Joe Medicine Crow gets Presidential Medal of Freedom

During World War II a soldier entered into the battle wearing traditional war paint under his uniform. On Wednesday the soldier, Joe Medicine Crow was at the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Medal.

Joe Medicine Crow has walked in two sets of moccasins, understanding both the Indian and white man’s worlds. His grandfather, who helped raise Joe wanted him to become a warrior even if the family did not live on Indian land. When Joe was just a young boy about 6 years old his grandfather had him running barefoot around outside during the cold Montana winter. National Geographic Kids reports:

“The next day he said, ‘Run around twice,’” says Medicine Crow, chuckling. It might sound crazy, but there was a reason. “He was training me to be a warrior!”

Joe Medicine Crow joined other world leaders to be honoured by President Obama for their contributions to the world. Joe came from a line of warriors. His step-grandfather, White Man Runs Him, was an eyewitness to the Battle of Big Horn while acting as a scout for George Custer. During the war Crow helped retrieve dynamite that was used to attack the Germans. He earned a Bronze Star for his courage under fire. Crow, a 95-year-old Crow Indian was the first of his tribe to earn a master’s degree. His thesis, “The Effects of European Culture Contact upon the Economic, Social, and Religious Life of the Crow Indians” is the most read source even today for the history of his people. The oldest member of the Crow tribe, Joe Medicine Crow is the last surviving war chief. He is a strong advocate for his people, still bridging the gaps between reservation life and the outside world.

Toronto’s TeamSickKids Off For the 17th World Transplant Games

A group of athletes from Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children are headed to the Gold Coast of Australia to compete in the 17th World Transplant Games with TeamCanada.

Each one of the 25 members of the team have received a heart, lung, liver or kidney transplant. The athletes have been training for months to take part in the games held August 22 to August 30. Sick Kids reports:

“One of the main goals of our organ transplantation program is to provide a better quality of life and as normal a childhood as possible,” said Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO of SickKids. “Our patients’ participation in the World Transplant Games is a testament not only to the quality of care they have received but also to their own and their families’ resolve. It is their determination, spirit and enthusiasm that we are celebrating today.”

The children that left for the Gold Coast have prepared for several months in an exercise training program with SickKids physiotherapists. This is the second time the team has appeared at the World Transplant Games. In 2007 the 17 heart transplant patients that attended brought Canada back 38 medals from Bangkok, Thailand. The team was the only delegation from Canada to send a team to the Games at that time. This year’s team all receive their treatments at SickKids. The team is comprised of members from eight to 18 years of age. Sick Kids quotes Dr. Anne Dipchand:

“At the 2007 Games, Team SickKids athletes had the opportunity to meet and interact with transplant recipients of all ages and organs,” said Dr. Anne Dipchand, Associate Director of the SickKids Transplant Centre, Head of the SickKids Heart Transplant Program and General Manager of Team SickKids. “One of the greatest highlights for both the parents and the kids was to see people who had received organ transplants as kids, who have grown up into adults leading healthy, successful and fulfilling lives.”

Returning champ Jessica Dorcich, 10, enjoys the chance to meet with other heart transplant patients just like her.

“Even though we have all had different experiences, it is nice to know that we have this chance to come together and compete and show the world what we can do,” she said.

The Daily Observer says that more than 1,500 people from 60 countries will be Down Under competing in the Games this year.

White House not happy with school lunch ads starring Obama girls

There were 14 ad banners at Washington D.C.’s Union Station on August 4 that the White House wanted to disappear. A young girl is featured asking, “President Obama’s daughters get healthy school lunches. Why don’t I?”

The White House may want the ads gone but they are within the right of free speech. While the administration has said that using the daughters of President Obama infringes on their private life, the ads only ask a legitimate question. ABC Blogs reports:

“We’ve been very clear I think from even before the administration started that their two girls would have a very private life, and we want to protect that private life and their privacy,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said this morning when asked about the PCRM posters. “And we hope that others will be respectful, as many in the media have been, about not using the girls as a publicity stunt.”

No one though is speaking on behalf of the eight-year-old Jasmine Messiah of Miami-Dade who is featured in the ad asking a very real question of the government. Why do some children reap the benefits that all children deserve? The ads are from the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) who are lobbying for healthy lunch programs within the nation’s school systems. CBS Blogs reports:

“The contrast is not with the daughters,” Dr. Neal Barnard says of the controversial poster, pointing out that Sasha and Malia’s names and pictures are not in the ad. “The contrast is with the school the president’s daughters are able to patronize. Sidwell Friends is able to offer health nutritious meal options.” Veggie burgers are offered alongside hamburgers, vegetarian chili is served next to meat chili with higher cholesterol, he says. “Go a mile away to any school in the district” and what options are there to a bologna-and-cheese sandwich? he asks. “What’s left? Nothing. Nothing at all.”

Little Jasmine brings her own lunch to school by the way in order to have fruits and vegetables. MSNBC quotes the young girl:

“Sometimes I bring in broccoli and carrots and my friends are like, ‘Ewww, this is disgusting,’ ” she told The Miami Herald. “But I think if they tried it more, they’d like it.”

Jasmine is wise. The United States is dealing with a nation of children that have unhealthy diets. At this point one in three will deal at some point in their lives with diabetes. Changing the diets of children in the school could lead to a healthier nation. The campaign by PCRM points out the fact that the average school is pushed to serve high-fat, high-cholesterol foods. This is in spite of the knowledge that a low fat, vegetarian diet helps prevent obesity, heart disease and diabetes. The federal child nutrition legislation does not have provisions in place to support vegetarian meals in schools. News 8 reports that the ads will remain in place at Union Station until August 31.

Associated Press to drive traffic to new AP-hosted website

The Associated Press (AP) is planning to prevent members and customers from publishing some of the AP’s news content on their websites. AP will instead have other news sites link directly to the main AP website for that content.

The Associated Press has put together a briefing of their plans sent to AP members late in July. The document labeled “AP CONFIDENTIAL — NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION” was sent to Nieman Journalism Lab, a project of the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University. Titled “Protect, Point, Pay — An Associated Press Plan for Reclaiming News Content Online,” the document outlines a tracking device that will be attached to future AP content. The Protect, Point and Pay directive will put a copyright on AP content. Nieman Lab reports:

“So a headline item that says, ‘Mid-air collision outside of New York and tourists die,’ let’s say. You can imagine, in the New York area, there are lots of media covering that story.” Kasi, the AP’s general counsel, “it’s not to suggest that there’s a legal distinction.”

The newswire coverage would remain in place, but at a lesser degree than the more complex and unique materials. In easy-to-understand terms, the AP wants users to pay for the content and to drive additional traffic to their site. That move could put bloggers and smaller journalism sites at risk if they use AP content. It could also have those users refusing to take a chance with AP content, thus reducing traffic to AP’s site. AP will be using a microformat called hNews, Ars Technica reports. The program annotates news stories with information about the author, dateline and other key meta targeting aspects. It is open-source software. That software is already in use by some other media outlets in an effort to ensure users tag all sources used. It remains to be seen if AP’s plans will strengthen their hold on news content or if it will have news media sites turn away to other sources.

