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The Life And Times Of Lanyards

// September 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

When you take a look at how modern lanyards look, it is quite shocking to take a look back at where they started. They have certainly come a long way, and along their travels have provided an excellent service in many different professional and personal fields. Their beginnings can be traced to the late 19^th century and was simply a piece of cord. This cord was typically used to secure a type of knife that was used at the time as a weapon in war. They have certainly come a long way from holding weapons to being modern day badge holders and keepers of conference credentials.

In the middle of the 1930’s, the knife was removed from the lanyard and it was instead worn as an accessory to clothing. At the time it was a piece of bland cord, but over the years people began to spruce them up bit by bit. And almost 80 years later, we now have the beautiful lanyards that you see almost every time you leave the house. Although the look and styles of lanyards have changed dramatically over time, their main purpose has basically remained the same. They are used to secure items that are important and that the user does not want to lose. Today they are often used to carry keys or employee ID’s. Many companies who want their employees to wear nametags now have substituted the more fashionable lanyard in its place.

Another popular choice for lanyards today is using them to hold conference credentials. The reasons for this vary but all make perfect sense. First of all, it is a great way for the host company to advertise their services. If they are holding the conference, they will typically make nametags for all participants. On the lanyard itself or on the nametag, their business name could be displayed, along with their logo or website address. Since most people can easily find a new use for a quality lanyard, they don’t often see the garbage can. And that makes it a valuable continuing advertising mechanism for the company.

Badge holders are another common use. These can be for a variety of badges. For example, some people who work in a secure building will have different levels of clearance. Therefore, their badges may have encryptions in them that allow them to open certain doors depending on their security level. This is especially common in prisons and psychiatric hospitals. Lanyards are great for this purpose because they are always at arm’s reach, so you don’t have to go burrowing through your pockets to find the key to every door.

Simply lift your badge up to the security mechanism and flash it past and the door will open. This could of course cause some security concerns which is why most companies have a strict policy of reporting any lost badge immediately. Upon reporting it, the badge can be deactivated so that whoever finds it will not be able to use it to gain forbidden access.

William F. Gabriel gives practical tips on choosing the right badge holders and Conference Credentials

New Raytheon Plant Will Open In Alabama

// September 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

Raytheon, the electronics and defense contracting mainstay has decided to open a new testing and manufacturing facility in Alabama. A project of the missile division of Raytheon will occupy the building. For over 50 years, Raytheon Missile Systems have made Tucson, Arizona home. The main facility in Tucson will not be closing. Raytheon is one of the world’s largest defense contractors, and has regularly led the way in other fields, especially in electronic technology. Resource for this article – Raytheon selects Alabama for new missile plant by Personal Money Store.

New plant in Tucson was not feasible

From an article in Business Week, Raytheon needed a new facility to design, build, and test a new ship defense system and a ship borne interceptor missile. (That’s for shooting other missiles out of the sky.) A new state-of-the-art facility wouldn’t be feasible in Tucson because of zoning, schedule and other needs that weren’t able to be met. Huntsville, Alabama, was picked as the new site. The groundbreaking and construction will start soon for the $ 75 million, 70,000 square foot building. The mortgage payments have got to be killer.

Raytheon has laser like focus

The Star Wars project made Ronald Reagan a laughingstock, but Raytheon is making laser weapons work. The business has intended a laser defense system that can easily shoot down an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and will likely soon tackle test aircraft. At a recent test on the California coast, a model of the Laser Area Weapon System shot down 4 UAVs out of the sky, as outlined by CNET. The laser causes the target to burn and fall right of the sky.

Longstanding tradition of excellence

Raytheon has been on the cutting edge of engineering for a long time, aside from their defense work. When the company was nevertheless the American Appliance Company, they invented a vacuum tube that could run a radio off of wall power, instead of a battery, before the invention of the transistor. (Some still insist vacuum tubes provide the best sound.) Raytheon also invented radar for naval vessels and the microwave oven.

More information on this topic

news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10004204.html?tag=mncol

businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9H3GKRO0.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raytheon

Media Ownership Simplified With UltraViolet?

// September 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

UltraViolet is the newest brainchild of a large consortium of tech companies. By acting as a “digital movie locker,” UltraViolet wants to help customers see a movie they have purchased on multiple devices. UltraViolet has a huge list of supporters, but a competitor called KeyChest is already on the horizon.

