Love is the music of life;
Compassion is its melody.
- Don Peer ( o)==#
Posted via email from Don Peer
More than one way to skin a cat!
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
Stop deluding yourselves. Criminals are smart, too. Believing otherwise leaves you wide open for attack. Get smart and cover your assets!
McAfee: Smartphones, Apple top 2011 crime targets
Security firm McAfee expects malicious activity in 2011 to target smartphones, geolocation services like Foursquare, URL shorteners, and Apple products across the board, according to a new report released Tuesday.
"We've seen significant advancements in device and social network adoption, placing a bulls-eye on the platforms and services users are embracing the most," Vincent Weafer, senior vice president of McAfee Labs, said in a release announcing the report's debut. These platforms and services have become very popular in a short amount of time, and we're already seeing a significant increase in vulnerabilities, attacks and data loss."
In other words, the security infrastructure surrounding hot new services and devices, and more importantly public awareness of potential threats that people may face when using them, may not be up to par with better-established technologies. Take URL shorteners, for example: Since it's so easy to mask longer URLs with them and yet Twitter users have grown accustomed to clicking them without much thought, McAfee expects that they will continue to be targets for spam, scammers, and viruses.
Read more at news.cnet.comSocial networks will remain hotbeds of malicious attacks, McAfee predicted, but geolocation services like Foursquare and Facebook Places will see new prominence. "In just a few clicks, cybercriminals can see in real time who is tweeting, where they are located, what they are saying, what their interests are, and what operating systems and applications they are using," the release Tuesday explained. "This wealth of personal information on individuals enables cybercriminals to craft a targeted attack."
Not really... just take it back to your grocer
Salmonella found in U.S., Canada prompts cilantro, parsley recall
(CNN) -- A Texas produce distributor has recalled nearly 7,000 cases of cilantro and curly parsley after samples in Quebec, Canada, and Michigan tested positive for salmonella, the company said Monday.
Read more at www.cnn.comThe latest recall comes days after dozens of people fell sick after consuming bacteria-tainted alfalfa sprouts in an apparently unrelated situation.
Posted via email from Don Peer
Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous people out there. Fortunately, there are people who are willing to point the finger at them!
A favorite saying in business is that you have to spend money to make money. Charitable organizations, on the other hand, have to spend money to give money, and it turns out that some are woefully inefficient at channeling donations to the people they're supposed to help.
Read more at www.mainstreet.comWhether it be rent on prime office space, generous pay and benefits for the board of directors, or the high fixed costs of running a summer camp, overhead like this reduces the impact of a charity no matter how that money is being spent. Donor beware…
I remember my mother, who taught breast-feeding after she retired, talking about some of these issues. I remember how she'd say it was the most beautiful and loving thing a mother can do for her baby and with many, many benifits to both of them. But mostly I remember re-counting how she once told a class that "it comes in such cute containers!" and they all had a good laugh. She was a true "people person" and taught me real compassion.
A total lunar eclipse on the winter solstice will not happen again until 2094
Winter Solstice - Total Lunar Eclipse 2010 - TIME-LAPSE
See more at www.youtube.com
Congratulations to Florida for having the cajones to take him down. it's unbelieveable that people like this are allowed to hide behind the freedom of speech. When what you're talking about endangers others, you've crossed that line and the repurcussions should be swift.
Please, Florida, keep him for as long as you want!
Man who wrote 'how-to' for pedophiles arrested
"You cannot engage or depict children in a harmful relationship," said Polk County, Florida, Sheriff Grady Judd as he described the Florida obscenity statute that officials used to charge Phillip Greaves with distribution of obscene material depicting minors engaged in harmful conduct.
Read more at www.cnn.comThe self-published author was arrested in Pueblo, Colorado, on a Florida felony warrant after undercover detectives in Polk County purchased and received a copy of the book through the mail. He will have to be extradited to Florida to face charges.
I line of code and a single click!
Facebook today unveiled an incredibly simple new service that will allow any website owner to hand over user registration for their site to Facebook, undoubtedly something countless independent sites have considered since seeing the disaster that resulted from the hacking of Gawker's user account info earlier this month.
I'm not here to criticize Gawker. On the contrary, I'd like to thank them for illustrating in broad, bold relief the dirty truth about website passwords: we're all better off without them. If you'd like to see a future web free of Gawker style password compromises -- stop trusting every random internet site with a unique username and password! Demand that they allow you to use your internet driver's license -- that is, your existing Twitter, Facebook, Google, or OpenID credentials -- to log into their website.
Read more at www.readwriteweb.comThat's exactly what the new Facebook Registration tool will make it easy for websites to do. In some cases, with a single line of code.
It was only a matter of time before this happened. So many people unconcerned about their privacy that now we have this! You will be horrified within the next couple of years to see news stories about stalkers, pedophiles, and all manner of "well intentioned" people using this information in ways that you never dreamed of.
