7 Ways President Obama Won The Second Debate

President Obama may have brought his laid back, cooler than the other side of the pillow demeanor to the first presidential debate, but for the second one, he was poised and ready to prove why we voted him into office in 2008 in the first place. The second presidential debate restored Obama supporters’ faith in the game-changing president where these same supporters may have questioned their vote due to President Obama’s lackluster performance at the first debate.

The two candidates went for each others’ jugular. Tensions were high and President Obama did us proud. He definitely learned from his low energy performance from the first debate and stepped his game all the way up! Between chastising Romney for not answering questions and letting him know how tacky he was for mentioning national security (while it’s happening) in regards to Libya, President Obama owned it last night.
I believe President Obama was listening to Biden’s #Turntup playlist before the debate. And it showed. President Obama proved that he’s got the passion that we doubted from the first debate and there’s no way he’s going to let a man like Romney (who he called a good man) take his seat from him. Remember, it’s taken.
Mitt Romney can officially have a seat elsewhere. For lack of a better phrase, President Obama was on one last night. My bad…he was on seven. And here’s the seven he was on:

1. Romney’s Five-Point Plan:
“Governor Romney says he’s got a five-point plan. Governor Romney doesn’t have a five-point plan. He has a one-point plan. And that plan is to make sure that folks at the top play by a different set of rules,” Obama said. “That’s been his philosophy in the private sector. That’s been his philosophy as a governor. And that’s been his philosophy as a presidential candidate”

2. Mr. Coal
“And when I hear Governor Romney say he’s a big coal guy, I mean,keep in mind, when – Governor, when you were governor of Massachusetts, you stood in front of a coal plant and pointed at it and said, “This plant kills,” and took great pride in shutting it down. And now suddenly you’re a big champion of coal.”

3. Big Bird
“We haven’t heard from the governor any specifics beyond Big Bird and eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood in terms of how he pays for that.”

4. Pension Mention
“You know, I – I don’t look at my pension. It’s not as big as yours so it doesn’t take as long.” Romney went on to say, “Let me give you some advice. Look at your pension. You also have investments in Chinese companies. You also have investments outside the United States. You also have investments through a Cayman’s trust,” before he was shut down by the moderator, Candy Crowley.



5. Romney’s Lies About Libya
“And the suggestion that anybody in my team, whether the secretary of state, our U.N. ambassador, anybody on my team would play politics or mislead when we’ve lost four of our own, governor, is offensive. That’s not what we do. That’s not what I do as president, that’s not what I do as commander in chief.”

6. Trap-her Keep-her
From Romney’s own lips, he used to have a binder full of women to choose from, hence solidifying that he hired with diversity on the brain for his Cabinet. “I went to a number of women’s groups and said, ‘Can you help us find folks?’ and they brought us whole binders full of women.” President Obama didn’t even need to comment on this. Romney dug his own viral hole.

7. The 47% Elephant In The Room
“I believe Governor Romney is a good man. Loves his family, cares about his faith. But I also believe that when he said behind closed doors that 47 percent of the country considered themselves victims who refuse personal responsibility, think about who he was talking about. Folks on Social Security who’ve worked all their lives. Veterans who’ve sacrificed for this country. Students who are out there trying to hopefully advance their own dreams, but also this country’s dreams. Soldiers who are overseas fighting for us right now. People who are working hard every day, paying payroll tax, gas taxes, but don’t make enough income.And I want to fight for them. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last four years. Because if they succeed, I believe the country succeeds.

By Danielle Young, Associate Editor

5 Reasons Mitt Romney Will Vote For President Obama

First of all, I thought Mitt Romney was kissing a lot of major a** with President Obama at the final debate. At the last debate, both candidates were aggressive, passionate and very matter-of-fact. This time around President Obama was poised and focused, while Romney was distracted and confused. So the perplexed candidate listened carefully to the incumbent through all topics from Syria to Iran and failed to come up with any original opinions and focused on what President Obama had to say and Romney basically copy/pasted everything Obama said.
Must Read: Obama vs. Romney: A Comparison Of Women’s Health Issues
It seems that Romney has been a part of this presidential race for so long he has forgotten everything that he’s stood for and has now joined the Democratic party. Once Romney started sweating and agreeing with President Obama, I was convinced that this time around, Romney wasn’t prepared and was two questions away from throwing in the towel. There were very specific points where Romney couldn’t help but agree with President Obama. That’s not a good sign, Romney. Maybe his mind was on bayonets, Big Bird and a binder full of women?
Check out all the reasons you should vote for President Obama (these also happen to be the reasons Mitt Romney is voting for Obama as well.)
1. al-Qaeda
“And you know, Governor Romney, I’m glad that you agree that we have been successful in going after al-Qaida, but I have to tell you that, you know, your strategy previously has been one that has been all over the map and is not designed to keep Americans safe or to build on the opportunities that exist in the Middle East.” -President Obama

