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Tag: Spain

  • Law That Forced Google News To Shut Down In Spain Has Really Screwed Things Up

    Law That Forced Google News To Shut Down In Spain Has Really Screwed Things Up

    Back in December, Google announced that it was shutting down Google News in Spain as the result of a new law in that country that requires every Spanish publication to charge Google and other news aggregation services to show snippets from those publications regardless of whether or not the publisher actually wants it that way.

    As you may know, some publishers (typically of the old media variety) aren’t fond of Google indexing their content and showing snippets to users. Some claim it is bad for their traffic despite evidence to the contrary. It would appear that Google News shutting down was actually much worse for traffic (as if it could have possibly gone any other way).

    The law is similar to one in Germany that ensured publishers could charge services like Google for displaying snippets with links, but the difference with the Spanish law is that publishers actually have to charge. That way Google can’t just omit the ones who want to charge. There would be no option to opt out of Google News or to continue letting Google carry on as normal for free. So rather than paying every single publication just to link to their sites and drive them traffic (which is absurd), Google just shut down Google News in Spain and basically washed its hands of the whole mess.

    Unfortunately for the publishers who were happy to get traffic from Google (and again, from other aggregators as well), things aren’t going so well for them either.

    TechDirt is reporting on a study commissioned by the Spanish Association of Publishers of Periodical Publications (AEEPP) on the effects of the law, and they’re not good. It found that it’s stifling innovation in news and hurting publishers of all sizes, but especially smaller ones who don’t have the brand recognition of the bigger players.

    TechDirt’s Mike Masnick hits the nail on the head when he writes, “Of course, for the major newspaper publishers, maybe that’s what they really wanted all along: less competition. But it’s difficult to see how that’s a legitimate public policy strategy.”

    Even beyond the decreased competition among publishers, the aggregator market has apparently dried up in the country. Google still has a business without Google News, but while some others have reportedly found ways to shift business models, a number of aggregators have had to shut down entirely. The report specifically names Planeta Ludico, NiagaRank, InfoAliment and Multifriki.

    What’s particularly disturbing is that this all seems pretty much like the only possible outcome of such a law. It remains a mystery how it could have possibly helped the news industry in Spain.

    You can find the actual study here. It’s in Spanish obviously.

    Image via Google

  • Google Not Getting Rid Of News Results In Spain [Report]

    It’s been an interesting saga for Google News in Spain over the past couple weeks. Google announced it would shut down Google News on December 16 as the result of a Spanish law that requires such services to pay publishers for use of snippets of text.

    Deeming this an unsustainable model, Google decided to just pull the plug on the service rather than pay up. Ironically, before the law took effect and Google News was terminated, the publishers who lobbied for such a law in the first place begged the government to intervene, and stop Google from shutting the service down.

    On Tuesday, the day came for Google News to go away, and go away it did. Sort of. The Spanish version of the Google News front page was replaced by a message about it being shut down. However, Google continued to show news results in regular Google searches in Spain, including those from Spanish publishers. You could also click over to see more Google News results in Spanish for whatever your search was. It was as if all that went away was the actual Google News homepage.

    Still, publishers saw a significant drop in traffic, according to one report.

    We expected Google to pull the plug on the news results form regular searches as well, but it appears that’s not going to be the case until further notice. Search Engine Land is reporting that Google intends to leave these be. Apparently they don’t see the law as applicable to this portion of its service, which is interesting because it seems likely that most people probably get to these publishers’ sites this way anyway. It almost makes you wonder what the point of the law even is, especially considering that publishers don’t even want Google News to go away.

    Search Engine Land’s Greg Sterling writes:

    We learned yesterday from Google, however, that in the main search results the company intends to continue showing its “in the news” box…The “en las noticias” box on the SERP will remain according to Google. Is this still “Google News” or merely the highlighting of news stories relevant to a topical query? Google would probably argue the latter. However we may start to see a debate about whether the new Spanish “anti-piracy” law would apply to these results as well. I suspect the algorithm that powered Google News is still generating results for this box.

    Google did recently start including other types of results in its “In the News” boxes here in the U.S., such as reddit threads. These were separate from Google News, though the boxes also include content that appears on Google News. What it’s doing in Spain could be something similar. What the difference really is, in terms of legalities, seems unclear at this point.

    Image via Google

  • Google News Closure Already Hurting Publishers [Report]

    As you may know, Google announced it would shut down Google News in Spain today as a new law takes effect, requiring such services to pay publishers to use small snippets of text.

    Google has indeed shut down the homepage of Google News in Spain, but as detailed earlier, you can still access Spanish Google News via web searches, which provide news results and a link to additional results via Google News. As of the time of this writing, the actual service is still up and running even if the main page has been replaced by an explanation of the service’s closure.

    It would appear that this is still enough to put a major dent in publishers’ traffic. GigaOm is reporting this to be the case, citing data from ChartBeat.

