Police inundated by thousands of squabbles on Facebook, Twitter, and other social network sites -

Police inundated by thousands of squabbles on Facebook, Twitter, and other social network sites - 



Officers say they are inundated with complaints from internet users complaining about online abuse being directed at them.
But while most disputes are brushed off by telling victims to ignore or delete their tormentors from their social media circles, some are so serious they end up in court.
According to The Mail on Sunday at least three arrests are being made every day for sending offensive messages via phones and computers, including harassment by ex-partners and hoax threats,
Simon Reed, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, told the newspaper: "We have concerns that we don't have the resources to police everything that's said on the internet.
"We can't have people getting upset in a one-off situation and involving the police. I do think this could be the thin end of the wedge.


"If we show too much willingness and get involved in every squabble, we're setting ourselves up to keep doing this because it will be expected."
He said it was right for police to investigate cases involving homophobia or racism, but added: "We shouldn't be dealing with individual squabbles."
One officer said he dealt with at least one internet squabble a day including fake Facebook accounts, online arguments, the spreading of malicious rumours and threats.
An officer from the West Midlands told how he had advised someone complaining of Facebook abuse to "unfriend" their abuser, only to be told: "But I won't have as many friends."

Read more -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9639033/Police-inundated-by-thousands-of-online-disputes.html

Got Breast Milk? Texas Mom Breaks Record - Donates amazing 86 GALLONS of Breast Milk -

Got Breast Milk? Texas Mom Breaks Record - Donates amazing 86 GALLONS of Breast Milk - 



A northern Texas mom made her way into the Guinness Book of World Records by donating more breast milk than any other woman has — nearly 87 gallons of it.

Alicia Richman, of Granbury, had a son last March and found she was producing more milk than she needed to feed him, according to a press release.

“I was so blessed to have more milk than I needed,” she recalled. “I pumped at work, on vacations, in the car. And I never had to buy formula.”

Read more -
http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/got-breast-milk-texas-mom-breaks-record/?cat_orig=health

IMF says measures taken to protect Canada's economy should be model for countries trying to fix their financial systems -

IMF says measures taken to protect Canada's economy should be model for countries trying to fix their financial systems - 




The head of the International Monetary Fund says measures taken to protect Canada's economy should be a model for countries trying to fix their financial systems.

Christine Lagarde said Thursday that Canada has been a leader in creating policies intended to rein in the build-up of household debt.

"Abroad, Canada is identified by its values of co-ordination and consensus building, which have given your country influence beyond its years," she said.

"Building a safe and stable financial system is in the best interests of the global community, but it also serves the self-interest of nations," she added.

Lagarde made the comments at a dinner held in Toronto by the Canada International Council — an organization created to promote Canada's position on the world market.

She pointed to the decision by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to boost down payments on new mortgages for homebuyers as an example of restraint that others should follow.

"All of these new reforms comprise the tools so far that will help us shape the future financial system," she said.

"We must shape the system so it cannot again hold us ransom to the consequences of its failings."

Lagarde's speech focused on global financial reforms that while "heading in the right direction," still haven't delivered the safer financial system they were designed to create.

"Some financial systems are still under distress and crisis-fighting efforts are inadvertently impeding reforms," Legarde said.

She singled out Basel III requirements as one of the financial reforms that had "generous implementation timetables," that have been in development since 2010.

Under the proposed Basel III rules, a bank's required capital levels must meet certain requirements, amongst other standards. The intention of the rules is to set a standard on key measures of a bank's health and its ability to endure future economic downturns.

"There are many vested interests working against change and pushback is intensifying," Legarde said.

"It is interesting how some banks say the new regulations will be too burdensome, but then spend hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying to kill them."

Canadian banks have been proactive in reinforcing their balance sheets to meet the Basel III requirements ahead of schedule, and are widely considered a model for international banks because they weathered the global recession better than others.

"Most countries have committed to adopt some or all of the new regulations, and some have moved further ahead with their own national policies," Lagarde said.

"The challenge now is to proceed to the end of the reform path all together."

Read more - 
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/10/25/christine-lagarde-canada_n_2020674.html

These Are the 25 Worst Passwords of 2012 -

These Are the 25 Worst Passwords of 2012 - 

If any of your passwords are on this list, then shame on you — and go change them now.

