Taxes are a major source of revenue budgets of all levels and effective government regulation of social and economic relations.
So I can see mail ru and others
Excise tax is one of the oldest forms of indirect taxes. Understand that excise taxation is a regulatory function and to discourage the consumption of socially harmful products. Currently, the Russian Federation of goods subject to excise a particularly high profitability. Therefore excise valid.
The purpose of the course work is to excise as a form of indirect taxes, its features; Payment of Excise; Features calculating excise.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Business Uniforms What to Wear?
Are you a businessman? Want to know what you should wear in the office? Here is the answer.Those times are gone when businessmen could wear only suits. Things have changed now, present business uniform "mantra" is simple, your dress should please you and everyone who is associated with you like clients, employees, employers etc.The best thing to do is to choose an outfit which is neither too formal nor too casual. You should be able to feel comfortable in it, at the same time you should be well dressed. Remember your business dress always plays an important role in determining level of respect you get.Every time people around you judge your personality through your dress.Big dilemma is faced by young entrepreneurs. If you are young do not think of wearing funky clothes, always wear the dress and question yourself if your boss or business partner wear same kind of attire, it will suit the moment or not? Whether the dress helps in enhancing your business personality or what kind of aura it creates? Examine critically and then decide.Remember the law of attraction, it says "You will be attracted to people in which you find your reflection." Always look the dressing sense of your above ranked person and get better every time. So, before going for that big day read books, surf websites and try clothes until you get the perfect one.Men: Black, black!!!! This is the color for men's formal suiting. Everyone from tom cruise to Dustin Hoffman love to wear black tuxedo. So, black clothes must-must for your wardrobe.Along with this other shades which are hot this season navy blue, grey, and silver. While wearing navy blue suit be extra careful, it must suit your skin complexion. Silk tie's are always in fashion, cuff links, pocket squares (silk or Lenin) both of them should complement the color of the suit. If your coloring sense is not so good, wear a white shirt this is far better than experimenting. Avoid taking risk especially when you are going for an interview. You can wear a bottom-down or a straight collared shirt; it depends on your personal choice. Never wear a collar bar it leaves a bad impression. Tie is the most important part of a men's dress. It shows your personality traits more than anything else. Do not wear the tie which is bright, with colored pictures over it, as it will distract the attention of others.Ties' tip should reach belt buckle. Your dress should fit you perfectly. For instance while trying a shirt close the topmost button and then examine the space between the neck and the collar. It should neither too tight nor too loose. Similarly for shoulders-the stitch on the shoulder should come exactly at the end of your shoulders, it should not be hanging. Do not wear a casual dress just by watching another employee wearing it, especially when you are going for an interview.Remember you are not an employee yet. General business attire include sport coat and dress trouser. Avoid denim as much as you can. Shoes also play an important role mainly black or burgundy colored shoes (laced) are preferred polish them regularly and wear the matching socks with them. Socks should be long enough to hide your haired legs when you sit. Gold, silver or any conservative designed watch gives you a styled professional look. Wear belt of the same color as that of shoes and belt should contain simple buckle.Women: women can also wear shades of black, grey, blue etc. Hunter -green is also a trendy shade for business women. Now a day's skirted suits are preferred length of the skirt should be up to the knees or longer. Avoid very tight ones. Slits look good but should not exceed above the knees. A centrally placed slit on the back is preferred as it allows you to walk comfortably especially on stair case. Fabric should be wool, Lenin, or any other good quality fabric. Blouse should be of classic style, both long and short sleeved is good. A high neck lined one looks impressive. Colors recommended are white, pale yellow, creams and other light colors try to match the color of your blouse to that of your suit like if you are wearing a navy blue suit, wear a very pale blue blouse with it. All this will give an impression that you are capable of coordinating your business uniform. Fabric used should be silk or cotton depending on your choice and weather. Something on the neck is preferred a tie, bow or scarf. Do not wear too much jewellery, remember you are in business, not in some fashion party. Too much jewellary or make up will ruin your professional look. A single simple necklace like that of pearls can be worn. Wear rings but only one per hand. A closed pump looks good if of the same color of that of suit. Do not wear the flat ones. You can wear hosiery -of skin color or transparent without any patterns on it. A small purse or a briefcase also gives you a classic look.Some tips:Avoid wearing a dress which would cause itching or any kind of irritation. Weather plays an important role; use mostly cotton clothes in summer. If you are going for an interview, search about that particular company and its dress code and dress accordingly. Give a lot of importance on how the dress fits on your body. Try to hide the problem areas, for example if your height is short wear the dress with vertical stripes on it, this will give you much longer look. If you are fat wear one colored two piece dress. Choose the color of your dress according to your skin complexion. There is a myth that shades of black and grey are always boring. This is not true. This depends on your personality. Other way out is to use little accessories of vibrant colors.Along with your black or grey dress. Avoid wearing jewels as far as possible or wear it in controlled manner.Sometimes employee make a big mistake of wearing a really down dress just by making excuse that company gives the freedom to wear casual. Do not exploit the freedom to such an extent, if you are women and want to show your waist, wear belt or a scarf around it. If you are going for a business function or party -tuxedo are best for men with a matching tie and women should consult online websites to find out the latest trends. Always give first preference to quality. Go for the best quality product as it sets up your reputation which is most important factor.
http://www.articlewheel.com
http://www.articlewheel.com
What Is The Salary Of A Private Investigator?
The price you will pay a private investigation agency for a hour of work usually varies between $40 to $100 and even more depending on the investigator prestige and the primarily on the job, because is one thing to spy on Mr Smith who is a regular person and another thing is to keep under observation some important company, so the risks that are evolved can increase drastically the job price and consequently the salary of a private investigator. There are a number of factors that determine how well paid a PI can get.An approximative fee is $50 to $55 per hour, slide variations may appear depending on the company office, if it is a crowded area you can expect to pay up to $65 or contrary less than $40 if the area is at the peripheral of the city. Another element that can increase the paying bill is the good qualification the investigator has in the job domain. So the salary of a private investigator very much depends on having good connections at the local police or reference from previous clients.
A beginner in the business will earn no more than the minimum wage, but money can come fast if you are good in investigations. In such cases the salary of a private investigator usually begins at $25000 / year up to $75000 / year and according the job types. Usually agencies pay their hired detectives according to the number of worked hours, so if the company has many clients and you are free to work 10 hours a day, you will probably earn around $5000 monthlyOn the other hand if the agency has little or no clients, then, working 10 – 15 hours per week won't help you too much, and living from such a private investigator salary is not an option. Under the circumstances, a PI may go independent or work for two agencies at the same time. Another paying method is giving the employees a cut from the total sum the agency charges the client.Some PIs (Private Investigators) pay to be in the business, they actually pay the investigation agencies to be associated with them, this so/called detectives are usually former law officers or people who have a degree in Investigation. The salary of such a private investigator is more of a fee. Many of these persons don't realize at first that they pay more than they actually earn, this situation encourages the companies in charging lower prices than they would normally do.Obviously, if you are planning to enter the investigation market just for the money, news is not so good, the salary of a private investigator very much depends on reference, qualification, partnership with an agency and so on. as There are also jobs risks present every day. But if you are really determined to become a PI, and you love seeing new situations every day than being a private investigator isn't so bad at all.
