Arsenal: Wenger rejects Fabregas reports

Aresene Wenger today denied Arsenal have opened negatiations over a newe contact with Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas, whose current deal with the Gunners expires in 2014, revealed yesterday that the club has sought talks over fresh terms.

But Wenger insists the Spain midfilder was simply voicing his commitment to the club in respone to speculation over renewed interest from home town club Barcelona.

" At the moment there are no talks. What he wanted to say is that he is committed ti the future here." said the Frechman.

"He was interviewed by Spanish radio and that's all he wanted to say."

Wenger is suprised at the ferocity of the backlash againts the Premier League's proposal to play a 39th game abroad each saeson from 2011.

The palan has recived universal condemnation with FIFA president Sepp Blatter the latest dissenting voice, declaring it will "never happen".

But Wenger insists the idea should be investigatied properly before being written off.

"I'm surprised by immensity of the battle from people who are againts it without really analysing the pros and cons." he said.

"For me the biggest disrespect to the fans is to take money out of their pockets without giving them someting of qulaity.

"I can understand a lot of resistance because there are problems that have to be erased, but you cannot say that a competitive game is disrespectfull to fans.

"Friendly games for huge prices are disrespectful to fans."

Meanwhile, Red and White Holding Ltd have increased their shareholding in Arsenal to 24%.

The investment company, whose chairman is fotmer Gunners vice-chairman David Dein, is owned by Russian businesman Alisher Usmanov and LOndon-based investor Farhad Moshiri.

nd by October had increasted their stake to 23% - making them the second biggest individual shareholder behind director Daniel Fiszman, who has 24.11%

Usmano's interest precipitates a 'lock=down' agreement by Gunner board which expires April - and has an option to be extende - meaning the Uzbek -born metals magnet cannot launch a takeover bid for time being.

Tethering might be supported by iPhone

An internal AT&T document reveals that tethering might be allowed on an iPhone, meaning the use of the iPhone as a modem. It is unknown whether this is a flaw in design or it was left there for a specific reason.

This document comes from Boy Genius Report's informants, and is targeting customer service staff of Apple. it mentions the concept of teathering quite a few times.

The paper alleges that customers who try to tether the device to a computer are asked to accept a new-year cntract regardless of any pre-exsiting agreements. This problem has been known long by AT&T and they will reset the contract's start date for the customers affected by this problem.

"Please advise all customers that to complete the tethering process of their new iPhone they will be required to accept a new two-year agreement including the [Terms and Conditions]." the message reads. "However, their agreement will not be extended from their original iPhone activation or upgrade date."

AT&T meaning is unclear since reference to tethering might mean some stage in iTunes activation, or users upgrading to 16GB iPhone. However the way tethering is used is quite unusual. Tethering essentially means, that you can use cell phone as a modem for you laptop or PDA through cabels or wirelessly.

Apples has not announced any plans to offer data tethering for the iPhone. Such feature would be useful by frequent without reliable sources of Internet access, and it was requsted fron Apple by some of its current and future customers.

Apple said that is aware of the issue regardless of its exact nature

Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi-Land of The Heavenly Kings

The road from Makassar or Ujunga Pandang to Toraja runs along the coast for about 130 Km's and then hits the mountains. After the entreance to Tana Toraja you enter a majestic landscape with giant gray, granites and stones and blue mountains at a disatance after passing the market village of Mebali. They form a sharp contrast with the lively green of the fertile, rain-fed terraces and the rusty read of the tropical laterite soil. This is Tana Toraja, one of the most splendid areas in Indonesia.

Tana Toraja has a specific and unique funeral ceremony which is called Rambu Solo. In Tana Toraja, dead body is not buried, but it is put in Tongkonan for several times, even can be more than ten years until the family have enough money to held the ceremony. After ceremony, the dead body is brought to the cave or to the wall of the mountain. The skulls show us that the dead body is not buried but just put on stone or ground, or put in the hole. The funeral festival season begins when the last rice has been harvested, usually in late June or July, and laste through to September.

• By Air

Directly from Hasanuddin airport, Makassar or Ujung Pandang, proceed to TANA TORAJA through the airport of Rantetayo, near Makle, 24 KM south of Rantepao and there is a bus service to town.

• By Land

Buses to RAntepao from Ujung Pandang leave daily from Ujung Pandang. The journey takes 8 hours and includes a meal stop. Tickets should be bought in town but coaches actually leave from Panaikan bus terminal, 20 minutes out of town by bemo. Coaches typically leave in the morning ( 7 am ) , noon (1 pm ) and at night ( 7 pm ). Several companies in Rantepao run buses back to Ujung Pandang with the depature time and prices. The number o f buses each day depends on the number of passengers.
Tourist who wants to stay in the heart of the city has many choices since there is lot of hotels available. Or if you had an adventurous soul, yaou can sleep in vilages on the way.

Bemo is the best way to get to know the locals, besides cahrtered vehicles (minibuses and Jeeps) with or without driver. While you are in the village you can take a walk to move around.

• Exploring the market; you should not be missed going to the traditional market. Here you can get the topof Toraja coffee beans [like Robusta and Arabica]. And several local veggies, fruits Tamarella or Terong Belanda and gold fish [ikan mas].
• Visit Batu Tumonga Plateu; It means stone that facing to the sky. From here can be seen many volcanic stones comes up in between padi fields. And, several giant stones became cave graveyard. The views is pretty awesome. The huge of Tana Toraja [Toraja land] looks so lush and greenery. Like a patchwork in gradtion hue of green color.
• Palawa is an excellent village to visit a Tongkonan, or a burial place swarming with celebrations and festival.
• Take a side trif froom Rantepao to Kete, a tarditional village with excellent handicraft shops. Behind the village on a hillside is a grave site with lifesize statues guarding over old coffins.

Most of times, you can't eat at thees locations; however more warung and restaurants appear along the road. You can also bring yuor own foods and drinks.

There is a souvenirs shop where you can buy everything specific from Tana Toraja. There are clothes, bags, wallets and other handicrafts.

• Visitor are expected to adhere to local dress customs and to bring a token present, such s cigarettes or coffee whenever entered Tonhkonan.
• As roads are not always paved, it is necessary to use a jeep or walk, even when the weather is good (between May and October).
• Beware with your head whenever going inside to Tongkonan. The Torajan traditional house.
• Enrekang, Makale and Toraja Higland are surrounded by astonishing volcanic rocky cliffs. Do not miss it, just stop and take picture for awhile and will not regret.