WBA Fly-weight Super Champion Chris John is to face Japanese boxer Shoji Kimora in a title fight at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on May 5, a spokesman of his promotor said.
Chris’s opponent is 34 years old and has an orthodox boxing style, Fathan Rangkuti, media and promotion officer of Mahkota Promotions, said here Tuesday. At the same time and venue, IBO Asia Pacific fly-weight champion Daud Yordan would be fighting Philippine boxer Ramie Laput, he said.
"Daud’s opponent is 33 years old and also has an orthodox boxing style. He descended to bantam weight," Fathan said.
The contracts on Chris John’s and Daud Yordan’s matches had already been signed and what they now had to do was preparing themselves for the upcoming fights, he said. "Late February Chris John will leave for Australia to train at Herry’s Gym in Perth under supervision of his trainer Craig Christian."
When in the ring with Shoji Kimora, Chris John who is nicknamed The Dragon would be defending his title for the 16th time.
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Astra International Splits Shares
Publicly listed diversified group PT Astra International Tbk (ASII) is planning to split the nominal value of its shares under a 1:10 ratio.
The proposal for stock split would be brought to an extraordinary meeting of the company’s shareholders in April or May for approval, Astra International Corporate Secretary Gita Tiffany Boer said during a public expose here on Tuesday. By splitting the shares, retail investors could afford to buy them and the company could increase the liquidity of its shares in the stock exchange, he said.
Last year, Astra International posted a net profit of Rp17.8 trillion, up 24 percent from Rp14.4 trillion the year before. The company plans to set aside part of its profit last year to pay a dividend of Rp1,380 per share.
PT Astra International currently controls 53.8 percent of the country’s automobile market. In the January-November 2011 period Astra International sold 438,111 units, more than a half of domestic car sales which reached 813,856 units, making it the country’s biggest retailer.
The proposal for stock split would be brought to an extraordinary meeting of the company’s shareholders in April or May for approval, Astra International Corporate Secretary Gita Tiffany Boer said during a public expose here on Tuesday. By splitting the shares, retail investors could afford to buy them and the company could increase the liquidity of its shares in the stock exchange, he said.
Last year, Astra International posted a net profit of Rp17.8 trillion, up 24 percent from Rp14.4 trillion the year before. The company plans to set aside part of its profit last year to pay a dividend of Rp1,380 per share.
PT Astra International currently controls 53.8 percent of the country’s automobile market. In the January-November 2011 period Astra International sold 438,111 units, more than a half of domestic car sales which reached 813,856 units, making it the country’s biggest retailer.
Indonesia, Algeria Agree to Strengthen Investment Cooperation
The Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and the Algerian National Investment Development Agency (ANDA) have signed a much-awaited Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the investment sector.
"The MoU between the two investment coordinating agencies is the fruit of a longstanding process they have explored since a few years ago," Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Indonesian to Algeria Ahmad Niam Salim said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
The MoU was expected to enhance bilateral cooperation in economic and investment fields in support of the two nations’ welfare, he said. "Thank God, the MoU could be signed after a long process. This is the first MoU during my term of office as an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Indonesian to Algeria and I hope this MoU will be followed by other MoUs."
The MoU was signed by BKPM Deputy Chief Achmad Kurniadi and ANDI Secretary General Khoiar Djouada on the sidelines of an expert meeting forum between the two countries at Mitsaq Hotel, Algeria, on Monday. Also present at the signing ceremony were Indonesian Ambassador to Algeria Ahmad Niam Salim, and head of the Indonesian delegation Roni P. Yulianto who is also the foreign ministry’s director for the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the Algerian side was represented by director for Asia at the foreign ministry Naceur Boucherit and a number of ANDI officials. Achmad Kurnia expressed hope the MoU would soon be followed up on by taking practical steps to mutually explore the possibility of business and investment cooperation in a more real way.
"This MoU is good news for Indonesian businessmen wishing to expand their businesses in Algeria. We hope that the two agencies will follow up on the MoU by taking technical steps in the investment field."
