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Marriott just announced one of the biggest data breaches to date. Data from up to 500 million accounts from its Starwood reservation system were exposed. Even more alarming is that hackers had access to this information over four years. Cool.
What information was exposed
Hackers copied information from the Starwood guest reservation database. According to Marriott's frequently asked questions about the breach, the following personal information was exposed:
Mailing addresses
Phone numbers
Email addresses
Passport numbers
Payment card numbers
Payment card expiration dates
Starwood Preferred Guest ("SPG") account information
Dates of birth
Arrival and departure information
Reservation dates
Communication preferences
If you made a reservation at a Starwood property between 2014 and September 10, 2018, your personal data was likely exposed. Marriott hotels operate on a separate reservation system and were not affected. Starwood is beginning to notify people via email if they were affected.
What to do about the Marriott breach
There's a laundry list of actions you should take to protect yourself.
- Monitor your Starwood account for suspicious activity.
- Keep an eye on your bank statements for strange charges.
- Some security experts are recommending you freeze your credit, which would prevent anyone from applying for loans or credit cards in your name.
- Don't click emails asking for your personal info, even if they look official. (Any official emails coming from Marriott will come from firstname.lastname@example.com.)
Marriott is also offering a free year to a service called WebWatcher, which will monitor the internet for your personal info. You can sign up on the Marriott breach information page.
Above all, do 1 thing to better protect your online accounts
If you have a Starwood online account, changing your password is also smart move. But if you do one thing, it's this: Change your password in every single place where you've reused that same password. Use a different and unique password for every account. And definitely create a password that's not on the most commonly used passwords list.
Hackers love when you use the same password on multiple accounts. Because now they can try to log in to all sorts of websites -- and often times they will succeed.
If someone got their hands on your email address and password from the Starwood breach, they can write a simple program to try that same combination on thousands of websites at once. Bank websites. Email clients. Anything really.
This is called credential stuffing, and it's not technically hacking because cyber criminals are using credentials that are already out there. If you know a password got exposed and continue to use it, you're opening up your accounts pretty easily unauthorized access.
It's time for some digital housekeeping
Most of us have hundreds of online accounts. Who's going to remember hundreds of passwords? No one.
That's what a password manager is for. The beauty of a password manager is that you don't have to remember any of your passwords. The software does it for you. You just need to remember one: the password you use to log in to your password manager.
A password manager saves all your passwords, then autofills them into websites and apps for you. It can also generate strong, unique passwords. Troy Hunt, a security expert who manages the a large database of data breaches, says the most secure password is one you can't remember.
Wirecutter has tested several password managers and recommends 1Password ($26 per year) and LastPass ($24 per year) as the best options.
Getting set up with a password manager and changing all your passwords isn't hard. It just takes time. But it's really one of the best things you can do to boost the security of all your online accounts -- and give you better peace of mind. There's little you can do to prevent data breaches from happening, and unfortunately they're becoming more common. But you can take steps to protect your data, starting with better, unique passwords.
At the very least, do it for all accounts that contain any deeply personal information or financial information, such as your email accounts, bank accounts, and retirement accounts. You'll feel much better that you did. ?


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Select a content package tailored to fit your needs. Then tap our expert writers to craft engaging content that give your site the layers search engines love.
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We have three levels of professional services for your content that provide photographs with your posts. Hand-selected, high-quality stock interior design photos are included in the +Photo, +Optimize, and Verblio Complete levels.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Dropcam is a pretty novel idea: Take a little camera, plug it into an outlet, plunk in your WiFi network settings, and boom — you've got a wireless security camera streaming to your own little private recess on the Internets, 24 hours a day. Once that's done, you can pop into your living room to check on your treasures with just a few clicks on your PC, or a few taps on your iPhone.
But what about the Android users? Don't they deserve the comfort of knowing that some dude isn't makin' off with their TV? Shouldn't they be able to make sure the dogs haven't turned the shoe rack into a chew-toy store? As of this morning, they can.
Earlier today, Dropcam launched their free viewing application into the Android Market. If you've got a Dropcam, great — just punch in your account details, and you should be good to go. Don't have one? You can still poke around the application to check out a handful of public Dropcams they set up around San Francisco.
Oh, and while you're here: be sure to check out our review of the Dropcam Echo right over here


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The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
|International Scholarly Exchange
Symposium: "Dialogue between East and West" Held in Spain
In his remarks, UdL Rector Joan Viñas Salas stated that spirituality that encourages us to explore and enrich the human mind can greatly contribute to overcoming our common challenges and help expand opportunities for dialogue. He expressed his wish to create a world based on the idea of "non-violence" and a "culture of peace."
Jésus Sans, President of UNESCO Association of Lleida, stressed the importance of dialogue as a means to identify and gain greater understanding of humankind's diverse spiritual values and to strengthen bonds with one another. He stated that the Lotus Sutra exhibition is a significant event which promotes dialogues to create humanistic networks among different cultures, civilizations and religions.
Executive secretary of UNESCO Centre of Catalona and head of the Department of Interreligious Dialogue, Franceac Torradeflot, said that the Lotus Sutra exhibition was pointing the way for exploring the spirituality of East and West and the common ground between them. He emphasized the significance of this in the modern world where the need for dialogue among religions was growing. [Spanish]
IOP Director Yoichi Kawada spoke about Shakyamuni's enlightenment and the ideas pulsating throughout the Lotus Sutra. He also talked about the role of Buddhism in creating harmonious coexistence among human beings. IOP Senior Research Fellow Toshie Kurihara gave a presentation titled "the Concept of Equality in the Lotus Sutra: The SGI's Viewpoint."
The following day, the IOP and SGI-Spain representatives participated in a conference sponsored by the University of La Laguna, Tenerife, at the Economic and Management Sciences Department Auditorium. Mr. Kawada spoke about SGI (Soka Gakkai International) within the historical context of Buddhism and also about SGI's activities for the promotion of peace, culture and education. Professor Francisco Diez de Velasco and Professor Mar Moreno of the University of La Lagua said that Nichiren Buddhism shares the universal value which enables it to harmonize with other religions.


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Small Bee Print Dog Lead
Product variations
Color: Blue
size: One Size
Your canine companion will 'bee' top dog in this tough yet stylish Bee Print Lead. Made from durable polyester and with a chunky metal clip fastening, it's the perfect size for small dogs. Don't forget the matching collar to complete the set.
- Tough, durable polyester
- Metal clip fastening
- Designed for small dogs
- Matching collar available
We're committed to using more sustainable materials. Read more about our commitments to sustainability here.
Product code: 974382
- 47 x 0.5" / 120 x 1.5cm
Care Instructions
- 100% polyester
FREE on orders above $100, $5 for orders under $100.
Your order will be shipped via our fully tracked OCS Service, and you should expect it to arrive within 5-7 days of ordering. Please note during promotional periods orders may take an additional 2 working days to arrive.
Changed your mind? No problem! Returns are easy at FatFace.
Returns Policy
You can return your unwanted items via mail or to store within 30 days of receipt for full price items or 15 days for Sale items, they just need to be unused and in their original condition.
View all returns information on our returns page.
- bvseo_sdk, dw_cartridge, 16.1.1, p_sdk_3.2.0
- CLOUD, getContent, 5ms
- reviews, product
- bvseo-msg: Unsuccessful GET. status = ERROR, msg = Not Found.;


