Google Says Bloggers Shouldn’t Change Internet Marketing or SEO Strategy

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Google has confirmed that it’s new update, Google Instant, does not affect SEO.

With so many Internet marketers and SEO experts speculating what the update will mean for their websites, Google have officially told webmasters and bloggers not to change their marketing strategy.

They have made it clear that Instant does not alter the results of search pages, nor is it an update to the Google algorithm that ranks web pages.

Alden DeSoto, a member of the Google Analytics team, said: “Should I change my search advertising strategy to serve ads on to partial keywords (e.g. if I sell flowers, should I advertise on “flow”)?

This is not a productive strategy. Please note that ads are triggered based on the ‘predicted query’ and not the stem that the users types in. So, in this example, the partial query ‘flow’ triggers results for the predicted query of ‘flowers’. The only way someone can see your ad for ‘flow’ is if they specifically searched for that word and hit enter or clicked search. And since you sell flowers, it’s not likely that your ad for flowers will be served alongside such a generic and irrelevant word.”

This news should come as relief to bloggers and webmasters concerned with marketing their websites through the search engine.

When Expedited Passport Service Is Your Only Hope

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by William Manor

You have an international trip scheduled to depart in only a few days but no valid passport. To make matters worse, you tried to schedule an appointment at the nearest regional passport agency but there was no opening before your departure date. What can you do? Is it still possible to obtain a passport in such a short period of time? Is there any hope of making your trip?

Yes, there is a way to get your travel document in the time you need it. You can employ the services of a professional expediting service in order to get an expedited passport in 24 to 48 hours. These expediters have a standing appointment with regional agencies which allow them to submit passport applications for their clients on a daily basis. Applicants who are unable to schedule an appointment or who just live too far away to personally visit an agency can get a passport in a hurry through an experienced expediting service.

One of the most frequently asked questions by American citizens who are considering using a professional expediter is whether or not these service providers are legitimate. This is understandable given the fact that fees can run as much as $299 for same day service and time restraints do not allow for proper research and evaluation.

“Expediters are legitimate service providers,” stated William Manor, owner of U.S. Passport Service Guide. “They have been around for decades and are required to register with the regional passport agencies in order to operate. This does not imply that every expediting service performs at the same level of professionalism. Applicants should at least examine how long an expediting service has been operating and whether or not any complaints have been registered against them,” concluded Mr. Manor.

Once a passport expediter has been chosen, the process is quite simple. Applicants need to complete the expediter’s online form and then send the company the completed passport application and supporting documentation required by the U.S. Department of State. Those who are requesting a new passport still need to appear at a local passport office in order to take an oath and have an authorized agent witness the signing of their application. Only then can it be sent to the expediting service.

Fees vary depending on how quickly an applicant wants to expedite the process. Those who need to get passports in only 24 hours will pay the most. This is the bad news. The good news it that it can be done. There is hope for obtaining a passport in 24 to 48 hours. The solution is expedited passport service.

Author Bio / Resource Box
U.S. Passport Service Guide, the experts in expedited passports, provide international travelers with access to a directory of more than forty expedited passport services.

Will Youtube Live Change Online Marketing?

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Youtube is currently testing a live video streaming service with the hope of expanding the platform and allowing general users to broadcast their own channels.

YouTube is starting with live video channels from four of its partners: Howcast, Rocketboom, Next New Networks and Young Hollywood.

After successful live streaming experiments like the Indian Premier League matches, a U2 Concert and Presidential Speeches, the new platform – if give the green light for user generated public broadcasting, could create opportunities for webmasters and bloggers aiming to market their brands more effectively.

One option is that Google could introduce ad-based live streams where you need to watch 30 second ads or text ads in the live streams.

Of course the most obvious option will be for webmasters and bloggers to broadcast their own live shows, but the success of such a venture would most likely depend on viewership and might not be a plausible option for many small websites.
But with the technology readily available, it won’t cost too much for marketers to find out the viability of running a live channel, through the use of normal webcams or USB/FireWire cameras.

Youtube Live will also integrate with a new live comments module for real-time discussion with viewers.

“We think of live as the next chapter in online video. We needed to take our time on this.” says Joshua Siegel, a YouTube product manager.

Facebook Usage Overtakes Google

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New data from researchers at comScore Inc shows that web surfers are spending more time on Facebook and less on Google, for the first time.

The data shows that people are spending about 9.9 per cent of their total web surfing time on Facebook (41.1 million minutes), compared to 9.6 per cent of their total time on Google (39.8 million minutes).

The data not only includes the Google search engine but all Google websites including Youtube, Google News and Gmail.
Yahoo now ranks as the third most popular website with users spending 37.7 million minutes on its site in August, or 9.1 per cent of their time.

At the same time last year surfers were spending less than 5 percent of their online time on Facebook and nearly 12 percent on Yahoo. In 2007 users spend less than 2 percent of their time on Facebook.

Does it help to get abs when we lose belly fat?

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by Terry Clayton

A lot of myths invade our thoughts when it comes to getting abs nowadays. Many people fall into the trap of doing specific abs exercises, and while they have some benefit, they don’t address the best way to accomplish your objective. An aspect of the problem is wading through the mountains of information about the best way to expose those abdominal muscles and determine which program to follow.

One of the most misunderstood parts of any diet or fat reduction regimen is how the body handles and processes calories, the energy we get from the food we eat. Calories are not the adversary when it comes to any fitness program to lose belly fat, but the type of calories are. By consuming nutrient rich foods you give your body the fuel it needs to work at an optimal level, which includes an improved metabolism that burns away excess fat. What you need are foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, lean protein, and vitamins and minerals.

The first thing you need to understand to make a reliable decision is how the human body works and this is where The Truth About how to get a Six Pack excels. It is an abs exercise program that uses some of the basic facts of human exercise physiology to accomplish its goals.

The Truth About how to get a Six Pack covers the nutritional aspect by showing what it takes to follow a healthy diet that taps into your own metabolic fat burning system. By eating correctly you will not only begin to lose belly fat but your energy levels will improve and you will soon find yourself not craving all those diet busting snack meals during the day.

Probably the most amazing part of this six pack abs system is the exercise portion. Most people assume that in order to get abs you must do hundreds if not thousands of sit-ups or crunches on a daily basis. These types of exercises do have their place, but to truly see results you need to look at your body as a whole. By improving your overall lean muscle mass you transform your body into a calorie burning machine. This abs exercises program focuses on full body training routines that expands your metabolism as well as recruiting all the major muscle groups to give that lean firm look so many people like to have.

If you want to stop hiding your body under layers of clothes and wish to seriously change the way you look and feel about yourself The Truth About how to get a Six Pack is a system that will seriously change the way you look at attaining your fitness goals. By adding good nutrition and a complete workout program you’ll soon be wearing clothes that fit and flatter your new body.

Author Bio
For more information about how this six pack abs program can help you build the body you want please visit the website getabsx.com by Clicking Here.

How Will Google Instant Effect Internet Marketing?

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Dubbed “search at the speed of thought”, Google Instant is a major update to the search engine. Google Instant attempts to predict queries and delivers results in real time as the user types each letter, speeding up the amount of time users spend searching.

Google said: “Our goal is to make finding information faster, and every second counts.
“We learned with Google Suggest that dynamically predicting what people search for reduces the time it takes to enter a typical query by 50 per cent.

“We’ve known for a long time that if we could predict queries, we could also predict results, but we faced a number of design and technical challenges before we could make this a reality.

“With Google Instant, you don’t even need to finish typing or hit the enter key to search.”

But some have noted that this update could change the shape of SEO, as more companies try to list their websites for first letter results.

Tom Foremski of Zdnet conducted an experiment by searching the alphabet, which shows how big businesses dominate the search engine results pages (SERPs).

His search returned the following:

A is for … Amazon, AOL, Apple, ATT.
B is for … BART, Bank of America, Best Buy, Bing.
C is for … Craigslist, Costco, CNN, Chase.
D is for … DMV, Dictionary, Droid X, Disneyland.
E is for … Ebay, ESPN, Expedia, Evite.
F is for … Facebook, Facebook login, Fandango, FIFA.
G is for … Gmail, Google maps, Google, Great America.
H is for … Hotmail, Hulu, Home Depot, HP.
I is for … Iphone, Ikea, Inception, IMDB.
J is for … Jet Blue, Jeremy Lin, Jamba Juice, Java.
K is for … Kaiser, KTUV, Kayak, Kohls.
L is for … Lowes, Lost, LinkedIn, Limewire.
M is for … Mapquest, Myspace, MSN, Maps.
N is for … Netflix, Nordstrom, NBA, News.
O is for …Outsidelands, Orbitz, OSH, Office Depot.
P is for … Pandora, PG&E, Paypal, Petco.
Q is for … Quotes, QVC, Quicktime, Quinoa.
R is for … REI, Ross, Redfin, Rosh Hashanah.
S is for … Skype, SFGate, Sears, Southwest.
T is for … Target, Twitter, Thesaurus, Travelocity.
U is for … USPS, UPS, United Airlines, Utube.
V is for … Verizon, Virgin America, VLC, Verizon Wireless.
W is for … Weather, Walmart, Wells Fargo, Wikipedia.
X is for … Xbox, XKCD, XM Radio, Xfinity.
Y is for … Yahoo, Youtube, Yahoo Mail, Yelp.
Z is for … Zillow, Zappos, Zipcodes, Zynga.

Google’s senior staff software engineer for Google Instant, Othar Hansson, addressed the issue: “Our overall metrics show the users still get results they are looking for. Some people might be distracted by the results, but normally, they have an actual intent, and they keep searching for that. We haven’t directly analyzed if people are distracted by the top or intermediate results, but if they’re looking for aardvarks and Amazon comes up, if they go shopping at Amazon, I think its a very small effect.”

Tom Foremski also notes that Google may damage the click through rate (CTR) for Adwords adverts on the SERPs: “At the Google launch, the company showed eye tracker data that showed that users were only focused on the search box and the area immediately below it. There was no action to the right of the page where Google’s text ads are shown.”

Google’s head of Adwords, Jon Diorio, said: “It could be a 5% increase or a 5% decrease in average impressions, but it should not change the amount of money advertisers make. If anything, we believe users will be more engaged and drive more value for the advertiser. It shouldn’t change the total number of clicks.”

Website hosting company, HostGator, pays man to legally change name in dramatic advertising

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We all knew it was coming when a person would legally change their name to a website. No one has ever done this before. Well it has happened now as boxer who was previously known as Billy Gibby, legally changed his name recently to “Hostgator Dotcom”. Yes, you can now refer to him as Mr. Dotcom otherwise known as “the human billboard”. This is no joke.

Born Billy Gibby, Mr. Dotcom is a successful boxer in Alaska. He holds a current record of 18-0 and is not new to advertising with the webhosting company HostGator.com or other human advertising campaigns. Hostgator Dotcom has a tattoo on his neck that says “HostGator.com”. Sounds like he’s advertising his own name now. He states he can’t wait until they introduce him in the ring as “Now introducing…Hostgator Dotcom!”. Mr. Dotcom currently has over 20 company tattoos covering his face and torso. He states he is open to other forms of advertising as well.

Ever heard of HostGator before?

HostGator.com, the company, is one of the most popular website hosting companies hosting more than 3 million sites. In fact, we discovered a secret coupon code recently that allows you to save $9.94 off your first month of web hosting with them. Use coupon code “HostGatorDotCom” to get your first month of website hosting for only a penny at HostGator.com. How did we discover this? We were trying different words out while opening up a new website recently and surprisingly this one worked!

We think Mr. Dotcom would definitely approve of us sharing this secret coupon code. At the time of this release, it’s still active so if you have been recently contemplating starting a website or moving to a new hosting company, this is the perfect opportunity and you should jump all over this coupon while it still works. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the coupon code “HostGatorDotCom” tattooed somewhere on Mr. Dotcom’s body in a future updated ad for HostGator.com. Obviously, this coupon code was probably created for the advertising campaign but has not been released yet.

At any rate, we cannot wait to see what HostGator Dotcom comes up with next in advertising with HostGator.com.

Relief In Sight For Back Pain Sufferers

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by Erin Bryers

HOUSTON, TX, Sept. 6, 2010 — Back pain sufferers now have a new online resource to refer to for anything related to back pain. Back Pain Relief a Houston based company, has launched a brand new website for those who suffer from back pain. The site offers products to help relieve back pain, articles and news about back pain, and resources the consumer may find helpful to relieve their back pain. Back Pain Relief offers the back pain sufferer information such as how to choose a bed for your back, diet and back pain, and tips on dealing with back pain. The news includes up to date procedures and treatments that may help sufferers find relief. The site also offers a variety of books and guides about back pain for those wanting to gain more knowledge.

The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation states that, “An estimated 80 percent of all Americans will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.” Back pain also comes in at the number two spot for the leading cause of work absenteeism. Back pain is a widespread health issue.

Solutions for those who suffer from back pain as well as preventative measures that can be taken to minimize the risk of injury. The site offers a variety of videos that show exercises and activities that can help alleviate back pain and heal faster.

Certain factors such as being elderly, smoking, obesity, and stress can increase the risk of developing back pain. Through articles discussing diet and natural remedies the website supplies an insight on how to live a “back healthy” lifestyle.

Back Pain Relief is a newly created web business with a focus strictly on back pain relief. Their website is a comprehensive site geared toward those who suffer from back pain and are looking for solutions. It is a one-stop site with valuable resources for back pain sufferers.

For information: www.ebackpainrelief.com
Contact email: info@ebackpainrelief.com
Phone: 278-356-07280

5 Top SEO WordPress Plugins

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Creating an SEO-friendly WordPress site is a lot easier than it used to be when I first started using it as the main RINF content management system 4 or 5 years ago.

Thankfully today we can install plugins with a few clicks and turn the platform into an SEO powerhouse in around 10 minutes, and for free.

So here’s the top 5 SEO plugins that I use on RINF.

Platinum SEO Pack
This has to be my favourite SEO plugin after switching from the popular ‘All in One SEO Pack’. It works right out of the box and there’s no need to play with the settings too much… and it even lets you set Canonical URLs. It’s also a more progressive plugin and the developers keep on top of things.

Download: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/platinum-seo-pack/

Google XML Sitemaps
A site without an XML sitemap is a bit like a car without GPS… you’ll get where you’re going eventually, but it you’ll probably take the long route.

XML Sitemaps work so well because they automatically let Google, Yahoo, Bing etc find new updates on your website.

Download: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-sitemap-generator/

Page Links To
This plugin is great for automatically setting anchor text backlinks on any word, across your entire site. I use it on RINF in numerous ways, I will often have the word ‘news’ automatically link to the front page of the site and set it to create deep links to other sections of the website.

It’s a huge time saver and the search engines love it.

Download: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/page-links-to/

Related Posts by Category
Everyone talks about how important LSI is for your website, and this plugin goes a long way to help you achieve it. Again I use it on RINF by providing readers links to other sections of the site that are relevant to the current article they are reading.

An increase of keyword relevancy and improves the experience for the end user.

Download: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/related-posts-by-category/

RSS Footer
Now this plugin is great for backlinks when splogs steal your content – but it’s not the only use.
At the end of each RSS feed (or post) you can automatically insert… well, anything you like, for example; an anchor text backlink to your blog.

Download: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/rss-footer/

Hope you find these plugins as useful as I do.

THE MISNOMER OF PEACE TALKS

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JOHN CHUCKMAN

I don’t know how anyone given the task could draw a map of Israel: it is likely the only country in the world with no defined borders, and it actually has worked very hard over many decades to achieve this peculiar state.

 

It once had borders, but the 1967 war took care of those. It has no intention of ever returning to them because it could have done so at any time in the last forty-three years (an act which would have been the clearest possible declaration of a desire for genuine peace with justice and which would have saved the immense human misery of occupation), but doing so would negate the entire costly effort of the Six Day War whose true purpose was to achieve what we see now in the Palestinian territories.

As far as peace, in the limited sense of the absence of war, Israel already has achieved a kind of rough, de facto peace without any help from the Palestinians. The Palestinians have nothing to offer in the matter of peace if you judge peace by the standards Israel apparently does.

Israel has the peace that comes of infinitely greater power, systematic and ruthless use of that power, the reduction of the people it regards as opponents to squatters on their own land, and a world too intimidated to take any effective action for justice or fairness.

Genuine peace anywhere, as Canadian physicist and Holocaust survivor Ursula Franklin has observed, is best defined by justice prevailing. But you can have many other circumstances inaccurately called peace; for example, the internal peace of a police state or of a brutally-operated colony.

Israel appears to have no interest or need for the kind of peace that the Palestinians can offer. What then can the Palestinians give Israel in any negotiation?

There are many “technical” issues to be settled between the Israelis and Palestinians, such as the right of return, compensation for property taken, the continued unwarranted expulsions from East Jerusalem, the Wall and its location largely on Palestinian land, but in a profound sense these are all grounded in the larger concept of genuine peace as Ursula Franklin defined it, something we have no basis for believing Israel is, or ever has been, interested in.

Israel wants recognition, not just as a country like any other, but as “the Jewish state,” whatever that ambiguous term may mean, given the facts both of Israel’s rubbery borders and the definition of Jewish, something which Israelis themselves constantly fight over — reformed, orthodox, ultra-orthodox, Ashkenazi, Sephardic, North African, observant, non-observant, and still other factions and divisions in what is quite a small population.

I very much think that the reasons Israel wants that particular form of recognition are not benevolent: it is the kind of term once put into a contract which opens the future interpretation of the contract to pretty much anything. After all, recognition of Israel as a state is something Arab states have long offered Israel in return for a just settlement, but Israel has never shown the slightest interest.

If recognition of Israel as “the Jewish state” were granted, what would be the status of any non-Jewish person in Israel? I think we can guess, given the awful words of Israel’s foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, or the even more terrible words of Ovadia Yosef, founder of the Shas Party, a Netanyahu ally, and Israel’s former Chief Rabbi.

After all, about nineteen percent of Israeli citizens are non-Jews, mainly the descendants of Palestinians who refused to run from the terrors of the Irgun and Stern gangs in1948. They carry Israeli passports, but are not regarded as citizens in the same sense as Jewish citizens, and there are even laws and restrictions in place creating the kind of deadly distinction George Orwell wrote of in Animal Farm, “Some animals are more equal than others.”

The new talks do not include even the most basic requirement of a legitimate voice to represent the Palestinians, a desirable situation perhaps from Israel’s point of view, one Israel’s secret services have long worked towards with dark ops and assassinations. How do you negotiate with opponents you allow no voice?

Mahmoud Abbas, an almost pitifully shuffling character who is the man supposedly representing Palestinian interests, is now approaching two years of playing president without an election: he has zero legitimacy with the Palestinians and the outside world. Even at that, his assumed authority extends only to parts of the West Bank of the territories.

Hamas, despite the shortcomings found in any leadership of a heavily oppressed population (after all, it is often forgotten that the African National Congress in South Africa was communist-affiliated), is nevertheless the elected government of Gaza territory, but Israel has pressured the United States – and through it, effectively the world – to regard Hamas as a coven of witches, ready to unleash dark powers if only once Israel relaxes its stranglehold.

It would be far more accurate to talk of a settlement or an accommodation with the Palestinians than peace, but any reasonable agreement requires intense pressure on Israel, which holds all the cards, pressure which can only come from Washington. Accommodation involves all the difficult “technical” issues Israel has no interest in negotiating – right of return, compensation, the Wall, and East Jerusalem. Israel’s position on all of them is simply “no.”

But we know that Washington is contemptibly weak when it comes to Israel. The Israel Lobby is expert at working the phones and the opinion columns and the campaign donations. It even gets Washington to fight wars for it, as it did in Iraq, and as it now is attempting to do in Iran — surely, the acid test of inordinate influence on policy.

Most American Congressmen live in the same kind of quiet fear of the Israel Lobby as they once did of J.Edgar Hoover’s special files of political and personal secrets. Hoover never even had to openly threaten a Congressman or Cabinet Secretary who was “out of line.” He merely had a brief chat, dropping some ambiguous reference to let the politician know the danger he faced. It was enough to keep Hoover’s influence going for decades.

You never heard a thing in the press about the quiet power Hoover exercised in the 1940s and 1950s and 1960s, but it was there. Just so, the Israel Lobby today.

So where does the impetus for a fair accommodation come from?

Nowhere. Israel goes right on with its calculatedly-unfair laws taking the homes and farms of others, slowly but surely pushing out the people with whom it does not want to share space.

Anywhere else, this process would be called ethnic-cleansing, but not here, not unless you want to be called a bigot or an anti-Semite.

One says this about the impossibility of a settlement with a reservation. It is possible that the weak Abbas, locked in a room in Washington, could well be browbeaten and bribed into signing some kind of bastard agreement, giving Israel every concession it wants in return for a nominal rump Palestinian state composed of parcels Israel doesn’t want or hasn’t yet absorbed. It wouldn’t be worth the paper it was written on, but Israel would then undoubtedly assume its perpetual validity and in future interpret it as it wished.

After all, the history of modern Israel involves agreements divvying up the land of others without their consent, but even those historical divisions — look at the maps attending the Peel Commission (1937) or the UN decision on partition (1947), and you see roughly equally divided territory — today are ignored by Israel or given some very tortured interpretation. So what will have changed?

There simply can be no genuine peace with justice where there is no will for it.

BP Increased Internet Marketing To $3 Million A Month

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As part of a damage control campaign, BP upped its spending on Internet marketing from $57,000 a month to almost $3 million, buying keywords associated with the oil spill such as “oil spill,” “leak,” “top kill” and “live feed”.

Google would display the ads when a user searches, including broad match keywords, for information about the spill.

Man isn’t it good to know that when the shit really hits the fan, companies can immediately turn to Google to help them recover their
image in an attempt to mould public opinion, if the budget is large enough.

The data that was obtained by Ad Age, also includes huge brands such as GM, Walt Disney, Eastman Kodak and BMW.

New Zealand Widens DNA Database

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A new law will allow police to collect DNA data at the same time they take fingerprints from people they intend to charge and match it against profiles from unsolved crimes. Previously New Zealand police could only take DNA samples after conviction or obtain an order from a High Court judge.

“Until now, DNA could be taken only with consent, or where there were judicially-approved suspect orders or police-issued compulsion orders, and only after conviction. This law will enable police to take full advantage of this modern-day fingerprint in order to solve cold cases and I have no doubt it will be a critical tool in the fight against violent crime,” says Justice Minister Simon Power.

“Police have also developed guidelines to avoid any arbitrary or unreasonable application of this power. I see this tool as doing as much for those who are innocent as for those who are found guilty of a crime.”

The DNA databank holds about 110,000 profiles and is expected to increase by 4000 each year.

Using SEO For Internet Marketing? Facebook Keywords Could Bring In The Hits

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For webmasters who depend on SEO marketing for their website traffic, the logical step is to publish reports that contain ‘in demand’ keywords and phrases.

According to Hitwise, the current most popular search phrase in the USA is ‘Facebook’.

In fact Facebook takes 3 places in the search phrase top 10, across all categories.

The keyword ‘facebook’ receives a staggering 2.27% of all US searches, ‘Facebook Login’ receives 0.92% and ‘Facebook.com’ receives 0.24%.

Google reports slightly different results with ‘Facebook Login’ topping the chart with over 55,600,000 monthly searches.

It also reports that Facebook related searches have more than quadrupled in the last 3 years.

However due to the level of competition on popular single keywords, many webmasters opt for optimising web pages for long tail key-phrases.

Which might not be such a bad move considering the latest search figures show long tail keywords receive more than 5 times the amount of traffic over popular single keyword searches.

With over $180 billion dollars being spent each year on Ecommerce and over $35 billion being spent on Internet advertising in the US alone, it makes good business sense for webmasters to cash-in on growing search trends as more than 11% of most companies marketing budgets is being spent online.

Wikipedia Founder: News Sites Could Make Money With Smart Idea

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Speaking to the Associated Press, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said that paid apps like those found on smart phones such as the iPhone and Android, could help news websites raise much needed funds, rather than moving to a Paywall business model.

Through micropayments it’s possible for news agenices to increase revenue by taking advantage of new technology like the Kindle.

“The apps model – the iPad app, the Kindle – does provide new and interesting opportunities for newspapers. If I just click on my iPad, and it’s billed on my normal bill, that micropayment model makes it possible for people to have an impulse purchase.

“I’m not going to pull out my credit card out of my wallet,” he said. “It’s way too much trouble, but if I have a way of just clicking and I get it and I pay a little, it’s worth it.”

According to The Nielsen Co. Wikipedia is the 6th most popular website in the World.

When asked the monetizing Wikipedia, he said: “I don’t think it’s right for Wikipedia but I think it’s perfectly fine for other contexts. When you go to Wikipedia you should be there to learn, reflect, think contribute in a positive way … We don’t need to commercialize it.”

Internet Marketers using Google Trends To Make Money?

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A relatively recent trend for Internet marketers in the make money online game is to use Google Trends to find high traffic searches, and then provide content on their website to match in the hope of being indexed quickly enough to catch the wave.

Another tactic some are using; creating entire products based around Google Trends data – because afterall, if there’s a demand, there’s a profit.

But how sustainable is this idea as part of a long term business plan?

Well, it depends on a few things, the most important being your website. if your website has a history of ranking well for competitive keywords you could be onto a winner. However, if you’re website is new or isn’t achieving it’s full potential for low competition keywords, by the time it indexes for your target trend you might well have missed the wave.

In my experience the best way to cash-in on Google Trends data is over time, by searching for keywords and phrases in your niche – and keeping a close eye on searches that are rising, how quickly they are rising, and the average length of time they remain hot.

If you’re noticing keywords that are in constant demand over weeks and months, an alternative could be to drill down into the niche and find longtail keywords that are still have a relatively high search volume but have low competition.

Is the High Waist Girdle Obsolete?

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by Bruce Darden

“High waist girdle” is an outdated word that conjures up images of your grandmother’s lingerie drawer. The wide-spread use of a high waist girdle harkens back to a day when skirts were actually long enough to hide the constricting garments, and the idea of a bare midriff was reserved for the wedding night.

But these days, a high waist girdle is just not what it used to be. In a struggling economy and in the face of penny-pinching consumers, this undergarment is gaining steam – and profits – from America’s growing waistline. The surprising thing about the high waist girdle is that it is being used by and marketed to men. It appears that the acceptance and subsequent increase in sales of these garments is all about what you call it.

For example, high waist girdles can be seen in major department stores, if you know what to look for. In men’s departments the high waist girdle is disguised as a core undershirt, a compression shirt, or a precision-T. There is even one brand marketing the high waist girdle in a term that makes us think of something completely different: an “athletic supporter.” It’s true that the manly version of the high waist girdle doesn’t have legs on it (yet), but these athletic core-supporting wonders are clearly made to cover the high waist girdle area. You call it a core shirt, we call it hiding your love handles. It makes sense based on current fashion trends for men. You can find them front and center, on display, right next to the skinny-legged suits and thin graphic tees.

According to Bruce Darden who is the independent owner of the popular Ardyss website which focuses on the — high waist girdle made this comment:
“This marketing blitz has seen success in women’s’ lines as well, with high waist girdles being sold to women as body shapers, shaping wear, body slimmers, and under the most popular name brand, Spanx.”

Women’s lingerie sales have been up in both 2009 and the first two quarters of 2010, despite a sluggish retail environment. The industry overall experienced a 1.5% increase in 2009 alone, though it is unclear how much of that is associated with high waist girdle sales in particular.”

Bruce Darden also states, “adding men as a new marketing target was a brilliant move on the part of the manufacturers of lycra and spandex. The high waist girdle is not obsolete. If anything, it is gaining steam as the leading new secret to hide the nation’s expanding belly, even in a time when our wallets are skinny”.

To learn more about the high waist girdle craze call 1-732-620-3271 or visit Bruce’s website at: Body Magic 2-Step

Author Bio / Resource Box
Bruce Darden is an independent website and restaurant owner and can be reached at: 1-732-620-3271 for additional questions and comments.

7 Common Mistakes When Trying To Make Money Online

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The Internet is full of articles, videos and products that promise to show even the most basic of Internet user how to start a profitable online business. What are discussed less often are the pitfalls that so many start-ups face, often resulting in the abandonment of the venture.

Here I’m going to walk you through some of the most common mistakes made when trying to make money online.

No Clear Plan of Attack
Just like everything else in life, your online business takes some planning. The best way to create your plan of attack is to approach your website as a business – and not as a hobby. Like any other business, it has costs it needs to cover and it needs to make a profit.

Poor Keyword Research
Keyword research could be the single most important element of your online venture. Aim too high and you risk missing out on a lucrative sub-market, or niche. Aim too low and there won’t be enough customers in your target market to sustain the business.

Doing it all Yourself
A big problem for online start-ups is the misconception they need to be a jack of all trades. When the electrics in your home go faulty, would you attempt to repair it yourself? Or would you rely on an expert to solve the problem for you? It’s the same with your website. If you don’t know HTML and don’t have the time or interest in learning it, outsource. Every job can be outsourced, from graphic design to customer support.

Becoming Discouraged
An online business isn’t that much different from a bricks and mortar business at the end of the day. Both require time, energy and can only be built layer by layer. It takes time to see results.

Not Tracking Progress
It’s important to set realistic goals for your business, even if you don’t reach all of them. Monitoring your progress will tell you what’s working and what’s not. The only rule of marketing that matters is; do more of what is working, and less of what isn’t.

Starting too many Projects
Spinning plates isn’t easy. Think of each website you own as a plate that needs to build up enough momentum to spin on its own before starting a new one. While it’s tempting to implement several ideas and ‘strike when the iron is hot’, it’s also a risky strategy that can lead to the loss of focus and burnout. Only start a new project when you have the current one running as you envisioned, or set aside time to work on each one – and stick to it.

Being Distracted
This one is a major concern for new start-ups, trying to figure out the right direction. Buying new products, downloading the next report and spending hours surfing through forum threads isn’t going to help you build your business — in fact it’s preventing you. Products, tools and forums will always be there when you need them, take it step by step and learn by doing. Email, instant messengers and websites can be huge time wasters — allocate a dedicated time for this stuff and build it into your routine.

And with that said, now’s the time to close your browser window and get back to focusing on your business. Good luck.

The Internet Marketing / SEO Monopoly

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Recent updates to the Google search engine now allow brands to dominate the search results pages (SERPs) with a single website.

Brands like Apple, Sony, Dell, and HP can now control the majority of the front page, allowing for an SEO based Internet marketing monopoly.

What was initially thought a bug, Google has confirmed the algorithm update:

“We periodically reassess our ranking and UI choices, and today we made a change to allow a larger number of pages from the same site to appear for a given query. This happens for searches that indicate a strong user interest in a particular domain.

“We expect today’s improvement will help users find deeper results from a single site, while still providing diversity on the results page.”

However just a few weeks ago Google’s Peter Norvig spoke about providing diversity in the SERPs: “We haven’t figured out any way to get around majority rules, so we want to show the most popular result first, but then after that, for the second one, you don’t want something that’s almost the same as the first. You prefer some diversity, so there’s where minority views start coming in.”

So where will this new update leave the small time Internet marketer?

How easy is it to make money online with digital products?

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With the economic downturn still making the headlines, more people are turning to the Internet to help them make money. One of the most profitable ways to do this is with digital products.

The concept is simple; You provide access to an online digital download, such as a PDF, video or audio file, for a fee.

There’s two ways to make money here.

The first, which is easiest, is to sign up to a free affiliate program such as Clickbank and offer third-party products in exchange for some of the profits, often up to 75% of the total price.

Searching through the marketplace, finding products that are relevant to your website or mailing list and then creating your ‘hop’ link takes minutes. This is possibly the quickest way to make money online.

The second option, when it comes to digital downloads, is a bit more involved but you receive higher returns for your efforts.

By creating your own product you can easily build a team of affiliates, or virtual sales people, to promote your product. The starting point for this kind of venture is again Clickbank, however this time you’ll need a vendor account.

Once you have an account you can list products for sale, which other affiliates can find and promote on their websites.

With the amount of websites online, over 240 Million domain names have been registered to date, it’s easy to imagine hundreds of groups talking and sharing information about their core passions and hobbies.

Let’s take one of my hobbies that is about as far removed from the Internet as you can get and use it as an example; Gardening.

How can I use my love of gardening and turn it into a profitable online business? Well, with ease – in fact, just like every other hobby, gardening is big business online. There’s hordes of people searching – and willing to pay for – the knowledge of an experienced gardener.

By writing a 20 or 30 page report about how to get started in different types of gardening, or offering more experienced reports for advanced customers, and then placing my ad on Clickbank, provides a relatively quick and easy way to jumpstart an online income, regardless of technical ability.

5 News Reports a Week Censored by Government

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by Mick Meaney | RINF Breaking News

Using a Freedom of Information Act request, RINF News has obtained information that reveals the British Government’s attempts to censor news reports in the UK mainstream media.

Each week the Government tries to block the publication of approximately five news stories through Defence Advisory Notices (DA Notices).

DA Notices are an official request to news editors not to publish or broadcast reports for reasons of national security. DA Notices are a request and therefore not legally enforceable – news editors can choose to ignore them, however the majority editors in the British media comply with requests.

The total number of such requests for DA Notice advice in 2009 was 286 (an average of 5.5 per week). So far in 2010 a further 194 requests for DA Notice advice have been made (an average to date of 5.9 per week).

While the Defence Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee (DPBAC) cannot reveal which news agenices have been sent a request, at least one request has been been to all national newspapers and broadcast channels during 2009-2010.

DA Notice requests are rarely ignored, in fact editors refused to comply total of just five times in 2009 – and none so far in 2010.

DPBAC Secretary, Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Vallance CB OBE, said: “The objective is to prevent inadvertent public disclosure of information that would compromise UK military and intelligence operations and methods, or put at risk the safety of those involved in such operations, or lead to attacks that would damage the critical national infrastructure and/or endanger lives.

“The system is overseen by the DPBAC an independent joint government/media body that approves the Standing DA Notices and monitors their implementation.

“When a major news story is unfolding which might be connected with sensitive national security issues, the Secretary may write to all UK editors to alert them of the possible need to seek his advice before publication or broadcast. These are generally known as Advisories”.

There are currently five standing DA Notices:
1. Military Operations & Capabilities
2. Nuclear and Non-Nuclear Weapons and Equipment
3. Ciphers and Secure Communications
4. Sensitive Installations and Home Addresses
5. National Intelligence Agencies and Special Forces

In 2009, the Secretary sent 10 advisories to the media, 3 concerning DA Notice 1 (Military Operations and Capabilities) and 7 concerning DA Notice 5 (National Intelligence Agencies and Special Forces).

So far in 2010, 4 advisories were sent to the media, 1 each concerning DA Notices 2 (Nuclear & Non-Nuclear Weapons and Equipment) and 4 (Sensitive Installations and Home Addresses) and 2 concerning DA Notice 5 (National Intelligence Agencies and Special Forces).

Mr. Vallance also states: “When the occasion demands, the Secretary may also write to an individual editor to point out when something which has been published or broadcast has – in the Secretary’s opinion – breached DA Notice guidelines. The object of such letters is to alert an editor to this to help avoid an inadvertent recurrence and to remind him/her that DA Notice advice is available 24/7 for future stories.

“In 2009, I sent out 5 such letters (all concerning DA Notice 5 – National Intelligence Agencies and Special Forces). So far, I have not sent out any of this type of letter in 2010.”

Why is it so hard to lose a belly fat?

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by Jeremy Imperi

When you look at the reasons why people, especially women, struggle immensely to lose weight and belly fat, you will find that many could trace it back to physiology. If you tend to gain weight in certain areas, more than likely you inherited that gene from your parents.

It will be hard to get rid of it, but that does not mean there is not a way. Men typically gain weight around their abdomens (which should be prevented, because this can lead to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other illnesses), while women will more likely gain their weight around their hips and thighs. This is due to different hormones in the body, because the brain tells the body to store protective tissue around reproductive organs. Even though many people are opting to blame their weight and their struggle to lose belly fat on genetics, the biggest reason for weight gain today, is that people do not know that the foods they are consuming are creating havoc to their bodies. They believe all marketing strategies and product information given about foods and what to eat to lose belly fat, but most of this information is completely misleading and can, in fact, cause the opposite effect. There are certain foods that most “diets” recommend, but you will be surprised to find that many of them actually make you gain weight even further. This is the main reason why it is so hard to lose belly fat.

“When people realize what actually is preventing them from losing weight it becomes a turning point in their weight loss plans, and they start seeing weight come off at a much faster pace than ever seen before, and they are actually able to keep it off,” says Rob Hilton of Lose Fat Belly Guide.

Losing unwanted belly fat (and keeping it off) means that not only do you need to use up more calories than you consume in a day, but it is essential that you also eat the right foods. Don’t be fooled into thinking some foods are harmless no matter how much you eat. Identifying these “bad foods in disguise” is not always easy, but there are basic guidelines you can follow. If you are aware of one food that does not help when trying to lose belly fat, you can easily link it to and identify it with other foods in the same categories. Another mistake people make when trying to lose belly fat is ruling out a food group entirely. Your body needs carbohydrates, fats and proteins, otherwise it stores what it does not get (your body automatically thinks there is a shortage) and you do not lose that weight.

Some proteins you would not expect to make you gain instead of lose weight are pork in all forms (sausages, ham, bacon), organ meat (for example, kidneys) and peanuts, as well as peanut butter. Even cheese, surimi fish, lentils, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, lamb and beef can make you gain serious weight if not eaten in low quantities.

When it comes to carbohydrates, there are “good” examples, but the carbs that are ultimately the greatest cause of belly fat gain are the ones that no one really expects. Melons and couscous are both great examples. Typically, these foods are considered healthy, but if consumed in high amounts, can cause unwanted weight gain. More carbohydrates that are promoted as “good”, but are actually more villains in the belly fat world are “whole wheat” foods. These do have good nutritional values and low glycemic indexes, but for exactly this reason, people believe they can eat as much cereals, bread, muffins, pasta and crackers as they want as long as its “whole wheat” and they will not gain any weight. This is a big mistake. Eating small portions every now and again, however, is no problem! When we consider the fats that are belly fatteners, we see that even though animal fats and animal skins are bad, hydrogenated vegetable oils are the worst options. This means that those proverbial “diet ideal” avocados you eat can do you more harm than good if you consume too much.

When trying to lose belly fat or any excess weight, stay away from sweeteners at all costs. Artificial sweeteners are exactly what the name suggests: artificial, fake and can thus not be digested as successfully as normal sugar. Dextrose, glucose, lactose, xylitol, caster sugar, saccharine, cyclamate and sorbitol (found in all sorts of gum and breath fresheners on the market) are taboos. Sorbitol is also known to make you feel bloated for a long period of time. Another unexpected cause of weight gain are diet sodas. They may have little to no calories, but they all contain aspartame — an artificial sweetener that not only causes weight gain, but has been proven to have adverse effects on the growing processes of young bodies. Diet sodas actually make you hungrier faster because of their low nutritional values and thus you eat more without realizing.

A grave mistake that people often make is falling for the “low fat” label. Yes, it does seem like a way to your perfect belly and a weight loss path, but they do not consider amounts of calories when they determine how much “fat” there is in a food. These foods, like low fat yogurt or cheese can actually make you gain weight if you do not burn the calories you took in. Eating high fat yogurt or cheese, but in small quantities, is ultimately a better way to lose belly fat, because they make you feel fuller for longer and thus you do not eat as much.

The last food (or drink) you should steer clear of over-consuming is fruit juice. Fruit juice is healthier than sodas or even caffeine drinks, but they spike your blood glucose levels and send you into a sugar crash. You feel hungrier faster and eat more. Rather stick to whole fruits (to consume fiber) and to achieve a slower energy release.

Ultimately, it looks as if all foods will make you gain more weight than lose. This is true! Too much of anything is bad. This is why it is important to know what the best or ideal options are and then to make sure you do not eat too much of it. You can eat a waffle, but do not eat five and do not eat other “high glycemic index” foods for the rest of the day. Weight is a scale: if you eat more than you burn, you will gain weight and if you burn more than you eat, you will lose it. So: “why is it so hard to lose belly fat?” People do not monitor themselves well enough and they fall for lies about certain foods. Knowing when and when not to trust a strategy, be aware of the sources you are obtaining your information from, and be continually conscientious of everything you digest.

Human Rights Groups Sue Obama

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A federal lawsuit was filed on Monday by The American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights, challenging the CIA’s authority to kill a U.S. born cleric.

The two groups filed their lawsuit in District Court in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the father of Anwar Al-Aulaqi, whom federal officials believe inspired the shootings in Fort Hood, Texas, the car bombing in Times Square and an attempted bombing of an airplane on Christmas Day Al-Aulaqi is believed to be hiding in Yemen.

The CIA placed Aulaqi on its list of suspected terrorists it is authorized to kill earlier this year; the cleric had been on a separate list of individuals targeted by the Joint Special Operations Command.

In a written statement Vince Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, said “The United States cannot simply execute people, including its own citizens, anywhere in the world based on its own say-so. That the government adds people to kill lists after a bureaucratic process and leaves them on the lists for months at a time flies in the face of the Constitution and international law.”

President Obama, CIA Director Leon Panetta and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are named as defendants in the lawsuit

The lawsuit states: “According to numerous published reports, the government maintains lists of suspects – “kill lists” – against whom lethal force can be used without charge, trial or conviction,”

“The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights. Outside the context of armed conflict, the intentional use of lethal force without prior judicial process is an abridgement of this right except in the narrowest and most extraordinary circumstances.”

The lawsuit continues: “The United States is not at war with Yemen, or within it. Nonetheless, government officials have disclosed the government’s intention to carry out the killing of U.S. citizen Anwar Al-Aulaqui, who is hiding there.”

The groups say the use of targeted killing is unconstitutional “except as a last resort to protect against concrete, specific and imminent threats of death or serious physical activity.”

CIA spokesman George Little said his agency acts “in strict accord with American law.”

ActWithUs To Manage Grassroots Political Campaigns

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by Matthew Scott

We the People... Bellingham, Washington, USA — 2010 August 30 — ElevenCraft Inc. today announced ActWithUs, a web service for helping volunteers manage large grassroots political campaigns.

ActWithUs, available at http://actwithus.com/, combines a wide array of tools to support important
aspects of a large grassroots campaign, including volunteer networking, campaign logistics
and decision support, petition control and validation, volunteer “task jar” style task completion, donation tracking,
rapid positive feedback, and phone hotlines.

Sensible Washington, a political action committee operating in the state of Washington, is the first volunteer
group to use ActWithUs. Sensible Washington will use ActWithUs to manage much of the daily business involved with their
2011 citizens initiative campaign. The ActWithUs team is committed to improving the performance and cost-effectiveness
of this campaign.

“I believe citizens have the power to organize and bring about positive change in our world. ActWithUs will help volunteer citizens do great things on an efficient budget.” said Matthew Scott, President, ElevenCraft Inc.

ElevenCraft Inc. has offered full ActWithUs services and essential features to Sensible Washington volunteers at no charge. ElevenCraft Inc. may use techniques including sponsorships, targeted advertising, and premium individual memberships to offset the costs of developing and maintaining the service.

The ActWithUs project is in early stages of development and will be online soon. More announcements will be made as volunteers begin using the service and developers add more features.

Sensible Washington volunteers can help beta-test the ActWithUs service as it is being built. Their feedback will be
used to improve the quality and usefulness of the service, so that it can most effectively help their campaign in 2011.

About ElevenCraft Inc.

Founded in 2009, ElevenCraft Inc. offers software development and technology services based on
decades of experience and insight into computing. Visit http://11craft.com/ for more information.

Prosperent Vs Adsense – Prosperent Review

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by Mick Meaney

Over the last few months I’ve seen a lot of sites promoting a fairly new ‘alternative’ to Adsense called Prosperent. The majority, if not all of these sites, rave about how great Prosperent is, and then conveniently supply an affiliate link to join the network.

However unlike most sites, I’ve done an actual side-by-side comparison.

It should be noted that in the interest of fairness, my tests were only done on RINF so your results may, and probably will vary.

So is Prosperent a viable alternative to Google Adsense?. The short answer is no. At least in my test.

Prosperent is a Cost Per Action (CPA) network, this means that you will earn each time somebody makes a purchase through your links. Just like any other affiliate network, no matter how many people click on your links, no earnings will be made until someone purchases a product.

With Adsense, earnings are made on both clicks and page impressions.

While it’s true that Adsense earnings for almost everybody has dropped in the last few years, Prosperent cannot be seen as an alternative yet because it does not allow you to earn money in the same way. The Click Through Rates (CTR) also vary greatly compared to Adsense. More about this in a second.

Like most webmasters, my immediate thought was “how about displaying both ad networks?”. This would be a great solution, giving us the best of both worlds.

However according to the Prosperent website you can only display Adsense as a fallback option, meaning both cannot be displayed on the same page at the same time. Displaying both networks on the same page at the same time would violate the Adsense terms of service, so it’s a case of one or the other.

Before I show you the results of my test, let me point out some positives. The Prosperent control panel is fantastic. Making ads is easy, the reporting is great and you can quickly customise the display of each ad. It aims to show targeted ads that are relevant to the content of the page, I’ve found this to be a bit hit and miss at times, but generally fairly decent.

The Adsense terms of service forbid me from revealing specific data about CTR, CPM and earnings, but it’s suffice to say it paints a very different picture compared to Prosperent.

I allowed Prosperent over 3,000 impressions and the test results were…

CTR: 0.16%
eCPM: $0.00
Earnings: $0.00

Not good. As you can see it’s a very low CTR and the total earnings from over 3,000 impressions was zilch.

My overall rating for Prosperent is 4 out of 10 – and that’s mainly because the user control panel and reporting is top notch, but still means little because it did not generate any revenue. Looks I’ll be sticking with Adsense for the time being.

Get rid of heartburn – Ex Chronic heartburn sufferer reveals her story

by Tanya Smith

I wanted one thing: To get rid of heartburn. I’ve battled the painful and embarrassing symptoms of heartburn for years and was in almost constant pain. I sought the help of the medical profession, but nothing worked. The symptoms would abate while I was taking medication, but quickly returned when I stopped taking it. Then a friend introduced me to “Heartburn No More.”

“Heartburn No More” is a book developed by Jeff Martin, a researcher in the health industry for over 17 years. He also worked as a health consultant, certified nutritionist and freelance writer. He battled chronic acid reflux for over 10 years. He was diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease (G.E.R.D.), initiating his long journey to find a means of healing himself. The result was “Heartburn No More,” a holistic method of treating acid reflux that will permanently eliminate the disease from your life.

The book represents the only holistic means available that will permanently cure chronic heartburn, acid indigestion and acid reflux disease. Thousands of people suffer with the condition for years without realizing that the means for eliminating their pain, discomfort and embarrassment does exist. The book will help you understand how and why acid reflux occurs and you’ll be provided with steps you can take to eliminate it for good.

With “Heartburn No More,” you’ll receive a five-step program that will completely get rid of heartburn and cure acid reflux in two months. Heartburn will be banished in as little as two hours. The product also enhances digestive and intestinal health for continued relief. The book is based on a scientific approach to get rid of heartburn and its related symptoms within a few short weeks, depending upon the severity of the symptoms.

Popular methods for easing heartburn pain include drugs, apple cider vinegar, antacids and even detox diets. Those methods, and many like them, never work, since they only address one aspect of the disease. Side effects can be extremely unpleasant.

Left untreated, acid reflux can result in serious health complications, including fluids in the sinuses, lungs and middle ear. You can also develop ulcers, erosive esophagitis and Barrett’s esophagus.

With “Heartburn No More,” Smith lost that constant feeling of fullness and being bloated. Other symptoms vanished, including constipation, fatigue, regurgitation and pain in her stomach and chest. She had more energy and felt rejuvenated.

Acid reflux is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Your body may be warning you of a hormonal imbalance or something much more dangerous. You ignore it at your own risk. With “Heartburn No More” I learned dietary ways to get rid of heartburn, eliminate acid reflux, and heal the inflammation in my esophagus. I also learned breathing strategies and the correlation between physical activity and acid reflux disease.

Like millions of others, I suffered in silence for years, letting heartburn and acid reflux rule my life. I rid herself of heartburn and took my life back. You can, too.

For more information, visit www.get-rid-of-heartburn.com

Author Bio
Get rid of heartburn is easy when you know what to do. That’s why I’ve created a website where I share my personal story. I’ve suffered for 3 long years but I took control of my life again and I want to help other heartburn sufferer. I urge you to click on the next link right now and take action today! Click here to get rid of heartburn now http://www.get-rid-of-heartburn.com

Glenn Beck Stages Rally on Martin Luther King Anniversary

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47 years to the day after Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. famously spoke at the Lincoln Memorial, Fox News commentator Glenn Beck was promoting his “Restoring Honor” rally along with tens of thousands of predominantly white conservative activists to “help restore traditional American values”.

Frank Rich of The New York Times reports:

There’s just one element missing from these snapshots of America’s ostensibly spontaneous and leaderless populist uprising: the sugar daddies who are bankrolling it, and have been doing so since well before the “death panel” warm-up acts of last summer. Three heavy hitters rule. You’ve heard of one of them, Rupert Murdoch. The other two, the brothers David and Charles Koch, are even richer, with a combined wealth exceeded only by that of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett among Americans. But even those carrying the Kochs’ banner may not know who these brothers are.

Their self-interested and at times radical agendas, like Murdoch’s, go well beyond, and sometimes counter to, the interests of those who serve as spear carriers in the political pageants hawked on Fox News. The country will be in for quite a ride should these potentates gain power, and given the recession-battered electorate’s unchecked anger and the Obama White House’s unfocused political strategy, they might.

The Fox News owner recently gave the Republican Governors Association a million dollars.

Book Review: The New Rules of Marketing and PR

by Mick Meaney

Another book review for you guys today, a fairly quick read with around 300 pages.

I’ve just finished reading the second edition of ‘The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly‘, by David Meerman Scott. It’s fairly good stuff, having worked in the Internet Marketing industry for over a decade I was half expecting snear at a book that claimed to provide ‘new’ rules.

But I actually found myself nodding along page after page as David Scott presents some very solid information, and also a few inspiring real world ideas and examples that got my creative juices flowing again.

Still, the book is really aimed at a basic level to help readers gain a better understanding of the power of social media, press releases and web 2.0. If you’ve been in the industry for a while you might want to pass on this, but it does offer some interesting new ideas.

The book has 21 chapters in three parts, at the start you’ll learn how the Internet has changed the rules of traditional marketing and by the end you’ll be using action plans to get started quickly. Blogging, podcasts, viral marketing, public relations, paid search and SEO are all covered.

What I liked most about this book is the fact it encourages readers to focus on something that I very much agree with; putting your end users first by providing quality content, and selling should take second place to that.

Furthermore, it’s not very often that I’ll feel compelled to buy a book – because most that I read are sent to me by publicists. The fact that Scott persuaded me to invest in his book entirely through the methods he teaches, is evident enough to me that he knows what he is talking about.

In all I would give The New Rules of Marketing and PR 4 out of 5.

Front Towards Enemy – Apple i-spy

In Old Russia you don’t listen to i-pod, i-pod listens to you.

Sounds like a throw away line form a spoof movie.. right?….

Actually its just a small part of what Apple Corporation has planned for its next series of cellular mp3 players. Still reeling from the jailbreaking ruling allowing users to replace software on their devices with hacked or patched version with less restrictions. Apple has applied for a patent to allow its cellular devices to listen, watch, monitor web usage, photograph the users face and if it deems that usage is unauthorised even report you to authorities.

Named ‘traitor-ware’ by Electronic Frontier Foundation for its ability to punish users whom dare to take advantage recent exemptions. Apple claims this is merely a step to protect i-pod users from theft and subsequent DRM violation or other ‘unauthorised use’. Apple has yet to offer guidelines and a time line of how collected data may be used and stored. Apple can even strip your device of personal data and store it in the cloud.

In most western countries laws pertaining to procedure to track and retrieve stolen mobile phones is already in place. Why would Apple feel the need to run its own counter intuitive measures for theft protection? It doesn’t! But rest assured that if Apple collects this data and stores it, its only a matter of time until authorities demand copies of this information.

So next time you are alone and you can feel the unmistakable sense that you are being watched, you are. Big Brother Jobs is watching you closely.

Police Allowed to Place GPS Tracking on Vehicles – Without a Warrant

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A new ruling has given police the right to place GPS tracking on vehicles to track movements, without a warrant. The ruling now applies in California and eight other Western states, and apparently doesn’t violate your Fourth Amendment rights – because you do not have any reasonable expectation of privacy in your own driveway.

Dominique Lazanski of the Big Brother Watch website writes:

The Ninth Circuit Court — a regional US court with jurisdiction over 9 western states — has ruled that law enforcement officials have the right to put a GPS tracking device on a person’s vehicle without a warrant, without violating their privacy.

The recent court decision was made on the case of Juan Pineda-Moreno. In the course of their investigation into him the Drug Enforcement Agency placed a GPS monitor on his Jeep, which was parked yards from his home. Mr. Pineda-Moreno argued that his right to privacy was violated by this monitoring. The court stated that his driveway is a public through way for kids, dogs, bikes, and the like since it was open and without fences or barriers, and that once the GPS device was planted, the DEA was then free to monitor Mr. Pineda-Moreno without the need for a warrant.

If the government can walk up to your car or your bike and place a GPS device on it without a warrant, then how far away are we from the day when the government can just take a look inside your house or just have a quick check of your emails without a warrant? How far away are we from having this happen here in the UK?

The good news is that other circuit courts haven’t ruled the same way — including the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia whose judges have been appointed by Presidents Reagan, Clinton, and Bush junior. The 9th Circuit Court decision may be contested in the Supreme Court and, hopefully, overturned. For now, if you live in the Western United States park your car or bike in your garage if you have one!

Front Toward Enemy – New World Order

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by Jason Phelan

The Mainstream media have been using Gerald Celente’s economic predictions negatively again recently. It never ceases to amaze me what these mainstream so called journalists will actually write for their keepers.

Gerald Celente’s long term predictions are actually quite positive if you think about it for more than a few seconds, or you are not pushing a hidden agenda. He thinks there will be a conscious shift toward global village models. Telecommuting will grow as will families buying locally, from locals. Domestic holidays will increase and consumerist ideas like guilt buying and escape buying will cease over time. Residence will have pride in their districts and this will affect crime. Small governments will be forced to become more active in utilities and actual governance and this mentality will be pushed up-stream. These changes will be borne of necessity and as such will be sudden and violent in a Katrina kind of way. In short this economist predicted the New World Order, or as the hippies called it The Age Of Aquarius. Several main stream religions also refer to these times as a time of enlightenment or a global utopian society.

Think about it; the conservatives and the elite have no interest in change. They need us to tow the line to help maintain the status-quo. This is why government is spending millions propping up capitalist spending. If we fell into a true depression this would be bad for business and hard to continue to wage war. Add to this terrorist organisations like the free masons and the Illuminati demonising real change and waging a campaign of dis-information. Do you really think neo-conservative government slips when it uses the term New World Order? of course not. They are creating fear. Fear of change, fear of progress and, you guessed it, keeping things as they are and the bottom line high.

Many of Gerald’s predictions have been very accurate. Interestingly some of his predictions are manifesting themselves early. According to predictions so called ghost malls were to appear in 2010 and the appearance of survivalism to the mainstream is also well and truly here.

So next time you see one of these elitists in the media saying scary shit and pertaining that it has something to do with their New World Order remember that the New World belongs to us.

Related Book:
Trends 2000: How to Prepare for and Profit from the Changes of the 21st Century

Millionaire Blogger wants to set you up with a Blog

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by Thomas Prince

Making money with blogs is huge. However, many people don’t know where to start. That was where I was about a month ago.

Then, I discovered Blogging to the Bank 3.0.. Many have heard of Blogging to the Bank, but this is the 3.0 version.

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With this extremely powerful new system, your going to take your own blogging business up to levels you have only dreamed of..

One of the most powerful features of the Blog is content linking. You will get more results with content linking than with banners, buttons or text ads. You will learn important techniques like the squeeze page tactic for getting coveted opt-in subscribers to your email list targeted to your needs.

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Police not Paying Bills on Time

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The Forum of Private Business has found that some police forces in the UK are not paying suppliers and contractors on time.

According to the The Forums’ website, they used the Freedom of Information Act to ask every civilian police force in the UK how quickly they processed payments to businesses during the 09/10 financial year. Some forces managed to pay more than three quarters of invoices within 10 days and almost 100% of invoices within 30 days.

In a request under the Freedom of Information Act, the Forum asked police forces four questions:

– Under its standard payment terms, how quickly, in days, does your force aim to pay invoices from suppliers and contractors?
– During 2009/10, what percentage of invoices did your force settled in 10 days or less, from the invoice date?
– During 2009/10, what percentage of invoices did your force settled in 30 days or less, from the invoice date?
– If possible, please also supply the mean average of the amount of time, in days, your force took to settle bills in 2009/10.

Suppliers and contracors include software, IT, drug testing, driver training, psychiatric treatment, waste disposal, livery fitment, building maintenance, vehicle recovery, veterinary care and dog food.

Forum spokesman Chris Gorman said: “We found that some police forces appear to be excellent at paying businesses promptly. This is to be welcomed and I’m sure their efforts are appreciated by the smaller firms which work for them.

“However, many others appear to be making little or no effort to pay their suppliers and contractors quickly. This means that the companies they deal with may well find their finances under serious pressure while they are waiting to be paid.

“It also means the poorly-paying forces may be limiting the range of companies willing to work for them to only larger businesses with substantial cash reserves. This is bad both for small businesses and for the public purse, as it means there will be less competition in the tendering process.

“We would urge the forces which don’t seem to see prompt payment as a priority to follow the example set by their counterparts elsewhere in the UK, both for their own good and to help ensure the survival of small firms in their areas.”

Human Rights Activists Arrested At U2 Gig

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by Mick Meaney

On Wednesday, 25th August, Russian police detained a number of Amnesty International workers outside a U2 gig in Moscow.

The activists were handing out leaflets and collecting signatures outside the Luzhniki stadium , believing they had the correct permits but were detained because they did not have the necessary authorisation, a police spokeswoman said. They were released after a few hours.

They were asking U2 fans to sign petitions urging Russian authorities to solve the murders of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and activist Natalya Estemirova.

Greenpeace director director Ivan Blokov told the media: “Our activities were agreed with U2’s management, so we are very much surprised.

“The tents of Amnesty International, Greenpeace and the ONE foundation were removed by police, and we were not allowed to collect signatures and to talk to people. It was a typical publicity event, which this organisation has carried out in every city where U2 has performed.”

Sergei Nikitin, head of Amnesty International’s Russian branch, said: “I am very sad about what happened. I do not know if Bono knew about what happened to us, but I fear that he did not.”

Chatroulette Update, new chat roulette imminent?

by Stephen Smith

Many users of chatroulette are eager to see the new revamped version of the well known site chat roulette, the site has been down for the last 3-4 days, with a message saying

The experiment #1 is over now. Thanks for participating.
Renewed and updated version of the website will be launched shortly.

This is an interesting if cryptic message that many users of chat roulette have eagerly been waiting to see what’s next for chat roulette? I’m sure everyone was eager to know what the experiment was ?

Run by Andrey Ternovskiy, a 17-year-old student in Moscow, the site was originally created as a bit of fun, but turned into an internet phenomenon overnight. Even claiming to get many famous stars on there including Kelly Brook.

Though random chats like this have been around for many years, Chat roulette was the first real site to take off as getting users onto these sites to actively participate in the chats was always difficult.

The next route for chat roulette is pretty much a mystery, there were even some rumors of some recognition software to recognize people who were lets say `breaking the rules` this I think would be an amazing inclusion to chat roulette, but I think is just pie in the sky.

Many people think the inclusion of some kind of community or some way to make money out chat roulette.

Alternatives to Chat roulette

Chat roulette has spawned many new sites all parading their particular version, thought I don’t think they will ever be able to compete with the original chat roulette.

There are some interesting sites out there, with Wocchat.com adding a chatroulette to their site also, many users have moved into this site while they await the new version of Chat roulette to appear.

According to rumors the new and improved Chat roulette will go live on Monday, but that is not yet confirmed, so keep your eyes peeled and that finger on next.

Author Bio
Stephen Smith an avid user of chat rooms.

Traffic Wizard Offers Suite of Online Solutions for Online Marketers

by Kate Richards

Traffic Wizard Offers Suite of Online Solutions for Online Marketers

Targeted Traffic, Email Marketing, and Search Engine Placement Provide Significant Value

/ August 26 / Traffic Wizard, a provider of web traffic, marketing and search solutions, announces that its new suite of web traffic, email and search solutions is available. This new suite of solutions is designed to empower vendors to optimize management of their online web customer traffic and marketing presence. Traffic Wizard seeks to give the customer greater direct control over management of their online prospect and customer interactions.

Traffic Wizard’s Targeted Traffic service provides high quality traffic to clients’ web pages aimed at providing the highest conversation rates possible. Traffic is delivered at pre-determined time intervals to avoid sudden spikes that can create challenges for client sites. Customers can choose from over 100 targeted industry categories, launch and monitor traffic from a proprietary control panel, and benefit from Traffic Wizard’s experienced support group, all in an efficient and economic package.

With Traffic Wizard’s Email Marketing service, email lists consist only of double-opt in subscribers who have agreed to receive emails on subjects in which they are interested. Email lists are continually updated, anti-spam compliant, and accurate. Email Marketing also allows customers a variety of ways to customize management of their email campaigns.

Search Engine Submittal from Traffic Wizard achieves customer listings in over 60 search engines representing 95% of internet searches. Traffic Wizard’s search engine optimization (SEO) team routinely assists customers with site submission to search engines for optimal positioning. Search submissions and listings are routinely achieved within 24 hours from submittal.

Author Bio
To learn more about Traffic Wizard and its suite of web traffic, marketing, and search solutions, please go to: http://www.trafficwizard.info.

Rare Bill Hicks Material Discovered

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by Mick Meaney

Previously unreleased material by the late comedian, Bill Hicks, is about to be released.

Get your copy here.

The recordings containing never-before-seen performances from the early 80’s, include audio from a performance in San Ramon, California, and ‘bootleg’ video of Bill Hicks in Austin, Texas.

Bill Hicks died of pancreatic cancer on February 26, 1994.

Bill Hicks: The Essential Collection, is a four disk set that includes interview footage, a short film called “Ninja Bachelor Party” and a gallery of pictures from his personal archives.

Compare Rush Passport Renewal Services and Choose with Confidence

by William Manor

Among all the passport services that are expedited, one of the most frequently requested is passport renewals. Oftentimes, expediting the process becomes a necessity because the passport holder did not notice that the passport had expired or was near the expiration date until preparing for an international trip whose departure date is quickly drawing near. In such a case, rush passport renewal service is required. The question is, “Which expediting service should be used?”

The significant increase in the number of passport applications submitted by American citizens over the past decade has contributed to the growth of the passport expediting industry. U.S. citizens who need to get a passport renewed quickly can become overwhelmed by the sheer number of expediting services presently available. Choosing a competent and reliable service provider is important when your international flight is only days away.

U.S. Passport Service Guide provides American citizens with free access to a growing directory of rush passport renewal services. “The directory allows travelers to quickly compare expediters from one central location, thereby, saving them a lot of time,” declared William Manor, owner of U.S. Passport Service Guide.

It can take up to six weeks for a passport renewal application to be processed if mailed directly to the U.S. Department of State. Requests for expedited service can reduce the processing time to two or three weeks. The only solution for applicants who need to get a passport renewed much faster is to submit the renewal application at a regional passport agency. Those who are not able to travel to the agency’s location or prefer not to use their time for this task can employ the services of a professional passport renewal expediter.

U.S. Passport Service Guide’s directory of expediting services includes a brief description of each expediter, a list of passport services available, the cost of each service, contact information and ratings. Within minutes, applicants can evaluate several rush passport renewal services and select the one that best meets their urgent travel needs.

Author Bio / Resource Box
U.S. Passport Service Guide, the experts in expedited passports, provide comprehensive passport information and a directory of professional expediting services for American citizens who travel abroad. Website: http://www.us-passport-service-guide.com

USA Submits Human Rights Record

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“Submitted to the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights last week but made public yesterday, in accordance with the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Process,” State Department spokesman P J Crowley said, adding the report’s submission is one step in the UPR process.

“The next step will be a formal presentation by the US Government before the Human Rights Council in Geneva in November. The report stands as just one element of a broad US effort to engage constructively with the UN and other international organisations,” he said.

In its 29-page report, the US noted the country has always been a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious society.

“Although we have made great strides, work remains to meet our goal of ensuring equality before the law for all,” it said.

“Thirty years ago, the idea of having an African-American president would not have seemed possible; today it is our reality. Our Attorney General, the nation’s top law enforcement officer, is also African-American. Three of the last four Secretaries of State have been women, and two of the last three have been African-American,” it said.

“We have recently appointed our first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, as well as several LGBT individuals to senior positions in the Executive Branch. And while individual stories do not prove the absence of enduring challenges, they demonstrate the presence of possibilities,” the report said.

“We are not satisfied with a situation where the unemployment rate for African Americans is 15.8 per cent, for Hispanics 12.4 per cent, and for whites 8.8 per cent, as it was in February 2010.

We are not satisfied that a person with disabilities is only one fourth as likely to be employed as a person without disabilities,” it said.

“We are not satisfied when fewer than half of African-American and Hispanic families own homes while three quarters of white families do. We are not satisfied that whites are twice as likely as Native Americans to have a college degree. The United States continues to address such disparities by working to ensure that equal opportunity is not only guaranteed in law but experienced in fact by all Americans,” the report said.

The Obama Administration also said it has worked to ensure fair treatment of members of Muslim, Arab-American, and South Asian communities.

“The US Government is committed to protecting the rights of members of these groups, and to combating discrimination and intolerance against them,” it said.

Meanwhile, several human rights groups welcomed the US report.
“The very fact that the United States is participating in the review process is significant,” said Human Rights First’s Tad Stahnke.

“We urge the administration to see this report not just as an opportunity to defend the positive aspects of its human rights record, but as one step in an ongoing process to address shortcomings and commit to concrete improvements,” he said.

“While this report demonstrates the Obama administration’s willingness to recommit to engagement on international human rights, the administration must now prove that it is prepared to not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk,” said Jamil Dakwar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Human Rights Programme.

“It is time for the US to match its human rights rhetoric with concrete domestic policies and actions and create a human rights culture and infrastructure that promote American values of equality and justice for all,” he said.

According to the ACLU, the US report correctly acknowledges the need for improvement in several key areas, including racial justice, women’s rights, LGBT rights and discrimination against Muslims and Americans of South Asian and Arab descent.

However, the report neglects to address other key areas where the US has failed to meet its human rights obligations, including felon disfranchisement, inhumane prison conditions, racial disparities in the death penalty system and deaths and abuse in immigration detention.

The report also defends the use of military commissions to try terrorism suspects, despite the fact that military commissions pose significant human and civil rights violations, ACLU said.

Further Info
Human Rights Watch Box Set

Michael Jackson’s Doctor Due in Court

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The doctor charged in Michael Jackson’s death is due back in court for a scheduling hearing that will determine when prosecutors will publicly present some of their evidence, reports the Associated Press.

The judge will decide at that hearing whether there is enough evidence for the involuntary manslaughter case against the cardiologist to continue. Murray, who maintains offices in Las Vegas and Houston, was charged in February for administering a lethal dose of anesthetic propofol to Jackson.

Dr. Conrad Murray is required to attend Monday’s hearing, during which a Los Angeles judge is expected to schedule a preliminary hearing for later this year.

Murray has pleaded not guilty and his attorneys have said the physician did not give Jackson anything that “should have” killed him.

Blackwater Fined $42 Million for Hundreds of Violations

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by Mick Meaney

Private security firm Blackwater, now called Xe Services, has been fined $42 Million dollars for hundreds of violations of U.S. export control regulations that include illegal weapons export to Afghanistan, providing sniper training for Taiwanese police officers and making unauthorized proposals to train troops in southern Sudan.

The company made a deal with the U.S. state department to pay the fine in order to avoid criminal charges and allow it to continue obtaining government contracts.

The deal does not resolve other legal troubles including the indictment of five former executives on weapons and obstruction charges; a federal investigation into evidence that Blackwater officials sought to bribe Iraqi officials.

In 2007 Blackwater mercenaries killed at least 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad and two former guards have also been charged with murdering two Afghan civilians.

Further Info
Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army [Revised and Updated]

60 Minutes – Blackwater (October 14, 2007)

Police Association Supports Marijuana Legalization

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by Mick Meaney

The National Black Police Association has endorsed Proposition 19, which if passed, would legalize marijuana in California, allowing people over 21 to grow marijuana and possess up to an ounce.

The National Black Police Association has more than 15,000 members and over two dozen chapters across the USA.

Ron Hampton, a retired Washington, D.C. police officer with 25 years experience and executive director of the police association, said: “It means that we will be locking up less African American men and women and children who are using drugs. We’ve got more people in prison. We’ve got more young people in prison. Blacks go to jail more than whites for doing the same thing.”

Neill Franklin, head of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, spoke at a conference yesterday in Sacramento.

“I saw with my own eyes the devastating impact these misguided marijuana laws have on our communities and neighborhoods,” he said.

“Prohibition takes a toll on people of color across the country. Californians finally have an opportunity to do something about it.”

Proposition 19 is on November 2, 2010 and if approved by voters the sale of marijuana will remain illegal under federal law.

Related Products

Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence

High: The True Tale of American Marijuana

22 Mile Oil Plume Found Below Surface Of Gulf

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by Dan Charles | npr

Scientists have mapped out, for the first time, the underwater path that some petrochemicals took after gushing from BP’s oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s an important new piece in a huge scientific puzzle.

Researchers are trying to figure out where as much as half of the spilled oil has gone.

Christopher Reddy, a co-author of the new study, says it was a big surprise when scientists first reported that large amounts of oil and oil compounds were staying underwater, rather than rising to the surface.

“If you’d asked me -— and I’ve been studying oil spills for 15 years -— whether or not you would see oil in the subsurface, I would have said ‘No,'” he said at a news conference on Thursday. “Doesn’t oil float?”

The phenomenon is fascinating, but also troublesome, he says, because if scientists don’t know where the oil is, they also don’t know what harm it may be causing.

In June, Reddy and his colleagues from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution took a research ship to the scene of the spill. They lowered a sensor deep into the water and towed it in a large circle around the blown-out well, looking for particular hydrocarbons that are easy to detect.

The sensor picked up a hydrocarbon signal southwest of the well, in a layer of water 3000 feet below the surface.

Richard Camilli, another researcher from WHOI, says they then sent down a new device -— a small unmanned submarine called Sentry.

“We had Sentry fly at a constant depth in kind of a zigzag pattern, moving out from the well site, tracking the plume,” he said.

The hydrocarbons, including benzene and toluene, were highly diluted in the water. They were coming from the gushing well, but they weren’t spreading out in all directions. Instead, they followed an invisible underwater channel just over a mile wide and 650 feet thick. The researchers tracked that channel southwest for 22 miles, until bad weather forced them to stop.

They looked for signs that microorganisms are feasting on those petroleum products and breaking them down, but didn’t see any. Reddy says they don’t know exactly why.

“Microbes are a lot like teenagers,” he says. “They work on their own time, at their own scale. They do what they want when they want.”

There are many other unknowns. Reddy and his colleagues don’t yet know how much of the oil from the well is in this plume. They hope to arrive at an estimate in a few months, after analyzing all their water samples. They also don’t know how toxic the plume may be to wildlife.

Yet this is the best-documented case so far of oil flowing underwater. It was released on Thursday by the journal Science.

“This is a big piece of the puzzle,” says Steven Murawski, science adviser for fisheries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Murawski is trying to put the whole puzzle together. He is in touch with many of the research vessels —- as many as seven on any given day -— that are working in the Gulf of Mexico.

Murawski says additional scientific reports about oil in the deep sea around the well will be released in the coming weeks. But he’d like to see more scientists working in other places, such as on the continental shelf, the wide shallow area close to shore where most fish live. Murawski says he’s drafting plans to expand such research.

Related DVD
Oil in the Gulf: The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Crisis – A Comprehensive Guide (DVD-ROM)

5 Tips For an Amazing Cover Letter

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by Mike Hlatky

There are basically five main points to each cover letter written. I am going to go through each one of these points for an in depth analysis of how and where to improve your cover letter. The process is pretty simple if you know what you are doing. Once you get the hang of it, making cover letters becomes a breeze.

1. The Greeting
This is the easiest part of creating a cover letter. All you have to do is write who you are writing the cover letter for. I would say to start out with Dear _______,. In this space, you can put the individual person’s name (Mark) or the department name (Accounting).

2. Introduction
Just introduce yourself and show your interest in the job. For both this section and the next, be sure to include references to the job description.

Hi, my name is Susie and I am interested in applying for (job title). I found this exciting opportunity by searching ________. I believe I am the ideal candidate because I can (list job requirement). I am also able to (list another job requirement).

3. Promoting Yourself
Tell about your background and your accomplishments in previous jobs. List how you became able to do those job requirements you mentioned in the introduction.

I previously worked at (previous company name) where I was the (position). Through work at (previous company name), I was able to accomplish many things. Some of these accomplishments include (accomplishment 1). And (accomplishment 2). Through (previous company name), I was able to learn how to (job requirement) and (another job requirement).

4. Conclusion
Say thanks and stress how much you are interested in the job.

Thanks for taking your time to review my application. I think that I could greatly benefit your company in this position because (reason 1). (Reason 2). (Reason 3).

5. Closing
People often get confused about what to write here, but it is actually quite simple. Two things that I usually use are Thanks For Your Time or I Hope To Hear From You Soon.

That’s it! You are done with writing your cover letter. I think that people often get stressed out and overlook how simple this really is. You don’t have to follow this example word for word, but it is a good start. Expand upon this to create the best cover letter you can to get that job. Good Luck!

What Careers Advice Is Available To Me After My Exams?

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Whilst you are at school you get plenty of careers advice on what you should be studying for and what courses to take. But how do you really know if this job advice matches the actual job on offer?

Pods4Jobs is all about Jobs and Careers. It has been designed to get real people talking about their own job giving a helpful insight to students from user generated video podcasts helping them to determine which is the right job for them. Making choices for students about your career is extremely difficult.