"The MoU between the two investment coordinating agencies is the fruit of a longstanding process they have explored since a few years ago," Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Indonesian to Algeria Ahmad Niam Salim said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
The MoU was expected to enhance bilateral cooperation in economic and investment fields in support of the two nations’ welfare, he said. "Thank God, the MoU could be signed after a long process. This is the first MoU during my term of office as an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Indonesian to Algeria and I hope this MoU will be followed by other MoUs."
The MoU was signed by BKPM Deputy Chief Achmad Kurniadi and ANDI Secretary General Khoiar Djouada on the sidelines of an expert meeting forum between the two countries at Mitsaq Hotel, Algeria, on Monday. Also present at the signing ceremony were Indonesian Ambassador to Algeria Ahmad Niam Salim, and head of the Indonesian delegation Roni P. Yulianto who is also the foreign ministry’s director for the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the Algerian side was represented by director for Asia at the foreign ministry Naceur Boucherit and a number of ANDI officials. Achmad Kurnia expressed hope the MoU would soon be followed up on by taking practical steps to mutually explore the possibility of business and investment cooperation in a more real way.
"This MoU is good news for Indonesian businessmen wishing to expand their businesses in Algeria. We hope that the two agencies will follow up on the MoU by taking technical steps in the investment field."
You CAN Live Forever...
Forget expensive lotions and potions – the key to becoming immortal could be found in flatworms, scientists say. The worms, which live in lakes and ponds, hold the remarkable ability to regenerate time and time again – effectively living forever.
If one is cut in half, the head portion grows a tail and the tail portion grows a head. Cut it into 20 pieces and 20 new worms, each an exact copy of the first, are created.
This has been exploited by Nottingham University scientists who have created a colony of more than 20,000 worms, all from one original, whose bodies and organs do not appear to age.
They are confident a single worm which did not divide would live forever – unless it catches an infection or another illness. Researcher Dr Aziz Aboobaker said: ‘In my opinion, they are immortal.’
It is hoped that the research will help develop treatments that allow humans to stay fit and healthy long into old age. The experiments focused on Schmidtea mediterranea, a relative of an African parasite which can be found under stones and rocks in British ponds.
The flatworm has a simple brain – or concentration of nerve cells – in its head, which can be regenerated by stem cells found elsewhere in the body. In contrast, an earthworm would die if cut in two.
One strain of Schmidtea mediterranea reproduces without sex, simply by splitting itself in half and creating two copies, growing new muscles, skin, guts and even an entire brain in the process.
To speed up nature, the scientists cut the worms with a razor blade. Dr Aboobaker said: ‘You take one and wait until it is seven to ten days old and you cut it. The tail grows into a new head and the head grows into a new tail. A big one can be cut into ten to 20 pieces.’
By doing this for four years, they have generated around 20,000 copies of one original worm. The longest survived around a year before succumbing to infection. Most worms live just a few days.
Key to the flatworms’ immortality are telomeres – tiny biological clocks that cap the ends of chromosomes. Normally, they get shorter with time, stopping cells from dividing and renewing and causing the body to age.
But in the flatworm, the telomeres stay intact, allowing cells to divide many times and stopping ageing in its tracks. Dr Aboobaker and colleague Dr Thomas Tan have pinpointed the gene that allows them to do this, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports.
The researchers said: ‘The next goals for us are to understand the mechanisms in more detail and understand more about how you evolve an immortal animal.’
Knowing more about how the worms safely do this could help stem cell scientists achieve their Holy Grail – the growth of new hearts, livers or brain cells in a dish. It could also speed the development of drugs that stave off many of the diseases of old age.
Douglas Kell, of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which part-funded the study, said: ‘This research contributes to our fundamental understanding of some of the processes involved in ageing and build strong foundations for improving health and potentially longevity in other organisms, including humans.’
If one is cut in half, the head portion grows a tail and the tail portion grows a head. Cut it into 20 pieces and 20 new worms, each an exact copy of the first, are created.
This has been exploited by Nottingham University scientists who have created a colony of more than 20,000 worms, all from one original, whose bodies and organs do not appear to age.
They are confident a single worm which did not divide would live forever – unless it catches an infection or another illness. Researcher Dr Aziz Aboobaker said: ‘In my opinion, they are immortal.’