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LONDON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Manugistics Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: MANU) today announced at the company's working as one '98 -- Europe supply chain forum that The Global Marketing Technology Group (GMT) will be using Manugistics' solutions for collaborative commerce. GMT will establish a supply chain community(TM), designed to enable a consortium of Irish manufacturers of leading Irish Culture Brands, fulfillment houses, service centers and a franchised network of more than 3,000 retail outlets to increase sales of Celtic products to consumers around the world. This initiative extends beyond traditional electronic commerce by supporting real-time interaction and collaboration among the full community of trading partners.
Using Manugistics NetWORKS(TM), the first comprehensive solution that enables collaborative commerce among supply chain partners via the Internet, the supply chain community will collaboratively create and maintain joint business plans. Based on shared goals, the trading partners will work together on activities such as forecasting and demand planning, inventory replenishment and transporting goods to the final consumer.
GMT has created a "Celtic Showcase" franchise to showcase Ireland through leading Irish Culture Brands supplying arts, crafts, books, music, gifts, jewelry, apparel, cultural products and services that will be marketed around the world featuring the world's most exclusive limited edition collection, The Book of Kells. In global partnerships, the franchise will provide interactive Kiosks or Smart Shops, which act as online stores for purchasing products and services, to its retail outlets such as hotels, pubs, Irish clubs and airports. The Kiosks will be linked into the Manugistics5 solution for supply chain optimization, facilitating automatic product replenishment, online ordering and real-time messaging. GMT will also use Manugistics' solutions to manage the flow of product from manufacturers through fulfillment locations to the final customer. The master Celtic Showcase is scheduled to be established in Dublin by January 1999, and GMT envisions that satellite showcases will be franchised worldwide based upon that model.
By building an Internet-enabled supply chain community, GMT plans to achieve a competitive advantage via the global sale of Celtic goods and share that advantage with participating manufacturers, culture brands and retailers on a real-time basis by giving them substantially increased visibility into a variety of supply chain plans, events and decisions. Ultimately, this can enhance the abilities of all members of the supply chain community to realize benefits, including increased sales of branded merchandise products via existing and new channels, lower inventory carrying costs and improved customer service. In addition, as the import/export of Celtic products continues to grow, companies are increasingly challenged with protecting product authenticity and maintaining the protection and control of trademarked products. A tightly linked supply chain and real-time connections to the customer, enabled by collaborative commerce technology, are the keys to addressing these challenges.
In his keynote address today at working as one '98 -- Europe, Richard O'Farrell, managing director of the Global Marketing Technology Group said, "When we first envisioned this strategy, we knew that the right technology solution would be the key to our ultimate success. We carefully crafted a vision of true partnerships with our trading partners and built a series of business processes to support that vision. We then needed a leading-edge solution that could not only meet our needs today, but also grow with us as we expand in the future. It was clear when we saw Manugistics' product and vision for collaborative commerce that it was the perfect match."
"GMT is expanding trading relationships beyond the typical 'give and take' to a collaborative approach to serving the customer, making them a true leader in implementing customer-centric supply chain optimization. By creating their supply chain community with the customer at the center and building a network of relationships and technology with benefits shared along the supply chain, they are setting the stage for success and competitive advantage through collaborative commerce," said Joseph E. Broderick, executive vice president for Manugistics.
GMT is a Dublin-based innovative marketing-technology company that over the past eight years has developed a global Consumer Service Provider model for international marketing of cities, counties and countries. It is leading a consortium of Irish Manufacturers, Service Providers and Culture Brands utilizing electronic commerce in a unique way to reach global consumers. This global franchise model for alternative international retailing -- focusing on gateways to new markets -- has been created through extensive research and development and experience with brands such as Dr. Martens (operating in over 40 countries) and Ecco Shoes of Denmark.
Headquartered in Rockville, Md., Manugistics Group, Inc. is the leading provider of solutions for customer-centric supply chain optimization and has the largest global client base of any supply chain provider. The company's solutions are used by more than 700 companies to improve the flow of product within and among companies from raw materials or parts through manufacturing to delivery of product to the end customer. Manugistics' solutions uniquely allow its clients to create and optimize their supply chains around their customers and are quick to implement, adapt easily to change, and deliver rapid results. Its clients include leading companies such as Compaq, DuPont, Harley-Davidson, Nike, Nestle, Nokia, and Wal-Mart.
Manugistics, the Manugistics logo, and working as one are registered trademarks and Manugistics NetWORKS and supply chain community are trademarks of Manugistics, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Additional information about Manugistics can be found at the company's site on the World Wide Web, at http://www.manugistics.com and for GMT on www.celtic-showcase.com.
SOURCE Manugistics, Inc.
Copyright 1998, PR Newswire
Newsbit furnished by:
A: NetShift Software Ltd.
A: Hughenden Yard, Marlborough, Wilts,SN8 1LT, UK
E: [email protected]
W: www.netshift.com
Thanks Anna!
Thanks Kinetic!
© 1998 Kiosks.Org.
All Rights Reserved.


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Welcome to the islands' Gathering Place. Visit Waikiki, Waimea and Manoa - even the names are magical. Watch hula, dine on Pacific Rim Cuisine, and snorkel Hanauma Bay. East meets West in every aspect and the warm spirit of Aloha embraces it all.
57-091 Kamehameha Highway
2270 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 801
563 Kapahulu Avenue
227 Lewers Street


