text:
You're comparing apples to pineapples here. We're not talking about government, which was the context of Franklin's quote. We're talking about online accountability. Facebook isn't pushing some law that states you have to be public with your online profile.
While I don't necessarily agree with Zuckerberg's his point, i do agree with his sentiment. People use anonymity on the internet to be complete pricks. It's easy to talk a pile of trash when you aren't accountable for your blathering. Doing away with anonymity adds at least SOME accountability to your online life.
That said, anonymity is also required in many cases, internet or not, to preserve life, liberty, etc. This is why Zuckerberg can talk all day long, but the government should NEVER get involved in any decisions about this.
We're talking about online accountability.
Really? I though we were talking about online anonymity. I don't see why the two concepts should be conflated.
While I don't necessarily agree with Zuckerberg's his point, i do agree with his sentiment. People use anonymity on the internet to be complete pricks. It's easy to talk a pile of trash when you aren't accountable for your blathering.
This is true, but so what? I would much rather have anonymity than be free of jerks. If someone is just mouthing off, they tend to be treated accordingly by others. I don't see rude comments online as a problem. Heck, I make rude comments sometimes, and I use this same handle all across the Internet. Besides, as Michael Kristopeit has demonstrated, using your real name doesn't keep you from being rude.
Finally someone that makes a solid point.
The next part of the process is to recognize that Facebook has no stake in controlling behavior, thus making discussions about it a dead horse. From their perspective anyway. If you speak about anonymity as it relates to behavior it is easier to motivate others to allow control of one through the other, providing the side benefit of making your already collected mega piles of data all that much more valuable.
Their motivation is greed of money.
If you believe that alphatel compared apples to apples then you demonstrate you don't have a grasp on what you are talking about, which you demonstrate quite well in the rest of your post. If you did grasp the subject, you would understand that anonymity means just that: lack of accountability regarding one's statements. To put it more precisely, and to underline what you failed to understand, anonymity means that you (or anyone) can say anything without having to worry that someone who dislikes what you (or anyone) just said can punish you from saying precisely that. And that is a direct attack on the core of any society which likes to portray itself as being free.
As an example, you complained that some people on the internet are "complete pricks" and that they only say that because they "aren't accountable for their blathering". The thing is, who are you to judge who is a "prick" and what amounts to "blathering"? Are you aware that you, by making this sort of comment, can be seen by someone as being a "prick" who is "blathering" on the internet? And what if those who see you as a "prick" who "blathers" on the internet decide that you should be made accountable for your "blathering"? And what if that "blathering" is a swift ass kicking to teach you some manners? That is very possible if you aren't anonymous.
It has become very clear that those who defend the elimination of any anonymity are either completely oblivious to the consequences of what they are advocating or itching to oppress those who happen to say things that they don't personally approve. Advocating the elimination of anonymity represents a threat to everyone, and those who defend that they want you to lose your anonymity are in fact defending that "I want to know where you and your loved ones live, because if you say something I dislike you will hear from me". And this is terribly frightening, and has absolutely no place in a free society.
So, please think things through. It is a lot better to have some internet tough guy acting like a prick onilne then having a deranged psycho knocking on your door because he frowned upon your statement on (politics|religion). And this is exactly what you are defending with your poorly thought-through ideas.
People use anonymity on the internet to be complete pricks.
Yes, they do. So what?
It's easy to talk a pile of trash when you aren't accountable for your blathering. Doing away with anonymity adds at least SOME accountability to your online life.
It would indeed add accountability to your online life, which would be a bug, not a feature.
Random anonymous people on the net can't harm you. They can say things that you find offensive, but that's your problem not theirs. The fact that people can be complete assholes without any form of accountability is the single greatest feature of the internet. In addition to all the trolls that you hate so much, there's also a lot of unadulterated truth. I'm more than willing to put up with and ignore the trolls in order to have such a free forum.
That said, anonymity is also required in many cases, internet or not, to preserve life, liberty, etc. This is why Zuckerberg can talk all day long, but the government should NEVER get involved in any decisions about this.
I agree with that. However, if it's not illegal, someone will market to the people that want anonymity, so either the government gets involved, or we don't get rid of anonymity on the net.
One man's online asshat is another man's crusader. Question is...do the people who think you're an asshat have guns/thugs/policemen/jails? Doesn't matter if the government requires your identity or a private organization...only if those who think you're an asshat have access to your Facebook profile.
Asshattery is a price we pay for freedom. It's not pretty but it's one I'm willing to accept. Psychologists have long shown the tendency of people to self-censor when their identity is known or they could be held accountable for their actions (hey it's only logical). When important things need to be said, they should be said, anonymously if necessary, rather than everyone self-censoring until the situation blows up in our faces. Look at Turkmenistan or North Korea or Thailand for examples of self-censorship regarding their glorious leaders...
Not only will the revolution not be televised, it also won't be on Facebook.
For a more 1st world example, imagine posting something critical of a certain candidate or party in the US. Imagine then that party data-mining online posts, classifying people into "favorable" or "unfavorable" to their side using some basic NLP. If they have your name, then they correlate that with voter rolls (which parties have access to), so now they know where you live. Then they use that information to gerrymander your district so that your vote is marginalized, and thus, engineer the election result. I'd be surprised if this isn't happening right now in the US.
It's easy to talk a pile of trash when you aren't accountable for your blathering.
I think the danger here is obvious just from your post, and that's the mindset that being a prick, talking a pile of trash, or blathering is anything that one needs to be "accountable for".
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Now updated for the 21st century:
Those who would give up their privacy for Zuckerburg deserve everything they get.
Hes not talking about safety, hes talking about this [penny-arcade.com], and on that count hes not wrong-- people DO behave better when theyre not totally anonymous.
Whether or not we actually want this enforced by an agency with teeth is a totally different conversation (I vote no).
Also, Im not sure I (or Ben, for that matter) would qualify "being anonymous on the internet" as "Essential Liberty". It is a disservice to take the mans words and stretch them way beyond what he was referring to.
No. This is about his business model, not about behavior. Tracking a MAC address is normal these days. Facebook knows where most conversations come from, and what Facebook needs are the specifics so as to tie you into a profile.
Google is worse still, but Google is more clever and knows most everything about you, right down to the freckles on your butt.
Google is worse still, but Google is more clever and knows most everything about you, right down to the freckles on your butt.
Are they? Maybe in the data they have gathered; but I think Facebook is doing their best to fix it. I'll wait for a final opinion on Google+, but up till now Google has actively resisted giving full data out to advertisers and was keeping pretty good data protection internally (from what I could tell from the outside, admittedly). Google has the potential to become lots worse than Facebook, but in terms of selling on and making available personal data about you, Facebook has been much worse.
Facebook ha
Im not sure I (or Ben, for that matter) would qualify "being anonymous on the internet" as "Essential Liberty"
Good thing the supreme court has ruled that the ability to speak anonymously is fundamental to freedom of speech, and represents an important protection against tyranny of the majority:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntyre_v._Ohio_Elections_Commission [wikipedia.org]
The courts have ruled that this extends to online communication:
Finally, I am pretty sure Dr. Franklin would agree that anonymous speech is important, given that he published "Abridgment of the Book of Common Prayer" anonymously.
Actually, I find that whenever someone is telling you to give up your rights for your own good, it's not really safety they have in mind. Usually they're just trying to shaft you somehow, but they can't just say "bend over and squeal like a pig, I'm gonna make big money out of shafting you peons." So they have to pack it in some idiocy about how it's for your own good.
Applies to everything from 10'th century warlords promising you protection if you just put your thumbprint here and sell yourself into serfdom, to politicians, to the likes of Zuckerburg.
In his case, it's not even hard to see why. I mean, really, you could summarize the summary as "Guy who gets his money by selling your data to marketers, says your right to privacy has got to go. Reaches for the standard 'it's to protect you from other pricks' canned excuse. Film at 11." Well, whop-de-do. Big surprise that he wants that, eh?
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
Nah I think it's fair enough. This turd thinks Internet Anonymity should go away. I think he should go away and take the abomination that is Facebook with him. If Facebook is people behaving much better, I'm a chimp.
And revealing your own name can be disastrous for some people. Bully victims and people in need of protection from stalkers are a few.
Of course there are trolls and other kinds of weird people on the net, but a law won't stop them - they will just steal someone's identity and continue. Use the ID of the local bum or grandmother and you can blow by all gates.
The reality is that the net actually works relatively fine as it is. The subversive forces will always be there and find channels for their deeds. The U [wikipedia.org]
Anonymous Online person: Corporate people must go away !
That's a HUGE no-shitter there. People hide behind corporate identities to hide from accountability for their actions. Just look at what Cisco did. They lied to the US Dept. of Justice to get them to do their bidding which was to contact the Canadian officials to have a man who was suing them arrested and detained so that he could not continue his case against them. If an individual with a name were responsible for this, there would be charges, an arrest, a trial and likely imprisonment. What will "Cisco" get? Pretty much a free pass on the whole matter.
Corporate person-hood should go away and the individuals making the decisions should be exposed for doing what they do. And no longer should corporate "persons" enjoy rights of actual living people.
People hide behind corporate identities to hide from accountability for their actions
Really? Which big corporation are you thinking of - especially a publicly-traded one - that manages to operate without people readily knowing who their shareholders, board, and executives are? Please be specific.
Of course, you're complaining about law enforcement, not about what it means to form and operate a business, aren't you? Plenty of corporate employees and corporations themselves get into actual, real legal hot water. What you're complaining about (getting unusually easy treatment from law enfor
'I think anonymity on the Internet has to go away. People behave a lot better when they have their real names down. I think people hide behind anonymity and they feel like they can say whatever they want behind closed doors.'
This quote makes it sound like this is a very recent realization and that this problem hasn't existed since the beginning of the internet. Furthermore, it totally overlooks one half of the double edged sword of anonymity online. You may retain your privacy through anonymity, you may be safer from stalkers and thieves by remaining anonymous and you can speak without fear of retaliation -- whether that be deserved (the only cases Randi Zuckerberg seems to be able to conjure up) or undeserved.