SplashData, which makes password-management applications, has released its annual Worst Passwords list compiled from common passwords that are posted by hackers. The top three — “password,” “123456″ and “12345678″ — have not changed since last year. New ones include “jesus,” “ninja,” “mustang,” “password1″ and “welcome.” Other passwords have moved up and down on the list.

The most surprising addition is probably “welcome.”

“That means people are not even changing default passwords,” SplashData CEO Morgan Slain tells TIME Tech. “It doesn’t take that much time to make a new password.”

You should have different passwords for all your accounts. To make it easier to remember them all, Slain suggests thinking about passwords as “passphrases.” For instance, use a phrase like “dog eats bone” and add underscores, dashes, hyphens and other punctuation marks to satisfy the special-character requirement: “dog_eats_bone!”

(MORE: Two-Minute Video: How to Create Strong Online Passwords)

Here’s the full list:

1. password

2, 123456

3. 12345678

4. abc123

5. qwerty

6. monkey

7. letmein

8. dragon

9. 111111

10. baseball

11. iloveyou

12. trustno1

13. 1234567

14. sunshine

15. master

16. 123123

17. welcome

18. shadow

19. ashley

20. football

21. jesus

22. michael

23. ninja

24. mustang

25. password1

Read more: http://techland.time.com/2012/10/25/these-are-the-25-worst-passwords-of-2012/?hpt=hp_t3

Cheaters choose schoolgirl and cop costumes for Halloween -

Cheaters choose schoolgirl and cop costumes for Halloween - 



Watch what you wear at this year's Halloween party. You could be outing yourself as a cheater.

AshleyMadison.com, the infamous website for adulterers looking to hook up, polled its members to find out what they'll be wearing this year.

Among the women on the site looking for someone on the side, the most popular choices are sexy schoolgirl and raunchy teacher costumes - nearly 35% chose one or the other. Also on the list, naughty nurse or doctor outfits, and fairy tale getups.

Among the men, nearly 60% said they'll dress up as cops and soldiers. Others said they'll be cowboys or doctors.

"Halloween is the one time of year when people can impersonate characters or personalities they wouldn't normally attempt," AshleyMadison.com founder Noel Biderman said in a release. "Men can dress up as their favourite superhero or act like the tough guy they secretly want to be, while women often choose sexually adventurous costumes because they don't get to portray that in their everyday life."

The survey polled 4,800 of the site's 1.2 million members in Canada.

Read more -
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/10/25/cheaters-choose-schoolgirl-and-cop-costumes-for-halloween-ashleymadison-poll

Caught! 220 MPH in 85 MPH Zone on new Texas highway -

Caught! 220 MPH in 85 MPH Zone on new Texas highway - 




Well that was fast.
A Cadillac CTS-V has become the first car to break 200 mph on Texas’ new 85 mph highway.
And the cops approve!
But just this one time.
Hennessey Performance, builders of some of the fastest custom cars on the planet, including the 275 mph Venom GT, offered up one of their 1,200 hp Cadillac coupes to test the cameras fitted to the automated toll system on the brand new SH-130 toll road, which boasts the highest speed limit in the nation at 85 mph.
Read: Hennessey planning record run for 275 mph Venom GT supercar
The run took place on Tuesday, the day before the highway opened to the public, on a closed stretch of the road south of Lockhart with safety crews ready at hand.
With a professional test driver behind the wheel, the car passed by the cameras at over 180 mph which posed no problem for them getting a photo of its license plate.
Although it doesn’t issue speeding tickets, toll jumpers who don’t have the proper tag affixed to their car get a violation sent to them in the mail. Apparently it’s not just the law you can’t outrun, but also the DOT.
Of course, with all of that open road available the driver wasn’t about to slam on the brakes. Hennessey tells FoxNews.com that his man kept his foot in it for a full 1.75 miles, hitting a top speed of 220.5 mph. At that rate, he could’ve driven the entire length of the highway from San Antonio to Austin in just about 12 minutes.
Just don't try that on the way home, you're being watched.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/10/25/car-hits-220-mph-on-new-texas-highway/?intcmp=features

San Francisco’s New ‘Tata Massage’ Parlor Offers Face Slapping For $350... -

San Francisco’s New ‘Tata Massage’ Parlor Offers Face Slapping For $350... - 



It’s the first massage business of its kind this side of the Pacific and it landed here in San Francisco. If it’s rest and relaxation you seek, however, prepare for a slap in the face.