2. Aiding Rebels In Syria
“Recognize I believe that Assad must go. I believe he will go. But I believe we want to make sure that we have the relationships of friendship with the people that take his place such that in the years to come we see Syria as a — as a friend and Syria as a responsible party in the Middle East. This — this is a critical opportunity for America.” -Romney

3. Relationship With Israel
Remember–Israel is one of our allies and Obama wants to stick by them, so does Romney. “Well, first of all, I — I want to underscore the — the same point the president made, which is that if I’m president of the United States, when I’m president of the United States, we will stand with Israel. And — and if Israel is attacked, we have their back, not just diplomatically, not just culturally, but militarily. That’s number one.” -Romney

4. Sanctions With Iran
“Number two, something I would add today is I would tighten those sanctions. I would say that ships that carry Iranian oil can’t come into our ports. I imagine the EU would agree with us as well. Not only ships couldn’t, I’d say companies that are moving their oil can’t, people who are trading in their oil can’t. I would tighten those sanctions further.” -Romney
“I’m glad that Governor Romney agrees with the steps that we’re taking. You know, there have been times, Governor, frankly, during the course of this campaign, where it sounded like you thought that you’d do the some things we did, but you’d say them louder and somehow that that would make a difference, and it turns out that the work involved in setting up these crippling sanctions is painstaking; it’s meticulous. We started from the day we got into office.” -Obama

5. Surge In Iraq
“Governor Romney, I’m glad that you recognize that al-Qaida’s a threat because a few months ago when you were asked, what’s the biggest geopolitical threat facing America, you said Russia — not al-Qaida, you said Russia. And the 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because, you know, the Cold War’s been over for 20 years.
But, Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980s, just like the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies of the 1920s. You say that you’re not interested in duplicating what happened in Iraq, but just a few weeks ago you said you think we should have more troops in Iraq right now.” -Obama
“I couldn’t agree more about going forward, but I certainly don’t want to go back to the policies of the last four years. The policies of the last four years have seen incomes in America decline every year for middle-income families, now down $4,300 during your term, 23 million Americans still struggling to find a good job. When you came into office, 32 million people on food stamps — today 47 million people on food stamps.” -Romney
Who’s got your vote after the third presidential debate?

Google’s New Voice Search, a Threat to Siri?

Siri is a pretty cool piece of technology and everyone is trying to emulate it. I’m a little surprised that Google has been taking so long to actually come out with something better. I got to say though they are getting close with the updated Google Search app that is available now. So how does it compare to Siri? I took some time and played with it and thought I would give you my thoughts.
So I have an iPhone 4 and after jail breaking it I was able to put Siri on it. It runs just fine but I am very used to using Siri on the iPhone 4S. The first thing I noticed with Google was the speed. As I was talking it was real time dictating and predicting words as I was saying them. It’s pretty cool to watch. Google returns results instantly where I notice a lag from Siri.
Google is using the full power of Google search so it’s able to return certain things that Siri will ask you to search the internet for. On the downside, it’s search only so it doesn’t care about your name, your contacts or keeping up with your schedule. I couldn’t get it to tell me a joke either. The voice is a lot better than Siri, it sounds like an actual person.
So is the updated Google Search app a threat to Siri? Not right now. Once it gets down what Siri does best then we’ll talk. Take a look at the video below to see what Google is showing off in the new update. For now you will need to use Siri for all your dictating, scheduling and hooker finding needs.

enhanced voice search on the google search app 

Lindsay Lohan's Twitter Account Hacked

by Alyssa Toomey Today 9:22 AM PDT

 

Lindsay Lohan is the latest celebrity to fall victim to a Twitter hacker.
But in case you were wondering, those "Hurricane Sally" tweets are very real.
Instead, the fake message in question was posted to the star's feed on the social-media site last night, leaving all of Lindsay's 4.5 million followers a bit confused by the babe's latest Twitter habits.
Lindsay Lohan's publicist quits
"How does Hitler tie his shoes? from @oatmeal," read the odd tweet on the 26-year-old's profile, which included a link to a humor website.
Luckily, the actress noticed the social-media snafu, and she took to Twitter to set the record straight.

