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Think things are better here in America? Try the worst ever Job outlook report! (ht comradewannabe)
Job outlook hits worst-ever level
Employers' hiring plans at lowest point in Manpower survey's history
By Andrea Coombes, MarketWatch
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Employers' hiring plans for the upcoming fourth quarter dropped to their lowest level in the history of Manpower's Employment Outlook Survey, which started in 1962.
A net -3% of employers said they'll hire in the fourth quarter, down from -2% in the third quarter, on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Milwaukee-based firm's survey of more than 28,000 employers. Before this year, the survey's previous low point was a net 1% hiring outlook for the third quarter of 1982.
A year ago, a seasonally adjusted net 9% of firms said they would hire in the fourth quarter. The Manpower survey measures the percentage of firms planning to hire minus those intending layoffs. Manpower doesn't measure the number of jobs. The survey's margin of error is +/- 0.49%.
There was one positive sign in the survey: 69% of employers said they planned no change in their hiring plans, up from 67% in the third quarter and 59% in the fourth quarter a year ago (those figures are not seasonally adjusted).
That's "a very high number for our outlook survey," said Jonas Prising, president of the Americas for Manpower. That figure generally hovers at 55% or 56% in a strong economy, he said, noting that the higher figure currently signifies a high degree of stability, and "that is a precursor to growth, he said.
"Employers really want to hold onto the work forces that they have if at all possible," Prising said. Still, "there will clearly be challenges for job seekers and employers into the fourth quarter."
Separately, the U.S. Labor Department said the economy lost 216,000 jobs in August, the 20th consecutive monthly decline. The unemployment rate jumped to a 26-year high of 9.7%. Since the recession began in December 2007, unemployment has increased by 7.4 million to a total of 14.9 million.
Industry outlook
Looked at by industry, eight sectors showed a negative hiring outlook for the fourth quarter. In January, Manpower changed its industry classifications; because of that change, it currently can't provide seasonally adjusted figures by industry.
Only one of the 13 industry categories surveyed showed an improvement from the third quarter: A net 2% of employers in the education and health-services category planned to hire, up from -4% in the previous quarter. Firms in the wholesale and retail trade category were the most optimistic, with a net 7% planning to hire. Still, that was a decline from a 9% outlook for that sector in the third quarter.
And hiring plans for all of the industries are at much lower levels than are normal in a strong economy. "For any of these sectors in a good economy a net employment outlook would be around the low 20s," Prising said.
For each industry, here are the figures for the net employment outlook for the fourth quarter, not seasonally adjusted, in order of most negative outlook first.
Construction, -10%, down from 2% for the third quarter
Mining, -9%, flat from -9%
Transportation and utilities, -9%, down from -3%
Government, -8%, down from -4%
Manufacturing, durable goods, -8%, down from -6%
Information, -5%, down from -4%
Manufacturing, nondurable goods, -3%, down from 0%
Other services, -1%, down from 0%
Financial activities, 1%, down from 2%


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Therm O Web Gina K Designs MASKING MAGIC Mask Paper 1812318123
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For over 40 years Therm O Web has served as a prominent adhesive manufacturer across the world. Therm O Web, a family owned company, began to explore the craft and fabric markets in the early 80s. Based on the findings, Therm O Web launched a family of Iron-On Adhesives branded HeatnBond in the fall of 1989, which was an overnight success! The success of HeatnBond led Therm O Web to expand their adhesive line in the fast growing hobby and scrapbooking markets. Therm O Web has since crafted many family brands such as... HeatnBond, ZotsTM, SuperTapeTM, Sticky Dots, PeelnStick, Memory Tape Runner XL and so much more!

subset: commoncrawl


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About UsWe are proud of our part in making wedding dreams come true for over 60 years, and we look forward to helping you.
Learn more about us >
David's Bridal Partner RewardsYou can earn David's Bridal Partner Rewards when you purchase a wedding gown online or in stores. You will receive over $1000 in savings for future purchases at our national partners. See your Rewards booklet for details.
CareersPlease visit our Careers page for current employment opportunities.
Fashion ShowsDavid's Bridal participates in a variety of bridal shows, many of which include a fashion show coordinated by the show's producer. See a list of bridal shows in your area. We also have an exciting Prom Fashion Show program. Contact your local store for details.
If you are interested in becoming a model for David's Bridal, we suggest contacting a nationally recognized modeling agency. For catalog and store displays, David's Bridal typically works with modeling agencies based in New York City.
Charitable RequestsDavid's Bridal Charitable Giving Program
Thank you for your interest in David's Bridal. Our employees and stakeholders share a commitment to giving back and helping the community. We fulfill this mission through partnering directly with nonprofit organizations to provide monetary donations, merchandise, or services to those in need. Through these combined efforts, we have contributed more than $1 million to worthy causes over the last 5 years.
In order to apply for a charitable donation from David's Bridal, your organization must be classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Only organizations with this designation will be considered. We are unable to provide assistance directly to individuals.
Please note that we are unable to contribute to all of the wonderful organizations that contact us. Due to the volume of requests, we are not able to respond to every inquiry, however we will contact you if we are able to fulfill your request or if we require further information. Please allow a minimum of four weeks to receive a response to your proposal.
If your nonprofit organization is interested in applying for a donation from David's Bridal, we invite you to submit a Charitable Request Form.
Vendor InquiriesIf you are interested in vendor partnership opportunities within the U.S., please submit a request through our Vendor Partner Form.


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Yukupo wrote:I thought changing the registration question to something less generic and more specific to Shenmue would stop them but it seemed that one got through. There must be an exploit somewhere. Sneaky skynet. But yeah I thought his post was funny so:Hello Friends,
I want to buy a gaming system because free time i want to play game.
What is the best system for gaming ?
Come on AI, learn some grammar, jeez.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


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SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8, 2013 -- goBalto, Inc., a developer of new-generation web clinical research solutions, today announced that INC Research, a therapeutically-focused clinical research organization (CRO), has selected goBalto Tracker 2.0 as its global site activation solution. Tracker is a secure, web-based platform that enables study teams to track and manage site activation activities in clinical trials.
"We chose goBalto Tracker as part of our study startup solution because it offers enhanced visibility into the traditionally cumbersome process of activating sites for clinical trials," said Alistair Macdonald , Chief Operating Officer at INC Research. "The system creates efficiencies through streamlined communication among sites, sponsors and CROs. This ultimately drives shorter timelines and cost savings for our customers."
Tracker, goBalto's lead product, is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) application that helps small and large clinical research organizations (CROs), pharmaceutical, and medical device companies track multiple studies and keep managers on the same page during the site activation phase of a study. Configurable workflows allow study managers to implement and benchmark processes globally. The application shows real-time status that study managers can use to find process bottlenecks and optimize resources.
Jae Chung , Founding CEO of goBalto, stated "The clinical trial industry recognizes how important it is to get study startup right and INC Research is at the forefront of utilizing technology to benefit their study sponsors in this critical phase. We're very proud that INC Research has selected Tracker as its study startup solution to provide transparency and insight into the site initiation process."
About INC Research
INC Research is a therapeutically-focused clinical research organization with a high-performance reputation for conducting global clinical development programs of the highest integrity. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies look to INC Research for a complete range of customized Phase I through Phase IV programs in all therapeutic areas and innovative pediatric and women's health trials. The Company's Trusted Process® methodology and therapeutic foresight lead customers to more confident, better-informed drug and device development decisions. INC Research is headquartered in Raleigh, NC. For more information, please visit www.incresearch.com or follow us at @inc_research.
About goBalto
goBalto develops next-generation, cloud-based solutions that simplify how clinical trials are conducted in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. Our flagship product, Tracker, is a purpose-built software-as-a-service clinical research tool. It enables clinical trial sponsors and research organizations to track and collaborate on operational data in a transparent, regulatory-compliant, and user-friendly way. Founded 2008 in Silicon Valley by biotechnology industry veteran Jae Chung , goBalto is backed by leading health technology investors. For more information, visit www.gobalto.com.