Computers are becoming the standard text book

Millions of trees could be sighing a breath of relief in the future as computers become the standard in schools instead of textbooks if some reports are correct. Still those mighty oaks will have to wait a while before they are in the clear.

Not everyone is in favor of textbooks going the way of the dinosaur but it does make ecological sense. Textbooks are quickly outdated while computers are updated within minutes. Still it depends on what level of education to understand the near future trends when it comes to textbooks vs. computers. It may be many years before the companies that make those heavy textbooks delve into a world without pages to turn. In college those tomes are a money maker. Students generally spend over $1,000 a year for their books. As professors demand the latest editions the used books are worthless for the next year’s students. Delaware Online reports:

“It’s safe to say that paper, printed texts continue to be the bulk of the demand,” said Elio DiStaola, spokesman for the Follett Higher Education Group, which manages 800 bookstores in North America, including those at Delaware State University and St. Mark’s High School. “But we’re seeing more of those texts available in the electronic format. Our bookstores are preparing for that shift to accelerate. We have to assume that it will.”

There are about 4,500 college stores in the United States that survive because of those heavy tomes. With average sales hovering around $3 million the owners are unlikely to push for computers being the new textbooks. Computer teaching has a more self-study approach than standard textbooks approach. Information on the computer is grasped in a different way than when it is obtained by reading a book. It’s hard to write in the margins of a computer after all. While higher learning institutions don’t see the textbook being replaced by computers United States school systems may be nudging towards that day. A report in The New York Times shows that many school districts are providing their students with computers for lessons and homework assignments. Some teachers see the day when the computer is the textbook.

“Kids are wired differently these days,” said Sheryl R. Abshire, chief technology officer for the Calcasieu Parish school system in Lake Charles, La. “They’re digitally nimble. They multitask, transpose and extrapolate. And they think of knowledge as infinite. “They don’t engage with textbooks that are finite, linear and rote,” Dr. Abshire continued. “Teachers need digital resources to find those documents, those blogs, those wikis that get them beyond the plain vanilla curriculum in the textbooks.”

In California some science and math texts are being replaced with open source digital versions. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hopes that this initiative could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year. The computer is not a reliable text tool though unless every student is equip with not only their own device but also with Internet access.

“A large portion of our kids don’t have computers at home, and it would be way too costly to print out the digital textbooks,” said Tim Ward, assistant superintendent for instruction in California’s 24,000-student Chaffey Joint Union High School District, where almost half the students are from low-income families.

The fairly near future though may see kids toting their computer bags instead of backpacks jammed full of books weighing half of what they do. The future student may not understand how their parents sat in a class listening to a teacher lecture and then going home to read chapters at a time. They are liable to ask, “But what program did you use to store the information in so that you could use it later Mom?”

Zinc pill can stop childhood diarrhea deaths

One pill can save a child in Africa suffering from diarrhea. The hand of death takes 1.6 million children under the age of 5 world-wide from the ravages of the bowel condition according to the World Health Organization.

In Africa and Asia millions die each year from the affects of diarrhea. That seems a high figure to those in those in the West. More children die from the disease than from malaria or AIDS. That could end if children are given a single Zinc pill. It appears the medication stops diarrhea in its tracks. That appears to be the findings in many studies, including one done in New Delhi, India. With charity support some villages are seeing a turn around because of the pills. Bill and Melinda Gate’s charity work along with the Idol Gives Back program are just two that are helping supply village medical clinics with zinc pills. Time reports:

“Before, we were terrified when children’s stomachs began running, because we knew some of them would die,” says Sata Djialla in the Malian village of Morola. “Now our children are not dying of diarrhea.”

The reason the pill works is because many in undeveloped nations have zinc deficiencies. Zinc deficiency lowers the immune system making children and adults more susceptible to infections that cause diarrhea. Zinc has also been shown to increase the activation of T cells that destroy viruses and bacteria. With this new awareness it is possible that childhood deaths may decrease in the near future.

Think Magazine launches August 10

Think Magazine launched Monday. Editor Jacqueline Carlisle wanted to her magazine to launch paperless and yet still have the look of a print magazine, not an easy task for an online product.

The focus of Think is sustainable living in a light, friendly atmosphere. Editor-in-chief Jacqueline Carlisle has spent months behind the scenes getting her magazine just the right look prior to Monday’s launch. Carlisle, a beautiful Brit living in Toronto, has put her love of the sustainable world into a very eco-friendly design. Without the use of paper she has been able to give the same quality that one would expect from a high quality production. The magazine uses flash to carry readers through beautifully presented articles. Toronto’s Mychol Scully has used his expertise in coding to do this. The first issue features articles on clothing designer Ada Zanditon, designer Andrew Haarsager and a new breed of eco-friendly cars which was also published today at Digital Journal.

The compressed-air powered AIRPod is car for green living

The designers of the AIRPod took into consideration large cities and the environment when putting their cars on the drawing board. What came from those considerations is a car that is perfect for the city dweller and leaves zero pollution in its wake.

Using the Swiss company MDI’s engine designs and adapting the technologies to enable an oxygen powered engine to fuel a car. AIRPod is able to do the impossible — use compressed air to power a car. For those who are focused on preserving the environment AIRPod is a dream for consumers. The AIRPod was on display this winter at the International Geneva Motor Show 2009. During the 10-day event the MDI stand saw almost 700,000 visitors. Some of those that hit the stand had checkbooks in hand ready to be one of the first to own an AIRPod or at the very least to rent one. According to those who worked the event’s stand on average 200 people wanted their own AIRPod daily. AIRPod is a revolutionary vehicle that takes green living to the streets. The Swiss-made car uses compressed air instead of gasoline for fuel. The concept car left the production line in Spring 2009.

The car uses a joystick for steering. A fill-up only costs a single euro per 200 km. On busy city streets the AIRPod breezes in and out of tight parking spaces enabling the driver a wider range of parking spots. The sharp design is an added plus for trendy city drivers. The compact AIRPod car can seat three adults and one child and still provide room for luggage. Dedicated to both the private and public consumer the AIRPod delivers a sound investment. The AIRPod Baby is a two-seater with a luggage area of more than 500 liters. The Baby was designed with the city driver’s needs with enough flexibility to be able to be used for deliveries, municipal services, roads and small logistics.

// <![CDATA[// // <![CDATA[// Need more room? The AIRPod Cargo was designed for those that need cargo space. The cargo area can hold up to a meter cube making it easy to shuttle deliveries around town. The AIRPod has even made it into children’s storybooks. “From the Air for the Planet” written by Mr. Jean-Marie Defossez raises awareness about environmental protection for the next generation. The book tells the adventures the characters face while they look for pollution free vehicles to get around in. Published by Flammarion the book can be found on the Internet. While the AIRPod is still hard to get soon air-powered cars will be pulling into a parking spot close to you.

