The list, selected by the magazine editors, includes seven courses in the United States and one course each in Scotland, British Columbia, and Dominican Republic. The list is not endorsed by Reuters:

1. The Castle Course, St. Andrews, Scotland (Architect David McLay Kidd) Scotsman David McLay Kidd won the coveted design commission to build a seventh course at St. Andrews and transformed every inch of a derelict 220-acre potato farm on the outskirts of town into the Castle Course. Tumbling, hazard-studded fairways make every tee shot an adventure.

2. The Chase At PGA Golf Club Coyote Springs, Coyote Springs, Nevada (Architect Jack Nicklaus) Situated 50 miles north of Las Vegas, the Chase at Coyote Springs supplies lakes, waterfalls and artful desert buffer zones. Nicklaus tosses in the unexpected with tattered-edge bunkers and intricate contours in and around the greens.

3. Ritz-Carlton Golf Club At Creighton Farms, Aldie, Virginia (Architect Jack Nicklaus) The property is in on terrain laced with wetlands, creeks and ponds. Developers gave Nicklaus several hundred acres of this horse country to transform but his crew left much of it in a natural state. Where the ground was high and dry, he built bunkers, false fronts and lots of undulations.

4. The Club At Tower Ranch, Kelowna, British Columbia (Architect Thomas McBroom) In interior British Columbia as many as 10 courses are opening over a three-year span. The Club at Tower Ranch has broad vistas and bulging hills overlooking Lake Okanagan and the city of Kelowna, a popular summer resort.

5. Tetherow Golf Club, Bend, Oregon (David McLay Kidd) This sporty layout, covering craggy high-desert terrain, merits lavish praise. Tall pines frame some of the holes, but much of the acreage was ravaged by wildfire 15 years ago, leaving open expanses that Kidd used to effect.

6. Sugarloaf Mountain Golf And Town Club, Minneola, Florida (Architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw) Sitting in the hilly outback of scrub oak, citrus groves and quiet country roads, the layout features elevation changes of 200 feet or more and enormous tumbling fairways. Tacking up and down pleasant inclines, the holes are beautifully oriented and paced.

7. The Legacy Course At Roco Ki, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (Architect Nick Fald) This new Faldo course required a midstream re-routing because the tricky island terrain reacted unpredictably to some construction. But Faldo found corridors through upland mangrove.

8. Four Mile Ranch Golf Club, Canon City, Colorado (Architect Jim Engh) Fans of Engh’s work will note many of his trademark elements here, among them high-stakes green complexes and sharply angled doglegs. No traditional bunker can be seen, just noses, hollows and humps but the course is far from hazard-free.

9. Palouse Ridge Golf Club, Pullman, Washington (Architect John F. Harbottle III) This golf course has greens perched high and fairways that heave and tilt like turbulent seas. Wind turns Palouse Ridge into the evergreen state’s version of a blustery British links. Even on calm days, the course is still a handful.

10. Rock Creek Cattle Company, Deer Lodge, Montana (Architect Tom Doak) A prime selling point of this private prairie-links golf course and fishing club near Deer Lodge, Montana, is that the course works its way through evergreen-studded foothills and small natural bowls.

A morbidly obese Canadian inmate has been released months ahead of schedule because his prison was not adequately suited to hold a man of his girth, a parole board said Thursday.

Michel "Big Mike" Lapointe, 37, had pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in February and in May was sentenced to five years in prison, less 20 months served awaiting trial.

But a judge later reduced his sentence because of hardships the 430-pound (195-kilogram) man claimed to have endured in a prison designed for smaller criminals.

This week, the Quebec Parole Board granted him early parole, saying in its decision he had been jailed for 25 months under "difficult conditions due to his health."

The parole board also noted that two halfway houses — residences designed to help convicts transition from jail back into society — had refused to take him in, and that he was well-behaved during his incarceration.

Lapointe, a former accountant for a drug-trafficking ring, would not normally have been eligible for parole until February 2009, but according to his lawyer Clemente Monterosso, his health was deteriorating.

His jail cell bed was a foot (25 centimeters) narrower than his body and he could not even sit on a chair, Monterosso said in May.

"Finally it’s over," Lapointe told the daily Journal de Montreal on Wednesday. "I want a normal life. I made some mistakes and I paid for them."

"Now, I will finally have a decent bed and a chair I can sit on," he said.

This list is not endorsed by Reuters.

1. McDonald Observatory, United States

For a night-time even like no other, head 2,040 meters (6,700 ft) above sea level to the top of Mount Locke. The McDonald Observatory, at the Davis Mountains in Texas, enjoys some of the best dark skies in the continental United States, ensuring jaw dropping views of celestial splendor. It also holds regular star parties, allowing you to look through the kind of massive telescopes that make astronomers rub their hands with glee.

