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Data breach concerns running rampant, survey finds
IT and compliance pros think their organizations are unready for a major security breach, a new survey has found.
IT security and compliance practitioners are exhibiting a "disturbing lack of confidence" in the ability of organizations to use sensitive information securely, a new survey finds.
The survey, which was sponsored by Oracle and conducted by the Traverse City, Mich.-based Ponemon Institute, looked at the data privacy and data protection concerns of 1,000 IT security workers and compliance professionals. It found that many see the potential for disastrous data loss and feel that their organizations aren't equipped to deal with the risk.
Among the survey's findings, 42% of respondents said they believe their organizations are doing a poor job of curbing the risk of loss or theft of confidential information. Meanwhile, 45% said they would be unable to identify and notify the users or customers affected by any potential data breach.
The Ponemon Institute also found that audit management tools and privileged user access controls are the data-protection technologies expected to get the most uptake in the next 12-18 months. This particular finding caught the eye of Peter Finnigan, a security consultant currently working with Siemens Ltd. and a well-known
Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute, said during a Tuesday webcast that the survey was conducted independently of Oracle's influence and that it was not designed to promote any specific product or service.
Finnigan said customers he has worked with are beginning to realize that securing data itself is more important than securing servers or networks. But, he added, it's a message that still hasn't fully taken hold.
"People are not taking care to secure sensitive and personal data," Finnigan said. "A lot of sites do not employ an audit at all or, if they do, it is woefully inadequate, and for this reason the survey could be correct that a lot of customers would not be able to tell their clients that there had been a breach."
Data breach list getting longer
The Ponemon Institute survey comes at a time when Pfizer Inc. reported that the identities of 17,000 current and former employees were compromised when an employee's spouse installed unauthorized file-sharing software on a company laptop where the data was stored. Also last week, the Division of Workforce Services for Salt Lake, Utah, reported that the social security numbers of 20,000 children are believed to have been stolen.
Big software vendors aren't immune to the dangers of data loss, either. Last month, IBM reported that tapes containing information mainly about former employees had been lost in transit. The exact number of people affected is not known.
breach has cost TJX about $25 million in related fees to date.
Stephen Wolfe, an information systems security officer for the 6th Medical Group at MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, Fla., said the ongoing coverage of the TJX debacle should serve as a reminder that security programs need to be properly planned and adequately funded. It's a message that sometimes seems to be lost on organizational higher-ups such as CFOs and CEOs.
"You need to have the funds and the manpower to do the job properly," said Wolfe, who has worked for the government for about 30 years. "[TJX] could have been prevented if the people had been resourced properly."
Wolfe said that all of the high-profile data breaches in the news of late are unsurprising.
"If you're connected to the Internet, security is an important issue today," he said. "You cannot underscore that enough."
Too much information
During Tuesday's webcast, Ponemon said that, in general, IT security professionals such as chief security officers are slightly more pessimistic about data privacy than their counterparts who work in the area of compliance. But, he said, there is definitely an overriding feeling between both groups that organizations are ill-prepared to deal with data security threats.
One reason for that lack of confidence is that most IT and compliance pros feel that too much personally identifiable information is scattered across their IT systems, Ponemon said.
"In other words, [data is] just all over the place," he said. "This paints a pretty dismal picture here, and maybe it's dismal because organizations lack the controls and aren't listening to their IT practitioners."
Survey respondents were also highly concerned about what Ponemon called over-privilege, where giving the wrong people too much access to information can lead to serious errors and possible security breaches.
"This is a situation which is a common problem," he said. "Organizations will grant certain access rights to certain applications or certain types of data, and as a result of some decision made perhaps at the business unit level or perhaps in concert with IT, the access rights don't necessarily match the job function."


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Last week, my colleagues Lode, Jonathan and I spearheaded our 2018 series of In The Pocket Academies. The topic? Our favourite tool of the trade, React Native, and how we build, shape, and deliver applications with it. The crowd (we were fully-booked!) streamed into our Arena, ready for an evening of knowledge-sharing among developers.
React under the hood
Jonathan Dierckens (React Native & Full-Stack developer) rocketed into our evening with a higher-level abstraction of our favourite framework. In his talk, he went in-depth on how React Native uses the Javascript runtime in combination with the native bridge to run & communicate to the applications we write. Some questions were investigated thoroughly:
- How does the React Native bridge help us develop faster?
- Can we write our own and what does it bring for us performance wise?
- What's the link between the Animated API offered by React Native and performance?
After this first part of Jonathan's talk, he dove into another topic that causes developers frequent headaches: making choices.
We all know large applications require making the correct (hard) choices for the goal you want to pursue, if you want to succeed and deliver a great product. From an architecture point of view, there's a plethora of tools to consider when building modern React Native applications. How do we lint & format our code? Will we develop inside of a framework like Expo, which gives us extra features but also limitations or do we go for the native lower-level way? How do we manage state? Some cutting-edge APIs & tools, like Unstated & the new React Context API, really sparked the interest of our crowd.
Want the full story? Check out Jonathan's slides & full-length presentation. The code that accompanied this presentation is also hosted on our Github.
The power of components
Lode (Solution Architect at In The Pocket) brought us valuable insights on how a component-first architecture helps you scale & power-up your application. In this talk, Lode outlined that using a component-based approach can help close the gap between design & dev.
Taking advantage of design systems -which are often based on components- both parties can centralise their UI in a single source of truth where all the guidelines, colours, layouts & icons are gathered and are kept consistent across usage in different tools like Sketch, Zeplin but of course also React or other web/native frameworks.
By creating this kind of shared vocabulary:
- Our applications cause less user confusion.
- Developers & designers can iterate faster.
- Onboarding for new collaborators or external parties is simpler.
To take this a step further, Lode introduced the concept of separating logic in React components between container & presentational components. This way of thinking moves our data logic to a container and uses presentational components for displaying data only. Effectively creating a separation of concerns, colocation of data, excludes dependencies for view-focused components and helps us reason about responsibilities.
As a cherry on the cake, Lode listed some tools like Storybook & React Sketchapp to give this component-based flow a kickstart.
Check out the details in the slides or watch the recording of the presentation:
Bridging the gap between React & React Native
When React & React Native were released, they opened up new explorations, design patterns & possibilities for software engineers to create applications. With React ,we were able to very easily create UI applications that scale. However, one of the main gripes for building truly cross-platforms applications remained: shared components & codebase across React (web) & React Native applications.
With my background in web, I was seriously bothered by this issue. I outlined how, using components, we still duplicate our code across both platforms just because we use different naming conventions on both platforms (e.g.: <div /> vs <View />). If we start by boiling down what components we actually really need (these so-called 'primitives'), we can see that we really only need a subset of what React DOM & React Native give us.
With react-native-web, the excellent library created by Twitter developer Nicolas Gallagher, we can use these primitives to create platform-agnostic components that work on both platforms but have to be written only once.
You can already imagine the benefits: less code duplication, easy integrating, and shareable libraries distributed via npm modules that act like a single source of truth for components. An interesting route to explore could even be writing component libraries for the web & native that designers could use to prototype how their designs might look in code in favour of tools like Framer or Invision.
As a showcase for this talk, I made a repository that consists of 3 main parts:
- Our component library, exporting components and leveraging the power of react-native-web
- A react web application using the component library
- A react native application using the same library
Interested in the complete talk? Be sure to check out the slides & presentation in full.
Thanks for listening, on to the the next one!
Sharing knowledge, having a drink, and networking among React Native enthusiasts, our Academy crew had a blast and we hope you did too. We're already looking forward to our next React Native Academy where we'll further explore React Native in production applications and discuss how we can leverage its powers.
Thank you to all who attended, we can't wait to see you at RN Academy #2! (Subscribe to our newsletter below, and we'll keep you in the loop!)

