SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Indian army officials say two avalanches in snowbound regions of Indian-controlled Kashmir have killed at least three soldiers. Several more are feared trapped in a military camp that was partially buried under snow.

Col. K.S. Grewal said Thursday that three soldiers were killed in an avalanche in the mountainous area of Sonamarg. A second avalanche took place in Dawar, a town close to the militarized line of control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Part of a massive army camp in Dawar was buried.

Both avalanches took place late Wednesday night. Few other details were immediately available.

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Even as we see a growing number of uses of smartphones, inevitably taking up greater data usage, I am not convinced subscribers should go with unlimited data plans.

For a city whose cost of maintaining post-paid plans is among the lowest in the world, Hong Kong subscribers would rather pay a small incremental amount instead of taking the cheaper network package available.

Typically, telecom companies offer multiple tiers of plans to customers based on frequency and length of calls. Subscribers who seldom use their phones may opt for the lowest (and cheapest) plan while those who expect to use more air time minutes are likely to select plans with higher caps. Selecting a cheap plan comes with prudence to ensure air time usage do not exceed a certain number of minutes; those who fail to do so are subject to costly surcharges. People who have irregular phone usage may consider taking up high-end plans which may also include perks such as free SMS and handset rebates.

With the advent of smartphones that allow people to surf the web, chat and watch videos while on the go, telecom companies have added data plans to cater to this segment in the market. Some subscribers only check emails while others spend more time on playing streaming videos or playing online radio, hence the varying trend in data usage. Users who consume less bandwidth may feel safe if they pick the cheapest data plan. But for those who use more data may find subscribing to unlimited data plan more practical than constantly monitor their usage.

However, as telecom companies see that unlimited plan users usually use much less data than thought as well as adopting regulator requirements, rationalizing data plans by removing unlimited packages may be the way to go. That’s the case of SmarTone, a Hong Kong telecom company, which informed the public of the change. The revision of plans also frees up SmarTone from complying with guidelines set forth by OFTA, Hong Kong’s telecoms regulator. The guidelines say service providers offering “unlimited” plans must ensure they offer the service free from any restrictions, such as limited service during peak hours. If such limitations are considered necessary, operators may offer packages with high usage caps instead of the unlimited plans.

The move prompted customers to rush to renew contracts of unlimited plans. But shortly after its announcement, SmarTone made a flip-flop, and decided to resume offering “unlimited” plans with a new condition: subscribers who reach 5 gigabyte usage in a month would lose network priority during busy times. In a way, it’s still unlimited data usage, only with reduced priority.

Before we start making complaints about this change, it may not be worth protesting if we realize we actually use much less data than we think. According to OFTA director-general Eliza Lee, many subscribers are using less than 0.5 gigabytes a month. She believes that as people do not want to see shocking charges reflecting on their next bill, they subscribe to unlimited data plan to put their minds at ease.

OFTA records show that in October 2011, average data usage was 463 megabytes per mobile broadband user. This is less than a quarter of SmarTone’s new 2 gigabyte cap. In case you’d like to know how much data does accessing YouTube videos or listening to online radio actually consumes:

500MB corresponds to number of:

• basic webpages (mainly text): 5,000
• rich webpages (with multimedia, e.g. BBC): 1,500
• basic e-mails: 500,000
• rich e-mails (with attachments): 1,000
• downloading/streaming music: 100 songs
• downloading/streaming video: 1 hour
• Skype voice call: 15 hours
• Skype video call: 2 hours
• listening to online radio: 8 hours
• downloading/updating apps: 80 apps
  Source: Ken’s Tech Tips

I guess that with lack of information on the part of subscribers, they end up spending more for less. While it takes time to do research, it saves you money once you make informed decisions. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for up to two years before you can do so.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s crown prince believes efforts should be made to reduce the burden on his ailing father, Emperor Akihito, as the 78-year-old monarch recovers from heart bypass surgery.