It is hoped that the research will help develop treatments that allow humans to stay fit and healthy long into old age. The experiments focused on Schmidtea mediterranea, a relative of an African parasite which can be found under stones and rocks in British ponds.
The flatworm has a simple brain – or concentration of nerve cells – in its head, which can be regenerated by stem cells found elsewhere in the body. In contrast, an earthworm would die if cut in two.
One strain of Schmidtea mediterranea reproduces without sex, simply by splitting itself in half and creating two copies, growing new muscles, skin, guts and even an entire brain in the process.
To speed up nature, the scientists cut the worms with a razor blade. Dr Aboobaker said: ‘You take one and wait until it is seven to ten days old and you cut it. The tail grows into a new head and the head grows into a new tail. A big one can be cut into ten to 20 pieces.’
By doing this for four years, they have generated around 20,000 copies of one original worm. The longest survived around a year before succumbing to infection. Most worms live just a few days.
Key to the flatworms’ immortality are telomeres – tiny biological clocks that cap the ends of chromosomes. Normally, they get shorter with time, stopping cells from dividing and renewing and causing the body to age.
But in the flatworm, the telomeres stay intact, allowing cells to divide many times and stopping ageing in its tracks. Dr Aboobaker and colleague Dr Thomas Tan have pinpointed the gene that allows them to do this, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports.
The researchers said: ‘The next goals for us are to understand the mechanisms in more detail and understand more about how you evolve an immortal animal.’
Knowing more about how the worms safely do this could help stem cell scientists achieve their Holy Grail – the growth of new hearts, livers or brain cells in a dish. It could also speed the development of drugs that stave off many of the diseases of old age.
Douglas Kell, of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which part-funded the study, said: ‘This research contributes to our fundamental understanding of some of the processes involved in ageing and build strong foundations for improving health and potentially longevity in other organisms, including humans.’
Iran to Hold Culture Week in Jakarta
Iran to Hold Culture Week in Jakarta
The Iranian embassy in Jakarta is to stage an Iranian culture week on March 7-13, the country’s top diplomat said.
"We will hold this program to acquaint the Indonesian public with the culture of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Mahmoud Farazandeh said here Tuesday.
The event would be opened at the National Museum and also include the screening of Iranian films at the Usmar Ismail building. He said now was the right time to show Iranian films as one such film titled "A Separation" had won acclaim at the 84th Academy Awards festival in the foreign films category.
Farazandeh said Iran’s cinematography had recently elicited praise from the world as it had produced quality films based on fresh ideas and free from sex scenes. "Indonesia-Iran relations date back to thousands of years ago as proven by the discovery of an ancient grave stone bearing an inscription in the Persian language."
In the literary field, especially in Malay literature, there also was Iranian influence as about 400 Persian words had become part of Bahasa Indonesia part of which were still being used today, he said. Indonesian poets such as Sanusi Pane and Amir Hamzah had turned out works with strong Persian cultural influences.
"The Iranian revolution was a cultural revolution and we want to spread it throughout the world," he said. Apart from the cultural week, there would also be seminars on Iran at a number of universities in Jakarta, the ambassador said.
Indonesia and Iran had in the past also engaged in cultural exchanges such as an Indonesian culture week in Iran and an Iranian calligraphy exhibition in Jakarta, Farazandeh said.
The Iranian embassy in Jakarta is to stage an Iranian culture week on March 7-13, the country’s top diplomat said.
"We will hold this program to acquaint the Indonesian public with the culture of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Mahmoud Farazandeh said here Tuesday.
The event would be opened at the National Museum and also include the screening of Iranian films at the Usmar Ismail building. He said now was the right time to show Iranian films as one such film titled "A Separation" had won acclaim at the 84th Academy Awards festival in the foreign films category.
Farazandeh said Iran’s cinematography had recently elicited praise from the world as it had produced quality films based on fresh ideas and free from sex scenes. "Indonesia-Iran relations date back to thousands of years ago as proven by the discovery of an ancient grave stone bearing an inscription in the Persian language."
