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I am convinced that Bantu Holomisa knows exactly what he is saying when he uses this specific word in relationship with the ANC. I however, don't believe he is saying it for the right reasons.
And I am not even going to try and understand where he comes from, because I do not see the West as evil, rather the opposite….
For this piece I am more interested in the morality of the ANC.
Definition of 'nefarious'
1. (adj) nefarious, villainous extremely wicked
"nefarious schemes"; "a villainous plot"; "a villainous band of thieves"
Definition of 'nefarious'
1. (adverb) nefarious
wicked in the extreme; abominable; iniquitous; atrociously villainous; execrable; detestably vile
And the one I like:
The word nefarious has its origin in Latin. It was taken from the word nefārius. This was obtained from nefās which means crime or transgression. The word nefās is formed of two parts: ne and fās. The first part 'ne' means 'not' and the second part 'fās' means divine law. Nefarious is an adjective. Someone or something that is nefarious is known as an extremely wicked person or thing. The quality possessed by such an individual is termed as nefariousness. For example: a nefarious plot. It is nasty plot.
Not divine law……..now there is a thought…….
divine law - a law that is believed to come directly from God, or to put it differently for those that do not believe in a God, a natural law, - a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
It is interesting to read the articles and comments in the daily newspapers the last week or so, and see how the ANC brethren are spinning the story.
Now for the sake of clarity, also read:
By their friends you shall know the rapist of Africa
A lot of people got money from the Gaddafi regime, for various reasons, either for performances, or for re-elections.
Any money received from Gaddafi should be considered blood money.
If it is true that the ANC got in the region of $300 million from Gaddafi, our esteemed ANC took away money from the people of Libya.
Any bets that the ANC will even consider doing the right thing?
I am at this very moment ashamed to be a South African.
Usher to return money made at Gaddafi family party
Beyonce Will Return Qaddafi Money
Gadaffi's Son Tells Sarkozy to Return Alleged Campaign Funds
Bantu Holomisa
20 March 2011
UDM says South African should not have voted in favour
On becoming the member of the United Nation Security Council, South Africa received the support of the African Union (AU) and other developing countries, among others. Recently the AU took a resolution to engage the Libyan government on its use of military force on innocent civilians.
The AU's resolution is opposed to any form of military intervention by the International Community in Libya since such actions adversely affect innocent civilians the most.
President Zuma is among the panel African leaders who are tasked with implementing the AU's resolution. The AU's approach is in line with South Africa' s foreign policy, which was started by former President Nelson Mandela in 1994, of seeking negotiated solutions to African countries' complex problems (Burundi, Congo ,etc,) over short-sighted and destructive military interventions.
Despite this well documented foreign policy position and the AU's resolution on this matter, President Zuma and his ilk seem to have been duped into abandoning South Africa's foreign policy stance and the AU's resolution by voting in favour of the dubious United Nations Security Council's Resolution Number 1973, which the Western is currently exploiting in its use of military intervention in Libya for their own nefarious objectives.
The Libyan conflict emanates from the Libyan people's desire for political liberties and democratic reforms. However, we have seen the unfortunate backing of the rebels by the West in this conflict by supplying them with arms such as anti-aircraft weapons, and so on. Needless to say that by voting in favour of the UN Security Council's Resolution Number 1973, South Africa has also sided with the rebels in this conflict, long before the quest for a negotiated solution has begun.
This position is a smokescreen for regime change. Elsewhere in countries like Bahrain, people are calling for regime change, but the same Western Superpowers have chosen to side with the ruling regime against the wishes of the people of Bahrain. It this kind of hypocrisy that makes us cringe as a Nation.
The ANC Government, which has been heavily funded by Gaddafi, owes the Nation an explanation whether our Country is going to be used to achieve the nefarious objectives of certain powers. The ANC Government should also explain if this is what they voted for in the UN Resolution, in light of recent militarily interventions by the West, and whether they have been briefed by their newly acquired allies about their military intervention, which is going to cause untold damage on the lives of the Libyan people. Or were they just used as voting cattle? Or should we deduce that this is an indication that they have now dumped their renowned funder, Gaddafi, in favour of wealthier funders from the West?


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Dad of Toms River Boy Who Fatally Shot Friend is Indicted
The father of a young Toms River boy who fatally shot his 6-year-old playmate earlier this year was indicted Wednesday on six counts of child endangerment.
An Ocean County grand jury returned the indictment against Anthony Senatore, 33, of Toms River on Wednesday.
Authorities say Senatore had multiple unsecured weapons in his home. They say his 4-year-old son got a .22 caliber rifle and fired a single shot that struck his 6-year-old neighbor, Brandon Holt, in the head, on April 8. Holt died the next day.
Senatore was arrested several weeks after the shooting, following a lengthy investigation, and was later freed on $100,000 bail. His lawyer, Robert Ebberup, did not return a call seeking comment late Wednesday afternoon.
Although the shooting occurred in Ocean County, Atlantic County is handling the matter because Senatore has relatives who have worked in law enforcement in Ocean County.
Senatore faces five counts of second-degree child endangerment -- one for each of the five unsecured firearms investigators say they found accessible to his own children, ages 12, 8 and 4. He also was charged with a third-degree count of child endangerment for endangering Holt, for keeping the loaded .22 caliber rifle unsecured in a bedroom where his 4-year-old son was able to access and fire the weapon.
Senatore also faces a disorderly person offense for enabling access by minors to a loaded weapon.
Authorities say that besides the rifle used to fire the fatal shot, two 12-gauge shotguns and two other shotguns were all found unsecured, in close proximity to ammunition and accessible to Senatore's children.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

subset: commoncrawl


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Ongoing Blog Giveaway Linky: Enter to Win These Great Giveaways and/ or Submit Your Giveaway to the List!
>> Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Here is a giveaway linky because everyone loves giveaways! This is a spot to find out about all the best blog giveaways. Please see the box in the top right hand column to enter my current giveaways while you are here.
Bloggers, please provide a direct link to your family friendly giveaways in the Mr.Linky below. Please submit your giveaway in the following format: Blog-Prize (end date)
Good luck winning and feel free to leave a comment or grab my blog button while you are here! I really appreciate it if you help promote the linky by clicking the "SHARE THIS" link at the bottom of the post.
If you have a green giveaway you have shared on my linky and you want another linky head on over to Eco-Friendly and Frugal Blog for a green giveaway linky.
I have won several prizes but I can't remember them all so I decided to make a list here starting now to share with others how great blog giveaways are!
Puddle Jumper from Marvelous Mom Reviews
Boiron Prize Pack from Simply Stacie
Custom Blog Advertising Pack from Blogelina
Preggi Pops from Parental Views Online Mag
Vidazorb Chewable Probiotics from Tethered Mommy


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Finish Woodgrain effect
Inset handles Yes
Touch to open Yes
Lead time 3 weeks
Curved units No
Material 18mm MFC with PVC edging
Available in
Bardolino Oak
About Mackintosh
Effortless functionality
Throughout his life, the designer, architect and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh was influenced by a wealth of artistic forms. His genius was in his ability to cleverly unite these separate elements to create his own unique and modern style. The Mackintosh philosophy now lives on through this inspired collection of kitchens, all of which offer a seamless combination of beauty, durability and effortless functionality


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Roman Polanski is coming to San Francisco for a rare interview.
Digitally, of course.
The legendary fugitive film director -- who has lived in Europe since evading justice in the United States, where he was arrested in 1977 for statutory rape -- will do a live Skype interview April 6 with fans at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco, according to reports.
It's not known what the director will discuss, nor is it known who will ask him questions, according to the San Francisco Examiner.
But he'll be there! Via Skype, of course.
Polanski, who directed the Oscar-winning "Chinatown" and "Pianist" as well as "Rosemary's Baby" and many other films, has had a colorful personal life. His pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was slaughtered in the Charles Manson murders prior to his legal issues. He was arrested in 2009 by Swiss authorities with then-13-year old Samantha Geimer at the request of the United States, but then released.
Polanski will be interviewed via the Internet from Paris, where he's editing a film called "Venus in Fur," the newspaper reported.
Screenwriter Robert Towne, who wrote "Chinatown," will be onstage and will host a screening of that legendary film.
The weekend is all Polanski all the time, with screenings of "Repulsion" and "The Tenant" on April 5 following the "Chinatown" screenings on April 6.
The exact time of the Polanski interview, as well as ticket availability and pricing, is not yet known.
Roman Polanski "Appearance" and Interview at SF's Roxie
The director will be interviewed via Skype at a time to be determined.
Roman Polanski is coming to San Francisco for a rare interview.


