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PointGrab’s gesture-tracking software works with no more complex hardware than a medium-resolution webcam, such as those already built in to most laptops.

Microsoft’s push to a touch-centric user experience in Windows 8, inspired in part by the tile-based Metro UI developed for its Windows Phone operating system, may not be driving the sale of touch-screens for desktops – but it’s certainly making developers think about other ways to deal with human-machine interaction.

Earlier this week Leap Motion demonstrated its eponymous finger-tracking technology being used on a Windows 8 machine to great effect. While the company may have missed every deadline it has ever set itself, indications are that the device is going to be hitting the market very soon – but when it does, it won’t be alone.

PointGrab looks to offer similar technology to Leap Motion, but in a software-only system that allows for gesture recognition using nothing more than a cheap, medium-resolution webcam – such as those already built into the vast majority of laptops on the market today. While not reaching anywhere near the sub-millimetre precision of Leap Motion – the system is designed to track hands, rather than individual fingers, at a range of up to five metres from the device – it does have the advantage of being accessible without the need to buy any dedicated hardware.

Founded in 2008, Isreali PointGrab has enjoyed niche success with its product: compatible with Android, Linux, Windows 7 and now Windows 8 and Windows RT, the software has already been picked up by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs.) First hitting the market in 2010, one of the company’s biggest partners is Samsung which uses PointGrab’s technology to bring gesture recognition – or what the company itself terms ‘Natural User Interface’ technology – to its most recent range of Smart TVs.

Since the launch of Windows 8, however, the company has been heavily pushing for users to experience the Modern UI in a finger-friendly fashion without the need to splash out on a touch-screen. The company’s self-promotional video demonstrates its capabilities, running on Intel’s Ultrabook platform devices, and while cheesy in the extreme it certainly helps make sense of Microsoft’s tile-based Start Screen while also introducing a few tricks of its own – like allowing the user to mute a video simply by making a ‘shush’ gesture towards the camera.

The company already boasts of almost 10 million consumer devices in its roster, from the aforementioned Samsung TVs to products from Acer and Fujitsu – but, strangely, will not be releasing its software as a stand-alone product. Instead, the company has indicated its desire to continue to work with OEMs to integrate PointGrab technology into their devices – meaning those who want to retrofit gesture control into existing PCs will be left splashing out on a hardware-based solution like Leap Motion.

What PointGrab’s success does show, however, is that there is increasing interest in gesture control – and the low cost of entry for the software-based system means that it’s likely we’ll be seeing an increasing number of devices launching with the technology in the near future, despite Microsoft’s promise to improve the mouse-based experience in Windows 8.1.

If you’re curious as to how the system performance, PointGrab’s video is below – but before settling down to watch it, you may want to grab some wine to go with the copious volume of cheese on offer.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bit-tech/news/~3/EAOfeCY8miI/1

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GamingRipplesWeb/~3/2i8OQMtMA0s/

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A rare Apple 1 computer is to be auctioned for up to $400,000. The original Apple was the first computer to be built by the California-based technology company. Up for auction is one of only six surviving “Apple 1″ computers still in working order.

The Apple Lisa, from 1983, was produced for only one year, and was one of the world’s first mouse-controlled computers. It is now extremely rare.

The Scelbi-8H was built around the first Intel 8-Bit microprocessor, and fell within the budget of an average person. It was available either assembled or in kit form. It was regarded as one of the first truly ‘personal computers’.

Three hundred years before the birth of Steve Jobs, the French philosopher, physicist and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, was designing the world’s first mechanical calculator, the ‘Pascaline’.

Like many experimental technologies, though, the Pascaline was expensive and rather unreliable.

An 1895 Ford typewriter with filigree copper grille. The invention of typewriters in the mid 19th century changed the face of professional writing. The QWERTY keyboard is still the most common modern-day keyboard layout.

This portable copying press was devised by legendary English steam-engine inventor James Watt. The copying apparatus, consisting of metal damping box, pressure plate and special moistened copying paper, was housed in an elegant brass-bound mahogany box.

A 1905 L.M. Ericsson Co. desk telephone known as the ‘coffee grinder’ for its circular shape and distinctive lithographed decoration.

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(CNN) — In this era of ever-accelerating technological development, we all tend to be so fixated on the gizmos of the future that we rarely take the time to think about the glorious technology of the past.

Fortunately, a treasure trove of rarities, oddities and tech “firsts” has been brought together — including an experimental 17th century mechanical calculator, a hundred-year-old telephone and an incredibly rare, headline-grabbing Apple 1 computer — to be sold at auction Saturday in Cologne, Germany.

While they may look dated today, the objects gathered by Auction Team Breker trace an evolution of technological thinking that stretches from the dawn of the industrial revolution through to the present day. It is a story of cutting edge tinkering; an inventors’ hall of fame.

Basking in the limelight at the auction will be one of just six surviving functional Apple 1 computers — a tech superstar which is likely to sell for a small fortune — an estimated $400,000 — propelled by bids from collectors, museums and Macolytes.

Silent success of BLUMOTION hinge

Math whiz masters machine translation

Divine inspiration behind Post-it Notes

Read: Ex-cop builds robot from household goods

The Apple 1 was the first computer built by the California technology company. The computer was hand-assembled by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who, according to legend, financed the device’s construction by selling his HP-65 calculator (co-founder Steve Jobs also sold his VW campervan).

Approximately 200 of the devices were made, of which fewer than 50 are thought to remain — and only six in working order.

Company founder Uwe Breker said the sale is “unique in presenting masterpieces from the spectrum of antique technology, from the 17th century to the 21st.”

Long before the current era of computers, the inventor Blaise Pascal designed a mechanical calculator in 1642 — regarded by many as the first decisive step toward modern microprocessors.

The “Pascaline” was operated with a stylus to turn digit-wheels. These wheels connected to a “display” on the top of the device which showed the result after each equation. A sliding rule could be shifted to change the function of the device from addition to subtraction. Multiplication and division were also possible (though very difficult to execute).

The Pascaline was a significant breakthrough at the time of its invention, demonstrating, as it did, how complex arithmetic could be carried out by a machine. Its introduction led to the development of mechanical calculators across Europe.

Only a handful of the original Pascaline machines still exist today — most of which are held in museums. At auction Saturday will be a 20th-century reproduction, valued between $30,000 and $50,000.

Read: How USB turned engineer into ‘rock star’

Alongside the Apple 1 and the Pascaline will be an original Apple Lisa, one of the earliest computers to feature a graphical interface and mouse — technologies which paved the way for desktop computing as we know it today. The Lisa was a commercial failure, in part due to its inordinately high price. Retailing at $10,000, it was significantly more expensive than rival IBM PCs.

Apple, for its part, owes much of its success to some of the early pioneering personal computers such as the SCELBI-8H — a kit computer which was released in 1973. Its 8-bit Intel microprocessor was incredibly powerful at the time (though only a tiny fraction of contemporary processor power).

Just 200 or so SCELBI-8Hs were made, making them quite valuable. The SCELBI-8H up for auction tomorrow is expected to go for $20,000 to $25,000.

As well as early artefacts from computing’s prehistory, the auction will feature a number of historical typewriters. A patent was lodged by Henry Mill for a typing device as early as 1714, but typewriters didn’t go into mass production until the 1860s. Today it is difficult to see them as anything but antiquated, yet the invention of typewriters caused a revolution in writing.

A range of early typewriters will be sold, including an extremely rare 1895 Ford typewriter with a filigree copper grille valued between $13,000 and $20,000, an 1879 Crandall with gold-gilt highlights and mother-of-pearl inlay, and a rather more functional-looking 1994 Crown, with an unusual keyless design, which is expected to fetch between $11,000 and $15,000.

Another “first” to go under the hammer is a portable copying press devised by the legendary English inventor of the steam-engine, James Watt. The laptop-sized invention allowed multiple copies of a document to be produced, something like a photocopier, with ink transferred from the original to moistened copying paper below via a pressure plate. The portable device was said to be a favourite of U.S. president Thomas Jefferson.

Read: Hacking the world’s cheapest computer

Of even greater significance to communication was the invention of the telephone in the mid-19th century. From its early experimental incarnations in the workshops of a number of inventors including Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone was in broad use by the beginning of the 20th century.

Could Bell have predicted how contemporary telephony, with cell phones, texting and Skype would look today? It’s unlikely. But if you fancy picking up the low-tech progenitor of your iPhone 5 you could bid on a 1905 L. M. Ericson Co desk telephone, known as the “coffee grinder” due to its circular shape and unusual lithographed decoration. It is expected to sell for up $13,000.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/23/tech/innovation/apple-1-up-for-auction/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/06GIzPO44kw/rare-tech-in-big-money-auction

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A rare Apple 1 computer is to be auctioned for up to $400,000. The original Apple was the first computer to be built by the California-based technology company. Up for auction is one of only six surviving “Apple 1″ computers still in working order.

The Apple Lisa, from 1983, was produced for only one year, and was one of the world’s first mouse-controlled computers. It is now extremely rare.

The Scelbi-8H was built around the first Intel 8-Bit microprocessor, and fell within the budget of an average person. It was available either assembled or in kit form. It was regarded as one of the first truly ‘personal computers’.

Three hundred years before the birth of Steve Jobs, the French philosopher, physicist and mathematician, Blaise Pascal, was designing the world’s first mechanical calculator, the ‘Pascaline’.

Like many experimental technologies, though, the Pascaline was expensive and rather unreliable.

An 1895 Ford typewriter with filigree copper grille. The invention of typewriters in the mid 19th century changed the face of professional writing. The QWERTY keyboard is still the most common modern-day keyboard layout.

This portable copying press was devised by legendary English steam-engine inventor James Watt. The copying apparatus, consisting of metal damping box, pressure plate and special moistened copying paper, was housed in an elegant brass-bound mahogany box.

A 1905 L.M. Ericsson Co. desk telephone known as the ‘coffee grinder’ for its circular shape and distinctive lithographed decoration.

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(CNN) — In this era of ever-accelerating technological development, we all tend to be so fixated on the gizmos of the future that we rarely take the time to think about the glorious technology of the past.

Fortunately, a treasure trove of rarities, oddities and tech “firsts” has been brought together — including an experimental 17th century mechanical calculator, a hundred-year-old telephone and an incredibly rare, headline-grabbing Apple 1 computer — to be sold at auction Saturday in Cologne, Germany.

While they may look dated today, the objects gathered by Auction Team Breker trace an evolution of technological thinking that stretches from the dawn of the industrial revolution through to the present day. It is a story of cutting edge tinkering; an inventors’ hall of fame.

Basking in the limelight at the auction will be one of just six surviving functional Apple 1 computers — a tech superstar which is likely to sell for a small fortune — an estimated $400,000 — propelled by bids from collectors, museums and Macolytes.

Silent success of BLUMOTION hinge

Math whiz masters machine translation

Divine inspiration behind Post-it Notes

Read: Ex-cop builds robot from household goods

The Apple 1 was the first computer built by the California technology company. The computer was hand-assembled by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who, according to legend, financed the device’s construction by selling his HP-65 calculator (co-founder Steve Jobs also sold his VW campervan).

Approximately 200 of the devices were made, of which fewer than 50 are thought to remain — and only six in working order.

Company founder Uwe Breker said the sale is “unique in presenting masterpieces from the spectrum of antique technology, from the 17th century to the 21st.”

Long before the current era of computers, the inventor Blaise Pascal designed a mechanical calculator in 1642 — regarded by many as the first decisive step toward modern microprocessors.

The “Pascaline” was operated with a stylus to turn digit-wheels. These wheels connected to a “display” on the top of the device which showed the result after each equation. A sliding rule could be shifted to change the function of the device from addition to subtraction. Multiplication and division were also possible (though very difficult to execute).

The Pascaline was a significant breakthrough at the time of its invention, demonstrating, as it did, how complex arithmetic could be carried out by a machine. Its introduction led to the development of mechanical calculators across Europe.

Only a handful of the original Pascaline machines still exist today — most of which are held in museums. At auction Saturday will be a 20th-century reproduction, valued between $30,000 and $50,000.

Read: How USB turned engineer into ‘rock star’

Alongside the Apple 1 and the Pascaline will be an original Apple Lisa, one of the earliest computers to feature a graphical interface and mouse — technologies which paved the way for desktop computing as we know it today. The Lisa was a commercial failure, in part due to its inordinately high price. Retailing at $10,000, it was significantly more expensive than rival IBM PCs.

Apple, for its part, owes much of its success to some of the early pioneering personal computers such as the SCELBI-8H — a kit computer which was released in 1973. Its 8-bit Intel microprocessor was incredibly powerful at the time (though only a tiny fraction of contemporary processor power).

Just 200 or so SCELBI-8Hs were made, making them quite valuable. The SCELBI-8H up for auction tomorrow is expected to go for $20,000 to $25,000.