In the literary field, especially in Malay literature, there also was Iranian influence as about 400 Persian words had become part of Bahasa Indonesia part of which were still being used today, he said. Indonesian poets such as Sanusi Pane and Amir Hamzah had turned out works with strong Persian cultural influences.
"The Iranian revolution was a cultural revolution and we want to spread it throughout the world," he said. Apart from the cultural week, there would also be seminars on Iran at a number of universities in Jakarta, the ambassador said.
Indonesia and Iran had in the past also engaged in cultural exchanges such as an Indonesian culture week in Iran and an Iranian calligraphy exhibition in Jakarta, Farazandeh said.
Nasa Identifies New Asteroid Threat Which 'Could Hit Earth'
Nasa Identifies New Asteroid Threat Which 'Could Hit Earth'
It is 460ft wide and soaring through space - on a possible collision course with Earth. Nasa has identified a new asteroid threat to our planet and calculated that it could potentially impact on February 5th 2040.
The 2011 AG5 has already attracted the concern of the UN Action Team on near-Earth objects, which has begun discussing ways to divert it. They have put the odds of it hitting us at one in 625, though that could change nearer the time.
Were the rock to land on a city it could cause millions of deaths, although mankind would live through it. The asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was nine miles wide, compared to 460ft for the 2011 AG5.
Scientists have not yet been able to work out much more about it than its size as they have only been able to observe it for half its orbit. But between 2013 and 2016 they will be able to monitor from the ground and will make a more detailed assessment.
In 2023 the rock will make a ‘keyhole pass’ of Earth, which is an area it passes through on the orbit before it would hit Earth. According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, this will will be within a mere 0.02 astronomical units of our planet, or 1.86 million miles.
According to NASA, amongst the ways of deflecting it are putting a probe onto the rock and using the extra gravity the craft generates to steer the asteroid away over millions of light years.
Another option would be sending a probe into it so the impact would have the same effect. Nuclear weapons have also been discussed, but this would create a shower of rocks instead of just one.
There are roughly 19,000 such 'mid-sized' asteroids within 120 million miles of Earth, according to Nasa's latest sky-scans. Mid-sized refers to asteroids in a size range between 330 and 3,300 feet wide, which could destroy a city-sized area were they to hit Earth.
NASA's latest scan used the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE and took two infrared scans of the entire celestial sky in a series of infrared photos between January 2010 and February 2011.
Much of the world’s attention on asteroids has been on the Aphophis asteroid, which is the size of two and a half football fields and is predicted to pass close to Earth in 2036. If the forecasts are true it will come within 18,300 miles of Earth’s surface and will be visible from most of Europe, Africa and Asia
In recent years it has not just been asteroids that have threatened Earth - falling satellites have also caused problems too. In October Germany's Roentgen satellite X-Ray telescope entered a 12,500mph death dive and split up into around 30 huge chunks when it was deliberated crash landed.
Experts however had no idea where it landed and could only say somewhere South of Berlin and North of Wellington in New Zealand. The odds of being hit by one of the pieces was put at 2,000 to one, more likely than getting a hole in one in golf, though no injuries were reported.
It is 460ft wide and soaring through space - on a possible collision course with Earth. Nasa has identified a new asteroid threat to our planet and calculated that it could potentially impact on February 5th 2040.
The 2011 AG5 has already attracted the concern of the UN Action Team on near-Earth objects, which has begun discussing ways to divert it. They have put the odds of it hitting us at one in 625, though that could change nearer the time.
Were the rock to land on a city it could cause millions of deaths, although mankind would live through it. The asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was nine miles wide, compared to 460ft for the 2011 AG5.
Scientists have not yet been able to work out much more about it than its size as they have only been able to observe it for half its orbit. But between 2013 and 2016 they will be able to monitor from the ground and will make a more detailed assessment.
In 2023 the rock will make a ‘keyhole pass’ of Earth, which is an area it passes through on the orbit before it would hit Earth. According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, this will will be within a mere 0.02 astronomical units of our planet, or 1.86 million miles.
According to NASA, amongst the ways of deflecting it are putting a probe onto the rock and using the extra gravity the craft generates to steer the asteroid away over millions of light years.
