? Trade Show (Game Show & Trade, All-Round, aka Gstar) showcased gaming industry of South Korea and the G? upcoming at this November with brochures.

In the 2-days Digital Content Forum, world-class experts not only shared industry experiences, members from Taiwan Gaming Industry Association also discussed and forecasted marketing models for gaming industry. With participations from governmental, industrial, and academical executives world-wide, this forum helps them gained precious experiences of digital content industry from several countries.

According to the Taipei Computer Association, the show and forum organizer, the digital content industry in Taiwan was apparently grown up recent years as Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China Steve Ruey-long Chen said at Opening Ceremony yesterday. Without R&Ds from cyber-gaming, and basic conceptions from policies and copyright issues, this (digital content) industry will be fallen down in Taiwan. If this industry wanted to be grown up in sustainability, gaming OBMs in Taiwan should independently produce different and unique games and change market style to market brands and games to the world.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=International_participants_showcase_different_industry_cultures_at_2008_Taipei_Game_Show&oldid=621950”
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Augusten Burroughs on addiction, writing, his family and his new book

Friday, October 12, 2007

I had an unofficial phone call from Gay Talese last Tuesday. He had just flown back from Colombia and he was cranky. “I’m happy to do an interview with you,” he said, “but what the hell could you ask me that’s not already out there? Have you even bothered to look?!”

“Jeez, Mr. Talese, lots of things,” was my response. I lied. The truth is that when I call people to interview them, I do not have a set of preconceived questions. My agenda is to talk to them and gain a sense of who they are; to flesh them out as humans. To find out what they think about the world around them at that moment. With Gay Talese I had little interest in talking about Frank Sinatra Has a Cold and with Augusten Burroughs I had little interest in discussing Running with Scissors. I want to know what they think about things outside of the boxes people have placed them in.

With a memoirist like Burroughs, even this is a challenge. What parts of his life he has not written about himself, other interviewers have strip-mined. When we met for dinner at Lavagna in the East Village, I explained to Augusten this issue. I suggested we make the interview more of a conversation to see if that would be more interesting. “Instead of you in the catbird seat,” I said, “let’s just talk.”

We struck an instant rapport. What set out to be an hour and half interview over dinner had turned into four hours of discussion about our lives similarly lived. I removed half of the interview: the half that focused on me.

Below is Wikinews reporter David Shankbone’s conversation with writer Augusten Burroughs.


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Art Tours

The Perfect Family Vacation On A Budget

byAlma Abell

Vacation is a special time for every family, but many have been vacationing less frequently due to financial concerns. This is unfortunate because vacations are a wonderful time for all family members and are the perfect opportunity for creating memories that can last a lifetime.

There are many options available and one which has proven popular for a lot of people is to become a tourist within their own hometown. This may not appeal to everyone, especially if you are very familiar with your city. In this instance, it may not matter exactly what you see, but how you see it.

For a special vacation consider reserving a Limousine Service in New Orleans. Maybe you have already viewed the famous architecture, toured Bourbon Street and gotten a glimpse of the many haunted locations, but being guided through these streets in a luxurious limo will add an entirely new atmosphere.

Make the most of this exciting experience! Dress in your best clothes, make reservations at a restaurant you have always thought was too expensive and finish your day at one of the best hotels in town. While some of these may seem like very expensive choices, remember you are saving on airfare, passports and much more.Limousines are a popular way for groups to go sightseeing today. They offer professional drivers, room for everyone to stay comfortable and they are an experience most will often never have otherwise, or only enjoy once or twice in their lifetime. Limos are loved by everyone and they can be an especially exciting experience for children. No one in the family will feel they are missing anything from their typical vacation experience.

Really consider what your entire vacation budget is this year. If you find you will have to stretch your dollars too thin for your typical getaway, check out a limousine service in New Orleans instead! Even if your vacation is shorter, you will likely get more enjoyment for the money than any other way.

Click here to learn more about the rates and possibilities of renting a limo for your next family vacation. It will be an experience no one will ever forget – exactly what a family vacation is supposed to be.