I mean, we're posting on a site that seems to handle anonymity just fine. Is it impossible for Facebook to spend the effort to discover how they could accomplish the same thing?
Furthermore what in the world is she saying "on the Internet" for? Here's an idea: you stick to Facebook and the rest of the sovereign internet will follow or not follow your lead.
And yet further, I would argue that implementing a verification system is more complicated and more risky than simply dealing with spam and trolls in an intuitive way. Do you propose we each have some secret identification string that establishes our true identity on a given site? And when those are lifted wholesale by a foreign entity [slashdot.org] what then, Randi?
Side rant: Holy nepotism [wikipedia.org], Batman! Hey, Mark, did you ever think that maybe Facebook wouldn't be so hated and being thrashed so much in Public Relations if the person in charge of it actually earned that position by merit? How do I know your sister didn't achieve this position by merit? If she was good enough to hold this high of a position at one of the most valuable internet companies, she would have known to issue a non-statement on anonymity as she would have researched this problem just a little bit more than relying on her psychology degree to say "Gee, people are jerks when they can say whatever they want--let's just stop that." She didn't offer a solution and all she did was piss a bunch of people off. GO TEAM ZUCKERBERG!
I mean, we're posting on a site that seems to handle anonymity just fine.
You say that but in practise anonymous comments are censored through obscurity on Slashdot - low-scoring posts are pushed off the first 50, and sit beneath the majority default browse level, coupled with almost nobody wishing to mod up an anonymous comment since there is no personal benefit in doing so.
Your statements aren't mutually exclusive. Anonymous comments can and do get modded up, if they're really good, but most of them deserve to be obscure.
But there is a difference between anonymity and pseudonymity, which might be confused here.
Dunno, I see your comment just fine with no adjustments. And I dont think its a problem that Slashdot and Amazon et al rank logged in users higher than anonymous-- anonymous users are undeniably more likely to post goatse, fristpsot, etc, and less likely to contribute meaningfully.
I routinely mod up AC comments which add to the discussion. It looks like people here forget that moderation is not about karma and accounts, but more about particular posts and their contribution to the discussion.
I use a +3 modifier for ACs because AC posts are often (but not always) more interesting than named posts. I think this is because people speak more freely if they are able to do so without a permanent record of whatever they said which is forever attached to their name (or handle).
The disadvantage of anonymity is group identity, when a mob forms, and people act like assholes because their identities are hidden. See the KKK, or any other group of masked anonymous persons, online or off.
But group identity isn't always the result. Anonymity also promotes individualism, because an anonymous individual can feel free to go against the group identity. You would be lynched for standing in the middle of a large crowd and vehemently disagreeing with the crowd on some subject. But if you can be anonymous - well, you speak freely.
On Slashdot, this form is most common. ACs are the ones who step out of line and post things that are completely at odds with the groupthink on some particular topic. Sometimes, this is just garbage. Other times, it is refreshing insight.
And yes, when I see the latter, I mod it up.
I mean, we're posting on a site that seems to handle anonymity just fine.
You say that but in practise anonymous comments are censored through obscurity on Slashdot - low-scoring posts are pushed off the first 50, and sit beneath the majority default browse level, coupled with almost nobody wishing to mod up an anonymous comment since there is no personal benefit in doing so.
There's also a level of semi anonymity. My real name isn't actually mooingyak (I bet that made you gasp).
I mean, we're posting on a site that seems to handle anonymity just fine.
But I'm not anonymous, I'm Stellian, well known slashdot lurker and kook. I have a nice karma and care about my reputation, so I try my best to behave. See, no childporn or viruses in this post.
If I disclose my real identity complete with full name and postal address:
- it will not improve the quality of my posts; facebook is a perfect example on non-anonymous people incapable, on average, to produce any useful content
- it will not stop other anonymous people to do illegal things, in fact criminals will always try to remain anonymous when operating, just like in the real world
- it will allow an anonymous stock owner of facebook/slashdot/etc. to make a few bucks more by farming my data
No, anonymity is not going anywhere and I will refuse to use any service does not respect my privacy
All true. The most important part of anonymity (or pseudonymity) on the internet though, is that it gives voice to those who'd otherwise be silenced.
That includes a *lot* of people living in all sorts of opressive circumstances, ranging from intolerant conservative christian parents of a gay teenager, up to governments who say straight out that they'll kill anyone who believe in the wrong thing (say atheists in Iran)
Giving those people a voice, has a *lot* of value to me.
. People do in real life - most people have distinct (possibly overlapping) groups of colleagues and friends, and don't behave in the same way at work and in the pub.
Well, I do. And let me tell you, trotting out a powerpoint presentation at the pub is a total buzzkill.
an interesting comment: "it will allow an anonymous stock owner of facebook/slashdot/etc. to make a few bucks more by farming my data"
forget the stock owners. what about the advertisers, data aggregators, etc. they are currently anonymous and behind the scenes. maybe if they want non-anonymity, they need to be more up front on what else goes on. how about at the bottom of my news feed is a feed of "here's who's scraped or sold your data today".
Side rant: Holy nepotism [wikipedia.org], Batman! Hey, Mark, did you ever think that maybe Facebook wouldn't be so hated and being thrashed so much in Public Relations if the person in charge of it actually earned that position by merit?
Side response: How do you know she isn't qualified? Just because she said something with which you disagree?
It's interesting that they are making this statement while Google (specifically, G+) is being blasted for its stance on anonymity.
If Google should come around on this (anonymity is a necessity for free speech, if Google wants to be the de facto means for communication they are going to have to enable free speech) while Facebook is loudly declaring themselves to be assholes, then Google becomes a hero and FB disappears overnight.
If Google decides to continue attacking anonymity, then I get that creepy feelin
It's interesting that they are making this statement while Google (specifically, G+) is being blasted for its stance on anonymity.
If Google should come around on this (anonymity is a necessity for free speech, if Google wants to be the de facto means for communication they are going to have to enable free speech) while Facebook is loudly declaring themselves to be assholes, then Google becomes a hero and FB disappears overnight.
If Google decides to continue attacking anonymity, then I get that creepy feeling that everyone is out to get me.
That is by no means a no-brainer. Some people like anonymity. Some like to be able to parse their email contacts etc and find the users on the social network, or look up "what ever happened to my friend Stephen from school". I really don't know which would attract most people.
That is by no means a no-brainer. Some people like anonymity. Some like to be able to parse their email contacts etc and find the users on the social network, or look up "what ever happened to my friend Stephen from school". I really don't know which would attract most people.
I suspect a false dichotomy would attract most people. Er, wait.
You can have both on the same network at once. Facebook does, and it works fine. Well, not so fine for their purposes of knowing everything about everyone, but fine enough for the users.
From what I've read -- mostly by following tweets by Skud [twitter.com] on the subject -- there are a significant number of people inside Google who aren't happy with the "real names" policy. Even accepting the intent, it's poorly executed, as it makes some classic blunders in its assumptions about what forms names take. It strikes me as a case in which someone at the top of the food chain insisted on a simple, stupid idea.
I think you're quite right: there's a real opening for Google to express contrition, revamp its pol
My name is Simon Wimpleblode, I am 34 years old, I live in Cape Town, I am an accountant.
I could create just such a profile in Facebook (or G+ or...) and not be "anonymous" as far as they are concerned, but without the ability to verify primary ID, they have no way to prove whether anything I have claimed is true in any way. All that remains of any worth is the identity/persona that is Simon Wimpleblode, and that's the same whether I am using an obvious handle or not.
Without some massive, world-wide scheme to link IP multiple-addresses back to primary, state-approved ID; there is no way to actually remove anonymity. All that handles allow you to to is segregate the on-line-self from the real-world-self and there could be many reason for wanting to do that. If the on-line-self has value (e.g. contributes to projects, respected blog, whatever) then it matters not if the consumers know the real ID or not, the content/product is what is of value and the trust built-up over time.
If people are trolling ass-hats, let the community/admins deal with those accounts as required. If people are weird in the head and prone to stalking, threats etc then I rather doubt that a lack of anonymity will dissuade them.
The only reason FB et al want anonymity gone is so that they can link the on-line-self to the real-world-self and thus sell more advertising. That's it. End of discussion.
My name is Simon Wimpleblode, I am 34 years old, I live in Cape Town, I am an accountant.
No I'm Simon Wimpleblode!
Company with vested interest in tracking people by their actual names online thinks everyone should use their real names online?
Company with vested interest in tracking people by their actual names online thinks everyone should use their real names online?
Also their product is selling their viewers... nothing repels viewers more than endless anonymous comment spam. Therefore anonymous is a direct threat to profits in general, not even counting targeted advertising.
While I'm perfectly fine with beating the Internet Fuckwad Theory, repressive politics, not just in China, but also their recent rise in the west, requires that anonymity has to be possible.
Anonymity will be the standard, since the laws of humans are no match for the laws of mathematics.
Lack of anonymity invites intimidation, surveillance, censorship and prejudice. This is what must go.
(captcha: attacks)
P.S. Reputation can be conveyed pseudonymously. If the holder of public key A is known for good behaviour, you may be justified in trusting them, even without any high authority (to whom you'd have doubtless no access anyway) knowing what color of underwear they prefer to buy, and how frequentl
Who cares what some manager at the next Geocities has to say about it? Facebook is a fad, it too will pass.
Anonymity on Internet used to be a rare exception. It's the spammers/identity thieves/excessively nosy employers who made it this way. Does the author really want to get phone calls based on sites he visits online.
It's kind of funny that The People(tm) argue about the Internet as if it is completely unrelated to the real world. no one (I hope..) would say "I think anonymity on the streets has to go away. People behave a lot better when they are tagged with their real names."
I'm cool with using my real name in the web (see my account at
A friend of mine used to be pretty open about her online identity... until she got a box of sex toys mailed to her with no return address.
The arguments for lack-of-privacy are fundamentally inconsistent. We are told that people "behave better" when there is a risk of consequences, but also that there are no harmful consequences. These cannot both be true. While most people don't need privacy most of the time, you rarely know in advance that you will later turn out to have needed privacy.
People tend to make arguments like "well, don't do anything you'd be ashamed of", but this only works if you have a guarantee that the rest of the people in the world are all basically sane. They're not. Furthermore, lots of people don't get a choice; you don't get to say "hmm, lots of people object to transgendered people, guess I won't be one."
And it only took a box of sex toys? Amazing. Usually it takes the average person 2 or 3 stalkers.
hmmm this suggests to me a great idea for a privacy campaign. Encourage all privacy advocates who find the originator of any material online be found, that advocate is encouraged to mail that poster one or more sex toys with a note "saw youre posts online and wanted to say thanks"