George Wendt Hospitalized

Heidi Klum Cancels Annual Halloween Bash

Chelsea Lately: Interpreter Finds Fame

"My twitter was hacked, please ignore the last tweet," the Liz & Dick star posted Tuesday night.
Kris Jenner's Twitter got hacked, too!
Phew!
Now that things are all cleared up, LiLo can go back to tweeting about Hurricane Sassy, the presidential debates or any other hot topic of the moment.
Admit it—you love hearing what she has to say, right? (It's OK—it's our guilty pleasure, too.)
We love LiLo's famous party pals almost as much as her tweets!

Taylor Swift 'Can't Deal' with Cheating

When it comes to finding love, there are certain things Taylor Swift won't compromise.

"I can't deal with someone wanting to take a relationship backward or needing space or cheating on you," she says in the December issue of Cosmopolitan. "It's a conscious thing: it's a common sense thing. ... I just don't ever want to end up in a relationship that isn't fair ever again."

Although she's been linked to actors, musicians and even a Kennedy, Swift, 22, is more concerned with chemistry than anything else.

Taylor Swift

Courtesy Cosmopolitan

"I need that unexplainable spark," she says. "I just need to see someone and feel oh, no, uh-oh. It's only happened a few times in my life, but I feel like if I was gonna be with someone forever, it would be because I saw them and I thought, Oh, no."

But while her love life provides endless inspiration for her hit songs, the Grammy Award winner says there's only one thing she'd do if she wasn't making music.

"Being a mom full time, doing everything for my kids, having a bunch of them," she says of her future aspirations. "That's the only other thing that could be as thrilling for me as doing this."

Taylor Swift Crashes One Million, Kendrick Lamar Posts Solid Billboard Debut

Lamar's good kid sold more than 241,000 copies.

By Gil Kaufman

In a week where Taylor Swift shattered the competition by selling more than 
1.2 million copies of Red, all the competition could do was hope to make a dent.
Swift, whose gaudy figures were represented the highest first week total since Eminem's The Eminem Show moved 1.322 million back in 2002, will easily take the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

Taylor Swift Tells Fans What To Expect On Red

Well behind but still putting up very solid sales for a recent major label debut for a male artist was Dr. Dre protege Kendrick Lamar, whose psychedelic hip-hop masterpiece, 
good kid, m.A.A.d. City lands at #2 on sales of 241,000.
Legendary singer Tony Bennett was at #5 with the Latin-tinged Viva Duets (36,000), blues rocker Gary Clark Jr. came in at #6 with Blak & Blu (35,000), hard rockers Stone Sour were just behind at #7 with House of Gold & Bones- Part 1 (31,000) and Lady Antebellum rounded out the new faces in the top 10 with their holiday offering, On This Winter's Night (#9, 25,000).
The rest of the top 10: Jason Aldean, Night Train (#3, 116,000), Mumford & Sons, Babel (#4, 53,000), Pink, The Truth About Love (#8, 25,000) and Brandy, Two Eleven (#10, 22,000).
Just outside the top 10, soon-to-split EDM giants Swedish House Mafia scored a #14 debut for Until Now (18,000) and former "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery took a big tumble with his first yuletide album, Christmas With Scotty, which dropped 11 slots and 56 percent to #15 in week two on sales of 18,000.
Also debuting was the soundtrack to Wu-Tang Clan mastermind RZA's "The Man With the Iron Fists," which moved 12,000 units to land at #31.
Over on the iTunes singles chart, South Korean rapper Psy kept his stranglehold on #1 with "Gangnam Style," which beat out "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars, "Die Young" by Ke$ha and "One More Night" by Maroon 5. Coming in at #5 was Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble," followed by Rihanna's "Diamonds," Fun.'s "Some Nights," Swift's "Red," Flo Rida's "I Cry" and yet another Swift smash, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together Again."
It goes without saying that Swift also ruled the iTunes album chart, besting Lamar, Aldean, Mumford, Clark and Swedish House Mafia. Coming in at #7 were pre-orders for rapper Meek Mill's Dreams and Nightmares, ahead of Stone Sour, the self-titled debut from the Lumineers and the "Pitch Perfect" soundtrack.
Look for chart debuts from Mill, Toby Keith, Rod Stewart, Flyleaf and Christmas kings Trans-Siberian Orchestra next week.