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Red Cross urges Sri Lanka to respect lives of Tamil civilians

Thursday, January 29, 2009

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other agencies have raised the issue of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in the battle between Sri Lankan government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), with an estimated 250,000 civilians caught between the fighting according to the ICRC.

Violence has intensified over the past few days in the Tamil-dominated northwest, where government forces have made strategically important gains, including the capture of Mullaitivu, the last rebel stronghold. But hundreds of thousands of civilians, nearly all Tamils, remain trapped within a 300 square kilometer war zone.

The ICRC, the only aid agency with a permanent presence in the war zone, says 250,000 people are trapped in the fighting, a figure that was repeated by the United Nations. The ICRC also claims that hundreds of civilians in the area have been killed or wounded, though an exact number was not given.

Sri Lankan officials say these figures are too high, though they have acknowledged the existence of some civilian casualties. In an effort to help civilians seek shelter, the government has unilaterally established a 32-square-km “no-fire zone” in the middle of the war area. The army dropped pamphlets urging civilians to go there for safety.

However, the LTTE have accused the Sri Lankan military of firing artillery shells into the safe zone, while the government denies such accusations. Likewise, the LTTE have denied the claim that they are using civilians as human shields by forcing them to stay in the area while holding them at gunpoint. The LTTE have yet to answer the military’s accusation that they deliberately placed their heavy weapons near populated areas and hospitals.

In response to accusations of firing at civilians, President Mahinda Rajapaksa pledged that his military would respect the boundaries of the no-fire zone. In a late-night meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the president assured his forces would “minimize the effects of conflict on Tamil civilians.” Mukherjee has pledged to send aid materials into northern Sri Lanka. However, some Indian media sources suspect this is a political move aimed at gaining favor with the DMK, a Tamil party in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

We have a very large number of people, including tens of thousands of children, trapped in a fast-shrinking conflict zone.

Meanwhile, the fate of civilians in the war zone remains uncertain, as the violence has prevented most foreign media and international agencies from entering the area. The ICRC has called on both sides to respect the lives of civilians. “People are being caught in the crossfire, hospitals and ambulances have been hit by shelling and several aid workers were injured while evacuating the wounded,” said Jacques de Maio, the head of operations for the ICRC in South Asia.

The ICRC says hundreds of patients are in need of emergency medical treatment. However, the UN says the LTTE have fired at their convoys and refused to allow evacuations to the nearest hospital, while the military had resumed firing during an attempted evacuation. The UN condemned this as a violation of international humanitarian law, which requires a guarantee of safe passage for aid workers on both sides.

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“It’s an incredibly serious situation,” said James Elder, a U.N. spokesman. “We have a very large number of people, including tens of thousands of children, trapped in a fast-shrinking conflict zone.” ICRC spokeswoman Sarasi Wijeratne did not explicitly accuse the LTTE of firing on their convoy, simply stating that the convoy had not been given full security assurances.

Sri Lankan military officials say the rebels are nearly defeated, with only about 30 kilometers of seafront remaining under their control. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara claims the LTTE have 1,200 well-trained cadres left, while the Sri Lankan army has around 50,000 troops deployed.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Red_Cross_urges_Sri_Lanka_to_respect_lives_of_Tamil_civilians&oldid=3185016”
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Fire burns at Barangaroo construction site, Sydney, Australia

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

A large fire has started at the Barangaroo construction site overlooking Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. The construction company said fire broke out at about 2:10pm local time (0310 UTC) and appeared to have been caused by a welding accident in the basement of a building.

All site workers were evacuated without injury, according to Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Ian Krimmer. Large clouds of smoke were continuing to pour out of the building, casting a thick pall of smoke over the city skyline. Some nearby buildings have also been evacuated, including the KPMG building and offices of the Macquarie Bank.

Firefighters reported concern about a tower crane overhanging the building basement site. There were fears that the crane could buckle due to the heat and collapse. Firefighters were working to keep the base of the crane cool, and the stability of the structure was being monitored with lasers.

