Is Nominet's .uk proposal a tax on the digital economy? ? Cyber ...

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Posted 22 November 2012 10:21am
by Graham Charlton
with 1 comment

Nominet, the UK?s (non-profit) governing body for domain names, announced proposals last month for a .uk extension for domain names.?

Nominet claims this will ?support the economic growth of the UK internet?, but this view isn?t shared by many digital professionals, who see it as more of a shakedown which could cost UK business ?50m per year.

As 93% of all UK domain names use .co.uk, this has significant implications for the UK?s digital economy.?

Nominet?s proposal

Nominet says:?

To further support the economic growth of the UK internet, we are holding a three month consultation about the potential introduction of a new service known as direct.uk, which would be specifically designed for businesses that are or want to get online, with a new shorter domain name of internet.uk rather than internet.co.uk.

Much is made of the extra security which will verify that every applicant for a domain is from the UK, will monitor the new domains for malicious software on a daily basis, and will add a digital signature to prevent names being hijacked.?

These security measures would be supported by a trustmark to give consumers a clear sign that it was a verified domain name.?

Arguments for .uk

Here are a few pros from Edwin Hayward?s site:?

• Simple and logical, easy to remember.
• Gives a stronger sense of national identity
• Puts the UK on a par with other countries.
• Makes more domain names available.
• Allows people to register desirable names that they missed out on previously.

As mentioned above, Nominet has been talking up the advantages of the new domains in terms of security, quoting?the figure of ?27bn, which is what it says cybercrime costs the UK each year.

However, as E-commerce consultant?Dan Barker points out:?

If you read the report that ?27bn figure comes from, you see the vast bulk of that money is actually from espionage and intellectual property theft (specifically pharmaceutical, chemical, electronic, and software IP theft). ie. it?s unlikely their security features would graze that ?27 billion figure, let alone put any sort of dent in it.

According to?independent marketing consultant?Paul Gailey:?

Nominet claims the action is about offering UK business greater choice for shorter domain names and a technically more secure setup whilst bringing the domain inline with other international standards.

Brevity in branding is a conceivable advantage by adopting .uk and I note talk of the advantages of an accompanying official trustmark being lauded but I am sceptical of the exercise achieving an overall net positive impact on internet users as claimed.

Historically the proliferation of TLD?s has followed similar patterns of business resistance to greater costs and maintenance of domain registration, branding and trademark uncertainty and ultimately consumer indifference to a new domain suffix. Even with global consortium backed initiatives to support .mobi for example, the domain has not become a cultural norm. And therein lies the folly of this sales-led project. Old habits die hard.

The real uncertainty for UK business is the risk of inaction if this change comes into force and drawing the line on obtaining all variants of available domains and usernames. Let the debate ensue.

Problems with the proposal

The cost for UK businesses

As a business with an established .co.uk domain, you simply can?t afford not to acquire the .uk equivalent.?If not, you run the risk of your existing domain being diluted by the shiny new .uk versions, or being exploited by competitors and others wanting to divert some of your brand traffic.?

According to Edwin Hayward, the changes will?cost UK businesses ?50m. This figure doesn?t take into account additional expenses which will be incurred.?

These extra expenses include changing all of the stationery, brand costs, PPC changes costs, possible SEO implications, technical costs, and renewals of ?.co.uk? and ?.uk? domain names each year.

As Dan Barker points out, ?it?s quite sad to think of the amount of money it would cost UK business, with no real upside?. He has?has come up with some ?back of the envelope? figures on the potential costs for UK businesses in employee time.?

To illustrate that point, here is a ?back of an envelope? look at the amount this will cost UK business in employee time alone. Dan has ?lowballed? this at every step.

• At the start of 2012 there were 4.8 million businesses in the UK.
• Let?s say that 20% of those own a domain name. (that?s 960,000. Again, we?ll pretend they only have one domain name each).
• And let?s lowball again and say that an hour of time in one of those businesses at a ?decision maker? level costs ?25.

Let?s look at what each of those 960,000 businesses would have to go through in order to understand and buy one of these domain names:

• Research what the whole ?.uk? thing is all about. (30 mins)
• Decide whether it?s worth it. (30 mins)
• Write up a proposal to buy it. (90 mins)
• Understand the process for buying it. (60 mins).
• Go through the process of trying to purchase it. (60 mins)
• That?s 4.5 hours in total.