How do you even know what is really out there? The first place to look for help is you family members and their friends. At least they should give you a straight answer! They should tell you just how it is – but what if they don’t do the job you want to consider?
Students who are considering being a teacher (for example) can see many teachers talking about their jobs, their likes, dislikes, the skills needed and how they got into the job and make an informed decision as to whether they will be suited to the job or not.
Anthony Broderick, founder of Pods4Jobs, realised there was a big gap in the market for real advice when his children asked him to help with their choices.

“When I asked them what they wanted to be, they really had no idea. We spent weeks trying to find some real people and real jobs to get an insight in to some of their preferences. Of course, there were lots of sites but none showed the full story including how, on some occasions, careers get off to a false start before a dream job is found. With this in mind we set up Pods4Jobs.”

But how do you go about creating your own podcast? When shooting a video there are lots of things to consider. The most important thing is to make it interesting for your audience. Here are a few tips which you may find helpful:

Try to get some relevant background into the shot (e.g. show interviewee in a building site, or a factory, or an office or beside some machinery or on a tractor). It’s good to get both the interviewer and the interviewee on screen / in the frame.

Then zoom in & shoot so the interviewee’s and interviewer’s head and shoulders fill the screen (this also allows some background). Background – check the background – so there’s nothing strange like a tree branch which looks like its sticking out of the interviewee’s head.

Clothes – ask the interviewee to wear any suitable clothing or equipment relevant to the job e.g. construction worker — safety helmet; farmer tweed cap, nurse – nurses hat, doctor – with white coat and stethoscope around neck etc.
Lights/Sun – do not make the interviewee face strong sunlight (or artificial lights) as they’ll have squinty eyes and also feel uncomfortable. Do not shoot into the sun. Try to ensure there is good light as it makes better video.

Steady Camera – hold camera steady (two hands, or lean against something, or ideally, fix it to a tri pod).Sound – is just as important as vision – so please avoid wind noises, traffic noises or any background noises if possible.

Keep microphone near person if possible. Avoid moving any microphones when filming (as it creates noise). We cannot use any video if we cannot clearly hear the interview. It is better to face the person you are interviewing rather than face the camera but be careful the sound quality is not compromised. Wait 5 Seconds – press ‘record’ then wait 5 seconds before you start the interview. Upload your best video to Pods4Jobs.com – give great career advice to all our visitors.

Exam Results — How To Cope Before And After You Get Your Results

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by Anthony Broderick

When the time for exam results arrives how do you cope?

We all know that panicked feeling you get just before exam results day, the classic signs of struggling to sleep, worrying about the future and being scared of letting people down, but who says those few examined hours have to govern your future? Should things not go to plan there are many avenues you can go down.

If you still want to go to University you can simply go through clearing, take a gap year and re-take or see if that particular University will accept you on a foundation or different course. But whatever happens remember all is not lost. Clearing means that you could perhaps still go to your First Choice University, only to do a different course.

Or maybe you will choose tog o to a different University, either way you should look upon this asan opportunity rather than a failure. It is very important also at this time to check your actual marks from each module as firstly mistakes can be made, but also if you are very close to getting your grade requirements, as in a few UMS off then you may still be accepted into your first choice.

In this case ring their admissions office immediately, and although it will be busy- keep trying. If you have your heart set on a specific place though you may want to consider taking a Gap Year and gaining experience in travel, work and of course the opportunity to do January re-takes if necessary. Even if you were to take a Gap Year and merely spend it working in the pub down the road then you have enhanced your inter-personal skills, have had the chance to gain more responsibility as well as enhancing your CV.

University isn’t for everyone though, so if your exam results have knocked you off a particular training programme or scheme, just remember that the world is a big place and the opportunities actually are endless! You are only 18, no-one has to decide what they want from their life and career before it has even started!

So explore every possible avenue, for a snap-shot of endless amounts of careers look at www.pods4jobs.com it is a new careers website that allows for you to see an insight into the way of the working world.

It offers not only an honest insight into the pros and cons of many jobs but it also highlights the fact that many successful people in careers come from that of only a compulsory education, and they will tell you themselves; exam results do not mean everything

Council Using Mobile CCTV To Watch Motorists

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Big Brother Watch, a civil liberties campaign group, have highlighted a Bedford Council plan to ‘snoop’ on motorists and collect ‘vast amounts of data about law-abiding people’.

A CCTV camera will be mounted on a Bedford Borough Council fleet vehicle and will survey the streets. The camera will monitor and collect the registration numbers of vehicles parked illegally and will create Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) for offenders.

The initial cost to impliment the system will be £98,250 and costing £42,800 each year to run.

Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “Drivers in Bedford are being remorselessly bullied by the council, with the planned installation of two separate snooping surveillance systems.

“The new Coalition Government has announced that ANPR is going to be regulated. Bedford is throwing public money on a system when it’s not known how or even whether such systems will operate in the future.

“Even worse, the council has made it clear it intends to use surveillance to force drivers to stop using their cars.

“It’s social engineering via snooping.”

Cllr Charles Royden, of Bedford Borough Council, said: “The new mobile CCTV vehicle will be able to patrol the 80 schools across the urban and rural areas very effectively. This technology will cover its cost and is a sound investment in preserving the life and limb of children attending borough schools.

“Parents who park responsibly have nothing to worry about and should welcome this protection for their children.”

Related Products
Every Step You Take

How to Be Invisible: The Essential Guide to Protecting Your Personal Privacy, Your Assets, and Your Life (Revised Edition)

Building an email list was never easier

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by Kat Bader

Email list building was never as easy, now because of mobile advertising. Mobile or cell phone advertising is an untapped and cheap medium you can use to build a big list – fast. In just three days you can recruit 1000’s of targeted subscribers and advertise anything you want.

Mobile advertising is much better then PPC (pay per click), or PPV (pay per view), because you will pay per click which is cheap as $0.01-$0.10. I am talking about competitive keywords that cost $10-$20 if you decide to use Ad-Words PPC.

In the word today, we have about 1.8 billion internet connections and about 5 billion cell phones, which gives you a lot of opportunity if you act now. This is future of advertising.

However, if you want to get ahead of things, start building phone applications. It can be as simple as mixed RSS feed.Once you have your free application approved by app-store you can advertise on your own application – or just let others do that for you, to get leads and profit really fast.

Why should you have a list in a first place?

An Email list is a profitable asset and it can be used in many ways. Just to give you few examples:

  • Sell ad space
  • Sell news letter ads
  • Sell affiliate products
  • Sell your own product
  • Swap ads with others

  • One small list of 2,000 targeted people can make you $1,000 per week. With mobile advertising you can build a list of 1,000 people in a day. It is as easy as that because you practically have no competition. The opt-in mailing list provided by a website is not a spam, it is a legitimate sign up program for individuals sincerely interested in a website’s products and services. No one is included in the opt-in mailing list without prior consent.

    There are a number of auto-responders offered on the Internet that can help process the information sent in for subscriptions.

  • AWeber
  • GotResponse
  • TrafficWave
  • iContact
  • infusion
  • and many others. If I would have to single out just one, it would be Traffic-Wave because they do it well and price is always the same. It does not increase with a list growth as in other mentioned above.


    Some pointers in building your opt-in list:

    1.You should put a ‘subscribe form’ in your web site. It is advisable to put it on all the pages. Then make sure that it is strategically positioned, meaning it has to be easily located by the visitors. The upper right corner of the page.

    2.Promote your website to get more subscribers.

    3.Come up with contests or give away freebies and goodies that will require visitors to give out their email ads to be able to join.If you decide to use mobile advertising use , get paid for zip offers and give additional bonus gift.

    4.Give out information, articles and updates to your clients with your links in it. Make sure that the information will be relevant to the subscriber.To promote golf e-book and then offer marketing report is not good idea.

    5.Offer free courses to your visitors. This will also help maintain a good relationship with your subscribers.

    6.Use your signature also to make your opt-in list expand. Every time you send out messages the blog link information should be included.

    7.Develop trust and relationship with your list.

    At the same time you should also know what you should avoid in building an opt-in list.

    1.Don’t ever spam your subscribers.

    2.Avoid pop-ups too. They can sometimes annoy the visitors.

    3.You should also refrain from flooding your subscribers with information. You might end up as an annoyance that you might not get a favorable result. There may be times that you’ll give relevant information, but your clients may just dismiss it.

    The benefits of having many regular subscribers are undeniable. They will definitely keep your business going and you will definitely enjoy the profits that will come in.

    Further Info
    Lucrative List Building: How Everyday People Are Building Huge, Highly Profitable Opt-In Email Lists from Scratch to Make Millions Online

    US contractor investigated for $1 billion fees in Afghanistan

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    Associated Press

    Federal prosecutors are investigating whether a U.S. contractor managing more than $1 billion in reconstruction contracts in Afghanistan overcharged the government.

    Prosecutors acknowledged in a court filing last week that their criminal and civil investigations focus on allegations that the Louis Berger Group submitted inflated invoices to the U.S. Agency for International Development, which oversees international development projects.

    The revelation came in court filings related to a Louis Berger executive’s federal lawsuit attempting to block efforts to keep his stock holdings in escrow while the investigations continue. Louis Berger, based in Morristown, N.J., is a major player in U.S.-funded reconstruction projects in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    Grow Your Business With Simple But Outrageously Effective Techniques

    Hello, I just wanted to drop a note and tell you guys about some news, about Blueprints To Profits. It’s the “newest” rave in the how to grow your business. You will find out how some of his tricks have become successful and how much it has helped people just like you double or even triple their profits with a few simple changes. Paul Lemberg created it, he’s one of the guys that most fortune 100 companies go to for business advice… So learning from him would probably be a good thing :).

    People have been literally “flipping” out about blueprints to profits and it’s effectiveness on their business, I mean you’d expect it to be good if he offers a double your profits or your money back guarantee, but nobody expected that he’d actually be able to deliver that as an average….

    His tricks are very famous because they are extremely simple to use, many people were just shocked to find out that such tiny changes could increase their profits by so much…

    Such simple changes such as offering 30 day guarantee on whatever it is your business delivers, or simply something called a fire sale in which you lower the price for 3 or so days (really lowered) so that many people buy :).

    Simple tricks such as those are the ones that simple people like you and I are applying to their business right now, and it really helps a lot.

    Paul Lemberg has a retention rate (how many people stay in the program) of around 95%… that means that Paul Lemberg can really help you grow your business, as seen at how many people want to continue learning from him .

    Blueprints to Profits has swept the business world away in a whirlwind of success with it’s amazing simplicity and creative way of doing business.

    Does Facebook violate data protection laws?

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    by Mick Meaney

    Facebook could be in violation of German data protection laws and if so, could be fined by Hamburg’s Data Protection Authority after complaints from citizens that Facebook has been illegally collecting and passing their contact details to third parties.

    The DPA is concerned about Facebook’s address-book synchronization, which uploads and stores the email addresses of people who are not Facebook users, directly from existing user’s contact lists without permission.

    Head of the DPA, Johannes Caspar, met with Facebook officials but failed to reach agreement, another meeting is scheduled for 24th August.

    “We will have another meeting and discuss the things they [Facebook] told us today. Maybe they will offer us a solution but it’s too early to say something in this case,” said Caspar.

    It’s not the first time Facebook has been questioned over the way it handles personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK became involved in 2008 after users complained they could not delete personal information from the database.

    Dave Evans, the senior data protection practice manager at the ICO said:

    “One of the things that we’re concerned about is that if the onus is entirely on the individual to delete their own data. An individual who has deactivated their account might not find themselves motivated enough to delete information that’s about them, maybe on their wall or other people’s site.”

    The West Continues To Ignore Slavery

    0

    by Michelle Faud
    Morning Star

    Zimbabwe auctioned 900,000 carats of rough diamonds on Wednesday from a diamond field where human rights groups say that soldiers killed 200 people, raped women and enslaved children.

    It was the first public sale of gems from the notorious Marange field in eastern Zimbabwe since international regulators imposed a ban in November under rules designed to screen out conflict gems.

    The sale happened to coincide with the “blood diamonds” phase of the war crimes trial of Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president. Taylor’s case and the Zimbabwe sale are unrelated, but both point to the successes and difficulties facing the campaign to regulate the trade in diamonds that has helped finance wars in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Congo and now Ivory Coast.

    The auction in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, went ahead after the gems were certified as conflict-free by Abbey Chikane, a monitor for the Kimberley Process that oversees trade in the diamonds. Chikane claimed that soldiers were gone from two fenced-off commercial mines producing the diamonds, and that the mines were operating according to “minimum international standards.”

    The arrangement so angered American gem trader Martin Rapaport that in February he quit as president of the World Diamond Council. “The tragedy of Zimbabwe is that the Kimberley Process has started legitimising, legalising, kosherising blood diamonds,” he said.

    The Kimberley Process was set up in 2002. Its members are 75 diamond-producing and diamond-trading countries, along with industry agencies and civic and human rights bodies such as London-based Global Witness.

    Stephane Chardon, chairman of the Kimberley monitoring group, said that the Kimberley rules apply only to blood diamonds mined and sold by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at toppling legitimate governments. It has no provision for punishing governments.

    The Marange field was discovered in 2006 and is believed to be the biggest found in the world since the 19th century. It triggered a chaotic diamond rush until police and then the army moved in.

    But Human Rights Watch says that the Zimbabwe government still has not kept its word to withdraw soldiers completely from the Marange fields, and that it found conditions there “quite appalling” as recently as May.

    “We found children as young as 11 still working in these mines.” said senior researcher Tiseke Kasambala.

    Buyers from Belgium, Russia, India, Israel, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates flew into Harare on private aircraft to inspect the stones and present bids in sealed envelopes. They refused to speak to reporters.

    Zimbabwe’s mines minister, Obert Mpofu, said that the country has 4.5 million Marange diamonds in stock, valued at up to $1.9 billion – one third of the national debt.

    Related Products
    Slavery and the Making of America

    Voices from Slavery: 100 Authentic Slave Narratives

    Riot police pose as UN

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    by Mick Meaney

    Officials in New Delhi have admitted that Rapid Action Force (RAF) in Srinagar wore blue helmets and used shields with the UN insignia while dealing with protesters in Kashmir, during a flag march.

    “Only a few of them used those helmets and shields. This might have happened as they were deployed on a very short notice. They were flown from New Delhi to Srinagar and pressed into service hurriedly,” said an official.

    Pictures of the RAF flag march were distributed by the media, and a US-based NGO United Progressives (UP) wrote to the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations – calling the action a misuse of equipment.

    Michel Bonnardeaux, Public Affairs Officer at the United Nations, apparently sent this statement to Paul Barrow, director UP:

    “We understand that directions have since been issued by the Indian authorities to prevent the continued use of UN helmets and shields by the RAF.

    “The UN blue helmets and other UN equipment are provided to personnel serving in the United Nations operations for the sole purpose of use during service under the blue flag. All UN equipment provided for use in a UN operation ought to be returned to the organisation upon completion of service and under no circumstances, can it be used for other purposes, including by national armies in the conduct of their operations.”

    Google HQ Raided by South Korean Police

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    by Mick Meaney

    South Korean Police have raided Google’s Seoul headquarters as part of an investigation into Google Street View.

    A statement released by the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) said: “We have been investigating Google Korea on suspicion of unauthorised collection and storage of data on unspecified internet users from Wi-Fi networks.

    “We began the probe after having confirmed that the company seized and kept open data as well as unauthorized private communication data collected by its special data-collecting vehicles.”

    Lois Kim, a Google spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that the police have visited Google Korea in conjunction with their investigation around data collection by Street View cars. We will cooperate with the investigation and answer any questions they have.”

    Fast Company’s Influence Project; is it nothing more then a glorified MLM scheme?

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    Issamar Ginzberg, an Award winning Entrepreneur and Advisor to Small Business Owners and Medical Professionals, is ranked in the top 500 of The Influence Project’s list of the most influential people online. The Influence Project was launched the summer of 2010 wanting ananswer to the question, “Who are the most influential people onlineright now?”

    In order to become the most influential person, one has to register and distribute through their social network their personalized URL address. Every click to that address is measured. For every person that clicks on the participant’s unique URL earns you credit. This is your primary measure of influence. A participant in the project can also earn partial credit for those who sign up as a result of their URL up to six degrees from your original URL.

    Ginzberg had this to say about the project, “This is an MLM typepyramid scheme, with the entire goal to collect opt-in email addresses from tens of millions of people, if not more.” He joined The Influence Project himself as a social media study. His personal influence URL is http://influenceproject.fastcompany.com/v/b9a9#/wall/focus/b9a9/landing.

    One of the project’s rewards is that the larger your online influence,the larger your picture will appear on the Fast Company’s cover. Thiscan mean that project participants are sending out links without informing those who they want to influence of what they may beclicking on. He said, “Once you join up and join the influencer project, you are guaranteed a spot in Fast Company Magazine, hopefully large enough so that you can see it.

    “However, if you want to get a larger image andtherefore try to get people to sign up in your downline, make sure youare transparent about what the influencer project is.” Ginzberg’s transparency seems to be working for him. He is in the 97 percentile. This places his influence above 97% of the project’s participants. As of August 4, 2010 He is ranked number 479 out of 23,180 total participants in the project.“

    As long as you understand that by clicking on a link, you are joininga viral campaign that is, essentially, ethically harvesting many,millions of email addresses, why not be a part of it? It may just makeFast Company hit the dead center of the target and keep the irrelevance in a digital world that is changing very fast,” he said.To find out more about Fast Company’s “The Influence Project” seehttp://fcinf.com/v/b9a9. The competitive portion of the project ends August 15 at midnight EST. Ginzberg is author of the “Marketing, Strategy, Kosher!” blog found at http://issamar.com/strategy. Ginzberg’s page in The Influence Project is http://influenceproject.fastcompany.com/v/b9a9#/wall/focus/b9a9/landing.

    Small Business Website Challenge – The Best Way To Generate Local Leads?

    0

    It was announced by GetLauchedOnline.com they are about to open their 60-Day Small Business Website Challenge during which they will pick 20 small businesses to introduce them to the new, all-in-one website building and online leads generation service with guaranteed results. Here is what Paul Baranowski and Ciro Colonna, the two guys behind this idea, had to say about the Small Business Website Challenge.

    “Our mission is to help as many small businesses as we can leverage the power of the internet to generate targeted local leads and survive in today‘s economy.The main problem for small business owners nowadays is that the old advertising methods, like Yellow Pages, don’t work even nearly as effectively as they used to two to five years ago.

    TV is veryexpensive and FM radio stations with decent coverage aren’t cheap either. What‘s the alternative? Internet marketing and online promotional campaigns! But here we’re facing another problem: web design companies and SEO firms offering prices that 46% of small businesses can’t afford. That’s what a survey conducted last year by Ad-ology.com tells us. So,basically,small business owners find themselves trapped in a situation where they either have to bet their last buck on TV,web design and SEO companies to generate new leads or to content themselves with the little-to-zero effectiveness of paper ads,Yellow Pages and the likes.

    Being small business owners ourselves,we thought we should do something to change that unfair situation. So,we came up with anall-in-one solution that will allow any small business to get their website build and promoted to local online leads in record time, and for a price they can afford. We’re going to start our 60-Day Small Business Website Challenge with 20 businesses and we plan to expand it down the road to help as many small businessowners as we can“. For more information about the Challenge, visit GetLaunchedOnline.com/60-day-challenge

    Online Dating Becoming Specialized but Profiles Remain Most Important Factor

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    The new wave in online dating websites is in specialist sites, those catering to particular ethnic, cultural or even religious groups. Sites like Shaadi.com, Rishta.com and MuslimFriends.com are all examples of this new trend.

    VP of Shaadi North America, Anjan Saikia, says that the culture of South Asians makes this group different from typical online daters. This group is used to looking at the entire family and many are still expected to marry someone chosen by their parents. In fact, he says that about 30% of the profiles created on Shaadi.com are made by parents for their children.

    “That’s something that doesn’t happen on other dating sites,” says Saikia, “Unlike the very individual orientation of white people, people fom South Asia, the boy looks at the girl, the girl looks at the boy, but they also look at the two families. At the end of the day, the bonding between families in our culture is very important to both the younger generation and the parents.”

    Professor Ozlem Sensoy teaches gender, sexuality and women’s studies at Simon Fraser University. She sees the change coming to the online dating industry as a result of cultural differences.

    “The whole paradigm of dating sites themselves is a very Western, commercial, capitalist creation,” says Sensoy, but with South Asian daters, “it isn’t just two individuals getting married. It’s two families coming together. That’s a cultural lens that’s not a part of mainstream dating sites.”

    Another specialist development is new smartphone applications that allow users to see who’s available and nearby. One of the leading apps is called Skout which will show users the photos of other users who are within a certain distance of the GPS-enabled phone. You can instant message anyone who looks interesting to you and meet up within minutes, if you choose. With these apps, the dating profile is minimal so the photo and location are key points.

    With most online dating websites, the profile is paramount. That’s why the most popular services, such as eHarmony.com and Match.com, have comprehensive profiles that include likes and dislikes, character traits and much more. Because the profiles are so important to finding a likely match, there are now sites being created just to help people create the perfect profile, such as http://www.onlinedating-profile.com/.

    Owner of the site, E. Elizabeth Edwards, says she enjoys hearing from readers who have found their soulmates as a result of her advice.

    “I’ve seen so many disappointed people that had bad experiences with online dating. The one thing that was common to most was that their profiles were not attracting the type of people they wanted to meet. I knew that I could help them with that so I created Online Dating Profile to help them create an amazing profile. I love getting emails from people all over the world, thanking me for my advice and telling me that they’ve met the person of their dreams.”

    Crucial evidence withheld in Princess Diana inquest

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    by Mick Meaney

    Writer John Morgan believes his new book, Diana Inquest: The Documents The Jury Never Saw, provides a compelling reason why a new inquest into the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed should be held in France.

    He told the Daily Express last night: “My book reproduces more than 100 of the most critical documents and lists a further 400 documents that the jury should have had access to if they were ever going to be able to reach an informed verdict.

    “Lawyers say justice is blind but in this case I have proved that it was the jury who were blindfolded. The official inquest was a travesty.”

    “At the time, the public expected the Diana inquest jury to reach an informed verdict, but no one could have possibly understood that such a huge volume of critical evidence was withheld from the jury. Through this massive censorship the inquest jury had no hope of reaching a fair, impartial and, more importantly, informed verdict. They were kept in the dark.

    “Justice can only be achieved through an independent inquest held on French soil. The crash occurred in France and the witnesses are therefore French.

    “An inquest that is capable of forcing the French witnesses to appear is the only way forward to establish the truth.”

    Dodi’s father, former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed has praised Morgan’s efforts: “John Morgan has done more to expose the facts of this case than police in France and Britain,” he said. “He has shown how the so-called investigators were more interested in covering up what really happened than honestly delving for the truth.”

    Order the book here.

    Post Your Articles – New From RINF

    1

    RINF is pleased to announce a new article submission service. The service which is launching on 3rd August 2010 aims to help promote anybody with a passion and to help authors share their knowledge.

    Currently there are little restrictions on what type of articles can be published on the site and we plan to expand the service to include email blasts highlighting the best articles submitted.

    Exceptional authors will be invited to publish news reports, articles, how-to tips and advice on the RINF newswire.

    RINF founder, Michael Meaney states “This is a great opportunity for fellow webmasters to drive more traffic to their sites and use the newswire as a platform that could help them to promote their experience and knowledge. We encourage webmasters and bloggers to put backlinks in their articles, to make the most of the SEO potential and to also make sure RINF readers can easily follow up on the information provided.”

    Post your news here.

    100 Year-Old Family-Owned Rug & Carpet Cleaning Company Returns to Naperville

    0

    Naperville, IL — Koshgarian Rug Cleaners, Inc., a family-owned and operated business since 1906, announces the opening of a new location in Naperville at 500 W. 5th Avenue. The new store is scheduled to open the first week of August.

    Koshgarian Rug Cleaners closed its previous Naperville location in 2007 due to a restructuring of operations. “In 2007, we were on the verge of relocating our Naperville store when the economy slowed down,” says owner Chuck Koshgarian. “We decided to wait and found 2010 to be a perfect time to come back to Naperville.”

    With the Naperville location, Koshgarian Rug Cleaners hopes to better serve customers by offering a convenient drop-off location for area rugs. “Because of the cost savings, some of our customers prefer to drop off their area rugs for cleaning. This will make it more convenient for local customers, who have had to drive to our Hinsdale location. We have a strong customer base in and around Naperville, and we need to be here. We are bigger and better, and are excited to be back.”

    Koshgarian Rug Cleaners has been cleaning rugs and carpets since brothers Hagop and Mihron Koshgarian opened for business in 1906 in a two-story home in LaGrange, IL. Over the years, the family-operated business has flourished. By the mid-1950s, Koshgarian Rug Cleaners opened a state-of-the-art cleaning plant in Hinsdale, which remains the only operational plant in the western suburbs today.

    Koshgarian Rug Cleaners’ reputation for excellent customer service has established a loyal customer following that trusts them for handling even the most delicate oriental rugs and upholstery jobs.

    “Customer service is what has built our business today,” says Koshgarian. “My grandparents insisted on dedicating the business to the customer. My father, Herbert, continued that tradition, as I do today.”

    The Naperville location will be open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pick-up and delivery service for area rugs is also available. During the month of August customers can enter to win one of five $100.00 gift certificates for any of our In-Home cleaning services, receive 30% off area rug cleaning, and have Scotchgardâ„¢ for FREE on any of their area rugs.

    For more information the company can be reached at 630.551.8909 or by visiting their website at http://www.koshgarianrugcleaners.com

    Family owned and operated since 1906, Koshgarian Rug Cleaners, Inc. specializes in area rug cleaning and repair, wall-to-wall carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, and pet odor removal. In addition, Koshgarian Rug Cleaners offers professional cleaning to a wide range of commercial clients. A certified IICRC firm, Koshgarian Rug Cleaners serves the western suburbs and has convenient drop-off locations in Hinsdale at 248 East Ogden Avenue and Naperville at 500 W. 5th Avenue. Koshgarian Rug Cleaners is a proud member of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce, and the Illinois Better Business Bureau. The company can be reached at 630.551.8909 and through their website at http://www.koshgarianrugcleaners.com

    A premium UK Travel and Tourism Domain Name, UKtourism.com, is now for sale at Sedo.com

    1

    The owner of UKtourism.com has just announced that UKtourism.com, a premium UK travel domain, is now for sale.

    This is a very special domain name as a recent report stated that tourism to the UK will grow by 60% by 2020. Mainly based off the fact that they’ll see a quick jump in tourism due to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games being held in the UK but also on weather. Much warmer weather is drawing more and more tourists to the UK.

    Tourism is a huge part of UK’s economy, with only Financial and Business sectors growing faster. In fact, tourism is the sixth largest industry in Britain. It generates £115 billon each year for the UK economy, supports over 2 million jobs and is the UK’s third largest export earner. 5% of UK’s working population is in the tourism industry.

    Tourists can also play a large role in turning around UK’s economy. To quote Ken Robinson of the Tourism Alliance:, “It only takes £15 of funding from Government to encourage each additional tourist to the UK, contributing massively in tax to the treasury and benefit to the economy. For every 100 extra inbound tourists we win, we generate 1 additional job in the UK and the Treasury gains £9,000 in Air Passenger Duty and VAT payment. With a Return on Investment like that, the tourism sector can make a significant contribution to turning round the UK economy”. Simply put, tourism is the key to turn around UK’s down economy and the government is really putting forth a strong effort to drive prospective tourists to the UK.

    The UK has always been a top tourist destination with it’s rich culture and deep history. With the Olympics and the warmer weather for years to come, this shoots UK to the top of the Tourism industry.

    UKTourism.com is the top level domain of this industry. Most domain extensions in this name have already been taken. UKtourism is already registered in the following domain extensions:

    · .net, .org, .biz, .info (common extensions)

    · .co.uk (commercial UK domain extension)

    · .eu (European Union domain extension)

    · .co (Republic of Columbia domain extension)

    · .in (India domain extension)

    What could someone do with such a premium domain name?

    Well with the 2012 Olympics and the UK tourism trade booming in coming years, this domain name could be developed into a tremendous tourist website. Purchasing this domain name in 2010 allows you plenty of time to develop it and add many links and articles before the huge traffic rush of 2012 when the Olympic games are held in London.

    How much would UKTourism.com sell for? That depends on the buyer as with all domains the value is whatever the buyer is willing to pay for it. If you want a top level domain focused on the Tourism in the UK though, this domain could be priceless.

    The domain is for sale at Sedo, the world’s largest domain marketplace. With offices in the UK, Germany, and the US, Sedo handles thousands of domain transactions a month and operates in 20 different languages. They handle the entire transaction from start to finish, from sending the offers to the seller, to retrieving payment from the buyer, and verifying the domain safely gets transferred to the buyer. In fact, for every sale a domain customer service representative is assigned to answer any questions and provide support when needed.

    If you are interested in making an offer on this domain name then please submit your best offer at the Sedo’s for sale page: UK Tourism or if you want to submit a private offer email Offer@UKtourism.com.

    The owner is reviewing all offers of $1,500 and up but after a short review period they will accept the highest offer.

    Keeping the Internet Neutral

    0

    It is a concern of an awful lot of people and now a consultation has been launched by the European commission.

    The consultation was announced by the Vice-President for the DIgitial Agenda, Neelie Kroes and it is intended to allow all interested parties a chance to get their voices heard. The consultation is hoping to hear from all sides of the debate – consumers, content providers, business and academia.

    One of the core issues is the increasing practice of how Internet Service providers manage their traffic. In order to keep the internet neutral then traffic management will be vital. High speed connections throughout most European countries are driving the advancement of different technologies from IPTV, Internet phone calls through VOIP and numerous other functions being driven by some of the worlds most popular websites like BBC IPlayer.

    There are obviously concerns that any major traffic shaping conducted by the service providers could affect the development of certain technologies and also the neutrality of the internet to people, services and applications.

    There is a general agreement that some sort of definition and standard should be set to maintain the neutrality of the internet and this is perhaps the main driver for this consultation and subsequent debate.

    Many groups are also concerned with the potential liberty and privacy issues that could be affected if ISPs allows certain applications or services to run faster than others. Many providers already throttle certain applications like P2P protocols from specific groups or IP addresses. This could easily be expanded under pressure for example big media companies wanting to curb such protocols suspected of distributing pirated and copyrighted material.

    Already some countries have throttled and blocked access to applications and services which allow http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/library/public_consult/index_en.htm

    New generation of playground equipment could help fight childhood obesity

    4

    For the playstation generation, technology is undoubtedly at the forefront of leisure time, however with sedentary activities topping the list of children’s favourite pastimes, it’s no surprise that childhood obesity is an ever present concern.

    As games industry giants fight to introduce active gaming into their offer, conversely, outdoor play manufacturers are introducing technology to the playground to try and recapture a lost generation. Swings and roundabouts no longer hold the attention of a nation of gamers and it seems the twenty-first century playground is undergoing an unexpected makeover — of a digital nature.

    New technological developments in playground equipment encourage interaction and strengthen mental and physical agility, coaxing the user into exerting physical effort without even realising; often with a series of jumps, stretches and manoeuvres to be completed against the clock. Another benefit is their environment; the child is still getting their tech-fix, but in a more health-conscious outdoor setting — hopefully opting to rediscover their enthusiasm for the traditional playground while there.

    Indeed the very reason that technology is so important in play is its increasing intrusion into every aspect of our lives — games consoles have been top of children’s wish lists since the launch of the gameboy twenty years ago now, and the play industry has been forced to take notice of this.

    Barry Leahey, Sales Director at Playdale Playgrounds, explains how children today have a very different perception of fun to that of their parents and grandparents. He says, “Whereas children thirty years ago were sent outside with a football, nowadays they’re more likely to be confined indoors with an Xbox 360. This means we have to find a way of combining this technology-centred idea of fun with physical exertion – remember that children are meant to play because it’s enjoyable — not because it burns calories.”

    One benefit of technology-enhanced playground equipment is the feedback it can offer on the positive effects on the users’ health. For example, Playdale, who also design and manufacture school playground equipment, have developed their i.play unit to offer feedback on the number of games played, the amount of calories burned and the equivalent resulting heart rate. While calories should not be of importance to children, they are certainly a good indicator of the effectiveness of any equipment that promotes physical activity and this, along with other data generated, is likely to be of great interest to the play provider so they can gauge the popularity of their playground equipment and justify the expense too.

    Certainly the play industry is aware of the challenge facing it, and is already hard at work developing new products to educate and engage young people. There may be challenging times ahead to lure children back outside, but the stakes — society’s health — are surely worth the effort.

    UK Companies Not Utilizing SEO

    According to results by ThomsonLocal.com and Analytics SEO, from the UK’s first audit of small business websites, almost 50% of all UK business websites are not using Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) as part of their online marketing strategy.

    Analytics SEO set out 30 criteria as key signals of SEO quality and fed them into their pioneering SEO software that was able to automatically and simultaneously perform an SEO audit of all 1,001 sites.

    Here’s a summary of the findings.

    The general state of UK business websites
    â–  47% of all business websites have none or very basic levels of SEO
    â–  Over 70% of companies with less than 50 employees have none or very basic levels of SEO
    â–  Unsurprisingly larger companies tend to have better websites
    â–  With a few exceptions, the length of time a business has been trading or the type of business has little on no bearing on the quality of its website
    â–  12% of all business websites are not indexed in any search engine
    â–  0.6% of business websites are under construction
    â–  Only 3% of all business websites could be considered to have advanced levels of SEO

    Technical Configuration of Websites
    â–  74% of businesses have no basic website analytics software for tracking site visits
    â–  Only 2% of all businesses used advanced website analytics software
    â–  82% have no HTML sitemap
    â–  75% have no XML sitemap
    â–  69% have no Robots.txt file configured
    â–  71% have no Custom 404 page configured

    Website Content
    â–  35% do not have unique Page Titles
    â–  56% do not have unique Page Descriptions
    Popularity
    â–  The average company with less than 50 employees has 408 inbound links
    â–  The average UK company has 6,874 inbound links

    “Now more than ever consumers are turning to search engines like Google and Bing, as well as local search websites for help in finding the best local suppliers,” said Jill Pringle, Marketing Director, ThomsonLocal.com, which commissioned the research.

    “Local businesses need to wake up to the fact that investing in better quality websites with original content can bring them new customers more quickly, and ensuring that the website they build is search engine friendly is essential in today’s market.”

    Woweb, a leading UK SEO and web design company in Lancashire, said “Any business website can dramatically increase revenue with a good SEO strategy. We’re seeing companies increase turnover by upwards of £50,000 per year just from having a solid search engine plan. However SEO is not a quick fix, it takes time to achieve but rewards are great once accomplished.”

    Report details startling discoveries concerning the pitfalls of natural immune boosters

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    by Solomon Jones

    We all understand that it is a properly functioning immune system the keeps us healthy. Further we understand that when our immune system becomes unbalanced we invite illness and disease to take hold. That is why we take immune boosters, whether it is for fighting off a cold or flu, or some other condition we are facing, or fear we may face in the future, immune booster are becoming the excepted standard right along with our daily dose of a good multi-vitamin.

    However a recently released report calls into question the ability of immune boosters to properly support immune system function. This report details the recent findings of peer-reviewed studies that prove only a small percentage of natural immune boosters actually produce results.This research has caused shock waves thought out the dietary supplement industry.

    A Healthy immune defense is the greatest hope for stopping, delaying, or living through epidemics brought on by bacteria and viruses. Some facts you should be aware of;

    1.One in eight U.S. women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime[1]
    2.Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.[2]
    3.Businesses, homes and autos release more than 100 million tons of toxic chemicals into the air, land, and water[3].
    4.More than 40% of all adults suffer adverse health effects due to stress[4].
    5.More than 2 million patients contract hospital-acquired infections each year.

    These are some of the reasons immune boosters have become so popular. However do they actually work? “Immune Boosters Reviewed” covers the peer-reviewed results of forty of the most popular immune support products available on the dietary supplement market today. For more information on this ground-breaking report visit http://www.vitaminpros.com/ImmuneBoosters.html now.

    Many manufacturers use elaborate words to confuse us when we are determining a good performing product from a bad performing one. Statements like “boost natural killer cell production by X”, or “we use a proprietary process that reduces the size of the ingredient so small that it is easily absorbed into the immune system,” etc…Yet none of them offer any substantiated third party proof that their products actually support proper immune system function. Are you throwing your hard earned money down the drain?

    Many of the most popular compounds were reviewed in this report, including Aloe, Transfer Factors, Beta Glucan , Vitamin E and many others. The most startling discovery of this study was the fact that many of the most popular immune support supplements produced the same results as the negative control of the study, proving they provided little or no immune support characteristic.

    If the statistics above are not enough to worry you on whether or not your immune booster is doing its job, consider the following;

    1.The average kitchen dishcloth contains 4 billion living germs.
    2.The average computer keyboard and elevator buttons contain more germs than a toilet seat.
    3.Each year, more than 164 million school days are lost due to illness.
    4.The common cold is actually caused by one of 200 different viruses that produce similar symptoms.
    5.One germ can multiply to more than 4 million in just 8 hours.
    Why do you need this report?

    1.Maintain your health
    2.If you are taking vitamins to stay healthy, because adding immune boosters to your diet is just as important, if not more so, especially in these challenging time.
    3.If you are presently taking Immune Boosters, you owe it to yourself to make sure you are taking products that workfare considering taking them you need this free report.

    For more information on this ground-breaking report visit http://www.vitaminpros.com/ImmuneBoosters.html now.

    Ref notes:
    [1] National Cancer Institute
    [2] American Heart Association
    [3] Greenpeace, Health & Energy
    [4] American Institute of Stress

    Blogging Tips For A Better Internet Marketing Strategy

    by Amanda Music

    It seem that blogging is becoming more and more popular among people of all ages. This is becoming more and more evident through social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. As more and more people join social networking websites, fellow members want them to check out their blog or click their link. It is just proof of how quickly the blogosphere is changing.

    I think blogging can one day become something that everyone is involved in. Blogging is about sharing information. Some people may not enjoy reading the newspaper, but you can bet that there is a blog out there for everyone to love. If people become more involved online, in the blogging world, in the social world, then I think we will have much happier people. Being online gives people a sort of confidence, so they can hide behind their computer screen and say whatever they want. But no one actually takes anything anyone says on here seriously, and I think that is the most important thing to think about. If people don’t like your blog, they won’t come back, and so you most likely won’t have to deal with those people anyway.

    There are other benefits of blogging, too. More and more webmasters are quitting their full-time jobs offline to keep up with their full-time job online, and they really are making money doing it. I never would have imagined that to be possible for so many people. Even better than that, being popular is becoming more and more possible, even for “geeks”. People begin to trust your opinion and that feels really good. Basically it’s like a club, and whenever you post, it is like a club meeting. And subscribers will actually look forward to them, and to what you’re writing!

    However, though all of this sounds fine and dandy, it takes a lot of work. It isn’t easy and I think that is what holds so many people back from taking part in this world. Blogging can take up a lot of your time in the beginning. You have to promote your blog before you can have the popularity and the trust. Though more and more people are starting to blog, about three fourths of them give up too soon. If you’re interested in blogging, don’t give up! You can find tons of blogging tips here at my own personal blog: http://elephantintheblog.com and I can personally recommend several of my fellow bloggers to you, if you’d like, but here are some ways you can get more involved online:

    Join a forum. Tons of people will start to notice you in the threads.

    Publish articles online. If you post them to places like eHow, they will get a lot of visitors and you will gain readers.

    Comment on other blogs. If you comment on other blogs that you’re interested in, people will see what your opinions are too.

    Hold a contest. People like winning things, so this always gets a lot of attention if you do it right!

    It is important for bloggers to know that they should just be themselves and add personality to their blog and they will find readers with a little work. Interact with other bloggers as well, and not just potential readers! They will help you.

    MySpace Relaunch?

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    As Facebook hits 500 million members, News Corp. which bought MySpace for US$580 million in 2005 has revealed plans to relaunch the site and will target a younger audience.

    MySpace currently receives 65 million to 70 million unique users a month in the United States.

    News Corp. chief digital officer Jon Miller said the site will “go younger, go youthful” and will put a premium on both “creativity and self-expression.”

    “A little more rock and roll, we are pregnant with product,” Miller said. “It’s really starting to roll out over the course of the next few weeks and well into the fall leading into a full relaunch of the service,” he added.

    Why does Turkey censor the Internet?

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    by KLAUS JURGENS

    Has surfing the Net become a crime? Are we not entitled to live in a knowledge-based economy? We must resist the temptation to judge the Turkish civic liberties book by its cover and instead find out who the real players are behind the recent domestic crusade against the free flow of information.

    Accepting “change” as a constant factor both in business as well as everyday life is no easy task. In many instances “change” is in fact linked to the advent of information technologies (IT). This article, actually, is perhaps based on online research done by visiting banned websites and clicking onto certain unrestricted Internet access providers that no court or politician can block, thereby bypassing the ban like everyone else in Turkey.

    Both from a technical and judicial perspective, it is of course possible to limit access to the Internet for a specific geographic location or website. The question though is about the “why” and not the “how”; why would a government wish to censor the free flow of information, and in such a large capacity? Estimations for Turkey are surprisingly high. According to the BBC’s Jonathan Head (July 2, 2010) local campaigners for Internet freedom say that at present around 4,000 websites in Turkey are blocked.

    While the Turkish government passed the initial law concerning the regulation of Internet sites in 2007 (Law No 5651, BBC ibid.) the Turkish courts were given the ultimate decision-making authority to enforce it; they were also granted the power to interpret which sites should be regulated. Since May 2008, the popular website YouTube has been added to the infamous list of banned websites, the court having concluded that several of the videos featured “criminal” activity. The sad truth is that many are still lost as to which “criminal offenses” the YouTube videos depicted.

    In a remarkable piece of investigative journalism the BBC met with Chairwoman Tansel çölaÅŸan of Turkey’s Atatürkist Thought Association (ADD) goes without saying that çölaÅŸan is not at the forefront of promoting free speech, especially if it involves debate concerning Turkish politics. With the vindication of a strident Turkish nationalist, she speaks with very little concern about how foreigners might interpret the country’s free speech laws. She told the BBC: “(…) for us Atatürk is a symbol of democracy and women’s emancipation (…) I am not bothered by the impact of the court decision,” referring to the YouTube ban in particular.

    As a matter of fact, the ADD itself is behind most complaints that ultimately led the government to engage in limiting the free access to the Internet. At the heart of the matter is the fact that foreign websites’ contributors have insulted the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, which in itself is considered a criminal offense in this country.

    The question is, where do we draw the line in defending free speech? Let’s first step away from the specific issue of the Internet bans to focus on the free speech issue in a more generalized context. Should we, for example, ban movies with Louis de Funés because in one of them he portrayed a successful bank robber? Shall we eliminate national televised access to “Sponge Bob” because children see cartoon characters maiming each other for the sake of amusement?

    It is time in Turkey for the government to decide if it is for free speech, with all of its complex social side effects, and to accept that people are able to discern for themselves what material is useful and appropriate. Banning Internet access defeats the point of the Internet in the first place, which is to provide widespread access to all kinds of information. With the current government ideology in place suggesting that the public is incapable of managing itself in the face of “criminal” imagery, the next “logical” step is then to ban satellite television, foreign print media an even (gasp!) cross-border travel. While pressure groups like the ADD are, of course, entitled to lobby the government, they should not attempt to run it.

    Integrity begins at home. This life-long learning process operates on the assumption that over time we learn the difference between right and wrong. Insulting past leaders of certain countries may be an offense depending on local laws, but banning certain websites because less than 1 percent of their content may be offensive is a greater sin than any.

    Maybe I am too optimistic, but democracies should mature. Either we need to accept that some people disagree with what we believe and let them publish it, or we move backwards into the Stone Age. If, for example, we need governments to tell us that becoming a suicide bomber is bad, mankind should urgently reconsider its state of affairs. Unhindered access to the Internet is a democratic right, not a privilege.

    I wish to end my contribution by a quote that one of our readers sent in by Alfred Whitney Griswold: “Books won’t stay banned. They won’t burn. Ideas won’t go to jail. In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost. The only weapon against bad ideas is better ideas.” (New York Times, Feb. 24, 1959)

    High Court Rules Fast-track Deportations Illegal

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    A High Court judge has ruled that fast-track deportations of foreign nationals in the UK as unlawful.

    Emma Ginn, of Medical Justice, said the UK Border Agency (UKBA) admitted that the fast track removal process was used in 24 cases in its first year but that the figure had then risen to 145 a year. The practice was growing, she said.

    “The UKBA were only using it in exceptional circumstances,” Ginn said, “for example when they were dealing with unaccompanied children or those at risk of suicide. What’s so vile is that it was the most vulnerable who were being targeted by this policy.

    “They will now have to give 72 hours notice but since they can give it on a Friday night it will still only provide people subject to immigration controls with one working day’s notice of deportation.”

    The BBC reports:

    A judge ruled that the Home Office policy meant people were being given “little or no notice” of removal and were deprived of access to justice.

    The policy was quashed by the High Court in a victory for Medical Justice.

    The organisation provides independent medical and legal advice to detainees in immigration removal centres.

    At a hearing last month, Dinah Rose QC, appearing for Medical Justice, told the High Court that the general practice was to give those facing deportation 72 hours’ notice of removal.

    But she said an “exceptions policy”, introduced in March 2007 and widened in January this year, created cases in which the timeframe involved was much shorter.

    In some cases, she said, immigration officers were swooping late at night and escorting people to flights leaving only a few hours later.

    Home Office lawyers argued that the deportation policy was “sufficiently flexible” to avoid any human rights breaches, and that detainees were given as much notice as possible before removal.

    Government changes good for outsourcing industry

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    With Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s recent plans outlined in his white paper entitled ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’ The move to create new and cost efficient spending plans for government funds is increasing and affecting more business units than ever before.

    Despite patients and doctors being promised a bigger role in health services many care trusts and strategic health authorities will be phased out in favour of spending power moving over to GPs.

    The health related online systems are likely to be at the forefront of new implementations in order to deliver services in a form that is quicker and easier for patients to access.

    To enable some of these changes many IT infrastructure and support elements will need to be carefully considered and with potential competition from locally sourced IT providers who can offer localised facilities and arrangements which the new less centralised budgetary focus will highlight.

    The likely outcome is that these localised practice owners will form their own strategy that incorporates all of their specific opportunities for sourcing. Outsourcing, procurement and shared services.

    In conjunction with this there is a growing need for strategic sourcing advisories like Elix-IRR who are a uk based group of consultants who have cross-discipline experts who have a breath of experience and knowledge covering all sides of the new strategic and creative approaches required for these changing and dynamic new situations.

    With all of the reforms currently going on there will be many people with little or no previous experience of developing sourcing strategies that encompass the current diverse and creative approaches needed. These people will need to rely on expert advisors who can assist them in creating and delivering new sourcing strategies and renegotiating existing contracts that are soon due for renewal.

    Outsourcing slump requires creative thinking

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    Sourcing advisory companies like Elix-IRR, the uk strategic sourcing advisory are likely to do very well from the current economic slump as government contracts shift to the private sector and cost-cutting exercises happen in most large companies trying to keep afloat while their customers freeze or remove the budgets they expected to use for work this year.

    During the last 18 months as predictions about economic crisis have turned into reality it’s been harder and harder for businesses to make their financial numbers add up. Everything from corporate restructuring to outsourcing large swathes of internal processes are giving executives a lot to think about.

    For the people ending up with the project of finding new sourcing strategies the job can be a lot bigger and more urgent than they would expect or hope for. The decisions need to be more creative, more impactful and include considerations for many types of business strategy rather than be in the forum of traditional cost based resource reallocation.

    For some executives this is too much to handle alone and it’s necessary to bring in experience corporate sourcing experts who understand how to create an impressive strategy that can actually be put into practice and seen through to delivery and beyond.

    Many executives are also facing the prospect of having to soon renew existing relationships but with the understanding that they’ll need to be modified to incorporate their new sourcing strategy and may have legal implications which need to be carefully considered before they can be finalised.

    Locking themselves in to an unsuitable contract with a supplier than understands the leverage they have over a desperate client who is busy restructuring can break an otherwise successful newly developed sourcing strategy.

    Elix-iRR’s customers include corporate giants like Lloyds TSB, O2, Royal Mail and American express which means they are very likely to be leading the industry pull for creative and powerful new sourcing initiatives for near-shoring, off-shoring, buy side, sell side, legal and advisory consulting projects in 2010.

    Amateur Champion to Play in The Greenbrier Classic; Inspires Amateur Golfers Across the Country

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    The Greenbrier Classic will open July 29 at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. As the excitement rises among golf enthusiasts in the area, many area golf instructors are reporting an increase in those signing up for lessons. According to many, this interest in improving their golf game is stemming from the fact that West Virginia Amateur champion, Jonathan Bartlett, was invited to compete in The Greenbrier tournament.

    Bartlett’s story is one that has inspired amateur golfers all over West Virginia and the United States. A former All American golfer with the University of Mississippi, Bartlett experienced some back problems that kept him from playing for a number of years. He has had to work his way up from the bottom of the pack in order to even play in the West Virginia Amateur tournament this week. Despite tough competition from the reigning champion, Tim Fisher, the 33-year old Bartlett took the championship and qualified for the exemption to participate in the PGA season’s inaugural event at The Greenbrier Classic.

    Not only are local golf instructors experiencing a surge of interest from those wanting to improve their golf game, some internet based courses are also seeing a huge spike in interest. The owner of one such site, http://www.BeliveauMethod.com/, says his visitor count has shot through the roof.

    “I am getting so many emails this week from golf enthusiasts who say that Jonathan Bartlett is their inspiration,” says site owner, Alex Mirabeau. “They tell me that if Jon Bartlett can come back to win a championship and play in a pro tournament at the age of 33, then they have hopes of improving their swing and their game to possibly do the same. They are drawn to The Beliveau Method because it is the only one that guarantees improvement.”

    Mirabeau’s website is based on the method developed by the late Marcel Beliveau, the renowned Canadian television producer. Beliveau, an avid golfer, developed his unique scientific approach to his golf swing after surgery stopped him from being able to swing a golf club like he used to. Once he perfected his new swing, Beliveau found that his game improved by a large margin.

    Newly Released WordPress Plugin Makes SEO Easy and Fun For Blogs

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    Do you have a WordPress blog? Struggling to keep it on the 1st page in search engines or just wish you could get there? If so take a few minutes and read about this exciting new WordPress plugin just released in July 2010!

    It’s called SEOPressor and it’s as stated above a WordPress plugin so once you download it you can install it quickly onto your existing blog. What this SEO Plugin does is unique (and that’s why it’s not free either) yet surprisingly easy to use. Before we tell you how it works, lets tell you about it’s creator.

    So who better to create the ultimate WordPress Plugin for SEO then the top SEO expert himself who runs his own search engine optimization company? Well if you haven’t heard of him, it’s Daniel Tan we are speaking of. He’s very well known among SEO guru’s and website owners as he has released several Ebooks on SEO and getting the most out of your webpage. He’s been in this business for many years and has the testimonials to back up his claims. We all know that the top priority for any website is to get on that 1st page of Google, and with Daniel Tan’s help, get in the top 3 if not the famous #1 spot. The latest surveys prove that 60% of all traffic for the searched keyword clicks on that top spot in Google searches. That is a lot of traffic, so that should be your top priority but getting there can be very frustrating. That is where Daniel Tan and this new WordPress plugin comes in.

    This SEO WordPress plugin wasn’t just slapped together in a few days either. It’s been tested over many months and it’s now up to version 4. This new version adds a slick interface to your posts so as you type out your WordPress posts and save them, you’ll see SEOPressor telling you what you need to do next. All you have to do is choose a keyword you want to get the most out of and let this WordPress Plugin do the rest. It’s like having Daniel Tan or another SEO Expert standing behind you as you type out your posts yet it’s just a WordPress plugin.

    Run an Autoblog or use some of the auto blogging software such as WP-Robot? This WordPress plugin works with auto blogs too by automatically editing your auto posts to fit your keyword for top SEO.

    What does it cost? Well you’ll have to visit the site to see the current price, but as of now it’s $47 for a single site license and $97 for unlimited licenses. Although this price is very limited (first 100 copies only) so if you are interested you might want to go ahead and secure a copy of this WordPress plugin today. It also comes with a 60 day money back guarantee so if you try it out and like it but don’t think it’s worth the money you paid for it then ask for a refund. It’s a no questions asked policy so there will be no issues in giving you your money back. However once you get your refund you will no longer have access to this WordPress Plugin because you have to activate it to use it keep it activated.

    Click here to watch a video of SEOPressor and to learn more about this WordPress Plugin and secure your copy today before the next price increase!

    Internet Gambling Regulation Coming in the United States

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    It could be a big day for the gambling industry, Wednesday 21st July. It is the Date that Barney Frank’s bill designed to license and regulate the huge internet gambling industry has it’s full hearing scheduled by the House Financial Services Committee. It hasn’t taken long to get this far, although most were expecting a vote on the bill not the discussion that is planned. It is expected that the markup won’t be far behind this hearing though.

    Many in the gambling and financial sector believe that H.R 2267 – the proposed legislation to cover and protect (and yes tax) the internet gambling indistry is well overdue. It is estimated that over 50% of online gamblers – those who play online Roulette, competitive poker and many other games are from the United States. Yet these are the very gamblers who are subject to a confusing array of State, federal controls and legislation.

    Many believe that it is only a matter of time before online gambling becomes legal in the US. The market is huge and growing, US players are fueling the expansion yet they have to rely on variety of different licensing organisations due to the situation in the US.

    Julian Groves who writes for a Casino information site is well aware of the problems,

    “There are a bewildering array of online casinos available on the internet. The problem for US players is due to their home legislation they are usually not allowed to play at the better regulated sites in the UK and the rest of Europe for instance. This puts them at risk to exploitation at some of the less well run online casinos.”

    It hoped by the gambling industry that the legislation will be passed and allow US players to gamble at US based and regulated online sites. It would certainly help clean up the industry and allow the industry to develop – including exciting developments such as being able to play on a live roulette wheel from their favorite Las Vegas Casino.

    One thing for sure, there will be many people watching with great interest in this hearing, many financial investment firms have already given notice to their investors. Most believe that online gambling in the US becoming legal is virtually inevitable.

    Blizzard backs down after World of Warcraft Users Anonymity Protest

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    There were amazing scenes on the forums of the popular online game, World of Warcraft this week. Blizzard, the owners had announced a plan to
    improve the experience of users of the forums by enforcing that all participants must use their real names. The announcement read as follows –


    removing the veil of anonymity typical to online dialogue will contribute to a more positive forum environment, promote constructive conversations, and connect the Blizzard community in ways they haven’t been connected before.

    Furthermore the games company explained that they believed that it would reduce the flame wars, trolling and unpleasantness that was often found there. Unfortunately they severly underestimated the mood of their users and the announcement was met with almost universal condemnation. Within 24 hours almost 1000 replies were made, virtually each one condeming Blizzard for the move. One of the few people who did not object posted his real name and address as an experiment to demonstrate there were no privacy issues, a move which spectacularly backfired. Within twenty minutes of Sikketh from Thunderlord posting his real name on the board, a forum user had tracked down his name, address and phone numbers and had rung him up on his work phone line. Needless to say that this did nothing to quell the privacy fears of the gamers reading the thread.

    A spokesman from a popular security blog which promotes anonymous surfing was critical of Blizzards move.

    In an age were the risks to our personal privacy grow larger from the amount of personal information we leave online this is an incredible move by one of the Worlds biggest game companies. There is a concensus of advice that we should reduce the amount of personal details we leave online, especially for our children and the more vulnerable in our society. For a gaming company to promote the opposite just so it can make its forums friendlier is frankly incredible.

    There was however a happy ending to this particular story, as Blizzard clearly shocked by the response to their announcement issued a retraction later. The move illustrates the growing concern of users about the security of their data and connections. Many internet users are increasingly adopting advanced measures such as usinganonymous software in order to maintain their privacy online.

    Senior Friend Relationships Better Than Youth, New Study Shows

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    A new study, authored by Karen Fingerman and Susan T. Charles, reveals that relationships get better with age, including friends, family and intimate relationships. Older people are more forgiving, less prone to conflict and better at regulating their emotional responses. This could explain the rise in senior friend finder websites and dating sites that specialize in helping older singles find new friends and connections.

    Fingerman, professor of gerontology with Perdue University, and Charles, associate professor of psychology and social behavior with the University of California, have been doing ongoing research into comparing how a senior friend interacts with other friends. Research also went into relationships between older people and younger people, both related and non-related. Their work builds on earlier studies that were published last year and the year before.

    This new research comes on the tail of a federally funded study into the genetic anomalies that are found in those who live long, healthy lives. That study was trying to isolate genetic markers that indicate that someone would live to a greater age (100 years), yet remain in relatively good health and have possession of all their faculties.

    Scientists identified 150 unique genetic variations that they think can be used to predict whether or not someone could live to be a century old with almost 80% accuracy. Researchers also found three genetic signatures in 40% of those living to be at least 110 years old.

    Research will now focus on identifying the specific genes involved and being able to reproduce the findings within other populations. The scientists involved with the work are hoping to come up with new treatments that could extend lifespans.

    With people already living far longer than they did, on average, that leaves the older population with a greater importance than ever. As this group grows, markets will continue to develop that focus on the older population, as their needs and wants are usually different from the other demographic groups.

    One such market would be with the online dating industry. So far, this industry has focused on the younger people in the 18-50 age range more than any other. But there are a lot more single senior adults than there used to be. Finally, some of the insiders in the industry are realizing this, such as Senior Dating USA (http://www.seniordatingusa.com/).

    Senior Dating USA is specifically designed to cater to the needs of those from 40 to 80 years old so members won’t need to scroll through hundreds of twenty-something to find someone that they might be interested in meeting.

    The dating industry won’t be the only one to jump into the older market demographic, according to experts. This is an age group that we can expect to expand tremendously with targeted offerings in the next decade, say marketing demographic analysts.

    4 Simple Ways To Improve Credit Score

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    by Alan Johnson

    If you currently have bad credit and are looking for simple and cost effective ways to boost it, you need to look at the four simple ways to improve credit score. These four simple steps will help if you use them in the correct manner and do not get silly about your approach and you may even find that the whole process is much easier than you first anticipated.

    1. Apply for a credit card. Many credit card issuers will not present a person with bad credit a credit card but there are companies that specialize in people with poor or failing credit scores and although the interest rate will be higher, there is no actual need to use the credit card at all. Ideally, you should use the card to buy something small every month and pay the balance in full when the bill comes in and this, in time, will help to slowly boost your credit.

    2. Apply for a store card. A store card will very often be approved to those with even the worst credit score and if you use a store that you regularly use anyway, you are not really causing yourself any extra effort. When you walk into the store and buy something, use the card and not your cash, put the cash aside somewhere safe when you get home and then when the bill comes in, use the cash that you put aside to pay the bill and job done. Do this every month and your credit will be raised in no time.

    3. If you find yourself having trouble paying a bill whether it is a household bill or from a store card or credit card, make sure that you get in contact with the credit bureau of the company in question and arrange a repayment option. If you are honest with these people, they will help you but you need to make the first step and do not let the situation get out of control. Figuring out a repayment plan that suits you and the company will mean that your credit score is likely to take less of a battering.

    4. Do not take out credit for something that you know you are never going to be able to afford. If you can only afford to pay out $200 per month on bills after everything else has been accounted for, do not take out a credit card, store card or loan that requires you to pay back $300 otherwise you will soon find yourself struggling and you will end up back where you started.

    Three are Better than One When it Comes to Serving Customers

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    Press Release

    Strategic Alliances Formed

    Business Authority Limited has announced the strategic alliance of Business Authority Ltd, D’Ziner Graphics and Printing, and Royal Media. “Each of our firms brings a unique set of competencies to the table,” Bob Hamilton, President of Business Authority Ltd. stated. While my corporation www.BizSuccessCenter.com focuses on website design and development, search engine optimization (SEO), and online/offline marketing and traffic generation, D’ziner Graphics of Vancouver, Washington brings Dianne Leonetti and her 25 years of professional graphics design and printing expertise as well as Jeremiah Ostrander of Royal Media of Vancouver, Washington and his proven experience in the marketing of our products and services throughout Oregon, Washington and beyond.

    “I am excited to become a one-stop option for clients,” Hamilton continued. “We are positioned to provide proven results for client businesses of all sizes. We provide top-quality at very competitive prices which is critical in today’s marketplace.”

    Business Authority Ltd is an Oregon Corporation formed in 2001. Bob and his daughter Jenny bring a combined 16 years of experience in website design and development, search engine optimization, and online marketing. Other services include article writing and content creation and more. While the majority of clients are Oregon based, Business Authority Ltd. serves clients around the world. www.BizSuccessCenter.com

    Hosepipe Bans Have Lake District Hotels and Others Steaming

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    A good part of the Lake District is dealing with the first hosepipe ban in 14 years and it has many United Utilities’ customers steaming, including some of the Lake District hotels and other travel attractions. Customers are complaining that United Utilities has a shoddy, run down infrastructure that is part of the reason for the water shortage, as well as the fact that some of the Lake District water reserves are sent as far away as Manchester.

    United Utilities has stated that they are doing the best they can within the current economy to shore up and replace pipelines and other parts of their infrastructure. They also have said that they have been able to shift water supplies easier this year so that Manchester is not getting the majority of its water from the Lake District.

    The reason for the hosepipe ban is the 8 months of unusually dry weather the entire north west part of the country has had. Less than half the normal rainfall fell in May for the Lake District after several months of lowered rainfall and the results are water reservoirs that are 30-50% lower than they should be. Rivers and small streams are also affected and the Environment Agency has had teams of specialists out rescuing fish that have become caught in dwindling pools as rivers seem to disappear.

    Teams of fisheries officers have performed 19 fish rescue operations on various rivers across the country. They use nets to scoop up the trapped fish, putting them into tanks of aerated water on the backs of trucks. They then drive to where the rivers are still flowing and release the fish. According to one fisheries officer, Simon Whitton, it is rare to have to do these fish rescues on rivers.

    In the Lake District, hotels and other travel related businesses are feeling the pinch. Travelers are staying away due to the low water situation but as Tony Scott says, “there are many other areas of interest in the Lake District besides swimming and fishing.”

    “The unusual stretch of dry weather has made the generally damp Lake District a very pleasant place to holiday this summer,” said Scott, the administrator of Discover the Lakes, a web portal for Lake District hotels and attractions.

    “With the drop in business, this may be the ideal time for travelers to come up for a weekend holiday. It is quieter than normal for this time of year and many Lake District hotels are offering special rates.”

    IS ISRAEL A NORMAL COUNTRY?

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    Critique of an article with the same title in Toronto’s Globe and Mail by Ian Buruma

     http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/is-israel-a-normal-country/article1635159/

     John Chuckman

    This article starts with a brave question, and I think for most people the answer is apparent with the asking of the question.

    But like the famous line of T.S. Elliot, the piece ends, not with a bang, but a whimper.

    After asking a question which would never pass the lips of Israel’s establishment, the article makes the very claims and assertions the Israeli government would make.

    “Israel has never done anything comparable to the late Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad’s 1982 massacre of more than 20,000 members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the city of Hama.”

    While I’m the last to defend dictators, this is a completely unsubstantiated claim of what happened in Syria. Perhaps worse, the assertion about Israel is just false. Israel’s first invasion of Lebanon was just about that bloody.

    And what of the achievements of the Six Day War, a war deliberately calculated by Israel’s establishment to win the land of the self-defined Greater Israel — all the Palestinian territories plus slices of Syria and Lebanon – it had failed to grab at its founding?

    Israel went so far as to attack ruthlessly an American intelligence ship to suppress information of General Dayan’s movements of armor, the general’s purpose being the quick seizure of all the lands Israel desired and then presenting the world with a fait accompli.  

    And how do you reckon the toll of misery of decade after decade of hundreds of thousands of refugees plus the forty-plus years of truly abusive occupation?

    I could continue, for unquestionably the invasion of Iraq was about and for Israel’s benefit. That’s million people killed and a couple of million refugees, refugees taken, in large part, by poor Syria.

    “So is it true, as many defenders of Israel claim, that the Jewish state is judged by different standards from other countries? I believe it is.”

     

    This completely ignores the fact of Israel’s establishment constantly claiming that is the only democracy and representative of human rights in its part of the world.

    If you claim one standard but behave by another — truly indistinguishable from the region’s dictators — I do think the world is entitled to comment. Israel holds ten thousand illegal prisoners, imposes a ghastly blockade for over three years, imposes countless checkpoints on people’s ordinary lives in the West Bank, regularly assassinates those with whom it disagrees, and uses every underhanded technical gimmick it can think of to keep stealing other people’s land.

    Indeed, it could be well argued that the kind of Israel we see has effectively retarded the development of democracy in the Arab world. Israel’s cooperative friend Mubarak, a dictator of thirty years, is supported by everything the United States can think of, suppressing all genuine democratic movements. For a long time, it was the same with Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Opposing Israel’s excesses has provided a rallying cry for every dictator in the region. At the same time, the United States and Israel would prefer these populations suppressed by dictators who in private mind their own business or are even rather cooperative, a la Mubarak.

    “That all Jews, including Israeli Jews, should remain haunted by a horrible past is understandable. But it must never be used to justify aggression against others.”

    But that is precisely what Israel’s establishment and its army of apologists abroad do, day and night. It is, if you will, a ghastly form of special pleading.  

    “There are other reasons, however, for the double standard directed at Israel. One is what the liberal Israeli philosopher and peace activist Avishai Margalit has called “moral racism.” The bloodlust of an African or Asian people is not taken as seriously that of a European — or other white — people.”

     

    But isn’t that exactly what happens inside Israel? Day in and out in countless ways, Sephardic Jews are not treated with the same respect and regard as Ashkenazi Jews. And the poor small lot of dark-skinned African Jews are treated with palpable contempt. The world should have higher standards than Israel itself in these matters?

    “…the legacy of colonialism works against Israel in another way, too.”

     

    Oh please, this is tiresome old idea to trot out. Besides, in the eyes of most Arabs, Israel is itself an example of colonialism. Here is a tiny enclave — truly a garrison state – living in the midst of many tens of millions of people for whose cultures and aspirations it has absolutely no understanding or sympathy. You could draw a parallel to Israel’s position today with that of European Crusaders who built massive forts in the Middle East at places like Acre.

    In the end, if Israel expects to be treated as a normal country, it must behave like one.

    Surely, most people, including likely most Jews, know Israel has yet to behave as anything resembling a normal country.

    __________________________

    Note: Response to the comment of a reader

    “Islam is the problem behind virtually all the problems that Israel faces.”

    What a preposterous statement.

    Does the author realize that there are more than a billion Muslims in the world?

    How can any thinking person speak this way, condemning with one glib sentence about a fifth of the world’s population?

    There is no history, also, of Muslims being especially hostile to Jews. Indeed, Islam adopted many of Judaism’s prophets and customs as its own.

    Further still, until the creation of modern Israel, most Muslims in the Middle East treated Jews decently.

    Israel, since its inception, has practiced a behavior towards its neighbors summed up by the Zionist slogan, “the iron wall.”

    “The iron wall” means ignoring neighbors as legitimate residents of the region, treating neighbors with contempt and violence – in effect, a very hostile form of shunning.

    Who can defend such treatment instead of living in peace and respect?

    Yes, there were always bound to be some hostilities – after all, Israel proper is on land taken from people who lived there for countless generations – but I think a different approach would have achieved different results.

    Israel could easily have made it worth the Palestinians’ while with assistance and compensation instead of spending vast sums on armaments in a mini-Cold War.

    World Cup Trophy heads to Spain

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    by Jason King
    bestfootballvideosonline.com

    Spain are world Cup champions for 2010!! For the first time in their history, the flair filled Spanish soccer team will take a FIFA World Cup Winner’s medal home after winning the finals of this year’s World Cup in South Africa.

    The game at Soccer City was a hotly contested affair so much that by the end of the first half, referee Howard Webb had issued 5 yellow cards and a multitude of free kicks.

    At the resumption of the second half, the situation got even tenser as each of the teams huffed and puffed as they tried to break the deadlock. After 90 minutes of great football, both teams could not find goals and so the game went into extra time. Littered with plenty of yellow cards for both teams and a red card for John Heitinga, there was plenty of struggling in the contest.

    It was a 115th minute goal from Andre Iniesta that settled the score after a sublime pass from substitute Cesc Fabregas. The Spanish team are now champions of Europe and champions of the world.

    The Mass Confusion That Dominates In Fat Loss & Fitness Today

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    by Rob Poulos, Fat Loss & Fitness Expert & Creator of ‘Fat Burning Furnace’

    People are confused more than ever about how to burn fat. They are confused about the best way to go about achieving the body they want. They are confused about what works and what doesn’t, and the reasons why. There are countless individuals slaving away in gyms and fitness centers around the country right now.

    They are working tirelessly, almost every day, on the treadmill, stair-climber, elliptical, etc. to burn those calories and fat. They also might be lifting weights several times a week for hours at a time to build some strength and muscle. They might even join a few aerobics or spinning classes too.

    They are probably also trying one of the latest diet strategies that promises miracle fat burning and weight loss. They could also be spending a lot of money on the latest and greatest dietary supplements that could be that miracle pill that will aid in weight loss. They are also carefully watching the scale as their main judge of fat loss progress.

    If it goes up a pound or two, they may behave rashly and maybe even change up their entire workout or diet program! And of course there are others are doing variations on that same theme.

    After all, this is the kind of stuff that many of the popular fitness and diet gurus typically recommend to burn fat. But with so many different strategies and plans being pushed as the be all and end all, what happens is we tend to overboard.

    And when that happens, we lose sight of what really matters in achieving lifelong fat burning, fitness and health…the principles than many people don’t know about, most people have forgotten, and only a select few put to use to achieve lifelong health and fitness. These are the same principles I used to drop over 40 pounds of unwanted body fat, keep it off, and revitalize my life!

    With any exercise or nutrition program, you’ll probably lose some fat initially, but far too often the progress doesn’t continue or doesn’t come as fast as the person would like because they’re using a temporary mindset. They’re only focused on the short term and one specific goal. So they end up switching to something else, and the cycle continues until they’ve become consumed by this cycle of confusion.

    I believe that this is one of the biggest, if not the #1 reason for the lack of fat loss and fitness progress that is being experienced by the masses of exercisers and dieters in the world. They are jumping from one fad diet or exercise routine to another, while losing sight of what’s really important, and what really works.

    Simply put, they are exercising far too much, not nearly intensely enough, and trying to adhere to unrealistic diet recommendations.

    If instead they focused on a long term plan, a lifestyle as it’s often called, and didn’t worry about “losing 10 pounds by summer”, they would find it far easier to do the right things most of the time.

    And those right things include brief, progressive, and intense resistance training, eating a diet full of nutrient rich foods, drinking tons of water, and getting plenty of quality sleep and rest. The students of my Fat Burning Furnace method understand this and are reaping the life long health and fitness rewards because of it. Are you?

    Claim your free copy of Rob Poulos’s “7 Secrets Of Permanent Fat Loss & Fitness” at his website: http://www.fatburningfurnace.com

    Rob Poulos is a celebrated fitness author, fat loss expert, and the founder and CEO of Zero to Hero Fitness. Rob created the world’s most efficient method for fast and permanent fat loss with his “Fat Burning Furnace” system to help those looking to put an end to restrictive fad diets, long boring cardio workouts, and the need for super-human willpower for good.

    Germany 3rd Best Team at 2010 FIFA World Cup

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    by Jason King
    Bestfootballvideosonline.com

    Germany were the first team in World Cup history to finish 3rd on consecutive World Cup tournaments after defeating Uruguay 3-2 in a tightly contested game at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The game started with a rather cautious approach by both teams as each was keen not to concede first.

    After 19 minutes of entertaining football, Tomas Mueller opened the account for the Germans by scoring his 5th goal of the tournament after the Uruguay goal keeper failed to properly deal with a Batian Shweinsteiger long range shot.

    Uruguay responded in the 28th minute with a counter attack that ended in a goal through Edinson Cavani. In the 51st minute, Diego Forlan put Uruguay ahead with a spectacular goal that took his tally to 5 goals in the tournament but just 5 minutes later, German were back on level terms as Marcelll Jensen scored from a header.

    With 8 minutes to the end of game, Sami Khedira scored German’s 3rd and final goal after a corner kick that created confusion in the Uruguay defense. All eyes will now turn to the final on Sunday between Netherlands and Spain.

    Discover Why Video Content Needs to be Part of Your Online Marketing Strategy and Drive Massive Traffic to Your Website

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    by E. Elizabeth Edwards

    Maybe you are reluctant to enter the video market because you don’t feel that particular online marketing strategy is appropriate for your website or your visitors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Videos were once considered something that only the pros did or something that wasn’t part of the mainstream but that’s all changed. Video has evolved into the fastest growing content on the web. Video has become a web standard.

    The YouTube Phenomenon

    YouTube dominates online video sharing sites with over 84% American visitors. MySpaceTV, Google Video, Metacafe, Yahoo!Video, MSN Video and BlipTV combined don’t account for even 10% of the American viewers. YouTube alone attracts more than 72 million unique visitors per month. This online phenomenon has dominated the web in the past couple of years and shows no signs of slowing down. So isn’t it time to consider your online video marketing strategy?

    Video Enhances Your Visitor’s Experience

    Just about every company or website owner has a good reason to include video on their site. Besides the obvious “selling” video, why not create a video that demonstrates how to use your product, or maybe a way not to use your product, or an unorthodox method or use of your product.

    A video doesn’t necessarily have to hard sell something. A video can add value to your website which enhances the overall experience for your visitors. An example would be a video that interviews a customer that’s used your product (testimonials). Customer testimonials are good whether you’re selling products or services. A video testimonial is a lot more powerful than a written testimonial.

    What is the Right Video Content for Your Site?

    Once you’ve decided it is time to add video to your site, make sure you do your homework. Think about the right video content for your site. Think about what style of video your visitors would expect to see from your product or service.

    Let’s say you have a website about the best way to plant tomatoes, then a garden setting would be appropriate. Maybe you have a site that is about canning tomatoes, then a kitchen would be an appropriate setting.

    What if your site is about something financial such as making money online whereby you can fire your boss and become financially independent. Give careful thought about filming a video showing you comfortably relaxed on a sunny day, stretched out by the pool with a pina colada in one hand and a laptop in the other with a mega yacht in the background. It lacks professionalism and your visitors probably won’t take you seriously.

    The setting for your video is as important as the product or service you’re promoting. Define the role your video will play in your online marketing strategy.