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Our gardens are often special and unique areas of our homes, whether compact and modest, or large and lavish, each garden is an area to soak up some sun, and breathe in the fresh air. As the cooler months approach, and everyone starts preparing for the festive season, from December to February, we are reminded to clean our homes and beautify our domestic spaces. Spring-cleaning one's home is already a very popular time to reconfigure and refresh the house, but sunny October and November can provide another great opportunity to rethink certain areas of your domicile.
Today on homify we are playing particular interest to the garden. Gardens are often neglected once the slightly cooler weather sets in, however, it doesn't mean this area of your abode can't still function successfully. Adding some warmth, plush textiles, or simply giving the area a clean can drastically improve the liveability of your exterior spaces.
For some simply and handy steps to make sure you get the most out of your outdoor space this season, check out the examples below, and start redecorating with confidence!
When it comes to October and November, the sun is everything! Unlike the impending cooler months where you can rely on the weather to provide shorter daylight hours and a sumptuous romantic ambience, this time often benefits from a little mood.
Here in this example we see a fabulous demonstration of how to create mood. The key is the lighting. Lighting adds atmosphere, and can turn a cold, dreary garden, into a romantic or friendly wonderland. Think garden lanterns, rustic timber furniture, comfy throw cushions, and plenty of candles! Candles offer a warmth and glow that can be hard to simulate with light bulbs, however, there are many options of the market such as low voltage warm fluorescents, and Edison bulbs.
So, once you've handled the lighting within your garden, you're going to want to consider some comfy textiles to provide a little contentment and luxury. This example is actually an interior space with a large green wall, but can be replicated outside with ease. Here the emphasis is on comfort, with two overstuffed sofas, and a shag rug.
Essentially you want to ensure you and your guests have somewhere to snuggle up, get cosy, and enjoy the cooler breeze. Choose an outdoor rug to begin with. There are plenty of styles and designs on the market that are both waterproof, and weather resistant. The rug will help to create a softened and homely space, which can then evoke a sense of cordiality. Secondly, employ a range of sumptuous textiles, such as throw rugs and cushions, to give yourself something to cuddle up underneath. Choosing textiles can be a tricky part of garden decoration, consider chatting to a professional landscaper, or a decorator to get your desired style and aesthetic.
So now you have an outdoor space that is cosy, with a soft ambient mood. The next step is to provide warmth. Warmth can be added in many different ways, but the easiest is generally an outdoor heater of some sort. Here in this example we see an open fire style burner that can add atmosphere as well as warmth.
For a different style and design, there are also a variety of patio heaters that utilise gas as their main source of power, and can effectively heat large outdoor areas.
Seating is by far one of the most important considerations when refreshing your garden space for November. If you have an area that is disused, it is highly unlikely that you will use it if it has unattractive or uncomfortable seating. Depending on your space you should choose something that suits your needs. Do you dine outdoors? Or do you intend to sit and relax with friends a little more? These are questions that can help to decipher the style and design of your outdoor furniture.
In this example we see a cute set of timber dining furniture, with upholstered seat cushions for comfort. The decking works wonderfully with the coordinating timber tones, and offers the perfect space for all seasons.
Colour is an important part of making your garden come alive. During October and November often the trees come alive with bright hues of rusty gold, brown, and orange. Ensure your outdoor area is well coordinated with the gorgeous shades, by incorporating a little colour into the space.
Think about coloured plants, accessories, furniture, and accessories to bring a little liveliness into your garden. If you have an outdoor dining space, you may want to coordinate with the autumnal hues with tableware that matches. During the cooler months, there are numerous plants that flower and produce berries, adding to the festive feeling of your space
In the slightly cooler months there is definitely a benefit to having planters in your garden. Not only can you still enjoy the greenery of some well chosen foliage, but you are able to move around the pieces depending on the weather or outdoor conditions. Often during winter and the months preceding it, the flowers have died, plants are losing their leaves, and the general ambience is changing. However, you needn't worry, as there are still plenty of hardy weather resistant species, which can brighten your external area, and look fabulous with minimal care.
It is a good idea to visit your nursery and speak to a professional about the variety you wish to plant, as this will determine the size and shape of planter you require. However, if you already have some planters and intend to give them a clean and reuse, you will need to find a plant that fits. Luckily many winter resistant plants are scented and quite beautiful, while also being able to live in the shade, and without too much sunlight. If you are getting prepared for cooler months in your outdoor space, you will also be happy to hear that many of these plants have festive berries that can look wonderful with a little decorating.
In this example we see a pair of concrete planters that have incorporated some shrubs (excellent for winter!), as well as some other varieties that look effortlessly chic. Choose a design based on your outdoor furniture, as well as any colours you may want to evoke.
If you enjoyed this Ideabook, and would like to see another, check out: Minimalist garden ideas


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This site is the archived OWASP Foundation Wiki and is no longer accepting Account Requests.
To view the new OWASP Foundation website, please visit https://owasp.org
Reviewing Code for Session Integrity issues
- 1 Introduction
- 2 How to locate the potentially vulnerable code
- 3 HTTP Only Cookie
- 4 Limiting Cookie Domain
- 5 Displaying Data to user from Cookie
- 6 Session Tracking/Management Techniques
- 7 Leading Practice Patterns for Session Management/Integrity
- 8 Related Articles
Cookies can be used to maintain a session state. This identifies a user whilst in the middle of using the application. Session Id's are a popular method of identifying a user. A "secure" session Id should be at least 128 bits in length and sufficiently random. Cookies can also be used to identify a user but care must be taken in using cookies. Generally it is not recommended to implement a SSO (Single Sign on) solution using cookies, they were never intended for such use. Persistent cookies are stored on a user hard disk and are valid depending on the expiry date defined in the cookie. The following are pointers when reviewing cookie related code.
How to locate the potentially vulnerable code
If the cookie object is being set with various attributes apart from the session ID check the cookie is set only to transmit over HTTPS/SSL. In java this is performed by the method:
cookie.setSecure() (Java) cookie.secure = secure; (.NET) Response.Cookies("CookieKey").Secure = True (Classic ASP)
HTTP Only Cookie
This is adhered to in IE6 and above... HTTP Only cookie is meant to provide protection against XSS by not letting client side script accessing the cookie. Its a step in the right direction but not a silver bullet.
cookie.HttpOnly = true (C#)
Here cookie should only be accessible via ASP.NET.
Notice HTTPOnly property is not supported in Classic ASP pages.
Limiting Cookie Domain
Ensure cookies are limited to a domain such as example.com. Therefore the cookie is associated to example.com. If the cookie is associated with other domains the following code performs this:
Response.Cookies["domain"].Domain = "support.example.com"; (C#) Response.Cookies("domain").Domain = "support.example.com" (Classic ASP)
During the review if the cookie is assigned to more than one domain make note of it and query why this is the case.
Displaying Data to user from Cookie
Make sure that data being displayed to a user from a cookie is HTML encoded. This mitigates some forms of Cross Site Scripting.
LabelX.Text = Server.HtmlEncode(Request.Cookies["userName"].Value); (C#) Response.Write Server.HtmlEncode (Request.Cookies("userName")) (Classic ASP)
Session Tracking/Management Techniques
HTML Hidden Field
The HTML Hidden field could be used to perform session tracking. Upon each HTTP POST request the hidden field is passed to the server identifying the user. It would be in the form of
<INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="user"VALUE="User001928394857738000094857hfduekjkksowie039848jej393">
Server-side code is used to perform validation on the VALUE in order to ensure the used is valid. This approach can only be used for POST/Form requests.
URL Rewriting
URL rewriting approaches session tracking by appending a unique id pertaining to the user at the end of the URL.
Click Here
Leading Practice Patterns for Session Management/Integrity
HTTPOnly Cookie: Prevents cookie access via client side script. Not all browsers support such a directive.
Valid Session checking:
Upon any HTTP request the framework should check if the user pertaining to the HTTP request (via session ID) is valid.
Successful Authentication:
Upon a successful login the user should be issued a new session identifier. The old session Id should be invalidated. This prevents session fixation attacks and the same browser also sharing the same session ID in a multi user environment. Some times the session Id is per browser and the session remains valid while the browser is alive.
Logout: This also leads to the idea of why a logout button is so important. The logout button should invalidate the users session Id when it is selected.
Related Articles


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- Incheon Art Platform
- Resident Project
- Event
- Archives
- Residency
- Community
The Platform aims to test arts form and presence as it attempts to bring down the walls which separate it from every day communities, by encouraging direct communication between artists and the public.
IAP conveys art's news, chronicles, and history, not only to the artists in residency and contemporary modern artists, but also to Incheon's citizens. IAP's data and archive building records and preserves the creative activities of artists', and allows free viewing of all books and videos. In addition, the Platform stores artists' portfolios and material, and manages the portfolio registry which converts these documents into a database. The online archive on the homepage provides direct access to this collection of knowledge.