The arguments for lack-of-privacy are fundamentally inconsistent. We are told that people "behave better" when there is a risk of consequences, but also that there are no harmful consequences. These cannot both be true. While most people don't need privacy most of the time, you rarely know in advance that you will later turn out to have needed privacy.
It's extremely important to distinguish between privacy and anonymity—they're related, but they're not the same. I'm for the former in all circumstances and against the latter in most circumstances.
You can't have privacy without anonymity. If you can't do certain things anonymously then you really can't claim to have privacy. In real life the distinction isn't as obvious, but online you literally can't have privacy without anonymity ever.
Are they trying to get google to buy them and merge with G+ kinda like the whole google-video vs youtube thing?
Of course
All the car companies seem to have standardized on "righty tighty lefty loosey" WRT to screw threads with only the strangest most required engineering exceptions, not because they're all in a plot against us, but because it just makes sense to manufacture screws that way (assuming the eternal
We are told that people "behave better" when there is a risk of consequences, but also that there are no harmful consequences. These cannot both be true.
"This position appears to apply to the entire Internet, not just Facebook (which already requires that its users post real names instead of pseudonyms)"
Yes, and it's long proven how well it works on Facebook too. Just the other day I was searching for Anders Breivik's profile on there to have a nosey and had the pleasure of stumbling across around 50 groups praising the guy as a Saint, and a whole bunch more trolling Norwegians over it. So yes, obviously people behave so much better with their true identities that Facebook "enforce".
No seriously, dickheads act like dickheads when you can't punch them in the face, anonymous or not.
It does not surprise me that Facebook would take such a stance, as they are a glorified data mining company.
I just hope the internet does not completely lose its wild west feeling. It is hard to not be concerned, though, as between walled gardens, paywalls, ever-more-draconian anti-piracy measures, bandwidth data caps, bandwidth throttling, multi-tiered internet, and cross-site tracking it is clear that corporations and government wants to change the web and internet as we know it. Then you have Google coming out and saying that they are banning accounts that do not use real names.
When IPv6 finally becomes mainstream and goes in to widespread use it will only get worse, in my opinion. With IPv6 every man, woman, child, dog, and toaster can have its own IP address. Not only would it be trivial to track most people by their IPv6 addresses, but as TV sets and other devices get connected it will be trivial to track and monitor the activity on these devices and tie that activity to their owners. The more tech savvy will be able to sidestep some of it if my prediction comes to pass, but the general public won't know enough or care enough to do it.
I have the opposite fear; every 2 days my cablemodem DHCP will give me a new
It's cute that she thinks everybody on FB uses a real name. I'll be sure to pass that along to my friend Charlie Unknown*, and many others.
*Not the actual pseudonym, I wouldn't want somebody to get reported to the bureaucrats....
So, people tend to say whatever they want behind "closed doors", and you have a problem with that, Randi Zuckerburg?
Fine, then you won't mind if I put a webcam in every room in your house, right? I mean after all, people tend to say AND do whatever they want behind "closed doors", and we can't possibly have any of that without the rest of the world being well aware of exactly who is doing what behind "closed doors", right?
Keep it up, Farcebook. You won't be relevant enough for people to even give a shit if you keep pulling moves like this. There's a damn good reason anonymity existed well before privacy lawsuits, Farcebook or even the internet, and it's the same reason it will continue to exist well after you're gone.
If commercial and governmental entities keep pushing us in a direction where are forced to use our real life identity then I believe the meaning of identity will change.
Just because I happen to live in a country, have a bank account there and have a VISA card means I have a valid identity? I can even have officially my name changed. Is that the true meaning of identity?
I think it won't be long before the Coconut Islands will begin to offer identities for $50,- per month. You can get to choose your name, get
'I think anonymity on the Internet has to go away. I have no way of knowing if my user, Clem Kadiddlehopper is the same person as Willy Lump Lump and Bolivar Shagnasty on other sites That costs me money, money I deserve. If I can correlate the information about users across sites I can build up an even more valuable trove of information to sell. It's time for this quaint notion of privacy and an individual's right to it to go away; after all it is pre-internet thinking and we're in a new economy. It's money we're talking about, real money.'
As deep throat said, "Follow the money."
Exactly my thoughts. When people do not behave online, than this is due to bad education. Their parents and others who educate them have failed to make clear that it is not ok to call someone bad names. This is not an acceptable behavior in private contexts and it is not ok in public contexts.
As the Internet comprises public, commercial, leisure and private contexts, the common increase in egotistic, selfish and rude commentary can also be found on the net. So when "Sugarmountain" wants more polite people,
Grocery stores, malls, libraries, public parks - I see rude people everywhere. We all need our name and government ID number tattooed to the forehead, both arms, and back of the neck. Then we'll all behave better everywhere.
As a side benefit we'll be able to get targeted advertisements/marketing directed our way no matter where we are (I guess we'll need an RFID implant in addition to the tattoos)
The real reason for this of-course has nothing to do with people being pricks on the web. The real reason for this is the bottom line of FB, which would improve greatly if they could have everybody on file, with their real names, addresses, S/Ns, birth dates, certificates (long form, right?), etc.
They want you to be a better product for their customers - advertisers. What better way of doing this if not by making sure everybody is known exactly for who they are, where they live, where they work, what they do, where they shop, how much they make, what their family situation is, medical data, what their future plans are, etc.etc.etc.
Of-course if you provide FB with this sort of information, FB gains enormous power over your lives, they become more powerful than you could ever imagine, product #241125
How many "John Smith"s or "Mohammed Khan"s are there in the world?
Just signing on to FB with the name your parents gave you doesn't uniquely identify you. In fact you couldn't distinguish if "Susan Jones 55" was the same physical person as "Imran Bin Laden 99" no matter how many tests you put in place - short of checking a notarised copy of his/her/its DNA, passport or state-issued photo identity card.
So the whole thing is not only unenforceable, but will lead the gullible and net-illiterate (or just t
BZuck is not alone, many people confound politeness (civil discourse, minimal insults, etc) with the quality of the discussion. They seem to say, if you cannot say it politely, it should not be said at all. Or worse, if you can't be civil, you must shut up.
This unstated warrent is entirely wrong -- it confuses style for content. Perhaps because the believers are incapable of evaluating content.
Fundamentally, communication is about teaching and learning. This is necessarily somewhat uncomfortable as old ideas (generally) have to be abandoned or at least modified by the new message. Often politeness helps this transition, but not always. Some people cannot be polite, others choose not to. Silencing them by banning anonymity is to impose on everyone the shallow value of style-over-content.
This is not necessary, hence is meddling. Rather dictatorial which BZuck can be for Facebook, but not elsewhere. People can choose what to read when they open a book, newspaper, blog or email. Filtering is easy and a necessary skill. But many are those who would impose their values upon others.
I detest facebook exactly for this reason, i have no privacy left now, all my friends know who all my friends are, and if i say something to someone, others can read it...it makes total sense, and i think they could even go further and lift even more privacy off facebook, this way when it becomes a standard in the near future...no one will be able to steal your identity, especially if your bank has your facebook account attached to it, in terms of validating who you are....when you open a bank account, you associate your facebook account, this will enforce identity validation. the person might see a picture of your facebook page appear on her screen when you go in to try and take out 20,000$ from your bank account...and when she sees the face is not the same, which at this point becomes harder to do if you add twitter and myspace and all the others....it becomes like a fort knox equivalent, where no one will even try it due to an already established premise that it is impenetrable.
Less theft = less bank loss.... hoepfully = less bank charges.
oh gosh what a pile of bullshit.
Apparently, all these youngsters have no idea what a real online community looks like. Back in the BBS days, everyone had a "handle". Since we rarely changed them, it was closer to pseudonymity than anonymity, but it served a purpose.
That's what these piles of garbage who've gotten filthy rich over breaking other people's privacy and then telling the world that's the new black don't get: Purpose of seperation.
I have a couple hobbies where I change identity. In LARP or online gaming, I'm known under a different name than my family knows me as. And while I go as "Tom" in various social circles, they often do not overlap. The same three characters do not express the same identity.
I would, in fact, prefer to have several linked accounts on Facebook, Google+, etc. - because what I post, write or comment as the "Tom" of my own online games isn't all that interesting to my real-world friends. And vice-versa, the players of my games probably don't care what I'm doing this evening. Most of them don't even understand the postings I make in my native language.
This is not even about hiding anything. It's about being better than blarring everything about you on broadcast, whether or not anyone cares.
Maybe you have to be a celebrity like Mark to lose touch with this basic reality: That your life is seperated into various roles you play. Heck, that's sociology 101. Few things about our social lives are as fundamental as that. So how can a social network ignore basic facts about what it means to be social?
There's also some information theory 101: Too much information becomes indistinguishable from noise. If our connection is because we share some online hobby, then I usually don't care about your personal life because it has no impact on me. I don't care where you go this evening because I couldn't join you there anyways, you're hundreds or thousands of kilometers away from me.
And even if you're my friend, I don't give a flying fuck about your latest accomplishment in FarmVille!
Basically, what social networks lack to be actually social instead of just being the most simple and primitive kind of network imaginable is the ability to classify "friends". Google+ has a good start with its circles, but that's one baby step up from Facebooks unbelievably stupid binary friendship concept.
Twenty years from now, we'll look at Facebook the way we look at hand-copied bibles today, shaking our heads in disbelief that people went to all that effort for so little gain.
And the fact that you simply aren't the same person to different people is one of the things that will change in those social networks, because it's a fact of human nature and human nature doesn't adapt to toys, it forces the toys to adapt or changes them as soon as a better one comes around.
In some ways, bbs handles were more identifiable than one's name, and their holders had as much reputation to gain or lose as if they had their real name. Yes, one could just drop the handle and grab a new one, but it would take forever to get people to know that person, and as soon as someone found out they were linked to an old handle, it would be all over the place, and the two handles linked to each other.
Same with my LARP and MMO characters. People recognize those identities, although they don't have my RL name or info attached, and reputation is quite valuable there.
As for the Z brothers, one needs to follow the money. Their whole empire is based on being able to get advertisers aboard, and the more behavioral tracking they can do, the more cash they make. To use an old Texas expression, "they have a dog in this hunt" when they say anonymity must go away.
"How many teamsters does it take to screw in a light bulb?" "FIFTEEN!! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?"


