Boeing 787 review: ANA's Dreamliner flies across Japan, we join for the ride

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is not the largest plane in the world. Nor is it the fastest. It doesn't have on-board showers or full-size beds, nor can it lay claim to the greatest range or sleekest entertainment system in the air. But it will change the way we fly for decades to come. Boeing's latest commercial airliner is several feet wider and longer than the 767, the company's smallest wide-body (twin-aisle) jet, yet it's 20 percent more fuel efficient. Given that fuel is the single greatest operating cost for any airline, savings of that magnitude could return the industry to profitability, and perhaps even usher in lower airfares for passengers.

But while the 787's efficiency makes it an attractive option for airlines, it also serves up a more comfortable ride for passengers. We recently had a chance to fly on a domestic round trip between Tokyo and Okayama in Japan aboard an All Nippon Airways (ANA) Dreamliner -- one of the first two ever delivered. Quieter engines, dimmable windows, LED lights, huge overhead bins, an in-flight bar and on-demand entertainment enhance comfort, even during shorter flights, while higher humidity, a greater internal pressurization level and a gust alleviation system reduce the effects of turbulence. Care to take a ride? Jump past the break to join us on board Boeing's brand new Dreamliner.

Gallery: Boeing 787 Dreamliner exterior

Continue reading Boeing 787 review: ANA's Dreamliner flies across Japan, we join for the ride

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Hitchens Teaches Me About Every War in the World

Second, his knowledge of these wars and the countries that bred them?their political structures, social fabrics, cultural peculiarities?was dizzyingly deep. I particularly remember him waxing lyrical, and in detail, on the revolutionaries of the Polisario Front, fighting for the independence of the Western Sahara from Morocco.

Third, he was almost dumbfoundingly generous. Jacob Weisberg has written of Hitchens? kindness to younger journalists. I didn?t exactly fall in that category. He was only five years older, and toiling in only slightly less obscurity, than I was. Yet he shared everything he knew about every war we discussed, without hesitation or expectation of reward (apart from the cheap lunch).

He shouldn?t be sentimentalized. Hitch could be a real shit if you fell on the wrong side of his favor. Among our mutual friends, he had fallings-out, in some cases multiple ones, with almost every one of them. And yet, at some point, they always fell back in. He was too irresistible and, in a pinch, too good a friend.

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Giftiki Takes Social Gifting Platform Mobile With iOS App

Collaborative gifting startup Giftiki is its first mobile presence with a new iPhone App. Giftiki lets users send small amounts of money as gifts, allowing recipients join a pool in order to give their friends the perfect gift. And Giftiki leverages social ties and game mechanics to get users to contribute to the gifting process and add more money to the pool. Giftiki users can sign in via Facebook, which will automatically pull in friends and their birthdays. Givers choose a friend and decide on an amount to give. Giftiki now allows users to invite their friends to gift a specific individual. After selecting an amount to gift, wrapping, and sending a Giftiki, a pop up window will appear that shows the giver what friends they have in common with the individual they just gifted. Users can then choose friends and write a personal message that invites them to join and chip in. This message posts to Facebook allowing more people spread the love.

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AP-GfK Poll: Most Americans want payroll tax extension, remain furious with Congress, politics (Star Tribune)

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Is Global Warming Driving Polar Bears to Cannibalism? (LiveScience.com)

Summer and fall are lean times for polar bears in the Arctic. In the colder months, they prey on seals, which sprawl on the sea ice that fringes the bears' terrain. But in the summer, much of this icy real estate melts away, and the seals take to the open seas or move north toward ice floes beyond the polar bears' reach. Left without their usual prey, the bears occasionally resort to a disturbing behavior: cannibalism.

A new article in the journal Arctic suggests that polar bear cannibalism ? typically the predation of small bears or cubs by much larger adult males ? is either much more commonplace than previously thought, or has lately become more common. In the paper, leading polar bear biologist Ian Stirling and nature photographer Jenny Ross detail three recent instances of the behavior among polar bears in Norway's Svalbard Archipelago, each of which was photographed from the decks of ecotourism and research boats anchored a few hundred yards away.

Ross' vivid photographs show young cubs drooping from the jaws of huge males, their bright blood dashed against the pristine snow. Stirling, a scientist emeritus with the Canadian Wildlife Service and adjunct professor at the University of Alberta, relied on his extensive knowledge of polar bear physiology and behavior to glean information from the photos.

"[T]he data we present suggest that in late summer when there is not much ice left and the seals are present but mostly in the water and inaccessible, a smaller bear represents a potential food source," Stirling told Life's Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience. "What I don't know is whether this has been going on for a long time and has only come to light as there are now lots of [ecotourism] ships going into the loose pack at the end of summer, or if it is something new."

