Get 1,000's of new quality targeted Twitter followers every month with these amazing tools.
Friday, December 17, 2010
TweetBig Twitter Rocket Fuel! - Sponsored Post
Get 1,000's of new quality targeted Twitter followers every month with these amazing tools.
Free Bible Study Lessons! - Sponsored Post
Free Bible Study Lessons. Looking to build your relationship with God? Grow your faith with this 21-Day Challenge.
Get a chance to win $5000 Green Home Remodel - Sponsored Post
Get a chance to win $5000 Green Home Remodel with treeliving.com
John Stillwell, AFP/Getty ImagesPrince William's wedding won't allow for a bank holiday and no Obama invitations...
Palace sources reason that because Prince William is not the direct heir to the throne his wedding is not considered a "state affair" though the government has declared the wedding a bank holiday.
The couple's selection of Westminster Abbey as their wedding ceremony venue limits the guest list to 2,000 guests and the couple would prefer to invite charity workers and ordinary citizens rather than foreign dignitaries.
The Daily Mail reports that a handful of heads of state are likely to make the list including France's President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni.
At Prince Charles and Princess Diana's 1981 wedding President and Mrs. Reagan were invited but only the First Lady attended.
The decision to keep the wedding guest list open to non-VIPS is an example of Prince William's desire to hold the first ever "people's wedding" by inviting the public who have worked with his 21 charities.
More on the Royal Wedding:
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeLeaked cables prove Vatican's cover-ups of child abuse by Catholic priests...A recent international newspaper report claimed that American diplomatic cables indicated the Vatican felt "offended" that Ireland failed to respect Holy See sovereignty when asking high ranking churchmen to answer questions about sex abuse to an Irish sex abuse commission. Part of a cover up, perhaps?
That the Holy See has tried to use its diplomatic- immunity status to try to thwart the Irish fact finding probe has long known. But WikiLeaks cables allegedly published by Britain's Guardian newspaper contain delicate, behind the scenes diplomatic assessments. Interesting to say the least.
The Vatican press office declined to comment on the cables, but decried the leaks as a matter of "extreme seriousness". The cables or their contents I wonder?
The US ambassador to the Holy See also condemned the leaks and said the Vatican and America co-operate in promoting universal values.
There is much more to the report, but I would like to briefly comment on the so-called universal values: Just what values did they discuss?
I would strongly suggest that the Vatican, and America by its association, should be eternally condemned for trying to hide evidence of child rape and sexual assault by Roman Catholic priests in a number of countries over many decades.
The Church had many priests transfered to other parishes, and sometimes other countries, and prevented in many cases local authorities from obtaining evidence against paedophile priests.
Ireland wanted to be seen as being supportive of the independent probe into child abuse cover-ups in the Dublin Archdiocese, but Rome officials didn't want to intervene in the probe's efforts to get information.
To do so was viewed by the Vatican as an affront to their sovereignty - never mind an offront to human decency!
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Same-sex couples may soon be able to have their own genetic children (Image: See-ming Lee via Flickr)
Stem Cell Therapy Germany - www.XCell-Center.com/StemCells/
Europe's leading treatment center Fully licensed, government approved
Europe's leading treatment center Fully licensed, government approved
First Solar Modules - www.colexon.com.au
Thin-film Solar Packages available. Check out our Initial Offer!
Thin-film Solar Packages available. Check out our Initial Offer!
Dell - Official Site - www.Dell.com/NZ_SMB
Get amazing deals on Dell laptops & computers. Buy online today!
Get amazing deals on Dell laptops & computers. Buy online today!
Considering an E-Bike? - Answers-About-.ElectricBikes.co.nz
Answers to Your Electric Bike FAQs. + Great Range of NZ Electric Bikes!
Answers to Your Electric Bike FAQs. + Great Range of NZ Electric Bikes!
A team of reproductive scientists in Texas, led by Dr. Richard R. Berhringer at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, manipulated fibroblasts - a type of cell that are the most common cells of connective tissue in animals - from a male (XY) mouse fetus to produce an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line. About one percent of iPS cell colonies grown from this XY cell line spontaneously lost the Y chromosome, resulting in XO cells.
These XO iPS cells were injected into blastocysts from donor female mice before being transplanted into surrogate mothers, which gave birth to female XO/XX chimeras having one X chromosome from the original male mouse fibroblast.
The female chimeras, carrying oocytes - which are immature ovum or egg cells - derived from the XO cells, were mated with normal male mice. Some of the offspring were male and female mice that had genetic contributions from two fathers
.
The technique, which is described in a study posted on Wednesday at the online site of the journal Biology of Reproduction, could be applied to livestock breeding to combine desirable genetic traits from two males without having to outcross to females with diverse traits
.
The scientists also point out that this "new form of mammalian reproduction" could also be valuable for preserving species when no females remain as it would be possible for one male to produce both oocytes and sperm for self-fertilization to generate male and female progeny.
They add that, in the future, it may also be possible to generate human oocytes from male iPS cell in vitro. Used in conjunction with in vitro fertilization, this would eliminate the need for female XO/XX chimeras, although a surrogate mother would still be needed to carry the two-father pregnancy to term.
