Archive for October, 2010
SHRM Launches Inaugural Blog for Its 2009 Annual Conference
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Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) April 20, 2009
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) today launched a new blog (http://blogs.shrm.org/annual-conference-2009/) to help HR professionals prepare for its Annual Conference and Exposition in New Orleans June 28 – July 1. The event is the largest gathering of HR professionals in the world.
The new blog will provide daily updates over the next 10 weeks about conference sessions and speakers, networking events, volunteer opportunities, and how HR professionals can earn up to 26 certification and re-certification credits over the four days.
SHRM’s first-ever blog comes on the heels of a redesigned Web site, which was built on a new platform to help HR professionals take advantage of emerging tools and technologies. The new site, launched in February, offers multiple platforms for SHRM members and HR professionals to stay connected and informed about the latest HR issues, from in-depth white papers and articles to breaking news stories and video tutorials.
“Social media is changing the way HR professionals stay current in their jobs, from recruiting and screening job applicants to connecting and engaging with others to share best practices and solve problems,” said SHRM’s COO China Gorman. “SHRM is excited about moving into this rapidly evolving space and has taken an integrated approach with our platforms to blend in the tools, resources and information to help HR professional participate in conversations, learn from each other, and then take action.”
Also new this year is an inaugural session on Twitter and blogging at the SHRM Annual Conference. Gorman will moderate a panel discussion comprised of leading HR bloggers to examine cutting-edge HR practices. A SHRM survey conducted in October 2008 found that 17% more HR professional are using social networking sites to recruit, verify resumes or screen applications.
For a full list of pre-conference and conference sessions, please visit www.shrm.org.
About the Society for Human Resource Management:
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the U.S. and subsidiary offices in China and India.
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Nashville, TN (PRWEB) October 20, 2009
SiteHawk, the leading MSDS and chemical data management services provider, continues to drive industry education efforts with it’s GHS Information Center, an online resource for the latest news, updates, and compliance strategies for the pending Globally Harmonized System (GHS). GHS will have profound effects on the chemical data management industry, both for companies that must author and publish material safety data sheets (MSDS) for their chemical products, as well as those companies that must manage MSDS and related chemical information for onsite chemical inventories.
Just recently, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a rule to align the agency’s Hazard Communication Standard with provisions of the United Nations GHS, a global chemical information management standard. The proposed regulatory updates will require revisions in both content and format of current safety data sheets, thus causing an “authoring avalanche” for the millions of MSDS documents currently in circulation. Additionally, there will be a tremendous burden placed internally for companies who must acquire, refresh, and re-circulate the updated safety data sheets for their onsite chemical inventories.
SiteHawk is the environmental health and safety industry’s main source of GHS-related news and updates. Readers can access the full breadth of GHS resources online at the GHS Information Center.
About SiteHawk
Since 1993, SiteHawk has offered a complete approach to MSDS and chemical data management through web-based, user-friendly software and managed services. The SiteHawk solution portfolio includes services for MSDS management, MSDS authoring, chemical inventory management, and environmental and regulatory compliance. With customers in virtually every industry and throughout the world, SiteHawk continues to lead the environmental health and safety industry in customer satisfaction with a greater than 98% customer retention rate. For more information on any of these services, please visit SiteHawk.
Media Contact:
Kraig Haberer
Ballista Marketing Group
kraig (at) ballistamarketing (dot) com
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Website Archives Personal Information, Helps Track World News
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Iowa City, IA (PRWEB) March 4, 2010
Your personal information has a new home on the internet. Making it easy to research, in near real-time world news and personal information, The Social Archive (www.thesocialarchive.com), is rousing debate amongst data privacy and information professionals.
“We only archive publicly available information for the purpose of organizing it into a more consumable, usable form, freely available to the public.” says founder and operations manager Mendel Kurland. “We believe TSA is a valuable free resource on the internet and our growth in the past 6 months has really proven that people are interested in the information we provide.”
Debuting in early 2009, The Social Archive has grown considerably from 1,500 visitors per month to over 40,000. For the past 3 months, the site has paced close to 15% daily growth in traffic from all over the world with the majority of visitors coming from The United States, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, China, Italy, and The United Kingdom.
TSA searches, spiders, and archives over 150 social media sites with an additional 200 of the most popular social networking sites, directories, and public records sites slated for archiving in Q2 of this year.
The Social Archive is privately held by World Life Networks, LLC an internet research and development company with offices in Iowa City, IA.
For general inquiries, contact Mendel Kurland at 951-223-1313.
For advertising inquiries, contact John Foster at financialmanager (at) thesocialarchive (dot) com.
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Dorfman or Cottesloe? Does it matter what a theatre is called?