Based on our lowball estimate of ?25 for an hour of ?decision maker? time, that?s: ?108,000,000.?

That?s a lot of expense for no real gain. Also, as Dan points out, this doesn?t include the domain registration fee, or the cost of acquiring it at auction, as well as the amount of money those employees could have made doing other things.

The tricky task of acquiring your brand?s .uk domain

This is the really odd part. You might think, since a retailer or brand has an already established .co.uk domain, they should get first dibs on the .uk version. But no, this isn?t what Nominet are proposing.?

According to Edwin at mydomainnames.co.uk:?

Existing domain owners will have to?prove?that they are entitled to the matching .uk domain name, or buy it at auction (if it hasn?t already been taken by a trademark holder).

Here?s a list of generic domain name holders who stand to lose out from the proposals, including Barclays and Kellogs.?

Price rises

In addition to the other costs outlined above, a .uk domain will cost ?20 per year, a big rise on the ?2.50 per year for a .co.uk.

If you just have one domain, this extra cost, though unwelcome, may not make much of a dent in your finances. However, if companies (and many do) have multiple domains registered, these costs will escalate.?

The effects on .co.uk domains

Dan Barker:?

I like Nominet, I am a customer of theirs, and I think they do lots and lots of good. But I?m not keen on this. There are lots of obvious risks around ?.co.uk? domains suddenly becoming less valuable or less trusted, around people setting up things like ?.tv.uk? or perhaps ?.vc.uk? for voucher codes, and then reusing [yourbrand].vc.uk, etc.

Who benefits from this??

For businesses, it seems that they will potentially occur a lot of extra costs for very little benefit. So why, if Nominet wants to support the growth of the UK internet, is it doing this??

Edwin Hayward has a few theories of why Nominet has proposed the .uk domain:?

For money and power, and because it?s the last chance they have before new GTLD come in. This will make ?50m+ per year in extra registration fees, and potentially hundreds of millions in auction revenues.?

The winners from this are Nominet, registrars, and trademark holders, while the losers are?existing .co.uk registrants, UK businesses, the credibility of .co.uk namespace, and trust in .co.uk.?

In fact, a similar proposal was put forward in 2005 (quietly to the Policy Advisory Board, not to the public) and was voted down 11-0.?This PAB board was abolished in 2010, and now Nominet ?oversight? is from Nominet Members, who are mainly registrars. Of course they love .uk, a new, premium product to sell to their customer base. It?s like farmers voting for Xmas without asking the turkeys.?

Nick Patemen echoes this view on?business2community.com:

Of the 9 decision makers for this proposal, 4 of them come from backgrounds with a vested interest in the outcome.

What can you do about it??

We are still in a consultation period, so there is a chance that the proposals could be rejected. Nominet has a (very long) feedback form which enables you to give your opinions on the proposal.

As Edwin says, it can take a good 90 minutes to complete, but if you feel strongly about the proposals, it?s worth spending the time.?

In summary

While I can see the possible benefits of shorter domain names, the security argument doesn?t hold much water to me. As Dan Barker points out, the extra measures proposed for .uk domains will barely make a dent in the ?27bn costs of online crime.

In addition, if security is such an issue for Nominet, why not add these extra security measures for existing .co.uk domains??

For the UK?s online businesses, it seems they are open to millions in extra costs with no conceivable advantage. They will be forced to grab the .uk equivalents of their domains, just to guard against the threat from third parties picking them up.?

There is the ?50m estimate, there are further costs in staff time, acquiring .uk domains via auctions, changing stationary, possible SEO issues and more.?At a time of economic uncertainty, this is more than unwelcome.?

The only clear beneficiaries of the new .uk domains are the domain registration and related companies, who stand to profit from selling the new domains.?

It seems that the UK?s online businesses are being asked to fork out ?50m+ for no real gain.?

?

What are your views on Nominet?s proposals? Please let us know below, and vote in our Twtpoll.

Article source: http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/11161-is-nominet-s-uk-proposal-a-tax-on-the-digital-economy

Source: http://www.cybercrimesunit.com/is-nominets-uk-proposal-a-tax-on-the-digital-economy/

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Video Q&A Site VYou Adds Twitter Mentions To Let Users Respond To Tweets Via Video

VYou has built a community around question-and-answer type interactions via video, both on the web and through mobile apps. Now users can see and respond to questions on Twitter. The new feature allows Twitter users to see either their Twitter stream, or just mentions, and record video responses to them. Those video replies are then posted both on VYou, and tweeted out to their Twitter followers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/hgEweb6rkd8/

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Syria rebels say seized military base near Turkey border

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian rebels said they captured a large special forces base on a main road between the city of Aleppo and the Turkish border on Sunday.