    Get Your Video Massive Exposure

    When it comes time to get your video seen, any of the web’s major video sharing sites will let you upload a video. Besides YouTube, take the code and embed your video content on sites like Digg.com, Stumbleupon, Del.icio.us and Facebook. These sites are all integrated with video.

    When you think about it, it’s easier to get massive exposure on sites like these via a video than a regular blog post because not as many people are using videos. Online videos and social media have become huge and show no signs of slowing down and combining the two platforms has the potential to revolutionize how we interact with each other.

    The smart marketer is becoming more familiar with video as a communication tool. Video is content and that content can be shared, discussed, tagged and rated. It’s no different than any other piece of content.

    If you haven’t thought about the idea of adding video content to your overall online marketing strategy you just may discover you’re missing out on massive traffic to your website and a world of opportunity that is now and will in the future dominate the world wide web. For more Internet marketing strategies, start up tips for your online business and in-depth resources for financial success visit us here.

    Lose Fat Fast – Discover the Best Way To Keep It Off for Good

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    Most of us who are overweight would like to lose some of that fat and keep it off for good and we would like to shed it easily and fast. We psychic ourselves up and decide to lose the fat but do not want to starve ourselves and we may not expect a miracle but want it to happen fast. The amount of weight anyone can lose depends on how overweight we are. If we are badly overweight, expect to lose about one pound every day. Anything more than that would be dangerous to our health, as it may require serious fasting.

    Take no notice of diets which are advertising a huge fat loss in a short period of time. One cannot simply lose 30 pounds in a week or anything like that. It’s absolutely untrue and there is no way to do this. A good diet program will help you to lose fat fast and that is excellent. However, once more you should not expect miracles. Do not fast by not eating any food at all. Have a modified fast which allows you to eat small quantities of food and a lot of liquid. It’s best to consult your doctor first and this should only be done if you are in good health.

    If you would like to know how to lose the fat fast, the simple answer is that it will be much better for you to lose it gradually. A slower rate of weight loss requires much less of a change in your lifestyle and is a great deal simpler to achieve. If you take on a crash diet you may lose weight quite fast, but as soon as you come off the diet you may gain all the fat back again very quickly. Don’t try crash dieting. It is very simply a poor idea.

    Set Realistic Goals So You Don’t Lose Your Confidence

    You need to set some realistic goals to work for. It is important for us to see results and have a sense of accomplishment. When you set goals you should set both long-term and short-term goals. First you should have a final objective like say you want to lose 50 pounds, that is obviously a long-term goal. You don’t want to start out with a goal that is unrealistic because if you don’t accomplish it then you lose confidence and don’t feel like you are accomplishing anything, so you’ll get down on yourself.

    Build Lean Muscle

    The secret to quick weight loss is building lean muscle. If you realize that and you work towards that goal, then you will start to lose fat quickly. In fact lifting weights, doing aerobic exercise and having a good, healthy diet is really the only fast way to lose weight. Now although aerobic exercise such as running, cycling or swimming are also beneficial, the fact remains that building bigger, stronger muscles is the best way to lose fat fast and to keep it off. This is because you create a more efficient calorie burning machine by lifting weights. Then, the stronger and leaner you become, the higher your metabolism will become, so you will be able to maintain your weight loss. Here’s more information of the importance in the holistic approach in helping you to lose fat fast and discover the best way to keep it off for good.

    The Fast Company Influencer: worthwhile, MLM, or a waste of time and influence?

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    In case you have been living under a rock for the past several days, you might have heard about a new “influence” project by Fast Company Magazine to find “The Most Influential Person Online.”

    “This is an MLM type pyramid scheme, with the entire goal to collect opt-in email addresses from tens of millions of people, if not more,” stated Issamar Ginzberg, an Award winning Entrepreneur and Advisor to Small Business Owners and Medical Professionals.

    “The point of the exercise should not necessarily be about getting people over whom you may have influence just to get them to click to a link when they do not even understand what they are clicking on- just to get yourself a larger image on Fast Company’s cover” he said. “Once you join up and join the influencer project, you are guaranteed a spot on the cover of Fast Company, hopefully large enough so that you can see it. However, if you want to get a larger image and therefore try to get people to sign up in your downline, make sure you are transparent about what the influencer project is.”

    Issamar has joined the influence project himself, as a social media study. His page is at http://fcinf.com/v/b9a9/welcome

    Issamar suggests that Fast Company work on creating items such as a poster sized blow-up of the cover which many of the entrepreneurs featured will purchase. They can also create a digital decal saying “featured on the cover of Fast Company’s September Issue” which would be put on tens of thousands of sites around the world, giving Fast Company valuable free publicity and backlinks on sites of all kinds across the globe.

    Issamar stated “As long as you understand that by clicking on a link, you are joining a viral campaign that is, essentially, ethically harvesting many, millions of email addresses, why not be a part of it? It may just make Fast Company hit the dead center of the target and keep their relevance in a digital world that is changing very fast.”

    Issamar’s page on The Influence Project: http://fcinf.com/v/b9a9/welcome

    Starting a new business, or looking to grow your existing one?

    For more information about Issamar Ginzberg and his Advisor Services to Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners, visit http://www.issamar.com

    Dutch Courage Vs Spanish Flair in the World Cup Final

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    by Jason King
    bestfootballvideosonline.com

    On 11th July, 2010, all roads will lead to Soccer City Stadium in South Africa for the final game of the FIFA 2010 World Cup. The game will have the Netherlands, two time finalists and Spain, who for all their wonderful football have never been to a final, pitted against one another in a contest looked at as many as a breath of fresh air since the usual suspects Italy, Brazil, France and Argentina were all eliminated.

    The final between Netherlands and Spain will only be the third that does not feature Germany or Brazil; the other two being 1954 and 1978. In the run up to the final, Netherlands managed to beat Denmark, Japan, Cameroon and Slovakia in the group stages. In the quarter final, the Oranje boys turned on the style and sent favorites Brazil out of the competition booking a date with Uruguay in the Semi Finals.

    The Semi final saw them beat Uruguay with goals from inspirational Captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, skillful Wesley Sneijder and tricky Arjen Robben, to send them to their first final since 1978 when they lost to Argentina. Netherlands Coach Bert van Marwijk is focused on leading Netherlands to their first every World Cup trophy. This might seem motivation enough but knowing well that they are up against a formidable Spanish side, the Oranje boys will give their all on the final. Spain, are themselves hoping to remove the tag of ‘under achievers’ having played attractive football for a long time but failed to have trophies to show for it. That said, they did somewhat silence their critics by winning Euro 2008.

    However, the panel is still out there to dissect their every attempt at glory. Being in the final for the first time is something that the Spaniards will try to ignore since this World Cup has already seen some real major upsets. Their journey to the Final saw them garner more critics than sympathizers after losing to Switzerland in their opening game even though they went ahead to defeat Honduras, Chile, Spain, Portugal before meeting and defeating Paraguay and Germany in the Quarter final and semi final respectively. The two teams, Netherlands and Spain, have previously met on 9 occasions and have equally shared the spoils with each having 4 wins and a draw. Both teams head into the encounter on the background of a formidable run of form with Netherlands winning all 8 of their World Cup qualifying campaign games and Spain heading into this year’s world cup with a 35 match unbeaten run dating as far back as 2007. The game that will take place on 11th July will have billions of football enthusiasts around the world hoping to see history in the making as this will be the first time that the title has been won by a European Country outside the European continent.

    Magniwork Free Energy – The Solution to Your Efficient Electricity Needs

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    Are those high electricity bills leaving huge holes in your pocket? If so, Magniwork free energy kit can be a practical solution to your problems. It helps you to build a magnetic generator at home which utilizes the most generous source of energy on the planet, i.e. magnetic energy. This generator converts magnetic energy into free electricity for you without utilising any ancillary source of energy like solar or thermal power.

    With the simple instructions which come along with the Magniwork kit, you will be able to build the generator right at your own home. The system helps you to generate completely free electricity and thus allows you to eliminate your power bills. The generator uses magnetic forces and magnets to run by itself and you don’t require any kind of supplementary energy source to power it. It runs even in adverse weather conditions, thus you can use the Magniwork generator during unforeseen contingencies. The raw materials needed to build the generator are quite easily available at any local hardware store and you will be able to afford them with ease. It costs you a little under $100 to purchase all the required raw materials.

    You may use this generator as an add-on to your present electrical setting or you may use it to power your home completely. For the former case you may end up saving over 40 percent of your power and hence will be able to trim down your electricity bill by almost half. But if you choose to implement this system to power your home independently, it will help you to generate absolutely free electricity.

    You don’t need to be apprehensive at all about the safety of your family, as Magniwork generators are quite safe to deal with and do not emit any harmful gases or by products. These generators are a completely safe, cost effective and 100% environmentally friendly way to power your home.

    If you would like to cut your power bills, while being kind to the environment, visit www.magniworksgenerator.com for more information.

    Don’t Break your Piggy Bank when hiring a Wedding Photographer!

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    Press Release

    A wedding is perhaps the most expensive endeavor many people will ever face. Some couples get lucky and the bride’s parents agree to pick up all the expenses, but more often the bride and groom are footing at least a portion of the bill themselves.

    Once you start adding up the cost of invitations, the reception location, flowers, entertainment, food, the cake and mementos for your guests, the numbers can become astronomical. According to Bride’s Magazine, the average cost of a wedding today can easily exceed $19,000. A photographer’s fee can be as much as 15% of the cost of a wedding, which is a whopping $2,850!

    Brides, you don’t need to break your piggy bank when hiring a wedding photographer!

    Howard Lee Helm of Legacy Portrait Studio in La Center, Washington warns, “Be careful of photographers with A la carte pricing, or pricelists that are confusing. There may be many hidden charges and you can get in over your head real quick. Be sure to know exactly what you are getting and have it written on the contract!”

    At Legacy Portrait Studio, they are offering wedding photography as a newly added service. Their service is tailored for the fashionable bride who wants quality products at affordable pricing.

    Mr. Helm continued, “Hire your photographer by the hour or by the package, you decide! At Legacy Portrait Studio can photograph the ceremony, the formals, the reception, an outdoor setting or engagement portraits.”

    As an added service Legacy Portrait Studio also offers Designer albums at affordable pricing. No wedding is too small or too large. You will never find inflated prices, and no big photographer egos! www.LegacyPortraitStudio.org

    Spanish Flair too good for Germany

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    by Jason King
    Bestfootballvideosonline.com

    Spain turned on the style as they played sleek football and defeated Germany 1-0 in a historic encounter at this year’s World Cup in South Africa. The Spanish actually were on top of their game, so much that they enjoyed over 65% of the total possession. The attempts on goal were however rather few and far in between even though the Spanish seemed more likely to score first. The first half saw both teams go into the dug out with no goals scored just as yet.

    When the second half resumed, the Spanish started off where they had left off, dictating affairs and coming close on a couple of occasions. It was not until the 73rd minute that inspirational Spanish captain Carlos Puyol headed the ball in to score the only goal of the game. As the game inched towards the closing minutes, Spain could have easily scored a second as Pedro got an opportunity to double the lead but he squandered the opportunity and was substituted shortly. Spain will now face Netherlands in the final on Sunday while German will face Uruguay in the 3rd place play off.

    Netherlands Book a Place in the World Cup Final

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    by Jason King
    Bestfootballvideosonline.com

    Netherlands made it to the finals of the FIFA World Cup after a comprehensive 3 -2 defeat of South American representatives Uruguay. In a game that saw both teams looking forward to making history by making it to the finals, there was plenty of action from the moment the referee’s whistle was blown for the game to begin.

    Uruguay were the first to start off rather well keeping possession in the early stages of the first half but it was the Oranje boys who broke the deadlock first with a sweet sensational strike from Giovanni Van Bronckhorst after just 18 minutes. From then on, the game swang back and forth in terms of possession with both teams taking a claim on the stakes.

    Later on, during the 41st minute, Uruguay skipper Diego Forlan brought Uruguay to level terms with a trademark goal that left Netherlands goal keeper Maarten Stekelenburg well beaten. Wesley Sneijder notched his 4th goal of the tournament putting one foot for Netherlands in the final and in the 73rd minute Arjen Robben added a goal to seal victory for Netherlands. Uruguay pulled one back through Maxi Pereira but it was too late.

    Google’s May Day Changes Putting Even More Emphasis on Good BackLinking SEO Strategies

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    by Travis Goodman

    Webmasters and search engine optimization experts all over the internet have been finding their world turned upside down since Google made several hundred changes to their algorithm at the beginning of May. Many large website owners experienced dramatic plunges in their search engine rankings and paranoia was running rampant with speculations all over the map. When Google’s Matt Cutts finally confirmed the changes had taken place, he also warned that the changes wouldn’t “be rolled back”.

    “This is an algorithmic change in Google, looking for higher quality sites to surface for long tail queries,” said Cutts.

    Long tail queries refer to phrases of three or more words that a searcher would type into the Google interface in order to find what they want. These types of keyword phrases tend to be very specific, targeted phrases intended to find very specific information.

    Prior to the “May Day” update, webmasters had found that using long term keyword phrases was allowing them to rank very high in the Google search rankings with very little other work and often not much real content on the site. Since being listed as one of the first results to come up with a search generally gets a site a lot of visitors, there is a lot of competition for first page rankings. However, with long tail queries, there was little competition so some pretty bad websites were ranking well.

    Google’s whole philosophy is to give the best results to the one searching so they are constantly trying to improve their algorithm to give the searcher the best possible experience. This driving mission is what causes them to constantly update their methodology in order to weed out attempts from webmasters trying to cheat the system. In 2009, Google made about 500 changes to their algorithm with most people not even noticing. This “May Day” update is being noticed only because it was many changes made all at the same time and thousands of websites were affected.

    Experts in search engine optimization say that many of these webmasters were putting the emphasis on the wrong things when creating their sites and that’s why the changes brought so much consternation. As Mike, co-founder of Backlink Warriors says, the major thing that will not change is that Google gives weight to quality of backlinks that a website has. A backlink is the term SEO experts use to refer to when another site links to yours.

    Google’s algorithm counts these backlinks as votes for the usefulness and popularity of your website. Mike explains that the more trust and credibility has in Google’s eyes, the more weight is given to backlinks from such a site. The way to get such backlinks is to provide very high quality content on your website and over time, you will slowly acquire these weighted backlinks. This process can take years, however, which most webmasters aren’t prepared for, which is why services like Mike’s and partner Tristan’s at http://www.backlinkwarriors.com have come into existence.

    Anonymity on the Internet – Is it Guaranteed?

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    In the case of anonymity on the internet it is best to expect none. Many of us have all probably at some point expressed ourselves a little too vocally on a blog, forum or web on some topic or other. Whether it be on the merits of a film, a product or even a football team – the interent is made up of opinions, millions of them. The problem is that these opinions when voiced don’t disappear when they’re posted online and sometimes people are not too keen on this.

    There is currently an interesting court case running in North Carolina which illustrates the problem of the current situation. Most countries have laws on libel or slander but not many of them are really ‘internet ready’. The case in Carolina, refers to some comments made on a community forum called Home in Hendersons by several individuals using pseudonyms like ‘fatboy’ and ‘Confused’. The thread in question refers to a the appalling state of some rented flats, the comments were directed at the owner of the flats, a Mr Thomas S Hester Jr and were needless to say less than flattering.

    The comments were made presumably in good faith but also with the perceived anonymity of their usernames. Mr Hester has however taken action to force the owner of the website to release the identities behind the monikers. Jason A. Feingold the owner of HomeinHendersons.com has been served with a subpoena to release their identities which he is fighting against. The website has set up a legal fund appeal to help raise funds and seems intent on trying to protect the identities of their users.

    Jim Rjindael a writer from a popular anonymous surfing blog made this comment –

    “The internet is dependent on free speech and expression, without opinions and discussion it simply wouldn’t exist as we know it. The problem is people believe that when they do anything online they do so anonymously which is simply not the case. People should be aware of their lack of privacy and that it is perfectly possible that anything they do or say online can have implications in the real world”

    The case in North Carolina has not been decided yet, but it has implications for many online communities such as the Home in Hendersons website as well as many thousands of online communities all across the internet. It also may have technical implications because currently anybody who does not hide their IP address in some manner will not be quite as anonymous as they would like.

    Affordable Web Hosting Services for Businesses and Individuals

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    by Mark Lu

    With the advancements in web hosting field, the new technologies have allowed web hosting providers like ChimeHost to offer lower costs to consumers. Therefore, making it easier for both individuals and businesses owners to start a website.

    Benefits of Having an Online Web Site
    Having a website online is cheaper and gives you more flexibility than doing printed ads. Your website will give you a longer period of time to be accessed. You can change your own site content without having to have it reprinted. The web site is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to your customers; even during the holidays. A website will let you have the option of having a feedback form. With a website, you have the advantage of building your credibility by letting customers see what you are about. Once this happens, word of mouth gets spread around giving your customer the ability to market by word of mouth.

    How to Pick a Web Hosting Provider
    When trying to choose a web hosting provider, pricing is a consideration. You do not want to pay for any services you do not need. The things to consider are what you need, how much of it you need and how much it will cost. Will you need a small website or a large mega one? The disk space you need will need to be estimated. Estimate the bandwidth needs. Look for the type of technical support for the site that will be needed when the website goes down. Will you be provided with a domain email address? Find out the type of server your host supports, such as Windows or Linux.

    Save Cost by Switching to Affordable Web Hosting Provider
    There are a lot of web hosting options. These can range in price from being free to becoming extremely expensive. You get what you pay for so you cannot expect a whole lot of options from a free web hosting provider as you would with one that may charge you $10 or $15 per month. ChimeHost offers affordable web hosting packages ranging from $4.95 – $9.95 per month. Currently, new clients can utilize the special where they can get the “Pro Plus Web Hosting” package at 50% off for lifetime and get 3 months free trial for only $0.01. Furthermore, web hosting tools like autoscript installer, website builder, email management, domain management will help users get their website online in no time.

    Using VPS Hosting and Dedicated Hosting Technology for E-commerce and Mission Critical Apps
    A VPS (virtual private server) has its very own operating system, data and applications. A virtual private server is better in helping to maintain reliable up time for mission critical web services. ChimeHost specializes in both Linux and Windows VPS web hosting. Users can choose from different virtualization platforms like Xen, OpenVZ and Hyper-V. Internet reliability is the key to the success of internet businesses and it’s crucial for businesses to make sure their website is online 24/7.

    Chimehost.com is a web hosting provider that specializes in shared web hosting, virtual web hosting and dedicated web hosting. With shared web hosting users are offered advanced tools like site builder, script installer, email, and database to get their website online in no time. Furthermore, with virtual web hosting and dedicated web hosting, clients have more control of their servers and can make sure their e-commerce or business website is accessible 24/7.

    Spain the Kings of Europe advance to Semi Finals of 2010 FIFA World Cup

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    by Jason King
    Bestfootballvideosonline.com

    All eyes turned to Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg for the last quarter final game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain and Paraguay both energized and buoyed by the earlier elimination of favorites Brazil and Argentina faced off in a dramatic tie that had plenty of talking points as well as action.

    The contest saw 3 penalty kicks taken but no goals scored as Oscar Cardozo and Xabi Alonso missed penalty kicks in regulation time for Paraguay and Spain respectively. However, with just 10 minutes left on the clock, David Villa broke the deadlock and scored a goal that eventually was enough to see Spain through to the Semi Finals of this year’s World Cup in South Africa. Spain will now face Germany in the semi final while Netherlands will face Uruguay in the other semi final. The semi final will now have three European teams and a South American team among whom the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup will emerge.

    Uruguay’s World Cup Dreams Live on

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    by Jason King
    bestfootballvideosonline.com

    After 120 minutes of football, and penalty kicks, Uruguay were able to win a contest that saw them go to the semi-final of the World Cup only for the first time. Meeting for the first time ever on a competitive level, both Uruguay and Ghana came into the game hoping to play their part in writing history but it was the Ghanaians who got the better of the game after getting off to a slow start.

    With 10 seconds to the end of the first half, Sulley Muntari unleashed a spectacular strike from 39 yards to give Ghana the lead. However, A 55th minute free kick from Uruguay Captain Diego Forlan swang the game back to equal terms.

    During extra time, Uruguay Luis Suarez got a red card for handling the ball but Asamoah Gyan, Ghana’s top scorer at the competition failed to score taking the game into penalty kicks. Eventually, after penalty kicks, Uruguay won the contest and are now line to face Netherlands in the first of two semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

    Brazil Stunned by the Orange Brigade

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    by Jason King
    bestfootballvideosonline.com

    The Netherlands came from a goal down to shock world cup favorites Brazil and book a place in the Semi finals. The Brazilian Samba boys turned on the magic as early as the 10th minute with Robinho scoring the first goal. Wesley Sneijder pulled one back with a long shot that had the Brazillian goal keeper julio ceaser have a communication breakdown with one of his defenders. It came off as an own goal after Fillipe Melo failed to safely put away for ball.

    In the 67th minute, Wesley scored a goal with a neatly put header that had come off the head of another Dutch player. Brazil’s day got worse after the sending off of the night’s villain Fillipe Melo in the 73rd minute. The Netherlands now look forward to playing the winner between the mouth watering clash between Ghana and the Uruguay. As the tournament favorites, Brazil were poised to make their way up to the final but a strong and focused Dutch team is now through to the Semi finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

    3 Great Ways To Raise Your Credit Score

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    by Alan Johnson

    In the hard financial times we live in today more people are trying to grasp the concept of their credit scores. These credit scores is what makes it possible for anyone to acquire a mortgage or any type of loan, whether it be for study, travel or auto to name a few. Basically what your credit score tells bankers and money lenders is that you are secure enough to be trusted with a loan and that the level of risk in doing business with you is low.

    There is no way to improve your credit score overnight but overtime it can happen. It is best for an individual to have a credit score of about 700 but most common scores range from anywhere between 320-679. By maintaining a score of 700 you are securing yourself for any possible loan that you may want to get. By following a few key steps you can attain a good credit score.

    Steps to attain a good credit score :

    1) Of course the obvious thing to start with is to identify what is your current credit score so that you would now how far is your goal. You can easily request this information online so that you can track any debts you may have and also correct any information that may be wrong. It is always best to compare your report with any hard copies of your information if possible;if you do not have any hard copies then it is time to start. It is more common than you think for your credit report to have errors so it is extremely important that you run through them with a fine teeth comb in order to help yourself.

    2) It is also a good habit to use credit monitoring services so that you are always up to date and can easily and quickly take care of any disputes as soon as it happens. Also a good habit is to start paying your bills on time and also in full amount. While this may be the simplest task it is also the most ignored one, more often you find people paying their bills late of not in full amount and this can hurt your credit score. Manage your expenses properly and try not to exceed your limit unless absolutely necessary, this way you avoid paying any late fees or interest.

    3) A quick way to raise your credit score is to pay off any debts you may have. At times this may not be that simple but by organizing your finances and expenses properly it can easily be done. Also to the doubt of many adding more credit to your credit history can also help increase your credit score. This way your report would show that you are not a risk.

    By following these simple steps you can quickly and effectively increase your credit score to a 700 or higher than your current score. It may take time and management is definitely a key factor but it can be done.

    Elliptical Machines Versus Treadmills – What’s The Difference?

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    by Ben Parabas

    Treadmills still are the tradional method of an indoor workout machine. But elliptical machines are slowly creeping into threatening that position because of it’s verstility and the fact that it is easier on your body with lower impacting exercises.

    These elliptical machines also provide a more well rounded workout because if it’s multi-functional exercises all while doing so on one machine. However there are a still good amount of people who like treadmills for several reasons.

    The group of people who still like what treadmills do for them are mainly those who are active and advid runners, joggers and walkers. These people still feel that running, walking or jogging present the best overall cardio workout, so naturally they feel more closer to home using a treadmill.

    A treadmill also has it’s positive for the group that are looking into buying these workout machines because treadmills can be easily installed within one’s home for convienency while adding several different types of running or walking exercises.

    These exercises are running/walking uphill for a more strenous workout; changing speeds on your treadmill for faster or slower runs/walks and the ability to monitor your activity using one of the treadmill indicators that can come with these machines such
    as heart rate monitor, miles ran/walked etc…

    Elliptical machines on the other hand more exercises than just one like the treadmill. These exercises take advantage of the elliptical motions of the machines and can workout both lower and upper body through various of exercises. Although running isn’t one of them usually, in order to get your heart pumping, you can do multiple exercise at a more rapid pace.

    And since there is less pounding of the knees and legs, elliptical machines can offer a more complete workout than treadmills without the constant pounding on the knees, lets and joints. Both are used because of its portability and convience so that exercisers can accomplish their workouts in the comforts of their own home.

    As far price goes, I would say that it would be based on each person on what is affordable to them. You can a treadmill or an elliptical machine for as cheap as a couple of hundred dollars, and can range in a couple of thousands of dollars. A good mid-range to shoot for would be between $800-$1500 dollars.

    Within this price range you will have plenty of options that can suit you and your exercising needs.

    Spain makes it through to the quarterfinals with a 1 – 0 win over Portugal

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    by Jason King
    Bestfootballvideosonline

    Carlos Queiroz’s dream of taking Portugal to the finals of the World cup have ended. Portugal came out strong in the first half with many good oportunities to score but failed to convert. Spain took control of the match during the second half with a goal from David Villa in the 63rd min of the game. Portugals hope of winning was crushed as they were unable to take possesion of the ball.

    It looked more likely that Spain would score a second goal than Portugal taking the game to extra time. Ricardo’s amazing proformance in the Portuguese goal wasnt matched by the rest of his team. Again Ronaldo failed to stay on his feet and deliver a Portuguese goal. Based on the proformance of Spain in the second half they have to be considered favourites to make it through to the semi-finals. Will David Villa and the Spamish team have what it takes to bring the Cup home for the first time.

    Spyware on your phone?

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    How suspicious spouses, protective parents, and concerned companies are turning to cheap and hard-to-detect commerical spyware apps to monitor your mobile communications.

    Sometime in early 2007, Richard Mislan, an assistant professor of cyberforensics at Purdue University, started getting phone calls and e-mails from people around the world–all looking for help with the same problem. “They thought someone was listening in on their cell-phone calls,” he says. “They wanted to know what they could do to confirm it was happening.”

    Mislan, who has examined thousands of phones at the Purdue Cyber Forensics Lab, politely disregarded some callers as a little paranoid. Others, he thought, had reason to be concerned. A decade ago the idea that anyone with little technical skill could turn a cell phone into a snooping device was basically unrealistic. But as the smart-phone market proliferates–it grew 86 percent in the United States alone last year–so do all the ethical kinks that come with it. Among them is a growing sector of perfectly legal smart-phone spyware apps that are peddled as tools for catching a cheating spouse or monitoring the kids when they’re away from home. But what they can effectively do, for as little as $15 or as much as several hundred, is track a person with a precision once relegated to federal authorities. “Not only can you look at a person’s e-mail or listen to their calls, in some cases you can also just turn on the microphone [on a smart phone] and listen to what the person is doing any time you want,” says Chris Wysopal, cofounder and CTO of Veracode, a software-security company.

    Turning what is essentially cell-phone-bugging software into a business model is not a bad idea, technically speaking. The smart-phone market–largely dominated by the Symbian, Research in Motion, and iPhone operating systems–has 47 million users in the United States and is expected to exceed 1 billion worldwide by 2014, according to Parks Associates, a market-research firm. In most cases, people’s lives are tethered to these handsets. It’s how we e-mail, text, search, and, on occasion, even call someone. And the dependence just continues to grow. Last year consumers paid for and downloaded more than 670 million apps that can turn a phone into everything from a book reader to a compass. Smart-phone users effectively carry a real-time snapshot of what happens in their daily lives. This is what makes the smart phone the perfect way to track someone.

    Among the top commercial spyware vendors who have ventured into this space are FlexiSPY, MobiStealth, and Mobile Spy. While the services vary, what they do is essentially the same. According to all three spyware Web sites, a person must have legal access to a smart phone to install a piece of spyware. For example, if you’re spying on a family member, that means the phone is family property. If you’re an employer monitoring your employee, the phone should be company-owned. To install the spyware, you have to have the phone in your possession for at least a few minutes to download the app. (There are apps that can be downloaded remotely, but that’s less common and not legal.) In Mobile Spy’s case, once the software is installed, you can log into your Mobile Spy web account to view e-mails, text messages, pictures taken, videos shot, calendar entries, incoming and outgoing calls, and GPS coordinates. MobiStealth and FlexiSPY take it a step further and allow a person to remotely record any conversations that take place near the cell phone. “The most threatening [part] is that it’s pretty impossible to tell if this is happening to you,” says Mislan. That’s because once the spyware app is on the phone it is virtually undetectable to the average user. There is no typical corresponding app icon, nor is it listed on any menu. At best, it may show up with a generic name like “iPhone app” or “BlackBerry app,” so that it appears to be a regular part of the system.

    There is nothing illegal about making these apps, and almost all makers have disclaimers on their Web sites warning people not to use their products illegally. “Our software is for very specific uses,” says Craig Thompson, support coordinator of Retina-X Studios, the creator of Mobile Spy. “We do what we can to discourage innappropriate use.” Still, there is no way to know if someone is using the app to monitor his or her child (legal) or stalk an ex (not so much). Illegal use of spyware has already been reported in states such as Washington, Oklahoma, and Texas. According to Wysopal of Veracode, in addition to state and local laws, the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Wiretap Act technically offer some protection for consumers. But even if someone discovers spyware on their phone, prosecuting the perpetrator can be difficult. “The problem with this law is the crime has to rise to the level of a felony for the FBI to investigate, [and] that typically involves $5,000 or more in damages,” Wysopal says. “I don’t really know what the damages are for someone installing [mobile spyware] and reading your e-mails.”

    Jeff Troy, acting deputy assistant director for the FBI’s Cyber Division, says the issue is a growing concern for his organization because of how fast the smart-phone market is evolving. “I do think there is need for additional cyber laws to address this,” he says.

    Until that happens, the best solution may well be preventive. According to BlackBerry maker Research in Motion, “BlackBerry smartphones include a firewall that can be set to prevent an app (like spyware) from making external connections; and passwords can also be required to authorize downloading an application to the device.” Google’s Android gives apps limited access to phone resources by default, but that can be changed manually, so the best bet is to lock the phone and/or SIM card whenever you’re not using it. Google has also recently activated a “kill switch” on its phone to remotely disable apps “that violate the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement or other legal agreements, laws, regulations or policies.” Of the trio, Apple probably has the most user-friendly safety net, because all apps must be approved by its app store. To even get most spyware apps on an Apple iPhone, a person would have to jailbreak it, which voids the warranty.

    If the software is already on a phone, Mislan says there is little that consumers can do on their own to confirm this. Even if you’re positive you are being spied on, doing something like replacing the SIM card is not always enough to wipe a phone clean of the problem. In some cases, Mislan advises consumers to reach out to companies like SMobile Systems that offer security solutions for cell phones–a growing market in themselves.

    Wysopal says that as with so much that’s technology-related, something big has to break before things change in the smart phone—spyware space. “You’ll have to see someone important, like a politician, have their phone compromised,” he says. “If that happened, it would be a wake-up call.”

    White House Ducks Afghanistan Exit

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    by Tom Andrews

    It was difficult watching the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing of General David Petraeus today. The number one line of questioning – why the administration has established a date certain to begin withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan. Why this line of questioning? Because Republicans are enjoying putting the administration on the defensive.

    It turns out that every time this issue is raised, the administration goes into pretzel mode, bending and twisting its explanation of the policy: This is NOT a withdrawal, it is just “the beginning” of a “transition” that is a “gradual” “conditions based” “slope,” not a “cliff.”

    I have a recommendation to make to the Obama administration: get out of the crouch position you are in on this issue and deliver a full-throated explanation of why setting a date to begin getting our troops out of Afghanistan is the right thing to do. And, while you’re at it, lay out what the exit strategy actually is, including when it will be completed. Anything less contradicts what President Obama told a “60 Minutes” audience on March 22, 2009: “And there’s got to be an exit strategy. There’s got to be a sense that this is not perpetual drift.” Or what he told the cadets at West Point when he announced his Afghanistan strategy last December: “That is why our troop commitment in Afghanistan cannot be open-ended–because the nation I’m most interested in building is our own.”

    As today’s hearing demonstrated, things are getting out of hand. Senator McCain made the curious claim that setting a date to begin withdrawing forces will actually LENGTHEN the war. Why? Because it apparently undermines our ability to convince Afghans to line up with us and not the Taliban. After all, according to Senator McCain, all the Taliban has to do is wait us out.

    With all due respect, Senator McCain, unless the US plans to stay in Afghanistan forever, the Taliban will be able to “wait us out.” They LIVE there. They are staying and we are going. Period.

    I wonder if it has ever occurred to Senator McCain and his right-wing allies that the most powerful recruitment claim of the Taliban is that they are fighting not only a corrupt government but a foreign military occupation. The larger our military footprint and the more open ended it is, the stronger the Taliban’s case to potential recruits in Afghanistan. This could be why the Pentagon’s latest quarterly progress report to Congress noted that in contrast to the difficulties the Afghan National Army has with recruitment and retention of new troops, the Taliban has a ready supply of recruits.

    If you have any doubts about the power of a military occupation to recruit insurgents in Afghanistan, ask the Soviets.

    Zamir Kabulov was a KGB agent stationed in Kabul during the Soviet occupation. Mr. Kabulov went on to serve as the Russian ambassador to Afghanistan. He told the New York Times that the US has “already repeated all of our mistakes” and has moved on to making mistakes of their own, “one’s for which we do not own the copyright.” The single biggest mistake that the Soviets made, according to Ambassador Kabulov, was letting the Soviet military footprint become too large: “The more foreign troops you have roaming the country, the more the irritative allergy toward them is going to be provoked.”
    By the time the current escalation is complete, there will be more ISAF forces in Afghanistan than the Soviet Union had at the height of their military occupation in the 1980s.

    Nonetheless, the right-wing attack on the setting of a date for the initiation of withdrawal of US forces has been relentless. And, it will continue as long as the administration keeps in crouch mode. Here is an exchange that Secretary Gates had with Senator Lieberman as he testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on December 2nd of last year:

    Sen. Lieberman: “July of 2011, is a transfer of security responsibility to the Afghans but may not include, immediately a withdrawal of our forces from Afghanistan?


    Gates: “..That is correct”

    So, a time certain to begin the withdrawal of our forces from Afghanistan may, in fact, NOT INCLUDE the withdrawal of our forces.

    The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen, did his part to “clarify” things in a television interview with al Jazeera just days later when he emphatically declared when pressed on the issue: “Starting is not a withdrawal!”

    So, we are not withdrawing forces by starting a withdrawal of forces.

    Got it?

    Neither do I. And, neither will the American people unless President Obama takes the reins from the Republicans and makes the case for doing what most Americans agree needs to be done – end an open ended military commitment to the second most corrupt government on earth.

    Amazon books benefit a fundraiser

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    by Jason Medich

    In an effort to benefit various non-profits and schools in need, Amazon and HopeVote are providing book lovers an easy way to raise money for great causes. Consumers looking to buy books from Amazon can now help a fundraiser with every purchase, through the site HopeVote. 1.5 to 3% of the total amount purchased will go towards a cause such as Food for the Hungry, Susan G. Komen, or The Humane Society. This fundraiser costs the consumers nothing extra.

    To participate in the fundraiser, shoppers simply visit HopeVote, where a special link will take shoppers to the familiar Amazon storefront. Consumers looking for the top ten-bestselling books on Amazon can navigate to http://www.hopevote.com/top-ten-books. Any book purchases made after following the special link will the proceeds go towards the fundraiser, at no extra cost.

    “As the most popular online bookstore, Amazon is known for its great prices and wide variety of books,” observes Clayton Somera, HopeVote Founder. “We want book lovers to know that they can make a difference and benefit organizations dedicated to helping others, simply by doing what they would regularly do, by buying a great book. The gratitude and appreciation from the recipients of the funds raised is immense.” For more information, visit http://www.hopevote.com

    Stand Up Comedy Secrets Revealed?

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    by James Washington

    Picture this: a dark stage with one light on, a quiet audience waiting for the next stand up comedian to provide them with at least 5 minutes of good time. You are the person that walks to the microphone; the light is on you and it blinds you so you don’t really see the crowd. You start with your opening line, as the people in front of you want a comedy stand up routine that makes them laugh.

    After you deliver your opening line you instantly know if you act is a success or not. If the people start laughing, then it’s a good one. If not, it sucks. So you want to make them laugh, or else, you’re done.

    Being on stage for the first time is never easy. Most stand-up comics will honestly say that their first time was hard, and stand up comedy isn’t as easy as it seems. Luckily for you, there are some tips and tricks that can aid you improve your act and make performing easy as pie. So, if stand up comedy is your piece of pie and you dream of having an introductio n that goes ” From New York City, Comedy Central presents” and your name, or you want to be on Saturday Night Live and give your audience a good time, then you need to be funny, to have good material and live talent.

    The question on your mind is “okay, so what can I do?” Well, the first thing you need to do is to come up with some good humor. Before you manage to get into the comedy circuit and perform in comedy clubs, you will want to do as all stand-up comedians do. Stand up in front of your home mirror and build your act, come up with fresh and funny material that will help you build your fan base.

    If you have trouble coming with new material, then take a good look at you. You can make fun about the way you look, about your ethnicity, about your family – your mother, father, uncle, sister, et cetera. You will want to come up with your own style and comic act. Students, actors and regular people want to be stand up comedians. However, before you or any of the m make it into a comedy festival or are on national television and have a huge stand up comedy career, you along with everybody else will need to train and brush off your act, always aiming to bring your audience closer to you. This is why you will want to go to as many open microphone nights as possible and learn from those experiences.

    Another very important thing is to always have with you something to write or record. Inspiration can hit you when you least expect it: while you’re on the toilet, in the bus, while you’re wowing a woman or a man, depending on your sex and orientation, et cetera.

    Pharma using Facebook to find human guinea pigs

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    FORTUNE — Let’s say you’re one of the millions of Facebook users who logs into the site for a minute to reconnect with friends. Maybe you’re taking a break from a big project at work, or settling in for an evening of couch surfing. Maybe, sadly, you have cancer, diabetes, or some other ailment. That’s when you first notice it: A Facebook ad looking for people to take part in a clinical trial — in your age range, with your illness, living in your town.

    So how did Facebook know your medical secrets? They didn’t — until you clicked on the ad and told them.

    In the last two years, companies like Acurian, a patient recruitment firm that supplies clinical trials with participants, have discovered an inexpensive way to find new patients with social network ads. Their methods are not at all nefarious — they’re not scanning users’ status updates or monitoring the links they post.

    Instead, the Horshan, Penn.-based company buys demographic placements that match the requirements of the medical studies it is looking to fill. From there, coincidence, curiosity, and a hunger for cures has compelled millions of Facebook users to click-through the ad and fill out a qualifying questionnaire.

    “If you really think about Facebook, it’s the ultimate narcissist canvas,” says Scott Connor, Acurian’s vice president of marketing. “People are putting up — of their own volition — personal information in terms of their age, their location, their level of education. I honestly think there’s a very small amount of the [Facebook] population that’s concerned about privacy, because the entity wouldn’t be as big as it was if that were the case.”

    Considering the uproar associated with privacy and Facebook, Acurian’s results are surprising — even to Connor. According to him, 20% of the patients they contribute to a study come from social networking, with 70% coming from their database of 65 million pre-qualified patients, and 10% from traditional media (typically broadcast and newspaper ads).

    Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) ads make up only a minuscule amount of their mix; search advertising has performed so poorly, that they now only buy those ads if a client specifically requests it. “For every 10 contributions I get from my other online sources, I get one from Google,” says Connor.

    “We’re putting ads out there that ask very personal questions, and people are clicking through,” he says. “As strange as that may seem, and as much fervor as there is about privacy, I have not seen the spigot turning off in terms of people being interested.”

    How Facebook works better than Google
    A survey of Acurian’s patients revealed that travel distance to the clinical trial site — not compensation, amount of doctor visits, or possible side effects — was the most important factor for people in deciding to participate in a medical research study. So, social networks’ ability to deliver users segmented by gender, age, and location — the three primary variables Acurian uses to find matches for its trials — has been a boon for patient recruitment.

    “The beauty from a Facebook and Myspace standpoint is that they’ve got aggregation of people, and they’ve got the contextual ability to serve messaging based on a user’s profile,” says Connor. “Based on just those three top level targeting abilities, we can get specific enough in our targeting to be worthwhile and to be much more effective than Google.”

    Calculating exactly how much more effective it is takes a bit of accounting, as Acurian buys ads in a pay-per-click model and sells patients in a cost-per-acquisition scheme. “From click to pre-qualified referral, cost effectiveness is definitely leaning towards social networking by a factor of anywhere from two to five times,” says Connor. “It’s a newer space, the targeting is better, and it’s not as saturated as keyword.” Specifically comparing Facebook ads to Google ads, Connor says the former outperforms the latter by four to one.

    To be fair to search advertising, another big part of Acurian’s success is that they’ve managed to set up financially favorable deals elsewhere. For example, a couple years after the company’s 1998 launch, they inked agreements with data aggregators to get exclusive clinical trial access to a stockpile of user profiles, which helped turn their organically grown, in-house database into the collection of 65 million health records it is today.

    Then, when the company started buying enough online ad volume, they negotiated with online health networks to move from a cost-per-impression system to a much more favorable cost-per-acquisition model.

    Two years ago, Acurian was not even in this arena — demonstrating how substantial its current 20% stake is. Also, in a recent clinical trial focusing on incontinence (an issue that primarily affects older patients), 29% of participants attracted via social networking.

    Meanwhile, studies of two disorders that affect a wider age range got 45% of their participants from social networks. “When you’ve got a broad age range, where therapeutically there isn’t a skew toward one end of the age spectrum or another, e-recruitment seems to have a broader appeal and a broader capability of recruiting patients,” says Connor.

    According to Connor, about $2.3 billion per year is allocated to patient recruitment services, and the market is growing around 15% annually. Acurian’s database is still the best bang for the company’s buck, but that’s only because of its size. “E-recruitment is, the majority of the time, on par with or better than direct mail,” says Connor. “What it doesn’t give me is all the volume that I need.” Lucky for them, Facebook is adding more than 700,000 new users every day.

    Common Sense Eczema Treatment — Cure Eczema By Going Back To Basics

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    Frustrated with the ineffectiveness and harmful side effects of conventional eczema treatments, Audrey Lynn decided to take on treating her young son’s eczema herself. That was 4 years ago and she never looked back since. Today her son is totally free of eczema. Now, she is sharing her first hand experience of dealing with child eczema in her new guide, Cure Child Eczema, on her website http://www.CureChildEczema.com.

    In an online interview, Audrey Lynn states that she decides to publish this book after receiving many emails from parents seeking help in treating their child’s eczema after conventional medicine fails. “In fact, many of these parents begins to question the effectiveness and side effects of using corticosteroid creams, oral antihistamines, and other anti-inflammatory medications on their child.

    The main message Lynn wants to convey to parents is that eczema can be controlled and over time, cured. Her book details the importance of going back to the basics of nourishing the body and getting rid of toxins in the body in the process of healing eczema. She emphasized that her book at CureChildEczema.com, does not offer a miracle eczema treatment. Instead, her book offers practical step by step method of healing child and baby eczema. She emphasized that parents are going to learn how to treat the root of eczema and not merely the symptoms. Lynn states that although this book is written specifically for children with eczema, the main concepts in the book are applicable to adults as well.

    To find out more information as well as download her free report on Natural Eczema Remedies for Children, visit http://www.CureChildEczema.com

    Business Marketing Plan / Customer Management Increases Client’s Business by 30%

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    Press Release

    When trying to come up with a business marketing plan, most business’s miss the boat according to RJMC Web Consulting.

    Well established businesses are looking for new ideas in most cases, Some of the best new ideas are actually older proven marketing strategies.

    For example, customer management is one marketing strategy that when used properly has increased the clients business by 30 per cent, and as high as 800 per cent.

    Another great thing about using proven marketing strategies is that the costs involved are usually a lot less, considering they are proven to work time and again without all the testing it takes with new campaigns.

    The cost of the strategy that RJMC clients have used for customer management, depending on their size is the cost of postage.

    To find out more about adding 30-800% to your business go to
    RJMC Web Consulting to set up a
    phone consultation or call 715-817-0096

    The Laptop Revolution: Smaller is Definitely Better

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    by Johan Arif

    Mini lap-tops, or notebooks as they are so aptly named, have come to change the way we work. For the same amount of money that you’d spend on a regular laptop, or very likely even less, you are now able to work anywhere.

    Notebooks have more to them than just being smaller. If you have tried to get onto a wireless network with a normal sized laptop, you know the kind of grief it can give you. Mini laptops have been designed to go around this — they will connect to virtually any wireless network without you having to fumble around with settings.

    Talk to a few people who have experienced the convenience of having a notebook. The first thing they will likely tell you is that they are relieved of having to lug a laptop around. “Its small, it’s lightweight and it fits in my bag like I was carrying a book. In fact, some of the books I have are larger than my notebook” says a PHD student at the UCLA. He has memories of his laptop days. “I can’t compare it. I now realize how much weight I would take with me everywhere. And it’s amazing that I haven’t lost any of the functionality that I had before — everything works just as well if not better.”

    Clearly, the world of computing is shifting, and it’s a shift towards convenience and ease of use. Almost every computer manufacturer has created a mini-laptop. And as they continue to release model after model, more features are being added.

    “We realized that more and more, work is become internet-centric. There is very little one can do when they do not have an internet connection. That’s why we made sure that we designed a smaller, more portable laptop that can hook onto wireless connections with ease” says an official at HP. And many other notebook manufacturers are quick to agree.

    If you want to ease the amount of weight that you carry around and have the convenience of being able to get onto different wireless networks, a notebook is a great way to go. There are many different types and you may want to shop around. As with all things electronic, you will want to buy from an authorized dealer. Get as much information on any particular brand as you can. A good place to get started in your search is at NotebookReviews.Org. You will get comprehensive information on what different models have to offer so that you can make an informed buying decision.

    Reverse Cell Phone Number Lookup Explained – Find The Name of The Owner of Any Telephone Number

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    by Pat Washington

    There were a lot of things that we were unable to do a couple of years back. Today, when somebody calls our cell phone and hangs up, we can easily do a reverse call lookup. Reverse call lookup is also very enticing when we suspect that someone is checking up on us. If you activated caller id, then it’s easy to see what number called you. The number is going to be of invaluable help in requesting information to your service provider. Finding the right service provider, means finding one that knows exactly what do to, and hence provide you with the requested information in no time!

    Everybody has their reasons for wanting to do a reverse cell phone lookup. No matter if you have an annoying hang up call,or any other reason, it doesn’t really matter why you want to do a reverse cell phone lookup. The thing that’s important is that you can do it.

    A reverse phone lookup has a lot of benefits. You can find information about the people behind the numbers calling you easily, if you use an online phone lookup directory. By doing so, you will be able to find the caller’s name, address and much more – this from the privacy and comfort of your home (meaning nobody will know that you did a reverse phone search).

    Here’s what you will want to do: First of all, chose a reputable service provider that offers reverse cell phone lookup services. The importance of choosing a reputable service provider can’t be underlined enough. You should go for a provider that updates its information and services regularly – this way you’ll be sure that you only get 100% correct information, and you can verify the identity of a great number of callers.

    Again, don’t overlook the reputable part. You won’t want to go for the cheapest, nor for the most expensive provider. You want a provider that can give you 100% correct information instantly. There are too many companies that say they are the best when it comes to reverse cell phone lookup. However, y ou should choose the one that is the best known and highly ranked. You can easily do this using the internet, as this marvelous tool will provide you with all the information you will ever need on all reverse cell phone lookup service providers. Also, make sure that you are informed of all the features and expenses your chosen provider offers you – you might even get free lookups with some!

    Why a Video Sitemap MUST be part of your Video Marketing Strategy

    Many internet marketers now realize that video marketing is one of the most lucrative internet marketing strategies. Once a video is created, optimized and distributed to the top video sharing sites it will continue to send FREE targeted traffic on autopilot forever more.

    Ever since Google introduced universal search, video results have been blended into the top of the search engine results for lucrative keyword phrases. Now this was not a case of upload the video and you get page one ranking. There is a very specific process that one would have to follow.

    What many video marketers overlook however is the need to get video from both their own sites as well as video sharing sites, to the top of Google. It is important to get video results from sites such as YouTube to page one of Google, because YouTube is now considered the world’s second largest search engine. YouTube is also owned by Google, thus Google tends to give preferential ranking to YouTube videos as it comes within the remit of a ‘trusted website’.

    The only downside of focusing exclusively on getting your YouTube videos to page one of Google is the actual architecture of the YouTube website. YouTube is designed to retain a viewer on its website for as long as possible. It does this through a tuned graphical user interface that presents viewers with ‘related videos’.

    So if your video from YouTube ranks on page one of Google, you are sending traffic to the YouTube site. Once they finish viewing your video a percentage of them will click on your link and visit your website. A much larger percentage will click on one of the ‘Related Videos’ presented to them by YouTube. This effectively ‘pops’ that viewer out of your sales funnel, as they get distracted by competitor videos.

    Conversely if you optimized your video marketing strategy such that you achieved multiple simultaneous results on page one of Google with one of the videos going to YouTube and the other video going to your website, you will maximize your traffic and sales.

    Video Marketing expert Mao Flynn from http://www.videomarketingdevastation.com describes the process as follows; “Getting front page placement on Google with video marketing is an 8 step process. A key element within that process is the need to discover keyword phrases pertaining to your niche that trigger video retainers, and optimize your videos creation and submission process to satisfy Google bots specific search criteria. He indicated that “a critical factor for getting videos from your own HTML site and blogs to appear on page one of Google, is to submit a video sitemap for that video”.

    He goes on to state that “although search engine spiders have begun to use new technology that listens to videos and converts the audio into text for indexing purposes, they still rely heavily on the text submitted with the video for indexing. A video sitemap provides this essential text in a format that makes it easy for Google bot, to determine precisely the relevancy of your video to the search phrase. A well optimized video site map will thus make it possible for videos from your site, to appear alongside videos from YouTube in the SERPs. This sends traffic directly to your website, and thus facilitates a more fluid progression through your sales funnel, which translates into accelerated sales” according to Mao.

    Principle engineer and head of Google’s Web Spam team, Matt Cutts – fully agrees with Mao Flynn, he states “If you produce videos and you haven’t done a video site map, that is something that I would definitely recommend.”

    So the message is clear you need to be engaged in a form of video marketing that sends traffic both to your YouTube videos, and to videos on your website. A key factor in sending videos to your website is ‘video site maps’.

    England beats Slovenia in Port Elizabeth in the 2010 World Cup

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    by Brad Lockston

    The game was the deciding factor to see if England catch the plane home or they go into the last sixteen and
    enjoy the rest of their African trip.

    Firstly, most players would agree that it helps to know what position they are playing a day before rather two hours before a match. In this game England had some idea where they were going to play as leaked through various sources. Capello, nevertheless has an accomplished career in Europe and has shown his worth a manager.

    So the game between England and Slovenia took place in the Nelson Mandela Base Stadium. There was much singing and anticipation before the game. Much pain for England supporters as they were expecting better quality football from the team.

    David James, the England goal keeper enters the game with 51 caps was not totally challenged by his opponents. James was on target for all attempts from Slovenia.

    With England wearing unfamiliar all red strip, the observed passing was better, the variation in play was seen as improved. The first shot on target was seen by Frank Lampard in the 13th minute at 35 yards. In the 23rd minute we started to see the tempo of Premier League performance football by England. Slovenia nevertheless, also displayed passion in their football which kept their opposition on their toes throughout the game.

    It was however, in the 23rd minute as mentioned that Jermain Defoe received one of his first touches of the game. This ball came from James Milner as he makes his way down the right to put in a cross for Defoe. Defoe gets in front of his opposition to get the ball behind the net giving England a 1.0 lead. It must be said that Milner put in good number of crosses for his team mates as his role is to feed strikers in the box so the ball get put into the back of the net.

    One yellow card was shown in the match which was received by Glen Johnson for a debatable tackle.

    There was good signs from Rooney as he set-up attempted goals as well as missed chances. There is however, suspected rumours of a twisted ankle by Wayne Rooney. Subsequently, Rooney was substituted by Joe Cole in the 71st minute. Rooney has played seven England games without a goal but there is still opportunity in the upcoming game on Sunday. This will be against the winners of group D: Ghana or Germany.

    In the last minutes of the game there were tight margins with England holding on with the grit of their teeth. Slovenia, with a country population of just two million (the smallest in the tournament) needed 1 point to survive. Time was up however, as the German Referee blew the whistle after 3 minutes added time. The final score England 1. Slovenia 0.

    It was a relaxed carefree performance from England. Lampard was comfortable playing and remaining on the left of the field. Slovenia did not give up and played with passion and dignity. Slovenia will go out of the tournament with Algeria since USA beat them with a late of 1-0 in their game.

    Capello stated at the end that he has got his team back and that this is the team he recognised during the training sessions.

    Jermain Defoe ends the pain for England and next it is the knock-out stages to come. It’s the England fever…

    Visit href=”http://www.worldcup2010capetown.com/”>England beat Slovenia world Cup 2010 today for further informaion.

    ForexSTF: The first Forex automatic trading software based on advanced Genetic Algorithm Technology hits the market this week

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    (New York, NY) June 23rd, 2010 – You may have heard of Forex Robots based on Artificial Intelligence, or AI, technology. These are fairly common and there are several available on the market. The problem with these robots that utilize AI technology is they cannot evolve and change their trading based on new market conditions. They are programmed to follow an existing market. They can only adapt within the rules that a human programmer put into the software. So what happens when there is a change in the markets that falls outside an AI based Forex Robot? They fail to bring in positive trades and this is where you can lose money. This is where ForexSTF stands out from the crowd.

    Enter genetic algorithm technology. This new technology, allows the software to actually evolve and change their trades based on new market conditions. This is crucial to the ever changing Forex marketplace. Why is this a big deal? Well, there hasn’t been any previous Forex Robots released based on genetic algorithms until now. ForexSTF software is being released to the public this week. This is a much anticipated release in the Forex trading industry.

    What is ForexSTF? ForexSTF is an automatic Forex trading robot. This means you release it to the market and let it make you money automatically, no user input involved. You feed it money and let it do it’s job, which is making your Forex trading account swell and ultimately increase your bottom line. What does the STF stand for? Survival of The Fittest. In other words, this software will stand out and make all other current Forex Robots old news. In fact, Jim Stanford, the creator of this software and a retired math teacher claims it has made him $6,450 on average per trading day in 2010!

    Features of ForexSTF software include:

    · First Genetic Algorithm Technology based Forex robot

    · Can adapt to any market condition or trend within seconds

    · Works on the EUR / USD as the primary pair, as well as others such as GBR / USD

    · Automatically supports 4 and 5 digit brokers as well as ECN brokers

    · No prior trading experience required

    · Automated Risk Minimizer

    · 3 Years of Research and Perfection

    · Actively Trades (at least 2 trades daily)

    · High Spread Protection

    · Built in Money Management

    · 5 minute Installation

    · Free Lifetime Upgrades

    · Plug & Play (or in other words, feed it cash and let it do it’s thing)

    · Full Installation Guide and Videos available

    · Sophisticated Members Area

    · Support Desk answers questions around the clock via email and live chat

    · 60-day 100% No Risk Money-Back Guarantee

    · $150 Forex Trading Account bonus

    · Very limited time early bird price

    How much does Forex STF cost and where can I learn more?

    Visit my website listed below for answers to these questions and more. I think you’ll be surprised by the low early bird price.

    http://www.ForexSTFsoftware.com

    Search Engine Optimization SEO Controversy

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    by Neal Lloyd

    Search Engine Optimization has always been one of the most controversial subjects affecting Internet Marketing services providers. Not surprisingly, the controversy shows absolutely no sign of letting up. Especially, not after the hard-hitting SEO report that has been making the rounds.

    The SEO community is still assessing the impact of a report intriguingly called SEOn Trial. Providers of Internet Marketing services are wondering how the fallout from the report will affect their businesses. They are not alone, because vendors of SEO tools, too aren’t sure what the next step will be.

    Informed observers of industry trends know that Search Engine Optimization will never be the same again. Is that good news or bad news? Well, that depends entirely on which side of the fence you are sitting on.

    Mr Wagenheim, a seasoned expert had this to say, “Oz is such a captivating writer. I really love reading his stuff. It’s not bland and boring. But that’s not the only reason I like SEOn Trial. He comes up with such outrageous statements and then actually backs them up. In this report he proves, get this, that you can rank number 1 at Google with a site with absolutely ZERO content. When I first read the opening statement I laughed and thought he was on drugs. But by the end of the report, he had me convinced.”

    The report can be read at this search engine optimization controversial website.

    You can download your copy of SEOn Trial from: http://highsearchenginerankings.org/seontrialdam/?RN3.

    Internet Marketing Tools Uproar

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    by Neal Lloyd

    Vendors of Internet Marketing Tools have been left with egg on their faces, after a report was published by the self-styled Wizard Of Oz. Internet Marketing is unlikely to ever be the same again after this landmark report.

    The short report claims to have shattered one of the most pervasive myths in the industry. Millions of dollars have been wasted as a result of this age-old myth. Customers and clients of vendors have finally woken up to the truth, and they do not like what they see.

    Many how vowed to vote with their feet and their pockets. And when this happens, there can only be one loser from the fallout. It looks like vendors of Internet Marketing tools will have to quickly adopt a new strategy if they are serious about surviving the post ‘SEOn Trial’ era.

    SEOn Trial happens to be the name of the report that has set tongues wagging in the community. Well-respected members of the community have had their say, too. Steve, a well respected expert and commentator writes: “Oz is such a captivating writer. I really love reading his stuff. It’s not bland and boring. But that’s not the only reason I like SEOn Trial. He comes up with such outrageous statements and then actually backs them up. In this report he proves, get this, that you can rank number 1 at Google with a site with absolutely ZERO content. When I first read the opening statement I laughed and thought he was on drugs. But by the end of the report, he had me convinced.”

    You can download your copy of SEOn Trial from: http://highsearchenginerankings.org/seontrialdam/?RN2.

    New p90x Workout – A New Era In Fitness DVD’s

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    by Ben Nicholls

    The p90X workout is revolutionary system of high energy,fat burning workouts that is designed to change your body in just 90 days that will have you looking ripped & toned. With the p90x system members receive 12 workouts,a detailed fitness guide,complete nuritition plan,a chart to log your progress and online support.

    Tony Horton your personal trainer will be there every step of the way to keep you motivated and does a great job of presenting every exercise.The workouts can be carrie out in your own home,without having a lot of equipment.

    P90x Is It For Me?
    Anyone who wants to lose weight,get ripped and build muscle will benefit from the p90x workout program. You can perform the workouts whenever you choose as you can view the videos in your free time and you may temporarily stop the DVD if you require additional rest.

    If you are having an off day then you have the online community and support who will help you to get through the p90x workout.

    The p90x system is traighforward and if you stick with it for the full 90 days you will see significant results,the quality of these results will rely upon how much work you are willing to put in.

    For more information please visit http://www.fabandfitter.com/product-reviews

    Labour Government Spent Almost £300m on ID Cards

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    The coalition government has said its predecessor spent just under £300m to develop the ID card and biometric passport schemes.

    Home Office minister Damian Green provided the figures in response to a parliamentary question from Conservative MP Richard Harrington, reports The Register.

    Green said that the Home Office had spent “£41m developing the policy, legislation and business case for the introduction of identity cards”.

    In 2006, the scheme was transferred to the newly created Identity and Passport service, which spent another “£251m on projects to establish identity cards, second biometric passports and other related programmes”.

    Home Secretary Theresa May said last week that scrapping the plan would save £86m over the next four years, and £800m over the next decade. The net cost of the bill will be £5m this year covering termination of contracts, contacting card holders and laying off staff that can’t redeployed.

    UN To Form Sri Lanka War Crimes Panel

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    Colombo – Sri Lanka on Wednesday criticized the appointment of a panel by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to investigate allegations of human rights violations during the last months of the government’s war against separatist Tamil rebels.

    ‘Sri Lanka regards the appointment of the Sri Lanka panel of experts as an unwarranted and unnecessary interference with a sovereign nation,’ the External Affairs Ministry said.

    Sri Lanka has been facing increasing international pressure to investigate alleged rights abuses committed by both sides before Sri Lanka’s military killed the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009, thereby ending a 26-year civil war on the island.

    Rights groups and other observers have accused both the LTTE and government of war crimes during the conflict.

    The UN panel is being chaired by former Indonesian attorney general Marzuki Darusman and also consists of Yasmin Sooka, a human rights expert from South Africa, and Steven Ratner, a US lawyer, the UN office in Colombo said.

    Sri Lanka last month appointed its own commission to investigate events during the last eight years of the conflict with the LTTE.

    ‘Sri Lanka is a sovereign state with a robustly independent judiciary and a tried and tested system for the administration of justice,’ the External Affairs Ministry asserted in its statement.

    UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe visited Sri Lanka last week, where he met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and visited former combat zones.

    He told reporters that the panel would advise the UN chief on how to look into accountably issues of events that took place during the final stages of the military operations.

    The United Nations estimated that 7,500 civilians were killed in the last months of the civil war, a claim denied by the Sri Lankan government.

    Is Video Marketing The Key To Building A Recession-Proof Online Income?

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    The competition in the Internet Marketing niche is intensifying as more and more people are turning to the internet as their primary source of income.

    This is resulting in a hike in the premiums paid for pay per click campaigns which is eating into the profits of internet marketers.

    Savvy internet marketers who understand the infamous ‘Google heat map’, realize that the key to making a sustainable income online is to get their business ranked within the top 3 position in Google’s organic listings. The majority of internet marketers who try to achieve this ranking focus almost exclusively on SEO. This is a slow, painstaking process and top ranking is not guaranteed.

    Ever since Google introduced universal search, video has become the fastest, easiest method to get your website to the top of Google organic search.

    According to comScore Video Metrix “US internet users viewed 12.7 billion online videos during November 2008, up more than one third over November 2007.”

    eMarketer also puts online video viewers at more than three-quarters of US Internet users, and estimates that percentage will rise to 88% by 2012.

    eMarketer estimates online video ad spending will reach $4.6 billion in 2013, up from $587 million in 2008.

    The Nielsen Company reported 2009 saw a massive increase in online video consumption compared with 2008. These statistics clearly indicate that video marketing is a trend worth your attention.

    Search engine spiders are crawling the web every day looking for new content. These bots discover new videos daily and give them sensational ranking.

    “Video Marketing is the most powerful method to dominate page 1 of Google and create passive traffic which results in true passive income” says video marketing expert Mao Flynn from Video Marketing Devastation.com.

    He advocates that a well optimized video can simultaneously dominate the world’s top 2 search engines ‘Google’ and ‘YouTube’ for even the most competitive keyword phrases. This drives laser targeted traffic to your website for FREE, and maximizes your ability to generate online sales on complete autopilot.

    If you are serious about building a recession proof business online, and you want to increase your sales without increasing your advertising spend — then it is essential that you are engaged in video marketing.

    Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark – Danish Web Filter

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    In the world of web filtering, internet surveillance and other such web meddling there are a few countries who tend to hit the headlines more than others. It comes as no big surprise when Iran, China or Turkey block Youtube or Facebook yet again, however occasionally a web filter or censorship story makes you sit up and take notice.

    On the 27th May the Danish Supreme Court upheld a decision that obliges Internet Service Providers (ISP) to block access to any web site which may contain material that infringes the rights of copyright holders. The case focussed on a well know web site called The Pirates Bay, this site based in Sweden contains links which allow users to download the latest films, music and software using a technology called Peer to Peer File sharing.

    The decision which at first looks fairly innocuous brought condemnation from many privacy and freedom of speech organisations. The problem appears to be that by holding an ISP legally responsible for what their users download and access, you are actively encouraging surveillance and censorship.

    Jim Rjindael who writes for a popular anonymous surfing information web site stated the following:

    “The problem with this decision is simple – it is turning the ISPs into unofficial policemen of the internet. They have no procedures or processes in place to conduct this filtering, yet they are expected to decide what is right or wrong on the world wide web. It is a role that they are unlikely to relish and many would argue they have no right to decide what their users can do online.”

    There is widespread concern that in order to comply with this ruling, ISPs will be forced to conduct extensive surveillance on their users in order to check that no copyright infringements are taking place. Although the ISPs are uniquely positioned to conduct this, in that they have a full list of all websites their users visit, whether it is right that they actively audit these records is another concern.

    The ruling is the latest in a line of similar laws and precedents passed by the Folketinget (the Danish Parliament) which are slowly eroding their reputation of one of the most open and unrestricted societies in the world. Increasingly many users are switching to using different technologies such as a US or UK proxy in order to bypass the censorship of individual countries. As Jim Rjindael pointed out

    “We are increasingly creating a multi-tiered internet, those who are monitored and filtered at every turn, whilst those with the knowledge or wherewithal to bypass these restrictions who can surf completly unrestricted.”

    Real Estate Investor Spills the Beans on Winning Tactics

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    by Bob Hamilton

    With the global economy emerging from the aftereffects of recession, many remain cautious about the real estate investment market. Yet for those who know the right strategies, the time to invest is now. In fact many real estate investors have been successfully negotiating the real estate marketplace throughout this turmoil. Among them are Jeff Divers and his partner Jarod Kamison of Vivid Properties LLC.

    With years of real estate investing experience Jeff decided the time was right to share some of the winning tactics they are using right now. “I just felt it was time for someone who is actively buying and selling in today’s real estate market to share their knowledge,” Jeff said when asked about his newly released eBook, Real Estate Investing Quick Start Guide.

    This free guide can be found at RealEstateInvestingQuickStartGuide.com. It contains detailed information such as five steps to real estate investing success, staying in the deal maker mindset, making contacts, closing thoughts and questions, etc. Using this book, you can make your way into the real estate investment market and learn how to identify and locate undervalued properties, strategically connect with property owners, follow the entire process of the deal with intelligence, and get fast returns on your investment.

    Jeff Divers and Jarod Kamison are successful, seasoned real estate investors with multiple property holdings in 6 States as of this writing. In fact Jeff bought his first property in the 1980’s. His combined training and hands-on experience went into the development of the formula they use today. Vivid Properties was established in 2005 when Jeff and Jarod formed their business partnership. www.RealEstateInvestingQuickStartGuide.com

    Google Improves Search

    Last week Google updated it’s search engine, the update called Google Caffeine, is already improving the search experience for users around the World.

    Also reports from the Financial Times have indicated that Google is looking to improve the quality of it’s search results by weeding out content that simply ticks SEO boxes without providng any reader value. If true this could lead to a paradigm shift in how companies handle copywriting to become more reader- over system-oriented.

    While unlikely to have much of an impact on mainstream media outlets Google’s move, if successful, could see the quality of searches for niche products improve. This would certainly be a boon to users frustrated by websites reliant onlarge amounts of poor content to maintain search position.

    Other businesses would be doing well to take note of the move as the decline of blogging as a business tool continues in favour of more immediate methods of engage like Twitter and Facebook.

    “This is a great move by Google,” said Woweb, a UK web design company in Lancashire.

    “What this means for the end user is a better search engine that provides more relevant and up to date results. It’s going to limit the amount of search engine trickery by unethical SEO companies, and give search engine users a list of websites that provide quality content that is of value.”

    Police in breach of the Data Protection Act

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    by David Neal

    The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has found Kent Police in breach of the Data Protection Act.

    This is the second time in as many weeks that the ICO has set its enforcers on the police. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was hit with an enforcement notice last week after failing to respond to 69 Freedom of Information requests on time.

    ICO deputy commissioner Graham Smith said that the IPCC notice should to serve as a “strong signal to all public authorities that failure to respond [to Freedom of Information requests] is unacceptable”.

    Now, a week later, Kent Police has been found wanting in its transportation and storage of personal information.

    A notice on the ICO web site said that it had taken action after documents were stolen from the boot of a police officer’s car, which was parked at a residential address. The information was discarded and eventually handed in at the police station by a member of the public.

    Further enquiries found that the officer had not used a secure briefcase to transport papers, and had not been given a “secure storage facility” to use at home.

    “It is essential that police forces ensure that correct safeguards are in place when storing and transferring personal information, especially when it concerns highly confidential information,” said Sally-Anne Poole, enforcement group manager at the ICO.

    “A lack of awareness of data protection requirements can lead to personal information falling into the wrong hands.”

    BNP Activist Gets Away With Creating Anti-Muslim Leaflets

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    A BNP activist who delivered leaflets which blamed Muslims for the heroin trade has been cleared of intending to incite religious hatred.

    Anthony Bamber, 54, of Preston, printed and distributed the documents claiming Muslims were responsible for importing the drug from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    They demanded that followers of Islam “apologise and pay compensation” for the trade, Preston Crown Court heard.

    Mr Bamber said he had wanted to provoke a discussion about the heroin trade.

    He denied seven counts of distributing threatening written material intended to stir up religious hatred between March and November 2008 and was cleared by a jury on all counts.

    ‘Crime against humanity’

    Mr Bamber, of Greenbank Street, was responsible for a campaign which delivered 30,000 leaflets to targeted areas and individuals across the north of England over a 12-month period, the court heard.

    Entitled The Heroin Trade, the leaflet said: “Before the Islamic invasion it was impossible to find heroin in our land.

    “Muslims are almost exclusively responsible for its production, transportation and sale.

    “It is a crime against humanity because it has caused far more suffering than slavery ever did. It has led to millions of premature deaths.”

    Muslims should be held to account with condemnation heaped upon them so that it would lead to the abolition of the trade, it added.

    Representing himself at his trial, Mr Bamber told jurors there had been “no unpleasant incidents or social unrest” following the distribution of the leaflets.

    Mr Bamber said he had targeted the leaflets at professionals, hoping to create curiosity and interest which would then lead to a debate.

    He said: “It was a desire to protest at what I say is a monstrous abomination. I believe I have the right to protest about the heroin trade.

    “I think it should be discussed and debated, and it will come [round] to my opinion that it is a crime against humanity.

    “I believe I was doing a good thing.”

    Following the verdict, Det Supt Neil Hunter, of Lancashire police said: “While we are disappointed with today’s decision, we accept the decision of the court.

    “Notwithstanding today’s decision we condemn the contents of the leaflets and their distribution which we are concerned has the potential to damage community cohesion.”

    Via BBC

    Teen Found Guilty For Facebook Murder

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    A 16-year-old boy has been detained for killing a former friend after the pair traded insults on Facebook.

    Salum Kombo, 18, was stabbed in the chest in Bromley-by-Bow, east London, in December after calling his killer, then 15, names including “pussy”.

    The trial heard the boy, who was found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey in May, could not take the “loss of face”.

    The teenager, who cannot be named, has been ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years.

    Sentencing the boy at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said: “There was nothing brave about what you did.

    “This was quite simply an act of cowardice, as so many stabbings are.”

    David Jeremy QC, prosecuting, said: “A young man has lost his life following a petty dispute and a perceived loss of face by the perpetrator.”

    Mr Jeremy said a previous friendship between Mr Kombo and the defendant had turned to “hostility” and they had a fight last summer after a football match.

    The court heard that on the night of the murder, the killer had been with friends outside a fish bar.

    The trial heard how they tried to calm him down when he became angry and started talking about stabbing the older youth.

    Via BBC

    $250 Million Earned Since Michael Jackson’s Death

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    According to lawyers, in the year since his death, Michael Jackson’s estate has earned more than $250 million.

    They say that the money is rolling in and the debt he had built up during his lifetime was finally being paid off.

    It would seem that all those people who said Michael Jackson might earn more in death than in life are being proved right.

    Like the estates of Elvis Presley and Yves Saint Laurent, Jackson’s has grown sharply since he died on June 25, 2009.

    Without Jackson’s lavish spending sprees, and with the help of new revenue pouring in from nostalgia over the reign of the King of Pop, estate coexecutors John Branca and John McClain have turned around Jackson’s finances.

    A kingdom that was on the verge of collapse from more than $500 million in debt now looks to be able to support his three children and his mother and donate to children’s charities.

    The estate has earned more than $250 million in the year since he died. Executors used some of that to pay off $70 million in debt, including the $5 million mortgage on the Jackson family compound in Encino, part of Los Angeles. The interest payments on the remaining debt are now covered by a steady flow of cash.

    “They’re off to a spectacularly good start,” said Lance Grode, a former Jackson lawyer and adjunct professor at the University of southern California Law School. He added, however, “there’s a long way to go before they pay off all of their debts.”

    A rundown of deals suggests that Jackson’s fortune will be even bigger than could have been realised by a planned series of comeback concerts:

    * A posthumous deal to sell unreleased Jackson recordings with Sony Music guaranteed $200 million over seven years. It has already brought $125 million to the estate.

    * The film This Is It, based on his final concert rehearsal footage, grossed $252 million worldwide. Sony Pictures paid the estate $60 million in advance, with an undisclosed amount more to come from DVD sales.

    * Licensing deals on merchandise sold by Universal Music Group’s Bravado unit and a new dance game by Ubisoft Entertainment brought in $26 million in advances. More is possible if unit sales are high.

    * The Mijac Music catalogue of copyrights, on songs that Jackson wrote, generated $25 million in the past year, thanks to heavy airplay on radio stations and song and album sales.

    * Music publisher Sony/ATV, the copyright holder of the Beatles’ and other artists’ songs, posted double-digit percentage revenue gains in the year through March. That netted Jackson’s estate, which owns a 50 per cent stake, $11 million.

    * Other income, including from a re-release of Jackson’s autobiography, Moon Walk, and sales of commemorative tickets to his cancelled concerts, brought in another $25 million.

    The tally does not include a deal with Cirque du Soleil for shows inspired by Jackson’s music, in which the estate will share half the costs and profits when the performances begin in late 2011. Nor does it account for a deal in the works to nearly double the estate’s income from Sony/ATV. That cash goes to pay down most of Jackson’s remaining debt.

    According to Mr Branca, coexecutor, and Jackson’s longtime lawyer and business manager, the new deals follow a script the two set out shortly before the singer died.

    “When I met with him before he died we went through an agenda. John (McClain) and I are really executing on that,” Mr Branca said. “We’re doing the things we think Michael would have wanted.”

    Several people have been paid for overdue bills after spending years trying to track the singer down. Others who haven’t yet been paid say they have been treated professionally by the estate; a night and day change from his old regime.