Article resource – UltraViolet aims to simplify movie ownership by Personal Money Store.

UltraViolet makes use of cloud computing

The UltraViolet consortium combines a huge number of media companies. Media purchases will be tracked on an UltraViolet account on uvvu.com. Customers will then be able to use this “digital token” that will allow them to play the film on a wide variety of devices and services. In other words, buy a movie on Comcast, then play it on Netflix. Buy a Blu-ray DVD, then play the film on your smartphone. The goal is ultimate cross-compatibility with minimal hassle.

Ultraviolet’s competitors and challenges

There is already a format war shaping up with UltraViolet as one of the major players. Disney is developing their own digital rights management system codenamed KeyChest. With a huge movie library that involves Marvel Entertainment and Pixar studios, Disney controls a large number of movies. Steve Jobs also serves as a board member for Disney. Apple did not sign onto the UltraViolet system, and Apple’s iOS technology may not allow app developers to use their system.

Will the Digital Management System?

There can be a couple of years where both formats will exist, if we are to use indications of previous format wars. In the end, the format the pornography industry chooses can be the one probably to win as in each other format war. However, the music industry has long tried to create similar digital rights management systems, most of which have failed rather spectacularly because of lack of corporate support and customer backlash. It will take a lot to win customer support for either KeyChest or UltraViolet – but it will have to do with the library, the support, and also the user interface.

Airline Passengers Want Compensation For Missing World Cup Semi Final

// September 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

So Spain have lifted the World Cup trophy, after scoring late in extra time to defeat Holland in the final. But the tournament wasn’t all happy for some Spanish fans, as approx. six hundred of them weren’t able to get to the Semi Final game (despite having tickets), after numerous flights from South Africa’s King Shaka airport were delayed or cancelled as a result of congestion.

According to reports, the congestion was down to an increase in private jets as stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Paris Hilton, flew in to the airport, as well as FIFA officials, South Africa’s president Jocob Zuma and Spain’s King Juan Carlos.

The planes were apparantly directed to land at a different airport in Durban, although the private jets apparantly ignored these directives. They were originally asked to redirect in order to cut down congestion and free up airport parking spots reserved for the flights that were scheduled, including those of the football fans.

Some fans had spent up to $1,300 for tickets to the World Cup Semi Final, only to find that they were unable to get to the stadium to watch the game. The South African airport management company ACSA (Airports Company South Africa), has now said it has put aside $52,000 to reimburse the passengers who were forced to miss games.

What’s not clear however is whether or not this amount is enough to compensate the passengers, as many have said that missing that game completely ruined their holiday.
Debbie, a Spanish fan who lives in England, had this to say
“It’s not as if we’ve just spent the money on those internal flights. We couldn’t afford the final so flew out just for the quarter and semi finals. Yeah they can pay us what we spent on the internal flight, but what about the hotel costs? Or the Manchester airport parking for two weeks? Or travel insurance? Or the fact that we were stuck in South Africa with nothing to do, and two expensive tickets that became worthless to us. It’s not right that these people get whatever they want just because they’re famous

Bankruptcy Possible For Teresa Giudice, Housewives Star

// September 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

One of the stars of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Teresa Giudice, is facing bankruptcy with her husband. An auction of Teresa Giudice’s belongings could be on Aug. 22. Belongings of Teresa Giudice and her husband will be auctioned off to help pay their $ 11 million debt.

Auctioning Teresa Giudice’s stuff for money to pay debt

Last October, Teresa Giudice and her husband filed for bankruptcy. The couple could not keep it up with $ 11 million in debt. The court and trustee are requiring numerous of their belongings be auctions to pay down this debt. August 22 is when the auction is supposed to happen although Giudice’s lawyer doesn’t like that idea and is fighting it.

Debts Teresa Giudice owes

The “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star has managed to rack up significant debts in the last few years. Their join income comes out to about $ 79,000 a year. $ 3,333 is made every month by Teresa Giudice working for Bravo TV. Her husband claims $ 3,250 per month in income from his stucco and stone company. Their home in Towaco, N.J. costs $ 1.8 million alone. The couple is also facing foreclosure on two other homes — one in Lincoln Park and an additional on the Jersey Shore. $ 12,000 goes to a fertility clinic when they owe another $ 5 million to previous real-estate partners. Teresa Giudice was shown on video spending $ 2,000 on clothes in 10 minutes although she claims to spend no more than $ 400 a month.