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Many vets' caregivers cut out from federal benefit
John Thomas Doody was in a coma and on a ventilator, but his mom refused to follow a doctor's advice and put the Iraq war veteran in a nursing home.
Chris Ott quit her job, moved the family to Tampa, Fla., so her son, known as J.T., could be near the Veterans Affairs hospital. She spends most of her waking hours trying to meet his many needs.
He was shot while serving with the Marines in Fallujah and suffered an infection and series of strokes during his recovery. She says he's paralyzed and nearly blind but has made dramatic improvement over the years.
To ease the financial burden, Ott relies on a relatively new federal program that pays her a stipend of about $2,000 per month, trains her on how to care for J.T. and provides at least 30 days of respite care each year.
Once every three months, a VA inspector comes by her house to check on her and J.T.
"Now, I can still love him and hug him and kiss him and talk to him and laugh with him. Oh yeah, I still have my son," she said.
The extra help has eased one family's financial hardship. Yet there's a question of fairness. For every family receiving the caregiver benefit, many more make do without.
For example, Pauline King of Anna, Ill., is not eligible for the stipend even though her husband, Jerry, a Vietnam veteran, needs help with bathing, dressing and going to the bathroom as a result of multiple sclerosis.
When lawmakers created the program in 2010, it limited participation to veterans who had served since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
King said the move to exclude Vietnam veterans shows "they're still not paying attention" in Congress.
Cost was a factor on Capitol Hill. The caregivers for veterans from earlier wars can get some help from the VA, such as counseling and a lesser amount of respite care, but no monthly stipend.
Ordered by Congress to study the feasibility of expanding the program, the Department of Veterans Affairs expressed reservations in a report Wednesday, projecting the cost at between $1.8 billion and $3.8 billion in the first year alone. The VA estimated that an additional 2,000 full-time workers would need to be in place to handle the workload of an expanded program.
"VA believes the expansion of benefits to caregivers of eligible veterans of all eras would make the program more equitable," the agency said in a statement. "Unfortunately, core health care services to veterans would be negatively impacted without the additional resources necessary to fund the expansion."
Given tight budget times, with most federal agencies already forced to make cuts and furlough workers, the prospects of adding billions of dollars to the VA budget seems unlikely. The VA thus far has been exempted from the mandatory cuts, known as sequestration.
Still, in July, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee passed a bill that would expand the program to veterans from all eras. The bill also increased the types of injuries and illnesses that would qualify a veteran's caregiver for extra assistance. Any veteran with a "serious-service connected disability" who needed help with basic activities of daily living would qualify.
But concerns about cost will be difficult to overcome. Currently, about 11,000 caregivers are enrolled in the program. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that an additional 70,000 caregivers would participate by 2016 if the bill, sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., becomes law.
Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, said the intent of the Senate legislation is admirable but that Congress has an obligation not to expand existing programs without first ensuring they work correctly. He said he was also concerned that the Senate legislation does not identify how to pay for an expansion.
"The VA's cost estimate for the caregiver expansion presents a serious obstacle in an enormously constrained fiscal climate," Miller said.
The Wounded Warrior Project agrees with Miller about holding off on an expansion.
The advocacy group was instrumental in pushing Congress for the enhanced benefit for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The group says improvements for are needed before the VA expands the caregiver benefit. For example, it says the VA set what it called unduly strict participation criteria for veterans with mental health conditions. The appeals process is inadequate, the group adds.
The VA needs to resolve "these long-standing concerns as a pre-condition to extending the promise of this law to caregivers of pre-9/11 veterans," the group said in testimony on Sanders' bill.
But other groups say it's simply not right to treat one generation of veterans differently from others.
"It's a matter of fairness. It's a matter of principal," said Adrian Atizado, assistant legislative director for Disabled American Veterans. "We leave no one behind in the military. That is no one, no matter when they served or what branch of service."
Organizations such as Vietnam Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans were instrumental in securing the study released Wednesday.
In the low range of the VA's projections, 32,000 veterans serving prior to 9/11 would enroll for an enhanced caregiver benefit in the coming fiscal year. In the high range, 88,000 would join the program. The VA estimated that it would spend between $25,000 and $36,770 per year for each participant.
Jerry King is one pre-Sept. 11 veteran who could use the extra help.
He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1978. The VA determined that the disease, which results in the loss of muscle control and balance, was service-connected.
"The care is a lot. When you're taking care of a home, when you're taking care of your family, that's your day. You do not sit down and watch TV. You do not sit down and read a magazine," his wife said.
The Kings rely on his disability payments from the VA and Social Security to make ends meet. She said she pays a local couple $10,000 a year to help with such things as moving her husband from his bed to his wheelchair and with the ironing of his clothes. She said there's not much money left over after that and that a monthly stipend would "be a big step for us."
"As the years advance and as these things are in their systems, they are going to start showing their head, and the ones who can't run away from it are the caregivers, the loved ones. The government doesn't see what these loved ones are going through," Pauline King said.
But Ott has concerns about what an expansion of the program would mean for her son. "I believe they should have the same opportunities, but not to the detriment of the ones already in the program," she said.


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Because no one reads the newspaper, and SportsCenter's anchors are too perky for this early in the morning, Deadspin combs the best of the broadsheets and internets to bring you everything you need to know to start your day.
• The Clippers beat the Heat at home, 111-105. Mario Chalmers somehow pissed off Blake Griffin, and 15 seconds later Griffin double-pumped over him to seal the win and then stared him down and chewed his mouth guard very aggressively. The lesson here is, do not piss off Blake Griffin.
• Suddenly Buddhist LeBron James explained that the karma tweet was not intended for the Cavs. Karma, he explained, is a concept "I've kinda always used my whole life... I don't think there was intent at all." Might have been different if he wrote it in Comic Sans, I guess.
• For the third time since 2002, the Florida State Seminoles beat a No. 1 Duke team in Tallahassee, 66-61. In other words, since 2002, the majority of humans on the planet have felt surges of schadenfreude on at least three separate occasions. I don't know about you, but I feel like a new person today.
• Meanwhile, Syracuse, Ohio State, Kansas, and San Diego State all beat unranked teams last night, and are now the four unbeaten teams in men's college hoops. Centenary and UNC-Greensboro are still without wins this season.
• Yes, Brett Favre's sister Brandi was arrested in a meth bust in Mississippi. Officers in Hancock County are apparently "very familiar" with the 34-year-old, who has faced charges on felony shoplifting and unlawful use of a handgun in the past. The internet is producing content on the arrest that, like meth, may melt your brain.
• Dr. Phil brought golden-voiced Ted Williams into a furniture showroom set and convinced him to go to rehab. The Susan Boylification of Ted Williams certainly did not take long.
• The Good Men Project's Ryan O'Hanlon breaks down ESPN's survey on race and sports. Among other things of note: 30 percent of African-Americans surveyed say they admire Ben Roethlisberger against 22 percent of whites.
• Tiger Woods may read your diary.
Photo by Andrew Carter of the Orlando Sentinel
Good morning, everybody.