No independent verification of the rebels' statement was immediately available.

Video footage showed rebels inside the 18 sq km (7 square mile) facility in Orum al-Sughra among tanks and artillery they had seized. At least 18 troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were taken prisoner, opposition campaigners said.

A statement by the Aleppo Media Centre said at least 15 tanks were seized and that officers were among loyalist forces captured.

Mohammad Abdallah, an opposition campaigner in the north, said artillery stationed in the base has been used to bomb towns and villages in rural Aleppo and the neighboring province of Idlib.

The base is situated 25 km (18 miles) west of Aleppo, Syria's commercial and industrial hub, about half-way between the city and the Turkish border.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-rebels-seized-military-near-turkey-border-003042977.html

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Blog Archive ? 2013 New Zealand Hydrological Society (NZHS ...

NZHS would like to welcome any visitors from the Australian Hydrological Association to their Technical workshop, and also to the Local Authority Environmental Monitoring Group (LAEMG) meeting, a gathering of the leaders of hydrology within New Zealand Regional Councils.

Key Information

Where:	Palmerston North, New Zealand
When:	February Thu 21st-Fri 22nd 2013
Theme:	Where have we come from, and where are we going ? A timeline of operational hydrology
Cost:	$155.00 NZD ? This includes catering during the day and a group dinner on the night of February 21st.

More information: details, costs and registration

Supported by AHA, Hydrological Services and Kisters: NZ Conference Competition

Local Authority Environmental Monitoring Group (LAEMG) meeting

When: Wed 20 February 2013: (the day before the NZHS Workshop)

The LAEMG meeting is for non-commercial personnel only, but the Technical workshop will be open to both commercial and non-commercial visitors.

Partners

Wed 20 February: LAEMG is arranging a ?Partners day out? in Wellington (dependent on numbers) for your partner on the day of the LAEMG meeting. The cost of this is to be advised, but will need to cover the travel costs. Partners will need to cover their own incidentals on the day.

Thu 21 February: Conference Dinner. If you wish for your partner to attend the Thursday Night dinner on the 21st, the cost will be NZ$75 for them to dine with you, this is at a reduced cost.

Post-workshop

Subject to interest, we are also proposing a trip around the countryside for the weekend following the Workshop for any of you who plan to stay on a few extra days.

This will include a brief look at some of our monitoring sites while on a tiki tour through the central North Island including a bit of fishing, a look at some volcanoes, and some of our hydro power generation if arrangements can be confirmed with Genesis Energy.

The cost of this will vary based on interest, we currently estimate NZ$400-$450 per couple for the overheads, excluding incidentals like Fly fishing (guided spey casting on the Tongariro), food etc.

For further information

Please feel free to email me at: micah.dodge@horizons.govt.nz who will be happy to fill you in on any other details as they are available.

?

This entry was posted on Monday, November 19th, 2012 at 8:13 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.aha.net.au/news/2013-new-zealand-hydrological-society-nzhs-technical-workshop/

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Conservatives: What's Petraeus hiding?

It's the soap opera that shocked official Washington and ensnared a previously squeaky clean CIA director at a time when he was supposed to play a role in the accounting for a possible security misstep in Libya.

We don't know all the facts of why the FBI started investigating David Petraeus' biographer and how it ultimately led to his resignation.

But a growing number of conservative commentators contend that the resignation of former CIA Director David Petraeus is more than simple amends made for a personal wrong.

Charles Krauthammer, the Fox News and Washington Post commentator, believes the Petraeus' sex scandal is linked to a closed briefing that he gave two days after the attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, in Benghazi, Libya.

Petraeus is set to speak about circumstances surrounding the tragedy again before a House committee on Friday and possibly at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, as well.

Petraeus' resignation from his post at the CIA in light of his extramarital affair raised the possibility that he would not testify. But on Wednesday morning, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., told ABC News Petraeus had agreed to do so.

Krauthammer said on Fox News Tuesday that ties he sees between what Petraeus' told the Congress in September and his fear for his future at the CIA make his affair with biographer Paula Broadwell important to the public.