Check your security settings NOW and make sure that you're not sharing your pics and that you're being warned whenever someone else does.
Facial recognition comes to Facebook photo tags
Taking yet another step in the ongoing process of upgrading its photo-sharing service, Facebook announced today that it will soon enable facial-recognition technology--meaning that when members upload photographs and are encouraged to "tag" their friends, they will be able to choose from a list of suggestions.
Thanks to its treasure trove of user photos that have already been tagged, not to mention personal profile photos, Facebook has built up a huge base of data for gauging exactly who's in what photo. There are now 100 million photo uploads per day, according to Facebook, and 100 million "tags" each day as well. Tagging is also a hallmark of Facebook's photo product, which was otherwise bare-bones, difficult to use, and lagged behind competitors at its launch. Being able to annotate each photo with friends' names was largely what propelled Facebook Photos forward.
Read more at news.cnet.comOf course, there will be someone out there who cries foul with regard to how Facebook handles users' personal information or wonders whether this is a sign that Facebook knows too much about us all. Cox explained that there will be an opt-out for the new feature so that if a member does not want to show up in his or her friends' tagging suggestions, they won't.
Calling all teachers and educators! Tales2Go is a service which streams children's audiobooks on-demand to iOS devices. From now until January 15, 2011, you can sign up for a free six-month Tales2Go subscription for your school or educational program.
This will make my life so much easier...
Google Launches Site for Teaching Tech to Your Parents
Ever go home for the holidays, and find your parents asking you to help them out with “techie tasks” like uploading photos to the Internet?
You’re not alone. A bunch of folks over at Google find themselves in this situation nearly every time they visit their families around this time of year. That’s why they’ve launched TeachParentsTech.org, a “tech support care package” that’s meant to help kids teach parents about computer basics.
Read more at mashable.comAccording to a Google blog post, the site allows users to select more than 50 basic how-to videos they could send to parents — or frankly, anyone else who might need a little tech help. The videos cover topics from copying and pasting to sharing large files. The recipient will receive a message from the sender, along with a link to the selected videos.
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
This a good MSN article for anyone considering a car purchase now or in the future. Great tips to keep things on your side!
10 Common Car-Buying Mistakes
Walking onto a car lot can feel like a train wreck in slow motion: At every turn you get a little more derailed, until finally you're off the tracks entirely and the dealership has what it wants: your entire bank account.
Read more at editorial.autos.msn.comPart of the problem is the sheer number of variables involved in negotiating the sale: the price, the options, the financing, the monthly payment, maybe a trade-in. You should methodically research and consider every conceivable scenario before setting foot on a dealer's lot. Otherwise, dealers will do everything they can to tilt the transaction in their favor.
Posted via email from Don Peer
The world is such a small place these days. Technology has interconnected nations and peoples to such an extent that our lives interweave on a daily basis. Adults may think nothing of it, but the culture shock a child feels can stop them in their tracks. That's when they turn to the experts in their world. Parents! Remembering that children learn with they live, it's important for thier future success that they not only hear, but see how to properly handle these interactions with consideration and understanding.
How to explain other cultures to kids
During a recent stroll around our local children’s zoo, my four-year-old son came to a halt. He stared at the family in front of us. “Mommy … what’s that woman … what’s she wearing?” He stood stock still, brazenly pointing at a woman dressed in a full burka.
As you might imagine, I was mortified. I figured I had two choices. I could stop right there and answer his question, completely objectifying the woman, or I could try to pretend he was pointing at the emus, whisk him off to the next exhibit and put off explaining until I figured out how.
Read more at www.babble.comBut how do you explain to kids about cultures that aren’t your own? It can be really uncomfortable, especially right in front of a member of the culture in question.
When are the global warming deniers going admit they're wrong? Most of them are in a position to help, or even do something directly, to slow or reverse this trend! Too bad it doesn't cost them money. That would get their attention...
Oceans failing the acid test, U.N. says
(CNN) -- The chemistry of the world's oceans is changing at a rate not seen for 65 million years, with far-reaching implications for marine biodiversity and food security, according to a new United Nations study released Thursday.
"Environmental Consequences of Ocean Acidification," published by the U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP)," warns that some sea organisms including coral and shellfish will find it increasingly difficult to survive, as acidification shrinks the minerals needed to form their skeletons.
Read more at www.cnn.comLead author of the report Carol Turley, from the UK's Plymouth Marine Laboratory said in a statement: "We are seeing an overall negative impact from ocean acidification directly on organisms and on some key ecosystems that help provide food for billions. We need to start thinking about the risk to food security."
Posted via email from Don Peer
This is why friendly people are smarter than "loners".
Read more at io9.comBeing sociable has its advantages, including giving you - or at least your species - a bigger brain. Across more than 500 mammal species, animals that lived in social groups had bigger brains than those that lived by themselves.
Humor with a backing of science. More than just thought provoking... this guy actually scared me! What if he's right? With all of the studies he cites, it's very possible we've all been had. Even more frightening is the question of what profits corporate America is making at the cost of our health!