Another option would be sending a probe into it so the impact would have the same effect. Nuclear weapons have also been discussed, but this would create a shower of rocks instead of just one.
There are roughly 19,000 such 'mid-sized' asteroids within 120 million miles of Earth, according to Nasa's latest sky-scans. Mid-sized refers to asteroids in a size range between 330 and 3,300 feet wide, which could destroy a city-sized area were they to hit Earth.
NASA's latest scan used the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE and took two infrared scans of the entire celestial sky in a series of infrared photos between January 2010 and February 2011.
Much of the world’s attention on asteroids has been on the Aphophis asteroid, which is the size of two and a half football fields and is predicted to pass close to Earth in 2036. If the forecasts are true it will come within 18,300 miles of Earth’s surface and will be visible from most of Europe, Africa and Asia
In recent years it has not just been asteroids that have threatened Earth - falling satellites have also caused problems too. In October Germany's Roentgen satellite X-Ray telescope entered a 12,500mph death dive and split up into around 30 huge chunks when it was deliberated crash landed.
Experts however had no idea where it landed and could only say somewhere South of Berlin and North of Wellington in New Zealand. The odds of being hit by one of the pieces was put at 2,000 to one, more likely than getting a hole in one in golf, though no injuries were reported.
Spirited Traveller Fruity Cocktail Infusions in Jakarta
Spirited Traveller Fruity Cocktail Infusions in Jakarta
Welcome to Jakarta, also known as the “Big Durian.” Although you’re unlikely to find the notoriously stinky durian in many drinks in the Indonesian capital, expect refreshing cocktails that make the most of other tropical fruits, such as mango, lychee, even the cantaloupe-like rockmelon.
“Over the past few years, Jakarta has seen a boom in its drinking culture, especially among young people,” says Hanny Wahyuni of The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan.
While a cold beer, particularly Bintang, is the classic unwind after a long work week, the growing number of bars across Jakarta also do a brisk business in spirits. Local cocktail menus reveal a sweet-tooth for candy flavoured vodka martinis, rum or cachaca cocktails dosed with kafir lime or tropical fruits.
Ritz Carlton’s 8 Lounge (http://bit.ly/n9xtJy) has an entire drinks menu section dedicated to Mojito variations; another to Caipirinha concoctions. Wahyuni’s drink-stop recommendations for business travellers include Cork & Screw (http://www.corknscrew.biz/), a restaurant and bar located inside a wine shop, and Potato Head (http://ptthead.com/jakarta/) at Pacific Place Mall.
The latter serves Western-style comfort food accompanied by cocktails such as the Pistachio Rockmelon Martini (vodka, melon liqueur and fresh rockmelon, topped with pistachio foam). He also notes newcomer Otel Lobby (http://otellobby.com/), a gastropub in the Annex Building of Epicentrum Kuningan.
At the end of the day, Wahyuni likes Social House (http://socialhouse.asia/) at Harvey Nichols in Grand Indonesia Mall.During the day, the space serves tea to office workers, but in the evening the windows fold back to invite cooling evening breezes and panoramic views of the Jakarta skyline.
The same team that runs Social House also owns the VIP-happy Dragonfly (http://www.ismaya.com/dragonfly/), where celebrities mix with expats and execs to dance all night, fuelled by rum cocktails. Loewy (http://www.loewyjakarta.com/) in Mega Kuningan, near The Ritz-Carlton, also gets a nod from Wahyuni.
The bistro-style restaurant offers a menu of (exclusively vodka) martinis and the city’s largest selection of single malt whiskeys. Once you’ve sampled your way through these bars, you’re ready for Bir Pletok, Jakarta’s iconic restorative libation.
RECIPE: BIR PLETOK
Courtesy of Hanny Wahyuni, The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta. This non-alcoholic herbal libation is said to ward off a host of ills, from flu to high cholesterol. Dating back to the colonial period, the drink is indeed named after beer - few locals could afford the beer drunk by Dutch colonists, and opted to brew their own “bir” using local herbs and spices.