As well as early artefacts from computing’s prehistory, the auction will feature a number of historical typewriters. A patent was lodged by Henry Mill for a typing device as early as 1714, but typewriters didn’t go into mass production until the 1860s. Today it is difficult to see them as anything but antiquated, yet the invention of typewriters caused a revolution in writing.

A range of early typewriters will be sold, including an extremely rare 1895 Ford typewriter with a filigree copper grille valued between $13,000 and $20,000, an 1879 Crandall with gold-gilt highlights and mother-of-pearl inlay, and a rather more functional-looking 1994 Crown, with an unusual keyless design, which is expected to fetch between $11,000 and $15,000.

Another “first” to go under the hammer is a portable copying press devised by the legendary English inventor of the steam-engine, James Watt. The laptop-sized invention allowed multiple copies of a document to be produced, something like a photocopier, with ink transferred from the original to moistened copying paper below via a pressure plate. The portable device was said to be a favourite of U.S. president Thomas Jefferson.

Read: Hacking the world’s cheapest computer

Of even greater significance to communication was the invention of the telephone in the mid-19th century. From its early experimental incarnations in the workshops of a number of inventors including Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone was in broad use by the beginning of the 20th century.

Could Bell have predicted how contemporary telephony, with cell phones, texting and Skype would look today? It’s unlikely. But if you fancy picking up the low-tech progenitor of your iPhone 5 you could bid on a 1905 L. M. Ericson Co desk telephone, known as the “coffee grinder” due to its circular shape and unusual lithographed decoration. It is expected to sell for up $13,000.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/23/tech/innovation/apple-1-up-for-auction/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/1T-Okj6m4aw/rare-tech-curiosities-in-big-money-auction

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According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Panama City is the world’s third cheapest major city. Over the past decade, however, Panama has enjoyed the fastest growing economy in Latin America, bringing new luxury hotels, restaurants and services.

For the indecisive gourmand, Manolo Caracol serves a fantastic nine-course tasting menu for $36 per person. Blueberry ice cream with sugarcane honey (pictured) is a typical dessert.

In the old town of Casco Viejo, the Canal House has just three suites (from $320 per night) set around a large wooden staircase. The high-end guesthouse is owned by two sisters and loved for its quirky charm and homemade cooking.

Latin America’s first Waldorf Astoria hotel opened in March 2013. Book early and rooms start from $159, with that swanky pool included.

It’s not just about heavy shipping. The Panama Canal is one of the world’s true man-made marvels, and beautiful, too. Numerous land, water and aerial tours are available from Panama City.

Casa del Horno is a pretty boutique hotel on a colorful cobbled street in Casco Viejo. Surrounded by churches and plazas, it’s one of many colonial buildings to be renovated in recent years, making Casco Viejo feel a bit like Cartagena in neighboring Colombia.

The year-old Tantalo Hotel has brought a new sense of style to the capital. Each of its 12 rooms was designed by a different Panamanian artist. Designs range from gentle and flowery to seductive, with red and black walls and silver ceiling studs.

New everything seems to be sprouting up across the capital. Healthy competition is keeping standards high and Panama City now has a plethora of top-quality, luxury experiences for cut prices. Affluence is bringing sights like these yachts to Puerto Amador, a Panama City suburb.

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(CNN) — When the Economist Intelligence Unit released its most recent Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, the spotlight, as ever, fell on the world’s most expensive cities.

Tokyo came in on top of the pile of places that drain the color from your wallet, while Osaka and Sydney were second and third.

World’s most expensive cities

But what about the other end of the spectrum — how about a holiday where you can live it up without hemorrhaging cash?

The world’s cheapest city is Tehran, Iran, followed by Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Both have rich heritages, but Iran and Saudi Arabia are better known for generating controversial headlines than attracting tourists.

In third place, however, Panama City popped up. The Central American country is best known for hats and a canal — now we’ve got a reason to make sure our passport is up to date!

Over the past decade, Panama has enjoyed the fastest growing economy in Latin America.

As a result, new hotels and restaurants have sprouted across the capital. Healthy competition is keeping standards high, and Panama City has a plethora of top-quality, luxury experiences for cut prices.

Logistics

Before stepping foot outside the airport, you’ve started saving. All tourists arriving at Tocumen International Airport are given travel insurance for 30 days. It is granted by the Panamanian Tourism Authority; the government has provided the service since it signed an $8 million deal with Assicurazioni Generali.

Next up: cash. The Panamanian balboa is linked with the dollar and the two currencies are interchangeable, so there’s no paying a commission for changing currency.

As for airport transfers, a standard taxi to the city center costs $25. You could arrive in style with a Panama Luxury Limousine for $88.50. The same service would cost $145 in Rio de Janeiro, or $427 in Tokyo.

More cents can be saved (and you can do your bit for the environment) by avoiding bottled water. Tap water in Panama City is safe to drink, not a given in the region.

Hotels

Waldorf Astoria Panama

Latin America’s first Waldorf Astoria hotel opened in March 2013.

Book early and rooms start from $159.

Located on Calle Uruguay, aka “restaurant row,” the 248 rooms have metallic, glass and crystal decor designed by Miami-based Ba-Haus/KNF.

A stay here certainly doesn’t feel like skimping. The outdoor swimming pool is covered in gold tiles, there’s a swanky spa and each guest is given a personal concierge.

Overseen by head chef Kalych Padro Alvarado, four restaurants include a sushi bar and a French brasserie.

Waldorf Astoria Panama, 47th and Uruguay Streets; rooms from $159; +507 294 8000

Casa del Horno

Founded in 1501, Panama was a Spanish colony for three centuries. Known as Casco Viejo, the historic part of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Casa del Horno (Oven House) sits on a colorful cobbled street in Casco Viejo. Surrounded by churches and plazas, it’s one of many colonial buildings to be renovated in recent years, making Casco Viejo feel like Cartagena in neighboring Colombia.

Built in the 1850s, the eight-room hotel was originally a bakery. Stone walls remain, alongside art deco wooden furniture and all the modern fixtures, including LCD TVs and iPod docks.

The hotel’s cafe and restaurant are reached via the pavement, avoiding the clinical feel that can befall hotel restaurants.

Casa del Horno, Avenue B and Eighth Street; +507 212 0052; rooms from $250 for two-person suite

Tantalo Hotel

The year-old Tantalo Hotel has 12 rooms, each designed by a different Panamanian artist. Designs range from gentle and flowery to seductive, with red-and-black walls and silver ceiling studs.

Downstairs, a “living wall” is made from 900 lush plants. The restaurant dishes up Panama-style tapas, such as octopus with lemongrass and ginger. Cocktails, wine and several dishes to share will cost around $30 a head.

Each month, paintings in the communal areas change.

“The idea is for the fourth floor to be like an art gallery that you can wander around with a drink,” says assistant manager Catalina Bermudez.

The big, buzzing rooftop bar has panoramic views and hosts events including a monthly Cuban music evening.

Tantalo, Avenue B and Eighth Street; +507 262 4030; rooms from $120

Canal House

Canal House is a creaky 19th-century mansion in Casco Viejo, and checking in feels like staying with a stately aunt. With just three suites set around a large wooden staircase, this high-end guesthouse is owned by two sisters and loved for its quirky charm and homemade cooking. It was called “the finest accommodation that exists in Panama,” by Panama 980 magazine.

Canal House, Calle 5a Este; +507 228-1907; rooms from $195, suites from $320

Dining and nightlife

Restaurante Angel (Via Argentina No. 6868, El Cangrejo; +507 263 6411) is the city’s special occasion Spanish restaurant. You’ll get impeccably prepared seafood, beef, lamb and rabbit in an elegant setting with crisp service for around $20-25 per person, not including drinks.

There’s big food and big atmosphere for reasonable prices at Las Bovedas (Plaza Francia; +507 228 8058), a French restaurant set in the arched vaults of a 300-year-old fort in Casco Viejo. Fresh seafood, steaks, snails (it’s a signature dish) and great service are the hallmarks at this dressy classic.

Panamanian food is a mix of European, Asian and African tastes. The best way to experience the fusion is at Maito (Calle 50, Coco del Mar; +507 391 4657). It’s not often you order plantain hash with fried ceviche and come out smiling. Then there’s the ropa vieja main of shredded beef with a goat cheese sauce. Panamanian chef Mario Castrellón trained in Barcelona and returned to his hometown with a mission to start a “new gastronomy” inspired by the canal — the idea being that the waterway literally brings these different influences to the city.

For the indecisive gourmand, Manolo Caracol (Avenida Central and Calle 3, +507 228 4640) serves a set nine-course tasting menu for $36 per person. Busy and smart, yet relaxed, the open kitchen churns out seafood, meat and vegetable dishes made with local ingredients, the majority of which come straight from chef Caracol’s farm. Highlights include seafood bisque, corn tortilla with chorizo, and coconut fish curry with yuca tortillas.

Not exactly luxury but tasty and cheap all the same, Mercado del Marisco seafood market (Avenida Balboa and Calle Eloy Alfaro) is a great place to wander. When Anthony Bourdain came to Panama, this was his first stop. Here you’ll find rows of al fresco stalls selling ceviche for $1.25 a cup. There’s also an upstairs restaurant with a larger menu with hearty fish stews and filleted sea bass.

New Casco Viejo coffeehouse Bajareque sells the world’s most expensive coffee, Geisha, for a reasonable $6.50 a cup. Panama is the world’s only producer of this rare coffee, which typically retails for $172.50 per kilo. Fitting for its name, Geisha coffee mainly sells in Japan and costs $50 a cup at Tokyo coffee shops like Horiguchi Coffee.

The primary nightlife spots are Calle Uruguay and Casco Viejo, both of which are lined with places to sample Panama’s four national beers, Panama, Balboa, Suarana and Atlas, for a couple of dollars.

In Casco Viejo, Habana Panama (Calle Eloy Alfaro y Calle 12 Este; +507 212 0152), isn’t just the hottest dance spot in the city, it’s an atmospheric salsa hall that recalls the elegance of old Cuba and Ricky Ricardo style. Live bands typically don’t hit the stage until midnight. For a typical $10 cover you’ll find fewer better shows (or more fun) anywhere.

Then there’s Barlovento (Calle 10 A; +507 6613 4345), a tropical-style rooftop bar where the beautifuls hang. With views over Casco Viejo (rather than the Panama City skyline over at Tántalo) and a DJ playing a mix of electronic music and Latin beats, the place is pumping on the weekends. Again there’s a $10 cover charge (if you’re male that is; women enter free) but you’d easily pay a $25 cover for the same deal in Mexico City.

Attractions

Panama Viejo

The oldest section of the city, Panama Viejo was burned to the ground in the late 17th century by British pirate (or privateer, depending who you ask) Sir Henry Morgan.

The crumbling remains of towers, forts and houses run along the coast waiting to be explored. The visitors center has a model showing the city before Morgan showed up.

Panama Viejo; +507 226 8915; $3 for museum, $4 for ruins, $6 for both; open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal took 250,000 people more than 10 years to build (not counting the original failed French-led effort), transports 40 boats each day (taking eight to 10 hours per transit) and costs an average of $85,000 per vessel.

Luckily, tours are a little less, and a partial transit with Canal Bay Tours costs $135 per person, including breakfast, lunch and transfer though two sets of locks.

The Panama Canal celebrates its centenary in 2014, and to mark the occasion it’s undergoing a $5.25 billion modernization and expansion.

Progress is best viewed from above. Air Charter Panama arranges one-hour helicopter tours covering the Pacific and Atlantic sides of the canal from $749 for three passengers in a Robinson R44.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/17/travel/panama-city-luxury/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/SJZiqZe6WLI/live-large-pay-small-in-panama

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According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Panama City is the world’s third cheapest major city. Over the past decade, however, Panama has enjoyed the fastest growing economy in Latin America, bringing new luxury hotels, restaurants and services.

For the indecisive gourmand, Manolo Caracol serves a fantastic nine-course tasting menu for $36 per person. Blueberry ice cream with sugarcane honey (pictured) is a typical dessert.

In the old town of Casco Viejo, the Canal House has just three suites (from $320 per night) set around a large wooden staircase. The high-end guesthouse is owned by two sisters and loved for its quirky charm and homemade cooking.

Latin America’s first Waldorf Astoria hotel opened in March 2013. Book early and rooms start from $159, with that swanky pool included.

It’s not just about heavy shipping. The Panama Canal is one of the world’s true man-made marvels, and beautiful, too. Numerous land, water and aerial tours are available from Panama City.

Casa del Horno is a pretty boutique hotel on a colorful cobbled street in Casco Viejo. Surrounded by churches and plazas, it’s one of many colonial buildings to be renovated in recent years, making Casco Viejo feel a bit like Cartagena in neighboring Colombia.

The year-old Tantalo Hotel has brought a new sense of style to the capital. Each of its 12 rooms was designed by a different Panamanian artist. Designs range from gentle and flowery to seductive, with red and black walls and silver ceiling studs.