subset: commoncrawl


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Eve is the second human created by God, taken from one of Adam's ribs and shaped into a female form of Adam. Far from the traditional model of a good wife, she is often unwilling to be submissive towards Adam. She is more intelligent and curious about external ideas than her husband. Though happy, she Read More
Describe the character of Adam in Paradise Lost.
Adam is the first human created by God. Though initially alone, Adam demands a mate from God. Considered God's prized creation, Adam, along with his wife, rules over all the creatures of the world and resides in the Garden of Eden. He is more gregarious than Eve, and yearns for her company. His complete infatuation Read More
Elucidate the importance of The Fourth Book of Paradise Lost.
Answer: In the Fourth book of Paradise Lost, we are given more insight into the character of Eve and Satan. As Eve narrates her first waking moments after her own creation, we are immediately introduced to Eve's weakness, vanity. She awakes near a lake and sees an image of herself and thinks the images beautiful. Read More
Discuss the conflict between good and evil in Paradise Lost, Book 1.
Discuss the conflict between God vs. Satan in Paradise Lost. Answer: In the poem, Paradise Lost Satan was thrown out of heaven for rebelling against God and all that is good. He was the archangel and is the most beautiful and perfect angel, but he was not so perfect because he had flaws. Some of Read More
Do the speeches of Satan reveal that Milton was of the Devil's party without knowing it? Justify your answer with reference to 'Paradise Lost, Book 1'.
Answer: It was William Blake who observed that Milton belonged to the Devil's party without knowing it. The remark implies that Milton unconsciously glorified Satan, especially in Book 1 of Paradise Lost. This point of view is typical of the Romantic spirit, and it makes Satan the real hero of Paradise Lost. The Romantics admired Read More
Discuss the character of Beelzebub in Paradise Lost.
Answer: In Paradise Lost, Beelzebub, along with Satan, was one of the brightest angels in heaven. After losing the war Satan and Beelzebub were hurled down from heaven by God, and imprisoned in hell. The pair deeply wanted revenge on God, and it was Beelzebub who came up with the plan for furtive revenge. The Read More
In what sense Milton is the child of Renaissance and Reformation?
In what sense Milton is the child of Renaissance and Reformation? Or, Show the blending of Renaissance and Reformation in Milton's work. Answer: Milton's work reflects the influence of both the reformation and the Renaissance. The Renaissance and the Reformation had their impact on England in the sixteenth century. Generally speaking, they exerted pulls in Read More
Give a description of Hell as depicted in Paradise Lost, Book-1.
Give a description of Hell as depicted in Paradise Lost, Book-1. Or Write a short note on Milton's description of Hell in Paradise Lost, Book 1. Answer: In Paradise Lost, Milton gives a vivid' and effective Picture of Hell. Hell is a place of torment, evoking the quality of sinister wilderness. It is a "dismal Read More
'Paradise Lost' as a Classic Epic.
Consider 'Paradise Lost' as an Epic. Or, What qualities of an epic do you find in 'Paradise Lost'? Answer: Paradise Lost is one of the finest examples of epic tradition in all of literature. Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in Read More


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A COLOURFUL ceremony was held in Birmingham to usher in the Chinese New Year.
Dragons and dancers took over the Oriental Bar and Restaurant in Birmingham's Mailbox to mark the start of the Year of the Ox.
Organisers said the choice of animal was particularly appropriate, given the hard economic times the country finds itself in.
The Chinese message for the Year of the Ox says: "The sort of problems that are encountered in the year of the Ox tend to be home front problems that seem to be never-ending
"In this year success will be achieved solely through hard work."


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37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
KUNDUZ PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Soldiers of 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and members of the Afghan National Police were conducting a training patrol in the Gor Teppa area March 23, 2012, when they came across an injured child.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Young, the platoon sergeant, and Army Staff Sgt. Charles Cox, a squad leader, were the first to notice the child's arm wrapped in cardboard. The platoon medic, Army Pvt. Eric Baldwin, recognized the situation as an opportunity to spread goodwill and conduct an impromptu class on splinting.
The child stated, through the platoon's language assistant, that he injured his arm while wrestling.
Using a structural aluminum malleable splint, Baldwin made a more stable platform for the child's arm. The SAM splint is a compact, lightweight, highly-versatile device designed for immobilizing bone and soft tissue injuries in emergency settings. It consists of a layer of .016 inches (0.41 mm) strips of soft aluminum, with a polyethylene closed-cell foam coating.
Baldwin also showed the boy and his parents how to properly form the splint and to make a better sling to keep the arm secure.
The area being patrolled is relatively underdeveloped and lacks many modern medical treatment facilities. Through partnering with Afghan forces, coalition forces are constantly working to fill the gap between the needs of the people and the existing infrastructure in Afghanistan.
Company A hopes to gain the trust of the people they interact with through these goodwill gestures while conducting their normal duties.
The 37th IBCT is deployed to northern Afghanistan in support of the International Security Assistance Force in an effort to build Afghanistan National Police capacity through security force assistance.


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Lostprophets Singer To Remain In Jail On Child Sex Charges
Watkins appeared before Cardiff Crown Court via a video link from Parc Prison in Bridgend, Wales on New Year's Eve according to Classic Rock.
As we previously reported, Watkins has been charged with conspiring with a woman to rape a one-year-old child and other crimes.
He faces one charge of conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13 and four child pornography related charges.
A 24-year-old woman faces the same charges as Watkins and a 20-year-old woman faces all the charges except conspiracy to rape. Read the original report here.


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a reader wrote in wondering how he could use a bluetooth headset with an ericsson t68i and an ipaq 3970. basically, he wants to be able to "speak" a name from his ipaq contact list and have that name dialed automatically via the t68i. i know he could sync his contacts to the phone and then use the voice dialing feature of the phone, but he wants to initiate the call from the pocket pc via a voice command. calling all geeks! how can we do this?
user comments 50 comment(s)
|can ipaq talk to multiple bluetooth devices ? (11:36am est fri aug 23 2002)
can the ipaq talk to multiple bluetooth devices without any manual intervention ? (once setup and paired)
i know you can have several devices paired, but can it simply jump between headset and phone as required ?
|why dont you just use the headset (11:50am est fri aug 23 2002)
er…i own a t68i..the bluetooth headset has a microphone. why dont you just speak into the microphone? wont that be easier? – by ky
|re: why don't you . . . (12:37pm est fri aug 23 2002)
he does not want to sync. the ipaq contacts and the t68i phonebook. not sure why, but maybe it just means cutting out one more sync.
ipaq displays more info. i assume (not got a t68), making it better for contact management.
in either case, would you not have to record a voice tag for each number (most used ones). unless you started to use some form of voice recognition.
all in all, i think you would need software that is specifically written or modified to make this work.
|don't think it's possible (8:28am est tue aug 27 2002)
bluetooth specifies a number of different profiles that may be implemented by a bluetooth enabled device. for example a headset profile, a sync profile etc. for a discussion of profiles see this page:
so, unless the ipaq has implemented a headset profile (which i doubt), the headset will not be able to communicate with it.
this is also the reason why the nokia 7650 phone sucks! they have chosen not to implement the bluetooth headset profile. this means that you can use the phone for data transfer but never with a bluetooth headset.
i have to give credit for the readers idea though. definitely geekish :^)
|voip with bluetooth headset (2:35pm est tue oct 15 2002)
i want to know how i can utilize a bluetooth headset with either a laptop or an ipaq with bluetooth. i have the avaya voip client for each and can carry on a phone conversation over their built in microphone and speakers but i would love to have the quality and freedom of wireless. – by clay fox
|solution (10:09pm est sun oct 27 2002)
– by zach
|nokia 7650 headset (4:19pm est mon oct 28 2002)
who does realy need a bluetooth headset?
headsets suck anyway! – by tohbi
|your wish come true !!! (6:54am est wed nov 06 2002)
good luck – by martin


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When a popular game leaves little room for creative gameplay, gamers find ways to make the game more entertaining. In the case of Destiny, a dance crew put together a little routine in the far corners of Venus while out on patrol. You can check out the video below.
Destiny's Husky Raid clan put together the little routine, with members g1vMEE uh HAN, VoidJedi appel, SuperStartop, Mackovanich and Epoxin all chipping in their moves, expertise and choreography to help bring it all to life. The whole routine was directed by Destiny player BoisterousBiddy.
Basically the video sees one of the members doing most of the core dancing while the others provide a light-show using various gun effects. It's an ingenious tactic that I never would have figured to do in a game like Destiny. Then again, Bungie and Activision's first-person shooter has bored me to tears every time I try to get into it and the gameplay literally puts me to sleep, which is a hard feat to do for a video game that isn't a turn-based, hexagonal war simulator set during the dynasty of the three kingdoms.
The video has easily gone viral, thanks to Destiny's massive player base and constantly engaged community, and with the help of some gaming sites that live and breathe on all things Bungie related.
A lot of the commenters on the YouTube page also really dig the dance routine, with FreshPrinceYuup stating...
This dance routine was more exciting than Destiny's entire campaign. How can I try out? Lol
That sentiment about the dance routine being exciting and entertaining is shared amongst a lot of other YouTube visitors as well, with a few people actually exclaiming that it's the greatest thing they've ever seen in their entire life (they must be very young).
Destiny, much to the surprise of those of you who are unfamiliar with the title, is not a dancing game. It's a sci-fi shooter that works as Bungie's successor to what they accomplished with the Halo franchise.
Players are able to create and customize their very own character, outfit them with a number of different armor sets, scavenge for new weapons spanning a wide range of planets and locations, and participate in classic raiding events similar to other MMOs out there. Even though the game has been heavily criticized for its lack of features and limited content, Destiny has still managed to capture the hearts and minds of gamers the world around, especially when there are videos like the one above circulating.
Up next for the game is the long awaited House of Wolves expansion that has a lot of gamers on the edge of their seats. You can keep track of all the latest updates for Destiny by paying a visit to the game's official website.