Canada needs sperm donors

Thousands of Canadians who are infertile in Canada have to place all their hopes on just 33 men who are Canadian sperm donors. Other donors are imported from outside of the nation, a result of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act.

At one time Canada had two dozen sperm banks but when the Assisted Human Reproduction Act made it illegal to pay for sperm or egg donors they dried up in 2004. Today there are very few men willing to give up their sperm for nothing. CTV reports:

“Today, there is one South Asian donor for all of Canada,” he says, noting that couples are often shocked at the limited choices. “There is a significant shortage of donor semen in this country, yes.”

While it seems like being a donor is as easy as a sit-com plot in reality there is a screening process that takes time. Egg donors have to inject themselves with fertility medications and then suffer through a painful procedure to extract eggs. For men the process is simpler, a cup and perhaps a couple of Hustler magazines, but it’s no guarantee that the sperm can be used. For every 100 donor candidates only 5 have buggers that swim the right way. For couples wanting to be parents that’s not good news. Outreach Health Services is the biggest supplier of donor sperm but it has to import their product. Most of the donors are from Georgia and Florida where donors are paid $100 per visit. Clients can look through donor listings to select that special sperm, as long as they don’t mind it being foreign brewed. The clinics have little choice with the heavy rules applying to home breed donors. CTV reports:

“The legislation said donors could only be compensated for expenses that could be receipted. There was a grace period where people could be compensated for non-receipted period and we’ve been in that grace period ever since,” Dr. Cliff Librach of the CReATe Fertility Centre in Toronto told CTV.ca, explaining how they’ve managed to keep the Canadian donors they have.

Actor Jaime Foxx on his big break, Ray, collabing with Kanye

Young Eric Marlon Bishop grew up in a tiny Texas town where the side of the railroad tracks told if you were black or white. He now tours the world, a highly paid entertainer in both film and music. Jaime Foxx has come a long way.

Jaime Foxx was in Toronto today to help with the launch of the first LG Life’s Good Film Fest. He talked to the media about his humble beginnings and his views on his career in the entertainment world. Foxx was born in Terrell, Texas, population 12,000. He was raised by his grandparents who wanted their grandson to succeed in the world. His grandmother knew the way to go about that was through music. Foxx began training on classical piano at the age of 5. Those ivory keys opened doors for the young man, first by seeing how the ‘other half’ lived as he performed for the country club crowd and later by providing his education. Foxx went to the United States International University on a full music scholarship in San Diego.

San Diego is just a stone’s throw from the bright lights in Los Angeles. While still in school Foxx started to perform stand-up comedy. The young comic used his skill on the piano as a stepping stone delighting his audiences and getting better gigs. Then came his big break — sketch-comedy show In Living Color hired him in 1991.

Foxx’s role of Wanda, a sex loving transvestite was a hit. That role Foxx announced on Tuesday will make it to the big screen in 2010 along with Martin Lawrence playing his “Sheneneh Jenkins” will begin filming in January. The working title is “Sheneneh and Wanda Rob a MotherF@@king Bank.” Foxx and Lawrence made their test demo for producers unscripted. That test pitch was a hit. An interesting fact about his time at In Living Color also deals with the Wanda character. Foxx had just started his gig there when he meet Teddy Rogers. Still in the Wanda get up he ran up to Rogers to give him a music demo. Foxx laughed remembering that Rogers told him he was “feeling very uncomfortable with this right now.”

One of Foxx’s most rewarding roles was playing Ray Charles in the film Ray, which earned him an Academy Award. It was a film that almost wasn’t able to be made. Lacking the funding until Philip Anschutz came on board fronting the entire $35 million needed the film had been held back. Once the funding was in place the movie went full throttle. Foxx recalled meeting Charles for the first time. The real Ray Charles wanted to play the blues with him on the piano. Foxx held his own until striking a wrong note. After some advice from the master Foxx kept up. “Mr. Charles told me a story about life: ‘The notes are right under your fingers, life is harmony.’ I got it right there!” Foxx was very happy that Charles was able to see the film prior to his death. Of course Foxx was also happy to let the Toronto crowd know that his first film was shot in Toronto, the cult classic (Foxx’s words) “Booty Call.” He said that he fell in love with the warmth of the people and the city during that time in 1992. While the LG event did not allow for media questions Foxx held the crowd’s attention while he talked about his past and his true love, music.

“I was born to do music. Seeing people do my songs is just amazing.” Foxx is currently on tour in North America promoting his latest album Intuition. Foxx enjoyed going to Puff Daddy’s parties. When he asked Puff how much it cost him to throw a party the rapper said, “$2 million.” Foxx told him he was going to throw just as cool a party but for only $400. With a studio in his house Foxx kept his word. At one of those parties a talented rapper showed up. Foxx told the guy he had to sing because everyone did at his parties. Foxx was amazed. He and that rapper, Kanye West, went to the back and started working in the studio. The song “Slow Jamz” is a result of that party. The real reason though that Foxx was at the press gathering was the first LG’s Life’s Good Film Fest launch. He is proud to be part of the launch. “People who do film inspire our culture. I have been lucky to work with some of the greatest film makers in our history. This is a great project. No matter who you are you can get your film out. I am happy and excited to do this film festival. It will give people a chance to live their dreams.”

LG Life’s Good FilmFest Launches in Toronto

On August 11 LG Electronics announced the first LG Life’s Good FilmFest, a Canadian film festival offering up $130,000 in prize money for short films. With no entry fee, this film festival will allow all talent to show their stuff.

“There’s really no other film festival like the LG Life’s Good FilmFest. The concept is simple: an engaging HD short film festival with no entry fee and the chance to win incredible cash prizes. We’re absolutely thrilled that Jaime Foxx could join us to help launch the festival, as his amazing work in film, comedy and music really exemplifies the spirit and talent the FilmFest will no doubt attract,” Tim Barnes said to a media gathering to announce the film festival. Tim Barnes, marketing director for LG Electronics Canada told a media gathering about the short film festival. Using old school snail mail, participants can send in their films in hopes of winning the $100,000 grand prize within one of four categories: Animation, Fashion and Music, Sports and Narrative. The other top three films will each win $10,000 in prize money.

Viewers can watch the short films that have been submitted on the LG’s Life’s Good YouTube channel or at the LG Film Fest site. During the holiday season shoppers will be able to take a five-minute break in stores while viewing some of the best short films from the Film Festival. “We will be giving customers a chance to smile.” stated Barnes. The films will all be presented in HD format, giving the best views for the film makers. Deadline for entering this year’s FilmFest is October 16. The winner will be announced in January 2010. Some people that attended questioned Foxx as the celebrity launching the festival because he is not Canadian. Still Foxx does bring a vast array of talent to the table.