"The reason that it's important is here's a man who knows the administration holds his fate in his hands, and he gives testimony completely at variance with what the Secretary of Defense had said the day before, at variance with what he heard from the station chief in Tripoli and with everything that we had heard," Krauthammer said. "Was he influenced by the fact he knew his fate was held by people in the administration at that time?"

Krauthammer's comments seemed to imply that the man who wrote the book on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq lied to the House Intelligence Committee to save his skin when he said that the attack was a spontaneous mob spurred by the film, "The Innocence of Muslims."

At the time of his briefings, no one in the White House was aware of the FBI investigation into Petraeus' relationship with Broadwell.

As ABC News' Martha Raddatz reported on "World News with Diane Sawyer," the FBI got involved around May or June tracing emails from Broadwell to Jill Kelley in Tampa, Fla., but President Obama was not informed about Petraeus' indiscretions until November

Former New Jersey Superior Court Judge Andrew Napolitano wrote an op-ed for the Washington Times Wednesday in which he said Petraeus was clearly forced to resign his post in an effort to keep him quiet.

"In the modern era, office-holders with forgiving spouses simply do not resign from powerful jobs because of a temporary, non-criminal, consensual adult sexual liaison, as the history of the FDR, Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ and?Clinton?presidencies attest. So, why is?Gen. Petraeus?different?" Napolitano wrote. "Someone wants to silence him."

Napolitano offered no guesses as to what those pressuring Petraeus might be hoping to suppress.

Rudy deLeon, senior vice president for national security and international policy at the Center for American Progress, said the American people should allow Petraeus to "speak for himself."

"Anyone who knows Gen. Petraeus, and I've known him since my Pentagon days, knows that his integrity comes first, that he's not a political guy, and that being straightforward is what his considerable reputation has been based on," deLeon said.

In late October, Petraeus personally traveled to Libya to investigate the CIA personnel who were in Benghazi on the night of the attack.

Read more about that trip ?HERE.

On the night Petraeus first announced his resignation, Krauthammer said the affair would spur the mainstream media to dig deeper into what transpired in Benghazi.

"It will now become the hottest story around and you can be sure that even the mainstream papers, which did not show any interest whatsoever in this story up to and into the election, are going to get on it," Krauthammer said. "It will unravel."

Implications that Petraeus was covering for the White House play into a larger theory floating around conservative circles that Obama administration officials like Petraeus and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice purposely misled the American people following the attack in Benghazi.

Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John McCain, R-Ariz., told ABC's Jon Karl Wednesday that they would oppose Obama's hypothetical nomination of Rice to Secretary of State, with Graham saying he didn't "trust her."

President Obama responded to this opposition Wednesday at his first press conference since taking reelection, defending the U.N. ambassador.

"She made an appearance at the request of the White House in which she gave her best understanding of the intelligence that had been provided to her," Obama said. "If Sen. McCain and Sen. Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me."

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/start-voice-petraeus-affair-conspiracy-theory-232314516.html

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Voxeljet 3D printer used to produce Skyfall's Aston Martin stunt double

Spoiler alert: a reoccurring cast member bids farewell in the latest James Bond flick. When the production of Skyfall called for the complete decimation of a classic 1960s era Aston Martin DB5, filmmakers opted for something a little more lifelike than computer graphics. The movie studio contracted the services of Augsburg-based 3D printing company Voxeljet to make replicas of the vintage ride. Skipping over the residential-friendly MakerBot Replicator, the company used a beastly industrial VX4000 3D printer to craft three 1:3 scale models of the car with a plot to blow them to smithereens. The 18 piece miniatures were shipped off to Propshop Modelmakers in London to be assembled, painted, chromed and outfitted with fake bullet holes. The final product was used in the film during a high-octane action sequence, which resulted in the meticulously crafted prop receiving a Wile E. Coyote-like sendoff. Now, rest easy knowing that no real Aston Martins were harmed during the making of this film. Head past the break to get a look at a completed model prior to its untimely demise.

Continue reading Voxeljet 3D printer used to produce Skyfall's Aston Martin stunt double

Filed under: Misc

Voxeljet 3D printer used to produce Skyfall's Aston Martin stunt double originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 22:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/7NQJZH3HT54/

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How to avoid an HR hangover after the ... - Dynamic Business

Party season is almost upon us. The work Christmas party is a great way for companies to reward their staff for a year of hard work, celebrate successes and generally relax, but at the same time, it can also be an HR minefield.