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subset: commoncrawl


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Idova Noblitt celebrated her 99th birthday recently with many family members and friends in attendance at an afternoon birthday party hosted in her honor at Shadow Valley.
Carley Beth Goode, one of her great-grandchildren, sang a few opera and gospel songs at the party in honor of her "Mema."
Mrs. Noblitt walked around the farm at her party, helping her great-grandchildren fish, a past time she has always loved.
Mrs. Noblitt was born on July 18, 1914 to the late William and Arie McDougal Cantrell. She was married to Odell Noblitt on April 15, 1940, and they remained married for 67 years until his death in August 2007. Together, they had three children, Ariena (Carlton) Brady, Shelia Bartlett and Patty (Carroll) Seals.
She has been a life-long member of Lincoln Baptist Church.
In addition to being an avid seamstress and enjoying all other handicrafts, including crocheting, crewelwork, embroidery, etc., she loves reading, growing vegetables and flowers and loves dogs, particularly her "Lady".
She has lived independently until recently and is now a resident of Southern Manor Living Center.


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Definitely not rude. Trust your instincts. You didn't feel safe and you had every right to close the door on his face. He might've been the sweetest guy ever but it's not rude to protect yourself, esp given the fact that he is intruding on your personal territory. I once refused to open the door for a salesman and he kicked the door and said "open it." Yeah, as if that was going to all of a sudden convince me I was wrong for not opening it up.
I wouldn't let an interaction with a door-to-door salesman/evangelist bug me for a week.
That's just creepy and no you weren't rude at all. I'd categorize that under "Safety trumps etiquette".
I used to answer the door to whomever rang. Say, 'Sorry, I'm not interested' and close the door. Until the day a guy stuck his foot in to prevent me from closing the door. Whereby I said, 'Remove your foot or I'm calling the cops.' He did.
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Chinese gain, rate cut hopes lift stocks
THE Australian sharemarket finished at a near six-week high, buoyed by encouraging Chinese manufacturing and expectations of a Reserve Bank of Australia interest rate cut on Tuesday.
THE Australian sharemarket finished at a near six-week high, buoyed by encouraging Chinese manufacturing and expectations of a Reserve Bank of Australia interest rate cut on Tuesday.At the close on Monday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 25.5 points, or 0.57 per cent, higher at 4531.5, while the broader All Ordinaries index was up 22 points, or 0.49 per cent, at 4540.0.On the ASX 24, the December share price index futures contract was 28 points higher at 4544, with 24,541 contracts traded.CommSec analyst Juliette Saly said investors shrugged off weak Australian retail figures and instead bought into local stocks after the release of encouraging data on the weekend that showed the biggest gain in 13 months for Chinese manufacturing activity. "Our market's taken that lead and we've seen some good buying coming through today," Ms Saly said.Figures released by the Bureau of Statistics showed retail spending was steady in October, below expectations of a 0.4 per cent rise.The weaker retail figure added to expectations the RBA would cut the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 3.00 per cent when its board meets on Tuesday for the last time until February 2013."Retail trade figures were disappointing but we've seen the market bounce back from the initial shock," Ms Saly said. "News that we're expecting a rate cut tomorrow will help sentiment."Among the major retailers, JB Hi-Fi gained 33? to $10.26, Wesfarmers was 40? higher at $35.95 and Woolworths rose 15? to $29.43.Department store operator David Jones fell 5? to $2.44 and Myer shares fell 4? to $2.13.Among the big miners, BHP Billiton was up 15? to $34.54, Rio Tinto fell 21? to $58.54 and Fortescue dipped 15? to $3.76.Among the banks, ANZ jumped 33? to $24.69, Commonwealth Bank surged $1.12 to $60.81, while National Australia Bank was 1? lower at $24.29 and Westpac was 6? higher at $25.56.Television broadcaster Ten Network shares fell 3? to 33.5?.National turnover was 1.49 billion securities worth $3.82 billion, with 475 stocks up, 473 down and 351 unchanged. The price of gold in Sydney closed at $US1719.50 per fine ounce, down $US11.35 from $US1730.85 on Friday.
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University News
WIU Jazz Rhythm Section April 6
March 26, 2013
MACOMB, IL - - The Western Illinois University Jazz Rhythm Section Festival, featuring professional pianist Michael Weiss, will be held Saturday, April 6 in Browne Hall 130.
Weiss is a renowned jazz recording artist, composer, arranger, bandleader and educator. Along with the WIU jazz program faculty, Weiss will lead the day's clinics, which includes small group clinics from 9:30 – 11:35 a.m.; piano, drum and bass master classes from 1-1:45 p.m.; and a trio master class from 2 - 2:30 p.m. The location of the master classes will be announced at a later time.
At 5:30 p.m., the Michael Weiss Trio will perform in concert in Browne Hall 130. His trio includes bassist Lorin Cohen and percussionist George Fludas.
Jazz critic Ira Gitler said, "The music of Michael Weiss has those qualities which touch the heart, the soul, the mind and the 'call it whachawanna'."
He started off as a member of a house band at the Star Café in New York City, and has played alongside Junior Cook/ Bill Hardman Quintet, Slide Hampton, Lou Donaldson, David Fathead Newman, Pepper Adams, Frank Wess and Clifford Jordan. His performances have been broadcast on PBS and NPR, and he has held faculty positions at Queens College, Juilliard and the Hartt School of Music. His recordings have won many awards including NPR's Jazz Pick of the Year, and "Stereo Review's" Best Recording of the Month.
All clinics and performances are open free to the public.
For more information, contact University Bands, phone (309) 298-1505, or email email@example.com.
The Jazz Rhythm Section Festival is co-sponsored by Western's College of Fine Arts and Communication, the School of Music and the Visiting Lectures Committee.
Posted By: Sarah Tomkinson (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Office of University Relations