Connor Cruise To Star in ‘Red Dawn’ Remake

Connor Cruise, son of actor Tom Cruise, is joining the cast of Red Dawn. The movie is a remake of the 1984 cult classic.

Connor will be tackling the role of Daryl, the mayor’s son. Also signed onto the project are Josh Hutcherson, Isabel Lucas, Edwin Hodge, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck and Adrianne Palicki. The movie will begin shooting in Detroit this December. The release date has been set for September, 10, 2010. Connor Cruise started acting last year, debuting in “Seven Pounds” as Will Smith’s character son. Red Dawn, the original was rated the most violent movie ever made in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records according to the Guardian. The film centers around the players of an American high school football team that escape when their town is taken over by a Soviet invasion. They become known as the Wolverines, the team’s name. The 1984 film helped jump start the careers of Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze who played brothers in the film.

Gibson, world’s tallest dog, dies in California

Gibson, who gained fame as the world’s tallest dog has died in California. Gibson, a certified therapy dog dedicated his life to giving comfort and happiness to everyone along his path.

Gibson was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. After the diagnosis his owner and Gibson startted a campaign to spread the awareness of canine cancer, Three Paws for the Cause. One of Gibson’s front legs had to be removed because of the cancer. Last week the cancer spread to Gibson’s lungs and spine. Gibson’s sad owner had to make the hard decision to put his beloved friend down. Gibson was seven years old. NBC Bay Area reports:

“Last week Gibson began having trouble using his back legs,” said Dr. Peter Walsh, Gibson’s veterinarian, in a prepared statement. “X-rays showed that the cancer had spread to his spine and his lungs. Ms. Hall made the very difficult decision based on her concern and love for Gibson to have him humanely euthanized. Gibson died peacefully in the loving arms of Ms. Hall.”

Gibson was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest dog. He was 42.2 inches tall, and when standing on his hind legs is over 7 foot tall. Gibson appeared on the Larry King Live show and worked in the entertainment field. Gibson also released a book, “Gibson Speaks.” His owner Sandy Hall admits that Gibson had help with writing the book of Gibson’s feats. Zoo Too reports:

“Gibson was destined to be, and still is, he’s a certified therapy dog,” Gibson’s owner, Sandy Hall, told Pet Pulse. “He does wheelchair assistance and he does special needs work. But he did nothing but train and go into practical applications for the first two and a half years of his life. “We started off with little nursing homes and our hospital here is only two floors. We live in a small community.”

His memorial site is online.

Women Eat Less When On a Date

Perhaps the best dieting tool for ladies is to eat out with single men. A study by Canada’s McMaster University shows women eat less calories when dining with men than alone or with other women.

Scientists have confirmed what men have known all along, women order a salad instead of a steak when they are on a date. The study was recently published in the international journal Appetite. When women are dining out with men, either alone or in a mixed-gender group they order smaller caloric meals than when they are dining with other women. The less men in the dining picture the more hearty a meal will be ordered by a lady. When dining with men in a group the average woman’s meal was 450 calories compared to the 700 to 750 calories when dining with other women. Canada.com reports:

“It seems to fit with our intuition. We always hear advice about going on a first date and only eating salad,” said Young, a PhD candidate with the university’s department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour. “Our hypothesis was that we use food to signal attractiveness: ‘We’re healthy. We’re in good shape. we’re pretty.”

Researchers observed 469 people dining alone, couples and larger groups over four weekdays during one week at three different large cafeterias in Hamilton, Ontario. The observers did scan sampling, observing the room and gathering the data that happens at that moment. The researchers recorded the food items in front of each person other than beverage choice. The teams then converted the caloric information of each meal using data from the dining management of each cafeteria. The researchers at McMaster University believe that this act is a subconscious way to attract a mate. Newslite reports:

“It is possible that small food portions signal attractiveness, and women conform, whether consciously or unconsciously, to small meals in order to be seen as more attractive,” says researcher Meredith Young.

Opinion: Let’s All Get A Kenyan Birth Certificate

Do you have a Kenyan birth certificate? It’s not hard to get one with the Kenyan Birth Certificate Generator. All it takes is a few minutes to fill out the details and you can be Kenyan or make a Birther’s version of President Obama’s birth document.

This past weekend ‘Birther’ Orly Taitz said she had the real birth certificate of President Obama showing Kenya as the nation he was born in. It was a forgery. The real document that she was using was for David Jeffrey Bomford who was born in April 1959 in Australia. Salon reports:

“That is ridiculous. Little old person in Adelaide, the President of the United States. I don’t know whether to laugh about it or not, be worried about it,” Bomford said. “It is interesting, someone from here being involved in a conspiracy — that is so funny …. It’s definitely a copy of my certificate. It’s so laughable it’s ridiculous.”

There is plenty of software on the Internet to produce fake documents. Of course Taitz is not admitting to committing the crime of fraud when it comes to the fake documents that she paraded over the Internet early this week. President Obama’s birth certificate has been public since June 2008. That hasn’t stopped the Birthers from looking into any dark corner to find something that will prove their claims. Each claim gets wilder. Obama is a closet Muslim. Obama is Kenyan. Obama runs with scissors. One day we may even hear a rumor that Obama plays with dolls. Perhaps we should all make our own Kenyan birth certificates and be part of the Birthers’ 15 minutes of fame.

One in Four Tweets Created by Bots?

As many as one in four tweets on Twitter are sent by automated bots but most of those tweets are not spam. Around 32 per cent of all tweets made by the most active Twitter users were generated by machine bots

With most Tweets made by actual humans the social network is not going anywhere soon. It’s estimated that by 2010 there will be over 18 million people worldwide using Twitter. Most Twitter users hail from the United States with 60.6 percent of tweets. The United Kingdom comes in a far second place with only 6.91 percent of users. Japan, Canada and Brazil round out the top five twitter usage. Almost half of those that use Twitter have more than 100 followers. Mashable reports:

We found that 32% of all tweets made by the most active Twitter users were generated by machine bots that posted more than 150 tweets/day. The actual percentage of machine-generated tweets among the most active users is probably higher than 32% because there many bots that update less than 150 times/day.

With over 3 million Tweets a day Twitter users appear to actively use the social network a lot. The average user sends 15 messages a day.

Ontario Living Pink Balloon Event is Slated for September 5

On September 5 The Living Pink Balloon Event will take place at Alderville First Nation Ball Diamond. The goal is 500 people wearing pink t-shirts forming a giant pink balloon in order to give Sick Kid’s Foundation $10,000 for brain research.