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Reasons to Join
1. Caique Jiu-Jitsu is a really exciting way to get fit
The martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is often referred to as a game of human chess. If you don't like to work out at a gym because you get bored, you're not the only one. Many of our students were tired of going to the gym, and they couldn't find new songs or audio books to entertain them on the treadmill. They found BJJ to be the perfect workout for them because it requires a high level of concentration while burning a great amount of calories and shedding pounds. What's more, you'll still learn to defend yourself. It's a win-win situation.
2. Caique Jiu Jitsu staff is committed to your progress in learning
The staff at Caique Jiu Jitsu makes our school what it is, and you will soon understand why. You'll be impressed by how committed each and every staff member is to your learning. The instructors, staff and other students make our environment friendly yet demanding and challenging, which pushes all of us to achieve our best.
3. The world renowned Caique Jiu Jitsu structure makes your journey in learning smooth and enjoyable
The class structure is the trademark of Caique Jiu Jitsu. Classes start on time and adhere to a standardized curriculum and class structure. As a student, you know up front what is expected of you and have a clear understanding of what to expect from your instructors and training partners. The consistency of this structure combined with the creativity and high qualification of our devoted instructors blend perfectly to facilitate your progress.
4. Caique Jiu Jitsu Community will change your life forever
When you join Caique Jiu Jitsu, you are not just getting classes. You become part of a community united by the ideals of the Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle. Special classes and side events coupled with ordinary classes create a fun and exciting calendar of activities that you and your family will love to take part in.
5. Caique Jiu Jitsu fighting techniques will be useful outside the mats, in real-life situations
You don't come to class just to learn how to fight. You also work hard toward mastering the underlying principles that allow you to succeed on the mats. When applied to your life off the mats, these principles can bring more balance to your routine and help you reach your true potential while keeping you safe.
6. You can train all over the United States
There are over 15 Caique Jiu Jitsu schools nationwide. When you join Caique Jiu Jitsu you are free to train at any location while traveling.
7. Caique Jiu Jitsu is a Family for the Whole Family
One of the most unique characteristics about our schools is our family-orientated approach. Caique Jiu Jitsu is proud to be a powerhouse with a lot of champions in Jiu Jitsu while still maintaining a training environment that is welcoming for the whole family: husband, wife and kids. At Caique Jiu Jitsu, families find marvelous activities through which to spend quality time together.
8. You will train in germ-free facilities
Cleanliness is a top priority for us. Our schools adhere to the strict standard of cleanliness and hygiene set by Caique Jiu Jitsu. Our staff cleans the facilities multiple times a day, and all Caique Jiu Jitsu uniforms are washed regularly. Our mats are cleaned on a per class basis with a specially designed cleaning agent that neutralizes bacteria, fungus and odors without detriment to the equipment.
9. You couldn't find a safer environment
Student safety is our instructors' primary goal. Training sessions are supervised by instructors at all times, and our injury rate is extremely low.
10. Our 30 years of experience assure you a link to Jiu Jitsu's roots
A certified Caique Jiu Jitsu black belt instructor also responsible for teaching class supervises each class. Our team of instructors was trained in the teaching philosophy and methods of Master Caique, the founder of Caique Jiu Jitsu. A legacy of over 30 years of teaching experience is at your service, so you don't have to worry: you and your family are in great hands.
Schedule a Free Intro Class below and get a 30 day free trial!
Caique Jiu Jitsu Walnut Academy
4000 Valley Blvd. #106
Walnut,CA 91789
Phone: (714)752-3662
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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TDK has announced four new speakers designed to be used with your mobile phone, be it the latest Android offering or the iPhone, at IFA in Berlin, and we were on hand to check them out.
The models - the Wireless Weatherproof Speaker, Wireless Boombox, Wireless Sound Cube and Wireless Charging Speaker - all come with Bluetooth A2DP connectivity and are designed to fit into some part of your life, whoever you are.
The TDK Life on Record Wireless Boombox has a built-in rechargeable battery and a 2.1 stereo configuration. FM radio, remote control, 3.5mm stereo auxiliary input and an integrated carrying handle complete the package, which costs £279.99.
The TDK Life on Record Wireless Sound Cube meanwhile is designed more for the home. It costs £229.99 and, as the name suggests, sports more of a cubed design.
For those who like to go outside, there is the TDK Life on Record Wireless Weatherproof Speaker. It costs £199.99 while the TDK Life on Record Wireless Charging Cube provides cable-free charging for the home or office.
"Simply place your Qi-compatible mobile device on top of the cube and it charges your device while playing your music," says the company. To you and me, that means there is an induction charging pad built into the top surface of the 2.1 speaker.
Pictures by Hunter Skipworth


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|This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Uncyclopedia's deletion policy.
This page may not fit in Uncyclopedia, or may not be funny with little chance for redemption.
Please share your thoughts on the matter at this article's entry on the Votes for deletion page.
Jesus Fucking Christ was the expression Mary reputedly used while giving birth to the rather fat baby boy who was to become Our Lord. At 14lbs 4oz (2.3 metric tonnes) young JC was about the size of a bowling ball and by all accounts it was not an easy birth. It just so happened that during the birth the Census Taker passed through Bethlehem, and as he put his head through the stable door and asked, "Give me your names, Jew scum!" Mary had a particularly agonising contraction, so "Mary, Joseph and Jesus Fucking Christ" was what the guy wrote. Little did he know that the baby would grow up to be a major pain in the ass for the region's governor Pontius Pilates.
Formative Years
Little is known about Jesus's youth- and for good reason. The boy was an infernal nuisance and seemed destined for a life of crime. He was always getting into trouble, and "Jesus Fucking Christ- if I catch Thee pinching stuff from my stall once more I'll crucify Thee!" was a commonly heard refrain down at the marketplace.
As Jesus grew, he got into more and more trouble, and the refrain became "Jesus Fucking Christ, get Thee away from my daughter/son/ass/concubine/cripple/leper!"
Jesus soon came to the notice of the Roman authorities, and it came as little surprise to anyone when at 16 He was arrested for bank robbery. His defence, "I was only overturning the moneylenders' tables, Roman donkeyfucker!" fell on deaf ears and Jesus was given 15 years hard labour.
The Prison Years
Banished to a distant province, Jesus was popular with the other inmates for His spirit (see Holy Spirit) which seemed unbreakable, and for His cocky abuse of the Roman guards. Even the guards themselves came grudgingly to admire the plucky lad, and it was said that they were gentler when bumming Him than with any of the other prisoners.
While in prison Jesus got the idea of starting a major religious cult from a failed prophet called The Great Steve, who it was said had once counted princes among his flock. Jesus was a clever lad and knew He could learn from The Great Steve's mistakes. As soon as He was released, he set out for Galilee- and the rest, as they say, is history.
|This article will need to be expanded.
This article is a stub. The article submitter may also have been beating himself over the head with a baseball bat . You can help Uncyclopedia by taking over where he left off.
|Disco Jesus: Knows how to love you
|What would Jesus smoke? Sweet smoking Jesus
|Jesus of Nazareth: Singer and Songwriter
|Salvation by Trickle-Down: Supply-side Jesus
|Jesus Christ - Alcoholic: Just like daddy
|Semi-Jesus anthropormorphic personification: Messiah
|Jesus Fucking Christ: Working class hero and modern day sage
|Raise one family and you will be a believer: Pet Jesus
|Jesus Marx: Illegal Commie Clone
|He's blonde, cultish, and believes in racial purity. No, he's not a Nazi, he's Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
|Republican Jesus: Has a "W" sticker on his SUV
|An alpha prototype Christ: Jesus 1.5a
|Hide and Go Jesus: The hardest one to find
|The one in that band...Nightmare Cinema or something: Jesus LaBrie
|MC Jesus: The Jewish Rap Sensation
|For your tiny sins: MicroJesus


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Like last year I have some room on this years annual sticker for a slogan so thought it would open it up to the masses to see what you can come up with. Can be fog/frontera/off roading related. Please keep it clean! Here's a few examples to get you going.
Where we're going we don't need roads
Don't grow up just buy bigger toys


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One of these days I hope to sort through the tens of thousands of photos I've taken, uploaded, then promptly abandoned across a range of computers and external hard drives.
In the meantime, here's a little snap I took back in 2011 at the Gunners' Barracks Tea Room in Sydney.
Even on a toasty Spring day like today (36°C in Brisbane, even hotter in Sydney!) there's just something about the sight of a cup of tea that relaxes me (although an iced tea would be the more logical option, of course!)
Hope you're having a beautiful week!