    “We couldn’t (collect) until unfortunately he passed away,” said Joseph Akhtarzad, a Jackson family friend who owns the Santa Monica-based Video & Audio Center. Last month, the estate settled a $128,429 tab with Akhtarzad for electronics goods owed since 2007.

    Thomas Mesereau, who successfully defended Jackson in his 2005 child molestation trial, said the estate recently paid his law firm $341,452 for services provided after the trial, when Jackson moved to Bahrain. The firm revived its claim in September because it gave up dealing with Jackson’s previous managers.

    If Elvis is any example, a moderate level of earnings could flow into Jackson’s estate for decades.

    Sony Music said more than 31 million Jackson albums have sold worldwide since he died, a stratospheric number for a music industry in decline.

    With 8.3 million albums sold in North America, he was the top-selling artist in 2009, easily topping Taylor Swift’s 4.6 million. It marked the most albums sold in a year since Usher topped 8 million in 2004, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

    Even since the start of this year, Jackson songs have been played on the radio in the US and Canada 140,000 times, about 10 times the pace before he died, according to Nielsen. Nearly a million Jackson albums have sold this year and a new album of unreleased material is set to hit stores in November, roughly in tandem with a new video game in which fans can mimic his signature moves.

    “In the year that Michael has gone, we realise how incredibly talented he was,” said Marty Bandier, the chief executive of Sony/ATV. “The guy was the King of Pop and more.”

    Peter Orszag, White House budget director to resign

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    According to reports from Washington, Barack Obama’s most senior budget official, Peter Orszag is going to resign later this year.

    Mr Orszag has been one of the Obama administration’s more prominent faces and will become the most senior official to leave it when he resigns in July.

    He holds Cabinet-level rank and a pivotal role in shaping and defending how the administration spends the public’s money.

    His departure has been expected for some time. Colleagues said he was likely to join a think tank after leaving government.

    Mr Orszag, 41, became director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in January 2009. Democratic sources told the ABC said that he wanted to move on after successfully overseeing the passage of the $862 billion stimulus bill and health care reform.

    Eighteen months is an average amount of time for OMB directors to spend in the role and if he had stayed any longer he would be locked into working on the next round of budgets.

    The Obama administration has declined to comment and Mr Orszag’s spokesman, Kenneth Baer, said only: “Peter’s focused on his work, not on Washington speculation.”

    Politico named his most likely successors as Laura D’Andrea Tyson, chief economic adviser to President Bill Clinton, and Gene Sperling, now a counsellor to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

    Mr Orszag made headlines last year after he dumped his pregnant girlfriend for ABC newscaster Bianna Golodryga after they met at last year’s White House Correspondents Dinner.

    The pair are now engaged.

    The move comes as Obama continues to face the steep economic challenges of reining in the deficit and rallying support for more stimulative spending. The economic recovery is plodding along but unemployment remains near 10 percent.

    Source

    Money Saving Tips for Online Business Websites

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    by Mark Lu

    In this tough economy, it is crucial for online businesses to cut cost just to survive. Below are some of the tips that businesses should look into to help them save some money.

    – Businesses can cut website hosting cost by switching to an business web hosting provider like ChimeHost. These days the cost of web hosting has dropped drastically and companies are offering professional level web hosting for a low monthly price. Just because a website falls in a business category doesn’t give the reason to pay higher prices. If a business website only has 10 pages, there is no need to pay $30-$50 per month for web hosting. If a company website is growing, it can always be expanded by moving the site to virtual private server or a dedicated server. There is no need to start from dedicated server if the website is only few web pages.

    – Use free providers like Ratepoint to allow customers to rate your service and at the same time communicate with them via email.

    – Offer Live Chat Support on your website by using free software by Volusion and Livezilla.

    – Use free e-commerce solution from Magento. Magento offers e-commerce solution with catalog and customer management, central administration over multiple storefronts, support for multiple currencies and languages, and strong reporting and analytics. When it comes to accepting online payments, more money can be saved by switching to online merchant providers like Paypal

    – If the business ships products on daily basis, they should look into getting an account with the shipping company like USP, Fedex etc. Having an account will save time because all packages will be picked up from the store by the shipping company. This will allow the employees to focus on the work at hand instead of making trips to the shipping store.

    – Market your website online for free. With the introduction of web 2.0 that includes everything from video sites, social bookmarking and article submission websites, you can market your website to potential customers for free. Sites that provide useful content will rank high in search engines and can bring tons of free traffic. Some of the example of top web 2.0 sites include Hubpages, Zimbio, Wikispaces, Wetpaint, Goarticle, EzineArticles etc. Furthermore, setting up an company account with Twitter and Facebook for business will help stay in touch with customers. If you have a product or service website, setting up an Youtube account with product demonstration or tutorials can help bring in traffic.

    – Businesses should look into VOIP phone service or virtual phone system to save money on monthly phone bills. Unlike traditional phone service, virtual phone system relies on internet and offers a lower monthly rate. Most of the voip companies offer features like toll free number for business, fax, extensions for staff, voice mail etc. Some of the providers include Nextiva, Ring Central, Phone Power, VirtualPBX and eVoice

    – Use openoffice for documents, spreadsheets and graphics. With Openoffice, businesses don’t have to pay for licenses and it comes with MS-Office compatibility. For free business documents, Docstoc is the ultimate source.

    – Need a computer? – Look into budget pcs or buy used. Again, not every business needs to order top of the line products. Purchases should be made based on needs of the business. For example, if the employees are expected to do only excel, word processing, powerpoint etc, there is no need to pay $1500 for a new pc. Businesses should be looking at a price tag of $500 for performing basic computer tasks.

    – Businesses should call and ask for lower price. Simply by picking up the phone and calling suppliers can end up saving a lot of money. New deals are being introduced on regular basis and many businesses won’t bother to contact their customers if they are lowering prices. Therefore, it is crucial to contact every company that you do business with and at least try. It won’t hurt anyone. One can also look for deals online by visiting sites like Craiglist and Google Product Search.

    Irenew Bracelet Review – Does it Really Work?

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    Anonymous Guest Post |

    Perhaps you have seen advertisements online or on television for the irenew bracelet. However, you may be wondering if the product really works or if it is merely advertising hype. Before you buy, you want to learn a bit more. To help you make up your own mind, here is an Irenew bracelet review to give you a better look at this product.

    First, you may be wondering what the irenew bracelet is. This bracelet is a specially designed bracelet that is supposed to bring you energy. It goes beyond some of the other magnetic jewelry already available, working to give you energy, strength, and balance with a new technology. The company advertises that not only will your energy be increased with this bracelet, but you will get better rest too. You can purchase the braclet in two different colors – black or white. The price of one of these bracelets is $19.99, although a special offer may allow you to get two bracelets for this price.

    How Irenew Bracelet Work?

    All you have to do to enjoy the benefits of the Irenew bracelet is to wear it. The effects should be felt within 10-20 minutes and the longer you wear it, the more effects you will notice. The bracelet is designed to work by taking your biofield, rebalancing it, and returning it to a state that is more natural to you. This Irenew bracelet makes use of biofield technology, balancing out the energy frequencies that are around you, which can be unbalanced as a result of the electromagnetic radiation that can be all around you.

    Irenew Bracelet Benefits

    In our Irenew bracelet review, we found that there are many benefits that you can enjoy when you purchase and begin wearing one of these bracelets on a regular basis. Overall health can be improved in a variety of ways. Inflammation can be reduced, you can experience better sleep at night, circulation can be improved, and you will be better able to deal with stress. Another benefit that you will experience is more energy. You will find yourself more focused, strength will increase, and even your flexibility will become better with this bracelet.

    The Bottom Line

    In the end, the Irenew bracelet definitely shows promise and seems to provide some excellent benefits. If you are unsure about the product, you can find many testimonials on the web from other consumers. There are many who report excellent results when wearing this bracelet, which lets you know that this is more than just a bunch of hype.

    Another positive aspect about the Irenew bracelet is that the company is so convinced it works that they are willing to stand behind their product. If you are unhappy with it and you don’t enjoy the benefits advertised, you can send back the bracelet to get your money back. For those who are feeling run down and fatigued, the Irenew bracelet can provide that extra energy you need and can also improve your overall health in many ways. With a 100% guarantee, it is definitely worth giving a try.

    Related Product

    Trion:Z Bracelet
    Produces twenty to fifty times more Minus Ions than competing Ion bracelets
    Can be washed and will still maintain its minus-ion producing properties when wet
    Can be worn while swimming or surfing
    Trion:Z creates a boost in the bodys magnetic field, embracing its natural active aura
    Trion:Zs minus-ion properties counteract the Positive Ions created by modern technology and daily stress
    More Info

    Local Native Plant Nursery Takes it to the People

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    Press Release

    Scholls Valley Native Nursery announced for the first time ever they will be selling containerized and herbaceous native plants at local farmer’s markets. The local farmers markets will include Tigard Sunday Market and Beaverton Wednesday Market this summer. This Salmon-Safe certified plant nursery in Forest Grove, Oregon has always dealt only in the wholesale market. Brad Burke, son of owner Sara Burke Kral, will be responsible for the farmers market business.

    “This is the first direct retail sales for Scholls Valley Native Nursery,” said Sara Burke Kral, from SchollsValley.com. “We look forward to providing locally grown native plants to homeowners in our area.”

    Scholls Valley Native Nursery plants are often purchased for resale by retail nurseries. The majority, however are used in habitat and other restoration and naturalization projects.

    Scholls Valley Native Nursery started business with only 5 acres of leased land. They saw unprecedented growth during their early years of operation. Scholls Valley now operates a wholesale-only nursery on almost 60 acreages of prime acreage along Gales Creek in Forest Grove, Oregon. They offer a wide variety of plants that are all native to the Pacific Northwest.

    First Goal For Greece as They Beat Nigeria in The 2010 World Cup

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    It was Greece’s day as they won their first ever World Cup game. Greece has never scored in any of their World Cup appearances. Today history was made at the Free State stadium in Bloemfontein.

    The game was between Greece and Super Eagles:Nigeria. With 31 thousand crowd Greece have delayed their plane trip home
    as they were able to capitalise on Nigeria 10 men squad. Nigeria’s Sani Kaita was sent off in the 33rd minute for raise his foot and making contact with Greece on the touchline when the ball was already out of play. The Columbian referee consulted with the left linesman and consequently pulled out his Red Card.

    This sending off was sure to cost Nigeria the game as Greece stepped up their game to put more men forward in the opponents box.

    Dimitrios SalpingiBefore the first Greece goal however, Nigeria’s Kala Uche won a free kick goal in the first 15 minutes to score in 35 yards. The free kick went straight through the players and into the back of the net.

    Nigeria taking an early lead then went onto a sliding slope as the game developed. Dimitrios Salpingidis scored the equaliser to give Greece hope of remaining in the tournament. History in the making. One would say. Greece’s Vassilis

    Torosidis sealing the deal with his 71st minute goal to put them ahead of Nigeria. Greece celebrations are indeed in.

    Lack of discipline cost Nigeria the game while Greece unexpectedly victorious with a final score of 2-1 in this group. This means that Argentina do not automatically go through to the next round but is a slight delay since they are of higher quality of the four. Next game for Greece is Argentina while Nigeria play South Korea. An all, Greece certainly has something to celebrate for the duration of the World Cup 2010 tournament.

    Vist World Cup Soccer for more information on the 2010 tournament.

    Brazil and North Korea World Cup 2010 Special

    1

    by Brad Lockston

    Many would agree that this is the toughest group of the tournament. The teams are Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast and Portugal. The focus of this report is the match between Brazil and North Korea. The game took place at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, 15th June 2010.

    North Korea are ranked number 105 in the world with Brazil at number One. For the first time in 44 years North Korean has appeared in 2010 World Cup. The game was very uplifting with North Korea standing their ground from the first whistle.

    North Korea showed a very good defensive job with wonderful attitude and commitment in preventing Brazil’s first goal. The first half demonstrated quick and sharp challenges by North Korea. Notably, the No. 9 player T.TAE SE had some great runs but just could not get the ball behind the net. T.TAE SE plays his football in Japan and were sure to see more of him in upcoming matches.

    It was an sensational scoreline at half-time with a draw: 0-0. For Brasil it was about being patient and not get frustrated as the North Korea’s continued their fine defending towards the closing first half.

    In the 2nd half at the 55th minute we see arguably one of the best goals of the tournament thus far. The No. 2 shirt, Maicon just about found room on the nearside post to score the first goal in the match. What a goal!

    The Brazil right back’s goal has been debated as if intentional or did he mean to put a cross in to team mates. Well, a Brazil goal is a Brazil goal. Not too long after in the 72nd minute the fans are treated with another goal by Brasil. This time by Elano, set-up by Robinho, making it 2-0 to Brazil.

    But wait! a surprise shocker from North Korea Ji Yun-Nam wearing the No.8 in the 88th minute. This was an impressive goal making this game one of the highlights of the tournament. Ji Yun-Nam received a lovely pass and converted it to a goal in between Brazil’s Julio Cesar and the goal keeper. Final score Brazil 2 – North Korea 1.

    Looking ahead for North Korea defence in this group. Ivory Coast’s national team forward Didier
    Drogba, maybe able to penetrate North Korea’s defence because of his size and power. Without Drogba however, Ivory Coast could be looking at certain defeat. Admittedly, Brazil had trouble in the first half but were able to get through eventually. It will be interesting to see Cristiano Ronaldo brake through the North Korean defence because he is the only upfront forward that has been noticed so far for Portugal.

    Click here for more world cup news today.

    More Unemployed Workers Going Online To Make Money

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    by Alexander Mathis

    As the world economy struggles to rebound, more and more unemployed adults are looking in to how to make money online. In the U.S. alone, the unemployment rate still causes economist observers to cringe and worry about the future of the job market.

    Recent figures have noted a slight increase in employment, but the numbers are still far below average and increasingly a cause for concern about the overall health of the American economy, as well as the world economy. As the unemployed continue to suffer economically and look for jobs, many have begun to think about self-employment and entrepreneurship.

    The world having turned into a multimedia environment where bloggers have become news sources and many have achieved fame solely through the internet, the public’s perception has changed about the purpose of the World Wide Web. As social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter dominate traffic on the internet and users spend large amounts of time on such sites, the newly unemployed look to capitalize on the changing consciousness of the current generation and how we communicate and interact. With the economic collapse of 2009, the possibility to make money online has now piqued the interest of many who would have never thought of attempting to start a business solely through the medium of the internet.

    “I have been noticing a sharp increase in interest regarding earning a living through the internet throughout the last year,” remarks Joshua Reinbold, owner of a make money on the net website.

    “The average person still has no idea how to make a website or even upload files to a server. These are the kinds of basic things I have to include in my online course in order to bring a student along slowly. After we get those details out of the way, we then can teach the real strategies on how to earn a real living by generating profits through websites and other online avenues. It’s an exciting world in which we live.”

    Advertisements on how to make money online have been increasingly bombarding the average internet user over the last 5-10 years, and have earned owners of websites in this market millions during the last decade. One problem, though, is that consumers must watch out for scams and many have become wary of any and all such programs.

    “If you see an online advertisement, such as ads I remember in the past about to make money thousands per day filling out a few surveys per day, or, more recently, earning hundreds of dollars per hour by pushing a few buttons for Google, you should be extremely wary,” continues Reinbold.

    “These are the types of empty promises that make the rest of us making an honest living through our online businesses look bad, and leads to hesitant customers and students. The problem is anyone can truly create an honest living this way, but it does take some work. It’s amazing how some seem to think all the work should be done for them. I would still say that making money online is easier to do than starting a business offline and requires less startup capital, as well.”

    Perhaps as the economy continues its slow recovery, more of the unemployed will attempt to create a living through the use of the internet. Online business has grown even with the poor economy, and we will most likely see a large growth in the amount of money exchanged on the internet in the years to come.

    Mail Order Canadian Pharmacy Reduces Medication Costs Internationally

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    Patients find falling costs of US and Canada Drugs as Canadian mail order pharmacy site begins cost-cutting initiatives

    Press Release

    While it is widely known that buying medication from a Canadian pharmacy can save significant sums of money, one online Canadian mail order pharmacy is taking those savings even further this month with their new lowest price guarantee, free shipping policy and $20 credit for each new member.

    CanadaDrugCenter.com is assuring their customers that they have the lowest prices of any Canadian mail order pharmacy. In addition to that, if a customer finds the prescription and non-prescription medications sold on their Canadian pharmacy website at a lower price elsewhere, then they will also drop to that price with no questions asked.

    “We sell a combination of brand name and generic Canadian drugs from a Pharmacy Checker verified pharmacy” says pharmacist Wilfred Mak. “We do this so that our customers have a comprehensive choice in the medications that they buy, rather than being restricted to only the most expensive brands.”

    The Canada drugs website also launched a news section on June 1st, broadcasting the latest advances in the health care and pharmacy sectors. These latest ventures are expected to generate interest not only to customers, but to those looking for a health and pharmaceutical portal; complete with news, information and medications to order.

    The CanadaDrugCenter.com domain was established in mid 2007, and the company have been distributing prescription and non-prescription medicines to the US and Canada since then. They are also proud to exhibit their Pharmacy Checker approval, which ensures the shipping process is initiated by a licensed physician, in a licensed Canadian pharmacy.

    Exactly how the emergence of Canadian mail order pharmacy websites like CanadaDrugCenter.com will affect the US and Canada drug market is yet unknown. Free shipping charges and low price guarantees for each new member, however, should make a tangible difference to monthly medication expenditure, and improve family finances for the better over the coming year.

    World Cup 2010 Report – First Matches

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    by Brad Lockston

    Get ready the South Africa World Cup 2010 Soccer is upon us.

    Who will past the round of 16? Who will get past the fifth game? Who will charge past the semi’s? Who will make it to the end? Which team is in better physical condition to take the cup?

    There will be some 32 teams competing for World Cup glory. The current favourites are Spain and Brazil with North Korea still in for a chance.

    June 11th 2010 marked the historical occasion where South Africa hosts the World Cup Football, where one will see a shirt from every nation.

    The first match played was between the host nation South Africa and Mexico, which saw a 1-1 draw. Aaron Mokoena was the captain for South Africa whilst veteran Rafael Marquez was captain Mexico. Mokoena still carries the nations hopes on his shoulders so a high degree of pressure is in the making.

    The second of the World Cup 2010 soccer games was between Uruguay and France, which again saw a draw, this time 0-0. Captain for France Patrice Evra stated that “The French team has something to play for. We really believe in ourselves.” and of course like Uruguay are not new to winning the world cup.

    Cape Town

    England’s Steven Gerrard taking over as captain since Rio Ferdinand became injured said “In this day and age I think it’s important to show the referees some respect,” Gerrard said. “You don’t use any language because then you’ll be booked and the whole team suffers. You don’t want to fall into that trap…”We’ve had experience of losing big players at important times.” Saturday is
    the day for USA and England.

    Many will have already heard and seen the trumpet called a vuvuzela which can measure a whopping three feet. Just imagine if South Africa played Brazil. The combination of the vuvuzela and well known samba drum will be most electrifying. This would be so loud that it would be heard through the African continent. Get your whistles out folks the World Cup 2010 is here.

    Check out The World Cup 2010 News for further information.

    New details released about Apple’s iphone 4

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    by Steven Fox

    Apple has announced the iphone 4 yesterday in San Francisco. Although there was quite a lot of early information on the iphone 4 that was leaked a few months ago, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs did have new details to report.

    The iphone 4, is according to Apple ‘the slimmest smart phone ever made’. This time the phone has a 5 megapixels camera wit LED flash, video recording in HD, a 3.5-inch screen and something the company “Retinal Display” calls. The screen has a resolution four times higher than that of the previous version.

    For gamers, the iphone 4 has a interesting new feature. Besides the sharper images the iPhone 4 also have a gyroscope, which enables several movements to register. Something that according to Apple will give a complete new game experiences on the phone.

    iPad chip

    The iphone 4 runs on a A4 processor, the same one that is found in Apple’s iPad and according to Steve Jobs the battery duration of the iphone 4 will be significantly longer with this chip. Furthermore, a camera is integrated in the front of the device so the iphone also has the ability to video chat.

    Apple announced yesterday that the new gadget will be available from June 24 in America, England, France, Japan and Germany. A specific date for other countries was not given.

    US citizens have the opportunity to test drive and keep the iphone 4. Click here for more information.

    Gold Futures Hit Record High This Week, Gold Trading Still Seen as Safety Net

    2

    by Marco Lavanna

    Historically, gold trading has always been considered a safe investment and hedge against inflation. Whenever there is economic uncertainty and turmoil in the global economies, smart investors turn to gold as a way to maintain the value of their investments. Typically, investors have banked on gold in USD but with the euro so unstable recently, there has a been a spike in trading in euro-denominated gold futures.

    With Greece, Spain and Portugal already worrisome, this week’s warning from Fitch Ratings about the UK deficit really sparked concern over the European markets and what would happen next. As the debt crisis quickly overtakes one country after another across Europe, gold trading has continued to rise and was at record-breaking levels this week.

    Gold assets are thought of as an insurance policy by many experienced investors because it is a way of preserving value when currencies are losing their values. Whenever there is a depreciating currency, gold goes up as investors hedge their bets.

    Analysts predict that gold is likely to outperform other investments if the global economy cycles into a deflationary period, as is thought might be happening after the recent global financial crisis.

    Leonard Kaplan of Prospect Asset Management says, “Everbody is scared that the recovery simply isn’t going to happen. During deflation, money gets destroyed and gold goes down the least.”

    When one decides to invest in gold trading of one kind or another, there is a learning curve. It’s not like a person can just walk into their local bank and ask to buy gold like they can with savings bonds or CDs.

    There are several methods of investing in gold, each with its own individual advantages and disadvantages. Some invest in gold coins simply for the value of the gold; others invest in coins that also have historical value. A person can actually buy gold buillion but it is bulky, heavy and not easily stored safely. Some will buy gold in jewelry form as an investment. All of these methods of gold trading will require a person to be able to store the gold physically but there are methods that do not involve actually being in possession of the gold.

    The easiest way to invest in gold would be to purchase gold mining stocks or trade in gold futures. With gold mining stocks, a person can buy stocks through just about any brokerage firm. Gold futures trading is a leveraged method of gold trading where one is basically betting on the future price of gold — generally about three months in advance.

    If an investor is new to gold trading, it is highly recommended to do some research and find out how the gold markets work. One of the best ways to learn from successful gold traders is to join a discussion group centered on gold trading, like The Gold Economy Forums. In the forums, new gold traders can find out about how the markets work and the best methods of gold trading for the current economic situation.

    Venezuela World’s Newest Forex Market; Euro Remains Under Pressure

    5

    by Marco Lavanna

    In an effort to stop the spiraling depreciation of the bolivar, Venezuela has launched their own regulated forex market. The bolivar’s rapid downward race has been driving inflation rates up faster than a rocket, hitting an inflationary rate of 31% last month. President Hugo Chavez and the socialist regime of Venezuela introduced the new foreign exchange market hoping to counter this rapid devaluation of their national currency.

    The Venezuelan government already had several things in place designed to control the currency, including two fixed rates, and a legal loophole allowed for foreign exchange with bond trading. The new regulations close this loophole and put the market firmly under the control and oversight of the central bank.

    According to the central bank, a large part of the bolivar’s depreciation was due to rampant speculation in the old system, to the tune of about $30 billion. They say the new forex market will only deal with $5-6 billion with the stringent regulations now in place. Others say the bolivar drop was more due to the OPEC member’s reduced oil revenues.

    In other forex markets, the euro continued to cause traders some anxiety as the continuing instability in the European markets has left investors wary. Comments from Dai Xianglong, chairman of China’s National Social Security Fund, helped the euro hold fairly steady and contributed to a flurry of trading in the Australian exchange with the news of increased exporting to China.

    After the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book survey showed tame growth for the US, the dollar fell versus the yen. The Swedish krona and Brazil’s real both made gains versus the dollar, as well.

    Forex trading is the now common term that simply means trading currencies. While a small portion of the $3 trillion dollars traded daily is the result of government or companies actual currency conversion needs, the majority of the trading is done on speculative basis. A forex trader will buy one currency while selling another, each time in the hopes that the value of the currency being bought will go up.

    Trading in the forex markets is not for the faint of heart as the speed of changes can be moment to moment, however, experienced traders can earn very healthy incomes when they know what they are doing. The key is to learn about how the markets work and how to be able to gauge with an accuracy what will happen with particular currencies. To learn more about forex, visit websites dedicated to the markets such as http://www.helpwithforextrading.com/learn-forex

    If It Can Happen to Al and Tipper Gore, It Can Happen to Anyone

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    by Marco Lavanna

    When word got out that former Vice President Al Gore and wife Tipper were splitting up, older Americans were in shock. Having just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary not long before the news came out, people thought Al and Tipper were the epitome of a lasting, happy marriage.

    These days, many couples are finding themselves in similar situations. All the reasons that used to keep couples together, like children, evaporate once the children are grown and left home. Too many older couples find they no longer have anything in common with each other.

    For older people who’ve been in a committed relationship for several decades, the dating scene of today seems foreign and frightening. Many things have changed in the last 20-40 years, not the least of which is the advent of the internet. Avenues to meeting people that were available to them earlier in life may feel closed in later years.

    Most senior singles don’t want to hit the bar scene like they may have done when they were in their twenties. Blind dates, never anyone’s favorite option, is harder when most of your friends are married. Newspapers these days rarely offer the personal classified sections that they used to.

    Married couples tend to hang out with other married people so when someones finds themself single over 60, they often don’t know any single people. If a senior single is still working, there is opportunities to meet other senior singles through the work environment but retirees are often left with little choice.

    The modern way to meet others has become the internet. The web of today is a much richer, more interactive environment than it was even a few years ago. Social networking is today’s mix and mingle. Social networking sites are those like Facebook, Twitter and similar sites where you can keep in touch with family and friends. Today, these sites are also the way many are making new friends.

    Online dating sites have replaced the club scene for many people but online dating can be more indimidating to a single senior due to not being as familiar with the media. Plus many online dating sites cater to the younger singles from 18 to 40 so there aren’t many other single seniors. However, sites like Senior Dating USA are changing that for many older singles.

    Rather than opening registration to anyone and everyone, Senior Dating USA limits membership to those 40 and older. It is designed for those single seniors to find and get to know other older singles from all over the United States. Like other dating sites, a senior single can fill out their detailed profile of who they are and what type of person they want to meet. They are then shown potential matches based on their answers so that they only are introduced to other senior singles that appeal to them.

    England to Win the World Cup 2010 in South Africa?

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    by Brad Lockston

    What Chance Does England Have For The World Cup 2010 Victory?

    Regardless of what many people are saying England still have a great chance of wining the Football World Cup 2010. Of course they do. England has as much chance as any other team of winning in this tournament. Let’s see why.

    Why are so many people writing England off the World Cup 2010 victory?

    The answer to this could be because a few topplayers have been injured at the last minute before World Cup kickoff. Who are these players that have been injured and thus lead people to think England has no chance of victory.

    The England captain Rio Ferdinand has suffered injury to his knee causing ligament damage. This came about in training and considered the biggest upset for England hopes. Ferdinand has been ruled out of the team for the greatest world sports tournament. The sombre look of many fans are realised as they see Ferdinand leaves the Netcare Fearncrest Hospital.

    Ferdinand said of the injury “It was just a freakish accident really,” How minor was this tackle by his team mate EmileHeskey? This question will be asked time and time again. Well, an ligament damage is an ligament damage, yes? Who is to replace Ferdinand? There are three contenders for the replacement of Ferdinand: Ledley King and Jamie Carragher,or even Michael Dawson. This shall be seen on the day when England play United States in Rustenburg.

    Who are some of the injured?

    David Beckham has been signed off with an achilles injury so he won’t be playing. England still has Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard to take the team forward to victory. We also have David James with theNumber 1 shirt as goalkeeper but maybe. Both Joe Cole and Gareth Barry will experience South Africa.

    There is still hope for Fabio Capello’s side to lift the trophy on come July 11. Why because Joe Cole said so.”When players are not being picked on reputations and the manager is choosing his team solely on form, fitness and temperament, that is when you get the better team ethic and things gel together.” True to say, with some new faces on the England bench with a desire and a passion to win could indeed raise hope for World Cup victory. For further information about England World Cup 2010 new visit World Cup Football 2010 to get the latest.

    With Gulf Oil Spill Raising BP Bankruptcy Fears, Amazon Shoppers are Helping With Cleanup

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    With Gulf Oil Spill Raising BP Bankruptcy Fears, Amazon Shoppers are Helping With Cleanup

    The Gulf oil spill disaster has been raising speculation on BP Bankruptcy filing. The oil spill disaster is leaving the future of families, the ecosystem, animals, and BP in jeopardy. BP has pledged to cover the costs of the cleanup. The question is what will happen if BP files for bankruptcy. If BP files bankruptcy, the Gulf oil spill cleanup will be passed onto the U.S. government. Meaning, it will cost taxpayers! BP Bankruptcy filing is speculation, but the company losing 47% of its value is a fact.

    Images of sea turtles, fish, and birds covered in oil are beginning to surface. Relief is needed to the people and wildlife affected by the Gulf oil spill disaster. The oil is spreading across the Gulf Coast and along the once beautiful shorelines, damaging the fragile ecosystem, and wreaking marine life. The estimates of the Gulf oil spill has raised to the biggest oil spill in history.

    The damage of the BP Gulf oil spill can easily cause over $2 billion in damage, in Florida alone. A University of Central Florida economist states that the oil spill disaster can cost the economy in Florida $2.2 billion. The estimated job loss, in an already high unemployment rate state, is 39,000. Not only is the fishing industry affected but also tourism to Florida has already plummeted.

    The oil spill is already devastating the Gulf and it will have long-term consequences. Through a partnership of Amazon and HopeVote, Amazon users can help this environmental disaster at no cost. Every purchase at Amazon will benefit the Gulf coast Oil Spill Fund and the National Wildlife Federation. To participate in the fundraiser, Amazon shoppers need only to navigate to http://www.hopevote.com, where they can see the current results of the fundraiser and navigate to the familiar Amazon storefront, through a special link. The purchases made after following the link will help benefit the relief of the Gulf oil spill disaster.

    Media Contact:

    Clayton Somera

    HopeVote

    Phone: (707) 712-0633

    Email: clayton@hopevote.com

    Everyone Can Be A Private Investigator — Get Your Own Criminal Records Search

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    Press Release

    As of right now there are 6 million Americans that are currently in jail, given parole or are on probation. A very large number of these criminals when released will go on to commit a repeat offence.

    Fact is every citizen has the right and the need to defend themselves, and up until recently at great expense you could only get a private investigator to perform a criminal records search on an individual.

    Employers, investigators, parents and others are becoming private investigators daily and uncovering fully detailed reports on felonies, sex offenses and much much more.

    Thousands of people are discovering this new service and although certain databases compile data for millions of U.S.A citizens, there are still many criminal records searches for additional countries like the UK, Canada and Australia.

    Today you can search over 200 million public records, once only accessible to the police, federal government and private investigators. These ever updated databases will return instant results on criminal records, court records, marriage records, birth records, bankruptcy files, people searches and so much more.

    Times are changing and from the comfort of your own home and for your piece of mind you can become your own private investigator and get your own criminal records search.

    For more information on this extraordinary service view the link below.
    CLICK HERE FOR YOUR CRIMINAL RECORDS SEARCH

    Debt Relief Programs Personal To You

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    by Charles Daidone

    A recent study has shown that the average American person carries over $8400 in bad debt. This can be loans, credit cards, store cards etc. etc. With so many people carrying this debt around with them, we decided to take a look at ways in which we could become debt free by settling our debts and not declaring ourselves bankrupt. During our search for debt relief programs we came across Premier Debt Help, a highly reputable and professional company specializing in debt settlement. The founder of the company is an attorney who, in his previous post, represented creditors in the court room. Therefore, he now has the inside information to help people like me and you along the way to financial freedom.

    We searched for and sifted through literally hundreds of debt management companies and debt settlement companies before we settled on Premier Debt Help. One of the main things that we believe separates this company from the crowds is the simple fact that the service they provide is always personal. So many of the other companies have pre-made debt relief programs that they think they can apply to each and every person. The truth of the matter is that this is physically impossible as each person’s financial situation is very different and therefore everyone needs a tailor made debt relief program to suit them. This is exactly what Premier Debt Help offers. They create a personalized program and savings plan to help your situation.

    Another reason that Premier Debt Help has ranked in the top of our debt relief program reviews is the fact that they are the leaders in the industry. This is due to the advanced technology they use to solve your debt problems and their sheer excellence in customer service. Each member of staff is highly trained to work with the highest level of professionalism and efficiency in order to gain the best results possible for each and every client they are contracted to work for. The company are also currently offering their services to 50 US states to ensure that many people in similar situations can get the help that they need. There is also a debt calculator on the website and a free consultation form that you can fill out. Another advantage of using this company over the rest is the fact that they have a toll free telephone number for contact and won’t try to charge you $2 per minute that you speak to them!

    If you are looking at debt relief programs to aid your financial situation and you need a company that will work with you and not just for you, Premier Debt Help does rank highly in our list of the best companies to offer debt relief programs.

    Amazon Shoppers Help the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Cleanup

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    The wildlife affected by the Gulf oil spill disaster are in dire need. An estimated 47 million gallons of oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico from a British Petroleum oil well damaged during a platform explosion on April 20. The oil has spread across the ocean and onto shorelines along the U.S. where it’s wreaking havoc with marine and wildlife populations. Pelicans struggle to free themselves from oil that’s thick as tar. Dead birds, sea turtles and dolphins wash ashore. The number of dead and injured birds and marine wildlife continues to climb. The oil spill will have both short- and long-term consequences. Families, fisherman, communities, and the fragile ecosystem need as much help as possible.

    Through a partnership with Hopevote and Amazon, you can help provide relief from this environmental disaster, and it won’t cost you a cent. Now through July 31, 2010, your purchases at Amazon made through the Hopevote website will benefit the National Wildlife Federation and the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund. For every purchase made, 1.5 to 3 percent of your total will be donated to help wildlife affected by the Gulf oil spill. To participate in HopeVote, shoppers simply navigate to http://www.hopevote.com, where a special link takes them to the familiar Amazon.com storefront. Any purchases they make after following this link will count towards the fundraiser benefiting the Gulf Coast. The disaster continues to escalate, but by shopping at Hopevote you can help the restoration and rehabilitation efforts.

    OilThe National Wildlife Federation has organized and deployed a volunteer network to monitor the coast Gulf coast for the wildlife impacted by the Gulf oil spill. NWF is also leading the effort to restore delicate breeding and nesting grounds along the coast, and educating the public about the oil spill effects.

    The Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund is fighting the short-term effects by giving emergency grants to non-profit organizations dedicated to helping victims of the Gulf oil spill. The fund will also fight the long-term effects by addressing environmental, economic, cultural issues of the disaster, and strengthen communities across the coast against future disasters by investing in solutions.

    Clayton Somera, HopeVote co-founder. “We want people to know that they can make a big difference in the Gulf Coast Oil Spill by continuing to make their usual purchases from Amazon.com. The best part of the deal is making a difference in the lives of those who need it most. The appreciation and gratitude from the recipients of the funds raised is immense.”

    For more information, visit the Hopevote website at http://www.hopevote.com or email Clayton, the Hopevote coordinator at clayton@hopevote.com

    Lancashire SEO Company Releases Marketing Tips

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    Lancashire SEO and web design company, Woweb, have just released their list of top tips to help small businesses get to grips with the world of SEO.

    The five tips make essential reading for any business considering SEO as part of their marketing campaign.

    1. Plan ahead and include SEO into your wider marketing plan. Pay attention to word of mouth and recommendations from other small business owners when selecting your SEO provider, don’t just go for the lowest price on offer. SEO can work both ways; both improve your business or damage it if left in the wrong hands.

    2. Make use of social media networks — these are often regarded as ‘trusted’ sources by search engines, and will improve your overall trust factor. Creating and often updating profiles on sites like Facebook and Twitter can increase your presence in the search engines.

    3. Links to your website are a crucial part of any SEO campaign. Links should be from a wide range of sources and make use of ‘anchor text’ i.e. naming your link with the search phrase you want to be found for in search engines. Resist temptation to only get links from websites in your niche. For a linking campaign to look natural, or organic, search engines expect to see a range of links from a range of sources.

    4. Use Google Webmaster Tools to add your site map and monitor any problems with how your site is appearing in the Google search engine. Here you can check crawl stats, diagnostics, which keywords your site is being indexed for, see which sites are linking to you, see subscriber stats and much more.

    5. Understand the demographics of your marketplace. Tools like Quantcast and Alexa provide essential information about your website and your visitors. These can tell you the average age, income, education and more about the people visiting your website.

    The detailed list can be read here.

    University of Illinois Scientists Indicate Us Little Known Techniques to Create More Efficient Solar panels

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    While silicon is actually the industry standard semiconductor in almost all electric units, which includes the pv cells that pv panels utilize to convert sunshine into energy, it is hardly the most cost-efficient material readily available. For example, the semiconductor gallium arsenide and associated compound semiconductors provide practically two times the performance as silicon in solar products, however they are rarely utilized in utility-scale applications because of their excessive manufacturing cost.

    U. of I. (http://illinois.edu/) teachers J. Rogers and X. Li explored lower-cost ways to manufacture thin films of gallium arsenide that also made possible flexibility in the kinds of products they could be included into.

    If you can minimize significantly the price of gallium arsenide and other compound semiconductors, then you could increase their variety of applications.

    Generally, gallium arsenide is deposited in a individual thin layer on a small wafer. Either the ideal device is made right on the wafer, or the semiconductor-coated wafer is break up into chips of the preferred dimension. The Illinois team decided to put in multiple layers of the material on a simple wafer, creating a layered, “pancake” stack of gallium arsenide thin films.

    If you increase 10 levels in a single growth, you simply have to fill the wafer one time. If you do this in 10 growths, loading and unloading with temperature ramp-up and ramp-down take a lot of time. If you consider exactly what is needed for every growth — the machine, the preparation, the period, the workers — the overhead saving this approach presents is a substantial price decrease.

    Following the experts separately peel off the levels and transport them. To achieve this, the stacks swap levels of aluminum arsenide with the gallium arsenide. Bathing the stacks in a solution of acid and an oxidizing agent dissolves the levels of aluminum arsenide, freeing the individual small sheets of gallium arsenide. A soft stamp-like system picks up the layers, just one at a time from the top down, for transfer to one other substrate — glass, plastic material or silicon, depending on the application. Next the wafer may be reused for one more growth.

    By performing this it’s possible to create much more material a lot more rapidly and a lot more price effectively. This process could make bulk amounts of material, as compared to simply the thin single-layer way in which it is usually grown.

    Freeing the material from the wafer additionally starts the possibility of flexible, thin-film electronics produced with gallium arsenide or many other high-speed semiconductors. To make units that could conform but still retain high performance, which is considerable.

    In a paper written and published on-line May 20 in the magazine Nature (http://www.nature.com/), the team details its methods and displays 3 kinds of units utilizing gallium arsenide chips manufactured in multilayer stacks: light units, high-speed transistors and photo voltaic cells. The creators additionally offer a detailed cost evaluation.

    Another benefit of the multilayer approach is the release from area constraints, particularly important for photo voltaic cells. As the layers are removed from the stack, they may be laid out side-by-side on another substrate in order to create a significantly greater surface area, whereas the standard single-layer procedure confines area to the size of the wafer.

    For photovoltaics, you need big area coverage to get as much sunshine as achievable. In an extreme case we may grow enough levels to have 10 times the area of the traditional.

    After that, the team plans to explore more potential item applications and additional semiconductor resources which could adapt to multilayer growth.

    About the Article writer – Shannon Combs publishes articles for the residential solar power shingles web site, her personal hobby blog based on suggestions to aid home owners to conserve energy with solar power.

    8 Cell Phone Tips That Could Save Your Life

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    You’re in trouble. You need help. One of the reasons you got a cell phone was for emergencies… will it come through when you need it?

    Cell phone consultant Chris Andrews, of Andrews.com Cell Phones, offers these 8 cell phone tips that could save your life.

    1) Many cell phones now come with a 911 quick dial button. This feature could be a life saver for elderly or low tech users. If yours doesn’t have this, consider putting 911 into speed dial.

    2) Being stranded because of car trouble can put you in a vulnerable position. Put your auto club into your cell phone’s address book in case you lock yourself out of your car, need gas, or have a flat tire or breakdown.

    3) Enter ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts in your address book. If you are unable to communicate, rescue personal will be able to look for contacts labeled ‘ICE’ and will understand that is an emergency contact.

    4) If you have special health concerns or are on medication, put this information into a voice memo or document and paste a sticker on your cell phone that says ‘ICE’ and a note on where to find this information.

    5) If you’re in an emergency and can’t get reception – get to a high point, or if you’re in a city, to an intersection. Try to find a location where there is the least chance of having mountains or buildings block the signal. Hold the phone high and upright – signals travel perpendicular to the antenna – if it’s being held sideways or in at an odd angle you may get a weaker signal.

    6) If your battery is running low or the signal strength is weak, send a text message to an emergency contact. Text messages require less power and can transmit over a weaker signal than a voice. Texting to 911 will not work – you must send it to a friend or family member that can contact emergency services for you.

    7) A growing number of schools, communities and even large employers are implementing emergency alert systems. After signing up for these alerts, authorities can warn and provide instructions to you through your cell phone during a crises. Contact your local government, school or company administrators to see if they offer this service.

    8) And of course, talking on a cell phone (even hands free) or texting while driving is a bad mix. Studies have shown that you are four times more likely to get in a serious accident when driving while talking on a cell phone. You are twenty three times more likely to be in an accident if driving while texting.

    —-

    The author grants reprint permission conditional upon editorial link(s) remaining intact.

    Studies show more people getting back together with their ex

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    Over half of marriages in the United States end in divorce.

    With recent stories in the news regarding Kate Gosselin and more recently Tiger Woods, it seems that marriage and relationships seem almost pointless, due to their inevitable failure.

    While it may not seem to work out that well for celebrities and public figures, studies show most couples just want to be in a stable and loving relationship. Most couples would rather get back together with their ex after a breakup, as opposed to starting a new relationship. However, there is a lack of credible information available on how to deal with a breakup. Most of the information available is based on peer groups, gossip columns, family history, and personal experience, which may biased, or at worst misleading.

    “Most of the time, relationship breakups occur because of lack of communication. That’s all. With that lack of communication, things tend to get implied that aren’t necessarily true.” Says Will English, webmaster at “Getting Your Ex Back”, a website with tips and tricks on how to get your ex back in record time. He even recommends a few ebooks on the subject on the website.

    “At first, you have to check-in with yourself, and find out what did you do to contribute to the breakup. Then we present the client with an analysis of the breakup itself and how it went down. Last, we put together a proven action plan to get results” mentions Will.

    For more information, check out the “Get Your Ex Back” Website, or contact Will at info@willenglishiv.com, or call 312-725-2934

    How to get six pack abs – The truth revealed

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    by Jerry Brunsson

    They are misleading you! They want you to believe that you can lose a belly fat and get six pack abs by watching TV with the latest abs machine shocking away at your belly.

    Or they want you to pay an armand a leg for the next “miracle pill” or supplement, and I wonder how much more money you are going to waste before you realize…

    They got itall wrong Let me reveal the Truth to you with 5 facts you MUST understand if youare ever going to lose your belly fat and get six pack abs:

    1. Many so-called “health foods” are actually cleverly disguised junkfoods that can actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat… yetthe diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits.

    2. Ab exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines areactually the LEAST effective method of getting flat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me-HK_Qf2v0 six pack abs.

    3. Boring repetitive cardio exercise routines are NOT the best way tolose body fat and uncover those six pack abs.

    4. You DON’T need to waste your money on expensive “extreme fatburner” pills or other bogus supplements.

    5. Ab belts, ab-rockers, ab-loungers, and other infomercialab-gimmicks… they’re all a complete waste of your time and money.

    Despite the misleading infomercials, the perfectly chiseled fitness models in the commercials did NOT get their perfect body by using that “ab contraption”… they got their perfect body through REAL workouts and REAL nutrition strategies.

    How to Lose Weight Fast – Spinning Around Like a Kid?

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    by Jennifer Jolan

    A new way to lose weight fast is catching on around the world. It’s simply spinning around like a little kid.

    Strange… yes… but certain sects of Sufi Muslims have been doing this for hundreds of years (although they don’t do it specifically for weight loss).

    The reason it works is because spinning around in a circle helps the body to naturally correct any imbalances in your hormones. An imbalance in your hormones will either make you gain weight or make it very hard for you to lose weight.

    So this makes spinning around one of the best ways to lose weight anyone can do… and it’s so easy and convenient.

    Just stand there in your living room, put your arms out like airplane wings, and then start spinning around. That’s it.

    There are certain things that improve your results that basically depend on how fast you spin, which direction you do the spinning, how many spins you do, and how many sets of spins you do each day.

    But regardless, even if you don’t know all the specifics, get spinning.

    It’ll help you lose weight. The only problem is that some people may get nauseous doing these spins if they have a huge imbalance with their hormones.

    But not to worry. I have that covered for you.

    I’ve created a free 19-page guide on how to lose weight fast doing these spins that you can get by visiting my weight loss tips website right now.

    Advice For Those Who Want to Lose Weight Fast

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    In today’s fast paced society, everyone wants to accomplish everything as quickly as possible, and weight loss is no exception. The problem is, many people find that it’s difficult to lose weight at all, whether fast or slow.

    According to writer and researcher on health and nutrition Maire Brody, losing weight is as much a mind set as a physical goal. The most important principle to keep in mind, she says, is focusing on your goal and finding satisfaction in making progress -and progress- in that direction.

    “It’s certainly possible to lose weight fast, and I’ve seen many people do it,” says Brody. “And it can be very useful to set a specific goal for yourself, as this can be very motivating. But what really counts is whether someone is committed to following through on their goal. No matter how long it takes you to lose the weight you need to lose, you’re still going to be better off than you were before.”

    Brody offers a free, online e-course entitled, “How to Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks,” so she apparently believes it’s possible for the average person to do this. This min-course, however, is not actually a diet plan or exercise program, but a way to get people in the right frame of mind to choose the best course of action for themselves.

    “The same weight loss program is not best for everybody,” she says. “It depends on many factors, such as your body type, how much weight you have to lose, your personality and lifestyle. So to give everybody the same program doesn’t make sense. My approach is to get you clear enough so that you can take charge of your own life and health and choose the best solutions for yourself.”

    San Diego Botox Usage On The Rise

    San Diego Botox usage remains strong despite the overall economy weakening says Dr. William Heimer, a San Diego based board certified cosmetic dermatologist practicing in Hillcrest and Encinitas, CA.

    What’s more interesting is the fact that not only are there more local San Diego women beginning to have Botox injections but that there are increasingly more and more local women who now consider Botox a part of their normal routine. This further attests to the results that women experience as they continue to use the product because they want to continue the dramatic results that they see.

    From the dramatic housing slump to the serious decline in the job market San Diegans are feeling the recession more than most cities in the nation but still lead the nation in Botox usage. It’s a true testament to the healthy lifestyle that prevails in our glorious city.

    San Diego has always been a very healthy area with health conscious women who demand to look as good as they feel. Residents here know that a proper diet and exercise is paramount to feeling good and keeping an attractive figure, but how do they maintain that youthful facial appearance without surgery?

    Hint… It’s done with vitamin B, or Botox Cosmetic.

    New Method to Use Hypnosis for Weight Loss

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    Hypnotherapist and researcher Dr. Robert Anthony is currently looking for people to test a new program that allows people to lose weight by changing their subconscious beliefs. The Zero Resistance Weight Release Program uses hypnosis techniques in a new way, aimed at busy people who want to see results quickly.

    One of the keys to Dr. Anthony’s approach can be found in the word “release.” As he says,

    “What you really want is to permanently RELEASE your excess weight – not LOSE it. Think about it! When you lose something, what happens? You go looking for it.”

    Anyone who has studied hypnosis at all probably recalls that the subconscious mind pays close attention to the words we use. So, while the difference between “release” and “lose” may not seem important to your rational mind, it can make all the difference to the subconscious. And it is the subconscious mind, not the rational, that controls most of your behavior!

    Using hypnosis for weight loss can be seen as an alternative to diets and exercise, but it would be more accurate to say that it’s an approach that releases your resistance to weight loss, which makes all of your efforts easier. So, you are likely to find that after using this program you feel less of an appetite for fattening foods and more inclined to stick to your exercise regime!

    Hypnosis by itself does not cause you to lose weight, but it’s a method that addresses your basic beliefs and feelings towards yourself and the world. When these are modified, your external behavior can then change much more easily.

    The fact is, most of us, most of the time, are not consciously aware of why we do the things we do! The point of a program such as Zero Resistance Weight Release, of course, is not so much to understand our beliefs and motivations but to change them. This program is designed to make these changes automatically, without any special effort -aside from listening to the program of course.

    Dr. Anthony sums up the way his program works this way:

    “It does three things:

    1. Uses my “Advanced Core Change Hypnosis” to eliminate the CAUSE of your weight problem – FOREVER.

    2. Aligns your Conscious and Subconscious mind so they work together to bring your weight back to its NATURAL state which is to be slender and healthy.

    3. Turns off your FAT switch.”

    According to Dr. Anthony, traditional diets and weight loss programs are doomed to fail in most cases because the rely on will power to work. Will power is the conscious mind’s attempt to control your behavior, and this generally does not work in the long run. The Zero Resistance Weight Release Program is a method that bypasses will power completely and addresses the causes of your behavior so you can change.

    The Job Market – My Job Corner Launches

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    If you’re looking for a job that caters to your needs and interests, and if you are exhausted reading the classified column in the newspaper every single day, then My Job Corner is your answer.

    Just launched, the site focuses on jobs in the United States, the country where dreams are supposed to come true.

    My Job Corner is a unique job searching portal that gives one a comprehensive list of jobs available in the United States. On the click of a button, this portal will present to you a detailed list of all the jobs available in any field that you have chosen, and in any geographical area that you have chosen throughout the United States of America.

    Prospective applicants can simply log on to this site and enter the keywords of the nature of the job , the job title or the company name that they are looking for. They must also specify the city, state or zip code in that specific field , of the place where they are interested in working. The site lets applicants conduct an exhaustive job search by specifying various heads. State and industry specific research can also be conducted.

    So, whatever you needs are, My Job Corner aims at bringing you a step closer to “find the job that you’ve been searching for”.

    Internet Censorship Increases in Pakistan

    There has been increasing evidence of the active role that many governments and states across the world are taking in internet censorship. Over the last few days the Pakistan Government have been facing a dilemma which is affecting many countries. This issue relates to a page started up on Facebook which invited users to draw pictures and cartoons in a page called – “Everyone Draw Mohammed Day”. The response to this page in Pakistan and other Islamic countries was extremely swift. The Lahore High Court ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to ensure that the Facebook site was blocked and inaccessible in Pakistan.

    The ban then seemed to gather momentum under pressure from Islamic Lawyers, the Pakistani cabinet ended up extending their ban to other sites which contained “blasphemous material”. This ban was soon extended to include hundreds of Youtube pages which were supposedly hosting offensive material. There seems to be some division within the Pakistani Government about how to deal with material that is deemed offensive. Hard liners are seeking to extend filtering across the main internet sites, where as the Interior Minister Rehman Malik as urged caution in blocking access to whole web sites as opposed to individual pages.

    Jim Rjindael from the popular blog – Anonymous Internet Surfing made this comment:

    “The problem is that there is only one effective way to censor the internet feed being supplied to a country and that is to allow web sites individually not by blocking them. Blocking individual pages and web sites is completely ineffective due to the many available ways to circumvent these blocks. Current internet filtering techniques are ineffective and almost always degrade overall network access to internet.

    “The other issue is that content is distributed so widely that when such a ban is implemented is soon accessible from thousands of sites. The internet feeds off news and banning content is almost certain to ensure that more people see the offensive content as it goes viral across the web.”

    Many users in Pakistan and other countries however were completely unaffected by the restrictions due to the increasing use of anonymising software and VPN technology used to bypass such restrictions. Many UK Expats for instance use such technology to enable them to watch UK Tv abroad, however these systems also mostly bypass most available internet filtering technologies.

    Whatever the future holds for the use of the internet in these countries it is becoming increasingly apparent that many governments are not comfortable with allowing free access to the world wide web. The number of countries restricting access and filtering internet web sites increases almost daily, increasingly creating multi-tiered societies online. Sadly there are already huge differences in the information available to you online depending on where you happen to live.

    Identity Theft In USA On The Rise. Free Online Credit Report Could Prevent It

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    In 2007 an estimated 8.4 million cases of identity theft occurred in the USA. And Europe and Asia are not far behind. According to Dan Blum “The rising number of cases involving identity theft meant some consumers were losing confidence in online financial services.” And one of the ways to do this is to get a free online credit report.

    The total fraud amount in 2007 was 49 billion dollars. To avoid becoming another statistic, make sure you are protected and check your credit report monthly. This is the easiest way to avoid having your identity stolen.

    Checking your free online credit report is essential as it reflects not just your financial stability and status but your personality as well. A person with bad credit rating is often considered a financial risk to financial institutions and employers. A bad credit history is usually the reason why people fail in securing loans for a car, house credit card etc.

    So, What Really Is A Free Credit Report?

    This report should reflect your financial stability and status. Loans, mail order agreements, credit card statements and other statements from banking facilities are reflected on this report. Moreover, this report also contains or keeps track of your missed or late payments, and repayment status. Today, when applying for a loan, either for a car or a home mortgage, financial institutions or banks check first your credit report. This report is often used by these institutions to determine or weigh your financial capacity and credibility. If someone has been accessing your account without your knowledge, you’ll be in for a surprise should you need a loan or a mortgage.

    Why Is It Important?

    “Often, victims of identity theft have no idea their credit is being used or destroyed until they apply for a loan and pull their credit score. So pull your credit report now, there are a few companies that will let you get your free credit scores and make a plan to check it regularly” says financial expert David Bach.
    Checking this report does not only help you correct possible mistakes or discrepancies. It is also the first step to repair or improve your report and prevent fraud.

    Once you get your free online credit report, you should verify whether the information in it is correct. If you fail to correct discrepancies or wrong information, the information reflected on the report will reflect in your credit history for money lenders to see. In this case, your chances of getting loans at lower interest rates are slim as people with poor credit rating are considered a financial risk.

    Allow your credit report to tell you whether you have been a victim of identity theft or not. Check your free credit report now. Don’t let a bad credit score impact on your financial future.

    New Study Advocates Smoking Crackdown in U.S., Nations Around the Globe Agree

    According to the latest study, if smoking was banned from all public spaces in the United States, there would be over 18,000 fewer heart attacks within the first year. The researchers looked at statistics from the 13 states in the U.S. That do not already have legislstion banning smoking in public places. They calculated that there would be an 11% decrease in heart attacks and a savings of $92 million in healthcare costs within a year of any federal ban being enacted.

    Lead researcher Dr. Mouaz Al-Mallah of the Henry Ford Hospital said that he would “encourage all states to institute a ban on smoking in public places to protect people from secondhand smoke. Authorities should do everything possible to prevent healthy individuals from being exposed to secondhand smoke, and one of the ways is by passing such laws.”

    “Smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke are well established and modifiable risk factors for heart attack, stroke and premature cardiovascular death,” says Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow of the University of California.

    Dr. Fonarow is the director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center at the university and he agrees that “adopting a national comprehensive smoking ban would prevent cardiovascular events…and greatly improve the cardiovascular health of this nation.”

    Other nations are also cracking down on smoking. In a press conference on May 20, Philippine Health Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral said that the labeling directive issued last May will take effect June 9 as planned. This directive states that tobacco companies must not only include a text health warning, similar to the US labeling regulations, but also must include a graphical warning.

    The health department has 8 pictures for them to use on an alternating pattern. The picture must cover at least 30% of the front panel and 60% of the back panel on each pack of cigarettes sold.

    Japan recently sent an advisory notice to all local government offices to recommend they set up local bans on smoking in public places. As of now, this is left up to the individual local governments but one official said, “our ministry plans to upgrade the current separation of smoking areas to a total ban on smoking, which is a global trend.”

    It is clear that public sentiment has turned the tide on smoking and pressue is being brought to bear on governments as well as individuals to quit. Of course, as many have learned, quitting smoking is not as simple as putting that pack down and walking away. The nicotine is highly addictive but the enhancers added to tobacco products compound this problem.

    The smoking cessation industry has burgeoned with the growing tide of anti-smoking legislation and the rise in stigmatization of those who continue to smoke. Those who desire to quit have a number of choices to aid them in their quest – gums, lozenges, patches and medications are all available. However, while each of these products has helped people quit successfully, none of them will work for every single person who desires to stop smoking.

    In fact, none of these aids are suitable to help those who may have underlying health issues such as existing heart conditions, high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases. Fortunately, hypnosis has proven to be a highly effective alternative to the drugs found in other smoking cessation methods.

    Hypnotherapy can be quite costly and rarely covered by medical insurance so many who could be helped through hypnosis have not been able to take advantage of this breakthrough method. Now there is a solution that is affordable for anyone with a product called Quit Smoking for Life.

    This advanced hypnosis session has been recorded and is now available for anyone who wishes to quit smoking. As there is a 60 day moneback guarantee on the product, one can assume that it must work in a large percentage of cases and at $17, it is certainly much cheaper than most other methods.

    With the rise in anti-smoking sentiment and legislation, more and more smokers are going to be quitting. Now there is an aid to those who cannot use the other smoking cessation products. For more information on Quit Smoking for Life, visit http://ehypnosis.org/quit-smoking-for-life/index.html.

    Obama’s Mandatory Health Care- Warning to Millions of Uninsured Americans

    Many people are excited and confused about the recent Mandatory Health bill that was just passed by the Obama Administration. Many are afraid they can be thrown in jail if they dont get health insurance? While who knows what can happen, this bill helps those who have been unable to afford, or qualify for insurance who have pre-existing conditions.

    The bill also helps parents whose children were dropped from existing insurance due to pre-existing conditions in the past, or insurance that’s premiums sky rocket up to an un-payable amount to where the families have to end their insurance.

    It also removed the annual and lifetime limits that insurance companies place on their coverage, along with lifting the age limit for children who can now remain on their parents till their 26th birthday. There have been quite a few reforms put in place to ensure that this bill hold true and operates smoothly. This means you won’t be denied by insurance companies because of the cost of past illnesses. Now is the best time to check out what health insurance can offer you and your family. Get a peace of mind today.

    Read more about this:Mandatory Health Care

    JJ Abrams Planned Lost Ending From The Start?

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    According to a press release, apparently from Bad Robot, the production company behind the hit series, Lost, show creator JJ Abrams had planned the final scene from the very start.

    There is no official word that the release is official, and contains some plot errors, lets see if you can spot them?

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    First … The Island:

    It was real. Everything that happened on the island that we saw throughout the 6 seasons was real. Forget the final image of the plane crash, it was put in purposely to f*&k with people’s heads and show how far the show had come. They really crashed. They really survived. They really discovered Dharma and the Others. The Island keeps the balance of good and evil in the world. It always has and always will perform that role. And the Island will always need a “Protector”. Jacob wasn’t the first, Hurley won’t be the last. However, Jacob had to deal with a malevolent force (MIB) that his mother, nor Hurley had to deal with. He created the devil and had to find a way to kill him — even though the rules prevented him from actually doing so.

    Thus began Jacob’s plan to bring candidates to the Island to do the one thing he couldn’t do. Kill the MIB. He had a huge list of candidates that spanned generations. Yet everytime he brought people there, the MIB corrupted them and caused them to kill one another. That was until Richard came along and helped Jacob understand that if he didn’t take a more active role, then his plan would never work.

    Enter Dharma — which I’m not sure why John is having such a hard time grasping. Dharma, like the countless scores of people that were brought to the island before, were brought there by Jacob as part of his plan to kill the MIB. However, the MIB was aware of this plan and interferred by “corrupting” Ben. Making Ben believe he was doing the work of Jacob when in reality he was doing the work of the MIB. This carried over into all of Ben’s “off-island” activities. He was the leader. He spoke for Jacob as far as they were concerned. So the “Others” killed Dharma and later were actively trying to kill Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and all the candidates because that’s what the MIB wanted. And what he couldn’t do for himself.

    Dharma was originally brought in to be good. But was turned bad by MIB’s corruption and eventually destroyed by his pawn Ben. Now, was Dharma only brought there to help Jack and the other Canditates on their overall quest to kill Smokey? Or did Jacob have another list of Canidates from the Dharma group that we were never aware of? That’s a question that is purposley not answered because whatever answer the writers came up with would be worse than the one you come up with for yourself. Still … Dharma’s purpose is not “pointless” or even vague. Hell, it’s pretty blantent.

    Still, despite his grand plan, Jacob wanted to give his “candidates” (our Lostaways) the one thing he, nor his brother, were ever afforded: free will. Hence him bringing a host of “candidates” through the decades and letting them “choose” which one would actually do the job in the end. Maybe he knew Jack would be the one to kill Flocke and that Hurley would be the protector in the end. Maybe he didn’t. But that was always the key question of the show: Fate vs Free-will. Science vs Faith. Personally I think Jacob knew from the beginning what was going to happen and that everyone played a part over 6 seasons in helping Jack get to the point where he needed to be to kill Smokey and make Hurley the protector — I know that’s how a lot of the writers viewed it. But again, they won’t answer that (nor should they) because that ruins the fun.

    In the end, Jack got to do what he always wanted to do from the very first episode of the show: Save his fellow Lostaways. He got Kate and Sawyer off the island and he gave Hurley the purpose in life he’d always been missing. And, in Sideways world (which we’ll get to next) he in fact saved everyone by helping them all move on …

    Now…

    Sideways World:

    Sideways world is where it gets really cool in terms of theology and metaphysical discussion (for me at least — because I love history/religion theories and loved all the talks in the writer’s room about it). Basically what the show is proposing is that we’re all linked to certain people during our lives. Call them soulmates (though it’s not exactly the best word). But these people we’re linked to are with us duing “the most important moments of our lives” as Christian said. These are the people we move through the universe with from lifetime to lifetime. It’s loosely based in Hinduisim with large doses of western religion thrown into the mix.

    The conceit that the writers created, basing it off these religious philosophies, was that as a group, the Lostaways subconsciously created this “sideways” world where they exist in purgatory until they are “awakened” and find one another. Once they all find one another, they can then move on and move forward. In essence, this is the show’s concept of the afterlife. According to the show, everyone creates their own “Sideways” purgatory with their “soulmates” throughout their lives and exist there until they all move on together. That’s a beautiful notion. Even if you aren’t religious or even spirtual, the idea that we live AND die together is deeply profound and moving.

    It’s a really cool and spirtual concept that fits the whole tone and subtext the show has had from the beginning. These people were SUPPOSED to be together on that plane. They were supposed to live through these events — not JUST because of Jacob. But because that’s what the universe or God (depending on how religious you wish to get) wanted to happen. The show was always about science vs faith — and it ultimately came down on the side of faith. It answered THE core question of the series. The one question that has been at the root of every island mystery, every character backstory, every plot twist. That, by itself, is quite an accomplishment.

    How much you want to extrapolate from that is up to you as the viewer. Think about season 1 when we first found the Hatch. Everyone thought that’s THE answer! Whatever is down there is the answer! Then, as we discovered it was just one station of many. One link in a very long chain that kept revealing more, and more of a larger mosiac.

    But the writer’s took it even further this season by contrasting this Sideways “purgatory” with the Island itself. Remember when Michael appeared to Hurley, he said he was not allowed to leave the Island. Just like the MIB. He wasn’t allowed into this sideways world and thus, was not afforded the opportunity to move on. Why? Because he had proven himself to be unworthy with his actions on the Island. He failed the test. The others, passed. They made it into Sideways world when they died — some before Jack, some years later. In Hurley’s case, maybe centuries later. They exist in this sideways world until they are “awakened” and they can only move on TOGETHER because they are linked. They are destined to be together for eternity. That was their destiny.

    They were NOT linked to Anna Lucia, Daniel, Roussou, Alex, Miles, Lupidis, (and all the rest who weren’t in the chuch — basically everyone who wasn’t in season 1). Yet those people exist in Sideways world. Why? Well again, here’s where they leave it up to you to decide. The way I like to think about it, is that those people who were left behind in Sideways world have to find their own soulmates before they can wake up. It’s possible that those links aren’t people from the island but from their other life (Anna’s parnter, the guy she shot — Roussou’s husband, etc etc).

    A lot of people have been talking about Ben and why he didn’t go into the Church. And if you think of Sideways world in this way, then it gives you the answer to that very question. Ben can’t move on yet because he hasn’t connected with the people he needs to. It’s going to be his job to awaken Roussou, Alex, Anna Lucia (maybe), Ethan, Goodspeed, his father and the rest. He has to attone for his sins more than he did by being Hurley’s number two. He has to do what Hurley and Desmond did for our Lostaways with his own people. He has to help them connect. And he can only move on when all the links in his chain are ready to. Same can be said for Faraday, Charlotte, Whidmore, Hawkins etc. It’s really a neat, and cool concept. At least to me.

    But, from a more “behind the scenes” note: the reason Ben’s not in the church, and the reason no one is in the church but for Season 1 people is because they wrote the ending to the show after writing the pilot. And never changed it. The writers always said (and many didn’t believe them) that they knew their ending from the very first episode. I applaud them for that. It’s pretty fantastic. Originally Ben was supposed to have a 3 episode arc and be done. But he became a big part of the show. They could have easily changed their ending and put him in the church — but instead they problem solved it. Gave him a BRILLIANT moment with Locke outside the church … and then that was it. I loved that. For those that wonder — the original ending started the moment Jack walked into the church and touches the casket to Jack closing his eyes as the other plane flies away. That was always JJ’s ending. And they kept it.

    For me the ending of this show means a lot. Not only because I worked on it, but because as a writer it inspired me in a way the medium had never done before. I’ve been inspired to write by great films. Maybe too many to count. And there have been amazing TV shows that I’ve loved (X-Files, 24, Sopranos, countless 1/2 hour shows). But none did what LOST did for me. None showed me that you could take huge risks (writing a show about faith for network TV) and stick to your creative guns and STILL please the audience. I learned a lot from the show as a writer. I learned even more from being around the incredible writers, producers, PAs, interns and everyone else who slaved on the show for 6 years.

    In the end, for me, LOST was a touchstone show that dealt with faith, the afterlife, and all these big, spirtual questions that most shows don’t touch. And to me, they never once waivered from their core story — even with all the sci-fi elements they mixed in. To walk that long and daunting of a creative tightrope and survive is simply astounding.

    Magnetic Therapy Headquarters Has PEMF, ElectroMagnetic Therapy

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    San Diego, CA, 25-MAY-2010 – Dr. David B., MD, Doctor of Medicine, Research Fellow Harvard Medical Center and Health professional, Michael Alpough are pleased to announce a new website where anyone can find a review of Top Energy Medical Devices. The Magnetic Therapy Headquarters is home to the #1 QRS sales team in the world.

    Magnetic Therapy Headquarters reviews numerous QRS (Quantron Resonance System) devices so that main features of each can be compared and contrasted. QRS was originally developed in a space program to simulate the electromagnetic field of the Earth. It is the magnetic field that is an integral part of cell activation and microcirculation.

    PEMF therapy is Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field therapy. The device works in much the same way as FDA-approved bone growth stimulator. It is relaxing and therapeutic for repairing and restoring damaged bone or muscle tissue.

    A website for information and review of these and other medical devices is a boon to individuals and clinics doing assessments and therapeutic techniques. The non-invasive EIS system is ideal for a general health check or for assessment of physiologic or blood flow parameters.

    Learn more about the different types of top energy medical devices and how they can be useful to individuals and professionals by visiting http://www.electromeds.com/ or http://www.electromeds.com/qrs-quantron. Members of the press or others desiring further information and details about the website or about the devices described can contact the following individual.

    Contact Person: Michael Alpough, Health Professional

    Company Name: ElectroMeds

    Address: Suite 127, POB 439060, San Diego, CA 92143

    Contact Number: (877) 403-6337

    Fax Number: (760) 400-3033

    Email: info@electromeds.com

    Website: http://www.electromeds.com/

    Protecting your computer with the use of registry cleaners

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    With all the searching of the internet and downloading it can be very easy for a person’s pc to come in contact with a vicious virus. One way to ensure that your computer continues to work well is to find the best registry cleaner. The best registry cleaner can help rid your computer of a lot of unwanted material that can cause it to run very slowly. If you do not clean your computer it may stop operating completely.

    If you are looking for the best registry cleaner tools you may want to do some thorough research first. Before you download any products you can try reading some registry cleaner reviews. Registry cleaner reviews can help you see what other people have used. After reading what they have to say you can decide what the best registry cleaner is for your computer.

    Some of the best registry cleaners can be safely downloaded onto your computer at no cost to you. A very good registry cleaner that you can use is called, “ Registry Easy (a software).” This product can help you to clean up your pc and restore it to the proper working order. Registry cleaner reviews can also list various types of the best registry cleaners, the prices of the cleaners, and if it will be able to run along with your specific type of hardware.

    If your computer is beginning to act a little slower, or produce a lot of system errors that is a clear sign that it is in need of the best registry cleaner. When purchasing the best registry cleaner you should also remember that some can be rather complicated to use. When you read one of the various registry cleaner reviews make sure you see what other customers say about the simplicity of a product.

    If someone says that a product was to much of a hassle, then that is not the best registry cleaner for you. Now if this is not your first time using a registry cleaner than a cleaner like Registry Easy shouldn’t produce that much of a struggle for you. Sometimes when you use registry cleaner products you can contact customer service for assistance. They can walk you through the installation of the software step by step.

    Remember the best registry cleaner is one that is easy to use; doesn’t cost a lot; and also is very effective in correcting any problem you have with your computer. Another thing that can be very helpful when checking out registry cleaner reviews is to make sure you are choosing the right one for your computers problems. You do not want to by one for memory when you computer requires the best registry cleaner for increasing speed.

    So whatever the problem may be with your computer you will find that after reading a few helpful registry cleaner reviews, you will be able to purchase the best registry cleaner for your pc. The best registry cleaner will be able to clean up your computer and return it to normal so you will no longer suffer with computer lag.

    Unemployment Claims Rise by 25,000 Last Week, Economy Remains Volatile

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    After five straight weeks of seeing jobless claims go down, it was a supreme disappointment to see the largest rise in three months take place last week. Up by 25,000 claims from the week before, the new unemployment total is back up to 471,000. That is just the number of new claims, not the overall total of those currently unemployed.

    More laws are in the works to extend unemployment benefits through the end of the year for those who have remained unemployed long-term. The bills will also extend COBRA insurance coverage to laid off workers.

    Chief U.S. Economist, Ian Shepherdson said that one factor that is contributing to the continuing high unemployment rate is that small businesses are having difficulty getting loans to expand their businesses. With small business creating 50% of all new jobs in the U.S., this has obviously put a crimp in economic recovery.

    Because of the gloomy economic forecast and the inability of the small business market to find credit, more and more people are turning to the internet for business start ups that cost far less than traditional brick and mortar startups. One company that is helping many is Acme People Search, created by Tissa Godavitarne.

    Godavitarne discovered that over 20 billion people related searches were being performed every single month. He realized that these searchers were not able to find the information they needed without a lot of digging and he realized there was an underserved market just waiting for a solution. He devoted two years and $100,000 developing his wildly successful program, Acme People Search.

    Using affiliate products as the monetization method, Godavitarne managed to build his engine into a very lucrative business while helping people find what they need. But he didn’t stop there.

    Realizing the incredible potential of this huge market, he knew that he could create a system to help the thousands of other people that were out of work and desperately searching for a way to support their families. Unlike 99% of the other business opportunities he had found through the years, he wanted to develop a way for others to be able to start their own business without the start up costs associated with other opportunities.

    Godavitarne’s system combines the power of several major affiliate programs with the specialized niche search engine that he developed. He continues to spend $25,000 monthly to maintain the system so it stays current and up-to-date.

    With Acme People Search, people all over the country are starting their own business without any initial start up costs whatsoever. Not only do they get access to their very own niche search engine, Godavitarne provides full training to ensure the success of each of these new business owners.

    He continues to build and evolve the business to include even more income streams for those starting their own business using his system. From the initial three income producers, the Acme People Search business now included 13 built-in income streams. New business owners have the choice of using which ones they prefer or all of the built-in money makers.

    Learn more about the Acme People Search business at http://www.tissagodavitarne.biz. To see what an individual business site looks like, you can also visit http://www.affiliateprogramsbiz.com to read more from an actual partner who has owned his own business for two years.

    Private Medical Insurance – A Secured Future

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    by Guy Droog

    If you are residing in the UK, you are probably aware of the long queue of patients waiting for treatment through the National Health Service (NHS.) This is alarming and you need to take measures to protect yourself from such eventuality. Deciding to choose a reliable and efficient private medical insurance (PMI) is the best option.

    Advantages of Private Medical Insurance

    There are many advantages in choosing a private medical insurance. Each insurance company has its own benefits and attractive packages. There are many to choose from and sometimes, you do not know which of the myriad of services they offer would suit you best. In that case companies like Medical Quotes are here to help out and solve this problem for you. First of all, what are the advantages of a private medical insurance? Below are a few general advantages and benefits a private medical insurance offers:

    Punctual response

    Whether you are in a medical emergency or not, private medical insurance companies will respond promptly to your needs. You will not have to wait for days or even weeks to have a general medical check-up and have those important diagnostic tests done. Some of them offer the option of you taking advantage of nearby medical institutions in your area. They also provide easy access, so you can contact them whenever necessary.

    The freedom to select services

    You can select freely from the services they provide. There are many you can choose from without leaving you financially constraint. There are also extra services they offer for certain packages. If you are on a tight budget, they can offer you an insurance plan that will suit your budget and requirements. You can decide what you want to include and what you’d rather not use.

    Flexibility of payments

    Private medical insurance companies provide you with the option to select your own payment plan to meet your current financial situation. They offer a wide range of payment plans so there is choice for everyone. Comparing their terms and prices will benefit you and make it easier for you to decide which plan fits your needs best.

    The significance of Medical Quotes

    In the advent of various private medical insurance companies, Medical Quotes is a great help in connecting you with legitimate and reliable Private Medical Insurance brokers. They are one of the premier Medical Insurance Specialists so you can be assured of quality information about the most reliable brokers.

    Through Medical Quotes, you can accurately compare the different private medical insurance offers and determine the pros and cons of each insurance plan. There is even a possibility to request a tailor made insurance plan for you and your familiy.