The combination of excessive alcohol consumption, a group of people who don?t usually socialise together, and the general festive atmosphere can leave employers with more than just a few empty cups and leftover Christmas crackers to clean up once the celebrations have ended.

If you want to avoid being left with any post-party legal or HR issues, it is a good idea to take a few upfront precautions when planning your work Christmas event this year. Just to stress, the same conduct applies as if you?re still in the office, this isn?t an excuse to relax your conduct and tell lewd jokes etc. It?s not like being at a party with mates, what happens at the office party doesn?t stay at the office party?. it absolutely will come back into the workplace.

Companies are also responsible for the safety of employees after they leave the office party. If someone left the party intoxicated, continued to go out drinking and got hit by a car on the way home, the company may be held liable as they didn?t ensure the individual got home safely.

Set boundaries for employees

It is not enough to have policies in place regarding sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviour; they need to be effectively communicated to your staff before the event. If you are involving your employees in activities such as Kris Kringle, it may be worth reminding them what is and isn?t appropriate in terms of gifts to other staff members. Take care with themed events and fancy dress ? make sure they are not of a nature likely to cause offence to anyone.

A friendly reminder may be more effective than a heavy lecture, and can help reassure your staff members that you aren?t going to be policing their every move but that they are still expected to adhere to a basic code of conduct.

Be responsible with alcohol

If there is alcohol at the party, ensuring that there is also plenty of food and non-alcoholic drinks on offer can help to mitigate some of the effects. It may be useful to designate a few staff members ? preferably at a fairly senior level ? to remain sober and act as supervisors and to deal with any emergencies that might arise during the event.

Keep safety in mind

As an employer you can be considered liable for any injuries staff members receive at the office party. Make sure you arrange transportation home for employees who have been drinking, and that there are no obvious tripping or fire hazards at the venue itself.

Take care with decorations, particularly if they are flammable, and arrange furniture so there are clear walkways and no obstructions. After a few drinks most people become much more accident prone, so always err on the side of caution when it comes to safety.

With a bit of forethought and planning, hopefully your office Christmas party can go off without a hitch or any lingering HR issues! This is a great time of year to celebrate and let your staff members know how much you appreciate all their hard work over the last year and in the future. Happy partying!

Source: http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/blogs/category/human-resources-blogs/how-to-avoid-an-hr-hangover-after-your-office-christmas-party-12112012.html

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Off-reservation casinos raise hope, fear | Lake Tahoe News

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November 6th, 2012 | no responses

By Kevin Fagen, San Francisco Chronicle

Two impoverished Indian tribes in Central California have received preliminary approval to be the first in the state to build casinos off their tribal reservations ? a move some say is long overdue, while others worry it may lead to a new boom in casinos.

On one hand, advocates for existing Indian gaming palaces hate the idea of more competition in an already crowded gambling market. And some residents have complained that they don?t want more gamblers around.

On the other hand, local businesses and the two tribes say they are hungry for the customers and millions of dollars that new casinos would probably generate.

Hovering over these competing emotions is the fear that by approving two off-reservation casinos, federal and state officials may have opened the door for more off-reservation operations elsewhere, including in the Bay Area.

The biggest of the two tribes is the 1,950-member North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians, located near Oakhurst in Madera County. It wants to build a 2,000-slot-machine casino just north of Fresno, about 38 miles from the rancheria.

The casino would annually pump more than $100 million in wages and other revenue into the local economy, the tribe says.

The other tribe is the 800-member Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians, near Oroville in Butte County. It also wants to build a 2,000-slot casino, and would locate it 32 miles south near Marysville in Yuba County. The tribe says its operation would generate a $280 million annual boost to the local economy.

Opening the door

?If these actually go through and get built, this could kick open the door big-time for more casinos everywhere,? said Cheryl Schmit, director of Stand Up for California, a nonprofit that focuses on gambling issues. ?The Bay Area would not be safe; nowhere would.?

Gov. Jerry Brown approved the North Fork and Enterprise casino plans on Aug. 30 ? but in his approval announcement he noted that he doubts other tribes will be able to follow suit.