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Author's introductory note: This essay was originally published in August of 1999 (and then updated in Sept. 2000 as an alert to readers regarding the upcoming United Nations Millennial Conference). It was featured widely on the Internet (most notably at NewsMax.com) and in print (most notably by Write for America, which hand delivered a personal copy to every member of the U.S. House and Senate). As the wisdom of continuing U.S. support for the United Nations has once again been questioned, and rightly so, this timeless and well documented essay makes a strong case that it is not a reformed, not a fiscally efficient United Nations that is needed, but a terminally unplugged U.N., discredited, and boot-kicked out of the United States for good and forever. We hope you will set aside a block of time in your busy day to read and seriously consider this factual essay and if you agree with its message, share a copy of the Un-American United Nations with your family, friends, local and national media outlets, along with your Congressman and Senators. With this one message, as to the latter: Get U.S. Out of the United Nations!
Like many of you, growing up under the tutelage of the public school system and the big three television networks in the 1960's and 1970's, I recall the zealous and reverential treatment afforded the world's eighth wonder: the United Nations.
Its ideals, they said, were homespun American ideals. Its immediate mission: to perpetuate the same across the globe. Its ultimate objective: to bring an end to poverty, prejudice, conflict and war. Indeed, some envisioned and vigorously proclaimed future life under the United Nations as the last and highest stage of evolutionary man (1).
In textbook and pamphlet, newspaper and film clip this dream was perpetuated, and many of us longing for peace and security in the aftermath of two consecutive world wars were swept away with the imagery and emotion of this coming millennial Zion. It would be glorious.
So glorious that warning bells should have broadcast throughout the land a solemn, "beware!" prior to any casting of votes for or against the UN Charter. But the bells were muffled, the Charter fast-tracked through the US Senate, and today we suffer under our great mistake.
Indeed, this very day, September 6, 2000, with 159 heads of state gathering on U.S. soil for a World Millennium Summit, our mistake looms ever larger. The goal of this summit: nothing less than to bring America's leaders to their knees, to vow strict loyalty, this day and forever, not to our Constitution, to which they are solemnly bound, but to the only true loyalty, the UN Charter, or what Koffi Annan calls the "global soul."
We should be alarmed. Compelling evidence, accumulated over the years by a few dedicated citizens and watchdog organizations, (2) reveals this difficult truth: The UN's idealism is less than ideal; its similarity and loyalty to the US system, a facade; its promise for peace and liberty more a formula for war and tyranny; it's leaders and founders, dedicated socialists and communists.
The UN was never intended to be our friend. Yet, in the year 2000, we have a President, a State Department and two presidential candidates collectively converted, not to the down-to-earth protection of US sovereignty and liberty under the Constitution, as per their oath of office, but to some pie-in-the-sky vision of a borderless, socially-conscious world under the United Nations. At such a crossroad, re-exposing the uncomfortable truth about the UN cannot be overdone.
The UN is no friend to American ideals
A. The UN's Founders were known Communists
If it's true that the personality, purpose and accomplishments of an organization are highly affected by its leadership, then membership in the United Nations spelled trouble from the start. Of the 17 individuals identified by the US State Department as having helped shape US policy leading to the creation of the United Nations, all but one were later identified as secret members of the Communist Party USA (3).
Joining them at the UN's founding conference were 43 members of the ultra influential, ultra pro-socialist, globalist think-tank the Council On Foreign Relations, (6 of the 43 CFR members having the additional distinction of membership in the Communist Party USA) (4). And, importantly, the UN's first Secretary General and orchestrator of the San Francisco conference was the man later convicted as a Soviet agent – Alger Hiss (5).
Not a good start.
Following in the footsteps of that unhallowed class of '46, the ideological makeup of the UN's leadership has been constant. In its 54 year history all eight Secretary Generals of the UN have been either dedicated socialists or communists (6), all 15 of the UN Under-Secretary-Generals for Political and Security Council Affairs (the UN's military boss) have been communists (all but one from the Soviet Union/Russian Federation) (7), and two thirds of the membership in the General Assembly, the Security Council, and in the World Court have always been representatives of socialist and communist nations.
Further, the collection of US employees at the UN have not fared well either. Besides the scandal of having American communists Alger Hiss and company as the creators of the UN, a 1952 official Senate investigation into the then 6 year old United Nations revealed, "extensive evidence indicating that there is today in the UN among the American employees there, the greatest concentration of Communists that this committee has ever encountered (8)." And these were high officials.
Twenty years later, the "anti-American, anti-freedom" flavor of the UN continued unabated, which prompted former UN enthusiast, Republican Senator Barry Goldwater to call for US withdrawal from the UN, and the re-stationing of its headquarters to a place "more in keeping with the philosophy of the majority of its voting members, somewhere like Peking or Moscow (9)."
Things were no different by the 1980's. Republican President Ronald Reagan expressed the same sentiments as Goldwater, adding that the UN was the host of the greatest concentration of spies in the world and thus he vowed to withdraw the US from the UN. (He did boot UNESCO out of the US)
Which leads to the next reason the UN deserves our full measure of scorn. With a line-up of communists, socialists, and spies founding and still running the show at the UN; it seems a bit hard to believe that the political framework created by such notorious figures would be consistent with the American Constitution? Isn't it? And there is plenty of proof..
B. The UN's Charter is the antithesis of the US Constitution.
Its Bill of Rights (10) creates radical new rights to include:
The socialist right to "adequate" housing, a "living" wage, rest and leisure, medical care, social services, employment security, sick pay, disability pay, old age security pay, and widow's pay.
- The family threatening right for children to possess "freedom of thought, conscience, and religion [which has led to children suing their parents in the United States]," and the right to privacy (i.e. the right for a child to seek an abortion without parental consent.)
- The sovereignty destroying right for humans to immigrate and receive welfare services in whatever nation they choose.
- The brainwashing right for "students" to learn the "principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations."
And the statist right for the UN to eradicate any and all "rights and freedoms… exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations (11)," A Soviet Constitution style proviso, to accompany all of these and more Soviet style rights (12).
Its Promotion of Democratic Institutions is a pretense.
Not one UN delegate or official is democratically elected by the people.
The 185 national delegates to the General Assembly don't possess real representative power anyway. They may only "consider . . . discuss . . . advise . . . or make suggestions to the Security Council (13)." An arrangement similar to the meaningless representation the American Colonies suffered under the British Parliament.
However, the 15 member nations of the Security Council (5 permanent members and ten rotating) do have substantial power and are unchecked in this power by election or constitutional constraint. Which leads to the next point (14).
Its Separation of Powers is an illusion.
The UN appears to have three separate branches of government with the General Assembly and the Security Council being symbolic of our House and Senate; the Secretary General symbolic of our President; and the World Court symbolic of our Supreme Court.
But, as already demonstrated, the General Assembly has only advisory powers, the Secretary General is but the chief administrative officer of the UN, who, like the General Assembly, may only "bring to the attention of the Security Council" matters he deems important (15), while the World Court is subject to the Security Council's absolute veto upon any of its decisions.
Furthermore, the Security Council may, if it so chooses, judge any legal matter it sees fit, only being advised to "take into consideration that legal disputes should as a general rule be referred to the International Court of Justice (16)."
Thus all powers legislative, executive, and judicial reside in the Security Council, with the five permanent members being the real power center since the non- permanent members serve but two years (17) and lack absolute veto power (18).
Stunningly, in the serious matter of sanctions or war, once initiated, the General Assembly is even stripped of its petty right to consult with the Security Council, unless the Council "requests" their input (19).
Additionally, regional military and economic alliances, such as NATO, the EU, ASIAN, and NAFTA, are all, by their own treaty law, and the UN Charter which authorized their existence, subject to the rule of the UN Security Council, to whom they must report all actions "under contemplation;" to whom they must seek the approval for any sanctions they intend to impose; and to whom they must bow in obeisance when the Security Council deems it necessary to delegate out enforcement actions (20).
Thus regional arrangements are part of the UN web, and subject to the centralized control of the few men who make up the permanent membership of the Security Council.
Monstesque taught, and the founders concurred and improved on the principle, that the concentration of all power legislative, executive, and judicial in one office is the very definition of tyranny (21). So what then is the Security Council but a budding five- headed world tyrant?
Its National Sovereignty Protection clause was and is a ploy.
Article 2, Verse 7 which forbids the UN from intervening "in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state" was inserted as an afterthought to calm the fears of conservatives in the US Senate 50 years ago. The clause offers no such security.
Every other clause, every other sentence, every other word in the UN Charter calls for international oversight over every possible affair on the planet. Even the sovereignty clause has a mile wide escape hatch which reads "this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII."
Chapter VII, Articles 39 through 42 include the Security Council's power to "determine the existence of any threat to. . .international peace and security," and then to take whatever actions "as may be necessary" such as "interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communications," and or, "action by air, sea, or land forces." Chapter VII, Article 50 even gives the Security Council the power to wage war or impose sanctions on non-member nations. If that isn't the power to intervene in internal matters, what is?
Evidence enough, says former Top Communist Party member, Joseph Z. Kornfeder, that it's clearly recognizable that "the UN "blueprint" is a communist one (22)."
The UN has not protected sovereignty, nor promoted freedom.
A. The UN's history confirms the above claim.
The UN is the enemy of national sovereignty. A few examples:
- The Word Trade Organization (another regional arrangement under the UN Charter), for instance, usurps the right of nations to establish their own foreign commerce policy via 40,000 pages of regulations, scores of regulatory agencies, and its use of sanctions against violators, proving itself the enemy, not the friend of free trade.
- The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (also part of the UN Circle) routinely blackmail client nations to alter internal policies via structural loans (23). Typically, they demand the establishment of planned economies; the nationalization of utilities, major industries, and banking; the creation of export dependent economies; and the implementation of national birth control policies. In a nutshell, in the name of fiscal responsibility, they subtly push socialist based economic, social, and political philosophies which stifle economic independence, and foster greater dependence on the UN, its banks, and the international community.
- The UN's military uses brute force to decide the fate of wars between sovereign nations and or internal warring factions as it did in the Belgium Congo, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, and Haiti.
Presently, the UN is engaged in 14 "peacekeeping" operations (wars) enlisting troops from 77 nations (world wars), and has waged war 62 times in its brief 56 years of existence. Some peace organization! More quietly, it has murdered hundreds of thousands through trade embargoes, a half million children in Iraq alone (24), robbing innocent civilians of the necessities of life, all because the UN denies the sovereign right of nations, like Iraq, to maintain a modern national defense system.
Not surprisingly, the UN opposes the building by the United States of a 21st Century missile defense system to protect our sovereignty – even while the UN ignores continued Russian and Chinese targeting of major US cities, continued Russian and Chinese missile modernization programs, and continued Russian and Chinese First-Strike Doctrines.
And as for respecting Sovereignty, and human rights, consider this, one of the major goals of the Millennial Summit is a call for the establishment of a permanent standing UN Army on US soil (which Clinton appallingly supports) who will go to war at the whim of the UN, so that the UN may never again have to submit to the "cumbersome" process of gaining approval of the sovereign nations and their peoples who must fight, die, and pay for these wars.
The UN's war on sovereignty continues.
UNESCO and the World Health Organization have wormed their way into member governments promoting sex education, homosexuality as normal and healthy, abortion, the right of a child to "privacy," population control, and scientific breeding (25).
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), first led by passionate socialist and New-Ager Maurice Strong, has set fear-driven environmental standards which are currently being implemented in the United States and many other "free" nations. Targeted is the US, who is the "guilty" party that must pay the world's environmental bill. Aligned with that charge are calls for the worldwide redistribution of wealth and technology. And because environmental threats are in this fanatical view, "the number 1 international security concern," national sovereignty has been identified by UNEP as a barrier that must be breached (26).
Truth is, there are so many regulatory agencies listed on the UN's homepage, branching off in so many different directions with sub-agencies, and sub-agencies of sub-agencies, that are designed to interfere with the sovereignty of nations, that one could spend a week of research trying to come up with an honest head count.
However, as part of the year 2000 Summit kickoff, the UN has several more major sovereignty destroying proposals aimed straight at the United States. 1.The elimination of the absolute veto power of the United States, which means that two communist states, Russia and China, and one socialist leaning member of the EU, England, or more especially France, by majority vote can outgun the United States in the Security Council and impose laws upon us over our protest. 2. An enlargement of the powers of the World Court, who by Judicial Review could do more damage in one year to our Constitution then the Supreme Court ever did in decades. 3. An expanded role for the UN in the regulation of international commerce and as an overseer to individual corporations. 4. A new and dangerous power to tax the world, and thus, indefinitely fund the growth of world government. 5. Blatant confessions by the UN's Chief Anan that the continued protection of national sovereignty is obsolete and dangerous.
The UN aids Communists and attacks non-Communists and Capitalists
In the 1950's the UN undermined freedom's victory in Korea by accepting rules of engagement and passing on secrets to Russia and China which made victory impossible for South Korea and the United States (27). They then chose silence and inaction while Soviet tanks rolled into Hungary crushing freedom fighters who fought these tanks with sticks and stones.
In the 1960's the UN invaded Katanga (in the Belgium Congo) and foiled that provinces quest for independence from communist murderer and torturer Patrice Lamumba (28); and likewise declared tiny Rhodesia "a threat to international peace," enabling pro-Communist terrorist Robert Mugabe to seize power. Both the result of an official UN "anti-colonialist" (29) policy which in the name of democracy spread communism throughout Africa, Asia, and the Americas from the 1950's clear up into the 1980's. Showing their pro-Communist partisanship, Russia, China, and Cuba's influence on all of these revolutions was perennially and officially denied by the UN, who dubbed all communist revolutions as "spontaneous." uprisings of the poor and politically ostracized.
In the 1970's, the UN admitted mass murderer Red China, despite the Charter rule to admit "peace-loving nations (30)" only. They added insult to injury by granting China the power and prestige of permanent Security Council status, while simultaneously kicking out free Taiwan. They winked while Security Council member the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, but then suppressed IMF loans to Nicaragua and Iran at key moments in their battle against communist backed revolutions in their nations, citing "human rights" violations (31).
In the 1980's the UN organized an international boycott against South Africa which favored the Soviet, PLO, and Cuban backed African National Congress, which in turn toppled the South African government (the key UN anti-colonial victory in Africa), leading to an immediate turn toward socialism (his first act was to socialize medicine), foreign aid, reverse discrimination, and a nullification of a promised coalition government. Amazingly, the UN pushed for and enforced the boycott even though Mandela upon release from prison publicly declared his loyalty to and the ANC's alliance with the South African Communist Party (32).
In the 1990's the UN disarmed anti-Communist forces in Nicaragua; imposed economic sanctions on Iraq for invading old Soviet friend Kuwait, hypocritically sent annual foodstuffs to communist North Korea, imposed a coalition government on Muslims with Communists in Bosnia, opposed US sanctions against Cuba, indicted President Pinochet for his suppression and imprisonment of communists in Chile, and continues to support the right of Russia and China to suppress liberty in Chechnya and Taiwan.
The UN is a Fraud, and Yet It Continues Unabated.
Soviet Dictator Vladimir Lenin in his work Imperialism and World Economy predicted a day of capitalistic imperialism wherein a "new social order" would be introduced which under the leadership of "a single world trust," would "swallow up all enterprises and all states without exception."
Under this system, capitalism would move toward a mixture of private capital and social production (That form of socialism called fascism, or state monopoly capitalism). But before this melting of "economic, political, [and] national" systems finished its job of "world union," he predicted, "imperialism will inevitably explode, [and] capitalism will turn into its opposite [communism] (33)."
A dire prophecy, and one which should focus our attention on the real, more subtle communist threat in the world today – the United Nations.
Earl Browder, general secretary of the Communist Party USA admitted in his book Victory and After, that "the American Communists worked energetically and tirelessly to lay the foundations for the United Nations which we were sure would come into existence," and that, "the United Nations is the instrument for victory [the victory of communism] (34)."
But let us hope he was dreaming, and that millions of Americans will wake up to the fact that they were lied to by their state run schools, by UN generated pamphlets, and by the 'big three' networks. Sensible and freedom loving Americans should realize that we can do better in our goals to achieve peace and liberty than provide moral support, cash, and housing for such a sham for liberty and peace as the United Nations.
Steve Farrell is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Self-Educated American, one of the original and most popular pundits at NewsMax.com (1999-2007), and the author of the highly praised, inspirational novel "Dark Rose."
1. See Humanist Manifesto I and II
2. Howard Phillip's Conservative Caucus, Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, Pat Buchanan's American Cause, but most especially Robert Welch's John Birch Society (which has fought the UN for 40 years)
3. Postwar Foreign Policy Preparation, 1839-1845, US State Department; Interlocking Subversion in Government Departments, US Senate Internal Security Subcommittee report, July 30, 1953.
4. Jasper, William F. Global Tyranny Step By Step: The United Nations and the Emerging World Order (Appleton, WI: Western Islands 1992) pp. 47-48.
5. Ibid., pp. 47-48.
6. Ibid., pp. 67-71.
7. Ibid., pp. 16-17.
8. Activities of US Citizens Employed by the UN, hearings before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 1952, pp. 407-408.
9. US Senator Barry Goldwater, Congressional Record, October 26, 1971, p. S16764.
10. See The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, The UN Conference on the Child. See also, the assortment of resolutions and addendum's found at the UN's Webpages which have been added over the years.
11. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 29, Verse 3. Note: Verse 2 also utilizes the tactic of the old Soviet and "new" Russian Constitution when it states: "in the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law." And of course the law then rules against rights, which rights are inalienable in the US system.
12. Griffin, G. Edward. The Fearful Master: A Second Look at the United Nations (Boston, MA, Western Islands, 1964) pp. 126-127.
13. UN Charter, Articles 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, and 18.
14. Ibid., Articles 23-54, 83-84, 93-94.
15. Ibid., Article 99.
16. Ibid., Article 36, Verse 3.
17. Ibid., Article 23.
18. The absolute veto, unlike the veto power of US Presidents cannot be subject to an override vote. It is, as it says, absolute, and thus a dictatorial power.
19. UN Charter, Article 12, Verse 1.
20. Ibid., Article 52, Verse 3, Article 53, Verse 1, and Article 54.
21. Madison, James, Federalist Papers, Article 47.
22. Griffin, p. 120.
23. Structural loans require loan recipients to comply with political terms in order to get the cash.
24. BBC, Iraq Reports Attacks Outside No-fly Zones, August 17, 1999. UNESCO is the source the BBC quoted as per the half million figure.
25. Jasper, Chapters 8 and 9.
26. Ibid., Chapter 7.
27. See this authors article: The No Win Wars of Internationalism: Korea at http://www.usiap.org/viewpoints/natoseries/nato5.html
28. Griffin, pp. 3-64
29. UN Charter, Article 3. The UN has ignored this provision, preferring "universality ."
30. This policy, based on UN Article 1, Verse 2's, respect for "self determination of peoples" has translated into the UN promotion of socialist revolutions where any minority or group of minorities can be identified and convinced that he or she is not fairly represented or treated. Self determination is not, however, looked upon by the UN as the right of free majorities, or laisee faire believing minorities.
31. Somoza, Anastasio; and Cox, Jack. Nicaragua Betrayed (Western Islands, Boston MA, 1980) pp. 398-399.
32. McAlvaney, Don. Revolution and Betrayal: The Accelerating Onslought Against South Africa (Appleton, WI, American Opinion Book Services) Video, see http://jbs.org/aobs/store/page102.htmln Visit www.mg.co.za/mg/news/mandela/pictures5.html – a pro Mandela site. And his 1990 salute to South African communist party, found at the official Mandela site www.mandela80.iafrica.com/home.htm. It reads "I salute the South African Communist Party for its sterling contribution to the struggle for democracy. You have survived 40 years of unrelenting persecution. The memory of great communists like Moses Kotane, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer and Moses Mabhida will be cherished for generations to come. I salute General Secretary Joe Slovo – one of our finest patriots. We are heartened by the fact that the alliance between ourselves [the ANC] and the Party [South African Communist Party] remains as strong as it always was."
33. As quoted by William Z. Foster, founder of the Communist Party USA in a reprint of his 1932 work, Toward a Soviet America. The book was reprinted under the direction of the Committee on Un-American Activities (Balboa Island, CA, Elgin Publications, 1961) pp. 172, 269-270.
34. Browder, Earl. Victory – And After (New York: International Publishers, 1942) pp. 110, 160, 169