By: Steve Jamison -
A beginner in the business will earn no more than the minimum wage, but money can come fast if you are good in investigations. In such cases the salary of a private investigator usually begins at $25000 / year up to $75000 / year and according the job types. Usually agencies pay their hired detectives according to the number of worked hours, so if the company has many clients and you are free to work 10 hours a day, you will probably earn around $5000 monthlyOn the other hand if the agency has little or no clients, then, working 10 – 15 hours per week won't help you too much, and living from such a private investigator salary is not an option. Under the circumstances, a PI may go independent or work for two agencies at the same time. Another paying method is giving the employees a cut from the total sum the agency charges the client.Some PIs (Private Investigators) pay to be in the business, they actually pay the investigation agencies to be associated with them, this so/called detectives are usually former law officers or people who have a degree in Investigation. The salary of such a private investigator is more of a fee. Many of these persons don't realize at first that they pay more than they actually earn, this situation encourages the companies in charging lower prices than they would normally do.Obviously, if you are planning to enter the investigation market just for the money, news is not so good, the salary of a private investigator very much depends on reference, qualification, partnership with an agency and so on. as There are also jobs risks present every day. But if you are really determined to become a PI, and you love seeing new situations every day than being a private investigator isn't so bad at all.
By: Steve Jamison -
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Bush and your mail
New postal law lets Bush peek through your mail:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/485561p-408789c.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/485561p-408789c.html
Here some about this
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_12_31_atrios_archive.html#116791479025573899
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_12_31_atrios_archive.html#116791479025573899
So Bush will read your spam!
Google Code Jam Latin America opens
Programmers (Latin America and the Caribbean) will test their coding skills at Google Code Jam Latin America
Total Cash and Prizes: R$ 75,000
There are photos from the Code Jam 2006 http://www.google.com/codejamlatinamerica/photos.html
Total Cash and Prizes: R$ 75,000
There are photos from the Code Jam 2006 http://www.google.com/codejamlatinamerica/photos.html
Spears Fansite Closes
The most popular Britney Spears fan Web site WorldOfBritney.com is closing after its owner declared the controversial pop star is "done."
Ruben Garay, who has hosted WorldOfBritney.com since October 2000, yesterday announced the site will no longer exist after January 31 because the singer is "losing her identity and credibility with fans and industry people."
Garay says, "I still and will always respect Britney as a human being, we are just choosing to not go on with this site...
"I think that WoB has had its run. Its feet are not holding firm anymore, not because of my ability to run it, but because I believe Britney is unfortunately done (for me at least)."
Spears has been criticized by fans and the media this year for her parenting skills -- earlier this year she was visited by the Los Angeles' Department Of Children and Family Services after she was photographed driving with her baby son Sean Preston on her lap, and a month later when the tot fell out of his highchair at her Beverly Hills, Calif., home.
Spears' parenting skills were questioned again last month after she filed for divorce from husband Kevin Federline. The aspiring rapper filed court papers for sole custody of their two children, Sean Preston, 16 months; and Jayden James, 3 months, claiming he didn't know of their whereabouts.
Spears has repeatedly been photographed partying in Las Vegas, Miami, New York City and Los Angeles since their split, prompting speculation her mother Lynne is caring for the young boys.
Ruben Garay, who has hosted WorldOfBritney.com since October 2000, yesterday announced the site will no longer exist after January 31 because the singer is "losing her identity and credibility with fans and industry people."
Garay says, "I still and will always respect Britney as a human being, we are just choosing to not go on with this site...
"I think that WoB has had its run. Its feet are not holding firm anymore, not because of my ability to run it, but because I believe Britney is unfortunately done (for me at least)."
Spears has been criticized by fans and the media this year for her parenting skills -- earlier this year she was visited by the Los Angeles' Department Of Children and Family Services after she was photographed driving with her baby son Sean Preston on her lap, and a month later when the tot fell out of his highchair at her Beverly Hills, Calif., home.
Spears' parenting skills were questioned again last month after she filed for divorce from husband Kevin Federline. The aspiring rapper filed court papers for sole custody of their two children, Sean Preston, 16 months; and Jayden James, 3 months, claiming he didn't know of their whereabouts.
Spears has repeatedly been photographed partying in Las Vegas, Miami, New York City and Los Angeles since their split, prompting speculation her mother Lynne is caring for the young boys.
Oz lion costume goes under hammer
The iconic cowardly lion outfit worn by actor Bert Lahr in 1939 film The Wizard of Oz is going up for auction.
The costume, estimated to fetch between £200,000 and £300,000, is part of a Hollywood memorabilia sale on auction site eBay on 14 and 15 December.
The sale, hosted by US-based auction house Profiles in History, also includes Elvis Presley's wedding ring from his 1967 marriage to Priscilla.
The domed head of Star Wars robot R2-D2 will also go under the hammer.
It is estimated to fetch up to £75,000, while the Presley ring, made from platinum and diamonds, could make a similar sum.
The dress worn by Judy Garland has a 27-inch waist
The lion costume is made of real lion pelts, which have been sewn together to form the outfit.
The costume is mounted on a pedestal and positioned in the memorable "Put 'em up, put 'em up" pose from the film.
Other items up for grabs include such costumes as trousers Oliver Hardy wore in the film Swiss Miss and Fred Astaire's sailor suit from Follow the Fleet.
A blue and white gingham dress worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard Of Oz fetched £140,000 at an auction in London last year.
The dress, which was purchased by an unnamed phone buyer, had been expected to fetch £35,000.
The Wizard of Oz's tin man costume was largely destroyed, while the scarecrow outfit is currently housed in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington DC.
The costume, estimated to fetch between £200,000 and £300,000, is part of a Hollywood memorabilia sale on auction site eBay on 14 and 15 December.
The sale, hosted by US-based auction house Profiles in History, also includes Elvis Presley's wedding ring from his 1967 marriage to Priscilla.
The domed head of Star Wars robot R2-D2 will also go under the hammer.
It is estimated to fetch up to £75,000, while the Presley ring, made from platinum and diamonds, could make a similar sum.
The dress worn by Judy Garland has a 27-inch waist
The lion costume is made of real lion pelts, which have been sewn together to form the outfit.
The costume is mounted on a pedestal and positioned in the memorable "Put 'em up, put 'em up" pose from the film.
Other items up for grabs include such costumes as trousers Oliver Hardy wore in the film Swiss Miss and Fred Astaire's sailor suit from Follow the Fleet.
A blue and white gingham dress worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard Of Oz fetched £140,000 at an auction in London last year.
The dress, which was purchased by an unnamed phone buyer, had been expected to fetch £35,000.
The Wizard of Oz's tin man costume was largely destroyed, while the scarecrow outfit is currently housed in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington DC.