New everything seems to be sprouting up across the capital. Healthy competition is keeping standards high and Panama City now has a plethora of top-quality, luxury experiences for cut prices. Affluence is bringing sights like these yachts to Puerto Amador, a Panama City suburb.

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(CNN) — When the Economist Intelligence Unit released its most recent Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, the spotlight, as ever, fell on the world’s most expensive cities.

Tokyo came in on top of the pile of places that drain the color from your wallet, while Osaka and Sydney were second and third.

World’s most expensive cities

But what about the other end of the spectrum — how about a holiday where you can live it up without hemorrhaging cash?

The world’s cheapest city is Tehran, Iran, followed by Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Both have rich heritages, but Iran and Saudi Arabia are better known for generating controversial headlines than attracting tourists.

In third place, however, Panama City popped up. The Central American country is best known for hats and a canal — now we’ve got a reason to make sure our passport is up to date!

Over the past decade, Panama has enjoyed the fastest growing economy in Latin America.

As a result, new hotels and restaurants have sprouted across the capital. Healthy competition is keeping standards high, and Panama City has a plethora of top-quality, luxury experiences for cut prices.

Logistics

Before stepping foot outside the airport, you’ve started saving. All tourists arriving at Tocumen International Airport are given travel insurance for 30 days. It is granted by the Panamanian Tourism Authority; the government has provided the service since it signed an $8 million deal with Assicurazioni Generali.

Next up: cash. The Panamanian balboa is linked with the dollar and the two currencies are interchangeable, so there’s no paying a commission for changing currency.

As for airport transfers, a standard taxi to the city center costs $25. You could arrive in style with a Panama Luxury Limousine for $88.50. The same service would cost $145 in Rio de Janeiro, or $427 in Tokyo.

More cents can be saved (and you can do your bit for the environment) by avoiding bottled water. Tap water in Panama City is safe to drink, not a given in the region.

Hotels

Waldorf Astoria Panama

Latin America’s first Waldorf Astoria hotel opened in March 2013.

Book early and rooms start from $159.

Located on Calle Uruguay, aka “restaurant row,” the 248 rooms have metallic, glass and crystal decor designed by Miami-based Ba-Haus/KNF.

A stay here certainly doesn’t feel like skimping. The outdoor swimming pool is covered in gold tiles, there’s a swanky spa and each guest is given a personal concierge.

Overseen by head chef Kalych Padro Alvarado, four restaurants include a sushi bar and a French brasserie.

Waldorf Astoria Panama, 47th and Uruguay Streets; rooms from $159; +507 294 8000

Casa del Horno

Founded in 1501, Panama was a Spanish colony for three centuries. Known as Casco Viejo, the historic part of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Casa del Horno (Oven House) sits on a colorful cobbled street in Casco Viejo. Surrounded by churches and plazas, it’s one of many colonial buildings to be renovated in recent years, making Casco Viejo feel like Cartagena in neighboring Colombia.

Built in the 1850s, the eight-room hotel was originally a bakery. Stone walls remain, alongside art deco wooden furniture and all the modern fixtures, including LCD TVs and iPod docks.

The hotel’s cafe and restaurant are reached via the pavement, avoiding the clinical feel that can befall hotel restaurants.

Casa del Horno, Avenue B and Eighth Street; +507 212 0052; rooms from $250 for two-person suite

Tantalo Hotel

The year-old Tantalo Hotel has 12 rooms, each designed by a different Panamanian artist. Designs range from gentle and flowery to seductive, with red-and-black walls and silver ceiling studs.

Downstairs, a “living wall” is made from 900 lush plants. The restaurant dishes up Panama-style tapas, such as octopus with lemongrass and ginger. Cocktails, wine and several dishes to share will cost around $30 a head.

Each month, paintings in the communal areas change.

“The idea is for the fourth floor to be like an art gallery that you can wander around with a drink,” says assistant manager Catalina Bermudez.

The big, buzzing rooftop bar has panoramic views and hosts events including a monthly Cuban music evening.

Tantalo, Avenue B and Eighth Street; +507 262 4030; rooms from $120

Canal House

Canal House is a creaky 19th-century mansion in Casco Viejo, and checking in feels like staying with a stately aunt. With just three suites set around a large wooden staircase, this high-end guesthouse is owned by two sisters and loved for its quirky charm and homemade cooking. It was called “the finest accommodation that exists in Panama,” by Panama 980 magazine.

Canal House, Calle 5a Este; +507 228-1907; rooms from $195, suites from $320

Dining and nightlife

Restaurante Angel (Via Argentina No. 6868, El Cangrejo; +507 263 6411) is the city’s special occasion Spanish restaurant. You’ll get impeccably prepared seafood, beef, lamb and rabbit in an elegant setting with crisp service for around $20-25 per person, not including drinks.

There’s big food and big atmosphere for reasonable prices at Las Bovedas (Plaza Francia; +507 228 8058), a French restaurant set in the arched vaults of a 300-year-old fort in Casco Viejo. Fresh seafood, steaks, snails (it’s a signature dish) and great service are the hallmarks at this dressy classic.

Panamanian food is a mix of European, Asian and African tastes. The best way to experience the fusion is at Maito (Calle 50, Coco del Mar; +507 391 4657). It’s not often you order plantain hash with fried ceviche and come out smiling. Then there’s the ropa vieja main of shredded beef with a goat cheese sauce. Panamanian chef Mario Castrellón trained in Barcelona and returned to his hometown with a mission to start a “new gastronomy” inspired by the canal — the idea being that the waterway literally brings these different influences to the city.

For the indecisive gourmand, Manolo Caracol (Avenida Central and Calle 3, +507 228 4640) serves a set nine-course tasting menu for $36 per person. Busy and smart, yet relaxed, the open kitchen churns out seafood, meat and vegetable dishes made with local ingredients, the majority of which come straight from chef Caracol’s farm. Highlights include seafood bisque, corn tortilla with chorizo, and coconut fish curry with yuca tortillas.

Not exactly luxury but tasty and cheap all the same, Mercado del Marisco seafood market (Avenida Balboa and Calle Eloy Alfaro) is a great place to wander. When Anthony Bourdain came to Panama, this was his first stop. Here you’ll find rows of al fresco stalls selling ceviche for $1.25 a cup. There’s also an upstairs restaurant with a larger menu with hearty fish stews and filleted sea bass.

New Casco Viejo coffeehouse Bajareque sells the world’s most expensive coffee, Geisha, for a reasonable $6.50 a cup. Panama is the world’s only producer of this rare coffee, which typically retails for $172.50 per kilo. Fitting for its name, Geisha coffee mainly sells in Japan and costs $50 a cup at Tokyo coffee shops like Horiguchi Coffee.

The primary nightlife spots are Calle Uruguay and Casco Viejo, both of which are lined with places to sample Panama’s four national beers, Panama, Balboa, Suarana and Atlas, for a couple of dollars.

In Casco Viejo, Habana Panama (Calle Eloy Alfaro y Calle 12 Este; +507 212 0152), isn’t just the hottest dance spot in the city, it’s an atmospheric salsa hall that recalls the elegance of old Cuba and Ricky Ricardo style. Live bands typically don’t hit the stage until midnight. For a typical $10 cover you’ll find fewer better shows (or more fun) anywhere.

Then there’s Barlovento (Calle 10 A; +507 6613 4345), a tropical-style rooftop bar where the beautifuls hang. With views over Casco Viejo (rather than the Panama City skyline over at Tántalo) and a DJ playing a mix of electronic music and Latin beats, the place is pumping on the weekends. Again there’s a $10 cover charge (if you’re male that is; women enter free) but you’d easily pay a $25 cover for the same deal in Mexico City.

Attractions

Panama Viejo

The oldest section of the city, Panama Viejo was burned to the ground in the late 17th century by British pirate (or privateer, depending who you ask) Sir Henry Morgan.

The crumbling remains of towers, forts and houses run along the coast waiting to be explored. The visitors center has a model showing the city before Morgan showed up.

Panama Viejo; +507 226 8915; $3 for museum, $4 for ruins, $6 for both; open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal took 250,000 people more than 10 years to build (not counting the original failed French-led effort), transports 40 boats each day (taking eight to 10 hours per transit) and costs an average of $85,000 per vessel.

Luckily, tours are a little less, and a partial transit with Canal Bay Tours costs $135 per person, including breakfast, lunch and transfer though two sets of locks.

The Panama Canal celebrates its centenary in 2014, and to mark the occasion it’s undergoing a $5.25 billion modernization and expansion.

Progress is best viewed from above. Air Charter Panama arranges one-hour helicopter tours covering the Pacific and Atlantic sides of the canal from $749 for three passengers in a Robinson R44.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/17/travel/panama-city-luxury/index.html?eref=edition

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Bayern Munich won the German Bundesliga title by a margin of 25 points from second placed Borussia Dortmund, who have been champions in the two previous seasons. Bayern finished an incredible 36 points clear of fourth placed Schalke. Critics argue the dominance of both clubs could be bad for Germany’s top tier, which they say is becoming too predictable.

As well as domestic dominance, both clubs are excelling in European competition. Germany’s top two — Bayern and Dortmund — will contest the Champions League final at Wembley on May 25.

Just days before Dortmund’s Champions League semifinal with Spanish giants Real Madrid it was confirmed one of their star players, Mario Gotze, would be joining Bayern next season for a deal reported to be worth $56 million. Signing one of their nearest rivals’ best players should only strengthen Bayern’s grip on domestic competition.

All-conquering Bayern, who will contest the German Cup final on June 1 as they seek an historic treble, are preparing to welcome Josep Guardiola as their new coach for next season. The former Barcelona manager won 14 trophies in a four-year spell at the Spanish giants, sparking a clamor for his signature after he spent a year out of the game.

German clubs are famed for being well run, creating a good atmosphere at games, with Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion a case in point. Cheap tickets for standing areas play a large part in that, and Dortmund’s players make a point of thanking their supporters after every game.

All but three top-flight clubs — Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim — are owned by supporters under the 50+1 rule, that dictates clubs must be majority owned by fans to prevent them being taken over by private investors. The last vote on changing the “50+1″ rule came back in 2009 and only Hannover 96 voted to scrap it. Here Hamburg fans hold up banners at a recent Bundesliga match against Hannover that reads: “Us for you, you for us.”

There are exceptions lower down the leagues too. In 2009, soft drinks giant Red Bull bought the license of German fifth division club SSV Markranstädt to create Rasen Ballsport Leipzig. The aim was to make the top tier — the Bundesliga — within 10 years. Leipzig will contest a playoff to make the third division in June.

Red Bull was prevented from attaching its brand name to the club so settled for calling it Rasen Ballsport Leipzig, shortened to RB Leipzig so as to carry the energy drink firm’s initials.

The club moved from its old home to the newly-built Red Bull Arena in 2010. It is the fifth soccer team in the company’s portfolio.

Reports estimate that Red Bull is prepared to pump $128 million into the club. A new training center and youth academy, currently being built, will open in 2015 at a cost of $45 million.

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(CNN) — Most fans would agree that a great football league needs some key ingredients: skilful players, excitement and drama on the pitch; and off the field, passionate supporters and owners who love and understand the game.

But these days soccer is also about big business, million-dollar deals and billionaire benefactors lining up to plow money into the game.

Those seeking a balance between these sometimes awkward bedfellows will often point to Germany and the Bundesliga. With two clubs in Saturday’s Champions League final at London’s Wembley Stadium, high attendances, keenly-priced season tickets, equitable club ownership and the national team on an upward trajectory, German football appears to be in rude health. But is it?

In the domestic Bundesliga, Bayern finished 25 points clear of Dortmund and 36 points ahead of fourth-placed Schalke 04. If Manchester United’s path to the English Premier League title looked like a cakewalk, the German champions could have taken the entire dessert trolley along with them.

Arguably the competition is beginning to resemble anything but.

Writing in the German tabloid Bild last month, Bayern’s former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn expressed fears that the domination of the Munich club and Dortmund — Bundesliga champions in 2011 and 2012 — is here to stay, and that the gulf at the top could widen even further in the future.

Even Dortmund’s manager Jürgen Klopp has remarked that the league is in danger of becoming boring.

CNN Football Club: Bayern dominate Barca

Do Bayern Munich need Pep Guardiola?

CNN FC: Do Bayern Munich need Guardiola?

Arguably Dortmund were unable to mount an effective challenge this season as they saved their best performances for the Champions League.

But the brilliance of both Bayern and Dortmund in their respective semifinal wins against Real Madrid and Barcelona suggests the Bundesliga needs to be wary of an emerging duopoly.

Read: Bayern give Heynckes winning Bundesliga farewell

It’s not hard to see why Bayern and Dortmund have become so omnipotent both at home and abroad.