    Josh Schwartz, the chief data scientist at Chartbeat, said the company doesn’t track every Spanish news site or publisher, but it has enough data on them as a group to indicate just how dramatic the traffic decline was. The service tracks about 50 sites, he said, ranging from small media outlets to the largest newspaper publishers, and looking at the data shows “a pretty massive difference” in traffic compared to a similar day before the removal. On average the drop is between 10 and 15 percent (Chartbeat only includes traffic from clients who have consented to have their anonymized data used).

    The drop will presumably be even greater if Google stops showing news results altogether, which we should expect that it will, unless publishers are able to convince the government to allow Google to keep the service running. Ironically, they are currently trying to do just that.

    Image via Google

  • Should Google News Be Shut Down In Spain?

    Publishers aren’t fond of the idea of not having Google News to send them traffic, it would seem. Who knew? Last week, Google announced it would shut down Google News in Spain on December 16. The day is here, and as of the time of this writing, the site is operational, but it may be gone soon. The company’s hand was forced by legislation in that country requiring news aggregation services like Google News to pay publishers for using small snippets of content.

    Should Google be forced to pay publishers or shut down Google News? Do you agree with this law? Should it be implemented in other countries? Should publishers just be grateful for the traffic they get? Share your thoughts on the issue in the comments.

    The law is similar to one in Germany that ensured publishers could charge services like Google for doing just that, but the difference with the Spanish law is that publishers actually have to charge.

    You see, when the scenario played out in Germany, publishers eventually caved, coming to the realization that they actually relied on that Google traffic. Google wasn’t going to pay them for snippets, so it just wouldn’t index those who wanted to charge. Minds were changed.

    Minds have also changed in Spain, but given the different nature of the law, a reversal might not be as easy. The Spanish Report reports that the Spanish Newspaper Publishers’ Association (AEDE) wants the Spanish government and EU competition authorities to stop Google from closing Google News. The publication writes:

    The Spanish Newspaper Publishers’ Association (AEDE) issued a statement last night saying that Google News was “not just the closure of another service given its dominant market position”, recognising that Google’s decision: “will undoubtedly have a negative impact on citizens and Spanish businesses”.

    “Given the dominant position of Google (which in Spain controls almost all of the searches in the market and is an authentic gateway to the Internet), AEDE requires the intervention of Spanish and community authorities, and competition authorities, to effectively protect the rights of citizens and companies”.

    Keep in mind, this is the group that lobbied the government for such a law in the first place. Apparently they didn’t expect Google to actually pull the plug. Now they seem to be panicking.

    Last week, Richard Gingras, Head of Google News, said:

    As Google News itself makes no money (we do not show any advertising on the site) this new approach is simply not sustainable. So it’s with real sadness that on 16 December (before the new law comes into effect in January) we’ll remove Spanish publishers from Google News, and close Google News in Spain.

    For centuries publishers were limited in how widely they could distribute the printed page. The Internet changed all that — creating tremendous opportunities but also real challenges for publishers as competition both for readers’ attention and for advertising Euros increased. We’re committed to helping the news industry meet that challenge and look forward to continuing to work with our thousands of partners globally, as well as in Spain, to help them increase their online readership and revenues.

    We’ve yet to see any comment from Google in light of this new news, and it remains to be seen if the government will indeed intervene again to keep Google News alive in the country.

    Currently, Google News is still operational from Google.es. If you go to the main Google News page, it presents the user with Google’s message about shutting down, but if you perform a regular Google search that lends itself to news, you still get news results within the regular search results, and can click through to the Spanish version of Google News like normal (h/t: Greg Sterling). This is likely how most people use the service as it is.

    This could very well go away soon, but we have to wonder if Google is in talks with the government in light of the publisher group’s recent comments. After all, they would be the beneficiaries of the law, so the law has little reason for existing if it doesn’t cater to those it’s supposed to protect.

    Do you think Google News will ultimately remain in operation in Spain, or do you expect it to actually be gone for good? Let us know in the comments.

    Images via Google

  • Google News Is Shutting Down In Spain

    Google announced that it’s going to be shutting down Google News in Spain as the result of a new law in that country. The company has faced turbulence from publishers and governments in many countries (particularly in Europe), and this time, it’s just become too much, so the service is going away.

    Google announced the news in a blog post talking about how revolutionary the product has been, and how the Internet has changed the news landscape before getting into the reason for the demise of Google News in Spain. Richard Gingras, Head of Google News, said:

    But sadly, as a result of a new Spanish law, we’ll shortly have to close Google News in Spain. Let me explain why. This new legislation requires every Spanish publication to charge services like Google News for showing even the smallest snippet from their publications, whether they want to or not. As Google News itself makes no money (we do not show any advertising on the site) this new approach is simply not sustainable. So it’s with real sadness that on 16 December (before the new law comes into effect in January) we’ll remove Spanish publishers from Google News, and close Google News in Spain.