Science proves celebs really are different
DO the stars find themselves as fascinating as their fans do? Yes, says a forthcoming psychological study of Hollywood’s celebrity class. It is not just money or career that makes them seem different: it is their extreme levels of self love and their compulsive need for public attention.
Some stars have long been aware of Hollywood vanity. Beyoncé Knowles, the pop singer and actress, said recently: “It’s scary that you rarely meet celebrities that are normal. They live on their own diva planets.”
NI_MPU('middle');
Two Los Angeles psychologists have produced the first scientific evidence that many celebrities sincerely believe that they are better than the rest of us. The psychologists’ forthcoming book suggests that many pop culture icons are heading for disaster.
Mark Young and Drew Pinsky used a mathematical formula to measure the traits, including exhibitionism and vanity, that make up narcissism. Psychologists believe that in general men are both bossier than women and show off more. However, in the “celebrity class” women are far more narcissistic than men and up to a third are more manipulative and vain about their appearance than the typical woman in the street, according to the psychologists from the University of Southern California.
Young and Pinsky have had rare access: celebrities queue up to appear on Loveline, Pinsky’s nationally syndicated radio show, where he has been compared to Professor Anthony Clare, the BBC psychiatrist, for his revealing interviewing style.
They asked 200 celebrities who appeared on the programme to fill out a standard questionnaire called the Narcissism Personality Inventory. They were asked how they felt about themselves, including whether they felt they deserved compliments or were embarrassed by them and whether they insisted on being “respected” at all times.
Participants remain anonymous but interviewees featured on Pinsky’s website include Renée Zellweger, Jessica Simpson, Jim Carrey and members of Duran Duran, the British pop band.
“It was people like that — actors, comedians, musicians and reality TV contestants — who emerged as the most narcissistic of all,” said Pinsky. “The fewer real-life skills they had, the louder they tend to be in their attempts to hold on to attention.”
Fictional examples of narcissists are David Brent of The Office and Miss Piggy from The Muppets. Closer to real life, Courtney Love, the exuberant rock star, once described herself as “over-excitable narcissist”.
Pinsky said: “Vanity is only part of it. They crave attention, are over-confident of their abilities, lack empathy and can behave erratically. But they are often admired and well liked, especially on a first meeting, and perform well in public.”
Knowles said she had noticed a “desperate hunger” around her when she first started making films in Hollywood: “I hope I’m past needing it, as I don’t want to feel the void I see in a lot of celebrities — the unhappiness underneath the smile.”
Young said he suspected that many of today’s Hollywood “fast set”, such as Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, were in danger of stumbling over the line between fun and malady.
“I have spoken with Nicole Richie, Hilton’s on-off best friend, and she is very polite in private. But she has had a troubled past, her adoptive father [Lionel Richie, the pop star] had admitted he was not a very good parent, and now we see it all coming out in the attention-generating headlines about alleged eating disorders,” Young said.
“They are going further and further. One of these Hollywood party girls is going to be dead in five years’ time.
“We are seeing a new type of celebrity who is famous just for being famous, without a foundation of skills, and this puts the pressure on them to perform ever more outrageously to feed their need for attention. Like Britney being photographed without underwear.”
He added: “We have also found striking differences between the celebrities and their jobs — the more real-life skills they have, such as musicians, the less narcissistic they are.
“In Hollywood they may have found a place that rewards their need for attention.”
Some stars have long been aware of Hollywood vanity. Beyoncé Knowles, the pop singer and actress, said recently: “It’s scary that you rarely meet celebrities that are normal. They live on their own diva planets.”
NI_MPU('middle');
Two Los Angeles psychologists have produced the first scientific evidence that many celebrities sincerely believe that they are better than the rest of us. The psychologists’ forthcoming book suggests that many pop culture icons are heading for disaster.
Mark Young and Drew Pinsky used a mathematical formula to measure the traits, including exhibitionism and vanity, that make up narcissism. Psychologists believe that in general men are both bossier than women and show off more. However, in the “celebrity class” women are far more narcissistic than men and up to a third are more manipulative and vain about their appearance than the typical woman in the street, according to the psychologists from the University of Southern California.
Young and Pinsky have had rare access: celebrities queue up to appear on Loveline, Pinsky’s nationally syndicated radio show, where he has been compared to Professor Anthony Clare, the BBC psychiatrist, for his revealing interviewing style.
They asked 200 celebrities who appeared on the programme to fill out a standard questionnaire called the Narcissism Personality Inventory. They were asked how they felt about themselves, including whether they felt they deserved compliments or were embarrassed by them and whether they insisted on being “respected” at all times.
Participants remain anonymous but interviewees featured on Pinsky’s website include Renée Zellweger, Jessica Simpson, Jim Carrey and members of Duran Duran, the British pop band.
“It was people like that — actors, comedians, musicians and reality TV contestants — who emerged as the most narcissistic of all,” said Pinsky. “The fewer real-life skills they had, the louder they tend to be in their attempts to hold on to attention.”
Fictional examples of narcissists are David Brent of The Office and Miss Piggy from The Muppets. Closer to real life, Courtney Love, the exuberant rock star, once described herself as “over-excitable narcissist”.
Pinsky said: “Vanity is only part of it. They crave attention, are over-confident of their abilities, lack empathy and can behave erratically. But they are often admired and well liked, especially on a first meeting, and perform well in public.”
Knowles said she had noticed a “desperate hunger” around her when she first started making films in Hollywood: “I hope I’m past needing it, as I don’t want to feel the void I see in a lot of celebrities — the unhappiness underneath the smile.”
Young said he suspected that many of today’s Hollywood “fast set”, such as Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, were in danger of stumbling over the line between fun and malady.
“I have spoken with Nicole Richie, Hilton’s on-off best friend, and she is very polite in private. But she has had a troubled past, her adoptive father [Lionel Richie, the pop star] had admitted he was not a very good parent, and now we see it all coming out in the attention-generating headlines about alleged eating disorders,” Young said.
“They are going further and further. One of these Hollywood party girls is going to be dead in five years’ time.
“We are seeing a new type of celebrity who is famous just for being famous, without a foundation of skills, and this puts the pressure on them to perform ever more outrageously to feed their need for attention. Like Britney being photographed without underwear.”
He added: “We have also found striking differences between the celebrities and their jobs — the more real-life skills they have, such as musicians, the less narcissistic they are.
“In Hollywood they may have found a place that rewards their need for attention.”
Amazon's Secret Price Guarantee
Of the many responsibilities shouldered by this column, none is more solemn than its mandate to compel Web-based retailers to take phone calls from the public. But suppose you finally get one of these reclusive customer-service reps on the horn and become so flustered that you forget what it is you wanted to say? If the retailer is Amazon.com—customer-service number: 1-800-201-7575; to get a human right away, dial extension 7—ask him about that 30-day price guarantee.