The Western Distributor motorway was closed to traffic, and Sydney Harbour Bridge partly closed. There had been major disruptions in traffic and multiple roads in the Sydney CBD (Central Business District) were gridlocked. People catching buses were advised to expect long delays.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Fire_burns_at_Barangaroo_construction_site,_Sydney,_Australia&oldid=2491775”
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ACLU President Strossen on religion, drugs, guns and impeaching George Bush

Tuesday, October 30, 2007File:Nadine Strossen 5 by David Shankbone.jpg

There are few organizations in the United States that elicit a stronger emotional response than the American Civil Liberties Union, whose stated goal is “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States”. Those people include gays, Nazis, women seeking abortion, gun owners, SPAM mailers and drug users. People who are often not popular with various segments of the public. The ACLU’s philosophy is not that it agrees or disagrees with any of these people and the choices that they make, but that they have personal liberties that must not be trampled upon.

In Wikinews reporter David Shankbone’s interview with the President of the ACLU, Nadine Strossen, he wanted to cover some basic ground on the ACLU’s beliefs. Perhaps the area where they are most misunderstood or have their beliefs most misrepresented is their feelings about religion in the public sphere. The ACLU categorically does not want to see religion disappear from schools or in the public forum; but they do not want to see government advocacy of any particular religion. Thus, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore’s placement of a ten ton monument to the Ten Commandments outside the courthouse is strenuously opposed; but “Lone Ranger of the Manger” Rita Warren’s placement of nativity scenes in public parks is vigorously defended. In the interview, Strossen talks about how certain politicians and televangelists purposefully misstate the law and the ACLU’s work in order to raise funds for their campaigns.

David Shankbone’s discussion with Strossen touches upon many of the ACLU’s hot button issues: religion, Second Amendment rights, drug liberalization, “partial-birth abortion” and whether or not George W. Bush should be impeached. It may surprise the reader that many ideas people have about the most visible of America’s civil libertarian organizations are not factually correct and that the ACLU often works closely with many of the organizations people think despise its existence.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=ACLU_President_Strossen_on_religion,_drugs,_guns_and_impeaching_George_Bush&oldid=4540341”
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Australian Parliament hears reply to Budget

Thursday, May 11, 2006

The Australian House of Representatives heard the traditional right-of-reply to the Budget released May 9, from the Australian Labor Party, led by Kim Beazley (Labor, Brand), plus Budget replies from minor parties in the Australian Senate.

While the Budget is politically popular, having as one of its main features significant tax reform, Beazley focused on the omissions in the Budget, such as the failure to address a skills shortage.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Australian_Parliament_hears_reply_to_Budget&oldid=4360031”
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Kids TV star Lunar Jim to tour malls in Canada

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Lunar Jim, the star of an stop-motion animated series for preschooler, will be touring Canadian malls this fall. Produced by Alliance Atlantis, the tour will run from September 9 to October 14.

The tour will feature part of Jim’s lunar village, an inflated replica of his home on Moona Luna. Also at the events will be a colouring activity, an area to play with the recently launched Fisher-Price toys, and have their photo taken with a costumed character version of Jim, and cut-out characters of the rest of the cast.

The tour coincides with the launch of Lunar Jim toys by this month. Canadians can watch the series on CBC and Société Radio-Canada (SRC), the French version of CBC.

  • Coquitlam Centre (Coquitlam, British Columbia): September 9 – 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Landsdowne Centre (Richmond, British Columbia): September 10 – 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Southcentre (Calgary, Alberta): September 16 – 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • West Edmonton Mall (Edmonton, Alberta): September 17 – 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Polo Park Shopping Centre (Winnipeg, Manitoba): September 23 – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Northgate Shopping Centre (Winnipeg, Manitoba): September 24 – 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Square One (Mississauga, Ontario): September 30 – 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Upper Canada Mall (Newmarket, Ontario): October 1 – 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Centre Mall (Hamilton, Ontario): October 7 – 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Masonville Mall (London, Ontario): October 8 – 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Mic Mac Mall (Halifax, Nova Scotia): October 14 – 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Kids_TV_star_Lunar_Jim_to_tour_malls_in_Canada&oldid=4518126”
Web Developer

Three Leadership Talents

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By Ryan Scholz

According to Michael Maccoby, a globally recognized expert on leadership, there are three distinct roles of a leader. Those roles are strategic, operational, and relational. It is important for the success of any organization to have leaders who can competently carry out each of these roles.