The Living Pink Balloon comes from two families dealing with the effects of brain disorders and their want to give back to Sick Children’s Hospital. Last September Hollie Gray, 10, was found unresponsive at her home. Her parents called for help and paramedics quickly took the little girl to the hospital. On route to Northumberland Hills Hospital Hollie’s heart stopped. Hollie was revived. At the hospital a mass was found on her brain. That discovery lead to a quick transfer to Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto where her parents were told that their little girl was brain dead. The parents were approached by Trillium Gift of Life to discuss organ donation. Hollie’s parents decided that her spirit had to live on in others. Tanya Gray told Digital Journal that the day before her daughter Hollie died from a brain aneurysm she was joking and laughing while watching television with her family. “She had a mild headache the day before. I thought maybe she had the flu. Hollie was such a go-getter kid. She went to bed and just never woke up.” Brenna was diagnosed with craniopharyngioma or pituitary tumor in 2008. She had early symptoms that were unexplained until she had a CT scan after a third seizure. The little girl was taken to Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto. There she received treatment and is living a near normal life today. The families are asking people to purchase a pink t-shirt by August 20 from The Scissors Edge (1-905-352-2211) and Our House Snack ‘n’ Go in Alderville and at Herbal Magic in Cobourg, Ontario that will be on hand at Sick Kids on September 5 at the hospital. The goal is that 500 people in the t-shirts will help to form a human pink balloon to show recognition for the staff at the hospital. All proceeds will go to brain and behaviour research. Daryl Crowe says, “We understand that there are many causes and people are stretched thin but Sick Kids has touched everyone in some way. So please come out and help us give back.” On September 5 The Living Pink Balloon is hoping to gather 500 people in one place as a symbol of solidarity of support for Sick Kids Foundation wearing pink t-shirts. One giant pink balloon. The September 5 event will feature prizes, BBQ and Pony Rides. The cost is $25.00 a person which includes a Living Pink Balloon T-shirt. The shirts will be available for pick-up at the event. Please reserve your spot by August 20. Tanya Gray is encouraging companies to have teams register along with individuals. All proceeds from the event will go to Sick Kids Foundation.

Central Park Hosts Bed-In For World Peace

The World March for Peace and Nonviolence is holding a bed-in on August 16 for world peace. The celebration is the 40th anniversary of Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s famous bed-in.

The August event is a tribute to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s cause for world peace. The event will take place at the Cherry Hill Fountain in Central Park at 1 PM. A “Peace Bed” will be in place for musicians and those in attendance to express their thoughts on peace and violence the same way Lennon and Ono did 40 years ago. Yoko Ono has endorsed the project.

Yoko Ono sent this message to the organizers, “Remember, each one of us has the power to change the world. Power works in mysterious ways. You don’t have to do much. Visualise the domino effect. And just start thinking PEACE. The message will circulate faster than you think. It’s Time For Action. The Action is PEACE. Spread the word. Spread PEACE.“

Press representative for World Peace March Nicole Myers told Digital Journal that a new peace song will be recorded live at the event. We Want Peace on Earth will be performed by Mark Lesseraux. The song will be in a special double CD of peace songs being produced by Sony, Myers said. “The new song was written and dedicated to the World March for Peace,” said Myers. Myers was very excited about the event and the upcoming global march for peace. She said that there will be music at the Central Park event. The World March will be held in seven continents starting October 2 in New Zealand. It will go around the world ending on January 2, 2010 in Argentina. If you’re in New York City on August 16 check out this special and timely event.

Opium addictions plague Afghanistan

Afghan families are dealing with a double problem when it comes to poppy fields. With a governmental ban on the production they face prison or poverty. They also have to deal with the huge addictive nature of opium, made from the milk of the plant.

It’s a race against the calendar for British and United States to convince Afghan farmers to replace their yearly poppy crops with another seed. The planting season starts in October. In a nation where the population has become addicted to the drug made from poppies, opium, that will be a hard sell. Farm workers make double the money in poppy fields than when working with other crops. While using lower prices for wheat seeds could have a short term affect for some poppy farms the long term could be an additional problem. As poppy fields are replaced by wheat and fruit fields those who stay in the business will make even more money. When there is less of a product that is desired the price can be jacked up. Opium is part of the Afghan culture. Many areas used it as the common currency. It is grown in most family plots. That has changed as the government enforced a ban on the production of opium though. That ban has put many in this struggling nation in deep debt. Statesman.com reports:

“Now we don’t even have 10 Afghanis ($0.25) to give our children to buy bubble gum,” opium farmer Abdul Hay says. “Before they would go into the field and collect the money themselves.”

With the ban working well in most of the county now only seven of the 34 provinces have large fields. The rest of the nation is dealing with the poverty that the ban put into place with growing anger. Those farmers who could easily take care of their families with one crop of poppies struggle with reduced crop productions. The newer crops that the government suggested require fertilizer and water, two things that poor farmers can not afford.

“See this mustard? It can take care of my family for one month,” says 25-year-old farmer Abdul Saboor, pulling up a shoot of the green plant and snapping it open with his teeth. “When we planted opium in this same plot, it took care of all our expenses for an entire year.”

In many areas of the county entire families are addicted to the drug. Nationwide there are one million addicts according to the United Nations. That number say local drug counselors is at least double. Almost a quarter of the addicts are children and their mothers. Children grow up inhaling the smoke as their parents pass around the pipes. The government has buried their heads in the plentiful sand. CBS reports:

“Even Afghans aren’t aware of this problem, most people thought we were producers not consumption,” said Mohammad Zafar, Deputy Minister of Counter-Narcotics.

Families will use their last coins to buy more opium instead of food. Dirty, hungry children stumble around in an opium daze. The more remote villages are baring the brunt of the addictions. There are no treatment centers around the corner to contend with the effects of the addiction. In most of these small villages it is over a day’s walk to medical help. Opium is their medicine. The Toronto Star reports:

“Opium is our doctor,” says Beg, an addicted villager. “When your stomach hurts, you take a smoke. Then you take a little more. And a little more. And then, you’re addicted. Once you’re hooked, it’s over. You’re finished.”

Opium addictions quickly spread like wildfire through villages. Those addicted have no money to feed their families. Their neighbours provide for them but as they feed more and more they too become poorer. One mother Najiba started to feed her family the powerful drug to keep them from shivering in the cold winter. She brews the opium as a tea, its cheaper than food and she says brings her hungry family some happiness. Families sell their children for another fix. It is an endless cycle for these families. The Star reports:

Mohammad Asef, a health worker at the clinic taking care of Zaihar Pari, says he is worried about the boy’s chances of recovering. “In America people go and get high in the park. In Afghanistan, they do it in the home,” says Asef. “They bring it inside. They burn it on the family stove. Everyone sees. So everyone is affected.”

There is no quick or easy fix for Afghanistan’s poppy problem. Without crops that make more money the farmers will continue to be in debt. Without hundreds of treatment centers focusing on the most remote locations addiction will continue to multiply. Both issues needed to be addressed in the beginning of the ban of poppy production not in the midst of a crisis.

Beads of Courage Help Cancer Kids Take the Next Step

Beads of Courage is an organization that helps children with cancer go the next step. Each bead has a special meaning, from trips to the cancer clinic to radiation treatments.