Perhaps you are wondering: What 30-day price guarantee? Like Amazon's customer-service number itself, the 30-day price guarantee is not something Amazon publicizes. For instance, it isn't mentioned on the "Refunds" page. If you click here you'll learn all about Amazon's 30-day returns policy, which provides a full refund for most unopened items returned within 30 days. But that's different from the 30-day price guarantee, which requires only that you pay attention to whether Amazon lowers its price within 30 days after you purchase your item. If it does, Amazon will refund you the difference. No need to box up your purchase or fret about receiving only a partial refund because you removed the plastic wrap.
Is the 30-day price guarantee mentioned anywhere on Amazon's Web site? Yes. If you click here, you'll find, on a discussion board about Swiss Army knives, an Amazon customer who identifies himself as "Elmo Is Queer" spreading the gospel: "Amazon has a 30-day price guarantee—they'll reimburse the difference in any price drops within 30 day period. Look into it and stop whining. ;) Amazon rocks!!!" But Amazon doesn't rock so much that it's willing to state this policy in its own voice. On its "Pricing" page, Amazon says only that it will refund customers on a preordered item (that is, an item you buy today but won't receive until it's made available to the general public) in those instances when the price drops between the time of that item's preorder and its actual distribution. (If the price goes up, customers aren't required to refund Amazon the difference.) The pricing page also says, under the heading, "Price Matching," that "Amazon.com does not have a price-matching policy at this time." Technically, that's true. If you can find an item cheaper somewhere else, Amazon won't match that price. What Amazon artfully neglects to add is that if you can find that item cheaper on Amazon up to 30 days after your purchase, Amazon will, in effect, match its new, lowered price by refunding you the difference. But you have to ask. Particularly during the present post-Christmas shopping season, when prices typically fall on all sorts of items, Amazon is not about to shout from the rooftops that it's offering refunds.Or perhaps I should say "shout through the forest." Amazon's 30-day price guarantee is a sort of Zen customer benefit. If a retailer offers a price guarantee but doesn't tell customers about it, does the price guarantee exist? Only for the few who hear about it somewhere else. News of the refunds has thus far traveled fitfully through mentions here and there on Web sites other than Amazon's. (One Web site actually offers to keep an eye on Amazon's prices for you; just enter the ISBN or other identifying number and you'll receive an automatic e-mail if the price on one of your items falls within the 30-day period.) As with sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, one longs for official confirmation. I myself learned of the 30-day price guarantee from my friend (and occasional Slate contributor) Joshua Green, who bought himself a plasma TV screen a few weeks before Christmas. Checking the price a few days after Christmas he found that it had gone down $20, so he dialed Amazon customer service, asked for his refund, and got it. After hearing this story, I phoned Amazon (don't forget, now: 1-800-201-7575, extension 7) and, like a tippler seeking entry to a speakeasy, uttered the secret pass phrase: "Does Amazon offer a 30-day price guarantee?" There was a pause at the other end of the line. Then, as if opening the door to a stranger, the customer-service rep said warily: "Yes, we do."
http://www.slate.com
Perhaps you are wondering: What 30-day price guarantee? Like Amazon's customer-service number itself, the 30-day price guarantee is not something Amazon publicizes. For instance, it isn't mentioned on the "Refunds" page. If you click here you'll learn all about Amazon's 30-day returns policy, which provides a full refund for most unopened items returned within 30 days. But that's different from the 30-day price guarantee, which requires only that you pay attention to whether Amazon lowers its price within 30 days after you purchase your item. If it does, Amazon will refund you the difference. No need to box up your purchase or fret about receiving only a partial refund because you removed the plastic wrap.
Is the 30-day price guarantee mentioned anywhere on Amazon's Web site? Yes. If you click here, you'll find, on a discussion board about Swiss Army knives, an Amazon customer who identifies himself as "Elmo Is Queer" spreading the gospel: "Amazon has a 30-day price guarantee—they'll reimburse the difference in any price drops within 30 day period. Look into it and stop whining. ;) Amazon rocks!!!" But Amazon doesn't rock so much that it's willing to state this policy in its own voice. On its "Pricing" page, Amazon says only that it will refund customers on a preordered item (that is, an item you buy today but won't receive until it's made available to the general public) in those instances when the price drops between the time of that item's preorder and its actual distribution. (If the price goes up, customers aren't required to refund Amazon the difference.) The pricing page also says, under the heading, "Price Matching," that "Amazon.com does not have a price-matching policy at this time." Technically, that's true. If you can find an item cheaper somewhere else, Amazon won't match that price. What Amazon artfully neglects to add is that if you can find that item cheaper on Amazon up to 30 days after your purchase, Amazon will, in effect, match its new, lowered price by refunding you the difference. But you have to ask. Particularly during the present post-Christmas shopping season, when prices typically fall on all sorts of items, Amazon is not about to shout from the rooftops that it's offering refunds.Or perhaps I should say "shout through the forest." Amazon's 30-day price guarantee is a sort of Zen customer benefit. If a retailer offers a price guarantee but doesn't tell customers about it, does the price guarantee exist? Only for the few who hear about it somewhere else. News of the refunds has thus far traveled fitfully through mentions here and there on Web sites other than Amazon's. (One Web site actually offers to keep an eye on Amazon's prices for you; just enter the ISBN or other identifying number and you'll receive an automatic e-mail if the price on one of your items falls within the 30-day period.) As with sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, one longs for official confirmation. I myself learned of the 30-day price guarantee from my friend (and occasional Slate contributor) Joshua Green, who bought himself a plasma TV screen a few weeks before Christmas. Checking the price a few days after Christmas he found that it had gone down $20, so he dialed Amazon customer service, asked for his refund, and got it. After hearing this story, I phoned Amazon (don't forget, now: 1-800-201-7575, extension 7) and, like a tippler seeking entry to a speakeasy, uttered the secret pass phrase: "Does Amazon offer a 30-day price guarantee?" There was a pause at the other end of the line. Then, as if opening the door to a stranger, the customer-service rep said warily: "Yes, we do."
http://www.slate.com
Seagate to offer 300 TB hard drive by 2010
The way technology moves forward, 300 TB on a 3.5-inch hard drive may not seem so big in 2010. But here in 2007, it’s a lot of data, especially when Seagate’s largest single hard drive capacity is a paltry 750 GB in comparison. The technology used today to expand hard drive capacities is called perpendicular recording, where bits are recorded to a hard drive in a vertical fashion, instead of horizontal, allowing many more bits to be recorded into the same physical space.
To pull the 300 TB rabbit out of the hat, technology comes to the rescue once again. This time, Seagate will use a technology called heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). These isn’t much detail on exactly how this works, but a single square inch of hard disk space will be able to store 50 TB of data. According to an online report from Joystiq, this is enough to store the entire ‘Library of Congress’ without needing to use any compression. It will also be enough to store 6,144 50 GB Blu-ray discs. That would be hundreds of thousands of standard DVD discs, millions upon millions of CDs and probably billions of photos.
There are concerns about losing 300 TB of data to a hard drive crash, but if 300 TB is truly the norm in 2010, buying a spare 300 TB to back it all up to won’t be that expensive. Defragging tools had better dramatically speed up, or a defrag might take days.