    For centuries publishers were limited in how widely they could distribute the printed page. The Internet changed all that — creating tremendous opportunities but also real challenges for publishers as competition both for readers’ attention and for advertising Euros increased. We’re committed to helping the news industry meet that challenge and look forward to continuing to work with our thousands of partners globally, as well as in Spain, to help them increase their online readership and revenues.

    Google didn’t offer much in the way of details about how it might work with partners in Spain, but I’d imagine we’ll be hearing more about that in time. It will also be interesting to see if any new news aggregation services, who are willing to pay the price, emerge in the country. More likely, the biggest publications will just get all of the traffic, and the smaller ones will suffer.

    In the past, Google has faced a similar situation with ancillary copyright law in Germany, but ultimately, publishers there decided they needed Google, and forfeited payments. The difference in Spain, as Gingras noted, is that publishers have to charge.

    Image via Google

  • Microsoft Launches Cortana In More Countries

    Microsoft announced today that it is launching Cortana (its Siri competitor) in four new countries in Europe: France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.

    “When we introduced Cortana as a beta as part of Windows Phone 8.1 in the U.S. this past spring, she generated worldwide interest and excitement which was amazing to see,” says Microsoft’s Marcus Ash in a blog post. “With the Windows Phone 8.1 Update we announced last summer, we extended Cortana’s availability as a beta into China and the U.K. Since then, we have been working very hard to continuously deliver updates including making her available in more languages.”

    “Alpha means that Cortana is new to these countries, most of the features in the beta version are available but some are missing or coming soon,” says Ash. “For example, flight tracking is not available at this time for alpha. Transit data is currently limited to larger cities and will expand as we have more data. Additionally, reference data (e.g. “How tall is Mt. Everest”) is also not available – but we’re working hard to enable this soon! We have also worked hard to tailor Cortana’s personality in each language (with local chit chat and jokes) to make her more locally and culturally relevant (i.e. make sure she fits in!). Cortana will also show European football (or as we Americans call “soccer”) league data, including Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and La Liga.”

    Availability in the new countries comes with an update that’s currently rolling out. It will be available through the Windows Phone Developer Preview Program first because Microsoft needs help from the community to improve speech and language recognition.

    Image via Microsoft

  • Miss Spain, Patricia Yurena, Comes Out As Gay Over Instagram

    In the digital age, when a celebrity wants to make a big personal announcement, Instagram is the go-to medium. Patricia Yurena, also known as Miss Spain, is no exception. She wanted to tell the world that she is gay and has a girlfriend, so she made an Instagram post with the caption: “Romeo and Juliet”.

    E! News has called her the first national beauty queen to come out of the closet.

    For the most part, her fans are more than supportive. “I don’t regret what I did and I did it because I’m happy about what’s going on in my life,” she told La Opinión de Tenerife, as translated by E! News. So far, the photo has gained over 8500 likes. Considering her Instagram post before it gained only a little over 500 likes, that’s a big boost in publicity. No wonder she has no regrets.

    Yurena’s girlfriend is a Spanish DJ by the name of Vanesa Klein. According to the Costa Rican newspaper La Nación, the two met last year and have been dating for six months. UPI translated a quote from her interview in which she said, “there is no gender in love.”

    The LGTBQ community in Spain could not be happier with the announcement. The International Business Times translated an interview from an owner of a boutique popular with Madrid Lesbian community, who said it has been a “good thing” for locals. “It’s obviously a personal decision on the part of Patricia Yurena to come out, but it means a lot to a group of people who don’t get wide recognition in Spain,” the owner said, “It’s also good for society as a whole.”

    Yurena has been thankful over and over again since she came out:

    The translation of the caption reads “I appreciate the outpouring of support and even more, to rejoice in my happiness. Thank you !!”, according to US Weekly.

  • Treasure Hunting Family Strikes Gold in Florida

    The Schmitt family, who made national news over Labor Day weekend in 2013 after salvaging 60 feet of gold chain off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida, has struck gold again. On Memorial Day of this year, Eric Schmitt recovered a 300-year-old solid gold religious artifact at the same underwater site.

    The square-shaped piece functioned as the back portion of a handcrafted gold-filigree pyx, a small case used to house the Eucharist, which serves as a representation of Jesus’ body during the Communion aspect of a Catholic mass.

    Lisa Schmitt, part owner of a company called Booty Salvage and the mother of Eric, commented, “It was our follow-up to our big find. It’s been there 300 years, and it’s still intact. It’s just amazing that it’s not broken.”

    Here is the moment the treasure was uncovered:

    Brent Brisben, co-founder of 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC, the company that owns the rights to dive on the wreckage site, revealed that experts said that the pyx dates back to the late 1600s or the early 1700s. The hunting grounds comprise the combined wreckage of a fleet of Spanish ships struck by a hurricane off the coast of Florida in July, 1715. More than 1,000 sailors were killed in the storm that claimed eleven of the dozen ships that were headed to Spain.