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well I'm already having troubles with my wagon (go figure). I put an electronic disty in it and the starter solenoid has gone out I think. But anyways, Jon (Jon61484), Randy (drunken disorederly Randy) and I decided to try and roll start it. Well I got it to start but it was running really badly. Then it died at the bottom of the hill near Andrew's house, grrrrr. So then I called Andrew and asked him where the tow rope was....he said it was in the back of his car in the middle of a field. He said I could use his 4x4 to tow it back up the hill to his house if I could find something to work for a tow rope. Well I couldn't...... So what did we do? you may ask. Heh, Randy got into the wagon andwe pushed it using the 4x4 around the block back up to Andrew's house:lol: . We were cruising at about 5 mph as we passed an old lady getting out of her car. She saw Randy in the wagon and she waved to him. In the next second, she saw me in the 4x4 pushing him. She gave us the weirdest looks:rolleyes: . It was quite a site I tell you. Too bad Andrew was at work and missed it.:rollin:
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Guest Message by DevFuse
while Andrew was at work.....
Started by Guest_Caboobaroo_* , Aug 02 2003 11:57 PM
8 replies to this topic
#1 Guest_Caboobaroo_*
Posted 02 August 2003 - 11:57 PM
#2 Guest_Hondas Pink Martini_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 12:07 AM
I guess I'll have to start coming over to keep you boys in line while Andrew is gone. *nods* Oh! And did you clean the driveway?
#3 Guest_Hondasucks_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 12:12 AM
Yeah guys, I hope you didnt' bend up my brushguard any worse than it is :-P And clean your Subaru droppings out of my driveway :-P
#4 Guest_Caboobaroo_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 12:23 AM
its not from MY Subaru I don't know who's it could be from??? Maybe it was from the original beer wagon:p
#5 Guest_Hondas Pink Martini_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 12:28 AM
RUSSEL! You better clean up the driveway, or I won't let you near my sister!
#6 Guest_baccaruda_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 12:38 AM
cool! pushing cars is fun. beats up your license plate though 8o .. i towed a car home just last night with a strap.. made more fun by taking the long way home as i didn't want to block the main bridge as i crawled up... and i just found another one i want to buy! i think i'm going to pick up a side gig of fixing $200 subarus around here
#7 Guest_jon61484_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 12:53 AM
the 1600 in that rust bucket sedan would be pretty sweet if the weber and the engine had a tune up. But it still pushed that wagon around like nobody's business... and it was a cool site to see. (and be in)
#8 Guest_Flowmastered87GL_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 12:59 AM
While he was at work... I hit a new land speed record in the 87 coming back from eugene... 103 I estimate had I had the proper air in the tires, and not had 100 pounds of tools + 4 pugs AND tires and a hood in the back (and had to brake for traffic ), I coulda hit 110+ EASY
The 87 has NEVER run this good, the previous record was 99, and before the weber it was 95.
The 87 has NEVER run this good, the previous record was 99, and before the weber it was 95.
#9 Guest_SubaruJunkie_*
Posted 03 August 2003 - 01:25 AM
My good friend had a full sized peugeot 505 wagon. One morning i was staying the night at his house and had to wake up early the next morining for work. When I woke up, i saw there was fresh snow everywhere, so i put my subie (a '79 GL Wagon at the time) into 4WD and the 1600 it had pushed that peugeot all the way to the end of the street.
He woke up and thought it was gone, until he saw all the skid marks leading to his car.
Oh, and his wagon was in park the whole time... Ah, the days.
Anyhow, sounds like fun
He woke up and thought it was gone, until he saw all the skid marks leading to his car.
Oh, and his wagon was in park the whole time... Ah, the days.
Anyhow, sounds like fun
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BISD board talks of election, FBI raid
At a sparsely attended pre-meeting for the Beaumont Independent School District Board of Trustees in anticipation of its regularly scheduled public meeting Thursday, Dec. 19, Superintendent Timothy Chargois outlined an aggressive timeline of preparations in case a court orders a May 2014 election. The contemplated election before the courts will replace the May 2013 school district election that was canceled amid lawsuits and rulings that spanned local, state and national courts.
The tentative schedule offered by Chargois would allow for three meetings in an attempt to solicit public input, although it wouldn't give much time for trustees to take public comments into account, as pointed out by Trustee Zenobia Bush. The last public meeting would be the meeting wherein trustees would be asked to vote on a districting map to be used in any upcoming school board election – whether it be in 2014 or 2015, as BISD attorneys are requesting.
"Whatever input they give, we can't do anything with it," Bush said of the last meeting to be held Feb. 6 at Central High School. The other meetings proposed by Chargois would be scheduled for Jan. 13 at West Brook High School, and Jan. 23 at Ozen High School.
Chargois added that any map would need to be approved by the Board of Trustees prior to Feb. 10, which is 90 days before the May 2014 election would be held. BISD was brought to court by a group of citizens who successfully challenged adoption of a map after the 90-day threshold in a previous election call.
According to Chargois, draft maps of proposed districting schemes will be delivered to trustees over the holidays for their review. Trustees can draft their own maps, as well, Chargois added.
"We want to be ready just in case," Chargois said of the map planning. A 2014 election is no sure thing, according to BISD attorneys. Hired legal representative Chad Dunn has argued in prior court appearances that a projected May 2013 election would be too soon to allow the school district to prepare.
Money matters
William Lenhart, a financial consultant hired by BISD to pour over the school district's fiscal accounts in the wake of an FBI investigation alleging the district's comptroller and financial director were stealing public money attended the pre-meeting, as well, giving BISD officials a glimpse of what money is still available for its intended use.
"There's no prior-year information available," Lenhart explained. "Of course, that was taken in the federal investigation."
According to Lenhart, his team is attempting to reconcile the books at BISD, but it is a process that will take time. At the moment, he said, the crew is in the act of tracking the campuses' Student Activity Funds.
"It's kind of a fluid situation," Lenhart said. "By the way, the purchases made in the Student Activity Fund are subject to the same regulations as other funds."
At the present time, he said, the Student Activity Funds are not in compliance. Additionally, aside from overhauling the way Student activity Funds are accounted for, Lenhart is recommending changes in the finance department, as well.
"The department may need to be broadened with more professional talent," he said. Over objections from trustees as to the accountant's assertions of a need for change, he made it known that, "I'm not trying to take your money. I'm trying to account for it, and allow for its dispersal via state regulations."


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Revel at RioMar and enjoy a four-course menu paired with three Pisco cocktails.
$73 for tasting menu + drink pairings (all items can be ordered a la carte)
Samantha Navarra
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, you should always call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.


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Three men have been charged in federal court today with committing separate bank robberies, including an Hoffman Estates man who is believed to be responsible for at least four bank heists himself,
Kenneth White, 34, of the 700 block of West Bode Circle was charged with one count of bank robbery for a Nov. 9 heist of a Harris Bank branch in suburban Park Ridge, the FBI said.
According to a complaint filed in the U.S. Northern District of Illinois Court, White walked into the bank located at 615 Busse Highway at about 4:34 p.m. and approached a teller. White then passed a handwritten note that said, "Give me all the money."
When the teller hesitated, White quietly said, "now." The teller then handed over $3,816. White took the money and his demand note and walked out of the bank, the complaint said.
Investigators reviewed the bank's surveillance video and made still images of White wearing black gym shoes, a sweatshirt and a blue New York Yankees baseball cap.
The images showed a physical resemblance to a man who had robbed banks in Rolling Meadows, Chicago, Arlington Heights and Glenview, the complaint said. White has not been charged in those robberies.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Jody Cloak, 29, of the 1600 block of Downs Drive in Calumet City was also charged with one count of bank robbery for a Nov. 6, robbery of a Fifth Third Bank branch located at 3957 W. 26th St. in Chicago, the FBI said.
Cloak entered the bank at about 9:40 a.m. on Thursday and handed the teller a note saying, "Stay calm, I have a gun, I need you to put all the money that you have in this bag. If you cooperate no one will get shot," according to a criminal compliant. Cloak left the bank with $735 in a cream-colored bag.
Police were called and officers were able to track the money with a GPS tracking device that was with the money. He was arrested nearby in a vehicle where officers found a handgun and a white ALDI Grocery bag filled with money, the complaint said.
Cloak was taken into custody and later charged. His next court appearance was scheduled for Dec. 11.
In addition, Pervis Lamon Howard of Chicago has been charged with a Sept. 19 robbery at the Chase Bank, 800 N. Kedzie Ave., in Chicago, officials said.
According to a criminal complaint filed today, Howard, 27, is charged with stealing $1,860 after he walked up to a teller and passed a note to the teller demanding money.
The note stated, "Give me all your money or your bankers will die." Then he allegedly leaned forward and told the teller, "I will kill them all."
On Dec. 6, Howard approached a Cook County Sheriff's Deputy at the Daley Center and told him that he wanted to turn himself in to the FBI for robbing the the bank. He claimed that he had decided to rob the bank because he had been homeless and needed the money.
Twitter: @neacynewslady