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This article titled “Dorfman or Cottesloe? Does it matter what a theatre is called?” was written by Michael Billington, for guardian.co.uk on Thursday 28th October 2010 15.30 UTCWhat’s in a name? About £10m, it would seem. This morning we learned that the Cottesloe will eventually be renamed the Dorfman. The reason is that Lloyd Dorfman, founder and chairman of Travelex and a member of the National Theatre board, is to provide a large donation towards the National’s £70m future development programme. It’s an extremely generous gesture and one that fully deserves recognition. I just wonder whether re-christening an established theatre is a good idea and whether it may not set a dubious precedent.
The naming of the National’s three auditoriums was always a controversial business. Some of us felt it odd that only one of the three houses, the Olivier, nominally honoured an artist. The Lyttelton was so called in honour of Oliver Lyttelton, Lord Chandos, a lifelong champion of the National and a former chairman of the board. But, in terms of envisioning what a national theatre could be, he was not to be compared with a playwright and theatrical visionary like Harley Granville-Barker. As for the Cottesloe, that was named after a former chairman of the Arts Council and the NT board. I’m sure he was an honourable man. But, again, one felt a theatre devoted to radical experiment might have been more romantically christened. The fact is, however, the name has stuck. So is it sensible to change it?
My real concern, however, is with the symbolism of the gesture. The Tories are anxious to shift the balance of arts funding from the public to the private sector. And, if philanthropy becomes a criterion for the renaming of theatres, we may be going down a very rocky path. If someone caps Lloyd Dorfman’s gift of £10m with £20m or £30m, does that mean the NT may re-brand the Olivier or the Lyttelton?
My own instinct is that philanthropy should be an altruistic gesture that neither asks, nor even expects, anything tangible in return. I also feel that theatres should ideally honour artists rather than enlightened entrepreneurs. I rejoice in the fact that, in the West End, the Globe has become the Gielgud, the Strand has been re-christened the Novello and the Albery is re-titled the Noel Coward.
Maybe the National, which Private Eye used to mischievously suggest should be called Peter Hall, should consider whether it might be more fitting to celebrate a playwright, director or actor when it comes to re-branding its auditorium. I mean no discourtesy to Lloyd Dorfman. But how does the Cottesloe family feel about the loss of its foothold in posterity? And wouldn’t the Bennett, Stoppard or Frayn be an equally good title for a theatre?
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010
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Football Weekly Extra: The Carling Cup and RIP Paul the psychic octopus
Posted by: | CommentsWe pick over the remains of this week’s round of the Carling Cup, while Sid Lowe – as opposed to Monday’s imposter – is back on the phone from Spain to talk about the Ballon d’Or.
Simon Burnton cries salty tears as we mourn the passing of Paul the psychic octopus.
Michael Cox from zonalmarking.net gives his take on the upcoming weekend’s fixtures in the Premier League.
Barry Glendenning looks forward to Sunderland’s emphatic victory over relegation fodder Newcastle in this weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby.
Subscribe to this podcast right now by clicking this link and never miss one of our podcasts again!
Post your feedback on the blog below, find us on Twitter, and keep up to date with us through the Fiver.
You can also watch James Richardson’s continental paper review with extra scandal, outrage and allegations.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010
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Ostrander, OH (PRWEB) August 25, 2010
Based in the Columbus, Ohio area, WesWare Online is a new online BlackBerry store that has simplified the search for quality BlackBerry protection – being the first BlackBerry accessory store to specialize solely in cases and skins for BlackBerry devices. With a clean, attractive, and clutter-free online interface, the WesWare Online website is easy to navigate and contains detailed product descriptions stating everything you need to know before buying.
Let’s face it, buying a protective case or skin for your BlackBerry isn’t exactly rocket science. However, it is probably among the first accessories you will purchase and should be considered a top priority to ensure your BlackBerry remains as pristine and functional as the day you bought it. Organized by device, and then brand, the WesWare Online storefront promises a fast and easy shopping experience without having to sort through countless pages to find what your looking for.
Featuring top brands in BlackBerry cases like Body Glove, iFrogz, Otterbox, iSkin, invisibleSHIELD and much more; the product selection is both broad and unique including hard shell, soft, and leather cases in a variety of styles and designs. An extensive selection of ultra-low profile BlackBerry silicone skins for customizing and protecting your device are also available from top manufacturers like MusicSkins and DecalGirl.
Top benefits of the WesWare Online shopping experience include real-life customer reviews, comparison tools to find exactly what your looking for, and their signature .50 flat rate shipping on all products for further savings for customers purchasing several items in one order. WesWare Online practices an honest, no-nonsense approach to customer service offering personalized responses to customer inquiries in a timely manner so customers won’t feel left out in the cold after their purchase. Google Checkout is the primary checkout method for security and simplicity during the buying process and a 30 day, no-hassle money back guarantee is included with all purchases.