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
Nothing enriches your life like being exposed to some culture.
Check out the joyful faces in the crowds as they are taken by surprise!
Random Acts of Culture
Have you experienced a Random Act of Culture? Think Mozart at the Food Court. A little tango in an airport terminal. A “Hallelujah” in the shoe department – of the Handel variety, that is. Read More +
Knight Foundation is helping produce 1,000 of these Random Acts of Culture over the next three years, bringing classical artists out of the performance halls, into the streets – and our everyday lives. Performances are taking place through a variety of partners in Akron, Ohio; Charlotte, N.C.; Detroit, Mich.; Macon, Ga.; Miami, Fla.; Philadelphia, Pa.; San Jose, Calif.; and St. Paul, Minn.
Read more at www.knightarts.org
Although these people don't believe they should obey the law or pay taxes, etc. they believe that their families deserve to be educated, that their streets should be paved, that their house fires should be put out and many other amenities that those taxes pay for.
But, don't tell them they're wrong because wrestling with a boar only gets you sweaty and the boar enjoys it. Besides, if these people actually believed everything the say they do (not just the convenient parts), they'd be living with the Native Americans on their reservations where they get minimal support from the government. Although, suffice it to say that they'd be checking their mailboxes every month for that check. You betcha!
With ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Movement Growing, New SPLC Video Promotes Law Enforcement Safety
The so-called “sovereign citizens” movement — men and women who believe they are exempt from most state and federal laws, regulations and tax codes — is spreading like a prairie fire. While many of these are tax resistors or perpetrators of “paper terrorism” – the filing of nuisance liens and such – some sovereign citizens have demonstrated a willingness to resist police and government authority with violence.
The unique danger posed by this movement exploded May 20 when two West Memphis, Ark., police officers met a father-son team of sovereigns, Jerry and Joe Kane, during a routine late-morning traffic stop. As officers Brandon Paudert and Bill Evans puzzled over the incomprehensible paperwork presented by father Jerry, son Joe, 16, emerged from the vehicle with his AK-47 blazing and fatally shot both officers. The Kanes fled, but were tracked and killed in a shootout with police an hour later in a Wal-Mart parking lot after wounding two more officers.
Read more at www.splcenter.org
Mercury builds as it works its way up the food chain. Have you seen The Cove?
Study Linking Mercury with Alzheimers Coming Out
Read more at www.ageofautism.com
Posted via email from Don Peer
The Chinese government is a communist regime! The are NOT our friends!
Report: Chinese company 'hijacked' U.S. web traffic
Washingtom (CNN) -- Internet traffic from several U.S. government agency sites was briefly diverted through servers in China in April, congressional investigators reported Wednesday.
For 18 minutes, about 15 percent of all web traffic was redirected through China, including traffic to and from the sites of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, the office of the Secretary of Defense, the Senate and NASA, according to a report delivered to Congress by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
Investigators say the web traffic was diverted by China Telecom, a state-owned enterprise.
They do not know whether the diversion was intentional, whether the government of China played any role, or whether any sensitive data was compromised.
Read more at www.cnn.com
Come on, people! These countries aren't our friends. Most of them are communist-ruled and would gladly poison us given the chance. Well, apparently we've given them just that...
Could your seafood contain toxic chemicals?
When you think of tainted seafood, you may think of the Gulf oil spill. But 80 percent of the fish and shrimp Americans eat actually comes from overseas — and a TODAY investigation that aired Tuesday found that some of that seafood may contain toxic chemicals that can cause serious health problems.
Footage taken by a U.S. advocacy group of seafood being raised in Vietnam, for example, showed fish in dirty sewage water, pumped with toxic antibiotics and banned drugs just to keep them alive, boosting production and driving down costs.
‘Disturbing number’
Ron Sparks is commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture in Alabama — one of the few states that tests imported seafood for drugs like chloramphenicol, nitrofurans and malachite green, chemicals so toxic to humans that they’re banned in all food. “In some cases, between 40 and 50 percent of our tests will come out positive,” Sparks said. “That’s a disturbing number.”
State tests in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Georgia show similar results, all targeting seafood with the worst record of contamination: shrimp, catfish, crabmeat and tilapia imported to the U.S. from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia — ending up in American restaurants and grocery stores in many cases, officials say.
Read more at today.msnbc.msn.com
Apparently there are a lot of people out there that can't keep their pants on!
Pastor to church leaders: Thou shalt not Facebook
NEPTUNE, N.J. — A New Jersey pastor is telling his married church leaders to delete Facebook or resign.
The Rev. Cedric Miller says much of his recent marital counseling has included infidelity stemming from the social-network website.
Miller already had asked married couples among his 1,100 congregants to share their Facebook passwords with each other. He says the reaction to that request was mixed.
Read more at www.msnbc.msn.com
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer
Posted via email from Don Peer