Sandy shows the U.S. is unprepared for climate disasters

There are two main strategies involved in tackling climate change. First, we could try to slow or stop the pace of global warming by curbing our greenhouse-gas emissions. And second, there’s adaptation — we can try to revamp our existing infrastructure to protect ourselves against some of the effects of a warmer planet.

That should do the trick. (Washington Post)

Many experts say we’ll need to do both. Even if the world could zero out its emissions tomorrow, scientists have found, we’ve already loaded enough carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere to raise global temperatures by about 1.4°C over pre-industrial levels. That’s less drastic than what will happen if we keep burning fossil fuels at our current pace, but even a mild temperature increase will likely mean more heat waves, droughts, sea-level rise. A certain level of adaptation will be necessary no matter what we do about emissions.
And the fallout from Hurricane Sandy has provoked some politicians into taking adaptation more seriously — even if it’s hard to link a single hurricane to climate change. “These are extreme weather patterns. The frequency has been increasing. It is something we’re going to have to start thinking about,” said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo after surveying the flooding in lower Manhattan. “The construction of this city did not anticipate these kinds of situations. We are only a few feet above sea level.”
So how far along is the United States in thinking about climate adaptation? Not very far at all. A new comprehensive survey from October 2012 finds that some states and cities around the country are beginning to draw up plans, but they’re nowhere near adequate. “Most adaptation actions to date appear to be incremental changes,” the survey notes, “not the transformational changes that may be needed in certain cases to adapt to significant changes in climate.”
Climate-change adaptation can take a variety of forms. Louisiana has written up a plan to restore and protect its coastline from further erosion at the hands of sea-level rise over the next 50 years. Texas is trying to improve its drought-response plans. Governors out West have begun talks on how global warming might affect water allocation in the Colorado River. New York City has to think about how to deal with fiercer storm surges in the years ahead as ice sheets melt and sea levels rise.
But the adaptation survey, led by Rosina Bierbaum of the University of Michigan, found that many of these plans were hobbled by poor funding and various legal impediments. Another problem is that climate models still aren’t as adept at predicting precise impacts in small areas, which makes preparation difficult in some cases. (It’s easier for climatologists to forecast that droughts in North America will become more severe and persistent than to predict exactly where they’ll take hold.)
What’s more, the survey notes, there are surprisingly few studies looking at the cost-effectiveness of various adaptation strategies. As John Carney points out over at CNBC, New York City isn’t going to be able to harden its infrastructure against every single natural disaster ever. Some actions just won’t be worth the price tag. (It wouldn’t be terribly cost-effective to move all of Manhattan further inland, for instance.) The same is true for all regions. So a lot more work needs to be done to figure out what, exactly, cities and states can do to become more resilient against various climate impacts.
As Mireya Navarro reported in September in the New York Times, that’s something that New York City was beginning to study. After all, as sea levels rise, storm surges and flooding from even small storms will get more severe. One 2009 commission warned that New York’s subway system was unprepared for such flooding. Another study recommended movable barriers at places like under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge or at the upper end of the East River.
But the process has been fairly slow-going, Navarro explained: “Planning experts say it is hard to muster public support for projects with uncertain or distant benefits.”
Adaptation measures may get a more urgent look in New York City now that Hurricane Sandy has seized everyone’s attention. But plenty of other cities and states are also moving at a sluggish pace in planning for climate-related threats. And, in some areas, the federal government has been encouraging construction on coastal property that’s most at risk from sea-level rise. Adaptation only tends to garner attention after a big disaster. But it’s often cheaper to act long before then.

c&p Posted by Brad Plumer 

Close Your Eyes

• I can't be with you today but if you close your eyes and think; I'll be beside you in the kitchen wearing your shirt - standing by the sink. I'll be with you in the bedroom waiting quietly on your bed; Just close your eyes and think of me, relive those memories in your head. I'll stand by you in the bathroom, an unlikely place to meet; I'll smile at you so playfully as I let you brush my teeth. I'll be your light in the darkness, shining steady through and through; You only have to watch it glow to know I think of you. I'll be the music that you listen to, I'll be there in every song: I'll laugh with you and sing with you, and comfort you when your day's gone wrong. I'll be the wind that ruffles your hair, I'll be that warm embrace; I'll be the hand on your shoulder, I'll be the tender touch on your face. I'll be the clock gently ticking, reminding you of the times; We've shut the rest of the world outside we're in our own world - yours and mine. I'll be the moon as it dances on the water cold and still; For I have loved you always and I know I always will. Though you may not see me physically as you live your life today; Just close your eyes and think of me I will not be far away.