    “This pyx would have belonged to a very high-ranking church official and, given its incredible craftsmanship and beauty, may have been destined for the pope,” Brisben said. “This really has become probably the most unique artifact that has ever come off the 1715 fleet. It hasn’t been appraised yet, but I’m calling it priceless,” Brisben added.

    The state of Florida has dibs on all of the Schmitt’s finds, and up to twenty percent of the loot might end up in museums. The rest is split fifty-fifty between 1715 Fleet – Queens Jewels LLC and Booty Salvage.

    Here is a clip concerning Booty Salvage:

    Interestingly, the piece that Eric Schmitt recovered fits perfectly into an incomplete “picture frame” that was discovered in 1989. Both pieces, it turns out, formed the complete pyx. The “picture frame” part of the pyx had been sitting on display in the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West for over twenty years. The frame is now privately owned, which makes it unlikely that the state of Florida will confiscate the new find.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Google Tax’ Law Could Lead Google To Shut Down Google News In Spain

    Spain reportedly passed a law last week that requires sites linking to articles published by those in the country’s newspaper association with snippets – as Google and other search engines do – to pay a tax. This is being referred to in the press as a “Google tax”.

    It’s a new development in an otherwise old story. Publishers (especially throughout Europe) don’t like not getting paid by Google, which links to their sites. Many smaller publications would love to simply have visibility in Google News, as well as the traffic that it can drive, but time and time again, we see publishers raising a stink over it. It’s been going on for years. Sometimes the governments get involved, as we’re seeing now with Spain.

    The law has passed in one house, and is expected to in the other.

    Google got around a similar law in Germany by making Google News opt in. The thinking is that Spain’s version is taking what happened in that country into account, and making things more difficult for the search engine. Julia Alonso has an in-depth post about the law on Medium, and writes:

    The Spanish law proposal declares that editors cannot refuse the use of “non-significant fragments of their articles” by third parties. However, it creates a levy on such use to compensate editors and declares it an inalienable right (derecho irrenunciable).

    The introduction of the inalienable right was done to avoid what happened in Germany. If you are a digital editor that publishes with a copyleft license, like myself, and you minimally understand how the internet actually works, you cannot decide to not charge Google News. It is compulsory. More than a right it is an obligation. Therefore, Google cannot exclude sites requiring payment from Google News. It would still need to pay for those it includes, even if they do not want to be compensated.

    Some expect Google to just pull Google News out of Spain if all of this comes to fruition, which is looking like a distinct possibility.

    Image via Google

  • Andrés Iniesta Says The Netherlands Was Simply Better Than Spain

    Netherlands win on Friday may have ended Spain’s six-year reign as the best football team in the world. Andres Iniesta, Spain’s central midfielder who struck the winning goal in the final four years ago against the Netherlands, was humbled by his team’s loss on Friday.

    Despite losing, Iniesta said that they will try to learn from their experience. “We have to win the two games that are left. There are small details that tip the balance. But it was difficult for us,” he said.

    He also said that his team is prepared for whatever comes, and they will do their best to win, but they will certainly not forget about their loss.

    A Humbling Defeat

    “We have to accept defeat. They were better than us in the second half. We have to admit that they were better. It’s a delicate moment for us, but we have to solve it,” Iniesta said.

    Fernando Torres, Spain’s striker, said that they did not have a solution to Netherlands’ gameplan. “It doesn’t matter how many goals they scored. We just can’t make any excuses. They were better, as simple as that,” he said. He also added that they still have the mindset that they can beat anyone. “That’s the attitude we’ll be taking into the Chile game,” Torres said.

    With Spain’s recent defeat, they have already conceded more than they had during the last two World Cups. Could this be caused by their lineup’s transition? The team has lost their tight defense with Carles Puyol’s retirement. Sergio Ramon and Gerard Pique also played out of character.

    In World Cup history, Spain has only had one heavy defeat, which happened 64 years ago when the team was destroyed 6-1 by Brazil. After that incident, Spain did not qualify for the next two World Cups. People are now wondering if history is repeating itself.

    Reports also indicate that this is Spain’s worst defeat since Coach Vicente Del Bosque took over the team in 2008.

    Image via YouTube

  • Iker Casillas: Not The Goalkeeper He Once Was?

    5-1.

    It’s a scoreline that stunned World Cup watchers across the globe. But then, who wouldn’t be stunned?

    Spain has become practically synonymous with outstanding football over the past decade. This view was largely aided by their ability to collect international trophies back-to-back.

    Two Spanish teams hailing from capital city Madrid fought it out for the 2014 Champions League title.

    A few weeks later, it feels as if the footballing nation has been knocked off its perch.