WesWare Online also maintains the WesWare Online Blog that is updated daily and features top case and skin reviews as well as breaking news in the world of modern technology. WesWare Online is active on Facebook and Twitter for even easier interaction with their online community where customers can submit questions, opinions, photos, or general comments.
For more information: www.weswareonline.com
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?MWP Loan Finder? Debuts a Quick and Easy Method to Refinancing Home Loans
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Pearl, MS (Vocus) May 18, 2010
Web entrepreneur Mary Porter developed www.MWPLoanFinder.com in an effort to provide a helpful service to home owners nationwide while also achieving her dream of establishing a home-based business.
Today, Porter is pleased to announce the launch of www.MWPLoanFinderBlog.com. This brand-new, interactive blog serves as an informational counterpart to her web store. Here shoppers will learn about what’s new and happening in the world of finance; don’t worry many posts will explain the basics of finance terminology to ensure each customer has a concrete understanding of the news briefs.
“Have you ever considered the many benefits of a mortgage calculator; do you even know how it works? Concepts like these will additionally be explained in my new blog,” Porter said.
Visit MWPLoanFinder.com today to gain new perspective about refinancing, request a new home mortgage or learn about the benefits of a home equity loan. The steps are easy and the gains are large. Start by completing the brief questionnaire on the homepage of the website and then submit the answers with one simple click of the mouse. An agent will respond to the query within about 24 hours, on average.
Shoppers are welcome to browse the website’s mortgage glossary, which translates the often technical and unfamiliar terms associated with finance; everything from A to Z. Customers are also invited to utilize the site’s mortgage calculator to configure the new rates they desire according to their budget. And remember, for those who don’t know how to use the calculator, visit the new blog to learn how it works.
MWPLoanFinder.com, stop in today and receive four qualified offers on an existing home loan.
About the Company:
MWPLoanFinder.com is owned and operated by web entrepreneur, Mary Porter.
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Mary Porter
www.MWPLoanFinder.com
(601) 420-5596
iePlexus, Inc.
www.iePlexus.com
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The Scottish government today lost an appeal to the UK supreme court in a case over human rights that could undermine the convictions of criminals questioned without a lawyer.
A ruling found such questioning was aimed at making it more likely that suspects in Scotland might “incriminate” themselves while being quizzed by police.
The defeat for Scottish ministers – which had been feared for months – has prompted concerns that it could lead to widespread appeals and some criminals walking free from jail.
The Scottish justice minister, Kenny MacAskill, said that in response, with Holyrood’s support, he would be making “swift legislative changes to protect the victims of crime and safeguard communities”.
Today’s supreme court judgment states: “The ECHR [European Convention on Human Rights] requires that a person who has been detained by the police has the right to have access to a lawyer prior to being interviewed.”
The changes planned by MacAskill will mean introducing a right of access to legal advice before being questioned, extending the period during which a person may be detained under the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, powers to adjust legal aid eligibility rules and measures to ensure “certainty and finality” in concluded cases.
He said he would be introducing this emergency legislation later today and hoped to have it passed by Friday.
Today’s ruling in the case of Peter Cadder, who was convicted at Glasgow sheriff court of two assaults and breach of the peace on interview evidence, is retrospective.
This had prompted fears it could lead to similar appeals in other cases in which convictions have been secured under similar circumstances.
The judgment, though, found that cases which have already been dealt with by courts and not appealed against within the usual deadlines must not now be reviewed as a “miscarriage of justice”.
But it added: “The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission must make up its own mind, if it is asked to do so, as to whether it would be in the public interest for those cases to be referred to the high court.
“It will be for the appeal court to decide what course it ought to take if a reference were to be made to it on those grounds by the commission.”
New interim guidance was issued to police in Scotland earlier this year, warning that suspects should now be given access to legal representation when they are interviewed and that this would become permanent. Previously, suspects could be questioned for six hours without a lawyer being present.
This is different a situation different to that in England and Wales, where an accused person has a legal right to a lawyer.
Among the cases that may be affected by today’s ruling is that of Luke Mitchell, who was 14 when he was questioned without a lawyer by police investigating the murder of his girlfriend, Jodi Jones. His case is already being investigated by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
MacAskill said today’s decision overturned decades of criminal procedure in Scotland, “a proud, distinctive, justice system, developed over centuries, and predicated on fairness with many rigorous protections for accused persons”.
The justice minister added: “We are concerned that the current devolution arrangements have created an anomaly that seems to put Scottish law at a disadvantage in comparison to elsewhere in the EU.