In a letter notifying U.S. Secretary of the Interior Kenneth Salazar of his decision, Brown said there were ?exceptional circumstances? ? such as historical connections to the land ? that persuaded him to give the go-ahead, and because of that ?I expect there will be few requests from other tribes.?

The agreements next need approval from the state Legislature and the federal Department of Interior, which already gave its tentative OK.

California?s Indian casino market is the biggest in the nation. Fifty-nine of the state?s 109 federally recognized tribes run gaming operations that rake in a combined $7.5 billion a year.

David Quintana, political director of the California Tribal Business Alliance, said allowing the two new casinos to open and compete with existing ones ? such as Thunder Valley, near the Enterprise operation, and Chukchansi Gold, near North Fork?s ? is ?a horrible decision.?

?This turns the idea of Indian gambling on its head,? said Quintana, whose alliance represents tribes around the state. ?This will create what I call ?a new Gold Rush? in California.?

He noted that under the laws approved in 2000 to expand Indian gambling in California, tribes that have no casino are supposed to get about $1 million a year from those that do.

?The idea of allowing gambling was that if you can put a casino on your land, that?s awesome, but if not, you don?t,? he said. ?These two casinos do have land, but it?s just not in areas that are good for putting up a casino. So they shouldn?t be doing this.?

Objections dismissed

Richard Lehman, a former congressman and now an advocate in Sacramento for the North Fork Rancheria, dismissed such opposition as ?disingenuous.?

He noted that once the Federal Register publishes the new casino agreements, the casino lands will be put in trust for both tribes, ?and it will then be part of their reservations.?

?The North Fork people are good people, they played by the rules with a transparent process, and they deserve this opportunity,? he said.

Charles Banks-Altekruse, a consultant and spokesman for both tribes, echoed Lehman, saying the casinos will ?bring jobs and critical investment to these needy areas of the Central Valley.

?These casinos will bring in thousands of jobs, and that is a huge benefit,? he said. ?People who say we?ve got too many casinos already ? well, I say we should let the market determine that. And I don?t think anyone could ever say we have too many jobs.?

Among those opposing the proposed casinos is Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who didn?t want to see an off-reservation precedent set. And Yuba County voters in 2005 expressed opposition to the Enterprise project.

However, the Madera County Board of Supervisors and the Madera Chamber of Commerce have been among those advocating for the North Fork operation, saying it will bring in needed money.

In Yuba County, meanwhile, Supervisor Mary Jane Griego helped lead a county study showing that the Enterprise casino would bring in $5 million in fees to the county every year.

?The 2005 vote was funded by surrounding casinos who clearly had their own interests at heart, and they put out ads scaring people that a new casino would bring in prostitution and crime,? Griego said. ?But this casino would actually be a great economic engine for our county, and under our agreement local would be preferential hiring treatment.

?It would be good thing for us.?

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Source: http://www.laketahoenews.net/2012/11/off-reservation-casinos-raise-hope-fear/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=off-reservation-casinos-raise-hope-fear

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Biggest diseases Big Pharma will continue to cash in on over the ...

(NaturalNews) As our nation continues to consume disease-causing, highly processed, genetically modified foods loaded with trans-fats, sodium and sugar, the health consequences become more prevalent and harder to ignore. For the pharmaceutical industry though, this couldn't be better news. The ill heath of our country is setting up Big Pharma for some of the most profitable years in its existence. With dozens of drug choices for every possible chronic illness, the industry is poised to make billions of dollars as our nation's health continues to decline. The most ironic part of it all is that the overwhelming majority of the drugs pushed by Big Pharma are designed to treat diseases that can be corrected by simple lifestyle choices like proper diet and exercise.

Type II diabetes

The Standard & Poor's rating firm reports companies with strong diabetes portfolios stand to make substantial revenue gains over the next 20 years. It is estimated that over 280 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes over the next 20 years, which will provide a $23 billion boost to the global diabetes market over the next six years. The pharmaceutical giants expected to make off with the lions share include Merck, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb as well as the smaller Novo Nordisk AS who is already the leader in diabetes drugs. Novo is currently a midsized player but the epidemic is expected to push the company into the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies.