The

strategic role

involves setting direction. The strategic role should not be limited just to leaders at the top of the organization. Every manager or supervisor should be identifying opportunities for improvement and setting goals. I find that too many lower level leaders just worry about the day-to-day operations and do not spend enough time charting a future course for their area of responsibility.

Strategic leadership creates a common purpose for those in the organization. When people have a clear picture of what the leader is trying to accomplish, they are much more likely to support the leader’s goals. Goal oriented leaders are strategic leaders.

The

operational role

involves ensuring that everything gets done so that goals are achieved. The operational leader identifies obstacles or barriers which stand in the way of goal achievement, comes up with possible solutions to overcome the obstacle, and then turns the solutions into specific action steps. We call this the goal achievement process.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0aaj3AlRx4[/youtube]

Leaders who are skilled as operational leaders are excellent at prioritization and time management. They know how to allocate resources towards the achievement of goals. Part of this is being a master of delegation.

The

relational role

involves connecting and bringing people together. Relational leaders have high empathy and the ability to understand and relate to others.

Relational leaders build strong relationships throughout the organization. They encourage team work and collaboration and are role models for others.

Although having equal competencies in all three leadership roles is highly desirable, very few leaders possess natural talents in all three. One of the assessments that I use in my work is called the Attribute Index. It measures a person’s natural ability in these three areas. The relational role is called empathy, the operational role is called practical thinking, and the strategic role is called systems judgment.

Most people have what we call masters in some of the dimensions and blind spots in the others. By knowing and understanding one’s masters and blind spots, leaders can learn to compensate for these limitations.

One way that leaders can compensate or adapt to a blind spot is to have someone on their team that has a master in that dimension and be willing to involve that person in key decisions. For instance, if the leader has a blind spot for strategic thinking, it is important to have someone who can see the big picture and challenge the long term impact of key decisions.

Likewise, a leader who has a blind spot in the relational dimension needs to rely on someone with a master in that dimension to ensure that the impact on people of key decisions is considered.

Although a balanced perspective on all three dimensions is usually desirable, there is one potential downside. Leaders with balance in all three dimensions sometimes can get paralyzed in the decision making process because they want to make sure that all three areas are considered. Sometimes this creates internal conflicts because what may be best from a strategic viewpoint might not work operationally or have a negative impact on people.

The other way to address blind spots is to make a concerted effort to develop that dimension. While improvement is always possible, we find that these tend to be ‘hardwired’ into our subconscious as part of brain development and are difficult to change.

An analogy would be aptitude for certain subjects in school. Some people have a natural talent for math (a master) and maybe no talent in writing (a blind spot). The person with a master in math will have a much easier time making a good grade in math than someone with a blind spot in math. Despite concerted study the person with the blind spot in math will never be as accomplished as the person with a natural master in this subject.

A colleague, Jay Niblick, has written a book titled What’s Your Genius?’ The book is the result of research into what makes outstanding performers (or geniuses) in a certain field different than everyone else. The key finding of his research was that high level success was not the result of possessing certain talents, but rather being in a position where the person’s natural talents were being used to the fullest.

Leaders will be most successful when their natural talents are matched with the leadership role that they are in. I once worked for someone who was viewed as the turnaround specialist in the company. He would go in to an operation that was ‘broken’ and fix it. He had a high operational talent. However, once he fixed the problem, the company had to get him out as soon as possible because he had a very low relational talent. Someone else had to come in and clean up the relational mess that was left.

As a leader, do you know what your blind spots and masters are? If you are having difficulty, maybe it is because your role requires different talents.

About the Author: Ryan Scholz works with leaders whose success is dependent on getting commitment and high performance from others. He is author of Turning Potential into Action: Eight Principles for Creating a Highly Engaged Work Place. For more information, visit his web site at

lead-strat-assoc.com

.

Source:

isnare.com

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