Crown Prince Naruhito said that as Akihito gets older it is increasingly important to ensure that his official duties are not too heavy. Naruhito, the heir to the throne, made the comment in a news conference to mark his 52nd birthday on Thursday.

Akihito underwent the surgery on Saturday and remains in the hospital but is reportedly in good spirits. Emperors in modern Japan reign until they die. Naruhito refrained from commenting on whether that should be changed.

Japan’s postwar emperors are restricted to largely ceremonial functions.

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By The Isaan Record

UDON THANI  – From a stage outside Udon Thani’s Provincial Hall, the Red Village movement grew rapidly Sunday evening as it welcomed 1,000 new Isaan villages as official Red Villages for Democracy. The Federation of Red Villages, a branch of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, now boasts a total of 10,260 Red Villages in Thailand.

The Red Village movement garnered media attention last July when just a few hundred villages celebrated Red inauguration ceremonies in Isaan. Now, the Federation of Red Villages is aiming to expand its reach nationwide to 30,000 Red Villages within the next couple of years.

Representatives from the Federation of Red Villages hand out signs for newly inaugurated Red Villages for Democracy.

On and offstage on Sunday, local politicians and Red Shirt leaders touted the movement’s success in encouraging the free flow of ideas among Red Shirts fighting for democracy.

“In truth, the idea of the Red Villages did not come from the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, but rather from the people themselves after the protests in Bangkok,” shouted the Member of Parliament (MP) and Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan. “Finally, the people are capable of moving forward by themselves.” In response, thousands of red clad supporters burst out in cheers.

Surathin Pimanmekin, Udon Thani MP and Chief Consultant for the Federation of Red Villages, also spoke of the movement as one that encourages grassroots mobilization. “We want the Red people to take steps forward by themselves,” he said in an interview. “They should have their own political ideology and political thoughts without just following the direction of certain leaders.”

According to the head of the Federation of Red Villages, Kamonsil Singhasuriya, a given village can request a Red Village title if 50% of its constituents sign a petition in favor of the Red branding. Some local Members of Parliament, however, prefer to see a larger show of support. Party List MP Cherdchai Tantirin from Khon Kaen, for example, believes a village should receive a Red title only if more than 70% of the constituents give support.

Though critics have blamed the Red movement and particularly the Red Village movement for inspiring disunity among Thais, Mr. Kamonsil insists that the opposition groups in Red Villages are rarely uncomfortable with the title.

“People who are not Red Shirts are beginning to understand that Red Shirt activities are good for democracy,” he claims. “The opposition tries to blame the Red Shirts, but our fight is peaceful.”

Before the ceremony kicked off, a Red Shirt performer sat with posters demanding constitutional amendments.

In recent months, the Red Village movement has expanded into the North (with several hundred already inaugurated in Lampang) and the South as well. Local politicians and the Federation of Red Villages have also begun to inaugurate certain districts as Red.

As the sun set behind the Provincial Hall, Red performers led the crowd in song and dance. Between chants and cheers, Red supporters chatted about constitutional amendments and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s imminent arrival in Udon Thani.

“I like being a part of this movement because I want to see a return to a fair constitution in Thailand,” said Samanjit Khotchomphoo from Nong Khai. “It’s as if our rights were stolen after the 2006 coup.” Huddled under a tent, five new friends nodded behind her in agreement.

The Isaan Record is run by a small team of American journalists based in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Follow us on Twitter @isaanrecord or friend us on Facebook.

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Australia’s Relationship with its Aborigines

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Prime Minister Julia Gillard is announcing that her party will vote next week on its leadership.

Gillard said on Thursday she will abandon her leadership ambitions if her Labor Party lawmaker colleagues choose former foreign minister Kevin Rudd over her in the ballot on Monday.

She called on Rudd to abandon his ambitions if he loses.

Gillard told reporters: “We need a leadership ballot to settle this question once and for all.”

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In one of its kind development judicial commission, formed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to probe the memo case, recorded statement of a main witness through a video link on Wednesday.