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|North America
|United States Martial arts
|Northeast USA
|Southeast USA
United States Martial arts
Northeast Academy of Martial Arts provides superior instruction in the martial arts in New Jersey.
Kenshinkai is located right in the heart of Manhattan. Although it is a relatively new dojo, having celebrated its fifth year in 2007, it has many dedicated members who are pursuing both their individual and common goals through the practice of Kendo. If you happen to be in New York, the Kenshinkai team would be glad to welcome you to the dojo anytime.
Sensei Sheldon Elliot Ruskin is training and teaching traditional Shotokan karate for over 30 years. Certified by and a member of the Japan Karate Association in Tokyo and International Shotokan Karate Association. Sensei Sheldon Elliot Ruskin, US National Karate Champion has trained children for National and Regional championships. Sensei Ruskin has also trained in Japan - Karate Association in Tokyo over 6 years.
"The oldest martial arts school in Miami, Florida's Kendall area. It was founded in 1979 by Master Rod Bohorquez with the principles of teaching self-defense, self control and personal development. We offer classes for both children and adults in the Martial Art of Shim Myung Do, a combination of Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, Sip Pal Gue and Mediation."
For real results Normandy Gym offers expert one-on-one personal training that will help you achieve your goals as quickly as possible. Normandy's trainers have a wide range of experience with all ages including men, women, children, and seniors, using a wide variety of the latest exercise techniques to specifically target your problem areas. Normandy Gym can help you reduce weight; tone and strengthen muscle; improve nutrition and health; reduce stress; and ENJOY your exercise routine!
Wuwei Tai Chi teaches Taijiquan (Taichi-chuan, Taichi) in the Chen, Yang, and Wu styles. Teacher Won Park specializes in the barehand forms, pushhands, swords and spears.
World Martial Arts Jax has been Jacksonville's most cutting edge martial arts school for over a decade. WMA is also the Southeast Headquarters for Erik Paulson's Combat Submission Wrestling.
Professional, courteous, and always willing to help you.
"At Tiger Schulmann's MMA, our youth programs are designed to instill confidence and aid children in developing to their fullest potential. We seek to help build a solid foundation in life for as many children as possible, by assisting them in achieving a healthy mind and body through martial arts instruction. This wellbeing will instill in them the self-confidence, focus and determination necessary to become strong and successful in every aspect of life."
"If you're looking for exceptional martial arts training in traditional Shotokan Karate, contact us today at Flatbush Shotokan Karate Dojo. For more than 44 years, we've practiced our discipline and offered its gifts to students of all ages. Acquire poise, strength, discipline, and focus through the practice of this ancient and honorable art form."
Welcome to American Samurai Ju Jitsu Center, where Shihan Joseph DellaPace Ju-Jitsu & his staff teach Karate, Aikido, Judo, Grappling Kick Boxing, Self-Defense, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Stick & Knife Fighting, Body Toning & Weight loss and Child Safety & Activity Classes.
This is the last Kickboxing workout you will ever need! Shirley Kickboxing is great for fitness, self defense, cardio fitness and muscle toning. No other workout burns more fat, more calories or builds and tones muscle as well. It's truly the best fat burning exercise.
 If you live in Shirley, Mastic, Mastic Beach, Yaphank, Ridge, Manorville, Moriches, Center Moriches, East Moriches or Suffolk County then you are close enough to come train with us!
Warrior Arts opened its doors on May 2008. The school offers quality training in the arts of Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiujitsu and Muay Thai (Thai Boxing). In addition to the above arts, Personal Instruction, Women's Self-Defense, Law Enforcement and Military Training are also available.
 Although the school started in May of 2008, the chief instructor, Lee Peacock, has been involved in martial arts for over 30 years and has been teaching for over 20 years. All the instructors at Warrior Arts are well qualified and dedicated to assist each students' martial arts and/or fitness goals in safe high-energy workouts.
CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical teams, firemen, military special operations units, champion martial artists and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide. However, it is designed for universal adaptability, making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of age, gender or ability.
Teammates, training partners and instructors all have adopted our strict "no-ego" policy. Evolution Martial Arts & Fitness has been the school of choice for many law enforcement officials, military personnel, professional athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and educators.
"At D'Arce Jiu Jitsu there's no attitude to contend with and no egos to shatter- the students are interested in one thing and one thing only, making sure we constantly improve as a team. The students and instructors are there to push you and prepare you for any tournament you have coming up whether it be a grappling tournament,an mma match, or you just want to get in shape. Our friendly atmosphere combined with the challenging nature of this growing sport is what allows us to do so well and rank highly in all our matches. Most classes are taught by our head instructor Joe D'Arce, a Renzo Gracie BJJ black belt who has competed nationally as well as overseas. His passion for the sport has really driven us all forward and on his behalf we welcome you to come down and experience a class for yourself. The school is conveniently located off of the Sagtikos Pkwy in Suffolk County NY in Long Island."
Aikido of Jacksonville teaches the Japanese martial art of aikido which is often referred to it as "Shinzui Aikido", essentially meaning "Quintessential Aikido" or "True Essence Aikido".
Porta's Karate-Do & Kobudo Academy was established in 1966 by Sensei John Porta. The Academy offers programs in three martial arts: Karate, Kobudo (traditional Okinawan weapons), and Tai Chi Chuan. Sensei Porta holds an 8th degree black belt in Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate, and was awarded the rank of Kyoshi. All ranking of students at Porta's Karate-Do & Kobudo Academy is of the highest standards, and is sanctioned and certified by authentic martial arts organization from Okinawa, Japan.
The World Martial Arts Center in New York City - Union Square and Brooklyn. We specialize in kickboxing, modern self defense, korean karate, Mixed Martial Arts (mma), and martial arts for children.
Thump Fight Gym, formerly known as Thump Boxing gym, was born out of passion. Boxing has been part of the lifeblood of American culture for over a hundred years, and has recently become increasingly popular with Hollywood movies and reality shows portraying the toughness and the passion that is synonymous with boxing, and more recently Mixed Martial Arts as well with the growing popularity of Ultimate Fighting Championships. As America and the rest of the world gather around to watch individuals in the ring pour out heart and sweat for their dreams, you realize that your own dreams of losing weight and accomplishing undeniable better health are also being shown.
Instruction is given at all levels, from beginner to highly skilled students. Rigorous training and experienced Karate techniques form the basis of learning, with examples and explanations to aid in the process. Instructors Robert Budihas, and Renzo Hernandez encourages moral development as well, and as part of training talks with students about daily life, honor, and ethics.
Hamilton Martial Arts invites you to tour their website and to become acquainted with what the school has to offer. You are also encouraged to visit their facility in Hamilton Square, NJ, and observe or participate in a wide variety of programs and classes. Hamilton Martial Arts teaches adult and children's classes and specializes in many different training styles in our 3000 square-foot, fully equipped facility.
For Best Results: -Students must arrive 10 minutes before class -Never disturb or interrupt class -Consult the instructor when your attendance, techniques, and attitude are deemed commensurate with the next level.
Welcome to New York City Kendo Club, a place where you can enter the world of Kendo and enjoy and enrich yourself in this art. NYC Kendo Club works hard to offer the very best to vistiors, and accommodate the life styles of the working class, the school schedules of young students, and the commuting needs of distant visitors. Dedicated students have long used this gym to enhance their lives and to better themselves. With an always welcoming aura to guests and visitors, NYC Kendo Club's warmth and openness foster an environment that all can share. Students and teachers alike celebrate the 30 years of New York City Kendo Club's time and dedication to the Kendo community alongside neighbors in NYC and around the world.
 With the internal tranquility of Iaido and the expression of spirit of Kendo, NYC Kendo club provides a great opportunity to understand not only the sword, but one's self.
Valente Brothers is the official representation of Grandmaster Hélio Gracie in Florida. Professors Pedro, Gui and Joaquim Valente started training directly under the Grandmaster at the age of 2 years old and were his loyal disciples and protégés until he passed away in January of 2009. Fully committed to preserving Hélio Gracie's vision, teaching method, and ideals both on and off the mat.


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Benefits Workgroup
March 19 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT
|Recurring Event (See all)
Benefits workgroup meetings
The HR Open Standards Benefits workgroup is responsible for developing and maintaining a variety of standards that fall within the benefits domain. This includes benefits enrollment, census data, and plan setup.


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Why You Shouldn't Worry About Rising Mortgage Rates
Rising mortgage rates don't mean you should discontinue your loan process; find out why.Why You Shouldn't Worry About Rising Mortgage Rates — Read More
Whether it will be your first home or your dream home upgrade, we have a variety of loan programs to make your new purchase a success.
Looking to use the equity in your home for renovations, or just looking for a better rate? Explore our refinance programs to find the right option for you.
At Home Point Financial, we know the home is where the heart is, and that philosophy is at the core of our approach to lending. When we say 'we care', we mean it, and your experience with Home Point Financial will be its testament.
Putting customers first is our "true north." This defines the framework for all of our decisions.
We strive to create a culture that fosters an environment of community, caring and open communication.
We believe our responsibilities extend beyond the workplace and we put this into action throughout our communities.
We commit to changing the status quo in the mortgage industry by humanizing the home buying experience.
Our team of experienced mortgage loan officers are here to help with your new home or refinance mortgage loan.
We've created a variety of helpful guides, articles and home cost calculators to help you navigate the home buying process.
Rising mortgage rates don't mean you should discontinue your loan process; find out why.Why You Shouldn't Worry About Rising Mortgage Rates — Read More
There are a variety of flexible loan programs available to individuals - find out which benefit you as a first-time home buyer.3 Popular Mortgage Programs for First-Time Home Buyers — Read More


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Break out of your career rut in 2020 by changing the status quo!
Hudson Veterinary Hospital Pet Resort and Spa has an immediate opening for a full time and/or part time veterinarian. Become part of an independently owned progressive thinking veterinary practice group; where the owners encourage you to collaborate and be open minded to new ideas.
We can offer a great schedule - work every other Friday-Monday. If that doesn't work for you we can be flexible. No overnight emergencies.
We are fully equipped to see healthy, sick, surgical and dental cases. Practice is well managed and has a loyal client following. Our Doctors are well supported by the owners and our associate veterinarians.
If this sounds like a fit for you, please contact us to learn more.
We offer competitive pay and the opportunity to work with professionals that will encourage you to practice progressive medicine.
Please visit us at: http://www.hudsonvet.com
License in good standing to practice in New York State.
Strong client communication skills.
Desire to lead by example and mentor staff.
Start the day with your glass half full.