When and how to lie to your woman

khatiwada subash


Even the most honest of men find themselves lying to their gal once in a while. Some men even lie on a more regular basis. Don't get them wrong though, men usually lie to avoid trouble. However, sometimes this strategy backfires, so it is advised to all men that they be aware of the possibilities of getting caught. Inject a little humor in your lies, and give her that puppy dog look. You'll get off easily, but you'll still have to make up for it.
Here are some ways you can lie to her without hurting her feelings much.
 

• You forgot to buy her a birthday / anniversary gift:
  This is a huge mistake on your part as it shows you are an insensitive jerk. When she asks for her gift on the important day, retain your calm and dial the florist and demand to know why the flowers you ordered didn't reach its destination. Or simply say that you didn't want to spoil the surprise but since she left you no other option, you have to tell her that you had planned a great evening. Of course she may not be naive enough not to know you're lying but it'll just about save your hide.
• You accidentally get a bit too friendly with a girl friend:
  You happen to meet a friend who is a girl and of course, being the gentleman you are, you chat with her. And of course you over do the charming part at times and your gal catches you in the act. How do you get back in her good graces? Use an affectionate term you've reserved only for her to start your sentence like, "Sugar, Honey, I was just talking!" This lets her know that she is still number 1 to you. Besides women like a little bit of competition, so she'll shower you with enough affection to make sure you don't think of the other girl again. Actually, it's a very beneficial position to be in.
  
• You accidentally spill some drink on her:
  Give her your naughty boy - sly smile and tell her that she looks hotter when she's wet. Of course that's true (this actually disqualifies this topic for this article but..) so she'll believe it. Then be a hero and offer her your jacket, if it'll help. 
  
• You show up late for dinner at a restaurant:
  You couldn't make it on time because an old lady had a flat tire or you found a lost child crying in the park. If she buys it, good. If not add some real silly excuses like you actually being spider man and had to take care of some bad guys who were robbing a bank. If you can't pull the wool over her eyes, tickle her pink!
  
• She asks you if she's fat:
  Who says only beauty contestants have to face tough questions? Next time she asks if she's fat, don't think twice. Say "no" no matter how much pounds she has gained. Then offer her some help if she wants to trim down like accompanying her to the gym or on her jogs. (Of course you want her to slim down!)
  
• You want to avoid meeting her family again:
  Having to meet her family is something all guys dread. Why can't the "buy 1 get all" thing happen on products available in the market? The only way out of this is to act sick or come up with some supposedly important office work. You'll need some pretty convincing acting on this one though.  
  
• She catches you eyeing another woman:
  Get romantic on this one and tell her that you looked at the woman only because she's so much like her, or that the pretty dress the woman was wearing would look far better on her.

 

Exam Day

Exam day
It's already here
I'm sure I'm going to fail
And won't shed a tear

My mom will yell at me
My dad will curse
I will be grounded
And maybe something worse

I hate exams
They bring me down
I study so much
And always end up with a frown

I don't understand
Why I'm such a bad student
I don't do it purposely
I promised my parents I wouldn't

Things aren't going well for me
I probably won't get into college
I will live with my parents
And probably held hostage

So here comes my dad
The report card in his hand
The pounding of his feet
Coming in with a crash-land

Before he even hits the door
He starts his screaming
"Tanya, Your grounded"
I'm dead.. I start thinking

Daddy I'm sorry
I disappointed you
I told him I really did try
No excuse of mine is new

So, I'm 80 now
I have nobody, all alone
I am so stupid
I say I was hit with a stone

My life has run away
I never had a job
I live off my parent's money
At 20, I began to rob

So do your school work
And don't end up like me
Stupid, boring, and ugly
Is not the way you want to be

Does Heaven have a phone number?

Mommy went to Heaven,

but I need her here today,

My tummy hurts and I fell down,

I need her right away,

Operator can you tell me how

to find her in this book?

Is heaven in the yellow part,

I don't know where to look.

I think my daddy needs her too,

at night I hear him cry.

