In conversation: China’s geostrategic influence in the Pacific Islands – Jenny Hayward-Jones – Video


In conversation: China #39;s geostrategic influence in the Pacific Islands - Jenny Hayward-Jones
China #39;s activities in the Pacific Islands are being viewed akin to its growing geo-strategic role in Asia. In this short video Melanesia Program Director Jen...

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In conversation: China's geostrategic influence in the Pacific Islands - Jenny Hayward-Jones - Video

Pokemon Orange League Islands Episode 1 – The Introduction to the Story and Rival Battling – Video


Pokemon Orange League Islands Episode 1 - The Introduction to the Story and Rival Battling
PlayList - http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYXYPmpp9mMbtlpy-Lje5k9SMvGy8BBUx Abridged Version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TB5xJ-7R_o Pokemon Oran...

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Pokemon Orange League Islands Episode 1 - The Introduction to the Story and Rival Battling - Video

Native sausages and more islands

By Amads Ma. Guerrero Philippine Daily Inquirer

ARRIVING at one of the Hundred Islands. Photo by Amads Ma. Guerrero

The top tourist attractions in Pangasinan are religious, the miraculous Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine, for instance, and secular, like the Hundred Islands National Park, which the Philippine Tourism Authority has turned over administratively to the City of Alaminos headed by Mayor Hernani A. Braganza.

There was a grand total of 183,000 visitors to the Hundred Islands last year, of whom 171,926 were domestic tourists and 11,077 foreigners. This compared to a total of 154,425 tourist arrivals in 2011.

The Hundred Islands account for 72 percent of tourist arrivals in Pangasinan, Braganza said. So there has been a dramatic increase in the number of tourists in Alaminos and also in the number of hotels.

THE VIEW from Governors Island. Photo by Amads Ma. Guerrero

We were in Alaminos182 kilometers north of Manilarecently for the San Jos Gali-la Festival. Gali-la is a Pangasinense term roughly translated as come join us. St. Joseph is the patron saint of the city. The imposing parish church is named after Jesus father on earth, and around the church and plaza you still see a number of well-preserved ancestral homes.

Alaminos longganisa

A highlight of the festival was an Alaminos longganisa (native sausages) eating competition. These are said to be all-natural with no preservatives, and always come with two sticks (instead of the usual cord) which hold the sausage in place. Alaminos longganisa is one of the best ever, boasted the master of ceremonies, City Tourism Officer Miguel L. Sison.

Majestic St. Josephs Parish church. Photo by Amads Ma. Guerrero

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Native sausages and more islands

Scotsman Craig Lee leads Madeira Islands Open

SANTO DA SERRA, Madeira Islands -- Scotland's Craig Lee took a one-stroke lead over American Peter Uihlein and Chile's Mark Tullo on Friday during the suspended second round of the Madeira Islands Open.

Lee shot a 4-under 68 to reach 9-under 135 at Santo da Serra Golf Club.

Uihlein, the former Oklahoma State star who won the 2010 U.S. Amateur, settled for a 64 after playing the first 12 holes in 10 under with an eagle and eight birdies. He bogeyed Nos. 15 and 16.

"It was really fun," said Uihlein, the youngest son of Acushnet chief executive Wally Uihlein. "I hit it well, I putted well and the first 12 holes were pretty special. It was just drawing out perfect. You have a game plan and you just execute it and that's all it was in those first 12 holes.

"There were some really hard holes on the way in and it got very cold at the end so I'm glad to be done. Today I just tried to put a little more focus on my scoring clubs and really put the ball in the right spot on the greens. ... I never really thought about the 59 to be honest, because I knew the holes coming in were tough but it was a really good day."

Tullo had a 69. Thomas Levet of France was fourth at 7 under after a 67.

Fog delayed play for 1 hours and the round was suspended because of darkness.

"It was very tricky out there," Lee said. "It was pretty cold and then the fog came down and there was a delay so it was pretty hard to focus and get back into it again, but I managed to do that. ... I managed to get my distance control right with a lot of my wedge shots and that's key here."

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Scotsman Craig Lee leads Madeira Islands Open

Scotland's Lee leads Madeira Islands Open

Updated: May 17, 2013, 5:06 PM ET

SANTO DA SERRA, Madeira Islands -- Scotland's Craig Lee took a one-stroke lead over American Peter Uihlein and Chile's Mark Tullo on Friday during the suspended second round of the Madeira Islands Open.

Lee shot a 4-under 68 to reach 9-under 135 at Santo da Serra Golf Club.

Uihlein, the former Oklahoma State star who won the 2010 U.S. Amateur, settled for a 64 after playing the first 12 holes in 10 under with an eagle and eight birdies. He bogeyed Nos. 15 and 16.