We don’t hear too much these days about holographic storage or where that will be by 2010, nor do we know how much capacity flash storage will offer by 2010. Still, an iPod nano sporting 1 TB of storage on flash memory may well be a reality by 2010, too.
Storage. It really is the answer to the space we need for our digital lives. Space is the final frontier, after all, although I’m sure Captain Kirk would laugh at the impossible prospect of flying the huge Enterprise starship through the 300 TB of space contained on a 3.5-inch hard disk platter.
http://www.itwire.com.au
To pull the 300 TB rabbit out of the hat, technology comes to the rescue once again. This time, Seagate will use a technology called heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). These isn’t much detail on exactly how this works, but a single square inch of hard disk space will be able to store 50 TB of data. According to an online report from Joystiq, this is enough to store the entire ‘Library of Congress’ without needing to use any compression. It will also be enough to store 6,144 50 GB Blu-ray discs. That would be hundreds of thousands of standard DVD discs, millions upon millions of CDs and probably billions of photos.
There are concerns about losing 300 TB of data to a hard drive crash, but if 300 TB is truly the norm in 2010, buying a spare 300 TB to back it all up to won’t be that expensive. Defragging tools had better dramatically speed up, or a defrag might take days.
We don’t hear too much these days about holographic storage or where that will be by 2010, nor do we know how much capacity flash storage will offer by 2010. Still, an iPod nano sporting 1 TB of storage on flash memory may well be a reality by 2010, too.
Storage. It really is the answer to the space we need for our digital lives. Space is the final frontier, after all, although I’m sure Captain Kirk would laugh at the impossible prospect of flying the huge Enterprise starship through the 300 TB of space contained on a 3.5-inch hard disk platter.
http://www.itwire.com.au
CEO Poker Tournament Announced at The Trump Taj Mahal
(PRWeb) January 8, 2007 -- CEO Poker, an Executive Games company, has announced a 2007 CEO Poker Tournament will be hosted by the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, May 19-25, 2007. The Trump Taj Mahal will be hosting the event in the East Coast, while other casino locations will be announced across the US in the coming weeks."The Trump Taj Mahal is the perfect place to host a CEO Poker Tournament," says William Peraza, CEO, CEOPoker. "We wanted to choose an East Coast location that would support the concept of executives battling over the green felt of the poker table, and where better than in a Trump casino."The CEO Poker Tournament will be open to all players wanting to compete and network, while playing Texas Holdem. Executives will battle for cash, trophies, and bragging rights. Buy ins start are from $500-$5,000.Additionally, all that register for at least 1 tournament, receive entry into a Live Free Roll at the Trump Taj Mahal on the first day of the tournament, for the chance to win a Main Event seat.A listing of the events can be found by clicking the link below:http://www.ceopokertour.com/Trumppage.htmlSeats are Limited. To register for the tournaments please log in to www.ceopokertour.com or ceopoker.net and click Tournaments for more info and an online registration link. Casinos interested in holding a CEOPoker Tournament in 2007 please send an email to ceopokertour (at) aol.comAbout Executive GamesExecutive Games produces executive related events, where players network and compete for titles, cash, and bragging rights. William Peraza, JR., CEO of Executives Games, and Maria Gomez, President of Executive Games, developed the concept of executive entertainment event productions to give players the ability to release stress, have fun, and network. Executive Games is the ultimate in player competition.
http://ww1.prweb.com/
http://ww1.prweb.com/
Dirty Hospitals
Two million patients are infected in hospitals each year and 90,000 of those Americans die.
Of every 20 people who go into a U.S. hospital, one of them picks up something extra: an infection. It's a lousy card to draw. Infection stalls recovery, sometimes requiring weeks of intravenous antibiotics or a grueling round of surgeries to remove infected tissue. And for 90,000 Americans a year, the infections are a death sentence.
A growing number of hospitals are working harder to stop infections, but as more bugs become resistant to antibiotics, it's an uphill struggle. Some 2 million patients get a hospital-acquired infection every year. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 19,000 infection cases occurred in 2005—up from 11,600 in 2004—out of 1.6 million admissions to 168 hospitals, according to a report issued in November by the state's Health Care Cost Containment Council. Pennsylvania, the first state to provide infection data collected directly from its hospitals, reported that nearly 13 percent of patients who got infections died, compared with slightly more than 2 percent of patients who didn't have infections.
Nationwide, hospital infections are the eighth-leading cause of death. One person who didn't recover was Dorothy Etheridge, a no-nonsense New Hampshire resident who raised five children and worked for 30 years as a mental health counselor. Etheridge had lung surgery in 2004 to remove an early-stage cancer, and doctors predicted a full recovery.
But within days, the normally robust Etheridge took a sharp turn for the worse. She had contracted a nasty antibiotic-resistant germ known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—MRSA—and she spiraled into respiratory failure. Through eight months of rehabilitation, bedsores and recurring infections, Etheridge fought back. "She was, to put it mildly, stoical and compliant and did everything and anything that she could to get herself home again," her daughter Lori Nerbonne says.
And get home she did. But after a week her temperature spiked. She was admitted to another hospital, where she died, at age 73, of a brain hemorrhage.
Left with painful memories of their mother's last months, Nerbonne and one of her sisters set to writing letters and testifying before the state legislature, joining a burgeoning nationwide movement that aims to stop infections in hospitals.
A leading light of that movement is Betsy McCaughey, a health policy expert and former lieutenant governor of New York. She founded the nonprofit Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths—RID—two years ago after hearing the story of Brad Moore of Washingtonville, N.Y.
In 2002 Moore was mugged. He survived brain trauma—but got an infection in the hospital and died at age 28. McCaughey recalls sitting with his mother, Pat, in her kitchen. "We looked through her family albums: Brad as a little boy. And then Brad's funeral. It was impossible not to be very, very saddened," she says. "I thought, enough is enough."
Now McCaughey pushes and cajoles hospitals to prevent the spread of infection. The necessary measures, she says, are simple and well documented in medical literature. Yet they're not consistently practiced or explained to patients. "A very good example," she says, is to tell patients to "shower with chlorhexidine soap if you're going in for surgery ... it's so easy. And you get it in the drugstore."
In fact, job number one for advocates like McCaughey is to debunk the notion that infection in the hospital is like bad weather—unfortunate but inevitable. Administrators, they insist, have set the bar way too low, content to keep their hospitals' infection rates to national averages—for example, a wound infection for one of every 24 surgical patients and a urinary tract infection for up to a quarter of those requiring a catheter for a week or longer.
"There's this culture that says that when people are old or immunocompromised, they're just going to get infections," says Lisa McGiffert, who heads the Stop Hospital Infections campaign at Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. "Well, they aren't 'just going to get infections.' If you're careful, they won't."
Generally speaking, there's little debate about what it takes to check the spread of infection in hospitals, from giving patients antibiotics before surgery to avoiding overuse of catheters and intravenous lines. But hospitals are busy places, and the foe is invisible. Research suggests that more than half the time, health care workers even fail to wash their hands as recommended—a critical bulwark against infection identified 160 years ago.