Heart disease

A study done by the American Heart Association estimates that by 2030, over 40 percent of U.S. adults will have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke among others. The study is assuming there are no changes in policy nor in lifestyle across the general public. The direct healthcare costs for drugs, treatments and surgery will be about three times what it is today. When you factor in loss of productivity due to illness, heart disease is expected to cost the U.S. upwards of one trillion dollars a year. It's not hard to guess where most of that money will be going. Currently, the best selling pharmaceuticals on the market are statins. The top two prescription drugs in America are Lipitor by Pfizer and Plavix by Bristol-Myers Squibb. Both are designed to lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

CVD and diabetes go hand-in-hand

Not surprisingly, there is a strong link between CVD and type II diabetes. The AHA says "Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke than adults without diabetes." Many of the same lifestyle choices greatly increase the risk for both diseases. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity and poor diet. According to the AHA, "heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 causes of death and disability among people with type II diabetes. In fact, at least 65 percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or stroke." It's hard to ignore so many alarming facts, yet it seems that's exactly what most of our country is doing while at the same time making Big Pharma very rich.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1369125/
http://blogs.marketwatch.com
http://www.jonbarron.org/heart-health/cardiovascular-disease-AHA
http://circ.ahajournals.org
http://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.heart.org

About the author:
John Mckiernan is a health and fitness writer. He is the owner of Supplement Helper where he writes supplement reviews and more. He also manages CNA Info, a small blog aimed at answering questions for anyone interested in CNA work.

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Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/037850_Big_Pharma_degenerative_disease_profits.html

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Obama, Clinton campaign together in Virginia

BRISTOW, Va. (AP) ? With the White House race in its final days, President Barack Obama and Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail together Saturday night.

Clinton, his voice hoarse from a flurry of campaign events, said he had given "my voice in the service of my president." The former president vouched for Obama's economic agenda, saying he had done a good job with a bad hand.

Obama, in his fourth rally of the day, sought to draw a connection between the flush economy Clinton presided over and his own policies for a second term, including increasing taxes on upper income earners.

The joint rally drew more than 24,000 people to an outdoor arena on a chilly November night. Obama and Clinton will campaign together again Sunday morning in New Hampshire.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-clinton-campaign-together-virginia-030830190--election.html

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OG Star Wars Swag Is Your Leia-Is-A-Disney-Princess Deal of the Day

You realize that Star Wars will never be the same again after Disney bought Lucasfilm, even if George Lucas didn’t until it was too late. This means that at some point in the near future, Star Wars memorabilia will become Disney memorabilia: it’s your last chance to get some OG Star Wars stuff made while Lucas still owned the whole company. And there are some nice deals today—like this handsome Vader statue that’s 20% less than other retailers, a discounted Yoda alarm clock, or this $7 cookbook called “Wookiee Cookies.”

If Star Wars isn’t your nerding passion, there are cheap portable hard drives, Firefly Blu-rays, and yes, much more Star Wars after the jump.?

Dealzmodo?s Twitter is a constant stream of the best deals around the internet, especially the sales too hot to make it to the daily post.?Follow @dealzmodo

Dallas/Plano Real Estate Broker - Experienced and Innovative | Oct ...

Plano, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/30/2012 -- The real estate industry is revolutionizing on a daily basis and it is important to work with a real estate agency that keeps up with current trends. Foreclosures and short sales also known as distressed properties are a hot topic in today?s industry. Diamond Realty has some of the best foreclosure Realtors in the Dallas Metroplex that specializes in distressed properties. This is a prestigious benefit to their clients because the agents are well trained when it comes to selling or buying foreclosure properties. To cover all areas they also have a short sale specialist with the company. Their short sale specialist has also taught other Brokers in the area on how to work with sellers to complete a short sale. At Diamond Realty not only do they cover traditional transactions, but they also encompass distress transactions. It is important to work with a brokerage that is well versed and understand the changes in the real estate market. This enables their clients to make an educated and comfortable decision when buying or selling a property.

Choosing the right Realtor is extremely important. Working with an experience Realtor will provide a pleasant and fun experience. It is supposed to be fun and exciting. Not full of stress because one was not properly educated or something was over looked. At Diamond Realty, their agents are proficient to ensure buyers and sellers have a professional and pleasant experience.

JC & Associates is a group of highly trained experience agents with 12 years of local experience with Diamond Realty. There really is a difference in the real estate industry. JC & Associates has vast experience in New Construction, Pre-existinghomes, Short Sales and Foreclosures. With all these experts in one company brands Diamond Realty one of the strongest and experience Brokerages in the Dallas Real Estate market!