2. Stonehenge, Britain

Thought by some to be a giant, primitive observatory, Stonehenge suggests that going "wow" at the heavens’ twinkling bits is nothing new — they began building this monumental circle of standing stones around 5,000 years ago. It’s still a good place to stargaze today — out in Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire there aren’t many lights around interfering with nature’s display.

3. Abu Simbel, Egypt

Even in a country crammed full of awesome ancient sites, Abu Simbel, one of the most important ancient observatories in the world, inspires. Its four 20 meter (66 ft) statues of Ramses II and the monumental main hall were laid out to honor sun gods. The whole structure was moved, lock, stock and statuary during the construction of the Aswan High Dam, and rebuilt, still precisely aligned.

4. Caribbean Islands

Where better to gaze at a bejeweled blanket of stars than the islands where the breeze is warm, the night air is fragrant with franipani and the rum is sweet. Find a romantic beachside, palm-fringed spot, lie back and star into the velvety darkness.

5. Pisac, Peru

For the Incas gazing at the heavens was about much more than horoscopes and romantic views. Instead, the firmament features a celestial roadway — the Milky Way. Priests possibly used this wide band of diffuse light as a route map for parallel terrestrial pilgrimages.

6. Caldera de Taburiente National Park, Canary Islands

Flung out into the sea off west Africa, the Canary Islands are the last chunk of land before a whole lot of ocean. La Palma is the island furthest west, and right at its tip is the Caldera de Taburiente National Park. It’s such a good spot for star gazing that it’s home to the Roque de los Muchachose Observatory, which has one of the most extensive fleet of telescopes in the world.

7. Sherbrooke, Canada

Once the global hub of ice-hockey-stick manufacturing, Sherbrooke, Quebec, didn’t, until recently, have many other claims to fame. Visitors tend to use this French-speaking city as a springboard for the pristine rivers, mountains and lakes of nearby Mont-Megantic National Park. But there is another reason to visit: both the park and the city have been designated the world’s first International Dark-Sky Reserve.

8. Slovenia

As Oscar Wilde put it: we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. In theory, you should be able to see a lot of stars in Slovenia — the country recently passed its first light-pollution law. The International Dark-Sky Association reckons the law will save Slovenia 10 million euros ($13.5 million) a year, and the planet a some hefty greenhouse gas emissions.

9. Hawai’i (the Big Island), Hawaii, United States

You may plan to explore the smoking, steaming landscape around Crater Rim Drive, crawl through the lava tubes at Kaumana Caves or simply snorkely and sunbathe on the perfect white beaches of Kauna’oa Bay. But it’d be a shame to leave the Big Island without at least one long look at the night sky — Hawai’i’s altitude and isolation give it a distinct astronomical advantage.

10. Sark, Britain

Get out of the cities to see more stars. Urban light pollution means you’ll usually only see 100 with the naked eye; in a dark-sky zone you can pick out 1,000. For a beautiful nightscape, head to Sark, in the Channel Islands. This high plateau of granite is nearly 5 km (3 miles) long, 2.5 km (1.6 miles) wide, has few houses and no cars or street lights. Cycling its pock-marked, unpaved lanes by moonlight is magical — but bring a flashlight.

credits: reuters.com

comment: i hope someday i could see these awesome places listed above.. and of course sky watching is very romantic with a special someone..so better bring one or two..ayt? 

ONE gauge of a player’s leadership qualities is how he sets examples for his teammates.

Purefoods considers itself doubly lucky for having two beacons in Kerby Raymundo and James Yap, the KFC/Accel- PBA Press Corps’ Co-Players of the Week for the period Oct. 27 to Nov. 2.

The rest of the Giants rode on the able shoulders of the dynamic duo in fashioning a thrilling 108-105 overtime win over the Air21 Express in the Philippine Cup’s Halloween presentation last Friday.

The victory, coming on the heels of a more cruising 92-81 triumph over Barangay Ginebra the Sunday before, marked the first time hobbled Purefoods fashioned back-to-back wins in the conference, jacking their win-loss record to 3-4 and barging out of the cellar.

Giants coach Ryan Gregorio knows exactly whom to give the bulk of the credit.

"They were remarkable in our last two wins, especially in our game against Air21," said Gregorio of Raymundo, who scored a career high 37 points, and Yap, who had 31, against the Express.

"We simply rode on their backs with their combined output of 68 points," Gregorio added. "They showed great leadership when we were on the verge of losing."