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Monday, January 24, 2011
In Memory of a Beloved Child
These friends of Matt's don't live near us, and so I haven't seen their child since she was very small, but she was a child, and so of course I knew her. She was perfect. She was beautiful, and precious, and sweet, and happy, and funny. She drew wonderful pictures, and she loved to play. She loved treats, and presents, and she loved her Daddy. She was quite like my own daughters, and her parents were quite like us. They doted on their perfect child. They bought her presents, and cooked her favorite foods, and thought deeply about what sport she might prefer to play. They dressed her well, and took pride in her accomplishments, and gave her bubble baths and kissed her hurts. They lived their lives in her best interests, loving her as much as a child can be loved, which is very deeply, indeed. They did not prepare for their child's death, if such a thing is in fact possible, because they didn't know that she was going to die.
The death of a child is so wrong as to be incomprehensible. I don't understand it, can find no solace or comfort inside of it, am made small and cowardly by the shock and the horror of it. I can't stop thinking about it, and yet I force my mind away from even attempting to imagine what her parents must be suffering. The sudden absence of one's beloved child? The sudden, complete absence of her? I begin, inadvertantly, to try to imagine it, and then my mind skips away, and I expect the entire world to cry out in outrage and demand that this wrong be corrected.
There is no way to understand this beloved child's death. There is no way to mourn her that makes sense, no conceivable way to comfort her parents in the wake of the greatest possible loss that anyone could suffer. I can only grieve, myself, and pull my own children closer to me. So that's what I did today, in memory of this beloved child. I hugged my girls often. I took them to the library. I bought them ice cream. I took them swimming. I fed them pizza for dinner. I watched a movie with them. And I took them to get flu shots.
5 comments:
- Phyllis said...
I understand how you feel. I am still feeling Dana's (Roscommon Acres) grief. I think about it often throughout my day.
- January 25, 2011 at 10:40 AM
- julie said...
Oh, that, too, was a terrible tragedy, a shocking, terrible tragedy. I have another friend whose daughter was born still just recently, and so it's turned out to be a very sad winter, and yet one in which I've cherished my children greatly.
- January 25, 2011 at 12:18 PM
- Kimberly said...
This hurts my heart...And tonight, when Lex is being the turd that he is, I'll remember that at least I get to kiss his little turd head after he goes to bed tonight. My thoughts are with Matt's friends.
- January 25, 2011 at 3:02 PM
- kirsten said...
I just want you to know that you made me take my kids in for their flu shots today. I thought I'd waited too long and it wouldn't make a difference anymore, but the whole 'flu season' thing seems to be changing to 'any ol' time' anyway.
The thought of a child dying from that just makes me a little sick. So sad.
- January 27, 2011 at 5:56 PM
- julie said...
These were my girls' first-ever flu shots--it's turned me completely around on the issue of vaccinations.
- February 1, 2011 at 8:54 AM


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The Servants of Strategy
The humanities and the Sciences are siblings. Both serve Strategy. Graduates from the Sciences can usefully serve Strategy to the extent they understand the tools of prediction and control: improvement, and are not distracted by non-normal, revolutionary science. Graduates from the Humanities can usefully serve Strategy to the extend they understand the tools of understanding and explanation, and are not distracted by critical political agendas.
Why We Do What We Do
The purpose of Science is to "predict, control, and improve" phenomena. The sort of phenomenon that is being predicted (at a minimum), controlled (one would hope), and improved (ideally) tells you what sort of Science you are in. Cognitive Psychology focuses on cognitive behavior, "Behavioral" Psychology focuses on overt physical behavior, High-energy physics focuses on the behavior of matter under high energy conditions, and so on.
The purpose of the Humanities is to "understand, explain, and improve" phenomena. The sort of phenomenon that is being understood (at a minimum), explained (one would hope), and improved (ideally) tells you what sort of Humanities you are in. English Literature focuses on the written works of the English language, Geography on the nature of space, Anthropology on the nature of communities and so on.
The purpose of strategy is to "understand, control, and improve" phenomena. The sort of phenomenon that is being understood (at a minimum), controlled (one would hope), and improved (ideally) tells you what sort of Policy you are making. Political Strategy focuses on using political influence to obtain and hold offices. Business Strategy focuses on devoting capital and labor to earning a profit. Military Strategy focuses on using violence to achieve political outcomes.
A Division of Labor
These partially-overlapping purposes make a division of labor sensible. While strategists need to understand phenomenon, they do not need to be able to explain it, thus they can rely on the explanations of others. Likewise, strategists need to control phenomenon, but they do not need to be able to predict it, thus they can rely on the models and planning of others.
Those in the Sciences are useful to the extent they master the tools of prediction and control: tight exemplars, methodology, measurement, and statistics. Those in the Sciences can become useless by being distracted with revolutionary science.
Those in the Humanities are useful to the extent they master the tools of understanding and explanation, which largely overlaps with the "digital humanities." Those in the Humanities can become useless by being distracted with political agendas.
Political Agendas, Like Revolutionary Science…
I've written a lot about revolutionary science, so instead I'll focus on the danger of political agendas in the Humanities. Recently, there have been three articles on the humanities. Michael Berube's thoughtful "The Humanities, Unruffled," Razib Khan's philippic Against the Cultural Anthropologists," Graeme Wood's interesting Anthropology, Inc.," and Megan McArdle's stupid "What's the Use of the PhD?." In different ways, these four articles all focus on the same two problems:
1. What is the way to ensure that the Humanities PhD fulfills its function of understanding, explaining, and improving society
2. Does "improving" imply a pragmatic or a political objective?
These two questions are interwoven. A pragmatic Humanities ensures jobs for graduates to informing policy-makers, a pragmatic Humanities is fruitful and useful. But a political humanities that focuses on "race studies," "gender studies," and so on is simply a predator and parasite on academia, using academic resources to achieve a political objective. Megan McArdle's post is prety dumb — it's on the same level of intellectualism as an Afghan hick who dismisses astronomy by saying — but both she and Khan are reacting against the entrenched leftism of the humanities.
What You Do
It's possible to have a fascinating, rewarding, and fun career in the Sciences or in the Humanities, in academia, in non-profits, government, or in business. Both the Humanities and the Sciences understand the same world, and their purposes overlap in their call to improve the world. How well you learn the tools and avoid the pitfalls of fulfilling these purposes can matter a lot.


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Well, that was fast.
A group of hackers, the Chaos Computer Club, claim to have already hacked Apple's iPhone 5s TouchID.
TouchID is the fingerprint scanner that can be used in place of passwords on the new device. You don't have to use TouchID; you can still password-protect the 5S.
How'd CCC hack it?
They lifted a print from glass, brushed it up in a computer, applied the print to latex, put the latex on a finger, then touched a finger to the sensor.
In short, hacking TouchID looks doable with a lot of skill and effort. "Your fingerprint is a convenient way to protect the garden-variety secrets and shopping we all keep," says ZDNet's Ed Bot. "Combine it with a reasonably strong passcode and you should be perfectly safe. Unless you're also a character in a spy novel."
CCC also wrote a how-to on faking fingerprints with things around the house, here.


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Aretha Franklin is recovering after a "highly successful" surgery on Thursday, the Queen of Soul told The Associated Press.
"God is still in control," Franklin told the AP in a statement. "I had superb doctors and nurses whom were blessed by all the prayers of the city and the country."
Fans of the "Respect" singer had reportedly staged a prayer vigil in Detroit on Wednesday.
U.S. & World
"We honor her with love and respect and we claim victory in the medical procedure underway today," Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, whose office coordinated the vigil, told the Detroit Free Press on Thursday.
Franklin has not revealed why she needed surgery, but a rep for the singer announced last month doctors had "required her" to clear her schedule through May.
Publicist Tracey Jordan would not say at the time whether the decision to take a six-month breather from touring was related to Franklin's brief hospitalization in Detroit days earlier.
On the list of nixed Franklin appearances was a Dec. 9 Christmas concert in Detroit and a pair of shows at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
In August, Franklin was forced to bail on two free shows in Brooklyn after suffering broken ribs in a fall.
Selected Reading: AP, Detroit Free Press, IMDB