Technology is changing every day. JC & Associates has embraced the change and in fact excited to have new tools to provide services that were not possible before. Over 90% of consumers are searching for homes online prior to speaking to a Realtor, lender or driving around to look. JC & Associates understands this and markets to every possible internet portal that is available. They just don?t stop there. They provide over 20 photos for each property, 360degrees virtual tour, a personal website, 1-800 info line and text info line for buyers driving by. This ensures your home gets exposed in everyway possible to ensure your property sells faster for the highest price and best terms. Now that is true value!

Make sure to visit their website at www.Dallasrr.com. They have invested quite a bit in their website to give consumers a easy and user friendly website to research on. Their state-of-the-art technological site gives you the ability to also search for foreclosures, Dallas New homes, HUD properties, and traditional listed homes. It is updated 8 times a day to ensure accurate information when searching for a Dallas Home.

JC & Associates can assist clients regardless of what they are trying to achieve. They can help you buy or sell a condo, townhome, pre-owned home, new construction home or an investment property. Most importantly they are highly skilled real estate professionals who bring in-depth market knowledge and strong negotiating proficiencies. Catherine Nguyen is their one of their #1 Broker associate! She has 12 years experience in the local market and also specializes in new home purchases. She previously worked for David Weekley homebuilder. This gives her the knowledge and skill set to assist clients throughout the building process. Many clients love the fact that she has actually worked for a homebuilder and understand their process, which makes it so easy and stress free for them because they are well educated when building! Make sure you contact her if you are thinking of building or purchasing a new home in the Dallas area!

To learn more about JC & Associates, please visit http://www.dallasrr.com for more information.

About Diamond Realty (Plano Office)
Diamond Realty is a team of highly skilled real estate professionals that delivers first-class, client-focused real estate services with reliability and integrity. Diamond Realty is one of the largest real estate firms in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex in Texas.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/dallasplano-real-estate-broker-experienced-and-innovative-175965.htm

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Opposition leader sentenced to 8 years in Rwanda

KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) ? A Rwandan court sentenced the country's top opposition political leader to eight years in prison on Tuesday for treason and on a charge unique to this central African nation torn apart by vicious ethnic attacks 18 years ago ? genocide ideology.

The opposition leader, Victoire Ingabire, returned to Rwanda in 2010 after living abroad for 16 years and quickly visited the country's genocide memorial, where she asked why Hutus killed in the violence were not recognized like the minority Tutsis were.

More than 500,000 Rwandans, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were killed in Rwanda's 1994 genocide. In the wake of that violence, the government set out to de-emphasize ethnicity. Many in the country now identify simply as a Rwandan, not a Hutu or Tutsi.

The government accused Ingabire ? who has had contacts with the FDLR, a group of Hutu fighters in Congo ? of trying to raise an armed group, a charge Ingabire denied. The court on Tuesday acquitted her on charges of promoting ethnic division and genocide ideology.

Ingabire's lawyer, Iain Edwards, said Ingabire will appeal the court's ruling.

"That's the problem I have with this government. If you talk about ethnicity, they say you are a divisionist," Ingabire said in a 2010 interview with The Associated Press after she was put under house arrest. "I think the better solution is you talk about it and find a solution."

The government's chief prosecutor, Martin Ngoga, responded that Ingabire's statements were not simply a free-speech issue because she could incite Rwanda "to once more explode" as it did in 1994.

President Paul Kagame has been lauded by the international community for leading Rwanda through nearly two decades of peace, for advancing women's rights and for leading the country through strong economic growth. But the court's sentence reinforces the view by political analysts that opponents of Kagame have little space to operate in post-genocide Rwanda.

Though Rwanda appears serene on the surface, Ingabire's political party ? FDU-Inkingi ? calls Kagame a dictator. The party urged Rwandans to remain calm and "to get ready for the day to march until freedom is won."

"This is a conclusion of a long chapter of hope that the current dictatorship would understand how important peace, genuine unity and sustainable reconciliation are," a statement from a party leader Boniface Twagirimana said.

Judge Alice Rulisa, speaking for a three-judge High Court panel, said Ingabire was given a lighter sentence because she had written a letter to Kagame asking for leniency. Edwards, the lawyer, said Ingabire admitted to no crimes in the letter.

___

Straziuso contributed from Nairobi, Kenya.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/opposition-leader-sentenced-8-years-rwanda-125343563.html

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