    While no one had outright predicted that Spain would be gliding to another World Cup win (all the pressure is on host nation Brazil at the moment), the Spanish team is made up of some of the best athletes in the world.

    This includes captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

    In 2010, when Spain and the Netherlands met in the World Cup final, Casillas ably stopped every ball that came his way. Four years later, he let in 5 amazing goals from a rampant Netherlands team.

    It was the worst loss ever suffered by a defending champion in the history of the tournament. Humbled and humiliated, the Spanish captain was moved to issue a public apology for his role in the defeat.

    Despite the gesture, Spain manager Vicente del Bosque doesn’t believe that the team captain should shoulder all the blame for Friday’s shoddy performance.

    Said Del Bosque, “If a team loses it’s not down to the performance of a single player.”

    This is an important observation. Where were Casillas’s defenders? There were four other men in front of him tasked with keeping the opposition from scoring. If the 33-year-old goalkeeper failed, it’s because others failed him.

    Still, it must be noted that Casillas has had difficulty maintaining a starting position in his Real Madrid team. Already there are whispers that it’s because Casillas is “past his time”.

    This is an unfair comment as Casillas was benched largely because Carlos Ancelotti wasn’t sure what to do about a controversy he inherited from former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. That much time spent on the bench over two years can take a toll on a player’s ability, even one as world class as Casillas.

    Are we witnessing a lack of time in goal catch up with the Spanish captain?

    Perhaps. Or it could be as simple as Spain having an off day at the worst possible time.

    On Wednesday, Spain faces Chile in a must-win match; their South American opponents already have one victory under their belts. A draw could doom the Spanish side; a loss would most definitely knock them out of the World Cup.

    It will be a make or break moment for Iker Casillas and the rest of the Spanish team.

    Do You Think Del Bosque Should Bench Casillas Against Chile? Comment Below!

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Letizia Ortiz, Future Queen Of Spain, Most Fashionable Royal?

    Letizia Ortiz is about to give Kate Middleton a run for her money. From her humble beginnings as a news reporter, to being the news itself, Ortiz, the Princess of Asturias, will be the Spain’s first Spanish-born queen since 1879.

    Slated to become a queen after the abdication of King Juan Carlos from the Spanish throne, the 41-year-old might become the world’s most glamorous queen. Her background is actually quite similar to Britain’s Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. However, Ortiz had already been a well known news reporter in her country prior to marrying into royalty.

    In 2004, the commoner married Prince Felipe and they now have two daughters.

    Generally speaking, the princess is not known for being flashy when it comes to her fashion sense.  Just like Kate Middleton, Ortiz repeats some of her outfits, as chronicled by the blogs dedicated to the Spanish royal’s style moves.

    Her commoner background, and her status as a divorcee, raised a lot of eyebrows in Spain when she first became involved with the prince. It was not until the suicide of her sister Erika in 2007 that she won the sympathy of the people during her silent grieving.

    Prince Felipe fell in love with Ortiz while she was covering the Prestige oil tanker disaster in 2002. At the time, the prince offered his support to those affected by the tragedy. The two dated in secret for several months, before announcing their engagement in November 2003.

    Letizia Ortiz is well known for being independent, and once famously interrupted her husband by saying “Let me finish!” during their official engagement presentation.

    In terms of fashion, Spain is not that well regarded on the international stage, with only limited brands such as Balenciaga and Zara making rounds in the industry recently. Will Ortiz become the royal trendsetter who puts Spanish fashion on the map? Many in the world of fashion and entertainment will certainly have her on their radar.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Spanish Bulls Gore Three Matadors, Bullfight Called Off

    Two Spanish bulls were the victors in a bullfight held at the Las Ventas ring during the San Isidro festival. Organizers had to put a stop to the event, as three matadors were injured. Reports say that it was the first time in 35 years that a bullfight had to be cancelled due to injuries sustained by matadors.

    In the 68-year history of San Isidro, there were only two bullfights that were suspended. Both happened in 1979.

    David Mora, who opened the show, had the worst injuries. A 1200 pound Spanish bull named Desilio rammed its horns into his leg before tossing him up to the air. Reports say that he is still in a serious condition, but it is not life threatening.

    Antonio Lorca, a bullfighting correspondent, described the scene: “The somersault was horrific, shocking, chilling, impossible for the human eye to witness yet evident to the mind.”

    Antonio Nazare was the second bullfighter to be injured. The Spanish bull dragged Nazare along the bullring, and as a result, his knee was injured.

    The third bullfighter who was injured was Jimenez Fortes, who was skewed in the pelvis and the right leg.

    Nazare and Fortes, who were injured by a Spanish bull named Feten, were both treated for their injuries and are said to have been released from the hospital on Wednesday.

    According to reports, about 2,000 bullfights happen in Spain each year. However, the numbers are beginning to decrease, as more and more regions are banning the ancient art of bullfighting. The first region to ban Spanish bullfighting was the Canary Islands, followed by Catalonia in 2010.