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David Silver is looking for book reviewers for the resource center for cyberculture studies (RCCS), and so far has gained interest from over 160 people interested in reviewing books related to the field of contemporary media and culture. These book reviews are free, open to the public, and available on this page.
For a list of books available for review, requirements and detailed information about the process, please visit David's blog here.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Book reviewers wanted
David Silver is looking for book reviewers for the resource center for cyberculture studies (RCCS), and so far has gained interest from over 160 people interested in reviewing books related to the field of contemporary media and culture. These book reviews are free, open to the public, and available on this page.
Gepostet von thatguy unter 1:51 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: book review, contemporary media, culture, david silver, rccs, resource center for cyberculture studies
Amazon introduces Podcasts
Seems like I missed this bit of news last week but thought that this is still fresh (and important) enouhg to validate a post. Looks like Amazon is sneaking more and more into digital goods delivery. Here's the press release:
Launch of Amazon Podcasts Brings Customers Closer to Celebrity Authors, Actors and Musicians
New "Network" of Podcast Channels Offers Customers Free, In-Depth, Exclusive Interviews with A-List Talent and First-Chapter Sneak Peeks of New Audiobooks
SEATTLE- May 10, 2007-
Amazon.com today officially launched its Amazon Podcasts network, an original podcast series offering customers four unique channels of free content: Amazon BookClips, Music You Should Hear, Significant Seven and Amazon Wire, all available at www.amazon.com/podcast. The company expects to offer several additional channels in the coming months to meet its customers' increasing demand for rich content related to the products they shop for every day on Amazon.com. Each podcast is available via streaming and download from Amazon.com, and through RSS and iTunes. Amazon Wire is also available on TiVo.
"Amazon Podcasts offers customers exclusive content and interviews they won't find anywhere else," said Kristi Coulter, Senior Manager of Editorial at Amazon.com. "Amazon is continually finding ways to improve the service we provide to our millions of customers. Thanks to this new and innovative podcast series, listeners can get more exclusive information about the artists, authors and actors they love."
The Amazon Podcast network launches with four channels of free content, including:
Amazon BookClips
A weekly podcast offering customers a free sneak peek at some of the most popular soon-to-be-released audiobooks. Upcoming titles include "Einstein" by Walter Isaacson and "I Heard That Song Before" by Mary Higgins Clark, plus an exclusive, advance preview of Janet Evanovich's "Lean Mean 13."
Music You Should Hear
A free, weekly MP3 podcast whereby customers receive an MP3 recording featuring complete songs from developing and indie artists, selected by Amazon's music editors. Upcoming episodes will include music from Jenny Owen Youngs, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, Menomena, Ryan Shaw and more.
Significant Seven
A monthly podcast in which book editors from Amazon.com talk about seven of the most exciting upcoming books before they are released. Each book featured in the Significant Seven will be discounted 40 percent for a limited time.
Amazon Wire
An exclusive, biweekly podcast featuring interviews with some of today's hottest authors, actors, directors and musicians. In the coming weeks, Amazon Wire will feature Ralph Nader, John Malkovich and Dolores O'Riordan.
Amazon Wire launches today with a large library of previously recorded content from popular personalities such as personal finance guru Suze Orman, bestselling authors Michael Crichton and Khaled Hosseini, Grammy Award-winning artist Sting, "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels and Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. Other popular guests include Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, Kirk Douglas, Wes Craven, Madeleine Albright, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Joss Stone.
Subscribers with a broadband-connected TiVo Series2 or Series3 DVR can access a host of online services that deliver timely entertainment and information directly to the television set, now including Amazon Wire. These services can be found under the Music, Photos, Products and More folder on your TiVo box.
"TiVo is consistently looking to provide its subscribers with new and innovative content, and we are excited to further our relationship with Amazon," said Jim Denney, TiVo's vice president of product marketing.
Amazon.com will post information about upcoming Amazon Wire interviews and solicit customer questions before recording the interview, giving listeners a unique opportunity to interact with their favorite stars.
Amazon BookClips also features an archive of content, including "Sunday Morning in Plains" by Jimmy Carter, "Plum Lovin" by Janet Evanovich, "The Sweet Potato Queens' First Big-Ass Novel" by Jill Conner Browne and "The Gospel According to Judas" by Benjamin Iscariot.
The Music You Should Hear archive currently features songs from Grinderman (Nick Cave's new band), former Velocity Girl singer Sarah Shannon, Kelly Sweet, Angelique Kidjo, Mavis Staples and others.
Customers can stream or download the entire archive of Amazon Podcasts free at www.amazon.com/podcast.
via librarian in black and resourceshelf
Gepostet von thatguy unter 1:27 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: amazon, amazon bookclips, amazon wire, books, digital goods, download, music, music you should hear, podcast, significant seven, stream, tivo
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Google introduces Hot Trends
Google Inc. introduced a feature that tracks the 100 fastest-gaining U.S. Web queries, an effort by the most-popular search engine to give a snapshot of what Internet users are looking for. Google Hot Trends provides a list of the search terms, updated several times a day, the company said in an e-mailed statement. Users will also be able to see old lists going back to May 15. The feature is part of Google Trends, a Web site released last year that can chart and compare the popularity of search terms over time. Customers will be able to see news stories, Web log postings and search results for each query on the lists.
Before yesterday, Google had released a manually compiled weekly list of the hottest search terms called the Google Zeitgeist. Yahoo! Inc., the second-biggest search company, has its own service called Yahoo Buzz that shows most-searched-for subjects and the biggest movers. Shares of Mountain View, California-based Google rose 28 cents to $470.60 the day before yesterday in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. They have gained 2.2 percent this year. The top ranking search term today is "on the lot" a competition for aspiring movie makers, while "who won american idol" filled the number six spot. Among the rest of the top 10 searches four involved queries concerning the NBA. A search a few minutes later shows that "dancing with the stars winner" has shot up to number one.
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Labels: google, hot trends, new feature, search engines
MindTrek Conference: Social Media Stream - Call for Papers
CALL FOR PAPERS: MindTrek Conference Social Media Stream
October 3-4, 2007 Tampere, Finland
Deadline for submission abstracts: August 6, 2007
Notification of acceptance to authors: August 23, 2007
Registration to the conference ends: September 17, 2007
Conference: October 3–4, 2007 Online publication: December 2007
We are happy to invite you to MindTrek Conference in October 3–4.
MindTrek is a two-day conference to explore current and emerging topics of social media and the participatory culture of Internet. This is the call for the Social Media Stream of the conference.
Please, send your extended abstract (max 1 000 words) for a review. Reviewers evaluate submissions on the basis of significance and originality. Abstracts should base on academic research, tested business solutions, case studies, pilot results or innovative future scenarios.
The goal is to build up better knowledge about social media (blogs, wikis, tags, feeds, media sharing and networking sites etc.).
MindTrek association publishes selected abstracts in the conference proceedings and online. You will also have the option to continue your abstract into full paper. These papers will be published online after the event.
MindTrek was established in 1997. It has attracted delegates and presenters from many fields including education, business, government, and media to discuss their experiences with media and web technologies. According to estimation, the conference will bring together 500 participants this year.
The stream will be interdisciplinary: We invite presentations from social science, business studies, computer and web science and related disciplines. Hopefully, the conference will strengthen further the network of social media researchers from different countries.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
* Media and journalism transforming
* Online community networking and development
* Social capital, participatory economy, business models
* Online activism, including online campaigning
* Participatory design, mediators
* Filtering and folksonomy
Conference Chair, director Jarmo Viteli
MindTrek Association, Hypermedia Laboratory (UTA)
Organising Committee
* Karsten D. Wolf, University of Bremen
* Artur Lugmayr, Tampere University of Technology
* Esa Sirkkunen, University of Tampere
* Katri Lietsala, University of Tampere
MindTrek takes place at Hotel Scandic Rosendahl, in Tampere, Finland. The organiser of the conference has booked quota for the conference delegates from this hotel. Please, look for more information on accommodation and registration later from our website. Note that the participation fee does not include the accommodation.
The stream is open to all conference participants to join. Every participant with the accepted abstract will have their own presentation slot. On Wednesday evening, MindTrek Award Party (included to the conference fee) motivates further discussions and networking.
On Thursday, the stream continues with fabus which means open participatory group work. Participants and volunteer fabu coordinators will create together the program for these unconferencing sessions of the second day.
Please, send your abstract with our e-form: www.mindtrek.org. Check also registration
and program details later from the website.
Conference fee is 190 euros (+ VAT) for 2 days.
Fee includes the whole conference (also the other streams on open source,
ubiquitous media and games), lunches for both days and the invitation to the MindTrek Award Party.
Social Media Stream
Katri Lietsala, skype katri.lietsala, email@example.com
Esa Sirkkunen, tel. +358 (0)3 215 6424, email@example.com
MindTrek Conference
Jukka Matikainen, +358 (0)40 5336 379, email@example.com
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Labels: blogs, call for papers, conference, feeds, finland, media sharing, mindtrek, networking sites, participatory culture, social media, tags, wikis
Interactions: Artifacts & Us - Call for Papers
Call for Graduate Student Abstracts
Interactions: Artifacts & Us
A Graduate Student Conference Exploring Our Relationships with Things and Theirs with Us
September 7-9, 2007
Blacksburg, Virginia
The Science & Technology Studies graduate students at Virginia Tech welcome abstract submissions on topics relating to concepts and artifacts, the uses they are put to, the evolution and impacts of technology, scientific objects and their study, the role of the engineer in design, and more.
Possible topics could include: the role of phlogiston in chemical theorizing, the use of social networking on the internet and how it changes relationships, the use of medical technologies in the classification of disease, the role of a disease concept in the experience of illness, the way telescopes and microscopes change how we envision the world, the role of failure in engineering design, the use and misuse of technology in everyday life. Basically, anything you can argue fits in the topic will be considered!
Deadline for Submission: June 1, 2007
Submissions should include a cover sheet with the title and author name(s), institutional affiliation, and contact information, as well as an abstract page prepared without identification of the authors or affiliations. Abstracts will be selected for oral presentation and discussion by blind review. Please keep abstracts under 500 words.
Submissions should be emailed as Word or PDF attachments to: firstname.lastname@example.com,
with a subject line of "Interactions Conference Submission"
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Labels: artifacts and us, call for papers, concepts, evolution of technology, interactions, relationships with things and theirs with us, scientific objects, social networks, technology
A Fair(y) Use Tale
Disney Parody explanation of Copyright Law and Fair Use
Professor Eric Faden of Bucknell University provides this humorous, yet informative, review of copyright principles delivered through the words of the very folks we can thank for nearly endless copyright terms.
please also visit: http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/documentary-film-program/film/a-fair-y-use-tale
Gepostet von thatguy unter 3:16 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: bucknell university, copyright, copyright law, cyberlaw, disney, eric faden, fair use, video
Discovery Channel: The History of Hacking
Hosted on Google Videos, here's a documentary produced by Discovery Channel about the history of hacking, including interviews with Captain Crunch, Kevin Mitnick, and Steve Wozniak.
Gepostet von thatguy unter 3:12 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: captain crunch, discovery channel, documentary steve wozniak, hacking, history of hacking, kevin mitnick, video
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Master Plan - About the power of Google
Directed and produced by Ozan Halici & Jürgen Mayer.
Bachelors's Thesis at the University of Applied Sciences Ulm, Germany.
Inspired by "What Barry Says" by Simon Robson and "The Google Story" by David A. Wise.
see also: http://masterplanthemovie.com/
What's your take on this?
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Labels: david a. wise, germany, google, jurgen mayer, masterplan, ozan halici, power, search engines, simon robson, the google story, ulm, university of applied sciences, video, what barry says
GigaNet 07: Call for Papers
Global Internet Governance Academic Network (GigaNet)
Second Annual Symposium
Call for Proposals
Hotel Windsor Barra, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
11 November 2007