I hear him call her name sometimes,

but I really don't know why.

Maybe if I call her,

she will hurry home to me.

Is Heaven very far away,

Is it across the sea?

She's been gone a long, long time

she needs to come home now!

I really need to reach her,

I simply don't know how.

Help me find the number please,

is it listed under "Heaven"?

I can't read these big big words,

I am only seven.

I'm sorry operator,

I didn't mean to make you cry,

Is your tummy hurting too,

or is there something in your eye?

If I call my church maybe they will know.

Mommy said when we need help that's where we should go.

I found the number to my church

tacked up on the wall.

Thank you operator,I'll give them a call.

The islands of Sydney Harbour

The islands of Sydney Harbour stand like lookouts on one of the world’s most attractive waterways -- reshaped by the demands of war. But where there used to be 14 islands dotting the busy harbour, only eight have avoided the growth of Australia’s biggest metropolis.

“Some people may not be aware that some of the coastline’s bulging headlands were originally islands,” explained Ian Hoskins, the official historian at the North Sydney Council and author of the book Sydney Harbour: A History.

The best known of Sydney’s vanished islands is Garden Island, which was used as an offshore farm to feed a fledgling penal colony in the late 18th Century and is now one of Australia’s most important navy bases.
In 1942, after a military dry dock for naval boat repairs joined the island to Sydney’s southern shoreline, Garden Island witnessed an attack that brought terror to a nation in fear of invasion. A Japanese midget submarine sank the moored accommodation ship Kuttabul, killing 21 Australian and British sailors during WWII. The northern part of this historic treasure is now public parkland, only reachable by ferry and peppered with historic buildings and naval installations. It is a popular picnic spot too.
Other islands that lost island status when developers joined their landmass with the mainland include Darling Island, which became part of the mainland in the late 1840s and later became the base of Darling Harbour, a popular restaurant and entertainment hub in the suburb of Pyrmont. Little Bennelong Island, a tiny hummock of land, was appropriated by the mainland in the 1820s and now makes up the tip of Bennelong Point, home to the Sydney Opera House. And Glebe Island, an industrial area in the suburb of Balmain, joined the mainland in the 1860s and now acts as a cargo storage area for freighters. In the case of Glebe Island, developers filled the gap between the island and the mainland with rocks to create a connecting causeway.
“My favourite island is, in fact, not an island,” Hoskins said. “[Berry Island] is so easy to get to and is joined [to the mainland] by this isthmus of lawn, but once you’re there, it is this wonderful angophora forest. There are various Aboriginal sites and you can see grooves in the rock where they would have sharpened spears… and you can look out through the Sydney red gum trees and get a sense of the pre-European harbour.”
The islands that remain
Through the mist on a damp day, a Captain Cook tour boat ferried soggy tourists to Fort Denison, a rocky outcrop of an island that once housed an early convict prison. To boost Sydney’s maritime defences during the early years of colonization, the tiny island was flattened and Australia’s only Martello-style fort was built, similar to those that dotted the coast of Britain in the mid 19th Century, with very thick sandstone walls to absorb cannon fire. The highly recommended Fort Denison Cafe and Restaurant serves Australian cuisine with a Mediterranean twist and for those with very deep pockets, the island affords a front row seat to arguably the world’s finest New Year’s Eve fireworks display. Only reachable by boat tour, Fort Denison is one of Sydney’s gems, with spectacular views of the opera house and the old coat hanger bridge that spans one of the world’s most photogenic harbours. Even on a damp day, visiting is a treat.
“It is quite an iconic image for Sydney Harbour,” explained Bernie Courtenay, the Captain Cook cruise boat skipper. “It was a little island when the First Fleet [of settlers] arrived here [in 1788]. They had no use for it except as a place of isolation for reoffending convicts. During the 1840s, because of fears of invasion by privateers and foreign navies, they decided to fortify the island. You can [still] walk around Fort Denison and quite imagine yourself back in Crimean times.”