    The services provided by Medical Quotes are 100% free of charge. Medical Quotes provides you with superb information and lays out all your options. Even though the chances are you will be very pleased with the received quotes, there is absolutely no obligation to buy – which makes it entirely risk free.

    They provide a quick and fast access to private medical insurance brokers after filling out a questionnaire that will probably take you less than 30 seconds. Choosing Medical Quotes over other health insurance specialists is a great decision in ensuring that the quotes you receive are both affordable and spefically made for your current situation and requirements. Not only that, you will have the peace of mind that the choice you made was the best option possible.

    To have your own medical insurance plan set up for you, visit Medical Quotes and receive free quotes today.

    New 2010 Lower Life Insurance Rates Revealed First in Cincinnati Ohio

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    There are numerous benefits one can get from life insurance. Cincinnati residents have Henry Insurance to thank for securing their finances and family in the event that something bad happens to them.

    When it comes to life insurance, Cincinnati residents are not the only ones looking for cheap rates and excellent coverage. With the Internet and its many uses, finding cheap life insurance policies in Cincinnati has become easier.

    According to Henry Insurance, life insurance is characterized by the contract between the policy owner and the insurer. Through a life insurance policy, the insurer will give the beneficiary a specific sum of money in cases where the insured person becomes terminally/critically ill or if the person dies.

    Temporary term insurance and permanent life fall under life insurance. For permanent life insurance, there are five types – whole life coverage, limited pay, universal life coverage, endowments and accidental death. Term insurance can cover a person’s temporary needs. For permanent life insurance, it can be your lifelong protection. More information about the two types of life insurance are available at the site as well.

    When looking for the best life insurance, Cincinnati’s Henry Insurance has both temporary or permanent life insurance polices to offer. Thus, life insurance is all about securing your loved ones. By getting one, you are providing them an assurance that even in your absence or possible critical condition; you are still able to provide them with great chances to survive. Even if many people find it worrisome to think about dying and leaving money for their loved ones, it is actually the realistic way of dealing with the various possibilities that can happen in the course of one’s lifetime.

    Many people believe that a life insurance policy is also your ticket to achieving ease of mind. What this means to you is — through a life insurance policy, your loved ones are cared for even in your absence.

    Henry Insurance prides itself as the Insurance Marketer of the Year in Cincinnati, Ohio. They company was also awarded with the Golden Guy Award due to their very high customer satisfaction rating. Though their road to success took them years of hard work, it is their urge to help people improve their lives through insurance policies that made them one of the most sought after insurance providers in Ohio today.

    GlutenFreeLifestyle Reveals The Secrets Of Great Tasting Gluten Free Food

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    GlutenFreeLifestyle.com.au offers an amazing collections of ebooks that deal with gluten free food. The website is the brainchild of Katie Ross, who is the author of the ebooks featured on the site. She started writing these ebooks in 2008 and within a short period of time, has steadily increased the collection to a total of fourteen books. Her books are generating great response and thousands of people have already benefited from them.

    The gluten free diet is particularly beneficial for those who suffer from allergy symptoms, cystic fibrosis, thyroid disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and several autoimmune disorders. In fact it is estimated that as many as 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease — the leading reason to go on a gluten free diet. Katie’s website is therefore proving to be invaluable for those who are suffering from these problems.

    GlutenFreeLifeStyle.com features ebooks offered in three separate bundles. The first bundle is called The Baking Collection where five products are featured; the second bundle is called The Cooking Collection where four ebooks are featured; and the third bundle is titled The Pizza/Pasta Collection which again included five products.

    The baking series in particular deals with baking gluten free bread. What is unique about the gluten free recipes mentioned in this series are the taste factor; in fact, many readers have said that gluten free bread actually tastes like real bread. Katie Ross shares the easy tips that can help the readers to bake gluten free bread that tastes superior, provides health benefits and also saves money.

    The cooking series of GlutenFreeLifeStyle.com.au features four ebooks covering specialized recipes of soup, easy meals, appetizers, and desserts. It is a complete cooking reference that allows readers to easily prepare meals that are all gluten free. As the author says, “I Wanted To Start Making Food That Everyone Will Love – Even Those NOT On A Gluten Free Diet.” These four ebooks altogether feature two hundred amazing gluten free recipes that the readers can start enjoying instantly. Finally these meals are not just tasty, but also easy to cook.

    Finally is the newest series: the pizza/pasta series which teaches readers to prepare their own gluten free pastas and pizzas. For many pizza and pasta have been the hardest to give up for those on a gluten free diet but not anymore. Katie reveals recipes that taste great and have the same texture as if they did contain gluten!

    What is most amazing is that Katie offers all her products with a 100% risk free guarantee, which means if a reader is not satisfied with the information and techniques provided in the products, they can request their money back within 60 days of purchase.

    To learn more, visit the website http://www.glutenfreelifestyle.com.au

    Prevent a Heart Attack: Take an action Now

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    Every year, about 1.2 million Americans have a heart attack. Although a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, may come without warning, it is usually the end result of a long-term disease process. When one of the coronary arteries, the arteries that branch off the aorta and supply blood directly to the heart muscle, becomes blocked, a heart attack results. A heart attack caused by a clot is called a coronary thrombosis. During a heart attack, part of the heart muscle (myocardium) may die from lack of oxygen. If myocardial infarction is not fatal, the heart muscle may sometimes partially repair itself.

    Symptoms of a heart attack may include chest pain or pressure; arm, neck, or jaw pain; difficulty breathing; excessive sweating; nausea and vomiting; and loss of consciousness. Although chest pain occurs in the majority of heart attack victims, yet about 30% of people having a heart attack do not experience chest pain.

    Are there any warning signs for a heart attack?

    Some heart attacks are sudden but most heart attacks start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are some of the warning signs:

    Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.

    Discomfort in other areas of the upper body can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
    Shortness of breath may occur with or without chest discomfort.

    Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

    Most people who die from a heart attack do so within 2 hours from the time they experience the first symptoms. If you or someone you are with has any of the warning signs of heart attack, take immediate action. Get help even if the person denies there is something wrong. One additional step recommended by many experts is for the affected individual to chew and swallow one adult aspirin tablet (325 mg); aspirin has an immediate clot busting effect. If you or someone you’re with has chest discomfort, especially with one or more of the other signs, don’t wait longer than a few minutes (no more than 5) before calling for help. Calling 911 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services staff can begin treatment when they arrive–up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. The staff is also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. If you can’t access the emergency medical services (EMS), have someone drive you to the hospital right away. If you’re the one having symptoms, don’t drive yourself, unless you have absolutely no other option.

    If the person loses consciousness, emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be initiated by a qualified person. If the victim receives emergency care quickly enough, a clot dissolving agent can be injected to break up a clot in the coronary artery. Patients who arrive to the hospital early will also benefit from emergency Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA).
    How can you protect yourself from coronary heart disease and eventually a heart attack? There are several important steps you can take now to lower your risk of developing coronary artery disease and heart attack in the future:

    1. Stop Smoking:
    The number one risk factor for coronary heart disease that you can control is smoking. If you smoke, quit. If you don’t, don’t start. If you live or work with people who smoke, encourage them to quit–for their sake and yours. If you find yourself breathing in smoke, take steps to prevent or stop this exposure. Quitting smoking significantly reduces heart attack risk. Quitting smoking is highly beneficial, but abstaining from cigarette smoking throughout your entire life is even better.

    2. Exercise Regularly
    You can significantly reduce your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack with a moderate amount of physical activity. Begin by accumulating at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each day. Activities like brisk walking, gardening, and stair climbing are appropriate. Increasing the duration or intensity of exercise can provide even greater health benefits. The American Heart Association recently recommended strength training in addition to aerobic exercise for building and maintaining cardiovascular health.

    3. Check your blood pressure regularly and seek treatment if it is high
    If you have no coronary heart disease risk factors, check your blood pressure by a trained professional at least once every 2 years. Yearly tests are recommended if you have other risk factors. If your blood pressure is high, follow your physician’s advice on how to lower it.

    4. Check your Cholesterol Levels
    All people age 20 and over should have their cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. Your Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) goal depends in part on how many of the following major risk factors you have; cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, low High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dl), a family history of heart disease, and age (45 years and older for men, 55 years and older for women). An HDL level of 60 mg/dl or higher is protective and counts as a “negative” risk factor, meaning it removes one risk factor from your total countof risk factors.
    Depending on your LDL level and other risk factors, your physician may recommend changes in lifestyle alone or lifestyle changes in combination with drug therapy. For example, if you have one or no risk factors, your LDL goal is less than 160 mg/dl. If your LDL is below that, diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, and not smoking will be sufficient. If your LDL is 160 mg/dl or Higher, you may need medication to bring your LDL into the healthy range.

    4. Eat a Healthy Diet for Your heart
    For most people, changing to a heart healthy diet involves substituting unsaturated fats for saturated and transfats and increasing intake of whole grains and fiber. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends that all Americans over the age of 20 adopt a diet in which total fat consumption is no more than 30% of total daily calories, with no more than one–third of those fat calories (10% of total daily calories) coming from saturated fat. For people with heart disease or high LDL levels, the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends a total fat intake of 25-35% of total daily calories and a saturated fat intake of less than 7% of total calories.
    Saturated fats are found in animal products; palm and coconut oil; and hydrogenated vegetables oils, which are also high in transfats. Choose unsaturated fats, especially omega 3 polyunsaturated fats, over saturated and transfats. Animal products contain
    cholesterol as well as saturated fat; vegetable products do not contain cholesterol.

    Increasing Fiber Intake is very beneficial since fiber traps the bile acids that the liver needs to manufacture cholesterol and carries them to the large intestine, where they are excreted. Fibers also slow the production of proteins that promote blood clotting which lowers the incidence of a heart attack. Fiber may also interfere with the absorption of dietary fat and may help you cut total food intake because foods rich in fiber tend to be filling. To obtain the recommended 25-38 grams of dietary fiber per day choose a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Good sources of fiber include oatmeal, some breakfast cereals, barley legumes, and most fruits and vegetables.

    Limit sodium intake by reading food labels carefully and avoid foods particularly high in sodium. Limiting sodium intake helps in controlling your blood pressure which in turn lowers your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack. Foods that are fresh, less processed, and less sodium dense are good choices. Adequate potassium intake is also important in control of blood pressure. Good food sources include leafy green vegetables like spinach and beet greens, root vegetables like white and sweet potatoes, vine fruits like cantaloupe and honeydew melon, winter squash, bananas, many dried fruits, and tomato sauce.
    Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, shellfish, and some plant foods (nuts and canola, soybean, and flaxseed oils) may reduce clotting, abnormal heart rhythms, and inflammation and have other heart healthy effects.

    5. Manage stress and anger
    To reduce the psychological and social risk factors for coronary heart disease and heart attack, you should develop effective strategies for handling the stress in your life. Shore up your social support network, exercise regularly, have a healthy diet, have adequate sleep, manage your time effectively, maintain positivity, think and act constructively, modify your expectations, and develop a sense of humor.

    6. Moderate Alcohol Consumption
    The Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that moderate alcohol consumption may lower the risk of coronary heart disease among middle aged and older adults. (Moderate means no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.) For most people under age 45, however, the risks of alcohol use probably outweigh any health benefit. If you do drink, do so moderately with food, and at times when drinking will not put you or others at risk.

    To summarize, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for nearly half of all deaths. Although age, genetics, and the physical environment play roles in the development of heart disease, yet heart disease is primarily lifestyle disease, linked to many controllable lifestyle risk factors.

    Would Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne do a Collab?

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    Lady Gaga, famed American recording artist, sold over 8 million copies of her 2008 released album “The Fame”. Lil Wayne, American Rapper, had his album “Tha Carter III” named the “Number 1 Anticipated Album of 2007”. He went on to sell over 2.8 million copies of his album, Tha Carter III, in the United Sates, and it was named the top selling album of 2008.

    They have both shattered records by consistently making hit songs, which end up at the top of the charts. Lady Gaga had most success with her songs Paparazzi, Poker Face, Just Dance, Alejandro, and Telephone. Lil Wayne has been featured on thousands of mixtapes and songs, and is labeled as one of the most in demand artists in the industry. Top hip hop songs and a unique image brand has made both artists known in all parts of the world.

    So should Lady Gaga and Lil Wayne do a collaboration together?

    In order to have top hip hop songs and success, both artists would combine their fans for a new collab, which would make it a first amongst the artists. They both have a lot of creativity to attribute to a song. Lil Wayne with his rapping background, and Lady Gaga with her futuristic techno image could change the music industry.

    Will it be long before Lil Wayne and Lady Gaga decide to make a song, or an incredible album together?

    The challenge facing Lil Wayne currently is that he is serving time in jail, and Lady Gaga is currently busy with her tours and glamarous lifestyle.

    Maybe after Lil Wayne’s release he will decide to do a song with Lady Gaga, but only time can tell. Visit Hip Hop Songs for more.

    Could Natural Colon Cleansing Reduce Cancer Risk and Improve Weight Loss?

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    by James O Murphy

    Recent studies have revealed that saturated fat in the diet, coupled with reduced fibre may increase the risk of colon cancer in the body. One of the ways of tackling this health issue is through natural colon cleansing. Natural colon cleanse ensures that you lose weight the healthy way, without going through any difficult medication.

    Scientists have recently shown that colonics remove toxic waste, improve circulatory functions, stimulate the immune system, boost energy and is already being used in the treatment of cancer.

    Our Daily Diet

    Since our daily diet is mostly made up of refined carbohydrate and saturated fat, colon cleanse should be regarded as an integral part of our daily lives. What really makes our faeces thick is the excess amount of fat in our system. Medical scientists say that Colon, which is also referred to as large intestine, is the primary cause of extracting water from faeces.

    Natural Colon Cleanse; The Purpose

    The purpose of natural colon cleanse is to allow for body detoxification in a manner that only allows the human system to contain a very low level of toxic substance and bacteria. Scientists also say that the human faeces contain various substances as well as risky bacteria that may lead to infections in the human blood stream. This could be as a result of abnormal bowel movements, which may become irregular. As time goes on, this could have some damaging consequences

    What Colon Cleansing Is All About

    Natural Colon Cleansing is all about detoxification of the human body. For instance, herbs that are considered to be rich in dietary fibres are of immense benefits in promoting highly regulated movement of the bowel. It is quite essential when it comes to treating different kinds of digestive infections such as: diverticular disorders; colitis; constipation; diarrhea and many others. Studies have also shown that natural colon cleansing have proved to be very effective in different types of areas.

    Apart from helping weight loss, natural colon cleansing products helps you to remove faeces, and substances that have remained undigested in the bowel wall. Though, the use of natural colon cleansing products which come with natural ingredients are not mandatory, you can help yourself to a variety of other products that promote natural colon cleansing.

    Free Trial Colon Cleansers

    There are now alot of products being offered via the internet these days for stress free colon cleansing, some of these products even have free trials so you won’t have to pay a dime until after using it and you are sure it works.

    For more information on effective colon cleanse products, Visit http://naturalcoloncleansing.us

    SEO Tools Suffer Death Knell

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    Vendors of SEO tools and Internet Marketing experts all over the world are shifting uncomfortably in their seats at this moment. Not surprisingly, many interested onlookers are thoroughly enjoying their discomfort.

    Why?

    Well, it look like you must be one of the few remaining people that have not read the controversial and quite explosive report about SEO tools written by the author fondly called the Wizard of Oz by his admirers. The hard-hitting report lays bare in no uncertain terms, the charade that has been SEO, otherwise known as Search Engine Optimization.

    The report intriguingly titled ‘SEOn Trial’ has set members of the Internet Marketing community at logger heads with one another. Steve Wagenheim, a well respected expert and commentator writes: “Oz is such a captivating writer. I really love reading his stuff. It’s not bland and boring. But that’s not the only reason I like SEOnTrial. He comes up with such outrageous statements and then actually backs them up. In this report he proves, get this, that you can rank number 1 at Google with a site with absolutely ZERO content. When I first read the opening statement I laughed and thought he was on drugs. But by the end of the report, he had me convinced.”

    If the SEOn Trial report is to be believed then it could certainly be argued that the millions of dollars spent on Search Engine Optimization tools by Internet Marketers every year is money well and truly flushed down the drain. The million dollar question has to be: “will you continue to unwittingly throw good money after bad, or are you going to vote with your wallet?”

    Before you make that all important decision, you would do well to do what hundreds of other Internet Marketing professionals have done, and read a copy of SEOn Trial. You can download it from : http://highsearchenginerankings.org/seontrialdam/

    Does A Free Credit Report Prevent Identity Theft?

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    Last year over 11 million people in the united stated were victims of identity theft. The total cost of this fraud was over $50 billion dollars.

    Checking your credit score is very important as it directly affects your financial stability. People with bad credit scores are considered financial risks and can affect your life in many ways. Everyday activities like applying for banks loans for houses and cars , credit cards , getting a job , insurance , renting a house or business and other similar areas.

    It’s very important to check your credit score also as identity theft which usually involves a lot of unauthorized activity on credit cards and loans will usually first be revealed when checking your credit report. This in turn allows you to inform the relevant parties and authorities so the problem may be rectified before further damage can occur.

    Mistakes on your report can also be seen and rectified as quickly as possible so as not to damage your score and also improve it. Better scores generally allow you to qualify for cheaper financial rates which can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run.

    People Less Likely To Choose Debt Consolidation

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    Research carried out by Sainsburys bank in the UK showed that people these days are less likely to choose debt consolidation for taking out loans. Most people know what a loan is but debt consolidation may not be widely known.

    In simple terms, debt consolidation is a process whereby a consumer takes out a loan or other credit agreement in order to pay off two or more existing debts. Some of the common products used to eliminate debt consolidation include and unsecured loan. Loan secured on a mortgage property and a remortgage usually to replace pre-existing first charge mortgage.

    There is also the common transfer of balances to a credit card. A key question for banks and other debt consolidation services is how competitive are their rates for paying off loans? Sainsburysbank says that “Debt consolidation is now a much less significant reason for people taking out personal loans than it was two years ago, according to new figures from Sainsbury’s Finance”. The crux is that people are using very competitive loan rates to pay of debt all together rather than consolidate their debts.

    A point to note “However, for those with multiple debts, consolidation is still one way to reduce their monthly outgoings as long as they look around for the best rates on the market, which could save them a considerable amount in repayments.” So the question stands: Loans For Debt Consolidation or Not? This is for the individual to answer since they know their position best. Good advice is to shop around to find the best rates for paying off loans. If one is up to his or hers eye balls in debt then debt consolidation loan may be the best option. Even if there is only one debt hanging on the shoulders then a good loan rate could help immensely. If debt consolidation is the prime reason for the personal loan then try to find one that decreases year on year.

    So for example, the percentage of the total value of personal loan for debt consolidation purposes should be decreasing for the total number of years of the loan. Be sure to compare the debt consolidation service provider’s percentage table so the best competitive loan rates can be chosen.

    To learn more about debt consolidation, please visit the Debt Consolidation Read Me at:debt consolidation life saver

    Stock Brokers – Choosing An Online Stock Broker That Suits Your Needs

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    When you are trying to find an online stock broker you may find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of choices that you have. There are dozens, if not hundreds of huge banks and investment firms that are all vying for your business. All of their firms offer you the “best trades”, the “lowest prices” and the “most comprehensive tools”. So how can you decide who really is the best bet when undertaking your search for online stock brokers?

    The good news is that since there are so many companies, all competing for your business you can be assured that among the top three to five brokers you will find service that suits your needs.

    If you need some extra help deciding on which stock broker to go with, there are numerous websites that list and rate the top online stock brokers to help you choose the one that is right for you.

    So what are some of the main options when looking for a stock broker?

    Full Service Stock Brokers

    A full service broker is a traditional type of stock broker, who can assist clients with a vast array of services. Usually working as a part of a large firm, most full service brokers can help you buy and sell company stocks, treasury bonds, commodities & derivatives and even arrange managed funds. they usually operate with a client list whom they get to know in order to service each individual client to the best of their ability.

    Online Stock Brokers

    To put it simply Online Stock Brokers do the same job as traditional stock brokers but conduct the vast majority of their day to day trading operation via the internet. This also includes most of their client contact and servicing. Most of the time the online stock brokers are centralized through the companies web based interface, but with some companies there may be additional options such as direct contact via email or instant messaging.

    Most of the transactions conducted by online stock brokers are done via automated software systems and trading engines which allow you to perform trades with little more than the click of a mouse or a tap of a screen. Orders are for the most part fulfilled in an instant via the system but actual brokers are available to verify and certify each order as well as to assist when you need additional help or expert advice.

    Discount Stock Brokers

    Discount Stock Brokers are a relatively new phenomena. Made available through the power and speed of the internet, they usually rely heavily on their websites to transact with clients in order to keep their prices as low as possible. Most Discount Stock Brokers operate out of a pool of brokers, which means that when a client calls the brokers office, a different broker will attend to their needs each time. There is usually very little in the way of personal contact or advice and clients are expected to be able to take care of most of their own transactions through the various online interfaces offered by the firm.

    Always Treasured Antiques and Collectibles Announces Spring Sale with 20% off Vintage Porcelain and Pottery

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    Press Release

    Florence, OR – May 2010 – Always Treasured Antiques and Collectibles have excited to announce the launch of their spring sale on all vintage porcelain and pottery items in their store.

    Always Treasured Antiques and Collectibles is now offering 20% off of all vintage porcelain and pottery inventory. To receive the sale pricing, visitors just need to enter the coupon code SPRING20 in the shopping cart. Visitors can also call toll-free to order from a real person at 877-883-4242.

    About Always Treasured Antiques and Collectibles

    Always Treasured offers a wide array of antiques and collectibles, including a large inventory of vintage costume jewelry like brooches, necklaces, chokers, bracelets, earrings and more. Always Treasured also offers men’s vintage jewelry, including vintage cufflinks, tie bars, tie tacks, collar stays and money clips. Vintage and antique porcelain, pottery, jewelry boxes, glass and glassware are also available. Always Treasured strives to offer the very best in sparkling jewelry and unique antiques and collectibles to their customers.

    Always Treasured was founded in 2001 in Oregon by web developer and collector Kacey Donston. She says,”The store and it’s offerings reflect the array of different interests in vintage items and antiques that I have taken from my parents, who are in the antiques restoration and repair area.”

    About the AlwaysTreasured.com Website

    The web site at AlwaysTreasured.com includes detailed descriptions about each item offered, free antiques research help and advice, a recommended links section, easy customer service options, clearly posted return policy links on every page and a secure e-commerce shopping cart which accepts all major credit cards as well as Paypal payments.

    For more information, contact Always Treasured at: http://www.alwaystreasured.com/
    Or call us at: 877-883-4242

    How Expired Domain Names Increase Website Traffic

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    Expired Domain names are one of the biggest ways to drive traffic to your website. When someone is surfing the web they may be looking for something in particular, but they may find that the site is no longer relevant. When this happens they will be taken to a similar site that provides them with the information they were seeking in the first place. By having an expired domain on the internet it can force individuals to glance at other websites. When the person is taken to another site this will increase the views on your site and also increase profits for your business.

    Expired domain name sites that may have a high ranking in search engines redirect the prospect to an active website like yours despite that the fact that they have been left un-attended by their owners. One can effectively make use of such domains for attracting qualified leads to their website. Highly targeted leads are more inclined to make a purchase then from the traffic that generates from sources that are less qualified.

    You will find that it is also very profitable when you purchase website traffic from an expired domain seller. When you purchase expired domain names you will see that it is a lot less expensive. But before you decide to purchase this web traffic make sure that the company you are dealing with is legit.

    It is also very reassuring to know that it isn’t important what type of products you offer to the public, because chances are there is someone out there searching high and low for what you are providing. So don’t be afraid to take a risk, you never know the end result could be very helpful in bringing customers to you. Another thing that can increase traffic to your site is if you purchase an expired domain name from a company that makes it their business to offer what you are trying to sell to customers.

    Where to purchase expired domain name traffic?

    Before investing, one should make sure that the company with whom you dealing with is reputable. A lot of scammers are prowling the web, they are there to lure you into a trap to give fake traffic using software like bots and just take your money.
    To know more on how to begin this and get some qualified traffic to your site, click here at GetWebsiteTraffic.org. They have been helping many clients increase their profits and have a excellent track record of driving real people to your site.

    A Proxy, a Proxy, My Kingdom for a UK Proxy

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    It might sound a little ridiculous but if you are one of the UKs many expats living across the world, you may well recognise the irony. Richard III may not have had a clue what you where talking about but any UK national who uses the internet outside the UK almost certainly will.

    Jim Rjindael from Anonymous Surfing explains briefly what a UK Proxy is

    “A proxy server is a computer which acts as an intermediary for another computer. It acts as a middle man forwarding and receiving requests from your computer. Typically people use proxy servers to protect their browsing or bypass restrictions based on their current location. Anyone using a UK proxy would appear to the web site they are visiting to be from the UK”

    It may sound a little technical but it’s actually quite simple and in fact it’s becoming big business on the internet. Proxies are used all across the world by individuals to protect their identities – your browsing cannot be traced back as easily to your computer, but also to access sites that may be unavailable. For instance if you’re surfing the internet in a country like China, you are going to find that you simply can’t access all sorts of web sites. If you connect through a proxy first those sites can be accessed.

    The internet is becoming increasingly controlled and censored by both corporations and governments. In Iran pretty much all the social networking sites are blocked unless you use a proxy. Surfers in Saudi Arabia and UAE are also restricted from accessing many sites based on the moral, religious and political stances of their governments.

    But the Governments are not alone, big online companies are using the same technology to increase profits by price discrimination techniques. Connect to a site like Napster and you’ll be offered a different deal or price depending on where you are connecting from. Other media sites like Hulu and NBC have to restrict access to US surfers alone due to licensing issues.

    The idealogy behind the internet was originally one of free, open communication unfortunately that ideal doesn’t suit everyone. The growing use of proxies across the globe is a reaction to the restrictions that are being placed on the internet. It’s possibly best illustrated by this quote from James Cowie, an empolyee of Renesys, an Internet Intelligence company in his article – the Proxy Fight for Iranian Democracy

    “If you put 65 million people in a locked room, they’re going to find all the exits pretty quickly, and maybe make a few of their own.”

    Rather well put I thought, and it perfectly illustrates the technological battle for control that is going on across the web. But to return to our title – why is a UK proxy as vital to an expat on the Costa Del Sol as a horse was to the beleaguered Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth field. Well for that there is usally one simple answer, the BBC – you see without one you can’t watch the BBC Iplayer Abroad or anywhere outside the UK!

    Dog Barking Phenomena Leads To Arrest Lawsuits and Fines

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    A search of public records and news media, throughout the country, has revealed a large increase in lawsuits directed at the owners of barking dogs. Not only are these dog owners being sued by their next door neighbor and their neighborhood associations, but they are also facing civil lawsuits and criminal charges from their city and county commissioners.

    One dog barking case recently filed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has resulted in the owner of six dogs being taken to court by her neighbors and the city commissioners. Not only is the owner facing a civil fine but a misdemeanor charge as well.

    Although there are six dogs involved in the above situation, the continuous barking of even an individual dog can result in a violation or lawsuit being filed against the barking dog owners. A great many of the complaints which have been filed throughout the country, have occurred during the hours of 11 P.M. through 6 A.M.

    However, there has also been an even more marked increase in dog barking complaints, during normal daylight hours. Remarkably, some of the increase in complaints filed during the daylight hours is blamed on the economy. Thousands upon thousands of people, which have been laid off from their jobs, are now home during normal working hours. With nerves stretched to the breaking point, because of their personal financial situation, the “barking dog syndrome” becomes the

    target of their anger and frustration. The end result being a call to the local authorities, reporting the neighbor’s dog as a noise nuisance.

    Unfortunately, many of these complaints are investigated by the local law enforcement officers, be it police departments or the sheriff’s department. Thus increasing the burden on these departments already stretched resources: both fiscal and manpower. Because of this drain on resources, many incorporated municipalities, throughout the country, are enacting ordinances specifically directed at controlling the barking of dogs. Many of these ordinances will contain civil fines from as little as $50.00 up to as much as $1000.00; plus court cost. In addition some may well include criminal charges; albeit a misdemeanor.

    However, if you are the owner of a dog that loves to bark, thanks to advances in technology, you may well be able to avoid the possibility of arrest, fines and lawsuits. This technology, in some cases referred to as BarkOff, deals with the use of ultrasonic sounds (human ears can’t hear it) to control a dogs barking. Thanks to the advances in ultrasonic sound technology, many veterinarians, animal rights activist and SPCAs have determined these devices are safe and humane for training a dog to stop barking.

    You can find out more about the bark off devices at BarkOff. Don’t wait and find out about them after the police knock on your door.

    This One Killer Technique Will Reveal Your Real Google Competition

    2

    In this article, Chris Lee, author of groundbreaking SEO Software, Search Engine Wizard, explains the technique they use for uncovering your real Google competition.

    How many times have you looked on Google and been deflated when you research your niche and see something like “63 572 129 competing pages” for your chosen keyword phrase…?

    You’re scratching your head wondering how on earth you can possibly even begin to start planning your site and very often it’s enough to put anyone off for good.

    Well, the good news is that you’re overlooking something fundamental here — and now I’m going to show you what it is.

    Let’s take a popular keyword term on Google, broad matched, like iPod review.

    Now, as I do this, I get a total competing pages count of 125,000,000 results — a lot of competition there, I’m sure you’ll agree.

    Now, let’s try the same search with phrase matching “iPod review”. On this search I am getting 73 100 competing page results. Still, a lot of competition.

    But hang in now, because this is where it gets interesting.

    You see, one would have thought that your REAL competition are those people who know their SEO and one of the most basic things they would have thought of, would have been to include the phrase “iPod review” in their page title.

    So, let’s modify our search and do an allintitle: “ipod review” search — this will reveal those pages that have the specific phrase “IPod review” in their title tag. This now narrows it down to 24 600 results.

    OK, 24 600 results is a lot less than 125 million but still a lot. But, I’m not done yet – this is the part that gets even more interesting.

    Now, to save time, click on the advanced search link at the top of the Google results page and select the results to return as 100 per page, rather than the default 10.

    Repeat your allintitle: “iPod review” search and it will show you 24 600 results, just as before. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the last available page to view, in this case at time of searching, Page 7.

    Open up that page of results and in actual fact page 5 (not 7) opens and scroll down to the end, where this message appears:

    In order to show you the most relevant results, we have omitted some entries very similar to the 462 already displayed.

    So, Google has looked at all the competing allintitle results and decided that out of those 24 600, only 462 are pages that Google thinks are really relevant.

    This means, starting from 125 million pages, Google is now sharing with you that it actually thinks only 462 are really relevant competition. We see this as highly relevant to your research and have actually programmed the latest Search Engine Wizard SEO Software release to do this competition analysis for you.

    You’ll find that when you run this analysis for niched, long-tail phrases that in actual fact you may not have much competition at all.

    Blog Marketing expert says Blog Carnival Submitter is the best Seo Blogging Software that he as ever used

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    Getting targeted traffic to your blog is now so much easier than you can imagine this secret seo blogging software delivers traffic lots of traffic to your blog or website. This does not have anything to do with Google ad words, twitter, article marketing, or video marketing.

    According to marketing expert, Jamie Jones, Blog Carnival submitter is the marketers dream for getting targeted traffic on demand.

    “I have been using this secret seo blogging software for 30 minutes per day and I generated nearly 3000 extra visitors in a few weeks. I now spend two hours per day and my traffic has more that trebled,” says Jones.

    “What I really like about blog carnival submitter is that they have provided a excellent instruction video that will get you up and running under 10 minutes. That will help you with getting targeted traffic to your blog or website with ease; you will also be amazed at the price.”

    Vitamins and Health: History, Benefits, Lifestyle

    Vitamins have a deeply extended record, although up to the time of comparatively a short time ago it was not one that had been acknowledged. In passe times, when humanity provided up the mobile lifestyle of the hunter gatherer and constituted primitive urban areas and matured the starts of fixed and sustainable agriculture; it was soon understood and well known by the scribes of Sumeria (in present day Iraq) that food may well involve health in more unpretentious ways than simply keep people alive.

    This contained most likely previously existed recognized by the shaman ministers of even earlier native bunches, but in Sumeria, the countries of Mesopotamia and old Babylon, it was contrived in finer detail, and the effects taped record on clay tablets. Unfortunately, at present most of these have either been eliminated complete the centuries or falsify unexplored lower than the desert sands.

    So the understanding of nutrition had been sustained, and sadly did not touch up on these primary understandings for a great time. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and following the Arabs caused steps in therapeutics, although not especially in avoiding health troubles and diseases from happening in the first place. Otherwise, they escalated on the healing process once the symptoms of the illness were observable.

    The existing times are specified by a lot of pressure and an overwhelming passion to be a prosperity in all the enterprises that we satisfy in. Nether these events, it is principal that we concern for a good health so that we can be arranged to face the trials that life has in store for us. Though, it is really an issue of worry that the foodstuffs that we consume in the current times is not at all enough to supply us with the essential nutrients. We need an supplementary source to complement the food that we eat in order get the vitamins and minerals that are forced to preserve our mind, body and spirit in a good form.

    Vitamins and Supplements are the prerogative origin that assists carry on us going. Short of them, the body would not have the reserves it requires to keep our minds well-balanced, our hearts pulse and our lung respiration. Our muscularities would not work, and our bones would compound. It is casual to find examples of persons who gradually dress themselves down just since they go wrong to get the nutrients they need through diet and the use of supplements.

    Vitamins and supplements have definitely arrive to be a instalment of our lives. Humans all around the planet totally wouldn’t begin everyday requiring capturing their vitamin supplements. The intake of vitamins is unity in every of the causes as to why a lot of people at this time are not so much unhealthy than they were within the past. This, in conjuction with a well-balanced diet and a good activity score is a major to having a satisfied and healthy life. Naturally, with all of these new disorders returning up, vitamin supplements couldn’t have come at an additional favorable moment.

    In attendance are a lot of vitamin supplements that you’ll be capable to choose from. Multivitamins appear to be the most popular vitamin supplement that folks take. This is owed to the generous fact that multivitamins include a couple of the consequential vitamins that we have a direction to would like for our regular tasks. It attractive much has all the essentials that you would like vitamin A, C, and D. In addition to that, there’s additionally iron, calcium, and some kinds of antioxidants. It doesn’t really topic on what sort of multivitamin you use. As long as your diet is good, you’re cute much protected at common diseases. The majority if not all sorts of multivitamins will only be price it if it’s used with a sensible conclude a plan and a healthy diet.

    When you capture vitamin supplements in conjuction with a smart diet and a healthy style of life, you can desire to be indowed with a awfully positive and robust life. Vitamins and supplements are used mainly to hide the requirements that we have a tendency to be in brief offer of. People don’t sometimes get all the nutrients that they need everyday either pursuant to time constraints, or having no access to certain foods.

    Vitamins and Supplements do a great task in covering for these essential nutrients. As a effect, you’ll adopt to have a strong heart and mind. In total, you may also have additionally energy to try to your daily tasks.

    2010 Sports Betting System Championship Results — Record Breaking Year — New York Man Wins $5.8 Million

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    May 17, 2010 — Las Vegas, The 2010 Sports Betting System Championships have just come to an end and one New York man is $5.8 million dollars richer. Jack Pace of Syracuse, New York has won the annual championship after blowing out the competition with a record breaking performance. Mr. Pace won a total of 83 straight bets with zero losses, winning not only the championship but thousands of fans as he rocked Las Vegas and became an instant legend.

    How can one man be so lucky and defy the odds in a city where most people lose more money than they wish to admit. Mr. Pace claims it’s not gambling, it pure mathematics. He claims to have been perfecting his sports betting system over the past 9 years and can consistently when over 97% of his wagers in a variety of sports ranging from NFL, NBA, MLB, and NCAA.

    Mr. Pace has garnered worldwide attention after winning every bet in the competition. Some of his competitors have even gone so far as to say he must be magic. Ryan Dietz, long time sports investor says he has been following Jack Pace’s sports betting system for years and says “Jack is an absolute mathematical genius and one remarkably nice guy.” Jack has made such a tremendous amount of money from sports betting over the last 6 years that people in Syracuse call him Mr. Lamborghini because of his collection of exotic cars including 12 Lamborghinis.

    It’s reported that Jack has several famous friends that follow his every bet including some of the biggest names in sports. Jack claims to have helped hundreds of people become sports investing millionaires over the past two years alone. Jack has reportedly sold his secrets for upwards of six figures in the past but after winning the 2010 Sports Betting System Championships vows to release his system to the public. Casinos and sports books beware; you may have a new wave of millionaires coming your way.

    When asked if he would be competing in the 2011 Championship, Mr. Pace replied “Same Place, Same Time!”
    Jack Pace’s system is available at www.winwinsportsbetting.com

    The Money Maker – Super Fast Website Builder – Awesome for Online Business

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    Press Release

    Great news! The Awesome super fast website builder has now landed on the market! No fanfare, no fuss just an awesome product that designs the actual website and uploads it on the web for you. It’s a super sophisticated software that is lightning fast, incredibly powerful and really easy to use. It’s the site2traffic software that is taking the market by storm as one of the fastest website builders around.

    The magic of the site2traffic super fast website builder software is that the developers keep improving it and have now released version 2.5 to the market. Most other website builders are incredibly tiring and time—consuming web design tools. These include such well known products as Dreamweaver and BBedit.S2T though is the fast website builder and importantly it doesn’t need the user to have any background knowledge of HTML, CSS, PHP, or graphic design.

    Undoubtedly “site2traffic” is an incredibly powerful, but super simple and lightning fast website builder. The ease of building websites just got so much easier with the aid of this super fast website builder. In fact creating a site can take as little as 3 minutes and 20 seconds (which incidently is the developers personal best time). They even tried it out on a 5-year-old kid who successfully created a website which was due in a big way to its easy—to—use guidelines.

    Keith and Bronwyn Stringer, the actual developers of “site2traffic” created this new , unique and super fast website builder software because of the mind— numbing task of doing and redoing the incredibly complicated process of building websites. One of the greatest benefits of this easy to use software is that the site2traffic website builder software can build a complete monetized and SEO-optimized website in just a few clicks of the mouse. Another awesome feature is that this super fast website builder also designs the webpage by using the in-built templates, creates its own RSS feeds and can be uploaded to the web via the built-in FTP function.
    One of the many reasons that this software is called the fast website builder is that all you have to do is click on easy to use and very understandable “tabs” and enter some basic information. Then, click on few of the check—boxes and S2T simply takes over and does all the frustrating, boring and mind—numbing stuff for you.

    Once finished all you need to do is repeat the process of clicking check—boxes and build your own niche affiliate empire. The s2t fast website builder software also has a “super quick” research process included. Plus the S2T super fast website builder instantly monetizes your niche allowing you to “rake in the cash”. It really is that easy to use. The ease of use has been mainly achieved because the user interface is separated into clearly “tabbed sections” that logicaly guides the user of the S2T fast website builder through a very simple and efficient set of steps.

    Other great features of the Site2traffic website builder is its simplified process of easily encoding text documents, images, video or music files. The simple steps include browsing the files saved by the user within the computer. Then looking for and easily finding the allotted directory boxes which allow the user to easily organize and layout the files for the new website. Then it comes down to the users preferences which are made by simple clicking on a check box and the website builder goes to work. The Site2Traffic fast website builder was created with a high level of flexiblity as each user can make decisions that suit a particular style.

    Another benefit of the site2traffic software is that it was designed to be virus- free so that ypou had peace of mind and were not to worried about your PC’s security. Installation of this super fast website builder to your PC’s desktop is done in a very uncomplicated manner, especially when compared to many others who claim to be fast website builders, and are in reality complicated computer script.

    Version 2.5 of the renouned site2traffic fast and easy website builder is now available to the marketplace. The great news is that they have included plenty of bonuses, such as: the most up to date version of S2T fast website builder software, unlimited direct e- mail support, a complete affiliate marketing strategy guide, free upgrades and updates for life, and so much more! Plus, if you’re not absolutely delighted with S2T fast website builder, the developers even offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

    Steve from London England, one of the early buyers of S2T fast website builder, said that Site2 Traffic software is incredible and makes website building so much faster.Phil Murry, also one of the buyers of the S2T fast website builder software openly attests that site2traffic really is a super fast website builder that allows him to create a website quicker than the time it takes him to register and set up a new domain on his server.

    In closing it is important to state that some website creating software that is currently on the market actually requires the user to be almost a rocket scientist with all of the hard coding required. Not at all like the ease of use of the S2T fast website builder. If you have no idea at all about website coding the chances are that you will struggle without a website building tool like site2traffic. Even the task of uploading a site onto the Web and working out all the technical aspects of website building is incredibly time—consuming. In most cases it can also be overwhelming, especially to a novice niche affiliate marketer who’s sole aim was to try and make money online. In fact that’s exactly why the site2traffic super fast website builder was created. Because the developers couldn’t find anything that was user-friendly so they got together and created this super fast website builder.

    For more information visit S2T fast website builder or http://budurl.com/wso2 for low priced entry to the software.

    Your Muscle Building Tips

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    There are many exercises and recommendations that can be implemented into any fitness workout program to build muscles in a faster and more effective manner. One thing that every individual should remember is that muscles are not built overnight. With the numerous gimmicks that are on the market, people must be aware of the falsehoods that are only aimed at making hefty profits. The best way for muscle bodybuilding is through regular and steady workout sessions. Fitness programs not only relate to exercise and muscle workout, but also focus on proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles.

    Individuals of all sizes, ages and genders need fitness workouts that are geared to those exercises that best fit their needs. For example, a petite individual with little bulk and muscle must find a bodybuilding program that is designed for building muscle strength, as well as bulk. At the opposite end of the spectrum, is an individual who displays large bulky muscles, however has little strength. These large muscles can be quite deceiving, for they seem to portray strength, when in fact they are weak. Individuals, such as these, must find different bodybuilding exercises to maximize the areas in which they are weak, and maintain those areas that currently possess the correct amount of strength. There is a right, as well as a wrong way to exercise, especially when building muscles, and it is imperative that an individual implement the method that best fits his/her body type and current condition.

    There are 3 types of body types as follows:

    1) Ectomorph

    2) Mesomorph

    3) Endomorph

    Each of these body types requires different methods of workout programs. This is why it is pertinent to research the needed requirements for muscle exercise agendas.

    When attempting to build muscles, one must set goals that are reasonable and not beyond his/her capabilities and abilities. It is important to not overdue the training and bodybuilding workouts, remembering that 3 times per week is recommended. The reason that one should not train daily is that muscles need time to recoup and rest, so a day in between each workout is advised, so as not to injure or damage one’s body.

    A creatine supplement is a good idea for anyone who trains hard, because it supplies the ingredients that help to give the energy and stamina to train harder .It is also imperative for an individual to live a healthy life style. For example, plenty of sleep and good nutritional meals are a priority. To gain more energy for a workout, one should t eat foods high in protein 30 — 60 minutes prior to his /her workout.

    Workout training must consist of a combination of high volume and medium intensity; volume relating to the quantity of sets of exercises, and intensity referring to the types of repetition. Usually body building routines consist of 3 sets. The “Big Three” include the following types:

    1) Squat

    2) Deadlift

    3) Bench

    All in all, building muscle mass as well as muscle strength is reliant upon an individual’s dedication to fitness strength training and exercise programs that are focused upon his/her goals, abilities, capabilities, physical condition, and willingness to obtain the provided goals. If these elements are followed, the end result will be a positive one. For more information visit http://www.yourmusclebuilding.com

    Tampa Carpet Cleaning Business Owner Publishes Report On How To Avoid Common Carpet Cleaning Scams

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    Press Release

    Choosing a carpet cleaner in the Tampa area can be a pretty daunting task for homeowners.

    This is why local Tampa Carpet Cleaning expert David Haddidian has just released a special report that will show homeowners how to avoid the most common mistakes that are made when choosing a carpet cleaning company.

    David owns and operates Bayshore Cleaning based out of Tampa, Fl. Over the years he has heard countless horror stories from his clients and decided that he was going to put his expertise into a report that will help homeowners make the right decision.

    “I just got tired of hearing how some of my clients were previously ripped off by these other companies that quite honestly could care less about cleaning your carpet. All they wanted was to get paid and move on to the next job, even if it meant leaving your carpet worse off than it was before” says David. “By reading this report, homeowners should learn enough about our industry so that when it comes time to pick a carpet cleaner, they’ll know how to choose an ethical company, even if it’s not my company”

    Inside the report you will find out how avoid the 4 most common carpet cleaning ripoffs, 6 misconceptions to carpet cleaning, and the 7 questions you must absolutely ask every cleaner before they take one step into your home.

    For more information or to download the free report, please visit http://carpetcleanerstampa.net

    Or you can reach David directly:

    Bay Shore Carpet and Floor Cleaning
    4601 Grayview Court, Tampa, FL 33609
    (813) 928-1590
    http://bayshorecleaning.com

    Expert Reveals How to get a Six Pack

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    Press Release

    Certified Personal Trainer Mike Geary has revealed what it takes to finally get a six pack. And just in time for summer!

    So many people are striving for the perfect six pack and they have tried just about everything to get them. At last, world expert Mike Geary has broken the silence. Geary is the creator of the best selling program The Truth About Abs. And what he has to say may shock you.

    First off, he says sit ups and crunches are usually done incorrectly, if they even need to be done at all. Instead try the mountain climber. Get into a pushup position. Now start shuffling your feet in and out, so your knees come up to your chest, then back out. This is a simple exercise, yet way more effective than simple sit ups.

    Next, eat fat! Everybody tries to avoid fat. Yet, a healthy diet requires fat. Its just eating the right fat that’s important. Try eating more olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Good fats will cut down cravings and keep your hormones in correct balance.

    Find out more here about how to get a six pack and get ready for the beach.

    SLN Wellness Club Promises to Save You More Than $11,000 Per Year on Weight Loss Supplements

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    SLN Wellness Club is an exclusive club that seeks to save its members at least $11,000 per year on weight loss supplements and other nutraceuticals. While the general public spends as much as $89 per bottle on their supplements, SLN Wellness Club keeps costs low so they can pass the savings onto their members.

    (PRWEB) May 12, 2010- SLN Wellness Club is an exclusive club where members can get all their weight loss supplements and other nutraceuticals absolutely free. They are able to do this, they claim, because they keep their costs down and thus pass the savings on to their members. To become a member of the SLN Wellness Club, potential members are encouraged to input their information directly into the website. This will give them access to all the free supplements the club offers.

    According to the website, after a person joins the club, they get access to a year’s supply of all 11 of their unique formulas at no cost. The general public, the site goes on to say, pays as much as $89 per bottle — even at discount retail stores such as Sam’s Club and Costco. The site promises to save their members this kind of money by offering all of their supplements free of charge. All members have to do is pay the shipping charges. The site goes on to say that if members sign up today, shipping on the first bottle will be taken care of by the club itself.

    On the website is a list of the supplements members can choose from. They include Acai Love, which is supposed to help a person lose weight as well as cleanse the body while fighting free radicals; Burn Formula X, which is intended to help you lose weight as well as boost your mood; and Eat Less, Be Happy, which is meant to suppress your appetite while at the same time regulating blood sugar levels.

    These are just a few of the weight loss supplements listed on the site. There are also supplements to help you sleep better at night, to create more passion in the bedroom, and also to assist with concentration. Next to each of the supplements is the price of $89 crossed out and replaced with the word free in bold letters.

    Once you’re a member, the site says, you can get a full year’s supply of all the weight loss supplements available, up to twelve bottles. After that, members need only call the customer only toll free number to receive more bottles after 30 days, all while paying only $10.35 for shipping for each bottle.

    A one-year membership in the SLN Wellness Club normally costs $450, but that has been slashed to $159.99 as part of a limited-time promotion. To become a member, or to learn more, visit their site at: http://slnwellness.com

    Moving? A Reverse Phone Look Up Number Could Be Protection

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    Webmaster of a reverse phone number look up website, Azhan, reports an interesting story of how a simple reverse cell phone lookup search could have spared his friend a lot of trouble when moving home.

    “She called a few ads on Craigslist and hired a couple of guys with a truck. I initially told her how she could make sure that it’s a legitimate and trustworthy business. But she didn’t really feel it was necessary, she could tell the guys she hired were honest,” says Azhan.

    “I called her the day after she moved to see how it went and when she heard my voice she began to cry. The move turned into a complete nightmare. Even most of her furniture had been left on the pavement for a large part of the day,” continues Azhan.

    “She could have easily got all the information she needed beforehand with a reverse lookup phone directory.”

    Time To Move ? You Need A Reverse Phone Look Up Number

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    Press Release

    A friend recently moved to a new apartment. She called a couple of ads on Craigslist and hired a couple of guys with a truck. I initially told her how to use the number from which the mover called her back, to make sure it’s a legitimate, trustworthy business.

    I explained how she could find out if these people are involved in lawsuits, are having financial troubles or have a criminal past. Now I asked her if she’d done a reverse cell phone lookup search to check these guys out.

    What do you think she told me? She didn’t really feel it was necessary; she could tell the guys she hired were honest. Figures. I called her the day after she moved to see how it went. When she heard my voice, she began to cry. She was so sorry she didn’t listen to me! The movers came in the morning, started to load her stuff on the truck, then rudely told her they didn’t have time to move everything that day because they had another appointment, unloaded her furniture on the pavement, and left.

    Horrified, my friend called the other guy she’d previously talked to, hoping he was still free. He claimed he’ll be free after 5 pm; until then, her furniture sat on the pavement of a busy street, and the manager yelled at her because her couch was blocking the entrance. The new movers finally came at 6; around 10, they were finally unloading at the new place.

    My friend paid one guy while the other was getting the stuff out of the truck; paid way more than she’d hoped, but she no longer cared. She was inside the apartment, waiting for them to start bringing it all in, but it seemed to be taking too long. She looked outside. The truck was gone. For the second time that night, her furniture was lining the pavement and blocking the lobby. She carried in as many small pieces as she could; the rest spent the night under the rain.

    Exhausted, she finally fell asleep after 2 am on the carpeted floor. Fortunately, early in the morning some good Samaritans helped her bring everything inside. Several pieces of furniture were damaged, other things were missing, and she ended up having to spend a lot more on new furniture.

    I am not one to rub it in with “I told-you-so”s, although inside I was screaming that she should have used reverse cell phone lookup to make sure she hired an honest, responsible company, like I told her to! She must have known what I was thinking, because she told me she regrets not listening to me. My friend seems to have finally learned the hard way: get all the available information before making a decision; to do that, reverse-cell-lookup the hell outta them!

    Visit for more details on reverse phone look up number & reverse lookup phone directory.

    Anonymous Surfing – No Chance in the UK

    If anyone had any vague ideas that what they do online is private then the recently released figures from Google should dispel that myth.

    Google has released figures based on the following –

    “Requests from government agencies around the world to remove content from our services, or provide information about users of our services and product”

    It’s probably no great surprise to find a country with the most CCTV cameras per head in the world, appearing right at the top of the list.

    That’s right the UK makes more requests for information on what it’s citizens are doing online than any other major democracy.

    The figures show that in the last six months of 2009, Google received 1166 requests for information on what we do online. These requests will be from Government departments, Intelligence agencies and other officials.

    The popular blog – Anonymous Surfing has loads of tips, stories and information on various privacy issues online. These are issues that affect everyone who uses the internet, the issue of privacy is an important social question.

    The reasons you may wish to surf anonymously are wide and varied, often depending on your location. Bloggers and journalists in many countries have to stay anonymous simply to protect their liberty. As we speak thousands of people are in jails simply because they voiced an opinion online.

    In Europe we face increasing legislation designed to further curtail our privacy, making it easier for Governments to monitor exactly everything we do online.

    The justification is nearly always about catching criminals, but is it a price we should pay?

    Whatever your views on protecting your privacy, you’ll find the latest news and information on all things to do with anonymous surfing and internet filtering on this blog. There’s an interesting piece on the how the Thailand government manipulates internet access to control it’s population here – http://www.anonymous-proxies.org/2010/05/internet-filtering-gets-worse-in.html . A tactic that seems to have been ineffective in the light of the current unrest in Bangkok.

    Police failed to process DNA samples linked to violent crimes

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    Press Association

    A London police force failed to submit DNA samples, including those linked to violent crime, rape and a murder, to the national database, a report published today has revealed.

    The joint investigation by Dame Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons, and Denis O’Connor, chief inspector of constabulary said it was unclear why a small number of samples linked to more serious offences were not properly processed.

    Their inspection visit to police custody units in Hackney, east London, revealed that designated detention officers “operated an effective and efficient system of processing detainee DNA samples in custody fridges and freezers”.

    But the report said that some samples held in a freezer and fridge in the CID general office at Shoreditch had not been submitted to the national database.

    “There was only a small number of these, but they were linked to more serious offences.”

    “The samples included some linked to violent crimes, rape and homicide, although the homicide sample appeared to have been taken and dealt with by an investigation squad not based in the borough,” the report said.

    In Stoke Newington, another freezer was found to contain DNA samples taken in February, June, July and November last year that had not been sent to the database or disposed of.

    Other areas of concern raised by the inspection included a “limited awareness” among custody staff of the needs of juveniles and women.

    “This inspection of custody suites in Hackney identified some good practice, but also a number of areas for improvement,” the chief inspectors said.

    “In particular, staff need to be properly trained for their tasks, not least to ensure appropriate recognition of the needs of the diverse range of detainees who pass through the suites.”

    A Metropolitan police spokesman said: “In what was an overall positive report into custody suites on Hackney borough, the HMIC [HM Inspectorate of Constabulary] raised some concerns about the retention of a small number of DNA samples.

    “The HMIC did not make any specific recommendations and we are satisfied that no investigation was compromised; however Hackney borough acknowledge the comments and has, as a result, reviewed its supervision of the DNA-retention process.”

    In January a similar joint inspection found DNA samples were left in a police fridge at a custody suite run by Leicestershire constabulary for more than a year instead of being processed.

    Forensic material linked to sexual offences dating back more than two years was also left in storage.

    The inspectors criticised “serious deficiencies” in the storage and management of DNA and forensic samples in the force’s custody suites. They discovered a swab with a blood sample on it left in an open bag.

    A home affairs select committee report published in March suggested only 3,666 crimes were detected every year that had links to an existing DNA profile, but warned that it was difficult to be sure the figure, which was calculated by the pressure group Genewatch, was accurate.

    Senior police officers told the committee that about 33,000 crimes were solved using DNA matches. The committee said many of those would be solved without a national database.

    Afghan protest on civilian deaths turns violent,1 dead

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    SURKHROD, Afghanistan (Reuters) – A civilian was shot dead in eastern Afghanistan on Friday after police fired at thousands of villagers protesting against NATO raids which they said killed 11 civilians overnight, a local official said.

    A Reuters reporter in Surkhrod district in Nangarhar province, where villagers said the raids took place, said Afghan police fired at the crowd after some of them started throwing stones at local government buildings.

    Haji Jamal, head of the local provincial council, told Reuters one of the protesters had been shot dead.

    Earlier, the crowd dragged out the bodies of dead civilians they said had been killed in the raids, demanding an explanation from NATO over the deaths.

    Ali Khan, who lives next door to the homes which were raided said he heard helicopters landed at about 1 a.m. (2030 GMT).

    “And then the gunshots started. We were terrified and we couldn’t come outside,” he told Reuters.

    “Dozens of Afghan and foreign troops raided three homes and we found out in the morning that nine people were killed and two others are missing,” Khan said.

    In a statement NATO-led forces confirmed an overnight operation had taken place in the Surkhrod district but denied any civilians were killed and said they killed only insurgents, including a Taliban sub-commander.

    “The combined force went to a compound outside the village of Qal’eh-ye Allah Nazar, in the Surkhrod district, after intelligence information verified insurgent activity,” the statement said.

    “Reports indicate no civilians were harmed during the operation,” the statement added, but did not give an exact number of people killed in the raid.

    Civilian casualties in the nine-year war have eroded support for foreign coalition forces trying to crush the Taliban insurgency.

    Last year was the deadliest for Afghan civilians since the war started in 2001, according to the United Nations.

    Afghan officials say about 170 Afghan civilians were killed between the months of March and April this year alone, an increase of 33 percent compared to the same period last year.

    (For more on Afghanistan, click on:)

    Small-scale operations are carried out at night mainly by U.S. forces, usually on Afghan homes where they suspect insurgents may be living or hiding.

    They are a major cause of tension between foreign troops and Afghans, stoking resentment among civilians and undermining the coalition’s goal of winning over the support of the population.

    “We will burn the whole district, we don’t want Americans, we don’t want the government … If you are here to kill us, then kill us now,” Hafiz Gul, one of the demonstrators, said.

    (Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Golnar Motevalli and Sanjeev Miglani)

    William Hague represents Conservative-Liberal Democrat government in Washington

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    Foreign secretary William Hague will represent the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat government in the US today as he makes his first foreign trip since the coalition was agreed.

    Mr Hague, a former Tory leader and long-time shadow foreign secretary, said he decided to journey first to Washington after receiving a phonecall from his American counterpart Hillary Clinton shortly after taking office. The US secretary of state Clinton had previously forged a close working relationship with Mr Hague’s predecessor David Miliband.

    But Mr Hague was always certain to make Washington his first destination as foreign secretary. The new foreign secretary has already highlighted Afghanistan and Iran as his top two priorities.

    “Iran’s behaviour in recent years has been unacceptable to the great majority of the international community and that will be one of the subjects of my first international visit which will be to see Hillary Clinton later this week,” he told Sky News this week.

    “We have spoken. Mrs Clinton was my first caller on the telephone.”

    The Tories and Lib Dems, especially the latter, had been vocal in their criticism of the previous Labour administrations of aligning themselves too closely to the US.

    But Robin Niblett, the director of Chatham House, said he doubted the change of government would have a tangible effect on US-British relations.

    “Intelligence and counterterrorism cooperation and regular discussion over operational planning and political strategy in Afghanistan will ensure that officials and political leaders retain elements of the ‘special relationship’ into the next UK government,” he said.

    Since Barack Obama came to power in January 2009 Britain has been lower down on the Washington agenda, although the president has repeatedly championed the special relationship the two countries enjoy.

    While the UK has more troops in Afghanistan than any other Nato member save the US, London has little relevance to American policy in China, India, Brazil or Russia.

    Britain remains firmly behind the US in its criticism of Iran’s disputed nuclear policy, while its stance on Israel is also broadly in line with Washington’s.

    The Foreign Office has said that Mr Hague’s next trip after the US would be to an EU member state.

    In his conference speech last year Mr Hague said while the Tories would preserve the special relationship with the US they also wanted new alliances with India and China.

    But his party leader and now prime minister David Cameron blundered on China twice during the recent election campaign, saying Britain had to keep its Trident nuclear deterrent because it could not be certain what course Beijing would take in the future.
    © Adfero Ltd

    Human Rights Watch calls Gaza destruction ‘unlawful’

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    The Israeli army unlawfully destroyed civilian property in its 22-day offensive in Gaza in 2008 and 2009, a report by Human Rights Watch says, BBC informed.

    Israeli forces destroyed buildings that had “no military significance”, a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Conventions, the report said.

    The New-York based group have documented 12 cases that they say must be investigated. The IDF denies the charges and says it has investigated the incursion already.

    Palestinians and rights groups say more than 1,400 Gazans died in the conflict, known as Operation Cast Lead, but Israel puts the figure at 1,166. Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were killed.

    Human Rights Watch documented the complete destruction of 189 buildings, including 11 factories, 8 warehouses and 170 residential buildings, leaving at least 971 people homeless during the operation which began in December 2008.

    The 12 incidents documented in the report account for roughly 5% of the homes, factories and warehouses destroyed in Gaza during the operation the report said.

    Via FOCUS

    Russian security forces shoot 3 suspects dead

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    Agence France-Presse

    Russian security forces yesterday shot dead three people suspected of organizing the suicide bombings in the Moscow metro. Security forces attempted to detain the three, but killed them after they fired back. “Unfortunately, we were not able to detain them alive. They offered fierce armed resistance and were destroyed,” Alexander Bortnikov, chief of the Federal Security Service, told President Dmitry Medvedev. Mr. Medvedev replied security forces should kill rebels who resisted. “Destroy those who show resistance. Show no mercy,” he said. Two female suicide bombers from Dagestan hit the Moscow metro on March 29, killing 40 people. Bombers struck again in the region yesterday, killing at least five people.

    Iran and Iraq exchange border fire

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    AFP

    Iraqi border guards exchanged fire with Iranian troops along the two countries’ border yesterday, the first major incident between the two since Iran took over a disputed oil well in December.

    An Iraqi officer was captured by the Islamic Republic’s forces in the 90-minute gunfight on the border with Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, which was apparently sparked when Iranian troops mistook Iraqi soldiers for a Kurdish rebel group.

    “Iranian forces thought that the border guards belonged to PJAK (the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan – an Iranian Kurdish rebel group) and started to open fire,” Brigadier General Ahmed Gharib Diskara, the head of Iraq’s border guards in Sulaimaniyah province, told reporters.

    3 Men Arrested in Connection with Times Square bomb

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    Three Pakistani men said to have supplied funds to Times Square car bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad were arrested in a series of raids as the FBI followed the money trail of the failed attack.

    Investigators said it was not yet clear whether the three men knew how the money was going to be used.

    The men – two seized in the Boston, Massachusetts, area and one in Maine – were arrested as authorities searched homes and businesses in co-ordinated raids in the Boston suburbs, on New York’s Long Island and in New Jersey.

    They were arrested for immigration offences – administrative, not criminal, charges and were not charged with any terror-related crimes. Their names were not released.

    The raids followed evidence gathered in the investigation into the Times Square bomb attempt two weeks ago.

    FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkiewicz said yesterday there was “no known immediate threat to the public or any active plot against the US”.

    In Washington, attorney general Eric Holder said investigators believed there was evidence that the men were providing Shahzad, a Pakistan-born US citizen, with money, but they have yet to determine whether the men knew the funds might have been intended for a terrorist act.

    A top Massachusetts law enforcement official said investigators were not sure whether the two Boston-area men were willing accomplices or simply moving funds, as is common among people from the Middle East and central Asia who live in the US

    “These people might be completely innocent and not know what they were providing money for,” the official said, “but it’s clear there’s a connection”.

    Republican senator Susan Collins said there was “not a direct tie” between a man arrested in South Portland, Maine, and the car bomb suspect.

    Authorities have been investigating whether Shahzad – who authorities say needed only a few thousand dollars to buy the used SUV and the bomb components used in the attempted May 1 attack – was financed from overseas.

    A law enforcement official said money was passed to Shahzad through the informal transfer networks known as hawalas.

    Muslim immigrants have for years used hawalas, which rely on wire transfers, couriers and overnight mail and are cheaper and quicker than banks, to send cash to their families overseas.

    But since the September 11, 2001 attacks, authorities have worked to dismantle the system, fearing it allows terrorists to raise and launder money.

    Tracking the money to Shahzad through a hawala system would involve interviewing a large number of people and would probably be a more difficult task than tracing funds through more conventional financial networks, the official said.

    Two of the men under arrest overstayed their visas and the third was already in removal proceedings, said another law enforcement official.

    Shahzad, 30, has waived his right daily to appear in court since his arrest for allegedly trying to blow up a van packed with petrol and propane outside Times Square’s busy restaurants and Broadway theatres, US attorney Preet Bharara said.

    He is continuing to provide investigators with information.

    “We are doing exactly what, I think, people want us to do, and that is to make sure we get all the information we can with respect to any associates he may have, and other information that would help us to prevent anything further from happening in the US,” the prosecutor said.

    Kifyat Ali, a cousin of Shahzad’s father, has called Shahzad’s detention “a conspiracy so the (Americans) can bomb more Pashtuns”, a reference to a major ethnic group in Peshawar and the nearby tribal areas of Pakistan and south-west Afghanistan.

    He has insisted that Shahzad “was never linked to any political or religious party” in Pakistan.

    Shahzad, a budget analyst from Bridgeport, Connecticut, returned to the US in February from five months in Pakistan, where authorities say he claimed to have received training in making bombs.

    Meanwhile in Washington, a senior military official said Pakistani authorities had arrested a man claiming to be an accomplice of Shahzad.

    The official, who spoke anonymously, was unable to say what information the suspect may have provided.

    Via the Irish Examiner

    Al-Qaida in Iraq warns of “dark days

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    AP

    BAGHDAD — Al-Qaida in Iraq’s new leader is warning of “dark days soaked with blood” and says a new campaign of attacks has already begun.

    The al-Qaida offshoot, the Islamic State of Iraq, named al-Nasser Lideen Allah Abu Suleiman as its new minister of war.

    He replaces Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who was killed with another top al-Qaida leader, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, last month in a U.S.-Iraqi military strike on a safe house.

    In a statement posted on militant websites Friday, Abu Suleiman says a new campaign of attacks on security and military checkpoints has started, but that it is just the beginning.

    He warns Iraqi rulers of “long gloomy nights and dark days soaked with blood.”

    What Does The New Government Mean For Farm Trade?

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    As the country settles itself to a new coalition Government, where does food sit in importance and priority? We can start by looking at the respective manifestos issued prior to the Election. The Conservatives advocated red-tape reduction but there was also support for new rules for country of origin labelling, mandatory government public food procurement policies, the appointment of a supermarket ombudsman and clear labelling for genetically modified products. In terms of food security and protecting UK producers of food,

    they promised greater protection for UK farmers whilst also committing themselves to greater support for free trade. Whilst the latter impacts on supporting exports, it works on imports of food too and thus throws up some contradiction.

    The Social Democrat Manifesto also proclaims strong support for farming basing this on the premise that Britain’s future security depends upon a sustainable farming industry. They set out a pledge to deliver a fair deal for UK farmers in the context of production methods seeking to protect the natural environment and heritage. As with the Conservative document, they played on the need to regulate supermarkets by creating a legal Supermarket Code and a powerful independent regulator of Britain’s Food Market. They also sought to help consumers in their choice of foods with the least environmental impact through clearer labelling and to work with the EU to ensure that country of origin labels identified the source of the products not where they are packaged.

    As I write, it is too early to see how this might play out in terms of coalition Government but commitment to climate change and environment is without doubt a core value. Consequently it seems sure that there will be a push towards local sourcing of food and debates on food miles may re-surface. Indeed the issues on sustainability are not just about our carbon footprint – water security is a real and really challenging issue. The developments in Nottinghamshire hospitals towards sourcing meat supplies locally and, in their words, improving quality, traceability and cost, fits this agenda.

    Both parties to the coalition refer to the power of the supermarkets and the need to regulate. However, it is unclear how this will really work. With a Government pledged to efficiency savings and taking out unnecessary costs, does the creation of another watchdog for supermarkets really fit? With the real and sustained interest in food provenance, is there not an opportunity to encourage greater co-operation across the supply chain rather than coerce? Supermarkets in their purchasing must act responsibly and there are clear fears of undue power. However, if the new Government truly seeks to support home production emphasising provenance and sustainability, may be all sides of the chain need to recognise that it needs to be a combined effort. If we are to commit resources to control food retailing, perhaps it should be directed to getting all sides together and truly engaging in positive and pro-active discussions.

    There has been much discussion about food security and everyone recognises the challenge. Britain needs to adopt a very clear strategy to meet that challenge and determine how it is to meet its needs both home produced and by import in the most economic and sustainable manner. Whilst the pressing issue of our economy and the scale of our deficit will occupy much of the time, we need to balance this immense problem against the major one relating to world food supplies in the future. It needs very clear and hard analysis of every area of policy and current programmes to understand what really can be done to secure our food supply and maintain maximum efficiency in our food chain.

    I hope the opportunity will be grasped for a full and open discussion on food supply with some really practical and radical thinking and front line action. Whilst our supermarket shelves remain fully stocked with such a wide range of goods, it is easy to see food security as an academic debate when in fact it is a very real and pressing challenge.

    Via ISN

    Take Back Parliament campaigners to rally in London again

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    Fair votes and reform campaigners will be rallying in London’s Trafalgar Square and across the country again this Saturday, aiming to Take Back Parliament (http://www.takebackparliament.com/hope) for the people.

    The protest for a proportional voting system and real change in political culture and institutions comes as reformers find themselves forming different impressions of the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government’s agreement.

    There has been a broad welcome for fixed term parliaments; a right to recall corrupt MPs; a statutory register of lobbyists; deepening devolution in Scotland and Wales; a review into how parliament should resolve the so-called ‘West Lothian Question’ and related issues; party funding reform; the commitment against ID cards and more.

    But there are equal concerns about how the social justice agenda will play out as deep cuts to nullify the deficit are implemented, the extent to which this is a government serious about City and financial reform, the lurch to a more exclusionary policy on immigration, the likelihood of Trident replacement, no change on Afghanistan, and the thinness of the green agenda.

    There has also been controversy over the proposed new 55 per cent for a ‘confidence vote’ threshold to dismiss a government in the House of Commons, which constitutional experts say erodes democracy by moving away from the 50 per cent-plus-one tradition, and is aimed at ensuring “stability” with what Professor Peter Henessey called “ruthless efficiency” on the Radio 4 Today programme this morning (14 May).

    The singer, long-term campaigner and Labour supporter, Billy Bragg, said on BBC television last night that there were grounds for real hope, as well as scepticism, about Britain’s new government.

    On civil liberties and democracy, he saw progress, and suggested that an overall realignment in a positive direction might be possible.

    But there was also discussion on the ‘This Week’ BBC2 programme about the male-dominated ‘Westminster club’.

    Peter Facey of Unlock Democracy, successor to Charter 88 and the New Politics Network, and one of the partners in the Take Back Parliament colaition, which includes Ekklesia, has adopted an upbeat stance to the coalition.

    “We have even got concessions on electoral reform: proportional representation in a newly elected House of Lords and a referendum on whether to adopt the Alternative Vote for the House of Commons,” he wrote to supporters yesterday.

    He added: “What we haven’t got, yet, is proportional representation for the House of Commons. We will not rest until we do. Popular pressure over the past week has clearly had an effect and helped to keep electoral reform on the agenda. We must not let the politicians get away with thinking that it is for them to decide how we should elect our representatives. They must let the public decide.”

    Organisers claim that the Take Back Parliament demonstration in Parliament Square on Saturday 15 May 2010 is set to be highly significant and all the party leaders have been invited to come and make their case.

    Via ekklesia.co.uk

    Obama vs. the iPad

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    President Obama’s disdain for new media has become so consistent that it is hard to dismiss as mere posturing. This is all the more ironic because Obama’s political movement supposedly mastered the new art of communication. During the 2008 campaign, the Obamistas let the world know they were cool by, among other things, speaking digital as a first language.

    By contrast, since taking office, Obama has sounded downright nostalgic about the old newspaper era, all the while warning that the new communication revolution is producing more information than people can digest.

    President Obama repeated this criticism Sunday in his commencement address at Hampton University:

    You’re coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don’t always rank that high on the truth meter. And with iPods and iPads, and Xboxes and PlayStations . . . information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation.

    This echoed what he told CBS News’s Bob Schieffer in an interview on September 20:

    There’s one last point I gotta make, Bob, and that is that I do think part of what’s different today is the 24-hour news cycle and cable TV and blogs and all this. They focus on the most extreme elements in both sides. They can’t get enough of conflict. It’s catnip to the media right now. And so the easiest way to get 15 minutes of fame is to be rude to somebody. In that environment, I think it makes it more difficult to solve the problems the American people sent us here to solve.

    And when Obama nominated his solicitor general, Elena Kagan, to the Supreme Court, Kagan did not speak to the media, new or old – though the White House released an “interview” with her on its official website.

    Confused? You shouldn’t be. At least two phenomena are at work.

    One, the simpler one, is that now that he has to govern, President Obama would just as soon dispense with all those niggling critics carping about his policies. It was better in the days when three liberals – say Cronkite, Reasoner, and Brinkley – had a monopoly over deciding what the news was every day, and synthesized it every night on TV. Then they let the New York Times echo those views the next morning. Those were the days.

    There’s nothing new here. Newspapers, in decline today, came of age as political tools in London more than 300 years ago, in an era when Tories battled Whigs over such emotional issues as the right of Catholics to serve in government or ascend to the throne. In the 1680s, Charles II – backed by the Tories – embraced the new medium. Then, after a few electoral victories, he shut down the newspapers.

    Wrote the historian Tim Harris of that era:

    What we see, in other words, is a government which realized that it had been unable to contain the public sphere, which recognized that it temporarily needed to engage with it, and which, after having successfully done so, then sought to contain it once again.

    In similar fashion, it’s beginning to dawn on this White House that the Internet is not its friend and, in fact, that the web stands for the opposite of what has emerged as the Obama administration’s animating spirit. The Internet is centrifugal, dispersing power outward; the Obama administration is centripetal, concentrating power at the center. Google is moved hither and thither through choices made by millions; Wikipedia relies upon the wisdom of crowds. In the blogosphere, everyone can have an opinion, and every opinion has a chance to be considered – and perhaps to prevail – in the online marketplace of ideas.

    The Obama administration, conversely, prides itself on offering top-down governance by the best and the brightest – not realizing that, as most Americans see it, that type of thinking creates a self-selected elite prone to hubris and atrocious error. In a mere 15 months, the Obama administration has concentrated in Washington control over important parts of industries as important and diverse as automobiles, banking, and health care. It wants to do the same with energy.

    Given these two opposing forces – the centripetal, governing one and the centrifugal, technological one – a collision was inevitable. It has happened so early in Obama’s first term because his administration has been in such a rush. Its single-minded will to bring all this power to Washington quickly cannot countenance debate and criticism, which are the mother’s milk of the Internet.

    What the Obama administration will do about all this is another question. The FCC recently announced that it will ignore its own previous determination – and a court ruling – and proceed to regulate broadband communications. President Obama may be no Charles II, but those who truly love freedom of expression should remain vigilant.

    – Mike Gonzalez, a former journalist, is vice president of communications at the Heritage Foundation.

    Threat to jobs could cause huge setback in climate change battle

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    By Jez Abbott
    Horticulture Week

    The planned cuts involve 270 Government staff, many of whom hold the key to tackling climate change, flood management, urban drainage and coastal management, according to the institute.

    The Northern Ireland Planning Service aims to “redeploy” a third of staff because of an £8m funding cut caused by a reduction in planning application receipts.

    The institute spoke out after environment minister Edwin Poots announced the need to make savings late last month. Northern Ireland branch chair Simon Bell said: “Redeployment won’t save money. Reading between the lines, he means job losses.”

    Landscape Institute chief executive Alastair McCapra warned that cuts would “leave us ill-prepared to adapt to climate change”.