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All News Releases By Date
Release Date: 09/06/94
Contact Information:
EPA today proposed air standards for municipal waste incinerators nationwide that will slash dioxin emissions by 99 percent as
well as sharply reduce other air pollutants like mercury, lead and cadmium. "This proposal will result in a major reduction in
dioxin emissions and other air pollutants from municipal incinerators," said EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner. "It
represents the strongest action ever taken to control emissions from municipal incinerators. It signifies the Clinton
Administration's aggressive efforts to protect the health of the American people."
Today's action proposes toughening earlier municipal waste incinerator standards set in 1991 under the previous
Administration, requiring more stringent pollution control equipment, increasing the number of pollutants regulated, and
increasing the number of incinerators to be regulated from those that burn 250 tons or more of trash a day to those that burn as
little as 40 tons per day. This translates into 180 existing incincerators and all new plants.
The proposed rule includes stringent numerical emission limits for a whole host of toxic and respiratory air pollutants such as
dioxin, lead, cadmium, mercury, particulates, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide (the chief global warming gas).
Emissions from these and other air pollutants from incinerators would be reduced by 145,000 tons a year.
Also, for new plants the proposal requires: (1) a materials separation/recycling plan; (2) an incinerator plant siting analysis; and
(3) requirements for public involvement and meetings early in the incinerator planning stage.
The proposal will make it easier for communities to implement recycling programs at incinerators. A separate proposed rule will
be issued shortly addressing the combustion of lead acid batteries. EPA is still considering the environmentally best method for
managing such batteries.
The proposal requires emission limits reflecting the use of maximum achievable control technology, which is currently a device
called a scrubber. Scrubbers, or their equivalent technology, must be installed at new plants to reduce metal emissions, such as
lead, cadmium, arsenic and chromium by more than 99 percent; dioxins, furans and other organic chemical emissions by more
than 99 percent; acid gas emissions, such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen chloride by 90 - 95 percent; mercury by 85 percent;
and nitrogen oxide gases by about 45 percent. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are the prime ingredients in the formation of
acid rain.
The proposal also requires facilities to install (retrofit) scrubbers or
their equivalents at existing plants, reducing metal emissions by 98 to 99 percent, organic emissions by 95 to 99 percent and
acid gases by 45 percent.
Municipal waste incinerators are estimated to be the second largest source of air dioxin emissions. Municipal incinerators
generally burn only residential and commercial trash or garbage; they do not handle hazardous or industrial waste. Also, this
proposal does not apply to medical waste incinerators; later this year EPA will propose a rule controlling dioxin from medical
waste incinerators. Individually, emissions from most medical waste incinerators are thought to be relatively small; however,
because there are over 5000 medical waste incinerators in the U.S., as a group these type incinerators are estimated to be the
largest overall contributor of dioxin to the air.
Nearly 196 million tons of municipal waste were produced in 1990, or about 4.3 pounds per person per day (almost a ton of
waste per person per year). Currently, 16 percent of all municipal waste is incinerated, 17 percent is separated/recycled and
67 percent is landfilled.
This proposal, when it becomes final, will cost existing incinerators nationwide about $450 million a year, or an average cost
increase of about $12 per ton of waste combusted. This translates into an additional residential customer cost of about $2.00
per month per household. For new plants, the proposal would cost about $43 million annually beginning five years after it
becomes effective, and would also cost about $2.00 per month per household.
When today's proposal becomes a final rule in Sept. 1995, existing plants will have one to three years to comply with the rule,
while new plants must comply immediately on startup of operations.
The proposed regulation, specifically required by Congress in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, sets up federal
standards for new waste incinerators and guidelines for states in setting their own standards for existing plants. The state
standards, however, must be based on the federal guidelines and are subject to EPA review.
Today's announced proposal will appear soon in the Federal Register, but will be computer-accessible earlier through EPA's
Electronic Bulletin Board (TTN) at 919-541-5742 (backup number for access problems is 919-541-5384).
For further technical information on the proposal, contact Walt Stevenson at 919-541-5264.
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.