As per details the witness, Mansoor Ijaz- a Pakistani-American businessman got recorded his statement from Pakistan High Commission in London through video conference facility while the three-member judicial commission was present at the Islamabad High Court.

According to the Guardian article of January 12, “The allegations made by Mansoor Ijaz reach all the way up to President Asif Zardari, and could end up with treason charges against the country’s former US ambassador, Husain Haqqani, or even the president himself.”

Reportedly the judicial commission had consented to record the statement via videoconferencing after Mansoor Ijaz refused to arrive in Pakistan fearing for his life.

The News International reported that during Wednesday’s session, Mansoor Ijaz handed over to the judicial commission a 29-page testimony along with a number of evidence including his BlackBerry, PIN, phone numbers, emails, code words, documents and other key information in connection with writing of the memo and its delivery to Admiral Mike Mullen through James Jones.

However Dawn newspaper reported that the key witness in Pakistan’s “Memogate” scandal Mansoor Ijaz said on Wednesday he delivered a secret memo seeking American help to avert a feared coup after Islamabad’s ambassador to the US told him it was from the president.

The report reads: “The controversial unsigned memo was allegedly an attempt by Zardari, through his close aide and former envoy Hussain Haqqani, to enlist help from the US military to head off a feared coup in Pakistan last year following the killing of Osama bin Laden by US Navy SEALs.”

“I asked (Haqqani) on whose authority he was doing this?” Ijaz said. “He (Haqqani) said this is coming from the president of Pakistan who wanted to put together a new national security team similar to national security team in USA,” Ijaz said.”

The judicial commission will resume recording the statement from Mansoor Ijaz on Thursday (today).

Sustainable energy students at Humber had a special guest looking over their shoulders in the classroom last week.

Ontario Minister of Energy Chris Bentley toured the Sustainable Energy and Building Technology (SEBT) classroom, spoke with students and heard from graduates, as he learns more about the province’s energy supply and programs. Bentley, seen above looking at students’ work stations, had previously served a variety of positions in Dalton McGuinty’s cabinet, including as Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. He was named the Energy Minister in October of this year.

“Humber is giving students a great future in Ontario, with skills that can be exported around the world,” Bentley said. “The world is going greener in part because we want to, in part because we need to. People will be looking for advice, expertise and technology, and in Ontario, we’re determined to be leaders in these areas. There is a great future for you.”

Bentley was taken around the classroom by Kerry Johnston, the program coordinator for the SEBT program.

“This is a field with high-growth potential,” Johnston said. “Government, businesses and organizations are all looking to go green and be more environmentally conscious. It is a good selling feature, but more than that, it makes economic sense.”

Humber president John Davies is grateful for the support of the government with this program, which includes more than 400 hours of placement time.

“Taking a leadership position in this area takes some political risk because it requires some large-scale investment, but those economies that lead the green jobs revolution can lead us to positive changes in the long haul,” Davies said.

Bentley was joined by Jodi Janwin, who graduated in the spring of 2011 and works at Provident Energy Management Inc. as an energy analyst.

Janwin became interested in renewable energy while working in international development. She saw small towns, which went dark early in the evening, suddenly able to have lights on at night. It was then that she started to look at programs that focused on energy efficiency and conservation.

“I wanted to work in a field where I would make a lasting difference in the world,” said Janwin, who prepares energy conservation proposals and runs simulations to ensure energy efficiency targets will be met in new projects. “With all the new development happening in Toronto, it’s very exciting to look at buildings and say that I had a role to play in them. I’m grateful to Humber that my future, and the future of others, looks extremely bright.”

NBA Linsanity

You probably have heard of “Linsanity” or “Lincredible” a lot recently. Jeremy Lin – “Linsanity” – is a remarkable New York Knicks player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is one of the few Asian Americans in NBA history. He has led his team to score seven winning games in the last two weeks. Jeremy Lin has scored 136 points in his first five games with the Knicks, more than anybody since the NBA and ABA merged in 1976. He holds a record score average of 20 points and eight assists in the last six winning games. Time Magazine has put him on the cover. Jeremy Lin is an NBA superstar, and more importantly, he is an Asian.