    Bullfighting was started by the Romans, and is said to date as far back as 4,000 years ago. In 2013, Spain’s congress granted bullfighting a cultural heritage status, so that they can prevent other bans. Animal welfare groups opposed the idea.

    Image via YouTube

  • Princess Cristina Arrives At Court To Testify

    Any time a royal family is involved in a court case, people become concerned. After all, leaders are suppose to set examples and follow the same laws they create or support. Spanish Princess Cristina caused a lot of debate when she took the stand today to testify in her husband Inaki Urdangarin’s court case.

    Inaki and Cristina have both been accused of using company funds for their own personal expenses, including parties and leisure trips. Both Inaki and Princess Cristina face preliminary charges and Cristina’s appearance in court is the first time a member of the Spanish royal family has had to testify in court since the monarchy was restored in 1975.

    Cristina arrived to court in a Ford C-Max hatchback, which dropped her off as close to the entrance as possible. Crowds of protestors and media waited outside and Cristina did not seem to be nervous or upset about the court case. She did not talk to the media but did turn at the entrance door to tell everyone “Buenos Dias” (“good morning”).

    According to the court, the princess and her husband were not only using company money to fund their parties and travel expenses, but also for household expenses. They also failed to report the expenses on the couple’s income tax returns. If the court finds that these expenses totaled more than 120,000 euros ($163,630) the crime could become punishable by prison time.

    The case has caused a lot of trouble for the royal family and they are anxious to put it all behind them and move on. The image of the royal family has not been a good one since 2012, when the princess’s father went on an expensive hunting trip while his country was in the middle of financial chaos during Europe’s debt crisis.

    What do you think of the Spanish royal family?

    Image via YouTube.

  • Stanislas Wawrinka Wins His First Grand Slam

    Swiss tennis player Stanislas Wawrinka nabbed his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday. In an interview with CNN, the 28-year old Wawrinka seemed thrilled and maybe even a little surprised.

    “I never dreamed about that, never expected to be in that situation and that’s just crazy … You don’t really know what’s happening, I started to tell myself ‘You just won a grand slam.’ It’s something amazing for me.”

    Wawrinka wasn’t the only one surprised by his victory.

    When Spain’s Rafael Nadal beat Wawrinka’s compatriot Roger Federer in the semi-finals Friday night, many assumed that Nadal would take the Australian Open title.

    A victory for Nadal would have tied him with tennis legend Pete Sampras at 14 Grand Slam titles. He would have been the first man in the Open era to win each of the Grand Slam titles twice, and only the third in history to do so. (Australians Roy Emerson and Rod Laver accomplished the feat previously.)

    Sampras himself tipped Nadal to win: “It’s a tough match-up and I’m not sure [Wawrinka] has the firepower from the back of the court. He’s got to deal with Rafa and his nerves, it’s his first major final so he needs to settle down and work his way into the match … I think Rafa’s just playing too well.”

    Wawrinka had lost to Nadal in all 12 of their prior matches – and all 26 sets. But before their Australian Open match-up, Wawrinka pointed to his record with Serbia’s Novak Djokovic: “I’m playing my best tennis here, I’m physically ready. I’m going to try everything. Before I beat Djokovic it was the same — I had lost 14 times to him before that.”

    But another Grand Slam win wasn’t in the cards for Nadal this time around. The Spaniard suffered a back injury on Sunday, and although he played through the pain barrier, he lacked the power to overcome Wawrinka.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_reY1EtQDk#t=21

    The final score: 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

    The win puts Wawrinka at number 3 in the world:

    In what the tennis world has quickly come to recognize as his typical humble style, Wawrinka said: “It’s really not the way you want to win a tennis match, but in a Grand Slam final I’ll take it.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Google Adds Ski Slope Imagery To Street View

    Google announced that it has gathered some new imagery of ski slopes for Street View using its Street View snowmobile.

    Google introduced the snowmobile back in 2010 when it gathered imagery from Vancouver and Whistler. It’s good to see it’s still getting some use.

    Google’s new imagery comes from ski resorts in Italy, France, Andorra and Spain.

    “From the western border between Italy and France in La Thuile to Siusi, Pusteria and Kronplatz in the eastern Dolomite Stations south of Austria, we are bringing online a total of eight Italian ski resorts. Take a look where the pros will head down the pistes at Bormio, which hosts a World Cup stop on December 29,” says Google’s Ulf Spitzer. “Val Thorens is one of the highest stations in Europe, while Les Gets opens up to the 600 kilometers of slopes on the Portes du Soleil.”

    “The Pyrenees boasts some great skiing and we feature Estació de Esqui de Masella,” adds Spitzer. “The small state of Andorra is home to a lot of skiing. We are bringing online two Alpine resorts Estació Esquí de Grandvalira and Estació Esquí de Vallnord. Together they cover more than 300 kilometers of slopes. You can also explore Nordic skiing facilities at Estació Esquí de fons de Naturlandia.”