The scientists are asking: are polar bears more often resorting to cannibalism because of increased hunger and desperation, or are we simply more frequently observing a behavior that has always existed? They say it's an important question to answer, because it will reveal whether or not the Svalbard polar bear population has started to feel the heat from climate change. [Is Cannibalism Becoming More Popular?]

Past research by Stirling and others, including Eric Regehr, a polar bear biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, shows that global warming has caused Arctic sea ice to start melting earlier and earlier each summer, as well as causing more of it to melt. In a 2009 study, Regehr, Stirling and their co-authors reported that the minimum amount of sea ice present during the Arctic summer was falling by 8 to 9.5 percent per decade since 1979.

"As the sea ice declines, bears can spend less time on the sea ice hunting their preferred prey, seals," Regehr wrote in an email. "Lower food (i.e., seal) access has been shown to result in lower body condition (i.e., thinner bears)."

Regehr explained that in some parts of the Arctic, such as the western Hudson Bay and the southern Beaufort Sea, the diminishing sea ice has already caused polar bear populations to decline. In other areas, such as the northern Beaufort Sea, this has not yet started to happen. Commenting on Stirling's new study, Regehr said there are reasons to believe sea ice decline in Norway may be putting nutritional stress on the polar bears there, pushing them toward cannibalism, but there's also reason to think otherwise.

"In general, observations of cannibalism may be consistent with the idea that as bears become more nutritionally stressed due to sea ice loss ? which there is evidence for in some parts of the Arctic ? they will seek out alternative food sources," Regehr said. "However, the bears [in this study] were all in pretty good body condition. A fat bear wouldn't be very motivated to risk attacking another polar bear just for food. So, we should certainly be cautious in interpreting these observations and remain open to other explanations."

Stirling agreed. "We do not have the information to separate those two possibilities."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20111215/sc_livescience/isglobalwarmingdrivingpolarbearstocannibalism

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China wants to ban several types of movie content (AP)

BEIJING ? China is proposing to ban movie content that it says disturbs social stability and promotes religious fanaticism, the latest attempt by the authoritarian government to tighten control over what people see.

According to a draft law posted on the Cabinet's website on Thursday, films must not harm national honor and interest, incite ethnic hatred, spread "evil cults" or superstition, or propagate obscenity, gambling, drug abuse, violence or terror. A total of 13 types of content are banned in the draft law, but no terms or phrases were defined.

The proposal appears to be part of an overall tightening of cultural industries that are fueling more independent viewpoints, particularly social media and hugely popular microblogs where citizens often vent anger and frustration.

In recent weeks, users of China's Twitter-like sites have blamed the government for the poor quality of rural school buses after a series of accidents and criticized local environmental bureaus for not reporting full air quality data.

China announced last month that it was issuing orders to prohibit news media from reporting information taken from the Internet or mobile phones without firsthand verification, with serious infractions possibly leading to criminal charges.

A media regulator said those rules were needed to restore government prestige and media credibility following a spate of reports based on "false information" ? often a euphemism for reports the government would rather suppress.

In October, a major Communist Party meeting asserted the need for strengthening social morality and boosting China's cultural influence abroad ? a recognition by the party that it is losing its power to dictate public opinion. A week later, the government said it planned to limit reality TV shows and other light entertainment fare shown on satellite television stations.

Thursday's draft law also bans content that harms national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, discloses state secrets and endangers national security, or jeopardizes social ethics. It does not specify penalties for noncompliance, and it was unclear when the draft ? which is open to public consultation ? may become law.

The draft as a whole covers a wide range of aspects, including banning movie theaters from showing advertisements after the film's scheduled start time, supporting the development of the film industry in rural areas, and banning people from carrying explosives or radioactive items into cinemas.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_en_mo/as_china_film_content

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Ma, Diamond, Streep receive Kennedy Center Honors (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Meryl Streep received her next film assignment over the weekend from a friend ? to play the role of Hillary Rodham Clinton in a future film ? as Streep and four others were saluted with the Kennedy Center Honors.

The jesting offer came when writer Nora Ephron said Streep's talent, versatility and resemblance to Clinton made it "inevitable" that she would one day play the secretary of state and former first lady. Clinton, who flew home for 36 hours to celebrate the honorees over the weekend, just laughed, while Streep jokingly stood up for a better look at the nation's top diplomat.

Along with Streep, pop singer Neil Diamond, Broadway singer Barbara Cook famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins joined in receiving the nation's top award Sunday night for those who have influenced American culture through the arts.