Additionally, using a variation of the iPS technique, the researchers say, "it may be possible to generate sperm from a female donor and produce viable male and female progeny with two mothers."
However, the authors caution that the generation of human iPS cells still requires significant refinements prior to their use for therapeutic purposes, so there's still some time to explore the moral and ethical questions such technology will no doubt raise.
Acknowledgements: Gizmag.com
http://huttriver.blog.co.uk
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Image via CrunchBase Facebook Bullies Charged After being tracked down by their victim...(Dec. 8 2010) -- When 18-year-old Ally Pfeiffer found a Facebook profile impersonating her and replacing her photograph with a picture of a cow to mock her weight, she cried.
Then, though, the Connecticut teen fought back, found the IP address for the bogus page and helped police trace the cruel behavior back to Sarah Johnson and Jeff Martone, her former classmates at a Bristol, Conn., high school. And now, Johnson and Martone, both freshmen at the University of Connecticut, have been charged with criminal impersonation and second-degree harassment.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Pfeiffer said she's speaking out about her experience because she hopes it will prevent other young people from going through the pain she did. "If I help one teen or if I make one bully think twice before doing something I would feel 100 percent better," she said in an interview with NBC's "Today" show this morning.
Both Martone, 19, and Johnson, 18, have admitted to creating the fake Facebook profile, which listed Pfeiffer's "likes" as "being fat," "whales," "Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream" and "not running." Pfeiffer said she and Johnson were close friends in high school. "When I first saw the page, I was completely devastated. I didn't know who had done it at this point and was questioning why they chose me, why they'd say those things about me," she told WFSB.com.
But Pfeiffer, a freshman at the University of Hartford, said she didn't want to let the cyberbullying ruin her life. "Some of my friends would have hung themselves over this," she told the Bristol Press. "So I'm just glad that [Martone and Johnson] got a stable person trying to take a positive approach to dealing with it rather than someone who could have taken different action."
Cyberbullying has gained increased scrutiny since the death of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi earlier this year, who killed himself after his classmates allegedly posted a video of him having sex with another man.
Jeremy Weingast, Martone's attorney, said his client is sorry for the pain he caused. "Jeffrey is very remorseful and sorry for the entire incident and apologizes to Ally," he said in a statement.
Johnson and Martone were released on $2,500 bond and are scheduled to face a court hearing Dec. 23. Both charges are misdemeanors.
Acknowledgements: 2010 AOL Inc. AOL New
Read here
Saturday, December 04, 2010
- NZPA
Friday, December 03, 2010
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Image via Wikipedia Messages of support for the families of kiwi miners lost at Pike River...GREYMOUTH, NZ — Messages of support for the families of the miners who lost their lives at Pike River are flooding in from all over New Zealand and around the world, including several from international heads of state.
Queen Elizabeth has sent the following message:
”I am deeply saddened by today's news that there is now no hope for the men trapped in the Pike River mine. My heart goes out to the families and friends of these 29 brave miners and to all who have been touched by this national disaster. I send my thanks and deep appreciation to everyone who has worked so hard to attempt a rescue and also to those who will have a part to play in the task of healing the pain that is being felt throughout New Zealand and around the world. At this sad and difficult time my thoughts and prayers are with you all.
”
Government House has also received a message from Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Prince William, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Durao Barroso and the President of Singapore, SR Nathan.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard released the following statement: “This is tragic news, 29 families have been hoping, praying, waiting to hear good news and now they've heard the most terrible news. Our hearts go out to them and on behalf of the Australian people I give the condolences of this nation.
“This is obviously a community in New Zealand that will now grieve bearing this dreadful loss, we send our best wishes and our best wishes, sympathy and support go to the two Australian families now living with this dreadful and tragic news.”
Prime Minister John Key said New Zealand is a nation in mourning.
"The 29 men whose names and faces we have all come to know, will never walk amongst us again. This is a national tragedy," he said.
"To lose this many brothers at once strikes an agonising blow. Today all New Zealanders grieve for these men.
"To all those who have lost a loved one, New Zealand stands shoulder to shoulder with you. Though we cannot possibly feel this pain as you do, we have you in our hearts and our thoughts."
Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand also expressed his sympathies to the families, friends and colleagues of the men and acknowledged the efforts of those involved in the search and rescue operation.
“Their commitment and dedication will be deeply appreciated. “
Thousands of messages of support and donations have been already been received for the Pike River miners’ families through a service which was started this morning
.
The text message service is a joint initiative of almost every media company in New Zealand and Telecom, Vodafone and 2degrees.
By texting 306 you can make an instant donation of $3 plus send a message of support.
Read more comments and leave your condolence message for the miners and their families below.
Acknowledgements: MSN News
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Image via CrunchBase
AP – FILE - In this March 25, 2010 file photo, a Chinese flag blows in the air below the Google logo outside … Attempts to access wikileaks.org and cablegate.wikileaks.org were met with a notice saying the connection had been reset. That's the standard response when a website is being blocked by Chinese authorities who exert rigid controls over Internet content.