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Bernie Sanders on Welfare & Poverty
Socialist Jr Senator; previously Representative (VT-At-Large)
Proponent's argument to vote Yes:Sen. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D, MD): [In developing national service over many years] we were not in the business of creating another new social program. What we were in the business of was creating a new social invention. What do I mean by that? In our country, we are known for our technological inventions. But also often overlooked, and sometimes undervalued, is our social inventions.
We created national service to let young people find opportunity to be of service and also to make an important contribution. But not all was rosy. In 2003, when I was the ranking member on the appropriations subcommittee funding national service, they created a debacle. One of their most colossal errors was that they enrolled over 20,000 volunteers and could not afford to pay for it. That is how sloppy they were in their accounting. I called them the "Enron of nonprofits."
And they worked on it. But all that is history. We are going to expand AmeriCorps activity into specialized corps. One, an education corps; another, a health futures corps; another, a veterans corps; and another called opportunity corps. These are not outside of AmeriCorps. They will be subsets because we find this is where compelling human need is and at the same time offers great opportunity for volunteers to do it.
Opponent's argument to vote No:No senators spoke against the amendment.
Provisions Relating to Earned Income Credit: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the supplemental young child credit and revise and increase the earned income credit.
Making appropriations to begin a phase-in toward full funding of the special supplemental food program for women, infants and children (WIC) and of Head Start programs, and to expand the Job Corps program for the year ending September 30, 1994.
Economic inequality is the result of two and a half decades of government policies and rules governing the economy being tilted in favor of large asset owners at the expense of wage earners. Tax policy, trade policy, monetary policy, government regulations and other rules have reflected this pro-investor bias. We propose the introduction or reintroduction of a package of legislative initiatives that will close America's economic divide and address both income and wealth disparities.
|2010 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Welfare & Poverty:
|Bernie Sanders on other issues:
VT Gubernatorial:
Peter Shumlin
VT Senatorial:
Patrick Leahy
Dem. Freshmen
in 112th Congress:
AL-7:Terri Sewell
CA-33:Karen Bass
DE-0:John Carney
FL-17:Frederica Wilson
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa
LA-2:Cedric Richmond
MA-10:Bill Keating
MI-13:Hansen Clarke
RI-1:David Cicilline
GOP Freshmen
in 112th Congress:
AL-2:Martha Roby
AL-5:Mo Brooks
AZ-1:Paul Gosar
AZ-3:Ben Quayle
AZ-5:David Schweikert
AR-1:Rick Crawford
AR-2:Tim Griffin
AR-3:Steve Womack
CA-19:Jeff Denham
CO-3:Scott Tipton
CO-4:Cory Gardner
FL-12:Dennis Ross
FL-2:Steve Southerland
FL-21:Mario Diaz-Balart
FL-22:Allen West
FL-24:Sandy Adams
FL-25:David Rivera
FL-5:Rich Nugent
FL-8:Dan Webster
GA-2:Mike Keown
GA-7:Rob Woodall
GA-8:Austin Scott
ID-1:Raul Labrador
IL-8:Joe Walsh
IL-10:Bob Dold
IL-11:Adam Kinzinger
IL-14:Randy Hultgren
IL-17:Bobby Schilling
IL-8:Joe Walsh
IN-3:Marlin Stutzman
IN-4:Todd Rokita
IN-8:Larry Bucshon
IN-9:Todd Young
KS-1:Tim Huelskamp
KS-3:Kevin Yoder
KS-5:Mike Pompeo
LA-3:Jeff Landry
MD-1:Andy Harris
MI-1:Dan Benishek
MI-2:Bill Huizenga
MI-3:Justin Amash
MI-7:Tim Walberg
MN-8:Chip Cravaack
MO-4:Vicky Hartzler
MO-7:Billy Long
MS-1:Alan Nunnelee
MS-4:Steven Palazzo
GOP Freshmen
in 111th Congress:
NC-2:Renee Ellmers
ND-0:Rick Berg
NH-2:Charlie Bass
NH-1:Frank Guinta
NJ-3:Jon Runyan
NM-2:Steve Pearce
NV-3:Joe Heck
NY-13:Michael Grimm
NY-19:Nan Hayworth
NY-20:Chris Gibson
NY-24:Richard Hanna
NY-25:Ann Marie Buerkle
NY-29:Tom Reed
OH-1:Steve Chabot
OH-15:Steve Stivers
OH-16:Jim Renacci
OH-18:Bob Gibbs
OH-6:Bill Johnson
OK-5:James Lankford
PA-10:Tom Marino
PA-11:Lou Barletta
PA-3:Mike Kelly
PA-7:Patrick Meehan
PA-8:Mike Fitzpatrick
SC-1:Tim Scott
SC-3:Jeff Duncan
SC-4:Trey Gowdy
SC-5:Mick Mulvaney
SD-0:Kristi Noem
TN-3:Chuck Fleischmann
TN-4:Scott DesJarlais
TN-6:Diane Black
TN-8:Stephen Fincher
TX-17:Bill Flores
TX-23:Quico Canseco
TX-27:Blake Farenthold
VA-2:Scott Rigell
VA-5:Robert Hurt
VA-9:Morgan Griffith
WA-3:Jaime Herrera
WI-7:Sean Duffy
WI-8:Reid Ribble
WV-1:David McKinley
Civil Rights
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Main Page
VT politicians
Contact info:
Email Contact Form:
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Phone number:
(202) 224-5141