No, really.

Another massage parlor in San Francisco? Ho-hum, you might think. But if you take a look at the ad for the brand new Tata Massage parlor, you might be surprised to see what it’s offering: face-slapping.


“Of course the first reaction is, ‘What? Face slapping?’” said Mawin Sombuntham, who runs the parlor with his wife, Tata.

Of course it is. That’s why the new massage parlor is also happy to advertise its license by the state of California to slap you.

To truly understand the technique you have to have firsthand experience, so CBS 5 brought along one of its interns, Allie, to take on the new service.

So what is it?

“It’s from ancient Thai wisdom that’s been passed down from generation to generation, and it’s a secret technique,” said Sombuntham.

Tata, who is the masseuse at the parlor, has been face-slapping for two years. She danced to music and slapped away at Allie as the massage began.

“Circulation is part of it, but it’s optimizing the fat and tissues and muscles that are in the face,” said Sombuntham.

Tata and her husband believe this will catch on as a non-invasive, chemical-free treatment. It will cost $350 for each session. They do half the face at a time, and they say the results last six months.

“We don’t get rid of wrinkles actually, we only lessen the wrinkles,” said Sombuntham.

Of course, Allie is only 21 and has more guts than wrinkles.

“There was no stinging at all. It felt like a really strong pressure on my face and then other times it was actually quite gentle,” she said.

They told her they lifted her left eyebrow, slimmed her left cheek, and reduced the line around her mouth.

Next for the folks at Tata is “butt punching,” which claims to firm and shape your rear.

Read more - 
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/10/24/sf-massage-parlor-to-offer-350-face-slaps/

School District Bans Halloween Celebrations, Opts For 'Fall Festival' Instead... -

School District Bans Halloween Celebrations, Opts For 'Fall Festival' Instead... - 



Halloween is a little more than one week away, but students at Schuylkill Elementary School aren’t planning their classroom costumes.

That’s because there won’t be a Halloween celebration here, or at the other two elementary schools in the Phoenixville School District.

District officials sent a letter home to parents on Monday, reminding them of the decision they said was sent out in the “Welcome Back” letter in August.

Superintendent Alan Fegley said there were a number of factors considered when making the decision, including that the elementary schools were all doing different celebrations and the school wanted to keep them consistent, that costume safety was becoming a real concern, and that students who couldn’t afford costumes were feeling left out.

District officials told Eyewitness News that the absentee rate more than doubled — from 4% to 9% — on Halloween.

The kids may not be celebrating Halloween, but that doesn’t mean they’re having just a normal day at school. Fegley says they will have a fall festival, complete with parties for the kids.

Alison Cirone is helping plan her daughter’s second grade fall party. “I know we were told no scarecrows, no witches, no ghosts,” said Cirone.

Cirone is in charge of snacks and paper products.

“There were quite a few parents that were upset, and others were neutral,” said Cirone. “But I think some of us just wonder, there’s no more birthday celebrations, so if there’s not Halloween, what could there possibly be next that we won’t be celebrating in school?”

Donna Sisti’s children used to go to one of the public elementary schools. “It’s a fun activity for the kids that they look forward to every year. I don’t see why it should change.”

Eyewitness News talked to several parents off-camera who said they didn’t mind the decision.

In Monday’s letter, the superintendent also said, “We understand that not everyone will agree with this decision. We hope you will realize it was made with the best interests of ALL our students in mind.”



Read more - 
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/10/22/school-officials-no-halloween-celebrations-in-phoenixville-district-this-year/

US Mint says that sales of Silver in year-to-date exceed those of Gold more than fifty-fold in terms of weight -

US Mint says that sales of Silver in year-to-date exceed those of Gold more than fifty-fold in terms of weight - 



Figures released by the US Mint on Friday indicate that sales of silver in year-to-date exceed those of gold more than fifty-fold in terms of weight.