Beads of Courage is a special program for children facing a hard struggle-cancer. The is out of Tucson, Arizona and implemented in supportive care programs in various children’s hospitals in the United States. When a child is enrolled in the program they are given a membership card and a bead guide. They also receive a length of string and beads that spell their name. As they journey on through their treatments they receive a bead by their health care provider to add onto their string. Kids work for the Purple Heart bead. It means the end is here and they have finished their treatments. Their strings tell the story of their cancer treatment journey. Merry August is one of those children on that journey. She had 256 beads as of July 22, 2009. The fourteen-year-old has been ill since March 5 with acute lymphoblastic/lymphocystic leukemia. As she completes treatments at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia she gets a new bead. There are various ways to become involved in the program. Donations can be made directly on the Beads of Courage website. You can also buy beads on eBay, all proceeds go to the program.

The Peace Corps launches YouTube channel

Jody K. Olsen, the acting director of the Peace Corps, has announced that they have their own YouTube channel. The agency is also on Twitter and has a newly designed website.

The Peace Corps channel launched with 45 videos about the agency and their current projects around the world. It also has videos that deal with the history of the organization, founded by President John F. Kennedy and Sargent Shriver.

“The YouTube channel is an excellent resource for anyone considering Peace Corps service to better understand what Peace Corps service is really like on the ground,” said acting Director Olsen.

During the first week the Peace Corps channel had about 1,000 viewers.

Survival Tip: Heart Attack Patients Need To Be Cooled

In what could seem like a tale from of a science fiction book. the best way to protect a heart attack patient is by putting them on ice. Many hospitals have not begun to practice the procedure though.

When minutes can mean life or death going to the right hospital is just as important. The practice of cooling takes a recent heart attack patient’s body temperature down to 91 degrees for 24 hours. There is a good reason for this, the body doesn’t require the same amount of oxygen at this temperature. In the case of cardiac arrest almost 90 percent of patients die. When cooling is used those odds quickly change in favor of the patient, almost 37 percent of cooled patients survive. With a technique that’s fairly simply you would think it is being used everywhere, but it’s not. Only 34 percent of critical care doctors and just 16 percent of ER doctors have the equipment that is needed to rapidly cool a body. Hometown Station reports:

“We’ve done cooling measures for quite a long time, but there’s never been a concerted effort to go hospital-wide with the process, so that anyone who has a cardiac arrest in the local community or arrests in the hospital, has the ability to benefit from the protocol,” stated G. Scott Brewster, M.D., director of the Emergency Department at Providence Tarzana. “We’re creating a standardized approach that’s literature-based and coordinated between the Emergency Department and the ICU.”

In the United States that equipment is at less than 300 hospitals out of the more than 6,000 in the nation. The equipment is expensive, costing about $25,000 for a single cooling initially. After the equipment is in place though that cost goes down to about a thousand dollars per patient. 4VF reports:

“It’s a paradigm shift. We’re using this for people whose eyes are yellow, they’re not moving, and you’re telling doctors to cool these people for 24 hours, warm them up for a day, then take them to the cath lab. You’re doing all these things for people who look dead, sound dead and act dead. It’s asking a lot,” Dr. Ben Abella says

Cooling saved Henry Postulart of Toronto. Within two hours of what could have been a fatal cardiac arrest Mr. Postulart’s body temperature was at 91. Although he spent weeks in a medically induced coma Mr. Postulart walked out of the hospital two months after his October 15, 2008 heart attack. Without the cooling the chances are high that he wouldn’t have left the hospital alive. “I don’t exactly remember being cooled but thank God it was there.” This is a personal story, Henry is my husband. The decision for cooling was thrust at me during the first minutes, forms were signed and my husband survived. He is a walking miracle. There are risks. It is possible that the person will suffer another cardiac arrest when the warming process is started. It is possible that the person will not survive the cooling process. What is known though is that the cooling process gives cardiac arrest patients the best chance of survival, both for their heart and in the long term for their brain. The brain is affected by the loss of oxygen during cardiac arrest. Survivors generally have some form of brain injury when they recover. In Canada cooling heart attack patients is much more common than in the United States. Cardiac patients are transported to the closest hospital with the means to do the procedure as a norm, at least in Toronto.

Florida’s Home Grown Pot Trade Booming

Florida is the leader in indoor marijuana cultivation in the United States. The crops are hydroponic marijuana, grown without soil, giving it the highest level of THC marijuana on the market.

In 2008 there were 1,022 grow-ops busted in the state, up from the previous year’s 480. The average THC in the found crops was at 25 percent. Considering that the pot of yesteryear was at 7 per cent THC, it’s easy to understand that this is a potent plant. When grown indoors marijuana doesn’t have to deal with night hours, lights are used to nourish the plants 24 hours a day. The fertilizers that are used help hasten the growth and the THC levels in the plants. A pound of home grown marijuana can fetch $4,000 on the street in Florida. In other areas, that same crop can make it’s growers up to $8,000. Grow-ops generally have four crops a year. Police rely on tips to break up the indoor farms. One type of informant is the electric company. In one case an employee in Polk Country was sent out to shut down the power for nonpayment. When he heard a generator running in the backyard that day and on a following Monday he asked a person at the home about it. Or tried to, the man refused to comment so he called the sheriffs. That call led to one “sophisticated marijuana grow operation” being shut down. For growers the Internet is a hotbed of information on how to grow hydroponic marijuana. Many sites give step-by-step details on how to plant and harvest, from seed choice to what lighting is the best to use. The police know they may be fighting a long-term battle. As Time reports:

Captain Joe Mendez from the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area says, “If the economic downturn remains as it is, I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.”

Study shows both genders at risk for violence at university

A study led by Elizabeth Saewyc from the University of British Columbia found that nearly one in five students in university experience physical or emotional violence, often the result of alcohol.

The study was published in the June issue of Journal of Adolescent Health. The research found that 17 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women had reported some form of violence in the past six months while at university. The University of British Columbia reports:

“Whether it’s from intimate partners or relative strangers, violence has a significant effect on young people’s health,” says Saewyc, a professor in the School of Nursing and lead author of the study. “At university, the stress from experiencing violence can affect students’ grades, their mental health, even their long-term physical health. When nearly one in five young people report recent violence, that’s a serious concern for campus health services.”

Both genders reported that intimate partners were the aggressors in almost half of the emotional abuse and 20 per cent of the physical abuses. At the university level both genders are equal when it comes to being the victim of violence. Saewyc worked with researchers at the University of Wisconsin and University of Washington in Seattle to survey more than 2,000 students for the study. The findings found that alcohol can increase the incidents of violence. One in three women and 59 per cent of the men had consumed alcohol at the time of being victimized. The results of the study could lead to new guidelines for men in university.

“There are established guidelines that recommend screening women for intimate partner violence in routine clinical care on campus, but not for men. This study shows we need the same routine screening for young men, too,” says Saewyc.

The leaders behind the ‘birther’ movement

The Internet has been the site of a group that would like to throw the current president of the United States out of office for not being born in the USA. The group has been dubbed the ‘birthers.’ But who are they and why are they spreading lies?