"It was really fun," said Uihlein, the youngest son of Acushnet chief executive Wally Uihlein. "I hit it well, I putted well and the first 12 holes were pretty special. It was just drawing out perfect. You have a game plan and you just execute it and that's all it was in those first 12 holes.

"There were some really hard holes on the way in and it got very cold at the end so I'm glad to be done. Today I just tried to put a little more focus on my scoring clubs and really put the ball in the right spot on the greens. ... I never really thought about the 59 to be honest, because I knew the holes coming in were tough but it was a really good day."

Tullo had a 69. France's Thomas Levet was fourth at 7 under after a 67.

Fog delayed play for 1 hours and the round was suspended because of darkness.

"It was very tricky out there," Lee said. "It was pretty cold and then the fog came down and there was a delay so it was pretty hard to focus and get back into it again, but I managed to do that. ... I managed to get my distance control right with a lot of my wedge shots and that's key here."

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

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Scotland's Lee leads Madeira Islands Open

Readers' tips: The Greek Islands

It's your choice where you go next: back down for a shady lunch in Filoti, onwards and upwards to the sunny summit. Or, you could just stay in the silence of the mountain with your picnic and imagine the start in life that the father of the gods had.

Laura Alonso, Norfolk

Plan ahead

We have made more than 30 trips travelling independently to the Greek Islands. My advice for travellers would be: Do your research beforehand. In particular study ferry routes and timetables in order to check the practicality of your proposed trip.

For novice independent travellers the easiest option is to combine islands on the same ferry run, such as Paros/Naxos/Santorini, Syros/Tinos/Mykonos, or Serifos/Sifnos/Milos. Greek Travel Pages (gtp.gr) and Open Seas (openseas.gr) are good for ferry information.

Be aware, however, that not all ferry companies release their summer schedules at the same time, and some can be quite late to do so. If this makes planning difficult, the Open Seas site lets you backdate so you can find out last year's schedules for the dates you need, although of course you cannot guarantee that this year will be the same.

If you are on a budget remember that the high speed services are considerably more expensive, generally speaking, the slower the cheaper. And be prepared to be flexible.

Linda Clegg, Warwickshire

Rooftop experience

Most people visit Lindos, the picturesque white-cubed village on Rhodes, on a day trip from other resorts. There is also a fantastic boat trip from Pallas beach in Lindos around to St Paul's Bay where The Guns of Navarone was shot. But do stay to make the most of the rooftop restaurants, many which are lit by fairy lights and candles as well as moonlight and shooting stars, which are plentiful.

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Readers' tips: The Greek Islands

Farne Islands 'puffin census' starts

16 May 2013 Last updated at 23:21 ET

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A team of rangers will check thousands of puffin burrows on eight islands

A puffin "census" has started on the Farne Islands in Northumberland.

National Trust rangers will carry out a survey of how many breeding pairs of the birds live on the habitat over the next three months.

The count takes place every five years. The last survey indicated numbers had fallen by a third.

Head ranger David Steel is hopeful of an increase this year but admitted cold weather could have had a negative impact on numbers.

"The extreme winds affected the their ability to feed as they made their way back to their summer breeding grounds," he said.

The 2008 survey recorded 36,835 pairs of puffins compared to the 55,674 pairs living on the islands in the 2003 census.

A team of 11 rangers will check thousands of burrows on the eight islands in search of nesting birds.

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Farne Islands 'puffin census' starts

Sir Richard Branson Urges Islands to Transition to Clean Energy as Foundation for Marine Conservation

NECKER ISLAND, British Virgin Islands, May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Saint Lucia signs up for the Carbon War Room's 'TenIsland Renewable Challenge'

Saint Lucia announced its intention to move towards a clean energy future by becoming the next pioneering economy to join Carbon War Room's Ten Island Challenge, today at the Caribbean Conservation Summit held on Necker Island, co-hosted by Sir Richard Branson, the Prime Minister of Grenada, and Premier of the British Virgin Islands.

"Solving the energy challenge and marine conservation challenge in theCaribbeango hand-in-hand. I am very pleased thatSaint Luciahas decided to join the Challenge-and hope more neighbouring islands will follow," said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin.

"We are joining the Ten Island Challenge because it is consistent with the goals of our government to develop a renewable energy sector and transition to a Green Economy," said James Fletcher, Minister of Sustainable Development & Energy, Saint Lucia.

Launched at Rio+20 Summit last June, by Sir Richard Branson, the Carbon War Room and Christiana Figueres, Executive Director of the UNFCCC, the Ten Island Challenge is working with pioneering island economies to reduce dependency on fossil fuels through the acceleration of commercial opportunities on islands, attracting expert engineering firms and investment.