Caroline Kennedy, who hosts the show as part of a living memorial to her father, John F. Kennedy, acknowledged her personal connection to one honoree.

In a nod to Diamond, she said he was "a Brooklyn lad with a gift of melody who grew into a solitary man, `reaching out, touching me.'" That was enough to draw big laughs as the crowd of celebrities and politicians recalled that Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" was named for her.

"I'm going to have to thank her for that," Diamond said before the show, noting that the song is a story about him and his former wife. But he took the name from Kennedy.

Smokey Robinson sang "Sweet Caroline" with help from Kennedy and fans brought in from Boston's Fenway Park where it's a favorite anthem.

Lionel Richie, who sang, "I am... I said," told The Associated Press he got into the music business because he wanted to be Diamond.

"He's a great storyteller," Richie said. "He's not an acrobatic singer. Basically he told the story in a very simple voice."

Classical music stole the show's finale, though, with surprise tributes from Stephen Colbert ? who seemed lost at first ? and the puppet Elmo from TV's "Sesame Street."

"Tonight we celebrate the greatest living cellist," Colbert said "We chell-ebrate, if you will."

Ma, one of the best-known classical musicians, has played cello since he was 4. At age 7, he played for presidents Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Now at 56, he is hailed as a musical ambassador to the world who has spanned styles from Bluegrass to sounds from the Silk Road with an ensemble he founded. Many of his friends performed in his honor.

Elmo, dressed in a tux, said he came to honor his friend, Ma who taught him that "music is like a playground" that makes everybody happy.

James Taylor and conductor John Williams joined in a performance of "Here Comes the Sun" with a string ensemble.

CBS will broadcast the show on Dec. 27.

Earlier President Barack Obama lauded the actors and musicians at the White House.

"They have different talents, and they've traveled different paths," Obama said. "And yet they belong here together because each of tonight's honorees has felt the need to express themselves and share that expression with the world."

He said everyone has that desire for self-expression in common.

"That's why we dance, even if, as Michelle says, I look silly doing it," he added to laughter.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton flew home between visits to Myanmar and Germany to honor the artists with a dinner Saturday night. After visiting the isolated Southeast Asian country also known as Burma, Clinton said such U.S. artists have worldwide influence by using their freedom of creativity.

"You may not know it, but somewhere in a little tiny room in Burma or even in North Korea, someone is desperately trying to hear you or to see you, to experience you," Clinton said. "And if they are lucky enough to make that connection, it can literally change lives and countries."

Streep, 62, has made more than 45 movies and won two Oscars in her career. Her movies have spanned Shakespeare and "Angels in America" to portraying chef Julia Child in "Julie and Julia."

In her upcoming film, Streep will play British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the upcoming "The Iron Lady."

Streep said she was in awe of the accolades from the president and others.

"Look where we are, look who's here," Streep told The Associated Press. "It's overwhelming. I feel very proud."

Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway who co-stared with Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada," joined Kevin Kline and Stanley Tucci for a musical tribute to Streep.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick opened the tributes to Cook, recalling the days when they first started dating and went to hear Cook sing at the Caf? Carlyle in New York.

"I don't think Matthew at the time knew what kind of special memory he was creating for us," Parker said.

"Oh, I knew," Broderick said back.

Cook, 84, made her Broadway debut in 1951, and later Leonard Bernstein cast her in his musical "Candide." She topped that performance as Marian the Librarian in 1957's hit musical "The Music Man," for which she won a Tony Award.

A film tribute noted Cook went silent for a decade, due to drinking and depression, but she came back.

Glenn Close called her an icon for anyone who has worked on Broadway.

"I think we have the biggest respect for her because she really has survived, survived and prevailed," Close said.

Rollins, 81, is a jazz saxophonist who has shared the stage with Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, among others.

"America is the home of jazz. It's what we started," he said. "By the way, hip hop music is a part of jazz, believe it or not."

Friend Bill Cosby marveled about how he has heard Rollins' distinctive sax around the world in Greece, Hong Kong, Italy ? and found so many people who knew the musician's work.

"All over the world, Sonny Rollins," Cosby said.

Benny Golson and Herbie Hancock joined in playing some of Rollins' tunes.

Fellow sax player and former President Bill Clinton said earlier that he has been a fan since the age of 15 or 16 when he bought his first Rollins LP and played it until it was worn out.

"His music can bend your mind, it can break your heart, and it can make you laugh out loud," Clinton said. "He has done things with improvisation that really no one has ever done."

___

Associated Press writer Alan Fram contributed to this report.

___

Follow Brett Zongker at http://www.twitter.com/DCArtBeat.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111205/ap_en_ot/us_kennedy_center_honors

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