The ‘birthers’ are a few men that are intent on using the Internet as a means of spreading lies about President Obama’s birth. While his birth certificate has been approved and the fact that security clearance would be required in a bid for the highest office in the land these people are trying to create discord in the nation. Anthony Martin of Chicago was the first to head to court demanding to see the original birth certificate in Hawaii. He was denied. Perhaps had he been allowed the ‘birthers’ would have faded away with their tails between their legs. Instead the movement grew. Anthony not only went on the rampage over Obama’s nation of birth but tossed out to the media that Obama’s religion background was Muslim. The Kansas City Star reports:

“I would like to claim the role of ringmaster in this birth certificate circus,” Martin said last week on his Web site. “From the first day I began writing about Barack Obama’s secret life five years ago, Obama has obstructed access to the truth about himself. Obama’s sycophants in the media and government have tried to protect him from the truth and the facts of his life.”

While Martin admits that he has doubts about the claims to a Kenyan birth he has not stopped his online campaign. Martin is also known for his anti-Sematic comments.

“I am able to understand how the Holocaust took place, and with every passing day feel less and less sorry that it did.”

Ms. Orly Taitz is another on the “birthers’ wagon. She is a lawyer and dentist out of Orange County, Califorina. She has the means to not only file lawsuits but to travel around the nation spouting her claims that Obama is not a citizen. She also asks for people to fund her accounts on PayPal. She is behind the lawsuit where an officer in the Army Reserve wanted to not serve in Afghanistan because of the birthers claims. The Army excused the man saying he could back out because he was a volunteer. Taitz claims she has proof of a Kenya birth but won’t show it. The Kansas City Star quotes her:

“I don’t need to prove anything,” she said. “He’s the one that needs to provide proper evidence that he is qualified to be president.”

Another lawsuit filer is Philip Berg of Pennsylvania. He’s known for his conspiracy theories, including a lawsuits against every male Bush for two generations for the government’s alleged involvement of the 2001 attacks (9/11). He is also against Taitz saying that she should be disbarred. Jerome Corsi fights as a birther with the pen. He’s a writer at WorldNetDaily. There is now a ‘breaking news’ story on a Kenyan birth certificate.

“It’s a fake document,” he said on Fox News. “I’m convinced it’s a forgery,” he said on Blogtalkradio.com.

Corsi was one of the authors of “Unfit for Command.” The book attacks John Kerry, one of the 2004 Democratic presidential nominees. He doesn’t just give it to the Democrats though, targeting Bush for allegedly surrendering U.S. sovereignty to the new North American Union. The union would put the three nations of North America into one governing body. These people though could not have spread their views without help. The movement also shows the power of the Internet when it comes to gathering like minded people in smear campaigns. Not only is the Internet pushing the ideas onto the public. CNN has been known to host the leaders. Rush Limbaugh has joked about the questions over where Obama was born. This movement doesn’t appear to be going away soon. Those behind it are known for filing lawsuit after lawsuit. The question is will they make a huge difference in the general population.

Bloggasm’s Simon Owens Talks Citizen Media, Blogging

Bloggasm is a site that really shows the way of modern journalism. Run by Simon Owens, a 25-year-old former newspaper journalist, it hits today’s media issues with Owens’ special style.

Owens is no slouch when it comes to journalism. He writes on a regular basis for PBS’s Media Shift. The blog, Bloggasm was named in 2008 as one of PC Magazine’s favorite blogs. Focusing on media subjects Owens recently tackled the rumors about Sarah Palin divorcing and questioned the ethics behind repackaging news articles. Mr Owens took the time to discuss his views on citizen journalism, his site and online journalism. KJ- Why did you go digital journalism from print? SO- Well in many senses I was immersed in the online blogging world well before I became a print journalist. I started my first blog when I was a freshman in college and then launched one that began conducting original interviews when I was a junior, and even as a print journalist I secretly maintained Bloggasm, staying sometimes up until 2 in the morning after work interviewing sources and trying to break stories. Eventually it got to the point where I had made so many contacts within the blogging world that I got some job offers and jumped into the digital realm completely. KJ- Digital Journal is comprised of both professional and citizen journalists. What do you think of citizen journalists? SO- I find myself between the new media evangelists and the old media curmudgeons. I think that citizen journalism has a fascinating role in how information spreads and yet being immersed within the blogosphere daily I get frustrated with the sheer amount of misinformation and shoddy blogging that goes on — I think the traditional journalism filter does do something to battle that, though traditional journalism has its own problems that citizen journalism helps counteract. KJ- Bloggasm is a really cool site, I see you launched it prior to graduating. Has the focus changed since that time? SO- Oh yes, it wasn’t a very good site when it first launched, I had an idea that it would just feature Q and A interviews with prominent bloggers, and so they were just conducted via email and weren’t very specific or interesting. But as I began working as a print reporter and learning how to break news, conduct good interviews and weave them into a narrative, I thought: “Why couldn’t I do this for my blog?” I also got incredibly adept at getting my stories to spread using blogger outreach (I now do digital PR utilizing these skills) and so I began publishing feature-length stories, getting really good scoops and interviews having to do with online media. KJ- I read that you do marketing articles at times. Would you write a positive piece for something that you completely disagree with? SO- I’ve done digital PR outreach for clients that I wasn’t 100% behind. I doubt I would do anything on my blog along these lines without any kind of full disclosure, I tend to not ever write about clients on my blog anyway. Maybe “not 100% behind” is a bad phrase, more like it was a political issue I was somewhat indifferent on. KJ- Are you able to support yourself as an online journalist? SO- That’s the plan. Basically my blog is a “loss leader,” in that I don’t make much direct revenue on it (I do sell ads, though I don’t think I’ll make much that way). My blog is basically an advertisement for my online media and digital PR skills. If I can get a lot of people to come to it, then a certain percentage of them will need my skills to help spread the word about their product/media outlet/issue and contact me to hire me. KJ- That makes a lot of sense. Last question. What advise do you have for people just starting out in the field of online journalism? SO- Keep your blog layout simple and easy to read. Make your contact info readily available (you’d be surprised how many don’t do this) in case some kind of scoop lands in your inbox. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and actually pick up a phone and call a source, because 99% of your competition will take the easy route, giving you a leg up. That’s good advice from Mr. Owens. As traditional media moves closer to digital media the old tricks of the trade like confirming sources are as needed as much they ever were. Pulling up your sleeves and doing the hard work will in time see citizen and digital news have the same weight as old school print journalism.