    Earlier this week, Google announced that anyone can now create Street View imagery with a new feature for Views, which utilizes users’ photo spheres.

    Image: Google

  • AT&T Expands International Market

    AT&T Expands International Market

    AT&T has partnered with Spain’s Fon, which will provide AT&T customers with more international possibilities as well as being mutually advantageous for Fon’s customers. AT&T presently has more than 30,000 hotspots within the United States in venues such as book shops, hotels, and restaurants.

    JR Wilson, who serves as AT&T’s vice president of partnerships and alliances, spoke about the recent business collaboration. “Our agreement with Fon further expands our international Wi-Fi footprint making it easier for AT&T customers to stay connected to what matters most during their travels abroad,” JR Wilson said.

    However, nothing in life is free, and the recent expansion for AT&T customers is not free either. In order for AT&T customers to benefit from the recent progress, global data packages must be purchased. Though the exact amount of the data package can vary, package amounts offered will include at least 300MB and up to 800MB. The monthly fees associated with such a service can range from $60 to $120 per month.

    AT&T recently sponsored an event to encourage 100 developers to promote ideas globally as part of the 2013 Malaysia Developer’s Day. The following video shows an overview of the conference. The purpose was to generate creativity in hopes of developing unique apps where a prize amount of $10,000 was used as an incentive.

    AT&T is not only working on diversifying the international market, but also catering to the local market as well. Age-specifications have been instigated for parents and children alike.

    The following video courtesy of Famigo shows how apps can be used to ensure that young children access kid-friendly material and are not able to become exposed to subject matter that parents do not deem appropriate.

    AT&T has even branched into the political realm with encouraging people not to text and drive.

    [Image Via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Chris Horner’s Team Upset About Media Leak

    Chris Horner’s Team Upset About Media Leak

    On Sunday, Chris Horner did what many didn’t think he could do. The 41-year-old American cyclist won the Vuelta a Espana (also known to us English speaking folk as the Tour of Spain) bike race, making him the first U.S. winner of the competition and the oldest grand tour champion. However, the media put a bit of a damper on his celebration.

    The media alleged Horner was nowhere to be found when Spanish Anti-Doping Agency (AEPSAD) showed up at his hotel in Madrid. So while cycling followers were reading that Horner might have been trying to beat the system, it seems the AEPSAD just went to the wrong hotel.

    Horner, who rides for team Radioshack Leopard Trek, had sent an email to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informing them where he could be found on Monday and even what time would be best. It seems that information didn’t make it’s way to the AEPSAD.

    Team Radioshack said, “Chris Horner updated his whereabouts with USADA before the start of the final stage, giving the agency the name of his hotel for the night, phone number and room number for his one-hour window between 6 and 7 a.m. This is all according to the rules and Chris Horner received a confirmation email.”

    Not only is team Radioshack defending Horner, they are also seeking compensation with the “responsible anti-doping agencies” for the media leaking that Horner missed his appointment, instead of the mistake of the AEPSAD going to the wrong hotel. Radioshack added, “The anti-doping inspectors from the Spanish Anti-doping Agency that were asked to do the test by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) showed up at the wrong hotel in Madrid, where the team was staying but Horner was obviously not to be found. The team believes the communication between the Spanish Anti-doping Agency and the media is a violation of the privacy of Chris Horner, especially since it comes down to a clear mistake by the tester.”

    The USADA are not blaming the mix-up on Horner.

    An AEPSAD spokesman said agents went to the address of the hotel the USADA had sent them Monday morning, as well as another hotel. Horner was not found at either address. The spokesman said, “We do not want to make any kind of judgment about whether this was a violation of the rules as we do not have all the facts.”

    Many doubters out there can’t believe a man who is turning 42 next month could win such a race with a smile on his face most of the time.

    In an article for Velo News, Andrew Hood explains how the USADA’s reports on cheating in cycling has created doubt in believing that people are winning races without cheating. Hood says, “It’s a shame for Horner, and for cycling, that his victory cannot be wholly embraced, but that’s the reality of today’s peloton. Riders have to realize that after winning the race, they must then be ready to convince everyone that they can believe it. Fans simply do not want to be taken for fools again.”

    Though some people may doubt this win for a bit, one famous fan believes in the win.

    You can watch video of Horner winning the Vuelta a Espana below.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlm4MKu8TZ8

    Image via YouTube.

  • Horned Monster in Spain an Oarfish or Shark?

    Has the Loch Ness monster been discovered? PROMAR (Programa en Defensa de la Fauna Marina-Sea Life Defense Program) is working on finding that answer after a “horned monster” washed ashore in Spain earlier this month.