According to the latest data released on Monday the US Mint sold 2,449,000 ounces of silver in the month of October, bringing the total sales volume this year to 28,244,000 ounces. Total gold sales by the US Mint this year are 525,000 ounces, for a silver-to-gold sales ratio in terms of weight of 53.8/1.

Silver Doctors says that the feverish sales pace for silver is unsustainable, as the current mine ratio for silver-to-gold is 9 to 1, and that if the price of silver per ounce rises above $50 the US Mint will be unable to keep pace with investment demand. 

Read more - 
http://www.mining.com/sales-by-us-mint-of-silver-outpace-gold-over-50-fold-37478/

5 Reasons to End Our War on Germs Before it Kills Us All -

5 Reasons to End Our War on Germs Before it Kills Us All - 



Western civilization guards its health as if constantly menaced by a giant public toilet handle. That's because we know how to read statistics, like we carry between two to 10 million bacteria from fingertip to elbow, or that germs can stay alive for up to three hours. As the Food and Drink Federation of Great Britain cheerfully points out , there can be as many germs under your ring as there are people in Europe.
We are a culture of germaphobes, spending as much as $930 million on antibacterial chemicals and $2.4 billion on soap at the end of the last decade. But is it possible that our war against germs is doing more harm than good?

Antibacterial or antimicrobial products do have a place in our society: in hospitals, on the surgeon’s table, in your nurse’s hands. But stationed in our handbags, waiting to be daily lathered up at the first touch of a subway pole? Not so much. Studies show that some antimicrobial products not only contain potential hormonal disruptors, but they are enabling superbugs to breed beyond our ability to smite them. Here are five reasons you should trade in some of your antibacterial sprays, gels and liquid soaps for just plain old soap and water.

1. Triclosan . For more than 30 years, triclosan has been used in hand soaps, cosmetics, deodorants, toothpastes, clothes, detergents, and more. The Centers for Disease Control reports that triclosan is found in the urine of nearly 75 percent of people tested. Other studies have shown it to be in the breast milk and blood samples of the general population. It is marketed under other names such as Microban, Irgasan DP-300, Lexol 300, Biofresh, Ster-Zac, Cloxifenolum, and more.

So now that we know we’re likely hosting triclosan like Times Square hosts tourists, let’s look at its safety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently does not list triclosan as a hazardous ingredient; however, in light of several recent studies showing adverse effects in animal testing, the FDA is currently reviewing this position. Triclosan is shown to alter hormone regulation in frogs, resulting in altered behavior and possible infertility. A recent study in 2012 revealed that triclosan is “linked with muscle function impairments in humans and mice, as well as slowing the swimming of fish.”

Liquid soap manufacturers, which as the New York Times points out , represent half of the $750 million market for liquid hand soaps in the United States, continue to claim triclosan has no harmful effects on humans. But while companies such as Dial keep using the questionable antimicrobial, others, such as Colgate-Palmolive, have started to replace tricolsan with different ingredients.

2. Natural selection . So imagine you’re slathering your hands with antibacterial soap. While most of the bacteria on your skin reacts like it's Armageddon, a few remain. These hardy bacteria—now resistant to your soap—adapt and mutate to successfully ward off your next sudsy assault on their existence. Microbiologists refer to this process as “selection,” and several studies show that it’s causing some bacteria to resist antibiotics.  

Then you get a bacterial infection, and your doctor prescribes antibiotics. As Discovery Health points out, “some antibacterial agents go after the same physiology of bacteria that prescription antibiotics do.” This means that if the bacteria making you sick already has a resistance to antibacterial agents because of previous exposure, it’s not going to work as well or at all. Think of it this way—do you really want superbugs playing out War of the Worlds in your body?

3. They are harming our ecosystem . The Natural Resources Defense Council shares that triclosan and its close cousin triclocarban “are found in high concentrations in sediments and sewage sludge where they can persist for decades.” Further, triclosan is one of the most frequently detected chemicals found in U.S. streams. The hormonal disruptions it enables are thought to be damaging the reproductive health of certain fish. Meanwhile, some experts are concerned about the additional exposure to humans eating contaminated fish. 

Read more - 
http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/5-reasons-end-our-war-germs-it-kills-us-all