News l Eco Music Challenge Season 2 album

Eco Music Challenge 2011 is an online song-writing competition organised by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for talented and passionate individuals to express their appreciation and support for our beautiful environment through music.

15 aspiring Singaporean musicians and their original compositions were selected to be produced in the National Environment Agency's Eco Music Challenge Season 2 album.All songs on the album were composed by finalists of this year's Eco Music Challenge. Songs on the album span rock and roll, pop, country folk, jazz and punk rock, and all of them express support and appreciation for the environment.

The winning song "World Without Fences" composed by 20-year-old Lee Fengheng talks about how everyone could put aside their differences and work together to do their part in helping Earth.

All proceeds from the sale of the album will go towards the Nature Society (Singapore) to support their activities of nature appreciation and nature study at Semakau Landfill, and the land and intertidal areas of Pulau Semakau.
Songs from the Eco Music Challenge Season 2 album are available for download at NEA's website at $0.99 per song and at $9.90 for the full album. A hardcopy album is also available for sale at the NEA's Customer Service Centre at $11.90.

For more information: NEA

Caroline Wozniacki will finish 2011 as the No. 1 ranked tennis player

Maria Sharapova pulled out of the WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey with a sore ankle Wednesday after losing her second straight match at the season-ending tournament.She won't play her final match against Victoria Azarenka.

Caroline Wozniacki

The second-ranked Russian’s withdrawal ensures that Caroline Wozniacki of denmark will finish the year with the No. 1 ranking, despite losing her group-stage match against Russia’s Vera Zvonareva, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.Sharapova entered the tournament after sitting out since withdrawing in the quarterfinals in Tokyo last month because of an ankle injury.

Maria Sharapova

After losing 7-6 (4), 6-4 to Li Na of china in her second round-robin match Wednesday  in 1 hour and 56 minutes, Sharapova said “the ankle didn’t recover as well as I had hoped after the first round.” Sharapova said she expects to return to the court in Brisbane next year ahead of the Australian Open.

Li Na

News l Rare earth of China

Rare earths are a group of 17 minerals used in manufacturing flat-screen TVs, mobile phones, batteries for electric cars, wind turbines and weaponry.

By closing or nationalizing dozens of the producers of rare earth metals which also are used in energy-efficient bulbs and many other green-energy products — China is temporarily shutting down most of the industry and crimping the global supply of the vital resources.

China has about 30 percent of global rare earth deposits but accounts for 97 percent of production. In the name of fighting pollution, Beijing has alarmed global manufacturers by reducing exports, prompting pressure from Europe and the United States to treat foreign and domestic buyers equally.

In China, prices of some rare earths have fallen sharply since June. Beijing is merging its rare earths producers to tighten control over production, sales and pricing. It announced in June that Baotou Steel would become the only miner, refiner and seller of rare earths in the northern region of Inner Mongolia, a production center. It said 35 other companies there would be merged or closed.

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News l The Environmental Media Association Awards

Since their inception in 1991, the Environmental Media Association Awards (EMA) have honored environmental efforts made throughout the entertainment industry with the aim of "linking the power of celebrity to environmental awareness."

Each year, in addition to promoting the environmental efforts of a myriad of films, TV series and actors, the awards distribute special honors to people in the entertainment industry who, according to the EMA, "have gone above and beyond to help the environment both professionally and personally."

The Environmental Media Association and the group’s 21st anniversary party and awards ceremony was held at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California this year.

Internationally recognizable celebrity Justin Timberlake has in the past made notable donations to charities such as Wildlife Warriors founded by the late Steve Irwin. The EMA Futures Award honors him as a potential future leader of environmental causes. Nevertheless his ecological efforts, which include advocacy for environmental issues, greening his concert tours and the eco-friendly golf course-Mirimichi he owns near Memphis is part of his green glory.

Warner Bros.’ animated “Yogi Bear”, documentary “Revenge of the Electric Car”, TV’s “Futurama,” ‘’CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” ‘’HGTV Green Home 2011,” ‘’Real Time with Bill Maher” and the childrens’ show “Bubble Guppies” also won awards for raising awareness about environmental issues.


EMA Awards:EMA

Video l Nicki Minaj Sings 'Super Bass' with Sophia Grace on ellen

I am so agree thet there is nothing cuter than seeing little kids singing and dancing! This is the video of adorable 8-year-old Sophia Grace Brownlee along with her 5-year-old cousin, Rosie, singing and dancing to Nicki Minaj’s “Superbass” on Ellen daytime talk show.

News l GM Spark EV - a small and totally electric car

General Motors, maker of the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid, will sell a small totally electric car beginning in 2013, the automaker announced on 12 October 2011. Smaller than a typical subcompact, the Spark is a so-called minicar. It's even  a couple of inches shorter than a Mini Cooper.

GM has been testing an electric version of the Chevrolet Cruze -- a larger car similar to the Chevrolet Volt -- in several countries around the world. Feedback from those tests in China, Korea and India has been taken into account in creating the Spark EV.

When it goes on sale, the Spark EV will join an increasingly crowded market of plug-in cars as almost every major automaker plans to offer at least one by the end of 2012. However, GM has not yet announced details such as the car's driving range, price or in what markets it might be sold.

News l Deceased of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs

 Steven P. Jobs, the charismatic technology pioneer who co-founded Apple Inc. and transformed one industry after another, from computers and smartphones to music and movies, has died. He was 56. His death sparked tributes from all quarters - heads of state to technology workers, colleagues to competitors, celebrities to everyday users of his company's products.

In 2004, he beat back an unusual form of pancreatic cancer, and in 2009 he was forced to get a liver transplant. After several years of failing health, Jobs announced on Aug. 24, 2011 that he was stepping down as Apple's chief executive.

Being as the mastermind behind Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac ,iTunes and one of the world's most famous CEOs, Jobs remained stubbornly private about his personal life, refusing interviews and shielding his wife and their children from public view.

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News l The CAFE Green Flight Challenge winner won $1.35 million

The CAFE (Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency) Green Flight Challenge which backed by Nasa is aimed to make green air travel a realistic possibility.  NASA has awarded $1.35 million to the crew behind the Taurus G4 plane designed and created by the Pipistrel-USA team.

Taurus G4 has two separate fuselages that can seat 4 passengers. The two fuselages are joined together with a huge motor and batteries taking up the middle space.The Taurus G4 won the prize by flying 200 miles from Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif., in less than two hours. There were 14 airplanes in the competition, but the Pipistrel won easily. It nearly "doubled the fuel-efficiency requirement" for the contest.

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