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Imagine being unable to get a library card, open a bank account or cash a check because you don't have an identification or one with a valid address.
Imagine being unable to get a library card, open a bank account or cash a check because you don't have an identification or one with a valid address.
Imagine having no way for a prospective employer to reach you, or having to constantly take donated clothes because you have no money to use a public laundromat.
Not to mention wondering where you will spend the night.
"This is what daily life is like for the homeless in our county," Faith Kimes told about 150 people Friday at a breakfast summit on ways to help the homeless.
"These are things the rest of us don't have to think about."
Homeless people at the summit, held at East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church, nodded in familiarity as Kimes spoke.
Homeless since losing her job at Kmart in East Stroudsburg last year, Dottie Clark has been looking for work.
"I have an interview coming up at (East Stroudsburg University) for a full-time dishwashing job," Clark said, smiling. "Anything's better than nothing."
Ray Perkowski, who lives in his car, identified affordable housing, employment and medical/dental/pet care as some of the homeless' needs.
He's a divorced father of two who lost his Luzerne County firefighter job due to an injury.
"Any of you with jobs, homes and cars aren't far from ending up this way," he reminded the audience.
Each year, communities are required to conduct a census of the homeless and submit their findings to the federal government.
East Stroudsburg United Methodist and Stroudsburg Wesleyan are among area churches providing food and places to stay on nights when the East Stroudsburg Salvation Army shelter is filled.
When East Stroudsburg UMC learned that, prior to this year, Monroe County had not done an unsheltered homeless count since 2007, Kimes and fellow church members, including some homeless, formed a volunteer count team.
Kimes shared her eye-opening experience of dressing like a homeless person to fit in with others while doing the count.
She recounted how differently she was treated by others in society and how she saw the homeless help each other despite their plight.
Listening in agreement were two of Kimes' friends, Mike Thomas of Stroudsburg and his mother, Holly Quintana of East Stroudsburg, who do what they can to help the homeless.
Quintana has found two kinds of homeless: those who no longer want to be and those who choose to be.
She chooses to help the former.
Count team member Barb Glander, herself homeless, spoke about shattering myths of the homeless as menacing, lazy, uneducated addicts.
Glander said she has met inventive and artistic people, those with master's degrees and those who want to work again after being laid off or losing businesses.
"And they're some of the most caring people I've ever met," she said. "If given a choice between death from a mostly uncaring society and life with these people, I choose life."
The event concluded with the community being invited to join volunteer task forces formed to address specific needs.
"There's just such a need out there," said Mary Ann Broschart, who is heading the emergency shelter task force.
"You see some of these folks at the food pantry or out carrying bags of groceries because they have no personal transportation. How can you not help?"


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(Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy have been ruled out for the Philadelphia Eagles' game against Cincinnati on Thursday night.
Vick will miss his fifth straight game and McCoy his fourth because of concussions. Both players just returned to practice this week.
Rookies Nick Foles and Bryce Brown will again start at quarterback and running back, respectively.
Tight end Brent Celek also won't play against the Bengals (7-6) because of a concussion. Defensive tackle Mike Patterson (viral pneumonia) and safety Kurt Coleman (chest) also are out.
The Eagles (4-9) snapped an eight-game losing streak with a win over Tampa Bay last Sunday.
- PHOTOS: Flyers Fights
- PHOTOS: NBA All-Star Weekend 2013
- PHOTOS: NBA Cheerleaders
- PHOTOS: Wing Bowl 21
- PHOTOS: Athletes Who Wore #12


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October 21, 2004 • Posted By Shaun Lyon
BBC7 is currently broadcasting Martin Chuzzlewit featuring Pat Troughton as Old Martin, weekdays (from Monday 18th October) at 10am (repeated at 1am the next day), in ten parts. As ever, the Listen Again service allows you to listen for the following six days after broadcast, via the BBCi website. Also Monday's Million Pound Radio show featured a Doctor Who spoof. Broadcast at 0830, 2200 and 0330 the following day, this will also be avaiable for the following six days (not members of the Who cast involved). Plus each Tuesday, at 2300 and 0430 the following day, the vocal talents of Tom Baker can be doing a similar job to his Little Britain role, but many years before. Check out the BBC7 website for further info. (Thanks to Bob Berrow)


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This is a good site for this with some cute comic strips. read back through the archives. There worth it.
enviornmental education
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By Peter Becker
Managing Editor
What's new?
A bicycle tour, a car show, a golf tournament, seminars and a rally with candles have a lot in common this month in Pike County. All support awareness of the problem of domestic violence, and the help offered by Safe Haven of Pike County. These events highlight "Paint Pike Purple," an annual campaign sponsored by Safe Haven. In recognition, on Oct. 3rd the Pike County Commissioners issued a resolution naming October 2012 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Why is it needed?
• Executive Director David A. Beaver states that from July 2011 through June 2012, Safe Haven served 301 people in need- typically involving a mother and her children. There were 45 people given temporary safe shelter. • Every 15 seconds in the United States, a woman is battered. One third of female homicide victims are killed by domestic violence. • While men are sometimes abused, by and large he said women are victimized by men. Beaver said he learned in college that the right questions need to be asked. Rather than question why a woman stays with an abuser, ask why does it happen? Why does a man batter a woman? "It's because they can," Beaver said. Men who batter women typically see the woman as "property." Safe Haven is working on the problem of fining help for the one who causes the abuse. Beaver said they answer is not in therapy, but in "re-educating bad thinking."
What is coming up?
• Oct. 14, 8 a.m. 1st Annual Tour de Pike County, beginning at Milford Beach. • Oct. 14, 9:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. 1st Annual Charity Vehicle Show, at Failte Irish Pub & Steakhouse • Oct. 15, 7;30 a.m. breakfast and 9th Annual Safe Haven Golf Tournament at Lords Valley Country Club • Oct. 21, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Body, Mind & Spirit Connection Expo, at Best Western, The Inn at Hunts Landing • Oct. 23, 7-9 p.m. Town Hall Meeting: Teen Dating Violence, at DVHS auditorium • Oct. 24, 6-7 p.m. Candlelight Vigil & March, at Pike County Library, 5:30 p.m. • Oct. 26, 8:30 a.m. Training, "A Rock & a Hard Place: Domestic & Sexual Violence in the LGBTQQ Community, at The Hampton Inn, Matamoras • Oct. 31, 1-4 p.m. Safe Haven Community Open House at Safe Haven offices • Oct. 31, Safe Haven Child Safety "Trick or Treat" for kids & parents, during Milford's designated trick-or-treating, at Safe Haven offices.
How can you help?
Call Safe Haven's office number at 296-2827 if you have supplies to help the victim, to see if they are needed. Financial donations (checks) may be sent to Safe Haven of Pike County, Inc., 500 W. Harford St., Milford, PA 18337. Safe Haven of Pike County, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
How can a victim get help?
He told of a woman who put up with abuse because she wanted to be faithful to her vows and thought her predicament was "just the way it was." Once she found out she did not need to do this, she sought help, left the abusive situation and has made a life for herself. Once a woman feels empowered enough to leave, Beaver said, the abusive man is shaken to his core belief he could control her. Services offered to victims are free. To get help, call Safe Haven's Emergency Hotline at (570)296-HELP or toll free, 1-877-296-SURV (7878).
How can I just get info?
Call (570)296-2827 or visit online at www.safehavenofpikecounty.org for more information on any of these events or about Safe Haven's services.
Domestic violence in spotlight
Oct 4, 2012 at 5:31 PM Oct 4, 2012 at 5:31 PM


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Ryan Callahan scored twice and Brad Richards posted two assists, as the New York Rangers eliminated their rivals from playoff contention with a 4-1 decision over the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden.
Taylor Pyatt and Derek Stepan also tallied for the Rangers, who have won three in a row and five of six overall to pull even with idle Ottawa for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points.
"They're (Devils) out now, but that's not why we were playing. We were playing because we need to stay alive. Now we're down to nine teams, so the odds are better," Richards said.
Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves for New York, which is seeking its seventh playoff berth in the last eight years.
Andrei Loktionov recorded the lone score and Martin Brodeur stopped 18 shots for New Jersey, which will miss out on postseason hockey for the second time in the last three seasons.
"You don't want to think about it until it's actually a reality. No other word but disappointment," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said of the postseason.
New York needed only one shift to take the lead, as Callahan picked up the puck behind the New Jersey net and banked it off Brodeur's skate and in at the 34-second mark.
A Stepan deflection of a Ryan McDonagh floater from the left point with eight minutes left in the first made it 2-0 for the hosts.
Pyatt's marker, a top-shelf wrister over Brodeur's glove with 8:04 left in the second, pushed the Blueshirts' lead to three.
Callahan then chipped a shot over a prone Brodeur from the top of the left circle for a power-play goal at 5:13 of the third for a 4-0 score.
Loktionov spoiled the shutout bid for Lundqvist by beating him to the far post from the left circle with 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
The Devils went with an extra attacker for the final 2 1/2 minutes of the contest to no avail, and the Rangers paid back their Hudson River rivals for last season's Eastern Conference Finals defeat.
Game Notes
Callahan notched his second two-goal effort of the season, following a similar performance in a 4-2 win over Philadelphia on March 5 ... The Rangers have won two of three in the season series, with one more meeting to take place Saturday at Madison Square Garden ... Devils head coach Peter DeBoer was given a game misconduct with 35 seconds remaining after engaging in heated remarks towards the officials.