The other slice of real estate that has been radically altered is Cockatoo Island, which was a shipbuilding hub until the early 1990s. Today, it has been reborn as a cultural haven, with cavernous warehouses that host concerts and exhibitions, including the spectacular Biennale of Sydney, a visual arts festival. Visitors can bed down in dedicated luxury campgrounds or in heritage holiday homes, and Sydney’s largest island at 17.9 hectares is reached by ferry, water taxi and private boat. Or, for the intrepid, this island is one of the only ones in the harbour that can be reached by kayak.
Other smaller dots on the west side of Sydney Harbour, such as the private island of Snapper and the navy base of Spectacle Island, are not generally open to the public. But they can be seen by ferry on the Balmain West-Birchgrove Service from Circular Quay. Quaint summerhouses dating back to the 1920s bring visitors to Rodd Island, a former biological research station nestled in Iron Cove near the Sydney suburb of Rozelle. Today, the 0.5-hectare island can be reserved for weddings and other functions, is a popular picnic site and can be reached by water taxi.
Shark and Clark Islands, located off the harbourside suburb of Darling Point and Rose Bay respectively, became dedicated recreational areas as early as the 1870s and are now great places to watch the boat traffic in Sydney Harbour. The island’s picnic areas offer stunning views across Sydney Harbour, and it is a priceless feeling to sit on a tiny speck of land in the middle of one of Australia’s busiest harbours, watching the ferries and pleasure boats glide past the diamond-crusted waters.
“Most of us feel like we want to go and sit on an island and get away from it all,” said Judy Bennett, a commentator for Captain Cook Cruises. “People go to Shark Island for weddings. It’s very romantic. There aren’t too many people out there.”
Goat Island, located just west of the Harbour Bridge, is known as the “Eye of the Harbour” as it commands magnificent views of Sydney’s greatest natural treasure. It is also a place revered by Aborigines, who conducted spiritual ceremonies on the rocky outcrop until the early 19th Century. The island has had a varied career over the years, serving as a convict stockade, explosives store, police station, boat yard and film set. Relics of Goat Island's convict origins remain, including a seat carved out of stone by Charles Anderson, an inmate who was sentenced to be tied to a particularly large slab of the island for two years.

Nepal profile

Facts

A Sadhu - Hindu holy man - prepares for a religious festival

Population: 30.5 million (UN, 2011)
Capital: Kathmandu
Area: 147,181 sq km (56,827 sq miles)
Major language: Nepali
Major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism
Life expectancy: 68 years (men), 70 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Nepalese rupee = 100 paisa
Main exports: Carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
GNI per capita: US $540 (World Bank, 2011)
Internet domain: .np
International dialling code: +977

LABOR LAWS IN NEPAL

LABOR LAWS IN THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL

 

The Labour Act, 1992 lays down the legal framework and the basis for the rules, regulations and guidance on the proper management of any establishment employing 10 persons or more.

 

It deals with matters relating to employment and security of employment, working hours and minimum wages, welfare of employees, employer employee relations and the settlement of labour disputes.

 

Labour Regulation, 1993 complements the Labour Act with further clarification in issues such as security of profession and service, remuneration and welfare provision, health, cleanliness and safety, etc.

 

The Bonus Act of 1974 provides a legal basis for the payment of bonus to the workers and employees of factories and commercial establishments.

 

WAGES AND SALARIES

 

The low cost of living enables workers to offer their services at relatively low wage rates. The minimum wage rates set by the government are generally lower than the going wage rates for workers. Salaries of middle management executives, technical grade officers, engineers and other professionals are generally lower than in other developing countries. Permanent employees of a factory should contribute 10 percent of the monthly salary to a provident fund and the management should make a matching contribution. Gratuities are payable to workers who have worked for over 3 years.

 

Working Hours, Holidays

 

Normal working hours are fixed at 48 hours per week, 8 hours a day. Continuous working hours should not exceed 5 hours. There should be a break of half an hour. Overtime work is remunerated at one and a half times the normal wage. In addition to 13 public holidays, permanent workers are entitled to one day's home leave for every 20 days, 15 days medical leave with half pay and one month special leave without pay every year. Female employees are entitled to 52 days maternity leave with full pay. Such maternity leave shall be granted only twice during the entire period of service. The compulsory retiring age for workers is 55. However, in the case of a skilled worker whose service is indispensable, the retirement age could be extended up to 60 years.

 

CHILD LABOR LAWS

 

Nepal's law establishes a minimum age for employment of children at 14 years. The Constitution of Nepal stipulates that children shall not be employed in factories, mines, or similar hazardous work. The Constitution also forbids slavery, bonded labor, and the trafficking of individuals.