What to sell at the Teresa Giudice Auction

At noon in the Towaco home is where the Teresa Giudice auction is planned to begin. Chandeliers, a pool table, sofas and flat screen TVs are expected to be sold at the auction. The attention that Teresa Giudice has received because of this auction may well drive prices on the items up past their value. Either way, the money will be used to help pay down the creditors, and Teresa Giudice and her husband can have to make an effort to live within their means in the future.

See Teresa Giudice and Danielle Staub

youtube.com/watch?v=wN3H61WtsPM and amp;feature=related

Titi Monkeys Smuggled Through Mexico City Airport

// September 7th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

A man was discovered within the Mexico City International Airport with 18 Titi monkeys strapped around his torso. Much like other endangered species, Titi monkeys are traded on the black market for high profit. Police within the Mexico City International Airport found the Titi monkeys and arrested the smuggler. Had Roberto Zavaleta Sol Cabrera successfully sold the Titi monkeys, he could have made more than $ 27,000.

Smuggled Titi monkeys discovered in Mexico City airport

In the Mexico City International Airport, airport police spotted a man who looked “very nervous.” Roberto Zavaleta Sol Cabrera was “trying to conceal a large lump in his jumpsuit.” Police were very curious, and they found the monkeys. Stuffed into socks and strapped to his waist, two of the monkeys had already died. The claim of the smuggler is that he transported the monkeys like this to “protect them from x-ray scanners.”

Who the Titi monkey is

Native to South America, the Titi monkey is really a family of small primates. The monkeys are known for their very long, soft fur. Territorial and familial, the monkeys eat fruits, leaves, flowers, insects, bird eggs and other small creatures. The Titi monkey is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The Mexico government also heavily restricts the import of monkeys. Despite these restrictions, trade in primates as pets is big business, especially in Mexico.

The profit of black market animals

The black market in animals is sadly a thriving trade. The smuggler caught in Mexico City spent about $ 30 each to buy the Titi monkeys. If Roberto had managed to sell the monkeys, they would have sold for as much as $ 1,550 apiece. Within the United States, the monkeys would are sold to pet stores or collectors for $ 3,000 or more. Black market trading in animals could be incredibly dangerous to the animals and the pet buyers.

Is The Five Second Rule On The Way Out?

// September 7th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

Food waste is a severe world problem that we should seek to alleviate. According to Wikipedia, wasted food (raw or cooked) costs the U.K. £10.2 billion annually ($ 15.5 billion). In the United States, 15 percent of all edible food ends up untouched or unopened, which amounts to $ 43 billion in waste. You’d think the five second rule – where dropped food is assumed to be fit to eat so long as it is scooped off the floor in less than five seconds – would be encouraged by economists. Yet the Chicago Tribune reports that food scientists like Paul Dawson of Clemson University assert the five second rule should be discarded along with the pallets of food numerous restaurants and grocery stores see fit to throw away rather than donate to homeless shelters.

The five second rule should be a zero second rule, says Dawson

Dawson reminds that salmonella and other harmful bacteria can survive for as long as four weeks on the surfaces of your home, so the five second rule is too risky to utilize. Previous collegiate studies used apples and Skittles on a college dining room floor. Apparently the apple slices only showed infection after a one minute, when the Skittles took nearly five minutes to become infected. Then there was the University of Maine study that equated the five second rule with reduced food waste and immunity improvement in children.

Mind the location, not a time interval

The time frame amounts to pseudo-science, says Dawson and his supporters. If you would like to see serious infectious germs, consider bathroom and kitchen surfaces. They’re scary, but other surfaces like sidewalks are usually less so. Believe it or not, that sidewalk is probably much less germ-ridden than the floors of your home.

The psychology of five seconds

The Tribune points to research that shows that the risk individuals take with recovering dropped food is typically related to how badly they want what they dropped. Broccoli will sit when Pepperidge Farm can be remembered with your mouth, claim studies. It is also interesting to note that research seems to disprove gender stereotypes: women are more likely to eat dropped food than men.

Read more on this topic here

featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshealthclub/2010/07/debunking-the-fivesecond-dropped-food-rule.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_waste

Why You Should Take A Gap Year

// September 7th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

Why not volunteer in Africa this year and not only make a difference in your life but for the less fortunate amongst us. Volunteer in Tanzania this year to make a difference. There are many opportunities available including working abroad . Volunteering is a unique opportunity giving you the chance to do something new and to meet like minded people. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity which may well change your life forever.