"These bacteria are largely spread through touch," says McCaughey of the RID committee. "In the old days," she says, "nurses and doctors were trained not to touch doorknobs, cabinets, curtains and blood pressure cuffs once they scrubbed and/or gloved. But all of that training really went by the wayside in the early '70s, when the liberal use of antibiotics replaced that attention to rigorous hygiene."
Not coincidentally, those same years brought a galloping increase in germs you can't knock out with standard antibiotics. In 1974 only 2 percent of staph germs in the United States were drug-resistant. By 2004, fully 63 percent—including the lethal one that attacked Dorothy Etheridge—proved impervious.
One outcome of the crisis is that more hospitals are working harder to stop deadly infections. In early 2005, for example, the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass., enlisted 3,000 hospitals to practice interventions proven to save lives. One approach targeted ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a deadly infection that strikes about 15 percent of patients who have a breathing tube inserted. Hospital workers washed their hands frequently, closely monitored incision sites and raised patient beds to at least 30 degrees to prevent stomach fluids from backing up into the lungs—measures that enabled more than 30 hospitals to report no VAPs for at least a year.
Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital is also waging war on infections. In the past few years, says Richard Shannon, M.D., who until recently was chairman of Allegheny's Department of Medicine, the staff has reduced the rate of bloodstream infections caused by large-vein catheters by 90 percent and ventilator pneumonias by 85 percent. Shannon demonstrated that devoting resources to controlling infection saved the hospital $1.2 million over two years. He and his team reported in a supplement to the November-December American Journal of Medical Quality that eliminating a single bloodstream infection case pays for nearly a year's worth of measures to stop the infections.
The savings to patients and insurers are more obvious. The November report on Pennsylvania's hospitals noted that the average charge for infection cases was $185,260, compared with $31,389 for noninfection cases. Reducing infections is a win-win situation, says Shannon. "You not only make human beings better, you actually eliminate a huge amount of waste" in money and time.
How did his hospital do it? By studying quality-control techniques of the industrial production line. One example: Signs everywhere remind workers to wash their hands. "You have to make it so it's second nature, you don't have to stop and think about it," Shannon says.
When an infection does happen, the treatment team meets to figure out what went wrong. In one case they identified a mistakenly reinserted, kinked IV line as a probable cause and explained their conclusions to the patient's family.
In most hospitals, patients won't get such a thorough review and disclosure about the source of an infection. Moreover, in most parts of the country, it's virtually impossible to find out how well hospitals are doing at infection control overall.
But that's changing, too, with Pennsylvania and California among the states leading the way. In the past three years, 14 states have passed laws requiring hospitals to report information about infections to the public.
Public reporting not only informs consumers, it motivates doctors and nurses to work for better results, says Joyce Dubow, associate director at the AARP Public Policy Institute. In 1989, when New York state started publishing hospitals' death rates after bypass surgery, the hospitals conducted internal reviews, hired new personnel and pushed out surgeons with the highest death figures. Statewide mortality dropped like a stone, by 41 percent in four years.
"Nobody wants their deficiencies published," says Dubow. "And places that do well take pride in their good work."
A growing number of hospitals are working harder to stop infections, but as more bugs become resistant to antibiotics, it's an uphill struggle. Some 2 million patients get a hospital-acquired infection every year. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 19,000 infection cases occurred in 2005—up from 11,600 in 2004—out of 1.6 million admissions to 168 hospitals, according to a report issued in November by the state's Health Care Cost Containment Council. Pennsylvania, the first state to provide infection data collected directly from its hospitals, reported that nearly 13 percent of patients who got infections died, compared with slightly more than 2 percent of patients who didn't have infections.
Nationwide, hospital infections are the eighth-leading cause of death. One person who didn't recover was Dorothy Etheridge, a no-nonsense New Hampshire resident who raised five children and worked for 30 years as a mental health counselor. Etheridge had lung surgery in 2004 to remove an early-stage cancer, and doctors predicted a full recovery.
But within days, the normally robust Etheridge took a sharp turn for the worse. She had contracted a nasty antibiotic-resistant germ known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—MRSA—and she spiraled into respiratory failure. Through eight months of rehabilitation, bedsores and recurring infections, Etheridge fought back. "She was, to put it mildly, stoical and compliant and did everything and anything that she could to get herself home again," her daughter Lori Nerbonne says.
And get home she did. But after a week her temperature spiked. She was admitted to another hospital, where she died, at age 73, of a brain hemorrhage.
Left with painful memories of their mother's last months, Nerbonne and one of her sisters set to writing letters and testifying before the state legislature, joining a burgeoning nationwide movement that aims to stop infections in hospitals.
A leading light of that movement is Betsy McCaughey, a health policy expert and former lieutenant governor of New York. She founded the nonprofit Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths—RID—two years ago after hearing the story of Brad Moore of Washingtonville, N.Y.
In 2002 Moore was mugged. He survived brain trauma—but got an infection in the hospital and died at age 28. McCaughey recalls sitting with his mother, Pat, in her kitchen. "We looked through her family albums: Brad as a little boy. And then Brad's funeral. It was impossible not to be very, very saddened," she says. "I thought, enough is enough."
Now McCaughey pushes and cajoles hospitals to prevent the spread of infection. The necessary measures, she says, are simple and well documented in medical literature. Yet they're not consistently practiced or explained to patients. "A very good example," she says, is to tell patients to "shower with chlorhexidine soap if you're going in for surgery ... it's so easy. And you get it in the drugstore."
In fact, job number one for advocates like McCaughey is to debunk the notion that infection in the hospital is like bad weather—unfortunate but inevitable. Administrators, they insist, have set the bar way too low, content to keep their hospitals' infection rates to national averages—for example, a wound infection for one of every 24 surgical patients and a urinary tract infection for up to a quarter of those requiring a catheter for a week or longer.
"There's this culture that says that when people are old or immunocompromised, they're just going to get infections," says Lisa McGiffert, who heads the Stop Hospital Infections campaign at Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. "Well, they aren't 'just going to get infections.' If you're careful, they won't."
Generally speaking, there's little debate about what it takes to check the spread of infection in hospitals, from giving patients antibiotics before surgery to avoiding overuse of catheters and intravenous lines. But hospitals are busy places, and the foe is invisible. Research suggests that more than half the time, health care workers even fail to wash their hands as recommended—a critical bulwark against infection identified 160 years ago.
"These bacteria are largely spread through touch," says McCaughey of the RID committee. "In the old days," she says, "nurses and doctors were trained not to touch doorknobs, cabinets, curtains and blood pressure cuffs once they scrubbed and/or gloved. But all of that training really went by the wayside in the early '70s, when the liberal use of antibiotics replaced that attention to rigorous hygiene."
Not coincidentally, those same years brought a galloping increase in germs you can't knock out with standard antibiotics. In 1974 only 2 percent of staph germs in the United States were drug-resistant. By 2004, fully 63 percent—including the lethal one that attacked Dorothy Etheridge—proved impervious.