    The Climate Change Act required the Northern Ireland Assembly to draw up programmes to fight climate change through good public spaces and grey water recycling. “Without the expertise of landscape architects in planning, how can this be done?” asked McCapra.

    Landscape Institute policy and communications director Paul Lincoln said the plans flew in the face of a recent Government consultation that placed huge emphasis on green infrastructure.

    “Severe cutbacks will affect landscape architects and make it extremely difficult for the directorate to meet its climate change and European obligations,” he added.

    A spokesman for the executive’s Department of Finance & Personnel said no targets had been set on staff reductions. But the need to make savings “will inevitably place downward pressures on workforce numbers”, he added.

    BP chief admits he could lose his job following the oil spill

    2

    BP’s chief has admitted he might lose his job over the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

    Tony Hayward, chief executive of BP, said he was under no immediate pressure to leave the company, but his future depended on the company’s actions to solve the crisis.

    “I think I will be judged by my responses,” he told the Times. “I don’t feel my job is on the line but of course that might change.”

    Hayward added the spill meant he has had difficulty sleeping and has received hate mail.

    Via Personnel Today

    Government Auctions, Police Auctions, and Repos save hundreds off retail

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    Press Release

    Auto auctions find cars that have been given up by their owners for one reason or another and put them up for sale. This is the basic premise of all auto auctions, find one and you’ve got a good chance of getting a great deal. That said, not all auto auctions find the same kind of cars, so you need to know whether you’re dealing with a regular auctions, a government auctions or police auctions.

    Government auctions are when cars in the government’s possession are sold off. There’s tendency for people to think that these auto auctions find cars that were once used by criminals, which is true of police auctions. Government auctions, though, consist mostly of two sorts of cars.

    The first type of car typically found in government auctions is the repossessed car. These are cars that have been taken by the government for various reasons, usually tax related, which is why you aren’t seeing them in police auctions. The most typical source of these is the IRS, but there are other places where these kinds of auto auctions find cars.

    The second type of car found in government auctions is cars that were formerly used by the government. This is actually the best kind of cars that these sorts of auto auctions find, because unlike those found at police auctions, these cars usually have low mileage and very little wear.

    Police auctions are a different sort of animal than government auctions, and are what most people are thinking of when they think of cars being auctioned off. These auto auctions find you looking at cars that the police have taken possession of. Unlike the cars you find at government auctions, the cars at police auctions have typically come from criminals who have been arrested, more often than not drug dealers.

    Unlike government auctions, police auctions tend to have cars that have a little more wear and tear on them, but these kinds of auto auctions find cars that are much nicer than what you might get in government auctions, so it can be hit or miss. Police auctions tend to have their car go cheaper than government auctions, so if you’re looking for a solid second car, this can be the way to go.

    Government auctions and police auctions are not the only kinds of auto auctions. Find any used car lot, and you’ll find someone who goes to wholesale auctions. These auto auctions find cars from all over the place and sell them, primarily to used car lots. These are typically not as cheap as government auctions and police auctions, and they’re not always open to the general publics, but they are great places to find cars.

    The problem with government auctions and police auctions is finding them. Actually this is a problem with all auto auctions. Find one and you’re a lucky person. You can usually find them in newspapers and on the news, but probably the best way to find them is online. You might have to travel to get to the government auctions and police auctions, but there’s lots of good deals to make it worthwhile to travel the auto auctions. Find one and get a great deal on a great car.

    To research Government Auctions / Police Auctions and similar types please www.GovtAuction.us to find automobiles 95% off retail price.

    Chomsky: How the Tea Partiers Are Getting Screwed by Their Own Ideology

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    By Noam Chomsky

    On Feb. 18, Joe Stack, a 53-year-old computer engineer, crashed his small plane into a building in Austin, Texas, hitting an IRS office, committing suicide, killing one other person and injuring others.

    Stack left an anti-government manifesto explaining his actions. The story begins when he was a teenager living on a pittance in Harrisburg, Pa., near the heart of what was once a great industrial center.

    His neighbor, in her ’80s and surviving on cat food, was the “widowed wife of a retired steel worker. Her husband had worked all his life in the steel mills of central Pennsylvania with promises from big business and the union that, for his 30 years of service, he would have a pension and medical care to look forward to in his retirement.

    “Instead he was one of the thousands who got nothing because the incompetent mill management and corrupt union (not to mention the government) raided their pension funds and stole their retirement. All she had was Social Security to live on.”

    He could have added that the super-rich and their political allies continue to try to take away Social Security, too.

    Stack decided that he couldn’t trust big business and would strike out on his own, only to discover that he also couldn’t trust a government that cared nothing about people like him but only about the rich and privileged; or a legal system in which “there are two `interpretations’ for every law, one for the very rich, and one for the rest of us.”

    The government leaves us with “the joke we call the American medical system, including the drug and insurance companies (that) are murdering tens of thousands of people a year,” with care rationed largely by wealth, not need.

    Stack traces these ills to a social order in which “a handful of thugs and plunderers can commit unthinkable atrocities–and when it’s time for their gravy train to crash under the weight of their gluttony and overwhelming stupidity, the force of the full federal government has no difficulty coming to their aid within days if not hours.”

    Stack’s manifesto ends with two evocative sentences: “The communist creed: from each according to his ability, to each according to his need. The capitalist creed: from each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed.”

    Poignant studies of the U.S. rustbelt reveal comparable outrage among individuals who have been cast aside as state-corporate programs close plants and destroy families and communities.

    An acute sense of betrayal comes readily to people who believed they had fulfilled their duty to society in a moral compact with business and government, only to discover they had been only instruments of profit and power.

    Striking similarities exist in China, the world’s second largest economy, investigated by UCLA scholar Ching Kwan Lee.

    Lee has compared working-class outrage and desperation in the discarded industrial sectors of the U.S. and in what she calls China’s rustbelt–the state socialist industrial center in the Northeast, now abandoned for state capitalist development of the southeast sunbelt.

    In both regions Lee found massive labor protests, but different in character. In the rustbelt, workers express the same sense of betrayal as their U.S. counterparts–in their case, the betrayal of the Maoist principles of solidarity and dedication to development of the society that they thought had been a moral compact, only to discover that whatever it was, it is now bitter fraud.

    Around the country, scores of millions of workers dropped from work units “are plagued by a profound sense of insecurity,” arousing “rage and desperation,” Lee writes.

    Lee’s work and studies of the U.S. rustbelt make clear that we should not underestimate the depth of moral indignation that lies behind the furious, often self-destructive bitterness about government and business power.

    In the U.S., the Tea Party movement–and even more so the broader circles it reaches–reflect the spirit of disenchantment. The Tea Party’s anti-tax extremism is not as immediately suicidal as Joe Stack’s protest, but it is suicidal nonetheless.

    California today is a dramatic illustration. The world’s greatest public system of higher education is being dismantled.

    Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he’ll have to eliminate state health and welfare programs unless the federal government forks over some $7 billion. Other governors are joining in.

    Meanwhile a newly powerful states’ rights movement is demanding that the federal government not intrude into our affairs–a nice illustration of what Orwell called “doublethink”: the ability to hold two contradictory ideas in mind while believing both of them, practically a motto for our times.

    California’s plight results in large part from anti-tax fanaticism. It’s much the same elsewhere, even in affluent suburbs.

    Encouraging anti-tax sentiment has long been a staple of business propaganda. People must be indoctrinated to hate and fear the government, for good reasons: Of the existing power systems, the government is the one that in principle, and sometimes in fact, answers to the public and can constrain the depredations of private power.

    However, anti-government propaganda must be nuanced. Business of course favors a powerful state that works for multinationals and financial institutions–and even bails them out when they destroy the economy.

    But in a brilliant exercise in doublethink, people are led to hate and fear the deficit. That way, business’s cohorts in Washington may agree to cut benefits and entitlements like Social Security (but not bailouts).

    At the same time, people should not oppose what is largely creating the deficit–the growing military budget and the hopelessly inefficient privatized healthcare system.

    It is easy to ridicule how Joe Stack and others like him articulate their concerns, but it’s far more appropriate to understand what lies behind their perceptions and actions at a time when people with real grievances are being mobilized in ways that pose no slight danger to themselves and to others.

    Noam Chomsky is Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the author of dozens of books on U.S. foreign policy. He writes a monthly column for The New York Times News Service/Syndicate.

    Ancient DNA set to rewrite human history

    1

    The worlds of ancient and modern DNA exploration have collided in spectacular fashion in the past few months. Last week saw the publication of a long-awaited draft genome of the Neanderthal, an archaic hominin from about 40,000 years ago. Just three months earlier, researchers in Denmark reported the genome of a 4,000-year-old Saqqaq Palaeo-Eskimo that was plucked from the Greenland permafrost and sequenced in China using the latest technology.

    As researchers compare these ancient genomes with the ever-expanding number from today’s humans, they expect to gain insights into human evolution and migration – with more discoveries to come as they decipher DNA from other branches of the human evolutionary tree. “For the first time, ancient and modern genetic research is going hand in hand,” says Eske Willerslev, whose team at the University of Copenhagen led the Palaeo-Eskimo sequencing project. “It is really a fantastic time.”

    Already, analysis of the Neanderthal genome has helped to resolve a debate about whether there was interbreeding between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens: genome comparisons suggest that the two groups mated an estimated 45,000—80,000 years ago in the eastern Mediterranean area. The sequencing study, from a consortium led by Svante Pääbo of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, found that the genomes of non- African H. sapiens today contain around 1—4% of sequence inherited from Neanderthals.

    The breakthroughs have been driven by the plummeting cost of sequencing, together with new strategies for reducing or detecting contamination by near-identical modern human DNA. These days, labs such as Pääbo’s and Willerslev’s might piece together a complete genome from the degraded scraps of DNA present in ancient bone, hair or teeth in as little as a month. Researchers from geneticists to fossil specialists can’t wait for more.

    Some hope to use ancient—modern genome comparisons to chart splits in human populations and how they might have correlated with climatic changes. “I call this molecular stratigraphy,” says Jeffrey Long, a genetic anthropologist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. “I then want to use this relative chronology of genetic events to compare to the palaeoclimate of Earth’s biomes.”

    For Willerslev, ancient genomes offer the opportunity to trace prehistoric migration routes. By comparing the ancient Saqqaq genome with those of modern human populations, Willerslev and his team linked it to the present-day Chukchi people of Siberia, revealing that ancestors of this group trekked from eastern Siberia to Greenland about 5,500 years ago. “The genomes will allow us to test theories about peoples and migrations debated for a century,” says Willerslev. “In the next five years, we will see a whole spectrum of discoveries.” For example, the work could reveal whether the first Native Americans included migrants from Europe who crossed the ice-age Atlantic Ocean.

    Pääbo and his team had nearly completed the Neanderthal genome by early 2009, about four years after the sequencing effort began. But, to carry out their analysis, the researchers raced to sequence five genomes of people from diverse modern populations in Europe, Asia and Africa. By comparing these to the Neanderthal genome, they found 78 protein-altering sequence changes that seem to have arisen since the divergence from Neanderthals several hundred thousand years ago, plus a handful of other genomic regions that show signs of positive selection in modern humans. These are linked to sperm motility, wound healing, skin function, genetic transcription control and cognitive development. The team also found that only the modern African genomes lacked segments of Neanderthal ancestry, indicating that interbreeding between the two groups probably occurred after humans migrated out of Africa.

    That revelation is likely to revive the debate about whether or not the two groups are separate species, says anthropologist Fred Smith of Illinois State University in Normal, who has studied Neanderthals in Europe. Smith thinks that they are a subspecies of H. sapiens. Now that the genomes can be compared, it will be possible to investigate the genetic roots of some shared features. For instance, he points to the development of the occipital bun, a bulge at the back of the skull that is found in Neanderthals and in some modern humans. “We need to look and clarify certain characteristics in Neanderthal morphology with genetics,” he says.

    Most researchers in the field anticipate that the next ancient human genome will be completed by Pääbo’s group, from a tiny finger bone found in a cave in the Altai Mountains in southern Siberia. In March, the group reported the mitochondrial DNA sequence from this individual, an unknown hominin that, so far, does not genetically match either Neanderthals or H. sapiens and may represent a new species. The team dated the bone to about 40,000 years ago, but others say that the sediments around the bone may be as old as 100,000 years. There is speculation that the bone could be the remains of an older species of Homo, perhaps even of a remnant population of Homo heidelbergensis, known in Europe from 300,000 to 500,000 years ago, or of Homo erectus, found as early as 1.8 million years ago from Africa to Indonesia. A full sequence may help to resolve this.

    Obtaining the genome of a human ancestor this old was previously unimaginable. “I honestly believe this new era will change our view of human evolution,” Willerslev says.

    Organised crime fears cause ban on 500 euro note sales

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    By Dominic Casciani

    Exchange offices in the UK have stopped selling 500 euro banknotes because of their use by money launderers.

    The Serious Organised Crime Agency says 90% of the notes sold in the UK are in the hands of organised crime.

    Soca deputy director Ian Cruxton said 500 euros had become the currency of choice for gangs hiding their profits.

    The move means nobody will be able to buy the note in the UK – but travellers will be able to sell them if they enter the UK carrying them from abroad.

    There has been mounting international concern over the note, which is worth more than £400, and its use by criminals or tax evaders.

    Massive sums

    Soca says that an eight-month analysis of movements of the note in the UK revealed that it was almost exclusively used by money launderers shifting cash for major crime gangs.

    The British trade in the notes is thought to be worth some 500 million euros – but less than 10% of them are bought by legitimate tourists and business travellers. Financial crime investigators concluded that there was no credible or legitimate use for the note in the UK.

    Instead, gangs are reportedly shifting massive sums of sterling, typically from drug dealing, through “front” exchange businesses.

    Ian Cruxton, deputy director of Soca, told the BBC that the banknote had been secretly withdrawn from sale on 20 April.

    “When criminals want to move a bulk of cash inside the UK and, more importantly, out of the UK, one of the best ways to do that is to reduce the bulk massively both physically and in terms of the risks they pose of discovery,” said Mr Cruxton.

    “The 500 euro note is really the note of choice among criminals.

    “It should now be impossible now to buy a 500 note over the counter from one of the suppliers. And that’s going to have an effect on the criminals – it means they are going to have to find other means of trying to move their money.”

    There have been widespread concerns among law enforcement agencies over the role of the 500 euro in money laundering, concerns that are identical to those raised about other similar high-value notes around the world.

    The European Central Bank created the note at the time of monetary union to replace high value notes which were popular in some of the Eurozone countries.

    David Miliband is first candidate to declare himself in Labour leadership race

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    By Rosa Prince

    The battle will be between four young former Cabinet colleagues and one outsider — Jon Cruddas, a Left-wing backbencher.

    Mr Miliband’s younger brother Ed, 40, is expected to announce his candidacy at the weekend, leading to an inter-family battle for Labour’s top job.

    Ed Balls, 43, a close ally of Gordon Brown, is almost certain to run.

    The Daily Telegraph understands that Andy Burnham, 40, the former health secretary, also plans to stand but will not announce his candidacy immediately.

    Mr Miliband, 44, flanked by supporters in front of the main entrance to the Commons, called for a “comradely” contest.

    After paying tribute to Mr Brown, he said: “I will stand as a candidate. I do so with humility in face of the responsibility this post brings and passion for the causes and values that led me to join our party.”

    He will formally launch his campaign in his constituency of South Shields next week, and said he would spend the next week visiting constituencies that Labour had lost, “listening” to voters’ concerns. Mr Miliband said the country had entered a “new era” and Labour needed a period of “deep renewal”.

    He said the Liberal Democrat-Conservative coalition government put new responsibility on Labour to represent those with centre and Left of centre opinions.

    Most of Mr Miliband’s rivals will delay their announcements until next week, and the former foreign secretary’s decision to announce his candidacy raised eyebrows in Westminster.

    He is thought to have been keen to be clear about his ambitions, having been accused of ducking several opportunities to challenge Mr Brown in the past.

    Mr Miliband is the bookies’ favourite to succeed Mr Brown at 1-3.

    He received a boost when Alan Johnson, the popular former home secretary, said he would not stand.

    Mr Johnson and Caroline Flint, the former Europe minister, both said they would back him.

    Explaining his decision, Mr Johnson, who will turn 60 next week, said: “It’s probably best if the baby boomers do something else, particularly as we have such an exceptional pool of talent there.”

    The contest is likely to take weeks or even months, with the timetable expected to be announced by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee next week.

    At a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Harriet Harman, the acting leader, called for an open contest in which candidates behaved “generously” to each other.

    While Mr Brown said he wanted a result by the party’s conference in September, Mr Miliband’s supporters would prefer a quick contest to capitalise on his early popularity.

    Ed Miliband, the former energy secretary, was expected to stand aside for his brother, but changed his mind after being urged to run.

    Mr Cruddas is said to be taking soundings after receiving “many calls and emails”.

    Mr Burnham also plans to bide his time.

    – An account of the leadership pact made between Tony Blair and Mr Brown will be published next month when Alastair Campbell, the former Prime Minister’s spokesman, expands the first volume of his political diaries.

    Leading Green attacks Lib Dem voters

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    By Luke Walsh

    Green London Assembly member Darren Johnson has criticised people who voted Lib Dem after they sided with the Conservatives in a coalition government.

    Mr Johnson, who missed out on the Green’s third target seat of Lewisham Deptford, urged disaffected Lib Dems to defect to the Greens.

    On his twitter account Mr Johnson urged: “Leave the lib dems. Join the greens!”

    He also criticised Lib Dem voters saying: “I bet all those greenies and lefties who voted Lib Dem are feeling total to**ers now.”

    Unemployment highest since December 1994

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    By Mike Jones

    As the new Liberal Democrat-Conservative Coalition began its first full day in office the scale of the task ahead was brought into sharp focus with the release of the latest official unemployment statistics.

    The number of people unemployed in the UK rose by 53,000 to 2.51 million during the three months to March, according to the Office for National Statistics.

    The unemployment total is now at its highest level since December 1994.

    But the data showed the number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell in April by 27,100 to 1.52 million – a bigger drop than expected.

    The rate of unemployment remains at 8%.

    Following the publication of the “disappointing” figures, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) called on the new Government to focus on job creation and on boosting the UK’’s flexible labour market.

    REC’ Chief Executive Kevin Green said: “The latest unemployment figures are one of the first indicators that the new Government has on the state of the economy and the fragility of the jobs market. Reducing unemployment and creating jobs should be the central priority of this new administration. Our flexible jobs market has already ensured that unemployment has not reached the levels seen in other European countries and will play a major role in helping people back into work.”

    The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development called the figures “dire”.

    CIPD Chief Economic Adviser John Philpott said: “If David Cameron’s incoming Coalition Government wanted reminding about the economic policy challenge that lies ahead, Conservative and Liberal Democrat ministers need look no further than today’s dire official jobs figures. Higher unemployment (including more unemployed young people), fewer people in work (especially full-time work), an increase in redundancies, a fall in job vacancies, and especially a record number of economically inactive people sends out a clear SOS message on the state of the UK labour market.

    “How to combine the critically important task of cutting the fiscal deficit with meeting the equally important challenge of restoring full employment will provide Mr Cameron and his coalition partners with their sternest test. The rhetoric of ‘getting Britain working again’ is about to meet reality.”

    US teacher sacked after being filmed beating student

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    Sherri Davis, a science teacher at Jamie’s House Charter School in Houston, backed 13-year-old Isaiah Johnson into a corner and began beating him while his classmates watched.

    Janiqua Johnson, one of Isaiah’s classmates, filmed the attack on her mobile phone. In the footage, which has made its way onto the internet, Ms Davis cane be seen dragging Isaiah across the floor before kicking and slapping him.

    The video shows that the children initially thought that Ms Davis was joking with the boy after he teased a female classmate.

    At the beginning of the video the children laugh and clap, but the laughter stops abruptly when Ms Davis starts hitting the boy.

    Janiqua told the KHOU news channel that the teacher “snapped”.

    She “just started beating him up,” Janiqua Johnson told KHOU. “His behaviour may have been bad but he didn’t deserve that,” she said.

    Ms Davis was placed on administrative leave when school officials learned of the incident, but was fired when officials saw the video.

    Isaiah’s mother Alesha Johnson said the video was now in the hands of Harris County Sheriff’s investigators and she has filed criminal charges.

    She said: “I’m horrified. I just can’t believe something like that would happen to my child.”

    “It was horrifying,” said Sue Jones, a spokesman for the school.

    “There’s just no other word for that.”

    Via The Telegraph

    Record number of police but overtime bill doubles

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    Spending on police overtime has nearly doubled over the past decade despite record numbers of police officers, according to a new report.

    Overtime payments in England and Wales soared by around 90 per cent between 1999 and 2009, hitting £400 million last year, according to the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS).

    The rise came as the number of police officers reached an all-time high of 142,151 in 2009, 15,337 higher than a decade ago.

    Researchers said overall policing costs also grew by a “remarkable” 48 per cent over the 10-year period, from £9.8 billion to £14.5 billion.

    After the future of the policing budget became one of the key battlegrounds during the general election campaign, the CCJS said its findings meant that a public debate about police priorities was needed “more than ever”.

    The centre’s director Richard Garside questioned the value obtained from the massive spending hike as well as the rationale for the jump.

    He said: “Spending has gone up by nearly a half but the value of this huge increase is much harder to pin down. We now have the largest police service ever. Yet there seems to be no clear rationale behind this incremental growth, nor a clear measure of its success.”

    The report’s compilers said the rise in overtime appeared “counter-intuitive” given the current size of the workforce.

    Via ITN

    31 ‘insurgents’ killed in Afghanistan

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    Regional police claim Nato, Afghan and allied special forces killed over three dozen insurgent fighters in separate overnight operations in northern and eastern Afghanistan.

    Two regional police officials said Nato special forces in three helicopters swarmed in on insurgents who had attacked a volunteer security force in the Zar Khrid area, near the northern town of Kunduz.

    The officials said 31 insurgents were killed.

    In a separate incident, police chief Khial Baz Sherzai of the southeastern Ghazni province said Nato and Afghan forces stormed into three neighbouring villages in the Qarabagh district, killing 14 militants and injuring more than 10 others.

    The officials said no civilians or allied forces were injured in either operation.

    Global warming: The final century powered by fossil fuels

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    By Thomas Fuller

    There is no doubt that the 21st Century will be the last century powered by fossil fuels. The vigorous debate going on right now is whether the transition will occur at a rapid or leisurely pace–but there’s no doubt that it will happen within the lifetimes of many of you who read these words.

    It won’t really be worries about peak oil, peak coal or peak uranium that sets the pace for the conversion that is coming. There is no shortage of fossil fuels lying around–it just depends on the price we’re willing to pay. Nor is it, pace those most alarmed by it, going to be global warming that drives the move. Getting 295 countries to agree a strategy that will help some, harm others and give competitive advantage to a few is just too herculean a task.

    It won’t even be naked political desire for energy independence–in a globalized world with fungible fuels, it really is about as important as a desire to be avocado independent. There are now too many sources of supply for bottlenecks to pop up, or to be erected by OPEC.

    Concerns about all of the above have set a train in motion, and now it has achieved its own momentum and no longer requires a reason. We have given financial incentive for innovation to occur and, really, all we need to do now is not get in the way.

    Here in this country, something as simple as the difference between wholesale electricity prices at night and day have spurred development of storage technologies as diverse as compressed air energy storage, pumped hydroelectric, flywheels and sodium sulphur batteries that will be used, not because we want to virtuously back up wind and solar energy generating sources, but because we greedily want to arbitrage the difference between day and night. This will, of course, also provide the backup we need to take advantage of wind and solar, but that’s almost an afterthought.

    Uprating hydroelectric plants since 1978 has produced the equivalent of a new Hoover Dam in electricity generated, and Hoover Dam itself was one of those uprated. GE has announced a new wind turbine that doesn’t need a gearbox, which they will use in offshore windfarms, reducing maintenance costs considerably. It is just one of a steady stream of innovations that will be in the business pages over the next 20 years making wind cheaper and more reliable. The same is happening in solar.

    Jet aircraft are now being built that are more than 50% composites, reducing weight, and efficiencies in engine use have helped them become 20% more fuel efficient. It will take a while to replace older airplanes, but in the meantime air traffic control systems can reduce stacking over airports and agreements in some countries are reducing the number of no-fly zones to allow airplanes to take the most economical routes. In the meantime, they are experimenting with which biofuel is most effective and poses the least threat to agriculture. The same is happening in maritime travel and in rail travel as well.

    The list is endless and follows the same pattern we have witnessed with every technological breakthrough since the steam engine. We can try and hurry it along with R&D and government subsidies, but really, the 10% drop in U.S. CO2 emissions over the past two years should tell us all where we’re going–and give us a clue in how quickly we’ll get there.

    Plug-in electric cars, hybrids, greener tires. Homestar, Energy Star, building certification programs. Ground source heat pumps, Aerogel insulation, Nanogel. Once the momentum is established, there’s really no stopping it. And we haven’t even started talking about the smart grid or used the ‘N’ word.

    But we will soon, in a special series of articles tackling the tougher parts of this.

    Probation Officers Attitude Conficts With Government Policy

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    By John Deering

    This paper reveals that the attitude of recently recruited probation officers conflicts with the Government’s view of probation as ‘punishment in the community,’ with a focus on protecting the public.

    The author interviewed over 100 trainees entering the probation service three times; at the beginning, middle and end of their training. He found that although those interviewed recognised the Government’s agenda, their principal reasons for joining the service were to engage on a humanistic level with offenders and to offer ‘help’ in the widest sense with a view to assisting individuals to achieve behavioural change.

    During the decade leading up to these respondents applying to join the probation service, the Government had been changing the aims and purposes of the service, promoting the idea that it had got tougher although still retaining a commitment to some form of rehabilitation. The Government had also removed the requirement for probation officers to qualify as social workers, which was previously the case.

    The study shows that in this respect the Government has succeeded. Yet the values and beliefs of recruits seem very much in line with those seen in the past. When asked about why they had applied to train, the clear and overwhelming majority of respondents were looking for a satisfying and meaningful job. They hope to achieve this by working with and ‘helping people’. There was little obvious sense of trainees joining to carry out a law enforcement or control agenda.

    Attitudes and beliefs of trainee probation officers: A ‘new breed’? is available here. http://prb.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/57/1/9

    How aid money is being spent in Haiti

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    Four months after the devastating earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people and left over a million homeless in Haiti, World Food Programme (WFP) Director Josette Sheeran said the country was “not out of the woods yet”.

    During a press conference in the Haitian capital Port au Prince, Sheeran announced a scale-up of cash and food for work projects, as well as the distribution of school meals and nutrition programmes to help Haitians recover from what she described as “an epic tragedy”.

    “In this programme (food and cash programme) we are giving a combination of food and cash, to balance the needs of the economy and, in relations to the local food supplies” Sheeran said, adding that around two million people would benefit from the projects.

    The WFP director also emphasised the importance of contributing to the Haitian economy through one of its most prominent industries; food production.

    Sheeran said WFP is buying a limited amount of food products from local farmers in order to support the country’s economy.

    The organisation has started buying small quantities, but it will increase its purchases over the next few months, Sheeran noted.

    Haiti’s government is asking the international community for US$722 million for agriculture as part of an overall request of US$11.5 billion for recovery following the January the 12 earthquake that shattered the capital.

    That includes money to fix the estimated US$31 million worth of quake damage to agriculture, but much more for future projects restoring Haiti’s dangerous and damaged watersheds, improving irrigation and infrastructure, and training farmers and providing them with better support.

    Haitian President Rene Preval, an agronomist from the rice-growing Artibonite Valley, is also calling for food aid to be stopped in favour of agricultural investment.

    Today Haiti depends on the outside world for nearly all of its sustenance.

    APTN

    Libya air crash inquiry under way

    0

    Aviation officials in Libya are investigating the plane crash that killed 103 people at Tripoli airport.

    The flight recorders have been recovered and handed over to analysts for clues on what brought down the Afriqiyah Airways flight on Wednesday.

    Police and rescue workers wearing surgical masks and gloves have been combing the wreckage of the Airbus A330 near the runway.

    The sole survivor, a child reported to be Dutch, is being treated in hospital.

    Dutch officials say 61 of their nationals were killed in the crash.

    Other passengers included nationals from Libya, South Africa, Germany, Britain and France.

    The plane – carrying 93 passengers and 11 crew – crashed as it arrived from Johannesburg, South Africa.

    Eyewitnesses said the plane started to break up as it came in to land in clear weather.

    “It exploded on landing and totally disintegrated,” one security official told the AFP news agency.

    The plane’s tailfin bearing the airline’s colourful insignia was the only sizeable piece of wreckage to be seen.

    The cause of the crash is not known. The Libyan Transport Minister Mohammed Ali Zidan has ruled out terrorism.

    ‘A miracle’

    The child was taken to hospital and underwent surgery for multiple fractures to both legs.

    Libyan TV showed the child in a hospital bed with a bandaged head and wearing an oxygen mask.

    Little is known about the boy. Libyan officials and the Dutch tourism board said he was aged 10 and from the Netherlands, but the Dutch foreign ministry said its diplomats were trying to see the boy to confirm his nationality.

    Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said the boy had muttered “Holland, Holland” to his doctor when asked where he came from.

    The head of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, called the boy’s survival “truly a miracle”.

    Flags across the Netherlands were flying at half mast for the victims on Wednesday.

    Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said a crisis team had been set up in the foreign ministry.

    “This is a large group of Dutch nationals, so it’s a deeply sad message we have this day,” he said on Wednesday.

    The plane’s 11 crew were reported to have been Libyan.

    The British Foreign Office confirmed that at least one British national was on board and Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin later confirmed that an Irish woman was among the dead.

    Mr Zidan said victims also included nationals from Germany, Finland, Zimbabwe, the Philippines, South Africa and France, although he had no exact numbers.

    According to Airbus, the aircraft was delivered from the production line in September 2009 and had accumulated about 1,600 flight hours in some 420 flights.

    Afriqiyah Airways is a low-cost Libyan airline founded nine years ago and operates a relatively new fleet of Airbus aircraft, the BBC’s Wyre Davies in Cairo reports.

    Via BBC

    3D Video Recording Coming to a Cell Phone Near You

    1

    When we say everything is going 3D, we really mean it. Roger Ebert notwithstanding, the world has gone gaga for 3D, from Titanic to the $100 bill and even Playboy Bunnies.

    But wait, you say – there’s still a huge gap in terms of actually being able to produce 3D video thanks to the expensive new equipment outlays required. True, but consumer electronics manufacturer Sharp has plans to leapfrog over much of that gap by the end of this year by bringing the world’s first 3D camera for mobile devices to a cell phone near you.

    The camera module, designed specifically for small devices like cell phones and digital cameras, shoots 3D footage at 720p resolution. Samples of the new camera will be available by July before the real mass production begins, so by this summer we should be able to get our eyes on the level of quality we might expect from devices that will incorporate it later this year.

    If Sharp is able to produce the modules at comparable cost, it might not be long until 3D video support becomes a commodity baked in to most smartphones and point-and-shoots. There are yet other problems to solve, not the least of which is ensuring everyone has the means to comfortably view 3D content – whether it be via glasses or through the still relatively nascent glasses-less 3D technology. Nevertheless, Sharp’s mobile 3D camera stands to be yet another important milestone in the march to ubiquitous 3D.

    Would you be interested in the ability to record 3D video right from your cell phone, or do you think 2D will keep most people content for some time?

    Obama: Afghan War Will Worsen Before It Improves

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    AP

    The war in Afghanistan will get worse before it gets better, President Barack Obama warned on Wednesday, but he declared his plan to begin withdrawing U.S. forces next year remains on track.

    Standing alongside Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Obama said, “What I’ve tried to emphasize is the fact that there is going to be some hard fighting over the next several months.”

    The two leaders spoke at a White House news conference as U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan prepare to push hard into the Taliban’s birthplace in Kandahar province in June. The campaign for Kandahar, already under way in districts outside the city, is expected to be among the bloodiest of the nearly 9-year-old war.

    “There is no denying the progress,” Obama said. “Nor, however, can we deny the very serious challenges still facing Afghanistan.”

    Karzai’s warm White House welcome followed months of sniping and frustration over management of the war and about fraud allegations surrounding Karzai’s re-election last year. Both leaders said disagreements are normal with so much at stake.

    “There are moments when we speak frankly to each other, and that frankness will only contribute to the strength of the relationship,” Karzai said with a smile.

    The United States has taken “extraordinary measures” to avoid civilian deaths in the war, Obama said, a nod to Karzai’s loud complaints last year that U.S. airstrikes were killing innocents and making enemies of those who might be friends.

    “I do not want civilians killed,” Obama said, adding that he is ultimately accountable when they are.

    Heavy restrictions on when U.S. warplanes can fire at suspected militants are among the changes to war policy installed by the general Obama sent last year to turn around the war.

    Gen. Stanley McChrystal, facing Obama and Karzai in the front row Wednesday, has said he is willing to let a few killers slip away if it means saving civilian lives. Insurgents often hide among civilians, taking over homes or using refuge provided willingly by sympathizers. Obama accepted McChrystal’s argument that either way, killing the other people in a house only breeds resentment and makes it harder to argue that the U.S.-backed government in Kabul is on their side.

    “After all it’s the Afghan people we are working to protect from the Taliban,” Obama said.

    In announcing a major expansion of the war last year – one that will bring a record 98,000 U.S. forces to Afghanistan by the end of this summer – Obama also said he would begin bringing some forces home in July 2011. The date was meant to reassure Pakistan and Obama’s anti-war supporters at home that the war was not open-ended. It was also intended as a signal to Karzai that the United States expected something for its commitment, namely progress in establishing a real working government and attacking endemic corruption.

    “We are not suddenly as of July 2011 finished with Afghanistan,” Obama said. “After July 2011 we are still going to have an interest in making sure that Afghanistan is secure, that economic development is taking place, that good governance is being promoted.”

    Addressing Americans, Obama said they should know “we are steadily making progress. It’s not overnight.”

    At least 982 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. military action since late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.

    Billions in aid, roughly 80 percent of it from the United States, has helped provide schools, roads, government offices and impartial judges. The money and the constant presence of U.S. forces have failed to decisively turn the tide of the war, however, and military commanders say time is dwindling to make a difference.

    The Taliban have surged back over the past five years to become a flexible army with plenty of resources and wider popular support than the United States has sometimes been willing to acknowledge.

    “I’ve used whatever political capital I have to make the case to the American people that this is in our national security interests, that it’s absolutely critical that we succeed on this mission,” Obama said.

    The war against violent extremism isn’t confined within Afghanistan’s borders, he said.

    Questioned by an Afghan reporter, he said he sees a growing recognition among leaders in neighboring Pakistan that the extremist groups who are based there represent a “cancer in their midst.” He said Pakistani leaders are recognizing that the groups that are using Pakistan’s frontier as a base are threatening the nation’s sovereignty.

    Later Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden said he thought the Afghan leader was a trustworthy partner. “I certainly do,” Biden said in response to a reporter’s question before a dinner with Karzai. Biden also said tensions between the two governments “absolutely” had eased.

    Obama’s Afghanistan exit strategy depends heavily on propping up a strong central government in Afghanistan. But U.S. military and civilian officials say that won’t be possible until the local population learns to trust the new authorities.

    Only a quarter of the key regions in Afghanistan support or even sympathize with the government in Kabul, with large swaths of the country still hesitant to swing behind the U.S.-backed authority, according to a Pentagon assessment released last month.

    The report found that as of March, much of the country is either neutral to Afghan authorities or supportive of the Taliban insurgency. Only 29 of 121 districts in Afghanistan identified as “key terrain” support or sympathize with the Kabul government. More Afghans did report feeling safer, with 84 percent saying security levels were “fair” or “good.”

    Afghanistan’s top leaders are spending most of the week in Washington for fence-mending and an examination of the war strategy ahead of the Kandahar operation. The visit comes about midway between Obama’s announcement last December that he would add 30,000 troops and what he has said will be a reappraisal of the U.S. battle plan at the end of this year. It also comes weeks ahead of a peace summit called by Karzai to prepare for eventual talks with Taliban and other militants.

    Karzai appears to agree with outside analysts who say that senior Taliban, including some with blood on their hands, must be at the table for any serious negotiation to stick. The United States has ruled out discussions with anyone who has not renounced ties to al-Qaida, reflecting the sensitivity of cutting deals with people who were even indirectly responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks. The United States, however, has not spelled out what middle ground it might approve, and although Obama said the outreach effort must be managed by Afghans, Karzai has said he needs U.S. backing before he makes a move.

    Initial outreach is directed at Taliban foot soldiers who are not motivated by ideology or affiliated with terrorists, Karzai said. He called them “country boys” driven to the fight by economic hardship. Obama said the two leaders will keep talking about how to approach the larger goal of a full reconciliation that could end the war.

    David Cameron to kill the Digital Economy Act?

    0

    There’s a new man at Number 10 Downing Street. His name is David Cameron. He is promising to make lots of changes to how the UK is run. One of which might well see the controversial Digital Economy Act scrapped.

    And whether or not you are dyed-in-the-wool red or blue, if you like technology and you use the internet you are likely to be aware that the Digital Economy Act is a bit of a mess. To put it lightly.

    In particular, Lord Mandelson’s proposals for a ‘three strikes’ style measure to deal with persistent illegal filesharers drew a considerable amount of criticism from liberal commentators.

    A Parliamentary ‘stitch up’

    The bill was passed through the Commons during the ‘wash-up’ period before the General Election – which in itself led a number of commentators to criticise the process in which it was seemingly rushed through Parliament without due consideration and debate.

    The new Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, said at the time that the passing of the Digital Economy Act was a “stitch-up” between Labour and Conservative MPs and a “classic example of what’s wrong with Westminster”.

    Clegg now has the necessary clout to make some changes and, ideally, repeal the entire Act.

    The new government (‘ConDem’?) is reportedly looking to scrap plans for ID cards and biometric passports, with speculation mounting that the Digital Economy Act could also be in for the chop.

    Via PC Pro

    Heathrow plans ditched by new Government

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    By Paul Cahalan

    Plans to build a third runway at Heathrow have been ditched by the new Government.

    The news, which was expected as both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats opposed the runway, was welcomed by councils – including Wandsworth – residents and green groups and MPs who had campaigned strongly against it.

    After the decision to cancel the plans came in a joint Conservative-Liberal Democrat policy agreement, Heathrow’s operator BAA said it would work with the new government to provide strong trading connections.

    Wandsworth Council leader, Councillor Edward Lister, said on behalf of 2M, a group of councils which successfully overturned the Government’s decision to expand the airport in the High Court.

    He said: “Today’s news is the final proof of the extraordinary success of our campaign. First we won in the courts and now we’ve got the new Government confirming that it’s all over.

    “We could not have known what the outcome of the election would be when we brought this challenge. The judgment meant that whatever the result the case for the third runway would have been set back years.

    “This won’t be the end of our campaigning, we will want to ensure that the current relief offered to residents by runway alternation is maintained and we will be pressing for reductions in night flights and more stringent noise and air quality controls.

    “The new Government now has the chance to draw a line under an unsatisfactory period of public administration when too often it seemed that the aviation lobby’s interests were being placed ahead of the concerns of local people about the environment and their quality of life.”

    John Stewart, Hacan ClearSkies, which also campaigned against the runway, said “the third runway is now dead in the water”.

    He said: “It is good news for London. A third runway would have been bad for the capital’s environment and was not essential for its economic well-being. A long campaign has ended in victory. We are delighted.”

    Former transport secretary Geoff Hoon’s decision in January 2009 to support the new runway, but in the High Court earlier this year a judge said 2M had made a powerful demonstration on of the developments in climate change policy since 2003. The court also ordered the Government to pay 60 per cent of the councils’ legal costs.

    Putney MP Justine Greening added: “This is a victory for our local community who have campaigned to stop this for years. I’m delighted that a Conservative and Liberal Democrat Government has kept its promise to stop the third runway and protect our quality of life.”

    Pentagon must lift ban on Guantanamo reporters

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    The American Civil Liberties Union and several other rights groups today sent a letter to the Pentagon expressing concern over the banning of four reporters from future Guantanamo military commissions proceedings. The reporters were banned for reporting the name of a witness in the pre-trial hearings of Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr, even though his identity had already been disclosed in previous news reports and an on-the-record interview he gave in 2008.

    The letter urges the Defense Department to reconsider their decision to ban Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald, Michelle Shephard of the Toronto Star, Paul Koring of the Globe and Mail and Steven Edwards of CanWest.

    In the letter, the ACLU, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and National Institute of Military Justice said that “this move by the Department of Defense not only runs counter to the U.S. administration’s stated commitment to transparency in government, but will also bring the military commissions into further disrepute, internationally and within the United States.”

    The full text of the letter is below

    Dear Colonel Lapan,

    We are writing to express our serious concern about the Defense Department’s decision to ban four journalists – from The Miami Herald, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail and CanWest Newspapers of Canada – from covering future military commission proceedings at Guantanamo Bay on the grounds that they had revealed the name of a witness in violation of rules governing media reporting of the commissions.

    We consider that this move by the Department of Defense not only runs counter to the U.S. administration’s stated commitment to transparency in government, but will also bring the military commissions into further disrepute, internationally and within the United States.

    As you know, the witness who appeared in Omar Khadr’s pre-trial hearing, identified by the prosecution as “Interrogator No. 1,” had previously been the subject of a widely publicized military court-martial in 2005 that resulted in his conviction for detainee abuse committed at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan in 2002. His connection to the Khadr case had also previously been revealed from information he himself gave in an on-the-record interview to a reporter at the Toronto Star. That reporter, Michelle Shephard, who wrote a book about Omar Khadr, is now one of those being banned from future commission hearings simply for reporting the same information that had previously been widely published and disseminated.

    Whatever confidence the public in the United States and around the world may maintain in these proceedings can only be eroded by a move that is perceived as being motivated by a clampdown on informed media reporting rather than the protection of classified or confidential information.

    Because the proceedings are based at Guantanamo and are open only to a select number of journalists, military personnel and NGO observers, continuing access to these proceedings by knowledgeable and experienced reporters – such as the four here – is even more important than it would be in an ordinary federal trial, open to the general public.

    We urge the Department of Defense to reconsider what we believe is an ill-advised decision to exclude these reporters.

    Thank you for your consideration.

    Sincerely,
    Human Rights First
    Human Rights Watch
    Amnesty International
    American Civil Liberties Union
    National Institute of Military Justice

    cc: Douglas Wilson, Asst. Sec. of Defense for Public Affairs
    Bryan Whitman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Media Operations
    Vice Adm. Bruce McDonald, Convening Authority, Military Commissions

    UK coalition to halt computer surveillance

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    The UK will reverse and restrain many of the surveillance systems that have marked its citizens out as the most watched in the world.

    The agreement on which the UK has formed its first coalition government since the Second World War combines numerous election promises made by its constituent parties, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, to protect citizen’s civil liberties against state and police agencies who have obtained unprecedented reach and power through the application of technology.

    The coalition agreement also proposes the introduction of radical privacy protections into British law, along with a sweeping range of measures to enhance people’s rights to greater freedom from state intrusion.

    ID cards scrapped
    The national Identity Card scheme, for which the last government fought long and hard against widespread opposition, will be scrapped. The coalition has also promised to scrap the National Identity register, the database on which the Government planned to store biometric records of people’s identities.

    It had been suspected that a government might scrap the ID card, but keep the database, and even retain the means of collecting people’s biometric identities using the next generation of biometric passports. The passports will also be scrapped, the agreement stated.

    The coalition also promised to extend the popular Freedom of Information Act, one of the last government’s notable achievements. The Liberal Democrats had promised in their manifesto to extend the FOI act to private sector monopolies.

    The call for greater FOI powers had become entwined in a wider debate about privacy and government accountability.

    The Conservative manifesto had proposed that, “Wherever possible, personal data should be controlled by individual citizens”.

    It was a radical measure that proposed even greater government accountability than others had mustered with calls for public data sets to be made open to the public.

    This appears to have been subsumed in the coalition agreement into the less specific Libdem proposal for a Freedom Bill. The Liberals had proposed that the Data Protection Act should be updated, though the revision of this European legislation is ongoing anyway and may yet encompass the wider conservative proposals since the campaign for government to account for its personal data is gaining momentum elsewhere in Europe.

    Greens and Pirates
    To the Greens, greater privacy had meant to “free up information — allow us to see the data they have on us”. The Pirate Party had almost equated this with greater FOI powers.

    “All available information that could be released through a freedom of information request should be made public by default,” said the Pirate manifesto.

    These elements of the coalition agreement mark the astonishing progress made in the public use of computer systems and their implications for democracy.

    When the Labour government had come to power the government use of computer systems was primitive and patchy. The then fresh-faced Tony Blair promised that within five years 25 per cent of all government services would be available online.

    Thirteen years and billions of pounds later, the old ideas of data protection are giving way under the deluge of government data to an idea of privacy and liberty guaranteed by accountability and access, very similar to the principles already enshrined in criminal law. Such developments would be the only way that the surveillance state could operate without reversing the burden of proof, as is much feared it will.

    Coalition committments
    Other coalition commitments include removing innocent people’s records from the DNA database, regulating the use of CCTV, and calling a halt on the last government’s plan to retain records of the whole countries’ email and communications data.

    The agreement proposed to “outlaw” the finger-printing of children at school “without parental permission”, though the practice has already become widespread.

    It contained no reference to extradition law nor the plight of Gary McKinnon, the computer hacker under extradition order from the US, and for whom both coalition parties campaigned vociferously before the election.

    The agreement was, however, drafted to meet the urgent need to give the coalition an accord on which it could form. Further developments may happen before McKinnon’s brings his last attempt at overthrowing his extradition before the high court at the end of the May.

    Car bomb kills 7 in Baghdad’s Sadr City

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    A car bomb kills seven people and injures 22 others outside a cafe in a Shia neighborhood of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

    The explosion occurred in Sadr City Wednesday evening, in an area where young people usually gather to play dominos.

    The Iraqi Interior Ministry announced the casualties.

    Earlier in the day, another bomb exploded inside a grocery store killing three people and wounding 23. It also took place at a popular market located in another mainly Shia area of Baghdad.

    Police said insurgents first killed the shop owner in front of his store in the Shula district of northwestern Baghdad. They detonated the bomb after people gathered around the body.

    Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents have often claimed responsibility for attacks on Shia neighborhoods although Shia leaders in Sadr City blame US elements in the country for such terror acts.

    Mixed omens from Con/Lib Dem Town Hall pacts

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    In recent years there has been a greater number of Con/Lib Dem joint administrations running Town Halls than of Lab/Lib Dem ones. I think the outcome has ben mixed but one point is that numbers don’t seem to have been the crucial factor in the direction it has taken. Until last week we had three London boroughs – Camden, Southwark and Brent – run by Lib Dem/Con coalitions. In each the Conservatives were the minor partner in terms of Council seats but punched above their weight in terms of outcomes. For instance in Brent the Conservative councillor Bob Blackman was most effective in keeping a grip on the budget and thus the Council Tax much lower than might have been expected.

    On the other hand Birmingham is a less happy example. Although the Conservatives, rather than the Lib Dems, are the majority partner it is hard to be enthused by the administration. There have been some achievements but staffing levels have been expanded and are only now being cut back as the spending proved unsustainable. There have also been failings on social work provision and attacks on school choice.

    Of course we don’t know what difference it would have made if we had an overall majority in Birmingham. But I think the lesson is to focus on substance – on policy, on outcomes. Not so much on the numbers of Ministers from each party.

    Innocent man’s fury after police took fingerprint and DNA samples

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    AN ex-soldier who has served in Northern Ireland and guarded the royal family is calling for a police investigation into why he had his fingerprints and DNA sampled after he became the victim of an alleged attack.

    The 55-year-old from Main Street, Loppergarth, near Ulverston, is furious that it took a seven-month battle to have his personal details removed from the national database.

    Cumbria police say the information has now been erased from their databases and are now waiting for Steve Atkinson to decide on the next course of action.

    What makes the former soldier even angrier is that he fought for his country during the troubles in Northern Ireland, witnessing the worst IRA atrocities.

    He also guarded the royal family during his unblemished eight-year career and has never been in trouble in his life.

    The truck driver, who now works for CAW Ltd, in Walney Road, Barrow, feels he has now been branded a criminal.

    Mr Atkinson explained how he became involved in an altercation in Stainton last September.

    He claims he was manhandled and went to Dalton police station to report that he had been assaulted.

    He said: “I told the officer what had happened and he said it was likely that the man in question would make a counter allegation so it would be my word against his.

    “He said he would need to take my fingerprints and a DNA sample.

    “I said to him ‘why do you need that? I came in here as a volunteer. I haven’t committed a crime?’

    “I was told that everyone had to have them done. We ended up in a stand-off and he wouldn’t back down.

    “In the end, I knew I wasn’t going to win and I had to be somewhere so I said to him ‘I’ll do it under protest but I will be writing to the chief constable first thing in the morning to complain.’

    “I feel like I was treated atrociously. It was totally intimidatory and against my human rights. I was, and am, an innocent person.”

    Last week, after months of correspondence between himself and Cumbria police, he was finally informed what had happened to him was wrong.

    A letter from the force to Mr Atkinson states: “Having reviewed the circumstances of the taking of your DNA and fingerprints, in light of your most recent comments, I have concluded that it would appear that these were not in fact taken in accordance with the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

    “This is due to the fact you were not actually arrested or detained at the police station upon your attendance, and you state you did not consent to the DNA sample/fingerprints being taken.”

    He is then advised what to do if he wishes to take further action.

    A spokesman for Cumbria Constabulary said: “The DNA and information in question has been removed from police databases. We are waiting to hear back from Mr Atkinson to find out how he would like us to proceed. This could involve conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fingerprints and DNA being taken to determine whether we need to take any further action.

    Mr Atkinson added: “I’m seriously angry. I have never done anything wrong in my life and I have been treated like a criminal. My life was held on some computer for anyone to see and why?

    “Until now I have always seen the police as people to be trusted but now I see them as a major concern.

    “I definitely want them to launch an investigation into why this happened because no one should be treated this way.”

    No case was brought regarding the assault as a counter allegation was made by the other man against Mr Atkinson. Both received letters from the police warning them about their future behaviour.

    Internet Freedom Is Not a Universal Value, Secretary of State Clinton

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    Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s speech on the universality of Internet Freedom is a wonderful speech that I personally applaud but it is seriously flawed when applied to China and to Google in China. Absolute internet freedom is a value widely shared among hundreds of millions of North Americans, Latin Americans and Europeans but not among the vast, vast, vast majority of Chinese.

    I recently spent two weeks in Shanghai and Beijing talking with designers and academics. Here is my sense of how internet censorship and “freedom” work in China. The stereotype of of a distant, old, militaristic censor shutting down blogs and web sites on whim is incorrect. Both the young. high-tech entrepreneurs developing new online businesses and the government censors come from the same good universities, are extremely well-educated and know each other personally. The two sides are in constant contact every day, pushing and pulling, reshaping the zone and focus of censorship. In general, both sides, mostly men in their 20s and early 30s, I am told, are trying to increase the space of what is allowed. I am also told that one problem with Google in China was that it was not tied into this network of censor and censored as well as Baidu and other Chinese web companies. And Google didn’t share the accepted culture of dynamic censorship, further antagonizing the censors.

    Two weeks is not a long time in any country, but I did take away the conclusion that for nearly all Chinese, Tibet and Taiwan are as much a part of China as Hawaii and New Mexico are of the US. Government censorship of individuals and groups calling for Tibetan independence is widely applauded, not criticized. It is not an internet space that the younger generation in China wants expanded. However, there is an enormous amount of expressed anger at the rich and powerful all over the net. And throughout contemporary Chinese painting.

    I remember going to the 798 art district of Beijing and looking at one installation that listed words. The first word was “propaganda.” The second was “advertising.” The flow of other words expressed the artists conclusion that two were basically the same–messages from powerful institutions designed to persuade you to think one way and behave in a particular way.

    In the US, internet users have no problem with letting companies flood their computers at will with cookies that track their behavior and indicate their state of mind. They have no problem allowing companies to use gps to know exactly where they are at any point in time. But should the government be allowed to do this? Never. This is a cultural decision as much as a political one.

    I totally agree with Secretary of State Hillary in keeping the internet free but mandating it as a “universal” right is a reach too far. European nations mandate universal health care as a “universal” right. How do Americans feel about that?

    NYC bomb threat a classic homegrown

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    AP

    The suspected driver in a failed car bombing of Times Square fits the profile of a recent wave of “homegrown” terrorists threatening the America, New York police officials warned Tuesday.

    The officials said Faisal Shahzad and other suspects like Najibullah Zazi – the admitted leader of a plot to bomb the New York subway system – had roots in working- or middle-class society, some college education and no previous criminal records, but became radicalized in part by traveling to overseas terrorist hotbeds.

    The Times Square threat was “a classic case of homegrown terrorism,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said at a briefing for private security executives.

    Outlined
    Police officials also outlined the development of a cutting-edge security camera system in lower Manhattan they hope to expand to Times Square and the rest of midtown.

    Prosecutors allege Shahzad, a Pakistan-born US citizen living in Connecticut, claimed he received bomb-making training during a recent trip to lawless tribal areas of Waziristan. And Attorney General Eric Holder has said investigators have evidence that the Pakistani Taleban helped facilitate and finance the botched bombing.

    New York Police Department analyst Mitch Silber said that along with foreign travel, homegrown terrorists typically fall under the spell of extremist, anti-American literature and rhetoric found on the Internet or elsewhere.

    Among the items found in Shahzad’s home was a version of the Quran known for its “violent interpretation” of jihad, Silber said.
    The 30-year-old Shahzad is accused of driving a bomb-laden SUV into Times Square on May 1, causing a panic and clearing streets of thousands of tourists. After an intense, two-day manhunt, federal agents caught him on a Dubai-bound plane as it was departing Kennedy Airport.

    Kelly told reporters after the briefing that Shahzad still hadn’t appeared in court on Tuesday because he was continuing to provide information in an ongoing investigation. He declined to say whether authorities were seeking other suspects.
    The briefing at police headquarters in lower Manhattan was part of a program designed to encourage more vigilance by private security at large hotels, Wall Street firms and other companies.

    The presentation included a progress report on a surveillance camera system inspired by the so-called “ring of steel” in London, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited Tuesday to study security measures.

    Sytem
    The system covering the streets of lower Manhattan eventually will have 3,000 police and private cameras – far fewer than in London. But the NYPD officials said they hope to make their system much more sophisticated by using computer software that can program cameras to automatically detect suspicious packages or activity picked up by the cameras and alert police.
    Unlike London, where video data is “fragmented and decentralized,” police using the New York system already can “pull up any camera and scroll back for 30 days on any (computer) terminal on the network,” said Jessica Tisch, an NYPD counterterrorism official.
    Several hundred cameras linked to the vast fiber-optic network are monitored at a command center in a lower Manhattan high-rise. The department will begin to expand the system to midtown Manhattan in the fall, Kelly said.

    Resveratrol for A Healthy You?

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    Resveratrol is a food component commonly found in red wine. Many consider this substance as a natural and superior antioxidant, which is abundant in grape seed extract, peanuts, skin of red grapes, Japanese Knotweed, and some berries. Recent studies showed that cocoa powder and dark chocolate contain significant levels of Resveratrol.

    Researches confirmed that Resveratrol is as beneficial as red wine since it is the active ingredient in red wine. The following are benefits of Resveratrol:

    Resveratrol decreases the risk of heart diseases by 50% and is found to help protect against cholesterol. Increased Energy — Experiments conducted on laboratory animals showed that those subjected to Resveratrol ran farther than their counterparts. Further testing revealed that the increased energy is due to increased oxygen in the muscle, which activates the energy-producing part of the cell known as the mitochondria.

    Effective Antioxidant — Antioxidants produced by the body serve as protection against toxic free radicals. However, aging decreases the production of antioxidants, hence the need to acquire them from the diet. Resveratrol is a superior antioxidant that provides longer and efficient protection against toxic substances.

    Anti-aging — Laboratory experiments show increased life span among mice by 33 — 66% when treated with Resveratrol. It also showed that the aging process slowed down significantly among laboratory mice inoculated with the Resveratrol. Further molecular experiments showed that Resveratrol activates the substance Sirtuin 1. It is important to note that Sirtuin 1 is an enzyme responsible for regulating the cell’s various functions and activities.

    Anti-cancer — Several studies also shows that Resveratrol can reduce the risks of certain types of cancers like liver cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer. It also limits the progression of prostate cancer when tested on laboratory animals. In general, this substance can interfere with cancer initiation, promotion and progression.

    Resveratrol is also available in a topical cream form. This cream is rich in Resveratrol and effective in activating Sirtuin, which is present on the skin. Resveratrol cream helps fight aging by reducing fine lines and maintains a healthy looking skin for a longer period. Research has found that Resveratrol cream is better than products containing Co-Enzyme Q10, a substance currently known to reduce oxidative stress on skin.

    Commercially-available Resveratrol cream has additional peptides that enhance the effects of Resveratrol on Sirtuin and the skin. These peptides include Acetyl hexapeptide-3, palmytoyl pentapeptide-4 and sodium hyaluronate. Acetyl hexapeptide-3 reduces wrinkle depth, especially those found on the forehead and eyes. Palmytoyl pentapeptide-4 restores the dermal layer to its natural glow through the development of elastin, new collagen and other substances. Sodium hyaluronate retains water within the skin and keeps it hydrated even during hot and sunny conditions.

    With Resveratrol, people can enjoy the full benefits of an anti-aging and anti-cancer cream. It ensures that users feel and look healthier from the inside out. Moreover, Resveratrol food supplements provide the optimum amount of Resveratrol that liters of red wine cannot provide. Resveratrol cream guarantees that consumers have access to the latest and most effective cream that stops and possibly even reverses aging.

    Take Advantage of Small Conversations at Work: Basic Etiquette Rules

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    By Kariëlle Samstad

    Small conversations give you a great opportunity to know who’s who at your workplace. Whether you are waiting for the elevator, the copy machine, or you are in line at the cafeteria, the people with whom you interact will show themselves and they will get to know you better as well.

    Use these moments to your advantage with the following recommendations:

    – Limit the word “I” to the minimum. Tell your story in the short version and ask the other person to tell his or her story. Show interest in what he/she is saying asking questions about the subject.

    – Make others feel important, listening carefully and looking at them in the eyes making them feel they have your undivided attention.

    – Keep conversations during meetings exclusively related to work. Personal issues can wait for a more appropriate time.

    – Avoid whispering. It sends the message that you are gossiping or being secretive, which will affect your image at work.

    – If you start a conversation and the other person seems distracted, do not insist. Let it go and wait for some other time.

    – If you are talking to someone in a language that is not English and other people come along to join you and they do not speak your language, switch to English and include them in the conversation. Make them feel welcomed and not as intruders of something that is non of their concern.

    – Be considerate with other people’s time and space. If they are busy, don’t take it personal. If there are others around, like in a cubicle setting, don’t speak loudly. If necessary, take the conversation elsewhere.

    – Keep your conversations short. Don’t talk and talk just because you feel comfortable.

    – Disagreeing with someone doesn’t mean to start a fight and generate resentment over the subject. Be polite all the time expressing your views and also listening to the views of others.

    – Watch your vocabulary. Use words that are appropriate for a business environment, and avoid colloquialisms, slang and trendy words.

    – Always, always, think before you speak. Don’t get too personal or touch subjects that are painful to others. Observing reactions gives you the clues you need to continue the conversation, change the subject, or finish the conversation.

    The way you conduct yourself during these small conversations speak volumes about you, both in a personal and in a professional way. Believe it or not, these small talks set the way for future promotions, or not, more responsibilities, or not, a fast advancement in your career or not.

    This is the reason why you should pay attention to these moments, always being respectful and considerate to others, and treating them the way you desire to be treated.

    © Kariëlle Samstad
    Etiquette at Work

    TVSHOWSHD — the best place to watch your favorite TV show series online?

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    Tvshowshd.com is the new kid on the block for all TV show and movie lovers. With a long and exhaustive list of tv shows and movies that one would simply love to watch, it is the one place stop online. The website makes it possible to watch one’s favorite tv show episodes and movies online with good viewing possible during the free time any time of the day.

    For an ardent television or movie fan, the task of having to search through different websites can really be a highly frustrating experience. Tvshowshd understands the needs of the television fan and brings together a complete A-Z list of all tv shows under different categories for a complete television viewing experience. With no strict television timings to stick to and the favorite shows available at just a click all through the day, there is never a dull moment from now on. The answer to boredom, to all that one was looking for is right here. With easy access and a fun filled experience that allows interaction with other like-minded users, this is just what the tech savvy viewer of today is looking for.

    The website allows the users to watch TV shows and movies online. The shows are accessible even without registration. It is a website that intends to make it possible for viewers to watch their favorite tv show episodes when they want to. With the website offering an exhaustive list of popular shows, one no longer needs to stick to the show timings or search anywhere else. It is possible to choose what you like, the new or the old, action or drama, romance or kid-friendly shows; it is all here. There are categories from “A-Z” so there is really nothing that is left out and the television fan has all here that he/she is looking for. There are also playlists that one can create for easy access and also join groups of interest to be part of all the fun and happenings here at the place that is buzzing with shows from all over.

    The website does not make registration compulsory however, registering would only add to the experience. Registration at the website is free. It would be best for the user to register and interact with others online to take the fun to an all new level. With plenty of ideas and suggestions regarding the best and most popular shows, one can be sure of an amazing time online. One can stay updated with all the happenings and new additions by interacting with other like-minded viewers.

    Every user is allowed to have a public profile that can be shared with others on the website for a more fun and enriching experience. The site offers high quality viewing, in fact, the very best quality that one can find online. This makes it possible to enjoy all the shows. For all those who have missed episodes of their favorite shows or would like to make viewing a satisfying fun-filled experience, this is the best place online that makes it all possible. From the Desperate Housewives to Millionaire Matchmaker, Simpsons and lots more makes tvshowshd the ideal place to look for shows that one always wished to see.

    A website full of action, drama, news, romance, fun, cartoons, paranormal stories there is everything here for a complete family. Whatever be the individual needs there is a show here to cater to each one’s tastes and preferences. With a complete range of tv show episodes and also tv show series available there is something here for all members of the family. This is one site that makes viewing shows interesting. The site aims at making it possible for users to access the shows that they wish to watch and also making viewing a pleasurable experience. The best way to enjoy time with family and friends with shows that can make you laugh, cry, dance, sing and be careful it can even have you falling out of your seats. Flexibility, convenience and comfort all brought right to your desk.

    There are a number of features which makes it all so good. There is an excellent set of tools here that ensures a smile on the face of every visitor and viewer here. With the user being able to add shows to his/her favorite list, add comments, provide response and share it with others through email or even bookmark it, this definitely is going to be what the Gen next is looking forward to. A fun and interactive way of watching all the best shows and that too without being forced to sit in front of the television by fixed timings and schedules. One can plan out one’s own schedule for the day and also not miss out on the shows aired.

    The bookmarking feature makes it possible to bookmark the shows on some of the top social bookmarking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, Orkut and Myspace to name a few. This makes it possible for others too to gain access to interesting TV shows. You can add to the fun by sharing it with others who would find it enjoyable. Spread the word and spread happiness.

    The shows can be sorted in alphabetical order, the most viewed or the most recent. This allows the viewer to keep track of all that is happening and be current. Viewing your favorite shows in a fun and happening way with a huge number of friends online is what tvshowshd makes possible, and all this with a mere click of the mouse.

    The website clearly marks out the different categories alongwith details regarding the run time and size specified for each of the shows. The viewer has all the details and information that he/she needs right at the fingertips. The viewer can plan out the schedule to his/her convenience and enjoy the show.

    With a clearly laid down privacy policy and terms of use, the tvshowshd has catered to everything that would make it a good and satisfying experience in every way. A wonderful way to watch television is what tvshowshd.com brings for the viewer of today.

    Hotels Looking for a Rebound This Summer Due to Weak Euro

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    Italian tour operators are hoping the weak Euro will give them a higher turnout in tourist numbers this summer. Summer has always been a huge tourist season for Italy, bringing in the large majority of tourism revenue for the year, with only the Christmas and New Year weeks bringing any comparison in traveler numbers. And with the Euro getting weaker against the dollar this year, Italian hoteliers and other Italian business in the tourism business hope this summer sees higher arrivals from the United States and other countries outside of Europe. Indeed, summer arrivals are certainly expected to be better than last year, making the 2010 tourism season in Italy, and in particular Tuscany, a success on the back of last years doldrums following the world economic collapse.

    Hotel bookers, in particular, have been emboldened by what they say are positive signs for a rebound. They point to recent encouraging reports for the year as a whole by tourism analysts in Italy and the fact that a weak Euro makes Italy an even more attractive destination, particularly for overseas visitors.

    “We are seeing more and more interest in booking affordable luxury hotel rooms for Tuscany this summer,” says Jocko Bold, founder of a Tuscany hotels booking site. “Americans and others from outside of Europe are not holding back in their searches for hotels in this region. We see Tuscany and Italy as a whole increasing hotel accomodation revenues in 2010. We’re pretty confident of these signs as since our database has over 2 million hotel deals, we are able to analyze a lot of hotel booking data.”

    While hoteliers in Tuscany can be encouraged by such news, they will surely still need to watch room rates closely, as the economy still lends to budget travel and those who may have booked luxury rooms at high prices in the past may look for better deals in the short term.

    “Certainly, we think online users have come to us to find their rooms as we feel we can give them luxury rooms, but at a cheaper rate. We have seen this lately not only with Tuscany Hotels, but with Italian Riviera hotels, as well” continues Bold. “Those hotel owners that get a bit too greedy will probably lose out this season. I see a lean market prevailing but with signs of recovery. Budget hotels and luxury hotels that give special rates will see the bulk of the bookings in the 2010 high season.”

    So, to those sightseers looking for a deal this summer, the Italian regions of Tuscany and the Italian Riviera should be top destinations. Hotel rates should be favorable, and a while Italian tourism sees a rebound, it will probably not hit the heights of the last few years before the crash. This leaves more room for those tourists seeking a slightly less crowded Florence or Pisa, this summer.

    SEO Expert Speaks Out Against Rising Costs

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    Speaking out against the rising cost of SEO for the small business, Dennis Gaskill presents a realistic view of SEO in 2010.

    “What a small business or home business owner pays thousands of dollars to an SEO firm to do, the owner could do on his or her own at no cost, or pay an employee to do at a fraction of the cost,” says Dennis Gaskill from the Boogie Jack SEO company.

    Mr Gaskill encourages small businesses to learn the basic skills required to run an effective website that is engineered for the search engines.

    “Many SEO firms outsource tasks for pennies on the dollar. That’s also an option for a small business or home business owner, effectively cutting out the high-priced middle man. It’s just a matter of knowing what to do.

    “On-site SEO requires a little familiarity with HTML. If the small business or home business owner has created their own website, they’ll be able to optimize it for the search engines. If they have a webmaster that takes care of their website, their webmaster will be able to do the optimization. It’s just a matter of knowing what to do, and that’s what my Small Business SEO Course teaches.”

    With a refreshing view of this once ‘dark art’ industry, Mr Gaskill is optimistic that anyone can easily learn the skills required without spending thousands on expensive industry professionals.

    “Off-site SEO, which is essentially link building, can be accomplished with no technical skills other than typing. Even slow typists can build links,” says Dennis.

    As more people become aware of the benefits of SEO and the current financial climate, demand for small business owners to perform in-house SEO will continue to increase.

    Brown resigns, Cameron to take over as PM

    0

    Gordon Brown resigned as prime minister on Tuesday and said Conservative leader David Cameron would take over, ending 13 years of rule by the Labour Party.

    The Conservatives won most seats in a parliamentary election last week but fell short of a majority. Labour came second and the Liberal Democrats a distant third.

    Both the Conservatives and Labour tried to win Lib Dem support to form the next government during five days of intense negotiations, but it became clear on Tuesday afternoon that Labour had lost and Brown would have to resign.

    Sterling held gains against the dollar after Brown announced his resignation, rising 0.8 percent to $1.4972. Government bonds had also rallied earlier on reports that a Conservative/Lib Dem deal was imminent.

    “I have informed the Queen’s private secretary that it’s my intention to tender my resignation to the Queen,” Brown told reporters outside his Downing Street office, flanked by his wife Sarah.

    “In the event that the Queen accepts I shall advise her to invite the leader of the opposition (Cameron) to seek to form a government. I wish the next prime minister well as he makes the important choices for the future,” an emotional Brown said.

    First among those choices will be what to do to reduce Britain’s record budget deficit, which has raised fears that the country could lose its triple-A credit rating and get into debt difficulties.

    MARKET RALLY

    Markets want a quick resolution to the uncertainty and favour a Conservative-led government because they believe it would move faster and harder to cut the deficit.

    Just after his statement, Brown, his wife and their two children briefly posed for photographers before leaving Downing Street, the official prime ministerial residence.

    Then Brown was driven to Buckingham Palace where the Queen accepted his resignation.

    The sequence of events was in accordance with British constitutional convention.

    Brown’s statement made clear that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats had secured some sort of power-sharing arrangement, but the exact details were not yet known.

    Senior Conservative William Hague, who has been negotiating with the Lib Dems, told reporters minutes after Brown’s statement that he and his team now had recommendations to propose to party colleagues.

    Danny Alexander, a Lib Dem negotiator, made similar comments.

    “We have completed our discussions in a good atmosphere and are now returning to report back to (Lib Dem leader) Nick Clegg and our parliamentary colleagues,” he said.

    The Lib Dems had turned to the Conservatives first, on the basis that they had won most votes and most seats in last Thursday’s election. But Brown threw a spanner in the works on Monday when he said he would step aside in coming months.

    The move was aimed at tempting the Lib Dems away from the Conservatives and into an alliance with Labour. Clegg had made it clear during the campaign he did not wish to prop up the unpopular Brown.

    (Additional reporting by Michael Holden, Peter Griffiths, Mohammed Abbas, Adrian Croft, Keith Weir and Tim Castle; editing by Jon Boyle)

    (c) Reuters 2010. All rights reserved.

    A Thousand Hits Per Day – New Traffic Tricks?

    5

    In today’s ever evolving world there are always new and quick ways to generate amazing website traffic. Many people believe that A LOT of traffic means A LOT of sales, however this isn’t always the case.

    The best kind of traffic that you can get to your site is TARGETED traffic. This means that the people that go to your
    site are going there because they expected too.

    There are quite a few ways to generate traffic, however very little of them are easy to do.

    SEO is extremely hard…
    PPC requires testing after testing after testing…

    So what other methods could you use to generate amazing targeted traffic without killing yourself in the process?

    Well here are a few ways:

    Forums:

    Giving VALUABLE and great info is always helpful, and as long as you are helpful and provide value to the people
    on the forums, they will most likely follow the links you post.

    Many people try to go at the forums the wrong way. They just post a few crappy posts here and there, the problem is
    you have to give QUALITY content, I can’t stress this enough.

    So after giving quality content provide them with a link to your site that has MORE quality content.

    Videos:

    Youtube is now the second most searched search engine in the world (also owned by Google :P)

    In any case you can take full advantage of this because not everyone realizes that the Youtube videos also show up
    in Google.

    So simply make a simple video (WITH QUALITY CONTENT) about whatever topic it is that you want to talk about.

    However, first search for keywords that people search for in google with the Google Adwords External Keyword Tool.

    When you find the perfect keyword make sure that they are in the Title of the video and in the tags… This will get you ranking
    for that keyword ON GOOGLE (with a video :)

    Don’t be shy to ask the viewers to do something (call to action) like asking them to subscribe, comment, share, or visit your link.

    Then submit your video to Tubemogul as well (video submission site)

    Blogs:

    This is where you go and find a blog that is visited often. and talk (get in contact with the administrator of the blog) and ask him
    to post a banner of yours on his blog somewhere (where it will be seen easily) in exchange for something (money perhaps?)

    There are many blogs out there that have hundreds if not thousands of views per day. Simply commenting on the blog works too
    (GIVE QUALITY CONTENT AND NOT GIBBERISH)

    All you have to do to find blogs is go to WordPress and do a search for your topic. Even blogger works… or maybe Google? (of course).

    There are also many many other ways to generate website traffic. Like:

    Blog Traffic
    Banner Ads (Not PPV (Pay Per View)
    Lead Generation
    Legally “stealing” Leads from others
    and many many more…

    Even though the two examples I have given you are extremely efficient and work well (personal experience) I also want to teach you NEW and SNEAKY ways to generate website traffic, that have never been revealed before. This will allow you to get THOUSANDS of visitors to your site(s) (TARGETED VISITORS) simply Click Here To Find Out New Ways On Generating Website Traffic.

    Stand up to the enemies of Internet freedom

    0

    In 2015, 3-1/2 billion people — half of mankind — will have access to the Internet. There has never been such a revolution in freedom of communication and freedom of expression. But how will this new medium be used? What new distortions and obstacles will the enemies of the Internet come up with?

    Modern technology leads to the best and the worst. Extremist, racist, and defamatory websites and blogs disseminate odious opinions in real time. They have made the Internet into a weapon of war and hate. Websites are attacked and Internet users are recruited through chatrooms for destructive plots. Violent movements are infiltrating social networks to spread propaganda and false information.

    It is very hard for democracies to control them. I do not subscribe to the naive belief that a new technology, however efficient and powerful it may be, is bound by nature to advance liberty on all fronts.

    Yet, all the same, the distortions are the exception rather than the rule. The Internet is above all the most fantastic means of breaking down the walls and boundaries that close us off from one another. For the oppressed peoples, who have been deprived of their right to self-expression and the right to choose their own future, the Internet provides power beyond their wildest hopes. In minutes, news and images recorded on a telephone can be disseminated worldwide in cyberspace. It is increasingly difficult to hide a public demonstration, an act of repression, or a violation of human rights.

    In authoritarian and repressive countries, mobile telephones and the Internet have given rise to public opinion and civil society. They have also given citizens a critical means of expression, despite all the restrictions.

    However, the temptation to repress free expression is always present. The number of countries that censor the Internet, that monitor Web users and punish them for their opinions, is increasing at an alarming rate. The Internet can be used against citizens. It can be a formidable intelligence-gathering tool to spot potential dissidents. Some regimes are already acquiring increasingly sophisticated surveillance technology.

    If all of those who are attached to human rights and democracy refused to compromise their principles and used the Internet to defend freedom of expression, this kind of repression would be much more difficult. I am not talking about absolute freedom that opens the door to all sorts of abuses. Nobody is promoting that. Instead, I’m talking about real freedom, which is based on the principle of respecting human dignity and human rights.