"We want to develop a renewables'blueprint'using those islands that are ready today-and provide replicable models for many more communities isolated by water, desert or just distance from the grid," said Jose Maria Figueres, President of the Carbon War Room.

Saint Lucia is focusing its efforts to transition off fossil fuels through a range of initiatives from renewable energies as well as waste and water efficiency. Although sustainability and low carbon plans aren't new to island economies, successful implementation is. The Ten Island Challenge will highlight the opportunities on the island and Carbon War Room will reach out globally for the best solutions and most competitive bids. Saint Lucia joins its Caribbean neighbor, Aruba - who signed up for the challenge in 2012.

Sir Richard and Virgin Limited Edition have also taken an interest in the Challenge, offering Necker Island as a "demo site" to launch a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the installation of renewable energy solutions. Issued in February, the RFP has already attracted a multitude of bids from USA, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean, and installation of both wind and solar solutions take place later in the year.

The announcement was made at the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) Summit of Political and Business Leaders, convened today on Necker Island/BVI. The two-day Summit brings together heads of state and corporate leaders to address the opportunity to protect the critical natural marine environment of the Caribbean region.

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Sir Richard Branson Urges Islands to Transition to Clean Energy as Foundation for Marine Conservation

Scotland's Craig Lee leads Madeira Islands Open

SANTO DA SERRA, Madeira Islands (AP) -- Scotland's Craig Lee took a one-stroke lead over American Peter Uihlein and Chile's Mark Tullo on Friday during the suspended second round of the Madeira Islands Open.

Lee shot a 4-under 68 to reach 9-under 135 at Santo da Serra Golf Club.

Uihlein, the former Oklahoma State star who won the 2010 U.S. Amateur, settled for a 64 after playing the first 12 holes in 10 under with an eagle and eight birdies. He bogeyed Nos. 15 and 16.

''It was really fun,'' said Uihlein, the youngest son of Acushnet chief executive Wally Uihlein. ''I hit it well, I putted well and the first 12 holes were pretty special. It was just drawing out perfect. You have a game plan and you just execute it and that's all it was in those first 12 holes.

''There were some really hard holes on the way in and it got very cold at the end so I'm glad to be done. Today I just tried to put a little more focus on my scoring clubs and really put the ball in the right spot on the greens. ... I never really thought about the 59 to be honest, because I knew the holes coming in were tough but it was a really good day.''

Tullo had a 69. France's Thomas Levet was fourth at 7 under after a 67.

Fog delayed play for 1 1/2 hours and the round was suspended because of darkness.

''It was very tricky out there,'' Lee said. ''It was pretty cold and then the fog came down and there was a delay so it was pretty hard to focus and get back into it again, but I managed to do that. ... I managed to get my distance control right with a lot of my wedge shots and that's key here.''

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Scotland's Craig Lee leads Madeira Islands Open

Technology to Trim America's Health Care Fat

Want to talk about the obesity epidemic that doesn't get as much press as Mayor Michael Bloomberg's supersized soft drink ban? It's the bloated waistline, and bottom line, of the health care industry itself.

Spending on health care now running at roughly $3 trillion per year -- is on its way to 34 percent of GDP by 2040, according to the federal government.

Here's a few more eye-opening ways to examine GDP and the health care system: the government contends that cutting into health care costs by just 1.5 percent would increase real GDP by over 2 percent in 2020 and nearly 8 percent in 2030. It also claims that as much as 30 percent of health care costs (or about 5 percent of GDP) could be saved without compromising health outcomes.

Health care has been a pretty bad investment. All that money into the system isn't improving our health or the patient experience. We may be living longer than ever before, but we aren't getting collectively better at a reasonable price. The percentage of personal bankruptcies with a medical cause? Sixty-two percent, according to a study by Harvard University researchers.

Sounds like disruption is just what the doctor ordered.

The five health care companies on the inaugural CNBC Disruptor 50 List are: 23andMe, Audax Health, Castlight Health, Ginger.io, and ZocDoc.

Ironically, some of the health care companies being disrupted are now prescribing disruption to their own patients. And that's not as unhealthy as it may seem.

As the CEO of Audax Health, Grant Verstandig, told CNBC, health care companies know that between the Affordable Care Act and the pressure from startups like his--whose businesses are being fostered by technological leaps--the competitive landscape is changing, and not in the favor of a wasteful, overpriced health care market. Prices are going to come down, and companies that want to be health care survivor stories will have to do a better job of competing.