One outcome of the crisis is that more hospitals are working harder to stop deadly infections. In early 2005, for example, the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass., enlisted 3,000 hospitals to practice interventions proven to save lives. One approach targeted ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a deadly infection that strikes about 15 percent of patients who have a breathing tube inserted. Hospital workers washed their hands frequently, closely monitored incision sites and raised patient beds to at least 30 degrees to prevent stomach fluids from backing up into the lungs—measures that enabled more than 30 hospitals to report no VAPs for at least a year.
Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital is also waging war on infections. In the past few years, says Richard Shannon, M.D., who until recently was chairman of Allegheny's Department of Medicine, the staff has reduced the rate of bloodstream infections caused by large-vein catheters by 90 percent and ventilator pneumonias by 85 percent. Shannon demonstrated that devoting resources to controlling infection saved the hospital $1.2 million over two years. He and his team reported in a supplement to the November-December American Journal of Medical Quality that eliminating a single bloodstream infection case pays for nearly a year's worth of measures to stop the infections.
The savings to patients and insurers are more obvious. The November report on Pennsylvania's hospitals noted that the average charge for infection cases was $185,260, compared with $31,389 for noninfection cases. Reducing infections is a win-win situation, says Shannon. "You not only make human beings better, you actually eliminate a huge amount of waste" in money and time.
How did his hospital do it? By studying quality-control techniques of the industrial production line. One example: Signs everywhere remind workers to wash their hands. "You have to make it so it's second nature, you don't have to stop and think about it," Shannon says.
When an infection does happen, the treatment team meets to figure out what went wrong. In one case they identified a mistakenly reinserted, kinked IV line as a probable cause and explained their conclusions to the patient's family.
In most hospitals, patients won't get such a thorough review and disclosure about the source of an infection. Moreover, in most parts of the country, it's virtually impossible to find out how well hospitals are doing at infection control overall.
But that's changing, too, with Pennsylvania and California among the states leading the way. In the past three years, 14 states have passed laws requiring hospitals to report information about infections to the public.
Public reporting not only informs consumers, it motivates doctors and nurses to work for better results, says Joyce Dubow, associate director at the AARP Public Policy Institute. In 1989, when New York state started publishing hospitals' death rates after bypass surgery, the hospitals conducted internal reviews, hired new personnel and pushed out surgeons with the highest death figures. Statewide mortality dropped like a stone, by 41 percent in four years.
"Nobody wants their deficiencies published," says Dubow. "And places that do well take pride in their good work."
TVR PRODUCTION GOES UP FOR SALE
TVRs at homeThe manufacturing arm of TVR is up for sale, according to a story in the Financial Times.
Administrators have said that they plan to sell Blackpool Automotive Ltd, TVR's car production company, as a going concern, although the question of whether it'll be called TVR remains up in the air. The administrators said they were "optimistic" that the sale could be concluded early in this new year.
The follows TVR owner Nikolai Smolenski's decision, announced in October, to move the Blackpool company's manufacturing facility to Italy. Bertone will make cars for TVR, the announcement said.
The production company, previously called TVR Engineering and Production, was created last year as part of a restructuring out of what was TVR Engineering, which was renamed in June last year, according to Companies House.
And more light's been shed on the financial hole in which TVR finds itself with the revelation that TVR made a loss of Ј11.8 million in 2005 on a turnover of Ј16.7 million.
Despite that, the firm's bosses continue to put on a brave face. TVR is here to stay, according to managing director David Oxley and Smolenski. They said the firm's future is assured, and that it's heading for good times with a new 600bhp model due late this year.
It's hard to say but is this the last knockings for TVR?
Teen Is Youngest To Sail Solo Across Atlantic
London, Jan 4. (PTI): A 14-year-old British boy is poised to become the youngest person to sail single-handed across the Atlantic Ocean.
Michael Perham of Hertfordshire set off from Gibraltar on November 18 and, and has spent six-and-a-half weeks alone in the open sea. He will achieve the feat after he arrives in Antigua on Wednesday, where he will be met by a delegation from the Island's Government.
Michael, who is being tailed in a separate boat by his father Peter, has suffered a series of setbacks in the later stages of his quest that have pushed back his estimated time of arrival, the Times daily reported on Wednesday.
But his spokesman said that Michael was about 100 km from the Antiguan coastline.
On Christmas Day, he wrote on his weblog "At 4 o'clock in the afternoon we put the clocks back 4 hours to be on Antigua time and that means we've probably had the longest Christmas Day in the world".
Michael Perham of Hertfordshire set off from Gibraltar on November 18 and, and has spent six-and-a-half weeks alone in the open sea. He will achieve the feat after he arrives in Antigua on Wednesday, where he will be met by a delegation from the Island's Government.
Michael, who is being tailed in a separate boat by his father Peter, has suffered a series of setbacks in the later stages of his quest that have pushed back his estimated time of arrival, the Times daily reported on Wednesday.
But his spokesman said that Michael was about 100 km from the Antiguan coastline.
On Christmas Day, he wrote on his weblog "At 4 o'clock in the afternoon we put the clocks back 4 hours to be on Antigua time and that means we've probably had the longest Christmas Day in the world".
Producers name top film shortlist
The Producers Guild of America has picked nominees for 2006's best film from both ends of the budget spectrum.Star-studded blockbusters including musical Dreamgirls and thriller The Departed are alongside smaller movies The Queen and Little Miss Sunshine.
Multi-layered cultural drama Babel is also in the running.
The Guild's awards, announced on 20 January, are highly regarded in Hollywood and nominations are seen as a boost in the Oscars race.
"I love the variety - the mixture of dramas, a musical and a comedy, and the fact that you have big budgets and small budgets," said Producers Guild executive director Vance Van Petten.
Crime shows
One notable absentee was Clint Eastwood's World War II drama Letters from Iwo Jima, which has drawn glowing reviews since its US release and has already picked up two top critics' prizes.
The Producers Guild also nominated the makers of five films for best animated movie - Cars, Happy Feet, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Monster House and Flushed Away.
Nominees for best "long-form" TV programme include BBC co-production Bleak House, Mrs Harris, High School Musical, Elizabeth I and Flight 93.
Hospital shows Grey's Anatomy and House were nominated for best TV drama, alongside 24, The Sopranos and Lost.
Microsoft's 'Enchanted Office' Comic Touts Ribbon
Microsoft is using a Web-based comic strip to try to reach a broad set of consumers and convince them that they can benefit from the new Ribbon-based user interface found in Office 2007. While much of the hype leading up to the consumer release of the 2007 Office system later in January has focused on the productivity benefits for knowledge workers, Microsoft has also realized the need for a more general consumer approach, the company said. The comic, titled "The Enchanted Office: Once Upon a User Interface," is intended as a creative way to broaden the exposure of Office 2007 to the consumer market, a company spokesperson told eWEEK Jan. 3. But, at the same time, the comic also attempts to address some of the most common questions of IT professionals and the needs of everyday information workers, she said. The eight-page comic starts out with the protagonist, Madeline, a CEO, dreaming about "bad software and dwindling revenue," the solution to which is the new Office with its Ribbon-based user interface, Madeline's "advisors" tell her.