“Two great managers, two teams that almost mirror each other in the way they play, the way they attack, the way they defend without the ball,” former Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves told CNN.

“Bayern have only conceded something like 15 goals, which is ridiculous in a full season,” he added.

“At Dortmund, the average age is 23, and I think Jürgen Klopp has done such a remarkable job to take that group of players and virtually dominate some terrific European teams.”

Yet among German fans there are concerns.

“Of course the current situation could become unhealthy,” said Stuart Dykes, a Schalke season ticket-holder since 1988, and a supporter liaison officer at fan engagement body, Supporters Direct.

“Even Bayern, while obviously delighted to have won the title so comfortably, have talked about it not being in their interests to do it every year. Ultimately the overall product of German football would suffer.”

Dortmund revival

Not content with running away with the Bundesliga this season, Bayern are already laying plans to dominate next season, notably with the appointment of former Barca coach Pep Guardiola — who guided the Catalonia club to 14 trophies in four years — to take over from Jupp Heynckes.

Dortmund’s hopes of catching Bayern next season have been further jeopardized by the loss of playmaker Mario Gotze, who recently agreed to join the Munich club at the end of this season in a $56 million deal.

Are German teams the best in Europe?

Alex Ferguson’s recipe for success

Friedel: ‘Bale can be world’s best’

Rumors of a Bayern bid for the Bundesliga’s second-highest scorer Robert Lewandowski, whose four goals against Real Madrid in the semis propelled Dortmund to Wembley, suggest a strategy centered on dismantling their only rivals’ chances before next season has even begun.

Read: English Premier League should follow Bundesliga example

The consolation for Dortmund fans is that at least the club has some money to spend to try to keep pace.

Eight years ago it was on the brink of financial ruin, missing rent payments on its stadium and facing crippling losses.

Extraordinarily, a loan from Bayern played a part in Dortmund’s survival — with $2.5 million handed over to help stave off bankruptcy.

Dortmund’s path back to solvency and success has been paved by Klopp’s highly astute signings, such as Poland striker Lewandowski, as well as his trust in talented graduates from the club’s youth academy, like midfielder Nuri Sahin.

But it has been the club’s willingness to part with its top players at the height of their value that has restored Dortmund’s financial health.

Shinji Kagawa, signed for just $300,000 from the Japanese second division, was sold to Manchester United for $17 million, while Sahin joined Real Madrid for $12.8 million.

“Obviously (Dortmund and Bayern) have the power and the money to buy the best players as Bayern has done again; they’ve signed Götze for £37 million, and you know, the rich get richer, and that’s just the way that football works,” said Hargreaves.

“People can argue that’s not fair, but they paid a lot of money to Dortmund — and they can invest that money in younger players.”

Read: Bayern complete rout of Barcelona

In England, the Premier League has taken a laissez-faire approach to regulating clubs’ finances.

Alongside huge television deals — the latest of which could see a record £5.5 billion ($8.3 billion) windfall in broadcasting income — extraordinarily wealthy owners such as Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City have been allowed to spend big for success.

But the model in Germany is very different.

Gullit: Mourinho will return to Chelsea

Marcel Desailly’s Ghana regret

Bayern Munich puts a hurt on Barcelona

Under the league’s “50+1″ rule, Bundesliga clubs must be controlled by their members — with at least 50% of shares, plus one, in their hands.

This means a club cannot be taken over by private investors. At the last vote on changing this rule, back in 2009, only Hannover 96 voted to scrap it.

The German system is geared towards preventing the influence of a rich benefactor from skewing the competition, but some argue that it will only serve to perpetuate the status quo.

Hannover has now won concessions in its attempt to change the “50+1″ rule, and these will allow sponsors with a long-term relationship with a club — more than 20 years — to take a stake in it.

However club fans are already protesting about these changes, perhaps anxious at the advantage such a move might give their rivals.

“The next five years will be interesting,” said Dykes. “The rules have had exceptions to allow for the different ownership structures of teams like Bayer Leverkusen and Vfl Wolfsburg, but Hannover has argued that this leaves them at a disadvantage, and you can see why.”

Read: Football enters space age with ‘Footbonaut’

But how is a booming Bundesliga affecting German football further down the feeding chain?

In the former East Germany, far from the country’s football powerbase, one lowly team’s fortunes are being transformed by Austrian soft drink company Red Bull’s takeover.

In 2009, Rasen Ballsport Leipzig (better known as RB Leipzig) became the fourth club in Red Bull’s football portfolio, alongside Red Bull Salzburg of Austria, Red Bull Brasil, and the New York Red Bulls of the American MLS.

Formerly known as SSV Markranstädt, league regulations prevent the club using the Red Bull brand in its name, so it settled on RB Leipzig instead; but there is no ambiguity over the power driving it forward, with a reported planned $128 million investment to take the club to the Bundesliga by 2017.

After promotion in its first season, followed by two years in German football’s fourth tier, its plans look to be on track as the club prepares to contest the playoffs for another promotion in June.

2012: Football gloom in Munich

Cristiano Ronaldo had a wonderful chance to put Real in front early on but sent his volley straight at Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller.

Mesut Ozil reacts after missing a glorious opportunity to give Real the lead after breaking clear of the Dortmund defense only to drill his effort wide of the post.

Substitute Karim Benzema finally made the breakthrough in the 82nd minute when he slotted home Ozil’s pass from close-range to make it 1-0 on the night and 2-4 on aggregate.

Sergio Ramos set up a nervous finale when he rifled home with two minutes of normal time remaining. That strike left Real needing one more to pull off an unlikely comeback.

Real piled forward in search of a dramatic winner but not even the mercurial Ronaldo could find that elusive third goal.

Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates with his players following the 2-0 defeat which allowed his side to qualify for the final 4-3 on aggregate. It is the first time since 1997 that Dortmund has reached the final when it defeated Juventus 3-1.

Dortmund will face either Barcelona or Bayern Munich at Wembley on May 25. Bayern, which has already won the Bundesliga title, will take a 4-0 lead into the second leg at the Camp No Wednesday.

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Close but not close enough for Real

Olivier Giroud gave Arsenal the perfect start when he slammed home from close-range after Theo Walcott had got in behind the Bayern defense. Following a 3-1 defeat in the first leg, Arsenal needed a fast start and it got it.

Arjen Robben was a constant danger to the Arsenal defense and kept the visiting players busy as Bayern looked for an equalizer.

Bayern, which is 20 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, had not suffered a defeat since October 28 in any competition. Its frustration was clear to see with striker Mario Mandzukic aggrieved with his side’s showing.

With just four minutes of normal time remaining, Arsenal grabs its second goal to set up a thrilling finale thanks to Laurent Koscielny’s header. The Frenchman headed home to leave Bayern clinging on.

Bayern Munich duo Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller look relieved after the 2-0 home defeat, a result which takes the German side through on away goals following a 3-3 overall draw.

Malaga’s Javier Saviola goes up against Porto’s Alex Sandro with the Spanish club aiming to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg.

Just two minutes before the break, Malaga made the breakthrough when talented midfielder Isco collected Manuel Iturra’s pass and fired an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

Substitute Roque Santa Cruz netted a 77th minute winner to make it 2-0 on the night and send Malaga through 2-1 on aggregate.

Malaga’s players celebrate at the final whistle following the 2-0 win over Porto — a result which secured a 2-1 aggregate victory overall and its place in the quarterfinals for the first time in its history.

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Bayern clings on

The club’s stadium, the impressive 45,000 capacity Red Bull Arena, is certainly ready.

“We accept this rule,” said RB Liepzig’s managing director Ulrich Wolter, referring to the “50+1″ rule.

“The intention of the rule is to secure the league’s integrity against short-term investment, I think everyone understands that.”

However, Wolter is frustrated at the resistance to RB Leipzig’s owners.

“Red Bull is not a Russian oligarch, or an Arabian sheikh,” he said. “We’ve shown elsewhere that we’re about a strong, sustainable investment and commitment.

“Why is our way the wrong way? What is the difference between our approach and a club with 50 different sponsors delivering the same thing?”

Even so RB Leipzig’s new investors have encountered resistance.

The pitch at its former stadium was attacked with weed killer not long after the takeover, and fans of other clubs can be less than welcoming.

“It’s getting better,” says Wolter. “We’re proud of our family and spectators. We don’t have ‘ultras’ and we don’t need them. It’s a friendly family atmosphere here, with men, women, children, pensioners, it’s a different way.”

Germany’s often raucous fans are, however, part of the fabric of the Bundesliga experience.

The biggest obstacle to change in Germany may come from those very supporters, many of whom view the English Premier League with disdain, given that they see themselves at the center of a club’s structures.

The Bundesliga boasts some of the world’s finest stadia, and its commitment to safe standing areas has helped enable clubs to keep prices low, as well as creating the boisterously vibrant atmosphere that characterizes top-flight games.

But while the cheapest season tickets represent superb value, if fans turn on match day looking for tickets then the story is rather different. “People are always talking about cheap tickets, but it’s misleading,” says Dykes.

The “Footbonaut” — is a robotic cage which footballers can use to improve passing, spatial awareness and control. The machine is being used by German champions Borussia Dortmund.

Once inside the “Footbonaut”, a player is fed balls by eight different machines and then has deliver the ball to one of the 72 panels – – which is indciated by a flashing green light — that make up the space-age contraption before they receive another ball. This picture shows Dortmund’s German star Mario Gotze testing himself against the machine.

German coach Jurgen Klopp has overseen Dortmund’s recent domination of German football. Dortmund have won the Bundesliga in each of the last two seasons, winning plaudits for the adventurous style of play. Klopp’s team also currently sit top of a European Champions League group containing Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax.

Dortmund’s rise to prominence has forced their attractive young squad into the limelight. None more so than Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United earlier this year.

One player who did swap Dortmund for Manchester was Shinji Kagawa. The Japanese playmaker had made a promising start to his Old Trafford career before being sidelined with a knee injury last month. Another player developed by Dortmund was Nuri Sahin, the Turkish midfielder who signed for Real Madrid in 2011 before joining Liverpool on a season-long loan deal in August.

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Dortmund’s training pays dividends

The Schalke Fan Feld, whose centerpiece will be a club logo made up of blue and white flowers lying between two goals, looks directly on to the Bundesliga club’s home stadium – the white domed Veltins-Arena, which can be seen in the gap between the trees in this picture.

Schalke fans are known as some of the most passionate in German football.

The cemetery will only have space for 1,904 graves — reflecting the year of Schalke’s foundation — and the club says there will not be another site when the entire allocation is taken up.

Schalke’s on-field fortunes have improved in recent years to the point where they have brought in leading strikers Raul Gonzalez, who left the club earlier this year, and current Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

The cemetery will be laid out in the shape of a stadium, with the miniature pitch located at the centre.

The “pitch” will feature the Schalke logo, made up of blue and white flowers, with a goal at each end and benches in the middle of those.

Schalke’s Veltins-Arena was built in the run-up to the 2006 World Cup and can hold over 65,000 fans.

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From the cradle to the grave

“Of course standing tickets are cheap, as you would expect; but once these go, and they’re usually in demand, the ticket prices are broadly comparable to those in England.”

In fact, at $88 the most expensive match-day ticket for Bayern is the same as that at Manchester City, for example — and $9 more expensive than at Manchester United.

Read: Bayern coach celebrates 1,000 games

This year, partly in response to incidents of crowd trouble at games, there have even been whispers that the prized standing areas could be abolished.

“Standing is vital to low ticket prices, but also the atmosphere and the overall product of German football,” said a skeptical Dykes.

“The league realizes that and I can’t see the standing areas being given up. It would be difficult under German federal law to ‘ban’ them anyway, so I just can’t see it happening.”

The worry for other Bundesliga clubs must be that the success of Dortmund and Bayern could put them out of sight in the financial and playing stakes; last year Chelsea received an estimated $77 million from winning the Champions League, while beaten finalist Bayern pocketed $53.65 million.

Youth and prudence

However, the notion that a couple of teams might dominate their league is not confined to Germany.

“Spain’s that way, the last three or four years the third or fourth place team, they still play Champions League and they’re 30 points behind,” said Hargreaves.

“A lot of people in Germany love Bayern and love Dortmund, in the same way as people (in England) love Manchester United or Chelsea,” he added, “but there are a lot of people who root for the underdog as well. So I think, in a way, it’s a fair balance.”

Read: Why Guardiola will make Bayern better

And Dykes remains unconvinced that a tipping point has been reached.

“It’s too early to be talking about a duopoly,” he said. “Success comes and goes. If we’re still talking about those two in a few years’ time, or Bayern are still miles ahead, then it would be a worry.

“People look at that possibility and of course it could be bad, but why would it happen? Bayern have always spent big; Dortmund is an exceptional team, but where will they be in three years?

“Players lose form, get injured, things can change quite quickly. I’m not worried.”