Participating in a gap year is a brilliant opportunity to gain the experience of a lifetime. It is important to scour the Internet to select a company which is right for you. You must choose a placement that interests you and one in which you will spend your time at. A volunteer placement isn’t just about the work you will be doing it is about experiencing the local cultures and traditions, the local food and also a new language. Volunteering is something that will benefit you in the future by also being a great step up to new jobs. Employers look very highly on volunteer work.

It is important you choose your project country carefully as you will be able to travel around on free days during your placement and also once the placement ends. The best thing about participating in a volunteer project prior to travelling is that you are able to make many new friends who you can travel with as well as getting advice from the local people about where is best to travel. Gap year projects will never involve in the earning of money but it is looked very highly upon by employers when you are looking for jobs. Volunteering puts you one step ahead of everyone else whilst also giving you the opportunity of a lifetime which you will never forget.

First World Cup For Spain

// September 7th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

The year 2010 will be remembered for two massive reason in the coming future. One it was the first ever World cup in an African soil and secondly it was Spain’s first ever World cup. Iker Casillas, Spain’s captain when being interviewed by his fiance who was wearing a stunning silver jewellery pendant told the TV media that this was certainly one of the proudest moment of his career.

Most bookmakers had Spain as one of the favourites to lift the title but after the defeat against Switzerland many people started doubting their chances. But all those critics were shown not to doubt this Spanish team after they beat Netherlands in the final of the World cup. It was not a fantastic match by Holland but it was a tactical battle. Lots of fouls interrupted the game. Netherlands commited 28 fouls with 5 yellows and 1 red and Spain commited 19 fouls. It was like chess match other than a beautiful game of football.

Arjen Robben did have two brilliant chances to score for the Dutch but his shots were brilliantly saved by Iker Casillas. The game ended nil – nil in full time and then in extra Andres Iniesta scored one of the most important goals in his career to seal the title for Spain. Then there were wild celebrations after the final whistle. Dutch players went straight to Howard Webb (the referee of the match) to complaint about the corner he never gave before the goal. If he had given it a corner then Spain would have never scored but that’s life you have to move on from that. Howard Webb had an ok game to be honest though there were so many mistakes made by him.

Iker Casillas who started at 19 won his 112 on the day and he is not even 30. It must be a great feeling holding World cup trophy as a captain. After the match some Spanish players kissed their silver rings and silver bracelets remembering their loved once. It was great scenes.

Best Sellers In South Africa This World Cup

// September 7th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // News / Society

Now that the World Cup is over let us remind ourselves that this was the first World cup ever to be hosted in an African soul, and 4 years later we will be in Brazil. Even though it was criticised by many about the noise, vuvuzela certainly was one of the biggest selling products in the World cup in South Africa. Others being flowers and alcohol of course. Most promotional items were brought by the fans from their own native countries but few were also sold in South Africa. Several business dealing with flowers made a lot of money by having send flowers online service which were used by lots of people to send gifts and flowers back home after their country won the match.

At the start of the tournament people wanted vuvuzela’s to be banned because all they could hear inside the stadium was vuvuzela, even the players were complaining but vuvuzela’s didnt get banned, they brought vuvuzela’s that made less noise than the previous and the tournament carried on in South African manner. People were using it happily and also no one complaint. Almost every single fan had their own Vuvuzela in their hand especially all African fans. The atmosphere around the whole continent was fantastic let alone just South Africa.

When there is football, there is alcohol. For Britishers the weather in South Africa was still warm even though it was winter over there. It’s just that we have a over hyped National Football team who just cannot perform. Alcohol probably takes the poll to be honest of being the most sold items in the World cup, I don’t think any other product can beat alcohol.

There was a lot happening out there, people were getting married left right and centre well I went to few. If someone you love is there with you enjoying the atmosphere of the tournament then that is the best time to propose to someone, certainly. You are within a fantastic environment with lots of happy people. I was invited to a wedding ceremony of a couple who I met in the plane. I did not find nice wedding flowers so I had to turn birthday flowers into wedding bouquet and gift them that. There were many people from around the World who joined in, even though no one knew each other.

So alcohol, Vuvuzela and flowers are certainly at the top 5 best sellers in South Africa.