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One thing we all know and agree on is that Lord Krebs' and the RBCT Trial states that culling badgers in small areas increases the spread of bovine Tb and increases the frequency of bTB within badgers.
No one can deny that bTB has spread across the country over the last decade yet controversy rages as to the reason for the spread.
Illegal culling by farmers:
Consistently the press has publicised prosecutions and they are possibly just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to illegal activities that can contribute to the spread of bTB. There is no doubt that cattle movements bring the disease to different parts of the country through legally slack restrictions or illegal travel but the percentage spread by illegal activities such as small-scale culling has, until now, not been looked at and the results are shocking.
In most cases, new outbreaks are traced back to hotspot areas but in many cases research would suggest the rate of local spread hides illegal culling.
The graph below shows the spread from 1986 to 2008 from some isolated pockets to areas we all know defined as hotspots.
Bio-security, cattle movements, vaccination of badgers and cattle (once allowed) are the only long term effective, scientific and sustainable ways forward. Stricter measures to stop cattle spreading tuberculosis to other cattle is the only way to combat the disease effectively.
The EU contributed £32 million to the UK to combat bovine TB in cattle but doesn't give funds for badger culling. A total of £116 million has been received by the European Commission to date.
Europe said, "The Commission provides substantial financial support (1) to the approved UK bovine TB eradication program; for 2012, €31.2 million was allocated to implement a rapid eradication strategy. There is no EU financial support provided for the culling of badgers."
Sloppy practice was exposed by the European Commission. EU inspectors found that the removal of cattle with bTB was below the target of 90% in 10 days, and that in the first half of 2011 more than 1,000 cattle had not been removed after 30 days (2). They found that there were 3,300 overdue TB tests as of May 2011 and that "many" calf passports – used to track movements – were incomplete. Missed targets on both the rapid removal of cattle with bTB, the follow-up of missed tests, and "weaknesses" in cleaning and disinfection at farms, vehicles, markets and slaughterhouses are all at levels exacerbated by lack of adequate supervision. All these problems increase the risk of TB spreading between cattle. They also found that only 56% of disease report forms had been completed on time, with the authorities blaming lack of resources.
Local authority surveys provided evidence that some cattle farmers may have been illegally swapping cattle ear tags, i.e. retaining TB-positive animals in their herds and sending less productive animals to slaughter in their place.
There are 8.5 million cattle in Great Britain on 81,000 holdings, with 2.4million movements a year.
The government accepted most of these failings yet have done little to rectify the situation and measures introduced in January 2013, whilst welcome, are not nearly enough.
In New Zealand the real breakthrough in control of bovine TB came when farmers bought into the idea that they were a factor in its spread and thus restricted cattle movements and increased bio-security. Vet, Prof. John Bourne, says, "Despite some improvements, the government is still going nowhere near far enough with bio security... It is not badgers that spread the disease throughout the country; it is cattle." On that we are all agreed.
But there is another area that isn't covered and this comes under the heading of "illegal activities". This is the illegal killing of badgers that seems to be going on undercover of darkness. Recent research would suggest it is not an uncommon practice. Yet this appears to be organised and sustained. For a long time, reports of illegal killing of badgers have appeared in the press. In September last year a tenant farmer was convicted of pumping slurry into an active sett (3). A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said, "This was a very callous and heartless act of cruelty to these protected animals who will have died a horrible death. The court's punishment reflects the seriousness of this distressing act. Those who persecute badgers should remember that it remains illegal to kill badgers in North Yorkshire."
In January this year a group of men were convicted of badger baiting. The judge condemned them as "barbaric and abhorrent". The badger baiters reportedly laughed as their dogs ripped the defenseless creatures apart. (4)
28 illegal incidents were reported in Gloucestershire alone in 2010. (5)
Ian Hutchison, who heads UK crime prevention for Operation Meles, a joint project by police and animal welfare organisations said, "There is a lot of this going on and there will have been cruelty in Gloucestershire. There are gangs traveling through the county who think it is a macho thing to do. Some have even pumped slurry into setts effectively drowning the badgers in excrement. It is the most cruel and sick activity. There have been some people inciting this sort of behaviour online, suggesting ways in which to kill them and we are monitoring them."
The "Badger Welfare Association" fuel these activities by claiming that they can identify infected setts. Just like magic potions for the 1800s it is all smoke and mirrors; there is no way to identify an infected sett in the same way that you cannot identify an infected cow by looking at it. In fact badgers don't actually seem to be affected by bovine Tb, like most wildlife they are infected by cattle and are, in the most part, carriers. Research has shown badgers in the same closed sett and community are not all infected. (6)
In Wales in July last year the S4C Pobol y Cwm showed a program that confirmed our worst fears that, not only were farmers taking matters into their own hands, but that it was organised. (10) On the program, a man who lives in northwest Wales said, "The effects of TB has forced communities to take extreme steps." In justification, he said it had got to the point "where nothing was being done" and stated, "It's time to do something about it." He didn't accept it was cruel and confirmed he knew of others who also did this. He confirmed he killed 3-4 badgers a night and had been doing that for over six years. If we use a standard working year that would equate to over 5,600 badgers in total.
Farming in one area and consistently losing cattle to bTB, doing the same thing, getting the same outcome, changing nothing, and yet still carrying on is surely not sensible. Surely we cannot condone any lawbreaking, but the approval doesn't just come from isolated pockets of farmers it stretches way higher to the highest levels in government too and this is probably the most appalling abuse of power. Moreover, it could actually be a a major factor in the spread of bTB.
Elin Jones said, "Farmers have been betrayed and may well decide to act unlawfully. Farmers will now have to consider how best to protect their cattle and I for one would not blame them however they choose to do that." It is no surprise that this accepted lawbreaking should continue and is it little wonder that farmers feel they have been given a green light. (8)
But it is not just law breaking that is at the centre of this issue, or the fact that it's openly encouraged - the issue is that they are actually making matters worse. A small scale cull can only spread the disease further, since it cannot be contained. The spread of the disease outside a killing zone is known as perturbation, which can only be prevented by providing hard boundaries. So these localised culls can actually be making matter worse.
The Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) was a 10 year trial costing £50 million and slaughtering 11,000 badgers. It is the only peer reviewed study on bovine TB in cattle and stated, "Culling badgers could have no meaningful effect on the control of bTB in cattle."
The government's own Bovine TB Eradication Group for England that included veterinary professionals was set up in November 2008 but did not support badger culling as an effective policy. (9) In the end, 30 eminent animal disease scientists launched an attack on the government's "mindless" cull stating, "Bovine tuberculosis is a serious problem for UK farmers, deserving the highest standard of evidence-based management."
Lord Krebs of the RBCT said, "The scientific case is as clear as it can be; this cull is not the answer to TB in cattle. The government is cherry-picking bits of data to support its case." In the RBCT trail we saw a drop in the cull zones of incidents of bTB, but around the periphery we saw an increase in incidents of bTB especially in the badgers. So scientifically if we cull badgers inside the cull zone we increase the prevalence of bTB outside the cull zones. These illegal culls could actually be contributing to to the spread of bTB. Dead badgers found on the road are often attributed to these illegal culls. (13) But now science is looking at illegal activities as well. 'Innovative techniques for estimating illegal activities in a human-wildlife-management conflict', a paper written by a research team from Bangor University, the University of Kent and Kingston University, has revealed - for the first time - the estimated rate of illegal badger killing.
Bangor University called for further in-depth research to be carried out in this area. (13) They estimate that a higher than previously thought percentage of badgers are being culled illegally and this alone could have a devastating effect on the spread of bTB and these incidents need to be factored in. (11) Dr Paul Cross from Bangor University said, "The proportion of farmers estimated to have killed badgers should be considered by policymakers and in the wider debate. Intensive badger culling is one approach being considered by policymakers, in an attempt to control the spread of tuberculosis in cattle. However, studies investigating the effects of badger culling on TB outbreaks in cattle have not factored in the prevalence of illegal badger killing and its potential to spread disease."
Bangor University believes that more than 10% of farmers have taken matters into their own hands. Farmers in Wales who illegally cull badgers may be responsible for spreading bovine TB further afield. Whatever your standpoint we are all united in wanting to see bTb removed from our cattle and wildlife populations.
Illegal killing of badgers is against the law and could increase the spread of bovine TB but until officials, the government and the NFU whole heartedly decry badger baiting and the illegal slaughter of these creatures, we fear this will continue to encourage farmers to take the law into their own hands and thus increase the spread of bTB.
- http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/press/press_releases/2012/pr1245_en.htm
- http://www.savemetrust.org/images/pdf/MRFIN%202011-6057%20UK-3.pdf
- http://nwhsa.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/farmer-guilty-of-pumping-slurry-into-badger-sett/
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2084794/Judge-condemns-badger-baiters-laughed-dogs-ripped-animals-apart.html
- http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Badgers-drowned-slurry-police-investigate-animal/story-17236045-detail/story.html
- http://www.dailypost.co.uk/farming-north-wales/farming-news/2012/08/16/farmers-plan-to-gas-badger-setts-55578-31632946/
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAg89bjdbeM
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2sPugMhSe0
- www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN05873.pdf
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-20547326
- http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/2013-01-17/bangor-university-badger-cull-research-must-be-considered/3
- http://www.itv.com/news/wales/story/2013-01-16/illegal-badger-cull-concerns/
- http://www.bangor.ac.uk/senrgy/full.php.en?nid=11940&tnid=11940


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Eye of the...? Culture helps tell us who's gorgeous
Q. When it comes to who we all find attractive, does Nature or Nurture pull the strings? –A. Jolie
A. We are strongly yanked by both, as beautiful faces and bodies worldwide are generally ones that look youthful, healthy, symmetrical, "average" in the sense that we prefer features– noses, legs, physiques– that are neither too large nor too small, says David G. Myers in Psychology.
"So sensitive is our radar for facial attractiveness that we can judge someone's looks after but a 0.15-second glimpse," Myers says.
But beauty is also in the eye of the culture, as attractiveness-seekers of various times and places have pierced their noses, lengthened their necks, bound their feet, dyed or painted skin or hair, leather flattened or silicone-pumped breasts, gorged themselves to plump up or liposuctioned fat to slim down.
"In North America, the ultra-thin ideal of the Roaring Twenties gave way to the voluptuous Marilyn Monroe ideal of the 1950s," Myers notes, "only to be replaced by the lean busty ideal of the 1990s. Americans now spend more on beauty supplies than on education and social services combined."
Q. How do you survive a four-story fall? –K. Wallenda
A. When Australian pro skateboarder Jake Brown pulled off a double midair rotation of 720 degrees at the 2007 X Games in Los Angeles, he lost control and sailed off the end of the ramp, reported researcher Adrienne So in Wired magazine. His board flew out from under him, and he plummeted 45 feet before slamming into the deck so hard that his shoes flew off!
Brown lay motionless for a few minutes, then stood up to wild cheers and walked off with arms raised. Unfortunately, he'd fractured a vertebra and both wrists, lacerated his liver and suffered whiplash, but he was still alive.
The next time you fall four stories without a parachute, you too could survive if you follow these rules:
1. Don't panic.
2. Pick a good landing spot. Trained skydivers can survive free falls of 100 feet if they hit mud or a slope.
3. Spread the impact. Brown turned in midair and absorbed the impact with his feet, then rolled onto his back, thereby converting vertical momentum into horizontal.
4. Be tough as nails, lucky, or Australian. From 50 feet up, you quickly accelerate to 30 miles per hour— so fast, as one expert put it, you're lucky if your internal organs stay in place on impact.
Q. On the outside at least, we humans are even, balanced, graceful, symmetrical– nicely streamlined. But how about on the inside? –M. Debakey
A. Lopsided or asymmetric is more like it, says Lewis Held Jr., in Quirks of Human Anatomy. We have a spleen on the left but not the right, our left lung has two lobes, but our right lung has three, our heart and stomach are shifted left of center, our liver to the right, and our intestines meander throughout our abdominal cavity. In fact, our intestines are about ten times the length of our torso, and to pack such a "fire hose" into the body cavity requires that it deviate from the midline. Still unclear is why our gut doesn't just coil haphazardly instead of its twists and turns normally culminating in a clockwise colon (ascending right, crossing, and descending left). The epitome of asymmetric complexity must be the heart, arising through pretzel-like contortions of an initially symmetric tube. Our most dangerous asymmetry is found inside the heart, where we have only one unilateral pacemaker.
"We would be better off if we had a 'backup' pacemaker on the other side that could take over in the event of a heart attack," Held notes.
Send Strange questions to brothers Bill and Rich at email@example.com


text: Prospero's Books' mission is to create the environment for the local and expatriate customers to experience the best quality services and products. We strive to be valuable resources to our customers and help them to benefit from each buy. Our goal is to run the long term-oriented business to the profitable results for the future expansion. Our values are the ethics to conduct the business in professional manner and with such extent that will able our team to grow, allow mistakes and learn how to innovate from them. We see our strength in development of the business environment. And while being highly competitive we value honesty and flexibility to the accomplishments and leading to the success