    In the last few years, multilateral institutions, such as the Council of Europe, and nongovernmental organizations, such as Reporters Without Borders, along with thousands of individuals around the world, have made a strong commitment to these issues. This is proof, if proof were needed, that this issue does not pit the West against the rest of the world. No fewer than 180 countries meeting for the World Summit on the Information Society acknowledged that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights applies fully to the Internet, especially Article 19, which establishes freedom of expression and freedom of opinion. And yet, some 50 countries fail to live up to their commitments.

    For the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, I have brought together experts, NGO leaders, journalists, business people, and intellectuals this week. Their discussions have confirmed my conviction that the path we want to take is the right one. I think that we should create an international instrument for monitoring the commitments that governments have made and for calling them to task when they fail to live up to them. I think we should provide assistance to cyberdissidents, who should get the same support as other victims of political repression, and show our solidarity with them publicly, in close collaboration with the NGOs working on these issues. I think that we should also discuss the wisdom of adopting a code of conduct regarding the export of technologies for censoring the Internet and tracking Web users.

    These issues, along with others, such as the protection of personal data on the Internet and the right of digital amnesty for everyone promoted by my colleague Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, minister of state to the prime minister, should be addressed within a framework that brings together government, civil society, and international experts.

    Another project is close to my heart. It will be a long and difficult task to implement it, but it is critical. It is to give the Internet a legal status that reflects its universality. One that recognizes it as an international space, so that it will be more difficult for repressive governments to use the sovereignty argument against fundamental freedoms.

    This is a critical issue. I think that the battle of ideas has started with, on one side, the advocates of a universal and open Internet, based on freedom of expression and freedom of association, on tolerance and respect for privacy and, on the other side, those who want to transform the Internet into a multitude of spaces that are closed off from one another to serve the purposes of a regime, propaganda, and all forms of fanaticism.

    Freedom of expression is “the foundation of all other freedoms.” Without it, there are no “free nations,” Voltaire said. This spirit of the Enlightenment, which is universal, should run through the new media. The defense of fundamental freedoms and human rights must be the priority for governance of the Internet. It is everyone’s business.

    Bernard Kouchner is the foreign minister of France and a founder of Médecins Sans Frontières.

    © 2010 Global Viewpoint Network/ Tribune Media Services. Hosted online by The Christian Science Monitor.

    Reports: Lib-Con deal confirmed

    0

    By Ian Dunt

    Gordon Brown could quit as prime minister as early as tonight, if media reports are to be believed.

    The Evening Standard is running with the headline: “Gordon Brown quits as PM as Lib-Dem deal falls apart” and no official government soure has stepped forward to deny the story.

    A meeting between the Lib Dems and the Tories is currently ongoing at the Cabinet Office. A statement is expected shortly.

    Unattributed statements, rumours and assumptions are whirling around Westminster, but there is now little doubt that a Tory-Lib Dewm deal has been secured and that the Labour party will shortly be in opposition.

    The reports indicate that the deal would be for a fixed-term parliament.

    Other reports suggest the Lib Dems have been given six Cabinet posts and that Nick Clegg will become deputy prime minister, a position previously held by John Prescott but scrapped after Gordon Brown took over.

    A note held by Nick Clegg was photographed earlier today by a Guardian journalist which mentioned one Lib Dem for each government department.

    Immense crowds have gathered outside the Cabinet Office, with protestors, journalists, and curious tourists mingling together in huge numbers as everyone waits desperately for the two teams to emerge.

    Both David Cameron and Nick Clegg will meet with their MPs this evening, Mr Clegg at 19:30 BST and Mr Cameron at 20:00 BST.

    The day began with Labour-Lib Dem talks, which became official yesterday after Gordon Brown revealed them in a shock statement announcing his intention to step down as Labour leader.

    Those reports appear to have gone very badly indeed, but there is no solid news at present, just myriad unconfirmed reports.

    Lib Dem sources denied talks with Labour had broken down this afternoon.

    “We believe very strongly that there should be a government with a strong and secure majority in the House of Commons and of course with an elected prime minister, and we remain very, very firmly of that view,” William Hague said as he entered the Cabinet Office for talks with the Lib Dems.

    “We set out proposals to achieve that yesterday and we have come here to hear the Liberal Democrat response.”

    Several Labour MPs expressed concern about an alliance with Britain’s third party today.

    Schools minister Diana Johnson became the first Cabinet-level figure to say she thought a Lib-Lab coalition would be too unstable.

    A little later, Andy Burnham, health secretary, became by far the most important Labour figure to speak out against a deal.

    “I think we have got to respect the results of the general election and we can’t get away from the fact that Labour didn’t win,” he is reported as saying.

    There were positive noises from the Tory backbenches though, with Douglas Carswell telling politics.co.uk: “I think the days of mass brand generic politics are breaking down. There’s an appetite for the niche and the distinctive.

    “I think it’s in our interests to form a political interest that allows that.”

    The markets are not showing any predicted signs of panic, despite dire warnings about the consequences of a hung parliament from various politicians and media commentators.

    But with the public becoming increasingly exasperated with the closed-door talks, party officials will be keen to finalise a deal before the public mood turns against them.

    This morning, Nick Clegg said: “I wish I could provide a running commentary on every twist and turn. I don’t think that’s the way to arrive at the best decisions.

    “All I can say is bear with us a little bit longer and I hope that we will be able to provide you with a full announcement as soon as is possible.”

    Leaving his home this morning, David Cameron said: “My own members of parliament have shown that they are prepared to put aside party interest in the national interest by agreeing a referendum on the alternative vote.

    “It’s now, I believe, decision time – decision time for the Liberal Democrats – and I hope they make the right decision to give this country the strong, stable government that it badly needs and it badly needs quickly.”

    It was reported that Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg met for an hour this morning.

    Today’s negotiations provided another frantic and confused day in Westminster, following a tumultuous series of events yesterday.

    Brown quits as Labour leader

    Gordon Brown’s announcement that he would stand down as Labour leader implicitly mapped out the remaining aspects of the Labour offer to the Lib Dems: a new Labour leader, legislation for the alternative vote (AV), and a subsequent referendum on a more proportional system.

    The Conservatives offered the Lib Dems a referendum on AV – a remarkable development given the party’s historic opposition to such a move.

    Tories offer Clegg referendum on electoral reform

    A Lib-Con pact would also be more stable, having enough parliamentary seats to secure a Commons majority.

    A Lib-Lab pact would require other coalition partners or an agreement that they would back central piece of legislation in the Commons while the Lib-Lab coalition forms a minority government.

    A meeting of Liberal Democrat MPs late last night failed to produce any firm results, but it seems clear that Nick Clegg is not willing to extend the process much further.

    The contest for the Labour leadership would not take place until after negotiations are over, but Harriet Harman already appears to have ruled herself out by saying she would like to remain deputy Labour leader.

    Labour prepares for leadership contest

    David Miliband, currently foreign secretary, remains the favourite to succeed Mr Brown, but is expected to face a tough challenge from his brother, energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband.

    Over at Conservative HQ, David Cameron is facing one of the most nail-biting days of his career. With the final Tory offer on the table, he is now forced to sit back and wait until Mr Clegg makes a decision.

    If the Tories are cast out into opposition, Mr Cameron can expect plots against him to develop from within the party. Many backbenchers were irritated by the Tory leader’s centrist agenda and aspects of his behaviour towards MPs in the wake of the expenses scandal.

    Those feelings had previously been put to one side in the drive to Downing Street, but with all hope of government lost, a concerted campaign against Mr Cameron would become a distinct possibility.

    Obama: Say Yes to Afghan Peace Talks

    1

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in Washington this week, where he’ll be meeting with President Obama on Wednesday. Afghan government officials have said that a top priority for these talks is to win President Obama’s full support for the Afghan government’s efforts to reconcile with senior leaders of the Afghan Taliban insurgency in order to end the war.

    On its merits, saying yes to the Afghan government’s request for U.S. support for peace talks would seem like a no-brainer.

    If Hamid Karzai is the legitimate president of Afghanistan, then his government’s policy of national reconciliation ought to take precedence over Pentagon demands for more killing. Of course, if Hamid Karzai is not the legitimate president of Afghanistan, then Western forces must leave the country as soon as is humanly possible, because they have no legitimate basis to remain.

    If the opinions of the Afghan public matter to U.S. policy, then the Afghan public’s demand for peace talks ought to take precedence over Pentagon demands for more killing. Of course, if the opinions of the Afghan public don’t matter to U.S. policy, then everyone in Washington pontificating about “democracy” or “governance” or “legitimacy” or “corruption” in Afghanistan ought to shut up immediately.

    Consensus for Peace
    According to every Western press report from Afghanistan, an overwhelming consensus of public opinion in Afghanistan supports peace talks to end the war. Just last week, Jonathan Steele reported in the Guardian that across Afghanistan, talking to the Taliban is seen as “the only credible way” to end the war, “even among Afghanistan’s small but determined group of woman professionals.” Steele interviews a range of Afghan professional women to illustrate his point.

    “Everybody has been trying to kill the Taliban but they’re still there, stronger than ever,” Member of Parliament Shukria Barakzai explains why she supports peace talks. “They are part of our population. They have different ideas but as democrats we have to accept that. Every war has to end with talks and negotiations. Afghans need peace like oxygen. People want to keep their villages free of violence and suicide bombers.”

    If “Afghan women now overwhelmingly want talks with the Taliban,” Steele writes, “the same is true of many of the country’s male politicians, particularly the Pashtun.” The perception of many Pashtun politicians is that the U.S. invasion put the warlords of the predominantly Tajik Northern Alliance in power, marginalizing the country’s largest ethnic group, the Pashtun. These Pashtun politicians see a national reconciliation process and new political dispensation with the primarily Pashtun Taliban as a way to end this marginalization of the Pashtuns and incorporate them into the government.

    U.S. Temporizing
    U.S. officials concede that the endgame is a negotiated political solution with the Afghan Taliban. But Washington insists that the “time is not right” because “the Taliban have no reason to negotiate,” and that we have to kill more of them to “force the Taliban to the negotiating table.” Many pro-war pundits in Washington act as if they believe these assertions. But these assertions are inconsistent with a U.S. policy of pursuing peace and little evidence has been advanced to support them.

    Meanwhile, considerable evidence suggests the contrary: that talks between the United States and senior Taliban leaders now could be productive. Note that a significant component of the Afghan insurgency has already put a peace plan on the table, as reported in The New York Times. In March, a delegation from Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s insurgent group Hezb-i-Islami presented a formal 15-point peace plan to the Afghan government. A spokesman for the delegation said the bulk of the Afghan Taliban would be willing to go along with the plan, if a date were set for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.

    When the U.S. government decides to attack a problem diplomatically, it emphasizes common interests and opportunities for agreement, seeking to expand the political space for diplomacy. This has been equally true under Democratic and Republican administrations, and was true even under the Bush administration. That the U.S. government is downplaying the prospect of peace strongly indicates that it isn’t trying to achieve peace. So when U.S. government officials claim that the Taliban aren’t ready for peace, they are really just restating what we already know: that the U.S. government isn’t ready for peace.

    It’s breathtaking that the Washington punditocracy can continue to insist that there is no basis for peace talks and completely ignore credible claims that the bulk of the insurgency is ready to support the peace plan on the table, if foreign forces agree to a timetable for withdrawal. Of course, from the standpoint of hawk pundits, a peace plan that requires a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces is a “non-starter.”

    Support for Timetable Grows
    In the United States, however, support for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces is growing, particularly among Democrats. Already, 82 members of Congress have co-sponsored Rep. Jim McGovern’s (D-MA) bill requiring a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces, including such liberal heavyweights as Barney Frank and Henry Waxman. Among House Democrats from Obama’s home state of Illinois, it’s now 2-1 in favor of a timetable for withdrawal, with Reps. Costello, Schakowsky, Davis, Gutierrez, Jackson, Quigley, Hare, and Rush cosponsoring McGovern’s bill, leaving only Reps. Bean, Foster, Halvorson, and Lipinski still on the sidelines.

    When we compel the U.S. government to accept the policy of a timetable for military withdrawal, we’ll have removed the fundamental U.S. obstacle to peace in Afghanistan.

    Until now, only a handful of voices in the U.S. debate have openly called for real U.S. support of Afghan peace talks, such as Ahmed Rashid writing in The Washington Post, Robert Dreyfuss writing in The Nation, Tom Hayden writing in The Los Angeles Times, and Gareth Porter in his reporting for Inter Press Service.

    But now that Karzai is meeting with Obama for the purpose of securing a U.S. agreement to back Afghan peace talks, it’s time to make U.S. public support for peace talks more visible. To this end, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, Peace Action, and Just Foreign Policy are placing an ad in the Politico on Wednesday, calling on Obama to say yes when Karzai asks him to support peace talks in Afghanistan.

    It’s time for supporters of peace talks to end the war to “come out of the closet.” It’s time to publicly state the obvious: only peace talks can end the war, and the sooner such talks start the sooner the war can end.

    Robert Naiman is policy director of Just Foreign Policy and a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus.

    Students hail retreat by elite universities

    By Lizzie Cocker

    Students have celebrated a stunning victory after the Russell Group of elite universities bowed to demands for all its submissions to the tuition fees review to be made public.

    The Aldwych Group, which represents students from the Russell Group, said the previous refusal to release submissions to Lord Browne’s review of higher education funding under the Freedom of Information Act seemed “disingenuous and underhand.”

    It said the group’s lack of transparency over the review contradicted its principled stance in opposition to higher education funding cuts which director Dr Wendy Piatt had publicly criticised.

    The Russell Group’s secrecy also sparked speculation about what the group had to hide.

    Aldwych Group chairman Emmanuel Inwang said: “I question exactly what the Russell Group doesn’t want the public and students to see.”

    Following pressure from students, Dr Piatt and Russell Group chairman Michael Arthur swiftly invited Aldwych Group officers for talks and then agreed to release every submission between this Friday and Monday next week.

    Mr Inwang said: “The Russell Group represents some of Britain’s most elite institutions and what they say on higher education funding is obviously going to carry a lot of weight with the Browne review panel as well as MPs if it goes to a vote in Parliament.

    “When this review was commissioned it was promised that it was going to be transparent and that there would be a public discusion and debate on the issues. With the Russell Group due to release their submissions, it allows for that public debate and discussion.”

    China, US to renew human rights talks

    0

    BEIJING (AP) – This week’s resumption of U.S.-China human rights talks after two years will spotlight what critics say is a deterioration in Beijing’s record on legal protections, free speech and civil society.

    To Liu Xia, whose author-dissident husband is serving an 11-year prison sentence on subversion charges, such attention can only be a good thing.

    “I only see benefits and no downside,” said Liu, who has repeatedly been refused permission to see her husband, Liu Xiaobo, since his Dec. 25 sentencing. “At least the authorities won’t do anything too outlandish since they’ll be under pressure.”

    The meetings in Washington on Thursday and Friday are the first such dialogue in two years and are expected to take up individual cases such as Liu Xiaobo’s, along with a list of topics including religious freedom, attacks on the legal profession and China’s strict Internet controls – underscored by Google’s recent decision to stop censoring its search results in China on behalf of the government.

    The talks offer the chance for President Barack Obama’s administration to show that human rights remain an important issue, despite the dialogue’s past failure to produce substantive results.

    For China, they’re an opportunity to parry accusations over its record and reassert its claim that human rights are predicated on improving standards of living, rather than political reforms.

    The talks come as the two sides exit a period of turbulence prompted by Chinese anger over Washington’s $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan – the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing as its own – and a meeting between Obama and Tibet’s exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama.

    Ties began moving back on track with Chinese President Hu Jintao’s attendance at last month’s nuclear summit in Washington, and the trend will be further cemented when the two countries meet May 24 in Beijing for the twice-annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue, which has traditionally focused on trade issues but will also include human rights discussions.

    On Monday, U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said this week’s talks are a chance for a conversation “about what the rule of law means in the 21st century.”

    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday that Beijing is “willing to talk on the basis of equality and mutual respect,” but offered no details.

    The talks come amid a string of developments that have alarmed the rights community, most recently AIDS activist Wan Yanhai’s decision last week to flee China to the U.S. with his family following increased harassment from authorities.

    Wan, who is now staying in the state of Pennsylvania, said he feared that the rising number of disruptions, visits to his office by authorities, and harassing calls from police presaged more serious threats.

    Wan’s complaints also included a tightening of controls over nongovernment organizations, including their acceptance of foreign donations, that underscores the Communist Party’s deep distrust of civil, political, and religious groups operating outside its direct control.

    Authorities recently banned from college campuses the international charity Oxfam, which has run poverty alleviation projects in China for more than a decade, and shuttered the renowned legal aid organization Gongmeng, which had ties to Yale Law School.

    Lawyers involved in sensitive cases have been disbarred, most recently a pair who represented a member of the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement. Tang Jitian and Liu Wei said their lifelong bans handed down last week appeared designed to scare other lawyers away from taking on sensitive human rights cases.

    Congregations operating independently of the official state-controlled church have also been repressed, reversing what had appeared to be a more tolerant attitude. In one recent incident, the pastor of Guangzhou’s Liangren Church, Wang Dao, was detained Friday and charged with “gathering a mob to disrupt public order,” according to his wife.

    “We can see that in the sense of the rule of law, things are going backward in quite a few areas, especially repression of rights lawyers, Internet controls, and repression of NGOs,” said Beijing law professor and human rights lawyer Teng Biao.

    This week’s discussions are the 15th round in a dialogue begun two decades ago, a period during which China’s economy has soared while hopes for greater political openness have languished.

    Talks were suspended between 2002 and 2008 as the U.S. courted Chinese help in its priority tasks of defeating al-Qaida and fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    The U.S. delegation to the talks will be led by Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner, while China’s will be led by Chen Xu, the Foreign Ministry’s director general of international organizations.

    New anti-slavery legislation and the workplace

    0

    By Kirstie Skeaping

    It is now a criminal offence to hold a person in servitude, so what does this mean for employers and their staff?
    The latest round of employment law changes saw new legislation coming into place on 6 April making it a criminal offence to hold a person in slavery or servitude, or to require them to perform forced or compulsory labour. Any person found guilty of the new offence can face up to 14 years in prison under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

    So what is the impact on employers? Does this mean an end to unpaid overtime, or limit rights to increase production targets, or give employees rights to greater benefits? The answer to all of the above is no.

    Definition

    Fortunately, the concept of ‘forced labour’ is not found in the normal day-to-day contract of employment, no matter how much an employee may sometimes feel like it is. The fact is that an employee is normally given an option of whether or not to work for a particular employer.

    In order to be forced labour, there has to be a level of coercion or deception beyond the ordinary. Poor pay and long hours will not be sufficient to lead to a breach of the new legislation.

    There are many responsible employers in a number of sectors such as agriculture, construction or hospitality that depend to a large extent on low-cost, seasonal labour. The new legislation will not interfere with these employment arrangements, as workers are already protected through the Working Time Regulations and national minimum wage legislation.

    Evidence

    Allegations that the employer is committing an offence under the new anti-slavery legislation will have to be supported by something out of the ordinary. For example, there could be evidence that an employee’s documents, such as a passport, were being withheld by the employer. Or it could be a case that the worker was being forced to live or remain in a particular area, perhaps in poor accommodation – or that the employer was not paying agreed wages.

    In establishing forced or compulsory labour, an element of coercion or deception between the employer and worker will need to be shown. And the circumstances will need to be such that the employer knew the arrangement was oppressive and not truly voluntary, or had been willfully blind to that fact.

    Target

    The legislation is targeted at protecting migrant workers in particular who may speak little English, are totally unaware of their employment rights, and who do not know how or where to report what is happening to them.

    For employers that comply with current employment laws, this new legislation will have no impact on their day-to-day dealings with staff. There are no new legal obligations or restrictions. It has been introduced for the laudable purpose of creating clear criminal liability for those few employers that are exploiting the most vulnerable workers.

    Revealed: cost of swine flu ‘outbreak’

    0

    By Paul Francis

    A Kent health trust spent more than £1m preparing for the swine flu outbreak – nearly three times as much as other trusts in the UK.

    Despite that, managers at the Eastern and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust say that there will be no cuts to patient services.

    The money was nearly three times as much as the average £340,000 spent by health trusts across the country.However, Eastern and Coastal Kent is also one of the largest PCTs, covering the Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Shepway, Swale and Thanet areas.

    The West Kent Primary Care Trust spent £576,000. Both said the money was taken from their reserves.

    While central goverment met the bulk of the costs, including paying for the antiviral drugs and vaccines, trusts were left with the bill for organising collection points, providing equipment and providing staff to vaccinate patients.

    The eventual outbreak proved far less serious than predicted but despite that, trusts were still compelled to make plans to deal with what had been predicted to be a pandemic.

    The East Kent trust said the money was taken from reserves and that consequently it did not need to find savings elsewhere.

    In a statement, the trust said the money was needed to pay GPs to vaccinate patients, to store and distribute antiviral medicine and to provide protective equipment and clothes for frontline staff.

    Other costs included paying South East Health provide an out of hours service for patients needing medicine, training pharmacists and GPs to provide antivirals and setting up a network of 77 anti-viral collection points close to people’s homes.

    Other expenses included “communicating public health messages”, the trust said.

    Andrew Scott-Clark, deputy director for public health, said: “NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent is the sixth largest primary care trust in England with a widely dispersed population of 732,000. It was the lead primary care trust managing the pandemic for the whole of Kent ensuring a coordinated response across the county.”

    Trust acting chief executive David Meikle said: “Each year the PCT sets aside money in its budget for contingencies such as the swine flu pandemic. This represents good financial management. Therefore due to these plans, money was available in 2009/10 to pay for the swine costs in that year.”

    NHS West Kent said it incurred similar costs and its bill of £576,000 covered drugs, equipment, staff to help co-ordinate the response and patients suffering flu-like symptoms who were admitted to hospital.

    Jess Mookherjee, NHS West Kent’s Assistant Director of Public Health said: “Swine Flu was potentially life-threatening in a number of cases, and NHS West Kent took its response to the pandemic very seriously. Each year we keep reserves of funding back in case of unforeseen pressures on the health service, and therefore no services have been affected by the need to appropriately respond to swine flu.”

    Spending on ADHD drugs ‘soars by two-thirds’

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    By Graeme Paton

    The amount of money spent on prescriptions to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has soared by almost two-thirds in just four years, it has emerged.

    Data released under the Freedom of Information Act shows that some £31m of taxpayers’ money is now invested in drugs to treat the condition, which affects thousands of schoolchildren across Britain.

    The disclosure will fuel fears that family doctors are coming under pressure to prescribe drugs such as Ritalin as a “quick fix” solution to ADHD when counselling, therapy and firm discipline would be a more suitable alternative.

    In some cases, it is claimed that teachers are putting pressure on pupils or their parents to seek the medication as funding for more expensive solutions is cut.

    Politicians and children’s charities have already warned that a generation of children risks becoming hooked on prescription drugs, creating more problems in later life.

    According to figures, rising numbers of children have been diagnosed with ADHD, which causes poor concentration, hyperactivity and restlessness, since the mid-90s.

    Government advisors have suggested that as many as one-in-11 children in Britain may suffer from the condition, despite claims that cases may be hugely inflated and can be the result of poor upbringing.

    Figures obtained by the Guardian show that the amount of money spent on drugs to treat ADHD has increased by 65 per cent in four years. Researchers say the vast majority of these users are likely to be young people.

    Tim Bown, assistant head teacher of Queens Park Community School, north west London, said: “Ideally, schools would prefer to offer intensive one-to-one support, but if the resources are limited, which they usually are, then we’re pushed into a choice between medication or exclusion.

    “Hearing a student say that a drug ‘takes away his soul’ doesn’t sit comfortably with us as a school, but permanent exclusion doesn’t either.”

    He said there was “no doubt” that behaviour became “more aggressive and disruptive” when a pupil came off medication.

    Figures already show a huge year-on-year increase in drugs prescribed for depression, behaviour control and severe mental disorders among children.

    Behaviour-altering drugs have soared ten-fold in a decade. These include Ritalin, for ADHD, and Modafinil, for daytime sleepiness. Academics say Modafinil is increasingly used by students to stay awake and boost short-term memory.

    Prescriptions in this drug group for under-16s rose from 48,264 in 1996/97 to 454,797 in 2006/07. Among 16- to 18-year-olds in full-time education there was a rise from 2,058 to 40,339.

    According to figures on anti-depressants, 109,535 prescriptions were made for under-16s in 2006/07, compared to 78,353 a decade ago.

    BP, subcontractors: Spill is the other guy’s fault

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    By Steve Hargreaves

    The three oil companies primarily involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill blamed each other Tuesday for the accident last month that left 11 workers dead and oil still spewing into the Gulf.

    At a hearing before the Senate Energy and natural Resources Committee, BP (BP), the well’s owner and lead operator of the project, sought to turn attention to the valve that was supposed to shut off the well in case of an accident. The valve, known as a blowout preventer, is owned by drilling rig operator Transocean, which was contracted to drill the well for BP.

    “Transocean’s blowout preventer failed to operate,” said Lamar McKay, chairman and president of BP America, according to prepared testimony. “Only seven of the 126 onboard the Deepwater Horizon were BP employees, so we have only some of the story.”

    Transocean (RIG) said the blowout preventer performed fine in tests just a week before the accident.

    While it’s still unclear why the blowout preventer did not work, Transocean chief executive Steven Newman said the preventer is not the ultimate cause the accident, and that it must have been a failure of the well’s cementing or casing that holds the wells in place.

    Either way, Transocean said it’s the responsibility of the well’s owner to set all specifications for the drilling process, including dictating how the well is drilled, how thick the steel walls will be, and the composition and timing of mud injections and cement injections.

    “All offshore oil and gas production projects begin and end with the operator…in this case, BP,” said Newman. “Here was a sudden, catastrophic failure of the cement, the casing, or both. Therein lies the root cause of this occurrence.”

    The well’s cementing was done by Halliburton (HAL, Fortune 500). But Halliburton’s chief safety and environmental officer, Tim Probert, said responsibility also lay with BP.

    “Halliburton, as a service provider to the well owner, is contractually bound to comply with the well owner’s instructions on all matters relating to the performance of all work-related activities,” said Probert. “Halliburton is confident that the cementing work on the well was completed in accordance with the requirements of the well owner’s well construction plan.”

    Under federal law, BP, as the lead project operator, is responsible for all clean-up costs associated with the spill. On Monday, BP said it has spent $350 million on cleanup and related costs so far.

    Oil spill costs: What will BP really pay?
    But damages caused by closure of fishing grounds, shipping lanes and tourist spots could exceed the cleanup costs, and it’s unclear which party will pay those or how much they’ll add up to.

    While the subcontractors are thought to have some legal reprieve from BP and the federal government, lawyers say they could still be open to lawsuits from fisherman or other impacted by the spill.

    Ultimately, experts have said total costs could range from $2 to $14 billion or higher, depending on when the leaking well is closed and where the oil washes ashore.

    Efforts are still underway to close the well, which is leaking some 200,000 gallons of oil into the Gulf each day.

    Iran sentences Newsweek journalist

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    PA News

    A Newsweek reporter has been sentenced in absentia to more than 13 years in prison and 74 lashes, raising concerns about a new Iran government crackdown ahead of the anniversary of disputed presidential elections.

    Maziar Bahari, a dual Canadian and Iranian citizen, was among scores of political activists and other figures detained amid a crackdown following disputed presidential elections last year.

    Bahari spent nearly four months in jail but was released on bail of 3 billion rials (£202,137) and allowed to leave the country to join his British wife in London in October.

    NHS refuses to reveal details of doctors’ salaries

    0

    THE NHS in Devon has refused to divulge details of GPs’ pay.

    In a formal request made using the Freedom of Information Act, The Express & Echo asked the county’s primary care trust for a breakdown of GPs’ pay, with the doctors retaining their anonymity.

    NHS Devon said it had the information available but could not divulge it because of the Data Protection Act.

    The organisation said that even if it did not provide the names of the doctors with their salaries, or the names of the surgeries in which they practised, it would still be possible to establish who some of them were by location.

    “Where disclosure of information would breach the Data Protection Act then the information is exempt from disclosure under Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000,” a spokesman said.

    “NHS Devon is of the opinion that it would still be possible to attribute paid amounts to the individual GPs, even if the information were to be anonymised and supplied only by location.

    “GPs are widely distributed throughout Devon, with only a few GPs in certain rural locations, and to disclose this information by location would enable payments to be attributed particularly to those GPs.”

    Nationally there has been widespread criticism of the high salaries paid to some GPs, with one earning more than £380,000, according to figures released last year.

    The Echo intends to revise and resubmit its request.

    Via This Is Devon

    Amnesty International condemns executions in Iran of five political activists

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    Amnesty International today condemned the executions in Iran of four Kurdish political activists and another Iranian man, all convicted of “moharebeh” (enmity against God!), official statement of the organization says.

    “We condemn these executions which were carried out without any prior warning. Despite the serious accusations against them, the five were denied fair trials. Three of the defendants were tortured and two forced to ‘confess’ under duress,” said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

    The four Kurds – Farzad Kamangar, Ali Heydarian, Farhad Vakili, Shirin Alam-Holi – along with Mehdi Eslamian, were hanged on Sunday, 9 May at Evin prison in Tehran. The five were accused of “enmity against God” for carrying out ‘terrorist acts’ and convicted of this vaguely worded charge which can carry the death penalty and is usually applied to those who take up arms against the state.

    “They were then executed in violation of Iranian law, which requires the authorities to notify prisoners’ lawyers in advance before carrying out executions,” Smart said.

    Three of those executed – Farzad Kamangar, Ali Heydarian and Farhad Vakili were sentenced to death for alleged membership and activities for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

    Shirin Alam-Holi, the woman who was executed, was accused of belonging to another Kurdish group, the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (known by its Kurdish acronym PJAK), an Iranian armed group that is banned in Iran.

    The fifth person executed, Mehdi Eslamian, was accused of providing financial assistance to his brother, who was executed in early 2009 for allegedly bombing a mosque in Shiraz in April 2008.

    “These latest executions appear to be a blatant attempt to intimidate members of the Kurdish minority and other critics and opponents of the government in the run up to the first anniversary, on 12 June, of last year’s disputed presidential election,” said Smart

    Mehdi Eslamian is reported to have been tortured including by being flogged and beaten; he was denied medical attention for injuries sustained while in custody and forced to ‘confess’.

    Farzad Kamangar, a teacher, had been held for seven months prior to being allowed to meet with his family. According to a letter he wrote, circulated on the internet in April 2008, he was repeatedly tortured following his arrest in May 2006. He was whipped, held in a freezing cold room and guards played ‘football’ with his body, surrounding him and pummelling him as he was ‘passed’ between guards.

    In a letter from prison, Shirin Alam-Holi said she had had nightmares because of what her interrogators did to her. She was repeatedly beaten, including on the soles of her feet, kicked in the stomach, causing internal bleeding, and when she went on hunger strike, force fed through nasal tubes which she ripped out in protest, damaging her nose. She said she had made a videotaped “confession” after she was hospitalised and given an injection.

    Detainees are often held incommunicado for lengthy periods in detention centres outside the control of the judiciary, putting them at grave risk of torture and other ill-treatment, the press release says.

    Trials in Iran are frequently unfair, with detainees routinely denied access to a lawyer. Proceedings outside Tehran are often summary, lasting only a few minutes.

    Iran has one of the highest rates of executions in the world. To date in 2010, Amnesty International has recorded over 80 executions.

    “Amnesty International is calling on the Iranian authorities to halt all executions. In the meantime, there should be full transparency over the use of the death penalty in Iran, and – at the very least – the authorities should adhere to their own laws regarding the implementation of executions,” said Smart.

    In resolution 2005/59, adopted on 20 April 2005, the UN Commission on Human Rights called upon states that still maintain the death penalty “to make available to the public information with regard to the imposition of the death penalty and to any scheduled execution”.

    Lancaster University Invests in £7.4 million Wind Turbine Scheme

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    The largest UK university wind turbine project in the country, costing £7.4million, is to meet the energy needs of 7,000 students

    The project, comprising two 2.3MW turbines, will cut carbon emissions at Lancaster University by more than 38 per cent and meet the electricity requirements of all the students living on campus.

    Other key elements of the green plan include the use of biomass boilers to provide heat for parts of the site and the introduction of smart meter technology.

    The scheme is part of the Lancaster University’s Sustainable Infrastructure Masterplan, a ground-breaking programme to make the University campus one of the most sustainable in Britain and a world leader on meeting the challenge of climate change.

    Lancaster will receive a repayable grant of £5 million towards the £7.4m needed to build the turbines on its Hazelrigg site, east of the M6, from the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE), if the plan gets the go-ahead at the meeting of Lancaster City Council planning committee on Monday.

    The University — whose proposal was described as “exceptional” — was one of only three out of 37 applicants to win funding from HEFCE’s £10m Transformational Fund.

    The fund has been made available specifically for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across England to radically transform their approaches to energy consumption and reducing emissions. Lancaster was awarded half the overall total available.

    Steve Egan, Deputy Chief Executive of HEFCE, said: “Higher education has a substantial contribution to make in the area of sustainable development. Lancaster University’s proposals were exceptional. They presented a very thorough case for a project that could significantly reduce its emissions.”

    The remaining funds required for the project will come directly from the University’s own budget through major savings on electricity bills, as the wind turbines will achieve a seven-year payback.

    Lancaster University Environment and Sustainability Manager Jonathan Mills said the wind turbines would play a major role in lowering its carbon footprint — reducing its reliance on electricity from the national grid and helping it address the global threat of climate change, as well as oil and gas depletion.

    He added: “We believe everyone has a part to play in carbon reduction and in creating real change. The wind turbine plan would make a major contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of the campus. It will also cut our electricity bills significantly.

    “We have taken very seriously any impact the project might have on the local area and environment, with the turbines we’re proposing using the very latest technology available. We have also worked closely with experts to develop a detailed long-term ecology and landscape management plan for the Hazelrigg site.”

    The project also has the backing of GreenLancaster, which was founded by Lancaster University Students’ Union and aims to promote environmental issues across the University and the wider community.

    Student Union President Michael Payne explained: “Lancaster University is really showing the way forward with this plan and should be commended for its commitment to addressing the challenges of global warming and climate change, which will impact on us all.

    “This is a major opportunity to reduce carbon emissions, something that is in the interests of everyone living, working and studying in Lancaster and we hope planners will look favourably on it.”

    As part of the project, children at the pre-school nursery on campus have been learning about wind turbines and renewable energy. The youngsters have also put together a special mural of a landscape, featuring wind turbines as part of a ‘Green Week’.

    Via ClickGreen

    Kagan helped shield Saudis from 9/11 lawsuits

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    By John Byrne

    Elena Kagan, President Barack Obama’s latest nominee to the Supreme Court, helped protect the Saudi royal family from lawsuits that sought to hold al Qaeda financiers responsible in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

    The suits were filed by thousands family members and others affected by the Sept. 11 attacks. In court papers, they provided evidence that members of the Saudi royal family had channeled millions to al Qaeda prior to the bombings, often in contravention of direct guidance from the United States.

    But Kagan, acting as President Obama’s Solicitor General, argued that the case should not be heard even if evidence proved that the Saudis helped underwrite al Qaeda, because it would interfere with US foreign policy with the oil-rich nation. She posited “that the princes are immune from petitioners’ claims” because of “the potentially significant foreign relations consequences of subjecting another sovereign state to suit.”

    In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer published Tuesday, the mother of a man who was killed on United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania said he didn’t know why Kagan argued that the case not even be heard. By keeping the case off the dockets, the Saudis were spared scrutiny of their finances.

    “We had hoped she would be with us so that we could have our day in court,” Beverly Burnett said.

    Oil Rig Companies to Face Questioning

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    PBS

    Executives from the three companies tied to the Gulf Coast oil spill head to Capitol Hill on Tuesday. Lawmakers from two Senate committees will question officials from BP, Halliburton and Transocean about the April 20 explosion that sunk the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and ultimately led to the spill.

    As the Washington Post reports, the companies are playing “the blame game.” BP officials point to the failure of the rig’s “blowout preventer,” a device designed to shut off the flow of oil in the event of an explosion. The device, owned by Transocean, “was to be the fail-safe in case of an accident,” says BP America Chairman and President Lamar McKay.

    Transocean CEO Steve Newman counters, “Offshore oil and gas production projects begin and end with the operator, in this case BP.”

    Halliburton worked as a subcontractor on the Deepwater Horizon rig, charged with encasing the well’s pipe in cement and then plugging it to prevent gas from escaping up to the surface. That process was performed “in accordance” to BP’s requirements, says Tim Probert, president of Halliburton’s global business lines.

    As lawmakers try to make sense of who and what is to blame for the spill, the Obama administration will break up the Interior Department agency charged with regulating offshore drilling: the Minerals Management Service.

    “One agency would be charged with inspecting oil rigs, investigating oil companies and enforcing safety regulations, while the other would oversee leases for drilling and collection of billions of dollars in royalties,” reports the Associated Press.

    Richard Charter, a senior policy adviser for Defenders of Wildlife, tells Post Carbon’s Juliet Eilperin that there has always been “an inherent conflict of interest” embedded in the current system — the same agency inspects oil rigs, probes wrongdoing and enforces safety rules, while simultaneously collecting royalties from the companies it oversees.

    Karzai Makes White House Visit

    Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is in Washington for a second day of talks with Obama administration officials on the nearly nine-year-old war. The White House is rolling out the red carpet for Karzai, writes Brian Katulis of the AFPAK Channel. The visit “offers Barack Obama’s administration an opportunity to address one of the weakest links in its Afghanistan strategy — the lack of a coherent plan for what the United States and its Afghan and international partners aim to leave behind in Afghanistan,” writes Katulis.

    Over at Real Clear Politics, David Ignatius comments:

    “The public will hear upbeat talk this week from Karzai and President Obama, but it shouldn’t disguise the underlying anxiety on both sides that the feasibility of the U.S. strategy for this war has yet to be proved.”
    British Election Reaches ‘Critical and Final Phase’

    A conclusion may be nearing in the still unsettled British election. While the Conservatives topped the Labor Party in last week’s election, it fell short of the outright majority needed to take over 10 Downing Street. Now both parties are wooing Nick Clegg, head of the Liberal Democrats, in hopes of forming a ruling coalition government.

    The Liberal Democrats opened formal talks with Labor on Monday after its leader, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, announced plans to step down. Following the session, Clegg said talks have reached a “critical and final phase.”

    Probe on election ‘irregularities’

    0

    A police investigation was under way into alleged irregularities at a local election vote.

    The returning officer for Burnley, Lancashire, said he had “grave concerns” about last Thursday’s ballot in the Daneshouse with Stoneyholme ward.

    Steve Rumbelow, who is also chief executive of Burnley Council, added he did not believe however that the result was affected.

    PA News

    ID Card Scheme Could Be Abolished

    1

    David Cameron said he was making a “big open offer” to the Liberal Democrats to join his party in government. In a passage highlighting similarities between their manifestos, he said: “We share a common commitment to civil liberties, and to getting rid — immediately — of Labour’s ID card scheme.”

    Both parties had pledged to abolish the identity scheme in their manifestos. In addition, the Liberal Democrat manifesto says the party would scrap biometric fingerprint passports.

    Cameron said he was willing to compromise and give ground in discussions with the Liberal Democrats, although he was unwilling to do this in controlling immigration, defence and transferring powers to the European Union. He also said “the bulk of the policies in our manifesto should be implemented”.

    The statement, made at 2.30pm on 7 May 2010, came as all but eight of the UK’s 650 parliamentary seats had reported results in the general election.

    With 302 MPs, the Conservative party could form a majority government — requiring 326 seats — with the Liberal Democrats’ 56, whereas the Labour party with 256 could not, even with the support of other sympathetic MPs from Northern Irish parties.

    Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg had earlier said his party would attempt to make a deal first with the Conservative party, given it had a higher share of the vote and more MPs. However, Labour prime minister Gordon Brown has offered the third party a referendum on electoral reform, whereas Cameron offered only an all-party committee of inquiry on this.

    Via Kable

    NY Judge: Torture no grounds to dismiss indictment

    0

    AP

    A Guantanamo Bay detainee brought to the United States for trial on charges he helped the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa while he was an aide to Osama bin Laden cannot use allegations of torture by the CIA to dismiss the indictment, a judge said Monday.

    U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan made the ruling in Manhattan after months of consideration of documents, much of their contents redacted, that were submitted by attorneys for Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani and the government.

    Kaplan said that Ghailani might be able to sue the government for civil damages or seek criminal prosecution of those who abused him if he can prove his rights were violated by torture, but that he cannot eliminate an indictment charging him in the August 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies.

    The ruling by Kaplan could set a precedent if other Guantanamo detainees are brought to the United States for trials in the civilian court system. Some of them also allege they were tortured. The judge said there were precedents set by other court cases for his findings.

    He said a defendant would have to prove the government could win a conviction only by using information gained through torture for him to win dismissal of the indictment.

    The judge noted that 224 people, including 12 Americans, died in the attacks on the embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in August 1998. Already, four others are serving life sentences after a 2001 U.S. trial.

    Ghailani was interrogated at a secret CIA-run camp abroad after his July 2004 arrest. He was later sent to Guantanamo Bay. Last June, he became the first detainee to be brought to the United States for trial in a civilian court.

    Steve Zissou, a lawyer for Ghailani, declined to comment.

    Ghailani was accused by the government of being a bomb maker, document forger and aide to Osama bin Laden, who is also charged in the indictment. Ghailani has pleaded not guilty and has denied knowing that the TNT and oxygen tanks he delivered would be used to make a bomb.

    Ghailani’s lawyers have said he was subjected after his arrest to enhanced interrogation for 14 hours over five days. The CIA as part of its enhanced interrogation program after the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks at one time used 10 harsh methods, including waterboarding, a form of simulated drowning.

    High-energy X-ray confirms feathered dinosaur

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    Scientists at Stanford have aimed a high-energy X-ray beam at a fossil specimen of Archaeopteryx, the famed “flying dinosaur,” and identified key chemicals in the creature’s 150-million-year-old bones and wings, and even in its soft tissue.

    The chemicals, the scientists said, settled definitively that the feather-like impressions in the rock that entombed Archaeopteryx truly were left by real feathers evolved for flight.

    By chemically separating the creature’s bony feathers from the chemicals in the rock around it, the scientists report they have found a powerful new tool to explore tissues long entombed in fossils of many other ancient life forms.

    A report on the work was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by a group led by Ewe Bergmann, a physicist at the Synchrotron Radiation Light Source SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

    The powerful X-rays from the light source, beamed directly at the fossil bird embedded in its rocky shroud, mapped the extremely faint presence of chemicals such as sulfur and phosphorus in what was once the creature’s feathers and soft tissue, and traces of zinc and copper retained in its bones.

    The first Archaeopteryx fossil was discovered in Germany in 1855, and only nine more have been found since. The one analyzed at Stanford was hand-carried secretly by car from the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, Wyo., a year ago, where it is on display and is known as the Thermopolis specimen. The analysis took only two days, Bergmann said, before it was just as carefully returned.

    “The sensitivity of the light source can tell us so much about the chemical composition of whatever we shine it on that we’re really excited about the future of what we can do,” Bergmann said.

    “The important thing,” said Kevin Padian, the noted dinosaur expert at UC Berkeley, “is the finding of original feather material in the specimen, plus establishing that you can get good signals of things like iron, sulfur and phosphorus from fossils hundreds of millions of years old.”

    In an interview, Padian said he hoped that Bergmann’s team would be able to shine their intense light on the “Liaoning fossils” – the feathered dinosaurs discovered more than 10 years ago in China that sparked a controversy.

    The imprint of those feathers on the rocks in which they were fossilized helped establish as fact that dinosaurs are the ancestors of modern birds. But a few die-hard paleontologists insisted the feather material in the fossils was actually some other kind of tissue, and they still deny that birds are “modern dinosaurs.”

    Padian’s wish is already in Bergmann’s plan. He plans to work with Chinese scientists to focus the synchrotron light source on some of those feathered fossils to analyze their chemistry.

    One of Bergmann’s colleagues on Monday’s report is Roy Wogelius, a geochemist at the University of Manchester in England. In a phone interview Monday, he described it as “amazing” to think that even soft tissue can show its chemical nature after 150 million years.

    “It should clearly be possible to use the same X-ray light source to determine the chemicals in the soft tissues in fossils of even older organisms,” he said – perhaps the early invertebrates that evolved without any bony structures at all.

    David Perlman
    E-mail David Perlman at dperlman@sfchronicle.com.

    Pope Blames Abuse Scandal on ‘Sin’

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    Pope Benedict XVI says the Church’s child abuse scandal shows that the greatest threat to Catholicism comes from “sin within” the Church.

    He made his comments in response to a question while en route to Portugal.

    Critics have previously accused the Vatican of attempting to blame the media and the Church’s opponents for the escalation of the scandal.

    But the Pope made clear its origin came from within the Church itself, and said forgiveness “does not replace justice”.

    ‘Need for penance’

    “Today we see in a truly terrifying way that the greatest persecution of the Church does not come from outside enemies, but is born of sin within the Church,” the pontiff told reporters on a plane bound for Portugal.

    His comments were his most direct response to press questions, and some of his strongest words yet on the abuse scandal, says the BBC’s Vatican Correspondent, who is travelling with the Pope.

    Benedict said the Church has “a very deep need” to acknowledge that it must do penance for its sins and “accept purification”.

    However, he added that forgiveness should not be a substitute for justice.

    There has been a wave of allegations in the past few months that Church authorities in Europe and North and South America failed to deal properly with priests accused of child sex abuse, sometimes just moving them to new parishes where more children were put at risk.

    The Pope himself has been accused of being part of a culture of secrecy, and of not taking strong enough steps against paedophiles when he had that responsibility as a cardinal in Rome.

    However, his supporters say he has been the most pro-active pope yet in confronting abuse.

    ‘Spiritual crisis’

    The Pope later landed at Lisbon, the capital, despite fears that the volcanic ash cloud affecting flights in the region would disrupt his plans.

    During the four-day trip he is due to celebrate open-air Masses in Lisbon, as well as at the Catholic shrine of Fatima, and in Oporto.

    Church officials say he will address Europe’s spiritual and economic crisis.

    Although nearly 90% of people in Portugal are reported to be Catholics, only about 20% attend Mass regularly, the BBC’s Vatican correspondent, David Willey, reports from Lisbon.

    Pope Benedict intends to tell the Portuguese to seek solace in their faith to relieve the gloom of financial hardship, he says.

    Carlos Azevedo, the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon and the co-ordinator of the papal visit, said on Monday that the pontiff will speak about “the joy of faith and hope”.

    “The moral values guiding the economy and politics show that there is a spiritual crisis,” he said.

    Portugal has been one of the countries worst affected by the economic problems troubling many European states.

    Tens of thousands of people are expected at the Mass in Lisbon on Tuesday.

    But the highlight of the trip is a visit to Fatima on Wednesday and Thursday, where a giant outdoor Mass has been planned for as many as 500,000 people.

    Fatima is one of the main sites of Christian pilgrimage in Europe.

    The Pope will be marking the anniversary of the day in 1917 when three Portuguese shepherd children reported having visions of the Virgin Mary in Fatima.

    BBC

    119 Killed in Iraq

    1

    Security has been boosted in Iraq after 119 people were killed and hundreds were wounded in a string of attacks across the country.

    The attacks stretched from cities in the north to the normally peaceful southern port of Basra, leading to new checkpoints being established in Baghdad – especially in the east side of the city.

    These attacks have come as a blow after recent victories against insurgents have raised questions about the militants’ enduring strength.

    Manpower was especially increased south of Baghdad, around the provincial capital of Hillah, where at least 50 people died after a pair of car bombs exploded at a factory, luring over rescuers and onlookers, many of whom were then killed by a suicide bomber.

    Around 40 guards at the factory are being investigated by police to try and find any connections to the attack.

    Basra was the second worst hit city, with 30 people dying in three bombings.

    Hillah was also the site of bombings in 2007 where 120 people were killed. The north of the province was once the scene of bloody sectarian fighting as it is mixed between the Sunnis and Shiites.

    The latest bombings, hitting at least 10 cities and towns as the day unfolded, raised concerns over whether Iraqi security forces can protect the country as America prepares to withdraw 50% of its 92,000 troops over the next four months.

    Officials blamed insurgents linked to al Qaida in Iraq for the attacks claiming that they were attempting to destabilise the country while Iraq’s political factions were still negotiating the formation of a new government – more than two months after inconclusive parliamentary elections were held.

    But a new government could also restart violence as sectarian warfare in 2006 and 2007 was sparked by Sunni anger at Shiite domination of successive governments after Saddam Hussein’s 2003 removal.

    Express

    How to Stay Slim: The Secret Revealed For Women

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    Recent research by the Telegraph has shown that people are more likely to stay slim for longer if they lose wait quickly at the beginning. This is a secret that many people are unaware of when carrying out their diet plan.

    The research has indicated that “People who lose up to 1.5lbs a week are up to five times more likely to keep the weight off than those who manage to shed only half a pound a week, found the study”.

    Countless people could be losing weight new this secret. This of course is not a secret in the diet industry since this would have an adverse effect on the sale off diet pills and dieting supplements. Nevertheless, with all research there will be disagreements.

    The dieting industry is no different. One school of thought may argue that no, losing weight quickly at the beginning of a diet is not going to help one to stay slimmer longer. Rather, losing weight at an slower degree at the beginning will help one stay slimmer for longer.

    Research carried out by the University of Florida sought to answer this little known secret for themselves. Is it really the case that losing at a faster rate at the beginning than at a slower rate to stay slimmer for a longer period of time?

    These are some of the variables that were used in the study:
    1. 262 middle-aged overweight women
    2. achieve an average weight loss of 1lb a week
    3. womens’ weight loss after six months
    4. womens’ weight loss after eighteen months
    5. three groups – fast weight-loss, moderate weight-loss and slow weight loss

    Here is what the research team discovered from there results:It was found that women in the fast weight-loss group lost almost 1.5lbs per week. The moderate weight loss group were able to shed in the range of half a pound and 1.5lbs per week. Half a pound was also lost per week for the slow weight-loss group.

    Adding the two groups of months into the mix, the researchers still found that quicker weight loss coincides with more weight loss over time. The women who were losing weight the quickest were able to maintain their weight loss for the longer period.

    So after 18 months of weight loss diet, the women were able to reach the “clinically significant figure of 10 per cent” which demonstrates that losing weight quickly is the key to staying slimmer for longer. For more information on slimming information check out at which diet pills work to get started.

    Apartments for Rent in Chesapeake, Virginia

    1

    Press Release

    There are many people out there looking for apartments for rent in Chesapeake, Virginia. Well the time has come where you can actually find a great place to live in this beautiful Hampton Roads locale with little worry. As many of you know, Chesapeake is one of the most well kept areas in the Hampton Roads region and is increasing it’s overall business dramatically, year after year.

    Now of the many apartments in Chesapeake, Virginia, you may find that the safest area is known as Greenbrier. This sub-city of Chesapeake is one of the fastest growing area’s you will come across. With the Greenbrier Mall built a few years back and growing more populous with over 120 specialty retailers this has helped Greenbrier grow even larger.

    However, it doesn’t end there, you will also find many apartment complex’s in this area of Chesapeake that are for rent at pretty decent prices. For example, the Ivystone apartments are directly behind the Greenbrier Mall and located right next to the local fire station. This is one of the most well-known and cheapest apartments for rent in Chesapeake, Virginia. These apartments also have a new superstar in the mix, known as Justin Lewis. With his advertising done via craigslist, google search, and even websites built, he has become the poster boy of the Ivystone apartments. All you really have to do is mention his name and the Ivystone apartments will instantly take $250 off your first month’s rent.

    It’s not everyday that you find someone that is truly trying to help everyone find a place to live. Especially in this day and age. Be that as it may, that is not Justin’s game. Instead, he is here to join forces with business’s allowing them to prosper more than they could ever imagine. Thankfully, he’s on our side too. Read more here and here.

    DIY Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Small Business

    1

    One of the hot trends in the search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) field is offline consulting. Offline consulting is simply providing online marketing services to main street businesses.

    According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 99.7 percent of all employer firms, so there is no shortage of prospects for those versed in online marketing.

    Unfortunately for most small businesses, finding a well-qualified online marketing expert can be difficult, especially at the local level.

    The experience and expertise of offline marketers vary wildly, from the novice with high hopes that only understands one or two aspects of online marketing, to a true marketing expert that can help a business grow and prosper through an integrated marketing approach.

    The cost of hiring a well-qualified online marketing expert can range from $3k to $20k for the first year, including the monthly maintenance fees. While that’s prohibitive to many small businesses, some view it as a service they can no longer do without if they want their business to evolve so it compete more effectively.

    Since they can’t afford the top guns, they are forced to compromise on the quality of the expertise they are hiring. Despite the risk of investing money with the possibility of no return on their investment, more and more small business owners have determined that limited quality search engine optimization is better than no optimization at all if they want to grow their business.

    Part of the problem for them is that they don’t speak the language of the industry. Their knowledge base isn’t sufficient enough for them to be able to judge if the person trying to sell them a $10k marketing package can deliver the results, or if the person pitching the service even knows what they’re talking about. What sounds good often turns out to have very little real world value in terms of quantifiable results.

    Many qualified SEO experts won’t give you more than a few minutes of their time if you don’t have a budget of at least $5k, which, of course, simply rules out many small businesses. This leaves the small business owner wondering how they can effectively use the Internet to help their business evolve.

    One affordable solution for the small business owner is to learn to do their own search engine optimization. Training material such as Dennis Gaskill’s Small Business SEO Training Course is a viable alternative for small businesses without multi-thousand dollar online marketing budgets.

    Gaskill says, “There’s nothing terribly difficult about search engine optimization, it’s just a matter of knowing what to do. A small business owner can do it personally, can assign an employee to it, or can even enlist the help of family members to do the tasks needed. A business owner can do a better job of SEO than an expert in many cases, simply because they have a keener interest in their own success.”

    As Gaskill notes, the most effective marketing strategies integrate online and offline marketing efforts. By optimizing online efforts and using online resources, small business owners can effectively drive more people through their front door. By adding anecommerce element, a “mom an pop” shop can, in effect, even become a global business.

    While online-only businesses have long understood the need for search engine optimization, offline businesses often resist innovative
    technology that could help improve their bottom line. The economic reality now is that enough small businesses are online, that those who aren’t, are at a distinct disadvantage and find it more difficult to compete against their more modernized counterparts.

    For example, if Company A isn’t online and wants to communicate to their customer base they either have to buy expensive print or radio advertising, pay a costly telemarketing firm, or pay for an expensive mail campaign. In the meantime, Company B is online and simply sends an email to all their customers at zero cost. Company B has a clear and distinct advantage in terms of cost, reach, and timeliness.

    While email marketing technically isn’t an SEO activity, Gaskill touches on ways small businesses can use technology to improve their marketing reach in his Small Business SEO Training Course.

    Sooner or later small business owners realize the marketplace has changed and, in fact, is still evolving. The quicker a savvy business owner embraces changing times, the faster he or she can take advantage of the opportunities only available in the online world. To ignore the online world is to ignore the most dynamic, interactive, and largest marketing medium there has ever been.

    For more information on the Small Business SEO Training Course, please visit: http://www.boogiejack.com/small-business-seo-course.html.

    What happened to Surprise AZ Real Estate?

    1

    The melt down and subsequent stagnation of Surprise AZ real estate is best surmised though an understanding of the human desire for greed. At the center of this essentially man made disaster, lies a certain yearning for more money or wealth from every single participant. Every single person involved in a real estate transaction for the past four or five years has been somewhat responsible for the breakdown and nowhere else is this an example than Surprise AZ. With mortgage brokers clamoring for more commission, banks ignoring income verification to the homeowners who just could fathom being behind the Jones’ at every level we all failed to some degree.

    Built on the hopes and dreams of affordable housing in a suburban family style atmosphere, Surprise was the obvious choice for many families for their new home. What started with low teaser rates and no down payments quickly spiraled out of control and forced owners to pony up thousands of dollars a month for houses they suddenly could not afford. Neighborhoods that were once booming with growth and community are now shadows of their former selves with unsightly disheveled front yards and broken windows.

    What happened to Surprise AZ real estate is indicative of what is happening all across the country albeit in slightly different ways. What sets this small town apart is the speed at which it simultaneously grew and deconstructed itself. The city still has promise and plenty of reasons for the average family to move here but the promises of continual growth has caused people and the jobs they need to become much more apprehensive in approaching Surprise AZ.

    Over the next coming years, Surprise AZ has some big developments heading this way including Prasada which is destined to be one of the largest developments in Arizona history. The project was recently put on the back burner by developer RED and Westcor but activity is still very much happening on the project. Most recently the city council approved a new development agreement for another master planned community, Desert Trails, which will bring some much needed fresh activity to the most northern part of Surprise.

    Easy to understand technical Analysis on Citigroup Inc.

    10

    Press Release

    Mysticstocks.com is pleased to announce its latest stock analysis on some of the popular stocks like Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), Cell therapeutics inc (CTIC), Blockbuster inc(BBI ),Sirius satellite radio (SIRI) and Power 3 Medical Products Inc (PWRM).

    About Citigroup inc.
    Citigroup Inc is one of the most diversified financial services company in the world with significant presence in more than 100 countries. The Citigroup inc is not limited to retail banking and corporate banking but also included investment banking and asset management.

    DO NOT BASE ANY INVESTMENT DECISION UPON ANY MATERIALS FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE PLEASE DO YOU RESEARCH ON OUR STOCK IDEAS..

    Mysticstocks.com is a stock analysis and investment commentary provider. Mysticstocks.com aim is to help investors by sharing information irrespective of being experienced and non-experienced investors. We are focused on helping investors, at whatever stage of investing they are.

    How Twitter Got A President Elected & Why YOU Should Be Using Twitter For Your Business

    3

    Tweet, Twit, Twitter?

    Two years ago if you had said any of those words to most anyone, they would think you would have lost it. They would look at you with a puzzled look and call the men in the white coats. Now a days, it’s a little different. You mention Twitter and the whole world knows what you’re talking about.

    When Twitter first began, it seemed like a fad, something that would quickly fade from the minds of others and last forever in the perpetual universe that is the internet, but not within common everyday use.

    Well they were wrong on that one.

    Twitter grows in enormous amounts of followers each day (and follower itself has even taken on a new meaning in the world and universe that is Twitter.) Millions of new users join the tweeting craze each day, and it only looks to continue.

    As a business if you are not already on Twitter, you are losing out.

    If your competitor is on Twitter, they are quickly gaining a foothold on that market, and taking away YOUR potential customers.

    You see, it’s not just celebrities that can take advantage of Twitter for branding purposes anymore. Everyone is.

    From the small business, the the large business, from the media outlets to the President of the United States.

    Some would even venture to say, one of the reasons the USA has it’s first colored President, is because of the power of social media.

    Well others had fancy websites that said much of nothing, President Obama took to internet and social marketing.

    He had a lead capture (if you don’t know what this is, you really need some help in your online marketing) when no other candidate did.

    “Obama utilized Twitter and social media platforms to gain a following. He utilized that which many had yet to realize could even work on a business level. He foresaw the potential and grabbed it in it’s infancy, he grabbed that unfair foothold on those markets, before his opponents even realized they existed or the power that they held,” says Sylvia Meier, webmaster of the Business of Twitter website.

    “You see, Twitter has evolved. Twitter and social media helped win a USA Presidency.

    Now imagine the power it holds for your business.

    “If it can take a relatively unknown man and make him President, think of the potential it holds for your business, for your marketing purposes, for your bottom line.

    If you are not using Twitter yet, you should be. Otherwise, you’ll be the candidate sitting in his office wondering what went wrong, and how the competition could have risen so far above you.”

    Gordon Brown Will Step Down As Labour Leader

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    By Philippe Naughton

    Gordon Brown announced tonight that he is to step down as Labour leader but wants to remain in No 10 for a few more months as part of a coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats.

    Playing Labour’s final card after an extraordinary weekend of post-election wrangling, the Prime Minister announced that the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg had formally asked for negotiations to begin on a power-sharing deal with Labour.

    Mr Brown said that he had agreed to the request, but thought that he did not think he should lead a coalition government for longer than strictly necessary and a new Labour leader would be in place by the end of September.

    The announcement – Labour’s nuclear option – came barely an hour after a meeting of Lib Dem MPs which stalled on a Tory power-sharing offer and asked for more details on the key issue of electoral reform.

    Sterling fell 1 per cent against the US dollar within minutes of the announcement as investors worried it could take even longer for the next government to start addressing the budget deficit.

    Speaking outside No 10, Mr Brown said: “Mr Clegg has just informed me that while he intends to continue his dialogue with the Conservatives, he now intends to open formal negotiations with the Labour Party.

    “I believe it is sensible and it’s in the national interest to respond positively. The Cabinet will meet soon. A formal policy negotiating process is being established under the arrangements made by the Cabinet Secretary similar to the negotiations between other parties.”

    Under the timetable laid out by Mr Brown, he will immediately set in train arrangements for a Labour leadership election – in which he will not take part nor back any candidate.

    That election will be concluded by the Labour Party autumn conference in Manchester, meaning that Britain could again have an unelected Labour Prime Minister.

    The bombshell announcement came after three days of high-level negotiations between the Tories and Lib Dems produced an outline deal that Mr Clegg presented to his MPs this afternoon.

    The Tory leader David Cameron briefed his Shadow Cabinet on the details of the emerging deal while the Lib Dems were meeting. “I think we’ve made them a handsome offer but it’s really up to Clegg to see if he can deliver his party,” one senior Tory told The Times.

    The Tory meeting was over in just 45 minutes but the Lib Dem MPs’ meeting lasted more than two hours, after which the party’s education spokesman, David Laws, briefed reporters – but without giving much away.

    He said that the Lib Dems had asked for further clarifcation from the Tories on issues including tax and education reform and reform of the voting system. But he said that the party had agreed that Mr Clegg should continue to listen to representations from Gordon Brown while clarification was sought about the offer from the Tories.

    That last line reflected concern on the Lib Dem benches that Mr Clegg had been wrong to turn quite so firmly to the Tories after last Thursday’s election, when the Conservatives won the most votes but ended up 20 seats short of a majority.

    Mr Brown has held two meetings with Mr Clegg in the past two days but it is unclear how a Lib Dem-Labour deal could be done, given that the two parties do not have a Commons majority even when they join forces. They would need the support of nationalists and other minor parties.

    At the very least, the Labour move will throw the cat among the pigeons and increase splits in the Lib Dem ranks – but Mr Brown said that it could lead to a strong and stable government that would enact political and electoral reform and act to rein in the deficit.

    “There is a progressive majority in Britain and I believe it could be in the interests of the whole country to form a progressive coalition government,” he said.

    “In addition to the economic priorities, in my view, only such a progressive government could meet the demand for political and electoral change which the British people made last Thursday.

    “If it becomes clear that the national interest, which is stable and principled government, can be best served by forming a coalition between the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats, then I believe I should discharge that duty, support that government which would, in my view, command a majority in the House of Commons in the Queen’s Speech and any other confidence votes.

    “But I have no desire to stay in my position longer than is needed to ensure the path to economic growth is assured and the process of political reform we have agreed moves forward quickly.”

    Is Selling on eBay Still a Profitable Business Model?

    2

    Many people are interested in the opportunity of selling on eBay to make extra money from home. But some folks are wondering whether or not this is still a viable way of making an actual income that can support your family. The truth is that selling on eBay can be a huge moneymaking opportunity if done the right way.

    Author Charity Cason explains in her new book “How Moms Are Making Money Selling on eBay: How One Mother Took Other People’s Trash and Turned Them Into Profitable Treasures” the process that she uses to make a full-time income from home on eBay. The ideas presented in her new book might surprise you. For instance, everything she sells has been picked up from a thrift store, estate sale or garage sale. You can see her new book at http://www.MommyPowerseller.com.

    Cason explains the process but she goes through when choosing the items, how she does her research to price the items and even exactly how the packaging and shipping is done. She gives away her biggest niche that makes her the most money month after month. She talks about buying things in bulk, separating them out and creating even more profits that way.

    According to the author, it is not unusual to make over $2000 extra each month if a person follows her system. She is especially excited to help single and stay-at-home mothers create a fabulous income on eBay so that they can stay home with their children if they so choose. She also has others ideas in her free report at http://www.homebasedsmallbusiness.net.

    Get more Local Business with Google Local Business listings (Google Places)

    5

    By John Pawlett

    According to recent research by the Kelsey Group, 97% of consumers who bought goods and services from local businesses first searched on the Internet before they made a purchase.

    Apparently one client who has a small used car dealer ship is getting around 250 extra customers a month as a direct result of his placement on Google Local Business Listings, also known as Google Places. This is something that no small business can afford to ignore.

    While the opportunity currently exists for small businesses to increase sales, create brand awareness and slash advertising costs, many are not aware of the opportunity or do not realise the benefits.

    However, it’s extremely easy to take advantage of.

    When somebody searches on the Internet and adds a location into the search, Google will display a map with up to 7 listings of local businesses on the front page above all of the other results, in prime position.

    Besides using the listings to just display a company telephone, there is a wealth of other information you can store that can help to create more business. For example many people now search for coupons that could them save money on purchases, Google’s listings also has the facility to generate coupons whenever you have a special promotion ( handy if you have stock you would like to shift quickly).

    A real world example; a plumber or electrician having a slow period, perhaps on a Saturday. Creating coupons that give customers money off if they choose a time that suits you rather than them, could prove highly profitable. There are hundreds of different ways to generate more customers using Google’s Listings, it just require a bit of ‘out the box’ thinking.

    Some small businesses are having a hard time in the current economical climate so they need all the help they can get, but there are many things that they can do to help themselves, Google’s Local Business Listings is just one.

    For more information, including a step by step guide and video’s on how to set up a listing yourself go to http://www.expertwebsitemarketing.com/websitemarketingblog/ or if you would like more help go to http://www.expertwebsitemarketing.com/local.htm

    ‘Spy cameras’ for crossing patrols

    0

    Lollipop ladies (and men) have a new weapon in the battle against dangerous motorists – cameras fixed to their trademark poles.

    Three school crossing patrols in Somerset are to trial the technology to combat “lollipop rage”, which flares up 1,400 times each year nationally.

    Mini-cameras fixed to the lollipop pole will record clear video and sound, capturing any “reckless drivers” in the act, a council spokesman said.

    The trial is taking place outside Paulton Primary School, in North East Somerset, as well as Widcombe Junior School and the Royal High School, both in Bath.

    Footage of drivers ignoring school crossing patrol instructions can be used as evidence by the police for possible prosecution.

    Bath and North East Somerset Council is among the first authorities in South West England to launch the new scheme, known as “Routesafe”. The initiative could be widened to other schools if successful.

    There are an estimated 1,400 “lollipop rage” incidents every year, according to the Local Government Association.

    Helen Tilbury, Paulton lollipop lady, said: “If drivers see a lollipop they must stop. Children’s lives are in danger if lollipop signs are ignored.

    “The presence of the mini-camera will make drivers think twice before rushing past.”

    Rob Stanley, Widcombe Infants and Juniors lollipop man, added: “Our patrols have little in the way of providing solid evidence that a driver has ignored the lollipop. These mini-cameras provide evidence and, hopefully, deter drivers from driving through in the first place.”

    © Press Association 2010

    What Does Does Facebook-McDonalds Deal Mean?

    1

    By Rick Whiting, CRN

    A reported deal with fast-food giant McDonald’s could mean that Facebook is setting itself up to compete with Foursquare and other location-based social networking Web sites.

    Facebook is widely believed to be developing geolocation features for its social networking site that will allow users to share their location with friends without having to type their whereabouts in status updates.

    The capability, first reported in a story in The New York Times in March, also will let third-party developers build location-sharing into their Facebook applications.

    And that’s exactly what’s up with the Facebook-McDonald’s deal, according to a story published on the AdvertisingAge Web site late last week. The story said that McDonald’s, through digital agency Tribal DDB in Chicago, is developing an application with Facebook that will allow users of the social networking site to check in at a McDonald’s restaurant and have a featured product appear in the post or receive coupons for McDonald’s products.

    Facebook has some 450 million users and about 100 million of them update their status from mobile devices on a daily basis.

    The AdvertisingAge story said the negotiated deal is part of a bigger media-buy on Facebook by McDonald’s, which will be the first marketer to take advantage of Facebook’s new geolocation capabilities.

    Facebook isn’t charging McDonald’s — or other marketers — to develop apps on its platform, The AdvertisingAge story said executives at other digital marketing companies are developing location-based marketing campaigns for retail clients to work with Facebook.

    The AdvertisingAge story said that PepsiCo, Starbucks, Bravo and MTV have all experimented with marketing campaigns on Foursquare.

    Facebook’s expansion into geolocation-based marketing could put the Web site into direct competition with Foursquare, Gowalla and Loopt.

    But a blog on SFGate.com, argues that Facebook’s intention isn’t to compete directly with Foursquare and other geolocation sites, but to become an integral part of them. The blog speculates that Facebook’s new geolocation capabilities will be part of its new Open Graph API, which the blog describes as an effort to put its brand on everything.

    Facebook’s plan, according to the blog, more likely is to get Foursquare and Loopt users to go through Facebook — with the company taking a cut of the revenue — much as game sites such as Zynga do today.

    Pentagon bans journalists from Guantanamo trial

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    By Scott Horton

    The Gates Pentagon has decided to ban four journalists from covering the Guantánamo proceedings. The Washington Post’s Jeff Stein reports:

    The Pentagon said they were expelling the reporters because they had revealed the name of a former U.S. interrogator whose name is under protective order – but is widely known. The four are Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald and three Canadian reporters, Michelle Shephard of the Toronto Star, Paul Koring of the Globe & Mail, and Steven Edwards of Canwest. The papers can send other reporters to cover the prosecution of Omar Khadr, a Canadian picked [up] by American forces in Afghanistan when he was 15, the Pentagon said. He is now 23.

    The U.S. interrogator at the center of the ban controversy was all but identified during a pre-trial hearing earlier in the week, when Khadr’s defense attorney asked a question about a detainee made to kiss the American’s boots. One of the banned reporters, the Toronto Star’s Shephard, has written a book on the Khadr case, “Guatanamo’s Child.” Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan, director of Defense Press Operations, told the newspapers that their reporters had “violated established and agreed-upon ground rules governing reporting on Military Commissions proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.” “Specifically, your reporters published the name of a witness whose identity was protected in court,” Lapan said.

    There is more to this than meets the eye, because the identity of the interrogator is already a matter of public knowledge, and more than these four publications have already disclosed the name. The interrogator gave an on-the-record interview to the Tortonto Star in 2008 and was court-martialed in September 2005, with press accounts giving his name and a specification of the charges against him. He appeared on camera in an Oscar-winning documentary in which he discussed the process of detainee abuse as it was practiced at the Bagram detention facility in Afghanistan. The notion that his name is a secret is therefore absurd. The order seems to be a pretext for blocking coverage of Guantánamo by critical media. The reporters banned by this order are those who have done the most in-depth coverage of the case of Omar Khadr, who was seized as a child by U.S. forces in Afghanistan and harshly abused–in the view of one of his own interrogators, tortured–during his custody.

    Spencer Ackermann writes in the Washington Independent:

    Rosenberg is the single most diligent, consistent and experienced Guantanamo Bay reporter in the world, having carved out the Guantanamo beat steadily almost since the detention facility here opened in 2002 and traveled here more frequently than any other journalist. (I personally heard complaints about her from public affairs officers here five years ago – and those complaints amounted to whining about how dogged an investigator she was.) Koring and Edwards have also been invaluable resources about Khadr and Guantanamo to their colleagues these past two weeks.

    The Pentagon public-affairs officers would prefer a different sort of reporting—one that regurgitates their own news feed, perhaps with a slight admixture of comments from defense counsel who are themselves subject to tight restrictions about what they can say to the media. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the bulk of major media covering the proceedings at Guantánamo produce.

    Things are going very poorly for the Defense Department at Guantánamo. When the proceedings convened, it was learned that the Defense Department had prepared a new set of procedural rules, written entirely in secret without following standard procedures that envisage consultation with the bar. The initial hearings then had to be adjourned so that the prosecutors, defense counsel, and judge could read the new rules. Under international law standards that the Supreme Court ruled binding on the United States in Hamdan, the military commissions are only valid if they are a “regularly constituted court.” There is little doubt that proceedings in the American military-justice tradition, applying the rules normally used in courts martial, would have met this test. But the Guantánamo commissions have departed from those traditions at every turn, making clear that they are “irregular.” The embarrassing secret dealings surrounding the rules coupled with blatant retaliation against critical media serve to highlight their illegitimacy before the actual transactions of the court are even examined.

    At this point the only way out for the Obama Administration is to arrange a plea bargain for Khadr. The case is now so thoroughly compromised that any other outcome will only be a further embarrassment.

    Oxynet Solutions LLC Offers New Help for Indoor Air Quality in the UAE

    0

    Dubai, United Arab Emirates, — With the world experiencing growing rates of CO2 emissions per capita, it is clear that something must be done to improve the air quality. While the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) strives to reach compliance with regulations in the outdoor air quality, one company is bringing the leading technology in air purification suitable for any indoor environment.

    Oxynet Solutions, LLC, has been providing solutions for homes, offices, public places, hospitals etc for several years with the leading air purification systems on the market. Now they have taken it to new levels by becoming partnered with Biozone Scientific Finland, a company that produces cutting edge technology to clean the air better than any other product on the market.

    Biozone Scientific’s air purification and ventilation systems not only remove the ever present dust from the air but also eliminate mold spores, viruses, bacteria and even volatile organic compounds (VOC). The technology of the machine not only purifies the air but also reduce micro organism present on the surface. Their advanced technologies have been developed in-house with their high tech research and development department.

    Their air purification systems utilize a photo catalytic oxidation process that destroys VOC and photoplasma technology that not only reduces the number of micro-organisms but destroys the remaining organisms ability to reproduce. With the machines, deep UV light and negative ions continue to remove both organisms and chemical particulates from the air. Ozone then gets rid of the remaining bacteria, viruses and fungi. The process leaves the air clean and odor free.