 

Other important child labor laws include the Children's Rights and Welfare Act 1992. This Act defines child as a person who has not reached the age of 16. Article 17 prohibits the employment of children who have not attained the age of 14 years. This legislation prohibits forced labor, requires equal remuneration for equal work (Art. 17), and prohibits employment of children in hazardous work (Art. 18). Child laborers are entitled to leisure for a half-hour for every three hours of work, and one day off every week (Art. 47). The Labor Act of 1992 prohibits employment of minors under 14 years of age and regulates the work hours of "minors" between the ages of 14 to 18. This Act applies to children working in urban industries and provides for labor inspectors in each district.

 

The Nepal Department of Labor has a "spotty" enforcement record. However, the government's action has been inadequate to reduce the incidence of child labor. Although factories were "penalized" for employing children, sanctions were never enforced.

 

EDUCATION FOR CHILD WORKERS

 

Education is not compulsory in Nepal. The government has a stated policy of providing free education through the 6th grade, but this policy reportedly is not implemented. Anti-Slavery International and Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN) states that the government offers free tuition and textbooks and tuition for children in grades one to three, and grades four and five for children in rural areas. Parents, however, still have to provide stationary, which can amount to rupees 200 (approximately $4.54) per child per year. This is a substantial financial burden, especially on poor families. Moreover, access to schools is limited, especially in rural areas, and most schools have no latrines or drinking water.

 

SOCIAL SECURITY

 

In Nepal, wage structure is very weak and limited. Incentive earnings are very few and limited to a few enterprises. Fringe benefits like residence facility or allowance, Medicare, educational facilities for the children, transportation, ration, child care centres, entertainment, life insurance, credit facilities etc. are limited to a few establishments and are far from the access of the workers of most of the industries and services.

 

A few provisions of social security have been included in the Labour Act 1992. Among them are sick leave, maternity leave of 45 days, workmen's compensation, provident fund & gratuity as the old age benefit. Besides, Childcare centres, canteen and welfare officer in every enterprise are other provisions.

 

But the Act covers the establishments with more than 10 workers & the industrial estates and hence too limited in its coverage. Moreover, the responsibility of these provisions is solely left to the employers. The schemes of social insurance or security based on funds created by the tripartite contributions of workers, employers and the government are non-existent. Thus, we are in a phase of infancy with regard to social security.

Nepal Citizenship Law

Citizenship Law

ARTICLE 8. Citizenship at the Commencement of the Constitution:
(1) Persons who have acquired citizenship at the commencement of this Constitution and the persons who are eligible to acquire citizenship by virtue of the provisions of this Part shall be the citizens of Nepal.
(2) At the commencement of this Constitution, the following persons who have their domicile in Nepal shall be deemed to be citizens of Nepal by descent:

1. a person who has acquired citizenship by descent before the commencement of this Constitution,
2. any person whose father or mother is a citizen of Nepal at the birth of such person.

(3) Every child who is found within the territory of Nepal and the whereabouts of whose parents are not known shall, until the father or mother of the child is traced, be deemed to be a citizen of Nepal by descent.
(4) Whenever any territory is acquired by way of incorporation into Nepal, every person having his domicile within such territory shall become a citizen of Nepal, subject to the provisions of the laws in force.
(5) Any person born till the end of Chaitra, 2046 (mid April, 1990) and has been residing permanently in Nepal shall acquire the citizenship of Nepal by birth as per the laws in force. Provided, that application to that effect shall be submitted within the timeframe prescribed for onetime as per the provision of the laws in force.
(6) A woman of foreign nationality who has a matrimonial relationship with a Nepalese citizen may acquire naturalized citizenship, if she desires to do so, pursuant to the laws in force.
(7) Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Article in the case of a person born to the women citizen of Nepal married to a foreigner, if such a person is born in Nepal and has been residing permanently in Nepal who has not acquired citizenship of the foreign country by virtue of the citizenship of his/her father he/she may acquire the naturalized citizenship of Nepal pursuant to the laws in force.

ARTICLE  9. Naturalized or Honorary Citizenship:
Except as provided for in Article 8, the Government of Nepal may grant naturalized or honorary Nepalese citizenship as per the provision of the law.

ARTICLE 10. Acquisition and Termination of Citizenship:
Other necessary provisions including the acquisition and termination of the citizenship shall be as provided for in the laws.

ARTICLE 11. Citizenship Team to be Assigned:
Government of Nepal shall assign Citizenship Distribution Team to provide citizenship to the persons eligible to acquire citizenship as provided for in the laws in force.