As for the word “pletok”, depending on who you ask, it either mimics the sound of cardamom pods cracking open in boiling water, or it’s the sound made when shaking together all the ingredients: “Pletok, pletok, pletok.”
2 litres water
350 grams ginger, peeled and sliced
6 pieces clove
1 piece cinnamon Bark, about 5 centimetres long
3 cardamom (cardamom) pods
5 stalks lemongrass
25 grams secang wood (a plant native to Indonesia )
1/2 nutmeg
500 grams white sugar
Salt
3 pandan leaves
5 lime leaves
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the remaining ingredients, lower the heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid into a jar and allow to cool, then cap tightly. Discard solids.
Although bir pletok can be drunk hot, most people prefer to drink it served refreshingly cold. Keeps for one week, refrigerated.
Welcome to Jakarta, also known as the “Big Durian.” Although you’re unlikely to find the notoriously stinky durian in many drinks in the Indonesian capital, expect refreshing cocktails that make the most of other tropical fruits, such as mango, lychee, even the cantaloupe-like rockmelon.
“Over the past few years, Jakarta has seen a boom in its drinking culture, especially among young people,” says Hanny Wahyuni of The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan.
While a cold beer, particularly Bintang, is the classic unwind after a long work week, the growing number of bars across Jakarta also do a brisk business in spirits. Local cocktail menus reveal a sweet-tooth for candy flavoured vodka martinis, rum or cachaca cocktails dosed with kafir lime or tropical fruits.
Ritz Carlton’s 8 Lounge (http://bit.ly/n9xtJy) has an entire drinks menu section dedicated to Mojito variations; another to Caipirinha concoctions. Wahyuni’s drink-stop recommendations for business travellers include Cork & Screw (http://www.corknscrew.biz/), a restaurant and bar located inside a wine shop, and Potato Head (http://ptthead.com/jakarta/) at Pacific Place Mall.
The latter serves Western-style comfort food accompanied by cocktails such as the Pistachio Rockmelon Martini (vodka, melon liqueur and fresh rockmelon, topped with pistachio foam). He also notes newcomer Otel Lobby (http://otellobby.com/), a gastropub in the Annex Building of Epicentrum Kuningan.
At the end of the day, Wahyuni likes Social House (http://socialhouse.asia/) at Harvey Nichols in Grand Indonesia Mall.During the day, the space serves tea to office workers, but in the evening the windows fold back to invite cooling evening breezes and panoramic views of the Jakarta skyline.
The same team that runs Social House also owns the VIP-happy Dragonfly (http://www.ismaya.com/dragonfly/), where celebrities mix with expats and execs to dance all night, fuelled by rum cocktails. Loewy (http://www.loewyjakarta.com/) in Mega Kuningan, near The Ritz-Carlton, also gets a nod from Wahyuni.
The bistro-style restaurant offers a menu of (exclusively vodka) martinis and the city’s largest selection of single malt whiskeys. Once you’ve sampled your way through these bars, you’re ready for Bir Pletok, Jakarta’s iconic restorative libation.
RECIPE: BIR PLETOK
Courtesy of Hanny Wahyuni, The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta. This non-alcoholic herbal libation is said to ward off a host of ills, from flu to high cholesterol. Dating back to the colonial period, the drink is indeed named after beer - few locals could afford the beer drunk by Dutch colonists, and opted to brew their own “bir” using local herbs and spices.
As for the word “pletok”, depending on who you ask, it either mimics the sound of cardamom pods cracking open in boiling water, or it’s the sound made when shaking together all the ingredients: “Pletok, pletok, pletok.”
2 litres water
350 grams ginger, peeled and sliced
6 pieces clove
1 piece cinnamon Bark, about 5 centimetres long
3 cardamom (cardamom) pods
5 stalks lemongrass
25 grams secang wood (a plant native to Indonesia )
1/2 nutmeg
500 grams white sugar
Salt
3 pandan leaves
5 lime leaves
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the remaining ingredients, lower the heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid into a jar and allow to cool, then cap tightly. Discard solids.
Although bir pletok can be drunk hot, most people prefer to drink it served refreshingly cold. Keeps for one week, refrigerated.