Crocodile Hunter tape turned over to wife
Sydney — Authorities gave the video of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin's fatal encounter with a stingray to his family and destroyed all copies to prevent the grisly footage from being made public, an Australian state coroner said Thursday.
Mr. Irwin, 44, died on Sept. 4 after being stabbed in the chest by the stingray's poisonous barb while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast.
Queensland State Coroner Michael Barnes said authorities gave the original video to his wife, Terri, in late December and destroyed other copies.
“The footage has been the subject of widespread media interest and it was wholly appropriate that we took all possible steps to ensure something of such a personal and tragic nature did not fall into the wrong hands,” Mr. Barnes said in a statement.
Mr. Irwin, 44, died on Sept. 4 after being stabbed in the chest by the stingray's poisonous barb while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast.
Queensland State Coroner Michael Barnes said authorities gave the original video to his wife, Terri, in late December and destroyed other copies.
“The footage has been the subject of widespread media interest and it was wholly appropriate that we took all possible steps to ensure something of such a personal and tragic nature did not fall into the wrong hands,” Mr. Barnes said in a statement.
“This is in line with the wishes of the Irwin family.”
Police made a small number of copies of the video to assist their inquiry into the cause of Mr. Irwin's death, but they were kept under tight security throughout the investigation, the coroner's office said.
Speculation had been rife that footage of Mr. Irwin's death could eventually be posted on the Internet.
Calls to the Irwin family's Australia Zoo were not immediately returned Thursday, but in an interview with U.S. television last September, Terri Irwin, originally of Eugene, Ore., said the video should never see the light of day.
“What purpose would that serve?” she told ABC's Barbara Walters, adding that she herself had not seen the video.
Mr. Irwin's friend and business partner, John Stainton, has seen the film. He told Ms. Walters he never wants to see it again and doesn't want anyone else to see it, either. “It's just a horrible piece of film tape,” he said.
The death of the exuberant television entertainer and conservationist set off an unprecedented outpouring of grief. Tens of thousands travelled to Irwin's zoo near Brisbane to drop off flowers and other mementoes, many of them signing khaki shirts instead of a condolence book.
Police made a small number of copies of the video to assist their inquiry into the cause of Mr. Irwin's death, but they were kept under tight security throughout the investigation, the coroner's office said.
Speculation had been rife that footage of Mr. Irwin's death could eventually be posted on the Internet.
Calls to the Irwin family's Australia Zoo were not immediately returned Thursday, but in an interview with U.S. television last September, Terri Irwin, originally of Eugene, Ore., said the video should never see the light of day.
“What purpose would that serve?” she told ABC's Barbara Walters, adding that she herself had not seen the video.
Mr. Irwin's friend and business partner, John Stainton, has seen the film. He told Ms. Walters he never wants to see it again and doesn't want anyone else to see it, either. “It's just a horrible piece of film tape,” he said.
The death of the exuberant television entertainer and conservationist set off an unprecedented outpouring of grief. Tens of thousands travelled to Irwin's zoo near Brisbane to drop off flowers and other mementoes, many of them signing khaki shirts instead of a condolence book.
Water Main Break Closes Two Montgomery Co. Schools
A water main break just off of Route 309 shut down two Montgomery County schools Thursday morning.Crews were working to repair the broken main at the intersection of Loch Alsh Avenue and Farm Lane in Fort Washington around 6 a.m.Classes at Upper Dublin High School and Fort Washington Elementary were cancelled as a result of the break. Other schools in the district remain open.Several homes in the area were also without water while the broken main was repaired.
http://cbs3.com
Record number of bicycles sold in Australia in 2006
Bicycle sales in Austraia have recorded record sales of 1,273,781 units for 2006, exceeding car sales by 32 percent. It is the fifth year in a row that the bicycle industry has sold more than one million units, a figure yet to be realised by car manufacturers.
The Cycling Promotion Fund (CPF) spokesman Ian Christie said Australians were increasingly using bicycles as an alternative to cars. Sales rose nine percent in 2006 while the car market stalled. Mr Christie said people were looking to cut their fuel costs and improve their fitness.
Mr Christie said organisations were beginning to supply bicycles as a company vehicle. “There is an emerging trend towards people using bikes as their official company-supplied vehicle in place of the traditional company car,” he said.
“Some of Australia’s biggest corporations now have bicycle fleets, and when you add in government organisations, we now know of at least 50 organisations which operate fleets of bikes."
“Although the company bicycle is a long way from taking over from the company car, it’s an important trend when you consider that nearly half of all cars sold are to company fleets.”
The CPF claims most commutes to work are less than 5 kilometres (3 miles) making bicycle travel a viable alternative.
The Cycling Promotion Fund (CPF) spokesman Ian Christie said Australians were increasingly using bicycles as an alternative to cars. Sales rose nine percent in 2006 while the car market stalled. Mr Christie said people were looking to cut their fuel costs and improve their fitness.
Mr Christie said organisations were beginning to supply bicycles as a company vehicle. “There is an emerging trend towards people using bikes as their official company-supplied vehicle in place of the traditional company car,” he said.
“Some of Australia’s biggest corporations now have bicycle fleets, and when you add in government organisations, we now know of at least 50 organisations which operate fleets of bikes."
“Although the company bicycle is a long way from taking over from the company car, it’s an important trend when you consider that nearly half of all cars sold are to company fleets.”
The CPF claims most commutes to work are less than 5 kilometres (3 miles) making bicycle travel a viable alternative.
Work from Home
Did you know that Google recently made it possible for people like you and me to earn HUGE money from home working less than 30 minutes per day. I make over $8500 per month now, so I quit my job. Here is a link telling you how I did it!
CLICK HERE NOW!
NEWS RELEASE: Google just announced that it is sharing it’s AdWords program with local individuals who want to earn money from home on their computer. This is a legitimate program, so you must be serious about earning as much as $5900 per month or more!
CLICK HERE NOW!
A grandmother from Long Island is the winner of the latest local business person of the year award. She found a little known secret that Google uses to make HUGE money on the Internet. She barely knows how to send an email and she is NETTING over $12,300 per month online. If she can do it… you know the rest!
CLICK HERE NOW!
This is the real thing. Click the link below to find out more.
We are committed to your rights of privacy.
CLICK HERE NOW!
NEWS RELEASE: Google just announced that it is sharing it’s AdWords program with local individuals who want to earn money from home on their computer. This is a legitimate program, so you must be serious about earning as much as $5900 per month or more!
CLICK HERE NOW!
A grandmother from Long Island is the winner of the latest local business person of the year award. She found a little known secret that Google uses to make HUGE money on the Internet. She barely knows how to send an email and she is NETTING over $12,300 per month online. If she can do it… you know the rest!
CLICK HERE NOW!
This is the real thing. Click the link below to find out more.
We are committed to your rights of privacy.
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