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By: Sal Cangeloso
A digital camera is just about useless if it is too big or bulky to carry around with you. Large DSLRs take very high quality images but they can be a hassle to carry around, which means they are not always ideal for occassions like vacations and parties. Of course, if you want high-resolution shots, there is no substitute for a quality camera with a solid lens, but the trade-off can be worth it if you would rather have a small, light camera and can deal with the images they take.
This review is going be taking a look at Kodak's V550 digital camera. This five megapixel digital camera is quite small and is clearly aimed at competing with cameras like Canon's popular PowerShot SD line. This is a tough segment of the market because it must balance style, size, and image quality. We are going to take a good, hard look at the V550 and see how it sizes up. Kodak is not the market leader the way that Canon is, but their EasyShare line has been able to hold its own, and it should be worthy competition.
The V550 arrived in a cardboard box straight from Geeks.com. The camera was a refurbished model but arrived in perfect condition with all the available instructions and accessories. The whole kit was in an original retail box and the only indication that the camera refurbished is a small sticker on its bottom and the information on Geeks.com's sales page.
At just 3.7″ x 2.2″ x 0.9″ and 5.1 oz (without the battery) this camera is ideal for throwing in your pocket or carrying around for extended periods of time. This is the goal of a model like this- to be small and stylish- and it is why cameras in this class carry a considerable price premium over standard point-and-shoot models. Just a quick look at the V550 will reveal its aluminum body, metal buttons, 2.5″ LCD, and optical zoom lens, all are expensive options which many cameras this size go without.
Image resolution: 5.0 megapixel (2576 × 1932 pixels)
Still format: JPEG/EXIF v 2.21
Lens: 36–108 mm f/2.8–4.8 (35 mm film camera equivalent)
Zoom: 3X optical zoom, digital zoom 4X
Aperture: f/2.8 at wide, f/4.8 at tele
Shutter speed: 8–1/1448 sec
Viewfinder: real image viewfinder
LCD: 2.5 in. (6.4 cm) 230K pixel high-resolution indoor/outdoor color display with wide viewing angle (170º)
Scene modes: sport, landscape, close-up, night portrait, night landscape, snow, beach, text, fireworks, flower, manner/museum, self-portrait, party, children, backlight, panning shot, candle light, sunset, custom
Color modes: high color, natural color, low color, sepia, black and white
Burst mode: 3 fps, maximum 5 image in any quality mode
Shot to shot: 1.0 sec
Video mode: continuous MPEG-4 video with audio capture and playback
Video resolution: 30 fps @ VGA (640 × 480), 30 fps @ QVGA (320 × 240)
Video format: QUICKTIME, MPEG-4
Auto focus: TTL-AF—Multi-zone AF and Center Zone AF
Sensitivity: ISO equivalent 80–160 (auto) and 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 (1.8 MP) (selectable)
White balance: auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, open shade
Ease-of-use features:
– On-camera cropping, multiple zoom in and moveable crop window
– Built-in flash, auto, fill, off, digital red-eye reduction
Storage: 32 MB internal memory, SD/MMC card expansion slot
Power: KODAK Li-Ion Digital Camera Battery KLIC 7001
Tripod mount: 1/4 in. standard
I/O interface: A/V output (NTSC or PAL, user selectable), exclusive KODAK Camera Dock/Printer Dock interface, digital (USB 2.0) connector
Those are a lot of specifications to take in, but they do give us a good feel for this camera's capabilities. The exterior of the V550 shows its all-metal body, easy-to-navigate buttons, and large LCD. The camera is very good looking and its metal body lends it a feeling of quality and durability. Our model came with a black exterior, but it is also available in silver.
The Kodak uses a Schneider-Kreuznack C-Variogon lens with 3x optical zoom. Optical zoom is an important feature for a small camera because they allow for better image quality than digital zoom. The camera does have 4x optical zoom which may come in handy at times, but ideally it won't be needed.
Looking at the back of the camera we can see where the majority of the controls are located. Below the viewfinder on the left side are the Delete, Menu, Review, and Share buttons. These are used for controlling the camera's functions and the pictures. The only function here thish is not found on most cameras is the Share button, which allows users to mark a photo for sharing. This can be done by tagging a picture as a favorite, to print a picture, or to email it later on. The LCD screen is recessed so the camera can be placed down without scratching it. The screen is quite larger, and it much more impressive than the 1.8″ screens on most cameras this size.
The right side of the V550's rear has the zoom controls, LED indicators, and a five-way navigation button. The navigation button toggles the settings, like macro and panorama modes, as well as similar camera functions. Overall the rear of the camera is easy to work with and uncluttered. Kodak has aimed its products more at entry level users so ease-of-use is very important as it limiting the functions which are handled through the buttons and moving them to the menu where they can be toggled with more instructions.
On top of the V550 are the buttons for Auto mode, the portrait mode, the scene, the video mode, the power, flash mode, and finally the shutter. Placed on top, these buttons are easy to access. The four buttons on the right part of the metal top piece which makes them look very cool, similar to the buttons on Motorola's Razr cell phone. The buttons are backlit by blue LEDs which make them look even better, and makes them easier to identify.
The camera's menu system is activating simply by pressing the Menu button on the left side of the rear. Once in here it is easy navigate using the five-way nav controls. The average user of a point-and-click like this one will probably not need to play around within the menu system too much, but here it is easy to do things like set the self-timer, enable burst shooting, change the image resolution from 5.0 MP down to 1.8 MP, set color mode, adjust white balance, or whatever else you want to do. One useful feature here is to toggle between saving pictures onto the 32 MB internal storage or to use the SD slot. Because the camera comes with 32 MB of internal storage it does not include an SD card, something which users will definitely need to buy and should factor into the cost of the V550.
The bottom of the V550 holds the 1/4″ tripod mount, the connector which is used with the base, and the door which can be slid open to reveal the battery and the flash media insert. The camera uses is a rechargeable Li-Ion 720 mAh battery (model KLIC-7001), which is made by Kodak. Like the camera, the battery is quite small so don't expect a long life from it. Ours generally lasted for a bit over 100 shots, which is not that great, but considering the weight and the size of the LCD, it is acceptable. It would probably be a smart idea to buy a spare battery if you plan on using the camera during extended outings.
The V550's base is a very simple device which is basically the camera's headquarters. The base is the best place to store the camera, it can recharge the battery, and also allows for file transfers. The connections on the rear of the base are the power in (which can also be connected directly to the camera) and an A/V out which uses either composite cables or USB (both of which can also connect to the camera). While base is by no means necessary it is useful and has a battery indicator which makes it a better choice for charging than using the camera alone.
Using the V550 digital camera is fun and easy, just like Kodak's designers intended it to be. Its size and weight to not make it the most compact camera in its class, but it is tough to complain about the V550's feel. Shooting it very easy and can be done with a minimum of hesitation or set up. A few basic options are available on the top and rear of the camera, these are the ones which the average consumer will need when using a camera like this, and the others are tucked away in the menu system. The camera is clearly intended for casual users who do not want to get bogged down with too many options. It should be noted that the side buttons on the five-way navigation are used during shooting for exposure compensation, something which is very helpful and a bit out of character.
[ click to show the original ]
During indoor shooting the V550 worked well. The 5 MP CCD sensor and continuous auto focus rarely have any problems adjusting for conditions and the shots are of good quality. The shot-to-shot speed is right about a second, during which the user can delete the picture if it does not look like it came out properly. The images are 2576×1932 and about 1.2 MB, though this varies greatly depending on what is shot. The camera will automatically adjust orientation of a shot so that pictures taken with the camera turned will end up with a portrait shot.
When shooting outdoors the Kodak did ever better than inside. Like more non-DSLR digital cameras the quality of the shot is very much dependent on the available lighting. The picture above has very crisp detail and nice coloring, mainly due to the abundance of natural light. The picture before this one, is a bit blurred because of the size of the room relative to the size of the camera's flash. The camera coped with the sun and brightness of the snow well and the colors did not wash out as much as was expected. Overall, the V550 did very well with outdoor/vacation shots, and the only thing which could help out a bit more would be a larger resolution, but 5 MP for a camera this size is still better than most.
One area where the V550 had some problems was with macro shots. Here the auto focus was extremely fickle and it would often simply not focus on the subject. In areas of improved lighting this process went more smoothly, but it was definitely an issue. Luckily this is not something which a compact camera is used for frequently, but when it does come up the camera can be rather stubborn. When the auto focus did cooperate, as seen above, the result was a well-taken shot, but this is certainly not the V550's strongest area.
The camera's other features like scene modes, color modes, are all interesting additions, but without a lot of experimenting they are not too useful. These are the type of thing that most users acknowledge but never take advantage of. One feature which will come in handy is the video capture which is done using continuous MPEG-4 video with audio capture and playback capabilities. The camera can be set to shoot at either 640 × 480 or 320 × 240. Both resolutions are taken at 30 frames per second.
Many consumers see Kodak as a company who prospered during the time of the film camera but is not having trouble competing in the digital camera field. While this is not complete untrue and Kodak does have vested interest in film, their digital cameras should not be judged prematurely. Kodak has focused more on entry-level digital cameras which means that offering are good for most casual users, but their lack of higher end models has left them largely disregarded by reviewers and camera professionals.
The V550 does not offer anything ground-breaking, but it is an attractive product with the features most people are interested in. The camera is very easy to use, possibly leaning a bit too much towards the entry-level, but has a built quality and style that allows it to compete with some of the best cameras in the segment.
The V550 was clearly designed to compete with cameras like Canon's PowerShot SD400. Canon has been the leader of the digital camera industry for some time now, so emulating their form factor and specifications was certainly a step in the right direction. Kodak was able to put together a nicer exterior and easier to use interface than any used on the PowerShots. Even so, the Kodak lacks the distinction and tweaking with Canon has been able to work into it models- the V550's image quality, battery life, and macro capilities are all a bit behind. The price of the Kodak gives its a considerable advantage over the Canon models, though it will still be a tough choice considering the brand name and refinement which Canon brings to the table.
Fire (+)
– All metal body
– Great size
– Easy to use
Rain (-)
– Has trouble with closeup shots
– Tough competition