text:
Why you need asset performance analytics
Better manage your industrial assets to eliminate downtime, shorten repair time and improve the overall health of assets
From manufacturing diapers to extracting oil from the ocean floor, the reliability of the industrial assets and machines in many processes is critical to success. Preventive maintenance is a long-standing tradition in many industries, especially manufacturing and energy production. Today, asset performance analytics is becoming more important as a way to provide a holistic, predictive approach to asset maintenance and performance. It is broadly aimed at optimizing the value of production assets by analyzing asset data to predict future failures and prevent downtime.
"Asset analytics supplies the leading indicators that tell an enterprise when an asset is likely to fail in the future, and on what schedule that asset should be evaluated for maintenance or replacement," explains Alyssa Farrell, Energy Industry Marketing Manager at SAS. "Comprehensive asset analytics also takes into account the entire performance and lifecycle cost of the assets, how they are networked and their value to the company."
In both the energy and manufacturing industries, revenues and outcomes rely heavily on the performance of machines, so "if that machine, that piece of equipment or that asset fails, the enterprise is in big trouble," says Mike Hitmar, Manufacturing Industry Marketing Manager at SAS.
According to Hitmar, asset performance analytics can be used in three major ways to improve preventive maintenance:
- Time-based preventive actions can be taken based on historical data. The ideal frequency for replacing air filters, for example, can be determined using analytics.
- Applying analytics can help reveal how an asset is operating and whether it is degrading in performance. Often, small internal signs that might go unnoticed by workers will be detected by analytics before a failure occurs.
- Asset optimization uses analytics to make sure the asset is operating at peak performance at all times.
Getting started with asset performance analytics
How do you know if asset performance analytics is right for you? And what is a good way to start? Begin by asking these questions:
- Are your overall maintenance costs high compared to your industry peers?
- Are you facing equipment performance challenges that result in poor quality or reliability, missed shipments or factory overtime?
- Are you meeting your SLAs? What about your service contracts?
- Are there opportunities to improve profitability by streamlining operations?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider asset performance analytics. Farrell suggests starting with an easy win. "I would start with the basic approach of finding a high-profile project that can produce a meaningful, quick, positive outcome using asset analytics. Then rotating that champion who drove the change around to other assets or production centers."
Asset analytics supplies the leading indicators that tell an enterprise when an asset is likely to fail in the future, and on what schedule that asset should be evaluated for maintenance or replacement.
Alyssa Farrell
Energy Industry Marketing Manager
Asset performance analytics and the Internet of Things
Technology is no longer the barrier to gaining insights and intelligence about your assets. High-performing analytics and streaming data from sensors on your assets can help provide answers faster than ever before. The number of vendors and sensor types has exploded recently.
Using sensor data presents many opportunities but also presents some data management challenges. "Inevitably, there will be data quality questions to solve before sensor data can be fully analyzed," says Farrell. "And I think it's a big opportunity to improve the management of sensor data so that energy and manufacturing companies can focus on the analytics and reduce the effort that it takes to manage and aggregate and clean up the sensor data."
Hitmar emphasizes the importance of data preparation for analytics: "We're really focusing on data quality from an analytics perspective, including the way the data is indexed and organized to allow analytics to be run on it. An example would be how different sensors handle time stamping. Production machines are not necessarily connected to each other, and sensors are not set to record in sync. Sensors might be set up to measure temperature or vibration, but with different time intervals. Analytics wants the data in a nice time series of events, for everything to be lined up in rows and columns, which isn't always possible with multiple sensor sources."
Real-world examples of asset performance analytics
More and more often, the uses of asset performance analytics will involve streaming analytics on sensor data. For example, Hitmar describes a diaper manufacturer that was able to reduce rejects, scrap and rework. For a factory that is running all day, every day, a 20-minute improvement in reaction times made a huge difference. These results were made possible by collecting and analyzing more than 5,000 attributes, including streaming data from sensors throughout the factory.
Likewise, Farrell tells us about a field of oil wells that sends streaming data from the ocean floor. "The recent volatility in oil prices has caused an uptick in interest in asset analytics because producers are keenly focused on which assets are most efficient under which conditions."
For more examples and further discussion about asset performance analytics from Farrell and Hitmar, read the paper Asset Performance Analytics: Optimizing Performance in Asset-Intensive Industries from the International Institute of Analytics.
Read Next
- Learn more about analytics in the manufacturing industry.
- Find other smart solutions for utilities and oil and gas organizations.
- Want to learn more about the Internet of Things? Read the history and examples in this great IoT introduction.
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CLEVELAND: Police in Cleveland say a 19-year-old man was fatally shot while driving his car on the city�s east side.
Police said DeAndre Nickerson had four people in the car with him when he stopped at an intersection Tuesday afternoon. Another car pulled around Nickerson�s car and fired shots into it.
Nickerson died later at a hospital. Nobody else in the car was injured.
Police are looking for a suspect in a gold Chrysler with tinted windows.


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Multichannel Data Collection for Throughput Maximization in Wireless Sensor Networks by Ying Chen A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Ful llment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING) December 2012 Copyright 2012 Ying Chen
Object Description
|Multichannel data collection for throughput maximization in wireless sensor networks
|Chen, Ying
|Author email
|Doctor of Philosophy
|Document type
|Degree program
|Electrical Engineering
|Viterbi School of Engineering
|Date defended/completed
|Date submitted
|Date approved
|Restricted until
|Date published
|Advisor (committee chair)
|Krishnamachari, Bhaskar
|Advisor (committee member)
Govindan, Ramesh
Annavaram, Murali
|Recent studies have shown that wireless sensor networks are fundamentally throughput-limited because of their high densities, scale, and convergecast nature of data collection traffic. Thus, it is of interest to develop high-rate data collection techniques for sensor networks. In this thesis, we make four contributions to address this challenge. ❧ First, through systematic experiments with real WSN hardware (Tmote Sky), we identify the maximum possible throughput for many-to-one (convergecast) data collection in sensor networks as a function of key communication parameters such as packet size, use of acknowledgements, and network topology. ❧ Second, we demonstrate that the maximum achievable network throughput can in fact be attained in practice using a carefully designed mix of routing, frequency allocation and time scheduling. We implement this in the form of Multi-Channel Collection (MCC), the first near-optimal multi-channel time-scheduled protocol for fair, real-time data collection in Wireless Sensor Networks. Compared to state of the art single-channel random-access-based collection protocols for WSN, we show through testbed experiments that this approach offers 48-155% improvement in throughput. We also show how to exploit the time-scheduled nature of this approach for other benefits: dramatically reducing the number of required frequency channels as well as decreasing the energy utilization. ❧ Third, we measure and analyze the link qualities across all channels in an indoor testbed. We observe that, besides the time-varying and location-dependent features, links exhibit a large variety of qualities in different channels. And asymmetry is common (on average, about 30%) for links in all channels. Based on these observations, we argue that channel quality awareness is important for multichannel protocols. ❧ Finally, we design new routing and channel allocation approaches, CQAR (Channel-Quality-Aware Routing) and CQAA (Channel-Quality-Aware Allocation), which take the channel quality into consideration. Both CQAR and CQAA can be incorporated into the MCC framework. According to how MCC uses the channel quality information, we propose three different variants: ICRA (Ideal Channel-based Routing and Allocation), CQAA, CQARA. We evaluate these approaches by simulations based on real testbed measurement. The results show that CQAA and CQARA are able to achieve high overall delivery ratio and normalized throughput. Though ICRA has similar performance when network size is small, it does not scale very well as the other two. CQARA exhibits high efficiency of both channel utilization and energy consumption. This shows the benefits of considering channel quality in multichannel protocols.
|wireless sensor networks; multichannel; TDMA; convergecast; channel quality measurement; scheduling; channel allocation
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|University of Southern California dissertations and theses
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|University of Southern California
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|University of Southern California
|Chen, Ying
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|Multichannel Data Collection for Throughput Maximization in Wireless Sensor Networks by Ying Chen A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Ful llment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING) December 2012 Copyright 2012 Ying Chen