    A swimmer first discovered the head of the monster while walking along the beach. The head had two horns protruding from it. Then, as she walked further down the beach, she discovered the 4-meter long body.

    “A lady found one part, and we helped her retrieve the rest,” Civil Protection coordinator Maria Sanchez said. “We have no idea what it was. It really stank, as it was in the advanced stages of decomposition.” She added, “Promar experts are trying to find out what it could be.”

    Identifying the monster has not been an easy task. The body was found in a very decomposed state and the smell from the monster made it hard to work around. Due to hygienic reasons, the body of the monster had to be buried and now researchers have only the samples they were able to obtain and the pictures taken to go by.

    “It’s hard to know what we’re dealing with,” A PROMAR (Programa en Defensa de la Fauna Marina-Sea Life Defense Program) spokesman Paco Toledano said. “It’s very decomposed and we cannot identify what it is. Perhaps we could learn something more from the bones, but to be precise, it would be necessary to perform a genetic analysis, which is very expensive and who would pay for it? Anyway, we have submitted the information to colleagues with more experience and knowledge to see if they can tell us something more specific.”

    Different theories have been circulating as to what the monster could be. Jokingly, people have said that it is Nessie, or some other kind of sea dragon, but scientists believe that it is a type of shark or an oarfish.

    One scientist, David Shiffman, shared his opinion on the Southern Fried Science website and said: “It’s hard to tell, but the official guess that it could be a thresher shark seems plausible. Certainly the tail looks oarfish-y. It maybe could be a thresher shark, but nothing else.”

    Another expert from Florida State University, Dean Grubbs, says: “That is definitely a shark skeleton… The elements toward the back were confusing me, but those are the lower caudal fin supports. The ‘horns’ are the scapulocoracoids which support the pectoral fins.”

    Image via YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbqZSr7zrJ0

  • Oarfish, Mystery Sea Monster Revealed

    Oarfish, Mystery Sea Monster Revealed

    Nessie? The Loch Ness Monster? Or some other unidentified creature of the deep? Officials in Spain last week were left with these very questions, but it looks like these questions may finally be put to rest. The fish, found on the shore of Luis Siret Beach in Villaricos, with horns protruding from the head baffled discoverers.

    Several factors made identification of the creature difficult. First, the smell of decomposing flesh is hard to work around, and second, the decomposition left little to view in terms of clearly representing the complete structure of an identifiable sea creature. Lastly, the sheer length of thirteen feet means that the organism could belong to several different species of present day marine life. Like a type of shark, for example. Is it possible that the creature isn’t something scientists expect? Could the fish belong to some unknown species that lurks in the depths somewhere?

    According to David Shiffman who shared his views through the ecological blog site Southern Fried Science, “It’s hard to tell, but the official guess that it could be a thresher shark seems plausible.” When prodded further about other possibilities, David Shiffman said, “Certainly the tail looks oarfish-y. It maybe could be a thresher shark, but nothing else.”

    Sharknado, anyone?

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the oceans cover 70 percent of the globe with much exploration still left to complete. The NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research is on the front line of investigative efforts where previously unknown and elusive parts of the ocean are being considered for research. With much of the area still open for exploration, is it possible that organisms may still be discovered? Boundaries still open for being crossed? Will these questions ever be answered? Most importantly, will people continue to ask these questions?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFCyb50qzM

    [Image via Wikimedia]

  • Beer Contest Winner Drinks 1.6 Gallons in 20 Minutes, Dies

    A beer drinking contest in Spain’s Murcia region ended in tragedy this week when the contest winner, Joaquin Alcaraz Garcia, died of cardiac arrest.

    The rules of the contest were simple: Consume as many 1-liter glasses of beer as possible in 20 minutes. Garcia consumed 6 liters (roughly 1.6 gallons or 200 ounces) of beer during that period. He was declared the victor, raised the trophy overhead, and began to vomit.

    At first, those present assumed Garcia would be fine. Witness Santiago Garcia was one of the attendees who tried to help the champ. “He started to vomit in his chair. I was one of the people who held him upright,” he said. “He vomited a lot but I sat with him for ten minutes, and he was sleeping and snoring away,” municipality vice president Pedro Rodríguez told a local newspaper.

    Emergency officials described the man as obese, which might have encouraged those present to assume Garcia would be able to shake off the binge.

    But he wasn’t merely sleeping, as Rodríguez assumed. Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene and took Garcia to the hospital, but he died shortly thereafter.

    Despite the tragedy, the town’s mayor, José Manuel Gracia, defended the contest, noting that the official cause of death was not yet identified and that the contest had a “long tradition” in the community. Even so, further festivities have been halted and local authorities have called for a three-day period of mourning in honor of the champ.

    While statistics for Spain are hard to come by, stateside, approximately 50,000 Americans suffer alcohol poisoning annually, and alcohol abuse takes the lives of 1.8 million people worldwide each year.