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Title: Raksha
Author: Frankie Rose
Star rating: 5/5
I was supplied a copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
So what's it about?
The Sanctuary is as any sanctuary should be – a place of calmness and tranquillity. But when the calm is enforced and the people controlled by 'Halos'; devices that inhibit emotions and drug the wearer into indifferent submission, how can this sanctuary be anything more than a prison? And then there are the Amphi-matches…
Falin Kitsch is a fighter. She belongs to the House of Kitsch and the 'Trues' – people whose emotions are not inhibited by a halo - that govern it. She, like the others of her class, is a commodity for her family. Falin train, they fight, and their wins in the amphi-matches earn their families status and wealth. But when Falin Kitsch is pitted against her friend and training partner Falin Asha, everything she has ever known crumbles at her feet…
Love it or hate it?
I absolutely LOVED this book. I was hooked from the very first page and was emotionally invested in the characters before I even made it 10% of the way through!
The journey the reader takes with our protagonist 'Kit' is two-fold. Not only do we explore the mysteries of the world with her on her physical journey; the sanctuary, the terrors of the river, the fires of Freetown, the dilapidated city from the world before; but we also are privy to her emotional awakening and the struggle that comes from one minute having no feelings to the next having a maelstrom of emotions beating at you. I really liked Kit: confused, lost, out of her depth and yet strong, capable and determined. Ryka, her unwanted rescuer and, later, love interest suits Kit down to the ground. His playful character counterpoised with his own secret fears makes for an interesting and relatable character - and that moment when he makes their blades sing… wowie…Ah-hem…. Where was I?…
The world, characters, conflict and dilemmas are well crafted and rousing. The writing is descriptive and beautiful whilst remaining pithy and engaging. I did not find a wasteful word or sentence – and for someone who tends to skim read the superfluous drivel you can find in other novels – this was a fantastic and commendable positive! The literary qualities of this novel could have classrooms discussing it for weeks. The hints at the world that existed before and the allusions to the ancient world of the coliseum and gladiatorial battles entrenches the story in a brutal history. The exploration of human nature and the question of what it means to be human could have reader's blogging for days. The irony of Kit's escape from one world only to land in another so similar to the first, could spark the fiercest of debates - and all this in 354 pages – marvellous! I cannot wait for the remainder of the series!
I have already heard this compared to The Hunger Games and I am a little annoyed by the simplicity of the reference. If you are going to compare this to another dystopian novel then for that matter compare it to Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaids Tale' or Orwell's '1984' because it deserves to be on the same reading lists and sit on the same shelves and if this book isn't thought of as a YA literary classic in a few years then I will be thoroughly disappointed.
A Fantastic Book; A Wonderful Story; A Brilliant Read; An all-round winner!
Read this if…
Favourite quote:
"Hey," the blonde girl says breezily. "You came in last night, didn't you? You're from Lockdown?" She leans forward and gives me a kiss on the cheek before I can flap my arms and reach for a knife or swat her away. She's smiling too broadly to have noticed the look of abject horror on my face.
Frankie Rose. Raksha (Kindle Locations 2391-2393).
Reviewer: Hagnut (18/05/13)
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Dental Insurance
United HealthOne allows you to add an excellent dental insurance plan to a United HealthOne health insurance policy, or even purchase the dental insurance on its own. The United Health Colorado individual/family PPO dental plan has a network of over 73,000 dentists, preventive care covered with no deductible or waiting period, and a low $50 calendar year deductible for basic and major services. For more details, you can get quotes and apply online for the United Health One dental plan here.
**Any descriptions of coverage on this page may not be current and should not be taken as a description of coverage. Any persons seeking to get a full description of coverage should view Colorado plan description forms and/or brochures for the plan they are interested in purchasing. Contact Insurance Shoppers to ensure the information you're viewing is up-to-date.
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Shaving Like a Boss
So there has been a lot of talk lately about the dollar shave club. Of course by talk, I mean occasionally I've seen an ad for it.
But you know what, I'm a member of a better club. The 20 cent shave club. Here's the deal. I shave like your grandpa, and potentially, given menopause, your grandma.
What I mean by this, is not just that your grandparents are hairy, but that I shave using one of these:
That's right, I shave like a lumberjack. In fact, if Chuck Norris didn't shave with a chainsaw, he'd shave with a double edge safety razor.
Now, I don't usually write blogs about products I like. However, I'm going to make an exception here as I get the feeling that there are a large number of hapless men who are unaware of the benefits of throwing away their cartridge-based training wheels and shaving like a man should.
With something that can kill you.
Why I made the switch.
For those of you who actually read my blogs right the way through, you might notice that I'm not a fan of 'monopolies'. Now so I don't lose people right here, by monopolies I mean a business (or any entity) who essentially holds the sole right of selling something. An example of this might be an electricity provider who has no competitors.
Generally as far as I'm concerned power should lie with consumers. The problem you see is that a monopoly can charge pretty much what it wants as a result of it facing no competition.
The Gillette Model
So here's the queue for the entry of my razor.I loved my Mach 3. I won't lie to you, in the world of disposable razors the Mach 3 is king. And although they can add as many blades as they want, the three-blade model will always be my true love.
But here's what I don't like. See the black bubble on the top of the razor handle? That's what you push to detach the razor's head when the blades go blunt.
And here's the first problem, at about $3.50 each Mach 3 razors are expensive. They're also made of plastic and lies.
Okay, maybe not lies, but the problem is that they're not cheap AND become your only choice after you've bought a heavily-discounted handle like the one above.
This is because the Mach 3 handle is specifically sold cheap in order to encourage people to become locked in to a shaving subscription with Gillette. You buy the cool looking handle and then BAM! You're locked into servitude to Gillette as you pay through the nose to constantly buy new cartridges.
This is commitment and should have you running from the personal care section of the supermarket post-haste.
However, there is more to this story. You see Gillette is able to use this method of selling to effectively reduce the competition they face. This is because once you own one of those sexy little Mach 3 handles, you can only use cartridges which are compatible with it.
I have the power!
Mind blown? Probably not, after all it's obvious.
But I decided at this point that I should do some investigation about ways I could escape the tyranny of Gillette. Eventually I came across this article on the lost art of shaving like a man. I was intrigued, there appeared to be a very large community of shavers who were obsessed with this lost art form.
According to them (the internets) by switching I could expect a cheaper and better shave. In fact, it was routinely promised that by dropping the disposable razor I would start to enjoy shaving, live longer and be irresistible to the opposite sex. Who was I to argue with this?
I mean it was on the internet so must be true.
The equipment
So after hours of research and watching men shave (on youtube, not through the window), I was armed with the most powerful weapon of all: knowledge. And bears with lasers.
According to my research what I needed was a completely new set of tools:
See that mug and the brush up there? At the bottom of the mug is what's called 'shaving soap'. Essentially, this is like that shaving foam that you get from a can except you make it yourself.
That's right, like some kind of demi-god I actually give birth to my own foam each morning. So what if as a man you'll never experience child birth? It's overrated when compared with being able to conjure shaving foam from the deepest recesses of a shaving mug.
Now obviously for you to be able to shave the hairs from your face you're going to have to do some cutting. This is where the double-edge blade and razor handle comes in.
Now, I've shown you 'Astra' blades right the way through this blog post as they're my favourite, but I would suggest that anybody who wants to move to this style of shaving, test a whole bunch of blade types first. It's true, the right blade will depend on the person.
Pick the wrong one and you'll end up looking like this:
I researched long and hard when picking the handle. After all, it had to look cool otherwise this entire exercise was a waste of time.
But I also didn't want to get something which wasn't going to be suitable for a beginner. Eventually I settled for a Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor on the basis of it having received great reviews, being made by the Germans and it being reasonably priced.
The cost of setup
So initial set up cost me around $60. That's for a razor handle, blades, a shaving mug, soap and a shaving brush. You can definitely go cheaper or more expensive, but my research suggested this was probably the sweet spot for quality/price.
Now before you get turned off by what seems to be an excessive amount of moolah for shaving gear you need to remember a couple of things.
Firstly, your razor will last you for years. In fact, this is something that you can pass down to one of the many grandchildren you'll end up having as a consequence of your new found virility.
Secondly, I jumped right into the experience by buying all the gear at once. So it was more expensive than it had to be.
If you only bought a reasonable quality razor and a year's worth of blades you'd be looking at about $40 (ie retained your canned foam).
And in the long-term you'll make this money back, as based on changing your blade once a week my annual shaving costs come out to be around $10 per year.
Having said that, with all the new girlfriends you'll get when you switch to shaving like a man, these savings will be quickly whittled away.
But in any case, I for one would prefer this than having my money whittled away by an inanimate object. It also leaves my shaving routine open to a great sequel.
Want to learn more about how to shave like a man? Click over ere then.