For Wolter, the key to success lies in a combination of youth and prudence.

“You look at a team like Freiburg, they have a good academy, a good coach; it’s still possible (to be successful). The new television contract has also given clubs more money … and these academies are profit centers,” he says. “But it’s not all about money. It’s also about education, good background work.”

Nevertheless, as Bayern and Dortmund take the field at Wembley, some may be wondering if, as well as a moment of national pride, this game might also mark a less welcome watershed in German football.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/21/sport/football/champions-league-final-dortmund-bayern-bundesliga/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/5IwjJ0Uco7Y/is-bundesliga-under-threat

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Bayern Munich won the German Bundesliga title by a margin of 25 points from second placed Borussia Dortmund, who have been champions in the two previous seasons. Bayern finished an incredible 36 points clear of fourth placed Schalke. Critics argue the dominance of both clubs could be bad for Germany’s top tier, which they say is becoming too predictable.

As well as domestic dominance, both clubs are excelling in European competition. Germany’s top two — Bayern and Dortmund — will contest the Champions League final at Wembley on May 25.

Just days before Dortmund’s Champions League semifinal with Spanish giants Real Madrid it was confirmed one of their star players, Mario Gotze, would be joining Bayern next season for a deal reported to be worth $56 million. Signing one of their nearest rivals’ best players should only strengthen Bayern’s grip on domestic competition.

All-conquering Bayern, who will contest the German Cup final on June 1 as they seek an historic treble, are preparing to welcome Josep Guardiola as their new coach for next season. The former Barcelona manager won 14 trophies in a four-year spell at the Spanish giants, sparking a clamor for his signature after he spent a year out of the game.

German clubs are famed for being well run, creating a good atmosphere at games, with Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion a case in point. Cheap tickets for standing areas play a large part in that, and Dortmund’s players make a point of thanking their supporters after every game.

All but three top-flight clubs — Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim — are owned by supporters under the 50+1 rule, that dictates clubs must be majority owned by fans to prevent them being taken over by private investors. The last vote on changing the “50+1″ rule came back in 2009 and only Hannover 96 voted to scrap it. Here Hamburg fans hold up banners at a recent Bundesliga match against Hannover that reads: “Us for you, you for us.”

There are exceptions lower down the leagues too. In 2009, soft drinks giant Red Bull bought the license of German fifth division club SSV Markranstädt to create Rasen Ballsport Leipzig. The aim was to make the top tier — the Bundesliga — within 10 years. Leipzig will contest a playoff to make the third division in June.

Red Bull was prevented from attaching its brand name to the club so settled for calling it Rasen Ballsport Leipzig, shortened to RB Leipzig so as to carry the energy drink firm’s initials.

The club moved from its old home to the newly-built Red Bull Arena in 2010. It is the fifth soccer team in the company’s portfolio.

Reports estimate that Red Bull is prepared to pump $128 million into the club. A new training center and youth academy, currently being built, will open in 2015 at a cost of $45 million.

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(CNN) — Most fans would agree that a great football league needs some key ingredients: skilful players, excitement and drama on the pitch; and off the field, passionate supporters and owners who love and understand the game.

But these days soccer is also about big business, million-dollar deals and billionaire benefactors lining up to plow money into the game.

Those seeking a balance between these sometimes awkward bedfellows will often point to Germany and the Bundesliga. With two clubs in Saturday’s Champions League final at London’s Wembley Stadium, high attendances, keenly-priced season tickets, equitable club ownership and the national team on an upward trajectory, German football appears to be in rude health. But is it?

In the domestic Bundesliga, Bayern finished 25 points clear of Dortmund and 36 points ahead of fourth-placed Schalke 04. If Manchester United’s path to the English Premier League title looked like a cakewalk, the German champions could have taken the entire dessert trolley along with them.

Arguably the competition is beginning to resemble anything but.

Writing in the German tabloid Bild last month, Bayern’s former goalkeeper Oliver Kahn expressed fears that the domination of the Munich club and Dortmund — Bundesliga champions in 2011 and 2012 — is here to stay, and that the gulf at the top could widen even further in the future.

Even Dortmund’s manager Jürgen Klopp has remarked that the league is in danger of becoming boring.

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Arguably Dortmund were unable to mount an effective challenge this season as they saved their best performances for the Champions League.

But the brilliance of both Bayern and Dortmund in their respective semifinal wins against Real Madrid and Barcelona suggests the Bundesliga needs to be wary of an emerging duopoly.

Read: Bayern give Heynckes winning Bundesliga farewell

It’s not hard to see why Bayern and Dortmund have become so omnipotent both at home and abroad.

“Two great managers, two teams that almost mirror each other in the way they play, the way they attack, the way they defend without the ball,” former Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves told CNN.

“Bayern have only conceded something like 15 goals, which is ridiculous in a full season,” he added.

“At Dortmund, the average age is 23, and I think Jürgen Klopp has done such a remarkable job to take that group of players and virtually dominate some terrific European teams.”

Yet among German fans there are concerns.

“Of course the current situation could become unhealthy,” said Stuart Dykes, a Schalke season ticket-holder since 1988, and a supporter liaison officer at fan engagement body, Supporters Direct.

“Even Bayern, while obviously delighted to have won the title so comfortably, have talked about it not being in their interests to do it every year. Ultimately the overall product of German football would suffer.”

Dortmund revival

Not content with running away with the Bundesliga this season, Bayern are already laying plans to dominate next season, notably with the appointment of former Barca coach Pep Guardiola — who guided the Catalonia club to 14 trophies in four years — to take over from Jupp Heynckes.

Dortmund’s hopes of catching Bayern next season have been further jeopardized by the loss of playmaker Mario Gotze, who recently agreed to join the Munich club at the end of this season in a $56 million deal.

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Rumors of a Bayern bid for the Bundesliga’s second-highest scorer Robert Lewandowski, whose four goals against Real Madrid in the semis propelled Dortmund to Wembley, suggest a strategy centered on dismantling their only rivals’ chances before next season has even begun.

Read: English Premier League should follow Bundesliga example

The consolation for Dortmund fans is that at least the club has some money to spend to try to keep pace.

Eight years ago it was on the brink of financial ruin, missing rent payments on its stadium and facing crippling losses.

Extraordinarily, a loan from Bayern played a part in Dortmund’s survival — with $2.5 million handed over to help stave off bankruptcy.

Dortmund’s path back to solvency and success has been paved by Klopp’s highly astute signings, such as Poland striker Lewandowski, as well as his trust in talented graduates from the club’s youth academy, like midfielder Nuri Sahin.

But it has been the club’s willingness to part with its top players at the height of their value that has restored Dortmund’s financial health.

Shinji Kagawa, signed for just $300,000 from the Japanese second division, was sold to Manchester United for $17 million, while Sahin joined Real Madrid for $12.8 million.

“Obviously (Dortmund and Bayern) have the power and the money to buy the best players as Bayern has done again; they’ve signed Götze for £37 million, and you know, the rich get richer, and that’s just the way that football works,” said Hargreaves.

“People can argue that’s not fair, but they paid a lot of money to Dortmund — and they can invest that money in younger players.”

Read: Bayern complete rout of Barcelona

In England, the Premier League has taken a laissez-faire approach to regulating clubs’ finances.

Alongside huge television deals — the latest of which could see a record £5.5 billion ($8.3 billion) windfall in broadcasting income — extraordinarily wealthy owners such as Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City have been allowed to spend big for success.

But the model in Germany is very different.

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Bayern Munich puts a hurt on Barcelona

Under the league’s “50+1″ rule, Bundesliga clubs must be controlled by their members — with at least 50% of shares, plus one, in their hands.

This means a club cannot be taken over by private investors. At the last vote on changing this rule, back in 2009, only Hannover 96 voted to scrap it.

The German system is geared towards preventing the influence of a rich benefactor from skewing the competition, but some argue that it will only serve to perpetuate the status quo.

Hannover has now won concessions in its attempt to change the “50+1″ rule, and these will allow sponsors with a long-term relationship with a club — more than 20 years — to take a stake in it.

However club fans are already protesting about these changes, perhaps anxious at the advantage such a move might give their rivals.

“The next five years will be interesting,” said Dykes. “The rules have had exceptions to allow for the different ownership structures of teams like Bayer Leverkusen and Vfl Wolfsburg, but Hannover has argued that this leaves them at a disadvantage, and you can see why.”

Read: Football enters space age with ‘Footbonaut’

But how is a booming Bundesliga affecting German football further down the feeding chain?

In the former East Germany, far from the country’s football powerbase, one lowly team’s fortunes are being transformed by Austrian soft drink company Red Bull’s takeover.

In 2009, Rasen Ballsport Leipzig (better known as RB Leipzig) became the fourth club in Red Bull’s football portfolio, alongside Red Bull Salzburg of Austria, Red Bull Brasil, and the New York Red Bulls of the American MLS.

Formerly known as SSV Markranstädt, league regulations prevent the club using the Red Bull brand in its name, so it settled on RB Leipzig instead; but there is no ambiguity over the power driving it forward, with a reported planned $128 million investment to take the club to the Bundesliga by 2017.

After promotion in its first season, followed by two years in German football’s fourth tier, its plans look to be on track as the club prepares to contest the playoffs for another promotion in June.

2012: Football gloom in Munich

Cristiano Ronaldo had a wonderful chance to put Real in front early on but sent his volley straight at Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller.

Mesut Ozil reacts after missing a glorious opportunity to give Real the lead after breaking clear of the Dortmund defense only to drill his effort wide of the post.

Substitute Karim Benzema finally made the breakthrough in the 82nd minute when he slotted home Ozil’s pass from close-range to make it 1-0 on the night and 2-4 on aggregate.

Sergio Ramos set up a nervous finale when he rifled home with two minutes of normal time remaining. That strike left Real needing one more to pull off an unlikely comeback.

Real piled forward in search of a dramatic winner but not even the mercurial Ronaldo could find that elusive third goal.

Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates with his players following the 2-0 defeat which allowed his side to qualify for the final 4-3 on aggregate. It is the first time since 1997 that Dortmund has reached the final when it defeated Juventus 3-1.

Dortmund will face either Barcelona or Bayern Munich at Wembley on May 25. Bayern, which has already won the Bundesliga title, will take a 4-0 lead into the second leg at the Camp No Wednesday.

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Close but not close enough for Real

Olivier Giroud gave Arsenal the perfect start when he slammed home from close-range after Theo Walcott had got in behind the Bayern defense. Following a 3-1 defeat in the first leg, Arsenal needed a fast start and it got it.

Arjen Robben was a constant danger to the Arsenal defense and kept the visiting players busy as Bayern looked for an equalizer.

Bayern, which is 20 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, had not suffered a defeat since October 28 in any competition. Its frustration was clear to see with striker Mario Mandzukic aggrieved with his side’s showing.

With just four minutes of normal time remaining, Arsenal grabs its second goal to set up a thrilling finale thanks to Laurent Koscielny’s header. The Frenchman headed home to leave Bayern clinging on.

Bayern Munich duo Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller look relieved after the 2-0 home defeat, a result which takes the German side through on away goals following a 3-3 overall draw.

Malaga’s Javier Saviola goes up against Porto’s Alex Sandro with the Spanish club aiming to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg.

Just two minutes before the break, Malaga made the breakthrough when talented midfielder Isco collected Manuel Iturra’s pass and fired an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

Substitute Roque Santa Cruz netted a 77th minute winner to make it 2-0 on the night and send Malaga through 2-1 on aggregate.

Malaga’s players celebrate at the final whistle following the 2-0 win over Porto — a result which secured a 2-1 aggregate victory overall and its place in the quarterfinals for the first time in its history.

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Bayern clings on

The club’s stadium, the impressive 45,000 capacity Red Bull Arena, is certainly ready.

“We accept this rule,” said RB Liepzig’s managing director Ulrich Wolter, referring to the “50+1″ rule.

“The intention of the rule is to secure the league’s integrity against short-term investment, I think everyone understands that.”

However, Wolter is frustrated at the resistance to RB Leipzig’s owners.

“Red Bull is not a Russian oligarch, or an Arabian sheikh,” he said. “We’ve shown elsewhere that we’re about a strong, sustainable investment and commitment.

“Why is our way the wrong way? What is the difference between our approach and a club with 50 different sponsors delivering the same thing?”

Even so RB Leipzig’s new investors have encountered resistance.

The pitch at its former stadium was attacked with weed killer not long after the takeover, and fans of other clubs can be less than welcoming.

“It’s getting better,” says Wolter. “We’re proud of our family and spectators. We don’t have ‘ultras’ and we don’t need them. It’s a friendly family atmosphere here, with men, women, children, pensioners, it’s a different way.”

Germany’s often raucous fans are, however, part of the fabric of the Bundesliga experience.

The biggest obstacle to change in Germany may come from those very supporters, many of whom view the English Premier League with disdain, given that they see themselves at the center of a club’s structures.