The Global Internet Governance Academic Network (GigaNet) is a recently-formed scholarly community that promotes the development of Internet governance as a recognized, interdisciplinary field of study and facilitates informed dialogue on policy issues and related matters between scholars and governments, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society. (See www.igloo.org/giganet for more information.)
Each year, GigaNet organizes a research symposium. The first was held October 2006 in Athens, Greece, a day prior to the inaugural meeting of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The second GigaNet symposium also will be held on site prior to the 2nd IGF meeting, on November 11, 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Attendance at the symposium will be open to all and free of charge. Registration with the UN as an IGF participant may be necessary to gain entry to the building.
This is a call for proposals from scholars interested in presenting an original research paper on one of the panels to be held at the conference. The panel themes are described below. The Program Committee will select several speakers for each panel, drawing on the following materials to be provided by applicants: 1) a one page maximum description of the proposed paper that includes the main research questions, its methods, and its relevance and value-added to the thematic area; and 2) a one page summary curriculum vitae listing in particular the applicant's current institutional affiliation(s), advanced degrees, scholarly publications relevant to Internet governance, and web sites, if available. If the proposed paper has already been drafted, applicants are welcome to include the paper in their submission in addition to the one-page summary.
These materials should be emailed directly to the chairperson of the 2007 Program Committee, Dr. Milton Mueller, at info [at] internetgovernance.org by no later than August 1, 2007, midnight GMT. The Program Committee will notify applicants of its decisions via email by August 24. A full paper upon which the presentation will be based must be delivered to the same address by October 1, midnight GMT in order for the author(s) to be included in the relevant panel. The selected speakers will give ten-minute presentations, after which there will be open discussion with audience members. While GigaNet asserts no copyright to authors' work, it is expected that the version of the paper presented will be made available for posting on the GigaNet website.
Preliminary Theme Descriptions
1. The Changing Institutionalization of Internet Governance
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) raised the profile and changed the global policy discourse of Internet governance. The creation of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was the most visible result, but other major signs should be noted, such as the willingness of more governments to participate in ICANN, the increased diversity of players entering Internet governance processes as stakeholders, and wider discussion of as yet inchoate changes to Internet governance mechanisms and decision making.
We invite paper submissions that explore the dynamics of the changing institutionalization process. Papers can examine institutionalization theoretically, by placing it in the context of theories of international relations, international regimes, and global governance; or empirically, through critical assessment of its outcomes so far. Submissions addressing the mechanisms of a given collaborative, deliberative process, and particularly how the different players behave, are especially welcome. We seek papers analyzing collaborative policy-making in Internet governance institutions; the mobilization of new actors, their roles and the power relationships between them; the role of the private sector in governance; the transformation (if any) of the role of governments and their means of intervention in relation to existing intergovernmental processes; and the interactions between Internet governance-related institutions such as IGF, IETF, the Regional Address Registries, ICANN, ITU, WIPO, or WTO. Case studies based on critical examination of the IGF, the multistakeholder partnership process and changes, if any, in ICANN dynamics after WSIS would bring particular highlights to the panel discussion.
2. Toward a Development Agenda for Internet Governance
In recent years, developing countries, civil society organizations, and concerned academics have sought to promote broad "development agendas" for reform of the international regimes and organizations dealing with such issues as trade, debt, and intellectual property. But in the field of Internet governance, no parallel initiative has taken shape. Developing countries and other stakeholders did call for what they said were pro-development institutional reforms during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process, but their suggestions were not systematically explored as elements of a coherent development agenda. Moreover, there was no broad consensus among the proponent s as to what kinds of reforms would actually promote development, as opposed to satisfying more specifically political demands. In the post-WSIS environment, discussions of development have tended to focus on capacity building rather than on institutional reforms.
Accordingly, we invite research papers that analyze the positive and negative linkages between existing global Internet governance mechanisms and development; the possible need for new mechanisms; and the potential foundations of a holistic development agenda. The panel will not explore the Internet's role in development per se, or more general ICT4D themes; the focus will be on the mechanisms of Internet governance as defined by the WSIS. We welcome submission of theoretically informed, empirically rich papers addressing the following and related questions:
a) General Dynamics: The design and politics of development agendas. What are the potential risks and rewards of assessing individual Internet governance mechanisms in the context of a ho listic development agenda? What applicable lessons, if any, can be learned from experiences with development agendas in other international arenas, e.g. trade, the environment, debt, and intellectual property? What political and institutional challenges wo uld have to be overcome in order to establish a development agenda for Internet governance?
b) Case Studies of Problems and Reforms. Do current Internet governance mechanisms pose any substantive and procedural impediments to development? What reforms or even new mechanisms might be needed to promote development?
3. Critical Policy Issues in Internet Governance
The prior two sections deal with broad, cross-cutting themes in Internet governance. The Program Committee also encourages submission of research papers on how public policy or governance arrangements are being defined for specific, narrower Internet policy issues. Examples of such policy issues would include network neutrality, digital identity, privacy/ security, content regulation, intellectua l property rights/DRM, or others. Each of these issue-domains involves its own distinctive set of policy conflicts, stakeholders, technologies and institutional arrangements, and thus can profitably be examined independently. Papers about specific issues should, however, be written from a global perspective and/or utilize cross-national comparative research methods, and should be founded on a clear understanding of how the issue constitutes a form of Internet governance.
Although submissions in any of the enumerated issue-areas are welcome, the Committee would be particularly interested in forming a panel devoted to research on either network neutrality or digital identity. Papers on net neutrality might address, among other things, its relevance as a global norm for Internet governance; how technological, legal and business trends support or undermine neutrality in the delivery of Internet services; or the relationship between competing broadband networks and nondiscriminatory access to Internet content. Similarly, papers on digital identity might address the current status of standardization in digital
identifiers and authentication, how privacy concerns are or are not addressed by proposals; interaction of international regimes with digital identity issues, international initiatives on data retention and data interception, or other related aspects of Internet governance and privacy.
To summarize:
* Symposium date and place: November 11, 2007, Hotel Windsor Barra, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
* Deadline for submissions: August 1, 2007
* Submit to: GigaNet Program Committee, using the email address firstname.lastname@example.com
* Notification of status: August 24, 2007
* Papers due: October 1, 2007
GigaNet Program Committee:
- Seiiti Arata Jr., University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Ralf Bendrath, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- William Drake, Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland
- Michael Gurstein, Executive Director of the Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training, Vancouver BC, Canada
- Nanette Levinson, American University School of International Service, Washington DC, USA
- Meryem Marzouki, LIP6/PolyTIC-CNRS Laboratory, Paris, France
- Milton Mueller, Syracuse University School of Info rmation Studies, Syracuse NY, USA
- Sergio Ramos, ETSI Telecomunicación-UPM, Madrid, Spain
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Labels: brazil, call for papers, development agenda, giganet, global internet governance academic network, ICANN, institutionalization, internet governance, itunes, rio de janeiro, WIPO, WTO
Call for Papers: Changing Views on Technology, Media and Cultural Approaches
Changing Views on Technology, Media and Cultural Approaches
A research seminar
08. - 09.11. 2007, University of Joensuu
Call for papers
We are inviting researchers involved and interested in cultural and social studies of technology and media to participate research seminar 'Changing Views on Technology, Media and Cultural Approaches'. The seminar presents recent developments, views and ideas of cultural and social studies of technology, its methodologies, practices and future prospects. The aim of the event is to develop and strength the field of cultural and social studies of technology and media in Finland.
The seminar offers an opportunity to listen to and be commented by top researchers and lecturers of the field: professor Steve Woolgar and senior research fellow Sally Wyatt. They both will give a keynote lecture and will also lead a research workshop and comment the papers of the workshop participants.
If you wish to present a paper at the workshop, send an abstract (max. 250 words) in English to Noora Talsi (email@example.com) by the 17th of August, 2007. The notification of acceptance will be send at the end of August. The deadline for the accepted papers will be the 30th of September.
The lectures and workshops are open to all interested and are free of charge. Everyone cover their travelling expenses by themselves.
Johanna Uotinen
program director, Master's programme of media culture
ETIM -research project:
Jukka Oksa
Sari Tuuva-Hongisto
Noora Talsi
The event is organized together by the Master's programme of media culture (funded by ESF)and the research project Encounters With Technological Imperative 'ETIM' (funded by Academy of Finland).
Further information of the seminar:
Noora Talsi (firstname.lastname@example.com, tel. 013 - 251 4082)
Johanna Uotinen (email@example.com, tel. 013 - 251 4137)
Sari Tuuva-Hongisto (firstname.lastname@example.com, tel. 013 - 251 2453)
See also information about Steve Woolgar and Sally Wyatt:
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Labels: call for papers, changing views, cultural approaches, ESF, ETIM, finland, media, methodology, seminar, social studies, technology, workshop
Digital Learners: Pay Attention
This presentation, simply entitled "Pay Attention", was created by Darren Draper in an effort to motivate teachers to more effectively use technology in their teaching.
Since most of today's students can appropriately be labeled as "Digital Learners", why do so many teachers refuse to enter the digital age with their teaching practices?
Please visit http://t4.jordandistrict.org/payattention for more information on digital learning.
Gepostet von thatguy unter 2:07 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: children, digital age, digital education, digital learners, education, learning, students, teachers, teaching, teaching practices
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Podcast User Demographics: The broad picture of a niche medium
Podcast User Demographics: The broad picture of a niche medium
It would be a mistake to think that the average podcast user is a 23-year-old male with a college education and a really big comic book collection. Podcast users are not a homogeneous group, and downloads range from music to religious broadcasts to museum tours. That said, overall podcasting user demographics give a broad perspective on the medium.
iTunes accounts for 75% of all podcast downloads, according to Podtrac, so comScore's October 2006 study of iTunes podcast downloaders captured most users. On the whole, podcast downloaders tended to be male, young and educated. Notably, people between the ages of 35 and 54 represented about half of the podcasting audience.
While the conventional wisdom says that only young, tech-savvy consumers are downloading and listening to podcasts, there is also a sizable market among 35-to-54-year-olds, indicating that the audience is broader than previously thought. Since many of the top podcasts are in the educational and business genres, it's not surprising that podcasts today appeal to the more educated and higher-income consumer segments.
Time online is also a determining factor in podcast usage, according to a Pew Internet & American Life Project study conducted from February to April 2006. Internet users who had been online for six or more years were twice as likely to have downloaded a podcast as someone online for three years or less (13% vs. 6%, respectively).
It is important for potential podcast sponsors and other marketers to avoid thinking of podcast users as a single composite entity. One of the medium's strengths is that regular followers are hugely interested in the topic of a given podcast, be it comics or cash management, allowing for a deeper host-listener (and therefore brand) relationship than is possible with a general audience — or a composite picture of one.
Gepostet von thatguy unter 4:04 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: comscire, demographics, downloaders, itunes, niche medium, pew internet research, podcast, podcasting, user demographics
WORLDCOMP 07: joint conferences in CS, CE, and Applied Computing - Call For Participation
Call For Participation
WORLDCOMP'07: The 2007 World Congress in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Applied Computing
Date and Location: June 25-28, 2007, Las Vegas, USA