The Purefoods stars became the first teammates to put together 30-point performances in a single game since San Miguel’s Danny Seigle and Dondon Hontiveros accomplished the feat in a 119-115 win over Red Bull in Game Seven of the 2006-07 Philippine Cup semifinals.

Raymundo dished out his best game since a 31-point game against Talk ‘N Text in the 2006 Philippine Cup and Yap’s was also his best since scattering the same output versus Coca-Cola in the last Fiesta Conference.

Yap’s game, also spiked by nine rebounds and two assists, was made more remarkable by the fact that his status was questionable before the game, hobbled as he is by a bad back and two sore ankles.

Yet he grabbed the loose ball and came through with a big three-point shot at the buzzer as Purefoods completed its 20-second rise from a 91-96 deficit to tie the game at 97, and force overtime.

It was also Yap who pushed the Giants ahead for good in the extension with a layup, before adding two more baskets in an 8-2 binge that virtually iced the dramatic contest that had 11 deadlocks and as many lead changes.

The Giants would not have been even in a position to stay in the game if it were not for Raymundo, who also had 11 rebounds and four assists.

Picking up the cudgels for his injured co-star, Raymundo scattered 29 points in the final half, highlighted by a triple that started their rise from that five-point deficit in the last 20 seconds of regulation.

"Together, they made things happen for us," said Gregorio.

The youthful-looking but grizzled coach knows the road ahead remains rough for his team, especially now that starting point guard Roger Yap remains out with a knee injury. But with his two major players leading the way, Gregorio is confident the task could be overcome.

special credits: pba.com.ph

The "Syunsoku" brand of sneakers has sold over 10 million pairs since being launched in 2003, with sales more than doubling every year.

Total sales almost equal the number of Sony PlayStation Portable units sold in Japan, suggesting that one in every two elementary school kids owns a pair, says manufacturer Achilles Corp.

"After I begun wearing them, I was picked to be a relay runner," says four-year-old Kohei, showing off his pair of red-lined silver Syunsokus, which mean "Nimble Feet" in English.

Kohei’s friend, Kei Yamashita, owns two pairs — one in green and the other in blue.

Behind the Syunsoku boom is cutting-edge technology specially developed to help children run at top speed without losing balance — especially around athletic tracks.

The shoes have asymmetrical soles with more rubber spikes on the right. The design gives runners better stability and grip against centripetal force when running anticlockwise around a track, according to Achilles.

Other features include elastic laces to help with knotting.

Tokyo-based Achilles says it sold 4.5 million pairs of the shoes in the business year ended in March, and sales this year seem even stronger.

"It’s mostly word-of-mouth that’s fueling the sales," says Yutaka Tsubata, a senior manager of Achilles’ product planning development.

"Our product concept was to help fast runners run faster, and to give dreams to those who cannot. It is every kids’ dream to be a hero on sports day."

The company plans to start making an adult line next year.

Toddler Kohei’s mother, Yukie Ota, says she was not convinced the sneakers actually made her son a faster runner.

"But they make him believe that he’s faster than ever… and I guess that’s good enough," she said.

"It’s been a long time coming. But tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America," he said in front of a crowd of 65,000 people.

He continued: "All of those watching tonight from beyond our shores, in the parliament and in the palaces, those huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular but our destiny is shared."

"A new dawn of American leadership is at hand," he said to applause.

"To those who would tear the world down, we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security, we support you."

"We have proved that the true strength of our nation comes not from the scale of our wealth but from the power of our ideals — opportunity, democracy, liberty and hope."

He paid tribute to his campaign team, his wife, children and recently deceased grandmother.

"Along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure," he said.

He added: "I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements."

"Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms and the front porches of Charleston.

First black president

Americans emphatically elected Democrat Barack Obama as their first black president Tuesday, in a transformational election which will reshape US politics and the US role on the world stage.

Obama, 47, will be inaugurated the 44th US president on January 20, 2009, and inherit an economy mired in the worst financial crisis since the 1930s, two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a nuclear showdown with Iran.

Television networks projected his victory over Republican John McCain after Senator Obama solidified traditional Democratic states and cut deep into the Republican territory which his rival needed to control to win the White House.

Obama’s win was greeted with euphoria by a vast crowd gathered in his home city of Chicago, as his supporters, screamed, waved American flags as they waited for him to arrive to deliver his victory speech.

New York’s Times Square exploded in joy at a moment of healing for America’s racial scars, a huge crowd gathered outside the White House and the result immediately reverberated around the world.

Democrats also made ground in Congress, and will hold an unshakeable monopoly in power in Washington after a rare generational and political realignment.