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Your driveway serves its ultimate purpose: it gets you from point A (the street) to point B (your house or garage). However, there are many circumstances that ask more of your driveway than this basic purpose. The number of vehicles you own, the size of the driveway, and your method of snow removal all place demands on a driveway that some just weren't built to meet.
Luckily, there is a way to get your driveway to function the way you need it to without having to tear it up and replace it. By expanding your driveway, you can create a shape that is easier to maneuver (such as a circle or U shape) and you have the ability to heat it.
The shape of the driveway offers a boost to the home's curb appeal. Imagine what the famous Lombard Street in San Francisco would look like if it simply went straight instead of curvy. A circular or U-shaped driveway adds interest to any home. It also makes it easier to use. With a circle or U-shaped driveway, you can forget backing in or out of the driveway ever again!
Expanding a driveway is also helpful because of the additional space it provides. If you live in an area without much street parking, this is especially important. Plus, if it's enhanced with a snow-melting system, it can act as a waiting area for cars while the rest of the driveway is being plowed.
For example, a family living in the Chicago suburbs had an existing driveway with a design that allowed for additional parking in front of the home, but the shape of the driveway made snow removal difficult. Therefore, when the weather forecast called for snow, the family had to move their cars to the street so that their snow removal service could do its job. To resolve this issue, the family decided to expand their driveway and enhance the new addition with snow-melting tracks. This created a circular drive, which made the driveway easier to maneuver, and it formed a heated area for cars to park while the snow removal service worked on the rest of the driveway.
For houses situated uphill or downhill from the street, this option is also great for residents, guests and delivery people. Think about all the driveways that are on an incline or decline. When winter hits and the driveway starts getting snowy and icy, everyone who arrives at or leaves your home takes the risk of getting stuck. By providing a heated area in front of the house, it's much easier for them to get in and out. Plus, it's less of a liability for the homeowner.
If you're interested in expanding your driveway, it's the perfect time to consider installing a snow-melting system. To find out how much it would cost for your particular project, you can enter the dimensions of your driveway addition or submit a drawing using WarmlyYours Radiant Heating's Instant Quote tool. Using the tool, you can also select whether you want the entire addition to be heated or only the tire tracks. In a matter of seconds, you'll have a couple of quotes from which to choose.
If you've recently expanded your driveway, we want to hear about it! Post photos of your project to WarmlyYours's Instagram, Facebook or Twitter pages.


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Frankie Darro (1917–1976)
Actor | Stunts | Soundtrack
STARmeterSEE RANK
Down 1,033 this week
Born into a show-business family - his parents were circus aerialists - Frankie Darro appeared in his first film at age six. Due to his small size and youthful appearance, he played teenagers well into his 20s. Always a physical performer, Darro often did his own stunts, many times out of necessity - his small stature made it difficult to find ... See full bio »
Born:in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died:(age 59) in Huntington Beach, California, USA


text: HomeWeb Woman Applies For More Than 3,000 Jobs And Is Rejected From Them All -9.9.20 0 A woman who says she has been rejected from more than 3,000 jobs believes she may have been turned down because she has a disability, claiming that some employers seemed 'interested' until they found out she is deaf. Kellie Wilson, 33, has been busy applying for thousands of roles over the course of the past two-and-a-half years - including everything from cleaner and dishwasher through to bin collector and supermarket worker; anything that doesn't involve speaking on the phone. However, despite job hunting since summer 2017, she's been unable to secure anything, which has left her confidence in tatters. Wilson, from Middleton Tyas in North Yorkshire, had previously done temporary work in the probation service at the Student Loans Company. She said her disability was never a problem, and that colleagues had been able to make a few adaptations. Now she fears she has been rejected by prospective employers because of her disability, claiming some companies have shown interest but stopped responding after she told them she was unable to do an interview over the phone. She told ITV News: "I've had a few times where I've sent my CV off and had an email back from the company and they would say they're really interested and they want to do a phone interview. I can't use the phone because it doesn't allow me to lipread. "I offer them other ways of getting in touch - email, messenger, Skype - anything other than the phone. And suddenly they don't reply." She added: "It's extremely frustrating because I know I can do the job, and they (were interested) before they found out I was deaf. "It's infuriating, it really damages your self esteem and your confidence. It hurts - I start thinking, 'Is it me, am I useless?'" Wilson has also been diagnosed with depression and anxiety 'related to' her unemployment, and finds it difficult to get out of bed each morning - but knows she has to support her family. "People are discriminating so much that I feel that I'm not worth it, in a way," she said. "So that makes it harder to get up in the morning, but I do try, and it takes a lot of energy to do just that." Wilson is now also even more concerned that her ongoing search for employment will become increasingly difficult, with rising unemployment and a fall in the number of vacancies adding to the competition. Tags: Web Shpërndaje Shpërndaje


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The shotgun is the perfect tool for home defense, but when you're out in the concrete jungle you'll want a compact handgun with ample stopping power. Designed for security and police officers, the Kevin self-defense handgun concept, which is inspired by the ZVI Kevin semi-automatic pistol, is the perfect tool for everyday protection.
Designer Prokop Strnka created this pocket-size 0.38 handgun concept for short-range self-defense. It has a proposed range of 15 meters and appears to be inspired by a two-toned Glock 17 and a staple gun. The handgun design is intended for either self-defense or as a secondary firearm for police officers or security professionals. It appears to have a capacity of six to seven rounds, depending on whether you have a bullet in the chamber. The minimalist firearm design seems practical and portable, making it an ideal handgun to protect yourself in all-or-nothing close-quarters situations.


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Gifts of mother earth couldn't taste better than Paradise!
| Homemade ravioles is alot
of work but very rewarding!
|learning to make tamales from
our fresh corn. over 70% of all the things we eat are
produced in our garden at!!!!
|Jala it must be shabat at
Most of our food is vegetarian but even avid meat eaters find them selves completely satisfied with the fine balance of legumes, veggies, spices, grains and fruits that arrive on our table along with homemade cheese, yogurt, musli(granola), peanut butter, jams, jellies, marmelades and the ever famous pesto! If you are tired of just food and you want to eat something that is of down home quality ginger's Paradise is that place! Your taste buds will tingle with delight. Ever had an egg from a truly free ranging chicken? You can meet the chicken that it comes from here! Fresh fruitjuices whoes fruits you pick from the trees! Any special request or diets just let us know. We also cater to vegens.Aside from just tasting incredibly good whole grain bread we will teach you how to make it yourself! The flavour from cooking on a woodburning stove combined with a lifetime of experience will not only taste great but is also good medicine for those of you who have been suffering stomach problems in the rest of south america. Not to mention our straight out of the spring fresh mineral water that needs no boiling nor purification! for more pictures of our meals see food picture gallery
Contact us by email if you want to reserve weeks in advance - firstname.lastname@example.com by phone #67774772 or #73101864


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Michelangelo's Battle of Cascina
- March 23, 2015
- Da Vinci | Michelangelo
- No Comments
The Battle of Cascina occurred between Florence and it's rival, Pisa, on July 28, 1364. In the autumn of 1504, The Republic of Florence commissioned Michelangelo to create a fresco memorializing the victorious battle. Michelangelo's fresco was to be hung in the new Florentine State Hall, the Palazzo Vecchio, opposite a fresco by Leonardo da Vinci depicting the Battle of Anghiari. Unfortunately neither Michelangelo nor da Vinci completed their battle scenes and the grand project was never realized. Some say da Vinci experienced technical difficulties, others that he was called away; Michelangelo was distracted from the work when he received an urgent summons from Pope Julius II. Michelangelo working from …..


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Sony has made available another powerful laptop PC from Sony, the Sony Vaio SVE14A27CXH. This laptop PC boasts with the processing muscle of Third Generation Ivy Bridge Intel Core i7- 3632QM quad-core processor that features 6MB cache and runs at the base clock speed of 2.2GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz. It is equipped with a dedicated GPU dubbed AMD Radeon HD 7670M hybrid graphics with 2GB dedicated video memory.
This Sony Vaio SVE14A27CXH laptop PC is equipped with 6-cell lithium ion battery that can give you more time working away from the main source of electricity. With the included battery package, this laptop PC weighs roughly 5.3 pounds with 14 inch LED-backlit high-definition touch-screen display with 1600 x 900 resolution. It has a dimension of 1.4 inches x 9.7 inches x 13.4 inches.
In terms of connectivity, this Sony Vaio SVE14A27CXH laptop PC features 2 USB 3.0; 2 USB 2.0 ports; Atheros WB225 Wi-Fi adapter (802.11b/g/n); Bluetooth 4.0 + HS interface; 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T Ethernet LAN; and HDMI output port.
In addition, this Sony Vaio SVE14A27CXH laptop PC is packed with quite a number of fascinating features like 8GB DDR3 memory; Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support; 1TB Serial ATA hard drive with 5400 RPM; Exmor 1.3MP webcam and microphone; Multiformat media reader for Memory Stick and Secure Digital formats; and software packages such as Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum, ACID Music Studio, Sound Forge Audio Studio and more.
This Sony Vaio SVE14A27CXH laptop PC runs with the new Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit operating system. This laptop PC is now available with the price tag of around $1000.