    Matti Rantaniemi, President of Biozone Scientific, has made the following statement regarding the company’s goals and mission: “As the value of clean and pure air is increasing, the demand for sophisticated air purification methods is rising exponentially. Consumers are concerned about the health-effects of air refreshing chemicals and deodorizers. Customers demand cleaner, odor- and bacteria-free air instead of a mere chemical covering up of unpleasant odors.

    “BioZone Scientific has replied to this call with a scientific approach, cutting-edge air purification technology, and application specific solutions. The results have been astonishing, and BioZone Scientific is emerging as the global market leader in anti-microbial air purification in targeted sectors. BioZone continues to make sizeable investments in R&D, to expand to new sectors, and to form partnerships with some of the most preeminent distributors.”

    As Oxynet Solutions, LLC, has the same goal of pure air for everyone, becoming the exclusive distributor for Biozone Scientific products in the UAE was an ideal partnership.

    The Oxynet Vision Statement: To spread awareness about the importance of indoor air quality for good health and solve air quality issues by way of recommending viable technologically advanced, working solutions.

    About Oxynet Solutions, LLC:
    Oxynet Solutions, LLC has been offering state-of-the-art solutions that focus on reducing indoor air pollution for the past seven years in Dubai and throughout the UAE. Oxynet serve you with the effective solutions that are guaranteed to perform because they are backed by validated and proven advanced technology from Finland.

    Oxynet Solutions, LLC is the only dealer in the UAE to offer Biozone Scientific air purifiers, the most effective way to improve indoor air quality in our homes, offices, workshops, airport, malls, hospital and literally, any indoor space .

    The frequent encounter with different kinds of unpleasant odor in varied indoor environments like hospitals, clinics, pet shops, restaurant, malls, public washrooms etc, prompted a question isn’t there a solution to all this? The quest for solving this lead to the birth of Oxynet solutions in UAE.

    £750 compensation for those denied the right to vote

    0

    Counts in at least 14 constituencies in eight cities including London, Sheffield and Birmingham were affected by the chaos.

    By Christopher Hope

    People formed long lines outside polling stations as returning officers were overwhelmed by the number of people wanting to vote.

    In some cases they were turned away after queuing for hours. In other cases returning officers kept the polling booths open, in contravention to election rules.

    Civil rights campaigners said the scenes were “unworthy of a mature democracy like ours” and urged people to take legal action..

    Geoffrey Robertson QC, a human rights lawyer, said people could get as much as £750 each in compensation for being denied the right to vote under European Law. He said: “They were terribly disappointed, they should all sue.”

    Another route was for voters to club together and sue the individual council returning officers who were overseeing the chaos. This would not result in compensation for indvidual voters, however.

    Under the 1983 Representation of the People Act, people would have to prove that they lost their right to vote because of a substantial failure to oversee the election.

    Any hearing would be heard by two high court judges, who would be entitled to order a new by-election in the affected constituency and fine the returning officer.

    These kinds of challenges to Parliamentary elections, which require a payment of £5,000 before starting the action, are extremely rare.

    Liberty, the civil rights group, urged voters who were adversely affected by the problems to contact it “with a view to further action”.

    Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: “Liberty will use all legal and campaigning means to ensure that this disgrace is never repeated.”

    Harriet Harman, the Labour Party deputy leader, said it was likely that several constituency results would be open to legal challenge.

    At least 14 constituencies in Chester, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, London, Sheffield, , Newcastle and Birmingham, Chester were hit.

    In the Chester, where Labour’s Toby Perkins scraped in with a 549 majority, hundreds of people were reportedly turned away because polling lists had not been updated.

    The Electoral Commission, which oversees the electoral system, said it would be “undertaking a thorough review of what has happened in those constituencies where people have been unable to vote”.

    David Cameron, the Tory leader, said he would “get to the bottom of what has happened and make sure that never ever happens again”.

    Glass Repair of Scratched Surfaces Can Be Both Green and Economical

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    Glass gets scratched. And when it, does it becomes harder to see through and less attractive looking. But whether its the windshield of a classic automobile, the hurricane glass walls of a seaside restaurant or the glass entrance doors of a bank, there is a company that can remove the scratches, repair the glass surfaces and save you money, all the while helping the environment by not tossing glass into a landfill.

    Replacing glass panels can be quite expensive with the price of new glass and the cost of removal of the scratched panels and installation of the new glass, whereas fixing the scratches by restoring the glass surfaces can be much cheaper and does not create dumpsters full of shards. A company out of Camarillo, CA can remove scratches from glass whether the result of acid, graffiti, weather or simply fabricating debris left from the glass making process. UnscratchTheSurface uses a patent pending technique that can restore even large surface areas of tempered, double walled glass without leaving distortions. They’ve helped homeowners, corporations, even yacht owners save money while improving the look, and therefore the value, of their property.

    Although based in California, UnscratchTheSurface, works across the United States, offering quotes that clients find are often half the price of replacement. They have happy clients from coast to coast whose storefronts or glass shower doors are once again the clear, smooth surfaces they originally purchased. Other scratched glass repair systems are designed either for single isolated scratches or graffiti removal, but none are designed to resurface large areas of glass except for this unique system.

    UnscratchTheSurface will evaluate the damage to your glass and quote you a price less than replacement costs to resurface it, saving you money and saving our precious natural resources. Before UnscratchTheSurface created their tools and techniques there was nothing that could be done with many badly damaged glass surfaces that can now be saved and restored to their intended lustre. Why not do something Green and save yourself some money while improving the looks of your business or home. More information and before and after photos can be found at their website, www.UnscratchTheSurface.com

    Weight Loss: 7 Quick Tips To Lose Weight

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    Whether you have five pounds to lose or a hundred pounds, losing weight can be very difficult and frustrating. You need to make a commitment to burn extra body fat then you should understand that there are going to be obstacles to overcome, fears to cope with.

    Guest author, Shaznay Wilde, offers some tips to help you.

    If you want to lose weight and get in shape, you should know about this one certain fundamental: A healthy diet combined with a varied exercise regimen is the surefire formula for weight loss success. However, these two words – diet and exercise – strike fear in the heart of many of us.

    The following 7 quick weight loss tips are here to help you when having the fear of dieting or exercising to better motivate yourself by giving you some great ideas.

    1. Instead of just moving your tongue, start moving that body! You can not see the results unless you get a go on.

    2. Try psyching yourself out by using a screensaver or a post-it which says “You are fat! Get moving”.

    3. To promote weight loss and maintenance, you will have to make small changes in your approach to food. For a start, say no to processed foods.

    4. Stop eating while standing. Those little bits and bites add up to a lot of calories. Plus, eating deserves respect. So, make a plate for yourself. Have a seat and enjoy your meal.

    5. Keep a journal where you record each piece of food and drink you take, and each move you make. This will increase your awareness of what calories consume, and also you will see how active you are in a day.

    6. Join a social group or network that engages in some kind of physical activity. The fact that you are part of a dance club, a hiking group, or a ping-pong team will help you stay motivated.

    7. Start investing in home exercise equipment, online diets and workout programs, DVDs. These will allow you the convenience of exercising in the privacy of your own home. They can also give you an electronic “exercise buddy” who can help keep you inspired even when you don’t feel like exercising at all.

    Would you like to complement these tips with other systems that can help you get rid of fat? You can always learn from the world’s best fat loss trainers who help millions of people worldwide lose hundreds of pounds each year. John Romaniello’s Final Phase Fat Loss system or Mike Geary’s fascinating answer to How to get six pack abs can be a life-changing experience for you.

    Don’t put off tomorrow what you can start today!

    Your body may resist the changes. Give it a chance and it will figure out what to do with the new foods. You will see how quick your body adjusts to the new fat burning workout plan.

    List building as ‘The X factor’ to online financial success – experts say

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    The X factor to online financial success is list building, the core skill of Internet marketing. Question is, what can you do to monetize it well? Aiming your efforts in the direction of establishing a sound responsive list in your niche will definitely cut back on how much time you commit to your business and actually achieve true income utilizing various other possible choices. If you want to be a leader in the list building niche you have to have perspective, you have to know what works and to do that, you will have to invest money or time to test everything.

    The next step is creating simple steps your list members can follow and duplicate to achieve similar results. To produce a responsive list you must focus on your subscriber’s own personal requirements, provide them with useful material as well as content and never overwhelm or frighten them off by continually hard selling them products.

    Listed here are a couple straightforward, yet well-proven key points associated with list building. To achieve success, your list building must incorporate the two of these critical elements:

    Value

    Make sure you provide information and facts, high-quality content, exclusive deals, discounts and importantly, it should offer a beneficial association or connection to an expert on the topic. They need to really benefit from joining your list.

    As you’re producing a list consider the positive aspects.

    Will they:

    get good information
    get important content
    get exceptional deals
    get training videos
    get tested, proven information
    get help and care from you

    Gifts

    Anything you offer must be at no cost. The quickest, free way for you to establish any kind of list is always give away free valued content, important information, training videos, reports, or e-books, make them an offer they cannot refuse. Certain “gurus”, believe that handing out zero cost programs may interest the wrong sort of prospects, people that will not buy something because they will expect it to be free. But this has more to do with the design of the gifts and the kind of contacts you are building. Offering free guides on how to purchase real estate, cars, televisions and laptop computers will surely attract the ideal buying customer. For anyone in retailing, you just need to alter your marketing and PR to include the free component effectively. If you invest little money, list building can be even faster and more profitable.

    However, building a list is not a problem as much as building your own credibility, trust and relationship with that list. If done well, list building can be very profitable business model years to come.

    Kat Bader
    List building videos

    Video game companies want to pay you to become game testers

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    If you have ever daydreamed about how it might be possible to get paid to play video games, your dream could soon be a reality.

    Playing the latest video games such as Ghost Recon: Future Soldier or Rage before they are released isn’t too far away. In fact some of the largest video game companies in the World are now looking for more video game testers than ever before.

    In fact it’s becoming big business, last year testers made an average salary of $37,905 and those who stay on more than six years usually see their salary double.

    According to industry insiders, both hiring and salaries are increasing.

    Companies that make console games need their products to be in tip top shape before releasing to the public. They cannot simply send out a quick patch to fix a major issue with the game as such computer game producers do.

    They often don’t allow their own programmers test games because since they programmed the game it makes it harder to find errors in the play. Besides, most of their programmers aren’t true video game players. Companies say they need an outside source looking in to give a new perspective. There are now over 50 companies looking for video game testers.

    So how can one tap into such an exclusive job market?

    “Well you could contact the companies directly and ask if they are hiring. You probably won’t get the response you are looking for though,” says Philip Howell, who runs a paid video game tester website.

    “The best way is to actually ask other full time testers to find out how they got into the market and to get tips and tricks from them on how you can tap into it. Imagine sitting playing a game that no one else in your area has access to and actually getting paid to do so.

    “Do a search yourself and try to find a site that is offering access to one of these game testers. They normally don’t mind helping you out for a price but that small price can pay off many times over.”

    Learn To Speed Read The Wrong Way and You Could End Up Dumb As a Box of Rocks

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    Apparently, learning to speed read the right way can make you smarter.

    But there is an increasing problem with a lot of speed reading courses, whether they be at a local community college, a guide book or one found on the internet.

    The thing is most of them will work as far as helping people to be able to increase their speed reading.

    In fact most people who apply themselves will often find that they can even double their reading speed, often going from 250 words per minute to 500.

    So what’s the problem then?

    Well imagine you get really fast and can read up to 1000 words per minute.

    What would be the point of it if you could hardly remember anything in the reading material?

    Well that’s what is happening to a lot of people – they can read faster but are not able to retain much (if any) of the information.

    “When it comes to speed reading techniques you want to ensure that you are still able to comprehend the materials that you are reading,” says Dave Eaves, webmaster of the Learn to speed read website.

    “It can be a wise when taking the time to learn new techniques that are involved with speed reading, to always give them a try first to see how effective they are.

    “There are many different reasons that people want to learn how to speed read. There are several different benefits that come from being able to be a great speed reader. Speed reading can be a great way to do better in school. Many times students are required to read a lot of information in a short amount of time.

    “Being able to find techniques that make speed reading easier can be a great help, but only if you are able to comprehend the information that you are reading. A lot of time college students take the time to learn various ways to successfully speed read in order to learn more information for tests such as the ACT or the SAT.

    “These tests can cover an awful lot of information, and they are also timed. Learning as much as you can that is going to be on the test is a great way to ensure that you are well prepared for it. If you are worried about your speed reading habits, then you may want to try to learn some different ways to do it.”

    Some people find that it is difficult to learn how to speed read quickly.

    This is a skill that most people have to practice in order to get better at it. This is the same as just about anything that people do. Practice is always a way to get better.

    There are even some speed reading programs out there that will help you to increase your ability to read faster and still be able to comprehend.

    Sometimes, people will use various methods such as skimming or guiding their eyes with a finger or a pointer.

    These two methods have been two of the most commonly used methods when it comes to
    speed reading.

    If your speed reading abilities are not where you think that they should be, then you should take the time to learn more about these various techniques and programs that are available.

    There is no doubt that you will benefit from being a great speed reader.

    Dave Eaves offers a free speed reading video that shows you how to learn to speed read the right way and shows how you can at least double your speed reading and comprehension on his Learn to speed read website.

    Lose A Belly Fat – A Healthy Approach To Six Pack Abs?

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    That appears to be the million dollar question. I’m going to give you a more thorough answer to the question in this editorial. How you lose belly weight starts with developing a combined exercise plan that is strenuous. You don’t need to do hundreds of crunches, sit ups or any of the complicated routines being touted by the “six pack abs” hype machine. Lots of people say the key is to obey. There is a lot of conflicting information on nutrition.

    But researchers have also found that losing abdominal weight is one of the most important things you can take to stay healthy for life. 30 minutes a few times a week won’t cut it. You need a full body training program combining cardiovascular & resistance exercises. At the finish of the four month period, the women in the aerobic group had lost 1 cm of abdimonal subcutaneous overweight while the combined group lost 8 cm, one time as much. Fundamentally, if you lose the excess overweight in your method, your belly will go away.

    Getting killer abs has a lot less to do with training & everything to do with lowering your total body overweight.The combined exercise group did weight training on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays, & aerobic exercise on Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays.

    At least 20 to 30 percent of your diet should come from fats.

    While you probably realize that excess overweight is unhealthy, you ought to also know that where the overweight is distributed is key to health.

    “One study tracked 30 very overweight women for four months. The aerobic exercise group did a full hour of cardio exercise for four days a week.The next step is to eat the right foods,” says Haleigh Mira Ford, webmaster of the ‘Lose Your Belly Fat’ website.

    “A firm, flat stomach is the ultimate symbol of sex appeal. These fancy exercises don’t burn the kind of calories you need in order to be successful. People who are fattest in the abdomen (the so called “apple shaped body”) have a greater risk of heart illness & diabetes than those with pear shapes (fattest in the hips, buttocks, & thighs).

    “How do you lose belly overweight? The key to losing belly overweight is to burn more calories than you eat. Take in protein to maintain muscle mass. The women were assigned to either a control group, an aerobic exercise group, or a combined exercise group. Another tip is to take in fewer calories than you burn. The combined group also did better on the abdominal visceral overweight measure with 93 cm lost compared to 82 for the aerobic only group.

    “You won’t be surprised to learn that the best way to lose abdominal overweight is to eat right & exercise regularly. Then, you balance your carbs around the other one factors depending on whether you need to lose weight or not. From the Adkins “eat no carbs” people to those who eschew all fats, there’s radicals on every side.”

    Plastic Water Bottles and the Price of Convenience

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    Americans have always prided themselves on developing new technologies and ways to make life better. Unfortunately with some conveniences, side effects to the environment, as well as your wallet can result. Take bottled water for example. With summer just around the corner, many consumers will look to purchase bottled water as an easy solution to stay hydrated on the go. You would think that this abundant resource would be pennies to purchase, when in reality you’d be lucky to find a pint for less than a dollar.

    While you may not be bothered by this out of pocket expense, one thing you should be aware of is what happens to that bottle when you are finished with it. Recycling of plastics does help, but unfortunately not all plastics can be recycled. Today, 80% of Americans have access to recycling facilities. While you would think this would greatly decrease the amount of waste produced, it is estimated that well under 20% of the plastic that can be repurposed actually finds it’s way to where it needs to go.

    Where do all these extra bottles wind up? Some may make it to landfills, but there is still an overwhelming amount that finds a way into our oceans. Initially it was believed that plastic would take hundreds of years to break down and that high water temperatures were needed to speed up the process. Within the past year new studies have uncovered this breakdown process to actually be much quicker than this. Plastic can break down in as little as a year, and can do so in much cooler temperatures.

    Good news, right? Well, it would seem so at first until you realize while the plastic itself breaks down, the toxins within don’t just disappear. Now in an undetectable state, they can produce a hidden danger to ocean life and ultimately humans.

    Many of us don’t like things taken away that we have become accustomed to. For this reason alone, it is unlikely we will see the removal of bottled water from the store shelves any time soon. But for one company with a vision, the issues at hand have inspired the need for a solution that can aid in reducing plastic waste while still giving us that convenience factor.

    HtruO, founded by brothers Kenny and Chris Muller is just one of the companies working today to combine the need for clean water with the ease of delivery without the drain on your pocket. Their whole house water filter takes up less space than the typical under your sink filters, and is installed at point of entry. This means every tap in the home produces bottled water quality, even the shower. One would assume this would be more expensive than a simple point of use filter, when in reality the cost is much lower.

    Instead of stocking up on bottled water, you can now fill your own home brewed filtered water into a reusable stainless steel bottles, and never have to worry about stocking up at home to save. While there are additional benefits to using water filter companies like HtruO, this particular company has named reduction of plastic water bottles as one of their primary goals. With recent events like the oil spill in the Gulf, solutions like this can give us one less thing to worry about cleaning up from our oceans. Our thirst for new technology and convenience doesn’t have to come at price of an environmentally disturbed future.

    For more information visit http://www.htruo.com

    What if… Umattr.info

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    By Matt Sicotte

    What if… You matter for once! I can remember a time in the past when I was fed up with being told to fit in, obey, Do not do that, or do this… Well those days are gone!

    I invite You to join me and many others that are standing up to the same OLD. Being unique is what makes You, YOU! I show case many different ways to better your life, and to stand out amongst the sheep.

    Although I Am not able to promise you rags to riches, I will tell You this, that what I have is working for Me :)

    http://Umattr.info

    SEO Demand Is Growing

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    A recent survey found that businesses are investing more on search engine optimization (SEO) than ever before.

    The survey carried out by ‘Internet Retailer’ discovered that a third of businesses spend 50% of their marketing budgets on SEO.

    This follows on from news that demand for SEO has increased 10 fold in the last 12 months.

    And with good reason. The majority of businesses who invest in SEO see good returns as online retail spending also continues to increase year on year, with more money being spent online now than ever before.

    The trend looks set to continue as offline businesses realise the potential of jumping on board the SEO train, with many rushing to beat their competition while they still can.

    What was once looked upon as a secret black art is quickly becoming a mainstream issue, and one that any business would be foolish to ignore.

    Frank Kern Leaves Internet Marketing?

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    Internet marketer, Frank Kern, has decided to leave the industry to focus on offline marketing.

    Is this just an attempt to sell his latest information product or does he really see a future in the offline sector?

    Claiming that he is building an offline business in order to sell it, it is doubtful that Kern has left the Internet for good. It will be interesting to see which companies decide to work with him in his latest venture and what results he will publish online after he has sold the business.

    No Evidence Car Bomb Attempt Was al-Qaeda

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    New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has spoken out against speculation that a failed car bomb attempt in the heart of New York was the work of al-Qaeda or other major terrorist groups.

    “There is no evidence that this is tied in with al-Qaeda or any other big terrorist organisation,” Mr Bloomberg said.

    In a one-minute internet video a Pakistani Taliban group claimed that it was behind the failed attack. Tehreek-e-Taliban said the bomb was revenge for the deaths of its leader and the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

    However NY police doubt the claim, saying the group does not have the global infrastructure to carry out such a strike.

    Two videos released by the group feature Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, providing the strongest evidence to date that he survived a U.S. missile strike in January.

    In a video allegedly made on April 4, Mehsud sid “the time is very near when our fidaeen (soldiers) will attack the American states in the major cities.”

    The New York City Police Department have released surveillance video of a man leaving the scene near where a car bomb was found in Times Square. The man is seen taking off his shirt as he walks down the street.

    ‘Minority Report’ Technology On The Way

    Microsoft’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, Craig Mundie, has stated that ‘Minority Report’ technology is only three years away.

    Soon we could see computer technology allow human interaction that can currently only be seen in Hollywood.

    “The gains that are now going to come, starting in about 2012, may be potentially as much as a factor of 50 to 100… That begs the question, what are you going to do with it?” said Mundie, who is second in charge of the company, said.

    “Everyone who looks at (the technology in action) says ‘wow, this is like Minority Report.’ But theirs was fake and this thing is more or less real. We do have technology that will do these things, not just camera stunts that will make it look like it.

    “These things are really going to happen. This 50 or 100 times performance gain gives us for the first time enough compute capability to do these human sensory type of interactions, multiple at a time, and therefore leave behind in many cases the need to use mice and keyboards,” he said.

    Oil Spill Could Cost USA More Than $14 billion

    The oil spill heading toward Louisiana from the Deepwater Horizon rig could exceed $14 billion, according to analysts.

    In the two weeks since the explosion BP has said that it was spending $6 million a day on the clean up but admitted this figure is going to rise sharply when the slick hits land.

    Eleven workers are still missing, presumed dead, and compensation will have to be made to their families.

    President Obama vowed the government would “spare no resource” in a “coordinated, relentless effort” to clean up and stop the massive oil spill.

    “I’m not going to rest… or be satisfied until the leak is stopped at the source (and) the oil on the Gulf is contained,” Obama said.

    He continued “the most advanced technology is being used to try and stop a leak that is more than 5,000 feet under the surface.” But, he added, “because this leak is unique and unprecedented, it could take many days to stop.

    “BP is responsible for this leak. BP will be paying the bill. But… we will spare no resource to clean up whatever damage is caused.”

    New York Police Defuse Car Bomb in Times Square

    Tourists were evacuated from Time Square and the surrounding area as police officers dismantled a car bomb, which was discovered at around 6.30pm (22.30 GMT) yesterday.

    The bomb was “amateurish” but potentially very powerful, according to New York police.

    Police discovered two 19-litre petrol containers, consumer-grade fireworks, three propane tanks, and two clocks with batteries, electrical wire and other components.

    Police acted on a tip-off from Duane Jackson, a 58-year-old a street vendor who saw smoke coming from a Nissan Pathfinder parked on 45th Street and Seventh Avenue at about 1830 (2230 GMT) on Saturday.

    “Smoke started coming out and then we heard the little pop, pop, pop – like firecrackers going out and that’s when everybody scattered and ran back. We dodged a bullet here,” he told the Associated Press.

    So far, there is no evidence that it was more than a “one-off event”, according to US homeland security chief, Janet Napolitano, stating “there are forensics in terms of video or possible video that might exist. There is a lot of evidence being tracked down by a lot of people right now.”

    New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, gave his thanks to New York police officers, “We are very lucky. Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event. It certainly could have exploded and had a pretty big fire and a decent amount of explosive impact.”

    Officers are currently reviewing surveillance footage of the area.

    The Bill Hicks Story – New Documentary Coming Soon

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    Bill Hicks died in 1994 from pancreatic cancer. He was 32 and comedy has never held as much truth since.

    Due for release in mid-May 2010 at picture houses in London, American: The Bill Hicks Story, chronicles the life of cult comedy legend.

    American: The Bill Hicks Story premiered at US festival South by Southwest last month and focuses on Hicks’ childhood in Texas, charts his rise to fame and includes of his best comedy moments. The documentary includes also interviews with family and friends.

    Directed and produced by British documentary makers Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas, they state:

    “Although this is our first feature, Paul had been making TV comedy and entertainment shows for too many years, and Matt had been making drama for British TV and developing feature scripts. We¹d both been looking to do something a bit more substantial and meaningful when this project came along.

    “Bill Hicks is already a huge American cultural icon in the UK, and around the world, but had never seen that recognition in the States as his material challenged accepted ways of thinking. Matt had done a London tribute night for Bill, and as well as uncovering some rare and unseen footage of Bill, had got to know the Hicks family. It was at that point that we met and realized that the amazing life story of this groundbreaking comedian had never fully been told. Using Paul¹s TV background, we began formulating ways to tell Bill’s story.”

    Early reception of the documentary has been highly positive.

    Production company: Halflife Films/Jackamo TV
    Directors: Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas
    Producers: Paul Thomas, Matt Harlock
    Director of photography: Paul Thomas
    Music: Mark Daniels
    Editor: Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas
    No MPAA rating, 103 minutes

    Heckler Dragged Out At Labour Campaign Event

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    Julian Borthwick, 38, was dragged out of a Labour campaign event for heckling Gordon Brown.

    He derailed the event by shouting “we’re broke” and “what about that bigoted woman?”.

    Mr Brown responded by saying that there would be “plenty of time” to ask questions afterwards.

    The Oxford law graduate said he was protesting the Prime Minister’s refusal to meet “real people”.

    In a statement he said “Real politicians are going around talking to real people and Mr Brown isn’t doing that.

    “Mr Brown needs to see real electors, not just hand-picked people.

    “This election campaign has been characterised by controlled spin and controlled meetings where you don’t actually see real people.

    “What made it come alive was Gillian Duffy.

    “This is what happens if you bump into the Prime Minister, you get walked off the premises.”

    Labour’s Geraldine Smith Upsets Lancaster Parents

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    Former Labour MP for Morecambe & Lunesdale, Geraldine Smith, has upset Lancaster parents this week by canvassing outside a local school.

    Mrs Smith, who has been criticised in the national media earlier this year for allegedly taking part in an expenses funded ‘drinking contest’ with fellow Labour MP Bill Etherington, has been slammed by parents of children attending the Ryelands Primary School in Lancaster, for handing out red Labour ballons to children as they left the school.

    One angry parent stated “This is digusting. For a politician to target our children as part of their campaign is despicable. I have never seen anything like this before and I do not understand why the school have allowed it.”

    Other parents were seen telling their children to throw away the balloons in protest.

    School headteacher, Mrs Myers, was unavailable to comment.

    SEO Internet Marketing Is Changing

    2

    As Google recently announced they are to include site speed when deciding on where to place a website in its search rankings, the face of Internet marketing, specifically SEO, is changing for the better.

    What does this mean to Internet users? A better and quicker experience.

    And for webmasters? The need to clean up and re-SEO their websites for improved performance.

    Luckily, there’s several tools available to help webmasters improve the speed of there websites.

    The first port of call should be here http://code.google.com/speed/tools.html

    Secondly, you should visit this website Google Webmaster Central

    And learn how to use it effectively here http://code.google.com/speed/page-speed/docs/using.html

    For those of you who are getting to grips with SEO, or want to improve your site SEO at an expert level, the most comprehensive SEO video course created to date can be found here http://getmoresales.info/google-domination/

    As more businesses and hobby website owners discover the power of SEO, now is the time to learn this ‘dark art’, which in fact is incredibly easy to learn and highly cost efficient.

    THE HORROR OF HAITI: WHAT THE PRESS COVERAGE TELLS US

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    JOHN CHUCKMAN

    It is relentless, the pictures of terror-stricken people, broken limbs, and bloated dead, and many of us cannot stand to see or hear more.

    One has to ask: what are we to do with such information?

    Create pressure on governments to keep the assistance flowing? Perhaps, but there is no shortage of assistance being sent to Haiti. There is however a huge problem in Haiti’s limited ability to absorb the assistance.

    Whether it’s small and inefficient sea ports, one small and inefficient airport, a lack of decent roads, and a lack of government direction — all aspects of any place as poor as Haiti — it takes time for outsiders to come in, unload their cargoes, and organize a distribution network from scratch.

    Certainly the disturbing reports and pictures are useless from the point of view of prevention. It was a natural disaster, not to be predicted, not to be prevented. One could argue that post-disaster investments could ameliorate events the next time there is an earthquake. But the kinds of images and reports being broadcast will be long forgotten if and when the world’s governments get around to re-building.

    So the question for me remains, what are we to do with such information?

    I am reminded of another disaster, one that happened in the last few years. It was not a “natural” disaster but the deliberate work of the immensely powerful.

    In this other disaster, roughly a million people died, about five times the current estimate of death in Haiti. I don’t know how many were crippled, but it must have been a great number. This other disaster created more than two million refugees fleeing for their lives. Most of them fled to poor but generous countries, not being welcome by the rich and powerful, and especially not by the country responsible for the mayhem.

    As far as pictures and reports, most of them seen in North America were sanitized. Many if not most of the reports were dishonest, clearly not informing people of the magnitude of the horror as it happened. There was a brave group of reporters who produced images every bit as terrible as those we see from Haiti, including scores of hideously mangled children.

    But those pictures were not broadcast in North America, were not published in The New York Times or other newspapers “of record.” Indeed, the reporters taking these images and writing tough reports actually became targets of the forces causing all the horror.

    I’m referring, of course, to the invasion of Iraq, an event whose toll of killing and damage easily compared to the dropping of a thermonuclear bomb on a good-size city.

    Of course, the great and bitter irony is that that disaster was both preventable and could even have been stopped once it had started. One could almost guarantee that publication and broadcast of pictures and reports comparable to what’s now coming from Haiti would have stopped that demonic brutality. Here indeed gruesome, truthful press coverage could have made a difference, but not in Haiti.

    And there was another, smaller disaster recently, smaller but still terrible, and it was completely preventable. In this one about 1,400 people died, including 400 children, and a great deal of the infrastructure of a relatively poor people was destroyed. The damage cannot even be repaired because those responsible for the horror maintain a siege on the victims, allowing no material assistance to be delivered.

    Here too you likely will not have seen the kind of pictures or read the kind of stories coming out of Haiti. Some were available — I recall one of poor people trying to avoid stepping in a stream of blood flowing down a narrow street – again the work of amazingly brave reporters, but their work could only be found at not-widely known sites on the Internet. None were published or broadcast by the establishment press in North America. These events occurred in a place called Gaza.

    If you think the press is objective, if you think the press does not slavishly serve the interests of the powerful, you just might want to think again.

    A RESPONSE TO HILLARY CLINTON’S ASSERTION THAT ALL NATIONS SHOULD PLAY A PART IN THE AFGHANISTAN MISSION

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    A RESPONSE TO HILLARY CLINTON’S ASSERTION THAT ALL NATIONS SHOULD PLAY A PART IN THE AFGHANISTAN MISSION

    John Chuckman

    Hillary Clinton, in a just-published piece on the Afghanistan mission (see note at bottom), offers us nothing helpful or enlightening, only boiler-plate American slogans, the kind of stuff you’d hear from some provincial Congressman giving a Fourth of July speech in a place like Muncie, Indiana.

    Indeed, her use of the question-begging word “mission” in the title to describe what has been the pointless conquest and occupation of a people signals the vacuity of the words that follow.

    “The violent extremism that threatens the people and governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan also undermines the stability of the wider region and threatens the security of our friends, allies and interests around the world.”

    No government in Afghanistan or Pakistan was threatened until the U.S. became involved. Yes, they are poor regions with much backward fundamentalism, but those governments knew how to handle the difficulties of their own affairs before the U.S. bombed and machine-gunned its way in.

    No matter what the U.S. does, short of exterminating an entire class of people (for the Taleban is not an invading guerilla force but a substantial portion of the population), the fundamentalism is not going to go away in our lifetimes.

    It would take decades of very healthy economic growth to bring these places forward, and so far America’s only contribution has been to kill tens of thousands of people and destroy a great deal of the meager physical assets in these places.

    I would remind Ms. Clinton that it was only as recently as the 1930s, and into the 1940s, that families in the American South, likely considering themselves good Christians all, would attend picnics to watch the lynching of some black men. I am not exaggerating: such events were common even in Franklin Roosevelt’s day, and he never spoke out against them, despite prodding from Eleanor, for fear of losing his political support in the South.

    Yet that grotesque horror has come to an end. How did it happen? The answer is decades of strong economic growth bringing jobs, wealth, and fresh air to America’s once-fetid South.

    How much larger is the problem in a land that lives, to a considerable extent, in the 17th century? Immensely larger.

    How is the security of the world threatened by these people? It’s not and never has been. The very fact that NATO countries have made such almost laughably small contributions is the strongest possible evidence that Ms. Clinton is not believed by any of them.

    Imagine a genuine world threat in which the many countries of NATO each sent the troop equivalent of the police force of very modest-sized cities?

    They have only indeed sent those owing to constant American browbeating, cajoling, and, in some cases, threats: the U.S. colossus can summon a great deal of economic and political force in getting its way.

    Which fact brings us to the question of why the U.S. did not use those great non-lethal powers in Afghanistan after 9/11.

    It simply demanded the extradition of people without supplying a shred of proof to the Afghan government, the Afghan request being the normal procedure for extradition anywhere.

    Then the U.S. invaded while lining up a façade of support from the U.N. and NATO, everyone at that time being under both pressure from the U.S. and only naturally feeling sympathy over 9/11 .

    What was America’s purpose? No person in the American government today, not Clinton and not even Obama, can give you a lucid and reasonable answer, because the truth was that there was nothing lucid or reasonable about the invasion. The purpose was blinding white-hot rage for revenge.

    Once the U.S.got there, beyond its early cheap victory over 17th century people, it did not know what to do, and it still does not know what to do. Its victory consisted of displacing the Taleban with warlords of the Northern Alliance, supported by a level of horrific bombing perhaps not seen since America’s holocaust in Vietnam.

    Eight years later, there is no democracy in Afghanistan, elections being pretty much a sham. The burka is still worn by most of the women in Afghanistan: after all, many members of the Northern Alliance are just as backward and vicious as the Taleban. General Dostum, for example, is a certified mass murderer, a man whose ghastly, brutal excesses were winked at by Bush and Rumsfeld, if indeed not quietly encouraged.

    I heard an interview recently with the only woman elected to the Afghan legislature – since tossed out by the warlords — who says that nothing really has changed and, indeed, some things are even worse than they were under the Taleban.

    I have heard from other sources that schools for girls are closed almost as soon as they are opened because no money flows to pay salaries and because of the threats from local authorities. The openings of such institutions are often little more than Potemkin village photo-ops. The Bush people used women’s rights as a propaganda tool to gain domestic support for their invasion, and, like all good propaganda, it worked because it was based on truth.

    The truth is that Afghanistan is not even a country in the sense that we understand it. It is a remote, impoverished land of about 30 million where tribes live hardscrabble lives with almost no economic progress, steeped in superstitions having the same force they did in 17th century Spain with its Holy Inquisition. Even its border with Pakistan is artificial, never properly defined with the same tribes living on both sides.

    You simply cannot change these realities, and certainly not with bombs.

    The world is full of awful places. They burn brides in India, force child marriages, and treat young widows who were married to old men in horrible fashion.

    The great irony is that the Taleban need never have been an enemy. No Taleban invaded anyone. No Taleban was involved in 9/11. That atrocity was committed by a group largely of Saudis. Importantly, they virtually all held valid American visas and were almost certainly part of secret CIA training program that failed terribly.

    By the way, to this day, there is not one shred of valid evidence that Osama bin Laden did anything like the U.S. claims he did. Yes, he was a guest of the Taleban, but then he also was a past CIA operative, something that only enhanced his status for many in the region. Does that mean the CIA is responsible?

    The entire Afghanistan invasion and occupation is an unqualified disaster.

    One can only hope that Obama intends to use the next year or two to come to a reasonable modus Vivendi with the Taleban and then to withdraw.
    ________________________________

    Note: Ms. Clinton’s piece may be read at:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6722751/Hillary-Clinton-All-nations-must-play-a-part-in-Afghanistan-mission.html

    AUNG SAN SUU KYI, OMAR KHADR, AND BARACK OBAMA: A DREADFUL TALE OF WHAT AMERICA HAS BECOME

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    November 16, 2009

    AUNG SAN SUU KYI, OMAR KHADR, AND BARACK OBAMA: A DREADFUL TALE OF WHAT AMERICA HAS BECOME

    John Chuckman

    During his trip to Asia, President Obama called for the government of Burma to release Aung San Suu Kyi, a noted dissident who has spent years under house arrest.

    It made headlines, a fact which tells us more about the role of media as an outlet for government press releases than in communicating genuine news.  

    Obama’s was hardly a brave or innovative act when you consider that it is a universally-condemned military junta keeping Aung San Suu Kyi penned up.

    But when you appreciate the full context of Obama’s call, you may agree with me that it was more a cowardly act than anything else.

    A year ago, after eight years of mind-numbing stupidity, countless public lies and bloody war crimes, Obama’s arrival on the American political scene thrilled the world. His intelligence, his grace, and his sense of decency were striking. His like as an American politician, quite apart from his race, had not been seen in the lifetime of many.

    But the hopes raised by Obama, like so many flickering little candles in a fierce wind, already are largely extinguished. This polished, educated, liberal-minded and decent man, after only one year in office, has been overwhelmed by America’s military-industrial complex, a terrible machine which grinds on night and day, chewing people in its gears, no matter who is elected ostensibly to be in charge of it.

    Much as I resent Burma’s treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi, it shines as genuinely humane compared to America’s treatment of Omar Khadr.

    The key facts in the case of this young man, a prisoner at Guantanamo, are easily told.

    Omar Khadr was born to a fundamentalist Muslim, highly political family whose father knew and died fighting for Osama bin Laden. In an era whose ruling myths are a clash of civilizations and a war on terror, Omar would seem to have been doomed from birth.

    Under intense pressure from his family, fifteen-year old Omar went to fight in Afghanistan when America invaded it. In doing that, he was doing nothing that tens of thousands of Americans hadn’t done, both as idealists for causes and as soldiers of fortune in countless wars from the Spanish Civil War to the Cuban Revolution or the turmoil of the Congo.

    Omar’s experience reminded me a little of American Ron Kovic’s Born on the Fourth of July, a story where the need for maternal approval helped drive his destructive participation in America’s Vietnam holocaust (three million Vietnamese slaughtered, many hideously with napalm, and the legacy of soil saturated with Agent Orange and littered with millions of landmines more than justifies that term).

    The American claim against Omar is that he shot an American soldier, a medic no less, a fact seemingly almost designed to increase his infamy.

    The story, as I heard it in an interview a few years ago with an American soldier, a friend of the dead medic’s, was that after a small firefight, Omar hid himself, then leapt up, heartlessly killing the medic whose only interest was the wounded. Omar was then captured and eventually sent to Guantanamo.

    Even were that story true, and it is not, there would still be no excuse for sending a fifteen-year old child to Guantanamo. That act violated all international conventions on the treatment of child soldiers, but then almost everything America has done over the last eight years has violated international conventions, international laws, common decency, and the spirit of its own Bill of Rights.

    For years, Omar, like hundreds of inmates at Guantanamo, was held incommunicado: he was allowed no contact with his family, he was allowed no visits from the International Red Cross (again in contravention to international conventions) and he was allowed no legal counsel. Omar was allowed no rights of any kind: being kept shackled in a secret prison ninety miles offshore was considered adequate to efface the entire spirit and meaning of America’s own rights and laws.

    We now know that the soldiers who captured Omar, in fact, shot him twice in the back as the frightened boy tried to run. Despite life-threatening wounds and his young age, Omar was consigned to years of imprisonment and torture at Guantanamo. Indeed, his worst torturer, a soldier with a reputation at Guantanamo as perhaps its most vicious interrogator, deliberately contrived his sessions with Omar so that the boy had to sit in a position which pulled at his slowly-healing and painful wounds.

    We also know now, evidence having just been published in Canadian newspapers, that Omar could not possibly have killed the medic: Omar was photographed hiding under a pile of rubble as the soldiers passed.

    So who killed the medic? One perhaps should recall the case of Pat Tillman, an American football player killed by his own forces in Afghanistan, a case at first covered up the military, but even now full of unanswered questions.

    And why did the Americans shoot Omar, twice, in the back? One simply cannot avoid the suggestion that the American soldiers involved acted with cowardice and savagery.

    Some readers may object that American soldiers are incapable of such behaviour, but let’s go back to that time in Afghanistan, reviewing some things we now know as facts, and think about what they suggest about the ethos prevailing there when a fifteen-year old was shot in the back and sent to be tortured.

    America’s carpet bombing in Afghanistan was destructive beyond anything Americans have ever been told. Just as was the case in the First Gulf War when uncounted tens of thousands of poor Iraqi recruits were bulldozed into the desert after having been literally pulped into tailing ponds of human bits and fluids by B-52s, the true horror of what massive bombing did in Afghanistan was understandably not well advertised..

    The public has been led to believe that, compared to the horrors inflicted upon Iraq, the invasion of Afghanistan was almost bloodless. But I learned recently from an expert journalist — an American no less – with many years of experience in that country that a great deal of blood was shed. In Kabul alone, fifty to sixty thousand Afghans died in America’s brutal bombing and artillery cover for its Northern Alliance proxy army, itself a gang of thugs many of whom are not one wit more ethical or civilized than the Taleban.

    We knew too, those who cared to search, of the brutal tactics of American special forces in the mountains after the initial “victory”: tales of heavily-armed goons marching into remote towns, throwing stun grenades, breaking down the doors of homes, holding women and children at gunpoint while their male family members were marched away with no explanation. The men were often kept for considerable periods to be “questioned.”

    At the least suspicion, air strikes were called in, and in dozens and dozens of cases, those air strikes wiped out whole families or groups of villagers who had done nothing to oppose Americans. They were the victims, thousands of them, of young Americans filled with irrational resentments over 9/11, anxious to prove how good they were with their high-tech killing machines, and let loose on someone else’s country.

    And we knew, at least again those who cared to search, the story of America’s hideous treatment of Taleban prisoners in the early days of occupation, of Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld’s Nazi-like public demand that all prisoners should be killed or walled away forever. One of America’s ghastly allies of the Northern Alliance, General Dostum, took Rumsfeld in deadly earnest: he had his men round up three thousand prisoners, seal them in vans and drive them out onto the desert to suffocate in the heat. The bodies were then buried in shallow mass graves. All this was watched by American soldiers who somehow failed to act the way Jimmy Stewart did in war movies. Instead they picked their noses or smoked cigarettes as they gawked.

    We also knew of the terrible tales of boys being raped while American troops never lifted a finger to help them. In a strict fundamentalist country like Afghanistan, where young women are kept guarded and almost hidden, the sexual behaviour of men often takes on the character of that common in prisons everywhere: that is, young and vulnerable men are brutally raped and often treated as “bitches” by older, tougher prisoners.

    Only recently, I heard the horrible stories of a Canadian soldier with post traumatic stress who told of seeing a boy with blood running down his legs as two Afghan allies raped him. The soldier could do nothing and was told later only to buck it up. He told too of a translator, a hired Afghan, gleefully relating to him about the way he liked to use a knife on boys he raped.

    We all saw the ghastly pictures from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Only now we know far uglier pictures and recordings have been suppressed, images and sounds of young Iraqis being raped and sodomized by American soldiers at the prison.

    Those facts give us some realistic sense of the atmosphere in Afghanistan when American soldiers shot Omar in the back, falsely accused him of killing a medic, and sent a fifteen-year old boy off to years of torture.   

    Omar remains a prisoner in Guantanamo, although the torture mercifully has stopped, but it was announced only a couple of days ago that he would be among those who would stand trial in New York.

    Trial for what? For trumped-up charges of murder? Trial for acts in war? Trial for being an abused child soldier? Trial under American laws which never applied to Afghanistan? A trial where every scrap of government evidence is tainted with years of torture and human-rights abuse? Where the government doing the trying itself has acted against countless laws and treaties in invading and occupying two countries?

    If there were one breath of decency left in America’s establishment, Omar and the other abused prisoners would all be released and allowed to live the rest of their lives in peace. They are no threat to anyone, most did nothing deserving imprisonment, and those who may have committed something we would regard as a crime have been viciously punished already.

    Only days ago, Obama’s White House Counsel Greg Craig was let go. Craig, an old friend of the President’s, had promised to make his administration the most transparent in history. Craig was the main force behind the Obama’s promise to close Guantanamo in one year.

    Well, there is no sign Guantanamo is to be closed any time soon, and the policy’s chief advocate is gone. But more importantly, when we speak of American torture chambers, it is easy to forget that Guantanamo is only the most publicized of many. What horrors go on at places like America’s secret base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean or at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, or in a number of other locations, all part of the CIA’s vast international torture gulag, is anybody’s guess.

    Obama has not uttered a whimper about the CIA’s euphemistically-named extreme rendition, a practice whereby thousands of people have been kidnapped off streets and sent bound to some of the world’s hell-holes for months of torture. Afterwards, having been discovered innocent of anything, they find themselves dumped in some obscure place like Bosnia without so much as an apology for their treatment.

    Obama told people repeatedly during his campaign that American forces in Iraq would be withdrawn promptly, saying “you can bank on it,” and people believed him because Obama did not vote in the Senate for that illegal war, but most of America’s soldiers remain there still.

    Obama appointed a commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, who has a background swirling with suggestions of black operations and dirty business, and now that ghastly man has said he needs forty-thousand more troops.    

    American Predator drones, guided by buzz-cut, faceless men with computer screens in locked rooms in America, now frequently invade Pakistan’s airspace. One can just imagine them hooting and pumping their arms like young men playing a computer game when one of their terrible Hellfire missiles strikes its target, the home of someone not legally charged with anything, killing everyone who happens to be nearby.

    No, I only wish the ugly stain on America’s flag was keeping a dissident under house arrest.

    Susan Klebold The Columbine Essay – O Magazine

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    Susan Klebold, the mother of Columbine killer, Dylan Klebold, has spoken out for the first time with an essay for O Magazine.

    According to Suzane Levine of Gnews:

    “The full text of the essay has not been released publicly but excerpts from Klebold’s essay share some of her feelings about what happened that awful day.

    “In her O Magazine essay, Klebold says she is still struggling to make sense of what happened when her son Dylan Klebold and friend Eric Harris murdered 12 students and a teacher in during their shooting rampage at Denver’s Columbine High School. In all, 21 people were injured before Klebold and Harris turned their guns on themselves.”

    Susan Klebold states: “For the rest of my life, I will be haunted by the horror and anguish Dylan caused. I cannot look at a child in a grocery store or on the street without thinking about how my son’s schoolmates spent the last moments of their lives. Dylan changed everything I believed about myself, about God, about family, and about love.”

    ID card officials back away from scandal-hit database

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    Government plans to store ID card biometrics data on a controversial system used by thousands of public workers might be scrapped.

    Tony Collins

    The Home Office has confirmed it is reconsidering plans to use the Customer Information System system to store biometric data for the ID card scheme.

    The Customer Information System (CIS) – which is run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – has yet to meet the Cabinet Office’s latest standards on IT security, Computer Weekly has learned.

    Computer Weekly revealed in August that thirty four council staff accessed the CIS database to snoop on the personal records of celebrities and acquaintances. Nine of the council workers were sacked.

    The CIS database holds information on 85 million citizens, and is the government’s main citizen database. It is available to 140,000 users from eight government departments, and to 445 local authorities.

    But it is proving difficult for the Department of Work of Pensions to allow thousands of public workers and local authorities to access the CIS Oracle-based database, yet keep it demonstrably secure.

    The Home Office revealed plans to use the CIS system for ID cards in December 2006 in its Strategic Action Plan for the National Identity Scheme.

    In the Strategic Action Plan for the National Identity Scheme, the Home Office said: “We plan to use DWP’s Customer Information System (CIS) technology, subject to the successful completion of technical feasibility work,” for National Identity Register biographical information.

    It added: “DWP’s CIS technology is already used to hold records for everyone who has a National Insurance number – i.e. nearly everyone in the UK.”

    The Home Office planned to separate DWP’s citizen data on the CIS information from the biometrics store being built up on the National Identity Register.

    Now the government plans to avoid using CIS for the ID card scheme, if possible. A spokesman for the Home Office said using CIS is no more than an option for the future.

    He said the possibility of using CIS will not be considered until the system has full security accreditation, which is due in 2010 at the earliest.

    The Home Office will store biometric information for ID cards on a database run by Thales, one of the maincontractors for the ID card scheme.

    Officials had planned to use CIS for the ID card scheme to save money. It would have allowed the government to avoid building an entirely new system and security architecture.

    But Computer Weekly has learned that the security of the CIS has been so discredited that officials are keen to distance the ID card scheme from it, even if this means paying for a new system from scratch.

    Refugees Increasingly Being Refused Asylum

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    The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, is appealing to countries to open their borders to asylum seekers. He says the number of places where people fleeing conflict and persecution can find refuge is shrinking and this is forcing desperate people to resort to risky measures to find a safe haven. The High Commissioner outlined some of the most important challenges facing the UNHCR in an opening speech of the 60th annual refugee conference.

    This pictorial montage shows just a few of the 42 million people who have been uprooted by conflict and persecution. The pictures convey the anguish of refugees seeking asylum and a roof over their heads. They show what the U.N. refugee agency calls real people with real needs from basic access to clean water to protection.

    “I am gravely concerned by the shrinking asylum space, mostly but not exclusively in the developed world,” said Antonio Guterres. “These are times of economic crisis, of job losses. And, if I remember well, in times of economic difficulties, there are two easy scapegoats-governments and foreigners.”

    U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, says he is concerned about the global trend toward greater restrictions and fewer rights for asylum seekers. He accuses some developed countries of violating international and regional law by limiting access to those in need of refuge.  

    “Pushing asylum-seekers back to where protection is not available or further burdening developing countries who already host the vast majority of the world’s refugees is not wise and is not acceptable,” he said.

    The High Commissioner warns that global conflicts are becoming more complex and lines that used to clearly separate the civilian and the military are increasingly becoming blurred.

    “There are peacekeepers where there is no peace to keep becoming parties to the conflict, while militaries are more and more undertaking “humanitarian” work in an effort to win hearts and minds,” said Guterres. “And, the resulting confusion is cynically and brutally exploited by some belligerents to target humanitarian workers.”  

    The U.N.’s top Human Rights Official, Navi Pillay, pinpoints discrimination as the source of forced displacement. She says no society is immune from this scourge. She examines the suffering endured by victims of intolerance and inequality and is particularly worried about the plight of women and girls.

    “Harmful traditional practices, including genital mutilation, discriminatory customs, such as forced marriages, and outright attacks continue to be factors that make women flee conditions of unbearable hardship,” said Navi Pillay.

    Pillay is urging countries to repeal laws and practices that reduce women and girls to second-class citizens.

    Police in Wales have taken DNA samples from more than 55,000 innocent people

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    POLICE in Wales have taken DNA samples from more than 55,000 innocent people, we can reveal.

    Almost half of these — an estimated 23,651 — were taken by South Wales Police alone, costing the force a whopping £1.5m.

    In total, the nation’s four police forces have spent an estimated £3.4m in gathering DNA samples from innocent people.

    But, while the Government estimates that one in five people on the national DNA database are innocent of any crime, they have admitted they have NO IDEA what the real amount could be.

    Since 2001, police have taken DNA samples from anyone they arrest or caution, even if no charges are brought against them. Current law allows an innocent person’s DNA profile to be kept for up to 12 years.

    With an estimated 4.5 million profiles, the DNA database for England and Wales is the largest in the world, and includes adults and children as young as 10 who have been accused of such crimes as:

    n Taking a bicycle without consent;

    n Begging;

    n Failing to provide a breath specimen;

    n Taking part in an illegal demonstration;

    n Being drunk in a public place.

    Human rights campaigners Liberty called for the database to simply hold details of sexual and violent offenders, which would save millions of pounds of public money.

    Liberty’s legal officer, Anna Fairclough, told Wales on Sunday: “The Government is fond of justifying its retention of innocents’ DNA with the trite phrase: ‘nothing to hide, nothing to fear’. Those affected do not agree. They have done no wrong and they deeply resent their DNA profiles being held alongside those of murderers and rapists.”

    The figures for Wales were revealed in parliamentary questions put forward by Jenny Willott, the Lib Dem MP for Cardiff Central, over a space of two years.

    They reveal a massive database with DNA profiles belonging to 268,853 people in Wales, 55,922 of whom are estimated to be innocent.

    In North Wales, 12,014 innocent people’s profiles were gathered by police, while Gwent collected 10,382 and Dyfed Powys took 9,875.

    Ms Willott will lead a Welsh Liberal Democrat campaign to call on the chief constables of each Welsh police force to allow innocent people to have their DNA profile deleted.

    Clare Hutchinson, Wales Online

    In an open letter to Barbara Wilding, chief constable of South Wales Police, Ms Willott calls the database, “disproportionate, unethical, costly and ineffective”.

    Speaking exclusively to Wales on Sunday, she urged people in Wales who believe they might be on the database to write to police asking for their DNA profile to be destroyed.

    She said: “It is appalling that the Government is still allowing innocent people to be put on the DNA database when they know it is a blatant breach of their human rights.

    “Storing the DNA of people who have never been convicted of a crime, for the rest of their life, is a violation of a founding pillar of our justice system — innocent until proven guilty.

    “The Government is moving at a snail’s pace. Over 300,000 innocent people’s DNA has been added to the database since the practice was ruled illegal, including 6,000 people in South Wales.

    “Those affected in South Wales should use the template letter and advice on my website to write to the Chief Constable to ask for their DNA to be removed.

    “Welsh Chief Constables have the power to remove innocent people from the database and to start to restore the faith in our criminal justice system that Labour has eroded. It is now up to them.”

    The Association of Chief Police Officers said the matter was for South Wales Police, who were last night unavailable for comment.

    BBC Pays Google For Internet Marketing

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    By RINF.COM 

    It has been discovered that the BBC have been paying Google to place its website at the top of listings for a series of keywords, as part of its internet marketing plan.

    The BBC is using £100 million of its £3.5 billion yearly revenue, from TV license fees, to promote itself.

    The Corporation said: “Promoting content like the Mercury Prize online is an effective way to inform the licence fee payers who will want to watch it or read about it. The BBC has an annual budget for marketing and value for money is at the heart of how decisions are made about spending it.”

    So how can smaller webmasters and bloggers compete for a high rank in Google without paying for costly adverts?

    As regular readers will be aware, I’m an SEO geek so here’s a few ideas, although non webmasters might lose interest around… now:

    We all know the importance of using the correct keywords – but many who aim for broader / more general keywords often wonder why their site isn’t doing too well in Google. The trick here is to increase the number of target keywords, maybe move away from the near-impossible two word keyphrase and consider a ‘longtail’ keyword, containing a three or four word keyphrase.

    Once your site or blog starts to become more established you can then begin to lose a keyword or two and move towards your original target. An effective method for small businesses is to include your location within the keyword phrase.

    That is of course just one thing to consider in your overall SEO strategy, as I’ve said before, there’s at least 60 minor tweaks needed for top rankings, but it is quickly achievable – even if you have zero technical knowledge.

    Freedom of Information Act Cost BBC £3m

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    The Guardian Newspaper has reported that the BBC was forced to spend over £3 million of licence payers fees on providing Freemdom of Information Act requests between 2005 and 2009.

    Ironically, The Guardian obtained this information via the Freemdom of Information Act.  

    However the report doesn’t mention how many stories are broken by the BBC by using the Act. Read the report there

    U.S. Extends Blackwater Task In Iraq

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    The U.S. State Department says a controversial U.S. private security company claimed to have been enlisted in a CIA hunt for al-Qaida members will continue its armed presence and task of shielding U.S. diplomats in Iraq.

     

    Formerly known as Blackwater, Xe Services will retain an aviation service — mainly helicopter escorting of U.S. officials because the company hired to replace it was not yet ready to take over, the Trade Arabia Web site reported Wednesday.

    The contract, ending Sept. 3, was the company’s last remaining deal with the U.S. State Department after revelations in June that the CIA enlisted Blackwater for an unknown role in a secret program designed to take out high-value members of al-Qaida.

    “We have arranged for a temporary extension of the contract,” State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters, Trade Arabia reported. It said the decision was taken after the new company, DynCorp, was in need of additional time to prepare for its assignment because of a shortage in equipment.

    The spokesman did not elaborate.

    Xe’s continued presence in Iraq was bound to spark criticism.

    When the Blackwater hit squad plan was reveal by The New York Times, congressional leaders lashed out against the CIA and for not informing them.

    In addition, the agency’s director, Leon Panetta, pulled the plug on the program, maintaining that no hit missions had been launched and that no militants had either been located or captured.

    About 1,000 Blackwater staff members were used to guard U.S. government personnel in Iraq following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, making it among the largest security companies operating in this country.

    In 2004 the company drew scrutiny when four of its employees were killed by an angry mob in Fallujah, then a stronghold for Sunni Arab insurgents.

    The bodies were mutilated, fanning a monthlong assault on Fallujah that left 36 U.S. soldiers, 200 insurgents and 600 civilians dead.

    Three years later the company’s guards opened fire in the middle of Baghdad, killing 17 civilians. The incident uncorked public outrage with the government in Iraq scrapping Blackwater’s operating license earlier this year.

    Bent on shedding its tarnished reputation, the North Carolina-based company renamed its operations it to Xe Services.

    Last month a report in The Nation said the U.S. administration extended the company’s contract on July 31, increasing its payment by $20 million and bringing the total paid by the State Department to Xe’s aviation services in Iraq to $187 million.

    by OfficialWire NewsDesk

    District 9 Hits UK

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    Set in an alternative reality that echos some very real historical events of our past, District 9 is one of the most thought provoking movies produced in years.

    Written and produced by Neill Blomkamp, District 9 is inspired by the South African apartheid of District Six, that was declared a whites-only area in 1966 and began the forced the removal of over 60,000 inhabitants.

    Created on a budget of just $30 million, it recouped investment during the opening weekend in the United States, making a gross $37,354,308.

    It is released in UK cinemas on 4th September.

    Besides the disturbing similarities between our not-so-sci-fi history and the story at hand, what the viewer is left with is much more than another bog standard Hollywood production. Perhaps because this is one movie that has very little to do with Hollywood, a gamble that has paid off.

    Shot documentary style on the truly awesome RED ONE camera, almost every dollar of the budget has been spent on the visual effects, and it shows.

    The basic premise of the story, without giving too much away, begins in 1982 when a stranded alien ship stops above Johannesburg.

    28 years later, an MNU field operative, Wikus van de Merwe, is assigned to move the 2 million alien refugees from their slum camp of Disctrict 9, to a new camp 240 kilometers away, called District 10.

    The journey then continues with following Wikus and his new found (much to his horror) ability to operate alien technology.

    However, back in the real world the movie has sparked criticism from Nigerians, accusing the film of xenophobia as many in the movie play the roles of gangsters and prostitutes.

    By Mick Meaney

    Laptop seach and seize will continue at US borders

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    Cliff Saran

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the US has amended its policy to seize any electronic device brought into the country, in a bid to counter criticisms that the policy infringes civil liberties.

    The DHS conducts border searches of computers and other electronic media on a percentage of international travellers seeking to enter the US. Most times, the traveller is asked to turn on a device to ensure it is what it appears to be. But out of the 1,000 laptop searches between October 2008 and August 2009, 46 searches were in-depth.

    Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the new directives to clarify searches of computers and other electronic media at US ports of entry. “The new directives announced today strike the balance between respecting the civil liberties and privacy of all travellers while ensuring DHS can take the lawful actions necessary to secure our borders,” she said.

    The changes do not affect the department’s ability to conduct searches of laptops.

    In a blog posting on the previous DHS policy, Eugene Schultz, chief technology officer at consultancy Emagined Security, said, “Computers almost always contain a great deal of personal, sensitive information in the form of e-mail messages, photographs, and more- information that people deem private and that would be embarrassing to them if it were to be viewed by someone else. This information should thus not be available to DHS border agents at their whim.

    “Additionally, having a computer system seized is very disruptive to individuals who use the system to get their work done. Furthermore, people should not have to surrender the password to a system they own unless there is a compelling rationale to require the person to do so.”

    ID cards snubbed in Manchester

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    Matthew Davis

    ONLY 8,000 people have enquired about getting the government’s controversial ID cards, which will be launched in Manchester.

    During a live webchat at the M.E.N offices, Lord Bill Brett, the minister responsible for the introduction of the ID card scheme, admitted only a small percentage of the population had asked about the voluntary scheme.

    The cards will cost £30 and contain biometric details of holders.

    They can be used in place of a passport throughout Europe.

    Lord Brett hopes the cards, available in Manchester in October, will be rolled out across the north west by 2010, and eventually the rest of the country.

    He said he foresaw the cards becoming ‘the accepted form of ID in the UK’.

    But a poll on this website revealed 81 per cent would not be taking part in the trial.

    Lord Brett said: “We have not set targets for what is a purely voluntary scheme, but our research shows a majority of people support ID cards.

    “We are confident that support and the number of ID cards will grow incrementally in the period from its introduction in Manchester to the ongoing rollout across the country.

    “A lot of opposition to the cards has been based on fear from misconception and mischievousness. I don’t believe the initiative is doomed to failure, rather that it will grow over time to become the accepted form of ID, as the voluntary ID card in France has become.”

    The cards will be valid for 10 years.

    Lord Brett admitted the cards would not by themselves ‘provide a silver bullet’ in the fight against terrorism, but he said: “The security services and the police believe it will be a helpful tool in that task.”

    The minister claimed the cards would provide ‘a secure and unique identity’ for holders. He said they would be targeted in particular at young people, who he said had ‘problems with security and identification’.

    He said: “They will have all the information they need on one card. This will assist young people who want to buy cigarettes, alcohol, and in a city like Manchester with a lively nightlife, they can access clubs and bars while also having a document that protects against fraud and allows travel through Europe.”

    Lord Brett, admitted that the cards – which should be available from 2012 to all British citizens aged 16 and over – could be scrapped by a future government.

    He said: “No government can bind its successors.”

    Lord Brett stressed the government had ‘no intention to make ID cards compulsory’. Asked why Manchester had been chosen for the pilot, he said: “Manchester is a major city, with a large young population, a large university and major airport.”

    Police admit CCTV not effective – solves less than 1 crime per year

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    Ewan Turney

    The news takes on extra relevance for pubs after reports of several police forces in parts of the country, including Islington, Richmond and Liverpool, objecting to licence applications where venues don’t agree to use fit CCTV.

    Each case helped by the use of CCTV costs around £20,000, according to the Telegraph, which obtained the information under the Freedom of Information Act.

    A Met Police report said: “For every 1,000 cameras in London, less than one crime is solved per year.”

    Tory David Davis told the paper: “CCTV leads to massive expense and minimum effectiveness. It creates a huge intrusion on privacy, yet provides little or no improvement in security.”

    The Infomation Commissoner’s Officer (ICO) also voiced its concerns about CCTV in pubs earlier this year.

    It said: “Hardwiring surveillance into the UK’s pubs raises serious privacy concerns.

    “We recognise that CCTV plays an important role in the prevention and detection of crime, and can help to reduce crime in areas of high population density, such as city boroughs.

    “However we are concerned at the prospect of landlords being forced into installing CCTV in pubs as a matter of routine in order to meet the terms of a licence.

    “The use of CCTV must be reasonable and proportionate if we are to maintain public trust and confidence in its deployment. Installing surveillance in pubs to combat specific problems of rowdiness and bad behaviour may be lawful, but hardwiring in blanket measures where there is no history of criminal activity is likely to breach data protection requirements.”

    The Blackwater Targeted Killing Program

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    A U.S. district court will decide this week whether one of the darkest chapters of the Bush era, the relationship between the administration and the private security company Blackwater, should be reexamined. Former Blackwater employees want to shine light on the company’s shadowy activities.

    Susan Burke supported the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. But now that Obama is in office, she finds her views diverging widely from his.

    Obama is opposed to investigating the excesses of the administration of his predecessor, former President George W. Bush. Burke, an attorney, favors an investigation. Obama has thus far avoided answering the question of whether the U.S. Constitution was violated in Bush’s so-called “war on terror.” Burke wants an investigation to focus on precisely this question. Obama is looking forward, while Burke is looking back.

     

    What Burke sees when she looks into the rearview mirror is indeed ugly. She sees 17 dead, including women and children, lying on Nisoor Square in Baghdad, killed on Sept. 16, 2007, by mercenaries working for Blackwater, a private American security firm. She sees Blackwater employee Andrew Moonen who, after a Christmas party in 2006, drove through Baghdad, heavily armed, and shot a man for no reason. She hears the shot, fired from a Blackwater helicopter, that killed an innocent man on Baghdad’s Wathba Square on Sept. 9, 2007.

    But most of all, Burke sees Erik Prince, Blackwater’s founder and former owner. In her suit, she refers to him as a “modern-day merchant of death,” and she alleges that the 40-year-old created a “culture of lawlessness and unaccountability” at Blackwater, where the “excessive and unnecessary use of deadly force” was commonplace. In her motion, Burke also accuses Blackwater of war crimes. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, in Alexandria, Virginia, will now decide whether to take on Burke’s civil suit.

    Committed In the Name of America

    The political world will also have to make some decisions. The first question is whether the U.S. government will make public on Monday the most comprehensive report to date on the treatment of terrorism suspects. That alone would trigger a political hurricane in Washington, says former CIA Director Porter Goss. It would also make it much more difficult for the government to rebuff calls for it to finally investigate all the alleged illegal activity carried out in the fight against terrorism.

    It was not until the end of June that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder read the report, which was prepared by the CIA’s inspector general in 2004. But then he spent a full two days in his office in Washington, D.C., studying the document. When he had finished reading it, he apparently stood at the window for a long time, staring out at Constitution Avenue. Horrified over what had been done in the name of America, Holder looked into the possibility of appointing a special prosecutor. Sources in Washington say that he has now achieved his goal, which puts him more squarely in Burke’s camp than Obama’s.

    Blackwater characterizes Burke’s accusations as “scandalous and baseless,” and claims that the cases she cites were isolated incidents. According to Blackwater attorneys, “no diplomat under the protection of this service died or even was injured during the entire duration of the contract.”

    Symbol of an Era

    Prince, who earlier in his career claimed to have “the heart of a warrior,” is intent on preventing the civil suit from going to trial. To that end, he has hired a team of lawyers working for the law firm of Mayer Brown, which also represents 89 companies on Fortune magazine’s list of the top 500 U.S. companies ranked by revenues.

    Peter White, the head of the Mayer Brown team, plans to convince the judges in Alexandria this week that the Blackwater case isn’t a case at all. In his written response to Burke’s lawsuit, White argues that any public disclosure of Blackwater’s methods would endanger its personnel in war zones, and her suit should be dismissed.

    White also argues that if there is any culpability, it rests with the individuals who committed the acts in question, not the entire company. He points to unsuccessful lawsuits that were filed against US corporations after the Vietnam War, including the case of Vietnamese plaintiffs who tried and failed to sue the U.S. multinational corporation Dow Chemical, the manufacturer of the defoliant Agent Orange. In one respect, the comparison is apt: Blackwater has become a symbol of an entire era, just as Agent Orange was a potent symbol of the Vietnam War.

    Outsourcing War

    After the al-Qaeda attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney began using large numbers of private security contractors for the first time. The mercenaries were intended to make up for a lack of manpower, especially in the area of personal security, as well as to perform the dirty work, such as interrogating detainees, thereby leaving U.S. military personnel untainted. Erik Prince’s company turned into an empire practically overnight, collecting more than $1 billion (€700 million) in revenues from U.S. taxpayers. Seventy percent of Blackwater’s contracts with the government were no-bid contracts.

    The company’s most important personnel, its fighters, who were known internally as “shooters,” were recruited around the world, including from places like the Philippines and Latin America. In 2007, the company proudly changed its name to Blackwater Worldwide.

    The advantage of privatizing the war was obvious for the Bush administration. Blackwater contractors are cheaper than regular U.S. soldiers. When they were killed, their widows received only minor compensation, while the U.S. military pays lifelong survivor benefits. Besides, Blackwater employees died quietly – in other words, they were never part of the official death statistics, which was convenient for the president.

    With the end of the Bush administration, Blackwater received fewer contracts and the company changed its name to Xe Services. But its founder’s most determined adversary, Susan Burke, continued her fight.

    ‘A Christian Crusader’

    Burke now plans to call 40 witnesses to testify against Prince. If the court agrees to hear her suit on Friday, eyewitnesses to the various killings will be summoned from Baghdad. In the United States, Burke, who made a name for herself defending detainees subjected to abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, will ask the court to subpoena several former Blackwater employees, including a former executive.

    Two affidavits that have been filed in the Alexandria court contain serious allegations against company founder Erik Prince. The men who signed the affidavits, fearing that their lives could be put in danger if their identities were revealed, are identified anonymously as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2.

    In his affidavit, John Doe 1, who served in Iraq, writes that he “personally observed multiple incidents of Blackwater personnel intentionally using excessive and unjustified deadly force.”

    John Doe 2, who worked for Prince, writes that the former head of Blackwater “views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe.” He claims that company employees treated the killing of Iraqis as sport.

    The Blackwater attorney questions the validity of these witnesses, saying that much of what they claim is based on hearsay. The fact that the witnesses are remaining anonymous, says White, makes it impossible to verify their credibility. He calls the tactics “unfair” and highly prejudicial to defendants.

    But the key witnesses’ fear of retaliation is considerable, which also has something to do with the fact that Prince has powerful friends in the government, particularly inside the CIA.

     

    Assassination Teams and Extraordinary Renditions

    In addition to working for government departments, Blackwater also worked directly for the intelligence agency, as the new CIA director recently confirmed in a closed-door hearing in the U.S. Congress. And, in a memo Spiegel has obtained, two other former employees describe, for the first time, the details of this covert collaboration.

    The two informants are referred to as “Source A” and “Source B” in the internal memo. According to Source B, Blackwater, working on behalf of the CIA, flew terror suspects from Guantanamo to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, where the detainees apparently faced “special treatment” in secret prisons.

    The intelligence service commissioned Blackwater and its subsidiaries to transport terror suspects from Guantanamo to interrogations at secret prison camps in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. The paper identifies aircraft movements and unveils how the flights were disguised. The memo reads: “The CIA hired Blackwater to conduct extraordinary renditions” and “Blackwater flew the rendition targets from Fort Perry and Cuba to Kandahar, Afghanistan.”

    ‘The CIA Hired Blackwater’

    According to the informant, some of the flights were provided by two other companies Prince owned, Presidential Airways and Aviation Worldwide, which were given special clearance in 2003 by the U.S. Defense Department to conduct such flights. Source B even knew the tail numbers of the aircraft that were allegedly involved: N962BW, N964BW and N968BW.

    The flights also involved Satelles Solutions, another Prince subsidiary, which operates a training and recruitment camp in the Philippines designed to accommodate about 1,000 soldiers.

    According to Source A, Blackwater also helped out the CIA with another controversial activity during the Bush years. In the memo, Source A writes: “The CIA hired Blackwater to conduct targeted killings in Afghanistan.”

    In June Leon Panetta, Obama’s new CIA director, told lawmakers in a closed-door hearing on Capitol Hill about a secret program to kill or capture al-Qaeda operatives that was begun eight years ago. The purpose of the so-called assassination program was to recruit and train special forces to assassinate senior al-Qaeda leaders.

    Authority to Kill

    According to Panetta, Cheney asked the CIA not to disclose the covert program to Congress. The argument that was used at the time was that when combating terrorism, the CIA has the authority to kill without special congressional approval. The program, however, never quite went beyond the training phase, according to CIA testimony before the U.S. Senate.

    The memo by the two sources gets more specific. Source A names five people who were allegedly involved in the development of assassination teams, including a man who left Blackwater in mid-2005 and last worked as the head of the Blackwater’s OGA division. The acronym stands for “Other Government Agencies,” which included the connection to the CIA. The other men on the source’s list are a former member of Blackwater’s paratrooper unit, an employee of Blackwater Security Consulting who, according to the memo, was designated as a “hit man” within the unit and Alvin Bernard Krongard, the most senior employee on the list, who the source claims was responsible for assembling the teams. “Krongard set up the teams,” the paper claims.

    But the memo does not specify whether agreements were made with individuals or the company itself, or what Krongard’s role was exactly. The latter is particularly difficult to determine, given that Krongard has worked on both sides of the desk. From March 2001 to September 2004, Krongard served as the CIA’s executive director, under then-CIA Director George Tenet. After leaving office, he switched to the private sector, joining Blackwater’s advisory board.

    ‘We Are Not Inclined to Comment’

    Spiegel confronted the company, the CIA and Krongard with the contents of the memo last Wednesday, but they had declined to comment by Friday. A CIA spokesman was unwilling to confirm or deny cooperation with Blackwater with regard to the assassination program or the secret detainee transports. “We do not comment on our contractual relationships,” the spokesman said. He did note, however, that the details of the memo included “mistakes,” although he chose not to elaborate.

    Stacy DeLuke, the spokeswoman of Xe Services (as Blackwater is now called), answered in an e-mail: “Due to the sensitive nature of these allegations, we are not inclined to comment at this time.” Krongard’s assistant Cathy Davis said: “I received your e-mail and confirm receipt by Mr. Krongard as well,” but did not respond to questions about Krongard’s role.

    The allegations have triggered growing unease on Capitol Hill, where senators want to know more about the covert assassination program. Last Friday, it was also revealed that Blackwater assisted in drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In a letter to fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky urged the secretary of state “not to enter into further contracts with Xe and to immediately review any existing contracts.”

    Intellpuke: You can read this article by Spiegel correspondent Gabor Steingart, reporting from Washington, D.C., in context here: www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,644571,00.html
    This article was translated from the German by Christopher Sultan.

    Lawyers: Ban Bush from Canada for war crimes

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    Canwest News Service

    A lawyers’ group has asked the RCMP to bar former U.S. president George W. Bush from entering Canada, citing torture and war crimes committed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

     

    In a letter to the RCMP war crimes section and copied to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and other federal ministers and opposition MPs, the Lawyers Against the War group claims that Bush is “inadmissible to Canada . . . because of overwhelming evidence that he has committed, outside Canada, torture and other offences” as detailed in Canada’s War Crimes Act.

     

    Bush is expected to visit Canada on March 17, to give a speech in Calgary as a guest of the city’s chamber of commerce.

     

    The letter, dated Wednesday, asks the Mounties to “begin an investigation of George W. Bush for aiding, abetting and counselling torture between Nov. 13, 2001, and November 2008 at Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, Bagram prison in Afghanistan, and other places.”

     

    It also asks the prime minister, attorney general and ministers of immigration and public safety to ban Bush for heading an administration that “engaged in torture and other war crimes against humanity.”

     

    The group offers to provide evidence of incidents of torture.

     

    This isn’t the first time the group has protested against Bush.

     

    In 2005, a B.C. Supreme Court judge rejected their attempt to put the then-U.S. president on trial for war crimes.