The Bundesliga boasts some of the world’s finest stadia, and its commitment to safe standing areas has helped enable clubs to keep prices low, as well as creating the boisterously vibrant atmosphere that characterizes top-flight games.

But while the cheapest season tickets represent superb value, if fans turn on match day looking for tickets then the story is rather different. “People are always talking about cheap tickets, but it’s misleading,” says Dykes.

The “Footbonaut” — is a robotic cage which footballers can use to improve passing, spatial awareness and control. The machine is being used by German champions Borussia Dortmund.

Once inside the “Footbonaut”, a player is fed balls by eight different machines and then has deliver the ball to one of the 72 panels – – which is indciated by a flashing green light — that make up the space-age contraption before they receive another ball. This picture shows Dortmund’s German star Mario Gotze testing himself against the machine.

German coach Jurgen Klopp has overseen Dortmund’s recent domination of German football. Dortmund have won the Bundesliga in each of the last two seasons, winning plaudits for the adventurous style of play. Klopp’s team also currently sit top of a European Champions League group containing Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax.

Dortmund’s rise to prominence has forced their attractive young squad into the limelight. None more so than Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United earlier this year.

One player who did swap Dortmund for Manchester was Shinji Kagawa. The Japanese playmaker had made a promising start to his Old Trafford career before being sidelined with a knee injury last month. Another player developed by Dortmund was Nuri Sahin, the Turkish midfielder who signed for Real Madrid in 2011 before joining Liverpool on a season-long loan deal in August.

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Dortmund’s training pays dividends

The Schalke Fan Feld, whose centerpiece will be a club logo made up of blue and white flowers lying between two goals, looks directly on to the Bundesliga club’s home stadium – the white domed Veltins-Arena, which can be seen in the gap between the trees in this picture.

Schalke fans are known as some of the most passionate in German football.

The cemetery will only have space for 1,904 graves — reflecting the year of Schalke’s foundation — and the club says there will not be another site when the entire allocation is taken up.

Schalke’s on-field fortunes have improved in recent years to the point where they have brought in leading strikers Raul Gonzalez, who left the club earlier this year, and current Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

The cemetery will be laid out in the shape of a stadium, with the miniature pitch located at the centre.

The “pitch” will feature the Schalke logo, made up of blue and white flowers, with a goal at each end and benches in the middle of those.

Schalke’s Veltins-Arena was built in the run-up to the 2006 World Cup and can hold over 65,000 fans.

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From the cradle to the grave

“Of course standing tickets are cheap, as you would expect; but once these go, and they’re usually in demand, the ticket prices are broadly comparable to those in England.”

In fact, at $88 the most expensive match-day ticket for Bayern is the same as that at Manchester City, for example — and $9 more expensive than at Manchester United.

Read: Bayern coach celebrates 1,000 games

This year, partly in response to incidents of crowd trouble at games, there have even been whispers that the prized standing areas could be abolished.

“Standing is vital to low ticket prices, but also the atmosphere and the overall product of German football,” said a skeptical Dykes.

“The league realizes that and I can’t see the standing areas being given up. It would be difficult under German federal law to ‘ban’ them anyway, so I just can’t see it happening.”

The worry for other Bundesliga clubs must be that the success of Dortmund and Bayern could put them out of sight in the financial and playing stakes; last year Chelsea received an estimated $77 million from winning the Champions League, while beaten finalist Bayern pocketed $53.65 million.

Youth and prudence

However, the notion that a couple of teams might dominate their league is not confined to Germany.

“Spain’s that way, the last three or four years the third or fourth place team, they still play Champions League and they’re 30 points behind,” said Hargreaves.

“A lot of people in Germany love Bayern and love Dortmund, in the same way as people (in England) love Manchester United or Chelsea,” he added, “but there are a lot of people who root for the underdog as well. So I think, in a way, it’s a fair balance.”

Read: Why Guardiola will make Bayern better

And Dykes remains unconvinced that a tipping point has been reached.

“It’s too early to be talking about a duopoly,” he said. “Success comes and goes. If we’re still talking about those two in a few years’ time, or Bayern are still miles ahead, then it would be a worry.

“People look at that possibility and of course it could be bad, but why would it happen? Bayern have always spent big; Dortmund is an exceptional team, but where will they be in three years?

“Players lose form, get injured, things can change quite quickly. I’m not worried.”

For Wolter, the key to success lies in a combination of youth and prudence.

“You look at a team like Freiburg, they have a good academy, a good coach; it’s still possible (to be successful). The new television contract has also given clubs more money … and these academies are profit centers,” he says. “But it’s not all about money. It’s also about education, good background work.”

Nevertheless, as Bayern and Dortmund take the field at Wembley, some may be wondering if, as well as a moment of national pride, this game might also mark a less welcome watershed in German football.

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/21/sport/football/champions-league-final-dortmund-bayern-bundesliga/index.html?eref=edition

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It’s incredible to think what has happened since the Xbox 360 was launched. In the same year it debuted a little site called YouTube was launched, Facebook was but 18 months old and had a mere 5 million or so users and Twitter was but a glint in the eye of Jack Dorsey. But, more importantly in the time since then Nintendo has released the Wii, the Wii U, the DS Lite, the DSi and the 3DS meanwhile Sony has released the PS3, countless versions of the PSP and the PS Vita.

All of which means the new Xbox makes for quite a significant moment in the history of console gaming, to put it mildly. Moreover, if Microsoft is to achieve anything like the same longevity for this console it’s going to need to get a great many things right.

So, with the launch mere hours away, we’re going to take one last look at just what to expect from Microsoft’s big announcement tonight.

Hardware Specs
Where we have most certainty about the upcoming next generation Xbox is in what hardware it will sport. It is strongly expected the console will, like the Sony PS4, use an AMD APU with an 8-core 1.6GHz CPU and 800MHz GPU, backed by 8GB of DDR3 RAM. This would roughly would put it on a par with the PS4, though that console uses GDDR5 memory that has a very high bandwidth of 176 GB/s – some 16x faster than on the PS3 – that could give it the advantage.

Elsewhere there will be a Blu-ray drive and a high-capacity hard drive as well some form Live TV connection. Whether the latter is simply a pass-through in the form of an HDMI input or a more active connection is not yet known.

There has also been talk of a scalable, modular hardware system that would allow for multiple versions of the console, depending on price. Whether this goes beyond simply having different size hard drives seems unlikely as developers will be reliant on the core hardware being consistent. Perhaps this could also account for whether Kinect is included.

Backwards compatibility is unlikely as the next Xbox is switching to an x86 architecture, but it’s still possible Microsoft has come up with some workaround.

As for whether we will actually see the console tonight, it’s a tough one to call. It could one-up Microsoft against Sony if it reveals the look of its console, but equally this would give it less to talk about further down the line. There is talk of some hands-on like experiences at the launch but we suspect these will be with the consoles locked firmly away.

Controllers
While we know a fair amount about the core hardware of the new Xbox, next to nothing has been revealed about the new controllers. There is talk of a touch panel of some description, and presumably there will be some form of motion tracking – beyond the visual tracking of Kinect – but beyond that there have been few clues.

In terms of ergonomics, it seems likely that the new controller will be largely the same design as existing Xbox controllers. Who knows, though, maybe there will be a Share button! Unlike the main console, we expect to find out all about the new controller at today’s event.

As for Kinect, a new version is expected to accompany the new console and it is to sport increased resolution both in terms of depth and motion tracking and in terms of its cameras, plus it will track up to six players at once. Contrary to what we said early about different hardware specs of the new Xbox, it is expected that the new Kinect will be supplied, and required, with every new console. However, it may be the case that it’s only required for certain features to work.

Software
Just as Sony hasn’t yet revealed much of the software side of its new console, so we expect Microsoft to steer clear of the interface and extra features of its new console and instead focus on the core gameplaying abilities. As such, we expect to see a number of game demos focussing on the graphical abilities of the hardware. We’ll maybe see the new core interface but we’re not expecting to see how the new Live TV feature works, for instance.

In terms of games, we’re expecting to see the bulk of the new titles revealed at E3, but we suspect at least a few shots of a new Halo to be shown tonight. Further suggesting there will be little time for software features, today’s presentation is supposed to be only an hour long, leaving little time for those extras.

The Name
Surprisingly the jury is still out on exactly what the new console will be called. For a long time the rumour mills were using Xbox 720 but this now appears to be out of favour. Instead simply ‘Xbox’ or ‘Xbox Infinity’ are looking the most likely candidates. Ultimately, it’s about the least important thing about the console, just so long as Microsoft doesn’t stick with the device’s codename, Durango.

Release Date and Price
It’s a pretty good bet we won’t be seeing any mention of exactly when the new Xbox will be arriving nor how much it will cost at tonight’s presentation. In the world of drip feed marketing we live in today it’s extremely likely Microsoft will save such details for later announcements, either at E3 or even later.

That said, it’s a dead cert that the release date will be in time for Thanksgiving and well in time for Christmas, at least in the US. The rest of the world may well have more of a wait on their hands.

The only counter to these ascertains is that Microsoft will be looking to one-up Sony, with the Japanese company already having got a several month headstart on revealing some details of its new console. As such Microsoft may choose to reveal just that bit more at this early stage.

As for price, we’re left to speculate and, in fact, rumours are still wildly varied. Frankly, there are too many variables to really pin this down any further – the device could be subsidised, it could loss lead or Microsoft could go all out and ask for a premium for early adopters. The most likely scenario that we’ve heard about is that the console will be released at two price points – $499 (£330) and $299 (£200) – with the cheaper option including a fixed two-year Xbox Live Gold subscription.

So there we have it, our final thoughts on Microsoft’s new console before it is finally revealed. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Just think, after tonight we can be rid of next generation console rumours for at least, what, a year?

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Gazipur, Bangladesh (CNN) — The rat-a-tat of a hundred green sewing machines. The hypnotic hum of spools spinning brightly colored threads. The hiss of a thousand clothing irons.

Set aside for a moment what you think you know about the garment factories in Bangladesh: grimy, sweaty, children sitting in dimly lit, sweltering rooms sewing shirts you buy at your box store for $12.

Here at Lakhsmi Sweaters, the only children are in its in-house day care.

At this factory in Gazipur, on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, workers sit in long, orderly rows, under bright neon lights, with fans blasting full speed.

They get hourlong lunch breaks and free medicine. Medical checkups are mandatory, and the factory employs a full-time doctor. New mothers receive maternity leave — and pay.

Members of the Bangladesh army pray at the site of the collapsed Rana Plaza in Savar near Dhaka on Tuesday, May 14. The army-led effort to search for bodies has ended nearly three weeks after the nine-story building collapsed. The final death toll stands at 1,127.

Relatives of missing garment workers offer prayers in front of the rubble on May 14 in Savar.

A white board at the recovery command center near the disaster is used to track the death toll on Monday, May 13.

Heavy equipment sifts through the rubble of the garment factory building collapse on Sunday, May 12.

A woman cries holds a portrait of a missing relative believed to be trapped in the rubble of the Rana Plaza building on Saturday, May 11.

Bangladeshi garment worker Reshma Begum, a seamstress who survived 16 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building, rests in Savar Cantonment Hospital on the outskirts of Dhaka on May 11.

Relatives search through a long line of covered decomposing bodies to try to identify their family members on May 11.

Rescue workers retrieve Reshma from the rubble in Savar, Bangladesh, on Friday, May 10. She got rescue workers’ attention by waving an iron rod. She was found in a pool of water, which allowed her to stay alive.

An injured worker who survived the building collapse is carried by her husband to collect her wages in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Wednesday, May 8.

Garment workers who survived the building collapse line up to collect their salaries in Savar on May 8.

Workers continue rescue and recovery operations on Tuesday, May 7, nearly two weeks after the Rana Plaza building’s collapse outside Dhaka.

Rescue workers recover a body from the rubble on May 7.

Relatives place a body in the back of a truck on May 7.

A woman attempts to identify one of the bodies kept in a schoolyard on May 7.

Members of the Bangladeshi army and firefighters carry the body of a garment worker from the scene of the building collapse in Savar, outside Dhaka, on Sunday, May 5.

A woman holds a portrait of her missing relative as she sleeps on Saturday, May 4.

Relatives attempt to identify the bodies of loved ones on May 4.

Rescue workers dig out debris from the Rana Plaza building as Bangladeshi army personnel continue the second phase of a rescue operation using heavy equipment on Friday, May 3.

A woman reacts on May 3 after identifying a body found in the rubble.

A man stands amid the destruction as rescue and army personnel continue recovery operations on May 3.

A woman holds up a picture of a missing person believed to be trapped in the rubble on May 3.

A garment worker rescued from the wreckage of the Rana Plaza building lies in a hospital in Dhaka on Thursday, May 2.

A woman weeps after identifying her daughter’s body in the rubble in Savar on May 2.