Jeremy Lin has become a global idol. In China, sports fans and commentators are quick to claim Lin, an American born to Taiwan immigrants with roots in mainland China. But he is Chinese no matter what. Most importantly, he graduated from Harvard University in 2010. He has broken the stereotype that an Asian can only be good at mathematics and physics. He shows that we Chinese can boast of more than just studying hard. He also showed the world that Chinese and Asians can compete with African-Americans or Eurasians in basketball without height advantage.

The challenge that Jeremy Lin has posed to leaders and managers worldwide is how many other Jeremy Lins (in sports, the arts and business) are there who are not yet getting their own chance? How do you find the talent that does not conform to expectations?

Tight nosebands on horse bridles can lead to stress, reduced blood flow in the area and ultimately deformed nasal bones

Nosebands on horse bridles are being tightened so much in some equestrian competitions that horses are suffering stress, reduced blood flow in the area and ultimately even deformed nasal bones, according to Professor Paul McGreevy from the University of Sydney.

But relief may be round the corner with the introduction of a simple device, the development of which Professor McGreevy outlines in a recent publication of the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour. The use of restrictive nosebands has become popular as they prevent the horse from opening its mouth which, in dressage, is regarded as a sign of resistance or lack of compliance and attracts penalties for the rider.

Another recent study by Professor McGreevy, from the University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science, and UK-based colleague Dr Hayley Randle has shown that as the tightness of the noseband increases, there appears to be an elevation in horses’ sensitivity to the bit, presumably because it becomes more uncomfortable. So riders may also feel that they have more control of the horse when the noseband is tighter.

“Over-tightened nosebands put so much pressure on horses’ nose and mouth areas, that they cause distress and obvious injuries to the horses,” said Professor McGreevy.

“These tight nosebands restrict virtually all normal jaw and tongue movements in the horses, primarily for the sake of avoiding penalties in competition.

“Nosebands designed to clamp the jaw shut very tightly – the so-called ‘crank nosebands’ – are only a fairly recent innovation in horse bridle design. Thirty years ago nosebands were largely aesthetic rather than functional,” explained Professor McGreevy.

The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) co-founded by Professor McGreevy, has recently made a number of recommendations for equestrian competition organisers to decrease the harmful effects of over-tight nosebands.

With the 2012 Olympic Games fast approaching and horses being the only animals to compete, Professor McGreevy is particularly keen to see the recommendations on noseband pressure implemented to protect competing horses.

“The recommendation is that competition organisers reinstate the traditional practice of leaving a two-fingers-sized gap under the noseband to demonstrate that it has not been over-tightened. If this is made an official part of competition rules, then riders will comply,” said Professor McGreevy.

“A two-fingers-sized gap below the noseband allows horses to chew naturally and to express tension or seek relief from the pressure of the bit, making competition a far more comfortable experience for the horse. Allowing riders to benchmark their horses’ relaxation is a principle called ‘ethical equitation’.”
“The practice of over-tightening nosebands to avoid penalties in competition covers up poor training at the expense of horse welfare. By instituting rules to make sure nosebands aren’t tightly clamping horses’ mouths shut, we will not only alleviate horse suffering, but also promote excellent training.”

Professor McGreevy has developed a standard simple taper gauge that can be used by stewards at competition, to measure the gap below the noseband in a fair and objective way.

“In most equestrian disciplines, stewards check that all equipment used on horses complies with the regulations specified for that discipline, so adding this simple noseband tightness test would be quite easy for competition organisers,” said Professor McGreevy.

“Adding this quick test to competition protocol would ensure that the detrimental effects of over-tightened nosebands were lessened, making a huge difference to horse welfare in these sports.”

Professor McGreevy is the co-author, with Emeritus Professor Bob Boakes, of Carrots and Sticks – the principles of animal training.