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HUGO BOSS HUGO Woman Eau de Parfum 50ml
HUGO Woman is a fruity floral fragrance with an unconventional boyish twist. The scent is a contrast of feminine and unexpected masculine notes creating a contrast of tones and sensations. HUGO Woman is the scent for modern, stylish women who live life their way and follow the motto 'invent yourself'.
FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Fruity Floral
- Top Notes: Boysenberry, Mandarin
- Heart Notes: Jasmine sambac, Black plum, Iris, Black tea
- Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Amber
Delivery to Channel Islands only. Next day delivery in Jersey on orders placed before 12 noon, for Guernsey please allow 3-5 days. For more details please see here
- Volume: 50ml
Item: 9000697022
Delivery from £4.99
Delivery information: Available
Note: Delivery to Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark only.
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Dec. 2, 2006: Four knitters set out on a day trip to Esparto, Calif., in scenic Yolo County! Our destination: West Valley Alpacas, a working alpaca ranch, for their annual holiday sale.
Alpacas ho! Seriously, alpacas have the best hair you've ever seen.
I first found West Valley Alpacas through their booth at the giant mega fiber-arts convention Stitches West a couple years ago (next one's in February at the Santa Clara Convention Center, yo!) and had wanted to engineer a field trip to the farm ever since. And this! This was the year! Many knitters and non-knitters alike expressed interest in the trip, but due to double-booking, lack of finances, apathy, disorganization or lack of publicity (I am not always the most organized trip planner), most folks backed out and only four of us made it. Sweet! This meant everyone could take one car and we could all head out together.
This is the alpaca version of a defensive huddle.
We met at Sarah's, piled into the Mercedes I borrowed from my parents, armed ourselves with coffee and David Sedaris audiobooks, and hit the road. All did not go perfectly smoothly, though. Right around San Francisco, my buddy Sonya encountered the horrific stomach virus I brought back with me from my Thanksgiving vacation. As is typical of this particular plague, it struck with incredible speed: as she says it, just as she was thinking "Um, I think maybe I'm not gonna be OK," the uncontrollable vomiting hit. We pulled over and cleaned up, and Sonya bravely insisted she wanted to stay with the road trip. "Alpacas or death," we cried, and we chose alpacas!
The drive to Esparto takes about two hours. Once we turned off the freeway, we followed the directions from the West Valley Web site — all farm roads and directions like "Turn left on Road 25 (dark blue silos and a graveyard on the right-hand side)" and "Left up the driveway IMMEDIATELY before the little concrete bridge." We bumped up a little unpaved driveway and saw fences, chickens, a gray barn and goofy, goat-sized animals with fluffy hair and sock-puppet necks! We'd found it!
All I wanted to do was pat the alpacas' fluffy heads. Seriously, look at this alpaca's head: it's like a fluffy sphere with ears and a nose poking out.
The place is like a pocket ranch. It's tiny! The main building is amazing. The store part is a lean-to extension of an open-sided barn full of mysterious alpaca-ranching gear. The store itself is small, neat, and packed with alpaca yarn and spinning wheels. I definitely had a soft spot in my heart for the refreshments table that held little cookies and a Crock-Pot full of mulled apple juice. The cashier's eyes nearly popped out of her head when we told her we'd driven up from Redwood City. I don't know if alpaca ranches are used to the idea that fiber nerds with a love for goofy-looking animals will drive that far for a fluffy fix.
Sarah out-knit-nerded all of us at the spinnings wheels, trying out a sexy double-treadle wheel while I stared, fascinated. Watching a human being turn handfuls of fluffy animal hair into yarn is like watching a blacksmith at work: there's this incredibly awareness that you are next to an ancient art that long ago helped people survive. Sarah must've been equally impressed: she got that same acquisitive glint in her eye that I'd see when she put away the new Jo Sharp yarns when we worked at the yarn store together. You guessed it: momma bought herself a spinning wheel.
She also bought a bag of fiber from one of the alpacas! Just to make the whole experience even cuter, the bags aren't labeled by color; they're labeled with the name of the alpaca that provided the fiber. Sarah's was from Coriander, which she thinks is the light gray one in this photo.
I opened one of the little bags of combed top (that's washed, brushed fiber that's ready for spinning) in a dark chocolate color and fell in love. Dude, patting combed alpaca top is like patting the fluffiest, most freshly washed and thoroughly brushed baby alpaca in the whole world. Amazing. I bought it, of course, and am already hitting up Sarah for my first spinning lessons.
After we poked around the store and stocked up on yarn, we got to take a tour of the alpaca pens. Ten or twelve of us were led into the alpaca pens and were given a quick rundown on alpaca etiquette. Even when alpacas are handled daily and relatively tame, like these were, they're inconsistent and opinionated about how much they like people. You're supposed to put your hands behind your back and move slowly to keep from freaking them out. I cruised up with Sarah's Treo to take pictures (like an idiot, I'd forgotten a camera) and the alpacas decided they liked me. They also decided that they loved Tracy.
An alpaca sniffs Tracy, our alpaca charmer. Tracy got alpaca kisses; I got several alpacas nuzzling my armpits while I tried to take pictures.
The ranch staff told us that the female alpacas are the most chill. The castrated males were more stroppy, and were penned separately where they could rear up and spit at each other. We were told that alpacas hum when they're stressed, and that alpaca humming can mean anything from "I'm unhappy" to "He has more food than I do" to "I don't like this" to "He's getting more attention than me." When they're really upset or mad, they huff air at each other as if they're going to spit, and when they're really upset, they eject chewed-up food from their stomachs and blow it at their opponents.
"Yup, they'll vomit all over each other if they get really mad," said one of the ranch staff as he showed off the breeding males.
One alpaca decided that today she liked people, so she flopped down in the middle of the little knot of visitors and let herself be petted. Her fur was plush and inches deep; pressing on her side felt like pressing down on a pillow. My whole hand could sink into her fur. Wow. I started to understand why alpaca yarn is so amazingly soft and lofty and squishy: it's because alpacas themselves are soft and squishy!
By then, we were getting kinda crapped out. It had been a long day of driving, and Sonya was trying hard to be brave in the face of illness, but it was tough. She spent half the time lying in the car with the seat all the way back, feebly wishing aloud that she were dead. We took pity on her and headed back home, stopping for pasta on the way back and finally making it home a bit after dark.
I dropped Sonya off at her house, where she collapsed in bed. She told me later that when her manager wouldn't cover for her at work the next day, she had to come in still seeping spores of the terrible death plague out her pores, so she carefully, deliberately licked all his office supplies. She made sure to lick both the caps and the barrels of the highlighters, since he's the only one who uses them. My hero!
Conclusion: Alpacas are every bit as cute as you thought they were, and this spring, we're going back for more! Sunday, May 6, 2007 is West Valley Alpaca's next open house. They'll have demonstrations of spinning and shearing, so if seeing a weird-looking animal strapped to a table and shaved is your kind of thing, make sure to save the date!