“I want to see steps taken to address this anomaly. But we cannot ignore the supreme court’s decision.
“And while it necessitates changes to Scotland’s justice system, these are changes that have been anticipated and planned for. For over a year, the Scottish government, Crown Office, Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB), ACPOS [Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland] and the Scottish court service have been preparing contingency plans to deal with all possible eventualities arising from this case.
“The lord advocate – in anticipation of an adverse judgment – issued interim guidance earlier this year.”
He said he had also asked Lord Carloway, a senior high court judge, to lead a review of Scottish criminal law and practice in the aftermath of the Cadder decision and report back within months.
“Our distinctive justice system is one which protects accused persons,” MacAskill said. “However, human rights also extend to victims and to all of the people of Scotland, and the Scottish government and justice partners will continue to fight to ensure that the rights of the victims and indeed wider society remain at the forefront of the Scottish justice system.”
Elish Angiolini QC, Scotland’s lord advocate, said prosecutors would have to “immediately adapt our working practices to this new legal landscape”.
But she added: “I note that the court has stated that its decision does not apply to cases that have been finally determined. This very significantly limits the number of cases potentially affected by this judgment.”
She welcomed MacAskill’s decision to ask Carloway to review the law.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010
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More than 1,200 new species found in the Amazon in past decade
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Brightly coloured tarantulas that propel excrement at enemies one metre away, translucent “glass frogs” with skin so thin you can watch their hearts beat, blind ants that date back 120m years, and tiny predatory flowers that lure insects to their death with a murderous fragrance are among more than 1,200 species that have been discovered in the Amazon over the past 10 years.
A new report by WWF highlights the need for greater efforts to conserve the world’s greatest treasure trove of biodiversity. The South American rainforest, which covers an area one and a half times bigger than the European Union, is being threatened by loggers, ranchers, palm oil plantations, soy farms and climate change.
The report was presented at the United Nations biodiversity meeting in Nagoya, Japan, where delegates focussed today on ways to channel about bn to help developing nations save forests. Several delegations reported progress in this and other areas, breathing life into the negotiations that are supposed to end Friday with a new global pact to preserve wildlife and natural habitats.
During the last 50 years, at least 17% of the forest – an area twice the size of Spain – has been lost to human activities, damaging globally important ecological services such as carbon storage, climate stabilisation and the protection of countless species, the WWF says.
From 1999 to 2009, the report says a new species was discovered every three days. The list includes “Beni” (Eunectes beniensis), the first new anaconda species identified since 1936 which is 4m long and can eat jaguars; a “vermicelli tree” that grows a tangle of yellow noodle-like tendrils; a tiny blind subterranean catfish and a bald parrot whose body is so spectacularly coloured that scientists are astonished it was not discovered before.
“This report clearly shows the incredible diversity of life in the Amazon,” said Francisco Ruiz, who heads WWF’s work in the region. “It also serves as a reminder of how much we still have to learn about this unique region, and what we could lose if we don’t change the way we think about development.”
The discoveries clearly thrilled many of the scientists involved in compiling the report. Fernando Rivadavia found the Amazon sundew (Drosera amazonica), which secures nutrition on the arid white quartz savannas by digesting insects that are attracted by its sweet perfume and then trapped on its sticky glandular tentacles.
“Pleased hardly describes how ecstatic I felt when I finally discovered this plant after 10 years of searching for it,” he said.
As well as the new forms of piranha, monkey and purple tarantula, countless other newly discovered insects and plants were not listed in the report and many more species are expected to be found in the years ahead.
WWF says all of the species are threatened by deforestation and agricultural expansion. The organisation is working with regional government to protect wildlife and their habitat. It says that 17% of the newly protected areas in the world are in the Amazon, which is home to 30 million people including several isolated indigenous groups.
Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the United Nations Convention for Biological Diversity said he hoped that similar projects could be established to identify and protect species in other big forests. “This Amazon plan of action is a pioneer. We will now see how we can do the same for Congo, Borneo and elsewhere,” he said.
Brazil claimed today to lead the world in establishing reserves, having increased protected areas to cover 14.9 per cent of the country’s land, up from 8 per cent in 2006. Deforestation continues but the rate has slowed to its lowest level in 21 years.
However, Braulio Dias, secretary of biology and forests in the Brazilian government, said his country would not sign up in Nagoya to a UN target of halting species loss worldwide by 2020 because it was not feasible.
Rather than the Amazon, he said the main challenge was conversion of savanna to agriculture. With this likely to continue, he said a more realistic target was to reduce biodiversity loss to at least 50 per cent and, where feasible, zero.
Such a compromise is likely to be opposed by the EU and many conservation groups, which say more ambitious goals are essential to halt the alarming decline of non-human life on earth.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010
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