Rescue workers move debris as Bangladeshi army personnel continue the second phase of a rescue operation at the site of the collapsed building in Savar on May 2.

A woman mourns before a mass burial in Dhaka on Wednesday, May 1.

Unidentified bodies from the rubble lie on the ground as people gather for a mass burial in Dhaka on May 1.

Workers dig graves during a mass burial of unidentified garment workers on May 1.

Sohel Rana, owner of the collapsed Rana Plaza building, wears police-issued body armor and a helmet while being escorted to court in Dhaka on Tuesday, April 30. Rana was arrested near the Indian border, and protesters called for him to be hanged.

Bangladeshi troops carry the body of a garment worker out of the rubble of the collapsed Rana Plaza building in Savar on April 30.

Clothing with Joe Fresh labels lies in the debris on April 30.

Cranes operated by Bangladeshi army personnel work on Monday, April 29.

Firefighters try to control a blaze that started while they were trying to rescue a woman with heavy equipment on April 29.

Bangladeshi army personnel begin the second phase of the rescue operation using heavy equipment on April 29.

Rescuers look for survivors on Sunday, April 28. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society says the chances of finding anyone alive in the rubble at this date are remote.

A woman mourns on April 28 at the site of the building collapse in Savar.

Rescue workers search for survivors on April 28.

Volunteers sleep before they begin more rescue operations on April 28.

Rescue workers carry a victim’s body recovered from the rubble on April 28.

Clothes lie in the rubble on Saturday, April 27.

An arrested owner of a garment factory is escorted to an appearance at the court in Dhaka on April 27. Four people were arrested and four others are being questioned by police.

Relatives hold photos of missing and dead workers outside the factory April 27.

Two Bangladeshi women look at a board with notices posted of missing and dead workers on April 27.

Bangladeshi relatives and workers load a body onto a truck on April 27.

An excavator operated by the Bangladeshi Army removes debris on April 26.

Volunteers and rescue workers conduct rescue operations on April 26.

Rescue workers use textile as a slide to move bodies out of the rubble on April 26.

Rescue workers look for trapped garment workers on April 26.

Rescue workers stand on the rubble of the collapsed building on April 26.

Rescue workers search the rubble for victims and survivors on April 26.

A rescue worker looks for trapped workers on April 26.

Bangladeshi army personnel recover a survivor from rubble on April 26, 48 hours after the collapse.

Volunteers and rescue workers assist in rescue operations on April 26.

A physician assists a survivor after he was recovered from the rubble on April 26.

Two bodies clutch each other in the rubble on Thursday, April 25.

People rescue garment workers on April 25.

A Bangladeshi woman shows a picture of her missing daughter-in-law she believes is trapped in the collapsed building on April 25.

Bangladeshi firefighters cut a hole through concrete during rescue operations on April 25 in Savar, a suburb of Dhaka.

Volunteers and rescue workers work at the scene on April 25.

A woman appears devastated on April 25 after identifying the body of her husband killed in the building collapse.

Bangladeshi garment workers help evacuate a survivor by using a roll of fabric on April 24.

People rescue garment workers on Wednesday, April 24, after the building caved in, leaving a chaotic mass of broken concrete and twisted metal.

Relatives who lost a brother mourn outside a hospital on April 24.

Rescuers help an injured garment worker to escape from the Rana Plaza building on the outskirts of Dhaka on April 24.

Civilians help an injured garment worker on April 24. Work was proceeding slowly to avoid causing further collapse, an official said.

Rescue workers search for trapped garment workers in the Rana Plaza building on April 24.

An injured Bangladeshi lies on the hospital floor on April 24.

The injured receive treatment at a hospital on April 24.

An injured person rests in a hospital bed on April 24.

People wait anxiously on April 24 while rescuers search for survivors.

Rescuers help an injured person out of the seventh floor on April 24.

Civilians help out in rescue efforts at the collapsed building on April 24.

Hundreds watch the rescue operations on April 24.

People search for garment workers trapped under the debris on April 24.

Rescuers help an injured worker on April 24.

A body is trapped under the damaged building on April 24.

A woman is carried away from the building on April 24.

A rescue worker carries a worker to an ambulance on April 24.

Crowds gather around the collapsed building on April 24.

Rescuers bring out an injured garment worker from the building’s sixth floor.

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Photos: Building collapses in Bangladesh

Garment factories reopen in Bangladesh

Walmart, Gap refuse safety pact

Companies pledge improved factories

“The atmosphere should always be healthy, friendly and livable. We don’t need buyers to tell us that,” said Safina Rahman, director of Lakhsmi and one of just a handful of female owners in what is predominantly a male-run industry.

“This is my duty. This is how I’d want my children to grow.”

But in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster when Bangladesh’s extremely lucrative garment business has come under increased international scrutiny, Rahman and her workers worry about the effect the backlash will have on them.

Retailers in the West are rethinking their partnerships as customers threaten to shop elsewhere.

United Students Against Sweatshops, a labor rights group, is planning protests against clothiers it believes aren’t committed to strict standards in Bangladesh.

And the Obama administration may take away the tax breaks Bangladesh get for goods that the United States imports.

The seamstress in the rubble

All of which would have devastating consequences for Bangladesh.

The garment industry has been a boon for this South Asian nation of 160 million. It pumps $20 billion a year into the economy. In a country where 31% of the population lives below the poverty line, the industry has been a salvation for 4 million people working in more than 4,500 factories.

“More than 2 million people are working in this trade; maybe more,” Rahman said. “If one (worker) has four people to look after in the family, that’s almost 8 million people who are living off this trade.”

“If we are bloodsuckers, who is contributing to this economy?” she added. “It’s become a big-time challenge for us. People like us.”

Contented workers

Poppy Begum is a stitcher here, one of 2,000 workers spread across four floors. She works nine-hour days, six days a week, helping create sweaters and other knitwear bound for Europe, Canada and Australia.

In an industry where the turnover is extremely high, many of the workers such as Begum have been here for almost a decade.

It’s easy to see why: The starting wage is $51 a month — higher than the industry average of $35.

Rescue workers carry Reshma Begum, 19, to safety on Friday, May 10, a day after her discovery alive amid the wreckage of a building that had entombed her since it collapsed on April 24, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. At least 1,127 people have been confirmed dead from the garment factory building collapse.

Begum, a young female garment worker at the Rana Plaza building before the disaster, addresses the media at the Savar Combined Military Hospital in Savar area of Dhaka on Monday, May 13.

Throngs of reporters crowd around Begum as she speaks publicly for the first time on May 13 about her ordeal in Dhaka.

Begum is surrounded by media and members of the Bangladeshi military at the hospital where she is recovering in Dhaka on May 13.

A nurse helps Begum through a door as she attends a media conference at the Savar Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on May 13.

Begum rests in her hospital bed as members of the Bangladeshi military stand beside her at the Savar Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on Saturday, May 11.

Begum was found in the factory’s basement in a pool of water, according to rescue official Lt. Col. Moazzem Hossain.

Bangladeshi army workers supervise the continued rescue operation using heavy equipment to sift through the rubble on May 10 in Dhaka.

Rescuers workers administer first aid as they carry Begum from the rubble on May 10 in Dhaka.

Begum is pulled alive from the rubble by the rescue workers on May 10, after being buried for 16 days.

Begum recalled that when the collapse of the nine-story building began, she was working on the third floor. She was found in the factory’s basement.

The 19-year-old mother vowed to never again work in the country’s garment industry, where she was earning the equivalent of $60 a month.

1

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5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Reshma, a story of survival

Building collapse victim speaks

Shoppers have a Bangladesh quandary

How to fix worker rights in Bangladesh

They are trained in first aid. And they appoint a representative who airs their grievances to management.

In other words, the accusations that bedevil the industry now — safety issues, workers rights, low pay — are addressed here.

“We get paid on time. If Friday is a holiday, we get paid a day earlier,” Begum said.

We spoke to several workers at Lakhsmi and asked them to speak freely about their conditions. They seemed content.

It turns out that medium-sized factories such as this aren’t the ones creating the headlines.

They are tailored for the task, they meet safety standards and they pass inspections.

The problem children are the many, many factories that have mushroomed in and around Dhaka that rent space in facilities where they have no business being: shopping malls or office buildings that aren’t equipped to handle the heavy machinery the trade requires.

Opinion: Stop cashing in on Bangladeshi workers

Fly-by-night operations

Until now, the government has turned a blind eye to the problem. After all, the factories were boosting employment — even if they were doing so in spaces crammed to the hilt with workers with zero safety regulations.

Since 2005, almost 2,000 garment workers have been killed in factory fires and structure collapse. And all of them have been at such small, unregulated factories.

These facilities don’t directly deal with Western clothiers.

When a company in the United States places an order, it does so with a large or a medium-sized factory that most likely lives up to the company’s standards for a decent wage and working conditions.

But, just like a contractor working on your home will farm out parts of the job to others, these factories sometimes do the same — to smaller, fly-by-night operations.

And with business booming, with a greater demand for goods and with the need to keep costs down so the consumers in the West can continue to purchase cheap shirts, such passing-of-the-buck has become more commonplace.

Changes afoot?

But the Rana Plaza disaster may change all that.

The shopping mall in the Dhaka suburb of Savar was built on swampland, with the owner adding four more floors to what was once a five-story structure, officials said. It housed five garment factories and generators on the fourth floor to keep them buzzing.

It collapsed April 24, killing more than 1,100 and ranking as the deadliest industrial disaster in the country.

The outrage over the disaster reached such a fever pitch that the government said it will form a committee to raise the minimum wage of garment workers. The Cabinet also approved the draft of a law that will allow workers to unionize and force factories to offer life insurance.

For its part, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturing and Export Association said it too is taking additional steps.

Until now, it had standards for workplace safety but not for the structural safety of a building.

“Before this Rana Plaza incident, BGMEA did not have the technical know-how people to check the structural design. We didn’t have any civil engineers,” said Reza Bin Mahmood, vice president with the association.

Those inspections have now begun. But with more than 4,500 factories, the task is daunting.

“It’s not an easy job. And we cannot finish it by overnight,” he said, urging that the factories be improved and updated with money from retailers.

Bangladesh vs. U.S.: How much does it cost to make a denim shirt?

Spurred to action

Some international retailers are doing just that. More than a dozen European clothiers signed on to a plan to help prevent fire and building collapses in Bangladesh.

The five-year plan calls for independent safety inspections and for companies to publicly report the findings. It also requires retailers to help finance fire safety and building improvements in factories with which they work.

Companies who sign on will have to terminate business with any factory that refuses to make necessary safety upgrades.

But many U.S. retailers, including Wal-Mart, have not signed on.

Wal-Mart said it will perform its own inspections and provide every worker with fire safety.

Over at Lakhsmi, the changes for the industry are welcome ones. Here, workers are assigned as fire wardens and extinguishers hang on the walls on each floor.

“At times, I feel ashamed to be in this trade,” Rahman, the factory owner, said. “Not for me but (because) somebody from this trade has done this irresponsible thing and took so many lives.

“This is just not done. It should not be repeated again.”

Bangladesh, Myanmar prepare for cyclone

Hong Kong calls on Bangladesh to fill worker shortage

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/20/world/asia/bangladesh-inside-garment-factory/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/Lyaj_ps9NVQ/bangladesh-not-all-sweatshops

Gazipur, Bangladesh (CNN) — The rat-a-tat of a hundred green sewing machines. The hypnotic hum of spools spinning brightly colored threads. The hiss of a thousand clothing irons.

Set aside for a moment what you think you know about the garment factories in Bangladesh: grimy, sweaty, children sitting in dimly lit, sweltering rooms sewing shirts you buy at your box store for $12.

Here at Lakhsmi Sweaters, the only children are in its in-house day care.

At this factory in Gazipur, on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, workers sit in long, orderly rows, under bright neon lights, with fans blasting full speed.

They get hourlong lunch breaks and free medicine. Medical checkups are mandatory, and the factory employs a full-time doctor. New mothers receive maternity leave — and pay.

Members of the Bangladesh army pray at the site of the collapsed Rana Plaza in Savar near Dhaka on Tuesday, May 14. The army-led effort to search for bodies has ended nearly three weeks after the nine-story building collapsed. The final death toll stands at 1,127.

Relatives of missing garment workers offer prayers in front of the rubble on May 14 in Savar.

A white board at the recovery command center near the disaster is used to track the death toll on Monday, May 13.

Heavy equipment sifts through the rubble of the garment factory building collapse on Sunday, May 12.

A woman cries holds a portrait of a missing relative believed to be trapped in the rubble of the Rana Plaza building on Saturday, May 11.

Bangladeshi garment worker Reshma Begum, a seamstress who survived 16 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building, rests in Savar Cantonment Hospital on the outskirts of Dhaka on May 11.

Relatives search through a long line of covered decomposing bodies to try to identify their family members on May 11.