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IP and innovators in traditional and informal sectors
From a social and economic perspective, support for local and inclusive innovation, which refers to innovation in economic sectors which are insufficiently covered formal arrangements, is particularly important in developing and emerging countries. This is because these sectors employ a substantial share of the labour force. However, IP for innovators in traditional and informal sectors is less relevant than it is for the other IP users because activities in this group are much more incremental and often involve very small local markets. They might, therefore, not be of sufficient quality for IP and patents, in particular, might be out of reach. Innovators in these sectors most frequently use informal mechanisms for appropriating returns from innovation such as after sales and other services, customer loyalty, family/community mechanisms, in tandem with community sanctions/ostracism for copying/imitation. This said, low use of other types of IP might be due to limited awareness or concern over enforcement rather than limited potential returns. Evidence on the relative importance of these factors to date is still scarce (WIPO, 2013).
Several IP-related opportunities arise for IP policy. These include GI for traditional activities and other IP rights that closely affect agricultural products, handicrafts and traditional knowledge. Types of IP such as GI offer the opportunity to include specific regions that might otherwise remain marginal in standard innovation processes. The introduction of GI can result in economic benefits to local communities, such as higher prices for local agricultural products compared to those from other regions. Examples include locally grown coffee beans that are recognised as "community-owned". GI can thus generate resources in support of regional development and offer opportunities to integrate this group of innovators into innovation systems.
Traditional knowledge can provide opportunities for innovation but pose challenges for the current IP system, as knowledge belongs to communities not individuals. In the area of healthcare, for example, traditional medicines, such as Ayurveda, which is native to the Indian subcontinent, can act as inputs for local groups to patent and develop innovations. Research institutions and companies can provide needed research capabilities to effectively turn products with economic potential into IP-protected products that generate economic returns for local groups. Products must pass regulatory tests before they can be sold on foreign markets, a process that also requires support from research institutions. It is worth noting that local entrepreneurs have also deployed non-IP strategies to successfully market these types of products.
Discussions around IP for traditional knowledge are complex because they refer to collective ownership of existing knowledge rather than "new" knowledge. However, they are of particular interest to developing and emerging countries as they can potentially result in profitable assets for local groups. (The topic is also of concern to some developed countries, such as Australia and Canada.) Moreover, traditional knowledge can also be a means to support marginalised groups that are weakly positioned to compete in innovation systems. Similarly, claiming national or group ownership over traditional knowledge can help these groups to engage in innovation activities. However, this will be the case only if traditional knowledge is applied to specific economic activities, such as the development of novel entertainment products. In sectors such as furniture or textiles, developing and emerging economies have traditional advantages and could extend their markets to developed country markets. The exploitation of traditional knowledge in such cases might provide a competitive advantage.
Support for discussions on IP regarding traditional knowledge is therefore crucial, as is creating a record of such knowledge. Currently a portal of online databases and registries of traditional knowledge and genetic resources is available on the WIPO website. The portal aims to act as the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD). In addition to the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library project from India, three other databases are available from China, India and Korea. These sources not only facilitate prior art searches by patent offices, but also help potential innovators to make commercial use of such knowledge to the benefit of the communities owning that knowledge.
However, as is the case for other types of IP, ownership rights do not alone generate economic value to the economy or to specific groups. Substantial investment is needed. In the case of GI, action needs to be undertaken on behalf of the collective to obtain added value. Producers need to maintain product quality and develop effective marketing strategies to ensure brand recognition. Adequate positioning in international distribution chains is also important. If producer associations are weak or even nonexistent, GIs will encounter major problems on the road to success. Complementary policies will be essential to support associations in their functions, rather than only supporting GI registrations. If a large number of products are registered using GI, such investments will be costly and difficult to maintain. A more reasonable strategy is to focus on a few selected products with the highest potential. Taking this approach also helps to avoid the risk of diluting impact by registering too many GIs.
In general, collective action is more important for innovators in informal and traditional sectors because many firms are small, have limited resources and lack sufficient skills. Developing a successful strategy through the use of trademarks, for example, will not be feasible unless these are provided externally by a regional or sector-based business association. This underlines the importance of complementary policies and supporting associations to use IP for the economic benefit of these groups. Collective management is also relevant for the entertainment industry, which can provide opportunities for generating income for groups in traditional and informal sectors. Copyright is the main type of IP here. In this case, effective collective management organisations are critical for supporting the local creative industry. They provide one-stop access to a wider body of creations, simplifying negotiations for potential users (who would otherwise have to negotiate individually). These organisations also have greater resources to represent and raise awareness of the rights and interests of their users than their individual members.
A key issue for individuals in informal and traditional sectors is the access costs generated by IP protection. IP protection imposes particularly high costs on the lowest income groups, which may be excluded from consuming products based on these inventions. This is particularly relevant for pharmaceuticals. IP constitutes a barrier if it restrains access by these groups to necessary technologies. Given the often very traditional modes of production, this is probably less of a challenge for most producers. However, it is important to ensure that IP does not become a barrier, in particular during the process of upgrading production technologies as a part of business growth.
- OECD (forthcoming), National Intellectual Property Systems, Innovation and Economic Development with Perspectives on Colombia and Indonesia, OECD, Paris.
- WIPO (2013), Conceptual Study on Innovation, Intellectual Property and the Informal Economy, Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP), Eleventh Session, Geneva, May 13 - 17, 2013


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Maths Classes
Beginners to advanced (Entry 1 Level 2)
Maths courses are FREE and run from beginner to advanced level. They can help you enhance your skills to reach your goals; improve your understanding of numbers; help you to write more constructively at work and in social settings; achieve a qualification and move into employment or higher learning. If you are considering returning to study come in and have a chat and find out how we can help you. We are committed to your success.
Please bring your Passport, National Insurance Number and any benefit proof dated within the last 3 months.
You will learn how to:
* Use, add, take away, times and division in everyday situations
* Plan a budget and calculate profit and loss
* Work out simple percentages and fractions
* Measure length and weight
* Help your children with their Maths homework


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Obama promotes equality for gays in Africa
US President Barack Obama spoke on behalf of equality for gays in Africa, the continent with the most countries which criminalise same-sex relations.
US President Barack Obama spoke on behalf of equality for gays in Africa, the continent with the most countries which criminalise same-sex relations.
On a visit charged with symbolism because of Obama's family ties with Kenya, he criticised the homophobia prevalent in many regimes on the continent.
He is the first sitting US president to set foot in this African nation.
In a joint press conference on Saturday with his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta, Obama said that no country should discriminate against citizens because of their sexual orientation.
When asked by reporters what he thought about the aversion expressed by Kenyan leaders and associations to the recent legalisation of gay marriage in the US, Obama said that his country has a long experience of people being "treated differently under the law".
"When you start treating people differently, not because of any harm they're doing to anybody, but because they are different, that's the path whereby freedoms begin to erode and bad things happen," he said.
In his speech at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Obama hailed the surge in economic dynamism of Kenya and of Africa in general.
Obama, who was brought up by his mother in the absence of his father, particularly praised the work of women entrepreneurs.
This is Obama's fourth trip to sub-Saharan Africa during his presidency. He will also visit Ethiopia this time around to meet with a number of African leaders and address the African Union.
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11 Dec 2019 12:54 PM GMT


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Two women died in a crash near Pigeon Point Lighthouse south of Pescadero this afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The crash was reported at 3:59 p.m. on state Highway 1 at Pigeon Point Road.
A Dodge pickup truck was traveling south on Highway 1 when a Mazda CX-5 tried to pull out onto the highway from Pigeon Point Road but came right into the path of the Dodge and the two vehicles collided, CHP Officer Art Montiel said.
The two occupants of the Mazda, a 22-year-old Campbell woman and a 23-year-old San Jose woman, were both pronounced dead at the scene, Montiel said. Their names are not yet being released.
No one inside the Dodge was injured, he said.
Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the crash, which appears to just be a tragic accident, Montiel said.