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This dystopian future rests on a powder keg of violence, oppression, lies and greed.
Controlled by the faceless elite, those lucky enough to avoid life in prison, live their days steeped in fear of tomorrow. Jackson Elliot and his older brother, Isaac, were not so lucky. Swept into the system ten years ago, they have spent the last decade surviving behind the concrete walls of Sidney prison, hidden from the life outside and the cataclysmic events that have shaped a world few could recognize.
When a charismatic con man, Robert Ford, finds himself their unwilling cellmate, all their lives begin to change. Suddenly Jackson can see a light at the end of his bleak tunnel and starts to hope that maybe he and his brother can escape this cage of solitude and death. As a plan begins to form and details emerge, they will all face harsh truths and revelations they can never step back from. How far will they go for freedom?
And what of the Republic? The leaders are still in place, still rounding people up for work camps and prison, still crafting their crystal cities and still slaughtering countless in the name of Unity. How far will THEY go?
BLOOD ON THE TABLE is the first book in a series set in a dystopian society. This first installment takes the reader on a dark exploration through the fractured psyche of a revolutionary.
Length: 215 Pages
*I was given a copy of this book to be honestly reviewed*
Okay, first of all, wow. This was really well written. But, it's not going to be for just anyone! It is dark. It is gritty. There are no godlike, handsome heroes to swoop in and save the day. Just a bunch of criminals in a dark, dismal abyss of a humanity sucking pit. You need to like this type of story to read this, I think.
That said, I really liked it. It's a great start to what appears to be a twisted series. The characters are well written and definitely have their own personalities, despite coming from the same background in the two main guys' case. They look at life completely at odds with each other, and it felt very raw and real.
It gets intense, and I definitely enjoyed reading it.
Bob says: 4 Platypires!


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Saturday, April 25, 2015
Characteristics of the Top University Jobs in South Korea
A short video for those looking for a university job in Korea and trying to decide if their job offer is a good one, or not. I talk about the ideal job in terms of salary, location, vacation, working hours and office situation. And of course, I have way more details in the book, How to Get a University Job in South Korea: The English Teaching Job of Your Dreams.
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A 47-min documentary has been made on the artisans behind Hermès.
View it all here
At times (usually midterm season) I have dreamt of moving to France and becoming an apprentice at one of the Hermès ateliers. I imagine it to be rather peaceful, although I am not good with detailed and precise work with my hands. There are very few people I know that are capable of making one thing start to finish by hand and hold up the finished product proudly.
My Bill Cunningham New York DVD is on its way and I can't wait for the extra features.


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After Eight Years And Three Reviews Of The Case, Indiana Supreme Court Rules Police Must Return Seized Car To Its Owner
from the thousands-of-dollars-spent-fighting-against-the-public's-interests dept
It's now been eight years since Indiana law enforcement seized Tyson Timbs' Land Rover following his arrest for distributing drugs. In eight years, this case has made multiple visits to the state trial court, the state court of appeals, the state's Supreme Court, and the nation's Supreme Court.
This isn't just due to Timbs' tenacity and his desire to have his car returned. His only car — worth $35,000 when it was seized — has been sitting in an impound lot for most of decade, all because of criminal charges that netted Timbs $1,200 in fines and one year of home detention.
No, these multiple trips are due to the state of Indiana attempting to prevent precedent from being set that would prevent it from seizing whatever it wants whenever it wants. Previous rulings found excessive fines — in this case taking the form of a $35,000 vehicle seizure over $400 of heroin sold to undercover officers — violate the Eighth Amendment. And these rulings also reminded the state that it had incorporated that part of the US Constitution years ago and couldn't try to ignore it now just because it still wants to avail itself of Benjamins when ringing up people on nickel-and-dime charges.
So, for the third time, the Indiana state Supreme Court is forced to handle the Timbs case because the state has refused to accept every previous ruling that has gone against it, including the one handed down by the US Supreme Court. The opening of the ruling [PDF] expresses some of the court's exasperation with the state's stubbornness.
We chronicle and confront, for the third time, the State's quest to forfeit Tyson Timbs's now-famous white Land Rover. And, again, the same overarching question looms: would the forfeiture be constitutional?
Reminiscent of Captain Ahab's chase of the white whale Moby Dick, this case has wound its way from the trial court all the way to the United States Supreme Court and back again. During the voyage, several points have come to light. First, the vehicle's forfeiture, due to its punitive nature, is subject to the Eighth Amendment's protection against excessive fines. Next, to stay within the limits of the Excessive Fines Clause, the forfeiture of Timbs's vehicle must meet two requirements: instrumentality and proportionality. And, finally, the forfeiture falls within the instrumentality limit because the vehicle was the actual means by which Timbs committed the underlying drug offense.
All of these questions have been capably handled at each step of this long, laborious process. The problem is the state doesn't like the answers it's been getting. And the state Supreme Court doesn't appear to like the state's refusal to listen. There are some facts to consider, but as far as the state's top court is concerned, they were answered amply by the lower court.
[U]ntil now, the proportionality inquiry remained unresolved—that is, was the harshness of the Land Rover's forfeiture grossly disproportionate to the gravity of Timbs's dealing crime and his culpability for the vehicle's misuse? The State not only urges us to answer that question in the negative, but it also requests that we wholly abandon the proportionality framework from State v. Timbs, 134 N.E.3d 12, 35–39 (Ind. 2019). Today, we reject the State's request to overturn precedent, as there is no compelling reason to deviate from stare decisis and the law of the case; and we conclude that Timbs met his burden to show gross disproportionality, rendering the Land Rover's forfeiture unconstitutional.
The key is the excessive fines part of the Eighth Amendment. The courts must decide whether the seizure was proportionate. The lower court — after hearing from witnesses on Timbs' behalf (the state decided not to call any of its own) — made the right call by weighing the cost against the crime. The seizure of Timbs' only vehicle didn't serve any greater public interest. All it did was enrich the state at Timbs' expense.
[C]ontrary to the State's position, we conclude that the $35,000 market value of the vehicle and the other sanctions imposed on Timbs point to the punitive, rather than remedial, nature of the forfeiture. As Timbs II explained, it's appropriate to evaluate the market value of the forfeiture relative to the owner's economic means—because "taking away the same piece of property from a billionaire and from someone who owns nothing" do not reflect equal punishments. 134 N.E.3d at 36. And, here, taking away a $35,000 asset from someone who owned nothing else was significantly punitive. Likewise, imposing the forfeiture on top of other sanctions—sanctions that included six years of restricted liberty as well as $1,200 in fees and costs — shows that the vehicle's seizure was not for remedial purposes.
Finally this comes to an end, years after it should have been obvious seizing Timbs' car violated the Eighth Amendment right to be free from excessive fines.
Accordingly, we affirm the trial court; and the seven-plus-year pursuit for the white Land Rover comes to an end.
The state and its law enforcement agencies are now subject to a proportionality test that weighs the severity of the crime against the value of the items seized. If this test stands during criminal asset forfeiture — the seizures accompanying actual criminal charges — it needs to be applied to cases where law enforcement can't even be bothered to affect an arrest, much less pursue criminal charges when seizing property. This is good news for Indiana residents. And it has the potential to disrupt forfeiture efforts nationwide.
Filed Under: 8th amendment, asset forfeiture, civil asset forfeiture, due process, illinois, tyson timbs


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Shows, Gigs, and Events
Red Harmony
Come and Hear Us Sing!
Red Harmony performs shows around the greater LA area. Contact us to book us for your private event or party!
Red Harmony
A Jazz/Pop Holiday Concert
8:00 pm
St. Andrews Lutheran Church
11555 National Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Tickets in advance: $10 adults, $5 kids 3-12
Tickets at the door: $12 adults, $10 students, $7 kids 3-12
Buy tickets in advance


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Happy nearly New Year
We have one last scheduled post in the December fertility series!
Please stop by tomorrow to read the final installment of the group. It is a story you shouldn't miss.
Then, we return to snark, sarcasm, offensive language and cracking ourselves up. We soon shall return to posts that really made ODM what it is. We ain't forgettin' our bread-n-butter, yo.
And, it looks like February will be all about sex, everyone. Just in time for Valentine's Day, we will be offering a Sex-After-Kids mini-series. If any of you is interested in Guest Posting, please let us know through Facebook.
Happy holidays!


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I had lunch with my lovely Mother this afternoon and then we headed to the beach for a leisurely stroll. We couldn't believe how calm and warm it was! Not the slightest bit of wind. Out in Westhill it was so windy the table umbrella headed for the sky and I had to catch it like Mary Poppins.
We pottered through the Fittie and I spotted this delicious stack of logs outside one of the houses. This is the dream! One day we hope to have a wood burning stove and our own stack of yummy logs piled outside. They almost look too good to burn!