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What the Hey…I Guess I'll Stay
Wow, I was the featured Blog on MLBlogs.com for a couple days. What an honor. Pretty strange logging in to Mlblogs and seeing my mug on the front page. I was really starting to get discouraged from the lack of Rockie fan love(comments) on this blog.
MLBlogs thanks for noticing and giving me the inspiration to keep doing this. A pat on the back does wonders sometimes. I hope I can do MLBlogging proud.
I'm heading to the Rockies game today and in my possession are some serious tickets.
Section 144 ROW 1.
Look for me on TV. I'll be wearing my trademark green hat and a big a-ss smile.. I'm on the third base side about thirty feet past that big tarp they use on the infield.
I'm hoping a few more balls get hit foul along the third base this game than did last game. I had the same seats on Wednesday's game and saw exactly one foul ball along the third base line in ten innings.
That really sucked. I was so excited about possibly snagging a game ball I could hardly focus on the game. Any other snaggers out there feel me on that one? I didn't move out of my seat for the entire game.
I have the serious sunburn to prove it.
At Wednesday's game I saw an older fella about forty feet to the right of me get clocked by a foul ball crushed by Todd Helton in the side of his head.
(The picture is not of the old guy it's just a prop used for dramatic effect)
The staff helped him upstairs to administer first aid, Amazingly the dude was back about 15 minutes later, down but not out.
He's tough, he must have been prior Army (shameless plug).
Later the Ushers brought him the ball that clocked him with a fresh autograph from Todd Helton.
Hard price to pay for an autographed ball, but what a story this guy has to tell his grandkids.
Hit me Todd, please ! (I've yet to get Helton's autograph)
Me sitting in Section 144 Row 1
I'll be at batting practice today. It's been a really good day for me,..and I got a good feeling.
Go Rockies…D


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Sigma Alpha Epsilon Snowfest fundraiser set to begin Feb. 20
Sigma Alpha Epsilon will host its eighth annual Snowfest fundraiser to support the Children's Miracle Network.
All proceeds from this week-long event, beginning Feb. 20, will go to the Helen Devos Children's Hospital.
Snowfest is a competition between sororities who compete for points by participating in or attending different events such as making donations, winning competitions and making gift baskets for the silent auction. The winning sorority will be honored at Sigma Alpha Epsilon's True Gentleman dinner.
Things will kick off from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday in the Bovee University Center's Down Under Food Court with the Children's Miracle Network Donation Table. For $1 people can decorate a card for a child and every card/dollar a sorority donates will earn them one point.
The Central Michigan University Greeks Got Talent show will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday in the Bovee University Center Auditorium. The talent show will be limited to Greek Life members. Admission will be $1 at the door and there will be a $10 registration fee to compete.
A Date Auction will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday in the UC Auditorium. In this event, fraternity brothers will be auctioned off for specific tasks like cooking or cleaning or for dates. Each dollar spent on a brother will be one point earned for that sorority.
The Miss Minerva Pageant will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday in the UC Auditorium. The pageant will consist of three rounds. The first will give contestants five minutes to perform a talent. The second is called My True Gentleman, in which contestants will select a word that begins with each of the letters S.A.E.T.G. to describe their definition of what a true gentleman means to them. Finally, the third round will have contestants respond within one minute of being given a list of potential questions. The winner will receive $100 toward their philanthropy and 50 points. Admission will be $1 at the door.
The final event will be the Pancake Olympics, which starts at 3 p.m. Friday at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, 1001 S. Main St. . This event will be open to both fraternities and sororities. Teams will be allowed exactly four members and the fee will be $20 per team. The Olympics will consist of four rounds with each single member competing, and a final fifth round where the entire team will compete.
Also, as an optional event, there will be a Pancake Creation Contest starting 4 p.m. Friday at any participating sorority house. There will be a $15 registration fee to enter and the pancakes will be judged by sets of fraternity brothers. Pancakes will be judged on taste, presentation and creativity. The winning sorority will receive 50 points, second place will get 30 points and third place will get 2o points.
Each sorority will have the opportunity to make a gift basket for the silent auction. For each basket made, 25 points will be added toward that sorority's overall week score. The baskets should be filled to at least a $20 value.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon has already finished a $15,000 endowment with the Helen Devos Children's Miracle Network and signed a $30,000 endowment in April, 2011.


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U.K. Lawmakers Accuse Starbucks, Amazon, Google of Tax Avoidance
Executives from Starbucks Corp. (SBUX), Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) and Google Inc. (GOOG) came under attack from British lawmakers who accused the U.S. companies of using complex accounting methods to reduce their tax liabilities in the U.K.
Parliament's Public Accounts Committee questioned statements of how much profit the companies were making in Britain. Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead was told his assertion that the coffee chain continually made losses in Britain "just doesn't ring true," while Amazon's director of public policy, Andrew Cecil, was "not credible" when he declined to give details of sales generated in the U.K.
"Your entire economic activity is in the U.K., yet you pay no tax here," Margaret Hodge, the opposition Labour Party lawmaker who heads the committee, said during an exchange with Cecil at the hearing in London yesterday. "You are not putting enough tax back into the economy."
The testimony at times drew laughter from members of the cross-party committee who queried how Amazon made 20 million euros ($25 million) profit on sales of 9.1 billion euros across Europe last year and questioned why Starbucks remained in Britain. Starbucks has paid no corporation tax in the U.K. over the past three years and has recorded losses for most of the 15 years it has been operated in Britain. Google paid 6 million pounds ($9.5 million) in tax last year.
The hearing reflected public anger with large corporations that are minimizing tax bills at a time when the U.K. is driving through the biggest budget cuts since World War II to narrow the fiscal deficit. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said last week he wanted clearer international rules to help reduce tax avoidance.
'Every Intention'
Starbucks "has every intention" to make its stores in the U.K. profitable, Alstead said. "There's no tax avoidance here. We have a global tax rate of 33 percent around the world."
He angered lawmakers by refusing to publicly give details of a "low-tax" rate granted by the government in the Netherlands on payments from its U.K. business, saying the Dutch authorities wanted it to remain confidential.
Hodge told Cecil his answers were "not acceptable" and that the committee would be ordering "a serious person" from Amazon to appear before the committee next week.
Matt Brittin, vice president for Google's northern Europe's operations, said that the company pays "all the tax that it is required to." He said the company paid 6 million pounds on 396 million pounds of sales in the U.K. in the 2011 fiscal year.
"We are not accusing you of being illegal, we are accusing you of being immoral," Hodge said. Labour's Fiona Mactaggart said the company was not "matching up" to its motto to "do no evil."
The British government has pledged to crack down on what it sees as abusive tax-avoidance schemes, including a Barclays Plc (BARC) plan that denied the Treasury more than 500 million pounds.
To contact the reporter on this story: Gonzalo Vina in London at firstname.lastname@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at email@example.com


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I remember my first time out. I set my hammock up between two trees just fine. Then realized my tarp wouldn't fit between them as they were too close together. (Lesson learned; set up tarp first).
Then I pick another pair of trees and attached my straps. I then proceeded toward the second tree, while letting the straps and hammock play out of my Bishop's bag, and was still 3' from the tree when I ran out of slack. (Lesson finally learned; pace off the distance between trees before removing backpack).
It's no wonder I slept so well that first night. I was dog tired from setting up my hammock!


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AfriGeneas Genealogy and History Forum Archive
Re: success story:had to tell somebody
In Response To: Re: success story:had to tell somebody ()
Denise and Art,
Great answers! I am almost finished with "Slaves without Masters" by Ira Berlin--who I believe wrote the forward for Paul Heinegg's book-- and I am amazed how people of color managed to salvage anything resembling a family in the antebellum South. It took some creative planning to keep the black codes off your person and family.
Messages In This Thread


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Academic Early Registration for New Students
7:30 AM – 4:30 PM on Jul 10, 2015
Where: Maddox Student Activities Center, Holt Fieldhouse
Open to: Faculty, Staff, and Public
New students who plan to enroll at Carson-Newman for the 2015 summer or fall terms may sign up to attend Academic Early Registration on the Undergraduate Admissions website. Students must register prior to attending. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for additional details at 865-471-3223.