This is an invitation to attend WORLDCOMP'07 Congress. WORLDCOMP'07 is composed of a number of tracks (joint-conferences, tutorials, and workshops); all will be held simultaneously, same location and dates: June 25-28, 2007. Attendees will have full access to all conferences' sessions, tracks, and tutorials. See below for: the complete list of joint-conferences, list of sponsors, registration information, hotel information, and some highlights.
- Parallel & Distributed Processing Techniques & Applications (PDPTA'07)
- Grid Computing & Applications (GCA'07)
- Computer Design (CDES'07)
- Scientific Computing (CSC'07)
- Artificial Intelligence (ICAI'07)
- Genetic and Evolutionary Methods (GEM'07)
- Machine Learning; Models, Technologies & Applications (MLMTA'07)
- Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (BIOCOMP'07)
- Software Engineering Research & Practice (SERP'07)
- Wireless Networks (ICWN'07)
- Image Processing, Computer Vision, & Pattern Recognition (IPCV'07)
- Modeling, Simulation & Visualization Methods (MSV'07)
- Computer Graphics & Virtual Reality (CGVR'07)
- Multimedia Systems & Applications (MSA'07)
- Internet Computing (ICOMP'07)
- Semantic Web & Web Services (SWWS'07)
- Security & Management (SAM'07)
- Data Mining (DMIN'07)
- Information & Knowledge Engineering (IKE'07)
- e-Learning, e-Business, Enterprise Inf. Sys., & e-Government (EEE'07)
- Embedded Systems & Applications (ESA'07)
- Frontiers in Education: Computer Science & Computer Eng. (FECS'07)
- Foundations of Computer Science (FCS'07)
- Engineering of Reconfigurable Systems & Algorithms (ERSA'07)
- Communications in Computing (CIC'7)
SPONSORS: (partial list)
Academic Co-Sponsors include:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Laboratory, MIT (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
- Statistical Genomics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Statistics, Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
- Texas Advanced Computing Center, The University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Texas)
- Statistical and Computational Intelligence Laboratory of Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana)
- Center for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics of Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (Indiana)
- University of Iowa's Medical Imaging HPC Lab (Iowa City, Iowa)
- BioMedical Informatics & Bio-Imaging Laboratory (Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Georgia)
- Institute for Informatics Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia)
- University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, North Dakota)
Corporate Sponsors include:
- Google, Inc., USA
- Intel Corporation, USA
To attend the congress, use the following online registration link:
The complete WORLDCOMP'07 schedule will be available at the following site in early June: http://www.worldacademyofscience.org/worldcomp07/ws/program
You are to reserve your hotel room directly by calling Monte Carlo Resort at 1-702-730-7000 or 1-702-730-7777. Make sure that you mention the Group Code "XWRLD" (XWRLD is the keyword that the hotel will use to handle the reserved block of rooms for the Congress). You should reserve your room as soon as possible since our block is very close to being fully booked. The negotiated room rate is $79 + tax per night for the duration of the conference. However, at this point only a very few rooms are available for reservation. So, if you were unable to get a room at this hotel, then you should try other nearby hotels.
KEYNOTE LECTURES: (this is only a partial list)
- Prof. Ruzena Bajcsy - University of California, Berkeley, USA
"Humans in Real and Virtual Space"
- Prof. John H. Holland - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
- Dr. Jack Y. Yang and Dr. Mary Qu Yang - Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, USA
"Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery of Human Genome and Competitive Genomes, Past, Future, and the Impact on the Science and Medicine"
- Prof. A. K. Dunker - Indiana University and Purdue University, USA
"Protein Intrinsic Disorder, Cell Signaling, Drug Discovery, and Alternative Splicing"
- Prof. Jun Liu - MIT and Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA
"Unraveling the Mystery of How Genes are Turned on and off Using Various Statistical and Computer Techniques"
- Prof. Joydeep Ghosh - University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA; Schlumberger Distinguished Centennial Chair Professor
"Simultaneous Clustering and Modeling for Large Scale Data Mining Applications"
- Steve Leibson - Tensilica, Inc.
"Challenges in Consumer Electronics for 21st Century"
- Prof. Viktor K. Prasanna - University of Southern California, USA
"Scientific Computing Using Reconfigurable Hardware"
PARTIAL LIST OF PLANNED TUTORIALS appears below (tutorial attendance is free to registered attendees of worldcomp and all its associated conferences):
- "Robust Resource Allocation for Heterogeneous Parallel and Distributed Computing Systems" by Prof. H. J. Siegel, Abell Endowed Chair Distinguished Professor of ECE and Professor of CS, Director, CSU Information Science and Technology Center (ISTeC) Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Date: June 25, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)
- "Developing Enterprise Web Services and Mobile/Wireless Systems" by Dr. Sandeep Chatterjee, Chief Executive Officer, Cyndeo LLC, USA
Date: June 25, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)
- "Intelligent Pattern Recognition and Applications" by Prof. Patrick Wang, IAPR Fellow
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
Date: June 25, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:00pm)
- "Introduction to Uncertainty and Fuzzy Logic with Data Mining Applications" by Ashu M. G. Solo, Principal/R&D Engineer, Maverick Technologies America Inc., USA
Date: June 25, 2007 (5:00pm - 6:00pm)
- "Systems Biology in present day Bioinformatics: Tools, Tricks, Ticks and Traps" by Prashanth Suravajhala, Roskilde University, Greater Copenhagen, Denmark
- "Real-Time Image and Video Processing: From Research to Reality" by Prof. Nasser Kehtarnavaz, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas, USA
Date: June 26, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:30pm)
- "Moving On, Moving Online That Is: An Introduction to Teaching Online" by Dr. Michael L. Nelson, School of Technology Graduate Program Director International College, Ft. Myers, Florida, USA
Date: June 26, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:30pm)
- "Computational Challenges in RNAi Gene Silencing" by Amanda Birmingham, Dharmacon, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bioinformatics Manager, USA
Date: June 26, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:30pm)
- "Introduction to Game Programming" by Lakshmi Prayaga, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, USA
Date: June 26, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:30pm)
- "Factor Graphs for Advanced Algorithm Design in Wireless Communications" by Dr. Henk Wymeersch, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Date: June 27, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:30pm)
- "Data Mining in Time Series and Multimedia Databases" by Dr. Eamonn Keogh, University of California - Riverside, California, USA
Date: June 27, 2007
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- "Cryptographic Features and Applications in Java (and C++)" by Prof. Ray Kresman, Bowling Green State University, USA
Date: June 27, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:30pm)
- "Mobile Terminal Software Architecture - Present and Future" by S. Vijay Anand, General Manager, SASKEN Communication Technologies Limited - CTO Team, India
Date: June 27, 2007 (6:00pm - 9:30pm)
Gepostet von thatguy unter 3:26 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: applied computing, artificial intelligence, call for participation, chinese internet research conference, computer engineering, computer science, grid computing, worldcomp, worldcomp 07
HOW NOT TO GET SUED: Basic law for indies and freelancers
Wessex Media Group presents: HOW NOT TO GET SUED!
Basic law for indies and freelancers
Edgar Forbes – The Media School – Bournemouth University, United Kingdom
The Wallace Lecture Theatre, Bournemouth University
Wed June 13th - Networking and Refreshments – 6-00pm – Event 6-30pm
Edgar Forbes is The Media School's expert in media law. He is a regular contributor to Media Guardian on legal matters and the former Head of Global Rights Management at Reuters.
This session will provide:- An overview of key legal and regulatory developments affecting independent producers and freelancers.
- A look at the challenges of supplying content for non-linear platforms.
- An opportunity to assess the demand for further more specialised law courses which could be offered via Wessex Media Group.
From documentary through to drama, lifestyle to investigative programmes, independent producers need to be up-to-date with all the latest legal and regulatory developments. It's no good leaving the 'legals' to post-production a rewrite or re-shoot creates unnecessary costs and delays. Broadcasters and other commissioners increasingly expect those producing the programmes they commission to ensure the production process is compliant and necessary legal checks, release forms and permissions have been obtained. This session will examine what producers need to be aware of and how to ensure compliance within the production process.
The session will also focus on the challenges of dealing with compliance issues across non-linear platforms as well as IP rights issues that arise in a non-linear and digital environment.
There is no charge for this event but you will need to register beforehand by e mailing email@example.com
Gepostet von thatguy unter 3:20 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: basic law, bournemouth, compliance issues, edgar forbes, freelancers, how not to get sued, media guardian, media law, regulatory developments, uk, wessex media group
Monday, May 21, 2007
CFP: Case Studies in Research: Knowledge and Inquiry
Call for Papers: Design Research Quarterly announces a new series of articles:
Case Studies in Research: Knowledge and Inquiry
'we want to hold a discussion on how research steers theory'
Call for Papers:
Designers use the term 'design' to cover a wide range of activities and types of problems, and we have many differing, often incommensurable and opposing models of design and its theoretical and methodological bases. As a result, we also have have a history of lively debates over specific theories. These debates have not been able to resolve differences.
Many regions of design are not well defined, and in such situations, researchers can find that apparently straightforward problems can lead to fundamental questions about the nature of design, what kinds of philosophical and theoretical positions that can frame the research and ground the methods, and their implications with regard to knowledge: what kinds of knowledge are possible within the frames needed to do the research.
In short, we want to hold a discussion on how research steers theory. Our idea is to look at research and theories in design not primarily as related to subfields per se, but to see theories as products of research problems themselves: the topics studied studied and the questions being researched. Rather than look at abstract problems of research and theory, we want to present actual problems as case studies. In this way, we can clarify design by mapping its terrain of activities and problem types with their fundamental theoretical and methodological requirements.
Over the next two years, DRQ will collect and publish articles on these topics and replies to those articles, using its regular publication schedule to build a discussion. If you have an interest or idea for an article or other submission, please contact the editor, Peter Storkerson.
We seek papers that explore issues including:
- ontological and epistemological implications or requirements of a research problem
- status of knowledge, its bases and levels of certainty
- conflicts between the knowledge that is possible in a given situation and the research goals.
-how research fits into fundamental paradigms: scientific, humanist, phenomenological, pragmatic, etc., and how those approaches compare in their strengths and weaknesses
- working across the boundaries of humanism and science: the extent to which a research problem requires use of more than one basic philosophical frame and how different frames can be reconciled
3,ooo to 6,000 words
APA guidelines
For information or submissions:
Peter Storkerson email: email@example.com
Gepostet von thatguy unter 7:38 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: call for papers, case studies in research, design research quarterly, epistemological requirements, knowledge and inquiry, ontological implication, paradigms
Weekly IMM Roundup for 05/14 - 05/20
Every Monday (well, it used to be Sunday) we present you our weekly roundup of interesting articles you might have missed during last week, a selection of the best content that we presented here to you on Internet: Marketing and Messages (IMM).
Last week I started to add some non-academic information to the site, like reports on the music industry, telecommunications, sms texting, etc. I think that this new addition in content is a step in the right direction, let me know what you think by posting a comment.
Feel free to comment on any of the posts you find interesting! I am also looking for great new websites related to online research and online marketing to add to our linklist - so if you know any good ones or want to exchange links, just leave a comment!
A one-day workshop and conference
click here for story
2007 NMC Summer Conference
The 2007 NMC Summer Conference will be held June 6-9, 2007, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
click here for story
JCMC: double-themed special issue
Theme I: The Social, Political, Economic, and Cultural Dimensions of Search Engines
Theme II: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Religion and Computer-Mediated Communication
click here for story
Communities and Technologies 2007 conference
Early registration ends on May 31st.
click here for story
The profile of a Spanish Second Life resident
Findings from a recent market research exercise.
click here for story
LEA Dispersive Anatomies - Call for papers
The Leonardo Electronic Almanac is inviting papers and artworks that address dispersion - dispersion of bodies, objects, landscapes, networks, virtual and real worlds.
click here for story
Google rolls out Universal Search
click here for story
Amazon to launch DRM free Music Download Store
Amazon.com to Launch DRM-Free MP3 Music Download Store with Songs and Albums from EMI Music and More Than 12,000 Other Labels.
click here for story
AV PhD Day - free Symposium at the Centre for Material Digital Culture
The aim of this one-day event is to explore approaches to beginning and developing doctoral work that uses the moving image as a major element of a research project at PhD level.
click here for story
Gepostet von thatguy unter 1:30 AM 0 Kommentare
Labels: best of, conferences, imm, internet: marketing and messages, online research, weekend roundup