Rescue workers retrieve Reshma from the rubble in Savar, Bangladesh, on Friday, May 10. She got rescue workers’ attention by waving an iron rod. She was found in a pool of water, which allowed her to stay alive.

An injured worker who survived the building collapse is carried by her husband to collect her wages in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Wednesday, May 8.

Garment workers who survived the building collapse line up to collect their salaries in Savar on May 8.

Workers continue rescue and recovery operations on Tuesday, May 7, nearly two weeks after the Rana Plaza building’s collapse outside Dhaka.

Rescue workers recover a body from the rubble on May 7.

Relatives place a body in the back of a truck on May 7.

A woman attempts to identify one of the bodies kept in a schoolyard on May 7.

Members of the Bangladeshi army and firefighters carry the body of a garment worker from the scene of the building collapse in Savar, outside Dhaka, on Sunday, May 5.

A woman holds a portrait of her missing relative as she sleeps on Saturday, May 4.

Relatives attempt to identify the bodies of loved ones on May 4.

Rescue workers dig out debris from the Rana Plaza building as Bangladeshi army personnel continue the second phase of a rescue operation using heavy equipment on Friday, May 3.

A woman reacts on May 3 after identifying a body found in the rubble.

A man stands amid the destruction as rescue and army personnel continue recovery operations on May 3.

A woman holds up a picture of a missing person believed to be trapped in the rubble on May 3.

A garment worker rescued from the wreckage of the Rana Plaza building lies in a hospital in Dhaka on Thursday, May 2.

A woman weeps after identifying her daughter’s body in the rubble in Savar on May 2.

Rescue workers move debris as Bangladeshi army personnel continue the second phase of a rescue operation at the site of the collapsed building in Savar on May 2.

A woman mourns before a mass burial in Dhaka on Wednesday, May 1.

Unidentified bodies from the rubble lie on the ground as people gather for a mass burial in Dhaka on May 1.

Workers dig graves during a mass burial of unidentified garment workers on May 1.

Sohel Rana, owner of the collapsed Rana Plaza building, wears police-issued body armor and a helmet while being escorted to court in Dhaka on Tuesday, April 30. Rana was arrested near the Indian border, and protesters called for him to be hanged.

Bangladeshi troops carry the body of a garment worker out of the rubble of the collapsed Rana Plaza building in Savar on April 30.

Clothing with Joe Fresh labels lies in the debris on April 30.

Cranes operated by Bangladeshi army personnel work on Monday, April 29.

Firefighters try to control a blaze that started while they were trying to rescue a woman with heavy equipment on April 29.

Bangladeshi army personnel begin the second phase of the rescue operation using heavy equipment on April 29.

Rescuers look for survivors on Sunday, April 28. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society says the chances of finding anyone alive in the rubble at this date are remote.

A woman mourns on April 28 at the site of the building collapse in Savar.

Rescue workers search for survivors on April 28.

Volunteers sleep before they begin more rescue operations on April 28.

Rescue workers carry a victim’s body recovered from the rubble on April 28.

Clothes lie in the rubble on Saturday, April 27.

An arrested owner of a garment factory is escorted to an appearance at the court in Dhaka on April 27. Four people were arrested and four others are being questioned by police.

Relatives hold photos of missing and dead workers outside the factory April 27.

Two Bangladeshi women look at a board with notices posted of missing and dead workers on April 27.

Bangladeshi relatives and workers load a body onto a truck on April 27.

An excavator operated by the Bangladeshi Army removes debris on April 26.

Volunteers and rescue workers conduct rescue operations on April 26.

Rescue workers use textile as a slide to move bodies out of the rubble on April 26.

Rescue workers look for trapped garment workers on April 26.

Rescue workers stand on the rubble of the collapsed building on April 26.

Rescue workers search the rubble for victims and survivors on April 26.

A rescue worker looks for trapped workers on April 26.

Bangladeshi army personnel recover a survivor from rubble on April 26, 48 hours after the collapse.

Volunteers and rescue workers assist in rescue operations on April 26.

A physician assists a survivor after he was recovered from the rubble on April 26.

Two bodies clutch each other in the rubble on Thursday, April 25.

People rescue garment workers on April 25.

A Bangladeshi woman shows a picture of her missing daughter-in-law she believes is trapped in the collapsed building on April 25.

Bangladeshi firefighters cut a hole through concrete during rescue operations on April 25 in Savar, a suburb of Dhaka.

Volunteers and rescue workers work at the scene on April 25.

A woman appears devastated on April 25 after identifying the body of her husband killed in the building collapse.

Bangladeshi garment workers help evacuate a survivor by using a roll of fabric on April 24.

People rescue garment workers on Wednesday, April 24, after the building caved in, leaving a chaotic mass of broken concrete and twisted metal.

Relatives who lost a brother mourn outside a hospital on April 24.

Rescuers help an injured garment worker to escape from the Rana Plaza building on the outskirts of Dhaka on April 24.

Civilians help an injured garment worker on April 24. Work was proceeding slowly to avoid causing further collapse, an official said.

Rescue workers search for trapped garment workers in the Rana Plaza building on April 24.

An injured Bangladeshi lies on the hospital floor on April 24.

The injured receive treatment at a hospital on April 24.

An injured person rests in a hospital bed on April 24.

People wait anxiously on April 24 while rescuers search for survivors.

Rescuers help an injured person out of the seventh floor on April 24.

Civilians help out in rescue efforts at the collapsed building on April 24.

Hundreds watch the rescue operations on April 24.

People search for garment workers trapped under the debris on April 24.

Rescuers help an injured worker on April 24.

A body is trapped under the damaged building on April 24.

A woman is carried away from the building on April 24.

A rescue worker carries a worker to an ambulance on April 24.

Crowds gather around the collapsed building on April 24.

Rescuers bring out an injured garment worker from the building’s sixth floor.

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Photos: Building collapses in Bangladesh

Garment factories reopen in Bangladesh

Walmart, Gap refuse safety pact

Companies pledge improved factories

“The atmosphere should always be healthy, friendly and livable. We don’t need buyers to tell us that,” said Safina Rahman, director of Lakhsmi and one of just a handful of female owners in what is predominantly a male-run industry.

“This is my duty. This is how I’d want my children to grow.”

But in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster when Bangladesh’s extremely lucrative garment business has come under increased international scrutiny, Rahman and her workers worry about the effect the backlash will have on them.

Retailers in the West are rethinking their partnerships as customers threaten to shop elsewhere.

United Students Against Sweatshops, a labor rights group, is planning protests against clothiers it believes aren’t committed to strict standards in Bangladesh.

And the Obama administration may take away the tax breaks Bangladesh get for goods that the United States imports.

The seamstress in the rubble

All of which would have devastating consequences for Bangladesh.

The garment industry has been a boon for this South Asian nation of 160 million. It pumps $20 billion a year into the economy. In a country where 31% of the population lives below the poverty line, the industry has been a salvation for 4 million people working in more than 4,500 factories.

“More than 2 million people are working in this trade; maybe more,” Rahman said. “If one (worker) has four people to look after in the family, that’s almost 8 million people who are living off this trade.”

“If we are bloodsuckers, who is contributing to this economy?” she added. “It’s become a big-time challenge for us. People like us.”

Contented workers

Poppy Begum is a stitcher here, one of 2,000 workers spread across four floors. She works nine-hour days, six days a week, helping create sweaters and other knitwear bound for Europe, Canada and Australia.

In an industry where the turnover is extremely high, many of the workers such as Begum have been here for almost a decade.

It’s easy to see why: The starting wage is $51 a month — higher than the industry average of $35.

Rescue workers carry Reshma Begum, 19, to safety on Friday, May 10, a day after her discovery alive amid the wreckage of a building that had entombed her since it collapsed on April 24, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. At least 1,127 people have been confirmed dead from the garment factory building collapse.

Begum, a young female garment worker at the Rana Plaza building before the disaster, addresses the media at the Savar Combined Military Hospital in Savar area of Dhaka on Monday, May 13.

Throngs of reporters crowd around Begum as she speaks publicly for the first time on May 13 about her ordeal in Dhaka.

Begum is surrounded by media and members of the Bangladeshi military at the hospital where she is recovering in Dhaka on May 13.

A nurse helps Begum through a door as she attends a media conference at the Savar Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on May 13.

Begum rests in her hospital bed as members of the Bangladeshi military stand beside her at the Savar Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on Saturday, May 11.

Begum was found in the factory’s basement in a pool of water, according to rescue official Lt. Col. Moazzem Hossain.

Bangladeshi army workers supervise the continued rescue operation using heavy equipment to sift through the rubble on May 10 in Dhaka.

Rescuers workers administer first aid as they carry Begum from the rubble on May 10 in Dhaka.

Begum is pulled alive from the rubble by the rescue workers on May 10, after being buried for 16 days.

Begum recalled that when the collapse of the nine-story building began, she was working on the third floor. She was found in the factory’s basement.

The 19-year-old mother vowed to never again work in the country’s garment industry, where she was earning the equivalent of $60 a month.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Reshma, a story of survival

Building collapse victim speaks

Shoppers have a Bangladesh quandary

How to fix worker rights in Bangladesh

They are trained in first aid. And they appoint a representative who airs their grievances to management.

In other words, the accusations that bedevil the industry now — safety issues, workers rights, low pay — are addressed here.

“We get paid on time. If Friday is a holiday, we get paid a day earlier,” Begum said.

We spoke to several workers at Lakhsmi and asked them to speak freely about their conditions. They seemed content.

It turns out that medium-sized factories such as this aren’t the ones creating the headlines.

They are tailored for the task, they meet safety standards and they pass inspections.

The problem children are the many, many factories that have mushroomed in and around Dhaka that rent space in facilities where they have no business being: shopping malls or office buildings that aren’t equipped to handle the heavy machinery the trade requires.

Opinion: Stop cashing in on Bangladeshi workers

Fly-by-night operations

Until now, the government has turned a blind eye to the problem. After all, the factories were boosting employment — even if they were doing so in spaces crammed to the hilt with workers with zero safety regulations.

Since 2005, almost 2,000 garment workers have been killed in factory fires and structure collapse. And all of them have been at such small, unregulated factories.

These facilities don’t directly deal with Western clothiers.

When a company in the United States places an order, it does so with a large or a medium-sized factory that most likely lives up to the company’s standards for a decent wage and working conditions.

But, just like a contractor working on your home will farm out parts of the job to others, these factories sometimes do the same — to smaller, fly-by-night operations.

And with business booming, with a greater demand for goods and with the need to keep costs down so the consumers in the West can continue to purchase cheap shirts, such passing-of-the-buck has become more commonplace.

Changes afoot?

But the Rana Plaza disaster may change all that.

The shopping mall in the Dhaka suburb of Savar was built on swampland, with the owner adding four more floors to what was once a five-story structure, officials said. It housed five garment factories and generators on the fourth floor to keep them buzzing.

It collapsed April 24, killing more than 1,100 and ranking as the deadliest industrial disaster in the country.

The outrage over the disaster reached such a fever pitch that the government said it will form a committee to raise the minimum wage of garment workers. The Cabinet also approved the draft of a law that will allow workers to unionize and force factories to offer life insurance.

For its part, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturing and Export Association said it too is taking additional steps.

Until now, it had standards for workplace safety but not for the structural safety of a building.

“Before this Rana Plaza incident, BGMEA did not have the technical know-how people to check the structural design. We didn’t have any civil engineers,” said Reza Bin Mahmood, vice president with the association.

Those inspections have now begun. But with more than 4,500 factories, the task is daunting.

“It’s not an easy job. And we cannot finish it by overnight,” he said, urging that the factories be improved and updated with money from retailers.

Bangladesh vs. U.S.: How much does it cost to make a denim shirt?

Spurred to action

Some international retailers are doing just that. More than a dozen European clothiers signed on to a plan to help prevent fire and building collapses in Bangladesh.

The five-year plan calls for independent safety inspections and for companies to publicly report the findings. It also requires retailers to help finance fire safety and building improvements in factories with which they work.

Companies who sign on will have to terminate business with any factory that refuses to make necessary safety upgrades.

But many U.S. retailers, including Wal-Mart, have not signed on.

Wal-Mart said it will perform its own inspections and provide every worker with fire safety.

Over at Lakhsmi, the changes for the industry are welcome ones. Here, workers are assigned as fire wardens and extinguishers hang on the walls on each floor.

“At times, I feel ashamed to be in this trade,” Rahman, the factory owner, said. “Not for me but (because) somebody from this trade has done this irresponsible thing and took so many lives.

“This is just not done. It should not be repeated again.”

Bangladesh, Myanmar prepare for cyclone

Hong Kong calls on Bangladesh to fill worker shortage

Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/20/world/asia/bangladesh-inside-garment-factory/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/Ao8GifcQmLQ/bangladesh-factories-arent-all-sweatshops