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Four Wheeling with ATV's in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains
Keri and Tim Meeker, here at Gracehill Bed and Breakfast for four days on their 1st anniversary, ran the gamut of what Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Townsend, TN have to offer with one new activity, to me at any rate! They went ATV four wheeling with Bluff Mountain Adventures at 866-428-7711 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Bluff Mountain offers guided ATV Trail Rides at Walden Lodge on Bluff Mountain. Guests sign in at the ticket office on the parkway in Pigeon Forge, and then proceed down Wears Valley Road to Walden Creek and the site where they pick up their ATV. Keri and Tim did the hour and half tour that took them up the mountain, crossing streams, to get to the top of Bluff Mountain at 2300 feet. They said the company not only went out of their way to provide a safe yet scenic tour, they were very conscientious about the strengths and weaknesses of the group and tailor made the ride for them. Definitely an activity worth repeating as the Meeker's gave it two thumbs up. The hot tub was waiting for them when they returned to the B&B. 😉 mizkathleen@ Gracehill Bed and BreakfastRead More


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Scientists this week will issue their starkest warning yet about the mounting dangers of global warming. In a report that was to be handed to political leaders in Stockholm yesterday, they will say that the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have now led to a warming of the entire globe, including land surfaces, oceans and the atmosphere.
Extreme weather events, including heatwaves and storms, have increased in many regions while ice sheets are dwindling at an alarming rate. In addition, sea levels are rising and the oceans are being acidified — a development that could see the planet's coral reefs disappearing before the end of the century.
British economist and climate change expert Nicholas Stern on Sunday called on governments to end their dithering about fossil fuels and start working to create a global low-carbon economy to curtail global warming.
Governments must decide what "kind of world we want to present to our children," he said.
The fifth assessment report on the physical science of climate change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that humanity is on course over the next few decades to raise global temperatures by more than 2oC compared with preindustrial levels. Such a rise could trigger the release of plumes of the greenhouse gas methane from the thawing Arctic tundra, while the polar ice caps, which reflect solar radiation back into space, could disappear.
Although the report does not say so, Earth would probably then be facing a runaway greenhouse effect.
The scientists' warning — the most comprehensive and convincing yet produced by climate scientists — comes at a time when growing numbers of people are doubting the reality of global warming. Last week, the UK Energy Research Center published a survey showing that the proportion of British people who do not think the world's climate is changing has almost quadrupled since 2005.
Asked if they thought Earth's climate was changing, 5 percent of respondents said "no" in 2005, a figure that rose to 11 percent last year and reached 19 percent this year.
However, as the IPCC report underlines, scientists are becoming more and more certain that climate change poses a real danger to the planet.
Many believe the disconnection between popular belief and scientific analysis has been engineered by "deniers" explicitly opposed to the lifestyle changes — including restrictions on fossil fuel burning — that might be introduced in the near future.
"There are attempts by some politicians and lobbyists to confuse and mislead the public about the scientific evidence that human activities are driving climate change and creating huge risks," Stern said.
"The public should be wary of those who claim they know for certain that unmanaged climate change would not be dangerous. For they are not only denying 200 years of strong scientific evidence — the overwhelming view of the world's scientific academies and over 95 percent of scientific papers on the subject — but they are often harboring vested interests or rigid ideologies as well," he said.
The report will be discussed this week by political leaders meeting in Stockholm.
The study — the work of more than 200 scientists — outlines the physical changes that are likely to affect Earth's climate this century.
Future reports will cover the social impact of these changes and the efforts required to offset the damage caused by global warming. A UN meeting in Paris in 2015 will then debate what actions are needed to mitigate climate change.


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COMMERCE - Texas A&M University-Commerce President Dan Jones welcomed new and returning faculty and staff to campus Thursday during the annual Fall Assembly from Ferguson Auditorium.
The event allows administration to bring everyone up to speed on various initiatives, both physically and academically.
Among the items addressed by Dr. Jones included the announcement of nearly 100 new members to the university family.
Some familiar faces, however, are stepping down. Marcia Lair has served the university since 1977, most recently as administrative assistant to the president under Dr. Keith McFarland and since Dr. Jones took over in 2009. The president announced Alicia Currin will become chief of staff and director of planning and governmental relations beginning September 1. Also retiring after 44 years of service, most recently as associate provost, is Sandra Weeks.
As is becoming routine, a number of improvements will greet new and returning students on campus this semester. The newest walking mall extension adjacent to the Ag Building is now complete, and new signage (some examples above) will help guide students and visitors. New seating and carpet has been installed at Ferguson Auditorium and a memorial dedicated to former student Rachel Rollings has been erected.
Rachel's Garden sits next to the new University Amphitheatre, among several projects currently underway. Dr. Jones says it will feature a permanent raised stage and full electrical connections, and is available now for event scheduling through the Sam Rayburn Student Center. Also in progress is the new Ag Arena at the University Farm, which will assist the equine and other programs. Additionally, work continues on a 542 bed, $26 million residence hall at the southwest corner of campus. Beginning next year, administrators will seek approval for expansion of the dining area at the Student Center to account for the university's student growth.
According to Dr. Jones, for the third year in a row A&M-Commerce is on pace to achieve record enrollment. Not just growth, but quality growth, he says, noting that more students are taking more credit hours each semester, which benefits the students themselves and performance-based funding for the university.
This will be the sixth year in a row that Texas A&M University-Commerce will offer a merit pay plan for its faculty and staff. Those receiving a raise will see the change on their October paycheck. This year's merit pool totals $1.6 million.
Dr. Jones also informed audience members that the university is in the midst of preparing for reaffirmation of accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). And another item administrators will be preparing for is the upcoming Texas legislature and how it will impact the biennial budget.
You can hear the full address above. Below, we've also added recent news on KETR about Texas A&M University-Commerce, which the president referred to Thursday, plus photos of construction on campus since work began at the conclusion of the spring semester.


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Nutrition expert Michael Greger, MD, host of the nonprofit NutritionFacts.org website, describes the only two vitamins that aren't made by plants. He cites the science showing that they are top requirements for longer life and health – but also hard to get enough of from food.
Dr. Greger "scours the world of nutrition-related research, as published in scientific journals, and brings that information to you in short, easy to understand video segments," which he publishes every day.
|This article was brought to you by Dr. Mercola.
Founder of the world's #1 natural health site, he gives you the low-down on cholesterol. Discover why you actually need Cholesterol in this FREE report.


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By Army Sgt. Luther L. Boothe Jr.
Task Force Currahee
His energy and ear-to-ear smile can brighten even the darkest situations, the soldiers here say, describing him as sincere and caring, loving to all and judgmental to none.
Army Chaplain (Maj.) Randal H. Robison has committed his life to answering his calling and is happy being a source of optimism and positivity for soldiers during deployment.
"I look at the position I hold as the brigade chaplain as a calling," said Robison, brigade chaplain for the 101st Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team in Task Force Currahee. "I believe I am here, appointed by the Lord, to be present to provide pastoral care ministry and to be present for the services of our soldiers and for our chaplains."
His responsibilities include oversight of six religious support teams that cover all of Paktika province and beyond, working with his Afghan counterpart and fulfilling his staff officer duties. But it is going above and beyond those roles with a sense of humility that separates him from others.
"I enjoy what I do. I treasure the role of the chaplaincy very much," the
, native said. "I wholeheartedly embrace it. Bringing God to soldiers and soldiers to God is very much at the basic core of my identity. I want to do to everything I can to encourage soldiers, to let them know that even in their difficult moments with the challenges they face, God is with them." Grand Prairie, Texas
His Christian beliefs are at the core of who he is, yet for many soldiers, his ability to care and make time for others is what sets him apart.
"My favorite thing about Chaplain Robison is even when he is extremely busy, if you need to talk, he will stop what he is doing and listen to you," said Army Pfc. Genevieve A. Harms, paralegal specialist with the brigade's Headquarters and Headquarters Company. "He remembers your problems, and the next time he sees you, he makes sure everything has worked out. He actually cares about soldiers and their families."
Caring about soldiers is just something he does not because he has to, but because he wants to, the chaplain said.
"I want all soldiers to know that I do care and I, at the end of the day, am a soldier just like the most-junior private we have," he added. "If I see them, I want to engage them and encourage them, knowing they have a story.
"I want to know how they are doing and how their families are doing," he continued, "because I truly feel, deeply, that our soldiers are
's finest. They are willing to serve and to be away from their families and face the hardships and challenges. Therefore, they deserve our best. Every soldier deserves the best from the soldier next to them, so that we can be able to get our mission accomplished. I want soldiers to know that they are cared for, to nourish them for who they are." America
Chaplains at the battalion level have an opportunity to interact more with troops, he said, noting that the role is different at the brigade level. "But it is still embracing the spirit and kissing the soul of the soldiers and letting them know that you do care and that God cares for them, too," he added.
Robison has a knack for making soldiers feel as if they are talking to an old friend.
"When I talk to him, he makes me feel like I am talking to someone I have known my whole life," said Harms, a
, Tacoma , native. "He knows where I am coming from, and he does not judge me based on the decisions I have made. Wash.
"When I see him walking toward me," she added, "I get the feeling that everything is going to be OK. Even if I only come across him for just one second, it makes my day better."
Ultimately, Robison said, it's about duty, country and honoring God through his service.
"I want to know I made a difference, that my service was not just signing up and going through the motions, but that I made a difference in the lives of those who I have been able to meet because they have made a difference in mine," he said. "With every soldier, I think if I can know them, that maybe somehow I could make a difference in their life."
Robison said he tries to start every day on his knees in prayer.
"Part of my prayer is to place my life and the lives of my soldiers in Christ's hands and for his guidance, wisdom and understanding, and I try to rest in that -- to know that God's keeping hand is upon us for all Currahees," he said.
The chaplain said his personal faith drives what he does. "It defines who I am as a Christian pastor," he said, "and in my role as a Christian chaplain, it just compels me to it. I try to do it with a sense of joy."