DOJ Compares Apple and Publishers to Big Oil in Ebooks Case Read more: http://paidcontent.org/2012/08/23/doj-compares-apple-and-publishers-to-big-oil-in-ebooks-case/#ixzz24hlStFCD
In its response to recent filings from Apple, publishers and booksellers on its proposed ebook settlement with three publishers, the Department of Justice addresses few specific complaints (PDF; full filing embedded below). Rather, citing the “unmistakable consumer harm that has resulted from the conspiracy in this case,” the DOJ calls on Judge Denise Cote to approve the settlement without a hearing.
Last week, attorney Bob Kohn and the Authors Guild sought permission to act as “friends of the court” in the proposed settlement and filed amicus briefs. We have not yet seen a filing from Judge Cote granting their requests, but both parties are listed as “amicus” on the docket report, along with Barnes & Noble and the American Booksellers Association. However, the DOJ does not respond to Kohn or the Authors Guild in its response.
The DOJ shoots down the argument that ebooks are different from print books but doesn’t elaborate on why they are the same (and doesn’t respond to the criticism that it has failed to take interrelated markets, like those for e-readers, into account). Rather, it says, “Railroads, publishers, lawyers, construction engineers, health care providers, and oil companies are just some of the voices that have raised cries against ‘ruinous competition’ over the decades,” and publishers should not be granted special treatment.
(MORE: Why Wall Street Loves Apple and Google as Facebook and Friends Fail)
Response to Apple
Last week, Apple argued that the DOJ’s proposed settlement, which it has not joined, affects its interests by forcing it to tear up existing contracts. As such, Apple says it’s entitled to a trial before the settlement is approved. The DOJ says Apple “is not entitled to preclude the United States and Apple’s co-defendants from obtaining the immediate benefits of their settlements, as it is well established that the United States ‘need not prove its underlying allegations in a Tunney Act proceeding.’” (The Tunney Act relates to anti-trust proceedings).
The DOJ claims that “in reality, what troubles Apple is that the decree returns pricing discretion not just to Apple, but also to its retail competitors.”
Response to Penguin
Last week, Penguin argued that the DOJ has not proven that ebook prices across the board rose under agency pricing. Penguin, which along with Macmillan is holding out against the settlement, also provided evidence showing that even prior to agency, Amazon priced many of its new titles above $9.99.
(MORE: Best Buy Can’t Stop the Bleeding)
The DOJ does not respond to this specific point, but rather presents charts (chart 1-PDF, chart 2-PDF) showing that “Penguin did indeed raise its prices as soon as it gained power to do so. “In four weeks spanning the time when Penguin took retail pricing power from Amazon, the average price for a Penguin e-book sold through Amazon increased 17 percent, and the average price for a Penguin ‘new release’ e-book sold through Amazon increased 21 percent.” Here are the DOJ’s charts (1, 2) andaccompanying methodology.
Penguin had argued that the DOJ should turn over all of its research on ebook pricing, since that research is apparently the basis for its conclusion that ebook prices rose across the board under agency pricing. The DOJ refuses, citing case law: “There is simply no basis for Penguin’s assertion that the United States must produce internal economic analyses to support its settlement.”
Response to Macmillan
Macmillan echoed Penguin’s demand for the DOJ’s research on ebook pricing and also asked the DOJ to show, as required by antitrust law, that the settlement would not result in Amazon gaining a monopoly. The DOJ responds by saying that there is no evidence that the settlement would result in Amazon gaining a monopoly because of “competition from established companies such as B&N, Google, Apple, and Sony.”
The DOJ says “the recently announced investment by Microsoft in B&N’s e-book business, and Sony’s release of a new e-reader, do not reflect any reluctance on the part of sophisticated companies to expand their sales of e-books.”
(MORE: 10 Questions for Dan Quayle)
Response to the ABA and Barnes & Noble
In their amicus brief, the booksellers argued that the number of public comments against the proposed settlement vastly outweighed the number of comments in favor of the settlement. The DOJ responds that “it is not unprecedented for parties to oppose a settlement because they have a stake in an anticompetitive status quo,” and claims “the majority of the comments received opposing the decree did not come from those seeking to represent the public interest, but rather from those that benefited from the conspiracy and that have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.”