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Ariz. man watched home burn in fire that killed 19
An Arizona man who lost his home in a wildfire that killed 19 people says he saw embers on the roof of his garage in his rear view mirror as he fled.
Chuck Overmyer says he and his wife, Ninabill, left with their three dogs and a 1930 model hot rod on a trailer. They gathered at a nearby bar and grill along with other people and watched on TV as their 1,800-square-foot home went up in flames.
The wildfire destroyed 200 houses in the town of Yarnell and the nearby community of Glen Isla. Nineteen firefighters from an elite crew from Prescott were killed in the blaze.


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Holmes® Air Filters and Humidifier Filters
Need a new replacement filter for your Holmes® product? Whether you're looking to upgrade your filter or find a replacement filter - Holmes® has the right filter for you. Search and discover a variety of Holmes® Air Filters and Humidifier Filters that remove everything from odors to airborne allergens.


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Borderlands 2 weapons differentiated, more
Some new details have emerged out of the Game Informer cover story of Borderlands 2.
Details headlines
Black Ops multiplayer: new modes, bots, gun customization, Wager Match video
Hey, isn't Black Ops the sequel to some kind of multiplayer thingamajig? Call of Something or Other? Modern Whatsit? So, what's new? Well, Treyarch's been pretty tight-lipped.Until now.
Free-to-play Battlefield Heroes details
Here. The ad-funded EA multiplayer shooter, which will be supported by in-game ads, will "feature fictitious armies" and "two to three maps (which are smaller than typical Battlefield Maps) with more to follow". There's also some information on the game's vehicles, for those that care. Battlefield Heroes will be available to download "this summer".


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Publication Date
October 2005
The Annual Disability Status Reports provide policy makers, disability advocates, reporters, and the public with a summary of the most recent demographic and economic statistics on the working-age (ages 21-64) population with disabilities. They contain information on the population size, prevalence, employment, earnings, poverty, household income, home ownership, and activity limitations of working-age people with disabilities, as well as the composition of this population by age, race, gender, and educational attainment.
Houtenville, A. J. (2005, October). 2004 Disability Status Reports: New York Summary. Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/181


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Lubbock TX
Lubbock, Texas City Page
Lubbock has long been a happy home to pets and owners who enjoy its mild climate and beautiful city parks. Mackenzie Park is a favorite outdoor space where four-legged residents love to explore. There is also an abundance of pet service professionals in the city who provide services such as grooming, boarding and pet sitting to assist owners in caring for their beloved four-legged friends. PetSitting.com has compiled a listing of Lubbock's best pet service professional to make the search for pet care as easy and quick as possible.
Lubbock Pet Sitters
For pet owners that must be away for vacation or business, a great pet sitting company or professional is an essential pet care component. Pet sitting is the most common service requested in the pet industry, and there are plenty of Lubbock dog sitters and cat sitters in the area who are well qualified to care for your pets in your absence. PetSitting.com's vast network of the leading Lubbock pet sitters provides pet owners with insured and bonded services for worry-free, pet-free trips. To receive a quick response from an established pet sitting company in Lubbock, simply fill out our pet sitting form.
Dog Training in Lubbock
To ensure that he exhibits basic manners and is obedient, training your dog is a must. By training your dog, you can ensure that he will be well-behaved in public and around company, and you can trust that he'll be good while you're away. Because they are responsible for shaping your dog's behavior, a dog trainer should be carefully selected with many important factors in mind. PetSitting.com maintains a citywide network of skilled Lubbock professional dog training providers who use a variety of dog training tools and home dog training methods to fully develop your dog's obedience.
Lubbock Pet Boarding
Most pet owners know that the need to spend some overnight time away from a pet is unavoidable. PetSitting.com has partnered with the best Lubbock pet boarding companies to make the selection of a long-term care facility easy. Choose a dog boarding or pet boarding facility from the vast citywide network built by PetSitting.com, and you can leave town feeling assured that your adored pet will be cared for properly and thoroughly.
Dog Walkers in Lubbock
Dogs require a daily outlet for their naturally active inclinations, and a lack of physical exercise can lead to bad health and behavior problems. Fortunately, loving owners who are simply too busy with work or other commitments to walk their dogs can find help from the many Lubbock dog walking professionals. Whether part time dog walking service, a multiple-dog walker, or another type of pet walker is needed, PetSitting.com can assist you in finding the ideal provider. Each Lubbock dog walking business that we contract with is insured and bonded for maximum safety.
Lubbock Pet Grooming
Whether through a routine bath or full-service grooming, pets should be groomed periodically to maintain their health and beauty. At PetSitting.com, we have built a top-notch network of Lubbock's best pet grooming professionals who have solid references and are well established in the dog grooming and pet grooming industries. Our contracted Lubbock pet grooming companies provide various general services such as a shampoo and condition, cut and blow dry, and cuticle and dental services, as well as some specialized services for grooming your dog or other beloved pet.
Lubbock Pet Waste Removal
When you bring your freshly groomed pet home, ensure that they stay clean by keeping your yard free of pet waste through PetSitting.com's network of Lubbock's best pet waste removal companies. Our dog poop scoop service providers specialize in the removal of dog waste and the waste of other outdoor pets, keeping your yard clean and comfortable.
Doggie Daycare in Lubbock
While their owners are busy at work, pets can still receive essential care such as meals, walking and playtime through one of Lubbock's many doggie daycare facilities. Much like daycare centers for children, dog daycares provide only daytime care for pets. PetSitting.com's citywide network of elite Lubbock dog daycare providers makes it easy to choose a cozy and loving daily care facility for your pup.
Find Help Now!
To find a professional pet care company in Lubbock, please fill out the pet services form on the top right of this page. It takes just a few minutes and is always completely free of charge.


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The VOLT series is the first electric hoist to feature Full-Range Speed Control. This technology brings electronic variable speed functionality to the hoist. Lifting speed is now entirely in the hands of the user and can be adjusted on an as needed based according to the application. JET's VOLT Series is a full line of variable speed hoists from ¼ Ton to 10 Ton capacities; 10, 15 and 20 feet of lift standard, and in both single phase and 3-phase models. Engineered for control and precision, the VOLT Series will change the way you get the work done.
Warning: Cancer and Reproductive Harm Learn More


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Today at roughly 2:30 PM Pacific Time, we will be giving away 11 copies of the newly-released 50th Anniversary Edition of Madeleine L'Engle young adult SF classic, A Wrinkle in Time, plus one iPad 2, on Twitter. If you loved this book as a kid, or know kids who would love it now, you'll definitely want a copy of this edition. It includes a bunch of extra stuff, including original manuscript pages and a 10-page "scrapbook" of photos and memorabilia.
Here's a little book description to jog your memory:
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.
"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."
A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.
Want to win a copy? Follow io9 on Twitter, and wait for us to announce the contest around 2:30-ish. The first person to respond on Twitter to our question about Winkle in Time will win a free copy of the book and a custom-skinned Apple iPad 2 (wow!). The next ten people to respond will win a free copy of the book. You must be following io9 to win, as we'll need to send you a direct message with further information if you win.
Learn more about the anniversary edition of this book via the Wrinkle In Time Facebook page.