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Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs), developed by the federally operated Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), are specifically intended to measure the occurrence rate of potentially preventable complications or adverse events that patients experience during their hospital stays. PSIs specifically measure complications and adverse events from:
- medical conditions after admission
- surgical procedures
- obstetric procedures
PSIs have shown consistently that complication and adverse event rates vary substantially across hospitals. Evidence also suggests that high complication and adverse event rates may be associated with deficiencies in the quality of care. Widespread consensus exists that healthcare providers can reduce patient complications or adverse events by improving the overall environment of care and safety. Hospital-specific data on patient-safety performance and serious medical errors has been included in the annual New Jersey Hospital Performance Report since 2009.
Additionally, the Department of Health publishes PSI supplements to the annual Hospital Performance Report. These technical reports, available at right, cover only the 12 PSIs mandated for public reporting by law. The law also requires that the Department report on two additional adverse events – "Air embolism" and "Surgery on the wrong side, wrong body part, or wrong person, or wrong surgery performed on a patient," which are not part of the AHRQ PSIs. The Department will report on these measures as analytic tools become available.


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Images that seem to capture some of the spirit of Steampunk.
Clothing from our period, with an emphasis on clothes for work.
Building and Civil Engineering
Steampunk culture is a Makers' culture, and Makers need workshops.
All portions of this document not noted otherwise are Copyright © 2010 by David M. MacMillan and Rollande Krandall.
Circuitous Root is a Registered Trademark of David M. MacMillan and Rollande Krandall.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons "Attribution - ShareAlike" license. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ for its terms.
Presented originally by Circuitous Root®
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Pharrell And His Grammy Hat Are Now Available On M.O.C. Brand Clothing
Wear Pharrell's hat on your shirt.
Photos: Getty Images/The M.O.C. Brand
The M.O.C. Brand works fast, y'all. ICYMI, Pharrell wore a giant, "military-inspired" hat to the 2014 Grammy Awards on Sunday that got a TON of attention from the internet. (TBH, though, I don't know how anyone could have missed it because I'm pretty sure you could see that thing from space.) The internet compared it to everything from the Arby's logo to Smokey Bear to Canadian Mountie, and thus, a meme was born. Naturally, the M.O.C. Brand (formerly Yolo Polos) wasted zero time in adding Pharrell's major sartorial moment to their growing collection of stitched-on icon clothing, so now you can officially sport a piece of Grammy history on your person.
The man, the hat, the legend.
Photo: The M.O.C. Brand
That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Less than four days after the Grammys aired, the M.O.C. Brand has already added an entire line of Skateboard P's iconic look to their stock. As of today, you can snag it on a grey or white crewneck sweatshirt, a grey knit beanie, or on their original signature polo shirt. This is definitely a better bet than trying to find a replica of Pharrell's hat for yourself, because LBR: He's probably the only person on planet Earth who can pull off an accessory like that. (No offense.) Head on over to the M.O.C. Brand's website to pick one up ASAP.


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I am happy to share with you a free to use design I did for Quilting Treasures using their newly released Verde collection:
I was tasked with coming up with something a bit more contemporary with the really fresh looking fabrics from the Verde collection. So, I went for the "text box" look to reflect the texting culture of our world, thus the "…" at the end of the text boxes. [Side note: Even Miss Baby would ask me to "text an email" to her teacher to tell her teacher something! I think sometimes I forget just how pervasive texting is in our daily life. I am an absolute minimalist when it comes to texting, and yet my 5 year old knows about texting!]
Bamboos are currently vogue in our culture, as in bamboo batting in the world of quilting. So, I went to the traditional Oriental bamboo frames (like the one shown below) for inspiration to frame the blocks, bringing the traditional to be relevant (somewhat!) even our texting culture. :)
I hope you like my Verde quilt design. I can see each text box personalized in your version.
Click here to view the entire fabric range of Quilting Treasures' Verde.
Click here to download the pattern instructions for free in pdf format.
Thanks for stopping by. Please allow me to thank you for your well wishing comments. I am feeling much better, and just need to get back to the swing of things related to work.
I shall catch up with you later!
Meanwhile, if you haven't checked out my other free-to-use patterns released in 2014, here they are!
January: Midori's Place using Gramercy by Benartex
January: View on Lexington using Gramercy by Benartex
January: Everything's Coming Up Rosey using English Rosey by Benartex
February: Verde (Quilt) by Quilting Treasures


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UF MBA named a best business school for African Americans
The University of Florida MBA program was recently named among 5 of the Best U.S. Business Schools for African-American MBAs by Business Because. The publication reports UF MBA's meaningful diversity-oriented programs and partnership with the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) make it a great option for African-Americans seeking an MBA. Read the full article from Business Because here.
Learn more about UF MBA and its program options.


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MTN, Airtel in trouble over Poor Quality Service, banned from selling new simcards
MTN alongside Globacom and Airtel have been sanctioned by The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) the sum of N647.5 million for breach of key performance indicators (KPIs) and poor quality of service for the month of January 2014.
Etisalat was the only operator given a clean bill as it met all the set KPIs.
In letters dated February 19, 2014, addressed to each of the affected companies, NCC said after collating statistics from the network operating centres of the operators in the month of January, discovered that the services provided by MTN, Airtel and Globacom fell below the KPI published by it in 2013.
A breakdown of the sanctions indicate that Globacom was penalised, N277.5 million for three breaches, while MTN and Airtel got sanctioned N185 million each for two breaches.
Four critical KPIs were set by NCC – Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Traffic Channel Congestion (TCHCONG) and Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion (SDCONG).
With a target of 98 per cent for CSSR, MTN, Airtel, and Globacom failed to meet the target in January. They scored 96.85 per cent, 96.99 per cent and 96.89 per cent respectively.
NCC set a target of 1 per cent in the DCR category. The audit report referred to by NCC in its letter stated that for the month of January, MTN and Globacom failed to meet the target, while Airtel exceeded the target with a score of 0.84 per cent.
For the SDCONG KPI, with a target of 0.20 per cent, Airtel and Globacom failed to meet the target, scoring 0.40 per cent and 0.58 per cent respectively, while MTN exceeded the target with a score of 0.17 per cent.
For the last KPI, TCHCONG, with a target of 2 per cent, all the three networks exceeded the target, as MTN scored 0.55 per cent; Globacom – 0.79 per cent; and Airtel – 0.79 per cent. In summary, MTN failed to meet the targets set in the Quality of Service Regulations for the CSSR and DCR computations; Globacom failed to meet the targets set for CSSR, DCR and SDCONG computations; while Airtel failed to meet the targets for CSSR and SDCONG computations.
The operators are expected to pay the sanctions on or before March 7, 2014. Should they fail to pay the sanctions within the stipulated deadline, each of them will be liable to pay N2.5 million daily, as long as the contravention persists.
All the three operators were barred by NCC from selling new SIM cards throughout the month of March 2014, with effect from March 1 to March 31; barred from churning or deleting from their networks inactive (or non-revenue generating SIMs) during the period March 1 to March 31; barred from supplying new SIM cards from their warehouses to dealers or third parties during the same period; and stopped from all promotions until the identified KPIs considered are positively addressed.
Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/


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Simkhada and Pandey elected Vitof Nepal President and General Secretary
1st Aug, 2018 | Tourism Mail Crew
KATHMANDU, Aug 01: Dhruba Simkhada has been elected the President of Village Tourism Promotion Forum Nepal (Vitof Nepal).
Simkhada won the elections by 35 votes against his close contender, Basu Pandey. At the election for the new executive committee held in Kathmandu on Tuesday,
Similarly,Dipak Dahal and Gopal Thapa have been elected first vice president and second vice president, respectively, while Jusfa Pandey has been elected general secretary.
The elected candidates for each post are as follows:
Mr. Dhurba Simkhada
1st Vice President
Mr. Dipak Dahal
2nd Vice President
Mr. Gopal Thapa
General Secretary
Ms. Jusfa Pandey
Mr. Nava Raj Thapa
Mr. Rajkumar Dhamala
Joint Treasure
Ms. Sakuntala Devkota
Mr. Jeevan Thapaliya
Mr. Devi Krishana Rokaya
Mr. Ram mani Rijal
Mr. Santa Kumar Baniya