McCain concedes defeat

McCain was gracious in defeat, and noted that his election was a moment to cherish for African Americans.

"The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love," he said.

"Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours," he told a crowd of supporters in Phoenix in his home state of Arizona.

President George W. Bush who has steered his country through eight turbulent years also congratulated Obama.

"Mr president-elect, congratulations to you," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino quoted the president as saying in a phone call to Obama.

"What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. Laura and I called to congratulate you and your good bride."

Travel Web site ProfessionalTravelGuide.com has come up with a list of 9 haunted hotels (http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Haunted-Hotels-2008) for thrill-seekers who like hearing things go bump in the night.

This list is not endorsed by Reuters:

1. Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado, California

Kate Morgan’s body was found six days after she checked into Room 302 of the Hotel del Coronado to meet her estranged husband on Thanksgiving Day 1892. He reportedly never showed up. Kate’s untimely death was ruled a suicide. Room 302 is now known as Room 3312, but Kate’s spirit is said to roam the entire hotel.

2. Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood, California

The site of the first Academy Awards and the center of Hollywood during its heyday, The Roosevelt Hotel is said to accommodate the ghosts of Marilyn Monroe (Suite 1200) and Montgomery Clift, star of "From Here to Eternity" (Room 928). Marilyn Monroe was a frequent guest there. Her image is said to appear in a mirror now located in the lobby.

3. The Sagamore, Bolton Landing, New York

The Sagamore in Bolton Landing, New York, is said to harbor the ghost of a boy from the 1950s. The boy would collect lost golf balls and sell them to the pro shop for extra cash. Running after a ball one day, he was fatally struck by a car. Apparently, guests still see the boy on the golf course sometimes.

4. Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas

The smell of cigar smoke can be detected when Colonel Driskill, a Texas cattle baron and Confederate officer, is said to be wandering the lavish Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas. In 1877, the daughter of a Texas senator took a fatal tumble down the grand staircase. It is said she can be heard bouncing a ball in the lobby and along the mezzanine.

5. Shieldhill Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

Guests tell stories of "The Gray Lady" who is said to haunt Shieldhill Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. According to legend, she was the daughter of the family who owned the castle until the mid-20th century. She is said to have fallen in love with one of the hired hands. When her father disapproved of the marriage, she committed suicide.

6. Hotel Provincial, New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is renowned for its spooks and hauntings. Part of the Provincial Hotel was once a Confederate hospital. Maids have reported bloodstains mysteriously appearing and disappearing. Once, as the elevator opened on the second floor, the vision of an entire hospital apparently came into view.

7. The Marshall House, Savannah, Georgia

Used as a hospital during the Civil War and during yellow fever epidemics in the 19th century, the Marshall House in Savannah, Georgia, is reportedly one of the most haunted hotels in the city. For more ghosts, check out the famed Pirate House Restaurant with a tunnel dug by pirates that leads to the river.

8. The Heathman Hotel, Portland, Oregon

At this hotel, guests who have left their rooms clean have returned to find something amiss or moved about. Records for the hotel will have shown no one entering the room. Evidently, these occurrences are frequent, especially in rooms ending in-03.

9. The Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Paranormal researchers have studied The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, believed investigating the spirit of Dr. William Jacocks who lived at the inn for many years. Orbs, piano notes, soft-spoken words and other ghostly happenings add to the spooky ambience.

James was picked by 56 percent of the league’s general managers to secure the MVP title, ahead of Los Angeles’ Lakers guard Kobe Byrant, who won the title last season and was chosen by 37 percent of managers to repeat the feat.

It was the third successive year James has been tipped for MVP honors, though his coach Mike Brown suggested he may be forced to rest the player in more games this season.

"It’s something we talked about before the season started," Brown told reporters after James sat out the 97-79 pre-season loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.

"We sat down and talked about the possibility of getting him a game off, two games off, especially after all the basketball he has played."

James has been a virtual ever-present in the Cavaliers since the team chose him as the number one draft pick straight out of high school in 2003.

He started 79 regular season games in his 2003-04 rookie season, 80 in 2004-05, 79 in 2005-06, 78 in 2006-07 and 74 last season and has averaged more than 41 minutes per game.

However he, along with Bryant, spent the off-season helping the US "Redeem Team" to win gold at the Beijing Olympics and neither has had much opportunity to recharge their batteries.

While James is favored to earn MVP honors few believe it will be enough to carry the Cavaliers to the title, with 46 percent of general managers picking the Lakers to avenge last year finals loss to the Boston Celtics.

Just 19 percent of general managers believed the Celtics would retain their title.