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Days after clearing TENAA, the ZTE Blade A3 has gone official in China. It is a budget smartphone that will be available for sale in the country starting November 6. The main highlight of the ZTE Blade A3 is its dual front camera setup.
The ZTE Blade A3 is part of the company's A-series lineup that's primarily targeted at the budget conscious youth. Therefore, it is designed keeping in mind the needs of the bang for the buck audience. It comes with a polycarbonate body, that has been coated with a metallic shine for a premium look. In fact, the horizontal antenna lines have been painted too. To the front of the ZTE Blade A3 lies a 5.5 inch HD display. As a measure of cost-cutting, ZTE hasn't included any sort of the glass protection over the panel.
Underneath the hood, the budget smartphone is powered by a MediaTek 6737T octa-core processor. It is mated with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. Additionally, the ZTE Blade A3 comes with a triple SIM slot. This essentially means that you can use both SIMs along with a microSD card simultaneously. Apart from these, the Blade A3 sports a 13MP rear camera. Its mated with a dual LED flash. Moreover, the dual front camera setup is the main talking point of the ZTE Blade A3. The front camera setup comprises of a 5MP and 2MP sensors. It also packs a 4,000mAH battery.
The ZTE Blade A3 runs on Android Nougat 7.0 with the company's own theme MiFavor on top. It is priced at 799 Yuan (Rs 7,800/$120). At that price, it the cheapest device to come with a dual front camera setup. The smartphone will be available in Glacier Blue and Obsidian Black color on ZTE's official online store and JD.com.
ZTE Blade A3 Specifications
- 5.5 inch HD (1,280 x 720p) TFT Display
- 1.5GHz MediaTek 6737T Octa-core Processor
- 32GB Internal Storage + Up to 256GB External Storage
- 13MP Rear Camera with LED Flash
- 5MP + 2MP Dual Front Camera
- 4,000mAH Battery
- Fingerprint Sensor, Face Unlock Feature
- Android Nougat 7.0 with MiFavor 4.2


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|The site consists of a variety of newsfeeds. While this content is not unique, the collection of stories changes daily. Visitors with open minds, and active analytical reasoning skills, will find many opportunities to learn.
Those with the capacity and willingness to see patterns will surely learn from the content on this site. However, we filter information constantly. This is important on many levels, but the media, politicians, and our personal ideology and values also come to play.
What are your filters ignoring?


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World Association of the Major metropolises
The "Beautiful Villages" project is the implementation of a new urbanization development strategy, which promotes the construction of beautiful villages and the urban and rural development with the purpose of improving villagers' income, farmers' happiness index, and of beautifying rural environment.
In February 2012, Guangzhou Urban Planning Bureau selected 26 villages in the city preparing the beautiful villages demonstration village planning. Hongshan Village in Huadu District is one of 26 model villages. From the end of 2012 to the present, Hongshan Village began the recent implementation of the project library, involved municipal facilities, agricultural economic development and other issues which villagers are most concerned. The main goals of the program are to solve the problem of housing construction, the housing problems of new rural population and the problem of economic development. In addition, promotes economic development in the village, increase farmers' income, improves the supporting of municipal facilities and services in the village. Also, solves the problem of agricultural development, of ecological characteristics and of historical and cultural protection. Focus on history, culture and heritage protection in the village is also into the aims.


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Tooth Crowns in Detroit
If you or any member of your family is currently experiencing pain or discomfort because of dental issues, we can help with comprehensive general dentistry services in our area. We can provide fast treatment for injuries to help you feel better and to protect your teeth against further damage. By choosing our dental practice for all your ongoing care, you can enjoy the benefits of healthier teeth and gums at a price you can afford.
What Does a Crown Do?
At times, teeth can become badly decayed or damaged. This can result in the deterioration of the tooth enamel and the exposure of roots and nerve endings. Fillings can sometimes be used to seal off these openings and protect the delicate inner part of the tooth from intrusion by bacteria and food particles. Teeth that have been badly damaged, however, may require a little added help to maintain their structural integrity. Crowns are metal or plastic dental caps that fit snugly over damaged teeth. A temporary tooth cap may be used to protect your tooth until a permanent placement can be made.
Can Your Dental Practice Provide Crowns for Teeth?
Yes, we offer a wide range of options for our patients to help them enjoy the brightest smiles and the best possible dental health. We will be happy to schedule an appointment to discuss your dental care needs and to explain your choices more fully.
What Types of Dental Crowns Do You Offer?
Our dental practice can provide you with front tooth crown options that include ceramic crown applications and porcelain crowns. We can also create and apply gold crown tooth appliances that are resistant to corrosion and breakage and can help you feel healthier while ensuring the long-term strength and durability of your natural teeth.
Managing Concerns about Dental Crown Cost
If you are worried about the expense involved in your dental treatment, you can be sure that we will work with you to make your experience with us is as affordable and pleasant as possible. We are proud to offer dental payment plans suited to your needs and financial situation. Our administrative professionals will work with your insurance provider to make sure that they cover as much of your treatment costs as possible. This can lower your out-of-pocket expenses and can help you manage the cost of your tooth crown in Detroit.
Your Dental Crown Procedure
Depending on the current condition of your tooth and oral hygiene, you may need to undergo a course of antibiotics or other restorative care before your crown can be placed. Most of our patients see us at least twice. During the first appointment, we will prepare your tooth to accept a dental appliance and will measure the dimensions for your permanent crown. You will usually leave our office with a temporary crown that will be worn until your permanent crown is received in our office and applied to your tooth.
Living with Dental Crowns
We will work with you to make sure that your crowns are seated correctly and offer the greatest durability possible. You can generally brush and floss normally after these procedures. To learn more about dental crowns or to schedule an appointment to be seen in our office, give us a call today. We look forward to hearing from you.


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The salary data is indexed from United States Department of Labor.
Ashtabula County Medical Center: H1B Salary info.Click here for PERM (Green Card) Salary data.
You may be interested in St. Mary's Duluth Clinic Health System North Platte, Nebraska Hospital Corporation Sanford Clinic North Bay Area Medical Center, Inc. Mch Professional Care Mayo Clinic Deaconess Hospital, Inc. Aurora Medical Group, Inc.


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monaco grand prix 2014 nico rosberg
Monaco Grand Prix Packages find out the full race results for all the drivers for the formula 1 2014 monaco grand prix on bbc sport, including who had the fastest laps in each practice session. Friday 26th – Monday 29th May 2018 photo gallery and race results from the sports racing class at the 2014 monaco historic grand prix, held 9-11 may on the monaco grand prix circuit. Our ATOL Protected (No 10404) Monaco GP Packages are all offered with a choice of race viewing 22 may 2014: photos: 09:00-10:30. Watch the Monaco Grand Prix from our 'Zone 1' tri-deck yacht offering stunning views of the tunnel exit, accident prone chicane and as the cars accelerate past 2014 monaco formula 1 grand prix. 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ExxonMobil's Torrance, CA, refinery is restarting after getting regulatory approval Saturday to produce emissions that violate clean air standards.
The gasoline manufacturing plant is starting up just over a year after an explosion crippled the facility.
Chem Leak brings out HazMat Team
Safety System Glitch Forces Evac
Two Injured in WY Refinery Fire
HazMat Crews Respond to Refinery Issue
Approval came on a 3-2 vote by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Hearing Board after a marathon daylong hearing at City Hall attended by an overflow crowd of about 450.
ExxonMobil also will pay about $5 million in penalties for air pollution violations as a result of the February 2015 explosion and violations that could occur during the startup of the refinery, the agency said. Half the money will go toward projects to benefit neighborhoods around the refinery.
The five-member panel sifted through testimony that included lengthy presentations by district staff and ExxonMobil, more than 170 emails and nearly 30 speakers — two-thirds of them refinery workers or contractors — before making its decision.
Central to the issues behind the vote was the company's apparent culpability in deliberately failing to fix equipment that led to the explosion, a preliminary finding from a federal investigation that has yet to formally conclude.
Board members had difficulty adopting a finding allowing ExxonMobil to resume gasoline manufacturing because of legal constraints should the company be found at fault for the blast.
But in the end, a majority of the hearing board concluded it was in the public interest to allow the refinery to resume operations using a method intended to reduce the likelihood of a fire or another explosion.
"There will be some excess emissions at certain times, but we heard testimony that air quality standards will not be significantly (exceeded)," said board Chairman Edward Camarena. "That contribution is negligible. I believe that any (air) monitoring will not see the difference because it is small."
During the restart, the refinery will pump into the air net excess emissions amounting to 632 pounds of particulate matter, including 55 pounds of particularly hazardous fine particulate matter, 144 pounds of carbon monoxide and 337 pounds of nitrogen oxides.
Most of the pollution will occur within the first six hours because refinery pollution control equipment will not be functioning as a safety precaution.
District officials called the concern of another explosion a "justifiable' reason for the dirtier-than-normal restart.
"We have not found any significant health impacts associated with the excess emissions," said Mohsen Nazemi, AQMD's deputy executive officer for the Office of Engineering and Compliance. "This is very comparable to other start-ups."
The restart will occur from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., when schools are not open and children could be exposed to excess pollution.
Residents also will end up notified at least 48 hours before the restart occurs via the Torrance Alerts system.