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CDC Mishaps Could Have Been Deadly, Experts Say
The agency is still investigating anthrax, smallpox and bird flu safety lapses.
July 15, 2014 -- intro: The government agency tasked with protecting the public from dangerous diseases has some explaining to do after an anthrax scare, a bird flu mix-up and an unprecedented smallpox discovery.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shuttered two of its labs as officials step back to investigate recent incidents and review overall safety procedure for handling dangerous pathogens.
Vials of Smallpox Virus Found in Unapproved Maryland Lab
Texas Biolab Loses Deadly Guanarito Virus
CDC Lapse Exposes Workers To Anthrax
None of the mistakes caused any illnesses or deaths, thankfully. But experts say the lapses could have been deadly – even if the viruses didn't fall into the wrong hands.
Click through to learn about the worst case scenario in each breach.
quicklist: 1 category: Worst Case Scenarios title: Smallpox url: text: What happened:
Earlier this month, researchers were surprised to discover six vials of variola -- the virus that causes smallpox -- when cleaning out a cold storage room at NIH headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.
Since smallpox is considered a bioterrorism threat, only two labs in the world have stockpiles: One at the CDC's Atlanta headquarters and another at the VECTOR Institute in Russia.
In other words, the virus should not have turned up in an old box in Bethesda.
No one at the facility knew the smallpox vials were there, and the building was not equipped to handle viruses that require the most stringent safety and security measures like smallpox, anthrax and Ebola.
Officials have since learned that two of the six vials still contained samples of live, infectious virus, which may date back to the 1950s.
No one was infected, but officials are investigating the matter.
What could have happened:
Since the virus was alive in two of the vials, there was a chance it could have spread, experts say.
"The smallpox vials caused no harm sitting in a box," said ABC News' chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser. "Had the box been crushed and the virus escaped, people in the immediate vicinity could have been infected."
And since these people wouldn't have known that they were exposed to the virus, they might have spread it to others, said Dr. William Schaffner, chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and past president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
"It would not have immediately been diagnosed," said Schaffner, explaining that most doctors have never seen smallpox, which was eradicated in 1979. "So there would have been some opportunity for perhaps some limited spread around these people."
People are no longer vaccinated for it and therefore don't have immunity, Besser said. Once health officials realized smallpox was at fault for the illnesses, however, they would begin vaccinating people who had been in contact with those who were infected.
Another consequence of the lab blunder? Public panic.
"We would have immediately been worried about a bioterrorism event," said Schaffner. "Given that this was in Washington, there would have been hullabaloo, eight-point headlines in The New York Times, The Washington Post." media:24568610
quicklist: 2 category: Worst Case Scenarios title: Anthrax url: text: What happened:
At least 84 lab workers at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta were exposed to live anthrax spores in June, according to the CDC.
The employees were not using proper safety guidelines for dealing with the lethal bacteria because the anthrax was supposed to have been "inactivated" and therefore not infectious, the agency said. It wasn't until the samples were gathered to be destroyed in an incinerator that researchers discovered the live bacteria.
Since anthrax symptoms can take two months to appear, the exposed workers are being monitored and have been offered vaccines and antibiotics.
The CDC is investigating the matter and the lab and hallways of the facility have been decontaminated.
According to a congressional memo released last week, the anthrax was stored in an unlocked refrigerator in an unrestricted hallway. The memo also stated that disinfectants were expired, "germ materials" were transported between labs in Ziplock bags, and workers exposed to anthrax didn't get medical examinations until five days after knowledge of the exposure.
What could have happened:
The exposed workers could have inhaled the bacterium and become infected, Besser said.
"As many as 45 percent would have died, even if their illness had been recognized promptly and treated with the right antibiotics," he said. "Untreated anthrax pneumonia is fatal in 85 percent of infected people."
Since anthrax is not spread from person-to-person, it would not have caused a widespread outbreak.
But the incident would have spread fear, according to Schaffner. media:24570828
quicklist: 2 category: Worst Case Scenarios title: Bird flu url: text: What happened:
A CDC flu sample was accidentally contaminated with a deadly strain of bird flu and sent to a lab run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA discovered the contamination in May, but it wasn't reported to top management until last week, according to the Associated Press.
What could have happened:
Avian flu doesn't spread as easily as other strains of the virus, but close contacts of exposed workers would have been at risk, according to Schaffner, who added that the infection can be fatal.
Besser was also concerned about the bird population.
"The strain of bird flu mistakenly sent to the USDA is highly lethal in birds," he said. "Release of this strain into American poultry flocks could have been devastating to that industry."
Had that happened, people who had close contact with sick birds could also have become infected flu strain, Besser said. media:24570777


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Equity futures are up this morning, here's the overnight action:
The Dollar is down, gold is up, oil is up, and bonds are flat. In other words, central banker nirvana, everyone's so happy that they reappointed a criminal and a traitor to the United States to run the Fed. Yippee.
And what a criminal he is. He orchestrated the looting of the taxpayers to the tune of several trillion dollars, robbing those who work and giving their money and future earnings to the financial engineer risk takers who are still hiding trillions upon trillions in toxic debt and derivatives that are just festering and waiting to strike again. And he is robbing the working class a second time by devaluing our money and punishing those who save.
And Obama was all about change? Yet another lesson in money and politics. There is no doubt that we need to separate corporations and their money from state.
But what do you know… a judge actually ordered the Fed to tell us who got what. That's the first positive step towards transparency and the first time I've seen the Judicial branch make an independent decision in years. I hope it stands, somehow I'm so jaded now that I think we're being played and I won't be surprised if we get the punch line in a few months time. I doubt the central bankers are just going to roll over.
The Goldman ICSC was out this morning, but we just ignore that other than this forward looking remark, "It sees a very steep 3 to 4 percent drop for August sales relative to July."
The Redbook was down 4.4% yoy for the past week, here's Econoday:
Cash-for-clunkers pulled sales from the back-to-school season, according to Redbook whose same-store year-on-year tally continues to show significant weakness at minus 4.4 percent. The report said apparel retailers are reporting special back-to-school trouble. Redbook sees a 0.7 percent full month decline compared to July.
The Case-Schiller Index is out for June, it rose to an index value of 141 from 139. Here's the Bloomberg spin:
Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Home prices in 20 U.S. cities fell in June at a slower pace than forecast, signaling the real- estate crisis that triggered the worst recession since the 1930s is dissipating.
The S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index declined 15.4 percent from a year earlier, the smallest drop since April 2008, the group said today in New York. The gauge rose from the prior month by the most in four years.
Lower prices and government stimulus efforts have made homes more affordable to first-time buyers, spurring increases in sales that will eventually stem the slide in property values. Gains in housing and stocks will speed the process of restoring the record loss of wealth that has shackled consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the economy.
"The sharp freefall in prices is over," said Michelle Meyer, an economist at Barclays Capital Inc. in New York. "People are entering the market and that is starting to normalize prices. It's a clear positive."
Oh yeah, home prices declining 15.4% in one year is clearly a positive, and who would ever think that the month of June would show a small increase from May? Why that never happens that time of year! Why I'll bet there are all kinds of consumers lining up to get their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th mortgages just so they can run to the malls and buy more worthless crap from China, right? Of course that's okay because China will, of course, just turn around and buy our debts from us forever and ever, and let's just keep Ben Bernanke on forever because he's done such a great job of ruining our economy and turning us into a fascist state of the corporation for the corporation where we socialize the losses and privatize the profits while casting aside all who make this nation truly great.
The reappointment of Bernanke is a clear vote for more of the same. The rumor was that the Chinese wanted him out, they do not want more of the same. This will be an interesting test, we'll have to see what the TIC flows look like, but we won't know for about 3 months due to the wonderful transparency offered by the central bankers who keep all the timely information for themselves and shovel it off to you after they have already acted on it.
Did I mention that the Fed needs to go away? That's right, the central banks need to go bye-bye too and the people need to take back control of their money or they will wind up with none of any value.
Consumer Confidence numbers are out at 10 Eastern this morning, be ready for anything there. Consumer Sentiment last time was worse than expected, I don't have a good read on how the sheeple are feeling, whether they are being fooled by a trumped up stock market rally and complicit media or if they are seeing and feeling reality? We'll find out.
The Bernanke reappointment makes this a tragic and sad day for America. Get ready because he does not know or do math and math is about to teach America a huge lesson.
Pivots are at 1,041, then 1,061 on the up side, 1,018 is the support pivot.
Housing Happiness


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(Santa Ana)—The Santa Ana College (SAC) Arts Gallery is hosting an exhibit titled "Flowerscapes," featuring a collection of exquisite drawings and paintings by Carol Goldmark. She is a widely exhibited and collected Orange County artist who is known for her compelling artwork of decaying and dying flowers.
"In my drawings and paintings, flowers are metaphors for life and death, beauty and decay, the passage of time and the gradual disintegration of human flesh, bones and organs," said Goldmark. "Using only live flowers, which are constantly changing as I work, I draw them in all stages, from bud and bloom to decay and disintegration, and see therein a mirror image of myself and of the world around me."
The exhibit, which is free to the public, will run through December 7. The SAC Arts Gallery is located at the Santora Building, 207 N. Broadway, Suite Q, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Gallery hours are Fridays, noon to 4:00 p.m. The gallery is also open for monthly ArtWalks on the first Saturdays, November 2 and December 7, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. and by appointment.
Goldmark received her B.F.A. from Massachusetts College of Art and her M.A. from Columbia University. Her work has been featured in a number of solo and group exhibitions throughout California and the United States. She was awarded a grant from the California Arts Council La Habra Children's Museum, she served as a Doctoral Teaching Fellow at Ball State University, and she earned Graduate Assistantship from Columbia University. She has worked as an adjunct professor in the art department at Fullerton College and as an artist-in-residence at the University of California, Irvine.
For more information, contact (714) 564-5615.
About Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana College (SAC), which will turn 100 years old in 2015, serves about 18,000 students each semester at its main campus in Santa Ana. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions, provides invaluable workforce training, and customized training for business and industry. In addition, another 13,000 students are served through the college's School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center. Ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students, the college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and other medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District. Visit http://www.sac.edu to learn more.
Judy Iannaccone
(714) 480-7503