Read more: http://paidcontent.org/2012/08/23/doj-compares-apple-and-publishers-to-big-oil-in-ebooks-case/#ixzz24hlsOJim
Last week, attorney Bob Kohn and the Authors Guild sought permission to act as “friends of the court” in the proposed settlement and filed amicus briefs. We have not yet seen a filing from Judge Cote granting their requests, but both parties are listed as “amicus” on the docket report, along with Barnes & Noble and the American Booksellers Association. However, the DOJ does not respond to Kohn or the Authors Guild in its response.
The DOJ shoots down the argument that ebooks are different from print books but doesn’t elaborate on why they are the same (and doesn’t respond to the criticism that it has failed to take interrelated markets, like those for e-readers, into account). Rather, it says, “Railroads, publishers, lawyers, construction engineers, health care providers, and oil companies are just some of the voices that have raised cries against ‘ruinous competition’ over the decades,” and publishers should not be granted special treatment.
(MORE: Why Wall Street Loves Apple and Google as Facebook and Friends Fail)
Response to Apple
Last week, Apple argued that the DOJ’s proposed settlement, which it has not joined, affects its interests by forcing it to tear up existing contracts. As such, Apple says it’s entitled to a trial before the settlement is approved. The DOJ says Apple “is not entitled to preclude the United States and Apple’s co-defendants from obtaining the immediate benefits of their settlements, as it is well established that the United States ‘need not prove its underlying allegations in a Tunney Act proceeding.’” (The Tunney Act relates to anti-trust proceedings).
The DOJ claims that “in reality, what troubles Apple is that the decree returns pricing discretion not just to Apple, but also to its retail competitors.”
Response to Penguin
Last week, Penguin argued that the DOJ has not proven that ebook prices across the board rose under agency pricing. Penguin, which along with Macmillan is holding out against the settlement, also provided evidence showing that even prior to agency, Amazon priced many of its new titles above $9.99.
(MORE: Best Buy Can’t Stop the Bleeding)
The DOJ does not respond to this specific point, but rather presents charts (chart 1-PDF, chart 2-PDF) showing that “Penguin did indeed raise its prices as soon as it gained power to do so. “In four weeks spanning the time when Penguin took retail pricing power from Amazon, the average price for a Penguin e-book sold through Amazon increased 17 percent, and the average price for a Penguin ‘new release’ e-book sold through Amazon increased 21 percent.” Here are the DOJ’s charts (1, 2) andaccompanying methodology.
Penguin had argued that the DOJ should turn over all of its research on ebook pricing, since that research is apparently the basis for its conclusion that ebook prices rose across the board under agency pricing. The DOJ refuses, citing case law: “There is simply no basis for Penguin’s assertion that the United States must produce internal economic analyses to support its settlement.”
Response to Macmillan
Macmillan echoed Penguin’s demand for the DOJ’s research on ebook pricing and also asked the DOJ to show, as required by antitrust law, that the settlement would not result in Amazon gaining a monopoly. The DOJ responds by saying that there is no evidence that the settlement would result in Amazon gaining a monopoly because of “competition from established companies such as B&N, Google, Apple, and Sony.”
The DOJ says “the recently announced investment by Microsoft in B&N’s e-book business, and Sony’s release of a new e-reader, do not reflect any reluctance on the part of sophisticated companies to expand their sales of e-books.”
(MORE: 10 Questions for Dan Quayle)
Response to the ABA and Barnes & Noble
In their amicus brief, the booksellers argued that the number of public comments against the proposed settlement vastly outweighed the number of comments in favor of the settlement. The DOJ responds that “it is not unprecedented for parties to oppose a settlement because they have a stake in an anticompetitive status quo,” and claims “the majority of the comments received opposing the decree did not come from those seeking to represent the public interest, but rather from those that benefited from the conspiracy and that have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.”
Read more: http://paidcontent.org/2012/08/23/doj-compares-apple-and-publishers-to-big-oil-in-ebooks-case/#ixzz24hlsOJim