BNO News covers breaking news via Twitter

BNO News is a news source that targets breaking and developing stories world-wide. Using the Twitter phenomenon this group of journalists and news hounds are bringing breaking news to the masses with amazing speed.
BNO News is a popular Twitter resource for journalists. They have a knack of getting the newest information much sooner than many other sources on the Internet. By following their twitter feed, journalists have the beginnings of breaking news stories to be on the look out for, often hours before press releases have been distributed to news agencies.
Many people are flocking to BNO’s Twitter feed; at last count, it enjoys 905,399 followers. CNN’s Breaking News feed is still more popular, at 2.4 million followers.
BNO can thank Osama bin Ladin for jumpstarting their service. In September 2007 founder Michael van Poppel got an unpublished videotape of bin Laden which he sold to Reuters. He realized he was sitting on a gold mine and started structuring a breaking news service using his Twitter account. Within months, BNO was providing 24/7 news updates.
Using a very efficient system to process breaking news, Van Popple and his staff are able to get the freshest news, sometimes within minutes of the event.
In 2009 Van Popple founded bnonews.com with more than 16,500 members. Michael van Poppel, from the Netherlands is just 20 years old.
BNO News’s editors are journalists from the Netherlands, Mexico and the United States.
Theeditors get the news they send out in Tweets from news wires like AP, Reuters, AFP and other reputable sources. They also do their own research.
By not waiting for official confirmation, they pass on the information allowing journalists and news hounds to do further investigations on their own. While this method can be a risk, BNO News is often the first source of breaking news for journalists.
While Van Poppel did not study journalism, his staff have.
At this time BNO is not making any money providing their source. The company does plan on using advertising in the future though in order to support the site.

Opinion: Social Networking and the non tech girl

What’s a girl to do with all the social networking places littering the Internet Highway? Should I tweet or bare my soul on LiveJournal? If I go to Facebook will they sell my soul or am I too old to MySpace and all that Indie music?
Should I set my life to video and have my own channel at YouTube?
For those of us who aren’t the web monkey type which areas on the web are safe or which ones will come back to destroy my chances of future employment?
Because I report at times on social media junkets it doesn’t mean I am up-to-date on the behind the scene action. I know what I like and what is easiest to navigate though.
The best advice for anyone hopping down the social networking jungle trails is to be cautious. Your future bank account could depend on it. Employers and the police are now tiptoeing around checking people out using the Internet. While posting that cute picture of you flashing the party during the weekend may seem like a great idea realize that not only your friends but your co-workers and future employers may question your off time ventures.
That advice is good for anywhere you travel on the web. While you may feel like it’s the best place to express all of your inner secrets because no one can ’see’ you in reality those secrets can be exposed rather easily.
Social networking is a wonderful tool to keep up-to-date with friends, family and co-workers. You can use the sites as tools to further your career and stay connected to those that live far away.
Understand though that for all the positive activities that there rules of engagement. Don’t post anything that would cause you to question employing someone else about yourself and if you do something a bit rash like smoking marijuana it’s not in your best interest to broadcast it to the world.

Food Science Exhibit comes to the Ontario Science Centre

Attention Toronto foodies, the Ontario Science Centre is bringing top chefs in during this summer’s weekends to show off the science that lurks in your kitchen.
The weekend program will be featuring local produce as the chefs prepare recipes and centre researchers discuss the scientific processes involved when it comes to creating culinary masterpieces in your kitchen. Dietitians will also be on hand to explain the importance of nutritional elements of the recipes, highlighting how they work in your body.
The Food Science –Unearthed schedule is as follows:
-Aug. 15 & 16 Claudio Aprile, Executive Chef and owner, Colborne Lane.
-Aug. 22 & 23 Bob Blumer, Author and host of the TV series Surreal Gourmet and Glutton for Punishment.
Other features of the summer programs include a takeoff of the popular Family Feud game show, Family Food Game Show where teams work together to answer science questions while competing for prizes.
There will be Edible Wildlife Nature Walks to teach visitors how to ID which plants are safe to eat and which ones to stem away from because of toxic values. Killer Food teach participants about foods that contain toxins and how to identify them as to stay healthy in the kitchen. Finally No Food to Waste is an exhibit that teaches about composting, fermentation and bio-digestion.
While the chefs will only be on site during weekends the other aspects of the programs run everyday during the summer.
For more information please visit us at the web page for the Ontario Science Centre.

Tiger population falls dramatically in India

A century ago, India’s wild lands were home to about 40,000 tigers. Today, it’s estimated only 1,000 tigers remain as a result of poachers and big game hunters.
The two reserves, Panna and Sariska National Park, no longer have a tiger population.
Many of the tigers have been lost due to Asia’s demand for tiger bones, claws and skin. The animal parts are used in traditional medicines.
Tigers have also died as a result of electric fences, illegal logging and fighting among the few remaining males.
Panna park, once home to 24 tigers, has had no sightings since January.
The Wildlife Institute of India had stated in 2007 that the nation’s tigers were doing well within the reserves but not in the protected forest areas. At that time it was urged though for measures to be taken to save the species.
National Geographic reported in 2007:

“Indian tigers are not entirely down and out,” said Sujoy Banerjee, head of the species conservation program at the Indian branch of the international conservation organization WWF.”But if we don’t wake up now, the only tigers we will see will be at the zoo.”

The number of tigers surveyed that year seemed to differ from conservation groups and the Indian government. It was stated that the government did not want to report that the number of animals had decreased as much as the wildlife groups had indicated.
As the numbers dwindled in 2008 wildlife experts urged the government to save the felines.
BBC reported then:

“It is now time to act and save tigers from human beings. We have to create inviolate areas for tigers and provide modern weapons to forest guards,” conservationist Valmik Thapar told Hindustan Times newspaper.

Valmir Thapar spoke to the Wall Street Journal about the demise of tigers in his native India.

In India, 18 per cent of the land that is left as forest land. As that land degrades, the water supply also degrades. The disappearance of the tiger is a sign of the destruction of the ecosystem, something that has an impact on the entire animal population including humans.
It is becoming doubtful that the tiger population in India can be saved.
Since as far back as 2005 the nation’s forest ministry sent warning bells to the government but the local authorities did not heed them.
Dr Raghu Chundawat, an independent scientist is one of those who has been sounding alarms. He says that the state government is still refusing to listen to the seriousness of the problem.
Ashok Kumar, deputy chair of the Wildlife Trust of India, believes that India can reverse the population decline with the tigers. “The long-term future of the tiger can be saved.”
That hope is echoed by Madhya Pradesh’s forest minister Rajendra Shukla reports the BBC:

“Panna is our only park which has lost on this count,” he says. “Three of state’s reserve forests – Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench – have been adjudged among the best managed tiger reserves in the country.”

That statement though may be overly hopeful. Experts believe that the population is already to small for tigers to have a viable future. Even if the population could right itself the lack of law enforcement stopping poachers puts the situation on a downward spiral. Factoring in the ever expanding human population in the tiger’s habitat brings the chance of survival for this magnificent feline down even lower.
Ireland Online reports:

“The government must address the core problem of sufficient protection.
“Unless heads roll, translocation of animals is not going to help as these too might be lost and the situation will not change,” Mr Bhargav, a member of the National Board for Wildlife in India said.