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"Family or personal photographs are now taken to be shared with everybody whereas in the era of photo albums they used to be much more private." So explains Dutch curator and editor Erik Kessels, otherwise known for his work at the legendary and unorthodox advertising agency, KesselsKramer. "We used to be the designers of our photo memories, not just someone who makes a slideshow on a computer. We don't even have them in albums any more. The function of a photograph has shifted completely."
There's been no shortage of reflections on how we are living in a time when once-familiar objects are disappearing rapidly from our lives yet Kessels' exhibition, Album Beauty, provides a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of obsolescence. Currently on display at Les Rencontres d'Arles in France, it is an ode to the lost world of the photo album, that container of family history and personal narratives. Comprising found and anonymous family photographs, it is the result of nearly 15 years spent rummaging through flea markets and second-hand stores across the globe.
"It's extraordinary to think that photo albums have only been in existence for roughly one hundred years, and now they are virtually dead," Kessels says. Presented as an installation, the experience of Album Beauty is akin to walking through a physical photo album. Images are blown up to epic size and displayed as wallpaper, while others are shown in their original format. There are also interactive albums to leaf through, life-size photo props that visitors can put their face into, and photographs printed on carpets that visitors walk over. Kessels' curatorial practice is one of constant carnival.
Yet beyond the nostalgic pleasure drawn from these pre-digital images, Album Beauty achieves a certain gravitas through the glimpses it offers into the human condition. While there are no critically important pictures here they are nonetheless glorious in their dullness. In a sense then, it's a form of archaeology that lists the detritus of beauty, boredom, travel, companionship, innocence, youth, pride and participation.
"I am very interested in the certain typologies that you might find within albums," Kessels explains via telephone from his office, a converted church in the heart of Amsterdam. "For instance, people make mostly on average 7 or 8 albums during their lifetime. The first is always when a couple meet each other, they're in love and they go on holiday etc."
Noting how analogue family photography was a largely engendered pursuit, he adds: "It was mostly men taking pictures of their partners. It was them who had the machine around their neck. For instance, in [the album labeled "Helene"], the man is taking close ups of her excessively. Even his girlfriend's name is written in large lettering. You can tell he considers her an adorable, desired object.
"The second album that was made is mostly related to the marriage. You see this phenomenon all over the world, in all kinds of countries. The third one is usually totally dedicated to and fanatical about the first-born child. The fresh parents just can't show it off enough. When people can't have children then they focus their album on other things such as dogs. When there are no children and no dogs, they opt for the car. What else is there to photograph?"
As for the fourth, the fifth, the sixth and the seventh albums, he says: "They're a complete mix of everything; more new children, holidays, important occasions etc, so it's total chaos, with blank pages and all."
And in the eighth? "The eighth is comparable to the first. The couple are together, alone again because the kids have gone to university or left home. However, you can observe that the woman usually appears smaller in the frame, either because the man loses interest, she doesn't want to be photographed or due to the fact that he's more interested in the surrounding landscape."
Kessels is finely attuned to the voice of propaganda that rings sternly through out family photography, though he notes that this idea is not just specific to physical albums but is also present via avatars and profiles on Facebook, MobileMe, or Instagram, for example, in which people present carefully constructed images of themselves. Largely radiating happiness, such platforms allow for an all too perfect distillation of life, he says: the best situations, the best smiles, the sunniest of days.
Yet Kessels clearly has little concern for the neatly pruned. Instead, he actively seeks out the dissonant, the banal, and most crucially, the disruption to ritualised harmony within family photography. "A long and dedicated search through photo albums will occasionally reveal something less than perfection," he says. "Something other than an entry in the competition to appear normal. And in these cracks, beauty may be found."
As such, imperfection gets its dues. Whether this manifests itself in ill-shaped yawns, awkward poses or technical mistakes such as poor lighting, exposure, and red eye, or more adventurous examples that include grooms maliciously cut out of photographs, Album Beauty demonstrates, in the words of Kessels, how "the so-called 'errors' can reveal the truth."
Erik Kessels is a Dutch curator and editor. He is a founder of the advertising agency KesselsKramer.
Tim Clark is the Editor-in-Chief and Director of 1000 Words Photography Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @1000wordsmag.


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Tagged With: Keyser WV
West Virginia- Wild and Wonderful
Well, here I am. After crossing the Ohio River, I've left Mountaineer country and entered the Buckeye state. While I'm certainly glad that I've made it over the Appalachians, I will miss them dearly. Some of my first glimpses of unmanned wilderness took place back in Cub Scouts: hiking the Appalachian Trail and learning the basics of survival, gaining an appreciation for nature, and generally utilizing the outdoors for everything they have to offer. Within the past few years I gained a newfound love for these same mountains, and they are symbolic of the general terrain that I'm used to and have hiked most often.… Read more
Categories: Walk Across America Tags: American Discovery Trail, Appalachian Mountains, Canaan Valley WV, Clarksburg WV, Davis WV, dudetrek, Ellenboro WV, Fort Ashby WV, Grafton WV, Keyser WV, Morgantown WV, Parkersburg WV, Parsons WV, Pennsboro WV, Phillippi WV, Walk Across America, West Virginia 6 Comments


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Crosbie tries to give its expertise and knowledge about its client cases through their social media. Due to Risk and strict OSC compliance, the partners are always vigilant about what is being said across our Crosbie social media platform. Here are a few lessons from Harvard Business School blog:
Through unwitting leaks of critical information by employees, platforms like Facebook and Twitter can expose some of your company's secrets. Leaks are nothing new; companies have been eavesdropping on each other forever. But social technologies open new channels that permit snooping on an unprecedented scale. That's why corporate social-media strategy should include not only engaging customers, gathering intelligence, and reinforcing brands, but also shielding the company from prying eyes.
Here's a quick quiz: Have you ever tweeted your business-travel plans? Does your LinkedIn profile describe what you do in great detail? Is localization enabled on your mobile device when you use social media?
If you answered yes to any of those, you and your company may have left footprints that your competitors can detect and analyze.
For example: An analyst wanted to generate data on how a major consumer-electronics company's leading product was doing. In a matter of minutes, readily available software tools mined half a million social-media comments for information about the company, revealing that 75% of 21-to-35-year-olds and 60% of 36-to-50-year-olds had made neutral or negative comments about it while people 20 and younger (a group largely underestimated by the company) showed 100% positive sentiment about it. The analyst inferred that the company was losing its business customers fast and that a competitor could gain by targeting younger users.
Employees and senior executives alike are sometimes too casual about disseminating the information they possess, or they don't understand what's confidential and what isn't. A few tweets or Facebook comments about a work project can give a competitor valuable insight into a company's product plans, and travel information might suggest that marketers or salespeople are aiming at new clients or regions.
As an exercise, we analyzed the LinkedIn profile of a senior executive from an aerospace company, responsible for sales in Latin America and the Caribbean. We noticed that he had added new links to salespeople in a new region in a short period of time. The contacts were highly suggestive of the company's plans.
There's a vague but growing awareness of these vulnerabilities in the corporate world: One recentsurvey shows that companies are beginning to recognize the risks posed by social media to their confidential information, with 37% of employers saying that Facebook poses the greatest risk and 27% citing LinkedIn. Another study shows that only 50% of senior financial executives from both public and private companies are confident that sensitive or confidential information is adequately protected on social-media platforms.
But most companies are still unaware of the risks and the tools that can help mitigate the danger. Here are a few measures that every company should consider to reduce its exposure.
- Assess. Determine what's important for your company to protect. Perform an internal assessment to look for the core information that you care about most, and tailor policies and actions around the findings.
- Educate. Make sure everyone in the company understands what information might be sensitive. An individual's list of LinkedIn connections or Twitter followers reveals his or her networks. Facebook likes and favorite articles in Google Plus leave footprints showing areas a person has studied and new strategic initiatives he or she may be involved in.
- Guide. Establish clear and simple social-media usage policies. There's a database of such policies here to help you get started.
- Keep it inside. Implement and promote internal social networks that are walled off from the outside world. These platforms allow employees to talk shop in a social environment without risking information leakage. Use incentives to encourage adoption, and make sure senior employees lead by example.
- Monitor. Set up continuous monitoring of employees' postings on social media about such matters as business travel, job assignments, and reorganizations. Dell, for example, has established a social-media listening center to track conversations and provide intelligence to executives. Put yourself in your competitors' shoes and war-game a determined effort to find information about your company.
- Limit. There's little reason why your company's information should be accessible by analytical tools such as those that allow users to download critical data or analyze an individual's full social-media postings. Most tools allow webmasters to prevent spiders from crawling and indexing their sites.
- Disable geolocation. Make sure employees turn off social-media geolocation features. Many companies have found that it's ineffective to simply forbid the practice. It's better to educate employees and show them the footprints they've already left. Take a look at what an app created by O'Reilly researchers Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden did with the geolocation information harvested from the consolidated.db file of the iPhone of a person living in New England.
Social media, by its very nature, is a tricky space to navigate. Both the opportunities and the risks are often hard to perceive. The key to seeing and minimizing the risks is to continuously test tools so that you can see where competitors might be able to find your secrets. At the same time, invest effort and senior management time in setting a good example.
Now it's your turn to act: Become a role model and help bring attention to the risks of social intelligence to your company.


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After trying out the Amazon Kindle not just as an e-book reader, but to serve as electronic notes for a talk--I offered readers of this blog a discount. Now Oprah's doing the same, after a show last week in which she raved about this new device as her favorite new gadget. If you order the Kindle and enter OPRAHWINFREY during checkout, you'll get $50 off the price, plus 10 percent off The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. (No promotional code needed for that.) But hurry: The offer ends November 1, 2008. [UPDATE: This offer is no longer valid.]
Since first test-driving the Kindle, I've found it especially useful for other tasks of the speaker, including:
- Toting many speech texts with me while traveling. You just email documents to your special Kindle email address, and for pennies, they're converted to the format and sent to the device wirelessly. As the Kindle weighs just 10.3 ounces, it's a lightweight travel companion.
- Reading and annotating texts to cite in future speeches. More than a reader, Kindle lets you clip, mark and make notes on books, blogs, newspapers and documents downloaded to the reader, making them easy to find when you're putting a speech together. There's even a dictionary built in so you can check meanings of words.
- Reading long sections of text from an existing book or blog. If your speech requires a long quotation, download the document to the Kindle and bring it along. You can even electronically "dog-ear" the page in question.
Click on the box below and use Oprah's discount to get your own Kindle. And let me know your experiences with it as a speaker in the comments!


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