It wasn't clear when the blocks were imposed, although a vast swath of the Internet is inaccessible behind China's firewall, including social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Human rights and political dissent-themed sites are also routinely banned, although technologically savvy users can easily jump the so-called "Great Firewall" with proxy servers or other alternatives.
WikiLeaks may have been singled out because of some of the assertions made in the leaked cables, including some sent from the U.S. Embassies in Seoul and Beijing focusing on China's ally North Korea.
Those included suggestions that North Korea's communist regime would likely collapse within three years of the death of ruler Kim Jong Il, and that Chinese leaders were prepared to accept South Korea's eventual rule over the entire Korean peninsula.
In one, a Chinese diplomat is quoted describing North Korea as a "spoiled child" for attempting to win U.S. attention with a provocative missile test.
The leaks also claimed that China's Politburo directed a cyber intrusion into Google's computer systems, and expressed concern over attempts by Iranian front companies to obtain Chinese nuclear technology.
China's government has taken a low-key approach to the leaks, with the Foreign Ministry saying it would not comment on specific assertions in the cables.
"China takes note of relevant reports. We hope the U.S. side will properly handle the relevant issue. As for the content of the documents, we do not comment on that," ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Tuesday.
The Global Times, a provocative tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party mouthpiece Peoples Daily, labeled the disclosure a "nefarious slander against China" on Wednesday.
It also questioned the U.S. government's perceived inability to block the posting of the leaks, saying it raised questions as to whether it had reached some form of tacit understanding with WikiLeaks.
Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Beijing's Renmin University, said Beijing shared Washington's concern about the release of sensitive diplomatic communications. But he said the WikiLeaks' blocking was motivated more by the need to stifle further rumor mongering, rather than suppressing specific revelations.
"The website is blocked because the information is both unprovable and sensitive," Shi said.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said that WikiLeaks acted illegally in posting the documents. Officials around the world have said the disclosure jeopardizes national security, diplomats, intelligence assets and relationships between foreign governments.
The massive leaks were "embarrassing" and "awkward," but the consequences for American foreign policy should be limited, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.
Acknowledgements: AP
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Image via Wikipedia 
New Zealand Green Party MP Keith Locke said the documents would now make it difficult for the Government to justify the presence of the Waihopai base. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Whistleblowing website WikiLeaks yesterday released a quarter of a million top secret US diplomatic cables to a handful of newspapers. The cables reveal Washington is running a secret intelligence campaign targeted at the leadership of the United Nations.
UK newspaper the Guardian, which received the messages, reported on a "classified directive" issued to US diplomats under US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's name in July last year.
It asks US diplomats to gather information about top UN personnel including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the permanent security council representatives from China, Russia, France and Britain.
Ms Clark became the head of the UN's Development Programme three months before the directive was issued.
The directive asks for a range of information including material about the personalities and leadership styles of top officials, and technical details about the communications systems they use.
It even asks for passwords and personal encryption keys used in private and commercial networks for official communications and for detailed biometric information on key UN officials.
Specific topics it seeks information on include the "plans, intentions, views, positions, lobbying, and tactics of regional groups, blocs, or coalitions on issues before the General Assembly".
It also requests "plans and intentions of key UN leaders and member states regarding the ongoing operations of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, including force protection in Afghanistan".
In the cable's one specific mention of New Zealand, it asks for "plans, tactics, timetables, and draft proposals for the Eighth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)". The cable asks information showing "whether or under what conditions states would consider withdrawing from the NPT".
The New York Times, which also received the messages, reported the type of information diplomats were now being asked to gather could be used by US electronic eavesdropping organisation the National Security Agency (NSA) for data mining and surveillance operations.
The NSA operates a global electronic communications surveillance system of which the Waihopai base in Marlborough forms a crucial part.
Green Party MP Keith Locke said the documents would now make it difficult for the Government to justify the presence of the base.
"Waihopai's main task is to intercept global communications for the US National Security Agency. The WikiLeaks documents inform us that the US has been blatantly violating international conventions with its detailed spying on UN figures, from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon down."
Mr Locke said some of the documents were proving embarrassing for governments, particularly in the Arab world, "by showing they were more supportive of US foreign policy than they were admitting".
Further details of the 250,000 cables are expected to be revealed over coming days.
And what about New Zealand? Is the US still concerned about its anti-nuclear policy?
Acknowledgements: NZ Herald
By Adam Bennett | Email Adam
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Gripe - Word-of-Mouth is Powerful! - Sponsored Post
@gripeapp word-of-mouth is powerful! Use it wisely:
http://gri.pe
http://gri.pe
Like Treeliving.con on Facebook and get a chance to win a $5000 Green MakeOver!! - Sponsored Post
READY TO MAKE A SWITCH TO A GREENER LIFESTYLE?
WANT TO HELP SAVE THE PLANET? VISIT US AT TREE LIVING.COM
http://www.treeliving.com/
WANT TO HELP SAVE THE PLANET? VISIT US AT TREE LIVING.COM
http://www.treeliving.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)