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Tech Predictions for 2011
Sep. 05, 2014
Column: The Bleeding Edge
From the December 2010 Issue
Economists and consumers could point to a few bright spots in an otherwise bleak year, and the technology sector was certainly one of them. In a year marked by continuing high unemployment, upside-down mortgages, the largest oil spill in history and another lackluster finish by the Washington Redskins, this was a year of substantial gains for tech — particularly with hardware and the Internet.
At the outset of the year, the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Agriculture began to award $7.2 billion in federal stimulus funds for broadband projects, ultimately putting money up to build middle-mile fiber projects in almost every state. This, in turn, generated renewed activity in the markets for fiber and other core equipment, as well as planning for new data centers and interconnection points.
Broadband Internet continued to expand, covering up to 96 percent of U.S. households by the middle of the year (according to the Federal Communications Commission reports). Connection speeds continued to increase for consumers nationwide, except for cable and wireless broadband, which remained slow and expensive.
Facebook amassed more than 500 million users, as increasing numbers of seniors flocked to the social networking scene to correspond with their families and to tend their crops in the outrageously popular game of "Farmville."
And tablet PCs crashed back into the marketplace with the introduction of Apple's iPad, once again revolutionizing the way we look at computing hardware even if didn't exactly capture the business world. What did capture the business world was another device, Amazon's Kindle, which entered its second generation with solid growth as an indispensible tool for the thinking executive.
With all of this activity as a background, we took our annual stab at predicting technology for 2010 at the outset of the year. Here's what we predicted and what actually happened:
Prediction: Cellular broadband will begin to dominate wireless.
Actual Results: No question we got this one right. With the market for smartphones now in a three-way cat fight between the iPhone, those based on Google's Android operating system and Microsoft's System 7 for phones, data use over cellular is growing at a pace unforeseen just two years ago. The downside? Capacity shortages in some major cities.
Score: 1.0
Prediction: Multitouch screens will go mainstream.
Actual Results: It's not just the iPad and other touch-screen applications. All-in-one computers have become the rage this year, with models from almost every manufacturer. The upside is convenience and cool. The downside is that the technology needs to mature and the software needs to catch up.
Score: 1.0
Prediction: PDF files will dominate filing.
Actual Results: Remember "DOCx," Microsoft's abortive effort to challenge Adobe in the document portability arena? Don't feel bad, neither does anyone else. DOCx will go down in history as that annoying new default in Microsoft Word that made it impossible to trade files for nearly two years.
Score: 1.0
Prediction: Telecommuting will finally get real.
Actual Results: You can thank the winter of 2010 for this. Massive snow storms early in the year paralyzed the federal government and forced business and government alike to start getting real about telecommuting as a disaster response. A little federal legislation and the support of the White House didn't hurt, either.
Score: 1.0
Prediction: The future of "cloud computing" will be … cloudy.
Actual Results: Just when it looked like the entire world was ready to ditch their hard drives and head for the "cloud," someone noticed some not-so-tiny concerns about data security and the potential for government intrusions. With the cost of storage falling and privacy concerns rising, "cloud computing" may not be the only storage solution in the future.
Score: 1.0
Prediction: Google will introduce a new desktop operating system.
Actual Results: This is still a reality, but didn't happen in 2010. Instead, Google pushed its smartphone operating system and developed a car that can drive itself using GPS and maps. There is still a Google desktop percolating away, but I have given up trying to predict when and if it will become a reality.
Score: 0.5
Prediction: Intuit will push into the enterprise.
Actual Results: There are enterprise versions of QuickBooks, of course, but for this year Intuit seems content to have shored up its middle-market position with some tweaks and minor enhancements.
Score: 0.0
Prediction: PDF files will replace paper.
Actual Results: This was the year of Document Management, with accounting software companies pushing hard into the marketplace even as new challengers arose. The result? Nearly every accounting firm of any size now has a robust document management system in place, even if they may never actually go "paperless."
Score: 1.0
Prediction: Internet capacities will increase dramatically, if you pay.
Actual Results: Tiered pricing for broadband is now a reality on fiber, DSL and cable systems, with throughput measured in the tens or hundreds of megabits per second. Now, if we just had more applications that could justify the additional cost of this bandwidth.
Score: 1.0
Prediction: Compact disks will begin to die.
Actual Results: A year ago, I would have bet that the compact disk would give way to a thumb drive or SD card format, but instead a direct download from the Internet to the listening device has become the de facto standard. But your compact disks just officially went the way of the 8-track tape.
Score: 1.0
So all-in-all, this was a typical year for the tech predictions with a score of 8.5 out of a possible 10 points. And it proved an interesting year in that for all of the bad economic news, technology remained strong. And it became even more integral to the future growth of the economy worldwide. With that as a prelude, let's turn to the year ahead and see what 2011 has in store.
2011 Technology Predictions
1. Internet applications will continue to lag Internet speeds. Sure, some other countries have Internet speeds of a hundred Mbps, and in the United States we are moving in that direction. But the question remains … for what? Unless you are addicted to YouTube or want to risk jail time for illegal downloading, what do you do with all that capacity? The industry needs some serious (and compelling) applications if it expects to continue to sell premium accounts to power users. But don't look for that killer broadband application this year. This will be a year of catch-up, as the Internet industry seeks balance between platforms and technologies.
2. Printer Management will be the new efficiency hot button. The computer printing industry doesn't have many more cards up its collective sleeve, and consumers have caught on to how badly there are being ripped off over the cost of replacement ink cartridges. With businesses wasting up to 3 percent of their total revenues just on printing, this will become a major battleground in the war for cost-efficiencies at home and in the office. Look for more challengers in the field to begin talking about the number of printed pages per cartridge — data that is withheld from buyers today. And look for new forms of inkless printing to appear, though perhaps not in this year. For aggressive accounting firms, "Printing Audits" represent a new way to help clients cut costs with a valuable and lucrative service.
3. Facebook will go public, but… Fresh off a successful movie about its founders, more than 500 million subscribers and its success in pushing a variety of online games and causes, Facebook is ready to go public. The company has positioned itself for the move with the creation of a class of stock that can be sold on the open market, and with even the tiniest bit of encouragement this could be the biggest IPO of the 2011. But there is a cautionary note for potential investors in the privacy woes, virus attacks and other problems emerging with the social networking business. And Facebook must contend with the fact that consumers — especially young and trendy consumers — can be fickle. Just ask AOL.
4. Small desktop computers are "in." The hottest size for laptop displays is 10 inches or less, and "netbooks" are giving way to the even smaller "tablet" computing formats. It isn't taking long for the desktop to follow suit. The rage in desktop PCs for the coming year will be small cases and all-in-one systems that have everything built into the monitor. I'm personally intrigued by the micro PCs, such as the ASUS line of eeeBox PCs, which include most of what you need in a compact little box that can stand on the desktop or attach to the back of a flat-screen monitor. For under $500, these devices could use a little more muscle — but then, the same was true of netbooks when they first hit the marketplace.
5. Internet crime will get worse. Much, much worse. I'm not a fear-monger when it comes to technology, and I still believe that reasonable precautions and a good security program will see most users through. But the Internet crime scene has changed. It's no longer "script kiddies" trying to hack computers for fun. These are serious organized crime rings operating on a global scale with ever more effective ways to bombard you with phishing sites, spam and hacks. Add to this the number of governments engaging in cyber-war, and things can get very rough out there. Don't panic, but do take it seriously.
6. The computer you really want will cost $250. I remember the good old days, when the computer you really wanted cost $2,500. Then $1,500. Today, about $500. And that is falling fast, due to innovations in solid-state hard drives, RAM memory and processors. In fact, this year the largest component in your PC or laptop is likely to be the cooling fan. And prices continue to fall. Wal-Mart has lines of computers for $300 to $350 that will run circles around the desktop machines you bought three years ago. So if the trend continues in 2011, look for a decent machine — say 2.6 Gig processor, 2 MB of RAM and a 300 MB hard drive, with a DVD burner thrown in – to drop to near $250 by Christmas.
7. Big-screen monitors will take the market. No, not the television market — big, flat-screen models already own that market. I'm talking about the market for PC monitors. The new generations of big-screens have been set up specifically to handle double duty as a computer monitor, offering less eye-stress and the ability to work from an easy chair with just a wireless keyboard in your lap. The downside of all of this? Better plan on another big-screen or two for the family room, to handle one for TV, another for gaming and a third for the family computer. The upside? You can switch between your accounting program and the Super Bowl at the touch of a button.
8. Cell-Fi will replace Wi-Fi for accountants. Two things are happening in the wireless marketplace. As we noted last year, cellular wireless is taking the dominant position as cell companies roll out the higher-speed 4G networks this year and begin to push cellular as a broadband solution. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly apparent that Wi-Fi hotspots can't offer the security or mobility of a cellular-to-Wi-Fi device. From audit teams to road warriors, these cell-to-Wi-Fi devices are fast gaining prominence in the field for their better security, relatively low cost and small profile.
9. Tablet PCs will prove a flash in the pan. I am almost certain to get hate mail for this prediction, which flies in the face of PC manufacturers, the Gods of Apple Computing and the 300 million people who own tablet PCs. But let's be honest, tablets are just not sturdy enough for the family computer. They don't have enough business applications to make them a general solution for professionals. And the screen is too small for us … well, seasoned executives. Already, I am seeing early adopters to the iPad setting them aside for a small PC. That trend will continue, and in the end the tablet PC will claim its position as a niche player in the PC/Notebook markets.
10. We will finally adopt IP v6. Version 6 of the IP protocol for the Internet has been a sad running joke for nearly a decade. This new version expands the numerical addresses available for use on the Internet — something seen as badly needed when we were handing out numbers freely, and with more than two billion people online. But in the end, we just got better at allocating the numbers and reclaiming those no longer used, and we got by just fine. That has to end at some point, and I think that point will be sometime this summer. The hardware is in place to make the transition, virtually everyone knows it has to be done sooner or later, and there are security issues involved that will drive adoption of the new version this year.
These won't be the only major developments in the coming year. After all, this will be a year in which we will see ever-larger hard drives. Hollywood will begin to get a clue about the realities of the Internet. Internet speeds will increase. Technology costs will decrease. Devices will get smaller. Your kids will know more about technology than you do.
You'll be more involved in tech audits, as companies looking to emerge from the recession will seek a competitive advantage through better use of technology. And in printing audits, to slash unnecessary costs through centralization of networked printing devices and cartridge recycling.
And somewhere out there is a technology we have not yet imagined — a service that has yet to appear to disrupt the marketplace — an idea that will seem so obvious once it has appeared. And through all of it, we will be here to examine it, present it and make it viable for the accounting profession. n