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Underdog presidential candidates continued to hold favor with Maine's largest individual campaign donors through March, as libertarian candidate Gary Johnson's campaign put its first point on the scoreboard here.
On the Republican side, Maine caucus winner and Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz continued to report the most vigorous fundraising operation in the state. Democratic donors continued to favor Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, putting another $55,000 into his campaign coffers for the month.
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton's campaign also reported a rise in itemized individual donations through March.
Those figures represent only a portion of the total donations from any given state, as campaigns are required to break out individual donors who give more than $200, but they can also itemize those donations before a donor hits that mark.
Fundraising on the Republican side has been more fragmented from the start, and larger Maine donors had preferred multiple candidates over Cruz in early donations.
Though former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush dropped out in late February and neurosurgeon Ben Carson dropped out in early March, the two candidates still led Cruz in Maine fundraising by the end of March. That's due largely to donations from midcoast and southern coastal areas, where former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina also led Cruz.
In the second panel below, Cruz held a lead in the Bangor area through March while remaining almost tied with Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and far behind Fiorina and Bush. On the Democratic side, Sanders overtook Clinton for itemized donations along the coastal stretch whence comes most campaign contributions in Maine.
So far, the state's larger Democratic donors have come out in fuller force, led by Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Brunswick, with the small college town being the most partisan of the three.
Select a candidate in the view below for a full look at the ZIP codes where they've reported the most itemized donations from the start of the campaign through March.


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Posted by GameDemon in Sidonia no Kishi 2 | 0 Comments
Sidonia no Kishi 2 episode 05
I just finished watching this episode and I must say that there are one or two things that I would like to point out. Other than that it's going to be a very short post as nothing of any importance happened this week.
First thing's first; people are now recovering from the last great battle and I noticed that Nagate's little girlfriend had a couple of prosthetics placed after her fight. I noticed that those things are so advanced that they can do a lot more than regular limbs, especially when it comes to combat. Why not just build robots altogether? They have the technology and the resources… I mean, they are already "building" humans.
The second part would have to be the chimera's recovery. She recovered and people suddenly changed their minds about her. She saved them and suddenly she's welcome. This will have been the green-lit for the creation of more chimeras. Isn't that their goal? To build a small army of chimeras to help them fight against the Gauna? This must've been a great victory for those parasites.


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The Land O' Lakes Real Estate Market Report for July 2017
According to the new data released by the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS®, the Land O' Lakes, Florida Real Estate Market is showing signs that 2017 is going to be even more aggressive than 2016.
Market Notes:
This is the first time in several months that we have seen more homes come on the market than selling. Hopefully, this is an indicator of a much-needed boost to our housing inventory.
Let's take a look at the July 2017 real estate market numbers for Land O' Lakes:
July 2017 Land O' Lakes Real Estate Statistics
- median listing price of $280,ooo for $115 per sq ft.
- median closing price of $248,000
- 875 homes for sale
- 63 homes for rent
- 45 median days on the market
The Land O' Lakes Real Estate Market is Strong
July 2017 is usually one of the slower months for real estate sales in Land O' Lakes as buyers and investors prepare for the spring season, but it was still 25% busier than this time last year. We are finally starting to see an increase in new listings by 34% over last year. This is very good news for homebuyers who have been struggling to find the right house because there have been so few homes on the market. Our hope is that this is an indicator of a more balanced market as we move into 2016.
Get an Advantage
How can both buyers and sellers have an advantage in the Land O' Lakes, Florida real estate market? Employ the services of a local Land O' Lakes real estate agent who has vast knowledge and experience of the market.
Find Land O' Lakes Homes for Sale
For a complete list of available real estate in Land O' Lakes, visit Land O' Lakes Homes for Sale. Make sure to subscribe to the blog so you don't miss out on any Land O' Lakes homes.
Find out what your Land O' Lakes home is worth with a home value analysis and contact us to discuss your housing needs. Contact us for Land O Lakes Property Management.
These numbers cover all of the neighborhoods in the Land O' Lakes, FL zip codes of 34637, 34638 and 34639. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed
The above information regarding the "July 2017 Land O' Lakes Real Estate Statistics" was provided by Relevé Real Estate. We have over 20 years of experience helping people buy, sell, lease and manage properties in the Land O' Lakes area. If you're thinking of selling or buying, we'd love to share our knowledge and expertise.


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New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians
PO Box 760
Glenmont, NY 12077
518.779.0775 p 866.496.4947 f
firstname.lastname@example.com www.nysavt.org
Dear Veterinary Colleague,
Since 1991, the New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians (NYSAVT) has advocated for the licensed veterinary technician in New York State. With the assistance of our members and support of the New York State Veterinary Medical Society (NYSVMS) and its members, we have seen the passage of mandatory continuing education and increased awareness of the profession.
NYSAVT represents more than 4,000 licensed veterinary technicians in our state and are asking for your pledge to continue to support the important role they play on the veterinary healthcare team.
We have launched a consumer awareness campaign to clarify the role of the licensed veterinary technician and encourage dialogue among licensed veterinary technicians, veterinarians and their clients. Supporting your licensed veterinary technicians supports the entire veterinary profession. We hope that you will join us in this initiative to protect and advance the profession.
Please sign your name on the back of this letter to stand with NYSAVT and other members of the veterinary healthcare community in showing your support, commitment and pledge to the profession in New York State. When you return your signed proclamation of support to NYSAVT, we will include your name, practice address and a link to your practice on our website as a thank you for your commitment to our technicians and their importance.
Enclosed please find information collected from AVMA, NYSVMS, and NYSAVT regarding the importance of the licensed veterinary technician.
Thank you for your continued support of NYSAVT and all licensed veterinary technicians.
Donna Meier
Donna Meier, Licensed Veterinary Technician
President, NYSAVT
Alexandra Poole
Executive Director, NYSAVT
Matthew Brunke, DVM, CCRP, CVPP, CVA
NYSAVT Advisor
I, _______________________________, pledge to support the role of the licensed veterinary technician
within my practice.
I respect the LVT as an integral member of our veterinary healthcare team and encourage their participation
in the veterinary profession.
Practice Name:______________________________________________________ Practice Phone:_________________
Practice Website:____________________________________________________
Practice Address:______________________________________________________________
Optional Testimonial about LVTs (to be posted on the NYSAVT website)
Please return by mail, fax or email.
866.496.4947 f.
Download your own copy of our letter.
AVMA Policy on Veterinary Technology
NYSVMS Duites of LVT & Unlicensed Staff
NYSAVT LVT Responsibilities Flyer
Remember Me
3/27/2020 » 3/29/2020NYSAVT Annual Seminar
10/3/2019Getting to Know Your Veterinary Technician - New Member Publication
8/19/2019A Letter from the NYSAVT President - August 2019
5/23/2019NYSAVT Selects CHMS for Association Management
10/27/2018NYSAVT Online CE Center
6/13/2019NYSAVT Seeking Nominations
NYSAVT Contact Information Updates, as of June 1, 2019
Our phone number has changed: 518.694.0761 Please note!
Our fax number has changed: 518.463.8656 Please note!
Our general email will be: firstname.lastname@example.com Please note!
Our new mailing address is: Please note!
230 Washington Avenue Extension
Suite 101
Albany, NY 12203-5319