That's why companies like Aetna and Cigna have top executives on the board of Audax Health, and why Cardinal Health is a client. These companies want to be the health care sector leaders that eventually get a larger share of the market through more competitive offerings. The lazy incumbents with legacy revenue streams who don't adapttypical of a disrupted companywill be forced out of the market, as consumers are provided more and better information.

As with many disruptive innovations driven by technology, the biggest force for change in health care is you, the passive health care system participant.

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Technology to Trim America's Health Care Fat

Wisconsin surgeon indicted on health care fraud counts

MADISON A federal grand jury has indicted a Milwaukee spinal surgeon on 13 counts of federal health care fraud.

Dr. Cully White, 44, faces up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 on each count if hes convicted.

According to the indictment, White was the owner and operator of a Milwaukee-based neurosurgery business. In October 2010 he recruited another doctor identified only as K.B. to prepare reports showing K.B. had conducted nerve monitoring during Whites surgeries. White agreed to pay K.B. $150 for each report.

K.B. had no training or experience in performing nerve monitoring and never conducted any monitoring during Whites procedures but still prepared reports, the indictment said. Still, White submitted claims to insurance companies totaling more than $265,000 for K.B.s services based on the fraudulent reports. He received $82,000 and paid K.B. $14,250, prosecutors said in a statement.

The grand jury returned the indictment in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Prosecutors announced the charges Thursday.

White is scheduled to appear at an arraignment in federal court in Milwaukee on Thursday.

Online court records list Whites attorneys as Sean Bosack and Dennis Coffey. Bosack declined comment Friday, saying he is withdrawing as Whites attorney because White has chosen to go with Coffey.

Coffey didnt immediate return a message.

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Wisconsin surgeon indicted on health care fraud counts

Surgeon indicted on health care fraud counts

MADISON A federal grand jury has indicted a Milwaukee spinal surgeon on 13 counts of federal health care fraud.

Dr. Cully White, 44, faces up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 on each count if hes convicted.

According to the indictment, White was the owner and operator of a Milwaukee-based neurosurgery business. In October 2010 he recruited another doctor identified only as K.B. to prepare reports showing K.B. had conducted nerve monitoring during Whites surgeries. White agreed to pay K.B. $150 for each report.

K.B. had no training or experience in performing nerve monitoring and never conducted any monitoring during Whites procedures but still prepared reports, the indictment said. Still, White submitted claims to insurance companies totaling more than $265,000 for K.B.s services based on the fraudulent reports. He received $82,000 and paid K.B. $14,250, prosecutors said in a statement.

The grand jury returned the indictment in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Prosecutors announced the charges Thursday.

White is scheduled to appear at an arraignment in federal court in Milwaukee on Thursday.

Court records list Whites attorneys as Sean Bosack and Dennis Coffey. Bosack declined comment Friday, saying he is withdrawing as Whites attorney because White has chosen to go with Coffey. Coffey didnt immediate return a message.

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Surgeon indicted on health care fraud counts

GOP hopes IRS scandal will snag health care law

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Political scandals have strange ways of causing collateral damage, and Republicans are hoping the furor over federal tax enforcers singling out conservative groups will ensnare their biggest target: President Barack Obama's health care law.

But no one appears to have connected the factual dots yet, and it's unclear whether they will.

The Internal Revenue Service has a major role in carrying out the health care law, because financial assistance to help the uninsured afford coverage will be funneled through the tax system. At the same time, the IRS is also responsible for penalties on individuals and employers who fail to comply with the law's requirements.

In the latest twist, it turns out that the former head of the office that subjected tea-party groups seeking tax exemptions to tougher scrutiny is now running the tax agency's division in charge of implementing the health care law.

That official apparently switched roles before internal alarm bells went off about the problem. But feed all that into today's frenzied world of online speculation, and red-meat associations are irresistible.

"Now we've learned that the IRS, which is tasked with enforcing this very unpopular bill of Obamacare, the IRS admitted they targeted Americans," Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., said during floor debate this week on repealing the health care law.

"And so this gargantuan government expansion known as Obamacare will allow bureaucrats access to our most intimate, personal health information," she added. "It will be a huge database that government is putting together and building right now. Under Obamacare, the average American will pay more, they'll get less, and now they have to worry that their government may punish them because of their beliefs."

Nonsense, says Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the IRS.

"There really isn't a tie," said Levin. "This is another effort by the Republicans to essentially try to score political points."

The head of the IRS health care office, Sarah Hall Ingram, was in charge of the tax exempt division when agents first started improperly targeting conservative groups over their applications for tax-exempt status. The fallout has already led to the ouster of acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, followed by the announcement that the current head of the division will retire.

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GOP hopes IRS scandal will snag health care law